#i was already feeling my 19th century fantasy

[vonlipvig]

had fancy afternoon tea with my friends today ☕

#i was already feeling my 19th century fantasy #and then two men walked by our table in full fancy navy uniforms? #like MAN i'm really in a historical novel right now lmao #it waa expensive tho Augh but it was v nice the ceiling was SOOO pretty #according to jules

[cookiesandbiscuits]

Two Left Feet

Pairing: Lucifer x GN!Reader (can be read as platonic)

Genre: Fluff

Summary: You just received your invitation for RAD's annual Acquaintance Ball, but there's a problem: you can't dance. So you turn to the eldest Avatar of the Seven Deadly Sins for help.

A/N: I based this fic on the balls from several historical fantasy webcomics I've been reading. This is basically just Luci tutoring the reader how to waltz (⁠.⁠ ⁠❛⁠ ⁠ᴗ⁠ ⁠❛⁠.⁠)

Also, if you ask me why a ball, I've always imagined the Devildom as a place inspired by the late 19th-early 20th century, sprinkled with 21st-century things :3 (I'm just obsessed with the era)

Anyways, enjoy!! =w=

Warning: NOT PROOFREAD!!! The reader is referred to as MC

MASTERLIST

Now Playing: Waltz No. 2 by Dmitri Shostakovich

"Ack! Sorry!"

You winced as you felt Lucifer's foot under yours for the umpteenth time today.

"I told you, just relax."

"Right, right... sorry."

You let out a sigh as you make another turn. The two of you have been practicing waltz for a few days now, yet you still kept on stepping on Lucifer's foot while dancing.

You thought about the moment that started all of this.

.

.

.

"Lucifer? Are you here?"

You knocked on the door of his office, hoping that he'd be inside. Luckily for you, he was.

"MC? Come in."

Hearing his voice, you pushed the door open. There, you saw Lucifer who sat on his leather desk chair, holding a cup of coffee. His table was full of paper stacked on top of each other, which was typical. Although you've noticed that the pile was larger than it was before.

"Did I disturb you? I can come back later if you want."

The eldest shook his head, placing the cup on the table. "No, I was just in the middle of my break. Is something the matter?"

He beckoned you to sit down on the sofa, which you did.

"Well... I'd like to ask you something about the upcoming Acquaintance Ball," you spoke while looking down at the invitation that you brought with you.

"Ah, right. I take it you've already received your invitation?"

"Yes, I did. The teacher gave them to the class earlier."

Lucifer hummed. "So? What is it that you'd like to ask?"

"Umm..." you fidgeted in your seat. "When the invitation said "ball", does it mean the balls like those in historical fantasy stories?"

"If you mean the balls similar to the ones held at the castle, rest assured. It is nothing like that at all, although I understand the confusion."

You sighed in relief at Lucifer's words. "Thank goodness–"

"Although there will be dancing involved."

You froze. "D-dance? What... kind of dancing?"

There was a small pause before Lucifer answered. "Since it's a social event, I'd say the popular kinds of dances but ballroom dances like waltz may also be included in the program."

Waltz?! You felt your jaw drop which caused Lucifer to raise his eyebrow.

"Umm... That sounds fun, but I think I'll have to pass."

"Unfortunately for you, since you're a part of the exchange program, you must attend the ball," the eldest replies, instantly shooting down your hopes of bailing out.

"May I ask why you wish to not attend after asking me questions about the ball?" he gave you a questioning look as he took his cup for a sip.

His gaze on you made you squirm in your seat.

"...ance."

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I can't... dance. I don't know how to dance the waltz," you said, averting your gaze from Lucifer's. You can feel the heat spread to your cheeks as he continues to look at you.

"...The decision to add waltz to the program isn't final yet."

"But still...!" You returned your eyes to the demon, your eyebrows furrowed due to anxiety.

"If you're so worried about the waltz, shall I give you lessons to ease your concerns?"

You look at Lucifer, bewildered at his suggestion.

"You're giving me waltz lessons? But... aren't you like, super busy at the moment because of the ball?"

You watched as Lucifer took another sip from his cup.

"Yes, but apart from the program itself, the preparations are almost complete and will be finished after a few more days. Since the night of the ball is still three weeks away, there will be ample time for you to learn the basics."

You can only blink at what he said.

.

.

.

And that's how you got yourself into your current situation.

"MC, focus!"

You flinched at the sound of Lucifer's voice, making you return your attention to what you were doing. Another apology threatened to spill from your lips.

He was, unsurprisingly, a strict teacher. But despite that, he also was caring in his way. And the strict lessons were quite helpful for you to understand the steps.

"...Shall we take a break?" he asks, looking at you with concern. He probably noticed that you were tired, you thought.

You nodded and went to sit on one of the chairs in the room.

"Here."

You look up to Lucifer holding out a bottle of water to you.

"Thanks."

You take the bottle from his hand and scoot over to give him space to sit on.

......

......

"...Hey, Lucifer?"

You were the first to break the silence.

"What is it?"

"Thanks a lot. You know, for the lessons."

"...You're welcome."

You fiddled with the bottle in your hands. He was a busy man, you were aware of that, yet he still helped you with your small problem.

"I meant it, you know? I'm grateful you're helping me out with my problem, even though your schedule is packed. And you're still helping me out even though I'm a slow learner. I mean, how many times have I stepped on your foot while we're dancing?"

You let out an embarrassed chuckle as you remembered the times you'd stepped on Lucifer's foot while dancing.

"I've taught worse. And you've improved a lot since the first day."

"Really?"

You turned your head in his direction, your eyes scanning the eldest's face for hints of deception. You found none.

"Yes. You've stepped on my feet significantly less than you did in our first lesson."

Oh.

You pouted at the demon's words, making him laugh in amusement. He then gingerly patted your head, ruffling your hair in the process, causing you to pout even more.

"You'll be fine, don't worry."

A gentle smile formed on Lucifer's lips and you can't help but return it as you relished in the comforting warmth of the sight.

.

.

.

Days passed and tonight was the night of the Acquaintance Ball. You took a deep breath before entering the hall where the ball was held.

"MC, over here!"

You look in the direction where the voice came from. In the corner near the entrance were Luke, Simeon, and Solomon. All of them were wearing their formal attire.

"Wow, you guys look great tonight!" you said when you were near enough for them to hear you.

Luke beamed at the compliment. "Hehe, thanks. You look great in your outfit too!"

"Luke's right. Your outfit suits you well, MC," Simeon added.

"Aww, you guys are going to make me blush. Asmo helped me pick my outfit," you say as you look down to check your outfit.

"Well, Asmodeus did have an eye for these kinds of things. Anyway, I think the program's about to start," Solomon remarked, noticing that people had started to walk toward the center of the hall.

Holding out his hand to you, he spoke, "Shall we get going?"

You replied with a smile as you took his hand and followed the people's direction.

"Welcome, our dear students, to the annual Acquaintance Ball of the Royal Academy of Diavolo! This is a night most special indeed, as tonight, we are joined by our very first exchange students from the Celestial Realm and the Human World! We hope that you will enjoy tonight's ball as we form new bonds and meet new acquaintances! But before that, let us give a round of applause for the Crown Prince and the Student Council's President, His Highness, Lord Diavolo's opening speech."

.

.

.

Now that the opening ceremony is finished, people began dancing on the dance floor.

You watched as couples pair up and dance to the rhythm of the music.

"May I have this dance?"

An outstretched hand suddenly appeared in front of you. You looked at the person asking you and smiled.

"It's my pleasure, Lord Diavolo."

The demon prince returned the gesture with a smile of his own.

"Please, there's no need for formalities. Just call me like you used to," he says as the two of you walked towards the dance floor.

"I could never in this situation. Besides, I might get an earful if a certain someone overhears me calling the prince casually," you replied with a wry smile, already imagining the lecture you'll get if Lucifer or Mephisto knew you called Diavolo with the nickname you gave him during this formal event.

"Haha, we can't have that, can we?" The prince grinned as he twirled you in time with the music.

"Speaking of which, I've heard that Lucifer taught you how to waltz."

"Oh, yes. He's a wonderful teacher. I still can't believe how he managed to teach someone with two left feet like me how to dance like this at all, especially since he's also busy handling the preparations for this ball."

"Well, it is Lucifer, after all. He always does things perfectly. But it's not only because of him, but also because you're determined to learn." Diavolo smiled once again and bows as the music reaches its end.

You curtsied in return. "Thank you for the wonderful dance and compliment, My Lord."

.

.

.

You got a few more dance requests after that. Some were the brothers, some were your fellow exchange students, while the others were demons eager to make your acquaintance.

By the time you were done, your body was basically screaming for rest. So you politely declined the incoming requests and head to the balcony for some fresh air.

The cool Devildom breeze gently caressed your skin, making your body relax instantly. You took in the serene scenery of the night, watching the twinkling stars of the night sky and the soft lights of the town below merge into one picturesque sight.

"Taking a break?"

You turned to the door where to voice came from. There stood Lucifer, donning his demon form in all of its glory.

"Oh, yes. How about you?"

"Same as you," says the Avatar of Pride as he joined you in the balcony.

The space between you was filled in comfortable silence before Lucifer spoke once again.

"How's your night going for you?"

"It's fun. Tiring, but fun."

"I see. That's good then."

.....

"Hey, Lucifer?"

"Yes?"

"I know I already said my thanks, but I really couldn't have enjoyed this night without your help. Thank you."

"...You're welcome."

The two of you looked at each other and smiled before turning back to watch the night pass by.

#Spotify #obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me lucifer #obey me lucifer x reader #lucifer x reader #obey me lucifer fluff #obey me x reader #x platonic!reader #cookie writings #two posts in one night whoo!!

[girlfailure-smut-hour]

Satan's Favorite Coffee Shop

Nsfw content MDNI

Characters: Satan X GN!Reader, Earth!AU

CW: Nipple play, Oral (Giving and receiving,) Penetration (Receiving.) Very romantic. Like, there's not even so much as a kiss for the first third of the story. Reader's gender is not mentioned, ambiguous gentials.

A/N: This is kind of a recurring fantasy of mine. Just meeting some cute, soft boy at a coffee shop who sweeps me off my feet. We all long for the excitement of new love sometimes. Besides I'm weak for a soft boy who loves books and cats. I wanted to write a sort of burgeoning romance. Sorry it's kind of long! I hope you still enjoy it! MC meets Satan at a coffee shop and they quickly fall in love. ~3600 words.

Please check out my fic masterlist <3

It was your first time at this coffee shop. It was a beautiful day and one of the first cool days of the year. The brightly shining sun filtered through the vibrant trees outside. A great day to settle down with a book and a cup of coffee.

