#;otp; creature of light

[dangermousie]

Wallflower live action ep 1

Wallflower (also known as Perfect Girl Evolution) is one of my all-time favorite mangas. The story takes the simple Cinderella/Pygmalion fantasy and turns it on its head. Four pretty boys who rent a house get told by their eccentric landlady that if they can transform her niece Sunako into a lady, they get to live rent-free. Always broke, the boys enthusiastically agree. Enter Sunako - spotty, unkempt, horror-loving, people-avoiding Goth. Good luck, boys!

Wallflower features perhaps one of the most awesome heroines to ever exist. Sunako is beyond TOUGH. And I mean tough. You mess with her (or with anyone she likes - one of the boys, her girlfriend Noi etc), an army will not save you from her wrath.

The boys (blunt, food-obsessed Kyohei, the "caring feminist" Takenaga, the playboy Ranmaru, and the sweet Yuki) do not know what is about to hit them. Wallflower is NOT about them reforming Sunako - the boys give up fairly quickly (they just try to pretend they are continuing so as to continue to get the deal from the landlady) and just accept Sunako for who she is - a violent weirdo who can cook. Sunako makes no excuses for being who she is - she has no interest in transforming herself into a barbie, she makes no bones about loving her horror movies or living with skeletons, her lack of interest in her hot neighbors 'that way', or in any pretensions about being ladylike.

Wallflower is really a celebration of being different and being happy in that difference. All the characters are somewhat odd - Yuki is delicate and shy, Takenaga is some sort of benevolent Moriarti, Ranmaru is a shameless, older-women-loving slut, and Kyohei...Oh, Kyohei. He is probably the only character who is almost as weird as Sunako is.

Nor do all the boys fall in love with Sunako magically or anything like that. Yuki has a long-standing girlfriend, Takenaga and Ranmaru acquire OTPs (Takenaga's girlfriend Noi is one of my favorite characters ever. God, I love her!) Kyohei and Sunako are the OTP but it's not because he sees her inner princess or anything silly like that - they are both blunt, violent, not too bright people imprisoned by their looks who like to do the same things for fun (one of my favorite things in Wallflower is the parallel it draws between the 'creature of darkness' Sunako and the ultimate pretty boy Kyohei - nobody sees them as a person, not really, because of the facade being so all-engulfing. Sunako freaks out the passerby and Kyohei can't keep down a job because the staff and customers start fights over him - underneath all the OTT hilariousness, Wallflower has a lovely point about inner persons).

Kyohei, Sunako's eventual boyfriend, is first introduced when he is (a) getting groped by his boss, (b) has screaming ladies disrupting the restaurant wanting to have him be their waiter; (c) loses it spectacularly, smashing the ladies' table, punching out the boss, and quitting. This has clearly happened to him umpteen times before.

The other three guys are Oda Takenaga, smart and cold-blooded:

Yuki, the sweet one:

Ranmaru, the older ladies' loving slut.

Together, they are Wallflower's very own F4, only much better adjusted. Let's call them W4, like the tax form.

Their rental is a gothic looking castle which will suit Sunako but why their landlady owns one is manga logic.

The Landlady is living her best life and the story is sprung in motion when she requests W4 turn her niece Sunako into a lady and that way rent is free. Watching Kyohei go from disgruntled by the idea to ecstatic at the mention of free rent is priceless.

Our first look at Sunako and she is just as gloriously odd as she should be. She also is utterly displeased to be sharing her living quarters with "creatures of the light." I adore her!!! She wants to avoid light, wear her hood, watch her horror movies, and roll in her creepy memorabilia.

W4 entrap Sunako by strewing a trail of horror items.

But the makeover fails because Sunako is supernaturally strong and frees herself, causes an electric storm and escapes back into her lair. Good luck, boys, you will need it!

Meanwhile, the boys aren't the only ones trying to make cash. Here is Sunako's friend taking pics of Kyohei to sell to fangirls for money.

Said friend gets in trouble (she's been giving all her money to a host. Because of course) and Kyohei is also forced being a host or else Sunako's friend gets it. Manga logic is present.

But here is where we get to meet the REAL unhinged Sunako, who is not keen on either her friend or her roommates being taken advantage of and comes to the rescue herself.

Before you get carried away, being around too many good-looking people causes her to freak out ahahaah.

It's OK, her backup aka the rest of the boys are here, in drag.

Eventually, everything goes to hell and Kyohei and Sunako end up being caught and tied up. (Now that I think about it, the manga had a serious people being tied up fetish :P)

Too bad for the bad guys, Sunako is strong and violent and unties them both, and they go on to the violent rampage through the club, knocking hordes of opponents out in unison and Kyohei FALLS IN LOVE. (I will always be into the fact that he fell for the woman after seeing her headbutt people and crack their skulls ahahahah.)

Having destroyed a metric ton of goons and rescued whoever they needed to, Sunako and Kyohei gift exchange - she gets cookies, he gets a skull. And a start of a beautiful new friendrelationship is born!

Honestly, the first ep is just as fun as when I watched it ages ago. Nothing will ever be as good and as wildly out there as the manga but this is a good adaptation tbh.

#jdrama #wallflower #the wallflower #kame #kamenashi kazuya

[i-did-not-mean-to]

YOTP - February

For V-day, I'll give you the YOTP fic for February.

A reluctant OTP, but an OTP nevertheless...Please, have some Merestor x Glorfindel (with art from @sauroff)

Lots and lots, heaps and heaps, of love for y'all!

Pairing: Glorfindel x Erestor

Prompt: Valentine's Day, Pollen/Fear Gas/Truth Serum, Established Relationship/Long Distance, different, mermaid, "If I kiss you, will you shut up?"

Words: 2 500

Warning: Sacrifice, implied monsterfucking, Merestor is a savage, nudity

(very sexy art and not very sexy fic under the cut!)

“We are sorry,” the councilman whispered as he stood, outlined by ominous darkness on Glorfindel’s threshold. “You have been chosen. We are hoping—”

“I understand,” Glorfindel replied before the old man could rattle off the perfidious reasons for their cruel decision to send one of their most valued warriors to his death. It made sense, he thought, the threat with which the town had been dealing for quite some time now was not one he or anyone else could fight with swords and arrows.

Thus, he had become superfluous—dead weight, really, and he recognised that much without fail.

“Today is a good day to die,” he added, deep sadness making his voice sound as hollow as if it was already coming from the grave. “I cannot bear the festivities anyway.”

“You must find it heartless—”

“Not at all,” Glorfindel interrupted again. “It’s strangely poetic, don’t you think? Give me an hour to put everything in order, tell the neighbours, and distribute what few riches are left to me, and then I shall be all yours.”

“Very well. I am sorry, please believe me,” the man who had known the condemned for many long years breathed softly.

“I know,” Glorfindel said soothingly. “I appreciate the sentiment, but I am not loath to die. Especially not today!”

As he went through his meagre possessions, the golden-haired hero of another time smiled wistfully to himself.

Outside, maidens and young men were giggling breathlessly as they sang songs of love and hope and waved their elaborate bouquets through the fragrant night air—this was their day, the day of lovers, and Glorfindel felt ashamed of his visceral, asphyxiating resentment of their happiness.

Once upon a time, he had been much like them. Returning from a faraway war covered in glory and illustrious distinctions, he had managed to capture the heart and hand of a beautiful, smart, enchanting young man.

For a few blessed years, he and Erestor—for that had been his beloved’s name—had lived in peace and plenty. Every year, they’d light candles on this hallowed night and sit on the porch of their little dwelling to watch the procession of giddy youths, dancing through the street with elation.

Then, one day, Erestor had disappeared. Glorfindel had waited, searched, and despaired, but no trace of his darling had been found.

Looking back now, he realised that the “deep”—an ominous threat that had transformed the previously merry village into a ghost town of whispered conversations and furtive steps—had first made itself known around the same time.

Nobody knew exactly what it was and what it wanted, but it was generally understood that Erestor—Glorfindel’s very own husband—had been its first victim.

From that fateful spring on, cattle, people, and treasures vanished from the riverbanks and the edges of the underground lake that had always been a highly favoured bathing spot for the villagers. Fear fell like a shadow over the hamlet, stifling all life and laughter.

Soon, people avoided all running water, coming up with complex rituals of superstition and idiocy, but Glorfindel was too heartbroken still to even fear for his life; he wanted to know what had happened to his sweetheart.

At first, the elders had refused that he or anyone else should leave the safety of the village to seek out the mysterious creature that had been glimpsed by a few but never fully seen, and Glorfindel had reluctantly bowed to the pressure of public outrage.

Then, the sacrifices had started. Miscreants and rebels, bound and gagged, were left in the cave to feed and soothe the “deep”—and, to everybody’s horror and delight—they were gone by the time the guards came back in to check on them. As the mouth of the cavern was under perpetual surveillance, it was undeniable that it had to be the sea monster that had taken them.

A part of Glorfindel had always known that, sooner or later, he would be picked to be delivered to the pernicious pestilence haunting their home. His adamant refusal to wear the protective amulets or steer clear of the river had branded him an insurgent and a sceptic, and a community ruled by fear could and would not abide such disruptive, potentially dangerous faithlessness.

