#I am being super gentle with myself about it but this one might be a multi-month project

[wolfiemcwolferson]

.

#started writing a new long fic that centers addiction #no that's a lie #it centers recovery #and it's so so so slow going guys #I am being super gentle with myself about it but this one might be a multi-month project

[starlightandfairies]

Hiii 🫶🏼 I hope you're still up for doing an Elijah request! 🤗 I can't get this man out of my head haha

Soo it would be an idea where they met somewhere in Mystic Falls and immediately felt some bond between them, so it happens that they start falling in love (she's human but knows about vampires) but she's too afraid to get hurt so she also tries not to get too close to Elijah. One night he sees some stranger following her home from the Grill and even starts attacking her, Elijah is immediately there saving her and taking her home with him to treat her wounds (mostly some scratches) and he's just super worried. There she realizes that Elijah would never be the one hurting her and they finally share their feelings with a lot of kissing and cuddles afterwards and he holds her, telling how much she means to him.

Oh I hope this is not too weird at all 🙈❤️

Description: Upon meeting Elijah Mikaelson, the feelings start to come but in fear of being hurt, the reader decides to keep her walls up to protect herself. This changes after Elijah protects her after being attacked.

Warnings: fluff, small angst, physical assault (mild), she/her pronouns, maybe swearing?

*Requests are open, please send through as many requests as you want, check my character list and requesting rules.*

Thanks so much for making this request! I can never get sick of Elijah, this man is always on my mind and please feel free to request again if you wish :) I really enjoyed writing this, thank you again :D

Key: Y/N = Your Name, POV = Point of view

Word Count: 2,125

First Person's POV

Tonight at the Grill was a ‘live acoustics’ night, some of the performers were good and others were quite frankly not that great. Bonnie, Elena and Caroline were off on the next big adventure for the vampiric save-the-day business and while I knew about all the vampires, witches, werewolves and all that extra fun stuff. Besides Matt, I was the only human in the group and somehow I was pushed aside to be kept ‘safe; despite Matt always being dragged into the whirlpool of drama even if he didn’t want to be. 

“The music is wonderful for the atmosphere tonight, don’t you agree?” That voice would haunt my dreams, haunt my every thought, I couldn’t fathom how gentle and warm a voice could sound. I glanced to the side, shooting a polite smile to the impeccably dressed man and nodded in agreement. 

“I do agree, I feel like I’m in like a cute little romance story, the warm lighting and the music-“ I cut myself short, realising I was babbling to a random stranger who more than likely did not care for my ideas and thoughts. 

“I can see how you would see that.” Oh, gosh- those eyes! That smile! This man would haunt me forever, picture perfect and everything I would want in a man. I continued to share a polite smile with the man, fiddling with the straw in my chocolate milkshake and turned myself slightly to face the man a little better. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you…?” Realising that he was waiting for my name, I placed my drink down and took his hand. 

“Y/N L/N” He softly cupped my hand, shaking it and proceeded to share his name.

“Elijah Mikaelson.” I wish I could’ve hidden my reaction better, my eyes went wide, and my smile flattened for a moment before I quickly made sure to continue to be nice and polite. Elijah carefully rested my head on the bar, took a small sip of whatever his drink was and gazed at me with a quizzical look. 

“You know who I am…” His tone was neither harsh nor hurt, Elijah seemed to have suspected my knowledge of his name and he even seemed curious by the idea of my knowledge. 

“I know of your brother Niklaus… Elena told me about you, I think she might have exaggerated a bit. You don’t seem like the antagonist she kinda painted you out to be. From what I’ve heard, you’re the nicer brother… the noble one and I'm sure first glances can be deceiving but… I don’t know- you don’t seem like a bad man.”  He briefly licked his lips, eyes shooting up to the ceiling and seemed to be contemplating his next moves. 

“I suppose you know-“ 

“That you’re a…” I leaned closer to whisper so people passing by wouldn’t hear. 

“An Original.” 

“You don’t seem to be phased.”

“Team doppelgänger has built up my immunity to supernatural beings.” I let out a weak chuckle, cringing internally and turned my focus back on my drink. I wanted to keep speaking with him, I really did want to keep speaking with him but I knew the world that I happened to live in and I didn’t fancy the idea of being bait or hurt as collateral damage. 

“It was really nice to meet you Elijah but I have to go.” He nodded, that handsome smile appearing once more, his actions made me gush and brought butterflies into my belly as he grabbed my jacket and assisted in placing it back on. 

“I hope that you have a good evening, Y/N” 

“Same to you Elijah.” He seemed to have a thought pop into his head, I stopped in my tracks, allowing for him to have the benefit of the doubt and give him the chance to speak his mind. 

“May I have the pleasure of seeing you again?” 

“Maybe… There’s always tomorrow.” I knew I had given myself away, I could feel my heart skip a beat, I’m sure he could hear it, his facial expression didn’t change but I could feel that he knew what I was feeling. 

“Have a good evening,” I whispered, brushing past him to carry on my way. 

+++++++

I had seen Elijah a couple of times since our first meeting, we had small conversations and I tried my best to conceal my heart, I didn't want to get close to this man despite enjoying his presence, his voice and the true appearance of his gentlemanly ways made me fall into a daydream greater than any story or dream I could ever have or read. 

The next time I saw Elijah was three months after our first meeting, as I said we had multiple different meetings and they were all the greatest moments of my life despite how much I tried to protect my fragile heart. I had left my home for the park, I wanted to read outside of my home and get some fresh air away from the stuffiness of my bedroom. I rested the picnic blanket underneath a large tree, I read three chapters of my book before I felt a presence looming nearby, I placed the book to the side and stood up, surveying the area for a figure and jumped in my skin seeing Elijah approaching me. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you, may I join you?" I nodded, smiling at the man, watching as he unbuttoned his shirt and sat down with me on the picnic blanket. He gently picked my book up, staring at the cover with intrigue, I observed him with butterflies growing in my stomach, a blush wanting to form on my cheeks as I continued to drown in what was possibly a huge crush for the Original Vampire. 

"Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi... I'm not sure I've heard of this one before." 

"I doubt you would've, I don't exactly picture you reading a book like this?" He smiled, tilting his head slightly, a deep chuckle leaving his mouth and he handed me back the book. 

"Why is that?" 

"Well... I don't know, I picture you reading older books nothing from the late 20th century to the early 21st century." Elijah briefly nodded in agreement, I smiled proudly at my guess and fiddled with the tassels hanging off of my bookmark. The vampire took off his suit jacket and began rolling up the sleeves of his button-up, I bit the inside of my cheek, begging myself to remain calm and avoid giving away any kind of emotions being revealed. 

"Enlighten me, will you though, please? What's it about?" I cleared my throat, leaning closer to him with joy forming, giddy that he was showing interest in something that I liked and enjoyed. 

"It's the third book in the series, I've read it before, and this one is one of my favourites. Essentially the series is all about control some people have these powers and the leaders are trying to control these people. The relationship of the main characters is what I happen to enjoy the most about it, I love how Tahereh created their bond from..." 

"Why did you stop?" Elijah gently questioned, his face furrowing in concern, I wanted to cringe but I forced the words out before I could let that show. Taking a deep breath, I turned my gaze back to him, scrunching my face up briefly and proceeded to explain to Elijah what was going through my head. 

"Whenever I ramble on to the Salvatores and all that, it's clear that they don't care and I'm not wanting to force that onto you. I'm sorry." Elijah tutted, shaking his head and holding out his hand for me to take. Hesitating for a moment, I finally rested my hand in his, holding my breath for a moment and kept my eyes focused on him as he rested his other hand on top of mine. 

"You do that too often, Y/N, I can see you trying to protect your heart and you have a wide range of information waiting to come out and you shut yourself down because you expect everyone else to do that. I hope you find someone... someone who makes you realise you don't need to do that." 

"Could possibly end up being you, Elijah," I whispered.

+++++

When someone unknown came into Mystic Falls, it was always a concerning event, the vampires were always the most suspicious of strangers and most of the time they were typically right for not trusting the stranger. It was late when I left the grill tonight, Elijah was growing on my mind more and more, and I would be hit with a wave of memories at random moments. 

"Up ahead, there's an alley to your right, walk down it. Try anything-" 

"Okay... I understand." I whispered, complying as I walked a little quicker and turned down the alleyway. I cried out as I was instantly shoved against the wall, my head ached and the world spun around me, I bit back a sob as I hit the ground and hissed as the gravel bit into my skin. I kicked off my heels, not fancying a broken ankle and lept to my feet running towards the street but missed as the man tackled me to the ground and which resulted in blood slightly trickling down my forehead and more cuts forming against my skin. 

It felt like something out of a vampire movie, I heard a whoosh and then a light thud. Elijah appeared, holding the man against the wall effortlessly with one hand and easily compelled the man to walk off and not commit any sort of crime again. I let out a few sobs as the pain sunk in and the adrenaline started to fade away.

Elijah swooped me into his arms, effortlessly taking me to his mansion and rested me down on his obnoxiously large bed. He crouched down, gently cupping my face in his hands, observing my facial features and swiftly disappeared somewhere before running back. 

"Are you okay?" He questioned, focusing on grabbing the things from the first-aid kit to treat my wounds. 

"I'm okay..." I whispered, hissing as he wiped an alcohol wipe across the graze on my palm and watched as he apologised profusely for inflicting any added pain onto me. Elijah was so attentive to my needs, he cleaned the blood and dirt away from my cuts and grazes. Covering them with bandaids, doing what he could to assist in caring for me. It was as he was lingering for a moment, observing my form that I realised that Elijah Mikaelson would never hurt me. He would never cause any harm to me, Elijah Mikaelson would protect me and I knew that I wouldn't need to worry any longer. 

"You wouldn't hurt me..." I whispered, staring at the vampire as he grasped my face and held eye contact with me. 