It’s not long after you find your seat and get a drink before the clingling bells of the door draw your attention to the person walking through it. He’s sharply dressed in a sweater vest with a book tucked beneath his arm. His soft blonde hair gets tousled in the change of pressure between the street and indoors. He has a cute face that looks gentle, yet troubled.

“Satan!” One of the workers greets him as he walks up to the counter. Satan? You think. Is that really his name? You watch him place his order and to your surprise sit across from you. Though he doesn’t say anything, he gives you a pleasant smile. Your heart is already fluttering. You can faintly smell his cologne over the coffee; a pleasant, almost floral scent.

Taking a sip of his coffee, he opens his book: Some 19th century romance novel. It only makes you wonder more about him.

You don’t know what to say, but you know you have to say something. You have to talk to this boy. “So do you come here a lot?” You ask. You only realize what you just said after it comes out of your mouth. Like some kind of stereotypical pickup line. You blush and hope he doesn’t think anything of it.

He looks up, meeting your eyes with his gentle gaze. “It’s my favorite place,” He says with a smile. But there’s something else there. Something hidden deep within. It’s impossible to decipher, but this boy is a sea of emotions.

"Do you always read those kinds of books?" You ask.

"Old books or romantic ones?" He asks. "Both. I read lots of other kinds of books as well."

"What other kinds of books do you like, then?"

"All of them," he laughs.

You sit there across from him and just stare into his radiant green eyes. You wonder if he can tell how lovestruck you are. You're aware of the awkward silence, but by the time you've realized, you've already begun to ask, "did… that person call you Satan?"

He sighs, rolling his eyes and your heart sinks a little. It was a stupid question, one he probably gets a lot. You wonder if you may have shot your chances with him altogether. "It's my name," he says.

"I like it!" You reply.

This brightens him a little. "Well thank you," he says, smiling. "People can be weird about it."

The two of you chat for a while. You talk about hobbies, work, cats, everything. He hardly gets a chance to read with how much you're talking. You hope it's a good sign that he doesn't seem upset at all that he's barely been able to do what he came here to do.

Before you even realize it, the sun has begun to set, and a dazzling marigold hue has settled over the coffee shop. Satan looks out through the window and a sudden jolt runs through him.

"Oh my goodness I didn't notice the time," he says. "I really need to get home."

"Oh," you say subconsciously sticking your lip out in a pout.

"Will you be here again?" He asks.

"If you will," you reply.

"It's a date," he says with a smile. You feel a fluttering in your heart at his utterance of the word 'date.' Suddenly acknowledging the connection you made here today puts a rock in your stomach, but also fills it with butterflies. "Same time tomorrow?" He asks.

"Yeah!" You answer. "I'll see you then!"

He throws a scarf around his neck and starts to walk out. He looks back at you and smiles warmly. You wave to him as the door closes behind with a click and tinny jingle.

You sit there, kicking your feet excitedly as you think fondly of the wonderful day you had talking with Satan, accidentally spending most of the waking day together, even though you were strangers just hours ago.

~~~~

You're right back in your spot the next day and you've ordered your coffee as well as Satan's before he even gets there. You're a little early, but the excitement was too much for you. It was impossible to just sit around waiting to see him. Of course there was no guarantee he would even really be there, a thought that put a pit in your stomach. You didn't get his number so if he didn't come you might not ever even see him again.

Obsessively watching the outside, you see him through the windows before you even hear the door. It takes all of your Willpower not to stand and throw your arms around him. You can't help but notice that he hasn't brought a book today.

Of course he's looking as cute or perhaps even more so today. He seems to have taken extra care of his hair and is wearing a very nice sweater vest that compliments his stunning eyes well.

You wave at him and he smiles back at you. He sits down and you push his cup of coffee toward him. "I got you a drink," you say. "It's what you got yesterday."

He smiles as he goes to take the handle and his fingers brush yours as he does. He blushes and so do you, yanking your hand away in surprise and embarrassment. Under the table you shift your legs a little in excitement at his touch.

"Thank you," he says. "For the drink."

"Of course," you say.

There's a lull in the conversation. Suddenly, with stakes to the day, it was much more nerve-wracking than the day before where you were just talking to a (very handsome) stranger. This was a date and that was scarier.

"I brought pictures of my cat," he says, pulling out his phone. You beam as he begins to swipe through his gallery showing you all of the many pictures he'd taken.

With that, the pressure dissipated and suddenly the two of you were talking with ease again. You can hardly shut up around him. Words flow out of you like a faucet. It's so easy talking to him in spite of the fact that he's so eloquent and gorgeous.

He makes sure to cut things before it gets too late this time saying, "I really don't want to leave, but I do need to get home."

"I understand," you reply. "When do you want to meet again?"

"If it's okay with you," he begins, "I'd like to have you over to my house."

Your heart skips a beat. It's kind of serious to be invited over. Is it really okay? In spite of your nerves you blurt out "yes!"

"Okay," he smiles. "Then tomorrow for dinner? Maybe 6:00?"

"It's a date," you say, giggling.

You both stand up from the table and walk out onto the street. There's a sweet smell from the nearby trees and flowers that blends well with Satan's cologne. It's enough to set your heart aflutter, and as you look at him, he's blushing.

"I think I want to kiss you," he says.

You start a bit, crimson blush spreading across your face in an instant. As you regain your composure you look down and kick nervously at the ground, saying, "I'd like that."

He puts a soft finger under your chin and tilts your face up to his. You catch a whiff of old paper from his hands. The wind rushes for a second before falling perfectly still as you lose yourself in those emerald eyes of his. Your heart skips a beat as he leans in and locks his lips to yours. He tastes sweet and a little bitter, like coffee. His lips are surprisingly soft, and they feel amazing against yours. He's passionate, but not too aggressive, acting reserved with his tongue. You melt into him as the world seems to fall away. The sound of wind, people, and vehicles fade to nothing, and all that's left is you and him.

When he pulls away, you're dazed and hardly able to move, let alone think. He smiles, and for the first time you don't see a hint of anything other than happiness in his eyes.

"Tomorrow, right?" He says.

"Y-yeah," you stammer, trying to pull yourself out of the lovestruck daze you're in.

"I'll see you then," He says before placing a quick peck on your cheek and walking away, though the two of you can't help but keep casting gazes back at each other as you walk in opposite directions.

The mere idea of sleep that night is laughable. With memories of that kiss still fluttering about in your head and nervous excitement for the day ahead, all you can do is lay in bed and hope for the best.

~~~~

You can hardly contain your excitement as you knock on his door. From inside you can faintly hear some classical music being played. Something sentimental with long, bowed strings.

As he opens the door, the scents of his house wash over you. Delicious cooking, his cologne, and the smell of old paper, like a used bookstore. “Satan!” You exclaim in excitement as you throw your arms around him.

“I’m glad you made it,” He says, holding you close. You rest your head on his chest, nuzzling slightly into his vest.

He steps aside and the two of you walk into the house. It’s warm and inviting with cat trees and book shelves covering nearly every wall.

He takes the time to introduce you to his cats before returning to the kitchen to cook saying, “Dinner’s almost ready.”

You follow him and watch from the doorway as he puts the finishing touches on a delicious looking stew. He catches you staring at him and giggles, smiling back at you. You blush a bit.

“You can sit down if you’d like,” He says, gesturing to the dining room. “I’ll just be another minute.”

You take a seat at the table and notice that the music has stopped. He appears in the other room, opens the record player, and flips the disc. As the music resumes, he is already walking into the dining room with bowls of stew.

“I hope you like it,” He says.

You take a bite and it’s one of the most delicious things you’ve ever tasted. “Oh my god this is delicious,” You say. “How are you so good at everything?”

He laughs. “I’m glad you like it.”

You don’t talk much over dinner, but you still have a hard time keeping your eyes off of him.

When you finish, he stands and takes the bowls to the kitchen, saying, “Why don’t you sit on the couch?”

You get up and as he walks into the room, he hands you a cup of coffee as if to say We won’t be sleeping much tonight anyway. You blush and shake your head, trying to dissipate those dirty thoughts, but it’s not much use. You squirm a little, rubbing your legs together, and hope he doesn’t notice.

“Thank you,” You say, taking the warm mug. He sets his own cup on the table and quickly changes the record over to another gentle, romantic suite.

As he sits next to you on the couch you can’t stop blushing and the butterflies in your stomach won’t stop fluttering. He’s talking, but you’re having a hard time focusing on anything but his lips.

Suddenly, he leans forward to kiss you, running the back of his hand softly against your cheek. As your lips connect he starts to push you a little, kissing a little harder and more passionately than he has before. He lowers you until your back is flat on the couch. His hands trace a path from your arms to your wrists to your hands, linking fingers with you. He pulls away and caresses your cheek again, pushing a lock of hair out of your face.

“I still haven’t shown you my room,” He softly says.

You swallow in excitement. It’s hard to keep up with him. You’re left panting already from the events of the night as he puts your hands on his arms and lifts you by the elbows. Taking your hand, he guides you to a room in the back of the house.

Your heart is pounding as he opens the door. It’s a nice room, dimly lit by a single lamp with a beautiful, large bed sitting against the back wall. A soft and plush comforter is draped over the bed, pulled tight and folded over at the top, giving it a very put-together look.

You turn to him, and he’s already leaning in to kiss you, clasping your cheeks with both hands. He runs his hands from your face, down your chest and to the hem of your shirt. You feel him grab and start to pull up. As the shirt comes over your head, you blush, catching him looking you up and down with some mixture of raw lust and gentle adoration. You grab his sweater vest and pull it over his head before he brings you back into a kiss. You slowly undo each of his shirt buttons, making your way down to his pants. As the last button pops, you push his shirt over his shoulders and it slides off of his arms, onto the floor. You start on his pants button next, and you can’t help but notice how tight his pants have gotten.

You’re getting frantic now, excitement welling up in you as you fumble his pants button. When it pops open you quickly rip the zipper down before grabbing his pants and boxers and tearing them off in one frenzied movement. You feel tingling excitement between your legs as you grip his hard cock and start to stroke it. He moans into your mouth as he removes your pants.

“Satan, I need you,” You say as you pull away and drop down onto your knees. Now at eye-level with his cock, any reservations you had left have melted away. You lean forward and lick the tip, prompting a bead of precum to leak out. Your lips pull his head into your mouth, and you feel him twitch in excitement.

He moans your name and says, “That feels so good.”

