#again the Horns and Makeup on my darling~

[thatfreshi]

"Did I Smudge the Scars?" (Uni AU P. 19)

Hello. The long-awaited Halloween party (I know it's almost spring whoops). This took a different turn than I was expecting, but it felt right to me.

TW - alcohol, references to grooming, references to self-harm

When you get to Karlach's dorm, you're met at the door with a lot of scuffling and 'ow!'s, as well as other pathetic hurt sounds.

"Tav, they've been fighting and I can't get them to stop."

A disheveled Gale and Shadow are on the shitty dorm floor, pulling at each other's hair. You glare at your tallest friend.

"Are you... you're serious? As if you aren't literally an athlete?"

She shrugs.

"Well, I'm not going to tell my girlfriend what to do, and I think if I touched Gale he'd fall into tiny pieces. C'mon, please? Just say something to try and get them to break apart?"

The heaviest sigh you've ever let out released from your lungs.

"Hey losers! Astarion and I kissed!"

And as if magically, they stopped clawing at each other. The pale girl is the first to talk.

"What?! And we weren't there?"

She gets off of the artist and fixes her braid.

"Yeah, you guys weren't there because it didn't happen! Karlach's phone call interrupted what was about to be the best kiss of my life, but thanks for getting into another stupid argument that I have to solve for some reason! If I get brought into your bullshit one more time, I swear I will burn this university to the ground."

Gale's eyes go a little wide.

"Can we... at least be outside when you burn it down?"

Your strong gaze doesn't falter, causing him to abandon his lame joke.

"And next time Karlach, please just manhandle her. That's probably what she wants anyways."