"Y/N L/N I would never dream of hurting you, you... you're perfect... Y/N you are the epitome of perfect, I haven't met someone as intelligent, kind, sweet, and funny in a long time. Y/N I love you and I hope that you'll allow-" I pushed myself closer to him, carefully cupping his face to kiss the man who had possessed my dreams too often. 

"Elijah, please, never let me go, I can't keep guarding myself-" 

"Shhh, I've got you." He kissed my forehead, pulling me into his arms and pushing himself to lay against the headboard of his bed. I inhaled, holding onto the warm and mesmerising smell of his cologne, I curled into his chest and hummed gently as he rested another kiss on my forehead. 

I felt protected, Elijah was my guardian angel, and he made me feel warm and gooey. Made me giddy and the butterflies a constant swarm in my belly, I fiddled with his hands, staring at the family ring that rested on his finger and glanced to him as he pulled my face to meet his. I hummed as he rested a kiss against my lips, sucking in another deep breath and curling in closer as he strokes my hair, his touch comforting and loving. 

"Can I stay here? Just in your arms? Where I'm safe and with you, you Elijah who looks after me and takes the time to listen and know me?" Elijah's smile made the butterflies come to life, my cheeks flushed red and his simple words reassured me for an infinity of time. 

"Always and forever." 

#the originals #fluff #angst #elijah mikaelson #elijah mikaelson x reader #elijah mikaelson imagine #the mikaelsons #klaus mikaelson x reader #klaus mikaelson imagine #klaus mikaelson x y/n #klaus mikaelson #elijah mikaelson fluff #klaus mikaelson fluff #daniel gillies #joseph morgan #rebekah mikaelson #hayley marshall #marcel gerard #freya mikaelson #kol mikaelson #daniel gilles fluff #elijah mikealson x reader #elijah mikaelson fic #elijah mikaelson x y/n #elijah mikaelson x female reader #niklaus mikaelson #niklaus imagines #niklaus x reader #niklaus mikaelson x reader #niklaus mikaelson fluff

[selfhelpforstudents]

How I Manage to Study 15 Hours a Day

Girls in Finance project server // other posts

As I love studying, I have found some tips that have helped me throughout the years to stay efficient during long study days. I adapted these tips to my personality: I am a very loving and compassionate person, thereby I give myself a lot of support through those.

So, let's infuse warmth, love, and a fighting spirit into study tips:

Cherish Your Goals:

Embrace tasks that align with your dreams. Who do you want to be in life? Vision yourself being that person! I always look at my goals in the form of a vision board and become super happy.

2. Study time is a privilege:

Treat each moment as a gift. Sometimes we might think that we are "forced" to study. However, it is a privilege that we are able to go to uni/school and thereby work on our future.

3. Focus, One Task at a Time:

Devote your heart to one task at a time. Sometimes we do feel tempted to switch, but I would suggest staying disciplined with one subject/one task at a time.

4. Breaks are Important:

Gift yourself short breaks filled with something that motivates you: Looking at your vision board, past achievement, etc. I always look back on what I have achieved so far and that instantly makes me more motivated and gives me a clear mind.

5. Nourish Your Body:

Really do your best to keep to a balanced diet, as it has been proven that enough water and a healthy diet can increase concentration and keeps you healthy.

6. Goals, Sweet Milestones:

Set goals as gentle companions on your journey! Celebrate each accomplishment with a loving heart! You are doing so well! Really fill your heart with the happiness of achieving small goals and milestones.

7. Reflect with Compassion:

Tenderly reflect on your journey and seek feedback. There is always room for improvement. And even if you fail to be efficient at times, there is always a tomorrow and you learn from your mistakes.

That's it, remember, efficiency is not solely about the number of hours spent studying but about making the most of the time invested. <3 I love you all!! Feel free to reach out!

Girls in Finance project server // other posts

#studyblr #studygram #study tips #studying #studyinspo #motivation to study #100 days of productivity #study blog #study notes #exams

[seabirdtxt]

.Irminsul Push/Pull

You, the Creator, experience your first day with the world's weirdest roommates. [< prev] [Blog tag] [next >]

Notes: SAGAU, reader is the Creator but no cult shenanigans. mild swearing. very gentle puppet bullying, it's probably the cain instinct or smth. all relationships are currently platonic!

WC. 1.8k

----- ⚘ -----

You’re not super sure what you thought telepathic communication was going to feel like, probably assuming you would hear the voice of the other person saying their message out loud in your head.

In reality, it ends up being more like receiving a text message. In all caps. In your head.

GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE.

You sit up in your bed with a frown when the message suddenly crosses your mind. You check outside the mansion’s window, deeming it to be relatively early in the morning. Curious, you slide out from under the covers and shuffle your way downstairs.

Your curiosity quickly turns to irritation as you hear the sound of tools being thrown and voices arguing coming from the direction of Kabukimono’s room, the only currently inhabited room on the ground floor. 

You slowly push open the unlatched door and quickly duck to avoid a flying object—what is that? a pair of tongs?—that was aimed somewhere in the vicinity of your head. 

“- told you you can’t cook on the forge!” Kabukimono shouts, whiny and furiously stomping around, tossing loose tools around the room. Scaramouche is standing a little ways away from him, holding a bowl of ingredients with a bored look on his face.

“It’s a heat source, isn’t it?” The Balladeer asks, rolling his eyes. “If I can light it on fire, it can cook things.”

“No you can’t! I have to keep it way too hot to cook things,” Kabukimono scolds him, brandishing a metal poker in his direction. “And if you get food crumbs and oil in it, it might affect the quality of the metal! I won’t let you use it, and that’s final!”

“What else am I supposed to use, then?” Scaramouche growls, gesturing widely. “It’s not like this genius Creator of yours, in their boundless wisdom, made a kitchen.”

Whoops. Your eyes scan the room, surveying the damage, until your gaze lands on a terrified Cuppy hiding under a coat rack behind you, close to the door.

“Hey, buddy,” you whisper, inching closer to him. “D’you think you can turn one of the ground floor rooms into a kitchen really quick?”

The little teacup spirit nods frantically and disappears in a puff of smoke, presumably to fulfill your request as fast as possible. 

You look around the room again and spot Wanderer hovering above the other two, one leg crossed over the other in a pose hilariously similar to Ei when she’d been meditating in the Plane of Euthymia. You wave to catch his attention, and he looks over at you with a wry expression before zooming over to where you are.

“About time you got here,” he snarks, landing delicately beside you. “These idiots have been going at it for about twenty minutes now.” 

“I just asked Cuppy to make one of the rooms a kitchen,” you tell him. “I totally forgot about that, I don’t usually make a kitchen inside the Traveler’s teapot, so…”

“Yeah, you use the outdoor one, right?” 

You nod, having briefly forgotten that Wanderer had seen your layout of the Traveler’s realm before. As you’re musing on this, Wanderer darts forward and smacks the underside of Scaramouche’s bowl, causing it to escape the Balladeer’s grasp and sending ingredients flying in all directions, much to Kabukimono’s displeasure. 

“What the- why would you do that?!” Kabukimono wails, his argument interrupted. “Look at this mess! Niwa would have a heart attack if he saw this!” 

“Half of this garbage is yours,” Scaramouche points out, expression thunderous as he picks up one of the smaller prongs on the ground and uses it to take a swing at Wanderer, who takes to the air and floats out of reach with a smirk. 

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself,” Wanderer says with a shrug. “I was just getting so sick of hearing you guys whining like babies for no reason.” 

“Okay, and you needed to waste perfectly good ingredients, why?” Scaramouche snaps, bending to pick up his now empty bowl and waving it at Wanderer threateningly, visibly restraining himself from flying off the handle.

“Because it’s not like you were gonna actually use them,” Wanderer snaps back. “I am you, and I know for a fact that you can barely make cup noodles if someone else did the preparation for you.” 

Scaramouche quickly turns red in the face as Kabukimono laughs at him, so you step in before another argument can break out.

“Guys, come on, I think Cuppy finished making a kitchen,” you say placatingly, hands outstretched and palms up. The three puppets look at you with varying levels of skepticism. 

You lead the way out of the trashed room, picking one of the other doors at random and hoping that it’s the one Cuppy chose. Mentally keeping your fingers crossed, you turn the knob and open the door, and freeze in the doorway, prompting at least two of the puppets to peer over your shoulder at the scene inside.

Cuppy did, indeed, choose this room. It’s one of the Mondstat-themed bedrooms, and what the teacup spirit did was put a single stove in the middle of the room and replace the bookshelves with jars and cupboards. Everything else about the decor, including the bed, carpet, and wardrobe, is the exact same.

Wanderer can’t seem to help himself about this, either, and bursts out laughing. 

“You call this a kitchen?” Scaramouche asks, pointing at the lonely stove sitting beside the Mond-style bed frame. 

“I think he did a great job,” you try, covering your mouth with one hand to hide your amused grin. Thankfully, it seems Cuppy made his escape as soon as he renovated, because he’s nowhere to be seen. 

“I don’t get it,” Kabukimono says, and you can feel him pushing someone (Scaramouche) behind you to see the rest of the room, to the person’s (Scaramouche’s) protests. “What’s so funny? A good stove and a well-stocked pantry is more than okay.” 

“And,” you interject through your repressed giggles, eager to defend your little teacup spirit. “Having a bed nearby just means you can lay back and relax while you wait for your food to cook!” 

“Are you serious right now? It’s just a stove in the middle of a bedroom!” Scaramouche protests, pushing you aside and stomping into the room. He points at the stove, and then at the carpet it’s sitting on. “This cannot be safe, right? This breaks all kinds of safety regulations.” 

“We’ll just move it aside, it’s fine,” you say, hoping to diffuse the situation. 

“It’s understandable,” Kabukimono agrees. “It’s not like he’s seen a proper kitchen before, right?”

Even Wanderer stops laughing as the three of you stare owlishly at Kabukimono, who shuffles nervously under the attention.

