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chuluoyi · 4 months

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UNHOLY MATRIMONY — 10

✩°｡ ⋆ a death wish

- fushiguro megumi x oc/reader - oc/reader's character name is hara sena, pronouns still refer to “you” and i won’t mention it often—just for the sake of aesthetic rather than repeatedly writing "y/n"

in another life, in which fate is still screwing his life over, Fushiguro Megumi finds himself in an arranged marriage―with you.

genre/warnings: arranged marriage au, drama, angst, angst, angst, another gojo cameo (but he is being kinda insufferable?), naoya <- a warning in and of itself

notes: soon, guys, soon. not now... but naoya will meet his end soon and yeah, the end is a timeskip. next chapter would explain how :)

listen to: monster - big bang

✩°｡ ⋆ unholy matrimony (masterlist) | chapter nine : all done <- previous ✩ next -> chapter eleven : transcendent truth

A week later, true to what Naoya said, Megumi still felt like he was the biggest fool out there.

To say that he was simply heartbroken would be an understatement, because it went beyond that. Is there even a word that could adequately explain extent of this betrayal? He was utterly deceived, maneuvered like a chess pawn.

If that day hadn't unfolded as it did, how long would he have remained oblivious to this deception?

And yet, despite that, no matter how searing the pain was, Megumi apparently wasn't heartless enough to drive you out. So he chose to go instead, renting a room at the nearest motel to the headquarters.

He made a conscious effort to avoid you whenever possible—drowning himself in missions so he didn't have to see you in the workplace. And it worked, he hadn't crossed paths with you since last week. The love tucked away in the deepest corner of his heart tugged at him, urging him to at least check on how you were doing, but his wounded pride made him focus on another task at hand.

"Megumi?"

This. Kurusu Hana was calling for him.

"What is it?" he turned to her, who was standing by Tsumiki's bedside, having just finished her enchantments on her. The very least he could get after being dragged into this deceitful marriage with you was Tsumiki being released from her curse.

Hana looked at him curiously. "Are you alright? You seem out of sorts, somehow..."

The past week, all Megumi did outside his workhours was tending to Tsumiki and interacting with Hana in the hospital. After getting to know her a little more, he noticed she was a bit scatterbrained. However, she seemed like a genuinely good person and was pleasant to have around, and before he knew it, he was much more comfortable around her and not exactly holding back his words as he used to.

"Ah, no," he brushed her off. "Just thinking of some things."

"Oh..."

On her side, Hana couldn't help but notice that something seemed different about him. "Is... uh, your wife not coming?"

Megumi almost jerked in his seat. Oh, right. He realized he hadn't mentioned to her that you two weren't on speaking terms anymore. He hadn't felt the need to bring it up.

“No.”

“Uh… I don’t mean to pry, but… did you two have a fight or something?”

“I think that’s what you’d call prying, personally.”

Hana felt like her face would burst into flames out of sheer embarrassment. Come on, you like him but don’t make it that obvious.

"Sometimes talking about it helps, you know," she braved herself. No, she reasoned. She was here as a friend. Not that she was curious.

Or maybe just a bit?

Megumi eyed her sharply. "About what?"

He didn't mean to get snappy. But when you were on the brink of divorce with your wife, you were entitled to, right?

"Your problems," she asserted. "I'm saying, talking to someone can make you feel better."

"To you?"

Hana gulped. "Yeah."

It had been daunting enough to know that he was married. Nothing could be worse than that―certainly not saying that he could rant to her.

Megumi didn't want to have his problem out in the open, much less to someone who was more like a stranger like Hana was. But he had no one to turn to... and truth to be told, he was still in an internal debate with himself regarding everything―what his life had come to.

He scoffed. "Highly doubt it."

"It does! Look, I'm going to start first―"

She then proceeded to ramble about how her landlady was an annoying woman who kept adding extra charges. Her expressions shifted so frequently that it became almost comical.

She was kind of like you, in a way―the expressiveness.

Then again, maybe not really. Evidently, you managed to fool him completely and fully, you were hiding something behind that crafted cheerfulness you showed to him.

"―and haaah! Now I feel much better!" she remarked with a wide smile and twinkling eyes. "See? It's harmless! I won't divulge it to anyone, I promise!"

"Are you an idiot?" Megumi deadpanned, and Hana merely chuckled, abashed at how much she'd gotten worked up over it.

Megumi didn't have much to say, however. He was just grappling with numerous thoughts, and now he started wondering if having someone to listen might offer some relief, even a little. "How would you feel if someone very close to you lied to you?"

"Huh? Someone... close?" Hana was clearly caught off guard. And when he nodded, she tilted her head to the side, seemingly choosing her words carefully. "I'd be upset, of course."

"Would you forgive them?"

"That's a tricky question... I think it depends?"

"On what?"

Hana blinked in confusion. What had happened to Megumi that he pulled this... sad―almost desperate―expression? Who exactly did he want to forgive?

"I'm not an expert on this but..."

At that moment, she had an epiphany―could it be... you?

"If it's truly something that's so unforgivable, then I suppose... no," she decided then, albeit warily, gauging Megumi's reaction. "There's just a limit to what someone can forgive."

"Hmm... A limit, huh?"

Certainly, she wasn't expecting any reaction that would give him away, and Hana wasn't someone who would take an advantage out of someone who was fighting with his wife, anyway. But still, if it was you that he had in mind, then she was... genuinely curious.

Meanwhile, Megumi was left with even more thoughts than before. Thoughts about the whole shit of the ordeal, and you, among everything else. And he thought, he had his answer then.

He still didn't find it in himself to.

You hadn't seen Megumi ever since that day.

You knew he was intentionally avoiding you, given that his work desk in headquarters was always empty whenever you clocked in. And you weren't actively seeking him out either―seeing him would only make you feel shame all over, so no, you were fine with how it was.

It still hurt, but it was more bearable these days.

"Sena-san, are you sure you're alright?" Nobara asked you after both of you finished your mission. You two weren't exactly close, but from a handful of times you were paired with her for missions, you got the gist that she was a fun person.

Glancing at your bandaged arm―an aftermath from your mission earlier, you casually shrugged and remarked, "Oh, this? It's just a scratch, nothing serious."

"Really, Fushiguro should take better care of you," she grumbled. "Why is he still letting his wife taking missions? If I were him, I'd forbid you from this line of work altogether."

Thump!

Your heart squeezed at the mention of Megumi's name, realizing that no one here knew your recent unfortunate circumstances yet. Megumi hadn't told anyone―he was not the type to, to be exact.

"How is he? Is he doing okay?" you looked down, deliberately not meeting Nobara's eyes, because you weren't sure if you would be able to keep this "I'm fine" facade if you look at her in the face while talking about Megumi.

"Hmm? In missions, you mean? Yeah, as always," she blurted nonchalantly. "He's skillful. His talent is enough to bail him out of anything."

Talent. Ha. Now you understand a fraction of what Megumi must have felt, being reduced to just his gift from the so-called Zen'in bloodline.

You let out a sigh, blinking the mist in your eyes away. "Does he get hurt often?"

"Bah. Getting hurt is nothing new. If you ask me, I think he and Itadori just love to race each other to rack up the most bruises, actually."

A frown etched itself across your forehead. "That's not good..."

"Boys will be boys, I suppose. Don't worry too much!" Nobara said with a light chuckle. "I hate to admit it, but Fushiguro knows how to take care of himself far better than anyone here does. You have nothing to worry about."

That gave you some relief. He was fine. And he will be.

"Nobara-san, please keep an eye out for him, yeah?" you muttered with a repressed smile. Keeping tears at bay was tough, but you were determined to stay cool. "I can't always be around for him. He may not seem like it, but someone has to watch over him so he won't overdo himself."

Nobara blinked, obviously taken aback by your simple, heartfelt plea, but she quickly collected herself and barked a laugh. "Leave it to me, Sena-san! I know how to keep those troublemakers by the leash!"

With everything taken care of, you parted ways. Just before heading back to Megumi's apartment―really, one of these days, you were going to move out too because how could you still hog his place?―you found a mail on your desk. A brown, neat envelope.

Driven by curiosity, you swiftly tore it open, only to feel your heart sink to the lowest abyss as you read heading of the pristine paper.

Notice of Divorce by Agreement.

Suddenly, your vision blurred, and you grasped onto the desk, causing the papers to scatter to the floor. A choked whimper escaped your lips, and then it turned into a fit of sobs.

Of course. Of course. Why didn't you expect this? Both of you had to come to a resolution eventually. You couldn't be in a stalemate with Megumi forever―not quite willing to end the marriage but also not entirely wanting to continue it.

And this is how it ends.

A part of you died when you scanned Megumi's formal name and signature, as well as the witness―Kurusu Hana. For fuck's sake. Who was that again? How did the witness to your divorce be someone you never knew?

Suddenly you felt anger coursing through your veins. How was this your life? You never wanted to be embroiled in this shit in the first place. You never wanted to be born in Hara clan in the first place. You never wanted to drag a stranger to your mess in the first place.

And yet you did. And yet you lost everything all the same. You poor mother, how was it fair that she had to pay the price first and now, you too?

...okay, who were you kidding? You had to pay the price because you instigated everything. But still, you couldn't help the pain tearing your chest, the fervent hope that Megumi might understand, the longing that he wouldn't abandon you just like that. Because if the positions were reversed, you would definitely hear him out first.

Alas, fate just didn't favor you. When did it ever, really?

. . .

Oh, the curse breaker.

You finally remembered, right after you furiously scrawled your name and signature on that scrap of paper.

"I'm just saying, if you're going to make her even more miserable, then you should just get a divorce."

It was what Gojo Satoru told him when he somehow got a hold of him and forced his way inside his hostel yesterday.

In a daze, Megumi managed to get hold of the divorce papers and left them on your desk. He knew it wasn't the best move—just as forging someone else's signature wasn't either. But his conversation with Gojo had stirred up a storm of emotions, especially a sense of righteous anger.

"How could you, Gojo-sensei?" he demanded as soon as his mentor stepped into his space, feeling a surge of betrayal coursing through his veins. "What more do you want from me? Is toying with me not enough for you?"

"Megumi," the Six Eyes user began, and unlike all other instances in which he was trying to be funny, now he looked as serious as he could be. "First of all, I apologize for—"

"That means nothing," he bitterly spat. "You have scarred me for life. You and Sena both."

Gojo let out a resigned sigh. "Fair point, but now that we have come to this, you deserve the truth."

And then Megumi heard it all. About how you had no one to turn to, how you came to him to stage everything, how he agreed, and how you dragged Zen'in Ogi into your plans too.

By the end of it all, he was furious. Even more than before.

"You... absolute bastard," Megumi hissed through gritted teeth, glaring squarely at Gojo.

"Yeah, I might be, but you know what, Megumi?" Gojo dauntingly challenged, his eyes gleaming and unwavering with intensity. "For the record, I really thought you could do it."

"Do what?" At this point, he just wanted to rage and not think of anything else, because for the life of him, he couldn't fathom what Gojo Satoru might expect from him or what he himself was capable of doing.

"Taking the Zen'ins to your hands. You have the capability to do so. And with Sena too, she knows what she is doing."

"Is—" Megumi couldn't believe it one bit, the very shit coming from his mouth just now. "Is that kind of reasoning supposed to make me able to forgive you? If you really think so, then get the fuck off!"

He hated it. He hated how he made it sound as if you were just as complicit in this as he was. Even when that was the truth.

"No. Your anger is justified," Gojo stated sharply. "But if you look at it differently, it's actually my acknowledgement of you. Of your strength. All the terrible things you've faced, they hold significance, and reclaiming what's yours from the Zen'in would be the ultimate embodiment of it."

"Don't patronize me! You don't get to fucking choose what I should do! And what's more—I don't need your fucking acknowledgement!"

How arrogant could someone possibly be? Megumi recognized Gojo Satoru as an unparalleled individual, but who did he think he was that he could play with another's fates? A god?

"You may take it however way you wish," Gojo blurted indifferently, seemingly having enough of this too, as he also knew better than anyone that changing Megumi's mind would be a tall order. "And now, what happens?" he scoffed, changing the subject, throwing a glance at the shabby room of his current place to stay. "What do you plant to do now? What about Sena?"

"That's not your business whatsoever—"

"I'm just saying, if you're going to make her even more miserable, then you should just get a divorce."

That was what drove him to do just that. First, the very mention that you might be miserable did something to him, and then second, the feeling of utter betrayal. Maybe cutting you off would make all of this better, somehow.

But now, as Megumi sank on his uncomfortable bed in this cramped space, he had the time to think over Gojo's words in a calmer state of mind. True, what you did was beyond appalling—but it wasn't as if you truly wanted to manipulate him either. You weren't in an ideal situation either, and now, you were just as miserable as he was.

How are you? Have you been eating well? You tend to skip meals when you're upset, and that could take a toll on your health. It reminded him of the time you went on an eating strike before.

"Haah," he grounded out, pulling an arm over his eyes, willing his headache away. How was it that even though you had betrayed him this bad, he was still worried about you?

Two weeks later October 31 Zen'in estate

It is only a matter of time, really.

Naoya could scarcely believe that it had come to this. How his home had shattered in the most grotesque way possible. Brought by his own hands, no less.

But Ogi should have expected it when he insisted on that Fushiguro bastard to keep being in the next line of succession. He should have known that Naoya, the true heir, would have his head.

He had left his daughter with a pretty sound message too. For whoever in his accursed clan still wanted to defy his claim, they were welcome to do so... but only if they were ready to face him and settle it in blood.

As he dawdled inside the barrier that had been pulled down for his supposed duel with Fushiguro Megumi, Naoya mused to himself.

What was taking him so long?

(It just didn't register in his deluded mind that Megumi might have deserted him altogether. He thought everyone and anyone, without a doubt, coveted the position like he was)

Still grumbling to himself, Naoya suddenly noticed a silhouette slipping through the dark curtain, which promptly sealed shut. The curtain was specifically designed for this deadly showdown—it wouldn't dissolve until only one victor remained standing.

Naoya barked a scoff, whirling to face his fated match. "You surely took your sweet time—"

But then his eyes widened as he recognized who stood before him, and then he doubled over in maniacal laughter.

"Hah—ah—what sort of joke is this?" he managed to utter between wheezes, shaking his head in disbelief. "Are you out of your mind? Have you completely lost it?!"

A level-headed gaze met his, and Naoya was convinced, this was indeed his day to win.

"Hara Sena— do you really wish to die?!"

✩°｡ ⋆ next -> chapter eleven : transcendent truth

🏷️ taglist

@moonmalice @hellothere9597 @qtnfer @firstplaidpeachnickel @waddlingwanderer @chilichopsticks @satorus-slut @dcvilxswish @lees-chaotic-brain @tojirin @bluebreadenthusiast @pandabooster @cole-silas @becsmarvel @giuli-in-earth @fuckimgenderfluid @haitanisrarity @kimura-uzuri @bicchaan @lunavixia @stevenknightmarc @rory-cakes @sushisimp @sad-darksoul @iluv-ace @squidalapobre @hopeladybug @beyondmyownlittleworld @mrsyangsikmoa @kasumitenbaz @nothisispatrick300 @angrydaughter @lili-of-the-dream @kiki17483 @abcdenhb @l1n0m3 @darling006 @traacy-lin @akaashisbbgirl

#jujutsu kaisen #fushiguro megumi x reader #fushiguro megumi x oc #jujutsu kaisen x reader #fushiguro megumi #jjk x reader #megumi fushiguro #megumi fushiguro x reader #megumi x reader #jjk megumi #jjk fanfic #jjk imagines #fushiguro megumi angst #series: unholy matrimony

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actualbird · 9 months

Note

who in the nxx yells “THERE’S A BUG” and who removes the bug, and how?

HELP HAHAHAKHVFAHSF THIS IS A LOVELY PROMPT, THANK U FOR THIS!!!

those who yell "THERES A BUG": marius and mc

now im not saying both of them are particularly squeamish, no no, they can definitely keep it cool when the situation Calls For It. that being said, seeing a bug in the nxx meeting room on a slow day isnt exactly the most high stakes of situations, so the most High Stakes Element remains to be whatever bug they see

mc just doesnt like bugs, theyre creepy theyre crawly and she doesnt trust anything that can dart out of her line of vision in the blink of an eye

marius also doesnt like bugs and because of his upbringing, he did not get to see very many of them growing up. which means every time he Did see a Bug Intruder, it's like a Category 5 Drama Moment

the moment they see the bug, theyre announcing it LOUDLY to everybody else in the room while also getting up to stand on some chairs

those who dont yell "THERES A BUG" but does look at the bug and track its every movement while sitting still like a statue hoping the bug doesnt notice him, as if bugs operate on some kind of t-rex knowledge: artem

let's rewind a bit. before marius and mc saw the bug, artem saw it first. and he just

didnt say anything about it

artem.....Also Does Not Like Bugs. but he also also doesnt like being loud about things he doesnt like so he just Sits There, so still you'd think he fucking died, and he hopes the bug mistakes him for some kind of inanimate man-shaped furniture and avoids him due to sheer disinterest

it doesnt avoid him.

it probably crawls or flies very close to him a few times the only thing that stops him from screaming "THERES A BUG" is his self-control thats as hard as cast-iron skillet

it's fine though because marius and mc spot it and sound the alarm

(thank god)

those who remove the bug: luke and vyn

luke and vyn are the ones who will both 1) be completely unbothered by the bug and 2) have to bring it out

the reason for luke is obvious, he's had wilderness survival training and probably had to eat bugs like in an episode of Man VS Wild to survive on an uninhabited island, so hes REALLY past any squeamishness with bugs. in fact, if mc said the word, luke would grab the bug and crush it with his bare hands

and vyn is a gardener!!! bugs are APLENTY in the garden, so he sees them not as malevolent but as important creatures in a healthy ecosystem. the bug probably got in from vyn's garden, actually, since nxx hq is on his property

and thus

The Timeline Of Events When a Bug Appears In The NXX HQ Meeting Room

bug: //crawls in

artem: //sees it, soul leaves his body for a bit and he petrifies himself as a defense mechanism

mc: why did artem go so still

marius: i dont know, maybe hes rebooting?

mc: dont be mean!

marius: im not being mea---FUCK

mc: what?

marius: THERES A BUG

mc: theres a wha---THERES A BUG

marius and mc: //immediately moving to stand on the couch

artem: //still Not Moving, hoping that mc and marius' sudden movements attract it

bug: //flexes wings open and closed

mc: NNNNO NO NO NO

marius: STOP DOING THAT MOTHERFUCKER

mc: NONONNONONONNNONONNOONONOONOO

marius: AAAAAAAAAA

vyn and luke, coming back in from where they were in the file room: ???

mc: THERES A BUG THERES A BUG

luke: oh. do you want me to kill it?

mc: NO!!

marius: YES!!!!!!

artem: i havent moved in 20 minutes

mc: JUST BRING IT OUT

luke: dead or alive?

mc: ALIVE

marius: DEAD

vyn, while they were all conversing: //gently coaxes the bug onto his palm and lets it out through the window

vyn's rationale here was that luke was doing a great job at handling (i.e. distracting) the People, so he went ahead and took care of the Bug. the bug will not be returning to the nxx meeting room because it was quite cold with no soil and also VERY loud

#just ur regular nxx team shenanigans.....puzzle minigame event where this is the plot and all the puzzles are the reactions to The Bug HAHA #asks #tears of themis #marius von hagen #artem wing #luke pearce #vyn richter #tot rosa #anon

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physalian · 3 months

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Humanizing Your Characters (And Why You Should)

To humanize a character is not to contort an irredeemable villain into the warped funhouse mirror reflection of a hero in the last 30 seconds to gain “narrative subversion” points. To humanize is not to give said villain a tragic backstory that validates every bad choice they make in attempt to provide nuance where it does not deserve to be.

To humanize a character, villain or otherwise, is to make them flawed. Scuff them up, give them narrative birthmarks and scars and imperfections. Whether it’s your hero, their love interest, the comic relief, the mentor, the villain, the rival, these little narrative details serve to make all your literary babies better.

Why should you humanize your characters?

To do this means to write in details beyond those that service the plot, or the themes, or the motifs, morals, foreshadowing, or story. These might be (and usually are) entirely unimportant in the grand scheme of things. So, if I wrote lengthy diatribes on pacing and why every detail must matter, and character descriptions and thematic importance, why am I now suggesting go free-for-all on the fluff?

Just like real people have quirks and tics and beliefs and pet peeves that serve our no greater purpose, so should fictional people. Your average reader doesn’t have the foggiest idea what literary devices are beyond metaphor, simile foreshadowing, and anecdote, but they can tell when the author is using motif and theme and all the syntactical marvels because it reads that much richer, even if they can’t pinpoint why.

And, for shipping fodder, these tiny little details are what help your audience fall in love with the character. It doesn’t even have to be in a book – Taylor Swift (whether you like her or not) never fills her music with sexual innuendo or going clubbing. She tells stories filled with human details like dancing in the refrigerator light. People can simultaneously relate to these very specific and vivid experiences, and say “not that exactly, but man this reminds me of…” and that’s (part of) the reason her music is so popular.

What kinds of narratives need these details?

All of them. Visual media, audio, written, stage play. Now, to what degree and excess you apply these details depends on your tone, intended audience, and writing style. If your style of writing is introspection heavy, noir character drama, you might go pretty heavy on the character design.

But even if you’re writing a kids book with a scant few paragraphs of setting descriptors and internal narration, or you’re drawing a comic book – if you have characters you want people to care about, do this.

Animators, particularly, are very adept at humanizing non-human characters, because, unlike live acting, every single stroke of the pen is there with intent. They use their own reflections for facial references, record their own movements to draw a dance, and insert little bits of themselves into signature character poses so you know that *that* animator did this one.

How to humanize your characters.

