#and you have a very determined and brave woman | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

hedgehog-moss · 5 months

Text

9am: Pirlouit & I are waiting for the farrier; it's Hoof Day! The farrier always tends to run late so I have a thermos of tea and a breakfast pastry to eat as we wait. Pirlouit has been offered some hay and has refused to eat it because he's sulking because it's hoof day.

Isn't it nice to get a pedicure, Pirou?

9:10am: The farrier is late and Pirlouit is worried, wondering what we're waiting for here on the road. Maybe he has been sold? to a sadistic new owner? who's going to shove him into a crate and send him to the salt mines like the donkeys in Pinocchio? Plus, he's more stressed than usual today because one of his hooves hurts (hence the farrier appointment), he's been limping for a few days and he doesn't know what the farrier will do to the hurt hoof. I told him there's only a 30% chance that he'll amputate it.

9:15am: Pirlouit's family is here to support him though! Or, in the case of Pampérigouste, here to puzzle out a vexing mystery.

9:17am: The llamas have grown bored of standing there in support and have started eating the brambles near the gate (supportively). Very good initiative, I approve. Also I thought Poldine was trying to eat the brambles outside the gate (greener on the other side and all that) but no, she was trying to fit her head through the bars for a little kiss </3

9:20am: Even Merricat is being supportive. (Well, she's waiting for me to go home so she can finally take her first morning nap in my lap.) Also Pirlouit has found some grass under the leaves and temporarily forgot all of his worries.

9:22am: Poldine is determined to kiss this cat.

9:24am: The farrier is here! As always he starts doing Pirlouit's hooves right there in the middle of the road, and if a car shows up well, "they can wait a few minutes... On n'est pas aux pièces" (this is a phrase for "there's no rush" that I've never heard anyone but my grandma use, it's nice to hear it again!) There aren't any cars anyway.

9:27am: Pirlouit's hurt hoof has been diagnosed: he has an abscess. Since this autumn has been relentlessly rainy I thought perhaps it was a fungal infection—but the farrier told me he's been treating a lot of abscesses lately, as the very wet weather softens hooves which allows bacteria to enter.

9:30am: The abscess was successfully drained and Pirlouit is now wearing a fashionable hoof bandage. He was very calm and brave throughout <3

9:35am: The farrier left his car by the side of the road, and after releasing Pirlouit we crossed the pasture to go home have a cup of coffee.

9:45am: The farrier is gone; end of the post :)

10am: Pampe is gone, too.

Well, she probably left around 10am but I didn't immediately find out as I had more pressing problems. After the farrier left I went to get a small apple to reward Pirlouit, and when I returned to the pasture and he came over for his treat, I realised he was limping. But on the other side. We've just treated his right front hoof, and he is now holding up the left front hoof...

9:57am: After giving Pirlouit his apple I go home in a hurry to call the farrier and ask him to come back. But there's almost no mobile service around here and I can't reach him. This is so frustrating, he can't be very far... On a hunch I call a horse farm not far from here, maybe it's hoof day for their horses as well?

10am: It's not, they have no farrier appointment today, but when I explain my predicament the woman on the phone goes "if it's just to drain an abscess I can send you a guy who'll do it, no worries!" Every time I've had someone from this farm on the phone to ask something or other, they've offered to Send Me A Guy. It's never the same guy too, they have an endless supply of guys.

10:05am: Having accepted gratefully, I return to the pasture to catch poor Pirlouit again, who thought I was done bothering him for today. As I wait for The Guy, I find a spot with some unexpected mobile service and start googling hoof hardeners, because maybe if Pirou's prone to abscesses it's worth having something in prevention for wet months?

10:15am: I receive a text from the guy.

"Is it normal that your llama is on the road with a dog? They are going to [village]."

10:16am: I reply to the guy.

"It's neither normal nor abnormal."

10:17am: I tie Pirlouit to a tree and run back to the barn to get some muesli. Then start running on the road, trying to figure out how Pampe escaped, and the answer seems obvious: after his coffee the farrier crossed the pasture again to get back to his car, and he knew about the Special Anti-Pampe Safety Knot 3000 but either forgot and closed the gate like a normal person, or didn't do it correctly. Pampe in her little llama brain knows very well that most visitors don't know about the Anti-Pampe Knot so she hurries to check the gate after a stranger leaves her pasture. Meanwhile I was busy noticing Pirou's limp and trying to call the farrier back and I didn't check the gate as I usually do.

10:20am: The guy has found me trotting on the road with my muesli and picked me up in his car. We go back to where he last saw Pampe. I apologise for wasting his time and he tells me "I've heard of your llama" in a tone half-sympathetic half-fatalistic.

10:24am: Pampe & Pandolf have been located; are having the time of their lives. Pandolf is a bit sheepish when I call him, though. He loves going on adventures with his best friend so much but he knows it's a bad dog thing to do for some reason :(

10:34am: The Guy is trying to push Pampe forward with his car while I try to attract her towards me with my muesli in a carrot-and-stick routine; Pampe occasionally veers off-road to eat some leaves, inspect the mud in the ditch, pretend to admire a cloud while secretly brainstorming strategies.

Guy's commentary: "This is worse than dealing with an escaped horse. I feel ignored. I feel powerless."

10:39am: Pampe is home! She didn't actually go very far. But since she hadn't locked the gate behind her, when we arrived we found Pampelune on the road as well, just sort of waiting for us like a sentinel. Pirlouit was still tied to his tree staring at his inexplicably orange foot, and Poldine was panicking because her mother had abandoned her for the millionth time and her grandma had left the pasture too and she couldn't figure out how :((( All she had to do was fiddle with the gate with her nose really, but it never occurred to her to do so, she's too innocent. She only inspects gates in order to figure out how to kiss someone through them. So she was alone in the pasture trotting in circles, making undignified sad goat noises when Pampe & I returned.

10:53am: Pirlouit's other hoof has been treated, hopefully he'll feel better and stop limping soon... I'll have to remove the bandages with scissors, clean both hooves and re-do the bandages in a couple of days which is probably going to be a whole Thing, considering he's suspicious of buckets of water and scissors and objects in general. But as for now everyone is in the pasture having some celebratory hay and Pampoldine is deeply relieved to find that she hasn't been abandoned by everyone forever (as she assumes every single time.)

Also I realised I only paid the farrier half of what I owed him... I had prepared the exact sum but I had half in one pocket and half in another which was a risky idea. And neither of us checked what I was handing him, or noticed. He called me back when he arrived in a place with mobile reception and I told him about the whole affair and he said it's a good thing I accidentally paid him half because he didn't see the other abscess and failed to make the Anti-Pampe Knot 3000 so "it's a fair discount." So I got a half-price farrier visit thanks to Pampe (partly)... I won't tell her because she already thinks she's doing the world a favour by escaping (free fence integrity checks, free cardio training for me by forcing me to do interval running, free entertainment for everyone, plus her modest contribution to cosmic chaos.)

11am: I meant to take an "all's well that ends well" photo of the whole family but I realised Pampe is making her angry hammerhead shark face because her adventure was very short-lived and I didn't even take a picture of her escape, as I'd left my phone in my coat pocket under Pirlouit's tree (& supervision) when I went after her. (I figured I was about to run for 15min and would not need my heavy coat)

She thinks I did it on purpose to demoralise her by refusing to document her victories. But she's not giving up.

#crawling along #llama drama #this post is from last week but i forgot i had it in my drafts! pirlouit is doing better<3 #changing the bandages was a nightmare. as expected #i have a ridiculous photo of him standing as far as he possibly can from the terrifying basin of water like it's a ticking bomb #plus he got overshadowed by a llama in his own post about his hurt hooves. it's hard being a donkey

2K notes · View notes

middle-earth-mythopoeia · 10 months

Text

The movie dialogue could never measure up to this:

“But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Éowyn I am, Éomund’s daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him.”

How could anyone cut this?! How?! How?!?!?!?! These lines are so incredibly stirring, so powerful, so moving. “I am no man” doesn’t even come close.

First of all, I like that the negative statement of “No living man am I” is followed by the positive statement of “You look upon a woman.” It’s direct and definitive. She’s been disguised as Dernhelm up until this point—another thing that was cut from the movie—but now she’s revealing who she really is.

Second, in a similar way, I like that she says, “Éowyn I am, Éomund’s daughter.” It’s like a challenge. It’s like announcing one’s identity before a duel—which is in effect what she is doing.

Third, “You stand between me and my lord and kin.” This reminds me of one of the most poignant quotes from the book: “I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.” It’s very important that Éowyn did this brave deed out of a desire to protect Théoden.

Finally, “Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him.” THIS IS LITERALLY SO AMAZING! THIS IS SO COURAGEOUS! I CAN’T EVEN EXPRESS HOW THIS MAKES ME FEEL! I don’t know which part is better—the fact that she threatens him, or that she gives him the choice to forfeit and flee the battlefield.

There’s an incredible heroic resoluteness to the final line, “For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him.” This, right here, is the essence of the courage of mortals in Tolkien’s books. It’s the acceptance of death, but the desire to go down fighting—the knowledge that death is inevitable, but the one thing we have control over is how we meet it.

Éowyn is facing Sauron’s most powerful servant, who is almost a personification of death itself, and she is declaring that no matter what he is, and no matter the outcome, she WILL fight him. When she says these lines, she doesn’t know that she and Merry will vanquish him. It’s sheer determination against impossible odds, it’s extraordinary courage in the face of death—and THAT is why this scene is so powerful.

#lotr #eowyn #my writing

1K notes · View notes

dontfearrr · 3 months

Text

Heard it through the grapevine

sorry guys i been so mia i literally have been in a weird funk but here’s a longer fic for u thrandy lovers and lmk if u want a part 2 maybe???

kisses to everyone, enjoy my elf sluts💋💋💋

Pairing: Thranduil x human!reader

Summary: reader keeps receiving gifts at her balcony, she has no idea where or who they’re coming from, she’s determined to find out…

Warnings: mild spicy content nothing crazy though

Category: fuck idk, fluff/hot n steamy?

Word Count: 2.1k

—————————

“strawberries and grapes this time!”

You shouted out to Tauriel who sat on your bed. She was just as intrigued with these series of gifts you’d been receiving. You both have been trying to narrow it down to who it could be, there was very few elves in this realm who spoke to you but the few that did, didn’t seem interested in you. So they were kind of at a dead end, yet the gifts never stopped.

You lifted the white basket off the floor of the balcony where they always were delivered, somehow unnoticed. You sighed and set the basket on the bed next to Tauriel as you both opened the note together. The thought of having a secret admirer was quite endearing, however it seemed a bit childish almost..but very intriguing nonetheless.

“read it out loud! i can’t do it!” you giggled as you handed Tauriel the note and she laughed with you, sharing the excitement. She cleared her throat dramatically and gave you a slight smirk before looking down at the note and she began to read.

“the grapes of the finest wine, the strawberries of the finest vine. for a woman oh so devine.”

She spoke out in a teasing tone. Your face heated up in embarrassment, these poems were always so corny, but who could be so brave enough to share them with you! “oh my, Tauriel..that is absurd” you laughed and shook your head.

You took the note from her and examined the hand writing, trying to get some kind of idea of who it could be! You thought for a moment, the gears in your brain turning ferociously until you tilted your head and looked at Tauriel.

“grapes from the finest wine…finest vine…Tauriel, arent these fruits from the private garden??” you spoke, picking up one of the grapes, it was bright purple, these were the grapes used to make the town wine. Tauriels eyes widened and nodded, they were in fact from the private garden! well this is something at least. “yes those grapes specifically are kept in the furthest corner, only very few people are allowed in that area” she told you, picking up the strawberries. “these are also from the same area. finest fruit indeed” she sent you a teasing wink and you just rolled your eyes at the elf’s childishness.

“are you able to get me a list of the people who are allowed to enter this area of the garden?” you asked her hopefully and she chuckled a bit, causing you to tilt your head in confusion.

“when i say very few people, i mean very few. grab something to write with.” Tauriel told you and you wasted no time scurrying off to find a quill and paper. Once you returned, you handed it to her and she began writing. you were nervous to see who was on that list, hands fidgeting eagerly as you hovered over her shoulder.

Six names were written on the list, this was amazing news. You snatched the paper from her hand and scanned your eyes over the list, it read:

Thranduil

Legolas

Lesysus

Elrond

Haldir

Aman

You were beyond perplexed. This list only made things even more difficult. The first thing you did was process of elimination. Elrond, he was in rivendell currently. Haldir, who was also with Elrond in rivendell….and that was it.. okay so six to four, not bad. But these were royal figures of the realm! There is no way any of these elves were even close to possible..

You looked at Tauriel who gave you a sympathetic look, she could tell you were stressing yourself out over this.

“do not dwell on it, my friend” she spoke gently, and you sighed deeply, setting the paper on your table and looked out the arched window of your chambers. “this was fun until now” you grumbled to yourself and looked down at the paper once more. “I think i’m just going to give it a rest, it’s clear whoever is doing this doesn’t want to be discovered so i suppose i’ll respect that” you told Tauriel and she quite literally laughed in your face, in a friendly way of course.

“i really love your optimism but we both know you’re not giving it a rest. just sleep on it, maybe you’ll get an idea soon.” she stood from your bed and gently rubbed your arm in reassurance before taking her leave.

You on the other hand, had a plan. A very determined one at that. You were going to do a steak out, spying over the royal garden! How incredibly stupid of you, but if the elf who was doing this was allowed in there, you saw no problem with taking a peek…for the entire night.

It was late now, nearly one in the morning, you decided it was a good time to go and spy on the garden. Tauriel had showed you a way to climb up into the trees to look down upon mirkwood, you figured this was perfect, that’s if you don’t get caught and probably executed. You chuckled to yourself at the thought as you threw on an elven cloak, putting the hood up and dressing yourself in your darkest garments to blend in with the night.

You may have been human but you had lived with the elves long enough to pick up on their gracefulness and swift movements. you swung from branch to branch, getting high enough in the twisting tree, maneuvering until you had a good view of the garden. You were crouched on a branch, quite high enough to go unnoticed hopefully. You hadn’t really thought through how long this would take but there was no going back now.