“What?” Kabukimono asks defensively. 

“I actually hadn’t thought of that,” you mutter, hands on your hips as you survey the room with new consideration. “He is pretty small, and who knows if he ventured outside of the realm before…” 

The other two remain silent, seemingly contemplating Kabukimono’s words but not voicing their opinions on it.

IS IT BAD THAT I FEEL BAD FOR LAUGHING?

You hide your flinch well, the sudden message scaring you out of your own thoughts. You steal a glance at Wanderer out of the corner of your eye, where he’s leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He doesn’t look you in the eye, instead pretending to be very interested with the shelf of ingredients near him.

‘I think that's just normal’ you think, hoping he somehow receives your thoughts as well. ‘I didn’t think of it either, so we’re all kinda wrong…’

While you’re distracted, Scaramouche has already started lighting the stove, having kicked aside the offending carpet, and browses the shelves for ingredients. He knocks on a few of the jars with a frown.

“... These are all empty.” He finally evaluates. 

“Yeah, that tracks, I don’t actually own anything yet,” you nod. “Everything I’ve ever collected is probably still with the Traveler.”

“Presumably they’d be willing to part with some of their stash,” Wanderer adds sarcastically. “I don’t think they really need several thousand of each ingredient they own.” 

“I mean, you never know, right?” You chuckle nervously, thinking of all the bag space your farming must have taken up. How does the Traveler’s inventory work outside of a game-mechanic perspective? You suppose you’re going to find out soon enough. 

“If you’re going out to get stuff, I’m coming with you,” Scaramouche declares, crossing his arms as if daring you to refuse his company. “No way am I staying in here with these guys.” 

You shrug, and Wanderer doesn’t protest either. “Yeah, that’s fine with me. I’ll head out now so we have time to sort and put everything away before lunch.” 

“Bold of you to assume we’re going to get anything done before lunch,” Wanderer mutters, herding Kabukimono out of the ‘kitchen’, promising the other puppet to help him clean up the mess in his room. 

“Are you ready to head out?” You ask Scaramouche, ignoring the jibe. You hold out your hand, which the Balladeer reluctantly takes, and you will yourselves out of the teapot realm.

You materialize in one of the alcoves of the Sanctuary of Surasthana, briefly disoriented by the change in location until you see Nahida and Aranyani sitting on the central dais, seemingly having a quiet conversation. Nahida spots you first, waving cheerfully at you both.

“Your Grace! Balladeer! Apologies for relocating you, but we decided that the chamber of Irminsul should remain uninhabited for now,” she explains, hands clasped together. “After all, it’s too easy to stumble and damage one of the branches of information, and I would hate for any of you to blame yourselves if that kind of accident were to happen.” 

“That’s fair, thanks for doing that for us!” you smile at her thoughtfulness. Still holding Scaramouche’s hand, you lead the two of you down to the central part of the chamber. “Do you know where the Traveler is? We wanted to ask if they could spare some of the materials I had collected from before I came here.” 

“Yes, we saw the Traveler earlier, but they went to fetch some people that Nahida recommended,” Aranyani says, picking up Nahida under her arms and putting the small god in her lap. Nahida doesn’t react, still smiling as Aranyani begins to play with her hair.

“Recommended for what?” Scaramouche asks before you get the chance to. You elbow him subtly, a warning to watch his tone. 

“To help us figure out how and why you’ve descended to Teyvat, Your Grace!” Nahida claps her hands together. “It will be good to know in case you need to go back home, or if you wish to return here from your world!”

You nod, grateful at the prospect of having that option. “Who did you call in for this?”

Aranyani cheerfully answers this for you: “The General Mahamatra, and a scholar named Alhaitham!” 

You share a quick look with Scaramouche.

“The linguistics guy, and the cop…?” You ask, with a slight wince.

“I don’t think you’re figuring this one out anytime soon.”

#genshin sagau #sagau #self aware genshin #genshin self aware au #genshin isekai #genshin scaramouche #sagau scaramouche #genshin wanderer #sagau wanderer #genshin kabukimono #sagau kabukimono #sagau x reader #scaramouche x reader #wanderer x reader #kabukimono x reader #seabird.txt #glitch in irminsul au #we do a little bit of clowning on scara in this household

[lovverletters]

Ok so I did send a request idea but im also still thinking about the serial killer guy and im just.

Im so love him so so much and just

Sobbing crying and holding his face gently.

Im so gay. Im such a gay lil man for big scary dude

And I just wanna.... dote on him.

Like ok I mean yes he HAS killed people and all and is kinda super scary

But god my dumb ass with a big heart just seeing him covered in blood and maybe hurt somehow and going like "hey... hey uh... let's get you cleaned up and patched up ok?"

And just being so gentle with him, wiping the blood off and maybe even learning to stitch wounds closed just for him.

Ok so what if maybe he has kidnapped me. He means well I think! Hasn't done anything to hurt me so I mean come on maybe he is lonely and needs some kindness ya know? (Totally not delusional ♡♡♡)

I mean sure it was scary at first and all but like he's a person too right? He's got a heart. He needs some gentle care and love.

Making him a flower crown, putting stickers on his mask and arms, holding his hand gently and just feeling his big palms with my smaller lil hands and treating him with such gentle care.

I am so sappy and gay im sorry

I just love him-

♡Bunny (whos a gay lil idiot♡♡♡)

Yandere! Serial Killer part 2

A/N : this was supposed to come out on Halloween but um things happens💟 hope you like it! Sorry for the ending heh🐰

T/W : blood, mentioned of murder, kidnapping, stockholm syndrome(?), the reader lowkey kinda insane too, yandere themes.

«────── « ⋅ʚ💌ɞ⋅ » ──────»

[Name] stared at the screen of the television showcasing a random horror movie absentmindedly, not paying much attention to it as their thoughts were occupied.

It was well past midnight and they were still wide awake.

They were unable to sleep due to the loud thundering sounds of the storm outside and decided to watch a movie instead and hopefully fall asleep to it.

It didn't work obviously as they were currently staring blankly at the scene of a man being brutally murdered by an axe-wielding killer in the movie. It was concerning how they barely reacted to the grotesque scene.

They've seen real horrors before.

[Name] has essentially been desensitised of seeing blood and gore. The sight being far too common nowadays after they met him.

Their ears perked up at the sound of a jingling keys and the doorknob twisting open. He's home. [Name] turned their gaze from the movie to the man who's currently standing at their front door.

"You're back and.. bloodied as usual" They greeted him, eyes trailing over his current state.

Lorn was covered in blood from head to toe, both his and his victim's they presumed. Cuts and scratches littered his muscled arms, some look fairly deep ones as it bled. The killer stood still as a statue all the while [Name] inspected him, he knew [Name] will be angry at him for walking around bathed in blood so he remained glued to his spot.

"Found a tough one. Scratched and sliced me once with a knife. That's why m'so bloodied, had to cut their limbs off f'touching me" He explained, staring at [Name] who were grabbing the items they had kept in the supply closet.

If they had not known better, they would've thought he was innocent, incapable of harm as he stared at them through his red horned mask with those adoring eyes. Who would've thought that the infamous Lovelorn killer was a small puppy towards his object of affection.

"Come here, let's get you cleaned and patched up. Wouldn't want you to bleed everywhere, blood is hard to get out of carpet okay?" They motioned him to strip his clothes off and dump it in the basin of clothes to be washed separately.

As they wiped the blood off of Lorn, stitched and wrapped him up in bandages they were overcome by a realisation. Something feels off about themselves. A normal person would've screamed bloody murder and ran to the police but here they are pampering a serial killer who they are living with.

'I might be insane myself' they thought to themselves, chuckling humourlessly.

It had been months since they were locked inside this house with only Lorn as a company. They were protesting at first, demanding to be freed but even then deep down they didn't really care. [Name] only did it because it's what they thought a sane person would do.

Maybe they and Lorn aren't that different.

[Name] snapped out of their thoughts when a rough hand were placed on their jaw, the touch so gentle they barely feel it.

"What's wrong?" Lorn was looking at them with those eyes again.

They shook their head and smiled, continuing their work of stitching up closed a cut on his arm. After they were done, Lorn stood up and englufed them in a hug, their sizes difference were apparent as he towers over them with his muscular built.

"Thank you. I love you so much, [Name]" He said, burying his face on their hair.

They pat his back and suddenly a thought crept up in their mind. They bit their lip as they contemplate on wether to ask him or not.

Fuck it.

"Hey, Lorn?" He hummed in reply, too busy mooching off their warmth.

"Why don't I join you the next time you went out for a kill?"

«────── « ⋅ʚ💌ɞ⋅ » ──────»

#yandere x reader #yandere x darling #yandere x y/n #yandere x you #yandere oc #tw: yandere #yandere #gender neutral reader #yandere male #yandere headcanons

[nistley]

An Isekai anime that doesn't use only stereotyping is refreshing!

(as a woman it’s nice to not roll my eyes or sigh for every panty shot or normalized sexual harassment behavior from the male hero)

Suzune and Ryusen relantionship

One of my favorite : Yes, Woman and man can spend time together and being friends. It is nice to enjoy time with a colleague.

(well, we don’t know for sure if their relantionship will evolve. Ship them if you want. For now my ace heart was pleased).

Multidimensional characters are what I crave !

Within 5 minutes of the episode we have three stereotypes :

- Genious student council president : smart, team leadar, sportive … : Suzune

- Smart, capable and composed student council vice-president : Ryusen

- normal guy : Usato

Don't get me wrong, clichés and stereotypes are useful. They give you a sense of knowledge and help you get into the story more easily.

Although when someone is only the "funny guy/girl" who is a cute and silly cinnamon roll for 10 episodes. Then, say an inspirational quote for the last episode, it is a frustrating and quite boring experience.

That’s why, when the magic circle appeared I was happily surprised.

Ryusen is freaking out. Usato is surprised but almost chill and Suzune is really excited about the event

That’s the moment, I said to myself, it might be interesting.