You look up at him with pleading eyes as you press on, feeling his length fill your mouth. You enjoy the warm, full feeling of his cock, but especially enjoy his moans. His voice is soft, and his moans escape his mouth with a sort of whimpering shudder that conveys a desperate need for you and only you.

You run your mouth all over his erection, swirling your tongue around the tip and sticking it out when you suck him down to the base. You rub his legs as you go down on him, feeling the capable muscles twitch with each thrust of your head. Running your hands around the back of his legs, up to his ass, then to his strong back. You pull him into you, feeling his cock press against the back of your throat and he moans out in surprise.

He puts his hands on your arms, signaling you to stand, so you slowly pull off of his cock, your mouth making a popping sound as the suction is broken. He helps you to your feet and guides you to the bed.

You crawl up on the soft bedding and lay on your back with your head on the pillow. He crawls over you, panting in excitement. He looks at you like he wants to eat you. A ferocious, feral kind of desire lingers in his eyes as he leans in to kiss you, running his hands over every inch of your body. His hands seek you out in clingy, desperate motions as your tongue flicks against his.

He moves away from your lips and begins to nibble on your ear. His breath hitches as you reach down and stroke his cock a little. He moans in your ear and says “I’ve wanted you since I first saw you in that coffee shop.”

You giggle and squeeze him gently, “I wanted you more.”

He moans and kisses down your neck, making his way to your chest and gradually to your nipples. He encloses your nipple in his warm mouth and flicks his tongue against it vigorously, pinching the other gently between his finger and thumb. You moan, the tingling in your chest spreading downward to other regions.

He moves down to your tummy, kissing every inch of you. He treats your body as sacred, worshiping you. The way he touches you, looks at you… It’s like you’re the most blindingly radiant thing he’s ever seen. At times he holds you like a priceless, rare book that could fall apart at the slightest touch, and at others he just wants to squeeze and grope you.

It’s not long before he moves down to your legs and you’re already squirming, rubbing your legs together, and arching your back. He kisses up and down your legs. The tops at first, then drifting to the soft and sensitive inner thighs. Each wet, passionate kiss leaves a trail to your most sensitive spot, before stopping and moving to the other side. As he gets closer he bites softly on your fleshy inner thigh causing you to yelp in surprise and excitement. You feel a throbbing in your genitals just in time for him to bury his head between your legs.

Your back arches and you let out one long whiny moan as he finally makes contact with his tongue. He licks up and down, appreciating every part of you while you writhe at each flick of his tongue. He’s as good as he is passionate. You can’t help but reach down and play with his hair. His soft locks feel as soft as air between your fingers. You feel him shudder between your legs as you continue to run your hands through his hair and squeeze his cheeks between your thighs.

You remove one hand from his hair to clutch the sheets. He takes your curled fingers and undoes them to link fingers with you. You can hardly take it anymore, moaning and twitching in rapidly increasing pitch and frequency. He keeps going at the same pace, knowing that you’re close and after a matter of seconds you let out one long, shuddering moan as waves of pleasure wash over you. You tremble underneath him, squeezing his hand and gripping his hair tightly in a clenched fist.

As the orgasm passes over you, you release his hair and before you even realize, he’s already crawled over you, coming face to face. His arms sit on either side of your head as he stares into you with those beautiful, mossy eyes of his. He leans in for a quick kiss. At the same time, he feels down at your entrance and positions his cock there. “Are you ready?” He asks through haggard breath.

You nod and he presses slowly into you. Biting your lip, you hold back an especially loud moan as his cock slides into you. You feel yourself clench around the base of his cock as he presses all the way in. His length fills you completely, pressing against your walls.

When he starts to thrust it’s almost too much. He starts slowly at first, feeling him slide in and out, you can already feel an orgasm building back up. It’s when he starts to thrust harder that you can’t hold it in anymore. Loud moans that could be misinterpreted as screams by an outside observer erupt from your mouth as he rails you.

“Satan,” You moan. “You feel so good.” It comes out in bursts and moans as each thrust sends a vibration through your body.

He smiles as he grunts with each thrust. Beads of sweat are building up on his forehead with how intensely he’s fucking you. You’re getting closer with each thrust and as a bead of sweat falls from his nose, landing on your lips, you know you can’t take much more. The salty, sweet taste of him puts you right up to the edge and you moan “I’m going to cum again.”

“Me too,” He says. Wrapping his arms around your shoulders, he kisses you, thrusting into you a few more times, hard. You let a squeaky, orgasmic moan out into his mouth as you start to cum. Feeling his cock pulse pushes you over the edge, as a swell of hot cum flows from his throbbing length. The kiss only enhances the orgasm and you ride it for longer than expected as he pushes his load into you.

You hold the kiss for a while, the two of you locked in bliss. You feel his cock start to soften before he even starts to pull out. When he’s out you can feel his cum spill out from your twitching insides. He pushes it back inside with his fingers before laying down next to you on his back.

“Oh my god that was amazing,” You say.

“Yeah,” He pants. He kisses you again before you lay your head on his still sweat-damp chest. You moan softly, simply enjoying the feeling of his skin against yours. You can feel your eyelids getting heavy as you lay there. He runs his fingers through your hair, and before you know it, you’re asleep.

#obey me smut #obey me Satan X Reader #obey me Satan smut #Satan smut #obey me #obey me shall we date #omswd #obey me x reader #om! Satan #obey me Satan #Satan x reader #obey me nightbringer #obey me nb

[miapcain]

I feel like you've probably read a lot of medieval history stuff. So have you, and if you have how do you think it impacts your work on vesna? p.s. I'm reading a Medieval Life by Judith Bennett and its an awesome read so far can't recommend it enough

Hello! Thank you for the ask!

I read a lot and have for a while. Vesna is the composite of a LOT of interests of mine, many of them specifically historic and regional. I've always been interested in the medieval period, and I loved Pillars of the Earth when I read it as a teen (still like it, the second book especially, though I take issue with some of Follett's character work). Name of the Rose too, naturally. Recently I've enjoyed Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman, and the game Pentiment. I like the ASOIAF books, which are obviously less interested in intricate medievalism than tone and complex political and personal interplay, but imo aren't any worse for it.

In terms of non-fiction, currently reading "Felix Austria" by Stephan Vajda on that front. I love The Once and Future Sex by Dr. Eleanor Janega too. A lot of my process for Vesna involves researching specific points, though- I was trying to find out how exactly rushes worked, and stumbled on a 19th c. text which documents rush-bearing in certain parts of england and goes into the history, for example. I try to read as much of this stuff as I can. The region Vesna is set in doesn't get much materialist history done to it. It's very hard to find out what sort of agriculture was practiced in the hills at the time, for example. Even Felix Austria, a pretty hefty book, mostly brushes over it and says "life was on the whole easier and fruits and crops more abundant than in other parts of europe at the time," which is a bit meagre.

Visually, it's influenced by whatever visual art I consumed recently. I read Dungeon Meshi and fell in love with Ryoko Kui's solid figure drawing and character designs. I read Berserk and fell in love with Miura's landscapes and shading. I played Dark Souls and fell in love with the intricate architecture and tranquil emptiness. I visit ruins and castles here in Austria whenever I can, ideally one a week, and forests and rivers even more. I already mentioned Pentiment, but I have a huge reference folder of 13th century art on my pc. My biggest artistic influence is probably Socar Myles, who does better hatching work and dark fantasy illustration than anyone I've ever seen.

For the character work I would have to point to my best friend Digital Poppy's work. I liked her games before I knew her, and actually getting to talk to her about them (and helping make them!) opened my eyes to what you can have characters do in a story.

I hope this answered your question! Sorry i don't have a specific text to point to!

bonus: Vesna appearing in one of Digital Poppy's games

#asks #vesna asks #vdtwof meta #thank you newarc

[hussyknee]

Gave up on Cat Sebastian after seven books (I'll go back and try her 20th century period novels later since I'm told they might be better) and started reading KJ Charles's new Death in the Spires instead. Instantly grabbed by the heart, mind and balls (or whatever the female anatomy equivalent would be). No plodding, skimming or patience necessary. Already blown through 75 pages. If I had this much chemistry on every date with another human being I might actually marry them, and my jaded and divorced ass does not say that lightly.

It's a bit of a departure this time because it's a murder mystery set in the Edwardian era (which includes the 1890s for me personally bc if there's cars around Victoria is as good as dead) rather than yet another 19th century romance. The protagonist is queer and the vibe is def Be Gay Do Crimes but Charles has taken care to plaster everywhere that this is NOT a guaranteed HEA. Idk whether that means we're going to be left with an uneasy, reeling Agatha Christie ending or it just went without saying because why would a murder mystery have a HEA?

I'm really interested to see whether Charles can pull it off though. She's the kind of confident and intelligent plotter that makes you think could write clever whodunits, so this feels like putting her money where her mouth gave the impression it might be. The Christie vibes are hella strong in this one so far and the pacing is, as ever, a study in excellence.

Edit: what do you mean St. Anselm's is a fictional Oxford college?? There's entire fantasy franchises with less involved world building than what KJC gave this place??

#kj charles #death in the spires #historical fiction #queer historical fiction #historical mystery #historical murder mystery #queer media #book recommendations #book reccs #knee of huss

[rosesnwater]

Planning to do a reinterpretation of beauty and the beast,mostly to upgrade my portfolio,still figure it out but here’s the things I already settled.Got inspired by the 91 movie and the original story:

The setting is more goth like

Belle is an artist than a reader and wears glasses while drawing,she has a passion for fantasy scenarios and pretty dark for that period,she’ll start with very long hair but later they’ll get cut very short

Beast is an basically a horror elk,a chimera formed by a stag,crow,wolf and snake and has bones bursting out his body.He’s covered in jewels like earrings,piercings,nose ring,chains and ring on his horns,chains and bracelets on his arms and tail

The servants are ghost entities (every age,nationality and even animals) the beast can see them but not belle,they can communicate through possessing or controlling objects

The curse was put cause the prince’s father hated him for killing his wife at birth and basically saw his son as the devil.He basically sold his son’s soul,the whole castle and the whole servitude to an enchantress but with the trick that also him paid the price but in a more twisted way

Belle is forced in an arrangement with basically Gaston who’s a royal here (mix the 91 movie with his concept art)

Belle’s family was an ex royalty,barons who lost title because of family ties and arrangements,so belle,her sister and mother live in a provincial village

Religion horror

Bit more of blood and spicy elements

Nobody here is clearly straight

Mentions of s****de and mental illness

YES, YES, more Beauty and the Beast retellings!

Ever since panna a netvor I have loved gothic reimaginings of the story.

