#i love classical japanese arte n i thought it was cute n fun

[vicioussickle]

court poet riding a water buffalo

based on

Courtesan Riding an Ox, by Suzuki Harunobu, ca. 1766

#the legend of zelda #age of calamity #breath of the wild #botw #sheikah #yiga #yiga clan #oc #fanfiction #i love classical japanese arte n i thought it was cute n fun #court poet #skooga

[idvlovblog]

could u do relationship hcs with Demi, Emily, Michiko, and Tracy (separate) preferably with a fem s/o ^_^ but g/n is good too

of course! sorry for the wait (i'm sick right now, so i couldn't really complete the request as fast as i wanted to) and i hope you like it!

Demi:

ahh, i love her so much!

a relationship with her would definitely be exciting and fun

flirts constantly but in a really playful way and it may be hard to tell if she's actually interested in you romantically or just joking around

plus, she flirts with almost any nice, approachable person she meets

(though she definitely starts doing that a lot less once she realizes she's in love with you)

protects you with her life

whether it's in the manor or in a normal setting, she wouldn't let anything bad happen to you

gives you so many compliments!

and she means every single one of them

calls you "lady" a lot at first

probably starts distancing herself for a bit once you two get together

she never saw herself as someone who has anything to offer in a relationship, and she's scared of being bad influence on you

she thinks she might "ruin" you. which is obviously untrue!

with time, she'll begin to slowly realize that she's not someone hopeless or undeserving of your love

please support her then

whenever you two plan dates, she makes special drinks to fit the occasion. they're somehow even better than her usual work! the special ingredient is love. ♡

but she always keeps an eye on you when you're drinking. she's seen alcohol addiction before and doesn't want you to meet that fate.

loves giving you hugs! and squeezing your organs out in the process. seriously, her hugs are way too tight.

Michiko:

show your affection with beautiful flowers and thought-out compliments! she responds really well to that

loves being treated like a lady. opening the door for her, noticing her beauty, speaking to her somewhat formally, it makes her really happy

would be willing to teach you how to dance, if you wanted to!

i feel like she'd take you to classical concerts on your dates

or maybe to opera? either way, she loves fine art and would be happy to share said love with you

not really into pda

but likes hand-holding and giving you short, sweet kisses occasionally

you guys would have matching necklaces! she'd treasure hers and would rarely ever go out without it

she's usually melancholic and distant but she acts more comfortable and positive around you. you make her happy. ♡

she often feels like she's "not enough" or like you're wasting your time on her. please help her realize she's wrong.

she really likes japanese poetry (me too) and i'm certain she'd be over the moon if you ever tried writing something for her in that style

has a really cute laugh! please try to make her laugh often

Emily:

definitely protective of you! she's a doctor, after all

she doesn't fret over you though, at least not excessively. she'll always make sure you're not putting yourself in potential danger and that you have healthy food and sleep routines, but outside of that she just lets you do what you think is best

she's always longed for peace, and she hopes she can find it with you by her side

her dream is to be able to provide a comfortable, safe future for the both of you

though she's usually composed, sweet words make her easily flustered

likes cooking with you! always gives nutrition advice when you two are preparing a meal

if you're injured, she'll always treat the wound gently and carefully, no matter how small it is. gives you forehead kisses afterwards. ♡

loves calm dates, like reading books together or making a semi-fancy dinner and setting a few candles on the table. things that are romantic and sweet, but don't require leaving the house or making big plans.

although she has lots of personal issues, they don't change your relationship or the way she treats you too much. sometimes she wonders if she deserves your love after everything she's done, but those thoughts go away eventually

she really likes tea! maybe you could take her tea-tasting sometime

Tracy:

tracy's literally so funny, i love her (go read her twitter replies, they're top tier)

calls you "dude" or "man" (but in a non-gendered way. you know what i mean) so often, you could consider it her pet name for you

takes you on the most interesting, fun dates you could imagine! you literally can't be bored with her by your side

she has those days where she works for hours without a break and doesn't leave her room until the project she's working on is finished. you're probably the only person who can tear her from work in those situations

loves you a lot, but she's not really big on heartfelt speeches and stuff like that

plus, she sometimes gets embarrassed even when trying to say a simple "i love you"

shows her affections mostly with actions, like making things for you, listening when you talk (even if it's not about something she's usually interested in) and hugging you all the time

doesn't even get mad even when you interrupt her work

quite the opposite actually! she gets more energetic after seeing your face

you're her biggest motivator. ♡

builds you miscellaneous trinkets and sometimes even robots! loves seeing your reactions to them and will get super happy if you say you like them.

#idv x reader #tracy x reader #michiko x reader #emily x reader #demi x reader #tracy reznik #demi bourbon #emily dyer

[ithinkilikeit-reactions]

Favs of 2020 (Guys edition)

A/N: This is just personal opinion, everyone has the right to disagree. Also all title tracks are linked!

