#full page illustrations on nearly every page

[jemichi90]

I’ve been e-mailing publishers in an attempt to get my picture book published for a year with no success. By now I’m so tired of writing those e-mails that I haven’t even been trying for a while. Doesn’t help that I have no agent. But since the book itself has been fully written and illustrated all this time, I figured that sitting on it won’t do anything, and since I can’t find it in me to approach publishers anymore, I might as well self publish it - like I did with my coloring book.

I’ve been watching the wholesome insanity that Bigolas Dickolas started on Twitter, and I’m hoping that even a little fragment of that weird luck with books and publishers within the Trigun fandom would extend to me as well. So, if you have / know kids that like pirates and fantasy, keep an eye on my blog! I’m ordering a proof copy to check if it looks alright, and then I’ll make the book public - which should be in a few weeks if there’s no problems with the book. ^^

#I'll make a proper announcement when it's available #gonna test this luck and hope I'll get a little bit as well #I will be begging on my knees for people to share the post when I publish the book #I have no income and I'm running out of my savings #so getting some sales would mean a lot to me #this book is very DnD inspired if you are into that #and has pirates #and themes about accepting differences in yourself and in others #and finding your place among new people #you could call it found family too #full page illustrations on nearly every page #it will be available in Finnish and English for now #possibly other languages in the future #I'll have to discuss that possibility with potential translators #since the rights are now entirely in my own hands #as is the marketing

[lueurjun]

. ˚◞☁️ ✧˖🤍࿐

▍ synopsis╰┈➤ minho had always been clear about his aversion to marriage, and initially, you accepted it. But when your feelings changed, the once-accepted truth shattered, leaving you to confront the fallout head-on.

🖇·˚ ༘┊ lee know x reader — angst. angst. just angst.

˚ ༘💭 ·˚ message from lueurjun . . . my very first skz post on this account ! this was meant to just be a enha and txt acc but i’ve decided to add skz to the list too because i couldn’t resist. anyways i’m sorry for this, i was in a sad mood.

. ˚◞☁️ ✧˖🤍࿐ྂ

Minho is a captivating read, his life an open narrative. Every page reveals a tapestry of his passions and despairs, vividly illustrated with meticulous detail. It's this transparency that drew you to him, each chapter unfolding with refreshing honesty. You find comfort in knowing what to anticipate, yet he never fails to astonish you with unexpected gestures.

One of the chapters in his book is the declaration of his distaste for marriage, and conveniently enough, it’s the only chapter without a carefully crafted explanation. He told you before things progressed that he would never be able to offer you marriage, and he told you it with full intention of letting you walk away unscathed, with your heart intact. But you were fine with it, a young adult starting their twenties with no intention to marry. It didn’t bother you; it wasn’t a significant issue.

Until it was.

Wedding season was approaching in stride with the warm weather. Three beautifully designed invitations adorned the fireplace, unopened. There was a fourth, the first and only one you pried open and then hid away from your sight with a sick feeling lining in your stomach and an ache in your heart — one of longing. You couldn’t open the others.

Guilt laid across the longing, meshing together and in turn forming one complex emotion; resentment. Not even towards Minho, but your past self for being careless enough to not consider the feelings of your future self. The now you, who envisioned a beautiful summer wedding and all its trimmings. The guilt picked at you, because Minho had warned you about this before you got too deep in. He reminded you before he told you that he loved you, that if you wanted to run, if you wanted to marry then he had to let you go, before he got too attached. Before you got too attached.

Minho wasn't oblivious to the turmoil raging within you, nor to the contradictions within your heart. He found the invitation, concealed from sight bearing a telltale water stain. He observed the wistful gazes whenever your friends conversed about walking down the aisle, and married life. They often left you out of those conversations, already knowing Minho’s views. And it killed him—because he knew you wanted the one thing he vowed to never offer.

And he knew there was only one alternative to you getting what you want.

The sun’s shift was over for the day, night just clocking in when he returns home, exhausted with a heavy heart in anticipation for what he was about to do. You’re on the sofa when he walks through the door, three cats surrounding you looking interested in whatever it’s flickering on the tv. His heart clenched at the scene, aching in his chest, nearly breaking when you greeted him with a radiant smile.

He’s not one to beat around the bush. Never has been, but as he walks toward you, he feels the words stalling in his throat. His heart pleads with him, but he sits down across from you and he swallows thickly.

“Let’s break up.”

The once-warm home now feels frigid, as if drained of its vitality—like the scented candles you loved had extinguished, and the tv shut off. A profound stillness settles over everything in an instant. Your expression collapses into sheer devastation, and Minho's eyes squeeze shut.

“Did I do something?” You manage, only just. Your heart feels like it’s ready to give way. Confusion clogs your mind with a million inquiries.

Minho shakes his head. Of course you’d blame yourself. It sickens him to the core. “No. No, you didn’t.”

"Then why?" Your tone sharpens with anger, impatience seeping through. Why was he breaking up with you? Why was he doing this to you? Why now?

Minho tilts his head, eyeing the ceiling in a pathetic attempt to keep his eyes from watering. “I can’t give you what you want. It isn’t fair.”

You’re bewildered. “I don’t understand—”

“Marriage. I can’t offer that to you, and it’s not fair. I don’t want you to cry looking at invitations knowing you’ll never ship ones out of your own. I can’t watch you be left out of conversations because I’m holding you back. It isn’t fair on you.”

“I told you—”

“And you changed your mind. It’s selfish of me to string you along, knowing nothing more will come from this. I can’t let you waste your dream, not on me. So let’s break up, because that way you can find someone who will give you what you want.”

“Do you not love me?”

Minho almost laughs at that, because how is that even a question in your mind? It’s funny because he’s doing this because of how much he loves you.

“I love you enough to know that I have to let you go.”

And just like that, your heart meets your stomach as the barrier collapses. Doongie meows from your lap, reaching up a paw to your cheek as though caressing the skin. Tears chase each other down your cheeks in a rapid game of tag, the trail ending at your neck where Soonie sits, eyeing you in confusion. Dori is behind Minho, a paw coming down to strike him but he doesn’t flinch.

“I don’t have to have marriage—I just want you!” The words rush out of you like a torrential waterfall. “I can be happy without that as long as I have you.”

Minho shakes his head. “I don’t want that for you. I can’t offer you marriage, I can’t do it. That’s not me. But there’s someone else who can, and as much as the thought of you with someone else kills me, it’s what you deserve.”

Minho's longing to comfort you is palpable, yet he remains rooted to his seat, enduring each gentle prod from Dori. With his gaze fixed on the floor, he quietly utters, "I'll stay at Chan's until I figure out where to go."

You shake your head, sobs cutting through your throat as you plead, beg and cry. You don't want him to leave for Chan's, you don't want him to pack his bags; you want him right here, with you. Marriage or not, you just want him by your side.

Though deep down, want isn’t enough. Resentment has begun to accumulate like an impending avalanche, threatening to engulf everything in its path. Perhaps Minho is correct; maybe it's best to end things now. An argument would have inevitably ensued—such clashes do when both parties want different things.

Minho doesn’t cry as he packs his bag, he doesn’t cry as he kisses your forehead and leaves a scratch on Doongie’s forehead, nor when he gets into his car and drives away.

Minho's stoicism holds until two months later, when he finds himself seated in the back of Hyunjin's wedding venue, watching the happy couple share a kiss sealing the deal of forever. It's only then, as his eyes drift to where you sit, that tears finally gloss over his eyes, haunted by visions of himself slipping a ring onto your finger.

Alone in his car, Minho finally allows himself to release the pent-up emotions. Tears stream down his face as he grapples with a mind overwhelmed by countless scenarios and a heart weighed down by regret.

#stray kids #lee know #lee minho #skz #skz x reader #skz imagines #skz angst #skz drabbles #skz scenarios #lee know x reader #lee know angst #lee know scenarios #lee know imagines #lee minho x reader #lee minho imagines #lee minho angst #lee minho scenarios

[liveontelevision]

MY FAVE POOKIE.... BY ANY CHANCE CAN.. CAN YOU WRITE FOR A VAMPIRE LUCI?? <3 I FEEL LIKE YOU'D CAPTURE HIM PERFECTLY

YOU'RE ONTO SOMETHING HERE BBG

(You're drawing of vamp Luci is literal eye candy and I'M IN A SUGAR COMAAA) I got way into the lore here I literally did nothing but write and edit this today - THAT BEING SAID this may need a 2nd part but lmk what y'all think

CW: He's a vamp, so.. blood in suggestive situations obvi

♡♡♡

Bite Me | Vamp Lucifer x Reader

"Isn't it just amazing?" You hold a book, opened to a certain illustration, far too close to your friend's eyes. They push the book back a bit just to get a peak, considering their nose was essentially in the pages. The paper reeked of dust and mildew. They subsided a sound of disgust to inspect the illustration you were so eager to show off.

"Oh! This is that weird mansion on the other side of town, but.. it looks..." 

"Stunning? This was what it looked like when it was first built and look-" You excitedly point out a certain tower, it was so thin and far back, that not even the pencil of the original artist could capture its true detail.

"Wait,  that's not there anymore, is it? Weird." Your friend shrugged it off, clearly not as invested as you. You scoff, pulling the book to your chest.

"Well.. not in the daytime, at least." You muttered. This was your hometown's rumor that's been spread for centuries. On the highest hill, past the overcrowded forest, sits the darkest and most foreboding manor anyone has seen. Even the oldest living relatives of those who have seen it, never recall what it looked like in its glory days. No one's quite sure when it was first built. It's as if it had always been there.

No one would really talk, only the seniors and the more.. eccentric.. People would even mention it. A tower that exceeded the height of the full moon, which was the only time it was visible to the naked eye. You've seen it yourself. But you were too inspired, too invested, to be satisfied with a little rumor and a single sighting.

You did your research. You scowered the forest, only to get lost for hours. You managed to find the manor, but in its close proximity, there was no sign of that tower. You found a book, shoved away under some shelf in your public library, depicting poorly written journal entries and illustrations. From what you could decipher, it was older than the town.. it must belong to its original tenants.

The handwriting was almost entirely illegible, which was disappointing, but the pictures inside.. they were crafted beautifully. Scenic drawings of the forest, animals, and a few of a stunning woman were scattered throughout. Every historian you tried to contact left your messages unopened. Any townspeople you'd show the pictures to, to see if they’d recognize the woman at least, looked at you like you were crazy.

Well.. crazy or not, there's only one real way to settle this.

You mark your calendar, circling every full moon for the rest of the year. And it nearly took that long to finally spot the tower, again. After all this time, restless nights where you'd fall asleep with the book in hand, strained sessions of trying to decipher the wording, yet it all got you nowhere. You'd lost friends because of this. You've skipped dates. All because of this damned tower. 

But finally, here it is! Ready to throw yourself from your bedroom window, you take the bag that had been packed for months in case of this very instant, but decide it best to leave through the front door.

You had memorized the path to the manor at this point. What could possibly be drawing you in so deeply? What history could this place possibly hold? Who was the woman drawn in this book.. and who was the artist? You stood in awe, finally seeing the tower up close. The manor itself seemed to be made of an entirely different stone. You jot down your notes and the differences you're seeing in a small book.

You nearly squeal at the sound of the creaking double doors, as you step inside. It wasn't your first time here, you reach into your bag to obtain the little map you had drawn out a few weeks back. Were you going insane? Who's to say? You traced your finger across a path you had drawn, then with determination, went towards the corridor that should lead you to whatever you were looking for.

You stopped and took pictures on occasion, observing things you have seen countless times over the past few months. It still managed to take your breath away. You turned around, stepping backward, to observe the intricate detailing of the high ceilings, letting out little ooh's and aah's you'd assume no one would hear. But you couldn't be sure.

You nearly stumble, turning to face the corridor head-on. A crumbling noise had sent a shock of fear and curiosity into your heart. Was this place ready to cave in? Did something else cause the destruction?

As you continue on, you decide it best to place headphones over your ears. With one ear still slightly free, you do your best to distract your fears and keep exploring. As you hum along, occasionally breaking out into song, your eyes are drawn to a small doorway that definitely was not there during your previous visits. It's made of a different wood than the other doors. It looks.. newer. The handle seems used as If the oils of a hand had worn down its clean coating. This has to be it. Your hand is shaking as you reach for the door, and your heart drops for a moment. It’s warm underneath your touch. With a final breath, you open the door.

It’s.. not exactly what you were expecting. The door led to an impossibly long spiral staircase, you weren't sure if you could make it to the top before daylight. It's too late to go back now, though. You dredge on. As you start your climb, the music from your headset turns to static. And what you expected to be a mile-long staircase ended in mere seconds. Confused by the distortion of the building, you pull out your little journal to document your new discovery as you continue on. 

The steps lead into the tower, you were sure of it. The bricks of the walls and the wood of the doors, it was all different than the manor below. It opened into a short hallway, with a few doors on either side. Opposite to you was a window. It wasn’t shattered or cracked, or even dusty. You press your hands against it and lean forward to see the view of your town. In a stereotypical, I can see my house from here! moment, you pull out your phone to take yet another picture, but.. it's dead. After being fully charged before your arrival. Of course. It's a magical tower that only appears on a full moon and has disappearing staircases, you weren't too shocked by sorcery after what you've exposed yourself to.

As you take in the terrifying height of the structure from the window, something happens that officially startles you for the first time tonight. You hear a gruesome cackling from behind a nearby doorway.

You quickly find its source, pressing your ear to the wooden door. You couldn't make out any specific words, but there was a voice. It was a man's voice. He seemed to laughing, then groaning and complaining about something, then talking some more.. quite a blabbermouth for someone who seems to be alone, you don't hear any other voices.

You have a weapon in your bag. It's nothing fancy, just a little switchblade, but you assumed it'd be enough to ward off at least a single person. Just in case. You decide to go in.

"Oh, who am I kidding, this sucks!" An exacerbated groan, and the sound of something crashing, can be heard as you crack the door open a bit. You peek inside.

A pacing man is surrounded by trinkets, books and tools in some kind of workshop. He looks human.. almost. You notice his skin is nearly paper white. It has a beautiful glow to it, that contrasts against his mostly black wardrobe. You clock his clothes as almost Victorian, a puffed blouse that cinches in at his waist with the assistance of a red-laced vest. His heels seem a bit tall for the time period, but even then, he's actually rather.. short. Despite that, his hair was slicked back but seemed to be coming undone. You watch him pace around for a while longer, finally capturing his arms running through his hair. They're tapered black, as if his hands were dipped in soot. How odd. You want a picture. You want to talk to him, to ask him questions.

