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colourstreakgryffin · 7 months

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Can you do Tanjiro x fem!reader where he accidentally hurts her? Like, he’s asleep and having a nightmare and reader is trying to wake him up and when he wakes up he punches her cause it was a nightmare about demons.

I hope this makes sense😭

Ommmmggg. Tanjiro will be so upset about that! I’m totally doing this, loves! Thank you!

Kamado Tanjiro- Truly Accidental

No… no… no. It was a accident. Tanjiro swears it! He wasn’t trying to put his hands on you! He was just having a truly vivid dream and he felt his body acting on it’s own. It made him swing at literally nothing, despite the fact his visions were merely fantasy

He truly woke up a familiar pained gasp and loud thud. His plum reds widened in shock and horror at the image before him, it tore his heart out and stomped all over it ten times fold. You, on your flat back and holding your cheek

No. He didn’t punch you, did he? Tanjiro is so panicked and concerned, his head screaming at him with such hateful comments, as he tries his best to crawl over to you to try fix the situation, his heart shattering at the way you flinch

He didn’t mean it… he was so sorry

“D-Dokusha… I’m so sorry… I-I… I didn’t mean to do that, I just—” Tanjiro whispered out in a plunge of disbelief and terror at his own subconscious actions. He woke up from such a horrific, hyperrealistic nightmare consisting of him throwing it down with a wave of rabid demons bare-fisted. He couldn’t believe he could take those monsters down without his katana but his fighting spirit and survival instincts kicked in to try defend himself

You, on the other hand, was sleeping peacefully and cuddled up to your lovely fiancé, Tanjiro when you felt his calloused hands grip your kimono a bit tighter, unintentionally stirring you awake as you scanned over his frowning expression and tighter clamped-shut eyes. He was asleep but imagining a not-so-pleasant situation in his unconscious headspace

In intense worry for your fiancé’s health, you begun to shake Tanjiro’s still frame with no response from him for almost a whole minute after whispering out his name repetitively and repetitive requests for him to wake himself up for far too long for your anxiety to handle. You needed to wake him up and comfort him over that obvious nightmare he was experiencing when the second his eyes shot open, his mighty fist swung at your face and flung you over the futon to the nearby wooden-pane floor. Both of you were really fear-struck and shocked at his actions

“Wait. Please, I-I swear I would never hurt you… I-I’m sorry, I love you. Come back…” Tanjiro whispers weakly at your horrified eyes glaring at him, tears welling up in his own glassy eyes as his brain tried its best to process exactly what happened. He couldn’t believe a single ounce of this situation and the fact it actually happened by his own fist. Why did he punch you when you weren’t a demon? How was that dream so realistic that it made him lash out at his beautiful spouse!

You sniffed softly at him, slowly raising up to sit and maintaining eye contact. Tanjiro was using everything he had to keep himself from crying as his guilt and shame piled up to an uncontrollable rate. How could he make it up to you when he was the one who caused you fear and pain? He would never forgive himself for this incident and he was very tempted to sleep in the kitchen or slice his own fingernails as punishment

He should be able to control himself. Hurting somebody important to him like Nezuko or Giyuu is a awful one thing, but hurting the one person he has developed such a powerful romantic love for such as you, it makes him feel like a worthless pile of shit. Rather it was a accident or not, he was ready to take the blame and accept you yelling at him… but you never did

You gently stroked his face to try comfort him, tears rolling over the soft skin of your hand as he went to protest at your kindness. He doesn’t deserve empathy after hurting you, you’re the victim. Why are you acting like he deserves forgiveness? You keep up a soft smile, further highlighting that nasty reddish mark on your cheek where his full-power fist landed and the mark he made caused his heart to stop beating for a second or two. Tanjiro kept his gaze on you, trying to process everything all at once even though, he just couldn’t keep himself composed anymore

“Dokusha… I don’t get it… I-I hurt you… I just punched you when you tried to wake me up… w-why are you—”

“Because I love you too, Kamado Tanjiro”

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three--rings · 6 months

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There's something I think is important to say, in the wake of the season finale.

And that is that Izzy Hands' death wouldn't be such a huge blow to Izzy fans if the fandom had treated them better for the last year and a half.

Losing a beloved character can be devastating. I personally have cried for days over it. (In retrospect I had Other Shit going on that made me extra susceptible.)

But Izzy fans have been through the wringer. Outcast and targeted for abuse in the fandom, accused of every kind of derangement and personal flaw, death threats, doxxing, organized harassment campaigns.

I don't even know most of it, because I'm not someone who spent time in the Izzy trenches, I still got death threats for talking about him. But I saw things that really made me disgusted with the whole fandom.

Then they got the high of being proved right by S2 in their interpretation of Izzy's character. The writers agree with Izzy fans, full stop. And just when it seemed like all the shit might be over and have been...IDK worth it? Rewarded?

Well, then he's killed off.

I understand the rage, the grief, the despair to feel like you were finally getting the thing you wanted from a show and then to have it soured. (coughTheMagicianscough)

I think it's important for the fandom, if it doesn't want to descend back into toxic sludge, to have some compassion and tolerance of Izzy fans emotional reaction. Talking shit about the fans that just experienced a great loss is not a class move.

Please try to have an ounce of empathy and humanity.

Because it's only NATURAL in in such a hostile fandom environment, Izzy fans grew deeply attached to their messed up little guy. They suffered abuse for it. That only makes things more intense.

I've been there, multiple times. It fucking sucks. We all are having a lot of emotions about the finale, and the very least we can do is to not turn on fellow fans.

I have very little hope for this fandom not turning back into a dumpster fire, because frankly the track record is POOR. But, well, figured I give it a shot in the dark.

#ofmd #ofmd s2 #ofmd s2 spoilers #ofmd fandom #izzy hands #izzy fucking hands #(my personal izzy tag)

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neil-gaiman · 2 years

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Dear Neil.

There's a tragedy happening in Iran, we're being shot in the streets, my brothers and sisters are dying, my government is committing war crimes and as a fellow human being I'm desperately asking for your help to raise awareness.

Mahsa Amini was a 22-year-old woman who was brutally murdered by the Islamic Republic of Iran's so-called "morality police." Her crime? Showing hair in public and "dressing inappropriately." Any human being with a pair of working eyes who has seen pictures of her prior to her murder can see that not only was her dress not inappropriate, but also that she (and a lot of women in Iran) had covered herself more than any other woman in any other part of world is obligated to.This sparked fury among the people of Iran and a wave of nation-wide protests broke out as the result. But don't get it wrong. This was only the straw that broke the camel's back and was the result of 43 years of unmitigated oppression and cruelty that the people of Iran have been subjected to. Every Iranian is branded a Muslim from birth and they're not given a choice. You cannot identify as an atheist and other religious minorities are treated horribly with a lot of their rights stripped from them. There's been a long history of cruelty against Bahai people in Iran, for example. We're not forced to be muslims in name only. We're also forced to act like muslims and learn all the muslim teachings, hijab being one of the many ideals shoved down our throat. And of course, converting from Islam to other religions or no religion is punishable by death. This savagery is not part of our culture or law; it is not part of any humanitarian law to kill women for showing hair and exercising their right to bodily autonomy for that matter.Up until now, the government forces have been violent and ruthless in their attempts to stump out our protests. They've shot people from a 63 year old woman to a 10 year old girl, killing them all without mercy. The Internet has been cut out in several places and reportedly, they've brought out tanks and used military-grade bullets in the city of Sanandaj, where the Internet has been shut down for two days as of September 21. Meanwhile, president Ibrahim Raisi is giving a lecture in the UN, babbling about saving the people of Palestine and justice in the world while his own forces are brutally murdering ordinary people and protesters in Iran.At this point, we're in danger of being cut off from the world when the whole internet finally shuts down. This is not a speculation. The same thing happened in the nation-wide protests of 2019 and the government proceeded to kill all the protesters in absolute radio silence. A lot of protesters were found with cement blocks tied to their ankles and thrown in the river after the successfully stumped the protests out. We don't want the same thing to happen to our children and people again. If you hear no more news from Iran, things haven't settled down. We are being silently killed off and executed.You might think you don't have anything to do with this, but think again about why you all involved yourselves in the war between Ukraine and Russia. This is not any different. Our people have waged a war against their government and none of them are people who willingly chose violence. They are normal people who want nothing more than a normal life, which is what the Islamic regime has taken from them. If you have an ounce of humanity and empathy within yourself, you'll spread the word around and not let this injustice go unanswered and unpunished.There's nothing more to be said.