You open the dorm door and proceed to slam it, hearing Karlach laugh at her lover.

~~~

The next evening, the seven of you are in Astarion's dorm getting ready for the Halloween party. Shadow and Gale seem to have put their feud away, at least for the night. Your best friend is helping Karlach put on fake horns. You remember her explaining her costume a while ago.

"Listen, I know I'm like super nice! That's why I'm gonna be a demon, because it's like the opposite of me!"

You stare for a while, since your outfit is already put together. Gale catches your gaze lingering for a little too long and gives your shoulder a push, and the two of you laugh a little under your breath.

"Alright, if that amount of eyelash glue doesn't hold those in place I'll give up on makeup forever."

Astarion finishes testing the horns, and they seem to stay in place.

"Tav, come here darling."

You're taken aback, considering your costume was finished first.

"What? Did I smudge the scars?"

Your look for tonight is a scrappy adventurer, something you'd find in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign.

"No no, they're fine my dear."

You sit on the couch beside him, and he grabs his eyeliner.

"If you're going to be some fierce adventurer, your eyes have to stand out at least."

You're not sure if it was just in your head, but it felt like the entire room got silent. He grabs your head and goes to work on his craft.

"You know you have to close your eyes for me to do this properly, right?"

You didn't realize you had been locking eyes with him.

"Right, sorry."

A light chuckle comes from your throat as the cold, black liner hits your skin. After what feels like only a moment in time, he lets go of you, taking in his work.

"Hm, I probably could've done that a little more evenly, but it'll do. Besides, I doubt eyeliner is all that even in the wilderness."

You open your eyes again, and he smirks when you do.

"Well, thanks for making sure I look 'fierce' or whatever."

He smiles.

"Are we all ready to go then?"

You look at a bored Shadowheart, who is unsurprisingly dressed as a sexy nun. Apparently the lovely couple's costumes matched more than you thought.

"Yeah, I think everyone's done getting ready. Gale, you good?"

You're checking on your friend in a shitty cheap wizard costume, who has been intently staring at his phone for the past 20 minutes.

"Yep, ready to go!"

And suddenly his phone is back in his robe pocket, and the air around him dissipates. So, after a long walk to the parking garage, Gale drives you all past GU, onto the rich area outside the city. When you get to the location on the invite, you're all a little baffled.

"Is Halsin secretly a millionaire? Because he should teach us a thing or two about finances in college if so."

Everyone laughs a little at Wyll's quip as the seven of you exit the van. You all decided to get to the party about an hour after it started, leaving plenty of time for things to pick up. Astarion is a little paranoid before you get inside, and you tug at his vampiric blouse sleeve.

"Hey, it's fine. No one has any reason to think you're here. And if it just so happens that someone less than friendly finds you here, then we leave, simple as that."

"Right, of course. No reason to be worried."

He's trying to convince himself, but before you can further reassure him, Halsin meets your group outside the front door.

"Ah, if it isn't Tav and their lovely friends! Please, come in."

"So like... do you own this place? Or like your mom?"

Halsin turns to respond to Karlach.

"Hah! No, not in the slightest. A friend of mine let me borrow the place. He's from a much richer family than I am, and I figured a party should be held in a vast mansion such as this. Anyway, there's plenty of food, beer pong, board games, and plenty of stunning people looking for a fun time."

He winks at Shadowheart playfully.

"I'll be around, let me know if you all need anything. Please though, go have fun!"

Karlach and Shadowheart look at each other knowingly and start eyeing a couple across the room. Wyll and Lae'zel make their way to beer pong, and Gale wanders off to wallflower somewhere, very unlike him. That leaves you and Astarion, gazes skipping around the room.

"Certainly a much larger abode than I expected. Don't get lost in here darling, I can't remember the last time I went to a party that wasn't purely for PR."

Astarion seems excited. The news of his social media blackout seems to be relatively hidden for now, and there's almost a manic sense about him. For once, he's not a model, he's not repping a brand, he's not watching his figure for some shoot, he's just a college kid.

"Well, what do you want to do then?"

"Perhaps go check and see if the punch is spiked?"

There's a little bit of lust on the tip of his tongue, lust for life, and maybe even you. It's hard to tell though. Emotions have been so high as of recent, and Astarion is difficult to read at best.

"Perhaps we shall."

You playfully extend your arm to interlock, and he accepts. There are most definitely whispers as the two of you go across the main room, and you start to wonder if the articles are coming out, if everyone knows. You try desperately not to grab your phone, and succeed, at least for now.

As you two take a sip of unspiked punch, you take in the scenery. It's quite dark, obviously. Halsin and his friends have very intensely decorated the entire first floor, with all eco-friendly and thrifted items as he constantly reminds everyone.

"Hey! You're that ghost lookin' model boy right?!"

Some party-goer yells, who is clearly drunk. Astarion ignores him at first. The random drunk then yells even louder, as if the music was drowning him out.

"He's gonna fucking kill you!"

He perks up after that, making eye contact with the stranger.

"What did you say to me?"

"I said that weirdo is gonna fucking kill you! Szarr or whatever? I mean good on you though, making a cool statement or whatever. I used to date a model that worked under him, and a couple months after we broke up she went 'missing!' Crazy right?! Anyways man, I hope he doesn't kill you because you're a fuckin' looker. Have a good night!"

After the guy walks off, you and Astarion look at each other.

"Did you know about that?"

"I mean, I knew one of the models he used to work with disappeared, but it was never determined what happened. You don't think..."

You put a hand on his.

"Let's not right now. Let's not go down that route right now."

"Right. I think I need this to actually be spiked."

He leans down and grabs a flask out of his boot.

"I didn't know you brought booze."

"Eh, an emergency stock in case they didn't have any here."

You twiddle your hands nervously.

"Just don't get like, drunk drunk, please? I really cannot handle that tonight."

"Dear, you think I can't handle my liquor? How little you must think of me."

He takes a sip of his newly mixed punch, tapping red acrylics on the cheap plastic cup.

"Let's see if our wonderful Wyll and Lae'zel are winning beer pong, shall we?"

It's as if you've seen a new man tonight, overconfidence to mask fear. Of course it concerns you, because he constantly concerns you. You want to reason, to say that he's enjoying some kind of newfound freedom, but this isn't the Astarion you've come to know. He's not the simple dorm room you've come to love, the glasses he won't tell anyone about, the late-night hours spent on reviewing law papers. Something about it makes your stomach sink a little, wondering if this is who he is now, somehow. That maybe-

"Are you coming darling?"

"Of course."

And your lips curl into a smile, one that you find yourself faking the way he does.

"Bullshit! You moved the cup you fool!"

Lae'zel has already started arguing with various frat bros. Her and Wyll are a surprising duo, already wiping out the competition and taking several cups of shitty, watered-down beer.

"Lae, it's fine, be a gracious winner!"

The guys across the table disperse and leave the champions to reset the table, clearly being the sour ones in this situation.

"Well well well, already winning silly little games are we? Might as well start putting money on it."

Lae'zel turns to Astarion.

"As if I would waste my money on chance. Some people have brains around here."

He simply rolls his eyes, and turns his attention to Wyll.

"I'm sure daddy wouldn't feel too good about you being in a place like this."

Wyll mocks him back.

"I'm pretty sure 'daddy' doesn't even care what I'm doing right now."

He then goes to somberly refill the rest of the cups on the table. You push Astarion's shoulder and give him a look that should clearly say 'hey, that was mean, what the fuck are you doing?' but all he does is shrug at you.

"Don't mind him Wyll, his father doesn't care about him either. That makes you even."

Before the three further bicker about parental relationships, you hear a familiar voice off towards the corner of the room.

"Because Gale, I miss having a friend! I miss knowing you were in control of your life, not some stupid professor. And right now? Right now I'm yelling at you, at a party, instead of hanging out with my hot girlfriend and that sexy GU couple we just chatted up."

"As if you haven't been hiding things from me too Shadow."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm just saying, maybe there's a reason you picked sexy nun instead of sexy cat this year."

"What does that even mean Gale?"

"Oh, don't think I didn't notice during our little scuffle earlier, your arm?"

Suddenly, she gets very quiet, extremely aware of how many people at the party can hear her and Gale yapping. She then grabs his arm and drags him outside the side door. Your stomach is in knots at this point, because for some reason everything is wrong. Everything was supposed to be right after the blackout. Your friends would all be happy and get along, Astarion would be a free man, you'd finally get that kiss you'd been waiting for, and yet here you are, at some Halloween party hosted by your ex, and everything is just... wrong.

Without thinking, you go to the nearest exit of that room, the staircase. You're trying to block out the loud music at this point, but it feels almost impossible. The closest door is the first on your right and you open it, slamming it behind you. You're met with a large bed, probably belonging to some rich couple. The giant windows are covered with blackout curtains, and the carpet is luscious. Things are quieter in here, except for a soft knock at the door once you sit at the edge of the bed.

"Go away!"

"It's me Tav."

Of course Astarion followed you up here, how inseparable the two of you are.

"C'mon Aster."

When he comes in and quietly shuts the door, your head is in your hands. You feel the mattress move as he sits down next to you.

"I'm sorry."

You wipe at a watery eye, the tears just beginning to come in.

"For what? I'm the one that ran off."

He doesn't say anything at first, pondering how to best word this new thought.

"You- you're the first person who has helped me recognize my own patterns, that when I get scared I have this wall up. I've been feeling it since we sat down and cleared all my socials, this overwhelming feeling, like I'm being hunted to the ends of the Earth. And that fear, it makes me someone I don't like. Especially tonight, being outside of campus for the first time since, I just-"

He cries too, the first time you can remember seeing him cry. You lean on his shoulder. He continues.

"I thought I was ready, and I'm not. I'm not ready to be a normal person right now, a college kid that goes to parties."

You scoff slightly.

"I thought things would be normal too. Like somehow we had fixed everything, ya know?"

"Yeah... I do."

"I would like to find normal though, someday... with you."

He turns toward you, forcing you to pick your head back up.

"What does that mean?"

"It means, I think it's time to admit that this isn't just a close friendship. Not to me at least. And that scares the shit out of me too, just like everything else right now."

"Out of billions of people in the world, you would choose to try and find normal, with me?"

"Yeah, if that's okay?"

He hesitates, fear.

"Why?"

"I don't know. Is that bad, that I don't know? I just know you're different, and special to me, and that's enough to me."

"Well... maybe we can give you some time to find out?"

"Well, could I kiss you then, and maybe I'll learn something?"

You two laugh, quiet enough as to not disturb the room, but loud enough that the two of you feel the happiness radiate. He wipes at a tear and nods. It's different than the first time you met, vastly different, as if you've gotten to know someone entirely new. Although, you're not sure what words could really describe the kiss. Fearful, yet excited? Nervous, yet brave? It's over before you know it though, leaving a little flit in your heart. He interrupts your thoughts.

"We should definitely try that a couple more times."

And so you do, alone in a stranger's bedroom, and for once you forget about the various issues spiraling back at RU, about Gale and Shadowheart hating each other, even about Szarr. There's just this soft time in between, where two barely adults having fun just kissing each other, even if it's only a short moment in time, it's yours forever.

#astarion x reader #astarion x tav #baldur's gate 3 #freshiau

[rinwellisathing]

You're Awful, I Love You: Part 39

Sentry took a deep breath. The theater certainly was grand, and the drama of it all, the beautiful sets and costumes, the powerful music, it was wonderful. But the stuffy nobles were an eyesore, they couldn't appreciate the artistry here. He realized with disappointment it was unlikely there would even be a real death at the end, even as he read the program. Still, the synopsis spoke to him. He leaned against the wall and skimmed through it. The paragraph describing the final act stood out. 'Count Roderick, realizing the subterfuge of Baron Aurelio's family, races back to his friend's side only to find him mortally wounded and dying. Regretful, he sings of their deep friendship, holding his bleeding friend as he passes in his arms, swearing vengeance for his fate.' “Of course, they're 'friends'” Sentry chuckled. “Gods forbid these dull witted nobles realize the obvious.” But still, he tucked the program into his vest as he continued his walk, the music of the orchestra swelling behind the doors. On stage had been a scene of some vapid half-elven beauty singing about love and innocence, the sort of thing these patriars were REALLY here to pretend they believed in. He passed through the halls and to a small, nondescript door at the end of the corridor, ducking behind a decorative pillar as he noticed two figures standing there, the half-orc actor from the beginning and that girl again. He was grasping her hands, which Sentry was just realizing were quite frail and delicate, there was a pallor to the grey-blue of her skin up close that he hadn't noticed in the dark. He could also see dark circles under her eyes, which she was trying to hide with makeup.

“Geryn, you promised we could spend the night together.” She was saying softly. “I know, darling, but my wife is back in town, it's unexpected I assure you.” The man ran a hand over the girl's face. Sentry rolled his eyes. This cad... “Oh...I understand...Still, we could...maybe...I can meet you backstage after the others have gone?” She asked hopefully as the half-orc pulled her close, leaning in for a kiss. “Mm....perhaps, that might be pleasant. Very well, dear Jaina, my dressing room in one hour.” He kissed her and then disappeared back through the door. “I certainly hope he's your next target.” Sentry stepped out, arms folded across his chest, an eyebrow raised. The girl gasped in surprise, taken aback. She looked up at Sentry like a deer observing a hunter and took a nervous step back towards the wall. “My next target?” “Oh...right, it's the clothing...Yeah, this isn't my usual get up, is it?” Sentry chuckled with a shrug. “Forgive me, I didn't realize just how appropriate a cloak was for the opera when I dressed for the evening....But...” “A cloak....” The girl thought a moment and then gave Sentry a long, discerning look, taking in his horns, his height, and then finally those black boots with the silver filigree buckles, the only part of his clothing he never switched out. “Y....You're him....” Sentry lazily examined his fingernails, feigning boredom and ignorance. “Him who?” The girl gave an exasperated sigh and glared. “Oh don't play dumb now....I saw you that night! The Dread Executioner!” The tall young tiefling rolled his eyes. “Not so loud, this song isn't THAT entertaining, someone may hear.”

“I...guess I should thank you, though...that man meant to harm my students. I didn't think I could do it alone...when my brother was late to our ambush.” She gripped her upper arms and looked away. Yes, this girl was sickly. It was harder to tell at first blush, after all, her body was far from emaciated, in fact she carried weight to her, though it was carried well. She was a pretty enough girl. Still, her pallor and the slight tremble of her limbs, not from fear, Sentry knew fear, this was the tremble of one who had stood too long without aid of a cane, odd for someone who seemed younger than he was.