I’m going to break this down into a couple sections: Costume/wardrobe, personality, beliefs/behavior/superstitions, haptics/proxemics/kinesics, and voice. They will all overlap and the sheer variety and possibilities are way too broad for me to capture every facet.

Costumes and Wardrobe

In the film Fellowship of the Ring, there’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment where, after Boromir is slain by the Uruk-Hai, Aragorn takes Boromir’s Gondorian vambraces to wear in his honor, and in honor of their shared country. He wears them the rest of the trilogy. The editing pays no extra attention to them beyond a split second of Aragorn tightening the straps, it never lingers on them, never reminds you that they’re there, but they kept it in nonetheless. His actor also included a hunting bow that didn't exist in the book because he's a roamer, a ranger, and needs to be able to feed himself, along with a couple other survival tools.

Aragorn wears plenty of other symbolic bits of costume – the light of the Evenstar we see constantly from Arwen, the Lothlorien green cloaks shared by the entire Fellowship, his re-forged sword and eventual full Gondorian regalia, but all those are Epic Movie Moments that serve a thematic purpose.

Taking the vambraces is just a small, otherwise insignificant character moment, a choice made for no other reason than that’s what this character would do. That’s what makes him human, not an archetype.

When you’re writing these details and can’t rely on sneaking them into films, you have to work a little harder to remind your audience that they exist, but not too often. A detail shifts from “human” to “plot point” when it starts to serve a purpose to the themes and story.

Inconsequentiality might be how a character ties, or doesn’t tie their shoelaces, because they just can’t be bothered so they remain permanent knots and tripping hazards. It might be a throw-away line about how they refuse to wear shorts and strictly stick to long pants because they don’t like showing off their legs. It might be perpetually greasy hair from constantly running their fingers through it with stress, or self-soothing. A necklace they fidget with, or a ring, a belt they never bother to replace even though they should, a pair of lucky socks.

Resist the urge to make it more meaningful than “this is just how they are”. If I’m using the untied shoelaces example – in Spiderverse, this became a part of the story’s themes, motifs, and foreshadowing, and doesn’t count. Which isn’t bad! It’s just not what I’m talking about.

Personality

In How to Train Your Dragon, Toothless does not speak. All his personality comes from how he moves, the noises he makes, and the expressions on his face. There’s moments, like in the finale, when his prosthetic has burned off and Hiccup tells him to hold on for a little bit longer, and you can clearly see on his face that he’s deeply uncertain about his ability to do so. It’s almost off the screen, another blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment. Or the beat of hesitation before he lets Hiccup touch him in the Forbidden Friendship scene. Or the irritated noise he makes when he’s impatiently waiting for Hiccup to stop chatting with his dad because they have a giant dragon to murder. Or when he slaps Hiccup with his ear fin for flying them into a rock spire.

None of those details *needed* to exist to endear you to his character or to serve the scenes they’re in. The scenes would carry on just fine without them. He’s a fictional dragon, yes, but these details make him real.

Other personality tics you could include might be a character who gets frustrated with tedious things very quickly and starts making little inteligible curses under their breath. Or how they giggle when they’re excited and start bouncing on their toes. Maybe they have a tic where they snap their fingers when they’re concentrating, trying to will an idea into existence. Or they stick their tongue out while they work and get embarrassed when another character calls them on it. They roll around in their sleep, steal blankets, drool, leave dishes in the sink or are neurotic with how things must be organized. They have one CD in their car, and actually use that CD player instead of the phone jack or Bluetooth. They sing in the shower, while they cook, or while they do homework, no matter how grating their voice.

They like the smell of new shoes or Sharpies. They hate the texture of suede or velvet or sticky residues. They never pick their socks up. They hate the overhead light in their room and use 50 lamps instead. They hate turning into oncoming traffic or don’t trust their backup camera. They collect Funko Pops and insist there’s always room for more.

And about a million others.

Beliefs, Behaviors, and Superstitions

*If you happen to be writing a story where superstitions have merit, maybe skip this one.* Usually, inevitably, these evolve into character centerpieces and I can’t actually think of one off the top of my head that doesn’t become this beyond the ones we all know. A few comedic examples do come to mind:

The Magic Conch in “Club Spongebob” and the sea-bear-proof dirt circle in “The Camping Episode”

Dean Winchester’s fear and panic-driven actions in “Yellow Fever” and “Sam, Interrupted”

The references to the trolls that steal left-foot socks in How to Train Your Dragon

I’m not a fan of wasting time writing a religious character doing their religious thing when Plot Is Happening, but smaller things are what I’m talking about. Like them wearing a cross/rosary and touching it when they’re nervous. Having a specific off-beat prayer, saying, or expression because they don’t believe in cursing.

The classic ones like black cats, ladders, broken mirrors, salt, sidewalk cracks can all be funny. Athletes have plenty, too, and some of them, particularly in baseball culture, are a bit ridiculous. Not washing socks or uniforms, having a team idol they donate Double Bubble to and also rub their toes. A specific workout routine, diet, team morale dance.

Other things, too. A character who’s afraid to go back downstairs once the lights are off, or fear the basement or the backyard shed. Or they’re really put-off by this old family photo for no reason other than how glassy their eyes look and it’s creepy. They like crystals, dreamcatchers, star signs, tarot, or they absolutely do not under any circumstances.

They believe in all the tried and true ways of predicting the weather like a grizzled old sailor. They believe in ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches, skinwalkers, doppelgangers, fairies. They talk to the cat statue in their kitchen and named it Fudge Pop. They whisper to the spirit that possessed the fridge so it stops making all that racket, and half the time, it works every time. They wear yellow for good luck or carry a rabbit’s foot. They’re not religious at all but still throw prayers out to whoever’s listening because, you know, just in case. They sit by their window sill and talk to the moon and the stars and pretend like they’re in a music video when they’re driving through the city in the rain.

Haptics, Proxemics, and Kinesics

These are, for all you non-communication and psych majors out there, touch and physical contact, how they move, and how they move around other people.

Behold, your shipping fodder.

Two shining examples of proxemics in action are the famous “close talker” episode of Seinfeld (of which every communication major has been subjected to) and Castiel’s not understanding of personal space (and human chronemic habits) in Supernatural.

These are how a character walks, if they’re flat-footed, clumsy, or tip-toers. If they make a racket or constantly spook the other characters. If they fidget or can’t sit still in a seat for five seconds, if they like to sit backwards or upside down. How they touch themselves, if they do a lot of self-soothing maneuvers (hugging themselves, rubbing their arms, touching their face, drawing their knees up, holding their neck, etc) or if they don’t do any self-soothing at all.

This is how they shake hands, if they dance while they cook or work. It’s how much space they let themselves take up, if they man-spread or keep their limbs in closer. How close they stand to others or how far. If they let themselves be touched at all, or if they always have their skin covered. If they always have their back to a wall, or are always making sure they know where the nearest exit is. If they make grand gestures when they talk and give directions. If they flinch from pats on the back or raised hands. If they lean away from loud voices or project their own. If they use their height to their advantage when arguing, puff their chest, square their shoulders, put their hands on their hips, or point fingers in accusation.

If they touch other characters as they pass by. If they’re huggers or victims of falling asleep on or near their comrades. If they must sleep facing the door, or with something solid behind them. If they can sleep in the middle of a party wholly uncaring. If they sleepwalk, sleeptalk, migrate across the bed to cuddle whoever’s nearest with no idea they’re doing it.

If they like to be held or like to hold others. If they hate being picked up and slung around or are touch-starved for it. If they like their space and stick to it or are more than happy to share.

Do they walk with grace, head held high and back straight? Or are they hunched over, head hung, watching their feet? Are they meanderers or speed-walkers? Do they cross their arms in front or lace their hands behind them? Do they bow to authority or meet that gaze head on?

I have heard that Prince Zuko, in Last Airbender, is usually drawn sleeping with his bad ear down when he doesn’t feel safe, like on his warship or anywhere in the Fire Nation, or on the road. He’s drawn on his other side once he joins the Gaang. In Dead Man’s Chest, just before Davy Jones drives the Flying Dutchman under the waves, two tentacles curl up and around the brim of his hat to keep it from blowing off in the water.

When they fight, do they attack first, or defend first? Do they touch other characters’ hair? Share makeup, share clothes? Touch their faces with boops or bonks or nuzzles and eskimo kisses? Do they crack their knuckles and necks and knees?

Do they stare in baffled curiosity at all the other characters wholly comfortable in each other's spaces because they can’t, won’t, or don’t see the point in all this nonsense? Do they say they’re happy on the outside, but are betrayed by their body language?

Voice

Whether or not to write an accent is entirely up to you. Books like Their Eyes Were Watching God writes dialogue in a vernacular specific to its characters. Westerners and southerners tend to be written with the southern drawl or dialect, ripe with stereotypical contractions. Be advised, however, that in attempt to write an accent to give your character depth, you could be instead turning off your audience who doesn’t have energy to decipher what they’re saying, or you went and wrote a racist stereotype.

Voice isn’t just accent and dialect, nor is it how it sounds, which falls more solidly under useful character descriptions. Voice for the sake of humanizing your characters concerns how they talk, how they convey their thoughts, and how they become distinct from other characters in dialogue and narration.

If you’re writing a narrative that hops heads and don’t want to include a big banner to indicate who’s talking at any given time, this is where voice matters. It is, I think, the least appreciated of all the possible traits to pay attention to.

First person narrators have the most flexibility here because the audience is zero degrees removed from their first-hand experiences. Their personality comes through sharply in how they describe things and what they pay attention to.

But it’s also in what similes and metaphors they use. I read a book that had an average (allegedly straight) male narrator going off and describing colors with types of flowers, some I had to look up because I just don’t know those off the top of my head. My immediate thought was either this character is a poorly written gay, or he’s a florist. Neither (allegedly), the writer was just being too specific.

Do they have crutch words they use? like, um, actually, so…, uh

Or repeat exclamations specific to them? yikes, yowzers, jeepers, jinkies, zoinks, balls, beans, d’oh!

Or idioms they’re fond of? Like a bat out of hell. Snowball’s chance.

Do they stutter when they’re nervous? Do they lose their train of thought and bounce around, losing other characters in the process? Do they have a non-Christian god they pray to and say something other than “thank God”? Are they from another country, culture, time period, realm, or planet with their own gods, beliefs, and idioms?

When they describe settings, how flowery is the language? Would this grizzled war hero use flowery language? How would he or she describe the color pink, versus a PTA mom? Do they use only a generic “blue, green, red” or do they really pay attention with “aquamarine, teal, emerald, viridian, vermillion, rose, ruby”?

How do this character’s hobbies affect how well they can describe dance moves, painting styles, car models, music genres?

This mostly matters when you’re head-hopping and the voice of the narrator serves to be more distinct, otherwise, what’s the point of head-hopping? Just use third-person omniscient.

If you really want to go wild, give a specific narrator unique syntax. Maybe one character is the ghost of Oscar Wild with never-ending run-on sentences. Just be sure to not go too overboard and compromise the integrity of your story.

In the book A Lesson Before Dying, a somewhat illiterate, underprivileged and undereducated minor has been given a mentor, a teacher, before they face the death penalty. At the end of the book, you read all of the letters they wrote to their teacher. There’s misspellings everywhere, almost no punctuation, and long, rambling sentences.

It’s heartbreaking. The subject matter is heavy and horrible, yes, but it’s the choice to write with such poor English that has a much bigger impact than perfect MLA format.

How to implement these details

Most of these, in the written medium, need only show up once or twice before your audience notices and wonders why they’re there. Most fall squarely under character design, which falls under exposition, and should follow all the exposition guidelines.

These details exist to be random and fluffy, but they can’t exist randomly within the narrative. If you want to have your character be superstitious, pick a relevant time to include that superstition.

Others, like ongoing speech habits or movements, still don’t overuse, especially if they’re unique. A character might like to sit backwards in a chair, but if you mention that they’re doing it every single time they sit down, your audience will wonder what’s so important and if the character is unwell.

And, of course, you can let these traits become thematically important, like a superstition being central to their personality or backstory or motivation. These all serve the same purpose of making your character feel like a real person instead of just a “character”.

Just think about tossing in a few random details every now and then and see what happens. One tiny sentence can take a background character and make them candidates for the eventual fandom’s fan favorite. Details like these turn your work from “This a story, and these are the characters who tell it” into “these are my characters, and this is their story.”

#writing advice #character design #writing tips #writing resources #exposition #writing tools #writing a book

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moodcrab · 9 months

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Fixing Delphine

This bitch.

I actually like that they made a character that is on your side but is somewhat unlikable, Delphine is Team Dragonborn, but she's not really one of the good guys. And that's cool, conflict means drama. So what's the problem? Well unfortunately, this drama is surface level and isn't used to drive the story, so It's kind of just annoying.

People oversimplify their hatred of Delphine into "She wants you to kill Paarthurnax," because unlike Delphine, people actually like Paarthurnax. Understandable, but barely scratches the surface. We'll get to The Paarthurnax Dilemma in time, but that quest is a symptom, not the illness itself.

If I could sum up Delphine in a word it would be "inconsistent." For example, she's a fugitive waging a one woman war on the Thalmor from the shadows, who's only survived this long from sheer paranoia - but she also uses her real name and leaves a note in Ustengrav for whoever happens to pick it up with directions and a pass word to her secret hide out.

She needs to go through her super secret contact Farengar to use the Jarl's resources to go into Bleak Falls Barrow, a tutorial level dungeon she can see from her house, and she's impressed that you did it - but she also goes personally to the other side of the country to delve alone into the massive Ustengrav to steal the Horn of Jurgan Windcaller, no issues, just a quick in and out twenty minute adventure.

She takes the fact that you found her Ustengrav note as proof you're the Greybeard's new guy and not some Thalmor plant even though she herself, a non Dragonborn, had also completed Ustengrav and taken the horn proving it's totally possible. She even points this out in her own dialogue then demands we prove who we are, even though that was the whole point of the Ustengrav note. It's also a pretty big assumption that just because I'm the guy the Greybeards call Dragonborn that I can't ALSO be with the Thalmor.

We are left with this awkward sense that the writers are flailing to make us think this woman is competent and objective, without actually having her do anything that clever. Just act like the dumb thing was smart and have her act like a cocky brat if questioned about it.

Inconsistency. It's her thing. Does she hate the Thalmor? That would make sense given what we know about her. But that gets dropped half way through the main story and suddenly she hates The Greybeards, for absolutely no reason at all. She gives a reason, but it's bullshit.

In her own words, "If the greybeards had their way, the dragonborn would sit on a mountain talking to the sky." But that's not true is it. We know The Greybeards, they encouraged us to fulfill our destiny. Even if you say you want to follow their Way of the Voice, they'll be glad to hear it but warn you not to let it get in the way of what needs to be done. Delphine even uses Tiber Septim as an example, which is even stupider because The Greybeards actively encouraged Tiber to conquer Tamriel. Have I read more in game books than the dialogue writers??

But that's not the end of it, when it becomes convenient for the plot this hatred is flipped once again from The Greybeards onto dragons. Not Alduin. All dragons. Despite the fact that, as a Blade, she should know about Nafaalilargus, a dragon ally of the Empire and the Blades for thousands of years, and the Blades don't just indiscriminately kill all dragons no matter the circumstances, and that Tiber Septim himself almost certainly met Paarthurnax at some point, she suddenly seems to be acting like she has a personal grudge against dragons. Which brings us to the Paarthurnax Dilemma...

See here's the thing, you could easily write off the frustration everyone feels towards this quest as Bethesda's crappy design, where there is no conclusion other than to kill Paarthurnax, or else leave an unfinished quest languishing in the menu. Bethesda apparently didn't consider the idea that anybody would actually prefer to turn on the Blades, even though the Blades have become a bit of a running joke among the fans, or that anyone would take umbrage with Delphine giving out orders and ultimatums.

But no, it's so much worse than that. Delphine being a surly unlikable c u n t from the day we met her is one thing, but the fact that she has been wrong about almost everything she's ever said in game, and still having the AUDACITY to treat us like her work bitch and us never, not once, getting the opportunity to put her in her place... That's not poor quest design, that's the game gaslighting us.

Let's do a quick list of every one of Delphine's theories, and how many were actually correct shall we:

You are not the Dragonborn ❌

The Greybeards shouldn't be trusted to identify a Dragonborn ❌

The dragons aren't just coming back, they're coming back to life ✅

The Thalmor have something to do with the dragons returning ❌

Esbern is dead ❌

The Greybeards just want the Dragonborn to sit on a mountain and meditate ❌

The Greybeards wanted Tiber Septim to just sit on a mountain and meditate ❌

Paarthurnax, having lived in exile for thousands of years, deserves corporal punishment ❌

As ACTING Grand Master of the Blades, she gets to boss around the Dragonborn ❌

She deserves a seat at the peace negotiations ❌

And these are just the things that are factually wrong, leaving aside opinions on her morality and shitty attitude. This is the woman the game presents to us as a shrewd strategist.

BUT I CAN FIX HER!

Like I said I like the idea of a character who is on your side but is somewhat unlikable. It actually won't take much to make Delphine endearing to the fans. We have to do a Boromir on her. A Lot of people dislike Boromir throughout the Fellowship of the Ring but weep at his death. We have to tweak three things to have the same thing happen to Delphine:

1. Make her actually competent and useful so that while we don't agree with her we can see why she does the things she does, and desire to keep her around.

2. Have her mistakes called out and have consequences.

3. Have her redeem her mistakes with a badass honourable death.

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emjayewrites · 3 months

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The Fast Lane (A Formula One Series)(3/?)

SYNOPSIS: Jesenia joins the private, membership-based dating app Raya searching for a sugar daddy. Instead, she unknowingly finds her biggest “whale”: Lewis Hamilton, a famous Formula One racing driver.

PAIRING: Sir Lewis Hamilton x Jesenia "Jessy" Hart (face claim is @/loriharvey)

WARNINGS: drama, angst, cursing, explicit sexual content, not-so-glamorous life in the influencer/racing world, kind of pre-established relationship. RATED M (18+)

PINTEREST: Jessy's F1 Outfits

PLAYLIST: The Fast Lane Spotify

TAGLIST: @royallyprincesslilly @mauvecherie-writes, @saintslewis, @peyiswriting, @hamiltonvuitton-deactivated2024, @cocobutterqwueen, @qveenmelanink, @ashanti-notthesinger, @lewisroscoelove, @lovebittenbyevans, @lew1s-prix, @jasmindaughteroftheworld, @eugene-emt-roe, @apenasumlug4r @simpfortoomanymen, @roseseraj @alika-4466 @httpsserene @queenshikongo3 @cherry2stems @non-stop-imagines @anubisnoir @myescapefromthislife @chaneajoyyy @yeea-nah @mitruscity @lewiscrown @weetjy @a-moment-captured @sugardontbesweet @livinglifethroughfanfic @blveeeeeee @formula-hamilton @purplelewlew @trinitoldyouso @slytherinjimim3nthusiast @certifiedlesbianbaddie @sirlew44 @madstxo @pausmoon @tian-monique @noivadofogo @nikki01234-blog @yorulla @m-uga @julesbog

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Please let me know if you wish to be added/removed from the taglist. Anyways, enjoy! Dividers by @inklore!

CHAPTER THREE: The Chronicles of Celebrity

user4459: "'F1 Driver Lewis Hamilton spotted again with Model Jessy Hart in Paris' - honestly, i'm surprised that he kept her around for this long. the matching fits is cute! lord knows how much lewis loves to hop to different models. is this a sign that our fave workaholic found someone to love?"

MsNikkiLuv: "'RE: F1 Driver Lewis Hamilton spotted again with Model Jessy Hart in Paris' - I don't think so. I mean, yes she was at Monaco, Barcelona, and Montreal Grand Prix (and now Paris) but I don't think this is a 'forever' thing. He made it quite clear that he doesn't want a relationship now and that he's focusing on F1. Not to mention, in his Masterclass, he said that he found it difficult to accept love and trust. I think it's just another FWB. She's gorgeous though and I think that she's really nice. I didn't see any reports saying that she's a bitch or anything."

ManyMenSimp1644: "'RE: F1 Driver Lewis Hamilton spotted again with Model Jessy Hart in Paris' - let's be forreal, y'all. she's with him for the clout and the money/gifts just like all the other women. that man ain't looking for love, he just wants his dick wet. he's doing this out of convenience and to have a bed warmer. maybe she's just a constant bed warmer lol".

luvroflewishamilton435: "'RE: F1 Driver Lewis Hamilton spotted again with Model Jessy Hart in Paris' - whatever they are, they are good together. @MsNikkiLuv same. i didn't hear anything bad about her at all. she dated many different men (and some even richer than lewis). but can we just be happy that she's of age?? like, lewis is finally with someone closer to him! i believe that she's 30 and plus, i love that she wears heels around him. lewis is so confident in being a short king and i'm here for it, especially with that third leg of his."

The comments on Lipstick Alley were a mix of rumor, suspicion, and sheer gossip. They were a tornado of wild speculations about the relationship between Jessy and Lewis, whirling around in a never-ending cycle of assumptions and baseless accusations. Some users were outright hostile, deeming her unfit to be with Lewis, as if they'd ever get the chance of being with him themselves. Others tried to paint a picture of compatibility and reason:

maytheoddsbeinurfavr:"'RE: F1 Driver Lewis Hamilton spotted again with Model Jessy Hart in Paris' - let's not forget that they're both grown adults and can make their own decisions. It's not our place to judge their relationship based on age or wealth. They seem happy together, and that's all that matters. @luvroflewishamilton435 Lewis does seem to be happier in being with someone closer to his age. And Jessy's choice to wear high heels around him shows her confidence."

Their opinions of her were inconsequential; nothing could stop her from getting this bag. But despite her tough exterior, Jessy was still human and had insecurities like everyone else. While she welcomed the kind comments, the negative ones also stung a bit.

While she had a deep admiration for the game, she also recognized its negative consequences, especially when she found herself in the company of well-known celebrities.

