ryomen sukuna x reader
summary: sukuna would rather contemplate your murder than come to terms with his feelings for you, but you call him out on his bullshit.
w/c: 3k
tags/warnings: enemies to lovers. angst to fluff. aged up!yuuji. heavy kissing. features yuuji x reader and he is, of course, best boy. cursing. sukuna decides he wants to kill you (so obviously there are mentions of murder and such) but cant even stand the sight of you upset, what a goof. i'd once again like to think sukuna's not too ooc in this but im still more than likely delusional. not canon compliant. fem!reader. no use of y/n. no manga spoilers.
a/n: i was so touched by all of the love that part one received, i wanted to try my hand at part two. i hope i've done it justice! just as part one references homer's the odyssey, this references homer's the illiad because sukuna is very hot and well read. achilles, the protagonist of the novel, is discussed. i'm definitely open to writing a part three, because this one is much heavier on the angst and i miss soft sukuna from part one.
series masterlist // masterlist
you and yuuji rarely argue, but when you do, it's often over his aversion toward seriousness, even when a situation calls for it. though you really should have kept your mouth shut, because in this moment, you'd give anything to see his typical carefree expression.
his eyes are regarding you intently, taking in your flustered appearance with knitted brows.
"yuuji..." you trail off, wracking your brain for an explanation of your current predicament.
despite the fact he regained control of his body only moments ago, one of his hands is curled around the back of your neck, while the other is resting on your hip.
"baby, what happened?" he presses, the tone of his voice entirely unreadable.
"s-sukuna," is all you can manage to choke out.
his eyes darken immediately, his jaw tensing in a way that intimidates you. "he hurt you."
you really can't tell if it's a question or a statement, and your response comes a little too quickly. "no! that's not... no."
the next few seconds tick by in a slow sort of agony, heat creeping up your cheeks.
he notices for the first time that his head is eerily quiet. no snide remarks, no scathing commentary. just his own thoughts as he pieces together the situation.
his gaze drops to the angry, red marks littering your neck and you watch in helpless horror as understanding passes his features.
"oh."
the word hangs in the air as you await his reaction, fully anticipating disgust and betrayal. you're positive it's only a matter of time before he throws you out of the apartment and tells you to never come back.
what you don't expect, however, is the way his shoulders relax as the tension leaves his face.
he straightens himself, arms falling to his sides, but he doesn't put any distance between your bodies.
"how long have you...?" he's not quite sure how to phrase the question.
"a few months. this was the first time anything... um... happened. we usually just talk."
he tilts his head to the side, so you clarify. "after you've fallen asleep."
mulling over the information, he hums in response, looking thoughtful for a few more seconds. then, his usual demeanor is back and he grabs your hand. "wanna get dinner? i'm starving!"
he tugs you a few feet toward the door before you come to your senses. "woah, woah. wait a second, yu."
when he looks back at you expectantly, you find that his face holds not one hint of bitterness or judgement. "aren't you angry?"
you're amazed to find that he's the one looking sheepish.
"how could i be? it's not exactly easy to be with me when i have a thousand year old curse rattling around in my body, but you stay anyway," he expresses, making your heart soften. "i just want you to be safe, so i'll take whatever relationship the two of have now over him being a threat to you."
as your hands reach up to cradle his face and your eyes sparkle with adoration, you briefly wonder how you ever found such a sweet man. he places a quick kiss to your lips, the smile on his face easy going as ever. "sooooo, i'm thinking takoyaki or maybe udon—"
"we can get whatever you want," you glance at the spatters of blood across his chest left there from the mission, no doubt from sukuna's careless slaughter. "as long as you go wash up first."
"right!" he agrees quickly, bounding off to the bathroom.
you stand alone in the middle of your living room, left with the ghost of both yuuji and sukuna's lips against yours and a sense of bewildered excitement.
back in his prison, however, sukuna is furious with himself. he should have let you die that day he kept you from being run over. better yet, he should have killed you with his own hands before the brat won back control of his body.
he is a terrible being that delights in carnage, a fact that's well known even centuries later. so why, when he could have done anything in the world, did he go to you? you even asked that same question before you—
he rejects the memory of you pressing your lips to his disdainfully.
your foolishness and your naivete are revolting. your softness and your pliancy are nauseating.
he shouldn't have been anywhere near you, if not to rip your obnoxious heart from your chest like he'd always planned. it was a situation he'd dreamt about and now it's slipped through his fingers, even though those same fingers had graced your fragile little neck.
you were nothing more than a clueless mouse in the jaws of a snake, and though the pains of hunger have been tearing at its stomach for years now, the serpent let itself starve.
sukuna retreats to his domain, fingers prodding at his temples irritably. he allows himself to wallow for a few hours, shutting out both you and the brat.
then, steeling his resolve, he begins to watch and wait like the predator he knows himself to be.
lulled into a false sense of security regarding your safety, it's clear that yuuji has let his guard down. just barely so, but enough that sukuna can see a few weaknesses in his chains. ironic seeing that, now more than ever, the king of curses wants you dead.
it goes without saying that he promptly ceases his nightly interactions with you. it's beneath him, wasting his time with a human. he knows that now.
but while he may not speak to you, he cannot refrain from stealing glances as the days stretch on. you're usually reading, completely oblivious to his watchful eye. he convinces himself it's simply to keep tabs on you, as he's deemed you his foremost enemy.
he's not sure how much time has passed when you begin calling out for him in hushed whispers after yuuji falls asleep, the hurt and confusion in your voice plain to him. it's irksome, and evidently, you're incapable of taking a hint.
his silence becomes more painful with each turn of the moon. you're a bit mortified to find that you genuinely miss him, so you just want answers. did he finally realize that you're nothing special, not worth bothering with?
eventually, growing restless, you all but beg him. "sukuna, please. talk to me. what happened? what'd i do wrong?" his chest tightens with what he believes is vexation. "you can't just make me like you and then disappear. you can't kiss me like that and then—"
"you insolent, maddening little creature!" his eye flies open just in time to see you gasp, your body jerking away from him. "shut up already! can't you see i want nothing to do with you? don't you tire of being pathetic?"
you don't dignify him with a response, swallowing thickly and turning away from him.
finally, he thinks, some fucking quiet. though if he's gotten what he wanted, why does his chest still ache?
he stares at the back of your form until the sun rises.
sukuna is no simpleton. he can be patient when he is sure of a reward, but he's thrilled that the perfect opportunity arises just two days after your encounter.
yuuji is exhausted. gojo kept him out all last night, despite the grueling mission he had today, and when he all but stumbles through your apartment door, the moon is already high in the sky.
you never mention the change in your relationship with sukuna to yuuji. even though he was so understanding, you still feel a touch awkward discussing it further. and maybe in the back of your mind, you're holding out hope that it might go back to the way it was.
sukuna watches through yuuji's eyes when you greet him, your expression half concern and half 'i told you so'. nights out with gojo usually lead to this very situation.
he showers while you finish cooking dinner and once you both eat, he helps you clean up despite his exhaustion. after whispering his thanks and pressing a kiss to your temple, he retires to bed.
you promise you'll join him soon, but sukuna knows it probably isn't true. following his outburst, you've taken to staying in the living room until you're ready to sleep.
yuuji's out before his head hits the pillow and nearly two hours later, you're still not in bed. sukuna's eager, but waits until he's sure the brat's deep in his slumber before he tries to take over. it's relatively easy, and he pushes down yuuji's unconscious mind as far as he can before rising to his feet.
this is finally it. he stretches his limbs lazily, a dangerous smirk settling on his lips. the floor creaks with each step he takes, but he pays no mind to stealth. you're no match for him.
tonight, you'll be his first victim of many and the thought of making up for his past misjudgement has him giddy with excitement.
but the sight that greets him upon exiting the bedroom— you curled into yourself on the couch, your shoulders shaking with quiet sobs— it stops him in his tracks.
he wants to move, more than anything, so what the fuck is wrong with him? is the brat taking over already?
and why is that uncomfortable sensation making it's home in the center of his chest once more?
when you notice his presence, your face shifts to him and reveals your wide, teary eyes. it's clear you're surprised by his appearance, but you quickly bury your face in your knees.
you just want him to leave you alone. you hate him for what he said, for what he did. he forced his way into your life, made you care about him, and then he just vanished. he's cruel and you feel like an idiot because you should have known that from the beginning. or maybe you did and he just made you forget.
"go away. i.. i don't want to see you."
he's disbelieving, for a brief moment, that here you are giving him orders while he stands in the doorway with the intention of taking your life.
he moves toward you, invading your space in a way that is meant to be intimidating, but when you look up at him, every emotion ranging from sadness to rejection to indignation is etched into your features. though the terror he hoped to inspire is noticeably absent.
"i said go away!" you swiftly stand up, your hands meeting squarely with his chest as you push him with every ounce of power you have.
you may as well have shoved a brick wall, as he doesn't move even a fraction of an inch. he seizes one of your wrists anyway.
"what is it you think you're doing, exactly?" he spits.
"let go of me!" you beat against his chest with the hand he left free until his fingers wrap around that wrist too.
"enough."
he's certain there isn't a being that has attacked him (if he can even call that an attack) and lived to speak of it, not once in an entire millennia.
so just end the insolent brat and be done with it, he urges himself.
but he can't and he doesn't understand why, so he just stares down at you.
"what the fuck do you want?" you mean for it to come out forcefully and full of spite, but your voice cracks before you can finish.
an excellent question, indeed. what does he want?
he doesn't answer you and it's so goddamn frustrating that you begin to cry again, rambling to fill the discomforting silence. "you've already told me i'm pitiful and annoying. it's clear you think my company is insufferable, that i'm undesirable—"
that ache in his chest is unbearable now. it claws at his ribcage and shreds the flesh of his heart. it makes his stomach twist uncomfortably and rings shrilly in his ears. he can't even hear you anymore, but he can still see the tears sliding down your cheeks and the way you gasp between words.
the truth of the matter crashes down on him and the devastating weight of it is so crushing it squeezes the air from his lungs.
that feeling in his chest isn't annoyance or repugnance. its anguish— the kind that rattles his bones and leaves him sick with regret.
it's because you're in pain, and worse yet, he is the cause of it.
sukuna pushes you back against the wall before you can comprehend what's happening. his hands find either side of your face and you're alarmed to find that he looks... frightened.
"what are you doing to me?" he pleads for an explanation, because he sure as hell doesn't have one.
how can one little human hold such power over him? it's unnatural. it defies all logic and reason.
you stare at him, open mouthed. his face is so close that his breath fans across your skin and it makes you feel dizzy.
"what are you talking about?" you finally ask.
"you should be dead right now," he frets, despair seeping into every word. "it should be easy."
it dawns on you that you should probably feel afraid, but you just don't. his touch is firm, but careful. and there's no malice to be found behind his eyes. "you're not making any sense."
he thinks back on the time you've spent together, trying to figure out how the hell he ended up here— him at your mercy, rather than you at his. he remembers the first time he made you laugh and considers that it may have been the beginning of his unraveling. for the following two weeks, you both discussed homer at length as you made your way through his poetry.
"there can be no covenants between men and lions. wolves and lambs can never be of one mind, but hate each other through and through." you blink at him, recognizing at once that he's quoting the illiad. his voice is low and unsteady in a way that suggests desperation. it makes you shiver. "therefore there can be no understanding between you and me, nor may there be any covenants between us, till one or other shall fall."
your eyes narrow as you begin to understand his his internal struggle, though you're unsure if he's attempting to reason with you or with himself.
"you quote achilles, and rightfully so i suppose, given your common qualities— exasperating pride and a penchant for meaningless violence." he looks relieved, like your seeming agreement eases his mind. it's short lived. "but you forget his passion."
his gaze shifts away from you, his hands withdrawing from your face.
"his passion?" he repeats as if it's the most incredulous thing he's ever heard.
"by the end of the story, is he not acquainted with regret, sympathy, and respect? he doesn't remain blind to the error of his ways forever."
"only a foolish human could make such fanciful deductions," he chides through gritted teeth, still refusing to meet your eye.
you actually laugh at him. "perhaps you shouldn't call upon achilles to make your point after all. at least he grows out of his utterly childish view of the world."
"how dare you?" he demands, his features growing wild as one hand finds your throat (his touch not nearly harsh enough to cause you any discomfort), the other colliding with the wall beside your head. his display doesn't fool you though. "you witless, wretched brat! you're nothing more than a blip in a universe you cannot even begin to understand. you sicken me."
you throw achilles' words in his face just as easily as he did to you. "hateful to me as the gates of hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another."
his gaze hardens, and for a split second, you think you may have been mistaken in your fearlessness, but then his fingers thread themselves through your hair and he pulls your lips to his.
it's rough and commanding, and he tells himself it's only to get you to shut up. to wipe that expression of smug pity from your face.
it's not because, despite the fact you know how awful he is, you're convinced there's something salvageable in him too. nor is it because you tyrannize his every passing thought. and it's certainly not because the feeling of you pressed against him brings him more satisfaction than ripping the hearts from the chests of a hundred men.
ultimately, his denial is overshadowed by his desire. your touch is nothing short of needy as you tug at his shirt, an attempt to bring him even closer, and god does he hope that means you feel just as desperate as he does. he deserves at least a little consolation.
as his hands roam every valley and curve of your body, he deems it unfair that a being whose very existence spells hell on earth should be so taken with such a devastatingly divine creature.
"i've wanted you so terribly," he mumbles against your mouth before he can stop himself.