Three hours had passed by and your legs were beginning to ache so you moved to a simple sitting position, legs dangling off of the tree branch you sat upon. Your head snapped in the direction of the garden after hearing some noise, then you saw a shadow of a figure enter the garden. God damned elven sight, that was the one thing you didn’t have. It was simply too dark to see who had entered the garden, you were squinting and squinti-

“i know you are there, young one.”

A deep voice boomed through your ears and your eyes widened. They could see you? They knew you were there? This is ridiculous! Your mind raced but kept quiet until you heard the voice again.

“there’s really no use in hiding if i’m fully aware of your presence. come down. don’t be rude now.” the voice spoke again, you stared at the dark figure and sighed. Carefully jumping down the tree, landing on the top of the brick wall that separated the garden from the forrest then hopped down to the garden, standing slightly behind the very..tall figure. “i apologize, i was- i was…” you couldn’t even make up an excuse, you just accepted your fate at this point.

“you were spying on my garden? for a very obvious reason that is..” his voice was now VERY familiar to you, your face went white and your blood went cold. You’d just been caught red handed by the king. You watched him lift his arms and pull his hood down and slowly turn around to face you. He wasn’t wearing any kind of crown, not even a circlet. His white hair fell down his shoulders along with his hood and he stared down at you intensely.

“m-my lord.” You began to bow but he held up a hand, halting your movements. You obeyed and stood straight, looking at him.

“i see you’ve been receiving my gifts well. a curious one you are..” he said, a bit of amusement laced in his words. If he was being honest, he was quite impressed with your little idea, however he assumed it was only a matter of time.

“and please, call me by my name” he asked, stepping closer to you.

Your heart had fell all the way to your stomach, Thranduil was your secret admirer? this cannot be. you didn’t believe it for a second. That was until his hands reached up to pull your hood down, revealing you to him. “you are quite breathtaking, even in the darkness.” you could feel his index finger ghost over your cheek, the blood immediately rushing to your face causing you to blush deeply at his simple actions. The presence of the king was usually a lot more intimidating, but this felt almost..intimate?

“why me?” you asked quietly, looking him in his eyes despite it being quite dark, you were still able to make him out clearly.

He let out a low chuckle and dropped his hand back down, clasping his two hands at his front elegantly. “you think because you are mortal, that i cannot pursue you? i’ll have you know, i’ll pursue who ever i see fit..” he told her truthfully. He’s had a fascination for the girl for quite a while, though she had no idea of it.

He brought a hand up to your chin, gently lifting your face up so you can look at him properly, and so he can admire his sweet human. your face was warm and beet red, you were beyond flustered and truly had no idea what to say. “you wish to pursue me?” you asked him with a little bit of disbelief behind it and he simply nodded. God Tauriel would lose her mind if she seen what was happening! Your heart was beating rapidly, his touch felt like a dozen swans on a sweet pond. His thumb swiped over your jawline tenderly, causing you to take a step closer to him. He was more than pleased by this.

“i’ve desired you the moment i laid my eyes upon you” his hand was now cupping your cheek, his fingers threading through the hair behind your ear. “Thranduil..” was all you could muster up. He had you weak in the knees from a simple touch, it was quite cruel really. He absolutely loved the way his name sounded on your tongue, causing him to take a deep breath the calm himself down before he did something he regretted.

“will you have me?”

You placed a hand upon his chest, feeling his breath hitch in his throat as you did so. You slid your hand up, never breaking eye contact, feeling the porcelain skin of his neck as your hand continued higher, allowing it to rest on the back of his neck, your fingers nearly tangling in his perfect tresses. “i don’t want anyone else..” you told him and his caused his grip on you to tighten only ever so slightly. His thumb ran over your cheekbone before he dropped his hand, you were almost disappointed until his hand was now on your waist, pulling you against his own body.

Your body was on fire in this intimate moment, you were crumbling at his hand. He could tell you to jump off of the highest cliff and you’d comply without question. His head lowered down to your ear, his lips barely ghosting over your earlobe. “you keep me up at night, young one..” he purred, you could feel his warm breath against the skin of your neck.

You gasped at this and leaned your head to the side absentmindedly at his action, he took this as a delicious invitation as his head fit perfectly in the nook of your collarbone and neck. His lips connected with your skin, leaving open mouthed kisses to your neck, then unclasped your cloak, allowing it to fall to the ground. his free hand pulled at the material of your tunic, exposing your shoulder as he hungrily continued his sweet kisses to your skin.

“Thranduil please..” you breathed out, the torture was far too much. Your legs were trembling and you gripped onto his cloak as if he was going to disappear. “please what, my love? use your words with your king..” his voice was like smooth honey, melting into your ears delightfully. You wanted to cry out in agony, but refrained from doing so as his lips connected with your collarbone this time.

You couldn’t take it any longer, you gently ran your fingers through his hair and cupped his face, pulling his head back to face you, his eyes were half lidded and filled with lust. Your mouth parted slightly as your breath slowed and you leaned your forehead against his, closing your eyes for a moment. You could feel his breath against your lips, you felt this was too much and decided to take matters into your own hands and you closed the gap, his lips molding perfectly with yours. he gripped your waist a little harder, pulling you flush against him as he kissed you with hunger and passion. You tugged his hair, earning a groan from him and backed him up against the brick wall.

The king had fallen completely under your spell at this point, he was yours…

281 notes · View notes

annymation · 4 months

Text

Reimagining the characters in Wish

(Part 1- Asha)

Hey guys! I don’t really know how to start this, but let’s just say that I… Didn’t like how Disney’s 100th anniversary movie turned out, like at all.

But I can tell there was a lot of unexplored potential beneath this story, that in my opinion felt overly simple and bare bones.

But if you love it, that’s awesome, more power to you, I wish I could’ve loved it too. And I don’t want to rewrite it to show I’m “better than the writers at Disney” because I’m definitely not lol, I have no experience in writing, and I’m sure they put a lot of passion into the project and I respect them for that. But this movie inspired me with ideas for a different story that I think is worth telling.

But I won’t start telling it today, instead, I'll start a series of blogs sharing my ideas for changes in the characters and their stories, after I get some feedback I will start posting more of the story itself.

If you’re interested, then come along!

Asha✨

Personality

- Asha is a 18 year old girl, with a passion for drawing and helping those around her, sometimes even worrying more about helping others than helping herself

- She’s like a big sister to her 7 friends, always being the voice of reason and acting responsible, but not in a bossy way, she’s actually very playful with them

- To the people of Rosas tho, she's seen as kind of a weirdo, for you see, she spends almost every time of the day drawing in her sketchbook

- She practices everyday to become a better artist, and the people of Rosas find this to be very peculiar, after all, why would you take so much effort to perfect a talent when you can simply wait to turn 18 and wish for the king to make you an amazing artist?

- Asha doesn’t mind these comments, although they have made her less willing to share her drawings with others that aren’t her 7 friends

- As the story progresses we see Asha flourish from a shy and introverted girl to a brave woman who after discovering a terrifying secret about the kingdom’s rulers, steps in and inspires others to join her and fight an evil sorcerer king and his alchemist wife (yes, I made Amaya an alchemist, more on that on part 2 when I talk about how I’d change Magnifico and Amaya)

- Some Disney characters that share similarities with her personality wise are: Belle, Tiana, Pocahontas and Esmeralda

Main Traits:

Calm and mature

Determined

Passionate about her interests (drawing, dancing, philosophy and stars)

Helpful and generous

Perceptive and always questioning things around her that no one pays attention to (like why do all the artists only paint the King and Queen?)

Playful

Compassionate

Backstory

Oooh boy I gave this poor girl so much angst, okay let’s go

Asha grew up with her grandfather, her parents both died in a fire when she was just a baby

(this isn’t just to fit the “haha Disney princess has no parents” cliche, there’s plot relevance in this “mysterious fire” that I’ll talk about later)

Growing up with her grandpa, he’d always support her dream to be an artist, like her mother, who was an art teacher

Her mother not only drew really well, but she also was able to create the illusion that her drawings could move, by flipping through the pages of her sketch books

In other words, her mom was an animator

Asha saw this technic her mom used as a form of magic, so she would often tell her grandpa she wanted to “Do magic just like my mom”

Her father was a philosopher (this was established in the actual movie but never explored haha whyyyy), who taught people that working hard to achieve your dreams is not only rewarding, but also essential, because it’s part of the human nature to persevere and fight for what we believe, even if we fail, even if it’s hard, just keep moving forward.

This philosophy may sound very “umm duh” for me and you since we all know and hear everywhere nothing in life comes for free… But that’s not the case in Rosas

In this rewrite the kingdom wasn’t created by Magnifico, but rather the kingdom has existed for many generations, being ruled by different kings before Magnifico who also granted wishes… but I’m getting ahead of myself.

The point is that the culture of just asking the king to give you or make you whatever you want to be has been in this kingdom’s culture since forever, so when Asha’s dad comes out saying “hey! Maybe we should stop just relying on the king to make our dreams come true, right?” He’s actually being quite a revolutionary… and sharing a very dangerous belief to other people…

At this point you might suspect what caused that “mysterious fire”

So, back to Asha, growing up with her grandpa, they shared a lot of happy memories together. Reading her father's books and her mother's art books helped Asha connect with them even tho she never had them in her life.

But as her grandfather grew older, he became senile.

Asha went from being taken care of by her grandpa to being the one who took care of him when she was still around 13 years old, and when she turned 15 her grandfather passed away of old age

Asha went on to live with her best friend Dahlia, the two became like sisters.

Though she managed to move on from the loss of her grandfather, she could never shake the feeling that he died without getting his wish granted... But she had no way to prove that, it was just a feeling

The wish granting system works different in my rewrite, instead of there being a public wish granting ceremony once a month, there would only be a public wish TAKING ceremony, that would work just like in the movie, you turn 18, you go give your wish to the king yada yada yada.

But the wish granting part would work like this: Almost every night the king would release the wishes up in the sky, they would float down like balloons to their respective owners while they sleep, and once they woke up in the morning they'd feel that their wishes were granted, for they would wake up changed.

With this method, there's no way of confirming if someone really got their wish granted or not, unless you went to ask the king.

Asha never did ask the king if he granted her grandfather's wish, but her grandfather would sometimes express how he wasn't feeling completely fulfilled in his life, he felt like there was something... missing.

This feeling of hollowness persisted in him until the very end, no matter how hard Asha tried to help her grandfather, she never knew him as his real self, because he gave part of his soul to the king, the most beautiful part of his soul, his wish.

Asha had no proof that her grandfather didn't get his wish granted, only a gut feeling.

But because of this, Asha wasn't that thrilled to give her own wish to king magnifico, knowing there was the possibility of it never being granted.

Not to mention she didn’t even know what to wish for, “I’m just 18 and you guys expect me to already know what’s my heart’s deepest desire? I’m still figuring that out, all I know is that I wanna draw”

Plus she wanted to follow her father's philosophy and achieve her wish on her own, eventually, when she figured out what her wish even was.

Asha never rebelled against the system tho, she wasn't a confrontational person. She just accepted the people of Rosas preferred to rely on the king's magic, but that just wasn't for her.

However, on her 18 birthday, when it was expected of her to give her wish to the king, she simply said she didn't have a wish, and even if she did she wouldn’t want to hand it over, she wanted to make it come true on her own. This lead to an argument with the king, and after a series of events (that I don't have time to summarize here, but you can find out about it on my rewrite) leads to her finding out a terrible truth about her kingdom. And that's how her story begins.

Design

- I’d keep these braid ornaments that Asha had in the concept art

- Since in my rewrite she’s not that invested in the kingdom of Rosas, I’d remove all the Kingdom of Rosas symbols that are present in her design (there are a LOT of them)

- I’d replace these Rosas insignia with more star and constellations themed symbols, to reflect how Asha believes that the stars are connected to people and they can guide us, just like how her father believed.

Final Thoughts

My intentions with these changes were to give Asha a strong emotional hook, and something that makes her feel relatable.

The emotional hook here is how she spent so much of her life taking care of her grandfather that she kinda never had time to worry about her own desires, that alone can be relatable to caregivers of elderly people that watch their grandparents or even their own parents lose themselves as time passes, and end up worrying more about the person they’re taking care of than themselves.

Asha has this internal emotional conflict where she feels she needs to constantly help others the same way she helped her grandfather, and one of the things she’ll learn as the story progresses is that it’s not selfish of her to want more for HERSELF.

Another thing that would be relatable about Asha is her passion for drawing, and how most people in Rosas would say she’s wasting her time practicing so much when she can just wait until she turns 18 and wish to be amazing at drawing.

She’d never stop believing that taking her time to improve on her talent and trying again and again was worth every second of her time, because let me tell ya folks, drawing is HARD, and animating like Asha’s mom did is even HARDER, it takes a whole lot of practice, and Asha was determined to keep trying.

She’d be much like Belle, remaining true to herself even tho those around her considered her odd, and very passionate about drawing just as much Belle was passionate about reading.

I also find it funny how Asha’s motivations are fairly down to earth, like in Disney movies you usually have:

I want to be free from these palace walls!

I want to explore the ocean!

I want to open a restaurant!

I want to find true love!

And then there’s Asha here like

“My life is fine, I just wanna chill and draw stuff”

And that’s it, but, in her environment where everyone is expected to have this great wish that they have to give to the king so he’ll make it a reality, she’s kinda the odd one out, and I love that. Would be a great subversion of the Disney formula.

Of course after she learns Magnifico and Amaya’s true intentions she gets a lot more agency and the desire to save her people, her “call for adventure” if you will.

But what are Magnifico and Amaya’s true intentions? Click here for part 2 and find out!

Thank You For Reading!

#disney wish #wish #reimagined #rewrite #disney #wish 2023 #wish asha #wish star #king magnifico #wish movie #wish disney #wish rambles #wish rewrite #Asha #long post #wishrewrite

333 notes · View notes

sotwk · 6 months

Text

Taken (Eomer x Reader) - Part 2 of 3

Part 1 / Part 3

Love Confession feat. Eomer Eadig

Valentine 2023 Event by @sotwk

Summary: Eomer is determined to convince the woman he loves of his long-hidden devotion, but the obligations of his new crown and her baseborn origins shake her faith in their future together.