Girl’s Version

TOP 10 of 2020: 

1. Spin off - ONF (Sukhumvit Swimming) 

All the songs on ONF’s ‘Spin off’ album are really fun. But ‘Sukhumvit Swimming’ is definitely my song of 2020. ‘Cactus’ is my favorite b-side though. The amount of happiness this song brings me is absolutely insane. Even though I severly misheard what they were saying (I LIKE IT STUPIDDDD SWIMMING) the first time, I love the song and the mv concept. Very fresh, very happy, sparks a lot of joy and very Onf. 

 Onf is one of my favorite discoveries of 2020. 

2. Treasure Epilogue: Action to Answer - Ateez (Answer) 

The end of Treasure era and well one of my favorite title tracks like ever. ‘Answer’ hits a nostalgic nerve in me and I love it so much. The ending always makes me emotional and I think this was the era everyone served their best looks too. My favorite b-side was most definitely ‘Horizon’ because it also hits that nostalgic nerve. 

Ateez hits different and I was supposed to see them live this year so in the words of Hwasa: “Corona... fuck you.” 

3.  So, 通 - N.Flying (Oh Really) 

Okay, N.Flying has really become my favorite band this year so I couldn’t not mention this album. Especially not with how many times I have played it. This whole album is really good but ‘Flower Fantasy’ definitely takes the cake for me. I love a good power rock ballad. Also Kim Jaehyun has made his way to share Johnny’s ult bias position. 

I love N.flying so much. 

4. Hey, Go Smile - Bloo (When I smoke) 

(this is a gif from Nae Tat, I’m aware. Couldn’t find one from the actual mv) 

Bloo’s song ‘Downtown Baby’ blew up this year and rightfully so. However the song he released this year is sooooooooooooo much better (in my opinion) The way ‘When I smoke’ starts remind me of a movie, the song is so good throughout and also makes me weirdly emotional alot like ‘Answer’ does. ‘Let it Go’ is also such a good b-side. 

I am even considering getting ‘Go smile, it’s your time’ tattooed. 

I hope Bloo returns soon. 

5. So Beautiful - DPR Ian (So Beautiful) 

A piece of art from a man I deeply, deeply respect. Christian Yu created an absolute masterpiece with this one, not only visually but also for the ears. The classic music and jazz elements in it make it such a fun trip to listen too. I’m so glad this was his long awaited “debut” I can’t wait to see what else he brings out. 

I’m also painfully whipped for him but that’s besides the point. 

6. From Home - NCT U (From Home)

This song on their 2020 compilation album is by far my favorite. I love the mixing of Korean, Japanese and Chinese in the track. The lyrics are phenomonal and their voices are absolutely lovely. I’ve listened to this every day since it came out and it’s just so pretty. It gives me a lovely comforting feeling and makes me all warm and gushy. 

Maybe my favorite NCT U unit and I want another song like this. 

7. Mayday - Victon (Mayday) 

Victon is also one of my favorite finds of 2020. When I tell you I listened to this song daily since it came out. It’s just such a good track and I love the build up and also how the music demonstrates the chaos around like a mayday. Very good song also, all of them looked phenomonal. So this definitely made my top 10 this year, I preferred it over ‘Howling’ immensly. 

8. Neozone: The Final Round (Punch) 

The song that gave everyone temporary memory loss. I loved ‘Punch’ so much, from the concept to the styling, to the song. It was soooo good. It made me kind of regret not waiting for the repackage and buying the ‘Neozone’ album. But it seemed my man’s is slowly getting his time to shine and it was about time. This song gives me those nostalgic future vibes. Like what people in the 70′s thought the year 2020 would be like. 

9. Chocolate - MAX (Chocolate) 

The legend who dropped an album and got married. Changmin’s album is absolutely amazing and the title track ‘Chocolate’ makes me feel like I stepped into a luxurious ceo’s office. I fully, fully love this album as well. ‘Piano’ is definitely my favorite b-side and I hope to own this album some day. 

Also congratulations getting married Changmin! You deserve the very best. 

10.  Zero: Fever Part 1 - Ateez (Inception   Thanxx)

The start of Fever era. Although this era is bittersweet, the songs are absolutely amazing and I have listened to them nonstop. Aside from the double title tracks, I loved ‘Good little boy’. I remember when the tracklist was released and the fandom was like “the fuck is ‘good little boy’” But yes this album the diary film, the music videos. It was grand. 

Favorite boygroup debut: 

TOO and DKB

Now ‘Magnolia’ was a song I didn’t quite like at first. I thought it was just another dark concept boy group and it didn’t really speak to me. But then they released ‘Count 1,2′ and they got me. They really got me. That song and album were both contendors for my top 10 this year. BEcause of that song I revisited ‘Magnolia’ and ended up really enjoying it.But still I hope they do more songs like that ‘Count 1,2′ in the future. 