I love the way you've described Belle, especially considering you plan it to be more gothic with a little dark religion, I can totally see her going head-first into the romantic/gothic art of the late 18th century, early 19th century. Like a Mary Shelly but with painting.

The beast sounds gruesome, I think it's very interesting one of his identifiers is all the chains he's wrapped up in- definitely stuff to play with. Also a cool twist on the Disney aspect of possibly talking furniture, that's really cool ^^

Forgive me if it's out of line, but (in a Europe context) this feels so victorian gothic, what with the aristocratic growing (but hidden) interest in the occult, the upheaval of old power structures like belles family losing their title (baron/baronet feels so last stages of old noble family wealth drying up since these guys were the lowest in the nobility chain) which was especially noticeable during and after the industrial revolution.

#delightfully dark! #beauty and the beast #my asks #gothic

[raindrop-on-a-spiderweb]

Sending love to one of the best writers on ao3 😘💕 I check your page frequently and wanted to ask about the things that you enjoy doing or aspire to do

Hi Anon, it's so sweet of you to send this ask to ask after me. Rest assured your words are appreciated on this end; thank you from the bottom of my heart and top of my soul 🫂 I'm very glad you think highly of my work even after so long, and I'm so so sorry I haven't had any new content in such a long time. But I am hard at work on a oneshot that will definitely be published before the next chapter of Samarra, so the well won't stay dry for long! The summary is “A jaded prison nurse must come to rely on a man she hates and fears in the midst of a deadly prison riot.” I started writing it in the ward; it's based off of the Moundsville Penitentiary which is an especially spooky place I've been to–an old 19th century prison made of towering stone turrets, eerie high ceilings, and rusted iron cells packed together like pigsties. I'm hoping to get that atmosphere across; it's about ⅔ of the way finished so good progress is being made!

Well I enjoy writing, most of all, but I've already talked about that in detail a thousand times so I'll spare you. I love reading, of course (I just finished “The Five”, about the victims of Jack the Ripper, and it's a fascinating bit of history and an incredible and horrifying look at Victorian-era industrial Britain). I love exploring the mountains with my cats trotting along beside me and photographing what I find. In all honesty I'm a bit of a trappist–I rarely see people except hunters and cashiers, and most of my time is spent alone with myself or my dad. But each day is an adventure when you're in nature and each season brings primordial and beautiful changes– I collected watercress the other day and found the downy remains of a fawn. 

I love watching old movies. My dad and I were watching Laurel and Hardy last night and I swear it holds up a century later. Before that we watched King Rat, which is one of his–and my–favorite movie; about two men stuck in a Japanese prison camp and the Machiavellian and underhanded ways they survive there. The book is particularly good too, and the epilogue about rats devouring each other has haunted my dreams for a long time. 

On the same subject, a series that I highly recommend is called Tenko, which is very similar to King Rat, except the prisoners are women. It's so grueling, realistic and enrapturing; I've never seen anything that so squarely focuses on women's experiences, relationships with each other, the hardships they face, and how they struggle to survive together in a thankless, deprived environment. The backstabbing and despair that comes in their darkest moments, the love and support in which they uplift each other with, their mistrustful and uneven relationships with their captors that occasionally erupt in friendships and affairs–and all the episodes are on dailymotion, too!

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x74u4fi

I like dreaming most of all. So many of my story ideas come from my dreams. The worst thing in the world is waking up and trying to catch the stray strands of the dream slipping through your fingers. It's amazing to live so many lives–good or bad–inside your head. Sometimes when I wake up, I feel a sweeping, palpable sense of relief that I don't live in the world I conjured last night, and sometimes I wish I could just claw myself back into my brain and live in that little pocket world for the rest of my life.

I do not aspire to much. I don't really have any base wishes but to keep writing and live til 70. We all have our hopeful fantasies, of course, and when I finally do get Ragnatela on Amazon Kindle (Microsoft Word is trying to swindle me out of one hundred and fifty American dollars to use their dogshit platform, and since the manuscript is half-edited, I'm afraid to lose my formatting if I switched to a free program like Libreoffice) maybe it will get some attention. 

I still intend on writing on Ao3 until the day I die, though. Even with its unsavory content I have such a soft spot for its unrestricted freedom of speech and prose. Plus I don't want to give up talking to you guys and goofing off in the comments ☹️ I also aspire to stop drinking. I'm sure I've already shaved a few years off my lifespan with my tippling habit. But when one day is much like the other, is there much point in extending it?

I aspire to travel around the United States more. I took a trip through the Deep South to visit Savannah and it was enrapturing; something I will remember for the rest of my life. Rusted-out cars felted in green moss, skinny, grazing horses in windswept fields, peeling roadside signs advertising tent revivals, clownish golliwogs behind still windows of cafes, forgotten tugboats half-sunken into lagoons, highway strip hotels where craggy hookers peered at you suspiciously from their fold-up chairs, and derelict cemeteries separated between Union and Confederate. It was just post-Irma and we were often the only tourists at any of these places. The effects of the hurricane were stark and obvious, with the land in a state of shock before any official agencies came to clean them up. I remember boats crashed into the harbor and grandfather trees felled in front of opulent antebellum homes, and the sea churned brown and murky when we trekked to the beach. The sense of desolation, and not only from the hurricane, was chilling–but I loved being there and loved being swathed by the kudzu and history. My mother is very ill and before she dies we might make up briefly and take a trip to New Orleans together and explore rural Louisiana; I'd always wanted to write a story set in New Orleans. Louisiana is a fascinating state with its mixture of Napoleonic and Creole influences; and I've always been drawn to the grand, decaying tombs of New Orleans as much as I have been to the odd Francophone swamps and their hidden dialects and traditions. And one day I would like to go way, way out west and explore the Gold Rush ghost towns. All the mines where I am are filled-in, so I would like to venture underneath the earth just once. 

Most of all, I aspire to be alone, and live by myself for the rest of my life, far away from town, somewhere in the mountains like where I am now. I wish I didn't have to see another person for the rest of my life. Being alone with myself is bad enough, being with others is intolerable.

Anyways, I apologize for my undue pleonasm, you caught me in a chatty mood 😀 Here's an excerpt from the newest prison one-shot:

Rhoda had met Jesse Fitzner her first day on the job. It was midway through her shift, and she was taking a lunch break and grading her sister Sherise's homework in her office. The day had started with a white-knuckle ride in early morning mist so thick she couldn't see the taillights of the car in front of her. Midway through her preliminary tour of the prison, an inmate had stuffed his toilet full of socks, which promptly overflowed and leaked sewage out of the cell onto her high heels. The hoots and jeers had made her speed up, trying to avoid the leering eyes of her future patients. And her introduction to the mental ward, by a younger but just as pessimistic Fawna, had not lifted her mood any either.

So there she sat in her office, snatching a moment of calmness and frantically scribbling corrections over Sherise's homework before her sister turned it in tomorrow. And then the door swung open.

A blond man poked his head in and briefly raised his eyebrows. He was wearing the omnipresent, drab gray prison uniform, pants and a sweatshirt rolled up to his elbows. "What are you up to?"

She flipped the cover of the notebook over.

"Going over my sister's homework. Is there something you need?"

"Passing on a message to Nurse Judson. One of the inmates wants to switch his blood pressure medication."

"Oh, she'll be back soon. I think she's–doing something with the prisoners. Just give her a few minutes."

"No hurry." He pulled the chair opposite her and sat down in it. "So you're grading your kid sister's homework? Shouldn't she be doing that herself?"

The man had thick blond hair that stuck up in back like a duck's tail, and very rosy cheeks. He looked like he had just shaven, by the nicks on his neck. 

"It's a long story. I should be–"

"I've got time. If this is your first day, you need to take some time to yourself to relax--else you'll end up in the infirmary."

Rhoda laughed. He had a nice smile and a nice manner about him–very jovial and friendly. It was refreshing to see a man who didn't stare at her like she was a piece of meat. "Well, my parents died when my brother and I were still young. Seth was seventeen, I was fifteen. He went to work so we didn't have to break up the family, and I stayed home to care for my little siblings, all three of them. It wasn't fun. I always wanted to do more for them than what I was stuck with, so I'm making sure they get good grades and go to good colleges. That's why I got this job in the first place, to put some back for their college funds."

"That's real decent of you. I don't know a single woman who would go so far for their family. You'd best be proud of yourself. Where's your brother now?"

"He's working out of state in Pennsylvania. He found a good woman and has a concrete contracting business now."

"You got yourself a man?"

"Never saw the need. Someday, maybe, when I'm lonelier."

"Working here for a few years will train that loneliness for a man right outta of you." 

They both laughed at that, and Rhoda felt her tensed muscles begin to relax. "I didn't catch your name."

"Jesse Lee Fitzner." He reached across the desk to grip her hand. For being such a small-built man, he had a crushing handshake.

"Rhoda Ames. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"I knew a few Ameses when I was on the outside. Where your folks from?"

"Beckworth, west of here."

"Oh, you're bullshitting me. I have folks from there too. You don't know a Harry Fitzner, do you?"

"Harry who used to run the car repair shop?"

"That's him! My uncle. He retired a few years ago. His lungs got to him. Too much time in the mines."

The door slammed open again. An elderly prison guard, who had greeted her rather abruptly upon her hiring and who had a hard and wrinkled face, was standing in the doorway. When he saw Jesse, his face grew harder. "What are you doing here, inmate?"

Jesse raised his hands, still not moving from where he was leaning back on the chair. "Just dropping off a message for Nurse Judson."

"Next time, leave the message with Nurse Ames and promptly return to your cell. There's no reason for you to be here actin' so friendly."

To Rhoda's mild disappointment, the guard grabbed Jesse by his arm and yanked him out, harder than he needed to. Before he was escorted out, Jesse tossed a glance over her shoulder and winked at her. "Rhoda, you're a young lady, and I'm a bit of a spring chicken myself. I think we would get along real well outside these walls."

Rhoda couldn't help the giggle that bubbled up from her throat. She felt lightheaded. She was a rangy and abrupt woman with a working tan, and hadn't much experience with men flirting with her.

When Jesse was marched out, Rhoda stood up and grabbed her peaked nurse's cap, girding her loins for the next shift on the ward. While she was counting medications, the elderly guard–Miles–came in again and shut the door behind him. She flinched, expecting a dressing-down on her first day of work. I wasn't fraternizing with the prisoner, was I? Am I… am I gonna lose my job?