“You seemed to do just fine with the other one, the one about a ten-day ago.” Sentry remarked, leaning back against the wall, arms folded over his chest. “Which means you've improved, and in quite a short time, just a couple of months, really...Have you considered assassin's work?” The girl looked disgusted, her pale blue eyes narrowed as she glared at him. “Sir, I am a teacher! Everything I do is to protect my students. I only do....that... when I have to!” “Fascinating.” Sentry raised his brows and smirked. “I never realized murder was part of a teacher's job description.” “It's....I don't....I....” She bit her lip, color rising in her pale cheeks, she bit her lip, clearly flustered. “And anyway, how did you find me here!? Are you following me? Am I a target?” Sentry sighed and shook his head. So clearly this girl wasn't trying to become an Unholy Assassin. A pity, no one expects an ill girl straight out of a tragic romance novel. With training, she might have been great. But, as much as she was not trying to join his family, she also wasn't some haughty patriar. If this was her 'good' dress, Sentry felt sorry for her. He could see the tell tale signs of several mendings. It was practically threadbare and hung somewhat loose on her. Besides, the shade of her horns and her bone structure did nothing for any of his art, the shark-like skin was interesting, but young and short in stature as she was, there would hardly be enough of it for anything grand. So she was not a target either.

“No, you're not my type.” He winked and turned to leave. “Oh...but....also I assure you, that man isn't your type either. He's leading you on. Don't waste your time.” And with that, he made his way back down the hall towards the door to the private box, leaving the girl standing there, equal parts hurt and confused. As he slid back into his seat, Enver gently reached for his hand and Sentry smiled, satisfied. As their fingers entwined, he completely forgot about his previous conversation as he began to scan the crowd for a likely source of materials. He could feel the envious eyes of their hostess on his back and he reveled in it. 'Not you, old hag, you can live with the knowledge that you're his pawn and I am his king.'

#baldurs gate 3 #baldur's gate 3 #oc #tiefling #durge #dark urge #writing #fanfic #durgetash #gortash x durge #lord enver gortash #enver gortash

[ravenya003]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: I Robot, You Jane, S01E08

So, back when I started this project I said that I’d watch an episode every Saturday and then post my thoughts on Sunday. Yeah, that was wildly optimistic. The new plan is that I’ll just post when I have time.

This is our first Willow-centric episode, and just like our first Xander-centric episode (“Teacher’s Pet”) it’s not very good. But I still have a soft spot for it, and if nothing else the introduction of Jenny Calendar (hurray!) prevents it from being complete filler, even though none of the events of this episode are ever mentioned afterwards. At least, I’m pretty sure no one ever brings up the demon-on-the-internet again.

The cold open takes place in 1480. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the only flashback that predates this one in the show’s entire chronology is Aud/Anya’s backstory, which won’t be seen until season seven. So, this is a big swing for what is only the show’s eighth episode.

A guy called Carlos steps out of the shadows and is promptly killed after confessing his love to a horned demon called Moloch the Corruptor. Farewell Carlos, we knew you not at all. This is followed by a number of monks frantically chanting a spell which causes Moloch to dissipate and reappear as letters in an old book. As the finishing touch, his face appears on the cover.

Random comment: Despite crucifixes repelling vampires, Christianity isn’t exactly treated with a lot of reverence on this show. But if the religion is going to be represented, I’ve noticed that priests will invariably be bad guys, and monks (like these ones, or the ones that made Dawn) will always be good guys.

Also, the makeup/prosthetics on Moloch is really good, so I don’t blame the editors for putting him in both the opening credits of the show and Buffy’s nightmare sequence from the pilot episode.

The cold open ends with the monks sealing the book away, and portentously stating that nobody must ever read it again. That’s our cue to skip forward over five hundred years, to where it’s inevitably being removed from its storage crate by Buffy in the library.

The Scoobies are helping Giles scan his ancient tomes into the computer, and the whole thing is our first glimpse of a recurring theme throughout the show: modern tech meets old-school medievalism. It’s not my favourite aspect of the series, though I suspect it was one of Joss Whedon’s, since it comes up fairly regularly (think the Frankenstein’s Monster episode, or season four’s Adam. Occasionally it does provide some great scenes, like Xander giving Buffy the rocket launcher to take out the Judge in “Innocence” or Buffy and Riley coming face-to-face with a crossbow and rifle respectively in “Hush,” but for the most part I prefer the archaic tools that the Scoobies use).

In any case, this at least is a neat idea for an episode: a demon is given access to the internet after a scanner “reads” the book and uploads it into virtual reality. There’s a lot you can do with that premise.

This scene also introduces us to three new characters: some rando called Dave is helping them with the scanning, along with another student called Fritz, who is introduced with this line: “The printed page is obsolete. Information isn't bound up anymore. It's an entity. The only reality is virtual. If you're not jacked in, you're not alive.” Just in case you were wondering whether he was going to be a good guy or not.

But also on hand is... Jenny Calendar, the computer science teacher! Yes! She’s one of my favs. I always forget she was introduced this early, and she’s awesome right off the bat. The banter between her and Giles is quintessential Belligerent Sexual Tension. From their first exchange, you know it’s only a matter of time before they jump each other.

Willow, our poor darling nerd, is enjoying herself. Seeing at her at this early stage, I’m struck by the fact that she’s the character (with the possible exception of Cordelia) who will go through the most profound changes across the course of the show. At this point, she’s simply trying to find something that makes her special – right now, she makes it the subject she’s most interested in: books and knowledge (which feeds into her contribution to the good fight) but which also is the starting point of her dabbling-in-magic-to-become-powerful-witch-pipeline.

With that in mind, it’s interesting that techno-pagan Jenny is also introduced in this episode, as she’s an important stepping stone on Willow’s journey into witchhood.

My take on Willow is that although it’s never spelt out, she knows on some level that her friendship with Buffy is what makes her special, and she’s subconsciously railing against that (and will continue to do so long after this episode). She’s bullied at school, she’s thwarted in love by Xander, she’s perpetually in Buffy’s shadow – she wants SOMETHING to assure her she’s enough on her own terms.

In this episode, that mentality makes her an easy mark for Moloch’s manipulation, as she’s all-in on the romance not just for its own sake, but because it makes her feel chosen. Moloch obviously had some mind-control powers at work here, but Willow is also an easy target based on the insecurities she has about herself. Seven years later, she’d never fall for this so easily.

The next day she’s walking on air, as she spent the night talking to a guy called Malcolm Black on-line. And it’s soon apparent that Dave and Fritz are communicating with someone through the internet as well.

Oh man, look at these monitors!

Buffy is a little unsure about Willow’s story, and the computer camera zooms in on Buffy’s face, electronically goes through her personal files, and then sends them to Fritz with a missive to “watch her.”

Xander is suddenly not keen on the idea of Willow having a boyfriend, and Buffy calls him out on jealousy. She’s right – not because he’s attracted to Willow at this point, but because he “d’wants” her. That is, he doesn’t want Willow himself, but he doesn’t want anyone else having her either.

Shots demonstrate that Willow, Fritz and Dave are getting sucked further into Malcolm’s thrall, and during a discussion with Dave to try and ascertain how she can track down someone on-line, Buffy comes to the not-unreasonable conclusion (based on his reaction) that Dave is Malcolm. He’s not, and he clams up uncomfortably when she presses him. Fritz glowers in the corner.

Giles isn’t sure what to do (he’s computer illiterate) and advises Buffy to tail Dave. We get a vastly underrated gag in which Buffy asks: “Follow Dave? What, in dark glasses and a trench coat? Please. I can work this out myself,” which cuts immediately to her following Dave in a trench coat and sunglasses. Superb.

They end up at a massive computer factory called CRD, where we get the POV of a security camera noting Buffy’s arrival. Xander surprisingly ends up being a font of knowledge on the subject, as his uncle once worked there as a janitor. Before its closure several years ago, it was the third-largest employer in Sunnydale. (What are the first two? Got to be the funeral parlours and the cemetery caretakers, right?)

In an on-line conversation, Malcolm tries to drive a wedge between Willow and Buffy by citing the latter's school records (namely that she got kicked out of her old school) but Willow isn’t so far gone that she can’t spot a red flag when she sees it. She logs off pretty quickly.

Back in the library, the flirt-fight between Jenny and Giles over the relevance of computers continues, until she notices Moloch’s book and points out that the pages are all blank. This occurs concurrently with Dave telling Buffy that Willow wants to see her in the locker room, and Buffy very nearly getting electrocuted to death by exposed wiring left in a running shower. She survives only because Dave gets cold feet at the last second and warns her before making a run for it.

We’re then treated to the most harrowing scene of the episode, in which Dave confronts Malcolm (or at least a computer) and tells him he refuses to be complicit in his plans. Then, the computer writes him a suicide note. Just imagine how horrifying this would be, to realize not only that your death is imminent, but that everyone believes it’ll be at your own hands.

Fritz is lurking in the shadows of the room... He went dark side very quickly.

Back again at the library, Giles gives Buffy the English remedy to everything (tea) before offering a solution to strange events of the week: Moloch the Corruptor has been released from his book!prison by someone reading the words that held him there.

There’s a nice bit of back-and-forth as the gang piece together all the clues to reach a logical conclusion: Moloch has gone from the book, and yet no one has seen a giant demon wandering around. Buffy questions why Moloch is going through middle-men like Dave and the factory-workers at CDR instead of doing all the work himself. And how did someone manage to speak the words in the book anyway, as they’re not in English?

All the disparities point to one thing: Moloch is in the computer, and got there via the scanner. Like I said before, this is a neat idea and was backed up by the establishing dialogue at the start of the episode that laid out what the internet was capable of (‘cos back in the nineties, not everyone knew).

Buffy goes searching for Willow, and instead finds Dave in the computer lab... hanging from the rafters.

And, wow do I have a lot of questions in the wake of this scene. Does Buffy just leave him hanging there? Does no one call the authorities? If not, then who found him next? Do they let the suicide note stand? Are his parents forced to live the rest of their lives believing their son killed himself? And isn’t it crazy that everyone keeps on using this room in future episodes? (Though I suppose in Sunnydale, citizens would run out of places to exist if they stopped entering places that people had been murdered in).

Willow’s house! Why is it so exciting to see Willow’s house? In any case, her parents aren’t home (and her father never will be) and she’s spooked by her computer telling her she’s got mail... from Malcolm. Then she foolishly opens the front door and is grabbed by Fritz.

Giles takes the plunge and tells Jenny that a demon is on the loose on the internet, to which she says: “I know.” Robia Scott delivers that line a little oddly, in that she makes it seem like Jenny is the one responsible for releasing Moloch, but apparently it’s just meant to be a surprise that she takes Giles’s revelation in her stride. Turns out that she’s what’s called a “technopagan” who is well-aware of all the weirdness that goes on in Sunnydale.

(It’s obvious that the writers’ room had not yet decided on Jenny’s backstory at this point, which posits her as a member of the Roma clan which laid the curse on Angel – in fact, she was specifically sent to Sunnydale by her people in order to keep an eye on him – but they got lucky in giving her this link with magic right off the bat, as it fits in nicely with what we learn about her later. A bit like Aunt Beru’s “he’s too much like his father” comment in Star Wars, which was just a line in the first movie, but paid off dividends in the next two – entirely serendipitously).

Willow wakes up in CRD to discover that the reason it’s been swarming with scientists and workers lately is because Moloch has had them build a robot version of himself. He demonstrates its power by promptly snapping Fritz’s neck.

Buffy and Xander arrive on the scene (she leaps neatly over the fence, he trips and lands on his face) and make their way into the building. I love this shot, in which Buffy punches a receptionist in the face without breaking her stride:

The two of them try to make their way to Willow as Moloch delivers his pitch to her (she’s not buying it) and Giles and Jenny remotely perform the incantation that trapped him in that book all those centuries ago. Giles chants and Jenny types, with the help of her “on-line coven.” We learn nothing more about these people, either in this episode or any other – but in hindsight, they’ve got to be the rest of the Romani clan, no?

Willow is genuinely upset at Moloch’s betrayal. Xander punches out a technician and is super excited about it. Buffy realizes that Moloch isn’t back in the book, but rather trapped inside his robot body, and it takes only a little taunting for him to throw a punch at her and end up electrocuting himself on the contents of the circuit box behind her.

And this here, this shot:

...is why I love this show, specifically in its earliest seasons. At the end of the day, this is a story about three teenagers who are completely in over their heads, facing down the weirdest and most dangerous shit imaginable, but who are still in it together, no matter what. I can draw a direct correlation between the quality of any given episode and how far it adheres to/strays from this focus on the trio of Buffy, Willow and Xander as a team of misfits facing down the unimaginable.

And so, the wrap-up. Giles goes to thank Jenny for her contribution, and makes his case for books: they have texture and scent and history. She seems to get it, and then thanks him for returning her earring in a very odd moment that has her inform him: "[my ear] isn’t where I dangle it."

This, except he's saying: "is she going to dangle it from her vagina?"

And then, one of my favourite ending scenes of the entire show. Xander and Buffy try to cheer up Willow by commiserating with her on their equally terrible string of crushes and relationships. “We’re doomed!” they conclude. And they are. They realize it themselves a second later. All of them will end the show single.

But it’s okay, because they’ll always have each other.

***

Like I said, I’m fond of this episode despite its silliness. The plot itself is pretty thin, and generally speaking I don’t love the Buffy episodes that employ “weird science”. The show always falters a little when it leans into this vibe: see the Frankenstein/Ted/Human-Fish episodes, plus the entirety of the Initiative arc. Give me old-school vampires and demons, every time.

But I stand by the fact that a demon getting loose in the internet and causing havoc is a solid premise, and the script also managed to tap into our collective fear of catfishing and online predators WELL before its time. It also has some great dialogue and one-liners, provides some insight on Willow’s psyche that will be built on later, and introduces the one-and-only Jenny Calendar. You can’t skip it in the same way you can skip “Teacher’s Pet.”

Miscellaneous Observations:

I’ve already talked about Willow, but this episode really is fascinating if you treat it as the starting point of her arc. She’s shy and unassuming, she genuinely loves “nerdy” pastimes like scanning old books and talking on-line, and her insecurities make her an easy target for Malcolm’s manipulation. You can draw a straight line between this early characterization and where she ends up at the end of season six: glutted with power, resentment and destructive rage.

Dark Willow wasn’t just about Tara, it was about the deep-seated hostilities inside Willow from the very beginning... but we’ll get there. For now, I’ll just say that I’ve always felt Willow harbours the tiniest little seed of resentment toward Buffy for their social standing. As much as Willow loves her, in this episode she actually verbalizes the envy she feels at Buffy’s ability to attract male attention. That’s very funny in post-season four hindsight, and given where she ends up I’m inclined to believe it’s not just about boys. Willow wants to be special for her own sake, and at this point she’s envisioning that as someone liking her for who she is.

