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perhaps-in-anotherdream · 8 months

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[CN] Victor’s Luolan Date (Eng Translation)

“It appears I’ve already found the rose from the legend, one that will never wither.”

⌚Warning⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for a date, 楼兰之约, that is yet to be released on the global server! ♡

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【Subbed Video】

[Anika's Notes]: tbh ig the VAs were told to soften their voice 10x than usual for this event LOL. The amount of nonverbal sounds—— 😩 also, since Tumblr wants to reduce my workload LOL and won’t allow more than 30 pics, PLS DO WATCH the video for the god-tier voice acting, new bgs, the bgms and sprite alterations too~💕

youtube

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【Transcript Version】

【Chapter 1】

Victor: If you keep crying for any longer, your eyes might become swollen.

MC: [sobbing] The ending was simply too unfair. Who can resist crying…

Through the hazy veil of tears, I see the lights in the living room flicker on.

The time-traveling drama I’ve been following all summer aired its series finale tonight. Victor even joined me in watching the web series together after getting off work.

We were chatting about the storyline just fine, until the final scene when my tears began streaming down uncontrollably––

Upon returning to the present day, the heroine enters Luolan once again, only to discover that the once prosperous city has eroded into the long river of time.

But the rose that the Prince of Luolan had carved outside the palace walls still blossoms on the crumbling ruins, quietly awaiting her for a thousand years.

Victor places a towel, radiating warm steam, over my eyes, gradually soothing my emotions.

MC: Don’t you find it beautiful?

Victor: Carving a rose into a stone is quite romantic. I can understand why you like it.

MC: I see absolutely no hint of being moved on your face…

He slightly furrows his brows in response to what sounded like an odd statement to him.

Victor: You’re not expecting us both to cuddle up and cry our eyes off, are you?

A rather peculiar image flashes through my mind, and I can’t help but burst into laughter.

Victor: Crying one moment and laughing the next. Your emotions are truly fickle.

MC: Precisely. Compared with my vivid and overt emotional display, this audience member’s emotions are too composed.

Victor: The selling point of all time-travel dramas mostly revolves around the theme that love can transcend time and space, with endings that can either be joyful or sorrowful.

Victor: This ending was predictable.

MC: But this series is adapted from the legend of the last prince of Loulan!

MC: Additionally, in the last century, a foreign explorer claimed to have seen flower-shaped carved patterns on the stone tiles at the Luolan ruins.

Victor listens quietly, then turns his gaze to me after a brief pause.

Victor: So, is this why you want to visit the Loulan ruins?

MC: Well, it’s not the sole reason. The legend of Luolan’s overnight disappearance has been widely known as a mystical tale. I was originally–– hang on, how did you know I wanted to go there?

The answer to my question is a document he hands to me. Upon closer look, I realize it’s actually the official permit granting access to enter the Luolan ruins.

MC: Why do you have this document too?

Victor: …dummy, it’s yours. Could they have sent it to the wrong person?

I flip through a few pages, and sure enough, find my full name written in the applicant’s box.

MC: I had just woken up when I filled in the address… I guess I subconsciously thought it would be safer to have it sent to you?

Victor: Sweet talker.

He raps my head.

Victor: But I heard that it’s no longer open for public visits.

MC: Yes, indeed~ Currently, only teams on scientific expeditions or those with permits are allowed in.

MC: The conditions for obtaining the permit are so incredibly stringent. I even tried leveraging all my connections, but still couldn’t succeed!

Hearing my words, he gives me a sidelong glance but doesn’t interrupt my unceasing torrent of complacent monologue.

MC: Luckily, I was able to negotiate a documentary collaboration with the local government and received an invitation for sightseeing~ I even signed multiple agreements to protect cultural relics.

Victor: No wonder a certain dummy’s tail is raised high into the sky; it indeed was no easy feat. However––

Victor: [sulking] You just said you had leveraged all your connections. How come I don’t remember myself being among those connections you leveraged?

MC: Because this was meant to be my Qixi Festival surprise for you…

—

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—

【Chapter 2】

Victor: Is this abrupt emergency break also a part of the surprise?

He pinches up the coffee-spattered shirt clinging to his body and stares at me sitting in the driver’s seat, lost for words.

MC: That pit just now was really too tricky…!

Just a few short hours ago, we landed at Luolan Airport. However, upon arrival, we were informed by the airline that our checked luggage had been delayed in the transit city and wouldn’t be delivered until two days later.

To avoid delaying our itinerary, we agreed to deal with the matter of collecting them on our way back. With that settled, I confidently got into the driver’s seat of the RV, and alongside Victor, embarked on a self-driven journey into the desert.

Yet, as expected, things aren’t as uncomplicated as I initially thought.

Looking at his shirt– practically soaked through and with coffee still dripping from it– I promptly grab some tissues and wipe it off for him.

The next second, my gaze suddenly falls upon the carry-on suitcase on the luggage rack. My eyes light up, leading me to pause in my actions.

MC: Why not take it off and wash it immediately? Although, while waiting for the clothes to dry, it seems like you’ll have to either be completely naked––

Unsurprisingly, as I deliberately prolong the final note, his reaction of furrowing his brows is true to my expectations.

MC: Or you could wear the couple’s outfit I packed inside the carry-on luggage for taking photos~

Victor: It seems like occasionally; one can still count on––

However, as soon as I take out two sets of lavish Western Region attire, his voice ceases to be heard.

The gold-plated ornaments chime with a delicate tinkling sound, aggravating the crease between his brows.

Victor: What are these?

MC: Compared to my dancer’s attire, yours is actually a collaboration with the museum, an exact 1:1 replica of the half-sleeved garment worn by the Prince of Loulan back in the day~

Victor: So?

Seeing that he is unmoved, I extend my hand and point to the sign denoting the “uninhabited area” by the roadside.

MC: There’s no place to purchase clothes around here. If you don’t change soon, that coffee stain won’t come off. And then, regardless of what outfit you wear on the return trip, it’ll end up on the news––

MC: 《The CEO of LFG’s Grand Cosplay Elevates Airport Fashion》 or 《The CEO of LFG Spotted in Stained Shirt - Speculations of Bankruptcy》. Your choice?

After quite a while, he compromises with a sigh, taking the clothes from me and walking towards the bathroom at the back of the RV.

Not long after, the sound of water seems to quiet down. In anticipation, I turn my head––

The soft crimson robe barely conceals the glimpses of sculpted and muscular contours underneath, complemented by intricate gold ornaments that adorn him with an air of regal nobility and grace.

Faced with my unblinking gaze fixated on him, he displays a somewhat unnatural expression, which is rarely seen on his face.

Victor: Why aren’t you changing?

MC: [still busy gaping] What?

Victor: Why am I the only one wearing the couple’s outfit?

MC: Okay, okay, I’ll “accompany” you.

Watching the awkward expression on his face, I can’t contain my laughter and let out a chuckle. Just before his gaze can shoot my way, I hurriedly grab my attire and head to the bathroom.

The desert weather is always fluctuating and unpredictable. Right after I finish changing my clothes, I notice a sudden sandstorm brewing outside the window.

Seemingly catching a sound, his gaze lingers on me for a brief moment, and an almost imperceptible tenderness crests on the arches of his brows.

With the scope visibility diminished, Victor assumes control of the steering wheel, deftly maintaining a steady distance from the swirling sand and wind.

After who knows how long, we finally spot a single-story house coming into view at the end of the yellow sand. Brimming with excitement, I tap the navigation icon to zoom in and get a closer look.

MC: It’s the cultural relics preservation station!

—

Initially, our intention was only to charge the RV. But with the yellow sand swirling around, we find ourselves invited by the stationed personnel, Maizi, to come inside and rest for a bit.

Just as we step inside, a dense mass of sand and stones outside the window surges forward, closing in rapidly.

The sandstorm has begun.

Thoughts of how an entire kingdom was once buried under this very sand spring to mind, and an instinctive fear begins to loom large within me.

The delicate brick house trembles subtly amidst the raging wind, and at this moment, a crisp sound resounds in my ears.

Several pairs of shimmering gold-plated earrings illuminate my dusky field of view. Taking note of my reaction, Maizi places them in front of me.

Maizi: Don’t be scared. Here, we’ve been wearing these kinds of earrings since childhood. They’re like protective charms for children in the desert.

As Maizi speaks, she turns slightly and shows me her earrings. The luster has dimmed a touch, suggesting she’s been wearing them for a long time.

Maizi: These are the ones I made for my kids. If you don’t mind, would you guys like to choose two pairs?

MC: Thank you, but it’s alright.

With a hint of bashfulness, I gesture with my hand and point at Victor’s ears.

MC: Besides, my boyfriend doesn’t have ear piercings.

Maizi: It’s no problem. My eldest son doesn’t have ear piercings either.

With a smile, Maizi offers me a pair of clip-on earrings.

Maizi: Consider them as a wish for your safety and well-being. Take them.

—

As the sandstorm eases up, not wanting to impose any longer, we say our goodbyes and ultimately accept the two pairs of earrings before returning to the RV.

Perhaps due to how terrifyingly unnerving the sandstorm was, Victor doesn’t refuse when I offer to help him wear the clip-on earrings after he’s put the earrings on me.

I take up the clip-on earring and carefully trace my finger over his earlobe to figure out its placement. However, after spending a good amount of time, I still don’t find the ideal position I’m entirely satisfied with.

Victor: Still not done?

MC: Have a little patience. I don’t seem to recall rushing you when you gifted me earrings for the first time~

–

[Tidbits]: AHHH YESSS the call back to their first “kiss” kiss date– “Dazzling Date” 🥺

–

At long last, I find the right spot and fasten the clip. Following this, I can’t help myself and imitate the past actions in my memories, gently cradling his face and leaning in to take a closer look.

The glistening golden pieces dance softly. However, in the next second, a subtle blush at the corner of his eyes captures my attention.

Seeing this, I mischievously continue leaning closer and closer to him. As I catch a momentary hitch in his steady breathing, I deliberately reach out to stroke his earlobe.

MC: Oh gosh, could you be allergic to metal? The corners of your eyes have turned red. Maybe I should take them off…

Before the words fully leave my mouth, I find myself abruptly pulled into his arms.

Victor: They’re on just fine, don’t mess with them.

His arms tighten around me a little more, and I obediently nestle into his embrace, letting the cocoon of safety enfold me.

The swirling underlying tension caused by the dreadful weather finally dissipates, akin to feathers drifting in the air. As drowsiness slowly sweeps over me, I register the sound of my last question being put into words.

MC: Victor, what if we can’t find the remains? What should we do then?

Victor: If we don’t find them this time, we will come back next time.

—

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【Chapter 3】

[Anika’s Notes]: While I’ll talk about this later, just wanted to say— that the way we get a mere glimpse into how extreme level of PTSD this man has given MC from the main story like— I’m counting fingers for the number of times she got nightmares when he isn’t next to her— (⁠〒⁠﹏⁠〒⁠)

—

A man sits in solitude beneath the palace walls, gazing towards the east for a long, long time.

He has probably repeated the act of carving a million times before. It seems as if the carving knife in his hand has a soul of its own now, each stroke finding its mark with precision, etching deep scars.

Fresh blood trickles down along the blade’s edge, staining the rose with a blood-red hue. Yet, he appears unresponsive to the pain, persistently carving stroke after stroke.

Only when the red headscarf is lifted by the wind does a familiar face emerge before my eyes.

MC: Victor!

I reach out in a panic to touch him, but a sudden onslaught of sand and wind surges forth, engulfing him in the blink of an eye.

–

Startled awake from the nightmare, I instinctively reach my hand to my side, only to find nothing but an empty space.

Victor is not in the car.

Amidst the boundless silence, a distant chime of camel bells suddenly reaches me. Compelled by the sound, I push open the car door––

The sandstorm has ceased at some point, revealing a sky that’s now crystal clear and brilliantly bright.

The curtain of dusk hangs low, but the luminous moon has already ascended in the vault of the heavens, radiating its brilliance alongside the sun.

Among the endless sand dunes, Victor, attired in exquisite garments, guides a pure white camel through the terrain, advancing his way through the light.

Stretching behind him, across the infinite expanse of Lop Desert, stands several silent, solitary, and enigmatic remnants of ancient civilizations.

The breeze dances by, causing his knuckles to gently clasp the upper garment brushing against his grave and stern visage, setting the accessories on his splendid attire to chime with delicate, tinkling sounds.