You're too engrossed in the view you were spying on to notice he had stopped his jabbering and was now frozen in place at the sight of you. An awkward amount of time passes before either of you make a decision on what to do next.

You decide it best to just forget about this random encounter. This was obviously just another dream. It wasn't, but this wouldn't even be the strangest one you've had. You finally break eye contact, pulling the door shut behind you.

You lean your entire body against it, desperate to keep him contained until you can get your thoughts straightened out. Maybe he's nice! Maybe he's not an insane, inhuman, tinkerer who talks to himself. Before you can think a moment longer, the door opens and thoroughly knocks you to the floor. You scuff your knees and palms against the stone floor, hissing at the wounds before turning on your back to face your attacker.

Okay, it wasn't an attack, exactly. He just opened the door you were standing in front of. You were a little shocked, considering you were putting your full weight on it and he swung it open like nothing was there at all.

your widened eyes were met with his yet again. They seemed different than before. His irises were suddenly glowing a crimson red, staring down at you with a look of disgust. Your heart rate quickens as you finally catch more of his features. The glow of his eyes and the moonlight from the window show off a set of demonic horns, twisting and turning from his temples, and pointed ears. Then finally, you spot his frown- then his fangs.

You slowly crawl backward, making as much distance as you can before your back hits the cold stone of the wall. Your breathing rapidly as he kneels down, continuing to observe your tense body language from such a close distance.

"What is this- how did you get in? I made a whole fancy labyrinth for you little humans and you still manage to pester me." He seems curious now, still annoyed by the interruption, but curious. He catches the sight of your blade, taking it from underneath your hand.

"And you thought this could kill me?" He scoffs, tossing it to the side. "I thought the ones smart enough to get in would put more effort into their weapon of choice." He finally stands, crossing his arms over his chest and looking down at you. His piercing red irises had you staring for an inappropriately long time. He looks around, then behind him, in disbelief that you'd be this lost in his eyes. He clears his throat to get your attention.

"N-no! I don't want to kill you, I swear! I just.. I wanted to..." Why were you here again? To find what's inside the haunted tower? To explore a rumor and find the truth? You'd hate to consider it.. but could you have been wasting all this time after finally being faced with the anticlimactic answer? Your silence doesn't seem to amuse the stranger.

"What, you just stumbled upon my hidden tower? That doesn't sound right. Well, I'll tell you now, I'm not some genie or wizard- I won't grant you wishes or anything stupid like that." He starts to head back to his office. "I have nothing to offer you, so just pretend this is a nightmare or something and go home." You see a little flame puff from his lips as he speaks, clearly irritated by your presence. 

"Wait- wait! I forgot!" You stumble to your feet, wincing at the pain in your scraped knees, but still going on to fumble through your bag. You find your tattered book. The relic that started this all.

"Is this yours?" He takes the book from your hand, skimming through the pages then glaring back up to meet your eyes. 

"Did you steal this?" You shake your head with haste, watching him continue to examine the book. "Then.. yes. This is mine. I'm surprised it's still in one piece." He stops at one of the drawings of the woman. He brushes his hand across the illustration with a dreamy sigh.

"She's beautiful." Your voice breaks his concentration and you see his pale skin turn ever so slightly pink. 

"She is, isn't she?" With a warm smile, you almost forget his threatening nature.

"Who was she?" He looks away from you, letting the book shut.

"It's not important. You need to leave." He leads you to the door. You try to keep up with his strides, only to fumble, your knees weak and bruised from the previous fall. He spots the bleeding scuffs and groans.

"Good lord, you humans are so fragile." You hear him grumble before he's turned on his heels and is dragging you back towards that workshop you intruded on. He grabs you by your arms and guides you to sit down at a little table he had set up. You examined the room after he had walked away. You saw his workbench. It held numerous little springs and gears, paints, and brushes. Looking to the side, you see a shattered figurine, probably what he had thrown during his little tantrum you spied on.

Seeing him standing above you stops your wandering eyes. He kneels down, already wrapping your wounded knees in gauze. You watched him silently. You were surprised at how comfortable the space seemed, considering a man with a demonic presence was currently tending to you like a nurse.

"So.. what are you exactly?" You finally blurted out. You had so many questions, but this was a good place to start.

"Oh. Um.. I think I hear humans referring to me as a vampire." Your blood runs cold and you squeeze the edge of your seat on either side. You feel his hand tremor for a moment, letting his eyes linger on your legs before finishing up one knee with a neat tie. He moves on to the next.

"So you're immortal and drink blood and all that?" He scoffs at your questioning shaking his head. You sound like a curious child.

"That’s.. Mostly correct. Actually, your human literature seemed to accurately portray a lot of my abilities. I'm almost impressed."

"Should I be scared?" You ask with an almost teasing tone, as if that weren't possible.

"Why? Do you think I'm scary?" He looks up for a moment, meeting your eyes. Its subtle, but you see them glowing just slightly. And it almost makes you nervous. Enraptured in an emotion you have to assume is fear, you watch his hands trail around and calf to bring your leg a bit closer. He sticks out his tongue. It's similar to a serpents’. Your eyes follow his tongue to your knee, where he licks the entirety of the wound.

In a state of shock, all you do is tense in your seat, wincing from his action. His tongue reels back, stained with the blood from your own wound. He lets out a breathy hum, before realizing his place.

"E-excuse me, I uh.. have healing properties..?" You cock your head to the side, the confusion in your mind quickly replaced with curiosity.

"Woah, really?" He finishes off your other knee.

".. No. Okay, all patched up. You have to leave." He said hurriedly before the realization could set in. He was embarrassed by his actions sure, but the sunrise softly lighting the room seemed to make him anxious.

"Wait- no! I have so many questions! Why do I have to go? How does this place just vanish in the daytime? Why are you here all alone?" You start to ramble as he manages to move you with ease. "A-at least tell me your name!" You say quickly, breaking from his grasp just before he can shove you out the door. He stops and lets out a sigh.

"Fine. Here." He reaches into his shirt and pulls out a small golden crystal attached to a necklace. Forcing your eyes down to his dipped neckline made you a bit red in the cheeks. With a quick motion, he swings it over your neck.

"This is an Asmodean crystal. You'll be able to see and enter my tower on any night now. You.. you're welcome to return when you see fit." You stare at the small gem in amazement.

"And.. you're just trusting me with this?"

He shrugs, smiling at you for the first time tonight. "You haven't given me a reason not to. You're definitely not a threat." You hum in response, despite his obvious condescending nature. giving the gem one last examination, you tuck it away into your own shirt.

".. And it's Lucifer."

You can't help but grin. “Okay! Time to go! The sun’s almost up!” He rushes you.

"Hm! I'll be back, then, I promise! I'll see you, Lucifer!" You excitedly wave and head back down the stairs. Lucifer.. Your mind was running with possibilities as you left. You turned to the door before leaving, but by the time you looked back, it was simply.. bricked over. You felt almost disappointed. But feeling for the necklace and twirling it between your fingers reminds you that this was all real. He's real.

Lucifer said you could visit. And so you did. While you passed out almost immediately once you returned home, you waited eagerly for the sun to set the next night. You check your window, again. With the crystal squeezed tightly in your fist, you see the familiar tower yet again, despite the full moon being nowhere in sight.

Unfortunately, you are human. You do have a life to live. It took you a few days before you could visit, again, but eventually you did. And it was perfect. Looking down upon in your hometown, it was refreshing to have a new friend. You told him about your own life, giving him some brief history lessons on things he might not know, and bringing him the stereotypical vampire merchandise from current media. He deemed it offensive.

You got him to talk about his past after some pushing. He was one of many brothers, all of them were bloodsuckers of their own accord.

"Wow.. so you came from a whole family of vampires? I mean.. if you don't mind me asking, why aren't you there? What brings you to my glamorous little town?" You say your last question with an eye roll. You were seated at a little bench, a comfortable nook that was set at the window in his workshop, as you watched him working on some sort of mechanical toy. You notice a slight frown tugging at his lips in response to your question.

"Hm. My brothers aren't exactly a fan of me. And you speak sarcastically, but it is actually quite nice here. The air is clearer, and there's much less fire." You look out the window as he's talking.

"Wait.. less fire than where?" He slipped up. You've noticed over these past few visits that he's not too keen on disclosing certain parts of his past. You see him stop what he's doing and curse under his breath.

"I.. I'm from a different realm, of sorts. It's dingy and dark and everyone there cares for nothing but bloodlust." He explains carefully.

"Damn, that sounds like Hell." You pull your knees to your chest, just attempting to sympathize with him by your words.

"You have no idea." He chuckles in response, seeming disarmed enough to continue his tinkering.

"Do you ever go back there? You have to see your family sometimes, right?" He's groaning quietly at your questions.

"Well, yes and no. I'm always here in my tower. And I put a lot of work into making it my own. I'd keep it here forever if I could, but it takes quite a bit of energy from me to keep it in good shape in this realm, so when the sun is out-"

"You return to your own realm! Wow.." you wished you had your book on you to write all this down. But it seemed unnecessary to bring a survival kit here. You felt so safe. 

"How about that lady? In your book? Is she someone from that realm? A family member, maybe?" You bombard him with questions yet again. You do that a lot. He looked over at you with an unenthused glare. You laugh nervously and wave your hands. "N-Nevermind, sorry."

He's made it clear that he doesn't appreciate all these questions. But when he does open up, you can't help but appreciate his fantastical stories.

Looking for a change in topic, you approach his bench, looking over whatever he was working on. With one final screw being turned in, he looks up to you and shows you the small trinket silently. You take it, a bit nervous of its delicacy, and examine it.

"It's fine, it won't break." He rolls his eyes at your nerves. "Like this." He places a hand below yours to steady your grasp and lifts the top of the little round structure to reveal a little sculpted scene. It’s of a pond, with some fish and ducks visible on the pond. It looked so real, despite its size. He smirks at your enthralled expression, reaching for a small key on the back and turning it. It releases a gentle tune, the ducks suddenly spinning and dancing across the pond.

"A music box..?" You question. You look towards him and notice his reaction. He looks almost nervous like he was expecting some harsh critique.

"It's beautiful, Lucifer! Did you use magic or something? This is so cool!" Your outburst leaves him slightly surprised, and just a bit blushed.

"Y-Yes, it is pretty, isn't it?" He says softly, looking away with a smile. By the time he's looking back to you, still enjoying the little trinket, the sun is just peaking from the hills. He should rush to get you out of there. Humans don't belong in his realm, definitely not this one.. but he doesn't want this to end. He wants to show you more, while he listens to you rant about something useless. He shakes his head to reality. He can't have these feelings. Not again.

"It's morning. I'm afraid you have to go, dear." You look just as disappointed as he does, but follow him to the exit either way.

"Wait, here-" You hold the intricate music box back out to him, but he closes his hands around yours, encasing it in your grasp.

"Keep it." His hands are cold. You notice that his skin is always cold, no matter the weather. You wonder if he thinks about the warmth of your hands just as much. Your hands are held together for a bit too long, but the sight of your face in the golden light of the sunrise has him frozen in place.

"What happens if I stay?" Your hasty question snaps him away, quickly tucking his hands behind his back.

"Absolutely not." He says sternly, reaching around and opening his door. "Sorry.. I just.. It’s not safe. You’ll be back though, right?." He smiles, and it always disarms you. Briefly disappointed, you nod and give him a quick wave. You head back to your regular vampire-free life for the time being.

You find yourself back in his workshop, a few months later. The visits were becoming more frequent and neither of you seemed to complain about it.

Since then, the room has been decorated with pillows or blankets you've brought. On occasion, you'd go to see him just to sleep uncomfortably on the small cushioned nook near the window. He never seemed to mind. He'd wake you up carefully before the sun rose.

Other times, you'd bring him tools or gifts from your hometown that he might like, and occasionally you'd get him to eat actual food.

One night you set out one of your blankets on the ground and forced him to sit with you, after seeing him get flustered with whatever he was working on.

"Can you actually eat? Does it do anything for you?" He shrugs in response to your question, popping a little chocolate confection into his mouth.

"Not really. It's more for enjoyment than anything. And these are definitely enjoyable." As he hums at the sweets, he moves to lie down across the blanket, resting his head in your lap. "Where are they from?"

You look down at the little heart-shaped box you've both been taking the treats from and cringe.

"A.. uh.. person. It was a gift. Someone tried to take me out for Valentine's Day, but I wasn't interested." You say quietly.

"Right.. it’s Valentine’s Day… Well, what was wrong with them? Were they rude to you? Ugly?" He asks between bites. You laugh and take a chocolate for yourself.

"No, nothing like that.. they just..." They weren't you. "N-not my type is all." You stammer, quickly shoving the chocolate into your mouth. What are you thinking? He's laughing at you now.

"So you'd rather spend your Valentine's Day with an old crone?" He was joking, but he was right.

"Yeah.. I think I would, actually. I love visiting you." You said calmly, trying your best to keep the compliments.. platonic. Peeking down at him for a second, you notice his tense posture and pink cheeks.

"I-I just- it's not that big a deal, I mean, I've never really celebrated Valentine's Day anyway, so.." You start to fidget with your crystal necklace, picking at the thread and running your thumb along its smooth surface.

"Well..! Then... I'm glad you're enjoying my company, I suppose." He tries to de-escalate the brief tension. You change the subject matter.

"Well, if we're getting on my social life, then I have a question." You finally say. He seems nervous for a moment but is playing it cool to the best of his ability.

"Shoot."

"So, you stay in your tower all day, don't see your family, I don't even hear you talk about that woman from your drawings.. Have you just been alone this whole time?"

He freezes for a moment, before putting a chocolate back into the box and clearing his throat.

"No.. not the whole time." He sighs, standing and going to fetch something. He returns to sit across from you and you’re a little disappointed he didn’t return his head to rest in your lap. It was a journal, it had a similar binding to the one you had found over a year ago.

"Her name is Lillith." He starts, flipping the pages and stopping at one of her drawings. "She's from my realm, and.. we fell in love." For some reason, your heart ached at his words. "I decided to show her this place many years ago, and she wanted to see a nearby village, so.. we went down there together. It was disgusting. People were treating each other so foul, it was loud and dirty, and there was no sign of intelligence." His voice goes dark for a moment, allowing you to flip through the book. "But Lillith loved them. She saw their potential and.. wanted to stay with them. So we made a deal. She'd explore the village when the full moon was out and then return to me the rest of the time."