Okay... another group I didn’t enjoy the song from at first. But ‘Sorry Mama’ got back on my radar recently and I really, really, really enjoy it. But their most recent release ‘Work hard’ is soooooo good. Look I’m completely here for concepts other than dark lately. The world is dark enough so let’s bring cute and happy concepts back please. ‘Work Hard’ is just sooooo much fun.

Favorite solo debut:

It’s a tie between Wonho and Seungwoo from Victon

This whole album was really good and I’m just really proud of Wonho and I don’t have much else to say about that. (Open mind) 

I love Seungwoo’s album so much surprisingly! I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did but it really caught me by surprise. I loved ‘Child’ and ‘Sacrifice’ is also just so good. 

A/N: Keep in mind these are just my favorites, your favorites may differ as they should! Let me know what your top faves are this year!

#onf #ateez #n.flying #christian yu #nct u #victon #nct 127 #bloo #changmin #max #seungwoo #too #ten oriented orchestra #DKB

[reachfortheskiespeeps]

The Meeting

FANFICTION BY: ''You know who you are ; ))'' AU: #actorAU PAIRING: MIKHAIL x ARCHER (aka HS!AU Adult Emilio's actor and HS!AU Adult Abel's actor)

⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛

((A/N: I ended up writing this before the one I initially thought to do, I swear this is much tamer than the other 😂 Sorry to disappoint, no spicy scenes, maybe next time XD Thank you Eszii for your spicy art, I just about burst into flames from it 💞

It’s this ship again, Mikhail x Archer, bc I am currently in love with them. I don’t think I’ll get over them for a while. I wanna write about them going through classic shoujo tropes, like, idk, beach episode? xmas episode? kabedon? ‘A got sick so B took care of A’? Gimme ideas y'all. I wanna keep writing while I have the motivation to do so, since I’ve had a dry spell for a year now 😂

One thing to note before getting started, Idk how to phrase it, but basically this fic is not in chronological order–but also yes bc it’s in the order i wrote it–I hope it’s not too confusing. Aight happy reading!))

——

Mikhail loves leaving butterfly kisses and hickeys all over Archer’s soft and fair body. He has his favorite areas, which are evident from how many and how deep they are, so Archer can’t even look at his reflection without blushing. Mikhail likes the sight of his lover covered in marks he made, knowing it was he who made them. While he does want to make it known that Archer is his, he doesn’t cause trouble by leaving marks on areas impossible to cover. On days when Archer isn’t busy, Mikhail is given free reign to kiss wherever he wished. He doesn’t want Archer getting hurt, so he rarely makes blatant bite marks, and the only times he did that was because Archer was being naughty and had to be taught a 'lesson’. (Although Archer didn’t seem very hurt by them, and instead….)

Archer, on the other hand, likes biting Mikhail’s hard body. He bites, he scratches, he licks. He did it the first time because he was being pouty and petty–it’s tough being the receiver ya know? And Mikhail just lets him because he’s cute and it’s kinda hot to feel his fangs sinking in like that. But then Archer got used to doing it and eventually did it because Archer noticed that Mikhail seemed to like being bitten (by none other than him, of course). He once caught Mikhail looking at his body on the mirror with a happy little tug on the corner of his lips, looking very much like a content Big Bad Wolf. Archer could almost see an imaginary tail wagging. He loves Mikhail’s body for all its glory and imperfections, even if the man himself didn’t, so leaving those marks on him was one of Archer’s many ways to show affection.

So one day when Mikhail shows up to work without bothering to cover up (it wasn’t noticeable anyway, his dark skin, tattoos and intimidating aura was enough for people not to look long enough to notice anything), Logan, who was beside Mikhail getting prepared for a scene, saw a small portion of scratch marks on his chest, the rest hidden by the v-neck shirt Mikhail wore.

And before he could stop his mouth, Logan found himself asking, “You have a cat, Mikhail?” Yuki, who was in the room with them too, looked up from reading his script upon hearing the brave attempt of Logan to converse with Mikhail. He didn’t join them, but he sat there, just listening in on their conversation. He didn’t have the guts that Logan had, but he was still interested to see how their conversation would go.

Mikhail looked at him–it was an ordinary glance but Logan still almost flinched. “Oh?”

'It was a gentler reply than I expected,’ Yuki thought. 'He is in a good mood?’

Logan seemed to think that as well, so he carried on the conversation. “Since when did you have it? Did you get it vaccinated yet? Some cats are just really playful, they don’t mean to be naughty, so it’s better to be patient and discipline them when–”

“Why do you think I have a cat?” Mikhail interrupted.

“Hm? Ah, I saw the scratch on your chest. What does your cat look like, by the way?”

Mikhail thought about it before he answered. “Pretty, soft, round, and pure white, got some claws, but never intends to hurt me. It’s cute.”

“And the eyes?” Logan eagerly asked.