Prompt: "It's hard for me to describe what I feel for you… but just know that it's love nonetheless."

Requested by and Dedicated to: @laneynoir You've probably forgotten about making this Valentine ask, but I remember and write down everything you ask of me! <3 Hope you enjoy!

Word count: 3.9k

Content: Angsty romance, declarations of love, jealousy, mutual pining, class division, shield-maiden, King Eomer, post-RotK, non-canon pairing

Rating: T (Teens and up)

Warnings: Excessive angst? Verbal passion? This is clean but it will do a number on your feels.

To Read on AO3: Link

Tumblr Post for Taken, Part 1: Link

Taken

Third Age 3019 May 2

Minas Tirith, Gondor

PART TWO

“My lord, are you certain it is safe for you to go without a proper escort?”

Eomer cast a taut but amused smirk at Haleth, son of Hama, over the horse they had just finished tacking up together. His new squire, one of the youngest fighters to survive the Battle of Hornburg, had been appointed to the post just very recently, and so still had much to learn.

Eomer dismissed the given counsel that a king needed someone with experience in his direct service, not a novice that required training. He had seen with his own eyes how bravely Hama’s orphaned boy had helped to defend the refugees at the Glittering Caves; in Eomer’s eyes, the child had earned the honor several times over.

“Surely you don’t mean to imply that the King of the Horse-lords is incapable of defending himself on a short ride?”

“No, sire. It is just…” Haleth’s eyes darted about nervously and he lowered his voice. “You ride with a woman. If something were to happen, would you not have to defend yourself and her as well?”

At that, Eomer chuckled. “I commend your gallant instincts lad, but I advise you not to make such an insinuation in the presence of a known shield-maiden. They do not take kindly to having their abilities questioned, and will be quick to set you right.” He patted his squire’s shoulder to show that no offense was taken. “Rest assured that the lady is more than capable of holding her own, and of shielding me from harm if need be.”

The boy need not know that Eomer would sooner die than put her in that position. He had kept that a secret from her and the rest of his Éored for years, although perhaps a little too successfully and to his own detriment.

Riding Firefoot into the white-stone square courtyard that connected the galleries of stables, Eomer quickly saw that she was already waiting for him, standing alert beside her own horse. Greywind, a dappled mare that bore no meager resemblance to her equine brother, tossed her head and whickered softly at Firefoot's approach. It was a warmer reception than his master received.

"Good morning, my lord," the shield-maiden acknowledged with a nod as curt as her tone. Royal protocol satisfied, she turned and swung up into the saddle of her own steed.

Her cold shoulder was to be his comeuppance, then. So be it. Her silent rages were nothing Eomer had not seen, borne, and successfully navigated before.

But today, this time, would be different. Everything was sure to be different after that kiss, which, after a sleepless night of pondering and self-debating, he would still swear on Bema was no mistake. Clumsy perhaps, but an action he did not regret leaping into. There was no part of Eomer that did not desire to repeat it, over and over.

First, he must resolve the confusion his recklessness had caused.

"Follow my lead,” he said, and spurred Firefoot on toward the exit gates.

His command came from habits formed over years of riding together, and so did her immediate obedience. Her loyalty had always been faultless; loyalty to Rohan, loyalty to him. Whenever he called and whatever he asked for, she gave, just as she came to meet him now, regardless of what had transpired between them last night.

This new epiphany that her devotion to him might be encouraged not just by duty, but a love to reciprocate his, still felt like too much to hope for.

They rode side by side down the levels of Minas Tirith, and soon were past the city’s great white walls. At the slightest shift of his master’s weight, Firefoot burst into a full charge down the North-way, rejoicing at the freedom to run across open land once more, an impatience that mirrored Eomer’s own. Next to them, Greywind and rider matched their gait to keep up, and they tore their way for several miles northward into Pelennor.

Eomer’s body sang at the rush of the wind over his skin, through his hair and his cloak that streamed over Firefoot’s haunches. Too long had he been cooped up within the city walls, tethered to the duties of his new office. It still felt unseemly for him to carry the title of King while his uncle had yet to be properly laid to rest among his forebears, but he was determined to serve in every manner his people required.

This involved taking guidance from his newly formed council, who seemed to believe that the first order of business was to reaffirm and restrengthen Rohan's alliance with Gondor. In the weeks that followed the great feast at Cormallen, Eomer spent more time with new acquaintances, lords and ladies from the noblest families of Gondor, than with his own men. His Éored, who had been the rock at his side for nearly the whole of the past year, were granted time to rest and convalesce according to their desires, and every one eagerly embraced the offered leave.

That included her, most painfully and noticeably. Each day that passed by filled with council meetings and formal dinners but nearly nothing of her, had dragged Eomer further into despair. When she finally reappeared for the coronation, dressed the way she was…small wonder that he finally lost hold on propriety the moment he touched her.

In seemingly no time at all, they left it all behind. The high ramparts and looming towers of the grand city turned into a white speck on the mountainside. So far out north into the fields and away from the main road, they had separated themselves from the thousands that had flocked to the city to celebrate the coronation, and retreated into the peace of the vast plains that bore some semblance to their home.

Eomer eased Firefoot into a relaxed pace and she followed suit. Afterward they were blanketed in silence but for the clink of tack and thud of hooves on the long grass finally regrown in the end of Pelennor’s strifes.

One sideways glance showed Eomer that she remained resolved to look anywhere but in his direction. No matter. If she refused to look at him, he would gladly stare at her, and take his fill of what he had been deprived of for weeks.

He had forgotten what a vision she made outside of armor, so long had they lived in battle gear. The gown she wore to the coronation ball had distracted him all evening, but it painted her beauty too foreign. The plain clothes of their people suited her best. On her, the wine-red dress underneath her green Rider’s cloak outstripped any fine silk confection. Her hair, usually held back in tight braids or trapped underneath a war helm, flowed in free waves that tumbled to her waist and made his fingers ache with longing.

To see her in this manner reminded him of what Rohirrim sacrifice had achieved: the end to a life of constant peril, and in its place, domestic bliss. Eomer knew he would be wholly content to look upon her this way forever. And by Bema, by all the Valar that might hear, he prayed that she would let him.

Another mile or two passed in the bleak silence before the skies gave him the opening he needed. The faint drizzle that had lazily harried them gradually intensified into a downpour, and the menacing grey clouds above rumbled a fair warning.

Eomer pointed to a copse of beeches in the distance. “That should suffice for us to wait out the worst of it,” he said, and they directed their horses into the thicket.

After releasing Firefoot and Greywind to find cover and graze at their leisure, they took their shelter underneath the tree with the most generous canopy. As Eomer watched her gather the cascade of her soaked hair over one shoulder, she happened to raise her eyes in his direction and catch his gaze. Her face remained impassive, but she did not look away again. She knew she could no longer delay what he had requested her company for.

“May we speak now?”

The tense lines on her brow softened. “My lord,” she said, in a tone that was almost contrite. “I am here to listen to whatever you wish to say.”

“Good,” Eomer said, and needed one more breath to steady himself. “Good...”

"Long has there been great camaraderie between us as comrades in arms, but in time that deepened into…more meaningful affection.” When she did not flinch at that attestation, he carried on. “After last night, it is clear that we must lay bare the extent of our feelings and finally be open with each other."

Her mouth trembled. “My lord--”

“I love you,” Eomer said. “I recognize no plainer truth than that. I am no bard or scholar, and so it is hard for me to describe what I feel for you...as it would be hard for anyone to explain the glory of the sun or the vastness of the skies. But you must know that it is love, nonetheless."

She remained silent at this, and her clenched jaw told him no response was forthcoming. But he had more.

“These past years, Rohan’s protection occupied all of my waking thoughts. There was no time to consider ambitions for myself. And what need did I have for that, when the sole object of my desires rode in my company to every battle? But after all our years together, I suppose I began to take for granted that you would always be close by, even while I drowned in fear that one sword stroke could separate us forever."

He edged a step closer to her, driven by the mere suggestion of such unspeakable loss.

“When you grew distant after Theodred's passing, I awoke to my folly. I wished to blame your withdrawal from me on your grief, but my jealous mind whispered that my long buried suspicions were confirmed, that you had always desired his devotion over mine. I wrestled with the torment from it, until last night, when you gave me reason to hope again.”

“But..but I did not…y-you had never…” She cut off her own stammering and squared herself determinedly before continuing. “I never found sufficient cause to believe you could care for me so, my lord.”

“The fault is mine for not being forthright with you from the start. I will do whatever I must to remedy that now.” Suddenly they were face to face on the same side of the tree, for she had not thought to dart away from his advances this time. “I would shout it from the very spire of their great Tower if it will end your doubts.”

He reached for her, and the edge of his hand found her chin. Contrary to his bold declaration he repeated, barely above a whisper: “I love you.”

“No,” she murmured back. “Please. You must not say such things.”

“Why not, when it is the truth?”

“Because it is a truth you cannot act on.”

Eomer’s hand dropped to his side as he barked a humorless laugh. “Granted I have not held the role for very long, but that seems a peculiar thing to tell a King.”

“You are the King now, and that binds you to do things according to your duty, not according to your desire.” She lowered her head. “That is the truth that matters, my lord. Love cannot always prevail over everything.”

The familiar frustration marked with dread clawed at Eomer again. “My love for you will prevail over this,” he vowed. “Moreso because it is love returned.”

Only the sound of splattering rainfall followed, and the realization that she was starting to turn away.

“You… you do love me.”

“I do not.”

The ensuing crack of thunder paled against the shock her reply struck in Eomer. She slipped away from his side once more while he fumbled through his recollections of the previous night.

Drunk as he had been on the taste of her kisses, he could not have misunderstood her impassioned outburst. You are all I ever see, even when I do not wish to! He had dissected that precious confession over and over in his head and basked in sweeter hope that he had ever dared to feel about anything.

“I will not accept that. I do not believe it!”

In a handful of strides he overtook her as she fled to the edge of the grove, where the trees stood further apart and exposed them to the deluge.

“What is causing you to deny me? Deny yourself, deny us?!” She attempted to step around him, but Eomer blocked her progress relentlessly. “Is it that misguided belief of yours that I am, in your words, ‘taken’?”

Finally she succumbed and stood in place, cold and drenched and as stock-still as a soldier holding the line. But Eomer found the answer clear on her grimace.

"Do you mistake me for some bull that has been put on the market for the highest bidder? Or believe me so feeble that I have no control over my choice of wife?!"

She stiffened at his rising rebuke and shook her head. “Not just a wife, my lord. A Queen. You must choose the right woman to offer to Rohan as our long-awaited Queen.”

“Marry me and it is done.”

Immediately her eyes widened and her face blanched, as his bluntness finally plowed through her shields. “Oh Eomer,” she breathed, and the return of his name on her lips nearly rendered him as dazed as she was.

He moved to embrace her, but she clutched him by the forearms, guarding her space. He felt her fingers tremble as they dug into the fabric of his tunic sleeves. He thought he might have heard a sob, but in the rain it was impossible to discern the source of the drops slipping down her cheeks.

“I know you are wiser than that,” she told him. “You know Rohan’s political realities, regardless of your distaste for them. Your rise to your uncle’s throne has separated us by a chasm that cannot be bridged.” She sensed his intention to interrupt and spoke even louder. “I am an orphaned stray, Eomer. Theodred’s favor may have rescued me from a life of insignificance, but I am still baseborn by anyone's standards. Yet however lowly I am, I can hold my head up with pride, because I have always known my place.”

“As do I.” Eomer slid his hand up the curve of her neck. “Your place is with me.”

“Yes it is.” Her smile was joyless as she gripped his wrist to keep his obvious desires at bay. “I belong at your side, on the open fields, with a sword in my hand, ready to give my life for you at a moment's notice. You gifted me with purpose, and riding in your company has brought me such honor. Please do not ask me to play a role where I will only fail and return to an object of derision.”

Eomer frowned. “I have only ever loved you. No one else is suitable for me to take to wife.”

She lifted those beautiful eyes to stare dead-evenly at him for the first time in months. “Dol Amroth,” she whispered. “The daughter of Prince Imrahil.”

The sadness in her eyes lifted the fog of ignorance that obfuscated him. He recognized that pain as the very same one that had pierced him each time he watched her in Theodred’s company. The way they smiled at each other, their intimate touches, their freely exchanged affection that made his stomach twist with envy. But he had been wrong in his interpretation of that situation, and so was she on this one.

“What of her?” he said brusquely, pushing aside his full realization of what she was implying.

“One does not have to sit at the council table to see the soundness of your match.”

“There is no match!”

“Then there will be and there should be!” she insisted. “Everyone sees it, and if you tell me you do not, then you have no right to accuse me of denying what is true.”

A low growl rumbled off Eomer and suddenly he was the one to swivel away, rubbing his face and rain-matted beard while he weighed his answer.

“I do not deny that overtures have been made by advisors, both mine and King Elessar's," he said finally. "Lothiriel does seem an obvious candidate to put forward as a consort for the King of Rohan. But that appropriateness has nothing to do with me. Had Theodred survived to stand in my place, they would be pushing her to him. Have I been counseled on the benefits of an alliance with Imrahil's house? Oh yes--with the subtlety of a hammer's blow. But I barely paid heed to that, since all that mattered to me was your opinion on the subject."

"My opinion," she echoed. She planted her hands on her hips and studied her muddied boots for a long moment. "I can offer you what I know. You, Eomer King, will be the greatest ruler the Mark has ever seen. Your rule deserves every opportunity it can claim, and this offer of an alliance with Dol Amroth is one you cannot dismiss. I have heard nothing but praise and approval at the prospect, from mouths both common and noble."

"Princess Lothiriel is young, and beautiful, and beloved. Her blood is of the most distinguished and most powerful house in Gondor. She will give you exactly what you need. What Rohan needs."

She suddenly came forward to cradle Eomer's face between her hands, a touch he had only experienced in dreams until then. Except this was more akin to his worst nightmare. His inner wretchedness must have become evident in his furrowed brow and was too pitiful to ignore. "Moreover she will adore you, if she has not fallen already, for no maiden has ever lived whose heart you cannot ensnare.”