You look up from the book, seeing that her drawings had stopped about halfway through. The rest of the book was empty.

"So is she.." you mutter, letting the book drop to see his pained expression.

"I haven't seen her in years. Might be decades at this point, but.. it's hard to keep track. I have no idea where she could be, but if she ever returns then-"

"You're waiting for her?" You interrupt, your voice has a hint of irritation to it.

"Hm. I guess I am. I've given up trying to find her, but I still keep this place standing. Just in case." His face reads dejected as he speaks.

"Do you still love her?" You ask. Of course, he does. He's a romantic, waiting for his long-lost love to return. But he looks at you, with a worried expression. Like he wanted to reassure you that wasn't the case.

"I..I do." He says softly. You feel your chest aching still, and you clench the blanket in your fists on either side of you. "I think so? I-I'm not sure." He groans, running his hands through his hair. "Is that terrible of me?" 

You think for a moment. You have to tread lightly. If he truly loves her, it might be best for you to keep your distance to avoid any.. confusion. You let out a defeated sigh, placing your hand on his shoulder to bring his panicked attention back to you.

"Not at all. It's.. nice. That you can love someone that much, especially after all this time." He smiles in return, placing a hand over top of yours.

"How long has it been, do you think?"

"Hmm.. From what I remember.. when were hot air balloons invented?" He genuinely questioned.

"Good lord."

(The answer is over 300 years ago)

You stopped visiting him for a while. After that night, you needed to step away and consider what you were really doing. He's not just an immortal vampire, he's an immortal vampire still holding out hope for a woman he hasn't seen in centuries. And you're just a human. That kind of relationship only works in movies. The sleep schedule you've created has nearly destroyed your social life and you barely have energy in the daytime anymore. Maybe it was for the best to keep your distance. But you have to tell him that. You can't just disappear, he doesn't deserve to feel that pain, again.

You enter his tower as usual, bringing an empty bag to escort some of your belongings back home. To your apartment, your awful tiny apartment. You avoid comparing it to the elegant manor, it's only making you want to back out. You go through the hall, swinging his workshop door open.

"Luciferrr! Sorry to be away for so long, but I think we should talk." You look around to realize you are speaking to an empty room. You look back to the hall. You've never been through any of the other rooms, but he had to be somewhere. And he wasn't responding to your calls.

You open each door carefully, seeing mostly empty storage and cobwebs. One of the rooms was filled to the brim with clothing from all decades. You make a mental note to tease him for playing dress up, later.

You knock at each door, finally opening one that greets you with the warmth of a bedroom. And by warmth, you mean it. You take any coat you were wearing off, finally spotting Lucifer lying in the elegant bed in the center of the room.

"Huh.. I thought you said vampires don't need sleep." You call out, letting your eyes scan the room as you approach the bedside. He's curled up and unresponsive. His sudden panting briefly eased your nerves, at least he’s breathing.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to just barge in, but.. Lucifer? Are you okay?" You reach out and place your hand to his shoulder. He's hot to the touch. You move his body so that he's lying on his back, and he seems even more distressed.

"L-Lucifer..? Lucifer!" You try to speak quietly, but his actions are making you nervous. He finally shoots upward, gripping his bare chest in an attempt to calm his rapid breathing. He does a double take, not believing that you were at his side. Not to mention your scared expression, which is only causing him more concern.

"I-I'm alright! I'm okay.." He lets out a sigh, brushing his hair back. He scans the room, peering out the window. "Ah, nighttime already? I'm sorry, darling, I didn't mean to worry you." He turns back to you, seeing your still-shaken expression. "I slept in! It's okay!" He reassures, patting the side of his bed. You hesitate, but sit down either way.

"I thought.. You didn’t need sleep." You say softly, looking to calm yourself.

"I don't, but it is relaxing sometimes."

"That didn't look relaxing at all."

"Well.. I did say only sometimes." You let out a quiet chuckle and it brings a smile to his face.

"I rest when I'm feeling a bit weak, usually a quick nap helps. But.. sometimes I get nightmares and they're-" You interrupt him.

"Weak? Why are you feeling weak? Did something happen?" You lean in, still feeling uneasy.

"... Just a bit. Don't get me wrong, I am quite powerful-” He loves to gloat about his abilities, your usual reactions of amazement never got old. “-but.. this tower takes its toll on me sometimes. It takes a lot of energy to set up illusions and tricks to keep humans out. I just needed a quick pick me up, that's all." That seemed to calm you a bit, but it did bring up another concern.

"Lucifer.. why do you keep coming back here? Is it worth the trouble? Is.. she worth the trouble?" You ask timidly. His eyes are soft, looking in your direction. It turns you a bit red, you hope you can blame it on the heat of the room if he asks.

"I don’t know.. I’ve been thinking. I-If Lillith has any plans on returning, I'd think she would've done so by now." You feel hopeful, but you attempt to not let it show. "But, I've been here for centuries and I've grown rather fond of... the atmosphere." He tries to reason. He pulls your chin forward, greeting you with a sweet smile. "I'm alright, I promise."

You can't help but return the smile, but you miss his touch once he pulls away. At this point, you're finally taking in his appearance. He's covered in sweat, the bags under his eyes are tremendous and his lips are trembling a bit to keep up a smile.

"Are you sure? You still seem.." You reach your hand out, as if you were about to touch his face, but you see him reel back.

"Clearly, I didn't get a good night's rest.. maybe you should head home, dear, I'm not much fun to be around when I'm like this.." He sulks, making it a point to avoid looking at you. With just the sight of you, he might as you to stay.

"No!" His wide-eyed expression shows that you've clearly just embarrassed yourself. "No, I mean- I don't want to leave. Can I help? Can you.. drink my blood or something? Would that do anything?" He's immediately blushing at your suggestion, right to the tips of his ears. He quickly declines.

"No. Nonono.. That is not happening." He crosses his arms over his still bare chest, which neither of you has mentioned yet. That’s not to say you haven't been staring.

"Would it help?" You ask. He sighs and nods. "Would it kill me?" He shakes his head. "Not if I'm careful.."

"Will it turn me into a vampire or something?" He shakes his head, again.

"Then do it. I want to help you! It's the least I can do since you’ve been so sweet to me." You say sternly, beginning to move the strap of your shirt, revealing a bare shoulder.

"Woah woah, okay. Fine.. I’ll just take a little. Since you're so insistent." He moves your strap back up your shoulder carefully. "And there's no need for that, dear, don't get too excited." He teases. He looks like he’s on the brink of death, yet he still manages to make fun of you.

"I-I'm not excited! Shut up.." you stammer, as you feel him pull your hand towards him, keeping a grip just below your wrist.

"Whatever you say." His smirk has you blushing, again." you ready?" You nod your head, attempting to keep a straight face despite the reality of the situation.

He leans forward to face you, and you move closer to be more comfortable. With his clawed hands still holding your arm delicately, he brings your palm to his lips. You feel his hot breath against your skin and instinctively flex your hand. He stops abruptly and looks at you.

"I-I'm fine, just do it already!" He rolls his eyes and positions his fangs right at the pulse point on your wrist. With a deep breath from both of you, he sinks his teeth into your flesh. The skin is thin there, so it wasn't as painful as you thought it would be.

It's awkward for a moment, you don't feel any different at first. But looking towards Lucifer, you see his eyes turning that glowing crimson red that had startled you when you first met. Sure, it still startled you now, but it was Lucifer. He's not as scary as he looks, you tell yourself. You feel a breath of hot air from his nostrils, realizing he had been holding his breath this whole time. His eyes fluttered shut, and that's when you felt it.

It felt like getting your blood drawn, but his fangs were less painful than the needles somehow. You'd only notice your hand start to fall asleep after a while. But his expression stopped you from saying anything. His heavy breaths against your skin, as he occasionally pulled away to lick the wound clean, only to sink his teeth back in the same spot. You placed your free hand over your mouth to prevent any noises from escaping your lips. He pulled off for a moment, then sunk his teeth in another spot, feverishly placing multiple bite marks across the entirety of your wrist. You attempt to speak up through your hand.

"L-Lucifer.. I-I'm..!" He stops almost immediately, sitting up straight and blinking his eyes back to their usual hue. He looks down to your wrist, a mess of bite marks, all still leaking your crimson blood. Your hand had fallen slack.

"Sorry! Sorry-" He runs his tongue across the wounds, it seemed to stop the blood for now. "How do you feel?" Your eyes are dazed a bit, and when you go to prop yourself up on your previously ravished wrist you fall forward. He catches you by your arms, before you can fall away from the bed. You shake your head, finally looking at him through half-lidded eyes.

"I'm okay.." you say weakly. He's nervously trying to keep your head up, and brushing hair away from your face. He moves to the other side of the bed, and brings you along to lie down beside him. He sits on his knees to examine you, keeping a hand cupping your cheek. It's cool to the touch again, a relief for you. You shakily place your hand on top of his, then look towards him. "You look amazing, Lucifer~" You say with a dizzy smile. Despite the wording, you were right. His skin had brightened up, and he instantly lost the bags from his eyes.

"I might've done too much.." He mumbled, tracing his free hand across your wrist. "You're starting to sound crazy."

"No..! I mean it, you're just.. beautiful.. quite a sight." You're delirious. He starts to worry, suppressing his excitement for the oncoming compliments. He'll have to let you rest, no matter how disappointed that made him. He'd missed your company these past few days.

"Whatever you say, darling. Go ahead and rest, I'll get you some water." And he does just that.

You had left some water bottles and snacks here a few months ago, so he hastily took those and brought them back to you. He set everything on the nightstand and went over to open the glass doors to the balcony of his room, bringing in a fresh night breeze. He put an actual shirt on, finally, on the way to look over you from the side of the bed. 

You were just sitting up, leaning against the headboard as you took a very needed gulp of water.

"So? How did I taste?" You tease, stretching your hand now that you’re regaining feeling.

"Delicious." He sounds flirtatious but almost serious. It has you blushing.

Lucifer had gone off to work on something after you insisted you'd be fine and just needed a few more minutes of rest. That didn't go how you expected. You came here to set some boundaries and here you are in his bed, covered in bite marks. The implications alone made you groan from embarrassment.  And slightly in disbelief. You huff and attempt to stand, it’s not too bad, then move to the balcony and lean against the railing. The breeze ran through your hair and across your heated face, you let out a sigh of relief.

"Feeling better, dear?" His voice has you turning your head a bit, and you greet him with a smile. You nod your head before returning your eyes to the town below.

“I’m glad. Thank you, for.. Letting me do that.” He says, sounding a bit shy. He joins you, leaning against the railing by your side. You both stand in silence for a moment.

"I think I'm in love with you, Lucifer." Maybe it was the blood loss or the sheer exhaustion, but something just forced those words from you. You keep your eyes away from him. If this could be the last time you see him, bringing this dream to an end, then you might as well let it out.

"O-Oh..! Hm! Well, that's uh.." He hoots, and you see his hands flexing against the railing. He can't even form a real response.

"It's stupid, I know. I'm a human, and you're this crazy immortal being. Plus, you just drank my blood. Maybe I'm still delirious.." You continue to toy with your gifted necklace, still keeping your eyes low. You don't know how you would react if you could see his expression right now.

"So.. you would... you want to be with me?" That's what he asks? That's his response?

"I-I mean.. yeah. You're my best friend, you're handsome and smart, and you're inventive and... I just love being around you. I want to.. I want to make you happy, but I just don't know if that's something I can do." Your gaze is finally brought to his when his claws gently guide your chin towards him. His expression is that of pure infatuation. You'd never expect to see him look like this, not when looking at you.

"You make me plenty happy, darling." Your eyes go wide.

"You're bright and fun, and you're adorably curious- I just worry as well. I'll outlive you. I've been locked up here for so long, I don't know how much I can offer you.. but it's definitely less than you deserve." His words send a pain to your chest. You both know, based on fact alone, it just wouldn't work.

"I only want you to be happy as well, love." His words force a nervous sigh from you. This seems like a night for bold decisions, so you decide to make another. You turn to face him, bring him in by his collar, and press your lips against his in one fell swoop. Giving him no time to comprehend the situation, he lets out a muffled exclamation into your lips. It felt like hours before you feel his hands on your waist, and his lips desperately ravishing yours. He pulls you closer to him, his hands now reaching your hips and gripping you tighter. You pull his lower lip down with your thumb, keeping a hand on his jaw as you do so, and begin to explore his mouth with your tongue feverishly. A small yelp at the boldness comes from Lucifer before his forked tongue is dancing with yours. You can still taste your own blood on his lips.

He turns the both of you, having your back pressed against the railing of the balcony, giving him the chance to corner you into being as close as possible. He leans his chest into yours, moving in even more. You're leaning over the railing just slightly, but one of his hands is firmly planted against your back, giving you a sense of security. The other is still gripping at your hips, occasionally slipping upwards to brush the bare skin beneath your top, his cool touch acting as a reminder that this is really happening. He props his knee between your legs, having to force them apart gently to do so.

You pull away with a deep exhale after realizing you've been anxiously holding your breath this whole time. Even leaning away from him, your mind was running rapidly with thoughts of his body. You trace your thumb over his lips, parting them just slightly to examine his fangs. He's turning red with the close inspection.

"W-What are you doing..?" You understand what he's trying to say, but his words are still muffled by your hold on him. He sees your eyes ponder for a moment before you look back to him.

"Bite me." You say sternly. Your hand slips away from his mouth and you start speckling small kisses across his forehead and cheeks, lifting his head slightly with a kiss to his jaw.

"Excuse me?? You want-" You hush his stammering by pulling back, to look into his eyes one more time.

"I want you to bite me.. my neck, I mean." You clearly weren't budging. He still seems hesitant but proceeds to move any hair away from your shoulder

"What, does someone enjoy being bitten?” He asks in a teasing tone, looking at you with a smirk. With a deadpan expression, your eyes brimming with lust, you take a hold of his collar again and pull him into a messy kiss. When you pull back, you see a dazed Lucifer, struggling to keep eye contact.

“Yes.”

He huffs, completely enthralled in your enthusiasm, but still seeming nervous. He pulls the strap to your shirt to the side, examining your collarbone and neck. You hear him gulp, as he runs his hand upward until it’s cradling the back of your head.