Thus, on the night of lovers, he was called upon to do what was necessary to keep a society from which he had almost entirely withdrawn safe. This would be his last act of heroism.

Glorfindel felt relieved and almost happy as he walked, flanked by the mayor and the councilman, down to the cave. Maybe, he thought, he’d be able to find out something about his lost lover; either way, he’d be freed of the torturous half-life he had been leading.

As he entered the cave, he was surprised and more than just a little touched to find countless candles burning in every nook and cranny.

The villagers had carved well-wishes into the melting wax or written down their prayers on little scraps of paper that were now buried under the slow-moving tide of pristine white, dripping off every wall.

“We have to…” the mayor looked up at Glorfindel with undisguised misery as he lifted the length of rope he had been kneading in his sweaty hands. “You can keep the clothes to prevent chafing.”

Chuckling wryly, Glorfindel shook his head slowly. He had promised his last possessions—the garments on his back and the bells in his hair—to the two brave men who stood by him as he set out for his last expedition.

“I hope that you’ll at least get a tankard of ale each for these,” he said as he laid the adornments he had cherished through many a hard year into their unworthy palms. “Now tie me up and leave. For all I’ve done for this village and for you, I think that I deserve the dignity of meeting my fate without having to worry about an audience.”

They complied readily, desperate to get away from the dark water lapping rhythmically against the sloping ground of the cave.

In their furious haste, they were less gentle with this season’s sacrifice than he’d have deserved, but Glorfindel was unfazed by the nails scraping heedlessly across his bare skin and the sharp bite of the rope into his tense flesh.

“Where…”

The councilman pointed at a few worn, discoloured pillows at the far end of the cavern, just a stone’s throw away from the frightening, liquid threat of the purling underground lake.

“Tasteful,” Glorfindel commented as he was heaved, pushed, and dragged to the designated spot. In his mind, images of his first successful attempts at seduction danced as if to taunt him.

He was no stranger to promiscuous poses and elaborate bondage, and—on this lonely night of lost love—he could truly appreciate the irony.

“I am ready,” he declared. “Withdraw and save your lives. Think of me fondly, and don’t let this ruin your evening. Go light a candle in my honour. Maybe, look the other way if you come across a particularly adventurous couple, I don’t know…”

He huffed—it annoyed him that he was still the one trying to comfort and calm the men who had condemned him to an undoubtedly horrid demise, but he couldn’t bear their sad, mournful gazes.

“I am not dead yet,” Glorfindel grunted when nobody moved. “Remember me like this—beautiful, alluring, and very much alive!”

Tensing and squirming against the irregular, badly tied knots, he averted his face which finally convinced his two hangmen to scamper away like the vermin they were.

“Let’s hope this monstrosity makes haste at the very least,” Glorfindel mumbled and leaned back against the smelly cushions as much as he could without cutting off his circulation.

Thankfully for the integrity and safety of his limbs, Glorfindel did not have to wait long until minute ripples on the hitherto perfectly placid surface of the lake heralded the imminent arrival of whatever lethal foe was lurking in the murky depths.

“Ah, a new one,” a voice resounded. To the intended victim’s utter astonishment, it sounded tired and impatient rather than gleefully wicked. “Why do they keep pawning their unwanted villagers off on me?”

Spellbound, Glorfindel twisted as much as his bonds allowed to see a shimmering, mesmerising creature cleave through the water.

“Eh, same as ever,” the aquatic being muttered and launched itself out of its watery habitat, twirling like a falling star and filling the stale, damp air with a fine powder that tasted sweet and cloying on Glorfindel’s tongue as he drew a deep breath. “What is it that you truly desire? Do not even try to lie to me—the spores you’ve just inhaled force you to tell the truth.”

“I want to know what happened to my love,” Glorfindel replied immediately, not even trying to struggle against the sudden heaviness pervading his limbs and befuddling his racing mind. “All I want is to find out where Erestor went.”

With a muted splash, the creature fell back into the arms of the inky lake until only a pair of brightly flashing eyes—as eerily familiar and yet entirely foreign as the accents of that enchanting voice—were visible.

Taking the monster’s silence as an invitation and unable to stem the tide of words that had been unleashed by the potent dust he had ingested, Glorfindel kept babbling about the one he had loved and lost, detailing Erestor’s indescribable beauty and admirable wit and sighing longingly.

“I know that you’ve taken him, and I’d beg you to reunite us!” he finally pleaded.

“You think that I have killed your lover,” the creature mused, its words setting off a flurry of bubbles, dancing over the glassy surface of the water. “And you’d be willing to meet that same fate?”

“Yes. Life itself is worth nothing if it’s to be devoid of all joy and love!”

“You have ever been such a soppy fool! I should have known that my sacrifice would come to nought due to your reckless stubbornness!”

Heaving itself from its fluid realm once more, the creature drew inexorably closer.

“Who made those knots? What a mess! Just look at your beautiful skin!” Razor-sharp claws sliced through the rope without hesitation, and Glorfindel sat up, rubbing the sore spots his writhing had left behind.

“Erestor?” he cried as he now fully faced the well-known and desperately missed frame of the one he had sought for endless months.

There was no doubt about it, that visage—gleaming like mother of pearl and gold in the flickering light of the white candles—was the very one he saw in those terrible nightmares that haunted his every moment of respite.

“How? Why? What has happened? How have you come hither? Have you been enslaved against your will? What can I do? I have missed you so much, you can’t imagine! Oh Erestor, my love! Or…did you leave me of your own accord? Was I not a good husband to you? You should have told me that you were unhappy—I would have done anything to alleviate your dissatisfaction—”

“If I kiss you, will you shut up?” Erestor interrupted, and—not waiting for an answer—pressed his cool, wet lips against Glorfindel’s burning mouth in a gentle caress that grew frantic and heated almost instantly.

“Why?” Glorfindel whispered against the fragrant skin for which he had yearned with every fibre of his being.

“Old enemies came for you—you were out, at the market if I recall correctly—and they spoke terrible threats…” Erestor explained sheepishly. “You were always too rash to heed the warning signs of the deeper, darker secrets of the world.”

“But—”

“I’ve offered myself. What else could I do? The town needed you more than they did me!”

“I needed you! To hell with the accursed village—they’ve left me here, bound and naked, to be eaten by some fearsome monstrosity!” Glorfindel cried passionately.

“So they did,” Erestor agreed, anger and regret turning his eyes into splintered onyx. “It seems that I’ve been mistaken in my assessment, a rarity as you well know. I did not expect you to waste your time bemoaning my loss.”

“How dare you?” Glorfindel roared. Not minding the sharp protrusions on Erestor’s fingers or the dangerously pointy teeth flashing in the semi-darkness, he grabbed his lost husband by the shoulders and shook him vehemently. “I have never stopped looking and waiting for you—loving you—and if that ass of a mayor had not been so laughably terrified, I would have found out the truth much sooner!”

“Do they really think I’ve killed all these people?” Erestor inquired, leaning against the comforting, dry warmth of Glorfindel’s chest.

When the golden-haired sacrificial offering of beauty and valour nodded, he tossed back his head and laughed heartily.

“Believe you me, I did no such thing. It is in my power to grant one wish to those who seek me out in exchange for something they treasure—and what idiotic things they were—and so, I’ve helped every single person you’ve thrown down here escape the prison of paranoia and worry into which you’ve seemingly turned our once peaceful village.”

Glorfindel stared until his eyes overflowed with hot tears, leaving warm streaks of salt and salvation on his sculptural, freckled cheeks.

“I am so happy to see you—have you been well?” he asked breathlessly. “You should not have offered yourself that without consulting me! Of all the things to lose, I’d rather lose a limb than you!”

“I can see that now,” Erestor admitted. “I am sorry for doubting your love and your strength—they were very persuasive, and they tapped into my secret insecurity that someone like me—cerebral, somewhat scrawny, and undeniably mean—could never keep the love of one so glorious, handsome, and popular as you. It was all so new, and they made me believe that you’d soon grow tired of me anyway…This sacrifice was meant to be my parting gift.”

“And you dare call me a fool?” Glorfindel rasped as he bundled his merman husband—long, iridescent tail and webbed hands—onto his bare lap fitfully. As soon as that smooth, cool skin collided with his own heated flesh, he felt his body and all its dormant desires and impulses flare back to life.

“My love,” Erestor said warningly as he felt the testament of Glorfindel’s enduring, evidently unconditional ardour press against his scaly rear, “this is hardly the moment. I still have one wish to grant you—choose wisely!”

“Do you enjoy this life?” Glorfindel asked seriously, cupping Erestor’s soft cheek and searching his petulant gaze for any signs of dishonesty.

“Yes,” Erestor admitted after a moment’s reflexion. “It is strange, certainly, but I like it well! You’d…you couldn’t understand…”

“Then my wish is to join you!” Glorfindel exclaimed. “It is my turn to offer my life for your happiness. Make me what you are!”

So, that was my contribution to the YOTP for February!

I hope you've enjoyed this! Lots of love!