"then fuck you for making us both wait," you breath out.
his fingers dig into the flesh of your hips in response and his lips shift to your neck. "watch that pretty little mouth of yours, brat."
he nips at the spot just below your ear hard enough that it makes you gasp, doubtless a punishment for your impudence. you recover quickly though, wasting no time with your flippant reply. "or what? you'll go back to plotting my murder?"
he pulls away from you abruptly, sighing deeply and pinching the bridge of his nose. "you truly have zero sense of self preservation, don't you?"
"guess so," you shrug, smiling at him bashfully. "can we watch a movie? i'll even let you pick."
you ask as if it's the most normal request in the world. as if he isn't a thousand year old curse that would be off turning the city to ash were he not here with you instead.
he rolls his eyes, scoffing at the ridiculousness of it all. "fine."
SUMMARY: After classes you go with Ortho to Ignihyde to play with Idia. You end up eating noodles with him for dinner, and before you leave is when your conversation warms up a bit.
CHARACTERS: Pairing with Idia. Ortho and other characters as secondary.
TAGS: Fluff; GN Reader; Flirting; Kissing
WARNING: Spoilers from: Book 6; The Phantom Bride; Twisted Halloween (1st and 2nd parts); The Harveston Sledathon; Camp Vargas 2: The Art of Survival.
WORD COUNT: 2.640
COMMENTS: This is for the @briarvalleyarchives “Anthems of Old” event. I was invited to join this twst writers network and this is the first thing I write for it. I took this more as a challenge to myself. I was happy with the result and I hope you like it too. And it wasn't until later that I realized that I chose a song from a movie about villains not really being villains.
Check out the Song I chose -> Owl City - When Can I See You Again? (From Wreck it Ralph)
You and Grim were having lunch with Ace and Deuce. Until Ortho showed up and asked if he could sit with you. He wasn't carrying a tray.
“We can arrange a sit for you on one condition.” Grim said “You don't eat because you're a robot, right?” Ortho confirms. "But now you're a student right? Aren't you entitled to a meal too?"
“Aaah, I think I know what Grim is getting at.” Ace comments.
“I think I know too.” Ortho says. “You want me to go get my meal and give it to you, correct?”
“Yah! If you do, you can sit with us.”
You tell Ortho he doesn't have to do that and Grim starts to protest.
“Ha ha. It's okay, prefect. As far as I know, the necessary amount of food is prepared for all students. If they do it with me as one of the students who will consume the food, that means at least one meal will be wasted. So maybe giving it to Grim is the best thing to do.”
Everyone approves of his point of view. Some for better reasons than others. He goes to get his meal to give to Grim and sits down with you.
You start chatting and, eventually, Ortho starts talking about a new game that Idia and him started to play and that a lot of people say it’s good. It was a cute and fun co-op game about a couple. And when you see some parts of the gameplay that he shows you, you show interest in playing too.
“So why don't you play with my brother? I'm sure he will enjoy playing with you.”
“Don't you want to play?” You ask.
“Hmm... yes, but I would like him to play in real life with someone else besides me. You know?” You do. “Why don't you come with me to Ignihyde after school to play? We can reset the game for you. We haven't made that much progress anyway, don’t worry.” he was clearly very happy about it.
“I pass.” Grim says with his mouth full.
“Hum? WHY?” Ortho asks.
“Because this guy always wants to treat me and pet me like I'm a cat! I'd rather take a long nap in Ramshackle Dorm with the ghosts.”
Ortho sighs, but he says it's okay. The truth he won't reveal is that it will even be better that way.
After school, Ortho accompany you to the Ramshackle Dorm to drop Grim off. And then, you two go to the Hall of Mirrors to go to Ignihyde.
When you arrive at the door of Idia's room, upon recognizing Ortho, the door opens without any problems and you two enter. Idia was sitting in the desk chair with his back to you at the door, with headphones in his ears. Ortho chuckles mischievously.
“Hey, (Y/N)?” he whispers to you. “Do you want to surprise him?” And you do! He gives you an idea and you execute it.
Idia was focused on the screen. You approach slowly, lean in beside him, and give him a quick peck on the cheek. He jumps off the chair and lands on the ground. And as soon as he sees you, the ends of his hair turn pink.
“WHAT? WHEN... W-when did you spaun here?”
You laugh. "Didn't Ortho tell you I was coming to play with you?"
He looks at his younger brother.
“Surprise!” Nope, Ortho didn't tell him. But now he tells him about your lunchtime conversation. And about you two playing from the beginning.
“But I like to play on hard mode.” Idia mutters, thinking you can't hear him. “In that case I'll have to beat the game on easy mode.”
“If this is so painful for you then why don't you just tell me you only play with pros?” You say, crossing your arms and raising an eyebrow.
“Hep!” he genuinely hoped you hadn't heard. “No! That's not- I didn't- I wasn't-” he seems unable to finish a single sentence.
Seeing him so flustered is so funny to you, to the point of being a little cute. You can't hide the urge to laugh and that makes him revert to his gloomy self. And sulking a little bit that you're laughing at him.
“So... you're not upset?”
“Oh, I am. But seeing you panicking is revenge enough for now.”
“Oh yeah? Let's see who panics when we're playing.” he smirks evilly.
You turn serious all of a sudden and worn him: “Don't put it on-”
“I'm not putting it on hard mode.” he answers you slightly intimidated. One of the sides he likes most about you and something that he will never admit.
It's a co-op puzzle game. Which means he becomes a cocky bastard for solving puzzles in seconds. He annoys you with his arrogance and you annoy him by messing things up in the game. While you're playing, Ortho left you two alone and none of you noticed.
You were having so much fun that it wasn't until your bellies rumbled that you realized you hadn't eaten yet and it was past dinnertime. You start to worry about Grim. Not because you think he would have been starving without you, but because he could eat who knows what without you around.
“It’s been fun but now I’ve got to go.” you say and your belly growls again.
“It's still going to be a long time before you get to your dorm and still have to cook dinner.” He says “If you are as hungry as I am, you should eat as soon as possible.”
“I know. That's why you should go now.”
“I have a lot of instant noodles. And I would say your best strategy right now would be to make yourself a cup of them and eat before you go. If you leave now with your hunger bar that low you could collapse halfway through.”
“Thank you for showing me the worst case scenario.”
“Oh, believe me, this isn't the worst I can imagine.” he smiles in a slightly creepy way, like someone who prides himself on predicting the worst. But then it goes back to normal. “Hey, it's just an offer. I'm going to make myself a cup now. If you'd like to come.”
You accept his offer and follow him into the kitchen. He asks you what kind of noodles you like best. If you ask him what kind of noodles he has, he will reply: "All kinds. Meh heh heh... Take a shot!" You say which one is your favourite. “IN STOCK NOW!” He says in his best Sam impersonation. It was so good that it surprised you and made you laugh.
He takes out two cups of your favourite noodles, one for you and one for him. He places them on the table where you sit while he goes to prepare the water in the electric kettle. He starts talking about the game you were playing together, but you're paying more attention to his small gesture of "making dinner" for you.
When he turns to you and sees your face, he shuts up and then says: “W-why are you looking at me like that? Has my hair turned a weird colour?” You chuckle but say no. “Then why that look?”
“Cause I think you're cute.” His hair does a PUFF in surprise and the ends of his hair turn pink and his face a little flushed. “Now yes, your hair is in a funny colour.” And you keep smiling at him.
“Meh heh... I may be a noob at this game but I still know how to play it.” He says, with a smirk and that confidence you only see once in a while.
“What do you mean?”
He puts his hands behind his back and slowly walks towards you while smirking. And you feel yourself blushing a little. When he gets in front of you he leans in, his face so close to yours that you almost feel hypnotized by his strong yellow eyes.
“Heh heh, looks like we're both cute when we're flattered.” He's speaking in that deep voice of his. “What's the matter? Not so confident when it's my turn?” He takes one of his hands to your face, thumb on one cheek, three fingers on the other and pinky under your chin, because his hand is relatively big compared to you. He's not hurting you, but he manages to gently get you to form your lips into a kiss pose. “(Y/N), dear, hon, you know very well at this point on a PvP between the both of us, I win. He he he...” he whispers, as he gets even closer “...cute...”
POP! He jumps and straightens up when startled by the electric kettle's signal that the water is already hot. And you laugh. He sulks, but turns and goes to get the water to put in your noodle cups.
Meanwhile, other Ignihyde students started to enter the kitchen to also prepare their dinners and eat. So, you couldn't continue your "little game".
You finish eating and he walks you out of the dorm.
“When can we do this again?” You ask before you leave.
“Well, that depends.” He answers. “When can I see you again?” and then he starts talking very fast. “I mean, I'm always at my room. In the best case scenario. You're the one who's always busy solving the problems of an incompetent headmage. And having fun with those two single brain celled of friends. And having meeting and stuff with the other housewordens. So, hey, you're the one who should text me whenever your free.”
That sounded a little suspicious, didn't it? You look around. You don't see anyone else but you two.
“Idia?... Was that a jealous speech?”
“What? Jealous? No, of course not.” He's still speaking quickly “This is just the speed up speech I use to spit facts and vent in someone's face with the expectation that even if they hear me they won't understand what I say and will just be confused and think I'm weird enough to leave me alone.”
“You want me to leave you alone?”
“W-wha- NO! I-I-I-...” He sees you start to lift the corners of your mouth. In fact, it's funny to see him flustered. “*Sigh*... It's a blessing and a curse to have a weirdo who can understand me even when I speak in my turbo speech mode.”
“I'll take that "weirdo" as a compliment.” you say, smirking.
“As you should.” He says, a little lower and with that sweet little smile. You cherish that smile until you remember what you two were talking about.
“I wish you would go out more often. Ortho too. Wouldn't you like to take a walk with me one day?”
“Surrounded by normies who wouldn't take their eyes off us? No thanks.” He says and you sulk. “Oh, come on. You know very well I'm not saying I don't want to be with you. I will not continue to fall on your sulking face.”
“But you didn't like the other times you left Ignihyde?”
“Oh yes. Being kidnapped by ghosts into a forced marriage was the most romantic experience I've ever had. Getting kidnapped to a Halloween party in the Spectral Realm and being possessed? What an adrenaline rush! Go to a camp and get kidnapped by Couch Vargas and forced to squad until my legs are in agony? The outdoor exercise I've been needing. I just realized I have a problem with being serial kidnapped.”
Even his sarcasm makes you laugh. “Can't say you don't have a point there. But what about the Halloween before you were kidnapped? For example?”
“Ah, what delightful visitors Magical Monsters are.”
“First, what about the normal visitors? Wasn't it good to see them appreciate your work? And second, you're not going to tell me you didn't enjoy terrorizing Magicam Monsters, are you?” He answers you with his smug smile. “And what about that gaming afternoon at Ramshackle Dorm? Everyone was so impressed with your gaming skills.” his sweet smile comes back. “Aaaaand...” you were going to play your trump card and you tried to imitate him in his fanboy mode “Epel's grandma is the inspiration for the team leader os the show I'm obsessed about? DUUUDE. SHE'S BEST GIRL BY FAR! Would you autograph my guidebook? And can I take a picture with you?!”
“OKAY OKAY, I GOT IT!” He was so embarrassed, for both of you. Fortunately, no one was there to see it. “And BTW, the show is called Sled Over Heels, the team is called Beauties Sleeping and the character is called Ai. Thank you very much.”
“Did you regret leaving the dorm that time?” you ask, knowing the answer. But he doesn't answer, he doesn't like to give the other person reason so soon. “Would you regret taking a walk with me one day?”
“Maybe.” He says, you sulk. “Not because of you, because of everyone and everything else. Can't we take this getting me out of the room thing slowly?”
“That reminds me of a phrase. Life is way too short to take it slow. But in your case, yes, we can take it slow. What if you come to Ramshackle Dorm and play together then? Maybe you can pet Grim.”
“That's very appealing. You're good with deal, I must say. Perhaps you can compete with Azul.”
“So, is that an yes?”
“*Sigh* Fine, I will... try.”
“Just try? What if i buy some candy?”
“Damn, you really are persistent. But since you're raising the offer” he smirks “what if I try to see how far it goes?”
“Do you want a kiss?” your cheekiness makes his hair explode in pink, and he blushes a lot.
“I-i-i-is that an a-actual offer?”
“Perhaps. But with such a high offer, do you really think just going to my dorm is enough?”
“Hum...” he thinks for a second. “How about that walk with you? There are not many people on the beach at this time of year.”
“But don't you need permission to leave college?”
“Heh heh heh. You remember who my family is right? Do you really think I can't bribe the headmage? As if it were difficult.”
You two were smiling like partners in crime.
“We have a deal then.” you say “so... what kind of kiss would you like?”
“Any one I want?”
“Any one you want.”
He looks around again, there's no one there, but he still pulls you into a corner. Lift your chin with his fingers and bring his face closer to yours. You were lit by blue and pink fire lights.
“Then why don't we finish what we started in the kitchen?”
You kiss him as your answer. You feel the warm his hair emits and his delicate but passionate lips on yours. You just broke away from the kiss early, because you were in a place where someone could show up at any moment.
When you get to Ramshackle Dorm, you find Grim and Ortho sleeping on the couch in the Lounge. The ghosts tell you that Ortho showed up there to keep Grim company and feed him dinner. He got some cans of tuna for himself. They also say that Ortho commented that his batteries were running low when he went into sleep or economy mode.