It's a type of insecurity that’s subtly different from what Xander feels. His is all about his masculinity in the presence of people who are far more powerful than himself, which paradoxically requires him to cleave even tighter to the women who upstage him (see his immediate anxiety about Willow prioritizing someone other than himself). For Willow, it’s about herself and how she measures up, which requires a degree of distance from those who make her feel inadequate.

Xander needs to have Buffy and Willow in his life – they make him special by association, and he eventually comes to accept his role as “the one who isn’t chosen.” Willow, on the other hand, is a little resentful of the importance that Buffy bestows on her existence, and wants something outside the constraints of the friend-group to validate her own specialness, something that’s hers alone. She’ll get there eventually.

While Buffy and the gang were investigating Moloch, there were a number of fun little second-long vignettes that demonstrated the chaos being strewn across the rest of the world: a guy whose essay is changed into a pro-Nazi manifesto, a school nurse insisting that a student’s record had no mention of his allergies, and a radio broadcast that announces financial discrepancies in the church coffers (so... that last one may not have been Moloch).

It's always a bit weird when the Monster of the Week ends up causing a lot of wide-spread harm, only to never be mentioned again – even in a place like Sunnydale. In this case, Moloch clearly managed to do a lot of damage before his death, not to mention taking over a factory and creating dozens of drone workers. Are there any long-term ramifications to any of this? Not that we ever see!

By later seasons, this show almost exclusively took place in Buffy’s house, various graveyards, the Magic Box, and the Bronze, so I was inordinately excited to see locations like the inside of Willow’s house and the CRD factory. Show me more of Sunnydale! The writers were under no obligation to do so, but they never really gave the place a sense of history or personality; a place that was worth protecting for its own sake.

No Angel or Cordelia this time around.

It’s always mildly amusing when an important character is introduced to the show alongside inconsequential ones. This episode gave us Ms Calendar, who will be an intrinsic part of the show going forward... but also Dave and Fritz, who won’t be. Kind of like how Sheila was introduced in the same episode as Spike, or Scott Hope in the same episode as Faith. Crazy!

It’s also rather startling just how much she stands out compared to other guest stars; she’s so vividly rendered in comparison to the likes of Blayne or Owen. Whether Robia Scott was brought back on the strength of her performance here, or was always intended to be a recurring guest star and so given more characterization is unclear, but you can tell just by watching this episode that she’ll be back.

Speaking of, I looked up the actors for Fritz and Dave on IMDB. Jamison Ryan (Fritz) only ever had three acting jobs in a single year of his life, while Chad Lindberg (Dave) has been working regularly for years: most recently in Star Trek: Picard, but also in other genre shows like Agents of SHIELD, Supernatural and The X-Files.

Dave is the first Sunnydale student since Jesse to be killed during the course of an episode, and I ended up feeling really sorry for the guy. He gets in over his head but tries to do the right thing, and that gets him killed. I’m still genuinely curious over the fallout of his death. Surely the Scoobies did something to convince his parents it wasn’t suicide?

There are plenty of minor details about Xander and Willow in this episode: we see the latter’s house and bedroom for the first time, and learn that her parents do in fact exist (though we’ll never see her father on-screen at any point during the course of the show) while Xander has an uncle that once worked at CRD as a janitor. None of it is hugely relevant, but when you think about it, we learn so little about their home lives that these little scraps are fascinating.

I’m always left wondering how Moloch’s book ended up in Sunnydale. I mean, of course it does, but where did it come from? Did Giles order it? Did the Watchers Council send it?

Jenny makes an interesting comment when Giles asks her if she’s a witch and she responds: “no, I don’t have that kind of power.” I mean, she and Giles had enough power to force Moloch into his robot form. What exactly is a witch’s power by comparison?

I wish the script had delved more deeply into exactly what Moloch’s feelings were for his followers. What exactly was he getting out of the interactions? (Beyond their obedience, obviously). At times he seemed genuinely fond of Willow and then distraught when she rejected him, which was in marked contrast to the indifference with which he killed Fritz and Carlos. I don’t expect much characterization for a Monster of the Week, but it felt like there was something there that will echo other portrayals of toxic love that become so prevalent in episodes to come.

Best Line: Jenny: “you kids really dig the library.” Xander: “to read makes us speak English good.”

Most dated line: Willow: “I met him online.” Buffy: “On line for what?”

Most Random Scene: There’s a moment in which Moloch is bragging about his powers to Willow and he tells her: “I can control the world! Right now a man in Beijing is transferring money to a Swiss bank account for a contract on his mother's life. Good for him!” Er... okay. What an oddly specific anecdote.

Worst Visual Effect: The infamous Robo!Moloch:

Best Scene: My darling trio sitting by the fountain, commiserating with each other on their doomed love lives. It’s funny, heartwarming and – in hindsight – very bittersweet.

Death Toll: Dave, strangled by Fritz. Fritz, neck snapped by Moloch. And Carlos too, I suppose, though I won’t count him because that was way back in 1480. Moloch, electrocuted by Buffy.

Grand Total: Thirteen civilians, fourteen villains (I’m counting Fritz as a villain as he was clearly the most gung-ho about killing people on Moloch’s orders. It didn’t take much to corrupt him). Still feel bad for Dave though.

#buffy the vampire slayer #rav's watching log #rav's reading log #buffy rewatch

[mammonsbby]

H for Asmo pls

H-Hero (Thanks for your patience! I'm running out of steam. :')) (Content warning: insects/spiders)

You’re already tucked into Asmo’s bed for the night, waiting for the demon to finish his nightly beauty routine. The room is dim, lit only by the lamp on the bedside table. And with the combination of silk pillow cases, a plush duvet, and Asmo’s scent lingering on both, you’re about to drift off. You snuggle further into the pillow, inhaling deeply. 

Then a shriek pierces the air.

Your eyes snap open, now completely alert. “Asmo?!”

“Ahh! Leave me alone! Go away!” He screams again. Then you hear what sounds like several things being thrown. You leap out of bed and rush towards the noise, afraid of what you’ll find.

And when you reach the bathroom, the fifth born is standing on top of the toilet, in his pink robe and with his makeup half washed off. He’s staring at a spot on the floor, but glances up when he notices you.

“Oh, MC, darling! Don’t come in here! There’s a huge, disgusting spider!” Asmo says, with wide eyes. His voice is high, higher than usual. He points to the ground by the counter, where several of his skin care products are laying. 

Just a spider? Your eyes search the ground where he’s pointing and it crawls out from under his makeup bag. You shudder as you watch it. It’s at least the size of your palm, maybe bigger, and you can see its eyes from here.

“Oh fuck!” You shout, starting to back away.  Devildom spiders are so much worse than the ones you’re used to. As if it senses your fear, the spider turns towards you and raises its front legs.

“NO! NO, NO, NO!” You screech in horror. Then you turn and run out of the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind you. Then you realize you’ve just trapped your boyfriend inside with the grotesque beast. 

The spider, now with a new target, turns once again. 

“MCCCCCC!!! WHY?!” Asmo wails, betrayed and abandoned by his beloved. 

Holy shit! How do you save him?!

“Asmodeus! Come to me now!” You shout, invoking your pact. A glowing pink circle appears on the ground and Asmo materializes inside it, still in his bathrobe with his horns and wings out. His eyes are huge and he blinks a couple of times, before he finally realizes what had happened. 

He hugs you close and squeezes tightly. “Oh! MC! You’re so smart. You saved me! You’re my hero!” Asmo says, placing kisses all over your face. 

You merely wrap your arms around him and let him kiss you. Yeah… Summoning him to get him away from the spider was the plan the entire time. You totally didn’t panic and leave him accidentally, no way.

“I love you, Asmo.” You say, pressing your face against his chest, feeling guilty.

“I love you too, darling.” 

“So… which of your brothers will deal with it for us?” You ask.

The two of you think for a moment, then both shout, “Beel!”

700 follower prompt list!

#asmodeus #asmodeus x reader #obey me asmodeus #obey me asmo #asmo x reader #obey me #answered #700 follower party! <3 #demicaractere

[loonymarshian]

Astarion/Tav Mini Fic

It’s over. The Absolute, the Netherbrain controlled by the Chosen of the Dead Three, has been destroyed, and all of the modified tadpoles with it. Jaheira has allowed Astarion to stay in her basement grotto during the day until the celebrations are over, and so after the first night of drinking at the Blushing Mermaid, this is where we find our hero. Tragedy has slept light through her adventures, always waking up first among her companions, even compared to the elves in her party who did not need to sleep the same way she did. So when she wakes in this druidic oasis beneath the Lower City of Baldur’s Gate, it is a new experience for her to be greeted by the face of her lover, scanning her face like it was the first time he was seeing it.

“Morning love. Sleep well?” Astarion’s voice greets Tragedy’s ears softly. What a wonderful sound to wake up to.

“Mhmm.” Tragedy mumbles as she tries to snuggle in closer to his chest, being mindful of her horns in the proximity of his face. She does not expect him to lean away and continue staring at her face. “I know I’m pretty but why are you staring at me like that?” She says in a huff, annoyed at the lack of cuddles.

“Your tattoos darling. They’re not there. Whatever could have made them disappear like that?” There are equal parts concern and confusion written plainly across Astarion’s face - he is worried there may be untoward magics at play, but he cannot fathom what they could be. Dating a wizard has given him a decent understanding of the capabilities of magic users in Faerun, not to mention Gale’s constant lectures, but still he does not know what could cause a person’s tattoos to suddenly vanish.

The concern turns to shock, and then offense, as Tragedy starts to giggle.

“Astarion, love, you look so concerned for me!” She reaches up to touch his cheek as she suppresses more giggles. “I appreciate it, truly, but I promise you it’s nothing. It’s just prestidigitation.”

Tragedy waves her hand in a quick and practised motion, and suddenly her face is adorned with its usual tattoos and dark makeup. “See? I’m just very good about reapplying it regularly, so no one ever saw me without until now. Nothing to worry about.” 

Astarion lets out a breath, and his shock and confusion melts into a soft smile. “Well, aren’t I the lucky one. I suppose we’re both each others’ firsts then aren’t we?”

Tragedy’s giggles start up again.

“I don’t think being the first of our companions to see my bare face is quite comparable to being the first person you’ve ever bitten, but if it makes you feel better…” Tragedy grins as she watches Astarion’s face fall into an exaggerated pout.

“Well I think it is plenty comparable, so long as I continue to be the only one who gets to see you like this, same as you’re the only one I’ve bitten.” Tragedy’s grin changes slightly into an accusatory stare as the words leave Astarion’s mouth. “Alright, the only person I’ve bitten with consent.”

The grin is back. “That’s a bit better. And yes, I can promise you that you’re the only one lucky enough to see me first thing in the morning, without my prestidigitation on. Besides my parents and siblings at least.”

“I suppose I can live with that.” Astarion begrudgingly assents, as he brings his hand up to run his thumb along the lines of Tragedy’s “tattoo”, his expression softening as he drinks in the sight of his lover. “Gods you’re beautiful. With and without your little magic trick.”

Tragedy’s grin is replaced with a gentler smile as Astarion leans down to press a soft, sweet kiss to her lips, before finally relenting, and allowing her to cuddle in closer to his chest.

“I love you, Tragedy.”

“I love you too.”

For a smidge of context: Tragedy was originally a D&D 5e character who I recreated in Baldur’s Gate 3. She is a necromancer (wizard), purely because she is goth and likes dead things and was raised by wizard parents. When I created her as a D&D character, I decided that she would apply her makeup using the prestidigitation cantrip, seeing as it lists “you make a colour, small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or surface for 1 hour” as one of the ways to use the cantrip. Using magic to apply her makeup would save her a lot of time and money, as well as making the makeup waterproof and smudgeproof - always a good thing to have when you’re adventuring out in the wilderness! This scene popped into my head around when I finished Tragedy’s first BG3 campaign (I started replaying her because I love her so much) and if I could draw I would’ve made a comic, but I can’t, so this little fic is the best I can do for now.

#baldurs gate 3 #astarion #astarion/tav #bg3 spoilers #bg3 fanfiction #astarion romance #dungeons and dragons

[caitlin666]

Songs that I want on the Demon Road Soundtrack if a show or movie ever gets released in no particular order(PART ONE)

1) ANY GIRL IN RED OR HAYLEY KIYOKO SONG! Geez it would be perfect!

2) A Paramore song. Either a mellow song for human Amber or an upbeat rock tune for demon Amber. Paramore has a wide variety of songs, so a lot of songs could work.

3) Run Away by Darling Parade. It’s the perfect road trip song

4) Supergirl by Saving Jane. It’s a great song to showcase Demon Amber.

5) Horns by Bryce Fox. The title should explain why enough. It’s a badass upbeat song.

6) Real Good Feeling by Oh The Larceny. Any Oh The Larceny song should work though.

7) Shotgun by George Ezra. This song SCREAMS Milo.

8) You and I by Leon. It’s a great road trip song plus if you listen to the lyrics it SCREAMS Kamber (Kelly and Ambers relationship)

9) Am I Wrong by Nico and Vinz. The same reason as 8 honestly.

10) INFERNO By Sun Urban and Bella Poarch. This a fun demon Amber type of song.

11) Ghost by Vicky T. This could be about Ambers internal struggle between her human and demon self plus it’s a fun yet creepy song.

12) Summer by Martin Garrix and Macklemore and Fall Out Boy. This song gives summer vibes so it’s perfect to show Ambers Floridian roots through song.

14) Chateau by Dales. It’s fun and would fit the vibe well. Just listen to the song.

15) Any MGMT song, although I recommend either Kids or Electric Feel.

16) Hotter than Hell by Dua Lipa. The title says it all.

17) Into Hell by Makeup and Vanity Set. A very Milo type song.

18) Trouble by Valerie Broussard. A badass demon Amber song.

19) On Me by Thomas Rhett, Kane Brown, and Ava Max. This song is literally from the new Scooby Doo Movie soundtrack. It screams Kelly’s crew.

20) What I Like About You by Jonas Blue. This song describes Amber and Kelly to a T. Feeling guilty about being with each other and pushing each other of their comfort zones. And falling for each other HARD, of course 😉.

21) Devil Inside by CRMNL. The title explains it all.

22) Hellfire by Barns Courtney. Read above.

23) No Limits by Royal Deluxe. I don’t have an explanation for this one, but it works.

24) Drive by Tonight Alive. Great road trip song.

AND FINALLY

25) Here I Go Again by Whitesnake. This song is literally canon, it would be impossible to not include it!

I’m making a part two, so CHILL if your favourite song wasn’t on here. All these songs are on my Spotify DR playlist.

@demon-road-musings

#demonroad #demon #demoncore #demon road #demon aesthetic #amber lamont #derek landy #road trip #devilcore #spotify

[anonymousewrites]

There's a Beauty; There's a Beast Chapter Six

Chapter Six: Waltz of Emotions

            “I never imagined she’d say yes,” said Dazai. He paced up and down as a brush tried to tame his hair. He had already put on a formal outfit for the occasion. “She was just so kind, and she looked like the most beautiful woman in the world, I couldn’t help but ask if she wanted to have a date.”

            “It’s alright, Master,” assured Atsushi. “She said yes, that’s what matters.”

            “What matters is that there are only four petals left on the rose and they need to confess,” snapped Akutagawa. Atsushi elbowed, well, burned him lightly. “Fine, I guess enjoying your time is important to.” He huffed.

