#the crossover we needed but did not deserve
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up the oranges? | max verstappen
face claim: none ᡣ𐭩
request: here !
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👤 ybfngram, landonorris, mclaren
liked by ybfngram, landonorris and 83,928 others
y/nstagram bestie won paddock passes to mclaren garage and was gracious enough to let little noob me tag along! up the oranges or whatever she said 🧡
ygfngram it's papaya babe... but thank u for letting me rant about all things f1!! (and thank u for the lando pic i'm gonna be so insufferable from now on)
↳ y/nstagram wdym from now on?? but i enjoyed it! 🫶
user1 y/n and f1?? the crossover we never knew we needed
user2 please say you vlogged it!!
↳ y/nstagram ofc i did 🫶 coming next week!!
landonorris was lovely to meet you guys! :)
♥️ y/nstagram, ybfngram
mclaren if y/n says it's up the oranges, it's up the oranges... you're welcome back anytime 🧡
↳ y/nstagram sorry best friends.. up the papayas! 🧡
👤 landonorris, oscarpiastri, mclaren, maxverstappen1
liked by landonorris, oscarpiastri and 103,496 others
y/nstagram new vlog out now! the orange (😉) boys explain f1 to me, we take a look around the mclaren garages and a certain world champion sneaks in! link in bio 🧡
landonorris for someone who's never seen an f1 race, you picked it up pretty well!
↳ ybfngram not for lack of trying, she never wants to join my race nights 💔
↳ y/nstagram next time baby! girls night ❤️
redbullracing we think she'd look better in blue 👀
↳ maxverstappen1 agreed
↳user2 ARIANA? what are you doing here
mclaren back 🤺 redbull 🤺 back!
👤 y/nstagram
liked by landonorris, y/nstagram and 385,038 others
mclaren we must say, orange suits you y/n 🧡
y/nstagram thank you for having me back mclaren! the oranges are safe and sound in my kitchen 🫡
↳ user1 oranges??
↳ y/nstagram when i arrived, they had a bowl of oranges waiting for me... humiliating babes...
landonorris the highlight was her peeling oranges for oscar and patting his head like a baby
↳ oscarpiastri didn't see her peeling YOU oranges though 🤨
↳ y/nstagram that's ybfngram's job xx
↳ ybfngram i would have if SOMEONE would have invited me...
↳ y/nstagram you were literally on another continent grumpy pants
↳ mclaren next time we'll bring some oranges for you ybfngram 🧡
↳ ybfngram and that's why i'm a papaya girl for life 🧡
♥️ mclaren, landonorris
👤 ybfngram, y/nstagram
liked by maxverstappen1, y/nstagram and 593,957 others
redbullracing it's mr steal your girllll 🎶
mclaren ... y/n how could you do this to us
↳ y/nstagram MCLAREN ITS NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.. you know i love you 🫶
↳ mclaren save it 💔
landonorris not you too 💔 ybfngram
↳ y/nstagram tbf i did have to physically wrestle the shirt onto her, dw she immediately went back to orange 🧡
↳ ybfngram lando sweetie... the papaya is in my veins... i was coerced...
↳ landonorris guess i'll have to bring you back to our side of the paddock 😉
maxverstappen1 i was right, she does look better in blue 💙
↳ user1 back of the line mr verstappen we were simping first
♥️ y/nstagram
↳ y/nstagram free red bulls for life and i'll back the blue
↳ mclaren wtf?
↳ maxverstappen1 consider it done
↳ christianhorner i don't remember agreeing to this max
👤 maxverstappen1, redbullracing
liked by maxverstappen1, redbullracing and 92,495 others
y/nstagram alexa play the dutch national anthem 💙
redbullracing our favourite song 💙
user1 did max draw that himself 😭
↳ maxverstappen1 y/n made it for me!
mclaren y'all are cute or whatever...
↳ y/nstagram still love you mclaren 🧡
scuderiaferrari we spot our charles, maybe red will suit you too y/n ❤️
↳ y/nstagram if you can get me a ferrari, i'll consider it xx
↳ scuderiaferrari ... let us make some phone calls
↳ maxverstappen1 i will burn it to the ground.
↳ user1 ur so real for that max, fight for your red bull girl!