You wake Ortho up gently. And asks if he wants to spend the night there. You can arrange a place for him.
“It's ok. I was saving my energies to have enough to go back to Ignihyde anyway.”
He really wants to ask how the afternoon went with his brother, but it's late and he can ask you the next day. Or simply see in what mood Idia is in when he gets to their bedroom.
If you would like to read more from me, you can find it in my pinned post: INDEX
ABOUT THE SONG: "When Can I See You Again?" is one of the 3 theme songs from Disney's 2012 animated feature film, Wreck-It Ralph. It is an uptempo dance-pop and synthpop song written and performed by Owl City.
The song is played during the credits showing Ralph, Felix, Vanellope, and Calhoun's game-jumping adventures.
The song is the main theme of the Paint the Night parade at Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland, and is played at the end of Move It! Shake It! Dance and Play It!.
I mean, I'd *like personally* if using CNTW meant something, as someone who genuinely does prefer to avoid the stuff covered in the archive warnings.... but I also understand the whole point is that it doesn't, and that in an archive you absolutely need a setting which just opts out of the need for warnings altogether.
They could be someone who puts that on every fic, because they don't feel like going through each of them like that, or because they ideologically oppose the idea of content warnings for whatever reason.
They could be someone who feels that putting specific warnings on it will spoil their fic, and they don't want to spoil. (I'm someone who doesn't care about spoilers ESPECIALLY with fanfic so I've always been a bit "eh" about this, but I get that I'm the minority here and also, it's the norm in original fiction. And I also get it's ultimately the author's discretion if they'd rather not spoil, and I respect that.)
They could mean that the person MIGHT include something that is warning-worthy later, but they aren't sure yet, so they're putting CNTW on there just in case because they feel putting on "No Archive Warnings Apply" and then changing it if they do decide to include character death/non-con/etc. later would be unfair to their readers.
They could mean that their use of something is borderline - for instance, underage sex alluded to, dubcon rather than noncon, violence they're not sure is graphic enough for the warning, etc. - and so they want to head off people who might be wary of that in any form/cover their asses, without drawing in people who are specifically looking for that element with false advertising. (This is how I often use them.)
They could be that they uploaded someone else's work with permission, but didn't specifically ask if they're okay with having warnings applied to their work.
It could be any of these things, and that's totally fine. The whole point is YOU DON'T KNOW. And if you click on a fic with that warning and it doesn't explain why it uses it, you're going in aware of that lack of knowledge and up for whatever version it is.
--
TBH, looking at my old stuff, I have a couple of cases where I barely remember the work and don't care to reread it. That's another common use, and it's really helpful for encouraging historical preservation. True, the CNTW means fewer people are clicking on these, but they're the kind of thing I'm including for completeness because I tell other people to do that.
I've also got some where I just got rid of the CNTW but I'm pretty sure it was on there because I was uploading in a hurry and meant to go think more deeply about tags later. Again, a "If I can't upload this in 2 seconds, I'm probably not getting around to it" issue.
Another one is for people who are very sure their dubcon is not noncon but who also know their fandom is full of douchebag antis who will constantly report them to AO3. If CNTW is on there, PAC will just tell the person reporting "Sorry, we're not even going to look at it", and the poster never gets contacted and bothered about this.
Just got out of my first viewing (spoilers so tag accordingly)
Yeah that was the most ridiculous shit ive ever seen and i had a blast lmfao.
--
To get the few negatives out of the way: Syclla and Tiamat got COOKED. That's crazy. Especially Tiamat. I had no idea she was in the movie and like choked on popcorn when they said her name. First onscreen appearance and she dies in like 3 seconds... sucks to be her. But honestly... this is probably one of those moments where Fan Content messes with the perception of a canon thing, at least for me. It hurts a lot more because of the emotional attachment from stuff like Ozymandias's story, Shamhat, and other adjacent stuff. If I had never seen those and watched her die I'd probably think "oh she had a cool design, but whatever". But yeah, my only serious complaint is her being shafted and I don't even really think I can call it objective because there was definitely an attachment there.
Ok besides that this might be my new personal favorite Monsterverse. Could be recency bias but I don't think so. Every human is at the very least entertaining. Everything Trapper did in this movie made me crack up, hearing Bernie say the words 'Discord chat' and 'Ghidorahstan64' (i stg this was a callout of some kind) onscreen gave me terminal whiplash, and although Jia and Andrew's story was sorta surface level, it was still endearing. I'd rather have a good human storyline, sure, but if we can't have that I'll settle for entertaining.
Here I thought Suko was gonna be an annoying marketing ploy to sell toys... I physically snorted in the theatre when Kong slammed him into that one ape. MVP of the film lmao. Mothra was... also there. Yeah, it really shows that she was a last minute addition. But DAMN she sent Godzilla ROLLING with a single attack. Speaking of, I don't think the Tia-Zilla form was as underutilized as I've heard people say it was. Especially that new Atomic Breath effect. Holy eargasm.
Oh man though, Shimo and Skar are fantastic. Skar hits the same beat as like a Celestial Dragon or Vladimir Harkonnen with way more grace than I would've expected from a big monkey. They go shockingly dark with his treatment of the ape-slaves and Shimo... especially with that female ape insinuation.
Holy shit poor Shimo, man. I honestly thought the Skar controlling her aspect would be kinda downplayed and just regular mind control, not genuine torture of some kind. I love that they let her have characterization by resisting him at every chance she gets, and that the pain control isn't always active (i'm assuming that's the insinuation of keeping her all chained and behind magma, it depowers and restrains her when Skar's not actively using her), further insinuating she gets merciful breaks from hellish enslavement only to be yanked back into it whenever Skar needs something turned into a popsicle. I think my favorite moment in the film is right after Suko shatters the crystal and the light blue luminescence fades to reveal her actual eyes for the first time. Eyes are used throughout the film to show subtle humanizing features, like Godzilla falling asleep in Rome, Kong's wide eyes when he sees his kin, and shock when Shimo realizes she's free. Having her eyes glowing the whole film makes her seem way more monstrous and inhuman, so when that suddenly goes away she starts getting framed as just an animal. Also her eyes are pretty. Also, I lied, that wasn't my favorite part of the film. My favorite part was Kong giving her chin scratches and that cute half-hug. This needs to be normalized. He needs to hug Godzilla next film. I will pay someone a king's ransom for this to happen. Final little detail, I like that Kong doesn't do his final roar from on her back but standing next to her, on the same level as all the other apes. He doesn't look to elevate himself over her or everyone else like Skar did, which is a great touch.
Also also also: Think it's time for a Doug solo film where he tries to steal all the Titans' food. Make it happen Legendary.
Much agreement here! I'd love for a solo Mothra MonsterVerse film to really capitalize on her lore and give her stuff to do (without dying at the end preferably); maybe establish some connection between the Chen family and Jia. Also, I need a little shot of Mothra going to visit Godzilla while he's sleeping in the Colosseum and just cuddle up to the big lug.
Andrews and Jia were a welcome breath of fresh air after GvK reversed Mark's characterization and Madison became... that. There was still some slight tension between Jia not feeling like she belongs and Andrews wanting to do right by her, even if it means possibly giving her up, only for Jia to go "you're my mom, you're my home, stop being dramatic". You love to see it.
Adding to the Doug solo film idea... Shimo adopts him because he's cute and she thinks his shenanigans are hilarious. Let us have fun wholesome times!
I don't know if it's been discussed before but since apparently, the Paris special will be first released as a novel in France on October 4th (source), I believe tons of spoilers will pop up everywhere and I'd rather avoid them before watching the episode 😬
Is there a tag yet to block spoilers from the novel or not? Cause I don't really want to have to filter all of the emo content (fanarts, fun posts and all) until the 21st, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one. And if not, should we try to make up a tag for it? 🤔
tags! enemies to lovers, no piv, no spoilers for s4, oral (female receiving), fingering, teasing, pet names (princess), name calling (dingus), hair pulling, cumming in pants, underage drinking
I think that's it. Lemme know if I missed something.
WC.5,433
Barbies note...So I mention the Cityman Nokia but that came out in 87 so the story is set really early 87 and they are abt the graduate. Ik the time line doesnt make sense, but dont worry abt it😝. Anyway, enjoyyyy
You loved your friends, and it's been a while since you've last hung out, but what you wouldn't give right now to be home alone with a bag of hot fries and some horror flicks. Yeah, sure you said, "Steeeeeeeevie, we should kick it at your house tonight." Making finger guns at him while everyone piggybacks off of that thought. Robin butting in, "Fast times?" She nods with two thumbs ups directed at an unamused Steve.
"Ugh, again?" Nancy complains, rightfully so.
"What, it's a good movie." Robin gestures to you as back up, but you put your hands up in defense, not wanting to pick sides. It was a good movie though, but at the same time, it was worn out.
"No, that movie is so run through by all of us. How many times have we rented it from Family Video now? For heaven's sake, I'd rather watch a horror movie at this point!"
"Wow, Nancy. Daredevil, you. Maybe we a porno instead or something. Eddie wouldn't mind, nor would Steve." She teases.
And that's where you exit the convo. At the name drop of Eddie. Your eyes flicker around the video store, eye catching titles such as Nightmare on Elms Street, Sixteen Candles, and Fame pop out at you before you catch Steve mouthing a Fuck you while giving you the jack-in-the-box middle finger. Cranking and cranking until it pops out. You give him a playful smirk and an eyeroll, typing in the 'F•r•i•e•n•d•s' group chat that's name was always being changed to some joke like 'Brad's bud-lings' or Linda's Bralette. All Fast Times references made by Robin, each one deserving an eyeroll. "HANG OUT AT STEVE'S TONIGHT!!" you relay. Even though the only person you'd be informing is Eddie and maybe Chrissy if she reads the group chat. Only popping in to say hi every few weeks. 'What could possibly be keeping her so busy?' The question always circles your mind before being brushed off.
Steve's phone pings, looking down at it in hopes that it doesn't say what he thinks it says. Nope, it says exactly what he didn't want it to say. He glares at you, gently bumping shoulders with you when he walks over, inching his way down to your ear. "I hope you know that you're driving them." He taps your shoulder for fake comfort, not understanding the big problem.
—
The feeling of a headache coming on from the noisy car says it all. You should've taken the warning when Steve dished it, too bad you didn't know. Nancy and Eddie talk loudly in the backseat, trying to hear each other over Madonna's 'Material Girl' that Robin put into your car's DVD player.
'A couple more blocks. Just a couple more blocks and I can just chill at Steve's house and watch movies or whatever he has planned this time. Maybe we'll watch Fast Times again, it never gets old. Or something new like Pretty in Pink, yea that came out recently.' The thought relaxes you before Robin brings back all the stress, placing a lukewarm beer on your skater denim thighs. Your favorite low-rise jeans. They were a dark wash color, a perfect fit and were tattered with embroidered stars with a little distress.
"Care for a beer?" She asks, a tad too loud for your close proximity, "Oh my god Robin, for the last time, NO. And you reek of beer, get back." She rolls her eyes at your order, "Ugh rude! Don't be such a bummer, just take the beer. See? Here, I'll help you since your hands are full." She drunkenly puts the unopened beer can to your lips, tipping it up and down. "Huh, nothing's coming out, strange-", you grab both of her wrists with one hand and turn down the volume, "Robin! For heaven's sake please put it down, you're blocking my vision. Gosh, who the hell let her sit in the front! Guys mind giving me a hand? Geez!" You continuously swat Robin's hands away while trying to keep a steady steering hand. "Princess, you let her sit in the front. Remember? So, you did that to yourself."
"Okay well, I wasn't expecting much help from you anyway. And stop calling me princess, dingus."
"Stop calling me dingus, princess." He retorts with a chuckle in his voice. That motherfucker, he probably gets off on stressing and teasing you.
Nancy grabs onto the back of your seat, pulling herself towards you, "Nuh uh, no, not today. Both of you shut up. You're acting like children. Why do you hate each other so much anyway?" You both shut up, waiting for the other to give a response.
You didn't answer because you didn't actually hate Eddie. You only acted like this because he hated you first. Well, you interpreted it as hate. He would just straight up ignore you. You used to have a crush on him, giggling like a little schoolgirl when he'd pass you in the halls. You thought that maybe he was just dense, but then your best friend Chrissy exposed your little crush to him. Yet, he still did nothing about it.
None of that mattered your junior year though. You decided to put yourself out there like Chrissy did. You were social, prettier, and had the school's hotshot, Jason Carver on your arm. He wasn't your type, but everyone kissed the ground you walked on so why complain? Why complain about the times he would chew with his mouth open? Why complain about the times he'd brag about how your tits bounced when he fucked you? Totally leaving out the part where he only lasted 30 seconds of the "pounding" he gave you. You'd always rant about it to Chrissy, both of you rolling your eyes and snickering when he'd talk about it.
Through Chrissy, you met Steve, Nancy, and Robin, all your best friends to this day. Y'all would go out for milkshakes, watch movies, go to the mall and have a blast. Things were settling down nicely for your senior year.
But then, Eddie wormed his way back into your life through your shared friends and classes. Suddenly, ignoring and hating him was starting to get exhausting. How could you hate someone with good music taste? You'd act disgusted when his trashy drug den of a van pulled into the school's student parking lot or Steve's driveway. Then you'd notice Metallica's 'battery' pouring out the speakers of his car and can't help but bob your head.
Then there was his sweet and smile. His smile was angelic. All the leather studded jackets and band patches in the word couldn't dim the brightness that is his smile. It was a little crooked, but his lips were perfect.