After spending an extended period with Lewis, she realized that she needed some time alone to gather her thoughts and recharge. As expected, Lewis didn't take it too well and exhibited his sassy behavior once again, much to her disapproval.

This is why we stay clear of lightskin men, she thought as she read yet another one of his text messages.

As with the ones before it, it was a trap to lure her in: a set of pictures showing him shirtless in questionable poses and his constant musings about her attending his upcoming races in Austria and England. Despite his attempts to woo her, Jessy had already made up her mind to attend, especially after receiving lavish gifts from him - a Cartier watch and a mini Kelly bag from Hermes, which she got while they were in Paris. She kept the latter displayed in her closet - it was too flashy to wear out in public. But, as always, she enjoyed playing with his feelings. Some might call it cruel, but Jessy knew from experience that keeping men on their toes never led her astray.

Being seen with Lewis had its perks for Jessy. She was now invited to exclusive parties and events that she wouldn't have received invitations for before, all because of his status as a Formula One driver. It was amusing to watch people fawn over him and try to get a photo or even just a glimpse of the famous racer. However, what truly delighted her was the reaction of these individuals when they saw her by his side.

Even though she had no desire to settle down with anyone, especially not someone like Lewis Hamilton, who seemed to constantly crave attention and validation, not to mention the drama that came with being in a high-profile relationship, Jessy enjoyed the exposure it brought for herself and her brand. Don't get her wrong - Lewis was slowly becoming a good friend in addition to being a great lover, but he also had his moments. He wasn't necessarily a red flag, but definitely somewhere between yellow and orange.

"TiTi Jess, TiTi Jess!" two little voices called out in unison, breaking Jessy's daydream and bringing her back to reality.

It was a perfect day in Miami, with clear blue skies and the sun shining brightly overhead - the ideal day for a baby shower.

Jessy tucked her phone into her purse and bent down to meet the gaze of the twin four-year-olds who were running towards her.

"Oof," she pretended to groan as they crashed into her arms, giggling. "Looks like someone really missed me."

"Yeah, TiTi," said Anais, one of her nieces, with an attitude that was well beyond her years. She let go of Jessy for a second to give her a stern look. "Why were you gone for so long? Mommy said you got a new boyfriend."

Jessy rolled her eyes internally; it was just like her younger sister to spread gossip about her whereabouts, especially to her young nieces.

"Yeah," chimed in Amalia, Anais' fraternal twin. Unlike her sister, Amalia was quiet and reserved while Anais was quite the handful.

Jessy opted not to continue the conversation with the twins and instead shifted the topic to their appearance. As always, the girls were perfectly styled with coordinated outfits and flawless hair. They both wore pink dresses and had their curly hair braided into puffs. Jenesis, her sister, had requested that guests dress in either blue or pink depending on their guess for the baby's gender, so it was no surprise that most of the female attendees were dressed in pink like Jessy's nieces who were clearly 'team girl'.

Jessy beamed at them. "You both adorable! Can you give TiTi a twirl?"

The girls eagerly obliged, twirling around to show off their dresses. Jessy couldn't help but smile at how much joy they brought her. Whenever she felt overwhelmed with work or life in general, spending time with her nieces always helped put things into perspective. They were a reminder of what truly mattered in life - family.

"Okay girls, let's go play some games," Jessy said, standing up and taking each of their hands in hers.

As they walked towards the backyard where the baby shower was being held, Jessy couldn't help but notice all the decorations. Jenesis had truly outdone herself with the rustic, woodland theme for the baby shower. Pinecones and tree branches could be seen adorning every surface, creating a cozy and natural atmosphere. The color scheme consisted of rich greens and browns, with pops of pink and blue for an added touch of excitement. The dessert table boasted a towering cake covered in fondant bears, while hanging above was a banner declaring "We Can Bearly Wait!" in whimsical letters.

Her nieces abandoned her upon arriving, immediately shifting their focus from their aunt to a group of children engaging in party games. Jessy spotted Jenesis talking to some guests and waved at her sister from afar. Jenesis smiled back and excused herself to come over to them.

"Hey sis," Jenesis said as she hugged Jessy.

"You've outdone yourself with this party," Jessy replied, admiring the decorations.

Jenesis smiled, gently rubbing her swollen belly. "This is my third and final baby, so I wanted to make it special," she explained.

"Final one?" Jessy snorted with amusement. "Did you ask DeVon for his input?"

Jenesis shrugged. "I don't need his input. He's probably hoping for a boy, but this baby will be our last one. No more little McClures running around. And speaking of new things, how's your new boo? I see you off jetsetting from one place to the next."

Jessy laughed at her sister's teasing. "He's not my 'boo'. We're just friends," she replied.

Jenesis raised an eyebrow at her. "Just friends? That's not what it looked like when I saw those pictures in Monaco and Barcelona. Y'all look mighty friendly. He's fine though, even with his shortness. Does he sound posh?" Jenesis playfully put on a fake British accent for emphasis.

Jessy rolled her eyes at her sister's teasing. "He's not posh, he's just well-spoken," she replied with a smile. "And what he lacks in height, he makes up for in other places."

"Mmhmm, I'm starting to see the appeal," Jenesis continued. "I'mma let you be great though. Lewis may be fine and all, but he a bit too short for my liking."

Jessy casually shrugged her shoulders. Lewis wasn't as tall as the type of men she typically went for, but she didn't let it bother her. Her sister's baby daddy and longtime boyfriend was a towering 6'7, which was ideal for his role as a point guard for the Miami Heat.

At that moment, DeVon strolled over to where they were standing, his arm affectionately draped around Jenesis' shoulders.

"Well well, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence," he teased Jessy with a sly smirk.

"Hi DeVon," Jessy responded with mild irritation. She and DeVon had never been the best of friends, but they maintained a civil relationship despite their differences.

"You out here livin' it up with that short, British nigga, huh?" he said. "I'm surprised that you're here."

"I wouldn't miss my favorite sister's baby shower, DeVon," retorted. "Plus, we not even dating. We're cool, that's it."

"Cool?" DeVon scoffed, but decided to not broach further on the topic. For Jessy, DeVon was on thin ice as it was, especially since he had yet to make an honest woman out of her sister after being together for nearly eight years.

Jessy stared at the man intently as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I said what I said."

DeVon raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, no need to get feisty," he joked. "I swear y'all get that from y'all's mama. That fiery Colombian side definitely runs in the family."

Jenesis and Jessy exchanged eye rolls at DeVon's antics. On their mother's side, they were a quarter Colombian, but they didn't know much about that side of their family. Their mother never talked much about Abuela Sofia's relatives in Bogota for some reason.

DeVon prodded, "So, are you single?"

Jessy quipped back, "As single as a one-dollar bill." Jenesis giggled at her response.

DeVon then announced, "I might have someone for you." Jessy let out an exasperated sigh.

"Who's asking?" she questioned.

"It's my teammate," DeVon proudly revealed. "You know Xavier, right?" Jessy nodded, trying to recall who he was. She vaguely remembered him from past get-togethers with DeVon and Jenesis. She knew he was good-looking, but beyond that, she didn't remember much about him. "So here's the plan: I'll bring him over here -"

"No, please don't do that," interrupted Jessy firmly. The thought of being set up by DeVon made her cringe. As soon as the words left her mouth, Jessy regretted speaking them. She knew DeVon would take it as a challenge and make it his mission to set her up with someone, whether she liked it or not.

"Too late," declared DeVon with a sly smile. "I'll be right back."

With that, he walked off in search of Xavier. Jessy groaned inwardly, knowing that she couldn't escape this setup now.

A few minutes later, DeVon returned with Xavier trailing behind him. He was just as handsome as Jessy remembered - tall and muscular with mahogany skin and a short crop of black hair styled in a low fade. But his serious expression put her on edge.

"Hey Jessy," greeted Xavier in his deep timbre with a small nod of his head.

"Hey," responded Jessy uncertainly. "It's been a while since I've seen you."

"Yeah, I've been busy with the team and everything," explained Xavier. "But I always see your photos on social media."

Jessy nodded awkwardly, not sure what else to say. She felt like she was being interviewed for a potential job instead of casually talking to someone at a baby shower.

"Well...I'll leave you two to catch up." DeVon flashed a mischievous grin before excusing himself and pulling Jenesis away, leaving the two of them to catch up on their own.

Jessy glared at him as he disappeared into the crowd before turning back to Xavier with an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that."

"It's all good," replied Xavier easily. His tense expression had relaxed slightly now that DeVon was gone.

"So how have you been?" asked Jessy politely.

"Good, good," answered Xavier with a small smile. "Just trying to focus on my game and make it to the playoffs this upcoming season."

Jessy smiled, not knowing much about basketball but trying to show interest. "That's awesome. I saw some of your highlights on TV and you were killing it."

Xavier chuckled, his smile growing wider. "Thanks, I appreciate it. But enough about me, how have you been? I see you've been traveling a lot."

"Yeah," agreed Jessy with a small shrug. "I love exploring new places. It's been fun."

"That's really cool," commented Xavier sincerely.

The conversation flowed smoothly between them as they caught up on each other's lives. Jessy was surprised at how easy it was to talk to Xavier despite her initial nerves. He was genuinely interested in what she had to say and shared some interesting stories about his training and games.

Eventually, they got pulled away from their conversation and walked over to the other attendees to enjoy the baby shower. The rest of the baby shower went by in a blur for Jessy as she mingled with the other guests and played games. As the party started to wind down, Xavier approached Jessy and asked if he could walk her out to her car. Jessy smiled at his kind offer and happily accepted, looking forward to spending more time with him.

Xavier turned to Jessy with a small smile. "I had a really great time catching up with you today."

"Me too," replied Jessy with a shy smile.

"Maybe we can do it again sometime?" suggested Xavier hesitantly.

Jessy's heart skipped a beat at his invitation. "I would like that," she said softly.

Xavier grinned, relieved at her answer. "Great. How about we grab lunch next week?"

Jessy's heart dropped as she remembered her busy schedule for the next few weeks. "I would love to, but I'm afraid I won't be able to make it for lunch next week."

Xavier's face fell momentarily, but he quickly recovered with a smile. "No worries, how about we exchange numbers and we can keep in touch through texts?"

Jessy felt relieved and grateful for his understanding. "That would be great."

They exchanged numbers before saying goodbye, both secretly hoping for another chance to see each other soon. As Jessy drove home, she couldn't help but feel excited about getting to know Xavier more through their conversations.

The sun was shining brightly in the sky as people from all over the world flooded into the track, each one eager to witness the qualifying day and possibly get a glimpse of their favorite drivers. Jessy arrived a day late, much to Lewis' chagrin. To say that he had a bit of an attitude was an understatement. Jessy could care less, honestly, and decided to have a thorough conversation with him about boundaries and not being at his beck and call.

Despite his reputation for constantly being seen with different women, Jessy quickly learned that Lewis could be quite particular and almost possessive. While she understood their arrangement as a casual and mutually beneficial relationship with no expectations of exclusivity, Lewis often forgot this and ended up in a confusing gray area.

She found Lewis in his team's pit area, surrounded by his mechanics and engineers who were busy preparing his car for the race. He looked up when he saw Jessy approaching and greeted her with a half-hearted smile.

"Hey," he said curtly. "Glad you could finally make it."

Jessy rolled her eyes internally but kept a polite smile on her face. "Sorry for being late, I had some things to take care of."

He raised an eyebrow at her response. "Things? What things?"

"Personal matters," she stated firmly, not wanting to disclose any more information.

Lewis shrugged, clearly not interested in her explanation. "Whatever. Qualy is 'bout to start so I need to stay focused. I'll hit you up later."

Jessy watched as Lewis walked away, feeling a mix of annoyance and disappointment.

What a fuckin' dickhead, she thought as she made her way further inside the garage.

Jessy's frustration began to escalate, but her thoughts shifted to Xavier and their potential plans. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for agreeing to meet with him, knowing Lewis wouldn't be too happy about it if he'd ever found out. However, she reminded herself that she couldn't constantly put her life on hold just because he wanted her to always be available.

Going off-script was never part of the plan, and it never will be. Maybe it was the constant media attention getting under his skin, or maybe he was simply deluding himself, but Lewis needed to see the truth and understand that he was nothing more than a temporary obsession. He had been using her as much as she had been using him.

The roar of the engines and the smell of gasoline filled the air as the cars lined up on the track for qualifying. Jessy found a spot near Bono and the huge television, her eyes fixed on Lewis' car as he sped past in a blur of colors. Despite her irritation with him, she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride watching him race. It was clear that he was in his element, his focus solely on the track and beating his competitors.

Suddenly, Jessy's phone buzzed, pulling her out of her focus on Lewis. It was a text from Xavier:

Xavier: Just waiting until I see your gorgeous face again. When do you want to hang out?

A smile spread across Jessy's face as she quickly replied:

Jessy: Soon...

She tucked her phone back into her purse and turned her attention back to the race. As the qualifying session came to an end and Lewis secured a position in the top five on the starting grid, Jessy made her way back to the front to wait for him. He emerged from the car, sweating and slightly disappointed for not claiming pole position. But when he laid eyes on Jessy, his expression softened.

A rush of memories flooded his mind, and he realized that he was repeating mistakes and undoing all the progress he had made in therapy. Despite their unconventional relationship, Jessy was always there for him, offering support and encouragement. Yet here he was, pushing her away and reverting to the same patterns he had with Nicole - something he swore never to do again. He despised himself for being such a dick, especially towards women. No amount of insecurities should ever justify treating someone poorly.

"Hey," Lewis said as he approached her, finally seeming more relaxed now that qualifying was over. "Sorry for being an arse earlier."

"It's okay," Jessy replied with a shrug. "I understand you have a race to focus on."

Lewis could easily read Jessy's body language, with her arms crossed and an unreadable expression on her face. He knew there was still tension between them, but he was confident he could turn things around.

"Come here," he beckoned softly, opening his arms for a hug. Jessy scoffed and rolled her eyes, as stubborn as ever. But Lewis liked that about her; it made her even more attractive. "Jessy, I don't want to beg for a hug."

"And if I want you to?" she countered with a mischievous smile.

"You're driving me crazy, woman," he sighed. After a few moments of silence, Lewis spoke up again. "Please, can I have a hug?"

Jessy nodded and moved into his embrace. She breathed in the familiar scent of smoke and musk that always seemed to draw her in. Lewis' arms wrapped comfortably around her, settling just inches from her ass. Despite their current issues, she allowed herself to relax in his arms for a moment.

"You owe me, Hamilton," she whispered lowly in his ear, causing him to chuckle deeply.

"Anything you want, sweetheart."

"Good answer."

The Austrian Grand Prix had not been kind to Lewis. After starting from the top five, he ended up finishing in eighth place. As a result, his mood soured for the remainder of the race weekend. He was on edge and moody, which was evident in how he treated Jessy during their sexual encounter. He was rough with her, but not enough to completely upset her, although she couldn't help but remember how hard he pulled her hair from behind and the marks left on her ass.

Lewis needed an outlet for all the pent-up emotions from the past weekend and sex was his vice. They were similar in this aspect of using physical intimacy as a form of therapy for their mental state. However, how long could this temporary solution sustain them?

The races seemed to blur together for Lewis and Jessy as one weekend ended and another began. Silverstone held a special significance for Lewis, being his home race. The pressure to perform well in front of his home crowd was always immense, but this year it felt even more intense. The media attention was overwhelming, causing chaos wherever they went. This year's Silverstone event was the most crowded with journalists and fans yet, and while she didn't want to take credit for it, it was hard to ignore the correlation with her relationship with Lewis. Everywhere she went, cameras and reporters followed, making her feel like she had lost any sense of privacy she once had.

But instead of letting it get to her, Jessy saw an opportunity to use the situation to her advantage. Her publicist assured her that if she played her cards right, this could be a major success for her swimwear brand, Silver Doe. Unlike Lewis' previous "arm candy," Jessy had a strategic mind and knew how to navigate the game of fame.

Her main focus during the Silverstone weekend was promoting Silver Doe and securing the bag. Thanks to her relationship with Lewis, the brand received more attention, but it also came with its own set of challenges. Trying to balance her brand, dealing with Lewis and Xavier, and handling intrusive media had taken a toll on Jessy. But in moments like these, she found comfort in Lewis' arms and their sexual compatibility, which was all she desired at that moment. She prided herself on hiding her emotions, a necessary skill for someone in her line of work, but couldn't deny the pleasure she felt with Lewis.

Gone were her concerns about Silver Doe's success, the media's intrusion, and her overbearing mother. Even thoughts of Xavier were pushed to the back of her mind. In that moment, all she could focus on was Lewis and the contentment he brought her. She knew it was only a temporary escape from her troubles, but she allowed herself to bask in the happiness of being with him without any external distractions or responsibilities pulling them apart.

Their bodies moved in perfect harmony, lost in the euphoria of their connection. Their hearts raced in tune with each other, their breaths synchronizing into a soft, steady rhythm. The room was still filled with the scent of their lovemaking, a mix of sweat and desperation, mingling with the comforting aroma of their skin. It was a scent that was as unique to them as their fingerprints, a scent that was intoxicating, alluring, and completely irresistible.

Jessy couldn't help but marvel at the way Lewis's body felt against hers, tracing the contours of his muscles as he slept. She sat up in the bed, pulling the sheets up to cover her naked form. Her eyes drifted over to Lewis, still peacefully sleeping next to her. For a moment, she allowed herself to just watch him without any distractions or worries. He looked so peaceful when he slept, free from the stresses of their complicated lives.

Before long, Lewis stirred awake.

"Hey," she whispered as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Hey," he replied with a sleepy smile.

"I hate to do this, but I need to handle some stuff for my swimwear," Jessy said apologetically.

Lewis groaned and rolled over onto his back, stretching out his arms above his head. Jessy couldn't help but admire the view.

"What time is it anyway?" Lewis asked as he rubbed his eyes.

"It's almost 9:00," Jessy replied, checking her phone for confirmation.

"Wow," Lewis exclaimed as he sat up in bed. "I must have really worn your arse out last night."

Jessy playfully rolled her eyes at his smug tone. "I have a lot to do today, so I should probably get started on answering these emails."

"Can't you just stay a little longer?" Lewis pouted, pulling her back into bed.

"I wish I could, but I have a Zoom meeting with my team in an hour and then I have to approve photos from last week's shoot," Jessy explained, trying to free herself from his grasp.

Lewis' hold tightened. "You look stressed, Jessy, are you sure I can't help? One little quickie won't hurt."

"A quickie?" scoffed Jessy. "I don't think you can be quick."

"I just need one more fix before I start heading off to interviews."

Jessy could feel the stress gnawing at him and she knew that he needed additional release before facing the media frenzy of press day at Silverstone.

"Fine," she conceded, leaning over to plant a kiss on his lips.

Lewis felt a wave of relief wash over him as he allowed himself to succumb to the comforting warmth of Jessy's body once again. Her touch was like magic, soothing all of his anxieties and filling his mind with only one thought: her.

As they began to kiss, their passion grew even more intense than before. It was as if they were two magnets, inexorably drawn to each other, their energies fusing in a way that was both exhilarating and breathtaking.

The knock at the door startled both Lewis and Jessy out of their passionate embrace. They reluctantly pulled away from each other, their bodies still buzzing with the remnants of desire.

"Who could that be?" Jessy asked.

"I'll go check," Lewis said. He lets out a sigh as he gets up from the bed, quickly wrapping a towel around his body before answering it. When he opens the door, he sees Kristin, his trainer, standing there with his beloved bulldog Roscoe cradled in her arms.

"Looks like you're here early," he exclaims happily, moving to the side to let Roscoe enter the motorhome.

"I know," Kristin responds with a smile. "Traffic wasn't too bad today. I have a call to handle, but I wanted to drop off Roscoe first. Let me know if you guys need anything else."

"Thanks," Lewis replies, waving goodbye as she leaves. Closing the door behind him, he turns to Roscoe, squatting down to give him some love and attention. "Hey there old boy, how are you doing? You're looking good, huh? Yeah."

Roscoe's tail wagged eagerly as Lewis stroked his fur, overjoyed to have his human companion back. He nuzzled against Lewis' hand, expressing his love and excitement. Jessy entered the room and observed with interest as Lewis played with his beloved dog. Eventually, he looked up and their eyes met, a fond smile stretching across Lewis' face as he took in Jessy's presence.

"Come over so I can introduce you," said Lewis and Jessy sauntered over slowly. She grew up with dogs at home, but she didn't want to make any sudden movements that may scare him.

"Roscoe, this is Jessy, my friend," Lewis introduces the two. "She'll be with us during Silverstone."

"Hello, Roscoe," she greets, her eyes lit up with warmth. The dog barked at her in response, his tail continuing to wag rapidly.

Lewis chuckled at the interaction between them. "Looks like he already likes you," he said.

Jessy reached out to pet Roscoe's head gently and he nuzzled her hand affectionately. "He's so sweet," she remarked, scratching behind his ear.

"Yeah," replied Lewis fondly. "He's been my companion through everything - the ups and downs of racing, traveling around the world...he's always there for me."

"I'm glad I have the chance to meet him," Jessy said with a smile.

"I figured you would," Lewis replied. "You'll definitely see him a lot while traveling with me."

"You say that, but I never gave you a definite answer," Jessy reminded him.

Lewis grinned, a spark of mischief in his eyes. "We'll see."

Not the result that they wanted coming out of Silverstone with P3, but Lewis was nonetheless happy to get a podium and to see his family supporting him. For this, Jessy steered clear of bumping into Lewis' family, but she was also proud of his accomplishment. He had a small break before the next set of races and Lewis decided to take advantage of their brief respite and whisked Jessy away to the beautiful, sun-soaked shores of Ibiza. It was a place that Lewis cherished, having spent many a night on the island partying with friends, enjoying the balmy nights, and the vibrant energy that the island had to offer.