“Hypnotic.” Mikhail unconsciously smiled, though Logan didn’t seem to notice, too happy to talk to the man in a pleasant manner. “Makes the cutest sounds too.”

But Yuki did.

“You must really love your cat huh?” Logan, as well as the silent Yuki, was surprised to know that Mikhail had a soft side. Well, not so surprised. He’s only ever truly obedient to Archer, whether the two of them noticed it or not.

Mikhail thought back to the man resting at home. Archer’s next scene was scheduled for tomorrow, so he had enough time to recover the energy he lost.

Mikhail played with his 'cat’ a bit too much last night. His clothes hid the many marks all over his chest and back made by his oh so cute little cat who grew resentful of Mikhail’s stamina, yet still unable to withstand mewling to his irresistible charm.

With a mischievous smile, Mikhail said, “I do.”

—-

Bonus:

After the shoot, in the shower rooms.

Yuki’s reaction when he saw Mikhail’s back: やっぱりね~ [Yappari ne~] Not a ネコ [neko], but a こいびと [koibito]…. Well, maybe both.

((A/N: Fun fact, neko in Japanese slang can also mean the “bottom” in a relationship. The more you know~

Can you guys recommend some sexy songs? I need background music for when I write stuff like this lol))

——

The first time Mikhail 'met’ Archer, it was on the radio. He was in his car, driving alone to a destination that no upright citizen should have any business with. He wasn’t in a good mood. Everything ticked him off–the traffic that he’d already passed, the voices on the radio who thought they were being funny, the sun blazing high up in the cloudless sky. He turned the radio off because it was annoying, but the goddamn silence left him with too much space to think. He needed a distraction. So he turned it back on and chose a random station.

“–by Archer Charles,” after the introduction, a pleasant-sounding voice thanked and began to sing live.

When Mikhail heard that voice, he sharply inhaled through his nose, his slightly dry lips parting.

Mikhail was not very good at describing. He could only say what he felt upon listening to Archer’s voice. Mikhail, who had been irate, was awestruck. He had never heard a voice so…. erotic. It’s not that the song itself was sexy or whatever, but there was something about that voice that made him….

'Ah.’

“Damn.” Mikhail cursed when he looked down to check his pants. “Almost.”

Mikhail heaved a deep breath to calm himself down.

'Charles Archer, was it?’

Ever since then, he became a fan of Archer. He kept this interest a secret from his colleagues; he didn’t want to hear their ribbing. He supported the singer the best he could and eventually, an opportunity arised for him to meet Archer at last.

He took a day off and even disguised himself to look as normal and harmless as possible for a man of his stature. Of course, he got his hands on a backstage pass. It wasn’t difficult to get for someone like him. He asked the staff if it was possible for him to meet the singer before the concert, because despite having taken a day off for today, Mikhail was concerned he would have to cut his holiday short. What if there was an emergency at work halfway through the concert? No, he’ll make use of this backstage pass, he would make sure he wouldn’t leave this place without meeting Archer.

At least, that’s what he thought before hearing his voice.

They were separated by the door he was about to open, but he could clearly hear an angel from behind this flimsy slab of wood. Mikhail knew from Archer’s instagram story yesterday that he was singing a song from an animated movie he just watched and he really loved it. Archer sung the song slowly, gently, as if lulling a child to sleep, and yet it did not lose its cheer.

“I’ll swim and sail on savage seas With never a fear of drowning And gladly ride the waves of life If you would marry me,

"No scorching sun nor freezing cold Will stop me on my journey If you will promise me your heart And love me for eternity,”

Oh. Oh. Mikhail covered his mouth with his hand, feeling the blood rush to his cheeks. The staff were buzzing around in preparation for the concert, but all he could hear was Archer’s voice.

“I have no use for rings of gold I care not for your poetry I only want your hand to hold I only want you near me,”

His hands were trembling–from what, he wasn’t sure. It was as if he had no control over his body. He felt parched, but at the same time, while listening to Archer, he felt so good. The best ever, after all these years. Like he was floating, higher and higher, Archer leading him by the hands, and Mikhail did not feel a shred of fear of falling.

“To love and kiss to sweetly hold For the dancing and the dreaming Through all life’s sorrows and delights I’ll keep your laugh beside me,

"I’ll swim and sail on savage seas With never a fear of drowning I’d gladly ride the waves so white If you will marry me!”

The heart he thought that had gone cold was reminding Mikhail of its presence when he heard the loud beating, as if his heart were right next his ears. His body seemed to throb achingly along with every beat.

Mikhail was brought back to earth when he felt the vibrating of his phone. It was the right decision to use the backstage pass early. He had to go back now.

'Meeting Archer will have to be moved. Again.’ Mikhail thought, changing out of the disguise in his car.

He was pissed that his work disturbed his time with Archer. Mikhail knew that after today, it wouldn’t be enough for him to just listen to his voice from a recording. He was being greedy, he knew, but he couldn’t help himself. After hearing his voice in real life, after almost seeing those mesmerizing scarlet eyes for himself, after being so close to meeting the reason he’s been sleeping well these past few months,

How could it be held against him to want more?