And his hair– God, his hair. How much you longed to curl your fingers in his soft frizzy locs. Run your fingers through and grip it at the scalp while he devours you like a starved man– No. You are past that phase and over him. But as you'd like to think, none of that mattered anymore. You broke up with Jason, still had your friends, and still didn't like Eddie. If only you knew that Eddie never actually hated you either.
–
You swallow hard at the question that sits tensely in the air between you two. He notices your silence on the topic, a smug grin easing its way to his face, "Cat got your tongue?" You can hear the teasing sarcasm in his voice, practically oozing out his mouth. "Oh yeah? Why don't you answer it? You have a mind and mouth of your own." Glares exchange through the rear view mirror before you break away.
"Nancy, please." You plea, not waiting for Eddie's clapback. Nancy sighs, not wanting to hear you both argue like kids anymore. "Okay. Come on Robin, you've had enough time in the front seat." She skillfully maneuvers Robin out the front seat and buckles her into the back with them, all in the blink of an eye. "Thank you." You give her a sickly sweet smile and shoot Eddie a nasty look. A couple more turns and you arrive at Steve's house.
"We're here, kids. Get the hell out of my car." You joke. "Let me remind you to never have kids." Eddie chuckles. You try your hardest to seem indifferent from that and the banter you had with him in the car, but your demeanor still slips from under your hands. "Right, says the druggie and seller. Plus, I don't think your house is in living condition for kids or anyone ever." You slam your car door, locking it and marching up to Steve's door with a tired look plastered on your face.
"Hah, she called you a druggie. Me personally, Eddie. I wouldn't take that." Robin laughs, leaning on Nancy's shoulder as she pulls her out the backseat. Eddie punches her arm, "Yeah whatever. And you know damn well that you'd take that."
"Yeah, I would." She bites her lip in thought.
You bang on Steve's door again, pulling out your phone to call him since he still hasn't answered the door. You guys have been standing out on the porch for what, 5 minutes? "Knock again, maybe you didn't do it hard enough." Nancy suggests. You knock again, putting your ear to the door. "Oh wow, look at Sherlock over here." He taunts and you flip him off. "Shut up. There's music blasting through the door. No wonder he can't hear us." "Okay well, can you make him hear us, because Robin's really heavy." Nancy readjusts Robin on her shoulder while you dial Steve's number on your Cityman Nokia. "Well, aren't you updated with the times?" Eddie glares at your phone. It had just dropped at the beginning of the year. Within seconds of it ringing the door flies open with a casually dressed Steve leaning against the doorway and a turkey sandwich in his hand.
He takes a bite, "So how was the drive?" A genuine question that you can't help but lean into his chest, head first. "Haha, very funny. You knew damn well what you were doing when you said I was driving." You put more of your weight onto him and he pats the top of your head for comfort. "Oh haha. Lemme guess, Robin road in the front?" You nod, "Damn, drunk?" You nod again as he looks up from the top of your head to Robin. "Damn, want a sandwich?" You nod once more. "Can we please hurry this interaction up or give me a hand." Nancy gestures to Robin. Steve finishes his sandwich and shuffles you inside.
——
"Mhm! Oh my god, Steveeeee." You moan, dancing in your seat. "This is so good!" Eddie rolls his eyes at your chipperness. The entirety of bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and turkey all toasted on one sandwich. Steve laughs, enjoying your enjoyment. "Glad you like it. I usually have mine with chips, but I ate the last bag yesterday."
"That's fine. Got any pop?" You bounce happily in your chair before your mood is abruptly ruined by Eddie interjecting from the other side of the island. "I'm sorry, what? Pop? You mean soda? Hell, I'd even take soda pop or fizzy pop, but just pop?" You stop dancing to give emphasis to you not liking his tone or the fact that he was talking to you in general. "Yes, just pop. Steve knows what I'm talking about anyway. Isn't that right?" You put a hand out waiting for said drink to be put in your hand. The refrigerator opens and closes and the cold drink is placed into your palm then you shove it in his face. It was Coca-cola. Eddie sighs, fingers rubbing the space between his eyes, not bothering to continue the argument. "Dingus." You say under your breath, cracking open the can.
"So, what do you guys want to do?" Steve pauses, rounding the counter and plopping down on the floor across from Nancy and Robin. "Because I don't have a movie planned."
A sharp gasp comes from Robin. "No Fast Times?"
"No? That movie is worn out anyway. Maybe another day though." He says, getting up to look at his movie catalog before Nancy excitedly jumps up. "YES! THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. IT'S SO WORN OUT." She says, earning a silent laugh from you. You catch Eddie glaring at you once more. "Why can't you ever take your eyes off of me? I always catch you staring." You say, finishing your sandwich. "Because, I'm just so in love. Your beauty is captivating, my love." He says, almost making it sound genuine, but the hint of sarcasm gives it away. "Oh, watch out. You almost made me fall for it." You finish your sandwich and join the others in the living room.
"How about marry, kiss, kill?" You suggest, taking a memory foam pillow from the sofa and sitting down at the coffee table. Robin suddenly takes interest in the convo ever since getting shut down for the movie. "Ooooh, good one. How about we add fuck, too. Just to spice it up."
Eddie joins the rest of you in the living room, plopping down on the sofa between Nancy and Robin as she starts the game. "Hmm. Nancy, you first. Jason, Fred, Chance, and Steve." Her face scrunches up with every name drop, the look of disgust written all over it. "Fred?! You just had to put that one in there." She pauses, shooting Robin a devastated look as you snicker. Oh the betrayal. Robin rolls her eyes, finally starting to come back to herself after all the cups of cold water Nancy shoved down her throat. "Oh come on, spit it out."
"Alright, fine. This is speaking as if me and Jonathan aren't together, okay? Marry Steve. Kill Jason. Kiss Fred. Fuck Chance." The group's eyes go wide with surprise. "Have you always thought about killing my ex?" You tease, looking offended, but you really weren't. Hell, you'd help with the murder. "Yes! Oh my god he's such a dickhead. I talked to him for the newspaper and he was sunshine and smiles during it, then turned around and tried to tell me how to do my job after. Saying stuff like," She pauses, clearing her voice to mimic his dopey voice. "Oh, don't forget to add the part where I'm captain of the basketball team and how many shots I scored in the last game." Mind you, the question I asked him was, "How do you feel about the bullying incidents and what would you do to prevent it?" Since he's supposed to be one of the school leaders. Ugh, he just gets on my nerves. I'm so glad you dumped his ass because I cannot stand by and let one of my friends date a literal piece of shit on the floor." Her manic rant stops as she places her hands back on her lap, not realizing she was using them to talk in the first place.
"So…Um, fuck chance huh?" Steve says, picking the conversation back up. "Yeah. I've talked to him a couple of times for the newspaper club and he's really nice. Plus he's got nice hair and facial structure." She waits for responses, but everyone just looks around in agreement. "Okay, Y/n." From the way she says your name, you know she's about to fuck you up with this one. "Gareth, Eddie, Andy, and Patrick." "Ugh. Two people each from the 'freak' and 'dickhead squad.'" You ignore the glare from Eddie and put your elbow on the coffee table in front of you, leaning into your hand in thought. "Okay, I think I got it. Marry Gareth. Kiss Andy. Fuck Patrick. Kill Eddie." You close your eyes and list all of them on one hand, some laughs, some eye rolls, specifically one from Eddie. "You'd fuck Patrick but Kill me?" "Yeah, I was shocked. Eddie is very fuckable." Steve says while Robin agrees, getting a sideways look from Nancy. "Not fuckable by me of course. I just meant that as a compliment if I was straight. You know?" She clarifies. "He's got a cute face, nice hair, and he's the perfect height. I wouldn't mind being married to that cutie pie. I feel bad though because he's probably so innocent, he looks it too. I'd ruin him with our relationship." You laugh. "Oh well. It's not like I wouldn't love doing that anyway." "Yeah right. As if my princess could ruin anyone." Eddie stares you down from the couch, thighs clenching from his whole demeanor and 'my princess'. "Don't call me that and I'm not yours." You say in a hushed tone. "It's fun to watch you deny that nickname. I know you love it, princess." He inches closer to you.
"I don't." You inch.
"Do." He inches.
"I hate it as much as I hate you." You inch.
"I also find that hard to believe." He stops inching closer, anymore and you'd be kissing. You totally didn't want that. Robin would've joked around and said 'Kiss already!', but she didn't want the death glare and possible death that would come with it. She could see it now, both of you hovering over her as Eddie chokes her out and you high five him. Her face going blue and vision fading to black before going to the light or who knows maybe she was going to hell. She prayed she wouldn't. But this isn't about her, and that never happened, only in her drunken coming sober thoughts. Where it shall stay.
You both hover over the coffee table as the rest watch. He leaves you speechless, no clapback, not even a huff. Only a broken glare, but your silence says all he needs to know. You slam your hands on the table and walk away, visually startling everyone, but Eddie. He doesn't even flinch. "Don't you walk away from me!" Eddie follows after, his long legs mindlessly stepping over Robin's feet with ease as you two bicker. "Don't tell me what to do! You're not my dad." You storm the hallway, stepping into the closest room, being a guest bedroom. You try to shut the door in his face, but he's right behind you, hot on your heels. He gets a foot in the door as you shut it, luckily for him, his platforms are thick so it didn't do much damage. He flings the door open forcefully, sending you back into a dresser. He slams the door loudly.
"Should we do something?" Steve looks down the hallway from where he is. "Can you see anything?" Robin askes, but he shakes his head. "The door is closed." Nancy rubs her temples, "I feel like we should do something, but I don't wanna be the one to get hurt. Like what if they turn on me because I get in between their 'lovers quarrel'? I don't wanna find out." They both nod their head in agreement. "Yeah, I say we step in if we hear stuff being thrown or like actual violence. Right now we should be on standby." Steve announces as if it was a real plan. In reality, they just didn't want to interfere.
Eddie cages you between the dresser and himself, so close you could feel his uneven breath on your face. Your bodies glued against each other, his leg separating both of yours, and brushing against your cunt. His hands on the outside of yours, chests almost touching if not the height difference. Both of you stand idly in this position, calming your breathing, taking a moment to assess the situation you've gotten yourselves into. You try to move from under him to clear your head, accidentally rubbing your cunt with the thigh that separates your legs. A moan almost slips, but you bite your lip, hoping he doesn't notice. He does. "Hm? Got something to say princess?" He hunches over you, easing down to your level. "Fuck you!" "You'd like that wouldn't you?" His leg shifts again, feeding your entrance and clit that delicious friction it hasn't had in a while. You let out a muffled curse, "You want my attention so bad." Eddie's face contorts into fake confusion, trying to brush it off. "What?" "You heard me. Always making little quips even when I'm not talking to you. When I am talking to you, you always tease me. It seems like you love talking to me. You can't get enough of it. If you hated me as much as you say, you wouldn't call me princess. It seems like I'm not the only one that enjoys that nickname." You smirk, seeing his composure crack before quickly recovering. "So, you do like that nickname?" Your face turns hot from embarrassment. Oops, you didn't realize you had let that slip out. You got ahead of yourself and your mouth ran faster than your brain. Now it's at the finish line and you're sitting there looking dumb at the start. "I, I don't." You don't even know why you're still lying at this point. You've been found out.
"We both know that's a lie." His lips find your neck as he lifts you onto the brown hardwood dresser you've been pressed against. He settles his hips between your legs. "Fuuuuuck. Fuck you." You begin to trip on your words, every sentence comes out with a stutter in it. "Just say the word and this can all end." Your train of thought evaporates when he finds that sweet spot on your neck, stamping hickeys that will definitely show with your clothing choices. He notices your silence and starts to pull away, afraid that he overstepped. "Don't! Don't stop, please." Your begging goes straight to his groin and your arms wrap around his neck, ensuring that he won't go anywhere. "Oh? You sound so sweet for me, princess." You give in, not complaining about the nickname and focusing on the growing heat between your legs. It was just a stupid nickname that you might or might not think about in the shower while you imagine his head between your thighs.
He takes his hand from your hips and slides it under your shirt, groaning when he's found with a bra. "What, can you not get it off by yourself?" You reach a hand behind to help him before he slaps it away. "No, I got it." He skillfully unhooks with one hand, your eyebrows lifting in surprise as he laughs. "I'm not a virgin and a loser. I pick and choose my struggles, okay?" He pulls your shirt above your head to be met with your breast. They sit perfectly on your chest, perfect size, perfect for your body, perfectly soft. He groans lowly while teasing your nipples, your tits fit perfectly into his cold ring-clad fingers. He plays with them like a kid with their first slinky, completely mesmerized, squeezing and squishing them together. His hot mouth encases one of your taunt nipples as you fight the urge to slip your fingers into his hair. "Go ahead. I know you want to." It's almost as if he read your mind. "I know you love the curls, all the girls do." You roll your eyes. "So, grip it if you need to." He smirks up at you through full black eyelashes, trailing his kisses lower to the waist of your jeans, which you didn't know he unbuttoned. His fingers slide against the skin of your hips, looping around your jeans and tugging them down your legs. Leaving the wet area on your panties exposed to him. "Well, would you look at that? You've soaked right through them." His words fluster you, but before you can reply, he's grabbing you by the back of your knees and pulling you closer to the edge, your ass only half way on the dresser now. He drops to his knees, your legs thrown over his shoulders, clutching one by the back of your knee again. He levels with your soaking cunt, giving it an experimental lick, not for you, but for himself. He slides your panties off, letting out a groan from the sight. Your beautiful pussy, glistening because of him. He runs a thick finger up your puffy folds to your clit, rubbing gentle circles as he watches your chest heave from pleasure.