“Do not flatter me in one breath only to spurn me in the next,” Eomer muttered. “I did not ask for you to wax poetic about my future with another woman. I want your thoughts about all that matters. Us.”

“Us?”

She tried to withdraw her hands, but Eomer caught them in time, and held them firm against his chest, as if it could make her feel how consumed his heart was by her.

“Once I might have carried hope for us,” she said softly. “Hope that I could one day be enough, because I knew you cared for Rohan above all else and admired my dedication to our people. I thought perhaps in time, that admiration might grow to love, as mine did so quickly after I met you."

“But it did, it--”

Her hands jerked inside his grip, their next attempt at escape futile. “Any hope I had for us died with Theodred,” she said tersely. “When his charge as the King's heir passed on to you. Let it rest with him.”

The roll of receding thunder brought Eomer back to a distinct memory of that dreadful day at Isen. The raw anguish on her face as she looked up at him with Theodred's head on her lap. Her frightened reluctance at releasing the prince for Eomer to take on Firefoot.

It had rained too when Eomer came to bring her the news of his passing not a day later. Ignoring the heavy downpour, she ran out to meet him as he approached her cottage, and broke down before he could get the words out. He had to lead her back inside and wrap her in a blanket before she caught a chill. She clung tightly to him as he held her for a long while, bewildered by her sobs. It was the only time he had ever seen her weep.

Only then did it dawn on Eomer: it was not just the loss of Theodred that she had mourned.

“Run away with me.”

It burst from his lips without a thought.

“Wh-What? No!” She yanked away from him with such force he was left grasping for empty air.

“Come with me, and let us run away together.” He rushed after her as she strode toward their horses. She already knew his mind, but he also knew hers, and there was nothing left for him to employ to sway her to his thinking. Nothing but this brazen proposal.

“Away to where?!” she cried, without bothering to look his way. She came up to Greywind and seized her saddle pommel, but Eomer’s hand closed around hers, stilling her progress.

“Anywhere. Far enough to take you away from all this--” Eomer swung out his free arm in a gesture as wild as the fervor in his eyes. “Away from everything that is confusing you.”

She started shaking her head vigorously and backing away. “Eomer, no. You are mad!”

“Do not tell me that!” Eomer lurched forward in pursuit, yet knew better than to grab her. She could not lose him out here where there was nowhere to hide. But he would lose her if she shut him out again by refusing to listen.

“Do not tell me I am mad when the only madness is you believing we do not deserve a future together!” Each time he blocked her path, she pivoted in another direction, and he immediately swerved to repeat the dance. “Madness is you rejecting a man who yearns for you more than a mortal heart could possibly bear, clinging to the barefaced lie that you do not feel exactly the same.”

At that, she fell still. In the stillness Eomer realized that the rainstorm had finally dissipated, and in studying her face, he noticed the drops that continued to slip from the edges of her closed eyes, gliding to her quivering jaw.

“You know as well as I that we belong together.” He caught one of the tears with the edge of his thumb, smoothing his finger over her soft, flushed skin. “So let us take the road west and… and just keep riding. Let me take you home. Our people here will follow soon enough, and when they arrive we can meet them as man and wife.”

“Eomer,” she sighed, before falling silent, her eyes still shut. He hoped she would take her time finding ease, so she may really consider his offer. But she responded immediately, too quickly, once again. “We cannot just abandon our obligations.”

“You insist we cannot, but we can. You can do whatever you wish. You just need to decide what that is--"

“No! No, no, no…” The word morphed into whimpers on her lips, an effort to drown him out.

“--and that is all I ask. That you shut out thoughts of all else and answer truly, from your heart." Something in Eomer’s throat tightened, as though an invisible hand had seized his neck and threatened to choke him. He swallowed and persisted with all the courage he could muster. "Will you marry me?"

“No.”

“Please.” It tasted bitter on his tongue, for Eomer son of Eomund had never begged for anything in his life, even as it took the last shreds of pride for him not to fall on his knees in his final bid. “I am asking you for the truth. Your truth alone. Do you want me?”

Her eyes fluttered open, bearing the steely determination and battle strength that had won his respect years ago, and in that moment Eomer saw that that inner fire he loved would now crush him.

“No,” she answered. “I do not.”

To be continued in Part 3...

Men Tag List: @a-world-of-whimsy-5 @achromaticerebus @aduialel @asianbutnotjapanese @auttumnsayshi @blueberryrock @elan-ho-detto-elan-15 @entishramblings @fizzyxcustard @freshalmondpandadonut @friendofthefellowshipsnerdblog @glassgulls @heilith @heranintomyknife23times @konartiste @ladyweaslette @laneynoir @lathalea @lemonivall @LiliDurin @quickslvxrr @scyllas-revenge @talkdifferently6

For more SotWK Fanfiction: Fanfiction Masterlist

Other useful links:

Introduction to SotWK

SotWK HC Masterlist

Fanfiction Request Guidelines

#sotwk fanfiction #eomer #eomer x reader #eomer fanfiction #rohan #lotr #eomer x you #valentine event 2023 #follower request

250 notes · View notes

theyhavetakenovermylife · 5 months

Text

Unwanted Attention

Bayverse!Leonardo x reader

The boys have brought you along for a party at the NYPD headquarters, where a police woman finds your crush, Leonardo, very interesting. Leo on the other hand is not interested and turns to you for help.

Warnings: Spelling and an annoying police woman that doesn't understand no.

All characters are at least 21.

----------------------------------

The atmosphere at the NYPD headquarters was vibrant, filled with laughter and cheers. Drinks were served along with snacks, and a table where everyone was free to serve themself. It was police chief Vincent’s idea, as a way to celebrate the new partnership between the NYPD and the mutant turtles. It also served as a way to celebrate the defeat of Kraang, and to let the rest of the department meet the four turtle brothers that had saved New York City once again.

The brothers, not sure what to do with so many humans around them, had invited you, April, Caesy and Vern. They insisted that the four of you had as much to do with the saving of New York City, yet they failed to remember that it was them that came up with a plan and guided everybody through it.

Yet there you were at the NYPD headquarters, with a drink in hand chatting and laughing with the people around you. Raphael was having a conversation with Caesy about motorbikes, Donatello, April and police chief Vincent was talking about something techy, while Vern and Michelangelo was trying to see who could drink their drinks the fastest. You had been standing with Leonardo and a policeman, talking about your experiences during the Kraang invasion.

As the three of you spoke, you couldn’t help but throw glances in Leo’s direction. You had known him for two years now, and you couldn’t deny your growing feelings for the leader in blue. Especially not after the ordeal that was the Kraang invasion. There was just something about him that drew you in - his confidence, his leadership, his unwavering dedication. And his eyes. Those pretty blue eyes that made your stomach tingle. But little did you know that Leonardo harbored feelings for you as well, just as you secretly held a crush on him. He had been aware of these growing feelings ever since April pulled you to the roof where they had asked her to meet them so they could bring her to Master Splinter.

As the night unfolded, Leonardo found himself trying to enjoy the celebration, but he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. And it wasn’t your beautiful eyes looking at him every once in a while. No, it was some new strange eyes on him. Unknown eyes. Glancing around, his eyes met those of a police woman, her gaze intense and determined. Curiosity piqued, she made her way through the crowd until she stood beside him, right next to the police man. You saw her as she came over, a nauseating feeling growing in your stomach. You did not like the way she looked at Leonardo.

"Leonardo, right?" she asked with a coy smile, her voice carrying a subtle flirtation.

Leo nodded, a bit caught off guard, slightly fidgeting with the glass in his hand. "Yeah, that's me. Can I help you with something?"

The police woman leaned in slightly, her eyes locking onto his. Leo leaned away, clearly not expecting it. "I couldn't help but notice you from across the room. A fearless leader, I presume?"

Leonardo chuckled nervously, his eyes darting around the room. "I don't know about fearless, heh. We just do what we can to keep the city safe".

She playfully twirled a strand of hair with a smug smile. You wanted to yank her hair to whip that smile off of her face. "Well, a brave man deserves a reward. How about another drink, or maybe a dance, Leonardo?"

Leo hesitated, glancing around as he searched for a polite way to decline. You could see the “nope” written across his face. "I- I appreciate the offer, but I'm here with my brothers and my best friends… Maybe some other time?"

She didn't seem deterred, stepping closer. You were getting mildly shocked. Wasn’r she supposed to be a police officer? "Come on, Leo. We're here to celebrate. Loosen up a little".

Leo felt the awkward tension, realizing he needed a way out of this encounter. That's when he remembered you stood by his side. He turned to you, catching your eye briefly.

"(Y/N)... Babe?", Leonardo said, trying to keep his tone casual as he turned to his friend, noticing your surprised look at the sudden nickname. "We have plans later tonight, don’t we?"

You stared at him for a second, heart skipping a beat when you suddenly realized what was happening. The urgency in his eyes and the way she started to look at you in confusion. The police man the two of you had been talking to looked even more confused by the sudden change in your demeanor. "Yeah, we agreed not to go home too late, since we have that thing with your dad tomorrow".

“I knew there was something”, Leonardo said, acting relieved, before placing a hand on your back, making your knees go a little weak. “Thank you for reminding me, babe. I don’t know what I would do without you”. That’s when Leo pulled you close and placed a kiss on your forehead. You could feel your knees buckle and your head spin as he turned to the woman, and told her he couldn’t go out for a drink or a dance.

That was when she finally took the hint and left, you and Leo watching to make sure she wouldn’t be back. Once she was gone for good, you and Leo let out a sigh of relief, turning back to continue your conversation with the police officer, only to realize he had left, leaving the two of you alone.

You turned to Leonardo with a teasing smile, and smacked him gently on his strong bicep. "You know, you owe me for saving you back there".

Leo chuckled, rubbing his arm as if you had actually hurt him. "I owe you big time, (Y/N). Thanks for being my fake girlfriend".

Your heart warmed and broke at the same time. The word “girlfriend” brought you happiness, but the word “fake” tore it apart. Yet you had thought that was it. That Leo would take a step back and leave you alone. But he didn’t. The rest of the night Leo stayed close to your side, placing a hand on or around you every once in a while. You thought it was because he caught a glance of the police woman or something, and therefore you didn’t think much more about it.

As the night continued one, the two of you found a quieter spot away from the crowd. It was down one of the hallways from the big area the main body of the part was held in. Here the light was dim, with an empty couch with space for the two of you. You took a seat, laughing at a really bad joke Leo had told you. It was nothing new. Every once in a while Leo would make you laugh with his dry humor, to the point where you would be in tears.

“You can’t say stuff like that Leo”, you laughed, drawing away the tears that had formed in your eyes. “We’re surrounded by police”.

Leonardo smiled as you laughed, feeling his heart beat a little faster. He looked into your eyes with a warmth that went beyond their charade. It was a look that made your laughter quite down, feeling excitement and nervousness grow in your stomach. Leo’s eyes just had this power over you, that you couldn’t explain.

"I have something to confess," Leo began, his tone serious yet sincere, causing your breath to hitch for a moment. Leo fidgeted with his hands, looking at them instead of your eyes now. "(Y/N), I... It’s really not easy to say, but I think it’s about time. I… I've had feelings for you for quite a long time now. I just didn't know how to tell you, at least until now". Leo swallowed a lump, still not looking you in your eyes. “When you played my fake girlfriend I realized… how badly I really want to. I mean, how badly I want you to be my real girlfriend. I know it’s strange, but I just couldn’t do this without telling you”.

Your eyes widened in surprise, and a blush crept onto your cheeks as you felt your smile growing big and bright. "Really?”. The happiness in your voice made Leo look up at you. “Because I've kinda had a crush on you too for some time now".

Leonardo smiled, a mix of relief and happiness crossing his face. He breathed out a sigh of relief, his head working to find a way to answer you. "Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one".

You both chuckled, unsure of what to say or do. You cursed yourself for being so awkward, and Leo yelled at himself for being so nervous around you, even after he had fought an alien from another dimension.

Then Leo finally asked. “(Y/N)? Can I kiss you?”

You could only imagine how you looked when you heard his question. “Of course you can Leo”.

The kiss that followed was soft and unsure, yet with a passionate undertone. Leo held you close with a soft hand on your face, as if he was scared he would break you by accident. But once you placed your arms behind his neck and leaned further into him, the kiss ever so slowly turned more and more passionate. Leo’s hands moving from your face to your back, pulling you closer to him.

Who would have thought that some unwanted attention from a flirty police officer, was the push the two of you needed?

237 notes · View notes

oneshotnewbie · 23 days

Note

Andy Herrera x DeLuca! sister reader. Carina brings her sister to the firehouse and they both secretly fall for each other. Then one day Andy gets hurt on the job and after she is released from the hospital she goes and confesses her feelings to the reader. After secretly dating for about six months the two are caught kissing by both Maya and Carina who both freak out but are happy for the two. Fluffy please? With Maya and Carina teasing the two after they catch them together.

𝐴𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑟 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑒: 𝐼'𝑚 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑑! 𝑊𝑒𝑙𝑙, 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝐼 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑔𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟! 𝐸𝑛𝑗𝑜𝑦 𝑚𝑦 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 19 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝐴𝑛𝑑𝑦 𝐻𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑛 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔! 🙈 𝐼𝑡'𝑠 𝑎 𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑦 𝑏𝑖𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 (3400 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑠) 𝑏𝑢𝑡 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢💕

ᕚ---ᕘ

The excitement in the air was palpable as Carina Deluca drove side by side with you through the busy streets of Seattle. Your eyes reflected your longing to finally visit the fire station. Until now, however, your big sister's and her girlfriends hectic work schedule had always ruined your plans. But today was different. Today Carina would introduce you to a world that you had only heard about through the lively stories of her girlfriend Maya. The fascinating world of the brave firefighters from Station 19.

"Ci stiamo avvicinando, Bella. Sono così felice che tu possa finalmente incontrare tutti." (We're getting closer, Bella. I'm so happy you can finally meet everyone) Carina said with a bright look of anticipation and placed her hand reassuringly on your thigh. "I feel your excitement, y/n. Once you cross the station's threshold, you will be a part of them," she assured you with a warm smile.