As an Iranian woman who always read your books and who always raised up her voice, I need help now. We can Breathe anymore! I fought for poc, I raised my voice for ukraine. Now I need yours. I'm a young author. I can have a future... a free one! but my government took it from me. Please be my voice ... our voice!!

I'm happy to let people know, yes. And it's heartbreaking.

Here's the BBC on what's happening:

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adokyoguen · 4 months

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Can you write a fic where Muzan sees the reincarnation of his late wife who he married when he was a human.

★۰ ໋࣭ muzan x reader.

omg I really liked this request so much that I wanted to do two parts, lol

this will be before Muzan finds the reincarnation of his late wife okay? I hope you like it and I'll be posting the second part soon :)

note: any grammatical errors made, please ignore. English is not my first language so I ask for patience :((

Muzan was never affectionate, at least the upper moons never noticed a feeling of empathy or an ounce of happiness in muzan. Everyone described him as spiteful and insensitive, he sees no value in humans. To his subordinates... he never showed respect.

But what no one knew was that a long time ago, Muzan actually had a family, he didn't have children, but Muzan has a wife, or rather, he did. She died a long time ago, he didn't even remember her face anymore, like, it was more than a thousand years alive as a demon... how could he remember? But he remembered all the effort she had put into giving her husband as much comfort as possible. Muzan was currently in the Infinity Castle, testing some experiments, but it seemed like something was wrong, the man felt something draining his energy. Even if it was 0.1%, he could feel it.

Was this some effect of the experiment? No... Muzan knew very well what he was messing with, and no side effects involved mental fatigue, especially from the first Oni that existed. Maybe it was his intrusive thoughts about humans that ended up leading him to you. He really hated humans, he wouldn't hesitate in the slightest to take one's life, but with you... was it different?

When he turned into an oni, you were there, in fact neither of you two understood very well what had happened to Muzan, but you never treated him with indifference... you had a pure heart, too pure to live in this world cruel, too pure to be rotten.

On the one hand, he would have immensely wished that it had been him who had killed you, it would have been much more dignified than a simple death from natural causes, at least for you. It's ironic to say that Muzan fell in love with you precisely because of your pure heart, since the man was totally the opposite. Even if you were here, Muzan wouldn't be the same caring husband he was years ago, but deep down, he would know that you would never give up on him.

Muzan sat on the chair, trying to clear his mind to return to the experiment, he cursed you deeply for appearing in his thoughts just when he was busy with something that could revolutionize the lives of oni's.

But then... there you were.

Muzan raised his head after feeling a presence in the same room as him, the man knew that Nakime wouldn't put anyone in the infinite castle if it weren't for Muzan's own request, so why is he feeling watched?

The answer was you.

For some reason that even he couldn't describe, you were there, exactly as you were buried, for a split second, he might have thought he was going crazy, but he didn't want to think about it. Muzan got up from the chair and approached his late wife, you looked so... cold. He didn't show any hint of emotion in his eyes when he raised his hand to touch your cheek, that touch wasn't a form of affection, it was just a test to see if he could feel your skin.

And the answer was no, the hand instantly passed across her figure. How were you here? Had he cursed his soul or something? Haven't you rested in peace all these years?

— Y/N?— Muzan calls you, hoping that you could respond.

Hope, this word is something he hasn't had for many years, of course his greatest hope was the blue Spider Lily Flower, but he never felt hope in the human race. But well... you're not human anymore, so he didn't care about his momentary weakness.He watched her hand come up and land on his hand, which was flying across his cheek. Muzan felt his senses scramble when you gave him a smile, that smile he thought he would never see again.

Muzan never left his cold expression, after years of being an oni and killing people... he no longer felt anything inside him, and at that moment, it was the same. His thoughts were interrupted with smoke filling the place, Muzan hurried to move the container that was causing this away from his table, so that the smoke would stop.

His gaze turned to you, but you weren't there. The man looked at the room he was in, looking for any sign of his presence, even though he felt that there was no one else with him. Muzan sat in his chair again, looking at the blueprint he was studying on his desk.

Brugmansia suaveolens of course... how did he not think of that before? The man took his notebook from the table, where he had notes about the variations of plants on the planet.

Brugmansia is a genus of seven species of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae. They are woody trees or shrubs, with pendulous flowers, and have no spines on their fruit. Their large, fragrant flowers give them their common name of angel's trumpets, adjacent to the nickname devil's trumpets of the closely related genus Datura.

Side effects of Brugmansia include nausea, vomiting, dry eyes, increased heart rate, dizziness and visual hallucination.

#muzan kibutsuji #demon slayer muzan #muzan x reader #kyn #kimetsu no yaiba #kny muzan #tanjiro kamado #nezuko kamado #demon slayer #zenitsu agatsuma #inosuke hashibira #upper moons #romance #dark romance

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shutupineedtothink · 7 months

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I’m still s h o o k that people do not see exactly what’s going on with Moiraine throughout s2 and people are dragging her and dismissing her without an ounce of empathy for what she’s been through, so I’m bringing the full character analysis for y’all (and my own sanity). So this is a big ol in defense of Moiraine (and Lan) rant, so if that’s not your thing, scroll down now. Here we go.

I just… The AUDACITY some people have to look at Moiraine and be angry and pissed off at how she acts in S2. To not feel any sympathy and empathy for her and the monumental weight she’s under every goddamn day. There’s a reason we start with that bath scene in 2x01 – it shows you everything. How she’s just going through the motions. How she only lets herself cry when she’s alone in the water. How she literally curls into the fetal position and looks reproachfully devastated over her knees as she hugs them to her chest in a futile attempt at comfort. Not to mention the direct comparison/callback with the bath scene in 1x01, where she has both her power and Lan still, and now she’s lost her connection to both of them.

How is it not painfully obvious that every interaction she has after that bath scene is infused with a trauma response? Let’s tally up the devastation she’s been through. At the end of S1, she was 1. banished from the sisterhood of the white tower (they literally turned their backs on her), 2. was separated AGAIN from the love of her life fully expecting to never see her again, 3. was cut off from the other love of her life (that would be Lan, for the record) which is all the worse bc it’s her own fault for masking the bond, 4. was fully made to believe she’s been stilled from the one power aka an integral part of her being, AND 5. she’s “failed” her mission at the eye of the world – the one goal she’s had for the last 20 years, her life’s purpose – because instead of locking away the dark one she’s directly caused Rand to set Ishamael free.

You don’t think it's justified to be a little pissed off and standoffish after all of that? You don’t think the weight of that guilt, grief, pain, and loss is a reasonable cause to be distant, cold, harsh, having a little bit of a death wish? That’s TRAUMA, baby! She is absolutely wrecked, and it’s coming out in the worst way in her interactions with others (especially Lan because we’ve seen how they should be), but it’s absolutely not because she actively wants to hurt the people around her. In fact after almost every moment she lashes out at someone, we see an equally sad/grief-stricken/devastated moment from her and THAT’S the real emotion hiding underneath the anger. This woman needs therapy and understanding and patience, and does not deserve to be judged at the worst time of her life.

Ok fine, you say, but Lan IS patient and understanding with her! And she’s still an asshole to him! You’re right, Lan is absolutely trying his best and doing just about everything he can to be there for her in 2x01/2x02 (with a little help from Verin and Tomas). But 1. It’s STILL not about him, Moiraine is not obligated to respond in a certain way to her grief and pain that makes him feel better, and 2. This is Moiraine goddamn Damodred and even her trauma response is also a front to protect him, to push him away from her and what is now certainly a suicide mission to fight the dark without her powers.

This is SOOO important to really get Moiraine’s character — y’all gotta understand this: Moiraine truly loves only TWO people on the whole fucking planet: Siuan and Lan. They are also the only people who truly love her, unconditionally, with all of her flaws and imperfections. Please please ingrain that into your brain, especially for Lan, in this context. (Siuan is a whole other conversation I won’t get into at the moment.) Moiraine loves Lan, he loves her, deeply. That’s the foundation of everything they go through with each other in this season, despite what’s happening on the surface.