-> Masterlist

#og post #Fanfiction #writing #IDNMT writes #jrrt #Tolkien fanfiction #YOTP #yotp 2023 prompts #Glorestor #Glorfindel #Erestor #February #Truth Serum #Long Distance #Established Relationship #Different #Mermaid #Vday #If I kiss you...

[fortheloveoflatinum]

Discovery's Penultimate Episode

You know the drill! Clickety-click *after* you've watched the episode, unless you're looking for SPOILERS:

🙏 Can we at least see Detmer & Owo one last time? Is that too much to ask for? They just went sailing off into the light of other days without saying goodbye and I, for one, am righteously angry.

🙀 My poll is doing so well. I am surprised at some of the responses (wasn't expecting anyone to say 'everyone' would die) - I personally want everyone to live. It is, as someone tagged it, an 'everyone lives show.' I just hope it stays that way.

👻 Um no but seriously I've been scouring the Internet for Disco spoilers before I watch the episode to make sure none of my favs are axed. #confessiontime

🫶 I am adoring all the casual intimacy between Hugh and Paul. Definitely an OTP. Plus it's canon.

👩‍❤️‍👨 Ahhh are we going to see Saru and T'Rina's wedding? That would be a nice ending, I think. Wrap everything up in a little bow.

🎩 Hats off to Discovery! It's Star Trek for a new next generation, and heck it was an experiment that I think paid off. I know some people protested a Star Trek with a single protagonist instead of an ensemble cast. I think that most of the legitimate critique that has come from a place of resistance to this experiment. (Note that this is a quite different creature than the criticism of the show that comes from a place of hatred and resistance to our most diverse crew yet.) I personally don't know if I would want another Discovery. I liked the Trek of the past. The ensemble casts. The intricate plots that revolved around many characters, instead of just one. But I also love Discovery for what it is: a show that revolves around the adventures of someone who Starfleet and the Federation eventually accepts and uplifts, despite her being a mutineer, despite her many mistakes, despite her flaws and her bad choices. Someone who is shaped by intense inner conflict, someone who carries the weight of a war she started everywhere she goes, someone who is in-between two cultures and doesn't quite fit in either of them. But she exists in a system that allows for error, that provides second chances freely. And everyone is better for it.

🌠 That being said, I still like Stamets better. Just saying. Someone give this man another medal.

#star trek #star trek discovery #star trek discovery spoilers #spoilers #disco spoilers #st discovery #disco #discovery #discovery spoilers #disco s5 #star trek disco s5

[queenofglassbeliever]

OTP ask 6 please! 💙

6: "When did they realize that they loved each other?"

Okay! So in my mind, Jake and Sarina meet again after the timeline resets. The circumstances are pretty much the same, but this time they become a couple.

Jacob realizes he loves Sarina after the Ecuador job. The one that rattles Cassandra and prompts her to go on sabbatical ("And the Hidden Sanctuary"). Well, I kinda figured that it was just a really rough case for everybody. After returning home, Jake washes up and settles in for the night. He intends to turn in after such a long day, but he can't stop thinking about Sarina. Next thing he knows, he's driving his Dodge Challenger to her apartment and knocking on her door. When she answers the door, he apologizes for the late hour but he just had to see her. Sarina invites him inside, makes chamomile tea, they settle on her couch, and they talk. Jacob tells her what happened in Ecuador. Afterwards, the conversation steadily changes to lighter topics of conversation. They talk through the rest of the night. It's not until they hear the chiming of Sarina's morning alarm that they realize how late (or early) it really was. They say goodbye, and as Jacob is driving home that morning it dawns on him that he loves Sarina.

Sarina realizes she loves Jacob after their first date. It's a little while until they have their first official date. After "And a Dude Named Jeff" to be exact. Between Jake being a Librarian and Sarina searching for a new job, they haven't had the time but the day finally came. Jacob makes a reservation at a nice restaurant and picks Sarina up at her apartment. That's when the evening starts to go south. Any little inconvenience that could happen, happens. They somehow hit every red-light. Traffic is insane. Jake tries to take a shortcut, but his car breaks down. He'd just had it detailed! And as Jake's taking a look under the hood, a car drives by and splashes him and Sarina with muddy water. It's quickly revealed that the night's bad luck is due to some Imp type creatures causing mischief. With some magical knowledge from Jenkins (who's still immortal btw), Jacob and Sarina find a way to rectify the situation. When it's over, the hour is late, they've missed their reservation, they're tired but mostly hungry. And at this time of night, any nice restaurant will be close. Luckily for them, the car broke down near a Denny's. It wasn't the romantic dinner that Jake had hoped to treat Sarina to, but it was open and it was food. Once they're seated in a booth and have placed their orders, Jacob tries to apologize for everything but Sarina won't hear of it. This has been the most bizarre and fun first date she's ever been on. And as they're having breakfast for dinner, laughing about the night's events, Sarina realizes that she loves Jacob.

Though it's not very long after the met that they realize they love each other, it is a while before they say it.

#the librarians #the librarians tnt #jacob stone #jake stone #sarina bhonsle #otp asks #asked and answered #thanks for asking #jake x sarina #jacob x sarina

[astromechs]

Rebelcaptain + oh so many! 20, 22 & 39 ?

20. Choose one song that perfectly describes their relationship.

i have to go with dust to dust by the civil wars, in particular for:

you're like a mirror, reflecting me takes one to know one, so take it from me you've been lonely you've been lonely too long we've been lonely we've been lonely too long

22. What reminds each of their partner?

in terms of an association, it's a sense of safety across the board. and maybe i'm veering off the question a little bit and going slightly abstract, but to jyn, cassian is very calming to her, so that'd be, like... calm, steady waters. and to cassian, jyn is warm and brings the light back into his life, so she'd be like... when the sun first starts to emerge again after it's rained.

39. Who would rescue an injured animal and nurse it back to health? What would the other think?

jyn is the biggest bleeding heart sucker to ever sucker, do NOT let her make you think differently. she sees an injured creature with the saddest eyes known to the galaxy and she doesn't even hesitate before she's scooping up said creature into her arms and shielding it against the rain as she walks it back to the ship. cassian puts on a front for about five seconds of, like, "we don't have the space for this on the ship", but he's full of shit and we all know he's full of shit because he's a sucker, too. catch him in a couple of hours gently stroking the creature to sleep and humming some lullaby under his breath that he remembers from a long time ago. i said this in another answer but they're both suckers!

otp asks!

#asks #anonymous #rebelcaptain #ok i think i answered everyone's questions today; thank you!!

[kendsleyauthor]

Daniel and Esmae for prompt 21- secretive

((OTP Prompts))

May I just say how absolutely STOKED @marydublinauthor and I are to see Daniel and Esmae getting a request?? These sweethearts bring us so much joy, and we haven't paid them a visit in ages 😭

I decided to write a story about mermaid!Esmae in honor of MerMay coming to a close soon!

You can read more about this AU here!

The Night Cove

Daniel considered it their cove. His and Esmae’s, even if she loved it more than him. In their months together, they had explored up and down the shore near the castle. This inlet, with its massive rocky overhang and calm waters, was Esmae’s favorite.

Daniel might have loved it more if not for the black rocks that jutted above and below the surface. He’d gotten better at not scraping himself, but nighttime visits always ended in a few mishaps. He could already feel the sting of a few cuts.

Esmae, of course, had no trouble navigating the environment. Other than a few torches Daniel had lit up on the shore, she was the only source of light. Her magenta glow darted about in the water like living starlight. 

Having found a relatively comfortable rock to lean against, Daniel observed with with stunning clarity as she made a beeline for him. Surfacing, she hefted something proudly over her head.

“What’ve you got now?” he asked softly.

A tiny orange starfish—well, tiny to him. It was nearly the size of her torso.

Bringing himself lower in the water, Daniel inched his palm closer for Esame to place the tiny creature in his hand. She appeared greatly entertained whenever he interacted with little things from her world.

He brushed the starfish with his fingertip, raising his eyebrows at the curious sensation of its arms unfurling calmly against his palm. 

Esmae watched raptly, an endeared smile on her face. It’s very sweet, how gentle you are. I didn’t think humans were capable of that. Although she couldn’t speak to him above water, he memorized every word she graced him with when he joined her below the surface.

As she reached for the starfish to return it home, the sash around her upper body slipped a bit, revealing enough to make Daniel blush. She caught his expression and broke into a silent giggle. She adjusted the cloth and gave him a pointed look. Will you be alright after seeing all that skin, you poor thing?

Apparently, merpeople had a different idea of what body parts could be casually exposed. He never ordered Esmae to cover herself, but his flushed face and avoidant gaze were distractingly funny, according to her. He swore that sometimes she created a loose knot on purpose.

“Must you laugh at me every time?” he scoffed.

The grin on her face said it all. Her smooth skin brushed his palm as she took the starfish, prompting him to hold his breath. She was so soft—something he’d never been able to appreciate when he’d stupidly held her captive. Now, he felt unworthy of each bit of contact she gifted him with.

As she escorted the starfish away, she took the nearest source of light with her. As he began to turn in the direction of the shore, the water rippled in the firelight. He froze as something stirred beneath the surface—something that certainly wasn’t Esmae. 

A gray fin broke through with near silence.