            “I feel like an idiot,” whined Dazai, throwing himself down on his chair dramatically. “How could she ever love me?”

            “You also wondered how you’d ever love her,” said Atsushi encouragingly. “And yet you do. I believe she feels the same. She is the one.”

            Dazai sat up and looked into his mirror. “Then what do I do? I want this night to be perfect for her.”

            “We have the perfect music and ambience prepared,” said Atsushi. He met Dazai’s gaze in the mirror. “You just need to look and act your best for her. Become a true prince for her.”

            “I am a prince.”

            “Well, acting like a charming one would be helpful,” said Kouyou. “You dance and dance, and when the moment’s right, you tell her how you feel. Then you can have a wonderful dinner together. It will be a romantic adventure.”

            “What is the right time to tell (Y/N)?”

            “I asked Maestro Chuuya how he and Akira confessed, and he said it just happened. He didn’t really plan for it; he was just caught up in the moment,” said Atsushi.

            “Just relax and enjoy your time with her,” advised Kouyou. “It will all fall into place.”

l

            (Y/N) admired herself in the mirror. The makeup was finished, and now she was ready for her date. She nearly didn’t recognize herself. It was so…royal and elegant a look compared to her peasant clothes.

            “Well, the curse didn’t take my fashion sense,” remarked Akira. If she had a proper face, she’d be smirking. “You’re absolutely stunning, darling.”

            “Really?” breathed (Y/N).

            Akira sighed. “You’re only doing a disservice to yourself when you don’t see yourself as beautiful when you are.”

            (Y/N) smiled and nodded. “Do you think everything’s going to work out?”

            “You mean you and Dazai? Yes, I do. You two make a lovely pair.” Her tone turned teasing. “Though, if I had a human form right now, I might take you out myself with how good you look.”

            (Y/N) chuckled. “I wonder how Chuuya would react. Kouyou mentioned you’re dating him.”

            “Well, if you and I run off together, he and Dazai would, so everyone would end up happy!”

            (Y/N) laughed again. Her anxieties lifted away as Akira cheered her up.

            “Now go out there and take his breath away,” commanded Akira. “All of my hard work can’t go to waste.” I wish I could be down there to perform…but the curse keeps me here. If you free us, I will sing for you forever. I will sing by my Chuuya’s side.

            Taking a deep breath, (Y/N) stood up and smooth the wrinkles in her dress. It was time.

l

            Dazai stood at the bottom of the stairs. He adjusted his dark suit. Golden thread woven in spiraling patterns sparkled in the light. His bandages were woven neatly around his marred skin. Gold earrings dangled from his ears, and gold bands were wound around his horns. Dazai straightened his back. After countless years, he felt like a prince. A true, good one, not the arrogant one he had been. Now, I await the woman I wish to make a princess.

            Summoned by the mere thought, (Y/N) stepped into the light at the top of the staircase. Dazai’s eyes widened at the sight before him. (Y/N) wore an emerald green gown that shimmered as she moved. A golden laurel wreath rested on her head while a similar one hung around her bare neck. She smiled at him and descended to his side. He held out a hand, and she took it. Dazai kissed his hand.

            “You’re beautiful,” he said. “You are the spring arriving after winter. You bring new life to my heart.”

            (Y/N) blushed. “Thank you. You look handsome yourself. I’m afraid I can’t be as poetic as you.”

            Dazai just smiled and extended a hand to the ballroom floor. “Shall we?”

            (Y/N) nodded, smiled, and curtsied; Dazai smiled and bowed. Dazai put one hand on her waist and held out the other. Music struck up around them. Kouyou sat on the side and sang what Akira had prepared for her. The pair began to dance across the floor.

(Kouyou) “Tale as old as time, True as it can be, Barely even friends, Then somebody bends unexpectedly, Just a little change, Small to say the least, Both a little scared, Neither one prepared, Beauty and the Beast.”

            Dazai twirled (Y/N) around. Her dress swirled like a blooming tree. In Dazai’s eyes, she was a jewel of the earth.

(Kouyou) “Ever just the same, Ever a surprise, Ever as before, Ever just as sure, As the sun will rise.”

            Dazai lifted (Y/N) into the air. The candlelight caught her golden ornaments and shone. She is the light in my life.

(Kouyou) “Tale as old as time, Tune as old as song, Bittersweet and strange, Finding you can change, Learning you were wrong.”

            (Y/N) drew closer to Dazai, letting his arm slide around her waist intimately. Dazai dipped her before lifted her up and spinning. The candles dimmed until they looked like stairs shining from the heavens, specks of lights in inky blackness. A metaphor for Dazai’s change in luck the last week. He spun her out and back in, pulling her ever closer. (Y/N) leaned back. For a moment, she could hear his heartbeat. It thrummed with life and joy, a sentiment to their time together. (Y/N) smiled and continued the dance.

(Kouyou) “Certain as the sun, Rising in the east.”

            The waltz drew them towards the balcony doors.

(Kouyou) “Tale as old as time, Song as old as rhyme, Beauty and the Beast.”

            They paused before the doors, impossibly close and yet not close enough. (Y/N) wanted to pull him to her and kiss him. Dazai wanted the same. Yet neither was certain of the other’s feelings. While their waltz ended, their feelings continued to dance and spin around each other. Dazai opened the doors and escorted her through as the song ended.

(Kouyou) “Tale as old as time, Song as old as time, Beauty and the Beast.”

            Dazai stopped at the end of the balcony. Below them, candles lit the courtyard in a spiderweb of ice and light. The moon hung low in the sky.

            “Dazai…” said (Y/N), looking up at him. “This was incredible. Thank you.”

            “For you, it was the least I could do.” Dazai held her hands. “I would give you the world if you asked me.”

            “I don’t want the world.” (Y/N) brought his hands up and kissed them.

            “What do you want?” asked Dazai. (Y/N) paused and looked to the side for a moment. Dazai’s eyes softened. “Your father…your freedom…” He sighed. “…I can’t do this…I won’t keep you unhappy.”

            “W-What?” (Y/N)’s eyes widened.

            “I won’t keep you from your home, your father. I know you can’t be happy without him. I ripped you from the people that made you happy, that made you feel loved. I took away the freedom you love.” Dazai let go of her hands and stepped back. “I won’t hold you prisoner any longer.” He reached over to a table on the side and picked up his mirror. “If you ask this to show you someone, someplace, it will.” He handed it to her. “Please remember me.”

            “Dazai…,” said (Y/N), stunned.

            Dazai kissed her forehead. “I want you to find happiness in freedom.” He pressed the mirror into her hand. “Go on. Look at the home you can return to.” He angled it to her face. “Show her father,” whispered Dazai to the mirror.

            Its surface shimmered. In the looking glass, Fukuzawa was being forced through a crowd by armed men. He fought against them, but it was no use against a whole swarm of people.

            “Father!” exclaimed (Y/N), horrified. “They’re hurting him!”

            “You have to go, now. You can help him,” urged Dazai. He guided her head to meet his gaze. “Go.”

            With a tearful look into her eyes, she nodded. (Y/N) turned and fled. Dazai walked to his tower bedroom, shedding his ornate coat for a simple, loose shirt underneath. He ripped the golden jewelry from his ears and horns. He passed the rose, down to two petals, and settled on his balcony.

            “How did it go?” asked Atsushi.

            “It certainly seemed to be going well,” remarked Kouyou.

            “I let her go.” Dazai wouldn’t lie or give them false hope.

            “What?” questioned Akutagawa. “Why?”

            “She deserved to be happy, deserved to be free,” said Dazai.

            “You love her,” breathed Kouyou.

            “Th-Then why aren’t we human?” asked Atsushi.

            “Because the Master’s right.” Kouyou looked down. “Without freedom, she could never truly love him…Not completely. It would not be freely given.”

            “She may come back, though,” said Atsushi hopefully. “It would be her own free will. It would be true love then.”

            “Yes, it would,” said Kouyou.

            “But she can’t come back,” snapped Dazai. “Her father is in danger, and she should care for him. It would make her happy to have him. And I gave her freedom, something she longs for. She won’t give it up.” He looked at the rose, the same green as her dress. His heart clenched “Even if she did return, it’s too late.” A petal fell. “We only have one left.” He looked out into the night. Behind him, the dejected servants walked away.

(Dazai) “I was the one who had it all, I was the master of my fate, I never needed anybody in my life, I learned the truth too late, I’ll never shake away the pain, I close my eyes, but she’s still there.”

            He could see (Y/N) before him, rambling about the latest book she finished, the spark of life in her eyes.

(Dazai) “I let her steal into my melancholy heart, It’s more than I can bear.”

            He walked out onto his balcony and looked down. Below, he watched the green of (Y/N)’s dress disappear into the night on Philip’s back.

(Dazai) “Now I know she’ll never leave me, Even as she runs away, She will still torment me, Calm me, Hurt me, Move me, Come what may!”

            Dazai ascended into a spiraling tower. A part of him told him to never stop running or else the pain of (Y/N)’s departure would overwhelm him.

(Dazai) “Wasting in my lonely tower, Waiting by an open door!”

            Out of the window, he saw a speck of lively green fading steadily in the darkness.

(Dazai) “I’ll fool myself she’ll walk right in, And be with me forevermore!”

            He slammed his hand against the stone beside him.

(Dazai) “I rage against the trials of love, I curse the fading of her light!”

            Dazai walked out between towers, gazing into the forest that swallowed the light in his life whole.

(Dazai) “Thought she’s already flown so far beyond my reach, She’s never out of sight, Now I know she’ll never leave me! Even as she fades from view! She will still inspire me, Be a part of everything I do, Wasting in my lonely tower, Waiting by an open door! I’ll fool myself she’ll walk right in.”

            He stood on the turret of the tallest tower, raging against the heavens above for the curse of monstrosity and the curse of love so deep he was willing to sacrifice his joy for her own.

(Dazai) “And as the long, long nights begin, I’ll think of all that might have been, Waiting here forevermore!”

#there's a will; there's a way #beauty and the beast #bsd x reader #dazai bsd #bsd #disney au #bsd au #au #dazai #dazai osamu #dazai osamu x reader #dazai x reader #bungo stray dogs x reader #bungou stray dogs x reader #bungo stray dogs #bungou stray dogs #bsd fic #bsd fanfic

[obeymeluv]

Quick! Kiss Me! [Part 2 - Lucifer]

So originally this was supposed to be multiple brothers per part but this got unexpectedly long and I only had the energy to get through Lucifer. I’ll definitely get to the other brothers. This project may take priority over the others until I get them all out. I know what I’ll be doing for Mammon’s, sort of for Levi’s, definitely for Satan’s, definitely for Beel’s, and I’m not quite 100% on Belphie’s or Asmo’s. Honestly, they’re not all supposed to get this long, but this one had some lead up + Lucifer. The other ones will probably be a couple of paragraph’s, maybe a page at most.

Note: The Thrall/The Call is something that came up in a Diavolo piece forever ago. Can’t even remember which one because I had to go back and find it myself. It’s basically one of their tell-tale signs they’re trying to seduce someone or flirt with someone.

Some of these kiss scenarios will get a little NSFW because the bros get to kiss you, have a crush on you, and are excited dorks. Everything under the cut just to be safe.

Any bolded italics are your/MC’s thoughts since you can’t currently speak.

Quick! Kiss Me! [Part 2]

--

After a few awkward moments of the brothers standing around, their hearts squeezing in their chests as they tried to hold back their individual Thralls to make your choice more neutral, they realized their wouldn’t be a choice. There couldn’t be. The lip color was too scrambled to work in such a small space with that many people. You’d just barely blinked and the brothers skittered off at inhumane speeds that made your skin crawl; in your human brain it was very much those ‘distant echoes of horror movie noises one should never hear.’ Lucifer turned so abruptly his cape snapped; he melted seamlessly into the natural darkness hiding around the House of Lamentation.

That was the starting gun for the others to disperse.

Belphie exploded into black wispy shadows, sinking into the floor. Asmodeus stretched his wings again, flapping leisurely towards his room as he blew you a teasing kiss. Satan’s eyes, somehow greener and more bewitching than ever, hesitated to leave you as he retreated up the steps, made it about three before deciding to jog, and finally teleported towards the top and around the corner, hints of his horns and a brief whip of his tail following him. A skin-prickling rumble sounded soon after; the fourth-born had embarrassed himself.

Levi sought the privacy of his room, as to be expected. He would die if he kissed you ANYWAYS, but to kiss you in front of his brothers?! He’d rather have a conversation with a stranger! Gross! He was more than happy to get his red face out of view and mumble…whatever he was talking about…into his handheld console.

Only Beel and Mammon remained.

You looked at them curiously, brows raised. Beel gave you his casual smile, a little humming laugh at this situation, and promptly picked Mammon up by the collar of his jacket as they walked away from the foyer area. It was clear the second-born would lounge around and maybe try to sucker into kissing him first. You’d like to think Beel was forcing him to hide so the lip color could give you an accurate reading, but you’d always wondered if the kind, ever-hungry brother got jealous. If he did, he never showed it (and for a guy with six brothers, that was impressive).

Brain and body calmed by the emptiness, by the fact that they were somewhere in the house, you set off on your quest for a kiss. No one’s going to believe this, you rolled your eyes, starting towards the right wing when a gust of cold air overtook you. A chilly numbness set in, nipping at your fingertips and pulsing in your lips and face enough to give you a headache. Not that way, you turned away sharply, the cold receding as you moved in the other direction. Some people have really cute ‘how did you meet?’ stories and mine was getting tricked into magic demon makeup that my boyfriend had to free me from, as you found yourself in the middle of a random hallway an aggravating realization set in: the House of Lamentation was so ornate and old that all the hallways looked the same.

Same walls, same tone of polished furniture, same light fixtures, and the carpeting was a given.

Hadn’t you already been down this hall?! Why was it when you really needed to find one of SEVEN people, you couldn’t find any of them?! You felt like you’d walked the whole house! The House of Lamentation was far bigger than it looked on the outside (was that even possible?) and now you were beginning to think the brothers picked the very corners of the house! You were honestly surprised the brothers hadn’t come looking for you. Some small part of you was too amused and couldn’t help but smile at the fact that centuries-old demons were freaking out and pacing in their hiding spots like schoolboys fixing to go on an overnight trip with their crush.

You shuffled forward, wondering what a positive response felt like. Time alone to just think was really odd, especially with how chaotic the Devildom could be, but it led to some really interesting thoughts. No one would believe the ‘magic demon makeup’ part of your story but you could lie and say it was a really intense game of Hot and Cold. Any of them would make good boyfriends, you admitted to yourself, glad none of them were around to see the pink in your cheeks. If one of them popped up, you’d just lie and blame it on the warm tingle prickling at your lips.

A warm tingle?! That was a lot like what you felt when your lips were sealing shut! You spun in a startled circle, not sure when the feeling began, and desperately tried for a stronger reaction. A prickle became a tingly bubble, like a glass of champagne going to your head too fast, and soon your body felt like it was floating, rolling on waves upon waves of a butterflies-in-my-stomach that washed you up in front of a door.

Inside you found…