Perhaps dazzled by the light, he squints his slender eyes and immediately spots my presence. He appears slightly taken aback, but then quickens his stride as he approaches my direction.

In the boundless landscape, with each step he takes toward me, I feel as if he is crossing through a thousand years to reach me.

The scene from the dream resurfaces in my mind once again, and before I can even fully comprehend it, I’m already sprinting toward him with large strides.

I practically crash into his arms.

Victor: [breathes sharply] Running so fast––

Seeing that I’m breathless and staring fixedly at him without even blinking my eyes, he freezes for a moment. Then, as if realizing something, he envelops me in his arms.

Victor: The Luolan ruins we are heading to are in that direction. We can’t drive there, so I borrowed a camel from Maizi for transportation.

Victor: It was released to wander in the desert, and I needed to go and guide it back myself. You seemed to be sleeping so soundly, so I didn’t wake you up.

His words are extremely slowed, spoken one at a time. Listening to him, rather than an explanation, it sounds more like he is comforting me.

MC: You weren’t here just now and… I had this strange dream.

With his questioning eyes upon me, I feel compelled to respond honestly.

MC: I dreamt that you turned into the Prince of Loulan and were swept away by the sand...

Victor: [sighs with infinite indulgence and helplessness] …

MC: You find this amusing?

Hearing my grumbling, he finally can’t hold back a muffled chuckle, drawing his arms around me a little tighter.

Victor: Have you confirmed it now? – that I haven’t been swept away by the sand?

MC: Who knows, maybe you had gotten swept away! And it was this camel that rescued you and brought you back.

I huff angrily and bicker with him, effectively dispelling the uneasiness that the nightmare had triggered.

However, the camel seems to have caught on something, suddenly swaying its head and coming closer to me.

Momentarily taken aback, I then laugh in spite of myself and reach out to pat it. This gesture seems to act as a signal of some sort, prompting it to obediently lower itself to the ground.

MC: Huh, could it be that I have a natural talent for taming camels?

Victor: It’s more likely a stroke of luck.

As he speaks, he nimbly mounts the camel’s saddle and reaches out to hug me, lifting me up onto it alongside him.

The camel stands up in due course and suddenly leaps into the air, prompting me to let out a subconscious cry of exclamation.

MC: Whoa!

Victor: Hold onto me firmly and sit tight.

After he tugs on the reins, the camel pivots to change its direction and heads toward the ruins.

Probably due to Victor’s presence, I swiftly adapt to the bumpy ride. I even begin swaying my ornaments to create a pleasant sound, echoing in harmony with the camel’s bells.

MC: I feel like I’m a dancer being offered to the Prince of Luolan~

Victor: How come I’m not aware of any dynasty where a prince would rush out of the palace to welcome a dancer?

His teasing leaves me momentarily dumbfounded. It takes me quite a while before I open my mouth to speak, unwilling to resign myself.

MC: I never said the Prince of Luolan is you.

For an instant, Victor seems to stiffen up. When he speaks again, his tone takes on a slight rigidity.

Victor: [sulking] Who is he, then?

MC: …that’s not the important point!

MC: The important point is that you’re the Mr. Husband of my dreams– whom I’ve long set my heart on, and now you’re stealing me away to elope.

Victor: Childish.

A gentle tap lands on my head, and as I tilt my head up, I find myself ensnared by the light of his tender eyes.

MC: You clearly look really happy~

He doesn’t banter any further and only gives a tug on the reins, prompting the camel’s steps to become a bit brisker.

Receding into the distance amid the boundless expanse swept by the northern breeze, the glory and decline, the prosperity and withering of ancient Luolan have long frozen into eternal slumber.

MC: How wonderful!

Victor: What’s got you so moved again?

MC: The weather has cleared, which is wonderful. We’re heading to the ruins without any hiccups, which is also wonderful. But the most wonderful thing is having you by my side, chatting about all sorts of nonsense.

MC: No matter what, everything is wonderful as long as Victor is around.

The jingling tinkle of camel bells accompanies his gentle laughter close to my ears.

Victor: It’s only possible with a certain dummy around.

As the outlines of the ruins become distinct, I turn my head back in exhilaration.

MC: Even if I have to turn this place upside down, I’ll find that stone-carved rose!

His gaze lingers briefly on my arms waving around in excitement, and then he arches an eyebrow.

Victor: It appears crucial for me to remind you that you signed agreements for the preservation of cultural relics. If you do turn this place upside down––

Victor: I won’t be able to save you, even if I were to sell LFG.

—

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—

【Chapter 4】

MC: …it’s all completely weathered away.

As I look at the historical ruins of the ancient kingdom before my eyes, which have gradually been devoured into nothingness by the endless expanse of yellow sand, I can’t resist pouting my lips.

MC: Locating the ruins of the imperial palace itself is akin to a far-fetched tale, let alone finding the stone-carved rose.

Victor: Why are you so hung up on that legend?

MC: Just a bit of anticipation, you know. After all, you see, If I were in that position, I’d surely leave behind some traces for you.

MC: The speculation is that the woman in the tales possessed an Evol similar to yours, which led her to go there. But, due to certain factors, she had no choice but to leave.

Victor: It won’t be the same.

He softly counters my statement, his gaze filled with seriousness.

MC: Hm?

Victor: With me, those factors you mentioned won’t come into existence.

A warm and fuzzy feeling suddenly envelopes my heart. I grin, drawing closer to him.

MC: Guess there’s no way around it. It seems I have no choice but to concede that the legend is, indeed, bogus.

He pauses for a moment, and his lips twitch. But in the end, he doesn’t say anything. Soon, a glimmer of a smile sparkles in his eyes, and immediately after, he tightly clasps my hand.

—

While I’m still in the midst of my puzzlement, a sudden glaring sunlight makes me reflexively squint my eyes. And then, a hot and humid breeze, carrying an exotic fragrance, hits me in the next moment.

After struggling to open my eyes, I curiously peer in the direction of the light, only to find myself frozen right where I’m standing––

Before my eyes lay a quaint-style courtyard adorned with fragrant blossoms. A flowing river winds its way through, its glistening waves reflecting in the sunlight with water that is clear and pristine, hosting schools of fish swimming within.

Compared to me who is filled with utter incredulity, Victor’s expression remains unchanged as if the current sight before us holds no element of astonishment for him.

Could this be a mirage? Puzzled, I gingerly brush the river’s water with the tips of my toes. The cool sensation of the flowing stream leaves me bewildered, prompting me to lift my gaze to the person next to me.

MC: Victor, am I dreaming again?

Victor: Just earlier, didn’t a certain someone say that she wanted me to take her away to elope?

He smiles as he looks at me, and in his eyes, the magnificent beauty and grand scenery of an ancient landscape are reflected.

The lofty dome of the circular palace hall is embellished with ceramic glazed tiles on its overhanging eaves, each detail unmistakably declaring the opulent and prestigious nature of this place.

Atop the roof stands a wooden pagoda reminiscent of those unique to ancient Luolan, and a lush canopy of greenery veils the gray-red palace walls I’ve seen in the drama.

A somewhat daring conjecture surfaces in my mind.

MC: This wouldn’t be the Imperial Palace of Luolan, is it?

Seeing the originator of all this noncommittally raise an eyebrow, I feel my heart tighten and rush to examine him thoroughly, circling around him.

MC: [anxiously, PTSD x2] A-are you feeling any discomfort?

Victor: [?? laughs helplessly. *screams* DO YOU SEE HOW BADLY YOU GAVE HER AND US MAIN STORY PTSD––] Dummy. I’m not that fragile.

Victor: As long as we manage to sidestep the butterfly effect and avoid impacting the course of history––

Probably noticing that I’m tensely staring into his eyes again, he slips my restless hand into his palm and gives it a gentle squeeze.

Victor: Don’t be so anxious. There won’t be anyone else here for the time being.

Hearing him say this, I poke my head out and gaze at the rare and magnificent view that lay before me.

MC: So, can we take photos?

Victor: Ask your phone.

But I soon realize that my phone is entirely frozen on the lock screen interface and is refusing to respond whatsoever, leaving me with no choice but to resentfully lower my hand.

MC: The phone says it’s not possible…

Victor: That being the case, simply keep your eyes wide open and commit it to your memory.

I let him lead me toward the depths of the courtyard, and along the way, we see the flowers bloom all the more luxuriantly. Unwittingly, I find myself mesmerized by the vista.

It’s not until a glazed table adorned with delicacies and fine wines appears amidst the blossoms that I stop in my tracks in astonishment.

–– Everything unfolding before my eyes is gradually starting to align with the scenes from the time-travel drama in my memories.

MC: It turns out that the drama is actually so detailed. It seems that I, who diligently watched every episode without exception, am about to become a walking encyclopedia of Luolan––

From the garden on the other side of the wall, there suddenly comes voices of conversation. I hastily hush and excitedly prick up my ears to listen to their dispute.

However, all that reaches my ears are unfamiliar and garbled sounds, and soon I start feeling my head beginning to spin a little. Once the women have walked farther away, I find I’m already frowning without even realizing it.

Victor: Looks like a certain encyclopedia trained through time-travel dramas is really just a half-filled bucket of water sloshing around.

MC: Says who!

–

[Anika’s tidbits]: HAHA as you guys know, I’ve long stopped explaining the thousands of idioms and intricate phrases Li Zeyan writers use unless they’re absolutely necessary/ crucial– or else my translation notes would be bigger than the content itself LOL– and this is one of those and it’s one of my favs 😂 the full idiom phrase is “一桶水不响，半桶水晃荡” – it literally means while a full bucket of water doesn’t make noise as it is heavy and stable, a half-filled bucket sloshes around– i.e. those wisest among us prefer being quiet and are self-confident, while those who are in the less wise/ smarter group often try to compensate their lack of knowledge/ understanding by asserting that they do~ 💀

–

Displeased with his jest, I swiftly focus my gaze on a copper utensil.

MC: Believe it or not, this was designed for storing spices, and it’s a very rare and expensive item.

I open the lid as I speak, and sure enough, a strong and fragrant aroma assails my nostrils. I can’t help but lift my chin complacently.

Victor: [laughs indulgently] Alright, I underestimated a certain dummy.

I vaguely feel that the aroma is somewhat familiar, so I lean in to take a whiff, and a powerful fragrance of mugwort instantly invades the tip of my nose.

MC: [sneezes] Ah-choo!

I rub my nose and look up, only to find that I have blown most of the scented powder onto Victor’s body, causing his figure to be coated with a drizzle of white.

The next second, he narrows his eyes and swiftly scoops me behind him. The smell of bone-chilling danger subtly spreads through the air.

MC: You’re not angry––?

Victor: Hush.

Looking in the direction of his gaze, I instantly become dumbstruck where I’m standing.

A massive leopard is peering at us from beneath the poplar tree, its face obscured by the shade of the tree, its pupils gleaming with an eerie and chilly light.

MC: L-Leopard…

Victor: [smiling] I’m familiar with it.

Despite being faced with a ferocious beast, this man actually still has the mood to crack jokes!

MC: But according to historical accounts, this should be one of those leopards raised in captivity by the royals and aristocrats. It’s probably quite docile… it wouldn’t eat us, right?

Victor: [still smiling] Being raised in captivity doesn’t mean it has lost its ability to hunt.

Seeing the leopard arch its back, fear grips me so hard that I cling tightly to his arm.

MC: Do we still have a chance to slip away secretly?

Victor: [still smiling] We’ve already made direct eye contact within its territory. Stay calm for now.

Pressing my hand against my wildly thudding heart, I raise my gaze to see it take a whiff of the air and then proceed to saunter leisurely in our direction.

After a while, it approaches Victor and sniffs gently. My heart leaps to my throat, but leaving me stupefied, it actually lays down, its shape reminiscent of a fluffy cushion. It even nuzzles him affectionately with its head.

What follows is a fuzzy ticklish sensation, and I stare in startled shock as the leopard’s tail merrily swishes against my lower leg.

MC: …didn’t we just make eye contact with it? Yet you’ve actually managed to tame it?

I cast an incredulous glance at Victor, while he is staring at the incense burner with furrowed brows.

Victor: This scented powder probably isn’t intended for human application.

The enormous creature rolls over, laying bare its soft belly, exceedingly similar to the way Pudding behaves coquettishly after sucking on catnip.

Victor: It might not necessarily be us who drew it here. This fragrance is not just on me.

It’s only now that I realize a subtle aroma of mugwort is also lingering in the air. Following the fragrance, my eyes land on one side of the path lined with densely grown nepeta herbs. I immediately heave a sigh of relief.