Usato has empathy and is attentive to his surrondings (I link it to the bird scene). Before saying Ryusen as to calm down, Usato acknowlegdes his anger and makes him understand that it is not a good option for them.

Like in real life, only shooting to someone to stop is often not effective, but if you add emotion (by example : « you seem hurt let’s discuss about it » or « you are right to be angry but it’s not my fault » …) you create a space for both your emotion to connect (at least in my real life experience maybe their is an on/off bouton I haven’t discovered yet).

THIS, THIS !

Am I too old ? Is the world a better place now for teenagers ? (calm down. I am not your mom, I am only in my late-twenties) ,or I have watched too many crappy or clichéd anime.

Simply, two guys checking how they are feeling. « Like, are you alright dude ? I am pretty angry to be here. How about you ? ».

No stupid joke, nothing pervy about the magician « nun outfit » (I don’t mak judgmenys, she is rocking this outfit).It feels realistic. Amazing.

To sum up, I enjoyed being surprised. I have watched countless anime for years and more often than not you can predict what will happen or what characters will say. I know I am not the only one. Sadly we are not super human, it is the source material which is poor.

Suzune is not the « Damsel in distress » or the nurse / the one caring for the guys . In fact she is the main character in spirit. Usato and Ryusen are bonding over their insecurities about being

thrown out into another world (in opposition to Suzune who is living her best life).

Additionally, I am sick and tired of genre stereotypes. . Woman as to be gentle, elegant, weak … Man have to be strong, fearless, insensitve …

It doesn’t seem like it in this anime, I have hope 

#chiyu mahou no machigatta tsukaikata #the wrong way to use healing magic #winter 2024 anime #anime 2024 #isekai #noralities vibe

[absolutebl]

Recommendation for something to watch and complete on a off day? I am also off today. Something soft and full of love preferably....

10 Soft BL's to Binge In A Day

(Since I don't sleep and watch high speed I binge full length Thai BL but I'm assuming you want something shorter than that, so I've limited myself to a 5hr runtime.)

1. Semantic Error (Korea Viki) - Sexy older boy discovers pouty younger boy has outed him as a slacker, starts out bullying him, accidentally falls madly in love. Korea hits it entirely out of the Parks by doing a university BL with everything we expect from BL just done exactly right. Korea's signature quality executed perfectly with added bonus good story, great pacing, stunning visuals, and fantastic chemistry. You cannot ask for more from a BL, let alone a KBL. Full review.

2. Seven Days (Japan grey in 2 parts Seven Days: Monday - Thursday, Seven Days: Friday - Sunday) - one of the best live action yaoi mangas ever made. The leads have excellent chemistry although it’s low heat, there’s still more kisses than Cherry Magic. Popular first year Seiryo has a policy of going out with any girl who asks… for one week. On a lark, third year Yuzuru tests to see if that policy also applies to boys. Seiryo agrees that it does. Along the way they accidentally fall in love. All the angst is just teen confusion. 

3. Our Dating Sim (Korea Viki) - I enjoyed every aspect from the casting to the very simple premise to the quietly smooth execution. Sure it’s very low stakes, but that makes it high domesticity and extremely warm and gentle. This is a fuzzy blanket of a story. Do we call this cozy BL? Why not? This one is going to live in my rewatch pile, I can tell already, and you know what’s best about it? Every single episode is in that pile. There’s no skipping with this one, it might be good natured and calmly sweet but it’s tight and the pacing is excellent. It perfectly suited KBL’s short-length tendencies. Full review.

4. Light On Me (Korea Viki - Korea does an elegant pastiche of traditional live action yaoi but all tropes are cleverly deployed to bolster one of the most riveting love triangles ever put on screen… and I don’t like love triangles. LoM strategically tailors classic BL tropes to 2 different semes resulting in pristine pacing, plot, and character development, explicitly serving narrative (not just to tick boxes). LoM is a master class in this trope drops. (If you write fanfic or romance you should study this show.) Full review.

5. Takara-kun and Amagi-kun (Japan Gaga & Viki) - I gnawed on my knuckles and squealed a lot with this show. Reserved cool kid who must learn to communicate to keep the tiny disaster nugget he’s madly in love with. It is beyond charming: soft and gentle, packed with cuteness and high school angst, thirst, & yearning. Was there plot? Not really. Was it emotionally tense and paced well enough for me not to notice? Absolutely. Did I enjoy the hell out of it? Oh yes. Full review.

6. HIStory 2: Crossing the Line (Taiwan Viki) - super low stakes sweetest story of the bad boy who falls hard for the senior on the volleyball team and then works to earn his love. You know it’s Taiwan so the kisses are great but in this case it also ends well. Only trigger is that the side couple is the stepbrothers trope, and some don’t like that.

7. Cherry Magic (Japan indie subbed) AKA Doutei dato Mahoutsukai ni narerurashii - the sweetest, fluffiest, most charming bit of adorable ever, full of found family and pastry and serious slapstick, the characters are utterly bonkers, but cute about it. 

8. Wish You (Korea Netflix or Viki, you want the movie version) AKA WISH YOU: Your Melody in My Heart - low stakes high pining romance about a pianist who falls in love with a busker who is on his way to being the next big idol. 

9. Restart After Come Back Home (Japan indie subbed or Gaga?) - this one is perfect if you just want a beautiful loving movie, and one that is well filmed and complex enough to appeal to those who don’t normally watch BL or romance (if you have a reluctant partner). 

10. You Are Ma Boy (Vietnam YouTube) - is there angst? Nope even what could have been angst (a gay idol) doesn’t materialize, it’s just cuties in a cafe confusing each other with cat & mouse games. The side het couple is a touch disturbing, tho. 

Also Old Fashioned Cupcake, it's a bit more complicated than soft but a FANTASTIC binge watch.

(list updated May 2023, not responsible for ones that come after that date)

#asked and answered #rec list #BL's to Binge #bingeable BL #it's on viki #Semantic Error #korean bl #Seven Days: Monday - Thursday #japanese bl #adapted from a manga #live action yaoi #Seven Days: Friday - Sunday #Our Dating Sim #Light On Me #Takara-kun and Amagi-kun #HIStory 2: Crossing the Line #taiwanese bl #Restart After Come Back Home #WISH YOU: Your Melody in My Heart #You Are Ma Boy #vietnamese bl #Also Old Fashioned Cupcake #Cherry Magic #Doutei dato Mahoutsukai ni narerurashii

[lostarchivesoforpheus]

`•- Rest Your Head

antonio paganini x gn reader

prompt: free space

warnings: physical touch, not proofread (yet), this is so rushed im sorry :,,)) might rewrite it later

a/n: i have literally been wanting to write for antonio for almost 2 months but i had so much requests to finish. i still have some requests but i wanna focus on the event and i am unbelievably happy that i finally get to write about him oml

"What are you doing out of bed?"

You jumped slightly as Antonio suddenly came up behind you, speaking softly as he places a warm blanket around your shoulders. He sighs quietly and hugs you from behind. "You're sick, you should be resting..."

You gently nudged him and shook your head, looking over at him with a slightly tired expression, though you try your best not to show it. You shrug. "I just wanted a snack."

He huffs and tightens his hold around you ever so slightly. "If you were hungry, you could've just told me, you know. I'll get something for you; You need to focus on getting enough rest. Let's get you back to bed." Carefully, he picks you up, carrying you back to your shared bedroom with ease. He gently sets you down on the soft mattress, covering you with the rest of the blankets in order to keep you warm and comfortable. He presses a light kiss to your forehead.

"Give me just a moment, I'll get some food for you. If there's anything else you need, let me know. You know I'd never hesitate if it means making you more comfortable." He exits the room for a few minutes before returning with a small tray of food. The aroma of fresh soup wafts into your nose as he carefully places the tray in front of you.

"I could've gotten it myself, you know... I just have a cold, it's nothing serious." You grumble, but you still pick up the spoon and begin eating the soup despite the complaints. He quietly sighs and sits down on a chair next to your bed with a small, worried frown. "You keep telling me that... I just want you to focus on resting, alright? I'll take care of everything for you. You need to focus on getting better." He places a hand on your forehead for a few moments, making sure you don't have a fever. When he feels nothing out of the ordinary, he gently pats your head and slowly returns his hand to his lap. "Just... Let me know if there's anything you need, alright? I want you to recover as quickly as possible."

"I know, I know. I just don't like being sick, is all..." You shrug as you swallow several more spoonfuls of soup. He flashes a small smile, chuckling quietly at your words. He shakes his head as he speaks in a gentle tone, "No one does, my dear, but if you just let me take care of you rather than being stubborn and getting out of bed every 25 minutes, then you'll start recovering faster. Now, rest up, alright? Let me handle everything else. I don't want you to remain ill for longer than you have to."

Playfully, you roll your eyes with a small grin, accepting your defeat. You scoop the last few spoonfuls of soup into your mouth, and he presses a soft kiss to your forehead before taking the empty bowl from you and moving to stand. "Fine, fine. I won't be stubborn and push myself, okay? You happy?" You banter a bit, and he nods and chuckles at your playfulness. As he walks to the door, he smiles as he flicks off the light. Just before he leaves, though, he whispers.

"Get some sleep now, darling, you need it if you don't want to be sick any longer. Rest your head, you deserve it."

a/n: im probably gonna refine this later but i just wanted to go ahead and get this out cuz im super behind on the event :,) i love antonio

thanks for reading, and remember to take care of yourself!

#`•- side hall in the archives: hurt/comfort #(not really hurt/comfort but im not about to make a seperate tag for sickfics okay. there wont be enough of them for a seperate tag alright) #`•- events in the archives: the philomena's propellente's countdown to valentines day #philomena's files #antonio paganini x reader #identity v x reader #idv x reader #fanfic #fanfic author #fanfiction #fanfiction author #x reader #identity v #idv #antonio paganini #identity v antonio #idv antonio #identity v violinist #idv violinist

[nightgoodomens]

I just wanted to say thank you so much for the way you respond to all your asks. It can be very hard to answer something when you have a strong opinion/belief that you are sure of but explain things in a way that is neutral too but you always do it.