The yacht slowly cruised along the Mediterranean Sea, the sun shining bright in the cloudless sky. Jessy stood at the edge of the boat, her hair whipping around her face as she took in the breathtaking scenery. Everywhere she looked, there was liveliness and vitality: from the crashing waves to the rustling palm trees, and even the distant music that seemed to pulse with life itself.

"This is amazing," she exclaimed to Lewis as he joined her at the railing.

"I'm glad you like it," he replied with a smile. "I love coming here whenever I have some time off."

"It's so peaceful," Jessy mused, taking a deep breath of the salty air.

"Until we get back on track next week," Lewis added with a wink.

Jessy laughed, enjoying his playful demeanor. It was refreshing to see this side of him, away from the intense racing atmosphere.

As they sailed along, they were joined by director Baz Luhrmann and his wife Catherine Martin, as well as actress Eiza Gonzalez. Jessy couldn't help but feel starstruck; she had always been a fan of Luhrmann's films and she also recognized Gonzalez from her role in a popular TV series.

"Welcome aboard!" greeted Luhrmann, "Lewis has told me so much about you."

The director's smile was like a ray of sunshine, warm and inviting as he welcomed them onto his yacht.

"It's great to finally meet you all," Jessy replied.

"We're just glad Lewis finally brought someone interesting along with him," joked Gonzalez.

Lewis scoffed mockingly. "Come on now, that's not true," he countered. "I've brought plenty of interesting people to your attention before."

The day was spent lounging on the deck, enjoying each other's company, and basking in the warm sun. Wearing her swimsuit, Jessy and the group would occasionally take a plunge into the crystal-clear water to enjoy the refreshing ocean. Dinner was an extravagant affair, with delicious food and drinks prepared by a private chef. Luhrmann discussed his upcoming projects while Gonzalez shared anecdotes from her recent film shoot. Jessy took it all in, feeling grateful to be surrounded by such talented individuals.

The night continued with more merriment and lively conversations. As midnight approached, Jessy could barely keep her eyes open.

"What a fantastic day," she said with a yawn.

"I couldn't agree more," replied Baz, "but we should probably turn in for the night."

With reluctant goodbyes, the group dispersed and Jessy and Lewis made their way back to their cabin on the yacht, laughing and reminiscing about the day's adventures. It had been a long but magical day, filled with new experiences and unforgettable moments. As they entered their designated space, they both shed their clothing and headed to the en suite to shower off the night's festivities.

The warm water cascaded down Jessy's body as she stood under the shower head, her mind still buzzing with the events of the day. She could hardly believe that she had spent the day sailing on a luxurious yacht with some of Hollywood's biggest names. It was a dream come true.

As Lewis joined her in the shower, their bodies pressed against each other. His hands immediately found her breasts, rolling her nipples between his thumb and forefinger until it hardened into tightened buds. He began to explore further down her body, his fingers tracing circles on her stomach before moving lower. She gasped as he brushed against her most intimate area, sending shivers through her body.

"Fuck, Jessy," Lewis whispered huskily in her ear, "you have no idea how bad I want you right now."

His words sent a jolt of electricity through Jessy's body, heightening the sensations she was feeling. She turned to face him, their eyes locking in an intense gaze as they both gave into their desires.

Their lips met in a fiery kiss as Lewis pushed her against the shower wall. Jessy could feel Lewis growing harder against her, the evidence of his arousal pressing against her stomach. She ran her hands down his back, feeling every ripple of muscle beneath his skin. Without breaking their kiss, he reached down to lift her leg and wrapped it around his waist, allowing him better access to her.

With a moan, Jessy broke the kiss and leaned back against the shower wall, giving Lewis full control. He took advantage of the position and began to explore every inch of her body with his mouth, trailing hot kisses from her neck down to her breasts.

Her breathing quickened as he took one hardened nipple into his mouth. Jessy felt like she was on fire, every touch sending waves of pleasure through her body. She couldn't remember ever feeling this consumed by desire before.

Lewis continued his exploration, mapping out every curve and dip of Jessy's body with his lips and tongue. His hands roamed freely, gripping her hips and pulling her closer to him. He kissed her passionately as he positioned himself between her legs, teasingly rubbing himself against her entrance. Jessy whimpered in frustration, wanting him inside of her so badly.

"Please," she begged.

"Please what, baby? Tell Sir what you want."

"Please fuck me, Sir."

Without another word, Lewis entered her in one swift motion, filling her completely. They both moaned at the sensation, losing themselves in each other, consumed by a desire that had been simmering all day. Every nerve in her body was alive, sending waves of pleasure through her as Lewis thrust into her with an intensity that took her breath away.

Jessy gasped as Lewis hit a particularly sensitive spot inside of her, causing a surge of pleasure to course through her body. She clung to him tightly, wrapping her legs around his waist and digging her nails into his back. Their moans and cries filled the steamy shower as they moved together in perfect rhythm.

Every thrust sent waves of pleasure through her body, driving her closer and closer to the edge. She could feel herself getting close, her walls tightening around him as she climbed higher towards ecstasy.

Sensing her impending release, Lewis slowed his pace slightly, wanting to prolong their moment of intimacy. He leaned down to capture her lips in a searing kiss, deepening the connection between them.

"Fuck, baby, just like that," she moaned into his mouth as he gripped her hips tightly and gave her long, shallow thrusts.

Jessy's legs began to shake as she drew closer to the edge. Sensing her impending release, Lewis stopped his movements and pulled out of her completely.

"What are you doing?" Jessy pouted, feeling frustrated at being denied her release.

"Patience, baby," Lewis said with a smirk as he turned off the shower and stepped out of the stall. He grabbed a towel and quickly dried himself off before wrapping it around his waist.

Jessy watched him with hungry eyes as he walked over to the sink and grabbed a small bottle of oil from the cabinet. He poured some onto his hands and rubbed them together before turning back to face her.

He motioned for Jessy to step out of the shower and she complied eagerly. As soon as she was standing next to him, Lewis pushed her up against the bathroom counter and spread her legs apart with one hand while using the other to apply oil to her sensitive folds.

Jessy gasped at the sensation, but was too lost in pleasure to complain. She gripped onto the counter for support as Lewis massaged her clit with skilled fingers while gently rubbing oil over her entrance.

"Oh god," she moaned as she felt herself getting closer and closer to orgasm once again.

Just before she could reach her peak, Lewis pulled his hand away causing Jessy to groan in frustration.

"Not yet," he said softly as he lifted one finger coated in oil up to Jessy's lips. "Clean me."

Jessy eagerly sucked on his finger, tasting herself mixed with the sweet oil. She could feel her arousal growing even more as Lewis watched her with dark, hungry eyes. "Turn around," he commanded, his voice low and husky.

Jessy eagerly complied, bracing herself against the counter as she felt him press his body against hers from behind. She could feel his hard length pressing against her lower back.

He trailed kisses down her neck and back.

"God, you're so beautiful," he whispered against her ear before biting down on her lobe gently.

Jessy moaned loudly at the feeling, arching her back and grinding herself against him. She wanted him inside of her again, to feel that delicious tension building between them once more.

But Lewis had other plans. He continued to tease and torment her with soft touches and hot kisses until Jessy was practically begging for release.

Finally, unable to resist any longer, Lewis grabbed onto Jessy's hips and pulled them back towards him as he thrust into her from behind. Jessy cried out in pleasure as she felt him fill her completely once again.

Their movements were frantic and desperate now as they both reached towards their peak. Jessy gripped onto the edge of the counter for support as Lewis pounded into her with increasing intensity. Feeling himself getting closer to the edge as well, Lewis reached around Jessy's body and began rubbing circles over her clit with his thumb. The added stimulation sent Jessy over the edge and she screamed out his name. They both came together in a powerful release that left them both breathless and spent.

Lewis leaned his forehead against Jessy's shoulder as they both tried to catch their breaths. After a few moments, he turned Jessy around to face him and pulled her into a deep kiss.

They stood there for what felt like hours, just holding each other close in the steamy bathroom. Eventually, they pulled away from each other and headed to bed, snuggling under the covers as they basked in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

Jessy stirred in bed, the morning sunlight streaming through the windows and warming her skin. She turned to see Lewis smiling down at her sleepily.

"Good morning," he said, his voice husky from sleep.

"Good morning," Jessy replied with a smile. "How did you sleep?"

"I slept like a rock," Lewis chuckled as he leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"Do you…do you have a thing for doggy style or something? You seemed pretty insistent on it," Jessy asked with a hint of humor in her tone.

Lewis gave her a smirk. "It's one of my favorite positions. But I'm open to trying new things if you have any suggestions," he said with a wink.

Jessy's cheeks warmed and playfully smacked his chest. "You're insatiable."

"I can't help it, you drive me crazy," Lewis replied.

Their lips met in a passionate kiss, but their moment was interrupted by the buzzing of Jessy's phone on the nightstand. They reluctantly pulled away and Lewis lazily extended his arm to grab it.

"Give me the phone, Lewis!" she chuckled as she playfully tried to take it from him.

"No way, I wanna see who's texting you so early—" Lewis trailed off as he read the text message from someone asking Jessy out on a date. "Who the fuck is this nigga? And why is he hitting you up for a date?"

Jessy's heart dropped as she saw the name on her phone. She had been hoping to avoid this conversation with Lewis for as long as possible, but now it seemed inevitable.

"Xavier is just a friend," she said, trying to keep her tone even.

"Just friends? And yet he's texting you at six in the morning asking for a date?" Lewis scoffed. "I don't buy it."

Jessy took a deep breath before answering. "I don't know why you're acting so possessive, Lewis. We're not together. You don't think that I don't know that you're out there flirting with other girls? I'm not dumb, so don't try to play like we're doing nothing more than satisfying each other's needs."

Jessy's words stung Lewis like a sharp knife. He knew he didn't have any right to be possessive or jealous, especially since they weren't even officially together. But the thought of Jessy going out on a date with someone else made his blood boil.

"I don't give a fuck 'bout them, Jessy," Lewis seethed. "Why do you even need other guys when you have me? Text him back and tell him no. He can't have you."

Jessy spoke with fire in her voice. "Who do you think you are?" she challenged. "I don't belong to you. I'm not in a relationship and I have the right to make my own decisions."

Jessy got up from the bed and slammed the bathroom door behind her, feeling frustrated and angry. She couldn't believe Lewis's possessiveness and jealousy. They had made it clear from the beginning that their relationship was purely physical, with no strings attached. So why was he acting like this?

She splashed cold water on her face, trying to calm herself down. Jessy looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath.

But she couldn't shake off the words Lewis had said. "He can't have you."

It felt like a threat, and if Lewis thought he could control who she chose to be with, he was mistaken.

TO BE CONTINUED.....

#emjayewrites #sir lewis hamilton #lewis hamilton #lewis hamilton x black!reader #sir lewis hamilton x black!reader #lewis hamilton fanfic #lewis hamilton imagine #the fast lane #lewis hamilton x black!oc #lewis hamilton x black character #f1 fanfic #f1 fandom #formula one x oc #formula one fanfiction

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shadowshrike · 4 months

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The Curious Case of Halsin and Astarion's Ascension

For anyone who's occasionally poked around my stuff, you probably know that I found my Evil run of Baldur's Gate 3 (by which I mean my selfish run where I tried to gain as much power, wealth, and companion trust as I could) to be my most satisfying thus far. Part of that was the unique experience of having Halsin ask to join Tav and Astarion's relationship post-Ascension.

At the time, I said yes because it made sense for my character to "collect" an Archdruid. Out of character, I was tickled by the idea that Halsin confessed after Astarion became the new biggest bad in the land. Halsin was supposed to be a Good guy. Surely, either a possessive Astarion would be spitting mad about the arrangement, or Halsin would have second thoughts about Mr. Vampire Ascendent once he got a taste. I was ready for the drama.

It never came. In fact, the glimpses of their dynamic were so comfortable and playful that I was shocked.

Since then I've been doing a lot of thinking about Halsin and why he might act how he does throughout the Ascension storyline. I realize most of this can be handwaved with 'fanservicey romance writing.' That's true for parts of all romance paths, honestly, and I don't consider it a wholly bad thing given the game's goal to make you its center. However, I think being dismissive of the writing is not as much fun as building headcanons that work with any set of behaviors or lines you get.

So enjoy some theories pulled from datamined dialogue and my personal games. As always, this is completely hypothetical - I encourage everyone to write 'canon' in their personal playthroughs however they prefer.

Note: it's impossible to get all these lines in a single run due to some hinging on Astarion leaving and some may be bugged or near impossible to trigger. They're just being used to explore a character and dynamic that I don't see much of around fan spaces.

Halsin on the value of lives

To briefly set the stage, it's important to understand how Halsin views life and justice. He spells it out rather clearly if Kagha kills Arabella and her parents are also dead.

Halsin doesn't consider himself to be an arbiter of good and evil, only a steward of nature and its Balance. He highly values life. However, it's not him, the leader of the Grove, who is ultimately responsible for deciding Kagha's fate; it's the wronged parties or, barring that, nature itself who should decide her true punishment.

Halsin: As for the idol? It's nothing compared to a life. A mere object, next to one of nature's creations. I cannot absolve you, even if you are repentant. The girl's parents should have decided your fate, but they perished. Instead, nature will judge you. You are banished from this place - banished from everywhere the Oak Father's creations thrive.

But valuing the sanctity of life doesn't mean he doesn't also understand the importance of sacrifice. For example, if Wyll chooses his freedom over his father, Halsin counsels that it's a necessity to sacrifice to grow at times, no matter how unpleasant.

Halsin: You made a hard choice, Wyll. But not one that is unknown in nature. At times, a seedling must strangle the very tree that bore it, if it is to survive.

The price of 7000

So, Halsin's not a big fan of sacrificing life, yet understands that sometimes, people need to die for others to thrive.

But what about 7000 lives? A whole village worth?

That level of sacrifice sounds an awful lot like the day his life was destroyed by Ketheric and the Shadow Curse. A horrible event that haunted his every thought and deed for the next 100 years.

Within this context, it makes sense that all of his responses during the Ascension, whether Astarion does it or not, are focused on the price being paid. He usually emphasizes the sheer number of people affected and never discusses Astarion's potential evil (more on that later) or the undead nature of those lives.

Halsin: Stay your hand, Astarion. To sacrifice so many is a tyrant's ambition.

Halsin: All those lives snuffed out, just to grasp some power. That was craven - unnatural.

Halsin: Astarion resisted the allure of Cazador's would-be powers - and I am glad of it. Whatever he would have gained would have come at a great price.

The interesting part about this is, as an Archdruid of Silvanus, those undead lives should be considered an abomination. The Oath of Ancients oath break if you free the spawn reminds us of this. So Halsin's advice to save the spawn is not necessarily druidic advice - it is a personal opinion wrapped in flimsy druidic justifications.

He even recognizes undead as unnatural when you enter Cazador's home:

Halsin: A lair of undeath - most unnatural. We must tread carefully.

Yet about the spawn, who are undead and an intimate part of that unnaturalness, he says this about releasing them:

Halsin: Good - they deserve a chance at life. Nature will handle their fates from here.

Mercy for all monsters?

This is interesting to compare to another encounter with a smaller version of an eerily similar choice in Act III. The mindflayer in the Windmill - a person turned into a monster, much like a spawn. Allow it to live, and it may devour a family. In that case, Halsin says:

Halsin: We allowed this unnatural thing to live - now a whole family's worth of blood is on our hands.

He joins a host of other Good companions who curse themselves for showing mercy where it wasn't warranted. These are largely the same companions who would also save the spawn.

Karlach: This is our fault. These people died because of us. What were we thinking?

Wyll: Justice does not entail granting mercy to monsters. We should not have let this abomination go free.

Gale: A cruel conclusion to the mercy we showed, but hardly an unpredictable one. As long as it lives, so will its appetite.

The contradictory perspective taken during these two storylines shows the importance of emotional context in how we make decisions. For most, their traveling companion, who also has a tadpole, is the first vampire spawn they've ever met, while mindflayers have generally been the big evil this entire time. This could lead them to feel as though a horde of spawn may have enough humanity to need a chance, while a newborn Mindflayer should be exterminated on sight. Also, most of the other Good companions are relatively young and idealistic, so it makes sense that some may make foolhardy, heroic decisions.

But this encounter also begs the question: if these heroes are so distraught by having the blood of one family on their hands due to a single hungry mindflayer they saved, how could they justify letting 7000 starving monsters with unquenchable bloodlust free? Are they simply kind-hearted and short-sighted? Or maybe they're only optimistic about the hunger of vampire spawn, despite having personal examples of both a spawn and a mindflayer who manage their hunger equally ethically - by feeding on enemies and criminals.

Their naivety is driven home by Jaheira not being moved by the mindflayer or the spawn due to her extensive life experience. She believes in both cases that the greater mercy is to kill the creatures now.

(About the spawn) Jaheira: And what of the living they'll feast on, should they not prove as admirable as Astarion? They deserve a chance, too.

(About mindflayer) Jaheira: Look well. Our stupidity. Our price to pay.

Halsin is even older. He's a devout druid. He recognizes undead as unnatural. By all accounts, he should be on the same page as Jaheira to preserve the Balance. Yet in the face of that, he still advises to give the spawn a chance to live free, likely wreaking havoc wherever they need to feed.

I like to think this strange blind spot in his doctrine is due to a combination of Astarion's presence humanizing the unknown spawn, therefore making their unlives worthy of protection, and his own history as a genocide survivor creating an emotional reaction strong enough to override his usual wisdom. The price of a village is simply too devastating and personal for him to condone. No matter what letting 7000 ravenous undead free may mean.

Making the price worth it

Once you've ascended Astarion, you may be surprised that Halsin - generally a good man - is now steadfastly on Astarion's side. His reactions to the Gur conflict highlight this. If you side with Astarion against them, he's not happy, but resolute.

Halsin: An unfortunate battle... but I must stand by those I count as allies.

And if you decide Astarion is evil now and side with the Gur, Halsin doesn't seem to care about what Astarion has become, only that you allowed the sacrifice to happen and then let it go to waste:

Halsin: We allowed Astarion to sacrifice so many, only to just turn on him soon after? We should have stopped him sooner.

In contrast, many other companions call Ascended Astarion a monster, evil, or maniacal if you turn on him. They believe killing him at that point was the only right answer.

Karlach: It's done. It had to be done. Astarion was... out of control. Gods dammit. Look, he was an evil leech, but he was ours. I thought he'd changed. I was wrong. I always am these days.

Minsc: Do not mourn Astarion. The Gur are known to be a just and righteous people among the Rashemaar. They named Astarion monster, and so monster he was. Yes, Boo - even if he sometimes seemed a friend.

Gale: That's one scourge eliminated. A vampire with that much power would be a death sentence for this city. A pity Astarion didn't understand that. Or rather, didn't care.

Lae'zel: Astarion proved himself no less maniacal than his master. His death was a favour - to him, to us, and to the city.

Wyll: Hunt the monsters of the Sword Coast, protect the people - that was my promise. Killing Astarion was the right thing to do. I have to believe that. But I'm not proud of it. Not after... all this.

Ignoring Astarion's evil and telling you that you shouldn't have betrayed him may seem odd for a character who usually has a strong moral compass. Especially since Halsin doesn't tell you that you shouldn't have betrayed Shadowheart if you choose that path, though he's wary of that decision since you're handing her over to Sharrans. However, if Halsin's focus is on the 7000 lives and not on Astarion's personal kindness or cruelty, it makes more sense.

The people are gone. There is no taking back all those lost. So he's left with the need to make their sacrifice something other than a meaningless slaughter. The power for his companion must be worth it.

Halsin on Evil Astarion

You may be thinking, "Okay, but even if it's all about the mass sacrifice mimicking his own horrific past, shouldn't he still care about Astarion being Evil? He doesn't like evil acts at all!"

That's mostly true. Halsin certainly hates Shar for personal reasons and can get upset when you do cruel things. However, he's also potentially had a bit of a soft spot for Astarion since Act I, when you can decide the vampire spawn is evil and kill him or kick him out of camp.

His lines for this are actually shared with Karlach, Wyll, and Jaheira, according to the data. The uniqueness is primarily in his distraught line delivery.

If you kill Astarion, Halsin admits that he liked the guy even though he was a killer:

Halsin: Rest in peace, Astarion. You may have been a blood-thirsty murderer, but I liked you all the same.

And if you send him away, Halsin says this about Astarion being alone in the woods:

Halsin: He's someone else's problem now, anyway. Woods are full of boars. Maybe he'll learn his lesson and start hunting something that won't miss him when he goes.

His camp reactions immediately after Ascension mirror this attitude of concern rather than condemnation of evil. If Halsin speaks directly to Astarion, he sounds exasperated (the way Halsin says his name always makes me snicker) while Halsin once again brings up the idea of the price being paid.

Halsin: Astarion... you have ascended amongst the ranks of the undead. I can only hope that you do not come to regret the price that you paid.

However, the almost identical line if he's talking to another player character is delivered differently, particularly in how he says Astarion's name. It's more concerned than judgmental, implying that his frustration with Astarion is coming from a place of worry rather than pure anger.

Halsin: Astarion... he has ascended amongst the ranks of the undead. I can only hope that he does not come to regret the price that he paid.

This is particularly notable because it's in contrast to Shadowheart, who has a very similar line after her evil choice, but the emotion behind both sounds more similar to my ear.

After that initial comment, Halsin can banter with Ascended Astarion about how he's turned the player into a vampire spawn if there's a player romance. Unlike most of the other companions who can comment, such as Wyll and Gale, he expresses worry for both of them, not just the player. He also explicitly explains he has no intention of kink-shaming them, just warns about how dangerous having a master/thrall relationship can be if made real.

Halsin: To give oneself wholly, and to have a lover totally in your thrall...? A harmless game, until it becomes real. I worry for the two of you, Astarion. For your sake, I hope some of it is just a fantasy, deep in your heart.