At this moment, the leopard flexes its limbs in an inviting gesture, signaling for Victor to pet it. As I watch his rare expression of being at a loss for what to do, I can’t help but break into laughter.

Victor: [laughs helplessly] …look at what good deed you’ve done!

MC: Being approached by an imperial leopard is a rare blessing that can never be obtained even if one beseeched it.

–

[Anika’s tidbits]: ANOTHER ONE OF MY MOST FAV PHRASES EVER! The term MC uses here is 求都求不来 (qiu dui qui bu lai), which is a play on this phrase: 可遇不可求 (ke yu bu ke qui), which means “can only be obtained (serendipitously) but not be sought after” – which paints the perfect imagery for “destiny, sth/sb being destined for someone”~ and a very important thing to note, which I’ll come back to later. 🥺

–

Likely attributed to my overly bright gloating, Victor curls his fingers as he pinches up a small amount of the scented powder, which he then dabs on my face.

Sure enough, the leopard turns around and nuzzles against me. Seeing that I’m not putting up any resistance, it then straightens itself up and buries me completely in its soft fur.

MC: …ngh, Victor! Save me!

Victor: Nope. This “rare blessing that can never be obtained even if one beseeched it” is now being given to you.

Nudged by the leopard, I’m prompted to draw a few steps back, and as I let out a startled cry and tumble backward, I find myself landing in a soft embrace.

Amused, Victor pats the leopard on the head, and it obediently sits back down on the ground, reminiscent of a docile house kitten.

–

Even as he enfolds me in his arms and sits us both down on the grassy lawn, I remain a bit indignant.

MC: Why does it only listen to you! We both clearly have the same scent.

At this moment, I happen to glimpse at the golden silk embroidery on his clothes shimmering in the sunlight. I then contemplatively look at my own dress, which is somewhat plain.

Victor: You don’t think it’s because of the clothes, do you?

MC: …who can say, perhaps its owner has clothes identical to yours.

Victor: Well, a certain someone must be thinking to herself, “Had I known earlier, I would’ve chosen a fancy princess gown for myself.”

Seeing me choked silly by his spot-on guess of my thoughts, he studies me with even more and more interest.

Victor: [IN THE MOST DOTING AND ADORABLE VOICE EVER] But however you slice it, a certain dummy still looks like a certain dummy.

Disgruntled, I lean closer to the water’s surface to check my reflection. A pouty face suddenly jumps out at me, which indeed is in disharmony with the dancer’s attire.

However, when I turn around and notice the wine cups on the table, an idea immediately strikes me.

I pick up a cup and lean in to bring it to his lips, working hard to make my voice sound soft and enticing as I speak.

MC: Your Highness~

He pauses for a brief moment, almost imperceptibly, before swiftly locking eyes with me.

Victor: There’s no wine in the cup.

MC: …you spoilsport!

Huffing, I sit up straight from his arms and shoot him a glare.

MC: Isn’t it because I’m afraid that if I spill the wine just like I sneezed earlier, it could result in altering the details of the history!

Victor, however, lightly quirks the corners of his lips, pours the glass to the brim with wine, and once again draws me closer to his side.

Victor: What did you want to do to me? Go on.

MC: You…

Before I can fully comprehend why he is being so cooperative at this moment, I feel a gentle force gripping my chin up.

I find myself falling into those serenely deep and unceasingly approaching pupils, and my breathing becomes rapid, beyond my control.

Victor: Weren’t you quite bold just a moment ago?

Victor: Seeing how you’re being so tentative like this, do you want me to teach you how one should drink this wine?

My slightly trembling hand is gently lifted by him with an irresistible force, and the small wine cup is soon raised to the level of my eyebrows and then even higher.

His fingers trace a slow path from my wrist to the palm of my hand, making the wine in the cup ripple, mirroring the swaying of my heart in tandem.

Just as his waywardly mischievous fingers are about to enter between the crevices of mine, he applies a slight pressure. The teetering fine liquid finally spills out, and the cool sensation quietly trickles down my forearm.

Along with the soft sensation, a rush of warmth suddenly washes over me. I stare wide-eyed, completely unguarded, and am rooted to the spot.

That pair of deep eyes, which has been fixed on me all along, makes it clear that he has no intention whatsoever of letting me go.

The scorching tip of his tongue gently licks and sucks on the continuously dripping nectar-like fine liquid, sending a wave of tingling shivers coursing throughout my entire body.

The incessantly rising, delicate sensation of itchiness makes me a bit restless. I have the urge to escape, yet simultaneously, I can’t help myself from pandering to it.

He looks at me with slightly half-lidded eyes, his lips curling up into a triumphant arc of someone getting their way.

Victor: Have you learned it now, dummy?

MC: !

I suddenly snap back to my senses and hastily pull my hand back, tossing the ceramic glazed cup back onto the table as if I were holding a hot potato.

MC: W-What am I learning this for…

Victor: Clearly, it was a certain someone who started it first––

Before the words even leave his mouth, I notice a skylark swooping down. Seeing this, he swiftly pulls me to the side to dodge.

While I’m still amidst my puzzlement, a black shadow suddenly flashes before my eyes. Much to my astonishment, the leopard has scampered into the air to catch the bird.

“Clang” –– the table is abruptly turned upside down by it, sending fruits and vegetables tumbling and leaving the cups and dishes in a complete disarray.

When I see him calmly looking at the spilled wine, as if he’d already foreseen it, I realize where his confidence in pouring the wine earlier came from.

And also, the uniqueness of this “trip.”

Looking up at this world that doesn’t belong to me, I can’t bear to tear my eyes away from the courtyard blooming with vibrant and luxuriant flowers––

The abounding blossoms of crimson pomegranate adorn the trees, while the light purple clovers form dense clusters, and the red lotus stretches wantonly by the riverbank…

MC: I’m still finding it hard to believe that I’m able to see the ancient Luolan with my own eyes…

Victor: So, have you found what you were searching for?

At his reminder, I belatedly recall the original purpose that I had cast to the back of my mind.

After casting a surveying glance all around, I don’t find that rosy color I was expecting to see and can only gaze at him with a sense of bitterness.

Victor: During this period, roses hadn’t been cultivated yet.

As if he can sense what I’m thinking, he explains in a calm tone.

MC: So that means, the stone-carved rose doesn’t exist either… Since you knew this all along, why did you go through such great pains to bring me here?

Victor: Compared to simply answering you whether the legend is true or false, bringing you here to see for yourself is more just.

Victor: In this boundless universe, there will always be a kind of beauty worthy of a certain dummy’s pure yearning.

Only at this moment do I realize that this voyage across time and space is precisely his answer.

MC: You… don’t you think it was quite naïve of me?

Victor: I do. But it’s also a precious trait of a certain dummy, and I think I can help you maintain it in moderation.

My heart suddenly turns into a mush. I settle my gaze on the edge of his lips before lifting my head and kissing him.

The aroma of wine and fragrance of flowers gradually fade away, and I find myself drenched only in his pleasant scent. Amidst our closely interwoven breaths, time seems to slow to a crawl, stretching ever so slowly.

It’s not until the familiar dryness lingers around the tip of my nose that I slowly open my eyes, slightly gasping for breath. What greets my eyes is the view of the endless sand dunes.

Apt to the occasion, my phone starts vibrating and powers up automatically. Only ten minutes have passed.

I feel as if I have just woken up from a dream. I gaze at Victor in a trance, and the rose-colored kiss mark on his lips enters my field of view, making me unable to help the smile spreading across my face.

MC: It appears I’ve already found the rose from the legend, one that will never wither.

In those eyes, brimming with unending tenderness, I see him lowering himself——

Victor: Then, allow it to bloom for a little while longer.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

[Anika’s Analysis & Ramblings]

twitter thread link: ♡

—

#DUMB. I CALL DUMB. THE SHOCK AND CONSTANT PAINED FEELINGS THIS BROUGHT BACK—#DO NOT EVER FREAKIN' DARE CALL ME A DUMMY WHEN YOU'RE THE BIGGEST DUMMY AND LOVE-BRAIN IN THE UNIVERSE #HE IS JUST UGGHHHH i empathize with MC so much like if i were her i too would keep this silly man under 24 hour surveillance like!!!!#mlqc victor #mlqc li zeyan #mlqc #mr love victor #mr love queen's choice #李泽言 #恋与制作人 #love and producer #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc translations

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ausssbutlershortstories · 2 months

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Vanessa Hudgens :

So I wanted to make this post because looking on all the platforms I use to follow Austin Butler himself and/or other fan pages, I can see a lot of you are bothered by Vanessa saying that Austin helped her find her now husband.

I like to start off that I like Vanessa , anyone who follows me on IG will know that. I think him and Vanessa made a lovely couple. He genuinely seemed very happy with her. You can tell they really were down bad for one another. I say this because I don’t want to come across as some fake hypocrite. Posting pictures of him when he was with Vanessa and then turning around to make this post.

However , over the last few years that they have since broken up, she obviously has been throwing shade. Commenting on post making fun of his voice, saying things in interviews, and some of the memes she post to her stories on IG.

I don’t like when she does that. I think it’s annoying and quite rude. I find crazy to that she does this to this very day , even after being married to her supposed “soul mate”.

Vanessa to me comes across as a hurt woman. I don’t condone her throwing shade the way she does , however I feel if she did find her special someone , why keep bringing up your ex? A lot of fans seems to think she is trying to keep her name in headlines. And while I do agree to some extent , I think it goes deeper than someone looking for attention.

Vanessa was with Austin for a decade. They went through a lot together. Her dad passing, his Mom passing. She was in his sister’s wedding, which says A LOT. Not only was she close to Austin , she clearly was tight with his family as well. We seen how happy she was when he got the part of Elvis. I remember her seeing when she was speaking with Ryan Seacrest and how stoked she was telling him the story about how she told him he should play Elvis.Austin has told that story more than once too. Vanessa even had promo photos on her IG for when he finally got the role that she still has up on her profile all these years later.

I honestly feel bad for her in a way. Yeah as Austin’s fan I don’t like her shading him, but I don’t necessarily think she is a bad person based off that alone . To have a relationship as long as they had just end. Not sure exactly what happened with the break up, but from the outside looking in it seems to have ended abruptly.

That has to hurt…like. Especially seeing another girl be attached to his arm during his Elvis press . Someone who in my opinion don’t deserve to be reaping anything beneficial from that. I’m sure she thought that those were moments that they would share. And not because it would get her some level of clout but because that was her man. Vanessa to me seemed like one of those “my man , my man, my man” kind of women when she was with Austin. She saw a future with him I believe . Especially after hearing how on a podcast she stated how when she first met Cole she asked if marriage and kids were important to him. And i remember watching that and the look on her face seemed sad. Like she was reminiscing on something. Like maybe perhaps that’s what she wanted with someone else but didn’t get . To me I think she saw herself marrying Austin one day and having his children, the whole white picket fence shit. Hollywoood edition lol!

The fact that she keeps bringing him up is very telling . You a whole married woman and still throwing shade at your ex. Us a women , I feel like when we really find our someone after kissing a few frogs we could careless about wtf our ex got going on. Not calling Austin a frog , just speaking in general.

As fans I feel like we gotta be like 🤷🏾‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️. I know it’s annoying , but sis is still clearly stuck on him. Which to me says alot about how he was a boyfriend. I’m sure they had their ups and downs but it probably was a good relationship overall. Because who gonna be out in these streets missing someone who was a complete headache and toxic as hell? Especially if they feel like they finally found the person who they feel like was heaven sent….

Austin has been nothing but kind during this too. He can easily throw shade back , but he stays humble and minds his business. Which Vanessa needs to do too smh. Vanessa needs to go heal whatever broke her when her and Austin ended. She has a husband now , marriage is forever.

I’ll end this with I hope as a woman myself she finds peace within herself . I obviously am not for her ass saying the stuff she did , but I don’t dislike her. We have all at one point of time thrown shade an ex. Said some snarky shit. It happens . It’s one thing for some troll to throw shade to Austin, but an ex he was with for years on end….Like I said in the beginning, her acting that way goes deeper than someone looking for attention. Vanessa might have not done anything super duper huge since HSM but she’s still pretty well known. She doesn’t need to throw shade to stay relevant .