He sat down opposite her. "You ever hear that tale 'bout the lady and the snake?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to–"

"Old story; old, old story. One of them Aesop stories they wrote when people was still in togas and carved words in stone. A woman was walking home one day when she saw a frozen snake lying on the side of the road. It begged her to save its poor little self, this little creature of God. So taking pity on it, the woman brought it home and warmed it by the fire between her breasts. And as it thawed, it bit her breast. 'Oh, why would you do such a thing? Your poison will kill me,’ she wailed. And the snake smiled and said, 'You knew I was a snake before you brought me into your house.'"

Rhoda stared at him, puzzled. "I don't understand."

"You know what that fellow did to get in here? Fitzner was top dog in a motorcycle gang outside of prison. A real nasty one. He ordered a contract killing on a rival gang member. They snatched the poor fellow when he was leaving a bar. Hung him from a tree, broke his legs with doublejack hammers, used him as target practice with their sawed-offs, cut his dick off and shoved it in his mouth, then left and let him choke on it and bleed to death for the rest of the night. He was out, too, far out in the mountains, and they only found him weeks later when a hunter stumbled on him. One of the killers snitched on Fitzner in exchange for dropping a drug felony sentence he was staring at. That snitch went into hiding and changed his name. Two days after Fitzner was taken to this good penitentiary, he was found with his head beaten in, in a dry creek bed."

Rhoda's head began to spin in slow whirls. Her hand where Jesse had shaken it grew very clammy. She remembered his bright smile across the desk, his dark eyes, and felt bile and vomit churn in her throat.

"You both were talking for a while, I noticed. He's good at prising information out of people, Fitzner is. A boyish smile and a few good words and he can make both men and women melt like butter on yer tongue. See? Now he knows who you are, and where your folks live. Now he can get to you."

Rhoda tried to talk, but her tongue was paralyzed. She looked down and wiped her sweaty hands on her knees.

Miles got up and went over to the door. He looked out of the window set on top, and his hard face relaxed. He seemed much older in that moment, more wrinkled and exhausted.

"You'd best be careful of him, Nurse Ames. He's a bad 'un. I'll be glad to see the back of him."

As it turned out, Miles retired later that year and it was Jesse who saw the back of him. 

And Rhoda became very wary of him from then on. Whenever he saw her in the hall, in the chow line, in the infirmary, he smiled at her and tried to make small talk. She ignored him, or was curt with him.

Unfortunately, he seemed to take that as an invitation.

#personal #asks #writing

[pagesandpothos]

The Sins On Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin

I had no idea what to expect when I started The Sins On Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin. I saw that it was blurbed by several queer romantasy authors that I like, so I requested it from NetGalley on a whim and was happy to dive in. I'm so glad I did. It was not what I was expecting but it is an interesting and dark fantasy that I enjoyed discovering.

First of all, if there are things that could trigger you, be sure to read the content warnings before you start this book! This novel deals with some very heavy topics and the author has kindly included detailed warnings on her website (there's also some stunning character art for you to seek out while you're there).

The Sins On Their Bones is inspired by Jewish mysticism and folklore and is a high fantasy set in a world similar to Eastern Europe in the 19th century. Dimitri Alexeyev, one of the main POV characters and a former Tszar, has recently lost a brutal civil war to his vicious and newly immortal ex-husband, Alexey Balakin.

At the story's start, Dimitri is in hiding in the Free States with his closest friends and former members of his royal court: Vasily, his most trusted spy; Annika, who once led his army; Ladushka, his political advisor, and Mischa, his royal physician. Dimitri still harbors a lot of guilt (and other complicated feelings) about Alexey, the war, and the consequences of it. When Vasily brings word that Alexey is building an army to invade the Free States the group hatches a dangerous plan to finally defeat Dimitri's monstrous ex.

The novel cycles through three POVs. Along with Dimitri, we also get chapters from Alexey and Vasily. All three POVs are engaging and each adds different things to the story. Jumping back and forth through their parts of the story moved the plot along steadily while also filling in the needed backstory. Vasily's chapters, in particular, give a lot of clarity to the backstory which was one of the many reasons that his chapters quickly became my favorite.

The plot of this is fast-paced, dark, and full of religious and political themes. I also found it surprising and not predictable at all. Multiple moments shocked me and had me frantically flipping pages to see what would happen next.

The characters are also likable. Vasily, as I've already mentioned, is a fantastic character. Dimitri is sympathetic and has a nice arc of growth and healing. Alexey is a terrifying and well-written villain. Annika, Ladushka, and Mischa round out the main cast as dynamic characters with a lovely "found family" relationship (together with Dimitri and Vasily).

The Sins On Their Bones is a unique and very queer dark fantasy. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys classic tales of good versus evil in their fantasy!

Other Points:

Alexey reminds me of The Darkling from the Shadow and Bone trilogy.

There may be a Doctor Who reference?

There is an asexual character and a non-binary character along with the many same-sex relationships that the book features.

The whole book is delightfully queer normative with most of the main characters and several side characters being casually queer. There's no drama or trauma around their identities.

I also liked how the author wove Judaism into the world.

Did I mention how much I love Vasily?

The last 25% of the book is tense, action-packed, emotional, and surprising. It is almost impossible to put down!

The ending is satisfying while also setting up issues for a future sequel.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tropes/Tags: achillean, queer, Jewish fantasy, dark fantasy, Hurt/Comfort, found family

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️/5. There are multiple sex scenes (various m/m pairings) that are "Open Door" and mildly descriptive.

Content Warnings: Full list from the author

If you liked this I think you will like The Sins On Their Bones: The Shadow and Bone series for the Eastern European inspiration. This is a much more gory and adult version though!

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | LauraRSamotin.com

The Sins On Their Bones will be released on May 7, 2024, and is available for pre-order!

This book was made available to me in advance thanks to NetGalley! I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for this review. The above are my honest feelings on the provided book.

#The Sins On Their Bones #Laura R Samotin #queer books #book review #netgalley #arc review #books #best of 2024

[stheresya]

The heroines of both The Grisha Trilogy and The Red Shoes (1948) respectively kinda share the same conflict, despite the stories being set in very different universes with its own circumstances. One is a story set in a 19th century russian-esque fantasy world, the other is set in the ballet world of 1940s UK. Both stories feature female characters who have a special skill/ability which is deemed an essence of their very being, who then become entangled with a scheming older man that elevates their abilities to its full potential, but meanwhile these girls also fall in love with a seemingly good guy, a love that inevitably prunes their abilities. And so they must decide between having love but devoid of their essence, or exploring their essence to its full potential but without love.

“It isn’t something separate from you,” Baghra snapped. “[…] Do you ask your heart to beat or your lungs to breathe? Your power serves you because that is its purpose, because it cannot help but serve you.” (Ch. 13, Shadow and Bone)

- Why do you want to dance? - Why do you want to live? - I don't know exactly why but… I must. - That's my answer too. (The Red Shoes)

What differentiates the stories, other than the environment where they're set, is how each of them deal with this conflict. In TGT this conflict is felt most by the reader than by the heroine herself. The paths that are presented to Alina are embodied by her childhood sweetheart and an older powerful man who ignites her in various ways, both men form a love triangle with Alina where they compete for her, even if each man wants her for very different purposes. Alina knows this but she refuses to grapple with a decision, she already know head-on that Mal is the one, and she mostly just tries to navigate both of these contradictory aspects: the grisha/saint identity as well as her normie boyfriend, despite being constantly warned that this would not be a feasible on the long run.

But in TRS, however, the conflict is deeply felt by the main character as well as the viewer. Also, and this is very important, there isn't really a love triangle in the movie. The main character is divided between her boyfriend and her mentor, who doesn't seem to harbor genuine romantic feelings for Vicky even though he still feels something that borders on obsession for her due to her talent (some people, like myself, interpret this as his own twisted form of romantic love, but I'm going here with what's clearly shown in the movie). The mentor is a bit similar to the Darkling personality-wise. He is a man who has renounced love altogether and lives solely for his job (or as he calls it: his "religion", which is ballet), and he expects his prima-ballerinas to do the same. So when he learns that Vicky has fallen in love with his composer he goes mad and lashes out on both of them, which causes Vicky to readily stand by her boyfriend. But of course things don't stop there as she constantly second-guessing her decision, even when her man tries to deliver on the happiness that he's promised her. The movie is constantly asking us: is it fair to give up your dreams for the sake of love? can you truly be fulfilled in your dream when you have no love?

But why am I making these connections? I suppose because watching this movie made me realize that these sorts of conflicts can never really lead to a happy ending. It's the perfect conflict for a tragedy. I guess one can write an ending where the conflict is resolved by just having the character be allowed to have both. But in my opinion it feels a disingenuous and coward choice to just take the conflict away, without having to face it.

And that's why both The Grisha Trilogy and The Red Shoes end in tragedy. The difference is that the latter is honest in its tragedy, while the former tries to paint the situation as... not exactly happy, but still hopeful, maybe bittersweet, but ultimately ok. It's ok because it was "fair", it was punishment for her "greediness" (she wasn't greedy). Another thing that I think The Red Shoes does better is allowing for the heroine choose. The ending of the movie, albeit sad, is entirely Vicky's choice. The Grisha trilogy doesn't go that way. Instead it does the RS equivalent of having Alina suffer a permanent injury that makes her unable to go on pointe, thus killing her career as a ballet dancer, and then Alina has to settle with her boyfriend after all, living as a shell of herself where she not longer has her essence, and she's not even allowed her own name anymore. But it's ok! she has her (unsupportive) man with her!

So long story short, there is no possible scenario where Alina could've had a happy ending. But we as readers could've a more fulfilling end if only the story were more honest about the ending it was writing. Alina died in every way except physically. It's not a happy ending in any way.

#stuff i wrote while procrastinating my studies #parallels

[aurpiment]

Honestly, mixed feelings about Dan Simmons making up the tuunbaq thing half-cloth. I think on some level it’s better than using something taken verbatim from real 19th century Inuit beliefs but on the other hand it’s kind of weird to invent a fantasy expansion of Inuit beliefs, even for a horror/fantasy critique of British colonialism. (I assume there is such a critique in the book. I’ve not read the whole book and am assuming based on the show. I won’t bristle if you say I’m mistaken. Frankly, the prose is not good enough to make me read the whole thing.)

Sixam ieua aren’t a real kind of angakkuq. ("Sixam ieua" doesn't even sound like Inuktitut phonology.)

Angakkuit don't/didn’t (Christian missionaries changed the way Inuit practice religion today) live secluded from the rest of their communities, since among other duties they were supposed to do healing work and diagnose hunting problems, and they didn’t have to cut their tongues out, and their spirit helpers (tuurngait) weren’t believed to devour people (though some tuurngait were considered unhelpful or dangerous if they were rogue or associated with an angakkuq who had bad intentions.) Dan Simmons acknowledges the difference between the real supernatural practitioner and the invented one (trying to use a word that isn’t “shaman” or “medicine man/woman” since those are different traditions) and includes some regular angakkuit in the book who are clearly not doing the same sort of work Silna and her dad do.