Eddie continues to mindlessly tease your sensitive clit. Pulling muffled and bitten back moans from you. You hoist yourself up, trying your best to roll your hips farther onto his face, but he holds you down. "Eager now, are we?." He nips around the area you need him the most. Kissing and licking your thighs. "You must want to get your hair pulled, whore." He bites at your thigh harder than before. "Says the one getting her pussy eaten by her "sworn enemy". Isn't that ironic?" "Oh shut up. You haven't even-" Your tongue gets caught in your throat blocking the moan that dares to leave your lips.
It was supposed to be a petty lick to make you shut up and appreciate what he was giving you, but he couldn't believe how sweet you were. The lust clouding his brain, his dick hard and leaking precum, pressing impossibly hard against his jeans, all factors working together to drive him more crazy. He starts to lap at your pussy, slurping and suckling the juices as you try to pull away from the sudden pleasure, but the grip on your thighs tighten possessively. You glance down at him to see his eyes, pupils blown wide and clouded with lust. He's eating your pussy like a starved man, sloppy and the bottom half of his face soaked with your juices. He's wrapping his lips around your clit, sucking kisses to it when he slips a finger in you. God, your walls are so velvety soft and what he wouldn't give to be in them. His fingers could be in you for hours, past the wrinkling stage.
Loud moans and curses erupt from your throat, hoping your friends in the other room didn't hear. That somehow the loud noises went unheard or they were suddenly deaf. They didn't. They can and did hear everything.
"So… So, I guess they're not fighting anymore." Nancy pauses, picking stubborn threads from the old couch. "Um, yeah… So uh. PIZZA! Yea pizza, y'all wanna go get some pizza? I mean I didn't make either of you a sandwich earlier. You must be hungry." Steve tries to carry the convo while Nancy and Robin nod their heads in agreement. "Yup! Haha, absolutely famished." Robin says, really playing it up. "Yeah! I mean, like when was the last time we ate? Three days ago? Haha!" A heavy silence sits between the three of them, then Steve grabs his keys. "So! Um, let's go get that pizza!" Fake smiles emerge from all of them, trying to act like two of their friends weren't in the next room fucking. "Oh, Shot-"
"No Robin. You're not riding shotgun."
"Aw man."
The loud shutting of the front door can be heard by you and Eddie, but you didn't care and apparently he didn't either. He begins to give your pussy little kitten licks. Fuck, is he teasing again? What is his problem? You're already dripping and desperate for him. He is enjoying this all too much.
You grab him by the hair, eliciting a moan and shove his face in your cunt. "Eat." You demand as Eddie looks up at you through those fucking eyelashes again. His hands resting on your marked up inner thighs. You weren't the only one enjoying the view, though. You thought you looked absolutely crazy right now, chest heaving unevenly, a sheet of sweat coating your body, your shirt sticking to your breast from the sweat and pupils blown out just like Eddie's, but he was loving it. If only he could pause time and save this image forever or had the artistic ability to paint this moment how he sees fit. The image alone could make him cum in his pants. You panting over him, fed up with his teasing and finally putting him in his place. He obeys, using the tip of his nose to rub circles on your clit as his tongue plunges in and out of you. Your head falls back against the mirror behind you.
Both of your hands pull his hair as you roll onto his face, desperate moans pouring out of your mouth. He continues to moan into your pussy, coaxing you closer to your orgasm with vibrations. Your eyes shut when he slides two fingers in you, not wasting any time on delaying your orgasm. His efforts have your legs shaking in his grip as you gush on his face. He watches intensively, eyes flickering between your fucked out but satisfied face and your spasming pussy. Your precious moans turning into whines of his name as he fingers you into overstimulation. He slips his fingers out and slurps up the rest of your essence.
Your eyes open when you feel his lips on yours, tasting a bit of yourself on him. You moan into the kiss, giving his tongue the opportunity to explore your mouth. Your hands move to his chest, pushing him back to slide off the dresser. You push him backwards towards the bed and drop to your knees. Placing one hand on the wet tent in his pants before he grabs it.
"I want to." You assure him before he says anything.
"But you don't have to."
"But I want to."
"I said you don't have to."
"I said I want to."
"Fine! I don't want you to then." You look at him in confusion before he continues.
"I don't consent. I won't let you." You narrow your eyes at him before dropping the topic. "You're a weird one, Eddie Munson." You start to gather your clothes and head to the bathroom. "Oh, can you change out here?" He says, ushering ahead of you and shutting the door. "Oh, okay?"
Eddie shuts the door behind him, his eyes falling on the situation in his pants. He manically searches the bathroom for a rag he can use to clean the cum out of the inside of his pants, luckily it didn't soak through yet. Yet. He undoes his studded belt and lets his pants fall to the floor, finding a rag and scrubbing the best he can with hand soap. He can be heard huffing and puffing from outside the door, "Hey Eddie. Lemme ask you a question." He nearly jumps out his skin. He thought you already got dressed and left. "Um okay? Shoot."
"How come you hate me so much?"
"Oh princess, I never hated you." He tries to multitask, but fails terribly and almost slips on the bottom of his pants. Luckily, he grabbed onto the sink.
"Oh yeah? Well, you always ignored me. Chrissy told you I had a huge crush and you still didn't make a move or try to talk to me."
"Oh yeah. That. To me you were such a sweet girl. I thought you were too good for me and you'd leave me in the dust with nothing but my heart to hold." He stops scrubbing, reminiscing about the said times.
"You were too good to be true. You were too good for me. You were top of our class and you already had colleges knocking at your door. I didn't have dreams that big. I didn't want to dim your light." He trails off, starting back to scrubbing.
"Why didn't you let me make that decision? I should get to choose who I hang out with." He can hear you stepping closer until you finally lean against the door, back first he assumes.
"I just wanted the best for you." He takes a dry towel and soaks up as much of the wetness as possible. Almost dry. He fits his pants back on, opening the door slowly to ensure you had enough time to move.
Then he feels a fist against his chest. "I hate you, you know." He smiles down at you, "From someone that was rubbing their pussy on my face, I don't believe that." You both walk out the door into the hallway to be met with the smell of pizza and your group of friends plus Chrissy. "Oh hey! I ran into these guys at Domino's." She grabs a slice and holds it out to you two. "Pizza?"
So! I finished my first playthrough of Andromeda Six a couple days ago and I enjoyed it a lot! I had a lot of fun going through the story and I'm really excited for the next chapter even if it's probably gonna be a while till it's out-
I really wanted to ramble about the game here on tumblr so I thought that just for fun I could make a list about what I liked and didn't like about the game! The list will be under the cut :)
DISCLAIMER Just in case: This is in no way meant to be some objective/critical review about the game this is literally just meant to be me rambling my opinion sooo don't take this too seriously. Also story spoilers!!!
Alright the things I liked!!:
The Main Story: I'm a sucker for fun space sci-fi adventures with spcaeships and planets and aliens etc etc especially when the main characters are a group of vagabond rouges (with found family sprinkled in :>) so that was an immediate eye catcher for me. Also the fact that the plot is a "Lost heir has to take back the throne" type deal was really cool too, a little cliche? sure but I never take that as a bad thing
The Characters: Pretty much every single character was a delight to see in action, June was probably my favourite character out of everyone (even though I didn't play his route lmao-) followed closely behind by Vexx and Damon. The entire A6 crew were so fun to watch interact and talk and I always found myself wanting to see more of them. The only character I could say I didn't like was Zane, but everyone else was really fun!
The Art: Not much to say here, the arts just really nice, I wanna see if I can find the main artist on social media somewhere. The backgrounds especially are beautifully done
The 'Nerissa is Alive!!' reveal: After looking through the tags for A6 I saw that this specific plot twist was a bit of a hot topic among the fandom so I thought I'd share my opinion on it too. For the most part, I liked the reveal! I mainly love the fact that the reveal gives way to more drama regarding the MC and their future and how they can decide if they want to immediately revert back to their status as royalty and work alongside their older sister to restablish the monarchy, or decide they think the monarchy was kindas shitty even when Zovack wasn't in charge and they'd rather get to be their own person with the A6 crew. I'm really hoping that choosing to do the latter (which is what I did) leads to a lot of tension between the MC and Nerissa, possibly even a huge fight (Siblings to enemies even?? that would be amazing imo). Overall I think the plot twist could lead to a lot of cool stuff and I'm eager to see what Wanderlust Games does with it
And now onto things I didn't like:
Some of the Writing: Yeah... Honestly even though I enjoyed the game and it's story there's a couple things about the writing I didn't like that much. I won't list everything I found iffy but my biggest gripe is that the game has a lot of tell don't show, don't get me wrong I'm no writing master and it's not the worst thing in the world, but the moments where the characters would just info dump their entire life story in a conversation kinda irked me a bit, I wish we could learn the characters individual stories in a different way
The Pacing: I get that this is a small team limited to a 10 chapter story but tbh I wish the story could've moved just a tad bit slower so we could spend more time in each planet since it feels way too quick and we get limited to only seeing one small part of an entire planet. I also understand that there were probably both out of story and in story reasons as the why we only got to spend such a short amount of time on certain planets, but still, I just kinda wish we got to stay in one place for a bit longer
The Character Design: Okay, so for the most part I think the character designs are all pretty good, I like the clothes and how everyone feels very distinct from one another, overall the game has good character design. It's just that... in my opinion... the designs for the alien species..... are SO DAMN BORING!! The Tilaari I think looks fine even if I think they'd look more interesting if they had at least one alien feature like extra eyes or horns or something, other than that though they look fine. The Kithalpha though... oh my god.... I went into the game reading the description and expecting to see some cool mix of fish and human but instead I get the most bland alien design ever, it's literally just a human but with gills! I didn't even notice there were Kithalpha characters!!!! The game had to tell me that Ayame and the green guy were Kithalpha!!! Other than that I would've never known!!! And that's terrible!!!! (Not to mention that if I'm remembering correctly the game doesn't even say once that Vexx was part Kithalpha, I had to find that out from the Dev's twitter) I'm not even saying that they had to look like some monster alien creature of the black lagoon type thing but the Kithalpha characters couldve had just something anything that made them more distinct! Give them fins or scales or a tail heck ANYTHING FISH RELATED!!!! THEYRE DESCRIBED AS HUMANOID CREATURES WITH THE ABILITY TO ADAPT TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT BUT WE JUST GOT HUMAN + GILLS????? I was so dissatisfied with how boring the Kihtalpha looked that I actively gave my MC more inhuman features despite them being a Kithalpha, fuck the canon Kithalpha look my MC's gonna be a special little snowflake and the devs can't stop me
And Lastly, The 'Nerissa is Alive!' Reveal: So... Yeah. While I do like the twist itself cause of the possibilities, I'm gonna be honest I do agree that the set-up/execution was pretty shit. I don't wanna harp on this too much because this can be fixed as the game updates and gets completed, but still the twist ends up making things feel confusing or downright pointless in hindsight. My biggest annoyance was how literally in the episode right before the reveal we literally get a whole explanation from Vexx describing how he shot and killed Nerissa, like he literally told us how he held the body and saw all the blood but then one episode later surprise Nerissa is doing just fine, there's not even an explanation as to how she survived that (I think I read somewhere that apparently the devs said she was shot through the heart?? Idk if that's true but if it is I- How the fuck did she survive that????) we're just told that K just took her and dipped. Again, this is stuff that can be fixed later on, but it's still kinda annoying
----------
Aaaaand that's about it! Again, don't take this as a critical review, despite my gripes with the game I do still genuinely enjoy it
I'm probably gonna ramble about the game some more in the future, mainly about my MC cause damn did I fall in love with and hyperfixate on him so hard as I was playing. Honestly I'm kinda inspired to create a mini rewrite of the story from my MC's proper perspective without the VN's limitations kinda like how the tumblr account andromedasix did that with their MC
OFMD S2 SPOILERS KINDA MAYBE IDK HOW TO TAG THIS SHIT???!!!
Picture from (unlisted) clip from Max!!
IGNORE IF YOU DONT WANT ANALYSIS AND SHIT ABOUT SPOILER CLIPS!!!!
Izzy lovers after seeing that clip:
For real, though.. that's episode one? COOL, can't wait to sob 😭. Con O'Neill's acting is GORGEOUS as always and my word, does he sell the character. It's out of character for Izzy yet still so in character and that is splendid. So! A few rambles if anyone care to indulge because I have re-watched the clip wayy too much already:
A. The Crew
I know this is a romcom but I find it wild that Jim and Frenchie seem to have some amount of care for Izzy rather than the off-put "what is happening" sort of reaction I would've expected. Fang has shown his own sweet self in season one, it makes sense he would be so nice to Izzy, but Stede's crew? Who wanted to mutiny the DAY Izzy became captain? Again, it's a romcom, I'm sure there's not much to it, but like what would have happened in the months between Ed's returned and this clip that they would care enough? Does Blackbeard get THAT bad and THAT obvious in his treatment of Izzy? Potentially even his treatment of the crew? Like I want to know when the crew realize "shit, he isn't treating that little fucker right." Like obviously his fucking toes getting snipped off isn't exactly a good sign, but when are they like "mmmm somethings not right" yk
Stede's crew was always very open about caring for each other (in their own ways) so maybe it's simply that, plus Stede's influence on them still shining through, but yk, I like being way too fucking deep into things. Also I really want to see more of the nicer Fang/Izzy interactions, mainly bc I love Fang and I love Izzy, but them interacting this season seems like such a nice little addition.