#austin butler #vanessa hudgens #relationships #fandom #ausssbutlershortstories #just saying #this is wild #Cole tucker #please don’t hate me

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colorlesschristmastree · 2 months

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I hope I’m not being annoying but I just really need to rant about my hope that SJM puts feyre in a more prominent role in the next ACOTAR book. I thought her page time was a bit disappointing but not terrible in ACOSF (I mean, ideally I want her on every page. But seeing as that book was all Nesta Nesta Nesta and hardly any Cassian even…and with how bad a book it was, I’m fine with her staying away from whatever that was). But I was heartbroken over the fact she wasn’t in HOFAS at all!? After SJM teased her being there!? I mean, I get it wasn’t a big crossover and Nesta and Azriel were the highlights. But I can’t help but feel embarrassingly bitter that Nesta was highlighted so much in ACOWAR to the point it took away a bit from Feyre’s finale; Nesta was also the topic of conversation in ACOFAS and was at least a quarter of what Feyre-and other characters-were thinking about the whole book. Then the whole of ACOSF she had a terrible arc and her head is a nasty place to be, she was horrible to feyre the whole book and had that cheap ass lame ass “savior” moment at the end… I thought we could finally be free of her and see Elain shine, and get more Feyre. But then SJM put Nesta at the center of the crossover too?? And ended it by seemingly giving Nesta even more plot for her to do next ACOTAR book??? Ugh! I’m just so mad and I feel embarrassed complaining about my favs getting less page time and someone I hate getting too much spotlight but I’m just so mad. I really sincerely hope that while they were doing the crossover in HOFAS, Feyre, Elain, and maybe even Mor were doing other things that we will see in ACOTAR. And I hope feyre gets the respect she deserves. :/

You're not being annoying at all anon! Sorry for responding to this so late. I completely understand your frustrations. It was definitely annoying when I read bits of hofas and saw that despite SJM teasing a lot more acotar character content and acting like there would be more than there is there really wasn't much at all and everything we got was boring as shit. I feel like the way she presented this book and what we got were two very different things.

I definitely agree that the amount Nesta's character is being shoved down peoples throats is getting obnoxious at this point. She got her spin off book and her little story and I really don't think she needs more. Tbh though I wouldn't be too stressed about it since SJM in recent books can't follow through on a plot to save her own life. So many things brought up in CC1 and CC2 that either went absolutely nowhere or just were lightly touched on but didn't have the important it seemed like they would. So I honestly doubt the end of hofas is going to become as massive as we think it is, more likely than not the resolution to that is going to come from a pages long info dumping session where we find out the why but it doesn't actually get it's own plot and story... I mean that's basically how 90% of the mysteries established in the prior two CC books and a bit in ACOSF were handled in HOFAS. I honestly predict the same for the next acotar book lmao.

I also super desperately miss Feyre.. she's the main character and the heart of the acotar series and honestly such a comfort! I wouldn't worry too much though babe, I mean the crossover was basically worthless and just info dumping, I'm glad Feyre wasn't involved in that mess. I still think Elain's book is going to be next and I'm excited for that, Nesta will have a role and that's whatever ig but I'm not going to let a boring character whose book was bad ruin my enjoyment of Elain's book.

The main acotar series where Feyre was still our narrator and protagonist will always be the best in my eyes and these are just spin off books that let us see her sisters stories and they aren't gonna dampen my love for the main series. I'm actually doing a reread of the main series right now with the discord server and we're just raving about how much we adore Feyre and her pov. I love how plot filled these books are, every scene and page actually feels important and contributes to the overarching plot of the book and there are no massive scenes of unnecessary info dumping like certain.. other books.

Love u nonnie and every SJM book that strays from Feyre's holy light is progressively worse written which just says something about our girls story.

#my posts #anons #pro feyre #feyre supremacy #anti hofas #anti nesta

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romanarose · 1 year

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Leather and Lace and Daisies

Santiago Garcia x Fem!OC (Lacina Dumas)

Summary: A special episode for Leather and Lace, with our fav horny teenagers (not literal), Santi and Laci, getting down and dirty for Valentine's Day

Can be read for smut outside the fic if you want, but plotwise it really ties in with how things have been going with Lal and the subsequent series based on Frankie, take your time.

Warnings: Blowjob, brief facefucking, throat bulge, size kink, floor 'sex' IG, after sex talk, refences to sexual trauma, eating problems, weight loss and attempts to gain weight/muscle/general health. Talk of wanting kids in the future, periods, potential fertility problems, pregnancy stuff. Usual warnings for this fic, but if I missed anything, plz LMK

*******************

Santiago Garcia could not get home fast enough. The last fucking thing he wanted to do on Valentines day was go to a consulting meeting with an old army buddy when he had his pretty little girlfriend at home. He didn’t even like consulting that much. After Columbia, Santi is hesitant to have anything to do with military (or paramilitary) endeavors, not always sure how ethical the operation was. Today, however, it was an old buddy he trusted, and who he absolutely owed his life too. Laci understood, as long as it didn’t keep him past their dinner reservations; she had therapy anyway, she said. That didn’t help Santi at all, he had never missed a therapy session, always waiting dutifully outside in the waiting room if she had an upsetting session, ready to be there to hold her, to get ice cream, or take her to a park to decompress. The girl loved nature. Sometimes he’d join her in a session if she asked, but although Laci had told him the basics of most things, and details of many, he understood she was still entitled to privacy and could keep secrets, if that’s what she wanted. Laci can’t drive, having never learned growing up, so Benny, of course, took her. Santi almost stayed, hating to miss it, but he knew she didn’t like him pausing his life for her, and she promised to text him to come home early if things were rough. Santi received no such text, simply a picture of a completed Highlights magazine ’spot the difference’ page held up by a very proud and smiling Ben. “Munequita, I’m home” He called, setting his things down at the small table, but holding the bouquet of flowers

“One second!” He heard her call from the spare bedroom where she used to stay, but now functioned as a room for Rosie or Frankie, a drunk Ben, or the handful of short term foster kids they’d had. “Lace, why are you in there?” The door opened “This room is closer.” she explained before appearing, leaning on the doorway. “For dramatic effect.” Santi’s jaw dropped. Nearly a year of knowing her and he still found himself stunned by her. Laci wore red lingerie that wrapped around her waist like a ribbon. She didn’t wear a lot of red, not a lot of bright colors in general; she liked pink, white, light blue, pastels… but in the red??? The bright red?!?! BRIGHT RED UNDERWEAR?!? He was gone for.

“Shit, baby-” He started, moving to set down the flowers and dive to her, but she held out her hand. “Ah, ah, ah, pretty boy, stay there” Laci ordered.

Santi grinned. “Yes ma’am”

Laci began walking towards him, her petite hips swaying dramatically. “I’m up five more pounds, not much further now” And just like that, the semi Santi was sporting was at full mast. The two of them had been talking about the future, getting married and having kids. A bit preemptive, but Laci and Santi had gone to a specialist to see if her body was ready for that yet, and what it would take to get her there. In captivity, she had stopped getting her period, and hadn’t regained it for a few months after coming back, so it was unsure how her fertility was affected. That, and she was not at full health yet. Laci had always been underweight, and after a history of drugs and alcohol messing with her body, followed by the things she had suffered, her health had taken a significant hit. Sometimes Laci got tired after completing simple tasks, and had barely any muscle to speak of. She had gotten much, much better, however. The fertility doctor she had seen told her she needed to gain quiet a bit of weight before she carried a healthy pregnancy and needed to work on her strength. Will wasn’t a personal trainer by any means, but the last month she had been working with him, slowly but surely working on her endurance and strength. She’d come a long way. As she came up to him, he held out the bouquet. “For you, mi amor.” He said, out stretching his hand.

Laci beamed at him, thinking how lucky she was to have a boyfriend that did the stereotypical valentines day schtick for her, just because he knew she loved it. “Oh Santi…” She took the flowers. “I know daisy’s are your favorite!” he said excitedly, and the nervous smile as he explained further made him look incredibly boyish. “But I saw these, they’re called Queen Anne’s Lace” He was bouncing a bit. “I thought it… it’s like you’re name?” He looked down at her, hopeful. In truth, it was a bit ugly. But the fact he not only got her flowers, but remembered her favorite, and customized the bouquet to have something that reminded him of her... “Oh baby…” she teared up, taking them in her hand.

“Do you like them?” He asked, nervous and hopeful, his large eyes wide as he took in her expression, trying to read her.

Laci dove into him, nearly tackling him in her hug, her barely-covered body pressing up against him. “Santiago, they're perfect.”

He chuckled as he returned the hug. “I take it that’s a good Santiago?” He joked. Santiago was only used when he was in trouble or when she was about to fuck him. He could feel her smile as she buried her face in his chest. “It was a good Santiago, Santiago”

Santiago lifted her face up to him to kiss her. “I fucking love you, Lacina, so fucking much.”

“I love you too, Santi” Laci set the flowers down as she deepened the kiss, mouth opening to welcome his tongue in. Santi’s hands ran the length of her body, feeling her skin and noting the changes in her body as she worked on her health and fuck, he was so proud of her. After everything she’d been through, she was so fucking brave, and so fucking kind.

Laci’s hand felt up his chest, down to his stomach, and cupped his erection through his dark jeans, illiciting a loud from from Santiago. He tried to start walking her to the bedroom, but her hand pushed him back against the door. “Want you right here, Santi, against the door” “Fuck” He mumbled, watching her eyes look up at him and lips part as she began to sink down, when he caught her, pulling her up. “Not here”

“Santi-” She began to insist, but he pulled her only a few feet to the right, where the hallway turned into the living room.

“Softer here” He clarified.

Laci’s toes scrunched up in the carpet, heart swelling that even as horny as he was, he thought about her comfort, and didn’t want her bare knees on the hard, cold, wet, dirty floor. It just made her want him even more. Once they were situated again, she sunk to her knees before him, and looked up to him as she unbuttoned his pants, finding him gazing down at her adoringly. From Santi’s view, he was reminded once again how lucky he got with her, his precious, perfect girl. She wanted him, she trusted him, she wanted to have kids with and thought he would be a good husband and father. She believed in him and submitted herself to him, body and soul as he did her. Body and soul. As she took out his throbbing cock, she took time to stroke him, licking up and down the shaft as she used her hands. Laci knew Santi loved this, he loved seeing his dick in her tiny hands, how it looked compared to her little head. Santi knew it was primal, it was his cave-man brain working overtime, but he liked feeling like he was her big, strong man, there to protect her from all the horrors of the world, keep her safe, fuck up anyone who’d ever harm her and give her all the pleasure she could take.

When Laci took him in her pretty little mouth, soft pink lips stretching around him, Santi was in fucking heaven. “Fuck…” he groaned, resting his head back against the wall as she slowly worked her self on him. His hands flexed and closed at his sides, eager to touch her, but it wasn’t time for that yet. She’d let him guide her later, let him control the pace and pull her down on him, let him fuck her face, but that was later. Right now, Laci would take her time, stretching her mouth and getting used to him entering her throat. “Doing so good, munequita, you feel fucking perfect.” he mumbled down at her, feeling her soft hands grip at his thigh in response. When Laci was finally able to work herself all the way down him, burying her face in all the hair south of the equator, a loud groan escaped his mouth, shamelessly echoing in the room, causing Laci to moan in turn, the sound vibrating on him.

Laci pulled back, taking a deep breath and panting a little and she jerked him with both hands, her single fist unable to wrap all the way around the girth. “So fucking big, daddy, you feel so fucking good in my throat.” And before Santi could respond, she took him back in again, closing her eyes as she picked up speed and- fuck, was she smiling? She was fucking smiling while blowing him. Leaning over, Santi put the back of his hand against her throat to feel himself inside her warmth. Santi always did the back of the hand, never wanting to inadvertently do anything that might even feel like his hand was going around her throat. Laci keened to his touch, eyes still closed as some spit drooled down her chin the sheer force of her actions. While bent, Santiago felt up her tits in the lingerie mumbling soft praises in her ear. ‘Good girl, pretty girl’

As he stood back up, Laci began taking him all the way to the base with every movement down, and one hand fondled his balls, barely allowing him to keep any sense of composure. “Fuck Lacina, you’re gonna make me come if you keep doing that.”

Her eyes flicked up to him at that, and she didn’t need any more words to communicate that yes, that’s what she was trying to do. Laci didn’t always want to have intercourse. The day they had sex out at the cabin by the lake, Santi understood she wasn’t magically cured, she wasn’t suddenly all better, and everything that had been done to her didn’t just go away. Most days, sex in some respect happened, and most of those days involved intercourse, but sometimes she didn’t want to be touched, and some days she wanted non penetrative sex; this was one of those days. This was not unusual for days after therapy, and Santi made a mental note to be sure to ask her how therapy went. For now however, Santi checked over her body language once again, looking for signs of discomfort, but only finding her looking up at him with devotion.