But perhaps the most blatantly accepting we see him of Ascended Astarion is if they go to the Drow twins together. There are always some playful lines with one another if they're both present, but one is unique to Ascension if the player bites Halsin as a spawn during the scene. Halsin's response is light and delighted, acknowledging Astarion's role as not just a vampire, but the lead in your new relationship.

Halsin: Ha - tickles. See what a bad influence you are, Astarion?

Combine with Halsin's direct propositioning of Astarion if Astarion teases him about his night with the player, and there's a case for long-held attraction as well, regardless of alignment.

Astarion: I hear things got wild between you two. I hope no one was too badly mauled. Halsin: We're all in one piece. Perhaps you'll join us next time. Astarion: It's bad enough having one person with fangs trying to keep control of themselves. Two of us could be dangerous.

All these lines, taken together during times when others label Astarion a monster, suggest that Halsin accepts Astarion as a whole. He doesn't believe in trying to change people's nature, so maybe he sees any distasteful deeds as part of Astarion's, the same as an owlbear cub eating its mother might disgust some though it is completely natural.

It makes sense, then, that Halsin might be proud of Astarion for choosing morality or personal growth, but he isn't too bothered if that doesn't happen either. What line Astarion would have to cross to earn Halsin's true ire is unknown. The reverse is a much more complicated question (mostly because it's plausible that many of Astarion's lines are rooted in deception) that I may delve into another time.

Is this whole relationship a little ironic given that Halsin is The Selfless Good Druid and Astarion is The Selfish Evil Undead? Absolutely. But that's the fun of it, in my opinion. It adds depth to these characters in ways that rarely shine through during a singular playthrough, especially since very few will do the crazy thing I did with an Ascended Astarion + Halsin romance.

It sure makes for narrative fun, though.

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #halsin #ascended astarion #halstarion #analysis

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s-aint-elmo · 1 year

Photo

digging out the eah content i created in a frenzy during last year’s summer of obsession part 1: my personal sapphic multishipping guide (created to explain to my friends which of these dolls i think should hold hands)

(more in-depth discussion of the ships below the cut)

the polycule that will take over ever after

kitty/lizzie; kitty/maddie; maddie/lizzie

self-explanatory. frequently purchased together do not separate. bonus shoutout to maddie canonically giving kitty a little kissie on the cheek and getting off scot-free in the books though. a wonderlandiful world was a banquet to me

cedar protection squad

once again a wonderlandiful world and once upon a time i owe you my life. kitty ESP being so adamant abt not giving a shit then turning around and fucking up those boys who were mean to cedar...... i love friendship

kitty/cerise

also self-explanatory. she was a catgirl she was a wolfgirl can i make it anymore obvious. also doribuki’s phenomenal fake dating fanfic....... transformative foundational transcendental

cerise/raven

YOU MUST UNDERSTAND. i entered eah a rapple shipper and exited the book series ready to burn at the stake for cerise/raven. book two was SO MUCH. it had everything. raven befriending cerise despite her attempts to isolate herself. texting in class. winking at each other. raven meeting the parents and hearing embarrassing baby cerise stories. cerise putting it all on the line to save raven. i’m ambivalent about shadow high but cerise gets literally one (1) mention and it’s in raven’s internal monologue wherein she equates cerise’s hood w feelings of warmth and safety. like how was that in any way necessary. i rest my case

raven & maddie

self-explanatory as well. dabesties. the ride or dies. it means so much to me that raven always has a friend in maddie no matter how many clowns and jokers (derogatory) treat her like the antichrist. maddie the character ever

raven/apple

WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN. the gelphie dynamic is a classic and i am EXTREMELY vulnerable to it. they are THE ship and i will pay my respects to the end of time. i am a big fan of how they trade their roles throughout the franchise and how rich the drama and history are between them. it’s pure fucking poetry.

raven/darling

TBH. a serve. the only thing juicier than evil queen/damsel in distress is evil queen/princess charming. big big fan of darling giving raven the five star princess treatment after a lifetime of being feared and shunned and vilified. equally big fan of raven’s momentous act of rebellion giving darling the courage to be true to herself. ALSO. the absolute archetype-subversion slay of the Pure-Hearted Hero(TM) confronting the Mistress of Evil(TM) and dropping their sword. looking through the smoke and mirrors and the will of Fate itself to see the girl who has wanted nothing but to be kind beneath. swearing their heart and soul and sword to the one true good they have found. picture it. i can almost see the 100-word drabble

raven/apple/darling

now THIS is just THE fairytale couple. the evil queen, the damsel in distress and the princess charming ALL holding hands and riding off into the sunset together. dappling on its own doesn’t do it for me but raven in the mix just makes everything gel perfectly. she’s the tomato in the ratatouille the cornstarch in the spring roll water, etc etc

darling/holly

this is one of those ships where i read a really convincing fic and the more i thought of it the more it just made sense. like they'd read swashbucklers and tales of courtly love together. holly would 100% write a darling placeholder in her self-insert romance fanfic pre-relationship as a way to express her feelings. darling would 100% find out and gently pull her out of the pit of sheer mortification she drilled into the ground to escape. also the height difference is a thing of beauty

safe from the polycule

duchess/poppy

they have one singular episode to their name and it was enough. it was Everything. the dynamic you can extrapolate from that one single interaction is so incredibly appealing to me. duchess’s bitchiness belied by her palpable air of vulnerability coming up against poppy’s spine of steel tempered by her skill in gaining perspective. poppy can challenge duchess into being a better person and duchess can be poppy’s character flaw like idk she just has shit taste in women that was the price she had to pay to be moisturized and unbothered by destiny. i just think they have the potential to be the unexpected, inexplicable power couple of eah

briar/faybelle

do i even need to say anything they had a whole movie to make their case. they’re rapple if rapple got their shit together before armageddon, with the bonus of a potential curse-breaking true love’s kiss for the fanfic authors to thrash between their teeth. truly unlimited. also unlike rapple where raven is 100% against being a villain and therefore it’s apple who has to do the mental gymnastics to open herself to the possibility of a relationship w raven, faybelle is just chomping at the bit to make her momma proud and presents a compelling perspective for the whole “falling in love w your fated nemesis” thing

blondie/cupid

they are icons, they are legends, and they ARE the moment. these two are so chaotic individually, what with blondie’s criminal skillset and habit of menacing innocent woodland creatures and cupid’s matchmaking powers combined w her shitty aim, that putting them together can only mean good things. there’s this whole element of their shared passion as public figures who at their best seek the truth and guide others through matters of the heart respectively that’s always interesting as a point of irony/obstacle when they start catching feelings and have to decide what to do with them. their joint youtuber/podcaster slay can level nations

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nobodyfamousposts · 5 months

Text

Felix July - Tragic

Yes, I know this is years late. I hope it's worth it.

Follow up to the Betrayal prompt and an aftermath of Party Crasher:

*Click*

With that, the call ended. Felix gave a small sigh of relief.

At least that whole mess was over with. Mostly.

He looked up at the multitude of girls appearing all too pleased.

“I expect you’ll be having quite a few tokens of appeasement waiting for you come Monday. Maybe sooner.” He stated, returning his phone to his pocket.

“Thank you, Felix.” Alya said, sounding almost downright pleasant towards him for once.

“Don’t you think that was a bit mean?” Marinette asked. “I mean, they were doing it for Adrien.”

“The problem isn’t the party for Adrien, it’s that they lied to us about it and left us with all this work to handle by ourselves in the process.” Alya countered.

Mylene nodded. “It took a lot of planning to set this whole thing up and having most of the male portion of the city duck out at the last minute for a party they just set up that day is downright rude.” She looked away, pouting and muttering something about no kisses for a week.

Marinette felt a hand on her shoulder, drawing her gaze up to Felix. “They knew they would likely cause problems by doing this and chose to do so anyway. And so they decided to lie to try to avoid being caught. Whatever happens is a direct result of their actions, regardless of the supposed goodness of their reasons.”

“You’re saying that because they left you to nearly get your eyes clawed out.” Marinette pointed out.

His eye twitched. “But am I wrong?”

Well, he really wasn’t…

“Still…” She remained uncertain.

“They could have just invited Adrien and his bodyguard to help out here rather than start a party.” Rose pointed out.

“And leave all the work for us.” Alya added—because yes, she was still bitter about that.

“I still say we should use them as fertilizer.” Alix grumbled.

“Girls, this is a community project, meant to be for the community, not made up of the community.” Mylene reasoned.

“Even if they deserve it.” Juleka snarked, also still miffed and unwilling to let it go.

Rose smiled, beaming. “Still, that girls’ party sounds like a good idea.”

“It’d be a nice reward after all this.” Mylene agreed.

“Not to mention a nice petty revenge at the boys.” Alix said with a grin.

Marinette laughed, seeming relieved with the peaceful solution. “Better than killing them, at any rate.”

Felix clapped his hands, seemingly nonchalant.

“Well then, I hope you all have fun.” And with that, he turned to walk away.

Only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder and a smiling Alya.

…he did not like that smile. Not one bit.

The increasing grip on his being only added to his trepidation.

Alya, naturally, had no concern for this.

“Don’t say that, Felix! You’re coming too.”

A pause.

“What?”

____________

The week passed in relative normalcy. Emphasis on “relative” as it did still involve the drama of half of his classmates cowering and/or groveling before the other half. As well as much bemoaning, harrumphing, occasional begging, and the daily occurrence of walking into the classroom to be greeted by the sight of an array of flowers, candy, and gift baskets on the desks of one or more of the girls in the class each time he entered.

But it was surprisingly akuma-free, so Felix would consider it normal. An odd sort of normal, but normal nonetheless. It was nice. Peaceful, even.

…if not for the sense of impending doom he could feel creeping on him the more of the week that passed and the closer they got to the weekend—and the time of the planned “party”.

Felix knew that going to the party would be a bad idea. And not just because it was a girls’ slumber party. Or one that the girls in his class were throwing out of sheer spite due to the impromptu party the boys had thrown without them when they were supposed to be working together on that community project. Or because the girls in question had previously threatened his eyes. It was partly due to those things, certainly, but not solely.

He simply did not want to go. Period.

But like with many things in his life, Felix‘s feelings weren’t so much overlooked as they were completely disregarded.

Going to a party for the girls was not something Felix had any interest in. He wasn’t a people person in the first place and a slumber party with a number of teenage females was far from his idea of a good time, regardless of what his peers may believe. Furthermore, he was sure there were rules—or were SUPPOSED to be rules concerning the presence of boys at such things.

But apparently this was his punishment for his part in Lahiffe’s plot. Despite the fact he’d had no interest or involvement in that either. And had even been the one to explain what was going on.

Truly life was cruel.

Or maybe it was just Cesaire trying to make him miserable.

...considering the gleeful smirk on her face when she informed him of this decision, he was inclined to believe the latter.

“Don’t worry, Felix! It’ll be fun!” Assured Adrien Agreste, who was apparently either completely ignorant of what was to come or was simply a masochist.

And no, the fact that he would not be suffering this torment alone was no comfort.

“I’m so excited!” Agreste squeed—actually squeed the way the boy’s own fangirls did. Felix wanted to die from embarrassment on his behalf.

“I know! I can’t wait!” Agreed Whayhem Marot, whom Felix was sure would enjoy the event regardless simply as long as Agreste was there.

Felix twitched.

Why was he the only one who recognized it as the punishment it was? Even the other males in the class seemed to see this as a desirable or dare he even say enviable circumstance.

“Felix. Bro. We got to talk.”

Case in point: Nino Lahiffe as he grabbed Felix and dragged him across the courtyard to some impromptu meeting with the other idiotic males of the class. And Couffaine.

This was his life now, apparently.

“What is it?” Felix demanded. Demanded quite reasonably, in his opinion—given the grabbing and the forced interaction.

“Dude. While you’re there, don’t be looking at my girl.” Lahiffe warned him. Backed by the other relationship-bound males in the class whom were also giving him stern looks and nodding in agreement in defense of their respective girlfriends and girl friends.

Not that Felix had any interest in observing any of the aforementioned females in states of undress. And again, didn’t want to be there to begin with.

“But get pictures. We need pics, man!”

He wasn’t sure he would be able to be able to take pictures at all with the girls watching him. Much less take pictures of anyone when he wasn’t allowed to look at them.

“And details!”

“Yeah!”

More to the point...

Felix raised a hand in exasperation. “There are two problems with this. The first being that I don’t know anything about slumber parties.”

“It’s…y’know. Slumber. And parties.” Lahiffe frowned before turning to the others. “Guys, back me up!”

“I have compiled a list of top activities that tend to take place at slumber parties, along with their detailed explanations for your purposes.” Kante offered, holding out a ream of papers clipped together that could practically be its own book.

Felix shoved it back to the shorter boy with a glare.

“The second problem is that I don’t care.”

“Man, seriously?” Le Chien demanded, as if the reason Felix should want to go was supposed to be obvious. “This is a party! With girls!”

A pause.

Felix raised an eyebrow.

“...And?”

Le Chien scratched his head. “That’s…kind of supposed to be the reason.”

He turned away. “And I’m done here.”

Frustratingly, Lahiffe blocked his way.

“Come on, Felix! Adrien is going! Would you really let Adrien go to a girls’ party all alone?”

“Yes.” He replied without even the slightest hesitation.

If it was his choice, who was Felix to interfere? Or be needed to put himself at risk? Because that was the difference—Agreste actually WANTED to go and possibly meet death. A brutal, painful, burning, scarring death.

“Dude! You’re really just going to leave Adrien on his own?”

“I fail to see how that would be my problem.”

Or why they weren’t bugging Agreste about getting these desired ‘pics’.

“Besides, Marot is going so he won’t be ‘alone’, as you say.” Felix stated, even going so far as to make ‘quotation’ gestures for emphasis.

Lahiffe coughed. “Wayhem is…cool and all. But he’s a fanboy! And about as innocent as Adrien is!”

“Then they can learn together. Starting with why adolescent males should not be at slumber parties with adolescent females.”

“Oh come on, do you really think those two would do anything?” Le Chien questioned.

He said that like anyone would think Agreste and Marot would be the ones to worry about instead of the victims.

Felix expected that there would be bodybags.

…he expected one of those bags to be his own.

But on that note…

“Why isn’t Couffaine going?” He asked, gesturing to the musician who had apparently stopped by to drop off a delivery for the girls that likely had to do with the party in question.

Because surely, surely he of all people wouldn’t have earned the girls’ ire.

“Because Luka joined the guys’ party.”

Felix shot Luka a withering look.

“You disappoint me.”

Luka smiled, nervous and apologetic. “Sorry.”

“Make no mistake.” Felix stated, turning back to the others. “If I had any say in the matter, I would not be going to this party. At all.”

“Too bad you don’t have a choice!” Cesaire chirped, coming upon the group with a vicious smirk that made the other males scramble away like the dirty cowards they were. “We’ll be set for the night and you’re not allowed to run. Or we will know.”

Felix sighed.

How they had gotten his mother on board with this, he had no idea.

“This is a punishment, isn’t it?“

“What?” Cesaire fake gasped. “You’re going to be spending the night with a bunch of pretty girls, eating plenty of junk food and baked goods, and having tons of fun! How is that a punishment?“ She asked, fluttering her eyes at him.

Felix glared at her, unimpressed.

“I despise fun.”

“Careful Felix.” She said all too sweetly. “I would almost think you were rejecting our kind offer.“

Ah, yes. The “kind offer“ to not claw out his eyes at the low cost of one night of humiliation and degradation that would no doubt be used to haunt him for the rest of his life.

...he could learn Braille.

________________

The night of the party came, and at late afternoon, Felix was “escorted” to Le Grand Paris.

And by “escorted”, he meant “kidnapped”.

Not that his mother cared.

“Goodbye, Felix!” She called out, waving happily while seemingly ignoring the fact that he was literally being dragged away. “I’ll see you in the morning! Have fun!”

Evil woman. Evil vile woman.

“Come on, Felix! You don’t want to be late!” Cesaire said, all too cheerfully.

“I could just not go.” He muttered. He could very well hide out under a bridge. That would be unpleasant for the night, but still better than what was to come.

“How cute! He thinks he has a choice!” Cesaire cooed as she and Kubdel each stood on either side of him—likely to prevent him from escaping.

He gave her a flat glare. “Die. Die and come back as something pleasant.”

Cesaire just grinned smugly. Kubdel, for her part, rolled her eyes but went along with Cesaire.

It was clear there would be no avoiding this. All Felix could do was accept his fate and begrudgingly walk with the girls to the car that would be taking them to the party.

The only good thing to come of this was that Rossi would not be in attendance as she had not helped out with the volunteer project either.

Though Felix suspected that was just the official excuse so as to prevent discord during the night between Dupain-Cheng and Rossi…

…as well as prevent him from following through on his threat to jump out the first window available, regardless of relative distance to the ground.

You win this round, gravity.

“Hi, Felix!” Agreste greeted as Felix and his “escorts” entered the car.

Felix merely grunted in acknowledgment as the doors closed and his moving tomb started to head towards their destination.

Somehow, though for the life of him he would never understand precisely how, the girls had managed to convince Agreste’s anal-retentive father to consent to his son going to an all-girls’ slumber party.

Which would quite frankly be a miracle in and of itself. Felix has heard enough of the man over the years to know that this should have been an impossible feat. Even if Gabriel Agreste was the sort of man to believe in something as asinine as “fun”, no sensible parent would want to allow males at a sleepover comprising mostly of teenage daughters. And while Felix did question Mr. Agreste’s precise position on the line between “sensible” and “idiotic”, he had been sure that even that man would know better—if only to protect his slowly dying business from the scandal of his son spending a night with a bunch of girls.

Felix suspected some form of blackmail may have been involved.

Or mind control.

Agreste was clearly excited, practically bouncing in his seat. “This will be my first sleepover!”

“Mine too!” Merot chimed in.

It would be Felix’s as well, but that hardly meant it was a life goal and for the life of him, Felix didn’t understand why anyone would think it should be.

As the others continued chatting, Felix was contemplating the pros and cons of jumping out of a moving vehicle. They weren’t going too quickly. Maybe if he ducked and rolled? Or waited until it came to a complete stop?

Either fortunately or not, his contemplations were cut short as they had rather quickly arrived at the destination.

The Grand Hotel.

“It was really nice of Chloe’s Dad to let us have the party here!” Adrien said cheerfully.

Alya smiled.

Felix did not trust that smile. At all.

While none of the girls explained how they had gotten permission to use the hotel main event room for this party, Felix highly suspected that Mayor Bourgeois’s unusual acquiesce to their request had less to do with any good will than it did the very real threat that the girls involved were classmates of his daughter and could easily tell her that he had gone to that party at the mansion.

Adrien’s mansion.

Adrien. Her “best friend”.

A party SHE was not invited to.

To say she would be furious would be an understatement. And the fact that he had managed to keep his involvement secret from her was impressive in its own right. And maybe it would have worked out for him if Cesaire wasn’t involved and looking for vengeance.

Felix sympathized somewhat with the man. Only somewhat because….well…a grown man—and an easily recognizable politician at that? Going to that party was still an incredibly stupid thing to do. Not to mention somewhat creepy.

Andre Bourgeois seemed to think Felix was a kindred spirit as he smiled shakily at the boy, as if looking for some sympathy.

Or perhaps silently praying for him.

Felix would take the latter. He’d need all the help he could get to make it through this night.

The event room in question where the sleepover would be taking place was one of the hotel’s executive suites. There was a central room as well as two side bedrooms and a separate kitchen area. Not that Felix expected there to be much cooking if the laptop Haprele was opening up to the selection of a nearby pizzeria was any indication.

Lavillant and the younger Couffaine were already present and arranging the food and plates. Kubdel seemed to be setting up the television for various video games and movies.

Which left…

“Sorry I’m late!” Dupain-Cheng’s arrival was announced with an apology and a bang as she tried to open the door while holding several boxed of what he reasonably assumed were various pastries.

And with that, the gang was all here.

“Oh, let me help you with that, Marinette!” Agreste offered.

Felix prepared to step in himself. Knowing that girl’s crush, him coming closer to her would make her more likely to drop her cargo than help.

But he hadn’t needed to.

“No worries! I’ve got it!” Came a cheerful voice as another girl came in from behind her. She had tan skin and short red hair. And she seemed muscled, so the multitude of packages alongside her own bags were no trouble to her.

“Thanks, Odine!” Dupain-Cheng said, looking relieved.

Oh right. He remembered now. That girl was Le Chein’s girlfriend, Odine Soares. But why was she there?

As if sensing his confusion, Cesaire smirked. “Odine was invited to our party since she was also left out of the boys’.”

Soares settled the cartons on the table with a huff. “That was a real jerk move of the boys to make excuses to bail on their commitment, and I didn’t appreciate Kim using our swim sessions as a part of their excuse.” She turned to the others with a smile. “I do appreciate the invite though.”

Felix held up his hand. “Well, if this counts as an additional person for a party with limited room, it would be remiss of me to not give my place to someone more deserving—”

Cesaire grabbed his sleeve to keep him from his less than casual move for the door. Thankfully not his arm or they would likely have had a problem. “Oh come on, Felix!” She said, her grin a bit too wide to be innocent. “There’s no need for that!”

“I beg to differ. You just have fun and—”

The door closed behind him. The slam as clear as his own death knell.

“We insist.” Cesaire stated, her words clearly a warning.

Felix sighed and reluctantly moved to place his bags in the side room designated for the boys. When he returned, he found the girls in a discussion over horror movies or video games. With little option and wanting to open himself up to as little drama as possible, he chose to sit next to Agreste and Merot on the couch. His only allies for this mess of a night.

“This is going to be fun!”

“I know, right?”

…

…it seemed his allies had already fallen.

Felix was on his own.

___________________

The sleepover started simply enough.

Pizza was ordered. Soda was poured. Popcorn was popped and promptly somehow simultaneously fought over and used as ammo. Candy was shared.