Lucifer sitting at his desk, half-heartedly pouring over paperwork. You pushed the heavy door open, feeling like you’d pulled the curtain back on a privacy charm, and wiggled past the old wood. The lazy tapping of whatever he was writing with stopped, the eldest perking up like someone had set him free of the eternal coil of paperwork. If you hadn’t been looking at him while trying to pull your other leg through, you would’ve missed the boyish glow of hope, the they picked me! It’s me!, that was promptly devoured by his blossoming pride.

Face propped up on a gloved wrist, now lounging confidently back against his chair as his other wrist dangled off the arm, Lucifer invited you in with a sly smile and a beckoning roll of his fingers. You rolled your eyes. We both saw your heart stop. You don’t need this ‘tall, dark, and dom’ fake allure, you waved your hands about to emphasize the ‘allure’ as you flashed him a well-meaning smile. You felt pretty confident knowing you could fluster the first born, the one with the sin of pride.

It was actually really heart-warming to know he was so eager to be yours.

“This is no act, I assure you.” Lucifer abandoned his cloak on the back of the chair, undoing it with one hand as he rose to meet you. His wings unfurled slowly and softly, ever majestic, and feathered out to their full length. They shuddered and fluttered, blowing a gentle air about the room. His eyes, normally a gradient of red and black, looked completely red. Lucifer’s pupils had taken on some slit-like appearance that had flecks of black rimming the sides.

A purr rolled in his chest, something quiet but confident, enticing, as he waited for your hand. You found yourself hypnotized by his eyes—maybe for real?—dropping your hand delicately into his. The leather folded around your skin and you couldn’t look away, even as he brought it close to his chest and then higher still, like he’d put it on his shoulder. To pull you into a kiss as dramatic as this—in the quiet only surrounded by the sound of his wings and a purr and the fire crackling in the back of the room—was very Lucifer.

You stood on tiptoe, looking up at him expectantly. Hell, you even batted your eyelashes to really get at him.

WHAT?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

Lucifer’s lips brushed your knuckles again in a stuttering kiss. He placed a few more open-mouthed kissed up your finger before the laughter took over him again. He knew exactly what he was doing, just like he knew what he was doing when he smoothed his hair back away from his face. “Have I left you speechless, my dear?” he’d started to stand to his full height, shit-eating smirk on his lips. His voice was wrapped in a sultry purr that was undoubtedly the first sin mankind ever heard.

That cool façade was strangled in the grip you had on his folded collar, bringing the first-born nose-to-nose with you. Lucifer was hardly intimidated by your glare but oh you were very darling.

BECAUSE YOU CAN’T AIM! Your nostrils flared as you pouted a bit. You’re supposed to kiss me HERE! You pointed to your lips.

“I can’t aim?” Lucifer’s wings twitched, probably in indignation. Were you implying he couldn’t do something? His lips twisted upwards in a little huff, the beginnings of a sneer even. All of that melted away when that large hand cupped the back of your head, fingers twining in your hair. You’d just registered the sensation when he brought your lips to his, head tilted and savoring the kiss.

It was a long with a slight suckle, the eldest truly indulging in this minuet of a moment compared to the usual chaos of his daily existence. He felt you sag against him, hooking his other arm around your waist to stumble towards his desk. You were an awkward clatter of bones against him, chest-to-chest, and one leg falling out of the chair, but you managed.

“This was how it was supposed to be,” Lucifer confessed softly, sitting you in the space he’d cleared for you. Literally. You just now realized the scant space on his desk was big enough for you to sit. He dragged the chair forward, your legs naturally coming to rest against the padded backing on either side of his waist. Lucifer tucked some hair behind your ear, cupping your cheek. “I wanted to kiss you this way,” but my pride got the best of me, he didn’t dare finish saying it, but he thought it.

You felt your lips open, swollen and beautifully tender. To breathe through them felt weird. They still tingled with the after-effect of the enchantment. Lucifer watched you lick your lips experimentally, draw in a breath, and allowed himself to be drawn in, too. You shared a few more languid kisses before his D.D.D started to go off.

You saw Mammon’s icon pop up, then Asmo’s. The brothers were looking for you. “That reminds me,” Lucifer patted your thigh before pushing himself away. He stole another kiss before rounding the corner of his desk. He opened the door just slightly, stepped out of the room, and bellowed something in demon tongue that had a clear message of finality ringing in the house. Whatever he’d said made him lock the door to his study with a quickness, a crimson spell burning into the wood.

Looking very much like a smug older brother, Lucifer dropped himself elegantly back in his chair. One hand situated your legs just as they had been, the other one pulling you close for good measure. He coaxed you into a few kittenish kisses, flinching against your lips when the banging started. You could hear Mammon complaining outside the door. A spell fizzled against the door; seems like Belphegor or Satan had fired one off. Content and exhausted, he found purchase in the curve of your neck, enjoying the silence and your scent.

“We’ll get through this.” You combed your fingers through his hair. You’d have to face the brothers eventually.

“I look forward to it.” Lucifer kissed your shoulder.      

#Lucifer x Reader #Obey me! #Obey me! x Reader

[marvelmusing]

Night Out

Helmut Zemo x Reader x Heike Zemo (Romantic Pairing)

• Part of my 𝗦𝗢𝗞𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗔𝗡 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗔𝗨 •

My Masterlist

Despite always enjoying when they bring you to their galas and talks, since they always use the events as an opportunity to show you off to everyone, you always preferred to watch the two of them getting ready.

Helmut is downstairs in his office, finishing up the last of his work for the day. Once she’s ready to go out, Heike will either ask you to fetch him or she’ll get him herself. The two of them like to dress separately before an event. It gives them the time and space to properly prepare, and provides them both with some alone time with you.

You prop your chin up onto your palms, swinging your upturned legs as you lie across the bed you share with Helmut and Heike. You watch Heike as she applies her makeup. The slight frown of concentration on her brow, as she focuses on the lines of her lipstick. The red glides across her lips and you’re entranced at the shape of them, how delicate and soft they are. Your eyes wander down her frame as you take in the rest of her. She’s only in lingerie, one of her favourite sets, the red lace striking against the smooth cream of her skin. Her voice pulls you out of your trance,

“What are you thinking about, my love?”

You push yourself off the bed and take a few steps towards where she’s sitting at the vanity table.

“You.” You admit softly. Her eyes meet yours in the mirror as you stand behind her, your fingers brushing against her bare shoulders. “You look beautiful, darling.” You sit down on the stool, pressing your body against her back, slipping your arms around her waist as you leave a trail of kisses along her neck.

You’re always careful not to touch her face, conscious of the makeup she’s spent the last few minutes perfecting. On one hand she appreciates your care, however, this does mean you have the rest of her body to touch and kiss. She tries to keep her attention on getting ready, but her eyes flutter closed once your fingers begin squeezing along her thighs.

“Draga.” Helmut’s voice calls out sternly, as he stands in the doorway. You lock eyes with him in the mirror.

“Yes darling?” You reply with a smirk.

“Don’t tease our Schatz.”

“Who said I was teasing?”

“I do.” Heike protests weakly, a small pout adorning her lips. You laugh softly, nuzzling your nose against the side of her face before placing a gentle kiss on her temple. You pull away from her, sitting back down on the bed as Helmut steps into the room. He pecks you on the cheek as he passes, before disappearing into the bathroom. You watch Heike as she pulls this evening’s dress from the hanger, and slips it on. You lean over the edge of the bed, pulling her shoes out from where she discarded them the other day. You hear her rummaging around before she calls out, “Darling, have you seen my…” She trails off when she sees you perched against the bed, her shoes dangling in hand.

“These?” You ask with a smirk. She thanks you with a smile and takes the shoes from you. Wobbling slightly as she puts them on, she pulls out a purse before heading downstairs to find her coat. You cross the room, opening Helmut’s wardrobe, and pulling out the suit he’s picked for tonight. You find his shoes, his watch, his cologne, and set them out for him knowing that he’ll be concerned about how much time he has. You’re setting his shoes down by the vanity table when the bathroom door opens. He stops for a moment to smile at the sight of you. As he was hurrying in the bathroom he was berating himself for not finishing his work sooner, worrying about if he should have prepared more for this evening. But of course you knew what he was thinking. Of course you’d make sure he has everything, and that Heike has had several hours to dress. You’ve always been the perfect middle ground between the two of them. Gentle and kind hearted like Heike, with the same determined and meticulous nature as Helmut. You settle yourself back onto the edge of the bed as he sits down at the vanity table to pull on his shoes. He looks up at you,

“It’s not too late for you to come with us.” You shake your head with a small smile at his invitation. You’d landed back in Sokovia early this morning and were still adjusting to being home.

“I’ll be there next time.” He nods, noticing the tiredness in your eyes. He stands, stopping in front of you, before tilting your head up to meet his eyes. He brushes his thumbs down your cheeks, and your eyes flutter closed when he presses a kiss to your forehead.

“You should get some rest Draga.” You nod, wrapping your arms around him. Tightening your hold slightly, you nuzzle your face against him, slipping under his blazer. He chuckles, opening his blazer to reveal your gaze on him. You both smile at one another, before you push him away gently, and encourage him to continue getting ready.

You lean against the door frame, the cool night air brushing against your exposed skin. Heike stops just before the door, and you turn to her. She intertwines her fingers with yours, pulling you closer. Hooking a gentle finger under her chin, you bring her lips to yours in a careful kiss. You both smile at each other for a moment before she gestures to her face, no doubt referring to the state of her lipstick.

“Beautiful as always, my love.” You tell her. She begins to make her way down the front steps of your house. You squeeze her hand as walks, before releasing it. “I love you.” You call out to her. She turns back to you, her beautiful face alight with a radiant smile.

“Love you too, darling.” You watch her as she makes her way to their car for the evening. She opens the door and sits in the passenger seat, waiting for Helmut. You turn back to look into the house, hearing Helmut rummaging around in the distance. He appears from a doorway, making his way to the door hurriedly. You can see his mind is rushing through everything he needs to do and be for tonight. He places a hand on your hip, stopping to press a kiss to your cheek before he’s out the door.

“Goodbye Draga.”

“Drive safe.” You tell him, to which he nods. He makes his way to the car before he stops, glancing back at you. You lean casually against the door frame, looking back at him with a small smile. Then he’s hurrying back up the steps, pulling you into his arms, his forehead pressed against your own.

“My apologies.” You loop your arms around his neck with a wide smile.

“I’ll forgive you.” He cups your face with one hand, and captures your lips in a searing kiss. Once you pull away, breathless, you sigh out an, “I love you.”

“I love you, Liebling.” You trade a few more kisses before you’re interrupted by a car horn. You both turn to see Heike’s grin at the way you jumped in Helmut’s arms. He regards her with a raised brow, “She always has been so desperate for attention.” You laugh, smoothing the hair at the nape of his neck with a hum of agreement.

“We really should do something about that.” You suggest with a smirk, which he returns. His lips return to yours, for a chaste kiss.

“At a later date, my love. We’ll be home by midnight.”

“No need to hurry, I’ll be here.” He nods, stepping out of your embrace. You lean back against the open door. “Have fun.” You call out to him as he approaches the car. You blow a kiss to the two of them as the car starts, and you watch as they drive away.

They return home later than expected. The house is quiet when they push open the front door, and they head straight to the bedroom. Helmut pushes the door open quietly, in the hope not to wake you. They both pause as they peer into the room, before sharing a look of mild confusion at the sight of their empty bed. Heike steps into the room, pulling off her heels. Helmut shrugs off his blazer, draping it over the back of a chair.

“You get ready for bed. I’ll go look.” He heads downstairs, knowing you’ll be tucked away somewhere with a book. He checks his study, and the library. He’s heading through one of the sitting rooms when he spots you. You’re wearing one of his favourite sweaters, with one of Heike’s many blankets draped across your legs. Your head is buried amongst the cushions, with your book long abandoned on the coffee table. He brushes the hair from your face, cooing softly when you stir, “It's just me, Draga.” You latch around his neck as he pulls you into his arms and carries you up to the bedroom. You nuzzle your face into his neck, shivering slightly at the cold air of the house. They both share a tender smile when Heike sees you sleepily nestled in her husband’s arms. Once he sets you down under the covers Heike takes you in her arms as you shift closer to her. She tugs at the sweatshirt you’re wearing, pulling it up over your head. You never used to sleep in just your underwear, but with the expensive covers that Helmut prefers and sharing the bed with both of them you’d be far too warm if dressed. Your head flops against the pillow, eyes fluttering closed again as you hear Heike toss the sweatshirt to the floor. You know Helmut’s giving her a scolding look when he opens the door to the bathroom, he always wants things in their proper places. Heike slips her arms around your waist, tugging you closer. You lean your head against her shoulder, and drape one of your legs between hers. You feel the covers shift, and Helmut slips into bed beside you. He trails his fingers along your side, and you hum quietly in pleasure.

“Love you both.” You mumble out, as Helmut curls around you, leaning his chin on the top of your head.

“We love you too, Schatz.” Helmut replies as he presses a kiss to the back of your head. You feel them tighten their hold on you for a moment, as Heike leans forward to place a kiss against Helmut’s lips.

“Goodnight, my darlings.” Heike whispers as she nestles herself into your arms.

#zemo x reader #helmut zemo x reader x heike zemo #baron zemo x reader #helmut zemo x reader #helmut zemo imagine #baron zemo imagine #zemo fluff #zemo imagine #baron helmut zemo #heike zemo #zemo fic #marvel x reader #marvel au #sokovian lovers

[theyanderespecialist]

Gender Fluid Incubus/Succubus Working Days 2 (Mini Series) Various X OC (Hazbin Hotel)

[YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS here with chapter two of the working days mini series and I hop that you all enjoy this one as well Alastor is going to snap!]

(Marie's pov)

I looked at him as he tensed up as he looked down. I crawl on-top of him as I push my breasts against his face as he went to latch on before I pulled away as he let a bit of a growl out as I stop.

"What was that? Did you just growl at me? Did you forget I'm the predator here?" I asked harshly as I grab his face, but something about him was different. "I don't think so, not right now darling-- not that I didn't enjoy you that way." I glared.

"You don't get to talk--" I was cut off when he broke out of the handcuffs as my eyes widen. "W-Wait--w-what?"

He grabbed and pinned me down and bit my neck and I moaned God what got into him.

"You see My dear~" He says and breaks the skin with his teeth sucking blood. "You got me in Rut~ Just be lucky you did not trigger my heat or I would fuck you for seven days straight until your mind was broken and you knew you were Mine~!"

I looked at him shocked and he plunged two fingers into me and I moaned. The energy he was throwing off God it was so delicious!

I let out a whimper as I writhed under him,feeling his fingers pushing in deeper.

"W-W-Wait~" I begged as he kept pushing them in deeper. If he's not careful, he'll break my hymen, or possibly hurt me..but why did this feel so good? Oh no..

"w-Wait P-Please--M-Maybe we should s-stop here--I-I'm going into.." I was too embarrassed to say I was going into my own heat. Last thing I need is to be impregnated by some deer demon.

"I want you in heat because you are mine~" he says possessively