Mikhail had been mulling over this for a long time, but now he finally had the resolve to do so. He had enough power, he could do it.

Mikhail wanted to be with Archer.

But first, he had to go to Archer’s world.

—–

“I only want one person to play Abel.” Mikhail demanded.

The director raised an eyebrow, meeting Mikhail’s glare with a steady gaze. “I chose you because you’re a perfect fit for the role of Emilio, even though you’re a complete rookie.” Milo went back to looking at applicants for the role. “You’re in no place to make demands.” Milo retorted, disregarding the fact that Mikhail was the drama’s biggest sponsor. From the short time he’s known the man, he knew Mikhail wasn’t so unreasonable that he thought the world should bow to his whims because of money. However, he did have no qualms in using to his advantage the fear of people towards him due to the rumors of his ties to a gang.

“Archer. Archer Charles.” Mikhail took a drag of his cigarette, rudely blowing smoke to Milo’s direction, although they were on either ends of a long table so Milo didn’t mind.

Milo paused. The name that Mikhail said just so happened to be the one he was currently looking at. 'He looks…. good. A singer? Hmm.’ Archer was the one who had everything Milo was looking for in Abel. But he didn’t want to indulge that brat. He wouldn’t admit out loud that the one Mikhail recommended looked fit for the role.

“We’ll see in the auditions,” is what Milo finally said. “let them all act out a scene with you. The chosen actor for Abel should have good chemistry with Emilio’s actor.”

In contrast to what Milo predicted, Mikhail’s eyes gleamed, a slight smirk on his lips as he scoffed, “Chemistry? I’ll show you chemistry. Careful not to burn your pretty boy face,”

Milo smiled sweetly. “My my, how thoughtful of you.”

Mikhail held his cigarette in one hand, using the other to flip the director off. Milo mentally laughed at his juvenile response.

After three candidates, it was finally Archer’s turn. From the moment he entered the room, he brought with him a soothing aura and such a genuine smile that they couldn’t help but return the smile, easing the atmosphere in the room. From the corner of his eyes, Milo knew that Mikhail’s gaze never left the singer.

“You’re not being very subtle, you know?” Milo teased lowly.

“Mind your own damn business, pretty boy.” Mikhail would have snarled, but his eyes were still trained on the angelic singer in front of them, and he didn’t seem to be capable of showing a bad face in the presence of Abel. There was no way Archer couldn’t notice it, so Milo admired the way Archer didn’t seem to mind. That in itself already won him plus points; despite Mikhail’s unconcealed disinterest, the other candidates were still visibly nervous because of him. Regardless of what Archer thought of Mikhail, he didn’t outwardly show it.

Milo asked them to do two scenes–the first was a very short, simple scene compared to the others: Emilio coming home after two days and Abel comforting his touch-starved husband.

The scriptwriter was already losing her mind, soundlessly slapping the producer beside her. She spoke in a tone that was between a whisper and a squeal, “Oh my god, oh my god. They’re so perf I cannot even. They’re like, they’re like, so good together. Archer looks so soft and warm and white like rice, Mikhail is a mouth-watering dish, and together they make a complete meal!”

The second scene was not so innocent. To see how well they’d work together ad lib, they were not given any lines, just a scenario.

Abel in heat, in need of his alpha.

The judges watched, engrossed in the scene played out by the two. Archer’s wet, glassy eyes, flushed cheeks, panting and whimpering as he stared up at Mikhail, wordlessly pleading to be held. Mikhail, rigid for all but three seconds, scooped him into his arms, his unveiled desire lacing his husky voice and the almost feral look in his eyes. “I got you, babe.”

Archer went limp in his embrace, letting his whole weight be carried by Mikhail, arms reaching up to hug his neck. He rubbed his cheek against Mikhail’s neck, bare skin on bare skin, and let the words breathily escape from his mouth: “Please, dear, please, hmmm….”

At this point, the scriptwriter couldn’t hold her shrieking anymore, and so the spell was broken; Archer moved five steps away from Mikhail, who looked terribly displeased at the disturbance. “You got it! Oh honey, you’re perfect!” She stood up from her seat and enthusiastically gushed about the chemistry between the two.

The producer tugged her sleeve and reminded, “We have yet to discuss it together, keep your crazy down.” It is notable though, that the producer did not refute her words.

“Fine, let’s talk about it now. What does director think?” she turned to ask Milo.

Milo didn’t reply to her. Instead, he looked at Archer with a welcoming smile. “We start shooting next month, please call your manager in and we’ll discuss in more detail.”

The moment the cameras were rolling–no, even if they were off, sparks would still fly, that much the judges could tell. They were so perfect for the roles, they even pulled off not being cringy or awkward despite being relatively new to the acting business. It was because they complemented each other, both as themselves and the characters they portray.