Once you accept that as fundamental truth, everything makes a whole lot more sense. She is a dick to him to push him away. Literally tells him he failed her to put the final nail in the coffin of driving him away, which is his worst nightmare. On the surface it seems egotistic at best, plain cruel at worst. But look underneath. Moiraine always has reasons 2, 3, 6 layers deep for everything she does.

With everyone else she’s mean to this season, namely her sister and her nephew, it’s born out of distrust (and the aforementioned trauma response). She can’t afford to trust anyone because anyone could be a dark friend. (And if they’re not a dark friend, then they become a liability and endangered.) Anything she lets slip could be used to hurt/control Rand and push them all one step closer to eternal darkness. Oh and when we see Barthanes’ true nature that turns out to be fucking justified, by the way. But I digress.

Right so why is she an asshole to Lan then? Because she doesn’t trust him? I don’t believe that for a second. These two have been on the same page, literally sharing the same headspace, for the last 20 years – she knows he’s the best person she’s ever met, the least likely to ever turn to the dark, ever. It’s an actual impossibility. So it’s not that she doesn’t trust him. She literally marvels at how courageous he must be to fight the dark with only a sword.

The true reason is: she does trust him, she does love him, and she KNOWS him. She knows that he will never leave her like this, in her darkest hour. He is both honor-bound to her (which he takes very seriously) and deeply cares for her. The problem is that now his life is in serious danger by staying with her. But there is no calmly explaining to him that he should return to the white tower for his own good and bond to another aes sedai who can actually channel, who can actually hold up her end of the partnership and protect him and heal him in return for his loyalty and sacrifice. Or better yet, find Nynaeve, who is not only ridiculously powerful and has probably the best chance of protecting him out of anyone, but who also loves him.

If Moiraine loves him and wants him safe, the ONLY option she has to protect him, the one good thing left in her life even if their bond is masked, is to drive him away. To make it so that he’ll stay far away from her of his own free will, and never come after her and her suicide mission to defeat the dark. Because she has already lost everything, she has no control over her fate anymore (if she ever had any to begin with), but the ONE thing she can still try to do is keep him safe. And hopefully, maybe he’ll be happy, one day. Her reasoning is directly confirmed for us in the last thing she says to him in 2x02 before she leaves: “Light protect you, al’Lan Mandragoran.” That was her goal all along, to protect him.

That’s the true reason she’s Like That to him. It’s all out of her love for him, and a desperate desire not to drag him down with her when she’s sure she’s destined to die on this mission. Is her strategy misguided? On the one hand yes, because she does need people to help her and she needs to trust someone, as he points out. On the other hand, she’s absolutely fucking right because look what happened with the Fade fight at the end of 2x01. Both her and Lan would have died without Verin and Tomas, and it would have been because she couldn’t channel. He is factually, logically, physically better off without her as long as she’s “stilled.”

This is why it makes sense how Lan eventually responds the way he does. He initially sees right through what she’s trying to do, he literally says he won’t let her push him away. He knows her too, better than anyone, including Siuan at this point. But he isn’t expecting her to go as far as she does, and it shakes him to his core. She tells him he failed her, has his worst fears confirmed, and then hears the words “we were never equals” and hears that she thinks she’s better than him, when she means the exact opposite. Tomas tells him to really listen but he can’t, in that moment.

But then he gets some distance, and some perspective thanks to Ihvon and Maksim, and he remembers: he loves her. He believes in her and he knows her and he knows what she’s doing to push him away (although maybe not why, when it comes to protecting him, because he doesn’t see himself as someone who needs protecting). Even better, he realizes that her situation is actually not what she thinks, that she’s shielded not stilled, and he can do something about that.

I LOVE Lan in 2x07 because he’s got Moiraine’s number now, and he will not be swayed by any further attempts (rather weak attempts at this point) to lash out at him. He just takes all the shit she throws at him, and calmly asks her what he needs to know and tells her what she needs to hear (“hopefully everything we’ve lost” and “that’s what I thought” and “you need to trust someone, Moiraine”), and is truthful with her even if she is still putting on this act with him in her fear and grief. He isn’t having any of it, he sees straight through it to the fear and pain underneath. And he literally DECIDES they are going to be okay, and then he fucking. Follows. Through.

He is not a doormat to her rage, he is not her servant, he’s not going back to her with his tail between his legs. He SHOWS UP for her in her darkest hour, when NO ONE, not even Siuan, can see what’s going on with her. That’s a true friend, a true hero, and absolute king behavior.

In conclusion, Moiraine’s behavior in s2, while not cute, is totally justified given the trauma, circumstances and everything she’s dealing with (jfc the lack of sleep alone) and makes sense in light of her ultimate goal to protect the world, which includes protecting Lan. And Lan’s response, once he figures out what to do, is the absolute correct way to handle the situation and is not weakness at all but strength in the highest order.

I’m so glad we got the payoff of all that with their conversation in 2x08 and reconnecting the bond. It was so beautiful, so earned, and reminded us of the level they’re on with each other — which is a soul connection way beyond what any of us can imagine.

#well this kind of turned into a ‘why I love Moiraine and Lan so much’ post #I could literally analyze every conversation they had in this season for days #it’s so layered and so well done #not to mention the body language/facial expressions #like if you think Moiraine is just being a bitch this season you are’t paying attention #like at all #but seriously it’s the lack of empathy that kills me the most #do you people see what she’s been through???#make this a learning opportunity bc god forbid something traumatic happens to anyone you love #and your response is to dismiss them if they react in a way that’s not ideal for you #Lan is teaching us all how to show up for the people we love #and I love him for that #wheel of time #the wheel of time #moiraine damodred #lan mandragoran #wot #wot on prime #moiraine and Lan #wot season 2 #wot s2

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waokevale · 4 months

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Looks at you with my eyes sitting in front of you like I'm interrogating you (but it's actually a really nice cozy room). I have heard tale of this WXwood ship. Tell me what you find compelling about the ship I'm considering joining you in WXwood land. Literally just say words at me I'm listening

Alright, very well then, so I shall! 🫡

At first, it was kind of an ironic ship for me, because they seemed like the classic "opposites attract"

But once I got digging, I found they're not actually that opposite, they share plenty of things in common and neither is actually a black or white character. Inevitably I became enthralled with this ship and now it's one of my top 3 or so OTPs.

Here's my reasoning and what I found:

1. WX-78 is actually a bit of a softie if you dig through their quotes enough. They act tough and logical to presumably hide whatever ounce of empathy they have left, that didn't escape them completely. (But they're not doing too good of a job)

Etc. They either use this uncharacteristically soft tone or hide a kind gesture or well-intentioned thought behind robotically constructed sentences and insults.

And of course, I don't have to show the quotes for machines or metallic structures, since WX openly sees them as their family and acts basically the same as Wormwood does with plants.

Meanwhile, Wormwood isn't always an empathetic creature. He can sometimes be callous, apathetic and even have favorites amongst plants (and people too), though he doesn't directly state that. He also isn't as dumb as he portrays himself to be, he definitely knows something, but either has too limited English speaking skills or is actively choosing not to say much.

He often sobs or cries when a creature dies, but there are times he reacts with either "whoops", "oh" or "too bad" like it's a small inconvenience at best.

And those are only some of the examples (I can't show them all since I'm answering this on my phone and therefore there's an image limit)

2. Here's a reason why, despite being vastly different at first, they'd ultimately become friends:

WX-78 actually likes plenty of things that correspond to Wormwood, it's likely for them to eventually settle, once they know enough about him.

And what are those things they like, you might ask?

Bees (going back to their previous quote) since WX is frankly enamored by bees, and since Wormwood blooms, there's countless of them surrounding him. if they were to hang around him, they'd hang around bees too. 👌

Their quote for green gem is: "PRESSURE AND IMPURITIES HAVE PRODUCED PLEASING PERFECTION" which is. well. Something.

They're very fond of pumpkins, describing them as: "IT HAS A PLEASANT SHAPE" while their seed as "IT IS A SOURCE CODE FOR PLEASING PLANTS" And guess who just happens to have a pumpkin skin ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

The lunar affinity. WX practically WORSHIPS the moon, it wouldn't be surprising that, if they found about this aspect about him, they'd get very excited and embrace it, because c'mon, it's the moon. They have dozens of quotes describing how THE MOON IS SUPERIOR, I wouldn't be able to fit all of them into this post, just trust me on that.