I've been so on the fence about believing what's going on with Michael and David but a lot has happened in such a short space of time. The soft way they looked at each other when Michael saw David perform Macbeth was the start of my doubts about just friendship. I think it's safe to say that whatever they are to each other, there is absolute love there and it's beautiful to see. Your explanations have made a big difference in how I view things too so thank you for the clarity you provide. You do a great service to a lot of people.

This is the kindest ask, thank you so much ❤️ I actually felt such a relief reading this. Thank you 😭

I’ve been trying really hard for my answers to be exactly that so I’m glad it’s working ❤️

I’m aware that we are judging on just the little that’s shown to us (or should I say quite a lot lately), and our judgment is often based on our life experiences, so I know that I might simply be wrong and I won’t have a problem admitting it if at any point I am - hence always giving my thought process and why I think what I think - but I always want people to feel free to make their own conclusions. There are many things I’m not super sure about and that’s when you can see when I ask questions myself and I simply say I am just not sure because it could be this or that.

People’s sensitivity regarding this is also why I always keep my posts out of tags and created my own to block and usually put answers under ‘keep reading’ and stopped the posts from being rebloggable so if people don’t want to see any of this they don’t have to.

I was having some gentle question marks in my head after watching a few interviews with MS/DT and following MS on Twitter but I wasn’t really getting into it all. But when MS posted the “I set David on fire fairly regularly” I went “oh come onnnn” and finally gave in, especially considering the context of when he said it. When he went a little insane that day and then dead quiet, I thought this is it, things will change.

I even posted a little cryptic tag then 😏

And then the fairy light pic and Macbeth happened and I thought Here. We. Go.

I kept on saying damage control will come at one point but we are not exactly getting it for months now and I dare to wonder… what’s next.

And this is it really - no matter what it all exactly is the love is there and that’s beautiful - just like you said.

#NightGoodOmens talks PR #NightGoodOmens talks Michael and David

[schmergo]

In general, I tend to feel a pretty big disconnect between how 'anxiety' is typically described and what anxiety actually feels like for me, to the point where I didn't actually realize that what I was experiencing was anxiety until I was like 27 years old even though there's not really anything else you could call it.

I joined a weekly anxiety workshop group several years ago and it was a baffling experience because it almost felt like I had joined a peanut butter sandwich workshop and everyone else was visibly assembling and eating turkey sandwiches before my eyes. Like, am I the only one whose sandwich tastes like this? Am I the only one whose peanut butter sandwich isn't improved by putting mayo on it?

Almost the whole workshop was people talking about anxieties due to managing their responsibilities at work, whether they're any good at their job and family duties, workplace social politics, and worrying whether people in their life care about them. We'd do things like breathing exercises and stuff to center ourselves in the 'now' instead of worrying and wondering. To me, these worries all seem super manageable and the kinds of concerns I usually deal with pretty well.

For me, anxiety almost always comes from feeling like I'm in physical danger in some way RIGHT NOW. Like I get stuck in this loop of constantly checking some part of my body over and over again because I'm worried something might be wrong with it and I might be dying. Or I'm lying in bed and hear the dishwasher make a funny sound and think someone broke into my house and is going to kill me and sit awake in bed all night freaking out. I get these weird feelings of certain dread and foreboding like, "You will get hit by a car and die if you walk to the library tonight." And the weirdest one (which I was struggling with during the anxiety group but haven't for a few years) is sometimes I get stuck manually monitoring my breathing and swallowing until I start, like, hyperventilating for days on end.

So breathing exercises tend to freak me out because as soon as I start consciously controlling my breathing, I can't stop and I'm stuck breathing manually for days, afraid to sleep because I'm worried I'll stop in my sleep. Physically centering exercises where we notice sensations in our body and things around us don't help me because I start noticing signs that I might be dying and then worry about them for days after the physical centering exercise. I feel like my anxiety comes from being extremely present in and aware of my body, not the other way around.

In general, gentle self care isn't soothing for me. I want to know that I'm not going to die in the next 30 minutes, not waste what might be my valuable remaining minutes doing something soothing and relaxing.

I also got some apps to manage anxiety and I found myself being like, "Well bananas certainly don't make my peanut butter sandwich WORSE, so I'll start incorporating those into my daily peanut butter sandwich routine I guess," but didn't really feel like it helped. I don't really see how stuff like journaling, yoga, etc. really help these feelings at all. Affirmations don't help. I don't need to feel like I'm 'good enough' as a person, I want to know if I'm in danger.

Does anyone else get this kind of anxiety?

#anxiety #mental health

[13as07]

Object #4

(Pain/Nagato Uziumaki)

[Art work is not mine! Credit to morbidprince]

Requested by: Myself

Word Count: 3,800

Warnings and/or Pre-Notes:

Don't worry, this part isn't mental health check level smut. It's just a fluffy soft Pain fic

Should I do a part five? With more Nagato fluff? Or maybe I’ll just make this a super long series and have fluffy parts with all the members to counter act all the smut. Idk I need opinions

———————————————————————

"Princess?" Nagato's voice calls out again, his feet making quick work to me. "Your back..." he mutters, fingertips running over the 'good as new' skin stretched over my spine.

"Ya, Itachi fixed it. I don't know how though," I fill in the blanks, tilting my head back.

The dry orange-haired man is distressed, face scrunched up as his eyes scroll over my body. "It seems your back isn't the only thing he fixed," he mutters, head dipping down. He hesitates for a moment before resting his chin on my shoulder. "I wish to hear about your day."

"Do you?"

Pain is silent for a beat before he answers. "No," he mutters, head tilting so his nose is resting against my neck. The metal of his nose piercings press gently into my skin, coating my neck in a gentle chilliness. "Have you decided where you wish to go tomorrow?"

"Kind of," I murmur, leaning backward so my back is pressed against Nagato's chest. "How long are we going to be gone?"

"However long you wish."

"Two weeks... not counting travel time?" I ask softly, worried I'm being too greedy and that it'll cause Pain's switch to flip. I know he'd never hurt me... unsexually, at least. That doesn't mean I enjoy his coldness though. Or how quickly his attitude towards me changes.

Nagato stays quiet, his breathing puffy his chest out and gently swaying me. "As you wish. We might have to... adjust our plans though." That's code for 'Pain is going to do work' on our vacation. Whether it's information collection, kidnapping, or killing somebody is beyond me, and I don't wish for it to no longer be beyond me.

"Alright," I mumble, tilting my head to rest it against his. "I want to see that waterfall you took me to a few months ago. The one with the two statues."

"The Valley of the End?" Nagato asks, a sigh escaping him with the question.

"I don't know. We don't have to go there," I whisper the last part, worries of Pain's bipolarness filling my mind. "I can pick somewhere else."

"It is alright. I have business in the Hidden Lead and something to handle in the Hidden Sound so it is quite perfect." The explanation comes out as a grumble, making me question whether Nagato is telling the truth or is simply trying to calm my nerves.

"Alright."

"I will give you three weeks, travel not included, aside from my business," he mutters against my skin, brushing kisses to my throat. His mouth piercings snag like the ones on his nose. Unlike this morning, Pain is careful as he moves across my skin, careful not to nick me again.

"Naga?"

"Princess?"

"Are you Pain or Nagato... Or Yahiko?" My heart races with the question, worried that Pain's good mood won't stretch any further today if it'll even stretch this far.

He falls quiet, sucking a bit of my skin into his mouth. His focus stays there, bruising my skin some more as he stays silent. "It is complicated. Would you like an explanation?"

"I don't know."

Silence envelopes us again, Pain's mouth focused on marking a part of my shoulder this time. "Pain is an alias, Nagato is my consciousness, Yahiko is my body," he mutters against me, kissing the new bruise.

"That doesn't make any sense."

"I know, Princess. All you need to know is that I am Nagato." The explanation still doesn't make any sense, even in the dumbed-down state it was given to me. "Nagato is who cares for you." The sentence comes out soft, the usual harshness not present.

"Does Nagato love me?" I ask, snapping my eyes closed and holding my breath once the sentence is out.

His movements stale, lips still pressed against me. "Why do you ask?" My breath comes out rough, almost painful as I exhale. I shrug my shoulders, deciding I no longer want to have this conversation. "I care for you in ways you need and want. I protect you from the cruelty of the world. I have removed worries, destruction, and torments from your life. You are one of my reminders."

"One of your reminders for what?"

"For why the akatsuki exists," he mutters, lips back in motion. Pain works his way around my back, the gentle pressure and pokes of his piercings chasing his lips.

"Does it bother you that the other members... enjoy me?"

"Not particularly. I cannot be around in those ways all the time. If you enjoy yourself it does not bother me."

"Is that why Hidan is hanging in a tree?"

Nagato hums a yes, lips trailing back up my other shoulder. "Hidan hurt you in an unenjoyable way, so he shall know pain. You cannot enjoy yourself if you are slowly bleeding to death and slipping into unconsciousness."

"Naga?" He hums a yes again, head lifting before resting on my shoulder again. "I'm hungry."

"Then we shall go eat. Afterward, we can go down for the night. We'll need to pack and leave early if we wish to make a fast pace." His arms wrap around my waist, lifting me off the bed before settling me on my feet.

Pain is back to business, hand wrapped up in my chain to lead me behind him. I can already feel the coldness filtering from him, our soft moment to be left in the med-bay.

———————————

My eyes trail over Nagato, watching him carefully clean his piercings and poles. His fingers are nimble, tugging out another pole from his arm. My sight trails over his fingers, watching him dip the towel into the water mix before he scrubs at the metal.

"Why do you do that?" I ask, crawling out of our bed to head toward him.