Daniel froze, his mind rejecting what he saw. A shark shouldn’t have been tempted to enter such shallow waters—yet there it was, heading straight for him. He snapped out of his stupor and jolted back with a noisy splash. 

“Esmae,” he breathed, then raised his voice. “Esmae!”

His back hit one of the large rocks. He tried to shuffle to the side, looking around madly for Esmae’s glow while keeping track of the shark’s path. The scrapes on his arms and legs stung sharper than ever—had he drawn the beast right to their cove with his blood?

He shouted her name louder. The shark circled the rock, its fin dipping below and above the rippling water like a taunt. If he dared to pull away to escape, he had no chance of outmaneuvering the predator. Was this how Esmae felt when he’d found her trapped in the tidepool all those months ago?

Except this shark wasn’t overwhelmingly massive. Not to him. It could take a chunk of him, and he might survive. But Esmae… She’d be less than a mouthful to the creature.

As if the thought of that summoned her, a magenta glow bobbed into view beneath the clear water. A shout caught in Daniel’s throat.

Idiot! What was he thinking, shouting for her? He was drawing her right to her death.

“No!” he shouted. “Go back!” 

But she drew closer. Daniel tensed, then lunged out to get her to safety. The shark darted around the rock and tossed its head toward his arm. He snatched himself back, breathing heavily. 

Esmae paused. Her little, glowing form waved off Daniel flippantly. Then she approached the shark without an ounce of hesitation.

Daniel gaped as she swam alongside the beast. When the pair circled near, he swore he saw her little lips moving. He’d seen her play with fish before, but this was insane. 

Before he could think to duck under the water to hear what she was saying, the shark swam off, exiting the cove calmly.

Relief came gradually. He couldn’t believe either of them were safe. Even when Esmae swam up to him, he didn’t take his eyes off the shark’s direction until Esmae nudged his abdomen insistently. He flinched at her touch and looked down to find her peering up at him with an amused expression. She was so close, his slowing heartbeat picked up speed again.

“W-what on earth was that?” he stammered. “You were speaking to it? What did it want? How did you make it leave?” 

Her smile widened. At least she was entertained. She found his hand and gave his finger a downward tug. After another wary look at the open water, Daniel lowered himself under the surface, intent on getting an explanation from her. 

She took one look at his wide-eyed expression and giggled. He hadn’t heard her musical little voice for hours. “Are you alright?” she asked rather sweetly. She got comfortable near his hand, weaving her lithe form through his fingers.

All he could do was shrug in response.

She giggled again. “That shark helps guard my people. It ensures other predators stay away. My father has a way of convincing certain beasts to be on our side.” She leaned her cheek on his knuckle. “It must have followed me. It came to make sure I was alright.”

Short on breath, Daniel surfaced briefly. “You were able to speak with it?” he asked, struck with more wonder than fear now.

“No,” she said when he ducked down again. “It’d be a bit like talking to… to a dog or a horse.” She enunciated the animals’ names strangely, as they were wholly foreign creatures to her until recently. “I was able to send it off. Though, it’s a good thing they can’t speak. Otherwise, it’d tell my father where I’ve been spending my days.” 

She smirked conspiratorily at him. Daniel surfaced. It was rare she spoke of her people, least of all her father. Daniel knew for certain that her people wouldn’t be pleased if they discovered she had made contact with a human. Considering the awful two weeks he’d put her through when they met, Daniel could say little to defend humanity.

“I suppose it’s for the best we stay secretive,” he sighed. He gave another cursory glance at the water, relieved that he saw no more fins breaching the surface. He couldn’t shake how fantastically brave she was for putting herself between him and the beast. He peered down at her. “So—how can you tell the good sharks from the bad ones?”

There was a bit of a wild look in her eyes when he met her under the water again. She moved from his hand and tapped his nose teasingly. “I can’t. I suppose we just got lucky.”

#gt #g/t writing #g/t #gt writing #gt community #g/t community #my writing #gt fandom #g/t fandom #oc: daniel #oc: esmae #the heart between kingdoms #the heart between kingdoms story #thbk mermaid au #thbk mermaid au story #mermay #mermay story #mermay writing

[dollsome-does-tumblr]

2023 Fandom Year in Review

I'm a bit late on this because I kept being busy, but here! I probably forgot a bunch of stuff in my answers - c'est la vie.

✨Dollsome’s Fandom Year in Review!✨

Favorite new (to me) shows of the year:

Rectify

Joe Pera Talks With You

Reservation Dogs

Dave

The Righteous Gemstones

The Gilded Age

The Buccaneers

Beef

Somebody Somewhere

Vice Principals

Feel Good

Creamerie

Colin From Accounts

Poker Face

Favorite shows with new episodes this year:

OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH!!!!!!!!!! 🏴‍☠️💘

Good Omens

Succession

Ted Lasso (kind of? 🫤)

What We Do In The Shadows

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

The Great

Abbott Elementary

Sanditon

The Nevers

Black Mirror

Some favorite TV show episodes watched for the first time this year (one per show! Just for a challenge!):

Our Flag Means Death - 2.04 “Fun and Games”

What We Do in The Shadows - 5.05 “Local News”

The Great 3.07 “Fun”

Succession - 4.09 “Church and State”

Ted Lasso - 3.10 “International Break”

Good Omens - 2.05 “The Ball”

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - 5.06 “The Testi-Roastial”

Beef - 1.10 “Figures of Light”

Dave - 3.10 “Looking for Love”

Reservation Dogs - 2.04 “Mabel”

Black Mirror - 6.05 “Demon 79”

Joe Pera Talks With You - 2.01 - “Joe Pera Talks With You About Beans” and 2.04 “Joe Pera Guides You Through The Dark” (Cheating and picking two because the episodes are so short!)

Favorite books read this year:

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe, Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh, Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Favorite song, album, or artist to listen to this year:

I discovered this album a few years late because I got tickets to a concert by them this year, but Bitter Better by Laura Cortese & The Dance Cards! I also loved Guts by Olivia Rodrigoooooo. 

My favorite song is “Misbehavin’” from Righteous Gemstones, a bop like NO OTHER.

Favorite movies of the year:

No Hard Feelings, Saltburn, Barbie, M3GAN, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Rye Lane, Next Goal Wins, Quiz Lady, Eileen, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Cocaine Bear 🤣

First fandom of the year:

In January I had a major Jurassic Park/World resurgence wherein I watched all the Lego Jurassic World shows about Claire and Owen on Netflix and also read all of Tess Sharpe’s tie-in novels, while also feeling nine zillion feelings about Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler on the side because they are THE movie otp. I regret none of this, it was fun as hell.

Best new fandom discovery of the year:

The Gilded Age. I can’t believe I was living without Bertha and George Russell, and Julian Fellowes’ extremely stupid yet incomparably enchanting writing, for so long.

Biggest fandom disappointment of the year:

Ted and Rebecca not happening and also not getting nearly as much significant screentime together as I wanted. 😭 That one hurt me real hard, even though I always kind of saw it coming. I somehow just knew all the way back in season 1 that it was too wonderful and refreshing to happen. But even more disappointing to me was Keeley and Roy not getting back together. (And the fake-out of them seeming to get back together and then not really doing so. Ouch!) I wish they hadn’t broken up at all! That whole plotline gets a million thumbs downs from me. It made me feel so, so bad inside, a badness that never healed.

Honorary mention: Roman and Gerri’s last ever interaction getting deleted from 4.09!!!!!!! FERAL SCREAM!!!!!

I also really didn’t like what they did with Orlo’s character in s3 of The Great.

Biggest squee moments of the year:

(I can’t possibly narrow ‘em down well but let’s try.)

Like the entirety of OFMD season two, but I’ll narrow it down with great restraint to Mermaid Stede, the conversation on the sofa in “Fun and Games,” and the “You wear fine things well” redux kiss.

Roman watching Gerri recite the limerick and being besotted! Gerri caring about Roman with her eyeballs at the funeral! Roman’s Gerri tribute martini! Gerri smiling at Roman making fun of Greg that one time even though he didn’t know she was! It was a rough season, okay!

Guillermo dancing in the Pride Parade episode! Nandor always knowing that Guillermo didn’t have what it took to be a vampire and helping him become human again! The vampires doing the news!

Old ladies Midge and Susie making each other laugh at the end of TMMM! What a perfect way to go out.

Rebecca spitting her tea in Ted’s face in an act of fond vengeance. I really thought we were so happening after that one, mates! (And that moment in the hallway! And the Ted’s A Work In Progmess scene! Everything that made it feel like it might be happening!!!)

I also squeed during the Morning After Ted In Rebecca’s Kitchen Fakeout until I was dashed back down upon the rocks of cruel reality. Congratulations, show: I 100% fell for it. (Though part of that was because the people watching with me were like, “Wow, congratulations! It happened!” as if I had somehow personally willed it into happening. And you know I would have if I could have!)

Crowley and Aziraphale’s big scene at the end of Good Omens. It was a squee moment tinged with terrible pain, but such a squee moment nonetheless!

Also, Aziraphale’s “Smitten, I believe” lil’ look/remark. Will delight me forever.

Gregory and Janine kissing on Abbott Elementary! The flowers!!!!!!

Kelvin and Keefe’s first kiss (finally!) on The Righteous Gemstones!