He did, however, take note of her reddening face and her chest picking up as she tried to breath through her nose. Santi pulled back, and although she gasped for air, her mouth chased after him. Crouching down in front of her, he tucked a lock of blonde behind her slightly large ears.

“Take a breather, sweet thing” he wiped her mouth clean of spit with his sleeve.

Laci began to protest. “I can-”

“I know you can, but I want you to take a second to breathe, okay? Then I’ll let you swallow me, how about that, pretty baby?”

“Okay, Santi” She smiled at him, kissing his lush lips, slow and languide as he touched her between her legs. Laci was wet as all hell, and he loved knowing he did that too her, all that just from her sucking him off.

“You ready, babydoll?”

She nodded eagerly, and Santi stood up, allowing her a minute to readjust before threading his fingers into her hair. It was his turn to run the show, set the pace, and he matched the one she was building too. Between them, blowjobs had started off very basic, Santi hesitant about hurting her, but as they grew together, Santiago became confident in his ability to read her, knowing what she could take and when to slow down. As he worked her up and down his length, his words became a stream of half-thoughts and nearly incoherant words.

“Fuck baby, so fucking- feels so good, can you touch yourself for me? Yeah? Feel wet? Is that what I do to you? That’s what I get to feel whenever I’m knuckles deep inside you, im so lucky, so fucking lucky to have you, you’re mine, pretty baby, aren’t you? Uh, uuuuhhhh- You’re my special girl? Fuuuuck, you’re just- so pretty, so fu-fucking beautful like this, dirty little mouth stretching around my dick”

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted the bouquet of flowers. Santi took one of the daisy’s out of the twine wrapped around the stems, and with her mouth still around him, he slipped the flower behind her ear. “Mi flor bonita…” Santi muttered fondly.

A small whimper escaped her as she pulled back for a breath. “I fucking adore you, Santiago” she gasped out before diving back onto him, yearning for his cum in her mouth, desperate to make him feel good. One hand touching her clit, one placed on Santiago’s thick, firm, hairy thigh.

Conversely, Santiago put one hand behind her head, playing with her soft locks and feeling the regrowing hair coming through since her health and nutrition began back on track. His other hand went to his thigh, his fingers entwined with hers, holding onto her. Eyes watching her like a hawk, careful not to get so lost in his own pleasure he hurts her or misses a sign she need to stop (and he is fully confident in her that she’d signal to him if she needed to), Santiago thrusts into her wet mouth, feeling himself sliding down her throat, feeling her swallow around him as he held her hand. Laci moaned around his cock, her own fingers rapidly working herself to reach orgasm at the same time, reveling in the taste of him fully thrusting. He was watching her, taking care of her, even as he babbled near-incomprehensibly as he spilled his seed into her, bypassing her tongue and straight down her throat.

“Fuck baby, doing so good, fucking take it, take all of me, amor, fuck just like that, good girl, good girl…” Santi stilled inside her, and when he watched her throat swallow one one last time as she came on her fingers, Santi pulled out from her, a string of spit still connecting them until Laci wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Thank you, daddy” She whispered as she beamed up at her handsome, loving boyfriend.

“Fuck baby” Santi rasped, pulling her up to kiss her. “You’re fucking perfect, so fucking perfect, I can’t imagine anything better than you, I’m gonna take such good care of you, sweet thing.” He wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

“Can I have your mouth?” “Baby, after that? You can have my mouth all fucking night long.” Nuzzling into his shirt, cupped his perfect ass. “Not so fast, we got dinner reservations, viejo” Laci smacked his ass, then took off running to the bedroom, squealing as she saw Santi give chase. “Fucking brat-” He started after her, but the pants and underwear gathered around his ankles making him trip and topple to the floor. Santi didn’t give up that easily, reaching out to grab her ankle. Laci yelped and fell to the floor, mostly catching herself and trying to scramble away as she laughed loudly.

“Santi! Don’t you dare!”

But Santiago dared, pulling her back towards him as he laughed jovially, feeling childish and free. Once she was in his grasp, he tickled her gently for a bit before she said stop, and proceeded to pepper her face and neck with flutterings of kisses. In their household, stop and no meant stop and no, even in playing. Grinning wildly, Laci wrapped her arms around his neck.

“You’re a pain in my ass, Santiago” Laci laughed out, the daisy still in her hair.

Santi moved himself down her as she lay on the flow, taking off her bright red underwear. “And you’re the light of my life” He proceeded to give her two orgasms with his mouth right there on the floor, and goddamn, she must really be feeling it, she usually only wanted two total.

Laci lay on his warm chest, fingers trailing over his dark skin, and Santi held her close. She was still wearing the red bra, but looking significantly messier than she had before.

“How was therapy today, Lacina.”

She chuckled a bit. “Not the most sexy of questions”

“You make everything sexy, no matter what” Santi whispered in her ear, giving her neck a little massage.

Laci snorted at that. “Okay”

Now that was odd. Santi craned his neck to look at her. “What does that mean?”

Laci looked embarrassed, and turned away from him. “Nothing, just okay”

Santi adjusted her placement on him so that she was fully laying the length of him, her face level with his. “Don’t do that, please? We have such good communication; I don’t want to start us hiding things.”

Laci considered as his eyes pleaded at her. He was right, they were a fantastic couple, she’d never been happier than she was with him, and that happiness didn’t just pass the low bar that was presented to her in the last decade. No, Santi is the kind of guy that her brother would’ve loved, should he have lived. Santi lived up to the standard Antoni had for her, not the very very low standard Laci had set for herself. Did she even have a standard before? Or did she take whatever was given. Laci never broke up with anyone, even in the worst of circumstances, she simply allowed it, never wanting to be alone. With Santi, it was different. They had fights, but just in the early days. Laci could tell him if he did something that bothered her, like being overprotective and likewise, Santi could communicate if he needed something from her, which admittedly, wasn’t much. They were honest, they were open, they were both patient and loving and cared deeply for each other's comfort, thus there was no need for fights.

Laci shrugged. “I wouldn’t exactly call myself sexy, that’s all.”

Okay, now Santi sat up. He placed Laci up to straddle him as he sat up against the couch to support his back. “Baby… I’m sure I’ve called you sexy before” Santi was bewildered, he was aware of her insecurity regarding her weight, and he always showered her and her body with affection.

“Yeah but, only during sex” She saw the heartbroken expression on his face, and cupped his cheek, not wanting him to feel like this was his fault. “You love me so much, I can’t help love myself in return. Pretty, yeah, beautiful, sure, but sexy? I’m not sexy. I’m barely 5 feet tall, I have no ass or tits, my skin and face are littered in scars, my face looks like a mouse-”

“Laci…” How could she not see what he did?

“It’s fine Santi, I don’t need to be sexy, you make me feel beautiful… I just won’t be famous instagram model is all” She tried to joke.

Santi wasn’t having it. “Mi vida, you are sexy as hell. Do you have any idea the reactions you get when you walk in a room, I can practically feel the jealousy coming off the other men. You don’t look like a mouse, you’re elven. And I have no idea what you mean about the scars, because the ones on your body are hardly noticeable, and the one on your face?” He angled her blushing face down and kissed the scar along her hairline. “This scar shows that you are a boss ass bitch” Laci burst into loving laughter, dropping her forehead to his shoulder. “You think I’m a girl boss?”

“I think you’re the girliest of bosses” Santi re-secured the daisy behind her ear. She chuckled and kissed his collarbone. “Thank you, baby, you always know what to say.”

Santi smiled and kissed into her hair. “Do you believe me?”

“I’m trying too.” She took a deep breath. “My therapist says that sometimes with… with abuse victims it can cause a lot of body image issues. I didn’t really think much about it growing up, but back then you were supposed to be super skinny anyway. Now I just feel weird in my skin sometimes. But it’s gotten a lot better this year, I promise.” Santi nodded. “Okay, if you promise. Can I maybe join you and your therapist sometime and we can talk more about it? I’d love to know how to support you better.”

“You support me perfectly, my love. But yes, yes I’d love for you to come next week. And to answer your question, today’s therapy went well. Benny sat in with me for part of it.” “... and that went well?” “Yes,” she giggled. “I think it was helpful for my therapist to hear from a friends perspective”

Santi held Laci tighter to him. “I’m glad, Lace.”

“You know, we can skip the diner reservations, if you want. I like being here with you”

Santi knew what she was doing. Laci never wanted to put her out, she never asked for anything, but Santi knew her, and he knew she wanted the hole Valentines Day shabang. “No way, after that blowjob, you’re getting the fanciest desert we can find. Besides, I wanna see the dress you bought.” Santi was currently looking at wardrobes to put in the spare bedroom, as her collection of dresses had overtaken ⅔’s of his closet, as well as the closet in Rosie’s room. Dresses were the only thing she bought for herself in excess, and the way she looked in them? It was fine by Santiago.

Laci lifted her face to smile at Santi. “I think you’re gonna like it”

Santi kissed her cheek with a tender touch. “I know I will”

*****************

SORRY THIS IS LATE I was gonna get it done but my car didn't start saturday so i had to uber all weekend until it was fixed tuesday,a nd tuesday was valentines day but i work at olive garden so I WAS POOPED!!! so here you are my loves.

@welcometostayingawake @howaboutcastiel @poeedameronn @itspdameronthings @milkymoon2483 @luciannadraven33

#santiago garcia #santi and laci #TF Romanaverse #triple frontier #santiago garcia smut #smut #santiago garcia fluff

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fiercehildr · 1 year

Note

I read something about someone stealing one of your commissions but I haven't seen anything about it on tumblr. What happened???

Hello, nonnie! ❤️

That's going to be a long post... so buckle up.

Basically a commissioner took one of my old elucien piece (one where we see Lucien and Elain's head as a ying and yang and features related to their characters like flowers or autumn leaves circling around them and linking together) as "inspiration" for a commission of theirs except it became a complete plagiarized piece.

It looked like it could be the other side of the mine and the commissioner took all the credit for the "concept" in the comments.

To explain the whole situation:

I woke up at 6 am to an artist friend of mine sending me a DM telling me to "not stress but someone plagiarized you" and my first thought was "leave me the fuck alone *sigh*". I went and checked it out and yeah, indeed.

I showed it to like 10 persons to make sure I was not crazy, some of them being family members who have no idea that this fandom even exists, and they all confirmed the uncanny similarities.

So at first, I was mad and made a story about it. I was sure that this person was one of my old bully since their IG name were so close. Turns out I was wrong here.

The story was made in anger ( but no name dropping or picture) and so I deleted it when I realized my mistake. I was also just... exhausted? Like... here we go again. Obviously, that was done on purpose.

_______

I decided to send this to the artist and basically told them "here is a piece which I think was plagiarized from our commission." and she ended up making the relation between the "shipwar" and "trying to bother me" all by herself and she's not even in the fandom.

I wanted her to decide by herself about the best course of action. Do we do something? Does she? Do we keep silent? All up to her. I care little about this shipwar now so it obviously wasn't about this stupidity but about the audacity and the nerve of it.

In all honesty, except for a few game polls in my instagram story or some gwyn mermaid commissions, I have little to no interest in this book series and even less in the shipwar now.

Our conversation was like... 6 messages and I never talked about how this person and I had conflict. I didn't even talk about the commissioner themselves.

II)

Now I'm saying this because the other commissioner then made a public story (sent to me in DMs by friends who were following the story) which accused me of unfairly antagonizing her.

I had to unblock this person to go check for myself becauseI had them blocked for days now (I like "curating your own internet experience" by blocking accounts my for you page propose and which are not my jam. Shocking I know.)

In this story, they basically accused me of spying on their account. Now I found this funny because:

1- I couldn't give less than a fly's shit about their entire existence.

2- Clearly I have more relevance in their life than they do in mine and it's very funny to me that they thought the contrary. Sorry but who stalked and copied here? Hmm?

In this story, this person also said I made this fandom toxic (me, not the person who plagiarized an artist to purposefully get a reaction) and that I was basiclly a shitty person for telling the artist about this situation.

They also said that they needed to write this story because they basically found it incorrect to involve artists in shipwar situations which was ALSO very funny:

This was only a shipwar situation for them. I don't care about elriel. Do your stuff, love what you love. I don't give a fuck anymore. I'm only a low key elucien shipper who mostly made this commission for a friend of mine (@amandapearls). If my commission was Slauren initially and they had done this with Emilia and Wrath, I would have STILL told the artist.