So I wonder like, is a sixam ieua failing to control her dad’s scary bear creature maybe more appropriate in a horror/fantasy story than having a regular angakkuq do regular angakkuq things? Haven’t regular angakkuit already been maligned by Christian missionaries as scary and wrong? Is Dan Simmons’ choice a departure from that history or just more of the same treatment of Inuit supernatural belief/practice as spooky and different? Is having 19th century Inuit claims about the spirit world (in addition to the fictional add-on claims) be “true” within the novel’s world respectful of these claims or is it the magical Indian trope? I don’t have the authority to answer these questions but they are questions I turn over in my mind.

Anyway, I’m inventing a new kind of English vicar called a *juggles scrabble tiles* Breznax who, uh, *spins wheel* turns into a black dog when he performs burials. Loosely inspired by the idea of a church grim. I’m Dan Simmons and I’m doing whatever I want with English folklore. [Ignore the fact that the parallel would only really click if there was like, a historical pervasive suppression of Anglicanism in the past two centuries that made English elders reticent to talk about the old Anglican ways]

Edit: I’ve read some more of the book and it sucks in both a “creepy about teenage girls” way and in a “gratuitous with the period-typical racism” way as well as the combination of the above, “horny racism.” Well, that answers my questions. I’m no longer giving the author the benefit of the doubt, lol.

#mt #the terror

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Ikemen Vampire - Vlad's Sequel

These translations are not intended as a replacement for the game. Please support Cybird by buying their stories. Spoilers under the cut. Expect mistakes.

Watching the snow fluttering in the cold air made my heart freeze as the scene of "that day" was spread out before my eyes.

(I know this view.)

The corridor where the moonlight couldn't reach was tinged with grief, but, believing in what awaited me, I ran as my heart urged me to.

I kept on running and arrived at that room that I had visited only once in time.

This time, I didn't hesitate to put my hand on the closet door to find him, the man I love more than anyone else.

(Wherever you are, I will find you again and again.)

(Always...)

The moment I opened the closet, my vision turned white like snow.

Mitsuki: "----!"

When I woke up, I saw a familiar ceiling and the dazzling morning sun shining through the window instead of snow-filled scenery.

Mitsuki: "A dream?"

(It was like the dream I had before I met him.)

As soon as I pictured the man I had looked for in my dreams, my heart skipped a beat.

(I really miss him on mornings like this.)

Mitsuki: "Morning, everyone!"

Napoleon: "Morning, Mitsuki. *yawn*"

Sebastian: "Good morning."

Everyone greeted me back as I entered the dining hall, where the aroma of freshly baked bread and coffee wafted through the air.

Sebastian: “Sit down. I’ll prepare your breakfast.”

Mitsuki: “Thanks, but sorry, I gotta leave soon, so I’ll pass on it.”

Napoleon: “What? You’re leaving already?”

Mitsuki: “Yep, I’m taking the day off, so I can help out at the flower shop today.”

Isaac: “Hmm, that guy’s place, huh? But why don’t you at least eat breakfast?”

Arthur: “Hey, hey, Newt, are you jealous? C-U-T-E.”

Isaac: “It’s not like that. And can you please not butt in every time I say something?”

The lively exchange, which had already become the norm, made me smile.

Sebastian: “Leave the mansion to me and have fun.”

Mitsuki: “Okay! I’m off then.”

Everyone sent me off, and I left the mansion.

(Is it already Christmas season?)

As December came, decorated trees, ornaments, and other festive decorations lined the city.

And the snow that fell last night was turning the scenery into winter colors.

(Ah...)

I spotted someone as beautiful as a snow spirit.

His gaze was directed to the sky as if he was chasing a fleeting fantasy, and upon seeing his profile, my heart squeezed in my chest.

(That’s how he looked up at the sky when we first met.)

I took one step closer and then another.

Mitsuki: "You look so lonely. What's wrong?"

When I called out to him, as I did that day, his crimson eyes, like roses, reflected mine.

Vlad: "I was hoping to see you soon, Mitsuki."

Mitsuki: “Me too, Vlad.”

His lonely expression disappeared, and my beloved finally smiled.

Vlad: “The snow seems to have stopped late at night. Today is a nice day.”

The sky was breathtakingly blue and beautifully clear.

(The moon and stars were not visible last night due to the thick snow clouds.)

The view of the white crystals falling through the night suddenly overlapped with my dream.

Mitsuki: “I guess I had that dream because it was snowing.”

Vlad: “Dream?”

Vlad: “What did you dream about?”

His soft gaze urged me to speak.

Mitsuki: “I dreamed of that snowy day when I found you hiding in the closet.”

Vlad: “Yeah. For me, it was the day you first found me.”

Mitsuki: “And for me, it was the day I found you once again.”

We stared at each other, reminiscing and unraveling that precious day.

I met Vlad a month after I had time-traveled to 19th-century Paris.

Due to an anomaly in the door, I was unable to return to my original era, and Vlad was the only one I could confide my true feelings.

Vlad: "I don't want to dismiss your problems as trivial. Besides, you shouldn't feel that way."

Vlad: "People live from the heart."

He gently wrapped my heart, hidden by my insecurities, and we fell in love as if it was natural.

However, as soon as I became attracted to him, I was confronted with a cruel truth.

Vlad: "I love this world, so I will definitely change the future with my own hands and protect it."

Vlad: "I thought I only wished for that, but there is one thing I can't let go of."

Vlad: "I wish I could see you next to me, Mitsuki."

He was a pure-blooded vampire with a self-righteous ambition to use the great men to control human thought.

Behind it all, he had an endless love for this world and loneliness.

I want to believe, I don't want to believe, I want to understand, I don't want to understand.

What I arrived at through repeated conflicts was my desire to save Vlad's heart.

With that thought in my heart, I traveled through time.

Mitsuki: "You're not alone."

Vlad: ".........."

Mitsuki: "I'll be waiting for you long beyond the eternity in which you live."

Vlad: "The strength of a person's feelings can work miracles and save hearts."

Vlad: "Mitsuki, I won't give up protecting this world because it's my mission."

Vlad: "Hey, my ambitions一No, will you be there for my "dream"?

Vlad's heart, covered with snow, melted, and our love, connected by the past and the future, was sealed.

The joys and sorrows we experienced were all lovely memories we spun together.

(I love Vlad with all my heart.)

For that reason, I will surely choose to become a vampire someday.

(Until that day comes, I wish to spend my human life with him.)

Vlad: "Mitsuki."

I looked up, and he kissed the back of my hand he took.

Vlad: "Thank you for finding me today."

Mitsuki: “----!”

My heart leaped out of my chest as our gazes came closer.

Mitsuki: "I love you, Vlad."

(I'm so happy that I can honestly accept his feelings now.)

Vlad: "I love you too."

Vlad's warmth touched my lips as I closed my eyes.

Mitsuki: "Then, let's open the shop. I'll help you today!"

As soon as I said this, my stomach growled.

Vlad: "Ahaha! Sounds like your tummy wants something to eat before you help out?"

(Ah, geez! Why does it have to growl at a time like this!?)

My face, already on fire from the afterglow of our kiss, became even hotter.

Mitsuki: "I skipped breakfast this morning because I wanted to see you."

Vlad: "You chose me over breakfast. Thank you."

Vlad: "Let's go to a nearby cafe and eat first. The flowers can wait at least that long."

Vlad: "Let's go. Mitsuki."

Mitsuki: "Okay!"

Entwining our hands, we walked side by side through the streets under the endless blue sky as our lovely days continued.

At that time, I didn't have any doubts.

That night, a crescent moon hung in the dark blue sky, and I fell asleep, lured by the pale moonlight.

(This place...)

(I'm dreaming of "that day" again.)

The windblown snow grazed my cheeks as I stood in the corridor and stared at the scene in front of me, bracing myself against the blade-like cold.

(Why?)

Why is my dream keep coming back to this moment?

I pondered, but my feet were running on their own, and I opened a familiar door as I arrived in that room.

(Sorry I'm late. I'll find you now.)

There was supposed to be a boy sitting in a small closet, but...

(Huh?)

I only saw an empty closet.

Mitsuki: "Vlad..."

There was only darkness, and the boy with the crimson eyes was nowhere to be found.

Mitsuki: "Where are you?"

(I have to find him.)

At that moment, I pressed my temples as I slipped in and out of consciousness.

Mitsuki: "Who am I going to find?"

(Huh? I...)

(Who am I supposed to be looking for?)

Mitsuki: "!!"

I suddenly woke up and opened my eyes to find my heart was beating wildly.

Mitsuki: "Vlad?"

I uttered the name of my loved one to check my memory.

(What's that dream just now?)

(Did I forget Vlad in my dream?)

Feeling a sense of emptiness, I shook my head to shake off the discomfort.

(There's no way I could forget Vlad.)

(That was just a dream.)

I told this to myself to escape the lingering dream that was chasing me, but I didn't realize at the time that this was a sign of our destiny.

Masterlist╏Next Part

#ikemen vampire #ikevamp vlad #ikevamp jp #ikevamp #ikevamp spoilers #ikemen vampire vlad #cybird #ikevamp translations

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

reading update: july 2023

I don't have a cool and witty opening for this one. I read a fuck of a lot of books this month and I want to tell you about them LET'S GO

Black Water Sister (Zen Cho, 2021) - Black Water Sister has a very fun premise: a closeted lesbian and unemployed recent graduate moves back to Malaysia with her parents and is already having a bad enough time when she starts hearing the voice of her dead grandmother, who turns out to have been deeply involved in supernatural organized crime. our hapless protagonist becomes a medium against her will, and has to navigate to world of Malaysian spirits and superstition to lay her grandma to rest. unfortunately the actual style of the story wasn't more me; although definitely adult fiction, the prose is breezy in a way I affiliate strongly with YA, which is not to my personal taste but is still so hashtag valid. if you're one of the countless people trying to make that jump from YA to adult fiction and you like queer urban fantasy then Black Water Sister might be a great fit for you, although I should provide a warning for a pretty surprisingly graphic near-rape in the book's climax that really took me by surprise in a story that's otherwise pretty zany in its violence.