Granted, Mikhail played favorites and didn’t do his best with the others trying out for the role, but what he had with Archer…. was unique. Together they were like a flame. They made anyone watching them feel like moths unable to look away from the bright and warm light, and anyone who gets too close will burn. Milo knew he struck gold with these two.

Milo looked at the innocent Archer and the devilish Mikhail. 'Poor kid. He’s not letting you go.’ Milo mentally smiled mischievously. 'Oh well, this will be fun to watch.’

—–

Bonus:

Archer, alone in a room: w h y, he was so cool, I was so flustered I couldn’t even look him in the eye, I’m so lame aaaaaahhhhh

—–

“I love it when you sing for me,” Mikhail says, his fingers tracing random patterns on his wife’s chest. “Even better when I make you sing.”

Archer shot an amused glance at his fiance, catching the man’s wandering hand on his chest because it was starting to tickle and make him shiver, and he was not about to be led into another round. Archer is determined to stand his ground this time, not to be affected by Mikhail’s seduction. It was his own stubbornness really, because it was so frustrating that he was the only one who always got flustered and unraveled.

But he has yet to learn his lesson, since he naively asked, “What’s the difference?”

Mikhail softly nips at Archer’s exposed collarbone, and Archer all but melts into a puddle when his irritatingly charming husband-to-be whispers, Mikhail’s lips against the helix of his ear: “Let’s find out, hm?”

Archer thinks to himself, 'Whatever, it’s not like he’s bad at it.’ When Archer has these kinds of thoughts, he feels even more embarrassed, and takes it out on Mikhail, the bad influence, by biting whatever part of his body Archer can reach at the moment.

And years after, as Archer reads a book on the large sofa while Mikhail naps with his head on Archer’s thicc lap, he realizes something about his husband.

Mikhail had the power to make Archer’s knees tremble in the most delightful way. He could make Archer reach the limits of his vocal range as they exercised. He could crumble Archer with a single, rare smile–a genuine smile, not a teasing grin or a provocative smirk, not that they don’t make him feel butterflies all the same.

But Archer, it belatedly dawned on him who made Mikhail that way. Archer roused the fire in Mikhail, made it hungry for him, made it want him. Archer didn’t just see it–he heard it, he felt it. Everyday, Mikhail would kiss him. He was not shy to say 'I love you’ contrary to everyone else’s expectations; he would hug Archer’s waist, bury his head on the crook of Archer’s neck, and mutter, 'I missed you’ or 'Come home soon’ when either of them became bogged with a packed schedule. Archer didn’t even know if Mikhail was conscious that he makes puppy dog eyes when doing those gestures.

Archer makes Mikhail melt.

He was notorious in the industry for the rumors of his ties to the yakuza, and it didn’t help that he looked the part and always answered ambiguously when asked. There was no media coverage about their tying the knot, perhaps thanks to Mikhail’s interference, but the people in their industry know. Most, who have never seen or worked with them together, didn’t believe it would last. They had even been worried about Archer getting hurt.

Hurt? By this defenseless, naughty, loving man?

Archer’s nails dug into the skin of his hands and assured them that his husband was not that kind of man. He smiled, but deep inside he was angry. Angry at them, but also at himself. Because once upon a time, he was scared of Mikhail too. Scared of him because of the rumors, scared of him because of his daunting build, scared of how easily Mikhail could break him, scared of how, despite all that, Mikhail was still so attractive in his eyes.

But Mikhail was gentle. Yes he was teasing and lewd, but he was always so sweet, so caring. Mikhail would cup his hands on Archer’s cheeks, staring in entertainment at how he made him blush, then kiss his pouting lips several times. And then, Mikhail would smile. His eyes curved, whatever harshness on his face melted away.

Archer still remembers the day he said yes.

Mikhail had never looked as nervous, then dumbfounded, then jubilant in a span of a minute. Mikhail grabbed him into a hug and spun him around, bursting with an unrestrained, happy laugh. If others saw Mikhail then, they would probably be weirded out and think he’s on some sort of drugs. He was never so positively expressive outside of acting out his role, and even then, most of them were directed at Archer. For Archer, it wasn’t strange at all. Mikhail slowly opens up to him for each day they are together, in the more frequent smiles, in the stories of his tattoos and the scars underneath. He knew Mikhail was only like that in front of him, and he felt so childish for feeling proud of it.

Mikhail put him back on his feet, arms still around his waist. They were forehead to forehead, eyes focused on the other pair, and Mikhail swore, “I’ll be good to you forever,”

Archer smiled. He had half the mind to think, 'Oh, he was a forever man. Such a romantic.’ He said, “I know. I’ll be good to you forever too,”

Archer ingrained in his memories the look of absolute joy and love on Mikhail.

Mikhail stirred from his nap. “Um…. hey.” the man blinked a couple of times. “Did you eat yet? Sorry, just wake me up next time.”