If the roles were reversed they would have done the same as me and possibly worse.

They should have thought ot the artists (and the consequences of their actions) before pulling this.

They also provided pictures of references that they apparently used. As a commissioner of some time now, I can assure you that these pics would not have given this piece in the end. It was pretty clear to everyone, sadly for them. And I just know that every single person who defended them did it as a loyalty move because you can't be that blind.

III)

When I realized the commissioner had brought this in their stories, where everyone could see, I figured that shots were fired and I had to defend myself and my honor.

I made my own stories, where I said everything I said here and even showed the two commissions next to one another. I repeated again and again that I tried to handle this discreetly (in DMs and between the artists) but that she wanted otherwise (obviously, I suspect it was bait ayway)

Then came the friends of them. Here are the stuff they said:

*goes on with the same repeated arguments no matter my answers*

*implies that I'm an horrible person for answering their public story*

*implies that I shouldn't have opened my mouth*

*gives infomation about how the artist handled this which don't concern me anyway and with no receipts of course*

*tells me a friend of mine vague posted about the commissioner in their story and it's super mean and scared her*

*implies that me letting the artist decides of the steps to take was no good and I should have go to the commissioners' dms*

*tells me that the commissioner is considering leaving the fandom because of me*

*insists on my past experiences and how I'm 'not like that for real' (turns out they don't follow me at all and only know of my past bullying because they were friends with my bullies lol)*

*tells me that for someone who was bullied, I bully too (refers to me answering the story by one of my own)*

*implies that I scare her and insists that she's full innocent and that I have no proof that it's copied (it's a copy paste and several artists and commissioners reached out to me that it was "fucking wild")*

So yeah, I blocked these people and that's the end, really. So just another bait to insult me over and my mental health took another hit but I don't hear much about it, funnily enough, so I'm just answering this one ask. I think everything is here anyway.

Thank you to everyone who supported me, even when I was feeling really low at this moment. You all rock ❤️

Have a lovely day, Nonnie. ❤️

#elucien #commission #ask #shit show #acotar fandom

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joongdokshitposting · 9 months

Text

So uh remember when I said I wrote an essay on orv for my Communicative English assignment? Well here it is people, in all it's flawed (?) glory (cuz again English is not my first language (it is but it's a little more complex) so my vocab is weird sorta ig) (I literally just copy pasted my assignment btw so if it sounds like an assignment I wrote on at half past 2 in the night,, just look over it please 😭)

Communicative English - Speech Script

Topic: Review of the novel “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint.”

I am somebody who has never read a web novel, I’ve only ever preferred regular novels. However, I do read webtoons often, and that is how I stumbled across this masterpiece of a story. What started off as curiosity quickly turned into obsession as I spent almost every moment not working on reading this seven thousand page monster of a book. And, see, truthfully, such a huge number would’ve absolutely had me running the opposite way. At least, that’s the case usually. But the prose and narration in this book is genuinely so intriguing that it had me hooked from chapter one. While it does have a slow beginning the wait is very much worth it as the plot constantly keeps moving forward without lagging anywhere. Not a moment is wasted, every single scene contributes to fleshing out the world and its characters and through it all we, the readers, find ourselves falling deeper into the thematic story beats.

But I’m getting carried away aren’t I? Let me step back a little. For starters, what is a web novel? As the name suggests, they are novels published directly onto the internet and can be both free to read or paid to read. The difference between regular/physical novels and web novels would be the publishing aspect. Web novels, unlike the usual novels, are written, edited and published by the authors themselves. Additionally, they can be both ongoing, where the author publishes a chapter on a timely basis, or fully published once completely written.

Now that that’s cleared, let’s move on. The book I’m currently so emotionally attached to, goes by the title “Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint” and is a Korean fantasy web novel. The story follows the life of a 28-year-old contract worker named Kim Dokja (Dokja, meaning both only-child and reader. This also contributes to the greater narrative of both the plot and the character.) whose only hobby is reading web novels.

The setting is as such: He’s lonely, he’s had a not-so-great childhood (as we find out eventually), and his current part-time job contract is ending, meaning he’s knee deep into leading a pathetic life where he has to work hard to survive and afford at least the bare minimum every single day. Through it all, the only salvation for this man is a web novel by the name “Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined world” (it has multiple abbreviations but the most agreed upon is TWSA) that had been running for ten whole years, him being it’s sole reader past the 120th chapter as most people gave up on such a lengthy (hitting an insane 3149 chapter count) and apparently terribly written novel (this further highlights his whole “reader” identity as we will see pretty quickly).

Now, our story begins when the web novel that Kim Dokja has been reading for ten years, becomes the new reality one day while he is riding the subway with his coworker. This dramatically shifts the supposed “genre” of Dokja’s life from “realism” (as stated by him directly) to “fantasy” thereby completely changing his life (and I mean, COMPLETELY) to the point where he becomes an irreplaceable aspect of the story and the characters we follow.

Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint (ORV for short), despite its dystopian and violent setting, is a book filled with love. And by that I don’t mean romance, god no. If anything, this book has absolutely nothing to do with that genre. No, this book? Oh no it’s not talking about rose tinted cheeks, shy confessions or tragic love declarations. Well, let’s keep that last part because it happens a lot actually. Just not the way we expect it. As mentioned, this book in itself is a love letter to readers and touches on the topic of interdependence between authors and readers. How inevitably one cannot exist without the other. This is most evident in the three main characters of ORV and their roles/powers.

Both thematically and as characters, they’re so intimately interwoven that one quite literally cannot exist without the other two. Kim Dokja the reader, Yoo Joonghyuk (the original hero of TWSA) the protagonist, and Han Sooyoung the writer. Part of what sells their need to depend on each other comes from the fact that all three of them cannot stand one another. At least, initially. Their dynamics are literally just verbal insults, attempts at murder and pathological lying. They genuinely cannot go a minute without feeling the urge to strangle each other. But guess what? While their fiery rivalry and banter remains, it slowly develops into one coming from a place of affection rather than weariness. In that sense, ORV is also a slow burn. The characters take their time opening up, and are more often than not, extremely human. Almost all the characters (and there’s a lot by the way, many surprisingly or not, non-human in nature) always have their very own completely valid and plausible reasons for doing what they’re doing. And sometimes we find ourselves sympathizing with them.

The core of this novel, from what I can understand, is about love. Both in terms of deserving and expressing it. Dokja, despite loving the characters/people in his life so much that he willingly sacrifices himself, not once, not twice, but multiple times, firmly believes he’s not worth saving. It’s heartbreaking, watching this 20 something year old who spent his entire life in isolation, deny himself of love he deserves just as much as anybody else just because he hasn’t received it for so long that he is accustomed to living a life without it. He constantly tries justifying him putting a wall between him and the world; he says it’s his job to be a “dokja”, a “reader”, someone omniscient, someone who supposedly exists outside the story, outside the narrative, and therefore should not be the point of focus at any given time.

Time and again the others tell him, they remind him of his humanity, saying how they wouldn’t have survived without him. But he counters by saying it’s the opposite and that he wouldn't have lived for thirty years if not for the characters and therefore he is only repaying. He speaks of how the ending of the story he wants to see is one where nobody dies. For that, and that alone, he dies again and again and again. And you, you have to sit there watch this mess of a man so unabashedly full of love throw himself death’s way and not be able to do anything because he won’t listen. You feel helpless, just like the other characters, including Han Sooyoung and Yoo Joonghyuk, and only pray to all things divine that this man also gets the happy ending he’s so desperately fighting to give the others.

This book has genuinely impacted me in a way no other has. And that is saying something because it’s so easy for me to jump from one interest to another. It has been two weeks since I finished this book and yet it refuses to leave my mind and heart. It stays there adamantly with the same stubbornness with which Dokja denies his well deserved love. Every moment not spent working, I spend thinking about stories and readers and writers and heroes. I look to the stars and think of all the stories in the world I don’t know, stories written with such tender love that only certain readers can ever truly embrace them. I think of how, perhaps, this is how humans are too. I think of how maybe we’re all made of stories waiting to be read with love by others the way Dokja read TWSA thereby giving life to Yoo Joonghyuk and purpose to Han Sooyoung.

Sooooo is this still enough to encompass my thoughts on orv? Absolutely not :D

#long post #orv #orv analysis #??? i think #Bro idk I'm just constantly thinking about orv okay

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alastairstom · 5 months

Note

"send me ask about thomastair or matthew"

12 days of Christmas, Qs about our beloveds!

what are all three of them watching during the holiday season?

What would a skincare / make up routine (if he wears it) be for our Matthew on an average morning?

if each of them were on social media, what would be their go-to social media app and why?

who would you consider the most street smart, book smart and the most emotionally smart and why?

what would be each of their fav holiday traditions this time of year?

One can allege that both characters are super alike but extremely different in a lot of ways. so how do you think Matthew and Magnus in personality overlap and where do they differ?

what are some questions you HATE receiving in your ask about these three characters and why?

Between Thomas and Alastair, who is assigned what choir and why in the maintanance of their flat at Cornwall Gardens?

Who is more prone to bouts of sadness between thomas and alastair and what does the other do to help them feel better or take them out of their funk?

What are some of their favourite dishes they make for each other? They give me the vibe of being massive loving home bodies so i'm curious to know your take on what they make for food and what are their go to dishes!

What are in each of their stockings and who gave what to contribute to stuffing their stalkings (for all three of them! Matthew and Thomastair)

Last day of christmas question :) - What are YOUR predictions/wishes of who/what the scene each of them will be, in the better in black novella? :))

Ily! I hope you liked this! it took me over half an hour to think up q for what i was trying to do hahaha

Nice I'm so glad that I saved this for when I was high.

I think that they're watching various shows and Christmas movies. But I also think that they're watching their usual things.

This is actually so interesting : https://www.beautifulwithbrains.com/beauty-history-cosmetics-in-the-edwardian-era/. So he had Concoctions and creams with Cocoa Butter, Coconut Oil, Almond Oil, Lanolin, Petrolatum, Witch Hazel and Glycerin.

Matthew is a Tumblrina and you can pry that from my cold dead hands. But also probably TikTok and Instagram, because he can't stay away from the travel videos for long. He has a whole IG page to his travels (@/wilde-wanderer, of course). And he has tons of followers who love the aesthetic landscapes and dog pictures. Thomas is a Duolingo boy - languages? Owls? Definitely, and that's most of what he does on his phone. But he does have a Twitter account to share his scores to, and he competes with Alastair to try to get ahead of the other one in their target languages. Thomas also uses his Twitter to follow accounts in Spain and language learning accounts. Alastair hits it big on YouTube because Thomas encourages him to showcase his piano. So he has many followers. It's really amazing for him, and he posts new things frequently. Kind of like VSQ, but solo piano.

Street smart is Matthew because he has all walks of life experience. Like this dude woke up wrapped in the Union Jack one night when he was drunk (Waterstones edition bonus letter). He could get by in back alley deals and make his way thrugh the world. Book smart is Alastair because he grows up lonely and reads a lot, and also he has a natural curiousity for life and the world around him. Thomas is emotionally smart, he sees minute details in people and can tell what they need so they can feel better.

Thomas likes to make cinnamon bread. Alastair likes to sing and play carols. Matthew likes to decorate and make beautiful.

MATTHEW AND MAGNUS okay. I will make a venn diagram:

Idk dude

ALASTAIR CHORES: cleaning the counters, cleaning the floors (he is a very cleanly man and just does these things), cooking dinner for both THOMAS CHORES: laundry, organizing (can reach tall cabinets), cooking breakfast for both. both characters do dishes

I think both are equally prone to bouts of sadness. I think Thomas will be more prone then Alastair to bouts sadness for a while, first, because of terrible grief over his family members. Alastair will still be in that "thank God I can breathe" phase but not in te "oh god how can I breathe i have to learn" phase, which will come in time and be the worst bit. But I think that Alastair has a shitmine of trauma to process and it will be incredibly emotional journey for probably the rest of his life, so he will be the most prone in the long run. Both of them are of course there for each other, I think that they hold each other and they talk about what the grief is and they comfort each other and they feel acceptance and support for one of the first times ever. I love them.