“I tend to lose myself a little. You saw what happened before, are you sure-"

"I'm sure. I'll tell you if you have to stop." Still very adamant about it, Lucifer pulls your head to one side as you keep your grip on his shirt, balling the fabric in your fists with anticipation.

He places a small kiss first, the action causing you to flinch slightly. You feel him smile on your neck, clearly enjoying your reaction. He kisses every inch of you, each one becoming sloppier than the last.

After thoroughly leaving you in a dazed state of affection, he traces his face to the softest part of your neck, just above your collarbone, and quickly snaps through the skin. With a startled yelp, you glide your hand upward until you've taken a tight grip onto his hair. You barely have time to appreciate how soft it is before you feel the sensation of his fangs piercing a different spot of flesh.

He doesn't seem to be taking much blood.. Definitely not as much as before and not as quickly. It's leaving your head slightly fuzzy, making any sensations, any marks he's leaving on your body, blur into an overall bliss. You're thoughtlessly letting out little moans and gasps at each bite, only encouraging him to keep it up. You feel the vibrations of his groaning against your skin as he moves to hold you tightly around your waist. After a few moments, you start to feel a bit woozy, your body completely melting into his touch. You tap his shoulder quickly,

"Ah.. Lucifer-" Just as before, he made sure to clean any wounds that were still dripping with blood, but he went on to embellish each one with a kiss before pulling away. He looks at you with concern, cupping your cheek and bracing the weight of your lulling head. You smile and hum into his palm.

"How are you doing, darling?" He actively inspects your entirety before meeting your eyes again.

"Lovely~" You say with a drunken chuckle. He pulls you in for another kiss, before easily scooping you up.

"Alright, then.. let's get you to bed, you little perv.” You hit his chest to the best of your ability in your weakened state. His laughter is music to your ears. You’re too tired to worry about how this will affect your relationship. Or your physical health for that matter. But for now, nothing has felt more comforting than his arms wrapped around your body, the cold soothing the heated moment, and your dizzy mind.

♡♡♡

!Taglist!

( @vififofum / @thornwolfy235 / @tinywolfiegirl / @chipper-chip / @bat-boness / @misfitgirlwrites / @nayomi247 / @lonelynmisunderstood / @escapistoftherealworld / @b4ts1e / @hamthepan / @kyo-kyo1 / @looking1016 / @polytheatrix / @littledolly2345 / @lillianastuff / @yourlocalcryptidbee /@0strawberrysorbet0 / @themageofblood / @jayyyayaysblog / @floralsightings / @azmosposts / @8har0ley8 / @actuallyspiderwoman / @sirenetheblogger / @christineblood / @kaytemchugh / @cimadreamer / @simpdevil66 / @azmosposts / @m3ow1 / @acrazyartist / @redfoxwritesstuff / @4k1to / @meesachan / @corvusskid / @alientee /@xx-spooky-little-vampire-xx / @alon3lylov3r /@sapphireravensworld / @mjmdragons / @catticora / @the-maladaptivedaydreamer / @carrie0-1 / @shamblezzz / @cassandras-nest )

#RIP coming up with a good title #hazbin hotel #hazbin #lucifer morningstar #lucifer hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel fandom #lucifer hazbin #lucifer magne #hazbin hotel smut #hazbin hotel lucifer #hazbin lucifer morningstar #lucifer morningstar x you #lucifer x you #lucifer x you smut #lucifer x reader #lucifer x reader smut #hazbin hotel au #hazbin hotel x you #hazbin hotel x reader

[kararisa]

between you, me, and these bookshelves

synopsis: just the little things that happen in a little bookstore.

— featuring: albedo, ayato, childe, scaramouche x gn!reader (separate)

— cw: modern au, swearing, yn is an avid reader, use of childe's real name, none of the books i mention here are real lol

— author's notes: first headcanon post with multiple characters~ very self indulgent so hope you guys enjoy <3

Working at a bookstore isn't the most glamorous job in the world.

The pay is good for the amount of work you need to do, and most days nothing much happens.

But sometimes, there are just some events that happen between the bookstore's mahogany shelves that make your days just a bit more colorful.

Albedo

The bookstore has a chalkboard stand outside that details new releases, promotions, or events that the store has. Displayed on it are elaborate illustrations or hand-lettering, all of it done by the same person.

And he comes by every other weekend to re-do its contents.

You sometimes watch him as he draws, his nimble hands becoming dusted with colored chalk as he sketches on the blackboard, his light blond hair tied back as he furrows his brow, deep in concentration.

He’s caught you staring a handful of times, to which you turn away in hopes that he doesn’t bring it up. Thankfully he never does.

This week you watch as he colors in his artwork, a dragon and a young man with wings at the center soaring over rolling plains and sharp cliffs.

As the boy gets started with the lettering, you ask him a question.

“Do you really just come up with all this on the spot?”

The boy looks at you with curiosity in his eyes, “So you do talk. And here I was wondering if you just didn’t like talking to me.”

“Well, I don’t exactly know what we can really talk about. You’re a freelancer right?”

He smiles as he returns his attention back to his illustration, “You can say that. Well to answer your first question, I usually have a final outcome in mind before I start sketching. Your boss sends me a gist of what he wants and I draw it. Simple as that.”

You converse with him until he finishes, sprinkling in some questions about his work in between. As he packs up to leave, you ask him one last question.

“I never got your name, chalk boy.”

A silent question, but one that he still understands.

“It’s Albedo.”

The two of you end up striking up an easy conversation every time he visits, with you always watching him draw

If you express interest in his other works, he’ll let you browse his sketchbook 

One day while flipping through his drawings, you begin to see some familiar sights: a vending machine outside a nearby convenience store, a food stall, and the outside of the bookstore. Some pages have small doodles in pencil and ink, and some in color. Others have full illustrations.

The next page that you flip to, though, nearly takes your breath away. 

You find a colorful illustration of the bookstore, a blend of paint and ink. Sunlight streams through the glass walls and envelops the scene in a warm light. Boxes lay strewn on the floor, all of them brimming with books. And among the boxes stands you, a stack of books in hand as a small smile graces your face.

You look up when Albedo spots the page you’re on, “Ah, I hope you don’t mind that I sketched you a handful of times. I tend to draw what I find interesting.

“So is it alright if… I sketched you more often?”

Scaramouche

Scaramouche pisses you off most days.

He distracts you while you try to do your work, he steals the pen by the cash register whenever you need to use it, and worst of all, he always makes fun of whatever book you read.

No matter what genre it is, mystery, fantasy, or heaven forbid, romance, he'll always find something to tease you about.

But it’s odd. For someone who claims to hate every novel that you've taken interest in, you find yourself discussing with him each and every book you’ve read.

“Sure, Forest of Lies had a strong opening,” he starts, leaning back on his chair, “But did the princess seriously need to go through those arbitrary trials just to prove that she was determined to save her kingdom?”

“Fine, I thought it was stupid too,” you say, “But you have to admit, the characters are actually well-written and have interesting subplots. The knight having a backstory connected to the princess’ was a good twist.”

“But does anything really come from that twist? Or was it just there for shock value? When you get to the part where–”

You let out an exaggerated gasp, “Spoilers! I just got past the twist, asshole.”

“You should read faster then!” he says, going into the storage room to fetch some supplies, “Whatever, we’ll continue this when you finish the damn book.”

You’re about to continue reading when Scaramouche pops his head out and adds, “The next two novels in the series go downhill in quality from there. Trust me.”

“But this is a trilogy??”

“That’s the point!”

You realize that he had a point when you finally got to the second book.

Around halfway through reading the book, you catch him reading over your shoulder. You turn to look at him and he simply gives you a smug smile. You simply rolled your eyes and continued reading.

A couple of days go by after you finish the second book when he approaches you.

“What’s the occasion?” you say as Scaramouche hands you a book, a pen, a highlighter, and some book tabs.

It’s a novel on your wishlist, you notice; one that you had mentioned to him in passing. Small colored tabs stick out from the side of the book. Thumbing through the first few pages, you see that he underlined some passages, his neat writing occupying the margins, the blue highlighter bringing your attention to a handful of quotes. Just from reading the first sentence as well as Scaramouche’s comments, you could tell that you were going to enjoy reading this.

But you recall a casual remark he during one of your past conversations — he doesn’t typically annotate his books. Did he do this for you?

“Nothing. Just thought you should read a good book for once,” he answers, not quite looking at you.

“Excuse you, I read good books sometimes.”

“The last book you read, you kept ranting about how the writing wouldn’t just ‘let the characters fucking talk’. Your words, not mine.”

“And the last book you read, you literally couldn’t finish because you kept getting fed up with the protagonist doing nothing.”

He groans, “Are you gonna accept my gift or not?”

You give him an unimpressed look, setting the book and stationery aside, “This novel better be as good as you say it is.”

He was right. The book was actually good. You even ended up adding your own annotations alongside his — like having your own conversation amidst the pages of the book.

His comments, whether they be snarky, insightful, or analytical, definitely enhanced the experience. And thanks to that, you end up finishing the book in just two days.

Another one of your story discussions happens and, amidst the bickering, a book he mentions piques your interest.

After making fun of the ever-growing list of books he wants to read, to which he retorts by saying you’re not better off, an idea pops into your head and you search for the novel he’s looking for.

It’s in a genre you wouldn’t typically go reaching for, but this is the least you could do for him, right?

You spend the next week reading and annotating the book, using the highlighter and tabs Scaramouche had given you to highlight passages and give your comments.

The shocked look on his face when you gave him the copy of the book was definitely worth it.

“Just thought you should read a good book for once,” you say, sliding the book toward him.

“Huh. Don’t you hate this genre?”

“Surprisingly enough I actually liked the story; you have decent recommendations when you’re not being such a dick. So, are you gonna accept my gift or not?”

He rolls his eyes, snatching the book from the table, and mumbling a quiet ‘thanks’. 

You pretend not to see the blush that reaches his ears.

Ayato

It starts off as most days do, with a delivery of new books.

You open the box to find the newest releases as well as some bestsellers. One of the covers catches your eye, the title Child of the Roses emblazoned in front of an illustration of two women laying in a field of red roses — one of the books you’ve always wanted to get your hands on ever since the author announced the plot.

Sure you could purchase the book right now, but your budget for the month didn’t have a lot of wiggle room. And if you did wait until next month, you couldn’t exactly guarantee the availability of the book since it always manages to sell fast.

While you’re restocking the shelves, the door to the store opens, and in come a man and woman with pale blue hair. 

The girl starts looking around while the man walks up to you.

“Does your store happen to sell the book Traingazing?” the man asks. There’s an elegance in the way he carries himself — well-dressed, handsome, and dignified in the way he speaks, “It’s alright if you don’t.” 

You confirm its availability and lead him to the nearby shelves, “You lucked out today, sir. This is our last copy.”

He laughs. Fuck, even his laugh sounds expensive, “Lucky indeed. My sister and I have gone to five stores today just looking for it.”

The girl, his sister, you presume, comes up to you two with a small stack of books in hand, “Did you find it?”

The man holds up the book, its silver-edged pages gleaming in the fluorescent lights of the store, “Got their last copy, too.”

She sighs in relief, “Good. You can finally stop nagging me about you never being able to grab a copy before they sell out.”

“Says the one who dragged me to eight stores looking for a book you ended up hating.”

The siblings leave shortly after purchasing their books. 

The rest of the day passes by as normal. Rush hour usually comes around early afternoon to late evening, when students get out of school and people usually get off work. 

Unfortunately, your shift just about lines up with the store’s more chaotic hours.

You spot a familiar blue-haired man again later that evening while you’re in the middle of helping another customer. He’s browsing the shelves when he spots you.

“Can you help me with something? I’m looking for a gift for my sister.”

“Oh, the girl you were with this afternoon, right? What kind of books does she like?”

He describes the types of books she favors along with a handful of her favorite authors. You lead him to some nearby shelves, picking out some books and giving him a brief synopsis of each one. He listens intently to each of your suggestions, his lilac eyes focused on you.

As you’re finishing up, he spots a book behind you and grabs it from the shelf. You spot the familiar title, Child of the Roses. As usual, whenever you restock it, it’s the last one in stock. “You thinking of buying that one? It’s our last copy.”

The man reads the synopsis as you summarize the plot, “Seems like quite the interesting book if it got you so excited.”

You laugh at his remark, “Well, I’ve been wanting to read that book for a while now, but I never manage to get a copy before they sell out.”

He considers the book before saying, “Is that so?”

Your co-worker calls for you before you can respond, saying that they need help with manning the cash register.

After almost an hour of helping with scanning barcodes and packing books, the blue-haired man stands in front of the counter.

He holds up Child of the Roses, “If it’s alright, I’d like to make this a separate purchase.”

Figures he’d buy the book if the reviews and your excited ramblings are anything to go off of. While you were sad that the chance to purchase the novel had once again slipped away, at least you could be reassured that it would be in good hands.

After giving him the book and the receipt, he simply hands them both back to you, “You were quite passionate when you described the book to me. I thought I should buy it for you before someone else gets it.”

This has to be a dream, “Are you sure you want to give this to me? I mean don’t get me wrong! I’m grateful, but don’t you want to read this, too?”

A smile graces his face, “Of course. You helped me find what I was looking for this afternoon, so this is the least I can do for you.”

When you finally get home and settle down for the evening, you open the book, intending to get through just one chapter.

That’s when you find a calling card in between the pages of the index and the first chapter, the name Kamisato Ayato in immaculate handwriting on one side along with his number.

On the back was a message: I’m actually currently reading Child of the Roses, so I have no need for another copy. But if you’d like, we could go out sometime and read it together. What do you say?

Childe

Most days there's not really much to do aside from the usual talking to customers, restocking the shelves, and helping close up shop. 

So sometimes you read just to pass the time. 

You’re just finishing up a chapter when the door to the store opens.

Ajax, you learn his name, is a massive flirt. Instead of talking to you like a normal person, he instantly says the cheesiest pickup line you’ve ever heard.

“I don’t need glasses,” he says, leaning on the counter, “ ‘cause I can clearly see that we were meant to be.”

It’s way too early for this shit, “... sir are you going to buy a book or not?”

He tips his head back and laughs, “C’mon! You have to admit that one was good.”

And he’s come by the store every so often ever since.

He’s quite the chatterbox too, talking about anything he can think of whenever you scan his items at the counter.

You learn he’s an older brother when he asks you for book recommendations for his younger siblings. His attentiveness to his siblings’ taste in literature never fails to put a smile on your face.