“It’s too early to eat, dear, it’s only been an hour. You came home in the morning, you should catch up on your sleep.” Mikhail always rushed home after an out of town job, unmindful of the jetlag and exhaustion that would follow.

“Yeah,” there was still sleep in Mikhail’s tone. Archer knew he would go back to sleep if he just closed his eyes.

“Why don’t you close your eyes?” At this point in their relationship, Archer was aware that Mikhail liked being spoiled, and he liked it even more when he could flirt like this with Archer.

“I want my goodnight kiss.” Mikhail said righteously.

Archer chuckled and bent down to place a chaste kiss on his husband’s lips.

He put a hand on Mikhail’s forehead, brushing away the stray strands of hair. “There, now go to sleep, dear.”

Mikhail hummed, evidently pleased, and obediently followed his wife’s demand.

As for whether Archer stole a kiss from his handsome sleeping husband, and whether Mikhail was actually asleep, that would be a secret they’d keep to themselves.

——

((A/N:

Q: If Mikhail is so tired since he rushed home, why are they resting on the sofa? Isn’t the bed more comfy?

A: The bed is broken. They have yet to buy a new bed because Abel wants Mikhail to learn to be more restrained. Mikhail is okay with it, since this time, he is thinking of testing the durability of the sofa, the table, the bathtub….))

Bonus:

Preparing for the wedding.

Archer: Dear, do you think I should wear a suit, or a gown?

Mikhail: Doesn’t matter.

Archer: ( • ^ • ) ?

Mikhail: I’ll be taking it off anway. ( =-= ) ✧

Archer: *sighs* I should’ve known. (〃 - 〃)

Mikhail: Wear whatever’s comfortable for you. You look beautiful in anything, even in nothing. Especially in nothing.

Archer: Mikhail! (⁄ ⁄>⁄ꇴ⁄<⁄ ⁄) … . *whispers* You too.

#aaumikhail #aauarcher

[thomasroach]

Oninaki Preview – A Soulful Adventure

The post Oninaki Preview – A Soulful Adventure appeared first on Fextralife.

Oninaki is the upcoming action JRPG from Tokyo RPG Factory. This sombre tale follows the story of a Watcher as he tries to guide lost souls to a peaceful passing, as those who remain trapped by their own torment, can cause monsters to swarm endangering the living. I tried out the demo to see how this story about the beyond pairs up with it’s unique Daemon combat, and whether it’s worth the venture past the introduction.

Oninaki Preview – A Soulful Adventure

Genre:  action-RPG. JRPG, hack ‘n’ slash Developed by: Tokyo RPG Factory Published by:  Square Enix Release date:  August 22nd Platforms:  PC, Playstation 4 (Demo Preview Platform), Nintendo Switch Website: https://oninaki.square-enix-games.com/en-us

Story & Setting

The story Oninaki is quite sad, but honestly it’s more intriguing than depressing. The story follows a newly orphaned Kagachi who struggles with the passing of his parents. His friend’s father consoles him but also explains that he shouldn’t grieve as his parent’s spirits will not be able to move onto their next life. While you might be kind of surprised that children in this universe are given such a serious explanation, the world of Oninaki doesn’t shy away from the afterlife, in fact, death and what happens next is well known.

But the adventure begins with a now grown up Kagachi who has become a Watcher, a role which helps guide lost souls to continue onto their next life. Kagachi must contact souls in the Beyond and help them cross over by finding out what unfinished business keeps them in the Living World. But there is also danger that ensues as their anguish seems to attract monsters.

As much as I want to go into more scenes that were experienced in the demo, as there were some really touching and also dark beautifully animated moments, I don’t want to spoil too much.

Gameplay

There are two modes in Oninaki, Story Mode and Battle Mode. Story Mode offers the full story, quests, exploration and combat. While Battle Mode puts you right into the action, letting you face off against monsters, one after the other.

Story Mode

The demo allows you to experience a portion of the story, and it’s quite a bit, which was surprising. I maybe played for 30 minutes in Normal difficulty, watching the story unfold and getting to grips with the Daemon system as well exploring the world. This game doesn’t follow the usual RPG structure where you level your character’s stats directly, but rather let’s you choose different Daemons to put your points into. This creates a lot of room for flexibility, as each Daemon features their own weapon type and a number of moves that you can choose to learn from their Skill Tree.

Daemons

Since the demo only allowed you to try out two Daemons in Story Mode, I tested out Aisha and Zaav. These two have very different movements, Aisha can move quite speedily, zipping forward at a moment’s notice and can perform some fancy sword moves. While Zaav is more slow paced, but with a two-handed spear that deals some mighty damage. He does have a movement skill but it’s much slower with his jumps. I found this method of abilities to be really different, swapping out Daemons depending on how you want to deal with enemies. It’s quite fun not having a settle on just close range or long range, but having the best of both worlds.