He continued to thrust his fingers in as I let out a moan mixed with a whine as my whole body was feeling warm.

"I-If you're..nnn..gonna force me to be in heat..the least you could do..mmm, is fuck me~" I panted out.

He smirked and lined his leaking cock up to my hole.

"I am going to breed you until all you think about is me~"

(XD if we are not careful he may go into heat~ XD)

"W-Wait j-just..going slo-OOOH!" I let out a shocked cry as he suddenly forced all of it inside of me as I cry out in shock

(Alastor's POV)

I felt her hymen tear and I begin to fuck her wildly in and out. I could feel my heat on edge and if we are both in heat I can breed her and she will be mine! Mine! MINE ALL MINE~!

She let out a scream,her arms reaching up to grab me,her legs wrapping around my waist. "S-Slow d-down!" She cried out, moaning all the while while her walls clench around me.

I just let out a growl as I rip the bra off her chest as she cried out. "P-Please! I-I'm going to cum!" She begged. (He so gonna go into heat..wait until he finds out about the uterus

(XD Shit that will be his heat trigger XD)

I sped up at that thought and then she was cumming hard and I shoved in deep on the verge of my heat spilling my seed into her!

"O-Oh fuck! God-- j-just pull out! I-I don't need m-my two uterus' g-getting filled."she moaned out.

I freeze and then at the thought of two uterus my heat was triggered and I continue to fuck her completely hard again we were both in heat and I am going to make her MINE~ She let out a scream as I flipped her over as she grabbed at the head board, her nails digging into the wood as I gripped her hips, digging my nails in, blood running down from the cuts.

"Oh fuc--" she cut herself off with another moan as I grabbed her horn as she let out a moan as I forced her head back so that I could bite her neck again as she clenched around me when I did so.

I smirked and continue to thrust marking her as MINE And Breeding her into the mattress. She was truly a vision like this..I was not one for sex, but god damn-- if seeing her pressed against the mattress and pillows, with her face red and makeup running wasn't making me.feel.a certain type of way I still did not find sex to be something I need~ But if it makes her feel this good I will plow her until she passes out~

[Yeah Asexuals can have sex they do sometimes get random sex urges and when they are in a relationship they can choose to have sex for their partner that is what he is doing random his (Aka rut and heat) and wanting her to be his and to make her happy as she is a succubus sex is a part of the deal]

Besides..it did feel nice, seeing her under me wanting me. I enjoyed it not for the sex but for the control the power the desire the passion and the love... wait love?

I looked down at her as she was trying desperately to thrust back onto me.

"W-Why'd you stop?" She panted out, looking up at me

I looked at her. "I think I am in love with you." I say

(OOF XD To soon bro XD)

(But hey, she ain't gonna mind)

She stopped as she looked at me for a moment before smiling.

"I-I like you too." (Anything for dick)

(XD Yup)

I continue to thrust in her I make her love me! She let out a moan as she suddenly grabbed my hand, bringing it to her mouth as she kissed it. I smile my heart blooming with love and passion

"my darling, even in your heat, you're so sweet" I said smiling as she blushed darkly

I pulled her and kisses her lovingly while still making love. She blushed darkly as I smile at her as she slowly kisses me back, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. We continue to make out and hold each other while we make love making sure each other are full of heat. She moaned as she came around me again as this time I came inside of her as she let out a Shaky moan as she closed her eyes as I look at her worried before realizing she passed out. I smirked and pulled her in my arms and keep my dick inside her. She is mine all mine~

[And snap he did, I hope that you all enjoy this and him snapping stay sexy!]

#yandere #yandere hazbin hotel #yandere alastor #yandere mini series #yandere one shot #one shot #one shots that turned into a mini series #mini series #various #hazbin hotel #alastor hazbin hotel #alastor x marie #alastor x oc #oc #alastor #marie oc

[that--unusual-person]

Hello. I'm curious, how would the Pillarmen react to their child trying to paint similar marks on their own face that their father has? Or try to make a similar outfit to theirs because they wanted to be like their father?

Good/Bad Parent Warning (lol)

Kars

- It was when the baby was drawing with crayons Kars noticed them try to draw on their eyelids.

- He had to snatch the crayon out of their hands before they poked their eye.

- “What do you think you’re doing?”  Kars asked while staring at the child.  The baby starts motioning their eyes and reaching for Kars’s marks.

- He then gets the picture, “Sorry, little one, but this… cray-yon… won’t do.  But, I do know something that will.”

- (Time skip) You haven’t seen Kars or the baby anywhere around the house, it was starting to worry you.  You call out his name and hear him respond from the bathroom upstairs.

- As you go up and turn the doorknob to enter your bedroom’s bathroom, “Kars, do you know where the baby is- … oh my god.”

- Kars has makeup all over the baby’s face.  Not to mention it matches his, from his mark used with lavender-colored eyeshadow to the perfectly drawn eyelids and rosy cheeks.

- You would be upset but seeing how happy the baby is with Kars’s masterwork with make-up makes you think.  “Okay, stay here, I’m going to get my phone to take a picture.”

- Posing with the baby, Kars gives the proudest smile you ever seen.  Seeing how happy he is with his artwork almost makes you jealous, but happy to see how great of a father he is.

- “You should do my makeup sometime.”  “It would be my pleasure, darling”

Esidisi

- As irresponsible as he is at parenting, he let the baby into your oil pastels to entertain the child.

- The baby had all sorts of colors on their hands to their clothes and worst of all… the walls and floor.  Even Esidisi was in on it, using the pastels to draw surprisingly poor pictures(but they are very cute.  You put them on the fridge next to the babies).

- As Esidisi was finishing up a scribbled piece of artwork, he catches the baby scribbling a red pastel on its face.  Giggling he asks, “And what are you trying to do, little artist?”  Getting the baby’s attention.

- It then makes an ‘x’ across its face with a hand, then crawling over to Esidisi mimicking the same hand motion on his face.

- “Oooh I see… Here, let me help!”  As he takes the pastel and draws a sloppy x across the baby’s face as it giggles at his touch.

- “Hahaha, you look great, like me!”  as they continue to draw more.

- (Time skip) “Esidisi!  I’m home!- OH MY GOSH!”  The place is a mess.  Your pastels are either all gone or broken in half.  Paper scattered on the floor, colors on the wall and floor.  With Esidsi and your baby covered in color.

- “Esidisi!”  “Huh?  Oh!  Hello, Y/n!  Care to join us?”  Your speechless until you look over and see your baby with an x on its face.  Suddenly-

- “Esidisi...”  He knows that look.  That look you give he knows all too well.  Immediately he starts cleaning up while you take the baby to wash off what looks like an x on its face.

Wamuu

- Believe it or not, it’s hard keeping his hairstyle the way he wants.  Always having it in that wrap or his headpiece was like a headband, so there he was, trying to fix his hair in the mirror when he notices the baby waddle by the doorway.

- Looking behind him his eyes follow the infant as they stroll to him, reaching out with grabby little palms.

- Leaning down and scooping the child onto his lap while facing the mirror he asks, “What is it, young one?”  The baby starts slamming its hands on the table in front of the mirror babbling something that makes Wamuu laugh.

- Continuing to try and fix his hair as the baby watches, the child suddenly starts playing with its face in a strange manner that distracts Wamuu.

- Following the baby’s hands, he saw how it repeats the shape of his mark, causing him to cock his head to the side in curiosity.

- Getting an idea, he reaches for some makeup in a drawer nearby, grabbing something to help with his child’s curious ways.  Taking the baby and sitting it up on the table facing him, he uncaps the makeup and gently holds the baby’s cheeks with his fingers.  The child giggles grabbing onto his fingers, “Hold still, I don’t want to ruin your new mark.”

- He then begins to carefully retrace his mark onto the baby’s face, taking extra care when going around the child’s eye.  And with his precision, he mark looks perfect, glossy and red.

- (Time skip) Waking into the bathroom you find Wamuu, “Hey, Wham, have you seen my lip gloss”  Wamuu freezes and stares at you in surprise, holding your red lip gloss in his hand.  The babywearing your lip gloss also surprises you.

- At the sight of your return to the bathroom the baby giggles and starts smearing the lip gloss all over its cheeks, staining them in a velvety red.  Looking at their hands after rubbing their face, they slowly bring their hand to their mouth to lick off the lip gloss.  “Wamuu stop them they’re going to eat it!”  Quickly and gently lifting the baby under their armpits stopping them from eating the lip gloss off their hands he apologizes shyly and full of embarrassment.

Santana

- Being a good father, Santana was lazying on the couch again, tv on, baby next to him on the couch, both waiting for you to return home.

- Santana was about to doze off before the baby got bored of watching tv and decided to crawl on him.  The baby crawling on Santana has become a daily occurrence, he doesn’t mind as long as they don’t pull his horns too much.

- As he tried to resume his nap while the baby crawled onto his chest, he starts to struggle as the baby starts to slap at his left cheek.

- He didn’t bother stopping the baby thinking it will stop soon.  But his thoughts are immediately shattered when the baby starts poking his mark while beginning to babble.

- His eyes shoot open and his hand gently catches the baby’s hand poking him.  Giggling, the baby repeats poking under its left eye.

- With a bored expression, he knows the baby’s motives and sits them on the couch while getting up.  Pointing at the baby before leaving, “Don’t move.”  Exiting the living room for a minute before returning with a marker.

- Crouching in front of the baby, he places his hand on the side of the child’s head to hold them still, he begins to draw his gear-shaped mark under the baby’s eye, careful to stay away from their eye.

- (Time skip) Walking through the front door, you make your way to the kitchen to see if Santana was grabbing a snack since he always seems to favor the fridge.  To your surprise, he wasn’t there.

- When you walk to the living room, you find him napping on the couch with the baby watching tv.  Making your way over, “Hey, (baby’s name), you wore him out huh?”  Taking the baby into your arms, you see something under its eye.

- Taking a closer look, it looks like a gear.  “Santana?”  “Hmm?”  “What’s this under the baby’s eye?”  “My mark.”  “Did you draw it on them?”  “Yes.”  “... With what??”  “Marker.  The permanent one.”

“I tried using a crayon to do my makeup once.  It went horribly.” - Von

#jjba #pillar men #kars #esidisi #wamuu #santana #ask #sketch extravaganza

[dreamties]

Slashers W/ a Soft Pastel S/O

A/n - So this one actually wasn’t requested, I just thought it would be super cute. And what I mean by “Soft Pastel”, I mean being into soft/pastel/kawaii fashion, I just didn’t know how to phrase it. Since there’s so many subcultures.

Trigger Warning: Slight Cursing (I say f*ck)

Also- these are gender neutral, but a few describe you in skirts/dresses, so if you’re not comfy with that, just skip that part or the whole thing?? :/

I might do more like this for other types of alternative fashion- like punk or something? Or a S/O who has a lot of body mods, I think it would be fun.

Characters: Billy/Stu, The Lost Boys, Helen Lyle, Daniel Robitaille/Candyman, Brahms Heelshire, and Amanda Young.

I didn’t add Michael Myers, but can do so if y’all want it. I just think he’d be very indifferent about it...didn’t think that would be very fun to read.

Billy Loomis + Stu Macher

Stu would be the most like into your outfits

Billy? Not so much. he just thinks you look cute in everything.

but if you did more guro-kawaii looks? they would both be all over that shit. 

it combines more of the grotesque in with the cute- which is just perfect for the boys. they get to see you dawned in all sorts of blood, guts/gore, bandage patterns/aesthetics.

and maybe even tying in different monster-ish elements. 

like wearing funky white or other unnatural colored contacts, really intense makeup(especially around the eyes), and fuck it, maybe you’re wearing faux demon horns.

I think they’d find it kinda hot. if we’re being perfectly honest here.

Now- would you able to get them into it as well?

Stu will ask you, with excitement reverberating throughout out his body and his voice. of course he want’s to at least try it!

so many clips in Stu’s hair. you haven’t even had that many in your hair before!

he may also wear rings sometimes. he thinks all the colors and designs are just so fun!

and on the other hand...

Billy, the guy that basically wore the same outfit for an entire movie? who’s closet only contains jeans and white t-shirts? trying out your style? i don’t think so lol

if you do- somehow- get him to try...

then you might have pressured him into it a bit? very jokingly, of course. 

“C’mon, humor me, babe. Stu’s already dressed and everything!” You try giving him puppy eyes to seal the deal.

“Fine!” Billy says, grabbing the garment and a few clips from your hands. He shuts the door too harshly behind him.

A short silence is shared, before you and Stu burst out laughing. “Do you think he’s mad at us?” You’re hardly able to get it out. Of course he was, but in his own odd way appreciated this adventure.

He comes back a moment later, his white t-shirt replaced with a pastel red one, an especially gory character printed on the front. and a red clip barely hanging on to one of the side pieces of hair in front of his face. You try to suppress a giggle at Billy’s messily put together look.

for the love of gosh- don’t actually laugh when he appears. he is very outside of his comfort zone, and he’s only doing this because he loves you and Stu, and just,, don’t add this to his list of reasons not to try new things.

whatever your reaction ends up being, you’re absolutely obligated to tell them how attractive they look in it(even Billy who looks hella dorky).

(my art)

The Lost Boys

the comparison between their dark, punk-ish style and then the sweet baby pinks and blues, and soft lavenders that adorned your form?? 

it’s just too sweet.

they are completely enamored by your style- even if certain vampires (and I’m not naming any names, but I definitely mean David) may not show his love for your look as openly

Marko- he’d get one cutesy patch for his jacket, so he has like a little piece of you everywhere he goes. also...he genuinely ended up really digging your style? but not enough to abandon his punk look completely. he is still totally dedicated to that.

the other boys will absolutely mess with him about the patch though

all in good fun!

David’s not letting you near his hair with any extra clips or accessories. 

Dwayne enjoys the quiet intimacy shared between the two of you. just sitting together, you might be styling his hair( super loose ponytail or braid- admit it, it would be so cute! and helpful so his hair isn’t always in his face!)...anyways, you’d use a colorful hair tie, and a few clips to help pin back his hair. 

he probably won’t go out with the clips in, but if it’s just the five of you at the cave? he’ll keep it in until it’s time to sleep. 

he loves seeing how happy and accomplished you look after finishing with his hair tho.

Paul is hands down the most likely to get into the whole look and go out in public with it on. 

makeup? hell yeah. it won’t be as intense as yours, and he probably only does the eyes and maybe some shine. sparkly vampire time

hair accessories? all of them

would try combining his look with yours, to have a perfect mess of it.

a light, light  blue mesh top, slightly darker blue jacket(with slight accents in pink, purple, white or black), and his usual sort of white jeans(?) would still look great with it. he’s absolutely rocking that look.

you are ecstatic to finally have someone else to share your passion with! (much harder to find similar folks when you’re a vampire,,)

Helen Lyle

she’s so used to the plain life around her, and she’d been living before you- you were such a breath of fresh air.

of course, you’re darling personality also drew her into you- but your fashion sense? it fascinated her.

she’s not trying it herself anytime soon, but she appreciates the fact that you enjoy it. 

the most she would ever try is a very natural makeup look. and a coat or two of a pastel color of her choice.

she would love watching you get ready. not so much help out though- she just likes seeing the way you approach things. how you choose to pair certain pieces with one another.

she’ll ask questions to better understand your interests! not that it’s weird or wrong that you’re into it, she’s just a very inquisitive person.