Also on The Righteous Gemstones: Judy and BJ walking into the party to “Dance Hall Days” while BJ is rocking his shorts-romper ensemble. A moment that simply stunned me!

The end of the first episode (I think?) of Beef where “The Reason” by Hoobastank is playing specifically in the context of, I just found my nemesis whose life I’m going to make a misery. That made me so happy.

Seeing the Doctor and Donna Noble together again!

Favorite Main Character of the Year:

Catherine from The Great. Season three was such a tour de force for Elle Fanning, and I just loved every note of her character’s journey! I’m so bummed that we won’t get to see what happens to her next and I’m going to miss that performance and that character so much. 😢 She is INCREDIBLE!

Favorite Villain of the Year:

The briefly-seen Logan Roy, and the way he haunted his kids and kept tearing them apart after he died, and yet they still stared at him with such love and fondness and longing in that video in the finale and then proceeded to try to tear each other to shreds because that’s what he raised them to do. AAAH!

Favorite m/f couple of the year:

Gotta be RomanGerri. Good lord, what a time we had!

Runner-up: George and Bertha Russell, the morally questionable marrieds of my dreams.

Favorite f/f couple of the year:

I loved Midge/Susie with all my heart and rambled weirdly about them being Luke/Lorelai in (slightly) different clothes for the entire run of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, from the pilot being in that pilots contest onwards (remember that??). So it was just so wonderful and satisfying to have their relationship so loved on in the last season. And to get some canon ‘Susie is in love with Midge’ vibes going on, aaah! (Midge is in love with Susie, too. To me.)

Runner-up: Anne and Mary on Our Flag Means Death. I know they were only there for one episode but I’m god damn obsessed with them and will always dream of seeing them again in hypothetical s3. Staying at Ed and Stede’s inn? Swashbuckling into their lives on the high seas, possibly wearing other people’s faces? I will take ANYTHING!!! They ARE love and romance!!!!!!!!

Favorite m/m couple of the year:

Ed/Stede!!!!!!!! They came back to me!!!!!!! They were so in love and so deranged about it in so many moments that were absolute bangers!!!!!!!!! It was a total dream come true and I will never love another season of television quite in the way that I love season two of OFMD!!!!!!!!!

Also Crowley and Aziraphale, hoo boy. Don’t think I’ve forgotten what season two did to us as a society!!!! It was spectacular and I loved every minute of my deranged feelings.

And Nandermo always always always, and more with every season. Sorry, WWDITS showrunner dude!

Favorite fictional friendship of the year:

I really enjoyed getting to see Mabel and Oliver and Charles again in Only Murders in the Building season three! And the Rez Dogs in Reservation Dogs, which I finally watched! And the return of the Doctor and Donna to finish off the year!

Also, this doesn’t totally count as friendship per se, but George obstinately pretending to be Catherine’s bestie for self-preservation reasons in season three of The Great was riveting at every second and I was obsessed with it.

Your fictional boyfriend of the year?:

Edward Teach, going through every single human emotion and being so god damn beautiful doing it! 🥹

Your fictional girlfriend of the year?:

Gerri Kellman, my love, my light, THE stone-cold killer bitch of all time. 👑👑👑

Fandom that you never expected to get into:

I guess I never expected to get AS into Succession as I did. But somehow that final season really hit the exact vibe of ‘Your dreams could come true but they never will’ that absolutely and lastingly obsessed me.

Fandom that made an unexpected comeback:

Community, I guess? I’ve been really fixated on Community since our rewatch was begun! I always forget exactly HOW obsessed and emotionally invested I am until I am watching it again. And then I’m left in an abyss of feelios.

Fandom that inspired the most crack:

Oh, it’s gotta be Succession. That’s the only way to engage with Succession.

Last fandom of the year:

As mentioned: I am currently very in my Community feels due to my rewatch! Oh, does this show ever dwell in a tender and sweet place in my heart.

Overall favorite fandoms of the year:

Succession, Good Omens, OFMD

Your main fandom of the year:

Oh, gosh. Is it Succession?? I feel like the three above all got some major attention, but Succession might have been stretched out over the longest amount of time. Just, y’know. All that trying to recover!

The most missed of your old fandoms:

My year was definitely too Gilmore Girls lite for my liking! I also already miss Ted Lasso and simply insist that they make a fourth season. Even if they have to do it without Ted anymore 😢, I could dream of Roy and Keeley getting back together and see Rebecca and Nate and Higgins and Beard and the team and all my buddies again. I just feel like season three did not feel like an ending season and there’s still so much more juice in that ensemble.

Fandom resolutions for next year:

Just keep having a jolly time! Maybe watch less TV. Be more discerning in choosing which TV shows to watch so that there are more free hours in my day.

Fandom predictions for next year:

I predict Ted Lasso is going to come back in some form. It wasn’t over! It still isn’t over!! (I know if this happens it probably won’t include Ted, but wouldn’t it be hilarious if the desperate dream of Ted/Rebecca was suddenly back on? And by ‘hilarious’, I mean ‘everything to me’?)

I’m still quietly predicting the Killing Eve fix-it movie. I know it won’t happen, that Jodie and Sandra have moved on, but I’m dreaming of it anyway. And dreams can come true!

I predict that Jeff and Annie will finally get to be in love in the Community movie if it comes out. I am just choosing optimism and sweetness in this moment. I am choosing to believe.

In that vein: I predict that OFMD season three will exist!

I predict that Hugh Grant and Colin Firth will finally make a romcom together as the love interests. WHY NOT. IT'S TIME.

#dollsome's deep thoughts #year in review

[voiceofsword]

Don't ask an enstarrie about their otp worst mistake of your life

The main story. Ouuuugh. Tatsumi just casually complimenting Mayoi or initiating affection.

Tatsumi saying "I think it's a waste you always hide your beautiful face, Mayoi." like the first time these two had a one on one conversation... okay man

Also the main story showing that they both help each other!! Physically and emotionally!!! Tatsumi helped Mayoi when he got sick from being in public and trying to help him with his deprecating thoughts. Tatsumi confides in Mayoi about what happened at reimei before the others and Mayoi carried him when he was tired or in pain. Mayoi says he wants to see the human and dark side of Tatsumi. I'm adding the quote it's so good.

"I hope I will always be the one who understands and accepts him. Including his faults, his dark side – his everything."

SS... screams. The fucking. Line. "Haha. It's okay, Mayoi. You are like a great mother to these kids. Meanwhile, you're also an irreplaceable partner to me." Followed by Mayoi saying "I'm not a mother or a wife, please?!" They're soooo ♡ it's a bit of a debate to alkaloidPs on whether alkaloid should be called a found family and although I'm kind of in the middle I will admit these little interactions are cute. Tatsumi casually assigning Mayoi as a mom friend and him as the dad. Real smooth of you. Side note: I think Tatsumi gets to see another side of Mayoi because later on in the story Tatsumi points out a growth in Mayoi's character and tells him to quiet down after he freaks out about it and Mayoi retaliates by telling him he's the reason he made any noise in the first place. I don't think they'd bicker that much honestly but ♡♡♡ pouty Mayoi could you imagine. Only Tatsumi gets to see it though booooo. There's no lines that really stand out but also Mayoi (+ the juniors) do notice when Tatsumi's health is declining further on in the story. The juniors are more subtle but Mayoi asks when they're on stage. Teehee

They never really get big moments so the rest of what I have are just small little funnier pieces of dialogue... sobs. I'm gonna follow this ask up with one more story though... hehe

THATS SO SWEET... i do remember some of this from main story (especially mayoi carrying tatsumi on his back when his leg pain started to act up again)

its always so ww lovely (lol) when charas constantly go out of their way to help, uplift each other. especially when they make it a point to nurture both their perceived good and bad sides, they can appreciate everything about the other person and feel safe with them regardless 🥺

always being alert for when the other is down so they can pick them up... its one of the reasons i think they mesh well, on account of tatsumi (chronically ill) and mayoi (mayoi) being two people who've both struggled with their health for various reasons, that they can have someone they can openly rely on and eventually not feel like a burden, but that doesnt necessarily mean they will treat each other like glass (i think early on this is more the case but as time advances i can only hope they grow more confident with each other..? pleading emoji again)

but also the. that line kind of just took me out. suethdtgushwergu its so silly. i think while tatsumi is probably completely genuine in some of the things he says that fluster mayoi itd be even funnier to consider him saying stuff like that to fluster him on purpose, considering mayoi makes such a big deal out of it. not to laugh or anything, but because he thinks its cute. arghhghh. holy man who is a little cheeky and little creature who tries his best not to melt in his light. tatsumi seems to be a man that has a lot of affection to give while mayois completely foreign to the concept.

putting this under a read more because it doesnt really pertain to ttmy but more a comment on the found family debate u mentioned, but along the vein of the ss comment

(i personally do think alkaloid could be kind of a found family, but i understand some people's wariness towards it since a lot of the time it just forces the characters into nuclear roles — it's rly easy to forget ur friends can be your family too :').

ofc that line leaves little to the imagination as to what tatsumi means but i think in This Case implying he's the 'dad' of alkaloid is telling of himself for Obbligato Reasons™. putting them in what he considers to be traditional roles and choosing himself as the father figure of the group shows that hes someone who subconsciously takes charge and 'bears the burdens' of the rest of alkaloid. this is ofc not me trying to say that should be the case, fictional or not, but judging by tatsumis past behavior it just makes sense to me that this is a thought pattern he would pick up.

but its also killing me that he cant find another way to express his appreciation towards mayoi than being like You are like the mother to my children. asjhkdsdkjhfkj. can somebody teach this man how to flirt normally!!

that being said, theyre all like.. almost the same age so the assertion is rly funny to me, i love tatsumis old man roleplaying sometimes. i truly do think in his head that he thinks this family dynamic is 100% real. the other 3? not so much)

#mimthinks #FOR THE RECORD in the read more. this is not me being like that quote sucks bc i think it still rules. its still crazy gay #just in a different way. but genuinely i do think tatsumi thinks like that #whereas mayois like (flustered) huh. HUH??? QWAR. what do you MEAN?? #more at the audacity of the statement than anything else... #i will take a look at the other ask later ww i am not who i used to be a year ago.. writing more than 2 sentences takes me OUT

[allwaswell16]

A fic rec of soft, fluffy girl direction One Direction fics as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please remember to leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find all my other fic recs here. Happy reading!