Also, not only does the crew seem so worried, but Izzy LETS them be worried. He doesn't try to escape the situation, he stands there and lets it happen, with the SMALLEST bit of fighting Fang and of course biting back his sobs. He's rendered completely vulnerable, as he seemingly can't talk much without crying, so he can't really make orders (least not in a very strong or commanding way like usual) and he probably can't walk too well. He's sick and vulnerable and has to put his trust in the crew in that moment.
B. Fucking hell, Izzy
Izzy already has tears in his eyes when the scene begins. It makes me think of two things; either maybe Fang or Frenchie brought up the situation with Blackbeard or something similar (likely in the more comical, laid back way, not actually thinking about Izzy's part in the situation) and it makes Izzy upset with everything's that been happening, then that leads to his breaking. Or alternatively, he could literally just be in so much pain (physically) with his leg, assuming it's likely getting pretty bad at that point, that he can't help but cry. Either way, the distress would easily lead even a man like Izzy to some sort of breaking point, like the clip shows, and it hurts my heart but also it's so good.
Additional thought and more of a "I'd read this in a fanfic" type of delulu deal: Izzy states that they've run out of room on the revenge bc of the looting, pretty much, but the way he starts the scene indicates some sort of conversation prior. While it's probably more likely that they were all just looking around their shit and trying to make room or figure out a plan to separate it all and such, then Izzy could've sat down with a tear bc he's probably in a lot of fucking pain, I would love the consider the possibility of Ed getting upset with the situation. Maybe he isn't listening when Izzy tries to explain the situation, maybe he's having a bit of an emotional day and he's being all "Blackbeard 🤬👹" bc of it, maybe he's raising his voice, who tf knows, and maybe it gets to Izzy that particular day and then boom, yk.
C. Hopes and desires (except I'm delulu)
The possibilities that that scene alone can lead to makes my brain scatter and run to grab all of them holy shit. The idea of some of the crew staging a sort of intervention for Izzy and his obsession with/love for Blackbeard. The idea of Izzy getting a little, teensy weensy more comfortable with some of them after this because fuck they saw the man BREAK even if it's just for those few seconds after all. The idea that THATS what helps push his character growth into motion. The idea that this plus after his amputation, he grows to trust the crew more, or trust them with more of himself anyway. The idea of him growing closer to them and realizing Blackbeard isn't the only person on this ship he can or should devote his life of piracy to. The idea of his motto of loyalty changing from "loyalty to the captain" to "loyalty to the captain and his crew." The idea that most of them keep Izzy's slip a secret but then someone spits it out by accident and either Ed rethinks things, ignores it, or he and Izzy both get a "what happened to you" talk from each other (probably in a bad way but the potential for a healthy chat is always there). The idea of Stede and him having a chat about love (doubting Izzy would fully realize he's obsessed/in love with Ed, but) and Stede basically telling Izzy what Mary told him, and that just confuses Izzy further - "It's easy" "it's just like breathing" - there's no way in hell that description fits Izzy's relationship with Ed (least not anymore, clearly) so what else could he possibly be feeling?
D. Final thoughts
All I know is Izzy is so clearly a fucking broken man at the START of the season. It's very promising for his character growth, which sounds weird but it stands. It's likely his leg is all infected in this scene, considering the false leg in the trailer, so that means we might be getting an amputation scene (or at least a reference to one). We might be getting some relationship growth between Izzy and the crew rather than just him and Stede, which I heavily look forward to. I'm a big Stede fan, but I would love to see Izzy and the crew actually be sort of acquaintances rather than pure co-pirates. I would especially love some more Fang and Izzy. They've clearly had some sort of positive relationship if Fang can hug him without facing some sort of physical aggression, so I would love to see it. Also, Fang's "how you doing, Izzy?" and "am I crushing you?" were the best lines I've heard so far, I fucking love him and his genuine care.
Also this screenshot makes me want to draw him sooo bad. The lighting, the expression, the scenery, everything is so perfect and sorrowfully angry.
AHH it's eating me up. I have worms in my brain and their names are Izzy, Stede, and whatever the fuck this scene is. I have more art ideas now too uhg
I was tagged by @bamsara (on my main @onethirdofimpossible but most of my readers follow me here for cotl stuff so I'm posting it here)
I tag @i-eat-deodorant and @megsiepoo!
Under the readmore because this is long as shit
1 – How many works do you have on AO3?
69 BAYBEEEE
2 – What’s your total AO3 word count?
213,360 words published
3 – What fandoms do you write for?
Previously: Pokemon (no longer online), Steven Universe, a few Deep-Sea Prisoner games (Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea, The Grey Garden, Ice Scream)
Currently: Cult of the Lamb
4 – What are your top five fics by kudos?
The Care and Keeping of Eldritch Gods. Until the rewrite of RL/FG is done, this is my magnum opus
Present My first ever CotL fic. This was the first time I'd written fic in like four years and I was dusting off my writing muscles...
Smitten soft narilamb....
Cat(nip) Boy wrote this for shits and giggles in my early fandom days. The One Who Waits on catnip
How Narinder Takes His Tea First part of the old RL/FG series. Though I'm remaking it as a longform multichap fic, I'm keeping up the old series because of the memories + I don't want other people who saved the old one to lose it.
5 – Do you respond to comments?
All the time! I was able to respond to literally every single comment back in 2022, but as last year went on, I realized I probably can't realistically do that anymore. It's a blessing and a curse.
6 – What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?
We already knew how this would turn out. Title not given directly in my answer in case of spoilers. My readers saw it coming because I had built up to it, but I took my time writing the gradual reveal in the last chapter to make sure it landed the way I wanted it to.
And one more comment I won't post here bc (for anyone who wants to read it) spoils the ending but shoutout to the person who physically felt the shock lurch through their body when the realization hit them after the slow build-up.
As much as I love angsty stories with happy endings, what gets me more are stories that are happy at face value, with endings that are heartwrenching because of the underbelly of what lurked beneath that facade.
7 – What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?
The Risen Lamb and the Fallen God. Bit a spoilers below if you're avoiding that
The original wedding fic (as part of the original series) is up, but it's going to get a good polishing in the rewrite. Lambert and Narinder are going to have a private first dance, Thenana and Narinder are going to have a deeper conversation, Ratau's interactions with Lambert are gonna be shown rather than just told, Aym and Baal will be revived.
8 – Do you get hate on fics?
Mostly no. There was one time last year that I was compared to another writer in the fandom and slowly asks evolved into "your own concepts are being done better by others" and shit, and the other writer got hate messages as well, and... well, it was a whole thing. Don't wanna talk too in detail about it because I don't wanna beat a dead horse but cotl writers have unionized so we got the last laugh I guess
9 – Do you write smut? If so, what kind?
lol ya it's on remainderofreality. What "kind?" uh. experimental because I'd never tried the genre before this fandom and it kinda shows but that's okay.
10 – Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?
Honestly, I'm not really into crossovers! Unless it's Webber in cotl. He can stay, he's cute.
11 – Have you ever had a fic stolen?
Yeah. It was actually the first fic I posted online, ever. In middle school, I wrote a whole ~100k-ish word self-insert pokemon fanfic, which I wrote by hand in like five composition notebooks, so I never posted that online. But after that I decided to post shorter one-shots for pokemon online, and a few months later I found one of mine reposted without credit. Plagiarized entirely, basically. It scared me and I deleted everything I had posted online, and I don't have extra copies of the works now. :(
12 – Have you ever had a fic translated?
Nope, but I'd be okay with it if I was asked beforehand and proper credit was given!
13 – Have you ever co-written a fic?
Yeah! Of Duty and Devotion is basically a glorified roleplay between me as Aym, @i-eat-deodorant as Baal, @checkplzjuliet as The Lamb, and @surfdudeboy as Narinder. I also wrote Hide and Seek, a cute little Bishop family one-shot, with @lordiedams (hi Damien I miss you).
14 – What’s your all-time favorite ship?
Narilamb. I haven't focused on a ship for this long, except maybe Rupphire back in the day, but I'm fixated so much more on CotL than I was for SU.
15 – What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?
Honestly, Of Duty and Devotion lmao. I'm much more focused on my own projects and so are Pavi, Surf, and Juliet. I do want to finish it though.
16 – What are your writing strengths?
Pacing, diction, syntax, getting the intended point across and doing it well. Once I commit to doing something, I don't usually let myself "give up" on it, hence why I barely have any unfinished WIPs. That's a skill honed with tons of practice, though. I have massive ADHD, and I'm bad at finishing things, but when it comes to writing by god I'm gonna do it.
17 – What are your writing weaknesses?
I often struggle to get to a point where I'm totally focused in on what I'm writing. It does happen once or twice a month, but honestly, I'm usually so busy with life stuff that I don't get to do that most of the time! I wish I had more time to make room for my hobbies, but alas. At least summer is coming up, and I'll be able to do that more often, hopefully!
18 – Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?
It's possible to do it naturally for sure, but I rarely see it done well in fic. I've never attempted it...... or, wait, have I? I guess Thenana's sign language counts, huh? ...I feel like I need to do more research about this topic to answer the question properly.
19 – First fandom you wrote for?
Pokemon <3
20 – Favorite fic you’ve written?
The Risen Lamb and the Fallen God or The Care and Keeping of Eldritch Gods.
Risen/Fallen (and the enemies-to-lovers narilamb dynamic) was like the first thing that I did to make a "mark" on this fandom, and I didn't expect it to inspire so many people for sure! But, the first iteration of the series was so rushed. I wrote the whole thing in just over three weeks and averaged one chapter published every day and a half. Now that I have a better grasp on the characters after playing with them for a long while, I get to see my improvement, and I get to see so many friends I've made along the way sticking with me, the revamped "director's cut" version is definitely on track to be my favorite work.
However. It has yet to surpass Care and Keeping. As the oldest of four kids in my family, I based so much of Shamura on my experiences as an eldest sibling, and many of the experiences the younger bishops had in their formative years on our own childhoods. I based Narinder's childhood off of brother #1's (brother who is two years younger than me), Kallamar's childhood on my own, Heket's childhood on my sister's (five years younger than me), and Leshy's off of my youngest brother's (ten years younger than me). This story wasn't just an exploration of the Bishops and their dynamic/relationship pre-canon, it's also a testament to my own love as an eldest sibling... and all the anxiety associated with that, too.
Thanks for tagging me! Back to working on my presentation...
It's been a couple of years since I answered this as a writer (rather than as an artist). Thank you for the tag, @energievie!
1. How many works do you have on AO3?
Multi-chap fics = 5
One-shots = 3
Art Galleries = 3
Comics = 1
Unrevealed Masquerade Stories = 1 (which I will heretofore ignore so as not to give away any spoilers with my answers)
Drabbles series which aren't on AO3 = 2
2. What’s your total AO3 word count?
466,541
3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?
These Foolish Games
Under Lock and Key
Estate of Blood and Trust
Taking a Chance on Love
Double the Pleasure, Triple the Fun
4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?
Yes! I love engaging with people.
5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?
Estate of Blood and Trust because it's still kinda raw and fresh at the end. They need some time for the dust to settle.
6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?
The Birkenshire Trials because they got to have the longest life together.
7. Do you write crossovers?
I haven't yet, no.
8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?
Hate? No. "Please explain yourself and why this character is acting this way!" Yes.
9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?
Yes, as an extension of the romance. Traditional smut. I haven't yet been brave enough to venture into more adventurous/kinky/weird smut, but I do so enjoy reading it.
10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?
I sure hope not!
11. Have you ever had a fic translated?
Yes! Two of them: These Foolish Games and Under Lock and Key. Both by the amazing Pandar.
12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?
No, but I've beta'd. And I've created art for fics.
13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?
Gallavich. Nothing else has come close.
14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?
Nothing fandom related. It's a fantasy novel that involved a four-armed woman who harvested giant beehives.
15. What are your writing strengths?
Character growth and change. World building. Careful editing.
16. What are your writing weaknesses?
Tending to use the same phrases and rhythms again and again. Research (I do the bare minimum and know I get things wrong).
17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?
I don't really find much need for it in the stories I've chosen.
18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?
Gallavich. Although, I did make Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle comics in middle school. Does that count?
19. What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet but want to?
I can't think of any. I try to follow my fandom bliss and create what I want to.
20. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?
How am I supposed to choose between children?! Out of Nowhere because I'm immersed in it right now.
I'd love to hear your answers: @depressedstressedlemonzest @juliakayyy @gallavichgeek @whatthebodygraspsnot @metalheadmickey @notherenewjersey @sweetperversiongirl
"making suggestive dirty jokes" with asoryuu for the prompt ask? if u wanna of course!
Oh boy.
I admittedly am a terrible flirt IRL so I hope this is alright.
Title: Is that Karuma or are you excited to see me?
Word count: about 800 words
Summary: After a long week, Ryunosuke comes home to see Kazuma cooking and they catch up about the day before one gets a bit flirty.
Tags: domestic life, minor mentions of angst, post canon, dgs 2 spoilers, fluff, based on a headcanon by my friend Sigma that Kazuma didn't make it too far as a prosecutor
Finally, the weekend has arrived. Ryunosuke can finally decompress from the horrible week he had. He's glad he's finally realised his dream of becoming a lawyer, but no one told him how exhausting it would be.