The car stopped around the corner and you entered the fire station grounds shortly after. An atmosphere immediately surrounded you, permeated by hustle and courage. But at the same time, you could also feel an air of excitement and determination surrounding the people. It was like being immersed in a whirlwind of commitment and solidarity as the dull drone of work filled the air. Everyone who was here exuded an aura of determination, ready to face the challenges of the day. It was a place where every moment mattered, a place that embodied the essence of heroism and solidarity.

As you passed through the wide open gates of the guardhouse, you were greeted by a young woman who was bustling around the area with a radio in her hand. The sight of her was impressive - her face bore the marks of hard work, but her charisma was incomparable. It was Andy Herrera, the charismatic leader of Station 19. Her eyes were full of light as she kept an eye on the action on the premises. Every step she took seemed like an expression of leadership, and yet there was an aura of calm about her that immediately instilled confidence in everyone who met her. It was clear that she was a natural leader, ready to face any obstacle with unwavering courage.

"Carina! It's great to see you," Andy greeted her with a bright smile. Then her eyes fell on you lingered there for a slightly longer time. "And who do we have here?"

"This is my sister, y/n. She was invited by Maya to get an insight into what we do here," Carina explained proudly. Andy nodded friendly and held out her hand to you, which you accepted gratefully. "It's very nice to meet you, y/n. Welcome to Station 19," she said with a warmth in her voice that immediately put you at ease and made you feel like you were in exactly the right place.

Her charm had an irresistible attraction for you. You had never met anyone like her before - someone so confident and yet so caring. As you looked into her warm brown eyes, you felt something awaken within you that you had never felt before. It was as if her charisma ignited a hidden longing within you that had previously been lying dormant inside you, unnoticed. Every small gesture, every word of hers seemed to touch you and awaken your senses as you let yourself be captivated by her charisma. It was a moment of realization that this encounter with her was taking your life on an unforeseen but exciting new path.

While Carina and Andy were engaged in animated conversation, you felt enchanted. Your eyes couldn't leave the Spanish woman, and you were sure she noticed. But instead of feeling uncomfortable, you found comfort in the knowledge that Andy was just as attracted to you as you were to her. It was as if there was an invisible connection between you that was revealed in every look and every smile. The atmosphere around you seemed to change, and you felt a special energy building between you that fascinated and filled you at the same time. It was a moment of magic where the world around you seemed to stand still as you lost yourself in the eyes of the mesmerizing woman in front of you.

When Carina finally suggested getting Maya to explore the fire station with her, the spanish woman immediately took the opportunity to get to know you better. "I'll be happy to walk you through everything we do here," she offered enthusiastically, taking a few steps forward to signal that you should follow her.

A wide smile crossed your lips as you decided to follow her. "That would be amazing. I'm really excited to find out more," you replied eagerly.

As you strolled through the fire station together, Carina couldn't help but smile as she searched for her girlfriend. She felt that this encounter with Andy had the potential to change your life forever. It was as if the threads of fate were weaving around you both, leading you down a path full of surprises and new experiences.

ᕚ---ᕘ

The days passed and you kept finding a reason to visit the fire station, supposedly to see your "sister". But deep in your heart you knew that your real reason was something else: you wanted to see Andy again, the fire lieutenant who made your heart beat faster.

Andy quickly noticed that you were showing up more often than would be typical for a normal visit for your sister. Still, she always greeted you with a bright smile and always found an excuse to spend time with you. And the more time you spent together, the stronger the hidden feelings that grew between you.

You found yourself around them more and more often, be it at lunch with the entire team or in discussions about operational plans. You enjoyed watching her lead her team, burning with compassion and passion for her work.

Andy also couldn't deny that she was attracted to you anymore. There was something about you - your liveliness, your enthusiasm for life - that she couldn't ignore. She increasingly found herself staring at you when you talked to Maya or helped Carina with the supplies, as if trying to capture every nuance of your being, and she longed for the moments when she could be alone with you.

But despite the growing attraction between you, neither of you dared to reveal your true feelings. She feared the possible consequences of a relationship between her and her best friend's sister in law. So she kept her feelings under wraps, even though she felt more alive than ever around you.

One day, when you visited the fire station again, you found a rare moment of privacy. Together you sat next to each other on a bench on the roof terrace, surrounded by the calming silence of the evening and the soft city lights glowing on the horizon.

“Y/n, there’s something I’ve wanted to share with you for a while,” she began hesitantly, weighing her words carefully. You looked at her intently, your heart starting to beat faster. Had Andy finally found the courage to reveal her feelings?

"I... I really appreciate our time together," she continued, her eyes searching yours. “You’re special, y/n, and I feel really lucky that you’re here.”

A hint of disappointment washed over you as you realized she wasn't saying what you had hoped. But at the same time, you also felt relieved that she valued your presence as much as you valued hers. "Thank you, Andy. That means a lot to me," you replied sincerely, a hesitant smile crossing your lips.

You sat next to each other in silence for a while, enveloped in the evening and the unsaid words between you. But despite the words that remained unspoken, you both knew that there was something special between you, something that you couldn't ignore even if you wanted to. The atmosphere was charged with a suppressed tension that your hearts felt even if your mouths didn't say it.

A blaring, loud siren from the reporting station suddenly pierced the silence, breaking you out of your quiet moment. Both were frightened and Andy jumped up as the shrill sound blared through the air. She quickly gave you a kiss on the cheek and in that gesture, she paused for a moment, shocked at her rash action. "I'm sorry... I have to go. I'll see you again soon, yeah?"

You nodded, feeling the heat in your blushing cheeks. You too were overwhelmed by the gesture, but you tried not to show your excitement. While she disappeared through the exit and you saw the fire trucks drive away shortly afterwards, you also made your way home, unaware that something unexpected would happen that you had never imagined.

While working in a burning building, Andy suddenly found herself in a dangerous situation. An unstable structure collapsed and falling debris struck her. The team was eventually able to rescue her and bring her outside, but it was obvious that she was injured and needed to be taken to the hospital.

Using blue lights and sirens, Andy was taken by Warren and Hughes to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, where doctors did everything they could to carefully examine her and make sure she had not suffered any serious injuries. Hours passed like years as they waited for news of her condition.

Finally, as the sun rose over the horizon, the good news came: Andy only suffered a concussion and a few bruised ribs. But the thought of what might have been if the injuries had been more serious made her shudder. She suddenly understood the preciousness of life and how quickly it could be over.

When Andy was finally released from the hospital, she didn't hesitate for a moment. After everything that had happened, she was determined to stop hiding her feelings. She knew she had to tell you how much she loved you before it was too late.

She made her way to your apartment, ignoring the pounding in her head and the doctor's orders to rest. Your heart was pounding as you opened the door and saw the tired, vulnerable look in her eyes. A stab of pain shot through your chest. "Andy, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I can't even imagine what it's like when you..." you started, your voice cracking with emotion, but Andy cut you off, her eyes wide open yours resting without once letting go. "Kiss Me."

You looked at her in surprise, your eyes widening in amazement. "What do you mean, Andy?" You asked quietly, your voice barely above a whisper.

"Kiss me," she whispered again, biting her lip. The words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment time seemed to stand still between the two of you. "I love you, y/n. But I don't know if you feel the same. So if you do, finally kiss me."

A smile slowly broke across your face and you took a step towards her until you were close to each other. You placed your hands gently on her cheeks, pulling her towards you before your lips met. You felt her shoulders relax and her tense posture lessen as she too gently placed her hands around your neck and gave in to the kiss.

"Y/n... I love you," she said quietly, her voice still shaking. "I wanted to tell you before, but I was afraid. I've felt it since the moment I first saw you. And after everything that's happened, I know I have to tell you. I love you."

„I love you too, Andy.“ You spoke and in that moment, surrounded by the first rays of sunshine and the aftermath of a life almost lost, you finally found each other. The world seemed to stand still as your hearts united and you knew that this love would conquer all.

ᕚ---ᕘ

Six months had passed since you and Andy revealed your feelings for each other. During this time, you had kept your relationship a secret from her colleagues at Station 19 and your sister, for fear of possible consequences and not to compromise the professionalism of Andy's work. But despite your efforts, you couldn't hide your love, and your secret meetings were a small comfort in the midst of the hectic everyday life with different work shifts.

Today you had returned from your home country of Italy after your family asked you for help, and Andy couldn't wait to hold you in her arms again. The longing for you had become so great that she could hardly stand counting the hours until she would see you again after you had disappeared for almost a week.

When you finally stepped through the guard gates, she felt a wave of relief and excitement wash over her, and her heart began to take a flight. She immediately rushed to you as you greeted the others and talked to Carina about the situation in your home country, her hand reaching for yours as if she would otherwise lose you.

“Y/n, I missed you so much,” Andy whispered quietly as she pulled you into a more private setting, leaning her forehead against yours as you held onto each other. “I missed you too, Andy,” you replied, your voice full of affection. "It feels like an eternity has passed since we last saw each other. Even though it was only a week."

You spent the whole day being with your family on Station 19, catching Andy's stares and big smiles as you constantly lost yourself in each other, satisfying your longing for closeness and touch as best you could while you moved carefully around her team. But the attraction between you was so strong that it became increasingly difficult for you to hide your feelings. Every glance, every accidental touch seemed to electrify the air around you, and you both knew it was only a matter of time before your love would come to light.

But after the lunch break, when you both sat next to each other at the table and had lunch with the team, Andy could hardly suppress her longing for you. She had to feel you, touch you, kiss you. A wild rush of excitement ran through her heart as she dragged you with her by your shirt while you helped Travis with the dishes.

As soon as she closed the door behind her, you fell into each other's arms, your lips pressed together in a desperate attempt to outsmart time and capture the moment. You were so engrossed in your passion that you didn't notice how the door slowly opened and two figures walked into the room.

Only when you heard the sound of a thick throat clearing did you break apart and turned around to see who had disturbed you. To your surprise, Maya and Carina stood in front of you, their faces a look of shock and surprise.

"What... what the fuck?" Maya stammered, her eyes wide but a mischievous grin gracing her lips. Carina was speechless, her hand pressed to her mouth as she took in the scene before her. "Andy, what are you doing with my sister?" She finally managed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Andy and you looked at each other, your heartbeat raging in your ears. Both of you had no idea what to say, how to explain this unexpected revelation to your sister, and you recognized the panic welling up in your girlfriend. The situation suddenly became complicated and full of unpleasant surprises, and you had to decide how you would deal with it.

As your sister's words filled the room, the spanish woman felt a pang of fear in her heart. Andy knew that her relationship with you didn't live up to the expectations your sister might have had for you, but she had hoped that Carina would accept it. But when she saw her sister's angry look, she feared the worst.

“Y/n, cosa ne pensi?" (Y/n, what are you thinking?) Carina continued, her voice trembling with indignation. "Lei è molto più vecchia di te! Questo... non è giusto! (She's much older than you. That's... that's just not right)

You looked at your sister calmly, your eyes momentarily lowered to the blonde who was standing next to her, smiling and intertwining her fingers with the Italian woman's. "Carina, mi dispiace che tu abbia reagito così, ma amo Andy. E l'età non conta quando si tratta di amore.“ (Carina, I'm sorry you reacted like that, but I love Andy. And age doesn't matter when it comes to love)

Andy felt your support and warming hand on her shoulder, even if she didn't understand exactly what you were saying, and felt strengthened in that moment. She knew it would possibly be a long road for your sister to accept their relationship, but she was determined to fight for your love.

Before Carina could protest again, Maya suddenly laughed loudly, a sound that permeated the room and broke the tension. "Oh, Carina, what's so bad about it? The most important thing is that they're both happy," Maya said between fits of laughter and received a silent glare from Carina who kept her arms crossed under her chest.

The brunette looked at her girlfriend, but then she noticed the look of calm on Maya's face and her words slowly sank in. Maybe she was right and it didn't matter what age difference you had as long as you were happy and Andy didn't hurt you in any kind of way.

Carina slowly let go of her anger and a smile spread across her face. "You're right, Maya. I should be happy that my sister found someone she loves so much. I'm just... surprised, that's all."

You felt a wave of relief wash over you. You had feared that your relationship with Andy would cause a fight between you, but now that Carina gave her consent, she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. It was a moment of reconciliation and understanding that strengthened your bond as sisters.

“Thank you, Carina,” you said quietly, a sigh of relief escaping your lips as your eyes shone with gratitude. "This really means a lot to me."

Carina nodded and held out her arms, which you sank into after you pulled away from Andy and hugged your sister tightly. "I love you, y/n. And I'm glad you're happy. Ma se Andy ti fa del male, la ucciderò.“ (But if Andy hurts you, I'll kill her)

A giggle escaped you and the atmosphere in the room changed. From tension and conflict to love and acceptance. But then, out of nowhere, as the four of you walked out of the locker room together, the blonde started laughing again, and Carina joined her in putting her arm around her shoulders.

"Oh, you two lovebirds! I can't believe we caught you making out!" Maya teased, tears of mirth in her eyes. "I feel like I've been blown back in time. It's like high school."

Carina joined in, and together they began to tease Andy and you, their words full of warmth and joy. And as you both rolled your eyes together and smiled at each other, your hands clasped tightly together, you knew that you would be paying for hiding your relationship from your sister and Andy's best friend for a very long time. But in that moment, everything was forgotten except the love that radiated between you.

81 notes · View notes

lurkingshan · 2 months

Text

I have caught up through episode 8 of TsukuTabe and I really cannot contain my emotion about Kasuga's arc with her family in these episodes, so I am here to scream. That was so fucking beautiful. This has to be one of my favorite depictions of breaking the cycle of family trauma that I have ever seen.

I loved how efficiently the show established everything we needed to know about Kasuga's father with just a few lines of dialogue over the phone. The way he began the conversation by trying to shame her, the way he started making demands without asking her a single question about her life or how she was doing, the way he casually said "Akira is in the prime of his life" while tacitly dismissing any worth or value Kasuga's own life as a single woman might hold. With just that one conversation we knew exactly who that man is and why Kasuga has tried to build her own life in solitude rather than continue to live with him.

And her conversation with Nagumo gave us even more insight into how she was raised that fills in some context about the way she thinks about food and why taking pleasure in her meals is such a big deal for her. Kasuga's family deprived her of food (love), and so it's no wonder that meeting someone like Nomoto, who was so determined to give her food (love), would be such a life altering event for her, and finally give her the sense of safety she has never had.