Thomas and Alastair, right? Yeah lol I wrote in my fic they spent a long time together alone and then they had their friends over and they wanted to get rid of everyone and be alone together again. I think they're, like, each other's favourite person. I think they are like being in a partnership. in all things. Like , if Alastair does something wrong, Thomas still has his back. And if Thomas does something recless, Alastair is not mad with him but he is worried for his safety. Anyway, I'm higher than I want to be. This is not the question. I think that thomas makes Alastair a lot of Persian food when he wants to, but he is kind of not a naturally amazing cook so he has to be taught by Alastair. Alastair shows him though and it is fun and romantic and bonding experience. I think Alastair makes for Thomas handmade trifle. It is his favorite dessert. Also salads without a hint of celery.

I will draw an image

I jsut want them to be IN the short stories! It's important to me. My mutual posted a post about how Cassie said something promising. Also when I asked SoS team they sent me a ;).

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msm-tsotmw · 1 year

Text

4/27/20XX

So the other two are asleep, apparently. I should probably be sleeping too, but there was just something that… bugged me. I don’t know. Something about the hieroglyphs. Anyways, that caused me to drink motherfucking COFFEE at like 8 PM.

…Is Mauna even done decoding them yet..?

Maybe I should go check. It’s been a couple of days, and considering how much Mauna remembers about the Dawn of Fire, she’s probably done alre-

(The lights in Crysta and Ritika’s kitchen suddenly switch on, revealing Mondo by the doorway with a VERY sleepy expression on his face, sans the beanie.)

sprigg wtf are you doing up this late

…Uh.

and why the fuck do you have a cup of coffee

I dunno. Go back to sleep.

but

You heard me.

alr

do your shit ig

(Mondo turns off the lights and leaves the kitchen, leaving Sprigg alone.)

…I have to go visit Mauna. I should probably go get my bag first…

Wait. I don’t even fucking know where Mauna lives here.

…Maybe I should ask Moperetta. It probably knows where Mauna is, and GALVANA forbid she be on Tribal Island. That’s practically DAYS away from here.

(Sprigg leaves the house with an empty bag, looking for Moperetta. They eventually spot her sitting on a rock, looking up at the Aurora Monstralis.)

Moperetta?

… hm ? oh , sprigg . are you looking for anything ?

Well, yeah. I’m looking for Mauna again.

Also, uh, how did the thing with her go?

oh , it went quite wonderful , actually ! we are going on our first actual date tomorrow , probably in the evening so the aurora monstralis is more visible . i think she is in her room at the castle , i will take you there .

Okay, thanks.

anytime . follow me .

(Sprigg follows the MUCH taller Moperetta to the Light Island castle, all the way to the dimly-lit library.)

hello ? um , mauna ? sprigg needs you for something .

Oh , hey ! Mopsies !

( mauna please do not call me that in public i told you hhhhhh )

(Oh , sorry !)

( no , no , no . it is okay .)

(Whew .)

Um , Moperetta ! Sprigg ! It is nice to see you again. Sprigg , what do you need me for ?

I was just going to ask if you were done decoding the hieroglyphs yet.

Oh ! Yeah , that . Actually , I am done with it already ! I wrote the translation on a note next to the glyphs so you would not forget .

(Mauna gives Sprigg the book with the hieroglyphs, with part of the note sticking out so that they could easily find it.)

Thanks.

Anytime !

(Now what does this say…?)

(Sprigg opens the book to the page with the glyphs. They begin to read it.)

“12/31/XXXX

Strange. Usually, the night sky is full of stars, but I have not been able to observe any today, or in the last few weeks. Plixie’s glass has been cracking more than usual lately, Loodvigg has been so irritable to the point that not even Scaratar, the love of his life, could help, and Vhamp has been releasing more steam than usual… perhaps something is wrong. And from here, I can see that the Continent has been rumbling quite a lot…

Starhenge’s gears have been slowing down more and more, too. Some of the blocks floating around it have dropped into either the sea, the Outer Islands, or the Continent. Luckily, no mortal Monster so far has been harmed. Not even I can decipher what is going on…

…I feel like I must get to the bottom of this, but I must complete what I am building with Vhamp, just in case. Perhaps Starhenge will collapse soon…

-G.V.”

Wait, what?! G.V.?!

If I am correct , those must be the initials of the fabled Galvana …

and all of this time , i have thought the celestials were just some old wives ’ tale !

Holy shit. Hoooooly SHIT. I have to go show this to Toorie and Mondo. See you guys if we ever come back to this Island!

Farewell , Sprigg !

goodbye ! safe travels !

(Sprigg hurriedly rushes out of the castle library, with the book and translation in their bag.)

… So what are we going to do now ? I mean , nobody else is awake and the Aurora Monstralis is out …

… um .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AAAAND THE PLOT THICKENS!!! anyways uhh sorry for not posting about the story much,,, also yeah the Celestials are basically considered an old wives’ tale or a myth along the non-Natural, Ethereal or Fire monsters (like the Seasonals or the Magicals) in this AU lolz

-Mod Jimmy 🗣️

#msm #my singing monsters #msm au #my singing monsters au #furcorn #furcorn msm #mammott #mammott msm #fluoress #fluoress msm #kayna #kayna msm

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deathbyotpin123 · 2 years

Text

I feel like Tumblr has entered the "ok let's listen to what our users actually do here and see how we can become profitable while also covering their needs" phase. And considering how other platforms treat their users, it feels nice.

I follow the changes from time to time and most of what I see is focused on improvements and fixes. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a campaign coming up right after Tumblr becomes functional, to draw in more users. Especially with people getting more and more frustrated with the IG, Twitter and TikTok formats.

And I know. I know. We would all hate to see a huge influx of people who have no idea how this ecosystem functions, but listen - the more people come here, the more money can circulate and the more artists and small businesses can earn.

Tumblr's post options, the fact that it covers any type of media, and its sharing and tagging system make for a much better place to market whatever you want without constraint of other platforms.

One thing I would love to see though is the page links in the mobile apps. They can just be somewhere in the "more" icon or whatever on a blog. I don't care, but I think it's time we got them on our phones as well.

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diary-of-a-sad-asian-girl · 4 months

Text

2023 Review

I'm baaaaaaack. New year, new me (haven't said that before). But anyways, let's recap 2023 shall we?

Me: I continued therapy up until about April with Cherie and I just wasn't getting much out of it like I thought. Maybe it's because I wasn't trying but I also feel like Cherie wasn't really telling me anything different like in our sessions we would just talk and she would want to talk about my foodie pages which is all fine but I just didn't want to pay $20 just to talk to someone sooooo I stopped going to therapy and it was actually fine. I think I'm doing better than I was before therapy so I guess in a way it did help. I think I've accepted the fact that I'm an introvert. I prefer staying in by myself and that's okay. I think I was trying so hard not to be and be more outgoing like my dad. Which I am with people close to me, but that's just how I am. I also found that I try to match the energy and vibe of the people around me. But, I still have my socially anxious moments. Though, I don't feel it constricting me as much as before. As for fitness, I'm still in a runt. I was thinking about joining 24 hour fitness again but you know... money. I'm still hanging around the same weight but I know as I get older, the harder it is to keep weight off. Anyway, I did reach my goal of 120K in both saving and checking accounts which I'm happy about. I went to Japan for the first time in April with my family and it was absolutely magical. Hoping to travel more this year.

Work: I guess the biggest life update this year was work. I got a new position in a different department back in May. The interview process was tough and I was surprised to have gotten chosen. But, I got 10k salary increase which I was happy about and for once, I felt like I had a job with a salary that not only I but my family was happy with. Now, I don't have my dad bugging me about finding a new position. It is so much more challenging than being an admin assistant which is obviously expected. I do like what I'm doing for the most part. But, it was pretty tough towards the end of the year which I'm not used to. I do feel more satisfied and valuable and I like the people I work with. I'm actually working with a group - a team - which I haven't done since the HES days?

Relationship: Me and BJ were really tested this past year. I just felt like he was doing the bare minimum and even below that sometimes. Well he forgot my birthday which was really upsetting. He would just kinda disregard me and my feelings. And I just feel like he thinks if he just buys me dinner and drives me around, that's enough. I also think he has ADHD. He just can't seem to focus, has zero discretion and no social awareness whatsoever. I am worried about when we live together and start having kids how we'll be. But, I love him. I will continue to love him and just hope he'll be better and grow up a little more. Our place is going well. Seems to be on schedule? This may be my last full year living at home. I'm definitely excited to move out.

Hungrylilbean: HLB growth was not great this year. I think I only gained maybe a couple thousand followers on IG and TikTok. BUT, my goal was to gain 5k on lilbeanvlogs on IG and 7k subscribers which I totally surpassed. I actually got some pretty decent money from Youtube but I haven't been posting the last few months so I may lose monetization status soon... I should post more so I don't lose it because it was so hard to get it. But, with my new position, it doesn't allow me to really edit throughout the day and so my only time is at night and a lot of the time, I just wanna relax. Not write scripts or record or edit because those take time too. I do wanna get back into it this year. I do feel a bit uninspired. I really wanna try more cooking content but ugh it's so hard doing it living at home. I can't cook whatever I want for just me. And filming by myself is sooooo hard. I have no idea how food bloggers to it. Also, my stomach sucks. So the thought of eating a lot of food at my expense is so discouraging. I had a bad stomach episode towards the end of the year and it just really leaves a sour taste in my mouth when it comes to food.

One of my more recent hobbies that I started up again was reselling. Though, I'm in the negatives... but it's fun and helps pass the time and get me some side cash... kinda

Overall, this year was tough. We lost Rocky in May. My last grandparent. But, BJ's grandparents have really embraced me and it makes me so happy. A lot of highs as well. I'm excited to travel to Korea in April. I do want to do one more travel this year. BJ turns 25 this year so luckily, we can rent a car and he'll be able to drive so maybe an interisland trip. I'll be closer to 30 this year which is crazy to think about. I have high hopes for this year and excited to see how it goes. Now time to make some goals

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voyeuristicvixen · 10 months

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Capt’s Log No. 41_ FrEeEeEEe

Meroe’s Juneteenth Jam was a great success! Lots of people came out and enjoyed the festivities and all the performances were so inspiring! One day we had 100+ people touching down on the sim and at the end of the event, Strawberry Linden herself came through, it was a highlight of my whole SL experience not gunna lie. Strawberry is a humble and gracious person and Secondlife featured our event on their socials the next day. It was all just really fun and it also happened to be my first time helping to plan and execute an event for the museum in my pops Ras’s absence. It felt really good to know I made him proud. .

H.E.R performed! I absolutely love the messaging in her songs, it was the perfect way to open up the festival and to solidify the vibes of Meroe moving forward. Juneteenth is not a holiday that my pops, or I, celebrate like that... for us, the movement is a constant endeavor. We dont stop with juneteenth in the unifying of our people and diaspora, or in the upliftment and teachings. Its something that has to continue until we are truly free in mind and spirit. We are almost there! But there is still a ways to go.

Father’s day was a difficult day for Yemi and I, her dad has not been able to get online and I honestly didn’t feel or think he would care anymore about us or her. We talked today though and are friends so when he gets back on the grid, he will spend time with her. He said she will always be his daughter. That made me feel good, I told him that now Yemi feels more like mine than before because we get to spend more one on one time together. Lol But shes still a daddy’s girl at heart.

We still in our pink lady era though, I feel like since I lost my old IG page and went through the break up with Wav, people who were following our work and union have since been on different vibes with me. LMAO. I resonate with the pink ladies because they have rumors spread about them and reputations that are controversial or tarnished in some way by the general public and yet they give no fucks and they continue to do what they do regardless. Thats how I feel. People will talk and say whatever they want, FUCKEM.

We got a new dog, Orion! It took me forever to settle on a pupper that fit me and finally found this guy. My first choice was so opposite him, was a doberman! But I love Orion’s personality! It shines through more than any of the other pets I saw in the RezzRoom!

I usually write my little caption paragraphs under the photos and I realize these have all been above. I wonder which flows better. So I got accepted as a Secondlife Mentor! \o/ I literally signed up as soon as I saw the flyer I wasted NO TIME. Its something I was already doing on my free time anyway, so to be official with the tag and training it means so much to me, manifested that shit!

Last week I also got to witness my first probate, I have never been to one before and I know so little about SL greek life. It is a whole other world to me. I like how they raise money for RL causes. I think that is really dope and powerful thing that a virtual roleplay organization can still create real life change through their endeavors. It was such a honor to be asked by Gigi to witness that momentus occasion in her SL journey.