WX-78 doesn't hate all organic life, besides they're just playing out a role. But they do certainly appreciate some plants, such as potatoes and lureplants. The former because they can relate to them (potato battery) and the latter because "AWW, IT'S JUST AS EVIL AS I AM". Would it be too farfetched if with his influence they'd grow to appreciate organic life more?

3. Wormwood's quote for W.A.R.B.I.S armor suggests that he admires WX and would like to mimic them. (Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery after all)

4. The survivors farming animation is quite charming, I certainly loved their small interaction there. They're also shown in the official Return Of Them vignette, farming on the side.

5. I like the fact that one of them is afraid of water and the other of fire. Adds an interesting dynamic.

6. They just work. Despite wanting to "DOMINATE ALL ORGANIC LIFE" WX-78 appreciates people who can stand up for themselves. I'd guess Wormwood would be a huge pushover at first, no doubt, but with their influence, he would certainly have to grow a spine (metaphorically speaking)

Likewise, WX-78 struggles to show kindness to non-robotic creatures, because they fear they might come off as WEAK and SENTIMENTAL. Things they loathe to expose about themself. Wormwood could help them show that it's okay to love organic friends and be nice to others! (sometimes at least.)

I'd say they balance out each other perfectly and that is quite rare to see in modern pairings. While they'd definitely struggle to get along at first, they'd surely grow fond of the other one day :)

I hope this convinced you. if not, I'll try and dig up some more stuff. Then again, keep in mind that there aren't many canon character interactions besides whatever crumbs we've got from their quotes and official animations.

#dst #wxwood #dst wx78 #dst wormwood #why you should ship them #hear me out!!!#they actually work great together

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midgardian-witch · 8 months

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casings by ethel cain has so much nathan angst potential😵‍💫

I absolutely agree, anon!

I did want to write a little smth inspired by that. Not sure I managed to get the angst across as much as I would have liked but at this point I've been working too long at this and if I keep editing it will only get worse 😅

(Not) Good Enough

relationships: Nathan Bateman/Reader, Nathan Bateman/his fuckbots

AO3

"F-fuck. You're so tight. You’re fucking milking me."

This was a terrible idea from the start. You should have never opened those live feeds.

Nathan always went to bed extremely late, usually stuck working on the latest update for something BlueBook related or something for his latest personal project. Meanwhile you were lying in bed, unable to sleep. So you crawled over to Nathan's desk, because of course that workaholic would keep a desk in his bedroom, and logged into his computer.

And then you opened the live feeds.

Knowing it is one thing but seeing it with your own eyes? That hurt more than a dagger through the heart.

While you were lying in bed waiting for Nathan to join you, he was busy bending his latest android in two and ramming his dick into her synthetic pussy.

The sight would have been hot at some point, earlier into or even before your relationship. Now it just reminds you that you're not enough, never enough.

You need a certain type of confidence when you're in a relationship with Nathan Bateman. It's not easy when the man you love is building androids in his basement that look like either supermodels or pornstars. And then fucks them into oblivion for their test run.

(Ok, not his basement. His remote research facility in the middle of nowhere that he built himself and in which you both live in. Small difference.)

And it’s a certain type of cruelty when the man you love tells you not to worry, that he loves you, that you are all he needs and wants, and then he leaves to fuck his android with bigger boobs, a bigger ass and clearer skin a few rooms down.

You had discussed it beforehand, of course. Him fucking his androids was no secret even before you got together.

"They aren't human, more like a sex toy really," or so was his reasoning.

You knew what you were getting into. But it chips away at you slowly nonetheless. And while you know that you shouldn't compare yourself to the perfect little robots Nathan builds you can't stop yourself.

It's exhausting having to fight your own thoughts.

You've tried your best to be a good partner, to support him in any way you can, to please him with everything you have. You stopped counting the times you've snuck under his desk to suck his cock, to keep it warm for him while he works. Of course an android doesn't walk away from that with aching knees and a hurting jaw. No, they are perfect. And you're not.

You've tried to talk to Nathan about your growing fears, your doubts and anxiety. In his Nathan-ness he tries his best to reassure you:

"Do you really think I would keep you around if I didn't need or want you here?"

Nathan Bateman; truly a man of tact, empathy and emotional intelligence. You used to enjoy the snarky banter with him, to tease him until he finally showed even an ounce of emotion, of affection. Now it's just another thing that leaves you drained and unsatisfied.

With the perfectly pitched moans of his newly developed fuckbot as your background music you can feel yourself go numb. You're trapped, the sounds and sights of Nathan pounding into this nameless female figure looping over and over again.

With a start you wake up from your nightmare. You haven't heard from Nathan at all since you left. Instead your own mind doesn't let you rest even if the man you used to love doesn't care about you enough to look for you.

You still mourn your relationship, or at least how your relationship could have been. If you would have been more understanding, if he would have listened more. The what ifs are no comfort as you cry yourself to sleep at night.

At this point you're sure there is something wrong with you, to cry over a man like Nathan. But at least he can't see you like this. And he will never know the heartache he caused.

#nathan bateman #nathan bateman x reader #nathan bateman/reader #ask answered #ex machina #fran-writes #ethel cain anon

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intersectionalpraxis · 4 months

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Can I be blunt and rant for a minute? Because I've had it up to here with the way Western "news" is coddling Zionists. They keep dragging this Zionist parent of one of the hostages to stir pity because she has cancer and wants to see her daughter again. The superiority complexes of these people astounds and disgusts me. They really believe their lives are worth more than anyone else's - certainly more than a Palestinian's. Meanwhile, this morning I saw a video on Twitter of a mother in Gaza being told that her toddler was dead. She'd been trying to have him for fifteen years! 15! Imagine trying for a baby for over a decade and then only having that child for, what, three years? It's heartbreaking and infuriating all at once but all the news cares to talk about is how we should feel bad for this Zionist woman! I have no pity for her or her daughter or any hostages/prisoners of war/whatever. They partied on stolen land. They brought their fate on themselves but these poor children committed no crime but to be born in Gaza!

Free Palestine! 🇵🇸

💯💯💯 I wholeheartedly agree with your stance! Selective empathy is poisonous and insensitive -mainstream western media has done NOTHING but paint the IOF as justified in their settler-colonial terrorism, and have not given an ounce of their reporting to truly unveil what is going on and to fully display the disproportionate amount of violence and oppression Palestinian people have been through for decades -and especially over these past 101 days of genocide (which was been watered down as a 'war against Hamas.')

There are ENDLESS stories I can share about Palestinian prisoners who have been tortured, deprived of medical care and treatment, and who have been locked away in solitary confinement for inhuman periods of time -some of whom, when they returned were unable to recognize their families, and some of whom who had cancer or serious illnesses that were neglected and ignored. For anyone who does not follow Palestine Captives on X/Twitter, please do. They share the stories of Palestinians held captive and who were released.

I don't have any pity for an occupied force either, and I have little sympathy for stories like that zionist there because the IOF has thousands of children in their prison cells, and many more that are being malnourished, abused, and beaten to a state of near-death or who end up being killed. The sheer cognitive dissonance of zionists -of only seeking 'humanity' when it concerns their settler state.

Like, even objectively (which is clearly something the western media lacks), nobody would disagree that it's awful -having your child being held as a prisoner of war or as a hostage -but that includes Palestinian people and their children too -how many of their children have been kidnapped, robbed of their childhoods, and murdered by a terrorist state?? It's just baffling to me. The double standards are beyond inappropriate and vile.

Showing 'one side' of a story is always dangerous -and that, yes, especially includes the zionist entity, who has done nothing but perpetuate the 'we are always the victim card,' and it's disgusting.

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joesalw · 5 months

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“All he wanted was to live in peace and she's so shitty she's making sure that's the one thing he'll never have. Anyone with an ounce of empathy and out of respect, would at the very least just don't stir shit and let him live his life. “

This. This. This. He’s not opening his mouth. He’s not causing a scene. His friends and family are quiet as a mouse. He’s not even unfollowing her childish friends on social media (I beg of you Joe - please let them all go). He just wants peace and a quiet life and to do work that he cares about. Not to be in the middle of this shit storm that his ex continues to put him in.