I loved, too, that the show delivered some firm commentary on the way women are subjugated in heterosexual marriages and forced to serve their husband’s family like indentured slaves, particularly in many Asian cultures. Kasuga was very affected by seeing her mother live that way, and you could see she is carrying guilt about leaving this burden to her mother. But ultimately, she cannot control her mother's choices or fix her mistakes, she can only save herself from repeating them. And she found the strength within herself to do it, even though it must have been terrifying to take that leap.

The way that Kasuga drew that boundary with her father was a Very Big Deal in her cultural context, and I loved that the show drove that point home by having Kasuga confess to Nomoto about her decision and express her fear of being judged. She knows she will absolutely be cast as a bad daughter and judged harshly by most people who find out she has cut ties with her father, and she needed Nomoto to reassure her once again that their relationship is a safe place for her. She needed Nomoto to reassure her that she is her family now and she will always be on her side. And of course Nomoto did exactly that, and we got to end this very emotional episode with a Kasuga who is bravely building the life she wants for herself with the love and support of her chosen family.

#tsukuritai onna to tabetai onna #she loves to cook and she loves to eat #intergenerational trauma #japanese gl #shan shouts into the void

105 notes · View notes

david-talks-sw · 1 year

Text

Okay so I watched Inside Man on Netflix. It's interesting. More importantly, it's a masterclass in crafting likeable characters and how the POV we follow in a scene affects the way we see a character. Also, this somehow relates to the Star Wars Prequels, I promise! 😆

The moral of the series is that "everyone is a murderer, all it takes is a good reason and a bad day." The main characters are:

A vicar who - through a huge misunderstanding - has now locked his son's tutor in his basement and doesn't know how to get out of this situation, played by David Tennant.

A convicted murderer and ex-criminal psychology professor who solves crimes from his cell, as he waits for his execution, played by Stanley Tucci.

So a man who locked a woman in his cellar and a guy who murdered his wife. In any other movie, these guys are the villains. Yet, both of these characters are extremely likeable!

This is achieved through how relatably they behave in their relationships (kind, humble, humorous)...

... and through the emotion and/or charisma brought by the actors playing them (it's THE DOCTOR/CROWLEY and Stanley Friggin' Tucci)... but also through the amount of screen time they get.

We're with them for most of the show. There's other characters (the journalist, the trapped tutor and the vicar's wife) and subplots, of course, but they're our two anchors.

So when I'm watching David Tennant lock his son's tutor in his cellar and consider if he should free her - only to see him and his wife make things worse - I'm not thinking "you monster" like I do when I see Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs for example.

No, I'm thinking "goddammit vicar you're making things worse, it'll come back to haunt you, there's still a chance to turn back, please!" I'm rooting for him to make the right choice because I'm seeing him struggle and despair and hesitate throughout many scenes.

When I'm watching Stanley Tucci guiltily say he deserves death, after being so darn charming, humble and in clear possession of a moral compass, my instinct as a viewer isn't to go "he's right".

It's to go "aaaw, no it's fine, everyone makes mistakes."

And these characters remain likeable and/or relatable for a huge chunk of time... until, every once in a while, the show reminds you that, "remember, these guys are criminals."

"One of them's killed his wife then decapitated her, and the other one is contemplating murder, so they did/are doing evil stuff, they're the villains and you shouldn't grow fond of them."

Then it goes back to making you empathize with them again.

It's quite the emotional roller-coaster, very intriguing yet frustrating, which I have to guess is exactly what the show is going for.

But the point is: the amount of time we spend with these characters is partially what elicits this emotional reaction out of us.

If we consider the tutor's character:

For all intents and purposes, we should feel sorry for her, or full-on fucking love her. Objectively-speaking, she's:

smart but obviously scared,

we establish early on that she has a brave heart and stands up for oppressed women,

she thinks she's trapped by a pedophile or a man defending a pedophile, figures he'll inevitably try to murder her, yet manages to stay resourceful, determined and cool-headed despite it all.

She's an absolute superhero.

But that's not how the narrative frames her.

She's framed as an antagonistic force, in the vicar's subplot.

She may be the one tied up in a basement, but she's in control and the vicar is not. She's almost framed as being in a position of power (when she's really not), which leads the audience to view Tenant's vicar as an underdog.

When the vicar is trying to look for alternatives to end this situation so that he doesn't have to kill her, she's unhelpful,

and even starts pitting the vicar and his wife against each other.

Again, in-universe, she's scared shitless and in "fight-or-flight" mode. She's putting up a front because she's just trying to get outta this alive. She's the victim, here, not the vicar who captured her.

But as a viewer, you don't feel that, despite objectively knowing that. Why and how?

Because we barely see this character, compared to Tenant's vicar. So we have more time to grow to feel for him. There's "why".

Also 90% of what we do see of the tutor is her being aggressive, manipulative, sometimes downright merciless and we're seeing her from the POV of the vicar or the vicar's wife. There's "how".

Result: the viewer feels sorry for the captor and frustrated towards the captive.

This isn't a rational reaction, it's an emotional one (the goal of any visual artform being to get an emotional reaction out of the viewer).

Which means the series and Stephen Moffat effectively did their job.

How does this relate to the Prequels?

Well, a lot of people see the Jedi in a negative light in the Prequels, and Anakin in a more sympathetic one.

Even though the Prequels are about how a good man becomes bad, and even though the Jedi embody one of the major Star Wars themes (selflesness) as opposed to Anakin who clearly displays the anti-theme (selfish)... a majority of fans feels more for the latter than the former. Why?

Because the Prequels unintentionally do what Inside Man does purposefully. You react to Anakin like you react to the vicar. You react to the Jedi like you react to the tutor.

Simply put: Anakin has more screen time than the Jedi. And we don't just see him more, we see him struggle, we see him about what he knows to be morally right vs what he really wants, we see him be overtaken by his own fear...

... and just by contrast, that makes him more relatable than the Jedi, who have already overcome their character arcs and mostly all learned to keep their flaws in check.

The narrative doesn't intend to frame them as antagonistic. We do see them talk about how worried they are, we do see them emote.

And if you think about it, it's easy to see why:

their entire way of life is going to crap,

their values are being corrupted as they're forced to fight and die, alongside their clone brothers, in a war they wanted no part of,

they sense that the Force is close to the breaking point and that the galaxy's inhabitants are suffering on the daily.

But, for example, when Mace or Ki-Adi Mundi are shown expressing concern in the Prequels... as worried as they are, in-universe... out-of-universe, their measured reactions doesn't emotionally impact a viewer as much as Anakin's intense ones do.

So a big chunk of the audience will sympathize more with him than them. But like the tutor in Inside Man, the Jedi are objectively the victims and Anakin is objectively an unstable space-nazi who betrayed and destroyed them.

Just because we're not shown these characters be worried beyond just monotonously saying "I'm worried" doesn't mean they're not actually worried as Anakin is in Revenge of the Sith (if not more).

However we don't see it.

Because these three films aren't about the Jedi Order, they're about the Republic and about Anakin and about how each of these two beautiful things were corrupted (by Palpatine and by themselves) into becoming the very thing they stood against.

The Jedi aren't a factor in either of those two themes set up by George Lucas.

They became a factor when fans - who despite not liking the Prequels, still admirably chose to engage with the material - made the Jedi be more important to the narrative of the Prequels by re-framing these films as "The Failure of the Jedi".

Now, should Lucas have recognized that most fans wouldn't give two shits about why a Republic falls or the "matinee serial" format, and would've rather he focused on the Jedi, and developed them accordingly? Probably.

But good luck telling an indie filmmaker with a bunch of money how to tell the story he wants to tell.

Could Lucas have done more with the Prequels to highlight the fact that the Jedi are the underdogs of the story, not Anakin's oppressors? Yes.

But, firstly, he probably didn't think that was a point that needed explaining. And secondly, as he explained at Cannes, in 2002, feature films are a very limiting format to tell a story, especially one of the Prequels' scale. If it doesn't directly contribute to the story you're telling... it's gotta go.

A limited show would've been better to cover every aspect of the Prequels more in detail and avoid confusing the audience re: who they should be rooting for.

Which is why it's interesting, to me, that Stephen Moffat used his limited show to INTENTIONALLY confuse the audience! 😃

574 notes · View notes

revvethasmythh · 1 year

Text

Still, as always, thinking about how Veth's story is such a complex look at womanhood and motherhood and what it means to be a woman and a mother who wants things. Because Veth's story is about wanting, just as much as it's about learning to be brave. Veth presumably comes from a very traditional small town, married her (effectively) high school sweetheart when she was quite young and had a child almost immediately, which, while based on love, might also have been an effort to fit in and become an independent adult in her town, away from the mockery of her brothers. The things people in town didn't like about her were her strangeness and her collections of bits and bobs and oddities. The shiny things that she wanted. In some ways, that was the wedge between her and her community, the strangeness of how she desired things and wantonly kept them. Even marrying and having a kid so young could be an extension of this. Veth wants things and strives to get them

All of that in heightened after she's turned into goblin. It becomes "the itch" to steal and to horde shiny, beautiful things, which is particularly poignant considering how ugly she finds herself, even uglier than she thought of herself when she was still a halfling. She wants to surround herself with beautiful things. She wants to help Caleb. She wants to be her again. She wants.

And it's okay for Nott the Brave to want things, because Nott the Brave exists outside of social contracts. She's already a monster--there's no need to pretend to fit in. It's freeing, to be able to want things as much as you want and people won't bat an eye. As much as she hated that body, she loved the freedom it gave her. The freedom to be transgressive in a way she was unable to be as Veth Brenatto. Because, much as she loves her family, isn't being a woman and mother something of a cage to her? Those labels put her in specific boxes, they determine how she should behave. So much of later development hinges on these questions: "What does it mean to be a good woman in this society? What does it mean to be a good mother?" She is SO hard on herself for not being with Luc enough, which is absolutely understandable, but she also wants this life of adventure. Does that make her a bad person? A bad mother? To want something that isn't her family?

And then Caleb. Probably the most unfortunate thing she wants, something she knows she can never have. Because she has Yeza and she loves him and he's her husband. They have a social contract that she must abide by. But Caleb's right there and she wants him. Does that make her a bad woman? Does that make her a bad wife? It's just one more thing that makes her different from her peers, her inability to be content with what she already has. And, at the end of the day, I think this is what we should think of when we talk about Veth's relationship with motherhood and womanhood. How transgressive it is for her to so deeply desire when clearly, from the way she grew up and the messages she internalized, it wasn't a woman's place to want more than she was afforded, nor was it a mother's.

#love the theme of veth wanting stuff. love it so much #anyway *blasts Trouble with Wanting and holds it up like boombox to all of you*#veth brenatto #the mighty nein #critical role #also can I just say that I'm still so impressed with how well sam navigated themes of womanhood and motherhood?#like he really. he really hit the nail on the head. showed the way those identities can be confining. how scary transgression can feel #this is prompted by nothing other than me having FEELINGS #nott the brave

741 notes · View notes

mari-lair · 5 months

Note

Teru's mom had such a cute design, do you have any headcanons about her ?

I have some small ones.

It's implied she was the one who taught Kou, who is the best cook in the manga. So she was one hell of a good cook in my heart.

She was very pretty: Teru and Aoi levels of popularity when she was younger and was heavily admired as an adult. Teru got her eyes and eyelashes.

She was a traditional woman at heart, genuinely enjoyed cooking and cleaning, and taking care of the kids. She used to be content with it.

She was closer to Kou than Teru.

She was a doting but very strange woman. Either she secretly had some of the energy/lack of tact/weirdness/morbid sense of humor that was passed down to her hyper kids, she just wasn't alive long enough for us to see it, or she only passed down her kindness to them, this borderline fretting and dependency on family BUT was attracted to someone with all these weird traits, having the looks to pull anyone but choosing an exorcist with fangs and weapons, and (i am assuming) lacking social skills.

I am inclined to say she was a brave and determined woman cause being part of the Minamotos is not an easy thing. She was a worrywart who cared deeply about her children's wellbeing but she had a twisted common sense, going "Can you cook it by yourself? are you sure? My baby boy, you're so young" yet going "oh my~" very casually when said baby boy wave around a sword, or Teru goes off to fight monsters.

(Unrelated but it's so strange that their father's sword is smaller than Teru's sword when Teru was 9??)

#headcanons yay #tbhk #toilet bound hanako kun #jshk #jibaku shounen hanako kun #minamoto teru #minamoto kou #minamoto mama #that's three down! i'll reply to more asks later #(maybe... if i am alive enough for it)

107 notes · View notes

evenmorefatallyobsessed · 11 months

Text

Prof. Schnee AU Concept

To be clear this isn't the only Au/ comic I'll put the model in but it is the one that comes to mind for me most often.

All of team RWBY are born into the previous generation. Weiss along with her brother Whitley secured and manage the SDC. Though in truth Whitley takes care of most of the actual work. Though she was far from dull she did have to admit that Whitley was solely groomed to manage the company while her time was decided between it and her combat training.

Weiss herself still had power and plenty of a say but her Huntress duties took priority... And obligations as a teacher as well, yes. She was a instructor at Beacon. Helping to groom the next generation into respectable Hunters.

Mostly she was pleaded into it by her partner Ruby but still she took her job seriously.

Which was more then she could say for the rest of her team! All three of them off gallivanting across Remnant taking missions. Honestly sometimes they could be such a headache. But she supposed Ozpin had sent them all on those missions...

Regardless she was determined to perform no less admirably this year then any other. And considering that Pyrrha Nikos would be entering this year she believed it would be a very worthwhile year given her skill.

But there was always room for surprises like miss Valkyrie, who was frankly a Yang level ridiculous powerhouse.

Yes, this year would've been a valuable one even if those were the only two of note... But they weren't. No, the third would be...

"Please Go Out With Me!"

Would be Jaune Arc, a paradoxically lacking student and yet one worth her admiration. He was a special case like Blake had been according to Ozpin. A boy who secured counterfeit transcripts to earn a chance to try out Initiation. Though whereas her teams resident Faunus had been a member of the White Fang mister Arc had been a civilian out in one of Remnant's frontier villages. A simple boy with some dreams of heroics and knighthood.