 ҉  Larry  ҉ 

Gently As She Goes by graceling_in_a_suit / @graceling-in-a-suit

(T, 33k, fantasy au) A modern fairytale (literally!) featuring a quest to bring a lost girl home, celtic goddesses, braiding, friendship, true love, and magic.

scraping the skies with our finger tips by tommoandbambi 

(T, 21k, punk Louis)  the fem!slash flower child/punk au that no one ever asked for featuring a sexuality crisis

how could anybody deny you by sunflowergolden / @loveonwallstour

(T, 13k, cooking au) the one where louis and harry are both girls, louis needs some help in the kitchen and harry is the perfect teacher.

Crystal Ball on the Table by QuickedWeen / @becomeawendybird

(E, 12k, witch au) Her magic isn't exactly something she advertises when looking for potential new girlfriends, so when Louis Tomlinson arrives in her life like a breath of fresh air, she tries her best to hide how strongly her magic is reacting to Louis' presence.

Next Time on Mermaid Coast by @homosociallyyours

(NR, 9k, uni au) With the series she writes fic for coming to a close soon, she's thinking about her otp getting together and wondering if she might be able to get the girl too.

i will be the sun (i will wake you up) by orphan_account 

(T, 9k, royal au) AU where Zayn gets turned into a mermaid, Harry and Louis are soulmates, and everyone's a princess.

inhale and hold the evening by snsk 

(T, 7k, famous au) harry composes music. louis is making a movie.

As Time Goes By by @1diamondinthesun

(T, 6k, first date) They hadn’t even opened the wine yet, and Louis was already fantasizing about cuddling Harry.

Bittersweet, Irrepressible by flowercrownfemme

(G, 5k, uni au) In which Harry's been in love with Louis all semester but can't tell the difference between platonic and romantic interactions, leading to pining and confusion and at least one date.

like safety and home by glitterlarries

(T, 5k, canon) Harry pulls Louis into a tight tight hug once the cameras have gone away. 

Witch Girlfriend Drabbles by nonsensedarling / @absoloutenonsense

(G, 3k, witch Harry) Harry is a witch and Louis is her mortal girlfriend.

Our Sweet Creature by outerspaces

(T, 3k, pet fic) Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson have been together for years now. They decide it’s time to add a third member to their family. Louis brings home a puppy.

Mistletoe Mouth by @littleroverlouis

(NR, 2k, department store) Louis is attempting to make her department store holiday shopping trip as quick and painless as possible.

Suddenly Family by @star55

(G, 2k, pet au) Somehow Louis' cat impregnates Harry's and there's kittens involved.

Now I See The Light by cherrylarry / @beelou

(G, 2k, Disney au) Harry is Rapunzel and Louis is Belle at Disney World.

 ҉  Rare Pairs  ҉ 

if you should try to kiss her by @disgruntledkittenface

(NR, 3k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) Harry's annual Christmas party gives Louis her chance to be brave and tell Nick how she feels.

Baby Love by @star55

(G, 1k, Niall/Zayn) Niall grins and squeezes Zayn’s hand lightly, looking up at the projected baby photo on the wall that Harry had rigged up for her baby shower.

#ficrec #girldirectionsource #trackinghome #tracksintheam #trackinghappily #1dsource #star55 #disgruntledkittenface #beelou #littleroverlouis #outerspaces #absoloutenonsense #1diamondinthesun #snsk #glitterlarries #homosociallyyours #loveonwallstour #graceling-in-a-suit #tommoandbambi #becomeawendybird #flowercrownfemme #hltracks

[aishitara]

better late than never 💀

click here for the full list of the DCBB22 stories from last year's bang.

#dcbb #dcbb 2022 #dcbb22 #masterlist #dcbb masterlist #fic #fiction #fanfic #fan fiction #fanfiction #fan fic #mine #my writing #boost #boosting the signal #destiel #deancas #otp #creatures of light

[rawmeknockout]

Could you do some mer-cygate with human reader or just the two dorks with reader. I love them, mega OTP

They're lovely and terrifying when you first meet, Tailgate kicking up clear water with his powerful fins. You just can't help yourself, you move closer to the river bank to peer into the dark green depths, your basket of forgotten mushrooms dropped haphazardly. The blue mer is cute and wide, frame clearly strong, while the dark purple mer behind him drifts further away from your sight. Red, glassy eyes never flinching as he watches you with shark-like intensity. When you dip your feet into the water, that light blue mer almost shoots away, but curiosity wins out as he draws just a touch nearer. You're still several feet away, it would take you too long to get through the water to even harm him, but he isn't taking any chances.

A low, rumbling call from his partner makes the little mer pull away and disappear below the water's surface. But that skull-faced one watches you for a moment longer, eyes narrowed something fierce, before he, too, dives down to escape your sight. You end up stumbling home in a stupor, mouth hanging open as you cross the threshold of your home. Only your wet feet evidence that you saw them at all.

It's a week later that you see them again. This time the little one is braver. He slips under the water before appearing again, much closer than before. His eager blue eyes sparkle as he watches you intently, but you try your best not to be intimidated. Instead, you turn your focus back to the berry bush that you had been rifling through. If you don't make any sudden movements, maybe they'll come a bit closer.

The blue mer trills a high note, eyes darting over you before letting himself drift just a hair nearer. He's leaned over, though, and clearly very interested in what you're doing. Once again, the purple one calls in a low wail, but the blue fish creature doesn't pull away. Instead, he draws so close you can make out the white-to-blue gradation of his scales. You don't even notice you're staring with mouth agape, hand hovering over the berry bush you've nearly picked dry.

The smaller mer-creature, rather large to you, is just a couple feet away and staring at you with the most bright eyes you've ever seen on anyone. Man or animal. You hear the slightest movement of water as the larger mer comes closer, lurking ever closer like a nightmare, but you're too taken with this charming little thing in front of you. Heat rushes to your cheeks when you jump at the frustrated howl from the other creature, your new mer friend shooting away from you to sheepishly duck under the water.

For a long moment the other one just... Stares at you, a mix of exasperation and resignation warring across his features, before he gives a long-suffering sigh and dips under the water himself.

It's only the next day the blue mer sneaks up behind you on the river bank to see what you're up to, giving you a near indecipherable warble of his name. Tailgate. The purple mer is closer this time, but has refused to leave the water. He's still giving the two of you that exasperated look. When Tailgate smugly tells you that his companion is named Cyclonus, you get to see the purple mer up close for the first time as he yanks Tailgate by the tail back into the river. Your breathless giggles are covered by frantic splashing and bickering.

#txt #asks #reader insert #reader imagine #transformers #transformers idw #tf idw #transformers mtmte #tf mtmte #merformers #tailgate #cyclonus #tf tailgate #idw tailgate #mtmte tailgate #tf cyclonus #idw cyclonus #mtmte cyclonus

[waheelawhisperer]

If you're still accepting ship asks, Platinum and/or Blue Poison?

Platinum

NOTP: Nearl x Platinum, Blemishine x Platinum. After Near Light and what Platinum tried to do to Maria, I don't want her anywhere near any member of the Nearl family.

BROTP: Doctor x Platinum is basically a canon BROTP, but I don't like it, so I'm picking Platinum x Malkiewicz. They can suffer through corporate hell together.

OTP: I don't like Platinum enough to have one for real so I'll just pick Platinum x Malkiewicz again and say that romance blossomed under their mutual subjugation to capitalism

Second choice pairing: Man I barely have a first choice but I guess we can send her to Instructor Dobermann for some discipline.

Fluffy pairing: I feel like Doctor x Platinum would be pretty fluffy even if I don't like it.

Angsty pairing: The only way you can get me on board with NearlPlat or BlemiPlat is by making it one-sided and angsty as hell, with Platinum yearning for these pure and righteous paragons of knighthood from afar and yet knowing she'll never be good enough for them and that she's done too much harm to deserve them.