"Why do I do what?" Pain asks, his eyes flickering up to catch my sight through the mirror.

I settle my hands on his shoulders, toying with the poles poking out. "You clean your pole things every night. The same routine. One at a time. Why?"

Nagato's focus shifts back down to the metal, scrubbing at it again before sticking it back into himself. "Well, I clean them so they don't get infected. I clean them one at a time because without them I can no longer control this body."

"That is confusing," I mutter, fingers wrapping around one of the poles. I tug on it, raising it a bit. The sound of it moving sends shivers down my spine, in a not-nice way. "They make a weird sound," I add, shifting it back into place.

"It is the sound of my blood shifting around the metal," Pain explains, mimicking my actions to clean a new pole. "My piercings do not do that, but the poles across my body do. Have you packed?"

"No," I whisper, toying with the bar through his left ear. I shift it sound, twirling it in a circle. "I don't know what to pack."

"For the Leaf Village, it is usually hot and rains most nights but doesn't get chilly. The Sound Village is usually gloomy and rainy, so it's cold most of the time."

"So, a mix of everything?"

"I will pack your bag," Nagato sighs, eyes flickering up to look at me before he goes back to the project at hand. "You will forget something anyway."

"Alright," I hum out, shifting my focus away from our conversation.

I litter his neck with kisses, working my way down and across his shoulders as Pain works away. My nose occasionally bumps into one of his poles, getting me a disapproving grunt.

When his grunts occur more often, I stop covering him in kisses. Instead, I mess with his necklace, running my fingertips over the chain links and toying with the spikes of it. "Naga?"

"Princess?" He groans, tilting his head back. My eyes trail over his, rolling over the purple swirls. "What is it that you want?"

"I don't know," I mutter, clinging to his chain as I coat his cheeks with my lips. "I just missed you today."

"Do not say that," he husks out, head tilting back upright. "It is displeasing when you say things like that. What is it that you want? I cannot fulfill your expectations if I don't know them."

"I don't know," I repeat in a whisper, resting my chin on the top of my head. "I just want your attention."

"You have my attention," Nagato mutters, chest puffing out before slowly falling back down in another exhausted exhale. "I do not know how to fill your request, Princess."

"Not all your attention," I grumble, eyes jumping around the mirror to take in Pain's figure. He's a pretty sight to look at, even if it's not his body... or maybe it is? I'm still confused about his explanation earlier.

"You are chatty today. What has changed?"

"What do you mean?"

"I have had you for a year or so now. You have never been this curious about me. What has made you so curious?"

"I spent some time with Konan today," I answer shortly, shifting my eyes away from the mirror. "I guess I just realized I don't know you like she does."

"Of course you don't. Konan has known me longer, she will know more about me."

"Really? No way," I mutter under my breath, pulling back from the emotionally stunted man.

"Princess?" He calls, hand shooting back to grab hold of my arm. "I don't like repeating myself. I cannot fulfill your expectations if I don't know them. You need to voice your needs."

I shrug my shoulders, eyes flickering between the room and Pain's tilted back head. He's getting upset, eyebrows forwarded and jaw set as he looks at me. "Do you like Konan?" I ask softly, deciding to focus on our closet.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you love her?"

"Of course not. Do not be unintelligent," Nagato mutters, letting go of his hold on me. "Just because I wish her safety does not mean I love her. You are present here, not her, unintelligent Princess." He mumbles the last line, his words almost lost under his breath.

"Naga?"

"What is it that you need now?" He huffs, his patience running thin.

"I like you," I whisper, eyes shifting back to the mirror to take in his reaction.

"Do not say that either. It's displeasing."

———————————

"Princess? Princess, you need to wake up," Nagato groans, hand cupping my arm as he shakes me. "It's time to be awake. Be awake."

"I am awake," I mutter, shifting to my side. My body bumps into him, encouraging me to cuddle into him and slip back off to sleep.

"We are awake," he repeats, arms wrapping around me before I'm lifted. "We have to get going to make the most of daylight." Pain carries me out of bed, holding me bridal style as he shifts around the sheets.

"I am awake," I also repeat, wrapping my arms around Nagato's neck as he stands up. "It's too early."

"You, Princess, live a timeless life to eliminate any anxieties being cooped up could cause. You do not know if it is early or late. You do not know the day, the month, or the year. You live with no worries because I have eliminated all possibilities of them."

"Fine, I'm tired," I whine, burying my head into his neck. "I want more sleep."

Pain exhales through his nose before letting me tumble back down on our bed. "Go back to sleep while I pack. Then you while be awake for the day so we can go on your trip."

I curl up under the blankets, soaking in the only warmth available in the freezing room. My eyes are lazy, half asleep but not fully, as I watch Nagato walk circles around the room. He mutters to himself as he packs our bags. It's entertaining watching him dangle our clothing as he looks them over, checking to see if our outfits match enough for himself but not enough to be noticeable.

Once he's satisfied with his choice of outfits, Pain's attention shifts to the make-shift vanity. His movements are slow, moving our stuff around slowly and softly so it doesn't make as much noise as normal. "For wanting more sleep, you are not sleeping," he mutters, looking at my reflection in the mirror.

"I'm resting my body. It's pretty much the same thing," I mutter, burying my head under the blankets.

I stay like this, bubbled in the heat of our blankets and shifting around consciousness and unconsciousness. After what seems like forever in my hazy state, Nagato's hands slide under the bedsheets, pawing around for me. "Princess?" He calls, the sound of him and the sheets shifting fills the room before his head pops under the blanket as well. "Hello, Princess."

"Hello, Naga."

His face scrunches up, nose curling at the nickname today. "Do not call me that," Pain mutters, shifting forward to wrap me in his arms again. Like before, I'm lifted from the bed, but this time he takes the blanket with him. "I believe you are cold, not tired."

Nagato is not wrong, but he's not right. Despite the majority of my wounds being healed, my body still aches from everyone the day before. "Whatever you say, Pain," I mutter, wrapping myself - and the blanket - around him.

"Do not call me that either," he grumbles, settling me on the ground in front of our closet. Despite his tone, Nagato seems entranced by our closer again, shifting through our clothes in search of something.

     "What should I call you then?" I ask, poking around my bag to get a look at the clothes he packed.

     "Just... Nagato."

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     Pain's fingers dig into my thighs, clinging to my skin as he carries me across the lake. My eyes are set downward, watching as he walks on the water. "How do you do that?" I ask, nodding towards his feet.

     Nagato stalls for a second, shifting me on his back before tipping his head towards me. "Chakra control. Would you like an explanation?"

     "Yes, please."

     His steps start again, hands back to clinging to me as he walks. "I control my chakra flow to my feet. My chakra then clings to myself along with the water molecules."

     "So it's like a floating board between us and the water," I mutter, watching the ripples caused by Nagato's steps.

     "Kind of," he mutters, stalling his steps again. "Would you like to see what it's like?"

     "I don't have chakra, remember? That's why I'm not a big bad Akatsuki member," I tease, running my hands through his hair before shaking his head a bit.

     "Chakra is our life force. If you are alive you have chakra," Nagato corrects, shifting me to rest against his torso with him pressed against my back instead of me pressed against his. "Besides, even if you had Shinobi level chakra, you would not be an Akatsuki member. Would you like to stand on the water or not?"

     "Sure." Pain's hands flip from being under my legs to being under my arms. His movements are slow as he lowers me, just enough that the bottom of my sandals rests on the water's surface. "Nagato?"

     "Princess?"

     "What do you mean by 'I wouldn't be an Akatsuki member' anyway?"

     My question is ignored as he carries the brunt of my weight, letting me take fake steps on the water as we continue forward. "Because I do not care if Deidara, or Kisame, or Itachi, or Kakuzu die..." The speech isn't finished, the 'but I care if you do' isn't spoken, but it still hangs in the air.

     "What if I wanted to be a member," I push, mind set on getting the terrorist leader to voice his feelings for once.

     I'm snatched up from my dangling position, pressed against his chest as Pain's fingers dip into my sides hard enough to promise new bruises. "I have worked very hard to give you a sheltered life and I am working even harder to not have to shelter your existence in this world. If you ever even think about the possibility of being a member again, I will cage you like the object you are to ensure that you are safe from the cruelty our lives have to offer."

     Nagato's threat scares me a bit. It's a reminder that he's not some traveling businessman, and is a terrorist who has done terrible things, even if I don't know the details of those things.

     "You show you care in weird ways," I comment, letting my legs go loose around his waist. The group leader looks at me with pursed lips and a tilted head but doesn't comment back. "I like you," I mutter, burying my head into his shoulder.

     "I will drop you and let you drown."

     "No, you won't."

     "... no, I won't."

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     What I assume is as close to anxious as Pain can get waves off of him as the outskirts of a village falls into view. His hand clings to my necklace, keeping me less than a step apart from him. "So... this the Leaf Village?" I ask, knowing the answer is most likely no, mostly from the lack of trees and the overabundance of hills.

    "No, it is not," Nagato mutters, tugging me closer. I'm buried in his frame, his chest bumping into my back as we walk and his hands ghostly pawing over my hips. "This is the Valley Village."

     "The Valley Village?" He hums a yes, head on a spiral as we walk past the first line of buildings. "That sounds dumb."

     "Yes, well that is its name. Shall we find food and then decide on somewhere to stay?" It's phrased as a question but toned as a statement, Nagato's mind set on ushering us behind the safety of walls before the sun - and the village's foot traffic - goes down. He's always insisted that there is safety in numbers, hence his unliking of us being out during the night when the amount of buzzing is at the daily low.

Pain's closeness somehow gets closer the further into the village we go. I'm pretty sure if there was a way to embed me in his skin, he would while we're away from the hideout. "What do you want to eat?" He whispers in my ear, keeping his eyes low as I'm ushered down the road.

"A plater of rainbow rolls sounds amazing right now," I answer, squirming in his hold. I like the few occasions Nagato clings to me, but I don't like the feeling of him pretty much shoving me down the street.