He was actually like her partner Ruby in several ways but with a father who denied his dreams instead of supporting them like Ruby had... That, that was something she could relate to, could sympathize with and it was not all.

He wanted to live up to his family's name, to bring honor to it, to be anything to stop being the one to be protected but to protect others Instead. He was many things, foolish, naïve and certainly stubborn… But he was brave. What else could you call a boy who entered the Emerald Forest prepared to face monsters but courageous.

Jaune Arc had a long way to go, had a tough road ahead of him, if she’d thought catching Ruby up on their studies back in the day was hard this would be a true trial. But, but she wanted him to succeed, she wasn’t the same girl she’d been back in the day, who viewed people so callously, so superficially. She saw how much Jaune wanted this, how willing he was to put his life on the line for complete strangers as he fought the Death Stalker.

Apparently he wasn’t the most studious student but she never had issues, he may have lacked proper knowledge of Dust in her class but he was always quick to learn and put in the effort. Offering to help however he could.

Then he was being bullied, and then he stopped it, she knew how, she saw the recordings, saw Winchester Threaten him with blackmail. Saw her student being used like a lackey and distant from his team… And then she saw him refuse to follow Cardin’s order when it affected someone else. And then witnessed him save said tormentor when his teammates had ran.

Jaune Arc just like her partner embodied what it meant to be a Huntsman, he just needed some help on the way… And then he asked her out.

Flustered, nervous, clearly embarrassed, it was a sight she wasn’t used to, every man and woman who courted her had done so with annoying confidence in their status or family ties, had saw her as a particularly beneficial tool to use or trophy to own or worst of all… A knot on the metaphorical belt.

But Jaune, despite the way he entered Beacon was a rather earnest man, which was why she would do this in the kindest but also most direct way possible. Because she remembered being rejected as well. And wanted him to suffer as little as possible.

"Jaune, I'm your teacher..." He looked sad but accepting.

"R-right... I'm sorry I know it was wrong t-"

"That's why I don't want you going around and telling anyone." She blinked that the words she said it seeming to finally catch up with her brain her... Wait? That wasn't what she was supposed to say! Jaune seemed to be under the same impression as her thoughts as he spoke with a dumbfounded look on his precious youthful face.

"Really!" Yes Really!? What was she doing accepting his confession, but once more before her conscious could interrupt she parted her lips again.

"Though it isn't against the rules that Beacon upholds it is heavily frowned upon Jaune." Damn her for studying said rules! No! Stop Looking At His Absolutely Beamimg Smile This Instant! Just Because He's A Cute Boy Doesn't Mean We Could Throw Caution To The Wind.

Honestly she couldn't believe she said yes... Moreso that she felt so, so damn giddy about it! Like she was a girl back in her Beacon Days in her first relationship... Okay so technically she was a girl/ woman at Beacon and this was her first relationship but that was beside the point...

She was his teacher and this was... Well, no it wasn't illegal given that Jaune upon passing Initiation was by all legal means a adult under Remnant's Huntsman regulations... But it was still unprofessional! She'd never do anything others could bring into question... Anymore.

Like going out and taking on International criminals, known terrorists cells and preforming vigilante activities while a student.

But all that was besides the point and in the past! She wouldn't play with this boy's heart! She'd do the proper thing and brea-

"Jaune, I hope you understand that I'm not some trollope to be played with I expect you to take this seriously." NO!!! She Did Not Mean That! Shut Up Subconscious!

And oh dear now he was shooting her a very determined, gaze that made her heart skip a beat.

"Of course not! I'm serious about you miss Schnee!" Oh dear he was closing the distance, and being so assertive... Was, was he always so tall...

#jaune arc #weiss schnee #prof. schnee au #au concept

252 notes · View notes

deathmetalunicorn1 · 7 months

Note

Yandere Mikey x F!Tanjiro Reader please if that’s okay? (Mikey reminds me of a cat, he’s so cute)

Reader and Nezuko were sent to the future and meet Takemichi 3 months before he comes back in time (Becoming his adoptive sisters) and she protects him and his friends when their in trouble

Nezuko mostly stays in her toddler form and sleeps in Reader’s bed, and when she’s in her regular form, no one recognizes her as Reader’s sister since she’s rarely seen until recently when she became immune to the Sun (Everyone calls her ‘cute/pretty’) and started to go to school with her sister and Takamichi

When Reader found out Takamichi and his friends were being beaten, before Mikey and Draken could do anything she runs in and punches Kiyomizu, sending him flying (Breaking a few of his ribs, which everyone heard, scaring the crap out of everyone, including Takamichi, since he’s never seen Reader so angry, impressing Draken and Mikey with her speed, strength and morality when she does her speech that Kiyomizu and everyone who laughed at Takemichi are ‘The Lowest Scum on Earth’)

When Mikey was getting close to Takamichi, Reader got in his way to protect him, with a determined and brave look burning in her eyes, he immediately told her, ‘From this day forward, your my Wifey~!’ (Those who heard this were shocked, with Reader giving him a blank but confused look, not able to process his words… until after she, Takamichi and his friends where heading home, then she becomes a flustered mess)

If you want you can genderbend Nezuko (Nezukobo?Nezukoru?) since it would be hilarious for a future request for everyone to mistake him as Reader’s ‘Boyfriend’ or rather Mikey’s ‘Rival’ (And it’s just very petty and disastrous results from Mikey trying to ‘One Up’ him, until he learns from Hina that he’s Reader’s Brother)

-It had been three months since this major change in yours and your little brother, Nezu’s, lives.

-Finding yourselves in modern day Japan was definitely a culture shock, despite still being in Japan, but luckily, you both had an ally, one who took you both in with no hesitation and adopted you both as his sisters, Hanagaki Takemichi.

-Had he not seen Nezu, who now spends most of her time in his toddler form, sleeping in your bed, changing from his toddler form to his standard and even his adult form, he wouldn’t have believed the tale you told him about demons and being sent to the future.

-He dealt with his own things, being able to go back and forth into time, trying to save everyone he could, but the strange thing now was that you and Nezu would travel with him, almost like the two of you were stuck with him now.

-Your biggest shock was that Nezu could go out in the sun and he was basically just like a normal human again, being able to talk now, and he could now hide his fangs and claws. It was almost like you had your brother completely back, which you were overjoyed with.

-It was a change for you, no longer having to fight, you were able to put up your sword and uniform, putting them in a display box so now you just wear your haori while out and about.

-Going to school, in your time, was usually only for the wealthy or those who lived in big cities, you knew how to read, write, and do basic math, but being able to attend school, it was so surreal!

-Nezu liked going to school as well, attending the same school with you and Takemichi, and you were able to arrange to be in the same class together.

-Nezu was admired for his good looks, many calling him handsome or hot, but he never seemed bothered with their compliments, choosing to stay by your or Takemichi’s side.

-You had your own admirers, as many thought you were a wonderful woman, you were hard-working, very athletic, and nice to everyone you met, as long as they were nice to you and your siblings.

-Takemichi did his best to keep both of you out of his other lifestyle, not wanting you to know that he was a brawler and was in a gang, he wanted to keep you both safe from this side of him.

-However, that is not what fate had in store for your family.

-You were walking with Nezu, holding onto his hand as he ate a cream puff, his cheeks lightly red in delight as you smiled, seeing him happy before you heard shouting.

-Your eyes went wide, seeing Takemichi and his friends being attacked and you instantly glared, giving Nezu your school bag before you ran, “Brother!”

-Attention went to you as you dashed over, moving incredibly fast, thanks to your past training and Kiyomizu turned, seeing you and thinking you were Takemichi’s girlfriend, sneered at your brother, “Your girlfriend’s coming to fight your battles? Pathetic!!” as he uttered that last word you nailed him hard, hitting him so hard across the face that his whole head turned, he felt ribs cracking as his torso and hips moved in opposite directions before going flying.

-Jaws dropped all over, eyes went wide, including Takemichi who had no idea you were that strong! Takemichi swallowed, scared, as he had never seen you so angry, it felt like flames were surrounding you.

-Your voice was low and icy, “Those who do nothing and laugh at the misfortune and pain of others are the lowest scum of earth.”

-Many voiced their complaints, calling you rude before you turned, eyes piercing into them as everyone felt chills run up their spines, “If you have complaints, come. We’ll see if you’re laughing afterwards.”

-Everyone was quick to shut up, looking terrified of you before clapping filled the air, you turned, seeing two boys, Mikey, and Draken, as everyone was calling them, bowing deeply, telling you these were the leaders of this massive group that attacked your brother.

-Takemichi knew him as well, calling the shorter boy Mikey, and you could sense the strength in him as he came to stop in front of you after you stepped in front of your brother, giving Mikey the silent warning not to touch him.

-Mikey wasn’t bothered, in fact he looked almost happy, “That was really impressive, you’re really strong!” you calmed a bit at his compliment, not feeling any malice from him.

-Your brother stood, putting a hand on your head, “I’m okay, Y/N, these will heal.” You turned, smiling softly, looking so soft and gentle now as you turned, hearing his voice and you smiled, “That’s good.”

-Mikey grinned before he spoke, “From this day forward, you’re my friend Mitchy! And you’ll be my wifey- Y/N!” Everyone but Draken and Mikey turned white in shock, more so at the proposal to you, that you were going to be his wife. Draken was never surprised with anything Mikey did anymore, as he always did what he wanted, and Mikey was grinning, his fists on his hips, looking proud of himself.

-However, you didn’t respond, going completely blank at his words, which everyone saw, Takemichi waving his hands in front of your eyes, shaking your shoulders.

-Mikey laughed, thinking the reaction was cute before he exchanged numbers with Takemichi and told everyone to head out, as there was going to be some discipline for those who attacked your brother and his friends, except for Kiyomizu, who was being taken to the hospital.

-Takemichi and Nezu held your hands on the way home, as you had yet to respond as your mind had gone completely blank, at least until you were almost home, then you turned bright red and you dropped to be squatting with your knees together, your hands over your face as you made a sound like a deflating balloon.

-You had never been in a relationship before, after everything with Nezu, then becoming a Demon Slayer and looking for a cure, romance was the last thing on your mind, and to have someone basically propose as soon as the two of you met, you didn’t know what to do.

-Several days passed and Mikey was very persistent, coming to pick you and Mikey up from school, waving his hand happily, “Y/N! I’m so happy to see you.” Despite your strength and confidence in battle, you were rather shy with him, which he thought was cute.

-However, when Nezu ran up from behind you, hugging you, Mikey instantly was glaring, thinking this boy was your boyfriend or an admirer.

-This led to Mikey constantly trying to one-up your brother, unknowingly, if you went out to lunch with Mikey, Draken, Takemichi and Nezu, if Mikey would try to feed you, you would get super shy, but if Nezu did, you would take it every time.

-Draken and Takemichi thought this was cute, seeing Mikey acting so jealous, all while you and Nezu were none the wiser of his anger.

-The truth came out after Mikey saw you holding Nezu’s hand before giving you a cream puff, and Mikey cracked his knuckles, “That’s it- Y/N is my woman!”

-Luckily, Takemichi was there to hold them back, “Why do you want to fight Nezu?” Mikey whined on how much attention you were giving the other boy and he wanted to prove to you that he would be a better boyfriend.

-Takemichi immediately started laughing, pulling back from his friend who turned with a pout on his face before Takemichi spoke, “I’m sorry-I’m sorry. It’s just funny that you’re jealous over Y/N’s little brother.”

-Mikey went silent, stunned learning this before he turned, face bright red, pouting, as both Draken and Takemichi started laughing, holding their guts as he didn’t realize this, as Draken did because he could see how similar you both were.

-You and Nezu came over, wondering why they were laughing before Mikey hugged you, “Y/N- they’re picking on me!!” you patted his head gently and Nezu did the same, mimicking you which Mikey did think was cute, as he could tell that there was something off about Nezu, so he didn’t mind.

-Mikey held your other hand, pulling you and your brother away from the still laughing blonds, and you asked him why they were laughing. You weren’t expecting him to be so shy, turning away from him.

-Mikey was happy you held his hand as he led the group to a bakery, getting you each a taiyaki, which you both thanked him for. Mikey held out his to you, wanting you to take a bite and he froze when you took a small bite, a blush on your cheeks and he beamed brightly, seeing the relationship progressing.

-Mikey froze when you held out yours to him, face bright red but meeting his eyes as he beamed, taking a bite, “So yummy!” Nezu then held out his to you and you smile, taking a small bite which made your brother grin which made Mikey grin, seeing how doting you were for your brother.

-You were truly the whole package, strong, smart, and sweet, he’s glad he proposed to you!

#tanjiro reader #mikey sano #tokyo revengers #demon slayer

94 notes · View notes

myimaginedcorner · 11 months

Text

SCALES OF JUSTICE - CHAPTER 7 UPDATE!!!

Welcome back, my dear reader. It has now been 2 years since we first met, and soon, this journey will come to an end. Yes, we're very close to the finale of this book, all set, and everyone ready for the final push. However, that's still lost to future; today, I'm here to take you on a day around Galeya's streets, four little stories waiting to be discovered. Explore, decide, and shape your life and others - have the first taste of choices one must make when playing in a higher league.

As usual, I welcome any feedback, specially now that my beta-tester is quite occupied with her MSc (still a strong woman in STEM, still a prisoner to her project. We shall remember her dearly). If you have any issues, recommendations, or comments in general about my work, feel free to text me here or make a post in CoG forum, where I will be answering you to the best of my capabilities. This new update is MASSIVE - I've sure missed things among all the potential choices.

NEW THINGS IN THIS UPDATE:

Explore Galeya, a bastion to Hero's safety, a haven to its crime.

Choose how to sort out your rooms for the night.

Accompany one of your companions in their own story on this day of peace before the storm: steal, catch or save, your pick.

Discover secrets about yourself... or about others.

Remember: not always one can have it all.

Chapter 6 is 161k words long. Yes, I just decided to give you 3 of my normal chapters in one go. Enjoy!

KNOWN BUGS:

Sometimes, the image for Chapter 5's title doesn't appear at the beggining of the chapter. I'm unsure why, and thus the bug still persists.