They started with some Mecha Strike which all of them played—except for Dupain-Cheng, who was apparently banned due to her “mad skillz”. They played in teams that eventually came out with Lavillant and Felix as the winners—which he wasn’t at all smug about no matter Cesiare’s claim.

Then the girls insisted on a dance game. Felix, understandably, chose to sit out. To his surprise, Dupain-Cheng chose to sit out with him as well.

Or maybe it wasn’t that much of a surprise, given her natural clumsiness. No doubt it would be exacerbated due to the presence of her crush.

Still, that she chose to keep him company in his “dark and dreary” corner of the room (Cesaire’s words, not his) was…kind.

“Enjoying yourself?” She asked, polite and considerate and everything he absolutely did not need right now.

He looked away, irritated. Seeing his expression, she frowned and sat next to him.

“I’m sorry you were dragged into this.” She said quietly. “I know this isn’t your idea of a good time.”

She wasn’t wrong. Felix’s idea of a good time was probably the exact opposite of the current situation. Somewhere quiet and alone. Likely his room with a book and some tea.

It was nice that someone at least recognized that. Not that it made a difference.

“I don’t blame you.” He assured her, insomuch that at least it wasn’t her he blamed. She could probably tell that much from the glare he sent towards Cesaire at her place on the couch and cheering on Agreste and Merot’s tag team in the dance game.

Oh yes, HER, he did blame.

As if feeling his glare on her, she turned to look at him and wagged her eyebrows in his direction.

He resisted the urge to make a profane gesture.

“Honestly, I think they’re just trying to stick it to the other boys for ditching us to throw a party where we’re specifically not invited.” Dupain-Cheng explained.

It wasn’t necessary for her to try to explain it away. Maybe she could convince someone who didn’t know better, but Felix knew full well that this was more than vengeance against the rest of their male classmates. Cesaire was taking full advantage of the opportunity to vex him as well.

But he would be magnanimous and refrain from pointing that out because she sounded a bit miffed about the whole prior incident and he wasn’t about to try and deny her her right to her fury over the matter.

Dupain-Cheng continued, smiling at him. “Since you at least stuck to your word and told us the truth about what was going on, this is kind of a reward.”

“But for whom? Because from my perspective, this is simply a punishment all around.” He bit out.

Marinette smiled. “But Nino and the guys won’t see it that way.”

Ah, yes. The adolescent male mind would no doubt see entry into this event as a privilege and something to envy.

That’s because they didn’t know better.

No doubt they simply thought of it as scantily clad girls sleeping together or whatever else their hormone-driven brains could imagine.

The truth was that it would be more embarrassing and aggravating than anything. Humiliating. Potentially traumatizing. And may very well end in death—most likely his own.

Felix wondered if letting the other males keep that foolish image would make this night worth it.

…it wouldn’t. He knew it wouldn’t. But he would still keep quiet about it because he blamed them almost as much as he blamed Cesaire since they started this mess in the first place.

And Felix deserved something today.

In his ruminations, Dupain-Cheng had left him to his thoughts, though only for a short time. A little while later, she had returned with some hot herbal tea.

It didn’t make him feel better about what this night would bring.

But it helped.

___________________

It wasn’t long before the group had gotten worn out from the more active video games and had turned to less active and more personal time.

The girls had sat in a circle, back to front. For…simultaneous hair-styling, apparently. They had a number of hairbands, clips, head pieces, and decorations with which to adorn each other while they talked and gossiped. Agreste and Merot excitedly joined them in the circle as well.

“Felix! You should join!” Agreste invited.

“Yeah,” Cesaire said with what could only be an evil smirk. “There’s a spot for your right here!” She patted the space in front of her.

Felix gave her a dry glare. “You’re not subtle, Cesaire. I know better than to trust you anywhere near my hair.”

She pouted but turned to Dupain-Cheng instead.

Felix watched in some limited amusement at the mixture of decent styles and outright monstrosities that were born of the styling circle. Agreste ended up with his hair covered in pink clips by an overly enthusiastic Lavillant. Merot ended up with wild streaks from Kubdel and…wow, he was glad he didn’t join. He hadn’t thought they’d bring hair dye.

Cesaire, much to his vindication, ended up with her hair looking somewhat akin to a hydra after Merot separated her hair into a number of separate mismatched asymmetrical ponytails and then used hair spray to keep them in place. Whatever hairstyle the boy had been going for had failed atrociously, but they seemed to get a good laugh out of it…and only convinced Felix all the more that he was right to avoid it altogether.

If only he would be able to avoid the next activity.

Because then came THE game. The one Felix knew was coming. The one he dreaded.

“Truth or Dare~!”

Was it too late to jump out the window?

He glanced over, seriously considering it. They were only a few floors off the ground. Just 10 or 12. It wasn’t that much, right? He could make it.

Or he would fall into the sweet, sweet embrace of death and never have to experience another night like this.

Unfortunately, Kubdel and Lavillant blocked the path to the window—likely the former knowing more of his plan than the latter, who just smiled at him innocently and asked if he wanted to sit next to her for the game.

“Of course he would!”

Before he could even speak, Cesaire had reached an arm around his shoulders and “guided” him to the circle where everyone was now facing the center and preparing to play.

“I can escape.” He hissed to her. “Don’t think I wouldn’t.”

“Oh sure, you could.” She whispered back in agreement. Then she smirked. “And what a shame that would be. Marinette would be disappointed. I guess this would leave me with no choice but to distract her from your absence and use this opportunity to continue Operation Adrinette and all of us would be free to ask Adrien so many questions about who he likes.”

Something about that struck him as more distasteful than remaining at the party and taking part in the game.

And given the way she was looking at him, Cesaire knew it, too.

“Plus you’ll have to go home sooner or later.” She added with a smirk. “And your mother is going to want all the details of her son’s ‘first sleepover’. Imagine her disappointment if she finds out you ditched us?”

…vile girl.

“Fine.” He hissed, moving to join the ‘Circle of Friendship’.

Most of the group seem elated as he sat among them. Kubdel was snickering. Lavillant looked on the verge of squealing. Agreste and Merot smiled at him with their ignorant, oblivious, innocent eyes.

Dupain-Cheng looked nervous. Understandable, given the nature of the game they were about to play and her history of embarrassment at the hands of her so-called ‘friends’. Something that a game like this would only open her up for in spades.

If nothing else, he supposed he could at least try to help spare her the death of embarrassment. If only to spare himself the same.

The first rounds were simple, silly things.

“What was your worst akuma?”

“I dare you to impersonate Hawk Moth!”

“Try to pun like Chat Noir!”

At least Cesaire was keeping to her word with him there, as she had yet to try any of her silly matchmaking shenanigans. And the other girls seemed to be following her lead, as none of them did anything of the sort either.

Then of course, came the inevitable…

“Felix! Truth or Dare?” Lavillant asked cheerfully.

He immediately felt his back straighten.

She was cheerful. And out of all the classmates, the girl was the most kind—seemingly. But also the most naive and impressionable. Cesaire could have put her up to something.

But she wouldn’t willingly make him do anything she knew would hurt him, right?

He felt a grin from the side and resolutely chose to not look at Cesaire.

“Dare.” He said. Against all better judgement.

“I dare you…” Lavillant said, drawing it out as she seemed to be trying to think of something.

“To style Juleka’s hair!”

He blinked.

“Come again?”

“You didn’t get to take part in the hairstyle circle so it’s only fair!” She insisted.

“Yeah!”

“Style something for us, Felix!”

“Use your modeling skills!”

…well, that wasn’t so bad, at least.

“Fine.” He agreed, rolling up his sleeves. All the better to get this over with quickly. And with as little fuss as possible.

“You okay with this, Felix?” Dupain-Cheng asked. At least she was kind enough to have some concern for his comfort. He wasn't fond of touching people, after all.

He shrugged.

“It could be worse. They could have me shirtless and serving them drinks.”

A pause.

A long pause.

“Can I change my dare?”

“No.” He replied immediately.

#ml fic #felix culpa #felix july #felix month 2019 #marinette dupain cheng #alya cesaire #in which alya is evil #and having too much fun #adrien is obivious #only felix understands #and suffers #felix suffers

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cxhleel108 · 2 months

Text

LITG S8 Thots for this week: Here we go again…

(Sorry friends a bitch was getting crunk the last two days so I did not have time to do this until today❤️)

• Ok before we even start why is he sitting like thiskdmsmsnsnd someone help me.

• So the customization…I told y’all I wasn’t trying to gag too hard when they first revealed MC and this is exactly why cuz once again why we only get braids for textured hair??? They’re not even free like y’all already pissing me off.

• So clearly this season is about zodiac because why else would we only be getting star sign tattoos?

• Meet Jaylin y’all😝😝😝 You’ll be getting all her info soon.

• Everyone hating this swim suit but it actually being my favorite. The others were just ok to me Idk sue me.

• Mind you it’s only been like 2 minutes and we already causing issues.

• I think we’re already getting married tomorrow guys Idk.

• And he has a lion tattoo so that means he’s most likely a Leo and my girl is a Gemini oh look how I ate this pairing up!

• Oh Theo stans I’m so sorry…

• I’m so glad I’ve never ended up getting the guy stuck in the “Day One” couple like I really would just end it all.

• The job options being the exact same…ok! I wanted her to be an athlete anyway😁

• Him assuming that he had a high chance of being picked when Oakley and Jin are present…I just busted out laughing.

• Yeah all this talk about compatibility and these dudes talking about being “magnetized” and “drawn” to us is def giving let’s compare our charts to see if we should fuck each other or not.

• Such a real bitch oh Claudia I love you already💯💯💯

• Sophie telling me to cool it around Jack like I want him…I just busted out laughing again.

• Our date with Theo just feeling like two people building a friendship and not a relationship was nice I would love for it to stay that way tbh (Him like 5 minutes later saying he was trying not to flirt with us can they not do this again like please).

• Jack’s date was a snooze fest who’s shocked? Also him having two moms just makes sense Idk why.

• I am gonna have so much fun replaying this season to do Jin’s route omg this man is too good.

• Yeah I already don’t like Emel. Girl who is bringing yo ass a bouquet at 8 in the morning??? Don’t piss me off.

• Uhhh cuz I’m badder than you, duh!

• Outfit time🥳🥳🥳

• These are cute!

• This is not!

• Right…anyways so!

• Yikes!

• Hehehehe no y’all don’t understand like she is already my bestie fr. Love when one of the girls is here for the fuckshit.

• The drama that be happening sometimes be so stupid like girl. Claudia sitting here telling me everyone was mad at each other on DAY FUCKING ONE because nobody wanted to be with who they were with…do y’all just come on here and then forget how the show works.

• Oh girl just stop like fuuuuck��😭😭

• Outfit time again✨

• The panties did not need the sheer added.

• This literally being a swimsuit.

• Claudia’s outfit is so cute ugh werk!

• WHY IS THIS MAN BOOTY SO DAMN FAT LIKE OMGGGG😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

• He wanna compete with me so bad!

• I’m cryinggggg why we really living the storybook romance that Emel keep begging for.

• Me & Oakley: “Cheats are the lowest of the low”

• Also Me & Oakley: *Eating each other’s faces off outside*

• Yes please get Emel out of here before she takes Willow’s place and actually starts annoying the fuck outta me.

#not bad for the intro #it’s only down from here #litg #love island the game #litg tempting fate #litg season 8 #litg s8

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tequiilasunriise · 9 months

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Annabel Lee & Fears: A Short Essay Based On Ep70

Here it is, folks, the truest crux of Annabel’s character, her deepest fears is not going mad or even people discovering she’s not as put together as she tries to appear, but rather:

Was that gambit of constant scheming and using others worth it, Annabel? Was always trying to think ten steps ahead and always keep yourself in a position of power and control truly worth it, because how can you ever be trusted when all you do is play 5D chess with everyone?

There is is, folks!!! Just like her greatest strength- her cunning willpower- is centered around a certain bright moon, Annabel’s greatest fear is rooted in Lenore. The deepest, darkest trenches of her soul, the one thing that would shatter her heart and send her lungs choking fer breath? The killing blow that would end her and make all these charades worthless? It’s Lenore seeing her constant conniving and asking Annabel, “Why would I be any different? You already have no problem using everyone else as a pawn, how could I ever possibly trust you, Annabel Lee?”

The way Annabel is SUCH a great morally grey character, y’all tell me you love hot villains yet many a time I’ve seen people calling Annabel too heartless. She’s the opposite! She cares!! SO MUCH!!! She would burn the world down if it meant kissing Lenore one last time, to the point where her deepest fear is losing Lenore in the process of trying to protect her. All Annabel knows is using manipulation to gain the upper hand because simply being born a woman in the Victorian era she was so throughly disadvantaged by such a horribly misogynistic society that girlypop had to scrape together any form of control she could. Annabel wants so badly to protect Lenore but all she knows are her own methods of protecting herself, which involves plausibility deniability and facades and sometimes sheer cruelty, and that’s where the conflict arises. From the start Annabel assumed Lenore and her had the same understanding of this ‘fake enemies’ ploy going on but surprise surprise babygirl, not everyone is overthinking four parallel universes ahead like you do. This boils over into her lover having doubts on what’s real and what’s not, which then culminates into Lenore asking if Annabel is using her affections as empty currency to get what she wants, and Annabel’s first move to tell Lenore to fucken kill her????

“To you alone, I have left myself completely defenseless.”

The drama of it all!! The shattered facade leading to exploding vulnerability of it all!! The dim sun sparking out into a heat death just to prove her sincerity of it all!!! The exposed innermost organs ripping out my heart with my bare hands and begging you, “Do you see it now? Do you see the way it beats for you and only you? Tell me you see it, tell me you see me…” of it all!!

Oh baby the way Annabel still retains this deep fear of Lenore not truly believing in the “only thing that’s real” to her, the way her lover’s ghost still lingers and haunts her and is then ripped up from her innermost psyche like a desecrated grave and given form by Ada’s power. The way, after all this time- and I mean all this time from Lenore’s constructed resurrection, to their relationship blossoming into a wedding, all the fucking way up to that bell tower scene, the fucken way Annabel still never truly let go of her fear that Lenore doesn’t see her, doesn’t see how she alone bashed through all of Annabel’s walls and made a home where her heart laid. I’m sure during their living relationship all the way until the wedding Annabel’s fears were greatly settled, but it’s the fucken way these panels implied that this wretched heartache never completely left Annabel’s guilt-wracked soul.

I just know, okay I just KNOW, that even up until she was putting her wedding dress on Annabel still questioned if she even deserved this happy ending because she still feel phantoms of guilt fer this betrayal. This comic only furthers this implication of unabsolved guilt when it’s made clear as day that Annabel’s biggest fear is Lenore not believing in her love. And before anyone argues how Annabel can currently feel guilt fer betraying Lenore when she hasn’t recovered the memory yet, I’ll argue back that from the very beginning of the comic these two were inexplicably drawn to each other even when they had NO memories. Therefore, even if she doesn’t have the explicit memory, I highly doubt Annabel’s subconscious would ever let go of something as huge as deeply hurting the one person she truly cared about in such a wretched way.

Fuck, dude, I mean Annabel’s greatest fear wasn’t even Lenore dying- which was already a huge thing if y’all remember her tearstreaked, panicked, “What is left? If she’s not here, what’s the point?”- no her greatest is Lenore!!! Not!!! Believing!! Her!!! Like yeah losing Lenore physically definitely would’ve cut so deep even her bones would bear the scars, but losing Lenore in the form of the other woman walking the same ground as her but choosing to stay away?? Call her fucking selfish because some people would rather have their other half still be alive even if they’re not by their side, but Annabel ain’t one of them that’s fer sure. Babygirl has spent a lifetime perfecting the craft of deceiving others fer her own gain, but the ONE TIME she’s genuine her heart is to be called nothing more but empty??? Oh babbyyy that’s gotta fucken hurt.

The thing is, I don’t think Annabel really loves herself all that much. I really don’t. A huge focus on self-preservation doesn’t necessarily mean one really loves themselves, and when we add the aforementioned guilt she carries? Plus, the fact that Annabel being forced to swallow down her anxiety attacks from a young age could easily lead to her having a rather sour view of her 'not normal' self? Yeah no yeah, I truly don’t think Annabel loves herself that much, if at all. So really, this line is adding immense insult to already grievous injury. Not only does Annabel deeply fear Lenore not believing her affections to be true, she also fears the New Yorker misconstruing her as nothing more but a shallow as hell, prissy, little pampered damsel, a role pretty much everyone else regulates her into whether she wants it or not (right from the beginning, before she even set her schemes in full effect, Annabel was already explaining, “Ada wanted a queen, so I gave her one”). Lenore, the only one Annabel had believed to ever really see her fer her, is now discrediting Annabel’s vulnerable affections AND seeing her as that unloving ice queen like everyone else?? Horrible terrible horrible!!! She may have a ribbon threatening to strangle her right now, but it’s clear that ghost!Lenore’s words are what truly cut her down to size. Y’all seeing that fucken pain in Annabel’s eyes? Her worst fear is just so… personal.

Which actually leads me to my next point, which is how just before Annabel’s worst fear is revealed in stark, horrifying detail, we see Prospero’s. Lemme just preface this by saying what Prospero went through is n o t any less terrible and is a super fucken mega valid fear/trauma, but let me cook y’all just hear me out. Prospero’s fear seems to be about medical malpractice and/or being conscious during a painful operation that likely went south (aka ‘oh shiiitttt he fucken DEAD-‘), and that’s fucking tragic as all hell. Yet, okay let me cook here, it’s more… I don’t want to say general, because that does NOT mean his fear is any less significant but it’s like. Way back when, death via medical bullshit was more or less fairly common, especially during wartimes (which is the era I headcanon Prospero to be from); meanwhile, Annabel’s fear is so uniquely hers, it’s borne of a culmination of specific experiences tied together by her relationship with Lenore.

By contrast of a more common fear vs something so deeply personal and specific to this one person- because it’s not just unrequited love, it’s being so vehemently denied and misunderstood by the ONE (1!) person who you wholeheartedly trusted in your entire life who also oops mega died on you- this distinction gives way to an almost more raw, more visceral feeling to Annabel’s fear sequence. Again!!! I am not undermining Prospero’s own trauma, I promise!!! But you have to admit that there’s something, from a narrative standpoint, that hits so much harder with how deeply personal Annabel’s fear is. The contrast is even more great when you look at how Prospero’s involved a buncha bloodied hands not really tied to any faces or even any indication of personhood like accessories, scars, etc etc. It could’ve been a group of anyone holding him down hurting him; on the flipside, Annabel is being restrained by one very specific person we see in full view. The faceless crowd who could’ve been anyone at anytime vs the lone perpetrator whose history you know like a second name. It’s just!!! So personal!!!

In conclusion, on the surface level, one would think a character so deeply ingrained in using deceptions and manipulation would have her greatest fear tie into having her true nature revealed to everyone she’d fooled, but then it turns out it’s the complete fucking opposite. What homegirl fears the most is her truest, innermost self not being believed and accepted by just one (1!) person. The way it’s framed is just so heartstabbingly personal, especially when you parallel it to a previous fear sequence just a few panels preceding it. This is it, your honor, this is Annabel’s deepest driving force broken down to its bare essentials. To hell with whatever reputation she’s carefully crafted! Who cares what anyone else thinks of her if she doesn’t believe her, if she doesn’t SEE her. Really, truly see her. Lenore is the defining point that Annabel has revolves around so wholeheartedly, and there’s no point to anything anymore if Annabel loses her. This crux of her character, OHHH BBAAABBYY it’s just so well done because we, as the audience, have been given clear evidence to build up this narrative of Annabel’s characterization fer so long now and to finally see it come together in a fiery explosion of lesbian angst with this latest chapter??? Gods, the writing of Nevermore will never not drive me absolutely insane in the membrane.

#if yall think this essay went crazy i need yall to kmow i once wrote a legit MLA cited college research paper about mf Bumbleby #and I got a high grade and everything yall heard me it was 12 pt new times roman and had literal academic sources to back up my points #i had to cut it down from 15 pages to like 10 bc of a max word count my prof set it was so sad #so yeahhhhhhh your girl may or may not just go crazy on the fictional analysis #which makes sense when u know that imma character-driven writer #anyways in conclusion i be clocking in to fight fer annabel as an amazingly written character like its a 9-5 job #to all the ppl who doubted her how yall feeling rn hmmmmmmm #annabel lee whitlock ur just so much fun to dissect like a lesbian lab project #nevermore webtoon #white raven #annabel lee whitlock #lenore vandernacht #prospero nevermore #<—i swear i care fer the rat man guys i rlly rlly do #but man. the way annabel’s shit was just to personal. it rlly got me okay???

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neet-elite · 2 months

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Since you do not get as many requests as you deserve - here I am! Could we get a cozy Sebastian/Reader, where Sebastian comes home after a frustrating day (working on his bike pissed him off, his job pissed him off, his family pissed him off) and he sees the reader and he feels soothed because he loves her so much? OR IF YOU PREFER! Could you write one about Alex being frustrated because his workout didn't work out (see what i did there) and the reader helps him pick himself up? Maybe by letting him do different kinds of farm work, subtly showing him how strong he is? THANK YOU I LOVE YOUR WRITING YOURE A TALENTED STAR; KEEP IT UP

Oh no you sweet thing! I'm absolutely okay with the amount of requests I get, I never want anyone to feel forced or guilty about it!! Thank you for your kindness though <3 giving you KISSES right now!