Case after case, client after client, complaint after complaint, he's done with this awful day. He really could use some time to decompress.
When he gets back to his small home, there’s a strong aroma of a delicious dinner being crafted in the kitchen. He's grateful that dinner is about ready. It's one less thing he has to worry about.
He pokes his head to see Kazuma finishing up dinner. He’s in one of his casual hakamas, biting his lip as he focuses on cooking. It’s a new hobby of his. Ever since he’s returned home he's been dutifully trying to make up for all the trouble he's caused.
Not even six months after they crossed swords, Kazuma had been removed as a prosecutor. From Lord van Zieks' letter, apparently they both started getting a little too curious of what else the Crown had been hiding. When they were caught, Kazuma took the brunt of the accusations and was immediately fired.
Apparently, the new Lord Chief Justice also had not been thrilled at the aspect of a Japanese student studying underneath the Crown, so it was the golden opportunity to rid of the apprentice.
He was a wreck when he came home. Kazuma looked so defeated that all Susato-san and Ryunosuke could do was embrace their friend. After wrapping their arms around both, Kazuma asked if he could have a place to stay as he got back on his feet.
Even though it hadn’t been long, Ryunosuke offered his home to a struggling friend. It had first been just two roommates, but soon, the subtle romantic feelings had resurfaced and their passionate flame sparked after a night of shogi and a very heavy heart-to-heart. The conversation was both admitting their flaws and dreams, realising their bond had been strained, not damaged and it could be fixed.
So, they've been taking it slow. Well, as slow as two lovesick individuals who couldn't keep their hands off each other, anyway
Even so, Kazuma’s been determined to make up all he’s done to Ryunosuke and Susato-san with his freetime. Be that by helping around the house, running errands, or whatever he can do to make their lives easier as they adjust to their new busy schedule. If he’s not here, he’s helping clean up Susato-san’s home to make sure she doesn’t come home to a mess.
Today he was supposed to be elsewhere, though…
“Home early?” Ryunosuke asks as he pokes his head in. “I thought you were going to the university to see if you could continue your courses.”
“Hmm, lost track of time again, I see. You’re actually home late. It’s almost nine.” Kazuma hums, flipping the fish. “You look exhausted. Sit down and I’ll take care of you.”
Nine...
Ryunosuke glances at the clock, realising Kazuma is right.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’ve been sitting all day. I'd rather stand.” Ryunosuke shrugs the suggestion off. Kazuma’s still pretty curt, as per usual. “I want to help out.”
“There’s no need for that. I’m almost done anyway.” Kazuma opens the rice steamer, raising an eyebrow and closing it again after shaking his head. Without looking up, he continues. “What kept you so long?”
“We’ve been swarmed. That’s what happens when you try to fix up the entire legal system with a small team.”
“I know. You know, I could come in and help with some of the paperwork. If I learned anything from my time in London it's how to sort out cases efficiently and quickly."
“I might take you up on that. I appreciate the clean home, but Susato-san and I are swarmed.” Ryunosuke pauses. “Wait, what about-”
“Let’s not talk about how the university conference went today.” Kazuma whispers, each word peppered with defeat. His head hanging down as he exhales his next words. “I don’t want to damper the mood.”
Oh...they were not thrilled about what they learned...
“I think I can figure it out by context.” Ryunosuke swallows, moving to his partner, wrapping his arms around Kazuma’s waist. “I’m sorry.”
Kazuma’s head hangs down before exhaling. “It was a natural consequence of my actions. I’ll figure out what to do. I always do.”
“Well, you can work with us until you find a new fitting.”
Kazuma pauses, then nods. “Of course. I wouldn't mind at all. Saving me again, Naruhodo. What would I do without you? By this point, I’ll be indebted to you for the rest of my life.”
“Well, we got a lot of time to sort that debt out.” Ryunosuke’s hands move towards the hem of his clothes, before pressing his lips on Kazuma’s shoulders. “I jest. It’s alright. I don’t mind helping you find your path.”
It's silent as the fish sizzles in the pan and Ryunosuke closes his eyes. Kazuma's sweet vanilla lavender scent is so nice...
“Oh!” Kazuma breaks the silence before chuckling. “Is that Karuma or are you excited to see me?”
Ryunosuke pulls away, realising that Karuma’s hilt did indeed poke his arse.
He laughs before he wraps his arms around Kazuma’s waist once again, holding him closer. “Nope. Just Karuma. For now, anyway.”
Kazuma hums, a grin raising from his lips. “Mm, I like the sound of that. I think we could both use a good stress reliever after today. After we eat?”
Spoiler-tagging under the cut, but let's talk a little bit about Erichthonios, Lahabrea, and Athena (because I'm seeing some confusion on Pandaemonium's ending as well as a call to understand just what was going on with Lahabrea and his family.)
Let's be honest - Lahabrea's family had some issues.
Whether it was Athena's quest for godhood, Lahabrea's distancing, and Erichthonios' trauma, I think we can all agree that this family needed to be in therapy, and for all that he went through, Erichthonios really overcame a lot of baggage.
But rather than get into what happened in Pandaemonium's end, I think it best to focus on what it may represent. After all, stories have meanings, and I'd like to offer one of many takes on how I understood the ending.
Pandaemonium...simply put...is about family. The importance of it, the danger of it, and the impact it has on us.
We get a brief glimpse of family life in some side talk from NPC's in the Ancient world. We see the brother/sister duo on Elpis. We see Themis mention his own parents. We see couples fall in love, and marriage exists in the Ancient world. But with Lahabrea, we get our first true glimpse of a family dynamic, and honestly? It's not a good one.
Let's dig a little deeper...
Athena - The Mother
When you think of a mother's role, what do you think of? Probably the nurturer. The comforter. The selfless one who loves their child with all their heart. But when we look at Athena, I think she's supposed to represent the mother who lives only for herself. Yes, she has goals and ambitions like most mothers do, but instead of having her son and husband as partners and supporters to those goals, she uses them as pawns. Instead of being selfless, she is selfish. Instead of being comforting, she is cruel. And instead of guiding Erichthonios in his role to find his own purpose, she seeks to live her own dreams and ambitions through him, regardless of his feelings in the matter.
Lahabrea - The Father
When you think of a father, what do you think of? Probably the protector. The fixer. The selfless one who loves their family with all their heart. But Lahabrea stands out as a parent many of us know too well - the distant one.
Lahabrea is the parent who's always at work but never home. The one who puts his job above all else. But more than that, his distance isn't just because of his devotion to work. It's a cover up for pain. Pain with his marriage to Athena, which became so powerful that he literally ripped a part of his own soul out to seal it away. He is the wounded parent, pushing his loved ones to the side and drowning himself into something else (in this case, his job) so as to numb the pain.
Erichthonios - The Son
Here, we come to the heart of the matter. Erichthonios, the product of two imperfect parents who ended up bearing their burdens as he grew up. These burdens left him to believe that he was worthless, confused about his purpose in life and whether he was meant for anything. But though Erich's journey from "unloved" son to finding his "true" family is probably the gist of his character arc, there's something that Claudien tells Lahabrea after his awakening that really speaks to what was holding Erichthonios back.
Despite focusing on Lahabrea (though we could add Athena to this conversation), Claudien sums up what was going on with Erichthonios. He had scars - perhaps not physical, but certainly emotional- and like anyone who has been through parental trauma, those scars had difficulty healing (if they ever truly healed at all.)
I think this is one of the "unspoken" messages of Pandaemonium. Though the Ancients prized their impact on the Star more than anything, Pandaemonium shows that the true impact was found in the hearts and souls of the people themselves, guided by the people closest to them. Sure, Athena's research was prized in a scholarly sense. Yes, Lahabrea was a powerful and prominent member of the Convocation. But what good was their prowess when they did so much damage at home? Erichthonios spent his entire life trying to find meaning and purpose in all the hurt, and as we saw through his recorded message, he didn't stand with his father in the Final Days. One can't help but wonder if Father and Son truly healed their relationship, or if it was just simple patchwork. Or perhaps more healing could’ve happened had the Final Days not interrupted it.
It just shows how damaged Ancient society had become, elevating the Star and "purpose" as a whole over individuals and their own well-being. It also shows how powerful an influence parents and guardians have over their children. And just like reality, there are some wounds that go so deep that they may take an entire lifetime to heal (and let's be honest - some scars still remain.) But it gives us hope that even though the LahaFam never really did get "fixed", so to speak, healing still took place. Lahabrea faced his past and accepted responsibility. Erichthonios learned the truth and found that he was more than who his parents said he was, and came to see his father in a more endearing light. And even though Athena remained her selfish self (just like some real parents do), Pandaemonium showed that blood doesn't necessarily make a family. As Erichthonios learned, family can be found in friends too, or a time-traveling adventurer masquerading as Azem's familiar.
Describe your WIP as if it were a post on r/AmITheAsshole
This one contains heavy spoilers for the Fancy Boots arc of Glass Shards. Transcript of the images is below the cut. There's also links to the images at the end, because I think tumblr compresses them.
Aaaand I'm gonna very lowkey tag: @starlit-hopes-and-dreams @boldnightmarishreverbs @antisocialxconstruct and everyone who wants to :D
I don't know if you wanna do something like this. Obviously doesn't have to be image format, I just took the idea and ran with it because I'm so very normal. It's a rather high effort tag game, so feel absolutely free to ignore it <3
I'm gonna tag some people from the Glass Shards/Fancy Boots taglist as well, just for looking at it, because I put too much fucking effort into this: @teamwhump @dont-touch-my-soup @kixngiggles
Lol guys I found a thread on reddit, it's hilarious, check it out.
Poor guy got torn to shreds in the comments.
Seems there were some updates as well. I'm having my doubts about this story, but five months is a nice commitment to the bit.
All images: The Post | First Question | Second Question | Third Question | Edits | Update
All screenshots look like posts on the subreddit r/AmITheAsshole, with several thousand upvotes and comments.
User u/ThrowRAFancyBoots posted seven months ago and has been voted the asshole:
AITA? I just wanted to make sure he's not a threat, but his wife is giving me the death glare
So I (25M) recently ran across an old acquaintance (35M). Last time we met… ok, there's no way around it, I was in law enforcement, and I arrested him for attempted murder. It wasn't pretty. Some things happened, and he was seriously injured. Wasn't my fault, but I admit I could have been a bigger help. I was informed he broke out of prison before his trial, but I moved away a short time later, and it kinda ended up in the back of my mind.
Now my new employer is in negotiations to move to this town, and while he's stuck in meetings all day, I got some time on my hands. And guess who I saw wandering around at the beach? I couldn't believe my eyes, but it was definitely him, he reacted to that stupid nickname they gave him.
Well, I did what any upstanding citizen would do, I tried to arrest him, but his wife (25F) — he has a wife now! — begged me to let him go. Ok, perhaps she didn't so much beg me as threaten me, but anyway, I just… I couldn't do it.
But I had to make sure he's not a threat anymore, I mean, what if I let him go and he kills someone?? So I told them I'd be over again to talk, and he invited me to dinner. It was an amazing dinner, this guy's a wonderful cook. We kept talking and I lost track of time, and then it was late and I realized I hadn't even asked my questions, so I told them I’d come back the next afternoon.
It's been 4 days now, and I've visited them daily, and I don't believe he's anywhere near the monster people said he is. Really, his wife seems to be more dangerous than he is. I think she's about to stab me. If looks could kill, I would be dead already. It’s making me wonder.
I just want to make absolutely sure, you know? Is that too much to ask? I didn't even come for dinner each day, so he wouldn't have to cook for me, though he still offered me something every time (it was absolutely delicious). I came along as he went shopping, and he was nice to everyone, and everyone seemed to like him. When someone asked, he introduced me as his friend of all things. If he’s an actor, he’s the best fucking actor I’ve ever seen.
So I'm asking, am I the asshole for bothering them for a few days while making absolutely sure he's not a threat anymore?
Several people have replied to this post:
First reply thread:
BurntSalad: INFO: What do you want to ask him?
ThrowRAFancyBoots: I want to ask him why he did it.
BurntSalad: YTA. It's been 4 days. Just check the police records or something, if you're too much of a coward lol
ThrowRAFancyBoots: I would have to ask. There wasn't a motive, it was straight up an assassination attempt. It doesn't make sense. Not when you get to know him. That's why I've been coming back.
UpperDogPants: then ask. put on your big boy pants and stop ruining their lives
SecretlyJealous2342: YTA you just want to fuck his wife
ThrowRAFancyBoots: No I do not want to fuck his wife, wtf.
Next comes a screenshot of the lower part of the OP, which now shows several edits and update. The thread has been locked:
Edit: Since people have repeatedly asked about the incident when he was arrested: his gun exploded, and he blew up his hand. We had to cut it off to save his life, and it… it was pretty gruesome, and I'm not proud of anything we did, all right? I didn't want to mention it, because I figured it might lead to prejudices before you've even read the whole story.
Edit 2: I don't think he's a killer. He really, really doesn't behave like one. But people wanted to know what I could possibly want to ask him after 4 days, and it's complicated. I want to know why he did it. For some reason, I can't seem to ask him that. But if I don’t know what made him do it, how can I be sure he won’t do it again?
Edit 3: Ok, after the latest edit, people seem to agree that I'm the asshole. Perhaps you’re right but can’t you see the predicament I’m in? And no, for those who were asking if his motives weren’t clear, they were not. It wasn’t a case of jealousy or revenge or anything, it was an assassination attempt, plain and simple. Perhaps he was blackmailed into it, or… fuck, I don’t know. This one day. I’ll go back one more time, ask my question, and leave them alone afterwards.