What is even worse is his family has been going through some stuff this year and she has never let up. She truly does not give a fuck. They never should have had to worry about what Taylor continues to stir up and what impact that may have to Joe, yet here we are. Praying for a better 2024 for that whole family.

it's so disheartening to witness actually

#joe alwyn #anti taylor swift

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inlocusmads · 4 months

Text

[spoilers, long pissy rant ahead]

okay, i have some thoughts. Haven't finished the chapter yet, as of writing this post, but I still have some thoughts.

okay but like, I'm happy that MC was allowed to talk about their feelings but I just hate it that it's ALSO dismissed and condensed into a couple of dialogues, like EVERYONE, mc literally almost died so many times it physically hurts they didn't get more than just that one ONE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.

I don't want to compare but think of all those times Nia, Tyril, Imtura and Mal were comforted and that too it was taken seriously with long-term payoffs at the very least or callbacks to those moments of healing and learning.

It doesn't make any sense! Where was this foreshadowing that MC was "about to break into pieces"? Where was this acknowledged in the narration, apart from a few moments of empathy extended to other characters? And yet, everyone else had "plenty of time" to confide in MC. (I know I'm being nitpicky here, but I'm so mad that the one person who attempted to patch together the group again at the start of Book 2 still got treated like shit. This reasoning doesn't make an ounce of sense at all, apart from MC wanting to spare their friends the additional guilt - if you want to take it in that context.)

MC! DID YOU NOT LEARN ANYTHING AT ALL? HOW IS IT THAT EVERYONE ELSE IN THE PARTY HAD SOME REFORMATION ARC GOING ON (albeit a swiftly written one) BUT YOU DON'T???

First off Valax? Girly she tried to steal your blood. I know there's a nice Valax/MC buddy-buddy situation going on/relationship going on but this is just extremely not okay of the writers to dismiss MC's own feelings and true thoughts. And what do you mean, "just a little blood, no scars"? "asleep for all of it"?? Like make it make sense! Either MC is referring to how Valax kidnapped her ("little blood" HA) or the fact that they walked unscathed, which is a huge understatement - like my child, you were almost fucking killed! Stop downplaying everything!

Honestly I would accept it if it were an internal characteristic of MC to go all Mal and be like 'yeah it's just a scratch' but in the other times when they're allowed to be open with their emotions and this time, they're robbed of the only opportunity to do so, I'm going FUCKING FERAL.

I dunno, I just feel like this is just a horridly rushed scene for no reason at all. They could have cut back on the Elf-recruitment scene to give MC a chance - give us a chance to talk about it, but nope. I don't know, I feel like it was STILL half-assed.

Blades, stop making fun of death and all those 'getting killed' jokes. It isn't funny anymore. It grew stale by the start of book 2 and now it's like PB can't write new humour material anymore without making it Mal's entire personality or the subject of Tyril's disappointment or Imtura's ammunition for one-liners or Nia's excuse to gape at it in horror. Stop. Please. I just feel like it's been overdone so much, we don't know if the characters are struggling or anything.

Angst is a good tool to use to highlight MC's motivations or be it any characters and yet IT IS KADE WHO SUPPLIES IT!

THIS HAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL TO BE A SUBJECT MATTER and yet of-fucking-course they have to paywall the social quest. fuck you pb. mental health's already expensive as it is.

The fact that MC has no intention to bring it up - bring up how much they missed their brother before Kade does is just the icing on the cake. Like come on, PB. For once, I want a non-paywalled scene that acknowledges this in writing - a proper conversation with Kade for once. Because paywalled scenes are usually up to the choice of the player to take and it is downright cruel for MC to not have any interaction with people until you shovel out gems. Without the social quests, everyone's personalities are so hollow. It actually hurts. Premium options used to be for collectibles, unlock bonus scenes, maybe even level up, etc, but to see characterisations - the very basic pillar of writing being paywalled is like reading an article on the internet only for the author to step out of your screen and beat your eyes with a bat so you can never read again.

Am I the only one in this?

MAYBE YOU CAN SHOW MORE AND TELL LESS PB, GOD. FOR ONCE, ACKNOWLEDGE MC'S EMOTIONS WITHOUT IT BEING ONE TEXT OF DIALOGUE IN THE NAME OF EVERYTHING HOLY. (I do remember an Ash Empress scene where MC gets -- possessed, for the lack of a right word, with a vision?? And that too at the last possible second for the Kade conversation to happen. Good job, PB)

The thing is PB can do this. They've acknowledged MC's part in stories before. From being able to "tell off" characters and having MC acknowledge their past traumatic instances and giving them a motivational tool to keep going forward. A recent example of this would be in Crimes Book 1, when MC suffers from PTSD and is shown to have some panic episodes-- I'm assuming? (Not showing my bias here, but I'm just pointing at it because it is within PB's reason) and yet the company shoots themselves at the leg with overstuffed stories and plot points it becomes harder and harder to be able to relate to characters.

*** I don't know. I haven't played the whole chapter and maybe this might come off as tone-deaf and I'm gonna look like an absolute clown; once it is up and maybe in a future scene, they do bring up their trauma but I'm posting this anyway because it's just -- arghhhhhhhh

#blades of light and shadow #choices book club #mads rants about stuff #tw caps

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yungisstar1117-writes · 2 years

Text

Ateez arguing with you: Hyung Line Ver.

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ɪ’ᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ᴄʟᴇᴀʀ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ꜰɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ. ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ ʀᴇᴀʟɪꜱᴛɪᴄ/ꜰᴀᴄᴛ-ʙᴀꜱᴇᴅ ʀᴇᴘʀᴇꜱᴇɴᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴀᴛᴇᴇᴢ, ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ᴘᴜʀᴇʟʏ ᴀ ꜱᴄᴇɴᴀʀɪᴏ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴍᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴘᴜʀᴘᴏꜱᴇꜱ.

✰ ɢ: Angst

✰ ᴡ.ᴄ: 1546

✰ ᴄ.ᴡ: Arguing, Insinuated trauma (physical abuse), Belittling, Lots of crying + swearing, Inferiority complex (?), Toxic relationships, Jealousy, Y/N breaks stuff in a fit of rage, general angry behaviour.

A/N: Be warned, it’s not gonna be pretty.

─────────∘◦❀◦∘ ─────────

💔 S E O N G H W A

“Come on now Y/N, this makes literally zero sense! Stop acting like you’re being persecuted, you’re just wron-”

You interrupted him indignantly, hands on your hips as you spoke.

“What?! You’re the one acting like every single idea I have is fucking stupid! Don’t even bother pretending you put a single ounce of thought into this Hwa!”

Seonghwa scoffed at this, your outburst not earning you any empathy from him.

“Oh please, cut the shit. Every single stupid idea I’ve shut down has been for a perfectly valid reason! Maybe get your head out of your ass and you would see that!”

You tilted your head to the side in disbelief at his words, unable to comprehend how one man could be so difficult. Scoffing and turning your head backwards, you took a deep breath before facing him again. This seemed to do nothing however, your temper easily flared up once again.

“You’re so fucking controlling it’s unbelievable. Maybe if you got your head out of your ass, you’d see what a narcissistic dickhead you are! You fucking micromanage every single thing i do! I can’t even breathe without you having something to say about it!”

Swearing under his breath, Seonghwa grumbled to himself for a second, something that you didn’t let slide. Coming closer, your voice was dripping with sarcasm when he covered his face with his hand.

“What was that honey? Was there something you wanted to say?”

Taking his hand down, Seonghwa’s glare was ice cold, yet the animosity in his tone had lessened.

“This is pointless, we’re arguing like fucking children. Let’s sit down and talk about this.”

Seonghwa’s words only seemed to make matters worse however, your voice raising as you responded.

“Here you go fucking micromanaging again, what a delightful surprise! What the fuck is your problem Seonghwa?! Huh?! Go on, say it!”

Seonghwa’s anger flowed out at your inflammatory words, his finger hurtling out as he pointed in your face.

“You! You and your bullshit is my fucking problem! You are the problem here!”

Time felt as if it had frozen as you stared at him dumbfounded, watching as his expression slowly turned into to one of regret. When you turned away with a sniff and grabbed your bag, Seonghwa finally spurred into action.

“What’re you doing Y/N? C’mon I’m sorry, can we just talk?”

You scoffed at this, turning back to Seonghwa while wiping a tear away.