The Bride Test (Helen Hoang, 2019) - I think I said last month that Alexis Hall's A Lady for a Duke was the best so far of the romance-novel-every-month scheme I'm trying to pull off this year. the Bride Test has pretty swiftly displaced it; have I finally discovered the really good romance novels? (worry not; I know what I'm reading for August and my hopes are. low.) our two protagonists, Mỹ/Esme (her chosen American/English name) and Khai, are both genuinely charming and are pretty strong characters independent of each other, which cannot be said for A Lot of romance protags. despite the absolute insanity of how they met (yes, Khai's mother went to Vietnam and offered, uneducated a poor single mother a tourist visa in exchange for trying to seduce her autistic son. yes, that's shady. don't think about it too hard) and Esme waiting until WAY too late in the game to reveal the existence of HER LIVING HUMAN CHILD, I liked this book a lot. it's silly and heartfelt and I had fun; what else do you need? 5/5 eggplant emojis.

Giovanni's Room (James Baldwin, 1956) - there's probably nothing I can say about Giovanni's Room that I could say that someone smarter and gayer hasn't already said, but god. it really is breathtaking. I so often see this book talked about as a gay tragedy, and honestly that feels like almost too glib of a description. it's a really meticulous dissection of white male masculinity and the claustrophobic constraints there of, and our narrator's claustrophobic fear of divesting himself from the power that he's entitled to by virtue of being a white American man perceived as a heterosexual. this man would rather live in repressed misery for his entire life than risk being like those effeminate faggots at the gay club, but spoiler alert! being miserable doesn't make you better than your fellow fags; it just means you're miserable AND a fag. sharp and painful and so so so smart. also I'm going to summon @zaricats because I was supposed to tell you what I thought about this book. oops!

Lone Women (Victor LaValle, 2023) - okay so listen. did I just say Black Water Sister wasn't really for me because of the simplistic prose? yes. did I really enjoy the very sparse, straightforward style of Lone Women? also yes. leave me alone, I contain contradictions. anyway, Lone Women is a ripping piece of historical fiction spliced with supernatural secrets, based on LaValle's research into 19th century Black women homesteaders who made their lives in Montana. LaValle opens on a scene of irresistible intrigue - Adelaide Henry, lone woman, sets out for Montana with a mysteriously heavy trunk after burning down her family's California farm with her parents' mutilated corpses inside. and boy, does it escalate from there! it's a story about isolation and community and the people who are failed by so-called close knit small towns, and the ways in which vulnerable people band together to protect one another. it also makes the compelling point that maybe, just maybe, the real monsters were your local transphobe and her husband's lynch mob all along.

Black Disability Politics (Sami Schalk, 2022) - what a cool book! Schalk's argument begins with the idea that Black disability politics are distinct from predominantly white mainstream disability politics, and are therefore often overlooked in conversation, activism, and academia. Schalk analyzes the historical work of the Black Panthers and the National Black Women's Health Project to showcase what she describes as Black disability politics in action. in Schalk's conception, Black disability politics take a much more holistic approach to disability, conceptualizing as just one form (and, frequently, as a result of) of oppression tangled up with a myriad of others that cannot be meaningfully addressed when they're treated as separate issues. the book concludes in interviews with contemporary Black disability activists and organizers that shed light on ways in which the wider movement is often unwelcoming to folks of color, and an exhortation from Schalk for readers to continue the conversation well beyond the confines of the book. in a killer show of praxis, the entire book has been made available to read in PDF form, and I strongly recommend giving it a look!

The River of Silver (S.A. Chakraborty, 2022) - mentally I am kicking myself a little for waiting so long to read this continuation of my beloved Daevabad trilogy, because it did take me a minute to get back into the swing and mythology of the world and that did make me feel unpleasantly like I wasn't appreciating these character-focused short stories as much as I could be. but even having said that - man! fuck I love the world of Daevabad, and I adore these characters so much. getting to see them again, even briefly, was a delight, and I am once again congratulating Nahri and Ali on being the invention of heterosexual romance. (also, on a related note, but I ADORE the way Chakraborty writes her characters having crushes. they crush SO hard and it's very sweet. these books are such big drama all the way down.)

Men We Reaped (Jesmyn Ward, 2013) - an absolute powerhouse of a memoir, and devastating the whole way down. in Men We Reaped Ward attempts to make sense of a series of tragedies that befell her community when five young Black men - beginning with Ward's younger brother - died between 2000 and 2004. the word 'unflinching' is hopelessly played out, but it's difficult to figure out how to describe the head-on way Ward explores each young man's life and ultimate end and her own upbringing. the men in Ward's history - her brother, the friends she lost, her father and other male relatives - are never idealized; their demons, miseries, infidelities, addictions, and violence are placed on full display. but Ward is also insistent on displaying these men with dignity, compassion, empathy; showing them at their best and, most importantly, as men who were loved and deserved better than the violence that poverty and racism wrought on them. it's a furious memoir, one that will leave you mourning too.

Nimona (ND Stevenson, 2015) - did I only read this so I can make more informed complaints if/when I end up watching the netflix movie with my wife? YES. but listen, it wasn't JUST petty hater behavior. Nimona is just really good, and I think I got a lot more out of it this time around that I did when I first read it years ago. this comic is wild and unfettered and so spectacularly weird; I wish more things felt the way Nimona does. I also with more things starred small girls begging to kill cops and stage a violent overthrow of the government, that rules hard. also man I love Ballister, he's SUCH a good protagonist. he's curmudgeonly, he's deeply principled, he's held a grudge for years, he's paternal, he's even gay. what a guy!

#reading updates

[subzeroparade]

In which decade bloodborne set approximately? I know what this is fantasy and sir miyazaki likes to combine things from different periods but which will most likely be exact decade or multiple decades? I am starting a new hobby, creating historical garments. Today me and my friend were chatting, and i showed her edwardian combinations underwear. You can google it, such i piece of art. My friend also said how Maria would look beautiful in it. But i thought what it is too late for our lady huntress's life to wear it. So what your thoughts on period game set in?

That sounds delightful! Enjoy :)

I don’t think it’s meant to be any specific period with any exactitude. I wouldn’t look at it as a painting, anyway, where one could identify the lace and tell you what portion of the middle class wore this lace during what decade of Victoria’s reign. I think everything is very generally Victorian-adjacent, and not worth niggling over this hat is technically Georgian or this coat is technically Edwardian. The tricorne hat was supposedly falling out of favour by the Napoleonic wars, and yet it’s THE headpiece par excellence; while the Doll’s bonnet puts her a little further in the early/mid 19th. The Cainhurst silhouette is at once strikingly and bizarrely 18th century French, and also not at all. We also know BB borrows A TON from Christophe Gans’ hilarious cringefest Le pacte des loups which is much more overtly pre-(French)-Revolution in aesthetic/costumes. 

So to me, there’s no hard and fast rule based on the overarching aesthetic, except maybe “Victorian-adjacent fantasy”. It feel as if the narrative team threw everything in there from Matthew Gregory Lewis’ The Monk (1796) to Stoker’s Dracula (1899) - this goes without even mentioning Lovecraft - and already we are far beyond the length of Victoria’s reign. The same goes for the architecture - while generally Neo-gothic/gothic revival, there is a ton of other European influence as well.

I made a post about this concerning Game of Thrones a little while back, which is to say some of the more brilliant art directors/costume designers will know exactly what they are sourcing overall and then allow themselves a creative freedom above that historically recognisable framework, so the visuals seem at once glaringly familiar yet not constrained to accuracy.

Tldr; you can dress ‘em up however you like. 

in conclusion watch Le pacte des loups because even if it's a joke the costumes are great and Vincent Cassel is absolutely hammy in it. •‿•

#ask #still going through the ask box #painfully slowly sorry #bloodborne #ask the art historian who is definitely not a costume historian and definitely not specialised in anything pre 20thc.

[imakemywings]

Sapphic Book Recs

Moving outside the realm of fanning out over characters we already know, here are a few book recommendations that feature or center F/F relationships. (Note: I am NOT including comprehensive trigger warnings--please mind your triggers if you choose to check any of these out!)

The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir - My personal favorite on the list. If you’re into the F/F lit scene at all, I’m sure you’ve heard of these. TLT is a masterpiece of modern fantasy and has enough moments where its glib tone gives way into something raw and real that it keeps the stakes high and the reader invested. The characters jump off the page and the worldbuilding is colorful and strange. However, if you’re easily squicked by gore, you might want to give these a pass--necromancy is a central pillar of the world and Muir does not hold back on the ick factor.

Recommend if you:

Like stories that keep you guessing

Like messy characters

Savor a bit of codependency in your F/F

The Burning Kingdoms trilogy by Tasha Suri - TBK is a fantasy series set in a fictional country inspired by ancient India. Suri weaves together the stories of several characters and does an excellent job of showing how her two main protagonists--Priya and Malini--are torn between their attraction to each other and the roles of responsibility they choose to take up. Suri also does an excellent job of allowing the female characters to drive the plot, even where they don’t exist in positions of power. (Longer review here)

Recommend if you:

Want female-focused fantasy

Enjoy the push and pull of “duty vs. love”

Enjoy multi-POV stories that unfold gradually

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters - Fingersmith is a period romance piece that involves deceit, heist plans, and falling in love with the mark. This is one of those books where re-reading it a second time will definitely feel different than the first go. Waters does a great job with the interplay of the characters’ motivations which are gradually revealed throughout the book.

Recommend if you:

Enjoy spy/heist stories

Love it when characters lie to each other

Are mostly looking for romance

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon - An epic high fantasy novel clocking in at over 800 pages, Priory covers a lot of ground and a lot of fantasy staples. Ead, an outsider to the court of Inys, has taken it upon herself to secretly guard the queen for reasons of her own--with the results you might hope for as she gets closer to Sabran.

Recommend if you:

Enjoy a romantic subplot but don't want it to take over the action

Enjoy multi-POV stories that unfold gradually

Like the tension of "duty vs. love”

Want an epic dragon-on-dragon fight

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston - If you just really want something lighthearted and if you’re a big reader of fanfiction, this might be your choice. OLS is a fluffy piece that relies heavily on the found family trope with just a dash of fantasy. The standout character is definitely love interest Jane, a suave, confident butch who sweeps protag August off her feet from day one. (Longer review here)

Recommend if you:

Are mostly looking for romance

Do not want lots of angst

Prefer a story where everyone gets along

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See - I debated including this one, because it is not explicitly F/F, which is going to be a deal-breaker for some people. But honestly the romantic and sexual undertones of Lily and Snow Flower’s relationship come across so strong I’m willing to put it up here. This book is set in 19th century China and centers around the intense friendship of two women, starting from childhood and through their adulthood. This one will take you on an emotional ride for sure. A film came out based on this, but in short my review on that is: the book is better!