Update: I think I fucke
Update 2: Sorry, I dropped my phone and hit send too early. My hands are shaking. I fucked up. I went back today (yeah, yeah, I know) and I saw something I shouldn’t have seen. He’s… it’s not my secret to share, and I won’t do that to him in case he or anyone he knows will ever find this, but safe to say, he was treated so much worse than I had assumed. I didn’t… It wasn’t me, but I let this happen to him.
You were right, I’m gonna leave him alone, but I have to go back one last time to tell them I will keep his secret. Fingers crossed I won’t end up with a knife between my eyes. Just kidding. Hopefully.
Update 3: So, uh, things took a turn, and I don’t know what to make of it, but… I think it’s a good thing? When I went to apologize, I brought something of his, something I had kept since the day I handed him over. I told him how I quit my job afterwards, because of what we did, because I couldn’t look those people in the eye anymore. And how I had kept this object to remind me.
I wouldn’t have asked him anymore, but it was him who brought up the question, and I decided to be honest, so I finally asked him why he had done it. I was right, he had been forced by someone. Not only the attempted murder, but also the rest, which I didn’t… I didn’t mention it because it would have made his identity too obvious and might put him at risk, but it doesn’t matter anymore, because there’s no fucking chance he’ll ever do it again.
I’m sorry, my thoughts are all over the place. When I left, he actually ran after me and invited me to dinner. I went, and before you call me an asshole again, this time… it was different. They were actually at ease around me.
I’m now back in my room, and I can’t stop wondering where to go from here. If he really wants to be friends. We’ll see. I’m gonna leave it fully up to him, that’s the least I can do.
I guess the question of whether I am the asshole has been answered (yes I was, big time). It doesn’t really matter anymore, but since people seem to be strangely invested (you should try reading a book instead), I can let you all know in a few weeks how things are going.
The last screenshot is of a new reddit post by u/ThrowRAFancyBoots, with even more upvotes and awards, two months ago.
Update: I just wanted to make sure he's not a threat, but his wife is giving me the death glare
I promised an update, but things have been kinda crazy. At first, everything was going well, I was visiting more often, and while his wife still didn’t like me (I can’t blame her) she was courteous enough. I would say he and I became friends, which is… fuck, I don’t really have many close friends.
It really took her flipping out at me to realize that I was holding the threat to his life over his head. That if I were to hand him over to the authorities, they were going to kill him. That I’ve been coming into his home, basically telling him “if you can’t convince me you’re nice enough, I’ll have you killed”.
Yeah, you were right. I’m a fucking idiot.
And just when things started to settle, shit hit the fan. Turns out, he hadn’t told his brother about me (for which I also can’t blame him). Said brother wasn’t very amused to see me leaving the house and lost his temper. Not to go into details, but if my friend’s wife had taken a few moments longer to come out and check on the noise, I wouldn’t be writing this now.
I was out of commission for several weeks, which I spent at their house. His wife’s behavior took a 180 degree turn, and she’s been fussing over me ever since. Which is kinda endearing, but I hate to see her worry like that. Those two are some of the kindest people I’ve ever met, and it hurts my heart to think what they’ve been through.
Lost my job in the meantime, because my employer got sick of waiting for my return (I can’t… well perhaps I do blame him. A tiny bit. He could have gotten a temporary replacement, but fuck me, I guess). Not sure where to go next, I’m not quite fit to return to work yet, but there’s a chance the local headquarters will employ me directly, which would be fantastic. If not… I’ll figure something out. I could always return home to my family, but I’d really like to find a way to stay here.
Now I know my friend’s brother was just worried about him (for which I absolutely can’t blame him), so I decided to forgive him for attacking me. There’s nothing more important than family, and to think I almost destroyed theirs… I’m incredibly lucky to still be around, and to have them in my life, and for everything to turn out rather well, all things considered.
Probably not the update you expected, but that’s life. I won’t be posting again, I already put too much of their business onto the internet. Take care, and give your friends and families a hug today, if you haven’t.
(Guess everyone's all worked up about Castlevania again because "Under the Milky Way" gained like 28 kudos and 1000 hits in 5 days, yay : D )
Just finished watching Nocturne. I have thoughts, but in the interest of keeping things SPOILER-FREE (because yes I got spoiled on things because people can't bother using a spoiler tag, thanks a lot you wankers), I'll keep this as vague as possible.
Olrox: far and away the best character thus far. I can see why everyone's hot and heavy for the guy already, and the smut fics are apparently already rolling in. I would not be mad if they simply shifted this to Castlevania: Olrox and sent everyone else home. More, please! How about some merch too? I'd buy the shit out of it, dude is straight up hot.
This is not my Richter. I expected this:
... and got this:
(Yes that's Joseph Joestar, not Richter. The point is, sexy brunet hot-headed asshole vs. plain white bread. Richter needs more asshole points, less nutritional void.)
Since Richter is 19, that'd make Maria 12, going by the Rondo of Blood timeline (apparently she's 16 in Nocturne but she doesn't look it). For those who get why I brought that up, marinate on that, y'all. A very long marinade, maybe another 5, 6 years...
I... actually don't mind Annette. I didn't know how I'd react to her, but I have no complaints.
I rather like Edouard.
I noticed Mizrak right off the bat. Thought to myself, now there's a cutie. I'm not the only one who noticed ^_~
Um, trying to figure out how to word this without doing a reveal ^^;... Thanks for throwing us a bone, sorta, on what's probably the most well-known Castlevania threeway relationship prior to the animations? Is that vague enough?
Uh.... honestly don't have much opinion on anyone else. I predicted a much higher body count by this point and people I thought would be dead aren't, and vice versa, but I'm sure the numbers will start climbing next season.
Things I wish would've happened:
A little closer compliance to game lore, as Richter has a good amount of game lore to reference. If they skip the entirety of the SotN storyline I think that'd be a mistake since it's obviously the best-known game of the franchise.
I'm not necessarily mad at the throwing away of the Vampire Killer's special clause (that only direct line male descendants can use it) as it's patriarchal and outdated but I would've liked to seen mention of that not being the case, first, before it got flung out the window.
A LOT less crying. I know Alucard was a faucet in the original animation, but the crying jags in this are ridiculous. I'm pretty sure even the horses were crying. Tera running off sobbing like an anime girl, complete with hands over her face? Ugh. Everyone just standing around and watching Annette cry her heart out, without even a hand on the shoulder in sympathy? Uggggh. No those aren't spoilers, as everyone cries at least twice, if not more.
Original animation vs Nocturne, and the lack of camaraderie and banter:
I guess what I miss most in this series so far vs the original animation series, is the lack of teamwork and camaraderie. Trevor, Sypha and Alucard were yes, forced by circumstance, to stick together, rely on one another, and build up a rapport (they spent the majority of S2 locked in the Hold together), to the point that they could work as a team without having to verbally communicate. There was something really refreshing about that, ya know?
The protagonists of Nocturne thus far... mostly do whatever they want? There's so little interpersonal dialogue. The only character relationship thus far that feels organic at all is the one that started as straight up sex - there's an honesty to that, at least.
Also I miss the banter, a lot more than I thought I would. Even with a serious storyline I like a bit of humor in my shows / stories. How else would we have learned that Sypha has icy cold feet, Trevor can't fucking read, or Alucard is triggered by the word "the"? I came away with zero new trivia factoids about Richter, Maria, and Annette.
Ok so I've just watched a YouTube video on most of the changes between the "real world" and the "VANNI network world" in Ruin. And I'm planning on trying to analyze some of the more interesting/noticeable changes between them at some point. but before I do that I just noticed something with the final change at the end of the video that. I'm not sure if it's just me seeing things or not (I tried to highlight it and I can get the details out) and I'm especially not sure if it actually means anything or not but I felt like posting about it anyway
under the cut because of spoilers (I'm already tagging spoilers anyway but I'm doing this as a safety measure since it regards the end of the game):
So, there are a bunch of pixel masses on the floor in the MXES room. The final area in the game where you can use the mask. Right before the security is disabled and the mimic is released.
Now, these aren't the only strange masses you can find in the game (for example, there are clumps of bowling pins in Bonnie Bowl). Whether these are just random details for flavor (like, say, the giant things floating around in just about every area in the game) or to make the environments more "interesting"/"appealing" to a child like Cassie (because what kid wouldn't want giant plushies over regular plushies- except me in some cases, I like being able to carry them around and fit them all on my bed-), or if they actually have some kind of symbolic meaning... eh, probably the first possibility rather than the last. (Though it's kinda fun to imagine it's meant to be some kind of nod to the blob/tangle/whatever it's called).
However, I noticed something interesting about how these ones in particular are shaped (highlighted in yellow to make it more apparent):
They kinda look like rabbit heads/ears??
I mean on its own this wouldn't say much (there's more than enough rabbit-related stuff in this game. Like some of the mini music men, or the mask bot).
HOWEVER, I noticed with one of the clumps (I can't tell if they're all the same or not. I'd need to see them at a bunch of different angles I think. Anyone know if they're just copy-pasted or if they're all unique?):
Doesn't seem like much, right? Well, allow me to highlight for you again:
It looks kinda like a hand.
what's more:
It's paired right next to... this shape.
But it's just a weird shape, right?
right?
...
Ok so this might not have even been intentional, and if it was then it's probably just a fun little easter egg or reference (Afton is very clearly Dead [#mimicsweep] and we can be quite sure now that he's not really coming back). But I thought it would be fun to point out.
So for my first post outside of Chihayafuru, I thought I'd talk about Hana Kimi (aka Hanazakari no Kimitachi e), which I believe is considered a classic shoujo (quickly looking at the sales I'd assume it was). Even though there's several live action adaptations (as a fan of SHINee and f(x) it surprised me that the drama Minho and Sulli were in was based on this manga), my experience is solely the manga. I finished reading this a couple months ago so if I remember something wrong, I apologize in advance. I won't really talk about any spoilers until the character section.
For these posts, I'll just go over some impressions I had (very casually "review") and talk about my favorite arc and/or character.
Hana Kimi's premise is pretty interesting; Ashiya transfers to an all-boys school in Japan because she looks up to Sano and his ability in the high jump. So we've got this setup of a girl infiltrating an all boys school and the manga essentially focuses on the shenanigans that come about because of that, as well as some more coming of age and some familial themes. I specifically thought Sano's issues with his family were handled pretty well and tied into his character and the overall narrative in a satisfying way (I also liked his brother's character). This series doesn't go super deep into more serious topics or handle them with the most nuance, but that's probably because at its core, this series is more lighthearted. It has a lot of scenarios typical of a high school series (sports events, school dances, etc.).
Of course, there's also romance. The romance in this series, or at least the acknowledgement of it, moves very slow. There are moments where it's very clear something is going on, but it's played off as characters being dense/misunderstanding/etc. It's a series that's tagged with "love polygon", but there's never any doubt about who the romantic conclusion lies with, so if that sways you one way or another, there's that. The romantic plots are pretty typical of the high school series you may have read or watched before but the cast is still enjoyable enough to continue (for me at least).
Overall, I actually really enjoyed this series. The cast has a large amount of different personalities and they lend themselves to a variety of situations. Some of my favorites were Dr. Umeda, Kayashima and Nanba. I've seen the art of this series be described as dated but I really like it for the most part (I enjoy a lot of the art from series from this time). It's a solid slice of life rom-com series even if some of the little arcs felt unnecessary (the arc with the boy from America and the ghost/spirit boy are scenarios that come to mind) and the ending felt a bit abrupt. I suppose some of the comedy might have aged, but I don't remember anything glaring (Akiha was a bit weird when it came to Umeda though if I recall). I haven't read a lot of slice of life series like this, let alone many from this far back, so I'm not sure how it stacks up to other series but I'd still recommend giving it a look.
Favorite character : Nakatsu
I don't think I really have second lead syndrome, but sometimes I find the character that won't "win" ship-wise to be more interesting. Nakatsu here is the one in the group with a sunny disposition and generally is upbeat. He has an interesting personal arc where he mulls over the fact that he's into Ashiya (despite believing her to be a guy) and he eventually decides that he'd rather accept his feelings than worry about sexuality. The manga has a weird way of "justifying" this (I believe that Umeda said something about Nakatsu being able to tell she wasn't a guy because of pheromones or something), but I liked the conclusion that he came to and how he freely expressed his interest in her. The arcs centered around Nakatsu were also entertaining to me because they focused on more serious situations that forced his upbeat personality to be broken down a bit. This was also interesting, as the group could typically tell when something was wrong with him because he was a pillar of the group's energy. I also appreciated his conversations with Sano and Ashiya about his feelings, the fact that Ashiya actually gave him a rejection instead of brushing him off, and just the general friendship dynamic. However it was really clear that Ashiya wasn't into him romantically (she's only at this school because of Sano and the way she gets involved with him is sometimes borderline obsessive, but hey, it's fiction). He was a character that suited both lighthearted and more serious situations in the series well which probably contributed to why he stuck out to me. I did feel for him when he was hurting about his one sided love but I also knew he lowkey never had a chance.
Well, if you read all this, thanks! I haven't done any posts about other series until now and this is a lot more casual since I'm not analyzing anything, but I've got a couple other series that I read somewhat recently or am currently reading that I'd like to do this with. Give Hana Kimi a shot if you haven't read or heard of it before!