I legitly cried IRL. Anything that has to do with sisterhood, it hits home for me and triggers me deeply. I wish that someday I can be apart of that but I wont hold my breath! lol

I think its really cool that I am suddenly apart of a SL family, we’re so chill laid back and unofficial with how we do things. We dont all have to share the same last name we just uplift and support one another. I got my pops and my brother and my mama bear, DONT MESS WITH US!

The closing ceremony of juneteenth featured this great “Enter the diaspora” exhibit which is still up and you should go see it this week! This was curated by Valentine and she did an amazing job on it! I ended up DJing the party, and it gave me a chance to get in some much needed practice. I look forward to collabing with Jamrock and building up the mystory connections to its best!

The theme was comics, black and queer. I dressed as Nubia! Did you know that Nubia is a lesbian? I did not know that till I came to this exhibit. Theres so many hidden gems here!

Storm block the wind so I can light my joint! XD

#secondlife #secondlifeblog #secondlifeblogger #blackgirlbloggers #blog #secondlifephotography #second life roleplay #mystory #meroemuseum #metaversemuseum #metaverse #secondlifeavatars #secondlifemodel

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hightechinfluencer · 1 year

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Going viral with AI on Instagram

Recently my business partner Topher Welsh and I were able to take his Instagram account from 1k to 125k in only 8 weeks flat. When I tell my friends who are in the influencers what we did they almost can’t believe it. Some of them have almost 100k in followers after 4 years of continued growth. What we did was part luck and part skill with 20 years of experience each behind it. We knew there were some simple methods that could be used to get our content to take off. Marvel babies were born…. Expanding into other pop culture icons.

The Content…

AI is a bad word for artists these days but with it, we were able to post 1–2 times a day. Each post had between 4–8 images all related together. We knew that if we used AI, we would be able to make base images and then Photoshop them to look like the images we wanted. (We are both professional designers.) This method is just like how other artists might use stock images and then edit them into a new piece. There is a misconception that it’s a collage tool that cuts out pieces of other art to make new ones which is incorrect. AI analyzes images and then creates new images based on machine learning algorithms.

[While we use Midjouorney, we do believe that artists should be able to opt out of their trained data set and these generative AIs should be retrained with ethical means. We also believe that retraining should also include non-bias models for a better representation in their outputs. We hope to see this change in the future.]

This is how we did it…

Knowing the Basics:

It’s going to be hard to grow on IG without knowing the basics. There are things you will have to research like which hashtags to use for your content, how to make reels, and what the best starter image for a carousel. These are conditional on your content. Some people may have a great engagement with normal photos and some might find more success with just reels or stories. You will need to research what works for others so you can copy their formula. Our niche was “baby versions of famous pop culture icons”.

4 Quadrant - Method:

I like to use a system called the “4 Quadrant Method” invented by the studio Cineasaurus. It basically pulls from 4 specific areas that allow for content to find maximum reach.

Fandom: You can create content around subject matter that people are already interested like Starwars, Marvel, Ghostbusters, Nascar, cakes, etc. By utilizing these fandoms you can tap preexisting audiences rather than building your own. Just remember to keep your feed of content related to each other in some way. If you build a following around cartoons but then start making content around hiking you have essentially “bait & switched” your followers. They will leave in droves.

Flagpole content: Content released around an event, release, or holiday can give you a boost because people are talking about the subject matter. Our best release over the 6 weeks was that of the Addams Family because the show Wednesday had just been released. It got 3 times more views than the next post. People went as far as getting the pieces tattooed on their bodies!

Quality: You need to be able to judge your content independently. Too many people fall in love with their own work expecting other people to feel the same way about it. That just doesn’t work, coming from a place of a professional we can judge a set of works pick out the best ones then improve upon them. This improves the quality of the page overall.

Marketing: You have to have a distribution system to put your work in other places to guide people back to your page.

It’s not a problem if its a feature - Method:

One of the downsides of using Midjourney as a base is that it has a hard time doing hands and feet. We used this to our advantage. Instead of fixing the issues in photoshop, we made sure to leave them in resulting in people feeling the need to call out the imperfections. This led to more engagement, with the posts spreading their reach. I’ve seen people purposely leave mistakes in their reels as a way of enticing people to leave comments correcting them.

Credit and community!

There was an influx of accounts making things out of our content. They were seen in everything from printed on walls, used in marketing content, reuploaded to wallpaper websites, and even was seen tattooed on people. We asked people to tag and credit the account if they were going to re-upload the content. We had to contact Instagram several times over stolen work and accounts passing them off as their own.

The Metrics… How did we do?

8-week growth Growth: Around 12,400% increase

Accounts reached: 16.9 Million

Accounts engaged: 980k

Engagement: 4.1% Rate

Note: Engagement for Instagram is typically very low across all metrics.

Less than 1% is low engagement

Between 1% and 3.5% is average/good

Between 3.5% and 6% is high (This is where our account ranks)

More than 6% is incredibly high

See the account for yourself on Instagram

Write Up in Bored Panda

If you find this newsletter useful, share or tag a friend.

Got questions? You can DM me directly on Twitter

#aiartcommunity #AIart #art #article

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nyx-b-log · 2 years

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A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

this got long so i put the opinion bit under the cut, spoilers are right at the bottom of the review

read: sep 2022

rating: 3.5 stars (edit: dropped down from a 4)

goodreads page here

summary:

kadou is crown prince of the mahisti empire, and in charge of far too many things in the wake of his sister, the sultan, giving birth to her first child.

when he drops himself into hot water during his attempts to investigate a break-in at the harbour, he is assigned a new guardsman, evemer, and must now deal with his judging gaze along with what is quickly becoming clear is a much larger conspiracy than any of them first thought.

content warnings:

kidnapping, death, anxiety (big, big warning for anxiety), a short scene which can be read as dissociation. (if there’s anything else let me know)

opinion:

tl:dr; i enjoyed it, i don’t think it’s a bad book, but there’s a few issues with it that hamper the enjoyment in retrospect for me. if you’re here for fanfiction-style royal (kink) romance, give it a go, i really think you’ll get something out of it. if you’re here for plot, go elsewhere.

(i use fanfiction-style with love, don’t @ me)

i’ve written and rewritten this review a few times over the past few days now, and i’m finding coming to a conclusion difficult.

on the whole, i enjoyed the time i spent with this book. it took a while to get going but once i got used to the world and the style (about a third of the way through) i devoured the rest. the characters were fun, the dynamics were engaging, the banter was enjoyable.

(the following paragraphs up until “there was plenty to like” are from my original review, pre- more negative rewrite)

it moves back and forth in tone very neatly, from very anxious moments with kadou (both alone and with company), to bright humour (mostly via tadek), to lovely romance.

the characters are fantastic, they all felt very distinct and bounced off each other well. tadek especially had a lot going on with where his relationship to kadou now stands, and his job in general (edit: we’ll come back to him).

but of course our main characters, kadou and evemer, are the most well-developed and they really carry the book (plus the kayhalar as a concept). they’re all imperfect people, very much so, and it’s fun to read them interact and change each other’s world views.

(more melek and tenzin in my life please yes and thank you)

which, speaking of power dynamics, they feel well handled to me in this book. there’s a lot of care shown for how people’s relationships with each other change depending on the situation (kadou and his kayhalar), or across time (kadou and evemer), or even within scenes (kadou and zeliha). (…we needed more evemer exclusive content i think). plus, the characters are conscious of this.

they don’t just dance around the very difficult topic of falling in love with/having sex with your immediate subordinate/superior, they directly talk about it with each other, often. they also talk about it again as people’s positions change around, which i appreciate.

(does it go into kink? maybe probably a little bit. does this fall off in the last third? sort of.)

oh and there’s another thing, communication in this is great, both in terms of the way the actual dialogue is written and how characters approach each other. any time they’re not communicating, it gets addressed by the characters, or at least the narrative. plus they can go to therapy if they want! promotes healthy relationships, and is just, pleasing to read.

(well, therapy, it’s called unburdening and ig is more like a cross between therapy and catholic confession, but to me it definitely leans a lot closer to the therapy side of things, from the brief bit we saw).

the plot felt a little (cough very) weak to me, in that very little would happen for a while, then we would get a lot all at once, and then very little would happen and so on. plus, it was incredibly obvious to me who the perpetrator of the conspiracy was, to the point that i was expecting some kind of twist for who was responsible that never came. plus it drops the plot on you right at the beginning, but it’s so buried in everything else that i didn’t realise until much, much later than i think i was supposed to.

it really does take a while to get going too, i had to reread the first chapter or so cos i got completely lost. it just throws names and stuff at you and expects you to immediately get it, which works in some cases but here it felt a little too much, y’know?

but there was plenty to like!

and as much as i stand by those positive feelings - they didn’t come out of nowhere - the more i’m thinking about this book as the days go by, the quicker those feelings are going away.

why? two main reasons: one, trans erasure, and two, tadek.

(and also kind of a third and fourth but the third is more minor and the fourth i don’t feel comfortable speaking on)

first off the trans erasure.

i’m gonna start this by saying i hope it wasn’t intentional. i hope the author wrote the things they wrote in complete ignorance and that seeing others bring this up they have learned and grown from their mistakes.

for the most part the queer rep in this book is good. there’s a distinct lack of homophobia in the general populace (seems to negatively affect royals, but as much as kadou was worried about it it seemed more about marrying someone he didn’t love? idk, it was inconsistent. anyway), and nonbinary existence is so normalised that it’s kind of heart-warming to see tbh.

however.

there’s a conversation that really sticks out at me, where kadou and tadek are talking about kadou’s probable need to marry for duty rather than love. kadou assumes it will be a woman, says he’d prefer the hypothetical brother, etc. then tadek asks, jokingly “if it’s the cock that’s the problem-” and then kadou gets annoyed at him for being improper or smth and it never comes up again.

…

that’s…hm. i don’t know what tadek would have said. maybe it would have been positive. but it didn’t feel positive, i felt icky reading it at the time and feel icky thinking about it now.

actually thinking about it now, a potential non-binary character isn’t even suggested here. hm.

plus for sultans, it’s mentioned a few times that it’s a person’s ability to give birth to children which is valued (and the person who impregnates is always a body-father which, hm) and though the author tries to work round this by saying that it’s okay for anyone of any gender to be sultan, it really falls flat for me. this obviously doesn’t just affect trans people, but with the tadek thing and the general lack of visible trans people in general (or for that matter any sort of wlw content) it doesn’t add up well.

second, tadek.

tadek starts off as a character with a lot of depth and (i think) the only side character with any kind of side plot. he and kadou were a fwb kind of thing, but kadou was his direct superior, then they’re no longer a thing now cos it’s not possible, tadek has been essentially demoted, it’s a whole thing.

i loved this! it felt very interesting to me and improved both tadek and kadou’s character. it basically informs a good chunk of kadou’s decisions in the first third or so, and the entirety of tadek’s character for most of the time he’s on the page.

but then there’s some conversations, an off-screen thing, and all of that just, goes away?

now, i get that tadek puts on a face around people. i do, and i’m happy we get to see that and how it affects both him and the people he’s around.

but as the romance picks up and the plot meanders along in the background, tadek gets completely sidelined? and his development really suffers for it. he becomes very two-dimensional and only regains any sort of depth when it’s for kadou or evemer’s benefit. i still like his character, but it could have been handled a lot better.

the other two things are that this is probably a converted mo dao zu shi fic which, fine, sure, not my fandom, other people can weigh in on this; and that this is set in an ottoman empire inspired world, and i’ve seen native turkish people uncomfortable and upset with the way it’s presented. i’m not turkish, i know nothing about the ottoman empire, i won’t add an opinion here.

anyway this is getting way too long.

i don’t think this is a bad book. there’s clearly a lot of love in here and there’s some really excellent scenes.

but there’s also some unavoidable issues with the book that i don’t want to ignore.

in conclusion, i don’t think this is a book worth going out of your way for, but if you’ve spent any amount of time on the m/m tag on ao3, you’ll absolutely get something out of this.

SPOILERS BELOW

spoilery bits

they got married? they got fucking married????? honestly this was a bit unbelievable for me, if just cos nobody was there to officiate or anything? so they just needed to say the words and believe them and it would have been fine? who knows, i’m weirdly okay with it.

presumably the sequel is going to be sitcom level shenanigans, cos nobody knows they’re married (well except tadek) so that can only go poorly (complimentary).

#book review #bookblr #a taste of gold and iron #alexandra rowland #lgbtq+#fantasy #apparently this is SFF but i didn't get any SF #so make of that what you will #this got very long and i'm sorry #but i needed to think it over some more #do other people agree?#am i being too harsh?#scheduled

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