Recommend if you:

Are okay with ambiguous relationships

Like looking at what women’s private lives looked like in the past

Are looking for something dramatic/emotional

#femslash february #book recs

[johannestevans]

New works published, December ahead, and plans for the new year!

Good evening and happy December!

Here's the sign-up link to get these sorts of updates and lists directly into your inbox.

Happy second night of Hanukkah for anyone else celebrating, we lit our first candle last night and have also been doing a Hanukkah gift box with little bears and accessories, so we'll see if our first bear gets a yarmulke or something to wear tonight.

In the past month, I did go along to the Wakefield Makers Fair and it was a brilliant day, was lovely to speak to lots of other queer people in Wakefield and to chat around - I also did Honeypot comedy at the Room Above in Bristol for the first time, and it was a gorgeous night, super fun!

I am in the end stages of finalising my new apartment in Bradford, and once all the paperwork is done and I have my keys, I will be uploading pictures and videos as I move in and redecorate the place. The building went up toward the end of the 19th century, and while it was converted to apartments a lot more recently, only a few decades ago, I'll of course be decorating in more Victorian styles and with contemporary furnishings, and I'll be documenting my progress as I go.

In the meantime I've been wrestling with paperwork and the whole process whilst being technically homeless and going between partners' homes, so apologies for the delays and periods of quiet, work-wise!

I tend to be quite active in writing and publishing over the month of December because Christmas and the Gregorian new year aren't really my thing, so hopefully if you do spend a lot of time celebrating those or generally being offline, you'll be able to come back to a backlog when you've time to read again!

Speaking of, I have updated my commission guidelines, which are here pinned on my Tumblr page, and I'm in the process of editing and collating some short stories into collections at the moment. There'll be a few eBook and paperback collections of fantasy, horror, & romance short stories, and then depending on what I can do on Amazon, I'll also do some collections of erotica. I will not be able to post most monsterfucker stuff on Amazon because of Amazon's restrictions, but I will probably still do some eBooks and make them available on Smashwords and perhaps on Gumroad or Itch.io.

I will also resume podcasting in the new year too hopefully!

Relevant to restrictions, not everything I might want to write is always going to be permitted on Patreon in line with their own guidelines, so I have set up a SubscribeStar as a backup, and also to permit me to publish anything that might be too taboo for Patreon in future. I will be uploading my backlog of previous works and setting up a tiered system on SubscribeStar, hopefully while we're working on collating other stories together in the next month or so.

In the new year, I will of course be doing various markets and conventions, and if you'd like me to come and be part of any queer or trans events, or any writers' events, where you are in the UK, please do let me know! Definitely always feel free to recommend any events to me, whether they're cons or festivals, or local markets and events, or even stand-up comedy things - you can send me messages on whatever platforms, or my email is always [email protected]. As well as working on new paperback short story collections for the new year and the badges I already sell at events, I also want to work on some sticker designs and similar.

I was super happy this year to submit to a few publications and get accepted, and I do want to keep that up as we come into 2024, so recs for those would also be appreciated!

I'm going to do a list this month of my favourite films and new releases of 2023, but in the meantime, I would just like to recommend Down Low (2023, dir. Rightor Doyle) - it's such a bizarre and unexpected gay movie, horny in the best and most ridiculous of ways, and bittersweet at its end but in a way that really clicks.

December having come around also means there's new prompts on Trans Erotica! If you're trans and write erotica or erotic horror, romance, etc, come and submit!

November's Most Popular Works

November's Most Popular Non-Fiction: Close Reading: A Deep Dive into the Process

An in-depth guide into applying analysis to a piece of text and extrapolating meaning.

Read on Patreon / / Read on The Writing Cooperative

November's Most Popular Fiction: Confession and Penance

A priest takes a hands-on approach to addressing a worshiper’s poor working habits.

11k, cis M/M, rated E! Tiernan, a manipulative workaholic who only ever relaxes during Mass services, is taken aside by Father Mullen when it all gets to be a bit too much. D/s, BDSM-approach to enforcing self-care, spanking, painplay, bit of a priest kink but it doesn’t go into that aspect too much, faith. Also some anal.

Read on Patreon / / Read on Medium

New Works Published

Erotic short: Enhanced Parts

Bear goes home with a cybernetically enhanced butch.

NB/NB, rated E, 2k. Commissioned by Bear Blue. Featuring cybernetic enhancements, breeding kink, dirty talk, size difference, large insertions, objectification, humiliation, mild dub con, rough sex, struggling, some tears, implied overstim.

Read on Patreon / / Read on Medium / / Read on Tumblr / / Read on Ao3

Romance & Fantasy Short: The Arena Fighter

An arena brute enjoys one of the attendants.

3.5k, M/M. Nasty violent guys getting off on treating each other a bit roughly. Adapted from a TweetFic.

Read on Patreon / / Read on Medium

Our Flag Means Death Fanfiction: Repentance & Forgiveness

Held hostage by Blackbeard on the Queen Anne, Frenchie can't sleep.

Desperate to just get whatever he can away from crew of the Queen Anne's Revenge, he knocks on Izzy's door and invites himself in.

---

Slowly unfolding relationship between Frenchie and Izzy Hands, as well as an exploration of their relationships with Edward Teach and the rest of their crews, delving for Frenchie into what it means to really experience one's feelings, to get into touch with and truly grapple with the depths of one's worst experiences; and for Izzy and Ed, into what it means to transgress, to repent, and ultimately to be forgiven.

Read on Ao3

Erotic Short: Punishment

A man takes penance over the priest’s desk.

1.8k, rated E, M/M. Featuring spanking, mild anal play, power dynamics, of course the priest aspect, age difference. Tiernan Borel and Marshall Mullen first appeared in Confession and Penance. 

Read on Patreon / / Read on Medium

Romance Short: Sleeper Train

Romance short. Two boyfriends head up north on the sleeper train.

850 words, rated T, M/M. Short, sweet, romance and slice-of-life. Adapted from a TweetFic.

Read on Patreon / / Read in Prism & Pen

Erotic Short: Knight Tactics

An elf serves as a distraction and an exhaustion tactic for a bandit camp. By letting them fuck him.

3k, trans M/loads of cocks, assumed as cis M. Amaethon gets himself stuck in a wall so that the bandits will work out their stamina fucking him rather than fighting off the king’s guard.

Stuck in wall, free use, fully (and gleefully) consensual whilst pretending he isn’t, mild belly bulging and come inflation, gaping, exhaustion, messy and come-spattered, etc. All the fun stuff.

Read on Patreon / / Read on Trans Erotica / / Read on SubscribeStar

Read on Tumblr / / Read on Ao3 / / Read on HentaiFoundry

Erotic Short: Free Ride

An elf is given a free ride — not with a saddle, but under a centaur.

1.8k, rated E, cis M/trans M. Centaurs, belly riding, huge stomach deformation, huge penis, suspension, implied inflation, size difference.

Read on Patreon / / Read on Trans Erotica / / Read on SubscribeStar

Read on Tumblr / / Read on Ao3 / / Read on HentaiFoundry

Erotic Short: Snake Eggs

An elf lets a naga lay her clutch inside him.

2.5k, rated E, M/F. Amaethon helps out his friend Gitte, a naga, with laying this year’s clutch of eggs. Size difference and size kink, belly bulging, vaginal and anal penetration, paralysis from her venom, some banter, oviposition, inflation, impregnation.

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Erotic Short: Mimic Studies

An elf experiences a mimic’s tentacles, and then a reward.

Rated E, 2.5k, trans M/a mimic. Featuring multiple tentacle penetration in one hole, vaginal sex, some mild objectification and dehumanisation, some academic silliness, object insertion, cervix penetration, belly bulging and stomach distension.

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These last four stories - Knight Tactics, Free Ride, Snake Eggs, and Mimic Studies - are all ones I'm publishing for free everywhere as well as in the usual paid places.

I've been in the mood to do all this sort of weird and monsterfuckery and body horror-y erotica, so definitely feel free to send asks or requests for similar themes!

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[gerrysherry]

Are you Jewish, and if so, do you feel like the movie Tangled is anti-Semitic?

I am indeed Jewish (patrilineal and reform but Jewish) but I am terrible with 'this is antisemitism in media' as opposed to 'this is antisemitism in real life'. My thoughts on media anti-semitism are complicated.

I actually enjoy characters that are antisemitic* caricatures if they're charismatic enough. I actually like Shylock and Svengali** because damn they really manipulate people and get what they want. I also will analyze that Shakespeare and Du Mariner were appealing to antisemitic tropes of their times and that those characters are now archetypes wielded against us. People are accused of being a "Svengali" or a "Shylock".

Tangled doesn't have that kind of reach so it's not as worrisome to me but it's disturbing to see tropes from the Middle Ages and the 19th and 20th century surfacing in the 21st.

Mother Gothel also has an appeal to her that will likely make her a nostalgic Disney villian to Gen Z and younger millennial. Those who are gentiles and don't catch the coding. I didn't as a teen until it was pointed out to me.

Mother Gothel has both a hooked nose and the bouncy black ringlets typical of young Jewish women. She steals a blond-haired child to live forever and while she doesn't steal Rapunzel's blood or life force she's clearly using a very typical white gentile child in order to live forever so it's still blood libel just watered down (pun intended).

Also this is a film that associates broken and hooked noses with villians and (reformed) thugs, while our two leads are traditinally attractive. This is of course classic Disney but here it just so telling.

The fairy tale story of Rapunzel itself positions a witch stealing a child from a good christian couple but it was the movie that made her look as Ashkenazi as possible.

It's antisemitic as the early harry Potter books are antisemitic**. Accidentally tapping in to old fantasy narratives that are very bigoted and not updating the bigotry.

Did I answer your question?

footnotes:

*apparently it's better to not hypenate 'antisemitism' to distance from the roots of the it's coiner who was a racist antisemitic eugenicist who wanted something more pseudo-academic sounding than 'Judenhass' - 'Jew-hatred'. I write it as one word but I don't see how one is better than the other.

** The antagonist of Du Mariner's book 'Trilby' who hypnotises people to his bidding so he doesn't have to get his hands dirty. He is explicitly an ashkenazi Jew who is so many antisemitic stereotypes that a 'Svengali' is now a derogatory term for a manipulative person especially a one who is Jewish.

***as opposed to Hogwarts Legacy which was written by an alt-right crank and is deliberately antisemitic. But what appealed to him was Rowling's already antisemitic portrayals of the Goblins

#asks #answering asks #antisemitism #coding #antisemitic coding #tangled #mother gothel #tw harry potter #tw hogwarts legacy #my essays #literary analysis #literary analysis with cecil