And giving you double kisses for these sweet prompts omg... It's been a while since I've written just fluff so I adore these so much thank you thank you!! I really needed some feel good fluff tbh...

warnings: fluff, stressed out seb, family drama, venting, slight angst? not really wc: 1885

To say he was stressed would be the understatement of the year, accidentally slamming the front door of your quaint farm cabin shut (and subsequently frustrating himself more in the process) before stomping his way over to the living room couch, throwing his weary body against the worn cushions with a rasped huff of air like some sort of child. Weird, he reprimands himself internally. It's embarrassing to be acting out like this, to bring the metaphorical rain cloud over his head straight into your shared space, uncaring for how roughly he kicks his boots off to the floor, causing a loud THUMP to ring through the house. A signal of his dismay, some sort of flashing warning sign of: GO AWAY. Huffing and puffing in sheer aggravation, because he's exhausted; and he can't quite find the willpower to conceal his true feelings right now.

But despite his tantrum, you tiptoe out from your room, and he can still feel your presence despite your attempts at being quiet. Call it intuition, or perhaps it's just the fact that he's live here long enough to tell which floorboard sounds like which squeak. Still, he allows you the space to sneak up to him, only because he hasn't the strength to turn around himself after todays events.

"Rough day?" You question as if it wasn't obvious, plopping down beside him yet still keeping an arms length. He appreciates it, even if he can't find the words to say so right now. Deep down he understands a simple thank you would suffice, but even that feels like venom on his tongue, so he refrains for your benefit. You deserve better than to be on the end of his stress induced attacks.

So instead, he simply sighs, pinching at the bridge of his nose before rubbing harshly at his temples, eyes squeezed shut to try and hone in one the pressure. You've always commented on the fact that he's too rough with himself, so he immediately softens his touch up when he starts to wince into the mean pad of his thumb, knowing that if you even try to remind him that he's liable to bark back; and he wants to do literally anything but that.

"Yeah," he sighs again, though more as a release of built up resentment now, as if that lonely word was enough to convey the myriad of emotions welling up inside his chest. "You could say that."

When his eyes open again and he cranes his neck to the side to properly regard you in conversation, he can't help the barely there smile from tugging at his lips, followed by a brief rushed exhale through his nose. How sweet you are, taking time out of your surely busy day yourself to tend to him and his bruised mental state, pretty smile wide on your face for him to gawk at. He really should be more thankful than he currently is, but his body remembers all too clearly the anger in his fists, muscles flexing and fists clenching idly by his side. If anything, simply being around you is balm enough. A comforting sunny salve that he's mindful not to take for granted, especially in these small moments. As such, his hand instinctively seeks your own, stretching over the remainder of the space left between two bodies to seek solace, forcing himself to unfurl his fingers in favour of wrapping around your own.

"Missed that face today, y'know." He smiles more genuinely now, tone softening under your gentle embrace, the loose pinky around his own reminding him of the good in the world.

And you smile back, of course. The stress slipping from his shoulders the longer you look at him, the tighter you hold his hand.

"Can I help at all?" You question, and he stares dumbly at you for a few seconds before registering your kind offer; too focused on the many upsets today had him endure, he looks to the side to make sure his mean attitude isn't directed at you.

"Maybe?" He whispers after a few seconds of genuine thought; because even he isn't even sure if his sour mood can be enhanced at this point. "It's just— Well, you know how things can get at home."

You nod, but don't speak. He fills the space with his own grievances instead.

"Fuck— I mean, I don't uh... Dunno how it got as bad as it did, y'know? Like— Um, is it okay for me to talk about it?"

"Course, Seb."

He swallow thickly, letting out a nervous laugh at the thought of being vulnerable, but you've taught him safety in that regard. "R-Right. Uh, it started with my bike. Shit's broke broke, right? And so that's my plans for the day ruined," Instinctively he lets go of your hand, repositioning on the couch to get more comfortable to ramble, leaning forward a little as if the objects of his frustrations were right in front of him, listening to his telling off. That made him feel a little better, too. "So I thought hey, might as well hang out with the family, seeing as the stupid bike doesn't wanna fucking work," A laugh escapes him, but even he winces from how forced it sounds. His mouth runs faster than his mind, fists balling against his lap as he recalls the days events. All of these emotions could have been avoided if he'd just stayed home like you'd suggested in the morning, but he was determined to do something outside his comfort zone, and so of course everything went to shit, because he's never allowed to stray too far from comfort or some other bullshit excuse his mind can conjure to somehow make sense of today. Fuck, he feels more riled up now...

"But even that didn't work, because I immediately had to fix mom's phone— which by the way, was so stupid oh my God I dunno how she managed to fuck it up the way she did— but apparently I had to have an audience, and Demetrius would not— Uh, wouldn't shut up for just a second, babe. All I asked for was a single second, and that was apparently too much—"

"Mhm." You respond, still smiling, and the nonchalant way you so easily distract him almost dazes him for a second. The way you're intently listening to his clearly one sided review of the situation, giving him time to collect his unpleasant thoughts; your presence alone causes his cheeks to heat up, prompting him to cut himself off in a bashful attempt of hiding.

"I mean— I dunno, y'know?" He cringes at himself with the useless conversation he's offering, but the feeling of your weight pressing closer to his own instantly relaxes him. What did he say? A balm. He sighs once more. "It's just been a bad day, and I'm sorry for bringing it home..."

You shush him gently, soft hushes barely audible over his own blood pumping through his veins with the anger he remembers, but he does his best to untense, just like you're asking. "Sounds like you might need a distraction." You prompt him, and he slowly reclines back on the couch, placing an open palm against your thigh to calm himself down a little faster; doesn't wanna worry you too much.

"Yeah, you're probably right." He smiles, embarrassed but still thankful for your acceptance. "Always are, really."

He laughs upon hearing your own docile giggle, warming up to the idea of relaxation now that he's had a chance to explain himself without judgement; you're always so good at doing that, and he makes a mental note to thank you better when he's more capable of treating you the way you deserve. With utmost kindness.

However, he's learnt to be open to your own kindness, to welcome it with open arms even if it's difficult in the moment. "How about... A massage?" You question, and he thinks for a moment.

"Mm... No, but thank you."

"Then... Do you need some food?"

Honestly, probably. But the idea of eating right now has his tummy turning so he respectfully declines.

"Wanna play a game then? I saw this cool new co-op game that we could chill and play together, or—"

"Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt..." He holds his hands up in submission, but your gentle smile begs him to continue. "It's just, I know what I want now."

"Anything."

Ah, fuck. He loves you, y'know? Completely and utterly, sometimes devastatingly so; like right now. Almost pained to speak, because he thinks he'll never be able to reciprocate exactly how you make him feel, and he wants more than anything right now to bury himself against you to at least try and thank you for... Well, existing, he supposes. And for the way that you're trying so desperately to cheer him up, giving up some of your free time for his own benefit, because you're perfect like that.

But he wants something smaller, he thinks. After catching his breath as a winding result from your unashamed devotion, he says plainly: "A hug."

And the giggle you let out communicates: Is that all? but rather than shame, or God forbid guilt, rising to his chest, he feels recognition. Shown in the way you immediately move into position, waiting for him to lazily lay on his back with his legs spread open, his head pressing against the armrest of the couch and awaiting the weight of your love upon his chest.

Which you do so eagerly, falling on top of him and forcing an oof! out of him, but he can't stop the laugh escaping in response to your affections. Automatically, his arms wrap around the small of your back, loosely at first, but the feeling of your own arms locking around his neck causes them to tighten, and he's not sure if it's in reassurance or possession.

Because he never wants to give you up, holding on to you as if you would disappear the moment he let go, attempting to deliver the message of I love you through tender touch and heavenly sighs. This is all he needs to feel better, really. The pressure of your body against his own, knowing that his feelings are reciprocated from how easily you slip between his legs, like a routine. The domesticity of the display snaking around his heart, chest tight with adoration for you.

"My love. Mine all mine." His arms squeeze around you tighter, pulling you closer to his heart, hopeful that you can feel how hard it beats for you; how it seeks to match your own tempo. "Thank you." Finally spills from his lips, managing to confess those simple words to you under your gentle embrace, his eyes shut in comfort of your presence.

Maybe later he can take you up on your offer of gaming, maybe even cheekily ask for some of that food now that he's feeling a little better. But at least for now, the world can pause while he hugs the love of his life. His balm, fingers tangled in your hair gently as a distraction from the overwhelming peace you have him endure.

He'd give you the sun if you asked, if only you'd calm his bad days like this for eternity.

#❤️‍🔥request #sdv fluff #sdv sebastian fluff #i love you MWAH #YEAH THATS A MITSKI REFERENCE #i listened to it when writing ok

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contritecactite · 6 months

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Radio Omens time!! Strap in for my subjective personal opinions made by one person about the full-cast radio adaptation of Good Omens.

We're gonna begin with: I am blowing kisses to the scripting/editing/production team. This thing is an impeccable adaptation. Im-pecc-a-ble. The voice talent is fantastic, the energy is stellar, the pacing is excellent, and the sheer amount of atmospheric info they managed to translate into radio-friendly format? Mwah mwah mwah. I think it's the kind of listening format that's not for everyone, but it is SO for me.

Time for some specific highlights! It was a long day so we're a little extra silly this time. It's also long and not in a reasonable order.

(Ok good my page cut is working this time.)

- Good GOD I forgot the primary voices were Like That. I shrieked (happily) as soon as Aziraphale's mouth opened. This is why I travel alone /hj

-- (Incidentally, I said "oh fuck holy shit I can't do this" when Crowley started talking, but I did it anyway *sighs in bisexual*)

- Hheeeennghsh the opening scene in Eden is. The way it's written successfully sets up who Aziraphale and Crowley are, who they're supposed to be to each other, and a hint at who they're going to be to each other later because they are SO delightfully snippy at one another in this scene. Aziraphale's "oh, it's you" and Crowley's "mmhm, yeah, well done on keeping demons away. Bravo" (heavily paraphrased) will be living rent-free in my head until I have time to write a fic about it.

- So, having Aziraphale do the early narration is an excellent way of setting the tone. What I need you to do, if you've only done tv omens (which is so so valid and I think really is another excellent adaptation), is remember Aziraphale's magician persona. And then imagine him being that for the entire story. The pitch, the rate of speech, the slightly frantic energy, the drama: it's all just part of his overarching character in radio omens, and it's SO good for storytelling.

- Radio Crowley knows what's in all of Aziraphale's infamous Bibles so well that he can quote them. I love this detail, I love it as a means of establishing their relationship during their "let's be godfathers" scene, and I love how hard he's ribbing poor Aziraphale about the extra verses in Genesis.

- Radio Crowley is SO like... tender? I mean, all Crowleys are to some extent Soft but something about this one has just a little extra something. I love the way he talks about his temptations and shenanigans. He's so proud. It eases what could feel like needless exposition because he really seems to like explaining his process.

- That's a bit of the same of what I mean about Aziraphale's personality. Since he's very obviously inclined to dramatize a story, exposition just fades neatly into his character rather than grating on the nerves.

- They reference The Arrangement a lot and usually with a great deal of affection. There's one particular time when they even acknowledge something about wanting to protect each other.

- I adore the way Anathema and her ties to Agnes are introduced. It's so concise but meaningful, and it's just the right amount of setup for her character appearing later.

- The baby swap scene in other iterations relies so much on descriptive narrative or visual language, but you know what? The heavily trimmed down version also works surprisingly well.

- Crowley knows about the hellhound way beforehand (and, of course, he tells Aziraphale. They plan their roles for the party years in advance, which is an extremely efficient way of communicating about that scene to the listener).

- At Warlock's party in the book, Crowley gets all suspicious about a gerbil being gifted to him. In the radio drama, Aziraphale wonders aloud if the gerbil might be suspicious and Crowley tells him not to be stupid. Just struck me as a funny thing to shuffle around.

- Adult radio Anathema is everything to me actually.

- Poor Newt's childhood gets skipped over (unless I missed it, which is possible), but I liked his adult introduction as well; it brings in the whole Witchfinder-adjacent cast at once and makes it super clear how they all know each other without lingering.

- Shadwell. Just. The actor's voicework is so evocative of someone who is very gesturally expressive. There's no way he wasn't swinging his hands around in the recording space.

- The Them are all 100% perfect. Shout-out to Adam for that mind-rending scream that I was not expecting to go on for so long. Interestingly, in chapter credits, the Them are not grouped with the humans! This makes sense, but it also made my brain go !!!

- The horsepeople (both original and extra) were also so good, and that chunk of the cast gave the impression of good chemistry, so the scenes were really fun.

- Crowley says Aziraphale's name a lot. A lot a lot. Actually, most people do; probably for simplicity's sake, there's no "Mr. Fell," or "Nanny Ashtoreth," just "Mr. Aziraphale" and "Mr. Crowley."

- Well, Shadwell does say "Mr. A," and there is a Brother Francis.

- One of Nanny's rules for Warlock is "don't talk to the creepy gardener" rkahjdjs Crowley what is wrong with you

- I did in fact let out another sound when the Nanny voice happened. We're not talking about it.

- When applying for the jobs, Aziraphale just straight up calls dibs on gardener and Crowley complains and says something like "can you see me in a skirt?" and Aziraphale just pulls a date at random on which he'd seen Crowley in a skirt. This was probably also in the book, but I noticed it here and didn't there.

- Crowley's idea of something calming to listen to was a radio gardening talk show ;~; and he likes listening to televangelists for the lulz (I have never used that phrase before in my life but I'm keeping it)

- Having him hear Aziraphale possessing the televangelist was absolute genius for keeping the plot cohesive.

- Seance scene continues to be painful ahahaha...

- Hell's emissaries know that Aziraphale was discorporated and they're mean to Crowley about it in a way that implies Hell has long been aware that they're working together. Intriguing...

- There's mention at some point about how no homes in Tadfield have PlayStations or Xboxes, and I think that's a cool bit of writing to establish the time period (along with Newt bricking smartphones, which I think was said at least in breadcrumbs).

- Almost forgot, but Mr. Gaiman and Sir Terry Pratchett being the policemen trying to book Crowley for speeding in the beginning is so cute.

- When Satan is about to show up, Aziraphale worrying about everyone else and Crowley going "and me!" like hello, I am also in danger, that's my boss?? if u even care?? was SO funny in this version to me.

- Look, there were a lot more things, but it's already been several hours since it ended, so I'm sure I'm forgetting many.

- Oh! Pepper's backstory being transformed into her speech to Adam was SO good on so many levels. It really drove home that Adam does love his friends, it deepened their lore gradually, it made Adam's role and decisions very clear, and it also struck me as "Pepper says trans rights" even if that wasn't the intention, so hell yeah.

- The gag reel leads me to believe that Peter Serafinowicz is A) probably the funniest person alive to work with and B) extremely relatable due to the amount of time spent on the struggle bus. Also whoever put the breaking glass sound over all the accidental swears, I love you forever.

#good omens #radio omens #reading notes #cactus chatter #maybe i just need a new tag like “dran being unreasonably feral about good omens for way too many words”#suggestive #maybe?

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spirit-meets-the-b0ne · 1 month

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In the middle of my HotD rewatch

The gyroscope of interpretation on this show has been at the forefront of my rewatch along with now having read some of the script and read/watched cast interviews.

This one inference made by Olivia Cooke (via Sarah Hess) has plagued me for the first few episodes.

Now, now I know these waters are really muddy what with a few obvious conceptual things: "isn't this queer baiting" "if it wasn't it wouldn't be good sapphic representation anyway" "this is an actors interpretation" blah blah blah. I'm not arguing any of that.

Just that Olivia's head canon held against this scene hits SO MUCH HARDER

Because I gotta say MY GOD imagine how that strikes Alicent if at some point her mother caught them together. Before they even really knew what they were doing (objectively to the tune of they were 13/14 not fully clear on platonic/romantic love) her mother impressed upon them it was wrong. When they denied and in some way or another Alicent/Rhaenyra saying "she never touched me." Only for Alicent to hear it echoed back to her years later like this... Knowing that even in her naïveté she would recognize the truth. That Alicent’s mother, naturally, kept this contained. Which honestly plays more to truly making Alicent more complex by the way she saw what “scandal” her mother covered up for her only for her to act out some perversion of this with Aegon when she’s a mother. A learned behavior twisted in the worst way, because that's what she knew.

Listen I fully understand that this show is NOT taking this angle even though there seems to be a huge division between what some writers and actors are playing to and the editors at HBO imaginably being like "what's all this gay shit?" BUT

I think it's part of what this show missed about TRAGEDY and I mean come on you want drama???? These girlies were ready to hand it to you on a silver plater! In this context I needed:

Rhaenyra being devastated by the news that Alicent was going to be marrying her father. The sheer heartbreak of “this can’t be happening” and knowing she would have lost Alicent to a husband but not THIS. Show her with Syrax, confiding in her dragon because now she has no other friend to talk to - I’m just saying if they were going with the context of “Fire & Blood itself is an unreliable narrator and only shows certain people’s views” - then a scene like this disrupts nothing. Tell me how when they prayed together and Alicent told her to "kneel with me" that part of Rhaenyra prayed for that world where they flew off on dragon back and ate cake.

Alicent being devastated - having her heart torn in two, crying behind every closed door knowing she was going to break the heart of her best friend. The deleted scene does give a peak of that being the case - but again it could/should have been included. Show me Alicent begging Rhaenyra to forgive her and desperately saying she loves her. I think one of the things that Team Green argues the most could have been explored by this avenue, Alicent is a victim of her marriage - it would be inherently more compelling if in the process she is also losing the closest thing to a "first love" she had. Show me Alicent at her desk writing letters to Rhae once a week and then ceremoniously burning them in the braziers. Alicent leaning more into religion as a means of getting out from under her repressed desires and past actions.

Show me both women struggling in their adulthood to even remember why they held "such childhood affections" for each other. Knock the fucking wind out of me with a line like, "the worst part of it all was that they only ever wanted to love each other."

To me one of the worst parts of this production (of which there's a few) has got to be this was the apex of completely missed opportunities to explore. In the premise of "going by unreliable sources" their queerness would be suppressed information. I even think it plays into the dynamic between Rhae-Alicent-Criston in a kind of "Jennifer's Body" way where Rhae was really only interested in him as the object of Alicent's desires which I believe is made a little clearer in the books. A kind of "see this could have been us if you didn't marry my bag-of-bones father" for Rhaenyra who clearly had no aversion to consorts.

I'm sorry to go on this rant, and yes I KNOW - the counter arguments for many of these points. I would even argue some of them further such as the sapphic representation not being invalidated simply because both women do end up with men in the source material. If this was the case then why was "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" received so well? This at the very least to say if they made Alicent and Rhaenyra explicitly queer it would still be less controversial than what the queer men on that show got … Still its not even to say "it's a better way" to explore more of Rhaenyra and Alicent's characters but its at least A WAY to do it. More than we got. Surely both sides could agree on that.

Sorry, now I'm just being pedantic. As a queer woman naturally I have a bias but I still think this was objectively a missed opportunity to explore. Both girl's back stories could have been enriched and tbh a lot of HOTD fans I know also had the same complaint that the time skip came in too early. I think it also makes things less likely to be so divisive between TG and TB when you look at the central pillars of this conflict. You can truly grieve for Alicent and Rhaenyra and what they lost already while on the verge of losing it all. Anyway, I gotta go cry about my divorced lesbian war wives.

#HOTD #rhaenicent #rhaenyra targaryen #alicent hightower #queer theory #Sarah hess #olivia cooke #SARAH EMILY OLIVIA EMMA AND MILLY WERE SERVED LEMONS BUT THEY MADE LEMONADE AND DAMN AM I PARCHED!!!#antis do not interact #I am all for the subversive but if more of this was brought to the surface things would just hit different #most of the straights I talked to did not see the homoerotic nature of their relationship until it was brought up in detail

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dia-souls · 1 year

Text

DIABOLIK LOVERS: Laito Birthday Special Drama “The missing Fedora”

Original title: 行方不明のフェドーラ

Source: Fanmade Tokuten Drama CD

Story: Admin Ava

Seiyuu: Suegara rie, Hirakawa Daisuke, Takashi Kondou, Midorikawa Hikaru, Kaji Yuki, Konishi Katsuyuki, Toriumi Kousuke

Author Note: We are excited to present you the first of the three drama cds for the triplets birthday! We have much plan and can’t wait for you guys to see. Also a little bit of a disclaimer. Make sure to say happy birthday to your favorite pervert!

_The scene starts in Laito room.

*Beep Beep*

Laito: Puwahhh… Mmm, looks like its time to get up~ Oh my, what a beautiful morning. The bats are squeaking, the sun is setting, and a gorgeous full moon is rising up. Ready to fill me with magnificent power~

_Laito get’s out of bed and head towards his vanity.

Laito: But what makes today even better is…Nfu~ today is my birthday~ The one day of the year were I, Laito Sakamaki, am celebrated for gracing this shitty world with my glorious presence. Not to mention the gifts I’ll receive from all my, fufu~, cute little subjects. And Bitch-Chan of course~ Oh the fun we’ll have together. All the naughty, dirty, lustful fun~ I can just imagine how grand it all shall be. It’s a shame I have to share it with those to idiots but beggars can’t be choosers after all~ Now I should get ready for my big day.

*Foot steps*

_Laito grabs a towel and heads towards the bathroom.

*Time Skip*

Laito: Haaah…What a good shower~ Not only do I smell fresh, but I was even able to give myself a , fufu , early birthday present. Now time to pick out an outfit suitable for a prince such as myself~ Now lets see, hmm what to wear? Ah so many decides, how can I pick just one when they’ll all look dashing on me? Being this beautiful is so hard! Haaah… well it can’t be help. I’ll just have to live with this gorgeous body forever….Not that I’m complaining of course~. Ooh, what’s this?

*Shuffles*

Laito: Hmm? Ah its a suite. I don’t remember buying this one. Oh, there is a note on the side. “Dear Laito, Happy Birthday. Today is all about you and it should be celebrated to the fullest. Inside the box is custom tailored suit, fit for a king such as yourself. I do hope you will wear it with your signature style. Have a divine birthday. From, Anonymous.”

_Latio takes of the outfit from the box’s and throw it on his.