DEMO DESCRIPTION AND USEFUL LINKS:

Scales of Justice is a fantasy game situated in another world, far away from Earth. There are plenty of species living together in harmony, but the human race is currently split in two civilisations: the one known as Hero kingdom, which is ruled by ‘heroes’, and the one named Vannais kingdom, controled by ‘villains’. Both nations hate each other and the fight between ‘heroes’ and ‘villains’ here is something that happens on a national level. The game is focused on lore, on character development and your own perception of the world: perhaps, your MC just wants to live a peaceful life... or maybe wants to save the world.

Or even rule it, if you’re into such things.

If you want to know a little more about this project and read the first 7 chapters, I'll leave the link to the game here -> https://dashingdon.com/play/myimaginedcorner/scales-of-justice/mygame/

If you want to discuss anything on CoG's forum, I'll leave the link for SoJ here -> https://forum.choiceofgames.com/t/wip-scales-of-justice-new-project-announcement-and-demo-release/101088/16

If you want to send me a more extensive feedback, here's my email -> [email protected]

Any mistakes, concerns or questions you have, feel free to contact me through Tumblr! I am very excited to share this story with all of you, and I want to make it as good as possible with your help!

RO DESCRIPTIONS:

Shoren/Seile → Heir to the throne of Hero kingdom, where your journey starts. Also, your old friend whom is very attached to you. Likes to read and practice magic, enjoys adventure and heroic deeds. A recognised “Hero”, with blonde curly hair, pale skin and a pair of beautiful blue eyes.

Robert/Reina → Order’s Paladin, defender of Hero and knight of Fate itself. Brave and honourable, they are determined to protect the people of the kingdom. Very loyal to friends and very dangerous as an enemy. Has short brown hair, tanned skin and an athletic build.

Valerius/Venis → An Outworlder, who was caught by cultists in the Wicked Woods. Gracious, elegant and charismatic, with ideas that you cannot always grasp. Has long, dark brown hair with a silver streak, olive skin and golden eyes.

Arion/Aria → Leader of Vannais, a recognised “Villain” who escaped from Hero and now rules the enemy kingdom. Serious, reserved yet respectful. Doesn’t like to stay behind hiding in the castle, an so always personally appears in battlefields and negotiations. Has short blonde hair, pale skin and greenish eyes.

Be careful! These characters have their thoughts and opinions on the world and your actions: if you want them to support you, convince them or take their side… or neither. That is your choice after all!

#scales of justice #interactive story #hosted games #update #chapter 7 #interactive if

161 notes · View notes

doumadono · 6 months

Text

Warnings: manipulation, rusalka!Toga, fem!Reader

Summary: on Halloween night, you and your friends venture to a lake near a quaint village, determined to debunk the rusalka legend as mere folklore. Little do you know, the eerie creature is far more real than you could ever imagine.

Word count: circa 2.3k

A/N: this story is my final offering in the collection by a talented @candycandy00 I hope you enjoy this brief horror tale

The autumn night was heavy with an eerie stillness, a prelude to Halloween, the night she chose to haunt the living. Himiko Toga, the rusalka, lurked in the shadows of a murky lake. Her long, light hair draped over her waterlogged form, and her beautiful but otherworldly allure concealed a malevolent intent.

In a nearby village, the locals spoke of the legend of the rusalka, a vengeful water spirit who lured unsuspecting souls to their watery graves. Children dared one another to approach the lake after nightfall, and the bravest among them claimed to have heard a hauntingly beautiful, yet chilling melody that resonated from its depths.

Nestled within the heart of a dense, ancient forest, the village lay hidden from the bustling world. Surrounded by towering trees and a sea of vibrant green, it was a place of solitude and tranquility. The thick woods enveloped the village in a natural embrace, concealing its existence like a well-kept secret.

For the villagers, life here was a world unto itself, a haven of simplicity and the quiet rustling of leaves. It was a place where the daily rhythms of life were dictated by the seasons and the cycles of nature.

The journey through the dense woods was a challenge, and the village remained untouched by the hurried footsteps of those from the more populated areas. This isolation was both a blessing and a curse, preserving the village's unique way of life while also keeping it sheltered from the outside world.

On this particular Halloween night, a group of adventurous teenagers from one of the surrounding towns gathered by the lake, their laughter masking the fear that lingered in the back of their minds. Among them were you, a curious and bold young woman. You'd heard the legends but believed them to be mere stories to spook the timid. "I don't get what all the fuss is about," you said, you voice tinged with skepticism. "It's just a lake, and there's no such thing as a rusalka. Not to mention those people live like they would be stuck in some ancient times. That's sick!"

Your friends exchanged uneasy glances. "You're brave, Y/N, but be careful. Some say they've heard a song coming from the water," one of them warned. "I came across an old article while browsing Google," the guy mentioned, "and it mentioned something quite unsettling. It seems that a significant number of people, particularly young boys and girls, have mysteriously disappeared in this place."

You waved it off, unfazed. "I'll prove to you all that there's nothing to be afraid of."

"Come on, seriously?" one of your female friends laughed heartily. "You don't actually expect us to believe in all that internet nonsense, do you, Tom? Witches, rusalkas, and all those creepy tales are just meant to spook the kids, nothing more."

As you approached the edge of the lake, you felt a sudden chill in the air. The night grew darker, and the surface of the water seemed to ripple with a sinister presence. You shivered but continued to move closer. With unwavering determination, you set out to debunk the local legend of the rusalka that had been perpetuated by the villagers. You firmly believed that this eerie tale was nothing more than a concoction, a clever ruse to send shivers down the spines of curious tourists and entice them to leave their money in this quaint, remote place.

Just as you reached the water's edge, a hauntingly beautiful melody began to drift through the night, captivating your senses. The notes were hypnotic, pulling at the very core of your being.

Toga's ghostly figure emerged from the depths, her eyes fixed on you. "Come closer, my dear," she whispered, her voice like a siren's call. "I have something to show you," she sung, playing with her long, blonde hair. Her flowing hair cascaded like shimmering waterfalls. Her eyes, large and alluring, seemed to hold secrets of untold depths, their color an enigmatic shade of yellow, reminiscent of golden sunlit waters. Her complexion was porcelain fair. As a rusalka, she moved with an otherworldly grace, her every motion reminiscent of water's gentle caress.

"Holy shit! Do you see that?!" Tom's exclamation pierced the air, his eyes wide with astonishment.

The rest of your friends were quick to react, their expressions mirroring his shock. Startled whispers filled the air as they instinctively began to move away from the lake shore, creating a small, anxious cluster.

"Come on, let's go, Y/N!" one of your friends called out urgently, waving for you to join them.

"Retreat, guys! This is getting too weird!" another one urged as well.

But it was as though their voices had faded into the distance, a mere murmur in the background, as you continued to draw nearer and nearer to the mysterious entity emerging from the shadowy waters. Its silent beckoning seemed to compel you, a magnetic force pulling you closer with every step.

Your friends watched in horror as you stepped into the lake, your movements guided by the rusalka's eerie song. You waded deeper into the water, your face bearing a tranquil expression that sent shivers down their spines.

As Halloween night deepened, the legends of the rusalka proved all too real for you and your friends. Himiko Toga's vengeful spirit had claimed another soul, and her haunting melody echoed through the chilling darkness. Himiko led you further into the murky waters. As you moved deeper, the moonlight cast an eerie glow upon the lake's surface, creating an unsettling spectacle. The world above seemed to fade away as you became ensnared by the enchanting melody.

With each word, her allure seemed to grow, wrapping you in a cocoon of her seductive timbre. The world around you began to blur and fade into obscurity, as though her voice held the power to transport you to another realm. As she spoke, your attention shifted solely to her, her words becoming the only reality that mattered. Nothing else held significance; her voice was your anchor and your universe, a hypnotic cadence that pulled you deeper into its spell.

The rusalka's voice was both beautiful and melancholic. It whispered secrets of the underwater world, of long-forgotten loves and tragedies that had unfolded beneath the waves. Your thoughts and fears were replaced by a sense of tranquility, your will utterly dominated by the rusalka's spell.

Himiko leaned in, her yellowish eyes locked onto yours with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine. Her voice was a sultry, almost hypnotic purr as she spoke, "You know, becoming one with me, it's going to be… exquisite. All I need is just a tiny, little taste of your blood."

You couldn't help but feel a mixture of curiosity and trepidation, "What do you mean?"

A sly grin curved her lips as she explained, "Well, it's quite simple, really, my sweet darling! Just a drop of your blood, a mere morsel of your essence, and we'll be forever connected. Our desires, our pleasures, they'll meld into a tantalizing dance of passion."

Your heart raced, the air suddenly charged with anticipation, as you asked, "And how does that work, exactly?"

She moved even closer, her breath warm against your skin, "Oh, darling, it's a secret spell only we can share. But trust me, it'll be the most electrifying connection you've ever experienced, hihi!"

Your thoughts were a whirlwind, but curiosity and a burgeoning desire overtook any hesitation, "I… I think I am…"

Unbeknownst to you, every word she spoke was a clever ploy to draw you deeper into the water. Her delicate fingers reached for yours, their touch gentle as they caressed your hand. With a subtle, sensuous motion, she brought one of your hands closer to her lips, her tongue lightly tracing your wrist. Her actions seemed as if she were trying to capture the scent of the life force coursing through your racing heart.

Back on the shore, your friends watched in helpless horror as their friend disappeared beneath the surface. The rusalka's haunting song lingered in the air, creating an unsettling atmosphere.

Meanwhile, your friends hurriedly left you by the lake, determined to seek assistance. As they sprinted towards the village and knocked on several doors, their desperation grew with each step.

Only one door creaked open, revealing an elderly woman. With a sense of urgency, your friends quickly explained the dire situation unfolding at the lake. Desperate to save their friend, your friends sought the guidance of an elderly villager, and it turned out she was known for her knowledge of folklore and the supernatural. She listened to their tale with a heavy heart and instructed them to bring a rare herb that was said to have the power to dispel enchantments. She offered them a piece of the dried herb and decided to help them face the rusalka.

With the herb in hand, the group returned to the lake, determined to break the rusalka's hold over you, even though they were scared you were already long gone. The night was eerily silent now, devoid of the haunting melody that had drawn her beneath the water.

The rusalka sensed their presence and confronted them, her beautiful but malevolent form shimmering in the moonlight. "You dare to challenge me?" she hissed, her voice filled with centuries of anger and sorrow. "You have no power here, weaklings."

Your friends held their ground, brandishing the herb. The elderly villager chanted incantations that carried the power to weaken the rusalka's spell.

Amid the chaotic scene, your friends gathered around the water's edge, their voices raised in a chorus of desperate screams. The rusalka, had a tight grip on you, your head submerged beneath the unforgiving surface already, leaving only your nose and forehead exposed.

"Let her go! Release her!" one of your female friends shouted, her voice filled with a mixture of fear and anger, the urgency in her pleas piercing the air.

But rusalka, with her eerie, yellowish eyes and an ethereal grip on your form, seemed indifferent to their protests. Her grip remained relentless, and her silent, haunting stare seemed to taunt your friends' futile efforts.

The tension in the air was palpable as your loved ones desperately tried to break the hold of this mysterious, otherworldly being, their voices echoing in a symphony of fear and determination, all while you struggled for breath, your life precariously balanced between the surface and the depths.

As the herb was cast into the water and the elderly woman chanted her incantations, a subtle magic began to weave its enchantment.

Slowly but surely, Himiko's form started to fade away. Her grip remained unyielding, as she continued to sing her haunting song, a desperate plea to retain her presence. Himiko began to emit an otherworldly, high-pitched squeal that reverberated through the still night. Her voice, though beautiful, had a chilling quality that sent shivers down their spines. It was an eerie, haunting sound that seemed to defy the very laws of reality.

As the piercing notes continued, those witnessing this spectral phenomenon felt a sense of unease. Her voice grew louder, more desperate, as if trying to break through the veil of existence. The air around her shimmered, and she began to slowly fade away, becoming transparent, like a wisp of mist in the moonlight.

With each passing moment, she vanished further, her voice a ghostly memory in the stillness of the night, leaving a haunting imprint on those who had the eerie privilege of witnessing her mysterious departure.

You gasped, your senses returning as the rusalka's hold over you waned. The villager's determined efforts had disrupted the enchantment, freeing you from the vengeful spirit's grasp.

With a final, mournful wail, the rusalka disappeared beneath the water, defeated but not entirely vanquished.

You were safe, but the chilling memory of the rusalka's haunting melody would linger, a reminder that some legends held truths that were best left undisturbed.

The lake would forever be a place of whispered fears and shrouded mysteries.

You, forever changed by your encounter, had a profound respect for the supernatural. You couldn't help but wonder if the rusalka had truly moved on or if she still lurked in the depths, awaiting another chance to ensnare an unwitting soul. You had to concede that there were phenomena that defied the boundaries of time and comprehension, veering into the realm of the supernatural, forever beyond human understanding.

At times, Toga would reappear in your dreams, a haunting presence that both captivated and unnerved you. Her voice, like a gentle, melodic whisper, would fill your slumbering mind. Those enormous, yellow eyes, seemingly capable of peering deep into your very soul, held your gaze, and her untamed, hair was fashioned into two haphazard buns. In your dreams, she would extend an invitation, beckoning you into her enigmatic world. The allure was undeniable, like a magnetic pull that drew you in. But just as you were about to step into the unknown, you'd jolt awake, drenched in a chilling sweat, the remnants of her presence lingering in the recesses of your consciousness.

Years passed, and the memory of that Halloween night at the lake haunted the villagers. The rusalka, though defeated, was never truly vanquished. Her presence lingered in the water, and the lake remained a place of eerie quiet, where the night held its breath as if waiting for the return of the vengeful spirit. And as the years passed, the rusalka's haunting melody became but a distant echo, a testament to the enduring power of legends and the strength of those who dared to face the unknown.

#lovhalloweenhorror #himiko toga x reader #himiko toga #horror story #mha x reader #toga himiko #toga mha #toga himiko x reader #league of villains #x reader #horror #horror fiction #divider by cafekitsune #x fem!reader #reader is female #horror short #rusalka

80 notes · View notes