“You have a problem, I’m solving it. Now you have no problem.”

💔 H O N G J O O N G

“You’re not making any sense Joong! Why is this bitch texting you 24/7?!”

Rubbing his forehead, Hongjoong looked up at you from his chair. You were standing in front of him, both hands firmly placed on the table as Hongjoong’s phone laid in the middle. It was almost as if he was being interrogated, and in his opinion, Hongjoong definitely felt he was on trial for a crime he didn’t commit.

“She’s an old friend from high school, why are you getting so worked up?”

You laughed sarcastically, clapping your hands and turning away for a second before you faced him again.

“Oh I’m so sorry Hongjoong, I’m just being crazy right?! There’s no fucking reason why I should be concerned when this ‘old friend’ is calling my man darling.”

Pushing back his chair Hongjoong stood up, running a hand through his hair as he spoke.

“You’re being fucking delusional Y/N. I’m not your ex, and surprisingly I have morals.”

You raised an eyebrow at this, completely dumbfounded by this man’s audacity. He’s really gonna bring up your fucking cheater ex?

“Oh so that’s how you’re gonna play it? You disgust me Hongjoong.”

Hongjoong chuckled at this, his eyes dark. Knowing his temper was worsening, he made a last-ditch attempt to keep the situation from exploding.

“I’m leaving.”

When he turned away however you grabbed his arm tight, keeping him from going.

“No you’re not! Explain those fucking messages!”

Snatching his arm from your grip, it seemed as if all his inhibitions had been overturned, his anger flaring up as he shouted at you.

“Get out of my fucking face you crazy ass bitch!”

Stepping back with wide eyes you could feel tears welling in them, all the fight knocked out of you and replaced with pure, unfiltered fear. Memories surged forward, memories from the past that you had fought dutifully to repress. If you had been able to see it through the blur of your tears, you would’ve seen Hongjoong’s regretful expression. When he tried to come closer and grab your hand, you quickly stepped back, tried to quell your sobs as tears streamed down your face.

“Y/N I’m so-“

“Out!”

When Hongjoong tried to speak again you screamed at him, now fully blubbering as your hands went to your ears, blocking out anything he could say.

“Get out! Get the fuck out! Now! G-Get out!”

💔 Y U N H O

“I can’t believe you.”

Yunho paused his game, looking up at you in genuine concern when he heard your harsh tone. This soon dissipated however, replaced with understanding regret when he saw you all dressed up. He let the controller fall to the side, standing up from the sofa and walking over to you as you shook with anger.

“Y/N I’m so-”

Yunho’s words were soon cut off by you throwing your keys on the floor, jaw gritted as you spoke with a bite in your tone.

“You forgot. Again.”

Shaking his head, Yunho grabbed your hand in urgency.

“Please baby, I’ll do better! I promise, just please don’t do this.”

You shook him off with a harsh laugh, only deep-rooted anger present in the hollow sound. He’s had so many chances, did he really deserve another one?

“You said that last time, and the time before! You make all these fucking promises Yunho, but when are you gonna actually keep to them?!”

Your finger jutted out, poking him in the chest so harshly that the male moved back slightly. The evident hurt in his expression didn’t make you falter for a second, nor did his flinch when you shouted.

“When are you gonna fucking grow up?!”

A tear rolled down the male’s cheek, one that he quickly wiped away as he stared at you with glossy eyes. Solemnly, he picked up the keys from the floor and went back to the sofa, ignoring his controller as he just sat there facing the tv. It was only at this moment that a hint of regret crossed your mind, but you quickly dismissed it. He needed to wake the fuck up.

“When you’ve figured out what your priorities are, come find me. You better make that decision quickly though Yunho, I won’t wait forever.”

💔 Y E O S A N G

“It’s just- it’s this! Every single time I try and show you any affection you just brush me off! Do you- do you even wanna be my boyfriend?!”

Yeosang rolled his eyes at your words, pulling his headphones back on with a scoff.

“You’re being melodramatic. Just because I don’t want you hanging off of me every single fucking minute doesn’t mean I don’t wanna be with you. Ever consider maybe you’re just too clingy?”

You snatched his headphones off his head, your voice shaking with anger as you clenched your free hand into a fist.

“Why are you so insistent on being so rude and- and degrading?! I’m trying to talk to you about my concerns and you’re just shutting me down!”

Yeosang’s eyes flitted between your face and his headphones in your grip, clearly more concerned about them than whatever you were saying. Your head started to spin with unbridled fury.

“You’re fucking pathetic Yeosang. You want your headphones? Here, fucking take them!”

Before Yeosang could even cry out you raised your hand over your head, soon letting it crash down as you let the headphones fall to the floor. Despite the audible crack and a piece flying off, you proceeded to stamp on them a few times, crushing any salvageable pieces into an oblivion.

Yeosang was now standing, watching in shock as you ground your heel into the remains, chest heaving. Finally glancing at your boyfriend, his expressionless face scared you slightly. He seemed to have frozen in place, unable to do anything except look down.

“You… You broke them.”

When you heard him sniff your eyebrows raised in shock, all your anger flooding out of you when you saw his teary eyes.

“Those were from our first anniversary… and you-… you broke them?”

Your features softened at his words, your eyes also beginning to tear up.

“You remembered?”

Tears began to fall as Yeosang struggled to keep himself from sobbing, tirelessly wiping at his eyes as he tried to speak.

“Of-Of course I did! How could I forget?! They were the best gift I’ve ever had!”

You let a tentative hand rest on Yeosang, sniffling when he looked at you defeatedly.

“Sangie I’m- I’m sorry! I didn’t think-“

“Yeah, clearly you didn’t.”

Carefully removing your hand, Yeosang shook his head, walking to the door. Struggling with his shoes and coat for a few seconds, the male then grabbed his keys from the cabinet before turning back to you.

“I need some space, I’ll t-text you when I get to Wooyoung’s. Please don’t come after me.”

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⇢ ˗ˏˋ taglist ࿐

@lee--felix @cjhonour @hyuckilstan @hwarora @drunkboba @multidreams-and-desires @serialee @fix0nbb @deja-vux @a-soft-hornytiny @taeyongslilkitty @mxrksbxtch @wishuponthestars @agustd-essert @deobitiny @nyghtwolff-1117 @yunhobabygurl @lex-thesimpzzz

#star’s library {📚}#ateez #ateez reacts #ateez reactions #seonghwa #hongjoong #yunho #yeosang #ateez angst #seonghwa angst #hongjoong angst #yunho angst #yeosang angst #park seonghwa #kim hongjoong #jung yunho #jeong yunho #kang yeosang

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cccat-in-a-meat-sack · 5 months

Text

Various roleplayer starters I have written because they're long and I like them:

tw// mentions of forced labor, sl@ves, implied h@ngings, and brief mentions of wh1pp1ng + not so brief mentions of d3ath, and m*rder

When Karael Zarall was 12 years old, he learned about family tradition and honor. It meant loving your family, putting them above all else, making them proud. When Karael Zarall was 12 years old he made a single promise, to always uphold his family tradition. When Karael Zarall was 12 years old, he made the first and last promise he ever made.