You also learn that he’s very knowledgeable in literature.

He comments on one of the books you’re reading during one of his visits, talking about his favorite scenes as well as discussing the characters with you.

A week of nearly daily visits turns into a month, with you getting used to his corny pick-up lines and little conversations.

But then it suddenly stops. A week passes without Ajax’s visits.

You don’t think too much of it until that one week turned into three. 

He was under no obligation to come back every day, of course. He was a customer, at the end of the day, and there was never any guarantee that he wouldn’t suddenly stop visiting the bookstore nearly every day.

But you couldn’t help feeling dejected at the thought of just never seeing him again.

Then, on one unassuming Monday afternoon, a familiar face returns to the store.

“Hope you didn’t miss me too much,” Ajax winks at you, “Mind if you help me look for a book?”

You smile, doing your best to hide your surprise, “Good to see you’re still doing well.”

He gives a vague description of what he’s looking for: a sci-fi series that’s appropriate for his little brother Teucer, the third book to a series his sister Tonia is currently reading, and “whatever you think is good” for him.

Walking over to the shelves, you could feel his eyes on you as you started picking out the books for his siblings. A soft smile is on his face when you turn to face him, becoming wider when your eyes meet his.

“You were gone for a while,” you say, unsure of how to continue. His life is none of your business and like hell were you going to admit that you missed him.

He sighs, “Yeah. Work has been a lot these past few weeks, but now that it’s loosened up I can finally start seeing my favorite person more often.”

“Your favorite person huh?”

“Getting the chance to talk to you is the highlight of my visits. Of course you’d be my favorite person.”

He leans in close to you, “Y’know, I just realized that I’ve lost my number. So can I have yours?”

You roll your eyes, still smiling, “You could have just asked for my number like a normal person.”

Ajax laughs, and you find yourself wishing you could listen to it every day.

#albedo x reader #ayato x reader #kamisato ayato x reader #scaramouche x reader #childe x reader #tartaglia x reader #albedo fluff #ayato fluff #scaramouche fluff #childe fluff #genshin x reader #genshin fluff #genshin imagines #genshin scenarios #genshin modern au #genshin drabbles

[whatwooshkai]

Give me a 1 in the ask game, friendo! :D

Heatwave leans forward over his crossed legs, huffing as Blades and Chase argue behind him. Boulder- smart, smart bot- opted out early and is sitting in front of Heatwave, attempting to distract him with an illustrated encyclopedia on Earth fauna.

Primus, Heatwave wishes he could turn his audials off. Part of him's actually interested in what Boulder's saying, but the majority of him is paying close attention to the shouting behind him in case those two say something alarming.

"I wish I could just fuckin' do this myself," Heatwave mumbles, crossing his arms. Boulder gives him a sympathetic smile and pats the top of his hat like he's a primus-damned sparkling.

Because of the way firetruck alt modes are structured, Heatwave can't lay his own hose. In the academy this wasn't a problem- at the end of class every day, they'd pick a partner, sit down, semi-transform their backs and cool down while the other would lay their hose for them, then they'd return the favor. Normally, Kade does it for him, but he left immediately after returning from tonight's rescue, which means one of his rescue bots has to do it. Normally, not a problem.

But of course. Of course they had to make it a problem.

Blades had volunteered to do it, as he's done it for his brother multiple times, and Heatwave has seen him do it before, so yeah. There really should be no problems there. And Chase, ever the sweetspark, has done a ton of research on firetruck alt modes (all their alt modes, actually), and so he offered as well.

Normally one of them would happily step aside for the other, but ever since the Incident, it's been nearly suffocating dealing with how helpful everyone's trying to be. Which leads them to their current situation.

"I know you're trying to be helpful," Heatwave snarls, snapping his head back to glare at them, "but will one of you shut the fuck up and get on with it already?!"

Chase and Blades stare at him in stunned silence. "But he's doing it wrong," they say at the same time, and Heatwave has half a mind to disengage his ladder and whack both of them with it.

"Fine," Heatwave snarls. "Boulder, you do it."

"Okay!" Boulder says brightly, but their voice is strained. Slight relief flows through everyone's fields, though they all dial it back in immediately.

There might have been a word of protest from from Chase and Blades, but it dies the second they catch sight of the open page Boulder had left on, immediately enraptured in the full page illustration of a bird (is that what Boulder called it? Yeah, he thinks so...) pressing their shoulders together and dropping their voices to hushed whispers.

Heatwave sighs and relaxes into the silence.

#they care about him so damn much #they're siblings your honor <3 #transformers rescue bots #tfrb heatwave #tfrb boulder #tfrb blades #tfrb chase #woosh answers #thanks for the ask!! #s&m ask game #smoke and mirrors au

[seraphicalsuccubus]

I have never read the princess bride but have seen the movie and it's one of the greatest films of all time.

Your story about the book just is beautiful I hope you enjoy carefully reading it

I strongly encourage you to read it !!! it’s such a good fucking story, my god. it’s been my favorite book and film for over 20 years, ever since I first saw it as a child and then begged my mom to let me read her copy of it when I was a little older and could understand more of it.

I fell in love with the story so fast. like, the film is obviously fucking stellar just absolute PRIME and a love story for the ages, like total fucking fairytale fucking elegance. but the book ??? my god. it’s on par with the Hobbit, my other all time favorite singular book, and the Dragonlance Chronicles. at least, the main trilogy of the Chronicles. I actually used to have a GIANT, like we’re talking a little over 1,300 pages, almost FOUR FUCKING POUNDS OF BOOK THAT’S LIKE 3 INCHES WIDE with nearly 10 inch tall pages packed full of small font that is also annotated by both authors, has a bunch of not only full color but also glossy like photo-esque illustrated pages, and was even signed by Tracy Hickman himself because one of my mother’s good friends bought and got it signed for me at a convention he went to just because he knew how much I loved those books and how often I begged my mother to let me read the three she had on her bookshelf so he bought me my own special collector’s kinda copy. and I don’t know what happened to it 😭😭😭 I have to buy a fucking new one and it won’t be signed anymore and I’m so sad about that. I think it’s up in my mother’s attic with all the rest of my books from when I read like non-stop every day so I’ll never see that or my red leather bound with a red leather box sleeve, a huge fold out and very detailed map at the back, LOTR 1976 collectors edition that was given to me by my grandmother on my father’s side again either lmao 😢😩 (just looked online for prices on both those books and I’m 😭😭😭 because Chronicles is like $95 for the hardcover on Amazon, and the correct 1976 LOTR red leather edition is up for auction with bids starting at fucking $250 with considerable amounts of wear and tear from use/heavy reading. it was definitely a well loved book, but I’m not willing to spend that much on a damaged edition of it, so I will not be getting my hands on that version again. maybe the Chronicles though, one day 🥺)

but, anyways, I do still REALLY wanna read the series him and Margaret Weiss made of the twins. I just NEED to learn more about Raistlin and his Test™️ and Caramon and everything that goes into their backstory more because I never got around to getting my hands on that collection of Dragonlance books.

ANYWAYS wow i fucking RAMBLED I’m SO SORRY omfg ASJDKDHSJD if you read all this, I feel bad btw if you did lol, but I hope you’re having a good day and that this weekend wasn’t too bad for you at least !!! ☺️

#I — #like jesus #I’m so sorry #I got on a tangent about books I love and just fuckin went OFF bro im so fkn sorry lmao #I could’ve knocked a motherfucker’s head clean off their shoulders with that giant annotated Chronicles trilogy I had tho like #that boi was THICCCCC and heavy as FUCK. imagine getting just bashed in the head with this basically text book ass nerd fuckin shit #and getting knocked the fuck out bc of it LMFAO #ask

[rpgsandbox]

After last year’s successful kickstarter, Limitless Heroics is now available.

Limitless Heroics: Including Characters with Disabilities, Mental Illness, and Neurodivergence in Fifth Edition

When you play a tabletop role-playing game like 5e, you want to be the hero. The world is different for you having been there, better. What if you could make the real world better by playing an RPG?! That’s what Limitless Heroics is all about. Limitless Heroics is the most comprehensive disability compendium ever created for a Tabletop Role-Playing Game. For Fifth Edition, it provides:

450+ Traits: Game mechanics for nearly every condition or trait in existence (plus some fantasy traits, because that’s what you should expect in a world with magic) with 4 Impact Extents, and 6 Frequencies. With 1–6 traits per character (or more), that’s 64,800+ combinations with the option to add more.

78 Random tables to choose or generate the traits, their Impact Extent, and their frequency (Get a free ashcan sample with all the tables from the book.)

200+ New Magic Items and an online random generator for thousands more! Nearly every trait includes mundane and magic assistive options.

4 New Monster Stat Blocks because sometimes, the disability or assistive device is a creature.

6 New Spells because sometimes, assistance comes from a spellbook

Service animals designed as classes (similar to sidekicks)

50 Example NPCs, fully illustrated, ready to use

A one-shot adventure

Thousands of real world examples so players can learn more and better represent the traits

Tutorials: Opening articles discuss how and why to implement these options, how to discuss it with your players, and common tropes to avoid. You have all the tools here to run an inclusive campaign.

Our website will have a free random generator to simplify determining character traits, but you’ll need the book for the descriptions and mechanics, or you can use the included tables to choose or roll manually.

We talked to dozens of people with diverse conditions to make sure our game mechanics represented their experiences before writing it, and over 900 people looked at the manuscript draft, and we got 90 pages of feedback from their experiences!

All writers, editors, and artists hired for this book are disabled, neurodivergent, and/or have mental or chronic illness.

Book Accessibility

Dyslexia-friendly layout

PDF, ePub, and plain text versions

Fully screen reader accessible

Indexed audio version included with every digital purchase

A player’s edition of the book is also available:

The Players Edition of Limitless Heroics includes everything in the full book except the adventure, magic items, and NPCs, reducing the size and associated costs by 346 pages. If you plan to use these resources in settings where you need multiple copies (e.g. schools, clinics, community organizations, etc.), this will save you some money.

#RPG #Dungeons and Dragons #5e #disability #accessibility #inclusivity #Wyrmworks Publishing

[jessread-s]

✩🕯️📜Review:

“The Lives of Saints” is the perfect companion novel to Bardugo’s Grishaverse series!

I absolutely adore the Grishaverse, so it should come as a surprise to no one that I picked this one up and thoroughly enjoyed it. Many of the tales of the saints, like Sankta Lizabeta of the Roses and Sankt Ilya in Chains, are alluded to in the Shadow and Bone trilogy, Six of Crows duology, and King of Scars duology, so I loved learning more about them by reading their full stories. I also came across new saints I had never heard of, which served to widen my view of Bardugo’s complex world and contribute to my understanding of its lore. In addition to the stories, beautiful illustrations graced nearly every page and they took my breath away. Those turning to this book to read more about this universe will be far from disappointed.

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

#the lives of saints #lives of saints #leigh bardugo #dan zollinger #the darkling #aleksander morozova #alina starkov #sankta lizabeta #sankt ilya #grishaverse #shadow and bone #shadow and bone trilogy #shadow and bone series #six of crows #six of crows duology #king of scars duology #companion book #short story #short stories #ya fantasy #book review #booklr #book blog #book blogger

[lizziempress]

Bulletproof Yourself from Feast or Famine

A career in Illustration is often portrayed as a risky journey rife with highs and lows. There is a path that will help you revel in feasts rather than endure a life of famine. Become a chameleon.

Chameleons get work. As an illustrator for entertainment advertising, I am required to switch styles on a dime (often multiple times in one day). This ability keeps me busy even when client needs vary widely. Being able to work efficiently in a variety of styles and mediums may come at the price of being an all-star in one particular method. But, your drawing muscles will be well developed, your mind will be sharp, you’ll discover new ways of problem-solving (which increases speed), and you’ll be working. Developing mastery of one style has its own merits, and you’ll always be stronger in one or two naturally. If you’ve targeted a particular industry, medium, or even company as your holy grail, then by all means go for broke. If your primary goal is to develop into the strongest, fastest, most employed illustrator you can, read on.

Collect Books & Stay Inspired

Great artists have come before us, and our contemporaries are generating impressive content at an incredible pace. Bring their work home with you. Stay abreast of what is out there both traditionally and currently. Keep a Pinterest collection of your favorite illustration work, and several folders of reference. Learn from observation. Why do you love this work? Is this digital color laid over pencil sketches? How many heads tall are the characters in this children’s book? What would you have done differently as the artist?

Every so often, stop by a second-hand bookstore to load up an arm full of illustrated material that you find inspirational. Maintain a personal library of cherished books. At any moment, you may walk the shelf and be re-engaged by a comic, concept art, or a picture book that you haven’t glanced at in a year. Flip through, and it will tell you old tells in a new way. Your mind will absorb a portion of the technique without picking up a pencil (or stylus).

Study Anatomy & Build an Écorché

If you are serious about working as an illustrator full-time, a solid understanding of the human form is a must. Human faces and anthropomorphic characters grace nearly every advertisement, film, and animated feature. Constructing an écorché model from clay over a wire base (or drawing the bones, muscles, then surface detail of the human form) will significantly improve your understanding of human anatomy. When you are assigned to draw several figures at various angles with little reference in a hurry, the task won’t be as staggering. You will better understand how muscle connects to the bone, where to plot boney protrusions, the angle of the wrist. If a leg is hidden in the reference but you must draw it for the assignment, you will have the mental power to invent the mystery leg.

Attend Figure Drawing Sessions

Photographs will only get you so far when it comes to learning how a real person moves, breaths, and exists in natural light. Nothing beats a live figure drawing session. Zoom figure drawing is valuable too. Whenever possible, attend drawing sessions that feature models of every gender, height, weight, ethnicity, and age that you can. Humans are diverse, and that is a beautiful thing. Immortalize all types of people on the page. You’ll be rewarded with artwork that is relatable, believable, and stronger. The more figure drawings you produce, the larger your mental library will become, and the more accurate and graceful your strokes will be.