His hold loosens a bit, hold still firm but less bruise-threatening. "As you wish," he mutters, head picking up some to scan the buildings. "Perhaps let us find a place to stay first," Pain mutters, eyes locked on the Inn tucked in the corner a few feet away. "Then I will find you a platter of rainbow rolls."

"Good ones, not those convenience store ones. They always taste gross."

"I would never get you sushi from a store," he mutters, ushering me across the road. We make a beeline for the hotel, Pain scanning the street again before tucking me inside the building. "Be silent, be hidden," he whispers in my ear before tugging me towards the desk.

I do as I'm told, keeping my mouth screwed shut and tucking myself into his side. Nagato calls this 'hiding in plain sight'. It's a lecture I get every time we go somewhere. Don't do anything to stand out and you won't, so I don't.

My eyes trail around the entrance as Pain talks to the receptionist. My attention snags on the indoor pond, the marble tiles of it glistening because of the setting sun. In the water is a school of koi fish, their colors mimicking the sunset.

"Princess?" Nagato whispers in my ear, his arm wrapping around my waist to tug me further against him. I hum a yes, stopping myself from using his name; another lecture I get everytime we go out. The leader's name is 'seen as a curse among the common world' or whatever he says, so I can't use it in public. "I got us a room," he mutters, gently leading me forward again.

"A fancy room?" I ask, eyes tearing away from the pond to take in the hallway decorations.

"Yes, a fancy room," he grumbles, eyes scanning the wall plackets in search of our room. I'm tugged to a stop when he finds the right one, my body tucked between his frame and the frame of the doorway. "See? Fancy," He continues to groan, pushing the unlocked door open.

The room is fancy, at least as fancy as an outskirts Inn can be. The room is decorated in that fake gold stuff and vibrant whites. The sun melts through the big windows, coating the bed in the colors. The windows give a nice view of the mountain range, at least a section of it. The sharp edges of the stone are both beautiful and terrifying as my eyes scan over them.

"Is it displeasing to you? I can get us a different room," Nagato rambles, his usual business tone coating his words.

"It's not displeasing. I think the view is pretty," I answer, squirming from his engulfing frame to enter the room. I quickly slip out of my sandals before settling on the bed, facing towards the window with the intent to memorize the view. "I should have brought my camera or at least my sketchbook," I mutter regretfully, the idea of making the view permanent for myself out of reach.

"I brought your camera and I will grab you some paper while I'm out," Nagato sighs, securing the door before his attentions focus on our bags.

"You did?" I ask, attention shifting away from the view as a smile covers my face.

"Of course I did. I did not wish to listen to your whines about lack of photos," he answers, his patience starting to wear thin from the long travel and unforgiving sun we experienced throughout the day.

Maybe it's a good thing Nagato decided to eat in instead of going to a restaurant. I think him having a little break from me will help his patience rebuild.

"I like you," I repeat, my smile getting bigger as I turn back towards the window.

"I do not like repeating myself, Princess. I already told you to stop saying that. Say it again and I'll abandon you here."

     "No, you won't."

     "No, I won't," he mutters more to himself than me. "That does not make your statement any less displeasing."

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#naruto shippuden #naruto shippuden oneshot #naruto shippuden x reader #nagato oneshot #nagato uzumaki oneshot #nagato uzumaki x reader #nagato x reader #nagato uzumaki #pain x reader #pain oneshot #akatsuki oneshot #akatsuki x reader #akatsuki

[dross-the-fishs-bowl]

Adam initiating sex with shipwreck anon after she's been with him for awhile please. If you don't mind I'd like it to get kinda spicy, as explicit as you're comfortable bc I am down BAD for Adam Frankenstein.

This has been sitting since I created the fishbowl and there were a couple other "shipwrecked anon" requests that I ended up ignoring in favor of other ones so I decided to go ahead and do this one.

Rated M for sexual content.

It's very fluffy and it's not super graphic but there is a sex scene at the end

 We were sitting before the fire, Anon in my lap, nestled comfortably against my chest. It was that part of the year where winter was at its peak and there was naught but ice and darkness outside the reach of our warm little cave. I did my best to fill the days with activities and conversation to keep her spirits up. She had mourned for some time, the loss of the others on her ship and I sensed she was beginning to lose hope of being found.

Saddened thought was to see her despair, secretly I did not wish to part from her for she provided me the companionship I had craved since my birth and here, at the end of the world, it was only the two of us. The only people on earth given dominion of the seals and the musk oxen that roamed the tundra. It was not Eden; the land was too harsh and unforgiving to be considered a paradise but for me it was sufficient for I now had my mate.

Mate I did call her in my mind for she accepted my flowers when the heather bloomed, ate the food I hunted for us and now, as I wrapped our bodies in furs she partook of my warmth and laid her cheek against my breast.

I had been reserved about touching her at first, wishing not to give her cause to fear me I had restrained myself from taking anything that was not offered. Starved though I was I wanted to show her that I was benevolent. After sufficient time had passed to be assured that she would not reject me I had tentatively reached out one night to stroke her hair as it shined in the firelight. She had leaned into my touch, encouraging me to continue and I had trailed the very tips of my fingers over the curve of her cheek, the delicate shell of her ear and even, slowly, with the utmost gentleness, traced over her lips.

I had withdrawn after that, too shy to continue and to afraid that she might recoil from me in disgust. Instead, she had moved closer, reaching out her own hand to my face to explore my features. When the softness of her touch moved me to tears she had held me. I wept a lifetime of suffering into her arms that night. If it was only mutual loneliness that brought use closer I did not know or care. I had grown to need her as I needed food or sleep or breath. I knew that if she were to leave me, I would surely die.

She confided me often, treated me as her companion and after months of caring for her and protecting her from the cold harshness of the artic wastes I had grown to love her. I wished to express this to her and determine whether she returned my affection but whenever I thought to voice it my words seemed to abandon me.

Tonight, as she cuddled deeper into my arms, I wondered if I could tell her without words how I felt about her. I smoothed her hair away from her cheek and stroked the soft skin there, tilting her head up to meet my eyes. She looked up, expectantly, as though in anticipation. Did she know?...

I dipped my head down to touch her lips with mine. Her arms wound around my neck and pulled me closer. The kiss deepened, became hungrier and found myself picking her up and placing her on the pile of furs that serves as a makeshift bed. I pulled away from her mouth to draw my hand, very deliberately, down the length of her body, watching for her reaction as I caressed her through her clothing.

She arched upward into my hand. I began to work the hem of her shirt loose from her skirt so my fingers could make contact with her bare skin.

“Yes?” I breathed, stopping just short of touching her naked flesh.

“Yes,” she replied, her face flushed and to my delight I could hear the desire in her voice.

I discarded her shirt and skirt and pressed my lips to her exposed skin. I nuzzled, suckled and licked at the heat of her. She trembled and grew steadily warmer under my touch, her breath quickening when I brought my mouth up to the pulse at her throat.

She raised her legs to cradle my hips with her thighs. I hesitated, worrying the difference in our size might cause her pain. Size was not the only difference I noticed. In the firelight my eye was drawn to my thick, gnarled hand resting next to her head, the deathly pallor, the ragged scars from stitches and the inelegant musculature of the appendage looked obscene next to her lovely face; I felt myself grow ashamed.

What right did I have to touch her?

Beneath me she gave a curious look and touched one of my hands, drawing it to her cheek so she could kiss it. I bowed my head to take her lips with mine. In the midst of our heated kissing she reached out to caress my chest, following the Y shape of the scars there, down my stomach, then between us to join my flesh to hers.

I moaned, shuddered, and rocked my hips forward, overcome with the sensation of her around me. We moved together, clumsy at first but slowly finding a rhythm. When we reached our end together, I was sure I saw stars. I came to my senses enough to ease myself off of her and gather her to me. I told her I loved her, for surely what I felt for her must be love for the emotion ran deep into my very soul. My lips moved fervently against her hot cheek as I whispered it to her.

She grew quiet, thoughtful and for a terrible moment I was afraid that she would reject me. But then she smiled and kissed me.

“I love you too…”

[msallurea]

It's time I apologize to you all💔

As yall know today happens to be my birthday (yall know Virgos are the baddest bitches in the world 😫..anyways 😂) but it inspired me to make this post to all who come across it. A fun fact is that today happens to be the day that I was first born. I was born Sunday, September 10th 2006, this is the first birthday I've had where I was celebrating my birthday once more again on Sunday, September 10th 2023. With that I've came a very, very long way through all those birthdays I've had before. But I say all that to say this. You are absolutely allowed to have everything your heart could ever desire. I know we already have permission from day one with the ability to manifest anything we want but sometimes just seeing it from someone you look up to and love giving you this permission just feels right. Now this is mostly for my own use and I've been knowing about manifestation for YEARS but I never really manifested things that I deeply genuinely wanted because I use to be scared, I use to be overthinking not about what I wanted but because I was afraid that the things I wanted would affect those around me or make others feel a certain way about me or that I'd lose people because of it. When really, that's not the case at all. Back then I didn't genuinely grasp the fact that I am truly, the God of my reality. I didn't fully digest that I am genuinely the creator of my reality everything in my life I created it whether it was good, bad or indifferent. But when I finally accepted this it caused me to fear myself even more and backfire I was unsure what my world would be like knowing I take full responsibility of my life despite being totally free is all I've ever wanted since day one, to live a life at peace has always truly been my deepest desire. After sitting with myself for a minute I realized that all the things I've wanted throughout all the years I only wanted them because I thought they would make my life feel easier, I wanted what I wanted because they made me feel good, they made me feel beautiful, they made me feel lovingly, they made me feel accepted, they made me feel at peace if I knew I had a chance to have it in the 3d world. The perfect scenario is when I was little and I watched anime for the first time this was when I first found manifestation. I had the burning desire to be an anime girl. I came from a life of bullying, being picked on, being called ugly, a total dump of lack of self love, toxic family, etc at the time all I wanted was to be the biggest form of beauty the world had ever seen because I knew what pretty privilege was and I'd do anything to get it. But back then my desires (at least in how I saw it) were so absolutely grand, my heart imagined with all uts might I could see myself being that anime girls its super powers with the perfect life etc and it was in the small moment I had the clearest glimpse of my highest self. She was everything I ever wanted to be. This is what kept me going in this manifestation community and made me never give up I knew I could be her I knew I was her but seeing who she was, the life she lived it was just so entirely perfect it scared me. I felt I wasn't allowed to be her, I didn't deserve to be that perfect because of his amazing my highest self is. Her femininity and sex appeal overfilled my imagination so much all I could do was resort to anything that reminded me of her whether it was the colors, pinterest, trying to do things she did but failed, etc. But I never gave up on this version of myself regardless of how many things I continously added to her over the years.