Laito: Anonymous, huh? Hmm, just whoever got be such a nice gift? Gasp! It couldn’t be, one of my brothers. Could it? Maybe, just for toady. They put aside their hatred and envy towards me so they could buy me a gift? That’s so….pfft… Hahaha! That’s so fucking disgusting~ There no way those bastards would ever give me something this nice. Unless it was laced in so deadly poison of course. Sooo, if it’s not one of them, then that means….hehe

*Inhales*

Laito: Ahh~ That could only mean~ Oh Bitch-Chan, you impish little girl~ Sneaky into my bedroom in the middle of the night while I slept. Just to give me a present before you were too shy~ How adorable~ Nfu~ I wonder what else she could’ve done as I was sleeping…Mmm~ I can already imagine that lewd look on her face when she saw me all defenseless. Probably itching to run her hands all over my body~ To wordship me with her soft lips, whispering such dirty words in my ear~ Aah, perhaps she wanted to straddle herself onto me, slowly removing that sheer little nightgown. Revealing that pale supple nape full of the most delectable crimson ambrosia~ Oooh, the more I fantasize, they dryer my throat becomes. Perhaps I should finish getting ready so I can, hehe, personally, thank Bitch-Chan for such a lovely little gift~.

_Laito takes out the suit.

Laito: Not too bad, if I do say to myself. But then again, don’t I always look extravagant in everything I wear~ However, one last touch is needed before I achieve ultimate perfection. My trusty fedora~ Once I place it on, Bitch-Chan won’t be able to resist me~ Now, where did I put it?”

*Ruffle Ruffle*

Laito: Heeh? That’s strange. I could’ve sworn I left it on the dresser. Maybe it just fell over.

*Creak*

Laito: ….Not there. I probably misplaced it. Somewhere….in here. Not under my bed. It’s not in my closet. It isn’t in my bathroom. I couldn’t have lost it. No only forgetful people lose stuff. My memory is in top performance. I distinctly remember getting home from karaoke and putting my hat right here on my dresser. Where I always put it. I probably just didn't look hard enough. I’ll check one more time. It has to be somewhere. *Gulps* It has to be…

_Laito runs around his room, searching for his hat. Throwing clothes everywhere and pushing furniture out of the way.

Laito: …. I-It’s not here. H-How the hell is that p-p-possible. I l-l-left it on my dresser. Im sure I did! So why isn’t it here?! How is this even- wait. What if I didn’t misplace my fedora? What if, someone took it? After all, I do live with a bunch of thieving, lying, rodents. Something like this would be right up their alley~ Messing with me on my big day, getting a kick out of seeing my panic. Well, I won’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me lose it. I’ll find the bastard who dares takes my things. And when I do, fufu~, let's just say. It’s going to be one bloody birthday~

*Time Skip*

*Knock Knock*

_In Yui room.

Yui; Huh? Hello who is it?

_From the other side of the door.

Laito: Hey Bitch-Chan~ Its Laito-kun. Could you please opened the door for me? There something I wanna ask you.

Yui: Oh sure! Just give me one second.

*Click*

Yui: Hey Laito-kun, come on in. You said you have something to tell—

_Laito pins Yui to the wall.

Yui: L-Laito-kun! What’s the meaning of this?! Let go!

_Yui struggles against him

Laito: Uh uh Bitch-Chan let's not get too hasty now~ I just want to have a little chat with you, that’s all~ So why don’t you stop struggling and listen to what I have to say.

Yui: If that’s the case could you at least let me go? Your really hurting my wrist.

_Laito moves his face closer.

Laito: Aww, sorry Bitch-Chan~ Unfortunately I can’t do that just yet. Who knows what will happened if I let you out of my grasp for even a second. You might try to escape, and we can’t have that. Can we?

Yui: What do you even want from me?!

Laito: Bitch-Chan, Bitch-Chan, acting stupid just to make yourself look like a saint is soo cute! It absolutely just, turns my stomach. How about you cut the angelic act and give me my fedora back before I tear your thin wrist with my fangs.

Yui: Laito what are you even talking about?! I don’t have your fedora, why would I even take it in the first place?!

Laito: Bitch-Chan, unlike my other brothers, I’m not stupid. Im trying to be nice right now but your making it very difficult to be kind. I’ll give you more one chance to tell me the truth or….nfu~…I’ll turn you into a gorgeous little blood splatter~ Speared across your entire room for all my brothers to see.

_Yui shivers

Yui: Laito I’m serious I didn’t take your fedora, honestly! If you don’t believe me then I’ll help you look for it! Just please, let me go.

_Laito thinks for a second.

Laito: ….Fine. If you help me find my fedora, then I’ll show you mercy.

_Yui sighs in relief.

Laito: However, if we can’t find it and I find out that you’ve lied to me…Aah~ I’ll turn you into my personal buffet~ I’ll rip you up into delectable little pieces and slowly devour your sweet body bit by bit. Until the only thing left of you, is a strain of hair~ Okay?

Yui: Yes of course! I c-completely understand. Anyway, I think we should head to Reiji-San's room first. He normally knows where everything is so he might have some insight on where your fedora is.

Laito: Hmm~, not a bad idea Bitch-Chan. Maybe you aren’t as ditzy as I thought. Now, shall we get going?

Yui: Ah, yes. Let’s head over.

*Clack Clack*

_Scene sifts to the hallway.

Laito: Hey Reiji-San~ its meee, your amazing, splendid, beautiful younger brother~ Are you there?

_No answer.

Yui: Hmm, maybe he’s in the middle of reading or something. I’ll knock on the door.

*Knock Knock*

Yui: Excuse me, Reiji-san. We need to talk to you right now. Can you open the door please?

_No answer.

Laito: Ehh? Why is Reiji ignoring us Bitch-Chan? Thats so meannn! Oh well, I guess we’ll just have to, go in ourselves~

Yui: Wait Laito-kun! I don’t think Reiji-san will appreciate us barging in his room unannounced. Perhaps we should just wait out here until he—huh? Laito? Where did he-

Laito: Hurry up Bitch-Chan. Your such a slow poke~

Yui: Did you not here I word I said?! We shouldn’t be in her without Reiji-san's permission. *mumbles* I though vampires were suppose to ask before entering somewhere…

Laito: Not if it's their own house Bitch-Chan~ Stop mumbling under your breath and relax. He’s not even here right now so there is nothing to worry about. Now, go search on that side of the room and I’ll search on this side. Make sure not to make too much noise~ You can do that after we’ve found my hat.

_Yui face flush.

Yui: Ummm, l-looks like its not in this cabinet. I’ll go check over there now…

Laito: Nothing in these drawers either. Oh, now what do we have here~ Ohh Bitch-Chan, look what I’ve found~

Yui: Huh? Did you find your—

*Crack*

Yui: N-no way…Laito, please don’t tell me what I think that is…

Laito: Oh but Bitch-Chan, we both know exactly what this is~ Reiji favorite whip. Beautifully hand crafted by the finest craftsman in the demon realm. He threaten us with this so many times, get a kick out of touring us. It’s not so secret little kink of his. Say, Bitch-Chan. I've always wanted to have a go this thing myself. Unfortunately I never got a chance to…until now~

Yui: L-L-Laito…we’re supposed to be looking for your hat right? S-so why don’t you put it down and we-

_Laito pushes Yui on the bed.

Laito: Nfu~…Bitch-Chan~ Come on, there is no need to be shy~ I just want to have a little fun with you before Reiji gets back. Besides, the smell of your blood has been tempting me since I came to your room~ My fangs are just aching to get a taste of you~ So be a good girl and let me fill you steamy hot pleasure…fufu~

* Tears*

Yui: Laito! Stop it before Reiji—

_The door opens.

Reiji: Ahh, what a splendid shower. Hmm, I think I’ll have a hot cup of tea after drying off, then relax in my chair with a good boo-

_They make eye contact with each other.

Reiji:…..

Laito&Yui: *Sees Reiji in a towel*

Reiji, Laito, and Yui: AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

_Reiji towel falls

Reiji, Laito, and Yui: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

_Reiji covers himself up

Reiji: WHAT ARE TWO DEVIANTS DOING IN MY ROOM?! WHERE ARE YOUR CLOTHES?!

Laito: AH my eyes! Uwaaa, I’m blind! Let’s get out off here Bitch-Chan!

_Laito covers Yui’s eyes

Yui: I’m so sorry Reiji-San!

_Laito teleports them out of the room

Reiji: What in the?! Laitooooooo! YOU TWO GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!!!

*Time Skip*

_Scene changes to the hallway

Laito: Ugh…I feel nauseous….I think I’m going to puke again!

Yui: God, I’m sorry! Please don’t punish me! I didn’t mean to see one before I got married, it was an accident! Please forgive me!

Ayato: Geez! Why the hell are you two hollering like a couple of banishes! Y’all being more annoying than Kanato!

Kanato: Ayato….I suggest you hold your tongue, before I rip it out from your ass! Although, he’s not wrong. Why are you two wailing like as if someone ate your chocolate cake. Im the only one who’s allowed to do that!

Laito: We saw…*gag* something absolutely fucking atrocious! Oh it was horrible…my eyes…my poor,poor, eyes….I don’t think I can see anymore… Ayato, Kanato, is that you? I can only here your voices but I don’t know where you are.”

_Kanato slaps him in the back of the head.

Kanato: Will you snap out of it! It takes a lot more to make you go blind then whatever you saw. Anyway, were you two the reason why we heard shouting from Reiji's room?

Ayato: Yeah I heard that too! Chichinashi, you have the most girliest scream I’ve ever heard! That shit was loud.

Yui: Huh, what are you talking about Ayato-kun? That scream came from La-

_Laito puts his hand over her mouth.

Laito: Yep that sure was a loud scream she made. Right, Bitch-Chan?

_Smiles at Yui darkly.

Yui: *coughs* Y-Yeah, that was all me. Definitely…just me and no one else…Oh yeah! By the way guys, Laito misplaced his hat and were trying to find it. Have you guys seen it by any chance?

Kanato: Ha! I told you that if you wore it all the time you’d eventually lose it. But you didn’t listen~ Thats karma for you~

Laito: I didn’t lose it! I distinctly remember placing in on my dresser when I went to bed. Also, your not one to talk Kanato-Kun. I can’t possibly imagine what would happened if your teddy suddenly went..nfu~ missing. What a shame that would be~

_Kanato glares at Laito

Kanato: If you ever, talk so vulgarly about Teddy ever again…I’LL RIP YOUR HEART OUT WITH MY BARE FANGS!

Ayato: Kanato will you calm the fuck down! I swear one of these days you bitches will make me lose my fucking hearing! Damn!

Kanato: Fuck off Ayato before I—

Ayato: In any case, did you check your room to make sure you didn’t just leave it there back accident?

Kanato: Don’t ignore—

Laito: Of course. That was the first thing I did. But it wasn’t in my room. We checked Reiji's room as well but it wasn’t there.

Kanato: STOP INTERRUPTING—

Ayato: I suggest checking Shu's room. That guy is always taking shit that’s not his. Plus you did piss him off yesterday remember?

Kanato: YOU BAST—

Laito: Hmm, good idea. After all it wouldn’t be beneath that guy to be so petty~ To think that he’s the oldest. Fufu~ What a joke~

_Kanato starts losing his shit on the floor.

Yui: Um guys. I think there’s something wrong with Kanato.

Ayato: Eh? What you talking about Chichinashi? He’s fine.

Kanato: REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

Laito: Yeah that’s normal. Nevertheless, Bitch-Chan. Shall we go to Shu’s room?

Yui: Yeah sure, let's get going.

Ayato: Hold up! I’m coming with. Beats doing my chores.

Laito: Kay. More people to help search. Let’s go~

Ayato:Alright. Come on Kanato, lets go.

Kanato: *Foaming from the mouth*

*Time Skip*

_Scene changes to Shu room.

Latio: Oh, the doors open. Hellooo~ Shu-Shu~ Are you here ? Your adorable baby brothers are coming in.

Ayato: Gross man! Trust me, none y’all ugly mugs could ever been considered adorable. Now me on the other hand, am chiseled like a Greek good.

Kanato: Oh, well whoever sculpted you clearly was either blind, deaf, or both because he didn’t do a good job that’s for sure.

Ayato: Shouldn’t you still be rolling in in your rabies or something?

Kanato: I stopped doing that 10 minutes ago you fu—

Yui: Boys! Enough fighting! We need to be quiet. Look.

_Points at Shu sleeping

*snore*

Yui: If we make any sudden movements or any unnecessary nosies , then he’ll wake up before we even get a chance to search his room. We’ll each check a section of the room and then get out as quickly as possible. Okay?

Latio: *Whisper* Aah~ I love it when Bitch-Chan gets all serious~ It makes your blood smell all that more pungent~

Ayato: *Whisper* Oi! Cut it out Laito. Odd-Sama never gave you permission to touch her! If you want her blood you’ll have to ask me first. And the answer is no!

Kanato: *You two suck as whispering! All your doing is shouting very softly! Shut up before he wakes up!

*Rustle*

Ayato, Laito, Kanato, and Yui:..

Shu: Mmm….

Yui: *whsiper* And this is why we need to be quiet. Now, start searching before he actually wakes up.

_The nod and start looking.

Kanato: Nothing on the desk.

Laito: It’s not under the couch.

*Shuffles*

Ayato: Dresser is clear too.

_Yui puts her hand under the bed.

Yui: I don’t feel anything under—huh? What is that?

*Squish Squish*

Yui: *Pulls something from under the bed* What the!?

Laito: Hmm? Did you find something Bitch-Chan———Oh my~ Well that’s really, unexpected, fufu~ Hey boys~ Come look what Bitch-Chan found under our big brothers bed.

Ayato: Huh? What did Chichinashi find—-no fucking way! Haha! You’ve gotta be kidding me! Kanato! Kanato! Look what was under Shu bed!

Kanato: What? Oh my! Ewwwww! Gross! Gross! Gross! That is so disgusting! I think I’m going to throw up! Yuck!

Yui: Huh? Guys I’m confused What is this? It’s big cylinder with a really big opening…

Laito: Well~ You see Bitch-Chan, when guys need a bit of a, relieve they—

Shu: Get the hell out of their brothers room for making so much noise.

Ayato: Son of a—when did you wake up?!

Shu: Ive been awake every since I heard Laito girly voice in the doorway. Ugh, who the hell do you all think you are sneaking into my room while I’m trying to sleep.

Laito: First of all, my voice isn’t girly you piece if shit~ Next, were trying to find my fedora. You see it went missing and were searching around the manor to find it. Trust me~ If we didn’t have to check in here, I wouldn’t step foot in here. Thats for sure~

Shu: Tch, well sorry to disappoint you but your rancid smelling fedora isn’t in here. Why would I even take it?

Laito: Fufu~ You were probably trying to imitate my look~ But sorry to disappoint you, you’ll never be as stunning as I am. So, don’t even try it. Ok-ay~

Shu: Heh, your delusional if you I’d ever want to look like your ugly mug. I’d rather eat a bowl of worms than look like you. Now if you brats have nothing better to do. I suggest I get out before I make you.

Laito: Oh really~ Because to me it sounds like-

_Yui grabs his arm.

Yui: Come on Laito, lets go and search some else. Sorry for bargains into your invited Shu-San. We’ll leave you to your rest. Let’s go guys.

Shu: At least someone here as common sense. Get out and stop making so much noise. Im going back to…zzzz

_The door closes.

*Time Skip*

Kanato: Well, that was a wasted of time. Now where are we suppose to look for his hat?

Ayato: How the hell am I suppose to know. Im all fresh out of good ideas. Oi Chichinashi, where do you think we should check next?

Yui: Hmm, I’m not so sure. Laito-Kun, where was the last place had your hat before you went to bed?

Laito: Hmm~ Good question Bitch-Chan~ The last place I recall having my hat with me was~….Oh yeah the dining room. I was on my phone talking with some of my…nfu~..ladies. No need to be jealous Bitch-Chan~ Your still my number one. Anyway, we should check there next.

_Scene change to the dining room entrance.

Kanato: Huh? Look, its Subaru.

Ayato: Oh it is. Oi Subaru! Why are you standing in front of the door? We need to get in. Move it.

Subaru: No can do. Reiji told me that no one is allowed in here until later on. I didn’t want to do it but he said he would increase my allowance if I did so. So, I am.

Yui: How come Reiji said that none of us can go in there?

Subaru: How the hell am I supposed to know that? He just said I need to make sure no one goes in before 5:30.

Kanato: 5:30? But that’s like in 6 more minutes. Just let us in for a few seconds then we’ll leave before Reiji har turns grey.

Subaru: Tch, that wasn’t funny you bastard. Just for that, your asses definitely aren’t getting in. Now if you guys have no more business here, then vamoose.

Ayato: Huh?! Who the hell die and made you king. You either let us go through or I’ll turn your face into a fucking pancake.

Subaru: Ha! Oh is that right . Fine by me, I was getting bored of just standing here. Kicking your ass will be some well deserved entertainment,

*Crack Crack*

Yui: Crap this isn’t good. I should stop this before something gets ruin…Uh, Subaru-Kun! I just remember, I need your help with something. Can you please come with me?

Subaru: Huh? Can’t you see I’m busy right now?! I’ll help you after I’m done with him.

_Yui walks in front of Subaru.

Yui: Please Subaru. I really need your help.

_Gives him the puppy dog eyes.

Ayato: Butt out Chichinashi! Can’t you see I’m about to hand Subaru his ass—

Subaru: W-Well I guess since you ask, I guess I don’t mind. Let’s go.

Yui: Great lets go. I’ll be right back guys.

*Clack Clack*

Laito: Bye Bitch-Chan~ thanks for the distraction. Great now that our baby brother is out of the way, shall we go inside?

Kanato: I guess. That took way to look. Let’s just find your hat so I can go to bed.

Ayato: Agree. I have some takioyaki in the fridge with my name on it. Let’s get this over with.

*Beep Beep*

Ayato&Kanato: Oh, my phone is ringing.

_They read the message.

Ayato&Kanato: …

Ayato: Uh I just remember that I have homework to do. Don’t we Kanato?

Kanato: Homework?…Oh yeah! Yes we sure do! You can handle searching for your fedora yourself right Laito?

Laito: Ehh~ Since when do you two do homewor—

Ayato: Ok Kanato let’s go!

Kanato: Right! We’ll be right back Laito.

_They walk away.

Laito: Fufu~ I wonder what’s got them so anxious to tell me such a crappy lie. Oh well~ Back to just me I guess. Now, time to find my fedora.

*Creak*

Laito: Geez its so dark~ Where is that light switch? Ah! Found it.”

_Turns on the lights

Laito: Alright, time to sear—

_Everyone jumps from behind the the table.

Everyone: Surprise! Happy Birthday Laito!

Laito: Oh my! What is all of this?!

Yui: It’s your surprise birthday party!

Ayato: They’ve been planning it since last week.

Kanato: But apparently they didnt tell us because they said that, “you guys are blabber mouth* and *you guys wont be able to keep your mouth shut* or whatever.

Subaru: We weren’t wrong, if we told you two then the surprise would be ruin.

Shu: This party was a pain in the ass to plan and set up so you’ll be the one to clean it up.

Reiji: Excuse you, all you did was sleep during the preparations. You have no right to talk about being overwork.

Shu: Your nagging is making me…zzzzz

Reiji: Insufferable dead beat. In any case, Laito since your the main character of today. You should take your seat in the center.

Laito: Ooh~ Don’t mind if I do~

_Laito sits down.

Ayato: And here’s your birthday crown. But remember, your only allowed to wear it for today. The only true king in this house is me.

Kanato: Im pretty sure you mean me. Im the second oldest so I should get to wear the crown after him.

Ayato: Well according to Japanese mythology, the third triple is the eldest triple. Which basically means I’m older than both of you!

Laito: Oh is that so Ayato-kun~ If that’s true then how come I act way more mature than you do~ Because I actually am the real oldest~

Ayato: You trying to start something with me?!

Laito: Of course not~ After all, I don’t fight with little virgins~

Ayato: Oi what the hell?! You wanna die birthday boy?!

Laito: Mmm, no thanks I’m good~ But you can go keel over for me as a birthday gift~ I’d really appreciate it~

Ayato: You mother-

*Squeak Squeak*

Reiji: What? A familiar, what is it doing here?

Yui: Look, it has a present with it.

Kanato: I think that present is for Laito

Laito: Hmm~ What could this be?

Ayato: Look there is a not on the side

Subaru: It says, “Dear Nephew, I hope you had a wonderful birthday full of fun. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it to your mini celebration, but I sent a familiar to give you a very special gift. I hope you enjoy. Once again, Happy Birthday. From, Uncle Richter.” What the hell? A special gift?

Shu: It’s probably full of dead rats and snakes. I wouldn’t open it if I was you.

Laito: You aren’t wrong, however~ I am just a but curious to see what are bastard of an Uncle gave me~ Plus I can just burn it afterwards.

_Opens the box.

Yui: Oh my god! It’s—

Laito: My fedora!

Ayato: What the fuck!? He had it the entire time?

Kanato: Gross he snuck into your room and took it! If I were you, i’d burn it and just buy a new one.

Laito: Don’t worry I’ll give it a nice clean. After we get this party started of course!

Ayato: Yeah your right! Let’s party wooooo!

Kanato: Let’s cut some cat!

Yui: Alight everyone, lets do it one more time on three. 1…2..3!

Everyone: HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAITO!

Laito: Thanks everyone! Happy Birthday to me!

Happy Birthday Laito!

______ The End ______

#diabolik lovers #dialovers #yui komori #komori yui #shu sakamaki #sakamaki shu #reiji sakamaki #sakamaki reiji #ayato sakamaki #sakamaki ayato #kanato sakamaki #sakamaki kanato #laito sakamaki #sakamaki laito #subaru sakamaki #sakamaki subaru #drama cd #diabolik lovers drama cd

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