Practice Drawing in Several Styles

Now that you’ve assembled a treasure trove of beloved style samples, and built your mental library of human (and maybe even animal) anatomy, it is time to experiment. Try everything from realism to extremely stylized animated characters. Flexible artists get work. One week you may be sketching black and white storyboard panels for a vehicle AD spot, the next you will be painting a vintage pin-up style character for a wine label, then the following week you’ll be asked to design a cute Twitter emoji of an animated sloth, and so on. Yes, there are artists who maintain one signature style that lands them tons of lucrative projects. But, when you are starting out and building your reputation as an illustrator who shows up and produces great work on time, you may not yet enjoy the luxuries of being a sought-out all-star yet. By having the ability to switch gears multiple times a week, even multiple times a day, you’ll not only work — you’ll discover what you really love to draw, and what styles you excel at. Think of it like a style buffet (with a paycheck)!

Now that I’ve mentioned money, never work for free. Let me repeat that, never work for free! Developing art muscles that can spring effortlessly from one style to the next, is a valuable skill. Your time, and the years you spent learning leading up to this gig, are precious. Get paid. Get paid fairly, and if you aren’t sure what to charge, ask another artist. Check out a guide book, forums, do your research. The health of our industry relies on it. Future you, will be oh so glad that you did! Now that you’re networking regarding rates…

Stay Connected

Other illustrators are your most valuable resource. Seek out mentors and friends within the industry for guidance and support. Your first gigs will likely come from a more experienced artist who has an overflow of work, or who knows of a project (or company) that you’d be a great fit for. Join groups and collectives such as Girls Drawin’ Girls, The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, or Freelancers Union. Take small boutique classes with industry professionals, in which you’ll get to actively speak with the teacher.

Most importantly, make actual friends. Some of your best memories will likely come from figure drawing with other artists, attending museums and shows, collaborating on projects, or even surviving intense deadlines together. Share your knowledge freely with others, and listen when your fellow illustrators have advice for you. Cutthroat competitiveness isn’t a good look, it isn’t pleasant, and it won’t get you far anyway. Skip it. Build a community. You chose drawing as a career path because it is fun. Enjoy being an illustrator!

#illustration #art career #figure drawing #freelancing

[yurimother]

LGBTQ Manga Review — Monologue Woven For You Vol. 2

Back in February, I reviewed the first volume of Syu Yasaka’s Monologue Woven For You, and while the manga was full of vibrant moe illustrations, endearing declarations of affection, and an overabundance of near-cloyingly sweet cuddles and kisses, it was ultimately depthless. The story loosely struggled without ever establishing any clear conflict, and the characters, while adorable together, lacked definition as individuals. The result was a pleasant but passing collection of cute moments that had little impact. I hoped subsequent volumes would capitalize on the potential and limited groundwork laid by the series’ debut, but this second showing is more a step backward than anything else.

Monologue Woven For You follows up-and-coming lesbian thespian Nao and her girlfriend Haruka, a former theater prodigy who swore off acting after an undisclosed incident. By the first volume’s curtain call, Haruka had rediscovered her love of the stage not as an actor but as an enthusiastic spectator cheering her partner on from the front row. Nao, on her part, revealed to the audience that she is aware of Haruka’s past life, though not the reason she quit acting. It set the series up to introduce some real stakes into the mix, but the story is sadly never able to get any momentum.

The manga’s second act continues to hint at Haruka’s past trauma and clarifies Nao’s history with her. However, by the end of the volume, it feels as if nothing has changed. Their relationship and goals remain the same. There were no significant obstacles to overcome, at least not well-established ones, and ultimately, readers are left asking what the point of nearly the entire volume is.

If there is one accolade to bestow on Monologue Woven For You’s first volume, it is the surplus of adorably affectionate scenes between Nao and Haruka. These interactions might have lacked substance, but they were at least heartwarming and entertaining. Unfortunately, while the second volume has a handful of such scenes, the intermission between them is much longer and filled with painfully brief and stale moments of drama.

Monologue attempts to introduce some strife for the couple to grapple with, but every conflict feels staged and laughably expedited. On one page, Noa begins to feel insecure due to a group of guys paying attention to Haruka, and on the very next, Haruka launches into a monologue about her feelings and affection for her. These speeches are very heartfelt, but they are unearned. Tasaka introduces a roadblock without any foundation or groundwork, only to dismantle it immediately.

One can only assume that the author poorly planned out Monologue Woven For You. It is all payoff with no build-up, which works for a slice of life story but not the drama this series is trying to be. The first volume already had each girl cement that they want to be together and convinced readers that they are a great match. It did not hint at potential issues or give caveats to their partnership, with the single exception of Haruka’s mysterious past in theater. However, the failure to expand on any other matters now leads to the continuous affirmation of a relationship already established as solid and never in any real danger.

I do not mean to disparage the manga completely. Despite failing to justify side conflicts and poor pacing, Monologue Woven For You has some positives worthy of applause. The central mystery, Haruka abandoning theater, plays a more prominent role in this volume. Nao reveals more details of her past interaction and knowledge of Haruka before they began dating and continues to ponder the trauma that caused her to stop acting. It also introduces several side characters from the latter girl’s past to allude to these events. The frequency of such events and questions helps the mystery have a more consistent presence in the story, giving it something to focus on, even if there is little progress in uncovering the truth and we do not see it affecting the girls’ relationship.

The manga should have taken this central element to the next level, having Haruka’s past begin to form a rift between Nao and Haruka that drives them apart by the end of the volume, thus leaving readers on a cliffhanger. Haruka would have to confront her past and apologize to Nao for keeping it all a secret. Nao would have the opportunity to comfort Haruka from an informed place of understanding, and she could choose to stand as an equal by her partner’s side and support her healing. Such a narrative would introduce higher stakes and threatens what we have already seen as a loving and supportive relationship. Then the final volume would have a real challenge to overcome, and the reaffirmation of their love would be incredibly satisfying.

I would also be remiss if I did not shine a spotlight on some of the side characters. The classmates and old friends Haruka and Nao see give the couple excellent and well-rounded reactions and support. Jun makes a welcome return and inserts a healthy dose of hilarity into the series. Haruka’s unnamed boss continues to be a fantastic soundboard for her employee to reflect on events.

Newcomer Yuki is easily the best part of the volume, completely stealing the show. This slightly hapless bookstore employee is a staunch supporter of Noa and Haruka, both individually and as a couple. She gives both girls excellent advice in her own quirky and entertaining way. Yuri expresses genuine admiration and appreciation for everyone around her, and a reassuring, c’est la vie attitude that puts others at ease. If she were real, I would want to spend as much time hanging around her as possible, and I frankly would not mind reading a whole series about her enthusiastically going about her mundane life at the bookstore.

There is not much to say about the art besides what I wrote in the volume one review. The full-color illustrations are bright and cheerful, the characters are moe and all look about 11 years old, and the paneling is uninspired but easy to follow. There is a bit less service in this volume, as it does not include any bathing scenes, and the one sex scene includes only the build-up and has more restraint than earlier ones. As I did not particularly care for the fanservice in this series due to the art style, these changes were acceptable.

Monologue Woven for You will definitely not be bringing the house down anytime soon. The series' jejune second showing did little to move the plot forward in any meaningful way. Vapid and fleeting attempts at drama that fail to engage the audience are shoehorned into its colorful pages. The series would be better off had it leaned wholly into overly saturated and sweet fluff. At least that is fun to read. But, in trying to have its cake and eat it too, Monologue Woven for You has failed to stand out and appears set to coast along till the curtain falls on its mediocrity.

Ratings: Story – 2 Characters – 5 Art – 7 LGBTQ – 7 Sexual Content – 3 Final – 4

Check out Monologue Woven For You Vol. 2 Today: https://amzn.to/3N91ovI

Reading official releases helps support creators and publishers. YuriMother makes a small commission from sales to help fund future coverage.

Special thanks to translator Samuel R. Messner, Asha Bardon, James Dashiell, H. Qi, Alyssa Honsowetz, Dawn Davis, Kristina Korpus, and the rest of the team at Seven Seas for their work on this manga.

This review is made possible by the support of Avery Riehl and the YuriMother patrons. Support YuriMother on Patreon today for exclusive articles, early access, and to help fund LGBTQ+ content.

#Yuri #lgbt #lgbtq #manga #reviews #queer #gl #girls' love #wlw #lgbtq+ #girls love #lesbian #lesbians #anime #monologue woven for you #webtoon #webcomic

[nickcarr-scoutstories]

Hey everyone, It's Nick, your friendly neighborhood location scout here, and I'm extremely excited to announce that the second print-only issue of Scout Stories is now available for purchase! (As in, literally right now! Like, if you order today, it ships today, and you'll hopefully have it by end of week or early next! No delays!) You can find links to purchase via Paypal or Etsy here: https://nickcarr.com/scout-stories-2/ Scout Stories is a full-color collection of short stories about personal encounters and experiences I've had over my 18 years working as a location scout in NYC and LA, illustrated with my original photography and published quarterly. I'm really proud of this one. I've been working on this issue for four months, and it turned out bigger than the first in just about every way. It's 52 pages, has twice the number of stories, is more than 5,500 words longer, and has more pictures. If you're a fan of my daily posts here, or have been following my work since the Scouting NY days, or enjoyed the previous issue, I  think you're going to love it. There is one big change though: the theme. This one is the "Show Business" issue, and all the stories are about encounters with people who, in some way big or small, play a role in making movies. Each vignette is titled by a particular profession: The Director, The Screenwriter, The Producer, The Set Dresser, The Production Assistant, and so on. There's a three-part series called The Gravedigger, which details all the fun that happens when you're asked to dig a grave in a suburban backyard large enough to accommodate a full-sized coffin. And there are a couple of stories called The Location Scout, which suggests that maybe some personal stuff found its way into this one. Some of the stories are funny. Some are sad or might make you angry. All are ones that have stuck with me through the years for reasons that will hopefully be evident when you read them. Nearly all are entirely new to this collection. Finally, I'm happy to say there's a bunch of NYC stories in this issue! When I first announced this project, a lot of you asked when I'd start sharing some, and the answer is: right here! I've marked each with an old NYC subway token. This issue is $12 with free US shipping. International, it's $18. You can find all the links to purchase via Paypal or Etsy on my website here: https://nickcarr.com/scout-stories-2/ Oh, and if you didn't purchase the first issue ($10) and want both, you can get the pair for $20, which knocks two dollars off the total price. Just follow the above link for options. And last but not least, a few of you asked if you could just mail me cash the old-fashioned way. Sure! Just be sure to hide it well, and to also send me an email with your order / shipping address to [email protected] so I can keep an eye out for it. At your own risk, of course! The address is: Nick Carr 2080 Empire Avenue #1177 Burbank, CA 91504 Pricing is: – Scout Stories #1 (US): $10 – Scout Stories #1 (INTL): $16 – Scout Stories #2 (US): $12 – Scout Stories #2 (US): $18 – Scout Stories #1 & #2 Bundle (US Only): $20

[koolkat9]

Pruk Week 2022: Day 1

@prukweek

Prompt: Royal || Body guard

Rating: T

Paring: Pruk

Word Count: 1498

Their Happily Ever After

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, yadayada. There was a kingdom yadayadayada. A prince. But we don’t really care about him (at least not yet). No, our story is interested in a young thief, barely the age of ten.

Arthur Kirkland was from a long line of thieves. His grandparents were thieves, His mother was a thief. His brothers and sister were thieves. So logically, Arthur Kirkland would be a thief. And our young Arthur could not wait to start and become the best thief out of his family (and finally have something to shove in his brothers’ faces). So when his brother Alastair invited him to sneak into the castle with them, Arthur was quick to agree.

But then, the guards came, and when his brother turned left, Arthur instead turned right. He ended up collapsing outside in what looked like a garden. It was small and quaint, but despite its size, all kinds of colourful flowers lined the perimeter. In the center, there was a small fountain, overgrown with vines, broken down, but still beautiful. Though the fountain was far from the most beautiful thing in the garden.

In the far corner, below an old oak tree, sat a boy with snow white hair, porcelain skin, and crimson red eyes. He looked beautiful. Almost like the fairies, Arthur had seen in books or as described by his brothers. Quietly, Arthur approached.

The red-eyed boy immediately looked up, spooked, though his hard glare tried to mask it. “How did–Y-You shouldn’t be here,” he hissed.

Arthur blinked himself out of his daze. “S-Sorry I…I think I’m a little lost.” Now, one thing you should know about the Kirklands: Kirklands never apologized. But when the boy looked at him with both strength and fear, Arthur buckled.

The boy sighed and rose from his spot under the tree. “I guess I don’t really have a choice but to guide you out.”

And so our young thief followed the fairy-like boy through the twisting halls that made up the castle. Just as they were about to reach the exit, something caught Arthur’s eye. They passed by a door that had been left wide open leading to a room full of books. Shelves reaching almost to the ceiling filled the room, the comfiest looking chairs surrounded a large brick fireplace on the farthest wall and the dark wooden accents finished off the cozy room. Though Arthur had never been taught to read, he had always loved stories and books so this room seemed like a dream.

His guide took notice, his gaze softening. “Would you like to take a peek?”

“I-I…”

The boy smirked. “It’s not every day outsiders get to come to the castle. You should take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Arthur looked over at the boy, then back at the library. The boy was right, who knew if he would ever get a chance like this again? Before he could talk himself out of it, Arthur ran into the room.

The young thief looked around in awe, almost falling on his butt as he looked up at the wall of books beside the fireplace. Though he could never hope to read all these books in his lifetime, he would be content if he could read just one. He grabbed a book of fairytales, drawn in by the twisting gold vines on the spine and cover of the old leather book. He flipped through the pages, amazed by the imagery in front of him as he tried to piece together the story from the illustrations alone.

The boy hovered over his shoulder. “You like fairy tales?” He asked.

“Yes…um…” Arthur looked up at the boy before looking down at the book with pink cheeks. “I…I don’t exactly know how to read, but…My brothers are quite the storytellers, and they always tell me one before I go to sleep…Unfortunately, we don’t have money for books.”

The boy’s eyes widened “You can’t read?”

“No…I-I’d like to but…”

“I’ll teach you,” the boy stated. He took Arthur’s hand and pulled him towards a nearby chair.

For nearly a decade, Arthur would sneak in with the help of the boy with the snow-white hair, and they’d spend every other afternoon in the library, teaching Arthur how to read. And for a moment, Arthur wasn’t focused on being a thief or one-upping his brothers, all that mattered was the fairy-like boy with fiery red eyes and all the books this boy had in his possession.