Favorite poly ship: Platinum x Roy x Monique. Make all three of them as miserable as possible.

Weirdest pairing: Platinum x ab wheel. If you know, you know.

Blue Poison

NOTP: Blue Poison x Ptilopsis because of that one fucking desk comic

BROTP: Blue Poison x Abyssal Hunters. They can hunt giant monsters and yell at the ocean together.

OTP: Glaucus x Blue Poison is very popular in the fandom and I think it's cute.

Second choice pairing: Blue Poison x Doctor, I guess? Her lines indicate that she at least feels positively about them.

Fluffy pairing: Glaucus x Blue Poison.

Angsty pairing: Blue Poison x Doctor if Ptilopsis is around.

Favorite poly ship: Blue Poison x Abyssal Hunters. There are hints in her files that she's connected to the Abyssal Hunters and I think she deserves a lot of girlfriends and so do they.

Weirdest pairing: Blue Poison x Gavial. They're both rainforest creatures and Blue Poison is toxic while Gavial is strong and resistant to damage.

#ask game #arknights #platinum #blue poison

[xaphrin]

Anymore upcoming Raven × Jason works?👀I absolutely adore how you write them

Here is the beginning of my March Year of OTP piece. I chose "fairy tale" and made a weird amalgamation of Beauty and the Beast, and Eros and Psyche. So... ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

- - -

This should have been expected. It didn't make it any less frustrating, but it should have been expected. 

Jason halfheartedly pulled at the rope that bound him to the wrought iron gate, frowning. This was his punishment then? Leaving him here for the demon to consume. He had been hoping to be hanged, but this must have been Bruce’s doing - pulling at strings, trying to control Jason’s fate, and morals. Jason didn’t want to have special treatment though. He knew what he had done was wrong, even if it was for the better good of the city, and he was prepared to take his punishment.  

The world was better for not having the Joker in it, and hanging would have been preferable to being a sacrifice for a demon.  

“I want one month where I don’t walk outside my home and find someone tied to my gate.”

The voice was soft and low, and Jason turned to see a figure step out into the dying light. It was as if smoke and shadows followed the hooded figure across the overgrown, wandering path. He watched the creature slink forward, their hands encased in thick, long gloves. 

It stopped in front of him, and stared at Jason through the bars. The head was covered with a hood, and a dark veil obscured their face. Whatever was behind the cloak was intent on keeping themselves hidden. 

“I don’t know why the town thinks that I want sacrifices. Never have I asked for sacrifices in my long existence.” The voice had a pleasing lilt to it, and Jason was almost certain it was a woman. She continued to stare at him from behind the veil, and he had the distinct impression that she was frowning. “Well… tell me your name and how you’re innocent so I can get on with the process of figuring out what to do with you.”

Jason’s eyebrows knitted together. “I’m not innocent.” 

The figure straightened as if surprised by his answer. “Oh? And what is your crime?”

“I killed a man.” 

“In self defense?”

“In cold blood.” 

The figure paused, their head tilting to the side as if they were surprised. “And you have no remorse.” It was more of a statement than anything else. 

“If I had allowed them to continue to live, they would have senselessly destroyed half the city and killed recklessly.” He twisted his shoulders, displaying the jagged scar that curled along his throat and down his chest. “He nearly killed me, and left my someone close to me permanently paralyzed.” 

Jason got the feeling the figure was staring at him, unsure what their next step would be. “If you’re going to eat me, can you get on with it? I was hoping to die by hanging - you know, a nice short death.”

“I don’t eat people. I don’t even know why the town continues to tie sacrifices to my gates like I want you.” She sighed, and Jason felt the ropes around his wrists melt away. “It started nearly a century ago that Gotham began leaving people tied to my gate every full moon. I never asked for it, I don’t know what idiot got it in their head that I want you, or anything to do with you.”

“What did you do with the sacrifices then?” He rubbed at his wrists and stared at her. “They’ve never returned to Gotham.”

“Depends on their crime. Stealing bread to feed their families? That gets them transported somewhere they can be safe and warm, their family too.” Her veiled face turned to him. “Senseless murder? Defilement of a person's body? Sent somewhere… decidedly different.”

“And me? Is that where I’ll go?”

“Murder for the greater good is a gray area, especially when you have no remorse for your crime. I could send you back to the prison cells in Gotham. Let you meet your fate there.”

Jason considered it, but there wasn’t a reason to go back. For all intents and purposes, his family considered him dead. He gave a low, humorless laugh. “I don’t suppose I could stay here with you?”

The figure jerked back as if surprised. “Here? Why?”

“I’d rather not go back to Gotham. But… I don’t feel as though I deserved to go anywhere else.” He blinked, watching her through the bars of the gate. “I’m in limbo, waiting for something to happen - a choice to be made. And… I don’t want to be the one to make it.”

“Hm.”

#JayRae #tw: a very very brief mention of :rape: #i tried to write around it the best I could so it was easy to get past

[fincalinde]

JGY! (getting in ahead of the crowd)

Ah, but of course. I have only had 3 asks for this meme so I can only assume people are sick of my whinging, so it's not like you beat the rush.

a song that reminds me of them

I'm trying to think of songs that I haven't already strip mined for fic titles and not coming up with much. So maybe this can just be a recommendation for PHILDEL, who is one of my favourite artists. A lot of her work has serious Xiyao vibes, and off the top of my head the one that might be the most JGY on his own is Glorious.

There's a place I go A place I always stand alone And need no witness to my throne Here I say my piece And have no need to be believed The bridge I built will carry me Beyond the creatures of your sea

and

Here I win my day I make my kill upon the grave And need no hero to be saved Here the light still shines Despite the odds and all the time Despite the gods and their design

—like, omg

what they smell like

He's obviously fastidious because he can't ever afford not to be, but I'd probably stage it like this:

Before his mother dies - can never get rid of the cheap sickly smell of the brothel incenses.

After his mother dies - not around much if any incense and must be as respectable as possible, smells of clean cloth and silk and whatever hair oil he can afford. He is very careful about hair oil, he absolutely must not appear to be cheap or tacky.

When he's serving the Nie - similar to the above, probably keeps making little adjustments every time he's bullied about something in a fruitless attempt to mitigate all the judgement and make himself respectable.

When he's serving the Jin - see above but so much worse.

When he's serving the Wen - very careful at first but begins to adjust to having some form of power and resource that protects him from direct abuse. Spends enough time with WRH that he smells like the same incenses WRH prefers, and his scented hair oil and the like is carefully chosen to be consistent with whatever is fashionable amongst the Wen and approved of by WRH.

When he's legitimised - see above but dialled up. He has to walk a fine line between being the same as the other Jin without coming across as vulgarly ambitious. In fic a time or two I've mentioned that he smells of olibanum incense, which I chose as something that would have been imported at great expense and seemed characteristic of the Jin. He needs to demonstrate his status and his wealth, but that said: I guarantee you that it's a typical fragrance that's used all over Golden Carp Tower, and not a scent that's considered a signature central Jin family fragrance. He wouldn't be so bold.

When he's chief cultivator - sticking with what he was doing before. He can never stop being careful.

Secret bonus scent: sandalwood because he spends so much time around LXC.

an otp

oh well let me think of course it's Xiyao. I don't think the text supports a reading where they're lovers, but I think it does support a reading where their intimate friendship includes romantic feelings and the potential for a romantic and presumably also sexual relationship. LXC is the only person who gets on the MS tier of the JGY harm pyramid. JGY is the only person who sees LXC's needs and attempts to meet them. Their relationship is a true meeting of the minds, and the secrets between them are either mutually agreed and healthy or the result of horrific external circumstances. I think I've summed it up before.

a notp

I already mentioned how repellent I find Nieyao in my NMJ response.

Honestly though, JGY with anyone but LXC is a no from me. I think his relationship with QS is sweet and tragic, but it's telling that he never once talks about loving her for who she is and how they are together. He insists he loved her and the forcefulness of that assertion makes it clear he's being sincere, but the emphasis is all on how he's grateful for the fact that she never made his background an issue. It reads to me like he loves how sweet and kind she is and how brave and loyal, but even that is not enough for a healthy and successful relationship. I'm not going to get into the incest thing as that would be a whole other post.

Based on this, I think if he didn't need a wife for social and political purposes he'd have been equally as happy to have her as a supportive friend and political ally. She is canonically not that bright, and he needs an intellectual equal for true partnership—and that's not even getting into the importance of him needing a partner who's capable of grappling with moral relativism.

favorite platonic/familial relationships

This might make @thatswhatsushesaid happy—I really like JGY's relationship with NHS before he's forced to take out NMJ and it all goes to hell. JGY deserves a didi he can dote on. NHS probably does not deserve another doting gege, but I'll allow it anyway.

I also love JGY and JL. The flashback to JGY giving JL Fairy is one of my favourite scenes, not just because it shows that JGY genuinely loves and cares for JL, but because it shows that JGY's unique background and struggles have equipped him to provide JL with comfort and support that no one else could offer.