I say all that to say this. Sometimes in this manifestation community we aren't vulnerable enough for people. Many of you expect to be the "perfect master manifestor" or whatever u wanna call yourself but sometimes you have to be soft and gentle with yourself. For the past few weeks I have literally been stagnant and crying because the life I wanted to live compared to the life I'm living were just entirely too different. I didn't feel worthy of it. I felt like I would lose ppl around me if I (and don't kill me for this) but if I finally took my life in my own hands and lived my life the way I wanted to live my life...crazy right?! I apologize to you all because I'm doing something I haven't done in a very long time and that's me being vulnerable. It's me being honest with not just you all but myself. I know I always give you guys little advice and stuff and it probably is helpful but I feel so guilty of trying to help you all when I haven't even applied the law fully to get me everything my heart desires. Now don't get it twisted because this past week I've manifested things consciously I hadn't even realized until after I got it BUT it's not the things my heart had been longing for because everytime I'm ready to manifest them I start feeling terrible for even wanting the things I want.

I want you guys to know that right now in this moment, you can absolutely have anything you want. You are allowed to live the life you desire. You have all the permission in the universe to be the person you've always dreamt of being. It is ok to want a life that is best for you, that makes you feel happy, that makes you feel fulfilled, that makes you feel AT PEACE. Yes you can have it, it is yours, you have permission, it is done. Now go darling go far, far away and live the life you've always dreamt. Until next time, and when you all see me again I will be the living proof story that you can have everything u ever wanted, I promise it, that is my testimony.

#law of assumption #manifestation #manifesting #msallurea #neville goddard #my blog

[carecrowgames]

Yazeba Read Through #4

We are on Page 18 now, and I am extremely excited, as it seems we have actually entered the rules this time folks! And I thought that might make me go less granular .. BUT as I said I have been wondering how the book would begin to explain to its reader what it actually is, so I just have to immediately hone in on the second sentence of the page.

It's a bed & breakfast of course but it's also this book right here.

There is something about stating these two as a dual existence that just works so well with the magical realism of the bed and breakfast itself. I guess I also just love when a fictional world gets legitimacy as existing similar to how the book (or in this case pdf) does

The playful voice from the welcome section continues here, but as it invites you to explore the bed and breakfast it also gains a gentle tone. The specific metaphor used, the sprawling bed and breakfast standing in for the complexity of a rulebook, both promising to become easily navigateble after some guidance, somehow manages to make both of them a more imaginable space. My mind begins to draw in what's missing within my image of one one with what I know of the other and conjures my own experiences of sprawling social spaces to lend familiarity and extrapolate development over time. I find myself remembering how I got used to life in the computer science faculty until it’s sprawling series of laboratories and hallways were simply another home.

I get away being able to imagine both Gertrudes life in the b&b after months and years pass and my own potential relationship to the version of it that could manifest in my games in it.

This is where the melancholic Amelie OST (the fact that this movie has the same name as one of the residents will break me oh my god. I am only noticing now) reminds me that at some point in this book there are late chapters, the last of which is Goodbye Yazeba and I have to wonder how much this is going to be a story that will have to end. What I can also imagine is the late chapters giving a number of open ending points, that would still allow you to replay some chapters, but this also feels like the kind of story that at some point just. Ends. I think I would find myself feel very content and sad in the healthy measures about that.

As a note, I am delighted to see the playlist I'm making for this already influencing how I interact with the book. The fact that the moon princes melancholic longing was able to carry forward to make me think about how this story might end is just really cool. Can recommend the method!

And now we get the confirmation that there are parts of the book that are off limits to start with - a super cool decision for a ttrpg book honestly. Explaining the choice by likening it to the way some parts of a bed and breakfast might be off limits to a new visitor is so clever too. It continues to build the book-building double reality, and in that playful way puts rules for reading the book down without having to spend much time explaining them immediately. It just makes sense this way!

This is also why this reading experience is extremely different for me than the usual ttrpg book I read. Normally I would have jumped immediately to the playbooks, read up on central mechanics and started browsing different parts of the book as I put some first session prep together. And I know that's not how other ttrpg books are intended to be read either, but the way Yazeba specifically presents itself as overlayered fiction book / bed & breakfast / ttrpg makes me want to engage with it as an authored experience more then I tend to with a ttrpg book, that invites me more to approach it as a box of toys.

 If i were to read it like I usually do though, this is where I would actually feel invited to start jumping, as the page continues to lay out how exactly Yazebas Bed and Breakfast is played it gives us all the needed key elements to get started, and importantly all of their page numbers.

I find this whole buildup so far works really well for me. We've been invited layer for layer to the fantasy and fiction of Yazeba, got first impressions of its central cast, narrative hooks to go along with then and some character voices to lead us along when trying to play them.

Now the book is pointing all the unruly readers with no attention span, who might have been hooked by the fiction, but won’t stay long for rules explanations (that’s normally me!) to exactly where the toys are - with just enough context to use them well. The rest, I would feel if I took on that mindset, can be figured out in play.

I really appreciate when a game recognizes, that not all its players are going to approach it the same way. Laying out different courses through it, that reward different interests and needs is a great way to do so.

The entire part laying out the rhythm of play is wonderfully efficient btw. Every section is at most 3 sentences long, contains bold keywords to keep attention going and manages to leave me with a good grasp of what's going on. For how gigantic this book is, making such short work of the overview feels very restraint, I'm super impressed.

I also love how encouraging the language is. You WILL be able to confidently guide your friends. Remember to take breaks, the bed and breakfast will wait. Rules often are hard for me to keep focus on mentally, and I know for many they can be overwhelming. The use of a strong, friendly and guiding voice here I think really helps keep the mind motivated.

In honor of that, the new song added to the playlist is Ben E. Kings “Stand by me” which, is a song that has symbolized a vibe of positivity and support for me since years now.

Speaking of language, the Nouns for the mechanics integrate so very well into the fantasy. Concierge for the facilitator for example is very flavorful. I feel like this book makes a consistent effort to make the feeling of playing the game make you feel like you’re a part of the b&b and that rules. In addition, Whoopsies and Bingos as names for what I’m pretty sure are going to be weak and strong moves feels like they very much help reinforcing the genre space, making the characters feel less mechanic and more like people with fuckups and cool moments to come, you know?

But now I’m really getting ahead of myself. Afterall the section is about the flow of play and I have not talked at all about it yet!

Let's get this out first: chapters are so cool! They are so cool it makes me want to work out my thoughts on them so bad, that I forget we don't even know much about them yet as far as the book goes. I already know a bit on how they look like from the ashcan (which released along the indiegogo campaign), but that only leaves me burning to revisit them as part of this more!

In addition, i think this is where we actually see how powerful the fiction book/ttrpg double-life the book is living is in communicating information. It is obvious from the text that chapters are at the core of playing out life at the bed and breakfast, being the thing characters are used to play, and putting out what is needed to unlock more chapters and characters (more on that in a sec). They are how you interface with life in the bed and breakfast, but that alone would not give much of an impression of what they are. But the name *chapters* and the consistent fiction book/ttrpg duality that has been build up, immediately conjures the kind of stories they will tell in your mind. We already know what it is like to read a chapter in a story, now our mind is left to ponder what it will be like to play them.

Excitingly, we have learned how unlocking works now!! As I said I already knew how to play a chapter from the Ashcan, but with added context much more about it is coming together. The way the loop works feels super elegant to me. You get familiar with characters and their connected narrative threads, you look at what chapters you are able to play and which might allow you to explore what you are interested in, you slot in your preferred characters and play to find out what happens, you go and check what characters and chapters you’ve unlocked and that gives you new chapters to pull on more threads, and new characters to explore and play with. The entire thing feels a lot like a narrative exploration loop I would design for a video game, which is actually the second time in today’s session that I was reminded of video game design specifically (the first being the way the page numbers create a dynamic playspace that can be explored based on player preference). I am fascinated to see these strategies implemented with how you interact with the BOOK instead of in play loops only.

Talking about game mechanics, the whole Shelf, Journey and Track system reminds me a bit of achievement systems. Which in turn makes me wonder if the game will invite us to look at the potential unlocks and what we’ll need to do for it beforehand. If it did it would give extra incentives to explore the chapters as well as extra prompts of what to do with them. If it doesn’t it makes for nice surprises. I am super curious about this!

As a last note on the page for now, Mementos you can put on your Shelf is another one of these amazing images, that already makes me nostalgic for experiences I didn’t even have yet. It actually reminds me of my favorite game Signs of the Sojourner ~ maybe I’ll add an ost from that game to the playlist at some point.

Aand I think that’s about it for the day. I might actually have even more notes on this tomorrow, but I need to sleep at some point don’t I.

See you tomorrow as we enter Page 19: Characters.

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you can find my other Yazeba readthrough posts under #zeebthrough!

Preorder the game on https://possumcreekgames.com/pages/yazebas-bed-breakfast

#yazeba's bed & breakfast #possum creek games #zeebthrough #ttrpg