You’d think that as a thief and a cunning one at that, Arthur would have used this opportunity to at least steal something of value, but when Arthur was with this boy, he couldn’t bring himself to. What if he got caught? What would the boy think if he found out? Over the years, the boy slowly revealed how lonely he was. His father ignored him, his title was to be given to his younger brother, he didn’t have any friends, and even the staff of the castle seemed to avoid him. Arthur couldn’t ruin the one friendship he seemed to have. And if Arthur was being honest, he himself was lonely as well and couldn’t bare to lose his only friend.

But all good things had to come to an end. At seventeen, Arthur finally learned the true identity of his friend; Prince Gilbert. All this time he had been schmoozing with a member of the royal family. And worst of All the king had caught wind of his son’s and Arthur’s relationship. In the end, Arthur was given an ultimatum, never step foot in the kingdom again and thus never see Gilbert again or rot in jail for trespassing on royal grounds. With a heavy heart, Arthur had chosen the prior.

Years went by, and the prince had no idea where his friend had ended up. He spent his days, isolated and lonely in the library until the day of his father’s death. A true damsel if there ever was one.

But upon his father's death, finally free from their father’s tyrannical hand, Gilbert and his brother Ludwig were reunited. Crowned Prince Ludwig had always seemed cold and stoic, but as soon as they were able to meet each other face to face, Ludwig broke and was pulled into the tightest hug imaginable. Suffice it to say, our prince Gilbert was welcomed back into the royal line.

Though no longer lonely, Gilbert could never forget the thief who had stolen his heart. Despite royal duties often getting in the way, Gilbert would return to the small garden he had first met the thief, hoping that the boy would return one day.

On the day of Ludwig’s coronation, Gilbert sat by the window, looking out at the garden. With all the commotion of the day, he knew he wouldn't be able to sneak off to the garden. Not that he wanted to. He had to be there for his baby brother. Currently, He was waiting for his new guards to come to fetch him. His father had never cared to give him proper security, but now that Ludwig was in charge he was going to be given a whole branch to ensure his protection.

A knock at the door signaled the first group was here already. With a deep breath, the prince collected himself. Now wasn’t the time to lament about a relationship lost to time. He opened the door and came face to face with a familiar pair of green eyes and a head of dirty blond hair. The thief had done it again. “Art–”

“Your knight in shining armour has arrived,” Arthur said with a bow.

“Does that make me the princess?” Gilbert asked with a choked laugh.

“Absolutely.”

So many questions swam around the prince’s mind: Where had Arthur been all this time? Why was he dressed in a guard’s uniform? Was he to be Gilbert’s guard? So many questions, so little time, so instead, he leaped forward, pulling his friend into a tight hug. He laughed and cried into Arthur’s messy hair, though far cleaner than he had ever seen before.

“I’m here…I’m here love,” Arthur whispered, hugging Gilbert back just as tight.

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

Gilbert refused to let go, even as another knock sounded at the door, signaling that Ludwig's coronation was about to begin. But Gilbert didn't want to leave. Not when Arthur was now at his fingertips. He leaned in only for Arthur to turn towards the door.

"I think we better head down. It would be bad if I got fired on my first day."

Gilbert let out a groan. For once, he missed being left out of these royal events. "Okay…" he reluctantly agreed, pulling away.

Arthur offered his arm, and the prince gladly accepted.

After the coronation festivities, the kingdom had a newer, kinder King, and Prince Gilbert and former thief Arthur were finally able to start their own happily ever after.

The end!

#prukweek2022 #hws #hetalia #pruk #prueng #engpru #hws england #hws prussia #royal au #guard x royal #but also #thief x royal #fluff #reunion #fanfiction #hetalia fanfiction

[down-the-yaoi-hole]

Lucid's comics are the gold standard of boys love and I will fight anyone who says otherwise: a review of Avialae

For all 2 of my friends who read this blog, I want you to know that I debated for weeks about which comic to review first. Should I start with the "classic" yaoi manga from the 2000s/10s that sparked my obsession with boys love media in high school? Maybe write about the current trends on popular sites like Lehzin and Tapas? Or perhaps just dive straight into monsterfucking with my one true love, HamletMachine? Well, my questions were answered when nearly $200 of @misslucid comics showed up at my door last week. Thanks, Mom & Dad, for letting me shop for my own Christmas presents and not asking ANY questions about my purchases. May you never learn that I spent all your hard-earned money on porno comics and Chinese boys love novels.

The reason I say Lucid serves the gold standard of boys love is because their work touches on all these factors: they draw on the comics language and visual humor of yaoi manga, publish on the popular webtoons sites on a weekly basis, and of course the crème de la crème: they've got monsterfucking in every. Single. Comic. Have I died and gone to heaven, or did I just fall asleep on my open copy of Avialae volume 4? They're really the epitome of porn WITH plot, my absolute favorite type of erotica. My friends who prefer one-shots laugh at my desire to be strung along by a story--sometimes for months on end if it's a weekly webcomic like some of Lucid's work--but I always say it's like emotional edging! When you've seen as many illustrated dicks as I have, you need a little extra somethin' to make it worth your while, a carrot and stick situation, to use an appropriately phallic metaphor. And let me tell you, Lucid's work is worth the wait. Ultimately, I'm starting with a review of Lucid's comics so you can get a sense of my taste--this is what an A+ perfect boys love comic looks like on this blog.

First, some links! Lucid has one completed webcomic, Avialae, that you can read for free on their compilation site, yaoi.biz (the funniest URL I have ever bookmarked). That's going to be the focus of this review, since I just re-read it in print. They're also posting weekly pages for The Hunt (the Sterek fan comic of my DREAMS) and River Street (vampire x grim reaper pretty boys in NOLA) on their site and all the buzzy webcomics sites. I would highly encourage subscribing to their Patreon and/or purchasing the print comics from their online store. I've done both, but I'm a real sucker for the print books and their printed editions are totally worth the splurge. Glittering foil letters on the covers, creamy heavyweight paper, and bonus comics printed in the back, not to mention the glow-in-the-dark details on the The Hunt: it's book nerd paradise.

OK, got all that? Gave them all your money because we pay artists for their craft around here? Great, now let's dive in.

ART: Even in the very earliest pages of Avialae, you can see that Lucid is a professionally trained comics artist whose attention to stylistic detail elevates the emotionality of this series. This image comes from the very first chapter, in which Gannet wakes up to discover he's sprouted bloody, shriveled bird wings overnight. The golden-hearted bird-watchin' boy next door, Bailey, helps him patch up his back and hide his wings in the early days of the comic, in which the characters are trying to hide this monstrosity (read: queerness) from others in their conservative, midwestern high school. Lucid wrote a wonderful note about their artistic journey with Avialae in the back of volume 6, explaining that this comic was a way of reconciling their formal art school training with their personal preference for the pure camp of boys love comics. The gray wash, they explain, was considered an acceptably artsy fartsy medium for an indie comics artist to work in, even though they could hear the siren's call of full color webcomics over the horizon, and would eventually return to color with The Hunt. They clearly had to make their own way with their art, to find a balance between high art and high camp, and you can watch this journey unfold throughout the Avialae books. They start with a lot of edgy concepts and painterly line work (as you can see in the background work above), but noting readers' responses they slowly started camping things up with more yaoi tropes and visual jokes that really punched up their 'comics language' (Scott McCloud, step aside-- there's a new game in town, and they understand that comics should involve manga gags and hole pics). Their anatomy is impeccable, their backgrounds are nuanced and diverse, and huge credit to them for drawing these elaborately detailed wings for years on end. I'm a huge fan of their other comic, The Hunt, as I am apparently stuck in the year 2012 and read Sterek fanfiction once a month at a minimum, but I think the art of Avialae is my favorite. From their personal writing, I sense that this art style might not have felt the most true to their webcomics origins, but I love the subtle beauty of the gray wash. You can really see the stroke of the artist's pen in this medium: ink blooms in the background around the characters, gestural line work creates movement and fuzz that makes it feel more handmade, and the lack of color focuses one's attention on the emotions of a scene. And just look at how their skill has grown over the years! From this first sketch of a bird boy having his wings wrapped by his offscreen boyfriend, to the refined intensity of this page from chapter 6 where Gannet saves Bailey from falling out of a tree, Lucid has really honed their craft and it's been a joy to watch.

2. STORY: While the art of Avialae is probably my favorite part, Lucid's writing certainly does not disappoint. Sometimes when someone is SO artistically talented I think, ah well their writing just isn't going to be as good, there's no way someone can be that perfect, but nope! They've got it all. They have a great sense of narrative pacing across individual pages, chapters, and the total collected work; their plots make SENSE; and their dialogue is both realistic AND fuckin' funny! I think the exchange between Gannet and Bailey around ~swapping roles~ in chapter 4 is some of my favorite writing, and Lucid so smartly invokes both dialogue and the language of comics to make their joke. When Gannet's question, "Have you ever thought about bottoming?" is following my the SCRRRCCH of the car skidding to a halt, I yelped with laughter! Later in bed, Bailey asks if he should be "feeling it" more since Gannet always looks like he's "melting" when he bottoms, Gannet's response of "Oh, that's because I'm a slut" is met with the perfect little aside-expression of Bailey's exasperation. It's a comedic beat pulled from the pages of BL manga, where showing a little chibi emotional reaction face is commonplace, and it made me CACKLE. In summary: suspense, humor, and compelling emotional moments between our two male leads make the writing un-put-down-able.

3. CHARACTERS: Well folks, as you might have guessed by now this is a no-holds-barred Lucid stan account, so yup, rest assured their characters are just as much as fun as the technical elements of their comics. First of all, I love a gay monster metaphor--you can never go wrong with a character struggling to discover literal monstrosity alongside their very gay feelings for a friend, as far as I'm concerned. Second, who doesn't enjoy a sassy slut and a boy-next-door pairing? It's as classic a combo as peanut butter and chocolate!

Our two leads, Gannet Sharpe and Bailey Gilbert, have a whirlwind romance (or should I say whirl-wing--get it? Oh you did but you're just not laughing? Alright BE that way) going from frenemies next door, to co-closeted monsterfucker high school classmates, to interspecies lovers exploring the hidden world of the Avialae bird people deep in the Appal-GAY-chain mountains (I'm not sorry and I will never stop). I assess characters based on writing, design, and pure n' simple fuckability, so here we go.

First up we have Gannet, who evolves from an angry gay teen stuck in a small town to a lovestruck fool who would do anything for his partner, even abandoning his title as long-lost prince of the bird people in later chapters! He's defined by his biting humor and indefatigable slutiness, and I absolutely adore him. His character design is gorgeous--he's a strawberry blonde covered in freckles that blend into the dappling on his wings. We watch his dyed black hair grow out through the series in a gesture of subtle realism that speaks to Lucid's incredibly patient and thorough artistic vision. He's got a splendid little collection of body piercings but I won't spoil the surprise for you here--you'll just have to read the books to see more. An incredibly fuckable character, indeed. Personally, I'd say I lean more into identifying with Gannet rather than wanting to fuck him myself, but that's just because I'm also an edgy strawberry blonde, and am not usually attracted to people who I think look too much like me. But I'll be honest, if I ever landed in the world of Avialae and saw this cutie in his angel costume, I might have to make an exception.

Bailey, on the other hand, makes me go absolutely FERAL. His BLUSH, his TEARS, his EMOTIONAL SINCERITY--god DAMN I am sprung. He's got this tight little track star body and an ass that Gannet is often admiring from afar, and wow do I get it. Not too tall, glasses, normcore in the streets and a begging bottom in the sheets: I love a man who can do it all. Bailey is funny in his own right, the naïve "straight man" (but gay) who is constantly comedically surprised by Gannet's outrageous advances. He's obsessed with birds despite an allergy that leaves him constantly sniffling in the first 2 chapters, but he gets new allergy meds and through it all supports Gannet in his trial of self-discovery. He's sweet and simple but also a raging monsterfucker, and I would absolutely DEMOLISH him in bed.

4. HORNINESS: Ah, the most important category on the list: how spank-bankable is this comic? Well, let me tell you: you're going to want to lock this one in the vault and throw away the key. Your sexuality will be forever changed for the better by these loving little twinks screwing each other 6 ways to Sunday. I'm not going to post any explicit pictures because Tumblr, ugh, but you should know: Lucid's artistic training really pays off. It's an uncensored salve to all the white-out lightsaber dicks splashed across Webtoons right now. Holes, poles, mouths, and feathers a' flyin'--you're gonna wanna see this.

Hands down, though, the best part of Gannet and Bailey's dynamic is that they SWAP ROLES. You almost never see this in boys love comics, and I think it's to the detriment of the genre as a whole. I say this as queer cis woman who identifies as an S&M switch--real gay people swap roles in bed all the time! Sure, plenty of folks identify as only a top OR bottom, or only ever play as a dom OR sub, but a lot of us live in shades of gray; it's all about the dynamic with a specific partner. When I first read this comic online about a year ago, I think I actually screamed out loud when I got to chapter 4 and realized that it wasn't just a joke in the car--Gannet was actually going to top Bailey after 3 chapters of the opposite dynamic! And holy shit was it hot. There's something so satisfying about watching a boy bottom for the first time, and adding the unexpected surprise of having a theretofore tomboy top confess to wanting to be controlled, dominated, entered by his far more femme partner? I was over the goddamn moon with giddy horniness.

The monsterfucking is also excellent, especially if you're more into light fantasy monster lovin'. Personally, I love me some wild ass monster dicks in my porn, but the human anatomy in Lucid's comics is so well done that I don't even mind if no one is getting gaped or cum-dumped! Gannet and Bailey have a really tender, loving sexuality that shines through all their kinky adventures, and I have happily jerked it to their beautifully realistic sexual exploits many, many times. Also, major points to Lucid for including condoms and lube in every single sex scene! This ain't your mother's magically pre-lubed yaoi hole, folks--this author actually knows how human buttholes work. Their characters speak openly about STD testing in the epilogue wedding, and when they finally do it RAW it's with full informed consent. I really loved this little condom PSA in a BL world that seems typified, these days, by buckets of cum spraying everywhere, on everyone, all the time. Don't get me wrong, I love a cum shot as much as the next pervert on the internet, but Lucid's subtle attention to reality makes their comics feel emotionally organic and satisfyingly original.

FINAL VERDICT/TLDR: 10's across the board, Lucid's Avialae has it all: great art, humorous writing, sexy & believable characters, and kinky ass sex scenes. Porn with plot made for all you sentimental monsterfuckers out there, this comic is sure to satisfy if you're looking for a longer read that'll really suck you into its fantasy world. Highlights include: a killer sense of humor, beautifully rendered bird wings, a swapping sexual dynamic, and an evergreen gay-monster-metaphor that feels familiar but still fresh!