you’d wear a lot of blue though- because you know Helen likes that color.

imagine wearing coordinated looks for different events and such. so, when you go with Helen to help out with her Candyman thesis, you might wear candy-themed attire. (of course in this universe,, she wouldn’t die! so no worries of that! you get to keep you’re gf).

if you do gift her something, she keeps it on her bedside table(or dresser). so she can still admire it, and still serves a purpose. fun décor!

all around though- Helen would be very chill, but captivated, about you’re interests.

Daniel Robitaille - Candyman

 his life is so dark and gruesome, and he loves seeing you all dressed up. 

and while he’s dead- long dead- and isn’t really apart of the world in the same sense that you are- it gives him this happy sense of hope for the world.

because there’s this very small thing, that you hold close to your heart, that makes you smile.

Also!!

even if they’re apart of a super awful, traumatic, part of his past- the bees are just a part of the family now.  

so cute yellow/spring/bee themed outfits?? yes. ohh definitely, yes.

As for him dressing up? He’d feel hesitant.

he’s filled with immense joy around you, but is almost scared with someone altering part of his attire or self in any way(rooted back to, again, past stuff).

but part of loving is to take the person as a whole, bad parts, good parts- insecurities- the entire package. and trusting one another.

he has his whole faith in you not to do anything bad.

and so, it becomes a habit for the two of you to spend mornings together, chatting and getting ready. well, you’re getting ready, it’s more for the quality time together for him.

things are little different for Daniel. for many reasons. 

one, he has very short hair. so the clips don’t really work there..

two- he only has one hand, and he’s “working” a lot with the appendages he does have. rings won’t work out because they might fall off- and he’d hate to lose something of yours.

three- he’s not a big makeup fan. he’s happy enough watching you put it on.

and then for his actual attire- he needs the coat to cover his insides. it’s also, in a way, his uniform.

you’ve settled on two things.

making homemade necklaces that can easily hide under his big coat (either sweets or honey/bee themed).

and sewing little patterns on the inside of his coat. other’s wouldn’t be able to see it, but he would know it’s there.

Brahms Heelshire

imagine being super into sorta ‘sweet lolita’, pastel/soft colors, bows, the big skirts, all the sorta ruffles(?)

 and then especially if your shorter than Brahms(which is really,, not hard to do unless you’re insanely tall cause he’s,, 6 foot 3.)- and he thinks you look like such a doll? 

but like,, in a nice way. 

I think he’d get pretty excited if he got to help you set up your outfits!

especially if you praised him for picking out a good combo, or organizing correctly.

and some of Brahms movements are a bit awkward, he’s spent most of his life in the walls and the attic...but imagine turning on his music, and just dancing with him. having him twirl you in his arms a few times.

Brahms loves having your hands through his hair. and if hair accessories means he gets more of that love and attention? then yes,, yes he will wear them.

he just likes feeling taken care of, and along with your usual duties, you help him figure out the soft fashion styles, and how to make it more appealing and suitable for his own tastes.

because- as you insist- you want it to be something he enjoys just because he does, and not just for the closeness. though you can’t deny you love that aspect, too.

i can tell you one thing right here, though. you’re never getting makeup on him. he does not like taking off his mask, even if you’ve been in a relationship with him for a while, he still hides his face a lot.

you’d offered to do his makeup once, since he was staring so intently as you did yours. you’d made the mistake of reaching for his mask. you’d usually ask before doing so, but sometimes you’d slip up.

You apologize profusely, offering your arms out to him for a hug. “There, there, Brahms.�� You smile, giving him a slight squeeze of affection. 

he does take your stuff sometimes. 

it’s a little annoying when you think you’ve lost your favorite accessory or dress or etc and then you just realize,, oh, it’s my favorite wall boy again. thank gosh you love him, so you’re not really upset or anything.

he just likes having little reminders of you, it gives him reassurance. upon other warm and fuzzy feelings.

if you’re able to find time in your day though, you’ll make cute little trinkets or bracelets for him. you’ll gift them or purposely leave them out for him-  so you’ll still have some of your stuff when it comes to getting ready the next day.

in short- he’d much rather look at you than partake on his own. 

Amanda Young

she’s never seen anything like this! :0

everyone she knows, herself included, tend to wear more dulled, plain clothes.

she’s immediately very intrigued by your attire...sort of want’s to try it, but is a bit self conscious and embarrassed to ask.

So!! you start out with small things, and fairly early on you both realize that she loves when you decorate her hair with accessories. 

gifting Amanda a pair of little pig clips!!

or little stud earrings- those would be fricking adorable on her!

and she’s just so happy,, wtf

you dress mostly for yourself, but the more you’re in a relationship with your gf- the more you want to dress for her as well. 

you can see this little sparkle in her eye when she sees you, and you want to keep seeing that look for as long as you can.

you slowly get her into it. your relationship and Amanda’s interest in your style just gives her so much light in an otherwise dim world.

if she did get into it, I think she’d do more creepy/cute. as a way to sort of cope with past trauma. that this sort of “bad” thing (the creepy) can still coexist with the good (the cute). she admires that quality.

just very sweet partners, who happen to love similar types of fashion 

#billy loomis x reader #stu macher x reader #billy x reader x stu #billy loomis x reader x stu macher #poly!ghostface x reader #the lost boys x reader #the lost boys david #the lost boys dwayne #the lost boys paul #the lost boys marko #helen lyle x reader #brahms heelshire x reader #amanda young x reader #the pig x reader #slasher x reader #slasher x s/o #slasher imagines #slasher x s/i #slasher #slashers #slasher movies #scream #the lost boys #candyman #the boy #saw #requests are open #headcanons #fluff #daniel robitaille x reader

[fae-fucker]

Zenith: Chapter 76-79

Chapter 76

Andi has a nice little poetic nightmare. It’s irrelevant. The next morning has the girls preparing for the ball, complete with dresses and makeup.

Some things to note include Lira saying that in Adhiran religion (which is global, I guess), one has to mourn for three days before “letting” the souls of the dead pass on into ... everything.

Andi tries to say that it’ll take time to heal from it all, but Lira is having none of it.

“It will take time to move past what happened on Adhira,” Andi started, but Lira held up a hand.

“My three days of mourning have passed. Lon’s and my aunt’s, too. Now we, and the others who lost loved ones during the attack, must give the lost spirits to the stars, to the trees, to the wind.”

Which basically means that she’s done feeling bad about the unexpected and brutal attack on her home planet, so that’s convenient. Well, if one of our main characters doesn’t care about her people getting senselessly murdered, then why should we?

She also lets us know that her aunt has fixed up the Marauder and brought it here, because of course. Lira wants to arrange for Lon to be transferred to the Marauder, and though she has a logical reason for it (taking him home personally), it’s only a setup so we know why he’s on there at the end of the book when Andi’s bleeding out and needs a universal donor.

Spoilers, I guess.

Andi’s mother, Glorya, intercepts Andi as she tries to leave her crew to their makeover montages, just so we can move into a scene where her mom is brushing her hair and babbling on about gossip and vapid high society stuff.

But Andi, of course, gets lost in a flashback that’s so amateurishly written it’s honestly embarrassing and only highlights Shinsay’s helpless reliance on flashbacks as a storytelling device.

Observe:

Her words faded away as memories took their place. Andi lost herself to them.

The whole flashback is written in italics for some inexplicable reason, even though it would’ve been fine as just regular text since we’re clearly told what’s happening now and what’s a memory.

Also, there’s one bit where the memory “fast-forwards” to a different one. Shinsay, this isn’t a fucking movie. This isn’t a screenplay. What the fuck are you DOING.

The flashback and the mother’s inane babbling are all there to illustrate how vapid and brainless Glorya is and how she only ever cared about her status and not about her kid. Glorya pretends that everything is back to the way it was but Andi curses her out for abandoning her when she needed them most and how “the way it was” was actually always shit.

I mean it’s fine. It’s all right. I see what they’re going for, it’s melodramatic as all fuck but it works for what they’re trying to do? I can see this as being a realistic way for an emotionally neglectful family to look like. I wish it was more nuanced and wasn’t just shoe-horned in here (Glorya doesn’t show up before or after this bit, this is the only time she’s ever present or even mentioned in this book in any meaningful capacity) for the sake of making Andi’s friends look better and for her to not have anything that anchors her to Arcardius, but like, I won’t say this isn’t realistic.

And then Shinsay can’t stop themselves and it’s back to silly time:

“Really, Androma...” 

[...]

“That is not my name,” Andi whispered. She allowed the darkness to come up into her voice, the mask of shadow and steel to sweep across her face. “My name is the Bloody Baroness. And if you or Commander Racella ever so much as utter a single word toward me or my crew again, I will personally strip the skin from your body and wave it like a flag from my starship.”

Glorya let out a soft squeak. Andi snarled with all of her teeth.

Guys I can’t breathe this is too fucking funny. And not in a good “woo vindication!” sort of way, but in a “they really put this right after an emotional confrontation about parental emotional neglect/abuse huh?” way. They really thought this was ... badass? Revenge? Andi, sweetie, you’re, like, traumatized? Presumably? I can’t really tell. But maybe get some therapy?

Do Shinsay think this is somehow a win and that Andi’s threat means she’s fully released from the hurt and pain her parents have caused her through their neglect? It’s honestly written as if Andi just confronted her mother and her own hopes of coming back to her family in this one short scene, and then upon realizing her parents never loved her, she scares her mom a little and then is all smug and satisfied at the end.

That ain’t how it works, darlings.

Then the annoying Marketable Space Pet runs in and starts biting Glorya’s toes and she runs away shrieking like a defeated Disney villain.

Way to undercut your own drama, Shinsay.

The chapter ends with Andi thinking about how her crew is her True Family for the bajillionth time. Because we’re all idiots and Shinsay wants us to remember that.

Chapter 77

It’s the evening of the ball and Andi thinks about how she missed Bavista, which is apparently your generic coming-of-age ball held at Arcardius for every 16-year-old. I’m guessing it’s a yearly thing? The book never clarifies. Not sure why the fuck it’s here tbh.

Actually, it’s a pretty good demonstration of how the worldbuilding in this book is presented so here, have at thee:

She could still remember seeing the otherworldly dresses and suits float by her on the feeds as she watched the girls and boys glide into the A’Vianna House in the Glass Sector. They seemed light as air, full of pride, bursting at the seams with excitement. Once inside, they would be greeted by members of the Priest Guild, who would award each young person three items.

The first was a vial of water from the Northern Ocean, symbolizing strength. For growth, they accepted a single leaf from the oldest tree on Arcardius, known as The Mother, which was said to have been planted when the Ancients first arrived. Lastly, they were given a single floating pebble, no larger than a child’s fingernail, chiseled from the very gravarock where the Cortas estate was. It represented the wisdom of rising above.

Is this relevant to anything? Does this help you understand this world or its inhabitants? Does it tell you anything of the culture of Arcardius or its youth and what’s expected of them? No? It’s just a really generic list of things thrown together using Mystical Proper Nouns as glue? Weeell heeell.

Also what does “it represented the wisdom of rising above” mean? This is utterly generic and means fuck-all, that’s what.

Anyway, Andi’s admiring herself in the mirror. Her dress is very sexy, trust me, I can’t be bothered to include it so just imagine your favorite My Immortal outfit description. It does include sword holsters at the back, which are Andi’s favorite part, because she’s a strong independent woman who don’t need no man. She never actually uses them or brings the swords to the ball so ... Idk what the point of this was.

We also get some shit about how Andi actually LOVES dresses and being pretty but she never admitted it to anyone. But don’t you worry, this badass space criminal LOVES all things girly, because that’s feminism! Can someone check in on Shinsay? I’m not sure they’re getting enough air with their heads so far up Sarah J Maas’ asshole.

Admitting to herself that she looked pretty was something Andi kept private. She didn’t want to give her crew the satisfaction of knowing her true thoughts about fashion. How even though she was a fierce, hardened criminal, she could still appreciate the joy of a beautiful, impractical ball gown.

Huh. And here I thought they were your family. That’s weird that you’d keep this information from them, especially considering all of them seemed pretty excited to be prettied up in the last chapter. I guess they’d really just haaate the idea of sharing this joy with their captain, huh? Why aren’t you admitting this to them, Andi?

You’re saying shit about how “even though” you’re a hardened criminal, you can “still” appreciate beautiful gowns, like those two are somehow contradictory. Are you, mayhaps, ashamed of having this traditionally girly interest? Hmm! Interesting. Why could that be, I wonder? Why would having traditionally feminine interests or even caring about one’s appearance be seen as something inherently shameful or embarrassing, as inherently contradictory to being fierce and “hardened?”

This is all just so *clenches fist* feminist.

Forreal though, somehow Shinsay managed to take their entire made up GALAXY and make it subtly and not-so-subtly sexist. Good job, morons. Really girlbossed that one, huh?

The only bit I like about this whole mess is this:

The dressmaker had also accented her gown with a sparkling necklace full of jewels that Andi didn’t plan on giving back.

This is the one and only space pirate-y thing Andi does -- sorry, considers doing -- in the whole book and honestly could’ve been used to build her character more, but it’s just a one-off joke here. Wasted.

Valen comes to fetch her and we get some subtle foreshadowing.

“Valen the Resurrected.”

He stopped to look at her, brows raised. “What?”

She shrugged. “It’s what the press is calling you in all the feeds.” Valen let out a deep chuckle.

[...]

“Something tells me things are about to change for the better,” he said. “I’m ready to see it all happen.”

Andi wondered what he would do now that he was home with a whole planet at his disposal.

He deserved to have some fun.

Is it bad that I’m rooting for Valen to destroy everything? And this isn’t my villain-fucker coming out, I just want this poor bastard to absolutely annihilate Andi and her gang of acolytes.

Chapter 78

Andi and Valen arrive at the ball. It’s all very pretty and space-y and aesthetic. There’s a bunch of aliens everywhere. Andi sees a woman with funky eyes and assumes it’s a body mod, because I guess she knows the genetic characteristics of every species by heart and can tell when something is real or not.

An old classmate of theirs comes up to talk to Valen and congratulate him on being alive, then Andi reminds him of who she is just to be a smug asshole and the guy fucks off in a panic. She’s just so cool and badass, you guys.

Then it’s time for Valen and Andi to dance, and of course General Cortas looks like he’s about to lose his marbles because these darn kids! >:(

The chapter ends on Andi noticing Dex pouting in the distance.

“Relax,” Andi whispered. “Let’s give them something to talk about.”

She flashed him a wicked grin as the music began.

And as Valen spun her into the first move of the dance, Andi saw Dex standing on the fringes of the crowd, an expression of longing clear on his face.

Chapter 79

This chapter is exactly 298 words of Dex moping around about how he’s actually not over Andi at all when he thought he’d done such a good job of repressing his feelings, and how he should be the one dancing with Andi instead of Valen. If you’re surprised, you’re clinically dead.

#eff reads: zenith