While combat provided some fun abilities with each different Daemon choice, the standard attack is pretty much all you have as you wait for abilities to cool down. You don’t have resources such as stamina or mana to determine how many abilities you can use, but rather you have to watch a cool down bar to find out when you can make your next move. This was a little annoying at times, it made combat feel a little slow, however there are nodes on the skill tree that can help increase speed of abilities reoccurring. As you level you will gain more abilities for your Daemons, which you can then work into fights.

That being said, combat felt quite slow in places, it’s not quite as fast as I was expecting it to be. There are three levels of difficulty for each mode, and Battle Mode is suppose be much more fast paced but we’ll get into that next. Don’t expect any block or parrying, it’s straight up slack ‘n’ slash from what was shown in the demo. Killing enemies at times only respawns more enemies, it was a bit repetitive at times. There is an Affinity meter which when it hits 100%, can unleash a sort of rage mode with Manifest which reminded me of Kingdom Hearts 3, you have higher damage as you take out enemies while Manifest is active.

Enemies

There are number of enemies known as the Fallen, each have their own attacks which include abilities to slow you down. There are also bosses that are a lot larger and possess powerful moves which you will need to counter, these ranged from quick smash down movements to firing projectiles. As you battle them they get added to your Memories which will give you a breakdown of their strengths.

Battle Mode

This mode is completely void of story, if you just want to go beat up some enemies and test out your combat prowess with up to four chosen Daemons, this is where you do it. Providing an onslaught of foes to fight, you can see how far you can make your way through the map. The area you explore is similar to places you visit as you travel from area to area in Story Mode.

As I said before, killing enemies causes new enemies to spawn, and this also happens in Battle Mode. So you will find you will need to kill a bunch of foes in one spot before you can move on. You can even create more of a challenge for yourself by choosing Manic difficulty which sets to provide harder hitting enemies but better loot. It’s suppose to be faster paced, but found it not that different from normal difficulty in Story Mode.

You can switch between Daemons mid-battle if you decide to try a different tactic, this makes fights quite versatile as you can suddenly switch from close range to long range if you wish. Is does take a few seconds to switch, which feels a little slow in my opinion but this could be to stop you spamming Daemon abilities and use more strategy for your fights.

The Living and The Beyond

This core concept of being to able to travel through the living world and the spirit world is really what makes this title stand out. Not only are you given some beautiful surrounding, but the Beyond provides inverse colours, making it seem otherworldly.

Sometimes you will need to venture to the Beyond to track down a lost soul or to simply be able to move from one place to another, when there are gaps in the living world. This creates almost a puzzle challenge in some places and I hope this carries on throughout the whole game.

Each world holds their benefits, the Living world you can interact with barrels and other breakable items, while I didn’t come across any items in the demo, hopefully these will give players something to loot in the full game. You will find monsters lurking in both dimensions, which gives you plenty to fight.

Audio & Visuals

The art style of this game is done in an anime style and it also reminded me a lot of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild but with a simpler design. The cel shaded characters are cute which really contrasts the serious subject matter. The surroundings while not overly detailed, the city is pretty to look at and has plenty of NPCs to interact with. I really liked that the Beyond is done in inverse colours, which helps to show contrast between the planes.

The soundtrack is quite laidback in places as you venture through the town or world, but the battles against bosses are more upbeat and are just as enjoyable.

Voice acting is in Japanese with English subtitles, cinematics are voiced, but you’ll notice later interactions with NPCs will only have a few words voiced and then remaining are just grunts or sighs. I don’t think this takes anything away from the experience and just kind of adds to the charm.

Final Thoughts

Honestly, what made Oninaki shine is it’s story mode, the whole concept is really intriguing and the characters you meet are heartfelt. I can tell there are going to be some moments that really hit you in the feels in this one, as one particular scene stood out during the demo, which you just have to experience for yourself. The story is bleak as it deals with death and the passing of loved ones, but it’s really different how it deals with grief.

The Battle Mode however felt a little lacklustre, but I should mention the demo was limited in the abilities you could choose for Daemons so maybe there are some extra features that are available in the full game. In my opinion, story mode is where it’s at, but I could see Battle Mode as a good way to blow off steam with just taking down enemy after enemy.

If you enjoy an interesting storyline, enjoy a title with some cute visuals and just want to kick enemy butt with a number of fun abilities to choose from, this could be a game for you. This demo really has me curious of where they will take this story and to find out what other abilities other Daemons will possess.

Oninaki releases on PC, Nintendo Switch and Playstation 4 on August 22nd. You can pick up the demo on all platforms.

For more previews be sure to read next Remnant From The Ashes Preview: Sci-Fi Cooperative Mayhem and Night Call Preview – A Gritty Noir Murder Mystery. You can also find out what other titles are arriving this August in Top 5 Upcoming RPGs Of August 2019 (Remnant, WoW Classic, Black Desert And More!).

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