I always assumed Jin Chan and his little mob of thugs have parents who are a political threat to JGY within the Jin, or how else would they have the guts to harass the heir who will one day rule over them? So there's a lot of layers here for JGY, who has to navigate a delicate political situation while trying to do what he can for JL. I just think it's a beautiful moment where JGY cannot do what I'm sure he wants to do and deal directly with the source of the abuse, and so he does what he can. He knows better than anyone else that sometimes you can't make the abuse stop; but it still matters if you can help someone bear it a little bit better.

a headcanon that is popular in the fandom but that i disagree with

I mean, how much time do you have? I have no patience for the ubiquitous bratty power bottom JGY bossing around 'service top' (vomit) LXC, and I also have no patience for the I think less ubiquitous now but still worth mentioning sadist dom JGY who fantasises about cutting lines into LXC. Those are probably the most common base types I've seen around, but the list, it goes on. I could write another few thousand words joylessly debunking what seems to get people off on AO3, but I really do spill enough ink already on highlighting how inconsistent these portrayals are with the JGY we see in canon.

I'm not saying every single word I personally write is blessed by the angels and incontrovertibly in line with the translated text of the novel, and obviously we are all here at the end of the day to have fun. But it does baffle me that this is so inescapable, because if you want those sorts of dynamics then there are so many other pairings out there to choose from.

the position they sleep in

This probably varies but he must be an extremely light sleeper and probably never sleeps with his back to the door.

a crossover au i’d love to see them in

Can I bring up my ATLA AU yet again ... yes, I am shameless. Or how about the theoretical X-Men AU I raised in the last post? The trouble is that this would have to be a setting where being a mutant is desirable and he has a weak mutation that he exploits to the maximum and perhaps later is able to strengthen.

my favorite outfit they’ve ever worn

Since THAI COVER JGY was already taken, I'll pivot and say I really love what he's wearing in his official artwork. Look at this man! He is elegant and wealthy and powerful and classy and a skilled diplomat and administrator and yet there remains an air of danger about him. Precise! Deadly! Polite! sorry i think i got possessed by lan xichen there for a moment

#ask #xiyao-feels #roquen meta #hilariously for so many of these fanon dynamics #i find myself exclaiming 'but wangxian is right there!' #for the knife thing i mean i guess there's cql xxc + xy #i am dubious as to whether xxc would be into it #but i'd at least say it's likely xy sits there imagining that sort of thing #putting cql yi city meta in the tags of my post about jgy #i do what i want #there is nothing more attractive than a competent administrator #unless it be a competent administrator with a sword that murders other swords #GLORIOUS PURE INSULAR #THE VERY FIRST TO DRAW THE AIR #AND TOUCH THE EARTH #I BUILT IT THERE #OH GLORIOUS OH

[driftingballoons]

(character ask game)

pmd hero? (can be any pmd game)

Oooh, that’s a good one! Probably gonna have to go with pmd2 hero. Now, with them being a fairly blank slate character so the player can fill in their own personality, it’s a little tough, but I’ll give it a go >:)

favorite thing about them

They find themself in what, in reality, is quite a horrific situation—you’ve been transformed into a Creature and lost all your memories—but are still kind and open to exploring. They don’t have much direction without Partner, but they always go all-in into whatever mission or trial they’re facing. 

least favorite thing about them

Probably how passive they can be. Whenever there’s a conflict, the other characters kind of drag them into fights, while they’re mostly along for the ride. It would have been nice for them to speak up and take a little initiative at times. (Explorers of Spirit spoiler alert: of course, aforementioned ROM hack can scratch that itch :P)

favorite line

They have…….so few lines :( But their farewell speech at Temporal Tower, with the whole “you have to keep living,” sentiment gets me every time ;0;

brOTP

Grovyle, and Celebi pre-amnesia for sure!

OTP

Partner! They’re soulmates <3

nOTP

Anyone other than Partner really. I said in a previous ask Partner/anyone from Team Skull would be vomit-inducing, so same applies here I think. 

random headcanon

Following everything, they’re not quite sure how they feel about Grovyle. They like him as a friend, but are also aware that they could never have the same friendship they did before the amnesia. I imagine there’s a lot of conflicting feelings, such as an unspoken obligation to feel more regard and friendship for him than they actually do, and then guilt for not genuinely feeling that way. Also bc of it (and my hero being a treecko) they feel nervous about evolving because they’re not sure if they can look at ‘him’ in the mirror until evolving a second time. 

unpopular opinion

Not unpopular per se, but a lot of interpretations I see have them as kind of cool and edgy, but in my opinion they’re kind of a little twerp (affectionate). They’re smart enough to navigate a strange world with no memories, but I imagine they’re also weird, funny, and perhaps a tad unsettling. (Also Grovyle is undeniably a weird guy imo, he’s gotta get it from somewhere). Basically this: 

song i associate with them

We Stand in Silence by Twelve Titans Silence is a beautiful instrumental piece that always makes me think of them for some reason. When I first listened to it, I got the visuals of someone waking up, finding themselves kind of alone, lights coming into their life (Partner and the Guild), finding themselves alone and lost again (Dark Future arc) and then fighting for a goal they don’t fully remember or understand, but nonetheless now know is important (fighting to stop the Dark Future). I like making plots to instrumental music :P

favorite picture of them

There are so many good treecko artworks out there that I couldn’t possibly pick one! That being said, @snekkerdoodles did this most excellent drawing upon request, which I absolutely adore <3

#Graminos #thanks for the ask! #snekkerdoodles I hope you don’t mind me putting that there it’s just so cute <3 #Pmd2 hero is so special and part of the magic is being able to superimpose your own personality on them much of the time #The other heroes are great too but I don’t recall feeling as connected to them #They felt a little more fleshed out as their OWN characters from what I recall

[princesssarisa]

Character ask: Jacob Marley (A Christmas Carol)

Tagged by anonymous

Favorite thing about them: Just how unforgettable he is as a character, despite how brief his role is. He's probably second only to Shakespeare's King Hamlet as the most famous ghost of a dead man in English literature, and rightfully so. He's frightening, yet pitiable too, and every line he speaks is pure poetry. He has some touches of humor about him (mainly from Dickens's wry narrator voice), but without reducing the seriousness of his suffering or his message. And despite having died an unrepentant sinner, he now repents enough, and cares enough about his old friend Scrooge, that he not only visits Scrooge himself, but arranges for other, more powerful ghosts to visit him too in hope of redeeming him, and he succeeds.

Least favorite thing about them: Well obviously, he wasn't a good man when he was alive. That's the point: he's an example of what Scrooge's fate will be if he doesn't change.

Three things I have in common with them:

*I can be greedy and self-absorbed, though I try not to be.

*I want to help others, as he does now that he knows the error of his old ways.

*I can be melodramatic.

Three things I don't have in common with them:

*I've never been a cold, ruthless businessperson.

*I'm female.

*I'm still alive.

Favorite line:

“It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellowmen, and travel far and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death. It is doomed to wander through the world—oh, woe is me!—and witness what it cannot share, but might have shared on earth, and turned to happiness!”

“Oh! captive, bound, and double-ironed, not to know, that ages of incessant labour by immortal creatures, for this earth must pass into eternity before the good of which it is susceptible is all developed. Not to know that any Christian spirit working kindly in its little sphere, whatever it may be, will find its mortal life too short for its vast means of usefulness. Not to know that no space of regret can make amends for one life’s opportunity misused! Yet such was I! Oh! such was I!”

“Business! Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”

“At this time of the rolling year, I suffer most. Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode! Were there no poor homes to which its light would have conducted me!”

brOTP: Scrooge, his only friend.

OTP: None.

nOTP: Any living person.

Random headcanon: In the end, thanks to his act of arranging for the three Christmas ghosts to visit Scrooge and lead him to redemption, he's freed from his chain and ascends to heaven. I know I'm not alone in wanting to believe this, so I will. I just don't like the idea of eternal punishment for a soul who has clearly learned his lesson and repents; especially not after he saves Scrooge's soul, which means he deserves part of the credit for saving Tiny Tim's life and all the other good deeds Scrooge will do.

Unpopular opinion: He doesn't reside in hell. Dickens makes it clear that his punishment (and apparently the punishment for all cruel, uncharitable people) is to travel endlessly through the world, witnessing the suffering of others whom he failed to help in life. In Dickens's world, there evidently is no hell, in the conventional sense: hell is on earth, in the suffering of those in need. This unconventional theology suits the book's message of social commentary perfectly, and I get tired of seeing adaptations imply that he comes back from a traditional fire-and-brimstone hell, which is so much less interesting and less relevant to the message.

Song I associate with them:

"I Wear a Chain" from The Stingiest Man in Town.

"Marley and Marley" from The Muppet Christmas Carol.

"Link By Link" from A Christmas Carol: The Musical

Favorite pictures of them:

John Leech's classic illustration:

This illustration by Fred Bernard:

This illustration by J.P. Lynch:

Leo G. Carroll in the 1938 MGM film:

Michael Hordern in the 1951 British film:

The animated Marley from Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol:

Alec Guinness in the 1970 musical Scrooge:

Frank Finlay in the 1984 TV film:

Bernard Lloyd in the 1999 TV film:

Motion-captured Gary Oldman in the 2009 CGI film:

#character ask #a christmas carol #jacob marley #marley's ghost #ask game #fictional characters #fictional character ask