I truly love all of Lucid's work and hope to write in more depth about their ongoing webcomic, The Hunt, in a future post. Monsterfuckers unite! Thanks for reading.

#boys love #humor writing #comics review #boys love comics #yaoi #manhwa #i don't know how tags work i'll be honest #lucid #avialae #just WINGING it get it #sorry not sorry #monster fucker #monsterfucking #swapping #bird people #i think that's enough right? just read the goddamn review #mine

[singingintheshower48]

Drabble Challenge Day 7/30

Decided to write silly smutty drabble today, as a treat. Previous days can be found here.

Prompt: Doing something ridiculous

Wangxian, post-canon even though the setting is ambiguous, 751 words, E

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian panted. “I don’t think this is working.”

Lan Zhan stalled the movement of his hips, his slick cock halfway inside Wei Ying. He leaned over to meet Wei Ying’s eyes from where he was squatting on top of him.

“Do you want stop? Try something else?”

Yes, screamed every rational part of Wei Wuxian’s brain. His neck and shoulders had been bearing his entire weight for only a few minutes, and he could already feel new knots forming. His spine–regularly twisted in unique configurations during their trysts–felt like it might get stuck in the heinous shape he’d bent it in. To even look Lan Zhan in the eyes he had to look past his own knees, the inverted line of his torso, and his cock between his legs. It was still hard, but the effort of getting into this position had it flagging. He never should have taken that damned book from Nie Huaisang.

“I don’t know,” he said out loud, like an absolute fool. Lan Zhane’s brow furrowed in concern. Sweat was already beading along his hairline, and Wei Ying could swear he detected a slight twitch in Lan Zhan’s thighs where he’d perched himself over Wei Wuxian to enter him from above. Still, the stubborn and insane part of him pushed him to say. “Try getting all the way in?”

“Mn,” Lan Zhan agreed with a nod. He bent his legs, pushing into Wei Wuxian until he was nearly sitting on Wei Wuxian, his balls resting on the line of Wei Wuxian’s ass. “Alright?” He asked, voice rough–though from the strain the position was putting on him or from the feeling of Wei Wuxian around him, he couldn’t tell.

“Yeah,” Wei Wuxian huffed, pushing up into it as much as he could with his limited leverage. His lower spine popped in protest. “It’s a little deeper than usual. Try moving a bit.”

Lan Zhan lifted himself up, and this time Wei Wuxian definitely felt the muscles of his thighs spasming in effort, but it still felt almost good, right on the edge, and the slide of Lan Zhan’s cock had Wei Wuxian sighing as it always did. Lan Zhan lowered himself down with slightly more force, and all thoughts of powering through flew out of Wei Wuxian’s head.

“Gah–no, absolutely not happening,” he grit out. The downward thrust of Lan Zhan’s hips had bursts of color blooming in his vision, but not the fun kind. More like the kind that usually came with overexertion right before he passed out  in his last life. His torso and chin had knocked together and he’d narrowly avoided biting his tongue off. 

Lan Zhan was lifting off of him immediately, balancing carefully on their bed as he stepped back and lowered Wei Wuxian’s legs carefully back down. Wei Wuxian huffed in annoyance as Lan Zhan laid down beside him, throwing an arm over his eyes with a groan as every one of his muscles throbbed in thanks. 

“That,” he panted, “was ridiculous. Who could possibly do that?”

“Perhaps,” Lan Zhan said thoughtfully, “it’s more of a position for visual stimulation.” 

Wei Wuxian heard the flipping of a page and peeked out from behind his arm.

“Don’t even look anymore, Gege, let’s just burn it. It’s clearly written by a nefarious character who wants others to suffer.” Leave it to Nie Huaisang to own a book full of cursed sex positions. 

“Hmm,” Lan Zhan said, flipping through another few pages before pausing with a considering sound. “This looks both doable and pleasurable.”

Wei Wuxian shifted up onto one elbow, his shoulders still pulling vaguely from his former exertion. His breath caught in his throat at the illustration Lan Zhan had pushed toward him. The receiving partner was lying on a bed while their partner stood, their legs resting over their partner’s shoulders while their partner fucked into them. He’d never even thought to have Lan Zhan stand before. 

“I–yeah, that looks. Yes. Let’s do that.” 

“Mn,” Lan Zhan said, sliding off the bed and tossing the book onto the floor as he went before grabbing onto Wei Wuxian’s ankles and hauling him to the edge of the bed. 

“Er-Gege! You big brute,” he giggled delightedly as he went. Lan Zhan’s mouth twitched up at the corners before latching onto Wei Wuxian’s inner thigh. Wei Wuxian made a mental note to send Nie Huaisang a thank you gift, then proceeded to hardly think at all for the rest of the night. 

#mo dao zu shi #mdzs fic #wangxian #wei wuxian #lan wangji #my fics #drabble challenge

[phoenixfeatherquillwriting]

Dove Writes a Short Story (for the First Time in Months): Constellan Fairy Tales!

Written with a prompt from @inkdropsonroses  and shared for your reading pleasure! Prompt: “Aris reads Constellan fairy tales to a sick Katri to help her feel better.”

“Katri, darling, I truly think the best thing for this is some sleep." The girl's cheeks flushed red in a way her brown Constellan skin simply was not meant to do when she was healthy, and it was hard to tell if the moisture on her brow was from the cool cloth or simply sweat. It was only a virus, nothing dangerous so far as Aris could tell, but her little one was clearly miserable.

 "But it hurts," she whined as if to prove the point. "I know it does," Aris said, trying for sympathetic and probably not succeeding. "You know, Ash brought me a book when I was about your age and sick one of my first times away from home..."  Katri was still young enough to respond well to being read a story.... maybe Ash's gift would get a new lease on life on Katri's bookshelf rather than gathering dust on her own.  Katri nodded with a touch of her usual enthusiasm...and dislodged the cloth for the fourth time in fifteen minutes.

Aris stooped to pull the book out, a heavy gilded thing that she'd nearly had a heart attack imagining the price of until Ash assured her they found it "wasting away" in a secondhand bookshop (which they had promptly taken her to once she recovered enough to go out again.) It was made for children, but the illustrations were so pleasing, Ash had said they couldn't pass it up, especially not when they saw renditions of the Kutsal region folktales they had grown up hearing, but were new to Aris. With the benefit of so many years, Aris knew now that Ash had been trying to give her a bit of their home when hers clearly didn't suffice. Though Katri was from her own province, not Ash's, it seemed a good precedent. Besides, Ash had annotated their favorites for her, and Katri always liked hearing what "Arundi and Pibby" were like in their young days.  Bringing it over--still with no idea what she would read--she slid the book onto Katri's lap. "It's better if you choose. The ones with the red stars next to them are the ones Ash liked best when they were little."  Katri grinned for the first time all afternoon and promptly began hunting for Ash's messy doodles. "This one!" she said, pointing: it was a tale of a dragon that made its home in a hidden mountain pass. Ash had always loved dragons, or so they said. Aris turned to the appointed page and found an illustration of the glittering golden creature wound around its "hoard" of magical items, gifted to it by the travelers who had befriended it on their journeys. In her native Firet, dragons were fierce creatures, never to be crossed, but it seemed the "sharp edges" of their scales were "sanded down" in the tales of the mountain folk. A cynical part of her supposed the ancients had to believe the mountains were full of benevolent rather than cruel creatures, or nobody would have ever dared to settle them at all.  She did not tell Katri this, certain it would start an argument she was in no shape to have. After all, Ash would say that "dragons were large friends, you shouldn't bad-mouth them!"  "What's their name?" Katri asked as she looked at the illustration. "I want to do it in calligraphy when I'm better."  "Let's see here...oh, well, it doesn't have a name in the story, but it looks like Ash gave it a name on the side." Aris squinted a little to read Ash's messy Constellan letters-even worse than their English handwriting-but they had tried for her, and that was what counted. "It looks like...I think Ash Decreed that this dragon is called Zavmari, it's a name that means 'amber-eyed' in Kutsal dialect." As Aris began to read, it became clear that the dragon had no name because every traveler who passed it gave it a new name along with the gifts. Ash had simply been 'taking part' in the storied tradition, unable to keep their hands out of anything.  When prodded, Aris said she would have called it Liorko, "someone who brings light," and Katri chose Illionai, which meant "full of fire." Aris added her name choice like a crown on the dragon's head, and Katri added hers in a burst of flame coming from the creature's mouth when she turned the page.  Before long, Katri called Espen in to ask him to take part, and Rissa and Ione too. Ash heard what they were up to with a delighted grin and quickly began assembling a stream of well-wishers for the sick member of the family.  Once Tavi had word of it, she brought Kesha, Zira, and Peony in. Liz and Beth came with their former student, Thandie, and Tavi's triplets, boyfriend Danny, and Aris' mother  brought up the rear, Nyx insisting Aris begin the story again. Once everyone was assembled, the dragon began collecting more names in one afternoon than it probably had since the book was published. But, Katri seemed to be feeling much better, and it was agreed that when she could get out from under her blanket pile again, J, Rose, and Azura (the ‘foreigners’) would be invited to join the Constellan tradition.

#dove writes #short story #dove's useless ocs #OC: Katri #OC: Aris #OC: Ash #writer friends #inky #mine

[thelonesgroup]

Creating Connections with Community Pages

As brokers and agents, we are all tied to our communities and there are so many great ways to get involved too. Some of you reading this today volunteer at shelters, support boys-and-girls clubs, are part of a Rotary Group or community lodge, or maybe you care for aging pets or are a member of a local activity group. These are all great things you can do in person that build your presence within the community and expand your sphere of contacts – and help you feel good too! But how do you illustrate connections to your community to people outside of it, like to someone who is relocating from another part of your state?

One of the things that websites (and social media) do for us is expand our presence and message further than they could ever reach without them – and today I want to focus on how you can demonstrate community connections in a way that isn’t just about you, but that gives your website visitor something of value too.

The Evolution of the Community Page

Since my company has been building real estate websites for nearly two decades, I have seen a lot of changes. Back in the early aughts (2003/2004) a community page was, at its best, a brief gazetteer. A paragraph or two, half-a-dozen photos maybe. Ambitious agents would include some market stats, but there wasn’t any automation to keep them current, so they quickly became dated and for many agents it was just too much to maintain data like that.

As time went on, pages got more interesting. Companies like TrendGraphix would create tools to let agents add self-updating market charts to their websites. Social media like Instagram would emerge and give agents a way to stream current photos from their account. A website with an MLS connection could even show current local listings. It was better, but there was a lot of room for improvement.

Today, thanks to the work of IDX companies, huge data brokering services like Atom Data and Home Junction, local review sites like Yelp, Google Maps, Great Schools, artificial intelligence, and more, community pages are easier than ever to create, maintain, and can provide impressive value to website visitors.

Local Maps

This is crucial. Many people don’t have a great sense of where a place is, so whether you are detailing a county or a local neighborhood, include a map. I love interactive maps that let me zoom-in-and-out. Extra points if that map can show me where local schools, parks, and shopping areas are. This is extremely useful for buyers who want to know where they will be able to make a quick grocery stop, to identify the school their children may attend, determine commuting times and so much more. When we build websites, we always include these features!

Market Information

No modern community page is complete without up-to-date market information. Buyers and sellers both appreciate this info. It helps you, the real estate agent, start the process of setting expectations even before you have met. It helps potential referring agents from out of the area identify potential neighborhoods (and you) as viable for their moving clients. Information about recent sales, average price, and home ownership rates are a great starting point. If you want to really provide something of value, offer the option of downloading a full market report. Our websites can generate these on demand, which is a great way to capture potential leads from your website, for a quick handout to mail, or to take to a listing presentation.

Community Description

Of course, every community page should have a description. These days, a short one is just fine since we are going to include a lot more visual info, but if you are talking about a small community then a little more detail can go a long way too. If you use AI to generate your community description, don’t forget to fact check it! We like to include some statistics in our community descriptions, but you have to be careful that they don’t go stale. To keep ours fresh, we use the same data sources that automatically update our market information.

Schools

For well over a decade, we have been able to include school information with websites and without undue effort. Great Schools has made this easy, whether you go-it-alone or have a professional build your website. It’s just as relevant as it has ever been and every great community page should have it.

Demographics

Buyers want to know if a community is the right fit for them. Sellers are curious how their community has changed. For you, the agent, having a reliable source of demographics makes for endless, easy content for sharing online, and adds something to your website that most other agents just don’t have at all.

Local Businesses

Beyond supporting local businesses, which can often use all the help they can get, showcasing local stores and services really integrates you into the community. Locals love seeing their favorite spots featured. Potential clients from further away can get a taste of what is available in your area and maybe even try something out on a visit. We connect our client’s real estate websites to Yelp’s services to showcase popular dining, bars and coffee shops, shopping centers, gyms and self-care, and pet care services.

Other Details

Slideshows or connecting an Instagram stream of local photos have huge visual value. Including a connection to your MLS where visitors can browse inventory is a must – yes, it’s not what brought them to your website, but they will stay longer and search engines love it too. It’s also important to have lots of opportunities for people to connect with you. Season your community page with these opportunities so that as your visitors look around it is easy for them to reach you with a question. If you are blogging about your area, include a section on your community page of recent blog posts. I would put blogs towards the bottom to give visitors something easy to move on to after they have engaged with your community info.

Closing Thoughts

If you have been reading through this and thinking, "I have no idea how I would even start to add some of these ideas," then stop thinking and take action by giving us a call, emailing us at [email protected] or by visiting us online and scheduling a free consult. For examples of actual community pages, try here, here, or here. Your community pages are a powerful, critical part of connecting with new clients online and illustrating your local connections and knowledge.

By Denise Lones CSP, M.I.R.M., CDEI - The founding partner of The Lones Group, Denise Lones, brings nearly three decades of experience in the real estate industry. With agent/broker coaching, expertise in branding, lead generation, strategic marketing, business analysis, new home project planning, product development, Denise is nationally recognized as the source for all things real estate. With a passion for improvement, Denise has helped thousands of real estate agents, brokers, and managers build their business to unprecedented levels of success, while helping them maintain balance and quality of life.

#real estate websites #community #community pages #website features #building connections #online presence #online resources #webpages #zebra report #real estate coach #Denise Lones #The Lones Group #marketing #housing market #communication #client care #prospecting #real estate