---

Karael always liked to get up with the sun. There was something about feeling the slightly damp grass and dirt, the feeling of sun heating up his skin as he trained, the feeling of knowing he was on a schedule with something otherworldy. Yet today, when his alarm clock rang and he could feel his albino mercat bumping her head against him, begging to be fed, there was just something. An unease in the air that stirred up trouble in his senses, that made his hair stand on end and his ears to be alright. Used to tradition however, he got up and pulled on a shirt, going to feed his mercat. He got a very special breed, one that could move between land and sea as they pleased, with webbed paws and gills but also all the perks of a normal cat. "There you go Abby." He mumbled, stroking her fur as he set the bowl down. He headed to the bathroom, brushing his hair and his teeth, not realizing what was off until he looked in the mirror. "Shit. It's today." He muttered under his breath, tying his hair back so it wouldn't be in his eyes, trying to ignore all the thoughts in his brain that told him to run, run far away from those monsters, run far away from it all. But, he didn't. Bring honor to your family. His brain whispered. So, he did. He made sure Abby's cat door was unlocked, he dressed in a simple attire of slightly loose black pants, a black t-shirt, added on his holsters for various weapons, and then he headed to the armory. Although he knew those assassins wouldn't have the chance to get to him before they were shot, he knew to be careful. Slipping on a simple piece of armor he designed himself, designed to look like a vest yet was bulletproof, stab and slash proof, and was designed to protect him no matter what. Now, he just needed to wait 6 hours before he would have to meet the criminals. He decided to look over Esor's file again, wanting to be prepared. Nothing really jumped out at him, nothing to be afraid of at least. He did pause for a moment at Esor's photo, studying it. Something about him just nagged at Karael, and he wasn't sure why. Either way, he shook the thought out of his head. That was a killer. An assassin. Someone who didn't deserve the opportunity they were given. But, his opinion was irrelevant. He was given an order, a plan to be followed and he would stick to it. For his king. For his family. For pride, tradition, and honor. But, he didn't want to be stuck with a cold-blooded killer, having to watch his back at every step. He didn't want to be nice to someone who had taken people away from their mothers, their fathers, their siblings. He didn't want to be around someone who blatantly didn't care about anyone but themself. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He could've requested a switch. But, it's not like anyone else would be much better. A bitter taste coiled in his stomach, however, as he looked over Esor's photo again. His eyes disturbed Karael, so dull and lifeless, but also evil. There wasn't an ounce of kindness, empathy. Karael felt bile rising in his throat. How could someone be so inhumane, so cruel? It didn't make sense to him. But staring at that face, looking into Esor's eyes in the photo, he couldn't help but feel as if something was wrong, something was going to change. He took Esor's photo out and ripped it up, tossing it in the trash can. Stupid photo.

---

Noon came all to fast. Karael was dragging his feet towards the courtyard, trying to think of an excuse not to go. Even though his brain was scared his body moved, head held high, body screaming confidence. It was engrained into his soul at this point, show no fear, show no weakness. Make your family proud. Prove you deserve their last name. So Karael kept walking, and as he approached the opened doors into the bright sunlight, it looked all to much like when people were dying in movies, going to the afterlife.

---

As he stood in the courtyard, feet planted firmly, arms behind his back at his lower back, he wanted to run. He didn't want to be so close to such a monster. But, he had a duty to uphold. So as the carriage got closer and closer, and as his anxiety got higher and higher, and took a deep breath, and squared his shoulders. Do it for your family. He reminded himself, and as he watched Esor leave the carriage, his head tilted up slightly. His photo did not do him justice.

(from the same rp):

Devwarion was not a place you wanted to be sent to. It was cold, bleak, rumored to be made from shadows and children’s nightmares. It has often been described as impossible to grasp the full terror and trauma the prison creates, but the look of it already is terrible. Made of obsidian, the jagged towers and smooth walls, along with 2 walls made it terrifying. The walls were so smooth a spider couldn’t stick to them, and no windows made the place all the more creepy. It was nestled in between two mountains, rarely snowing but always having a thin layer of frost. The most notable thing about the prison was the cold. It was freezing, cold that buried deep into your bones and never left. Frostbite was common, then thin blanket they provided never being enough to warm you. If the cold didn’t kill you the work would, working from before the sun was up till after it sank back into its slumber. Long, hard days working in the mines, mining salt and jewels for the country you had tried to tear down, the country who had put you in this hell. Death was a kinder fate than working in that prison.

Most people working in the mines were dead within a month. Maybe the ceiling caved in, maybe you were sent to the gallows, maybe you tried to escape and were shot, or perhaps you were just simply whipped to death. Whatever the reason, a month was average. The fastest time someone had died was 2 hours, they were brought to Devwarion at around 5:00 am, and were killed when a ceiling caved in at 7:00. There was no funeral, no mourning. There never was, prisoners who showed even the slightest bit of sadness or anger were punished, and not in the kinky way. There were thousands of prisoners in the prison, and none of them had ever been noteworthy. Until now. They were on a no-kill list by the king, which was something in itself, but they had all outlived the month-long average. And not just by one or two days, either.

Esor Coy, codename: Rose. An assassin from Quedrand, an area where assassins were borderline underheard of. Confirmed kill count: 26. Age is unknown, looks about 20. Has been in Devwarion for a little under 2 years.

Alvara Marsden, codename: Beast tamer. An assassin from Draeldchy, confirmed kill count: 37. Age is 23, and has been in Devwarion for about a year and a half.

Envirious SerViano, codename: Black Lotus. Assassin from Quedrand, any possible ties to Esor unknown. Confirmed kill count: 43. Age: 20, has been in Devwarion for almost 8 months.

Callisto, last name unknown. Codename: Anemos. Assassin from Angbotin. Confirmed kill count: 46 . Age: 24, has been in Devwarion for almost 3 years.

These four weren’t noticeable because they had the biggest kill counts, or the ones that were the most difficult to catch. What made these people deadly were their unpredictability and uniqueness. They were dangerous, perfect.

The king had run into trouble. He needed ruthless killers to work for him, who could work outside the law and save his country. His soldiers were good, amazing, but none of them quite fit the task he needed. It took 3 days and 4 nights for him to come up with the solution.

Devwarion.

These four assassins would be the key to the calmness of the kingdom, the survival and perseverance. But before that, he needed leverage. Something that would get these four to listen, to agree. None of them would be swayed by money, gold, perhaps not even freedom. Their hatred burned brighter than a thousand suns, and he couldn’t ignore that fact. So, he came up with something, something inhumane, something incredible, something that would work.

Then, his plan was set in motion.

3 months, was the time it took to lay the groundwork of his plan. Longer hours, harsher conditions, more punishments for the tiniest things. He needed them to long for freedom, to dream of the day they would die just so they could escape the hell they were trapped in. It was inhumane, yes, but did they really deserve to be treated as humans? In his eyes, no. They were tools, that was all. They were his to use, mold as he pleased.

When he looked into their eyes as he told them what would happen, he didn’t care about the emotions he saw. He didn’t care about the skepticism, the relief, the joy, the anxiety. He only cared about one emotion he saw in all four.

Acceptance.

From there, it was easy, simple. Have guards take them to the castle. Have them train, meet their handlers, and they would be good. They would be alright. The kingdom would thrive, and if he had to do this he would.

—

The castle was a place that you wanted to be sent to. It was beautiful, bright, shining so much that even the sun hid in jealousy. It had four towers, each facing the four cardinal directions, where you could see guards patrolling. The outside of it was beautiful, with stained glass windows and smooth brick walls with plenty of floor-to-ceiling windows. The inside was just as beautiful, with marbled floors in the bathroom, kitchens, and main hallways, and soft oak wood making up the ballroom and bedrooms. The walls were decorated with tapestries and paintings, every so often flowers standing on side tables could be seen. Servants and knights bustled around, there was never stopping. If you worked well you would be rewarded, your family being tossed up in the social circle, bringing honor to them and you. Working among lush gardens, beautiful royalty, held in high honor, it’s no wonder the jobs were hard to come by.

Most people working in the castle never gave up their job. Not until they were on their deathbed, dying in comfort knowing their family would benefit from their death. Servants would work day and night to keep the king happy, keep their job. The soldiers were considered the best. There were five ranks, eagles, falcons, crows, ravens, and doves: the ranks named after the Queen’s favorite birds. Every soldier is extraordinary, most coming from Warbrosle, and kept up their duties with honor and pride. There were 4 soldiers who stood out though. They were favored by both the king and queen, with a couple rumored to even have captured the hearts of the princesses themselves.

Karael Zarall, rank: Falcon. Exceptional soldier, turning down the rank of Eagle to continue fighting among the ranks. Excelled mostly in hand-to-hand combat and solo missions, but worked well in groups. He was best known for training new recruits, having a no-nonsense training to teach them respect.

Eden Carris, rank: Falcon. He was recently promoted, one of the quickest promotions on record, rising to the rank of Falcon in a mere 3 months. He was always up for a challenge, taking everything in stride as it’s handed to him. He worked mostly with larger-scale missions, often being the key to success. He rarely failed a mission, and even when he did, casualties were less than they would’ve been without him.

Arthur Vaesephine, rank: Falcon. He’s been a handler for 3 years, considered for the rank of Eagle but it was ultimately decided that he would run his own partition of soldiers. He’s more easy going, used more for city patrols and crowd control, but that doesn’t mean you should underestimate him.

Elton Arvil. Rank: Falcon. Known as the artist of the rank, his skills look more like dancing than sword fighting. Don’t let this fool you though, he’s just as skilled as everyone else. Even more so, perhaps, specializing in carrying out precise strikes that much older and more experienced soldiers would struggle with.

These four were the king's chosen ones, the ones he would choose to lead the assassins to a place of glory, a place of servitude, a place of good. They would make sure they stayed in line, were able to pass the trails, they would make sure those four were the ones that survived. Strong, skilled, perfect for the task. Who else would he choose?

So, the planning began. As the assassins slaved away and the handlers honed their skills, he began plotting. He sent scouts out to Devuniake, and they reported back to him about their planning and their leaders. He got assassins from all throughout the kingdom, 20 aside from the ones he wanted, assigning 20 other Falcons to watch over him. He matched up handlers to assassins, slaved away at writing 2 thousand word starters to make his friends happy, and he also ate pizza. Finally, everything was ready.

—

The sun glares down upon the thick cobblestone walls, leaving stark, vivid shadows contrasting with the blinding bright reflections. The spiked shadows of the portcullis loom like the twisted teeth of some fell beast from Redbotnd. A horse nickers in the stables, and the air suddenly acquires a musty, damp smell, the smell of sweat and heat. A grinding, gravelly road runs straight ahead through a market into a towering stone keep. Tantalizing smells waft from the marketplace where colorful stalls selling everything imaginable sit in a confused muddle, a group of baby birds within their nest, the walls of the castle. The noise from the market comes in a sea of sound, starting slowly and building up before crashing down. Enticing scents waft between the stalls, masking the unsavory smell of sweat and spice. Rising above the bustle below like four eagles rising on an updraft, four towers stand stark against the sunlit sky giving a sense of power and control. Four flags fly high, their crimson contrasting with the blue sky. Through the heavy oak doors of the imposing keep there is a large chamber filled with rows of guards with armor and colors so flamboyant they almost distract your attention from the piles upon piles of glittering, golden treasure clustered around. The light from the teardrop shaped windows reflects off the treasure at all angles, filling the room with a warm, golden, glowing, glimmering light. Ceremonial swords and armor poke out of the piles occasionally, protruding at odd angles. Outside was warm, a lovely breeze blowing gently through the air. The handlers were ready and informed on what would happen, the assassins were almost at the castle, and the king’s plan was set in motion. He had informed the handlers to be ready in the courtyard at noon, and was not disappointed. The four of them stood ready, donning traditionally styled clothing, but he was slightly amused to see that they had added their own styles to the traditional clothing. He turned his head towards the gates as they opened, a calm expression on his face. There were roughly 7 guards for every assassin, the four assassins sitting inside a carriage, chained. The entourage stopped, and two guards opened the door to the carriage. The head of the group stepped out first, followed by the four assassins. They stood warily, but were herded into a line standing in front of the handlers.

Finally, the king spoke. “Welcome to Quedrand.” He spoke, and noticed the various disgusted expressions from the assassins. He ignored them, and gestured at the 4 handlers. “These will be your personal guards during your visit. I suggest you be nice to each other, as you will be stuck together until the trials end.” Although the handler's faces remained neutral, he noticed Karael’s lips pressing together a little tighter. “Allow me to explain your pairings. Karael and Esor, you two will be together. Elton and Envirious, as will you two. Arthur and Alvara and Eden and Callisto are the last two pairs. Now, for the trails. There are twenty other contestants, and you are the last four to arrive. There will be a trial every other day, and you will be fighting against another assassin. The last four will be the ones who win, and will gain freedom after some time. The trials will be in different areas, and your task is to ‘kill’ your opponent. And I don’t mean that literally. You will get to choose your weapon, each will have substance that will glow when it touches an area you could kill someone. For now however, your handlers will show you the arena and your rooms. You may ask them any other questions then. Dismissed.”

Kailani was 5 years old when it found out that xe were connected to water. They were running through the forest from a group of hunters, and stumbled upon a lake. Without thinking, like it was natural instinct, it felt a tug in it's gut, unfamiliar but not unwelcome, and the water rose up behind them, attacking the men. They were dead within seconds, and the water curled around Kailani in a comforting manner, almost replacing the arms of zir late mother. Without a sound the water moved back to the lake, and Kailani was left alone with dead bodies, a confused mind, and a healing heart.

Kailani was 6 years old when ze moved to the coast, walking nearly 200 miles to get there. They stopped at every place with water to regain energy and heal their wounds, no longer scared of their connection. The water was friendly, welcome. They loved living along the coast building sand castles, swimming among sharks and dolphins, moving through the water like it was second nature.

Kailani was 7 years old when the village they lived in found out. They were no longer the sweet child loved by everyone, they were a demon, a monster. I'm 7! They wanted to scream. I don't want to hurt you! But the water let them know it was useless. They spent more time away, sneaking food whenever they could and playing more with the sharks and dolphins, an empty hole in their heart that no amount of playing could fix. The crack grew wider every day, as they were spit on, hit, hurt, just for something they couldn't control.

Kailani was 8 years old when a tsunami came and tore about zir village, drowning and killing all 300 villagers. All except Kailani. The water avoided them, making a pocket underneath the water so Kailani stayed dry and unharmed. They watched the wreckage and destruction from a front-row street, and something began to grow in their heart, their broken heart. It wormed it's way through, fixing their heart, but not in a good way. They couldn't help but think it was what they deserved, for treating Kailani that way. It was a child. No one should hurt a child.

Kailani was 9 years old when ze killed someone on purpose. The night was cold and dark, with a man greedily killing a baby animal who was just trying to drink. Perhaps it was the fact the deer was a baby that made Kailani so angry, and perhaps it was the fact the animal was just trying to drink. Either way, the dark, destruction parts of their heart that had sewn it together unleashed, the water grabbing the man almost telekinetically and choking him to death. Kailani stood over the body, yet they couldn't manage to find any sympathy. They felt almost guilty, but that was it. With a quick prayer to the deer they were off, back to go get food.

They were 10 when xe stopped caring about themself. It was hard to naturally, but when you're constantly shamed for your looks, how you talked, your accent, what you could do, it was nearly impossible to not start smashing mirrors, unable to look yourself in the face. Ze turned all their energy towards being helpful, using their connection to salvage ships, gold, get anything to make people happy. Just a single smile was all it needed.

Kailani had lost track of their age when they were tied up by men in white robes and shoved into a carriage. They had been sleeping peacefully, listening to the crickets chirping, feeling the bed underneath them and the blanket over them keeping them warm. A loose t-shirt and sweatpants adorned they body, which was much more modest than what they were most of the time. Kailani wasn't sure how the men found zim, but xe had a feeling it wasn't supposed to be like this. Metal handcuffs, tight enough it couldn't escape but loose enough that they would chaft their wrists. A bag over their head, to thick to see through but not thick enough they couldn't breath. Lifted into a carriage without a word, a soft, comfy carriage. They heard the horses neighing, and when they were able to rid their sleep-adelled mind of cobwebs, there wasn't any water around to protect them. So, they simply waited. Ever since they were 5 they had thought someone was going to come and kidnap them, take zim away for their connection and punish xim for going against the laws of nature. But it always imagined something more violent, more shouting, harsher conditions, more things like that. Instead the ride was smooth, almost lulling it back to sleep, and they had to shake their head so they wouldn't fall asleep. A quick upside down of their head removed the sack, and xe found itself to be in a windowless, royal carriage. The velvet was plush red, there were purple curtains decorating the space, and all in all it confused Kailani. What was going on?

When the carriage finally stopped, Kailani found zimself in front of a majestic building, and he didn't have time to admire it all as he was rushed inside. He was taken to a room, bindings taken off and was simply told to wait. Ze stayed calm about the situation, looking around instead admiring the decorations. The marble was cold under their bare feet, and there were 8 thrones, each with a light over them. White, Green, Black, Red, Blue, Pink, Yellow, Purple. They each had different inscriptions, and Kailani went over to the blue one first, it calling to him just as water did. Xe gently touched it, feeling the smooth marble, but was barely able to hold him up as images flashed across his vision. The creations of life. The calm beaches. Great storms. Throughout all of this, it lasted maybe 10 seconds, but only one phrase was heard. "Water holds memories. Welcome back, my God."

"Yea, I'm officially going insane." Kailani mumbled.

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