♥️ maxverstappen1
user2 y/n having all these f1 teams wrapped around her finger... what she deserves
👤 maxverstappen1, schecoperez, redbullracing
liked by maxverstappen1, redbullracing and 132,842 others
y/nstagram back at it again with another f1 vid! this time i convinced the red bull gang to do a mukbang with me before mr MV1 zoomed off to win another race! 🫶 link in bio 💙
user1 bro max was so whipped in this video...
↳ user2 TRULY! she had him giggling and kicking his feet the entire vid
user3 how does it feel to watch y/n snatch ur man danielricciardo
↳ danielricciardo he used to giggle and tuck his hair behind his ears like that with me 💔 come home max, the kids miss you x
↳ maxverstappen1 fuck them kids
redbullracing poor checo thirdwheeling again...
↳ schecoperez to be honest i checked out halfway through
↳ y/nstagram nooo checo my king im sorry 💔 next time it will be just us two 💙
↳ maxverstappen1 not if i have anything to do with it
user4 WHIPPED
♥️ maxverstappen1
mclaren is this what it feels like to be cheated on? 💔
↳ y/nstagram my hearts big enough for both orange and blue 🧡💙
liked by maxverstappen1, y/nstagram and 963,956 others
redbullracing yo bro who got you smiling like that...
user1 red bull soft launching their drivers relationship?? admin on a scale of 1 to 10 how fired are you
↳ redbullracing i am declining all of christians calls...
↳ christianhorner see you at work monday.
↳ redbullracing oh its so over
maxverstappen1 can't believe red bull admin beat us to it y/nstagram 💔
↳ y/nstagram aaand i guess that was the hard launch
👤 maxverstappen1
liked by maxverstappen1, ybfngram and 150,385 others
y/nstagram so here's my bf(?) i guess... thanks redbullracing
danielricciardo stealing the second image thanks!
↳ y/nstagram 🫡
maxverstappen1 you couldn't have made it cute
↳ y/nstagram just showing your true personality babe x
maxverstappen1 love you or whatever 🙄
♥️ y/nstagram
user1 she's so real for these pics
redbullracing if it makes you feel better i did nearly lose my job
↳ user1 we got your back admin ❤️
user2 the first pic should be framed and hung in the louvre
♥️ y/nstagram, maxverstappen1
user3 why the ? by bf ???
↳ y/nstagram we never really made it official?? red bull did it for us i guess hahaha
↳ maxverstappen1 oh make no mistake, you're mine ❤️
♥️ redbullracing, y/nstagram
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i have just read through all your stuff while on a road trip and i will be reading it again to make sure i appreciate it properly!
can we get a lance stroll x barbie actress! reader where they’ve been in a relationship since like…16 but the world only found out when lance went to the barbie premier 🙏🙏 ly tyvm
writers note: i’m 🥲 this is such a sweet little message! thank you sweetheart!! i’m always down for writing baby boy lance stroll so ofc <3
LIFE IN PLASTIC / LS18.
in which he’s succeeding massively in the racing world, and she’s one of the biggest actresses of this year. but no one knows, they’re desperately in love with each other.
( lance stroll x actress!au )
✩⡱ warnings: none
INSTAGRAM.
liked by alexandrashipp, lance_stroll, and 689,121 more
yourusername this barbie is a mermaid!!! 💖🌊🧜♀️ barbie is out july 21, this movie is so close to my heart. i hope you enjoy.
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nicolacouglan my favourite mermaid 💓
⤷ yourusername my favourite diplomat 💕
user SHE’S A BARBIE GIRL
ncutigatwa she IS the moment
NOTIFICATION! lance_stroll shared this to their story!
INSTAGRAM.
liked by astonmartinf1, maxverstappen, and 19,437 others
lance_stroll hello miami!! great qualifying race today, bring it on tomorrow! 💓🌸💕
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estebanocon can’t wait for tomorrow!! let’s race!
astonmartinf1 race engineers request you “stop singing barbie girl every time you overtake” thanks 👍
⤷ lance_stroll no can do, sorry
yourusername we should get you on the soundtrack 💘💘💘
⤷ lance_stroll omw to the studio now
⤷ user ariana what are you doing here
yourusername added to their story!
INSTAGRAM.
liked by chloestroll, fernandoalo_official, and 238,620 others
lance_stroll my sister got married! lots of love to chloe and scotty, such a fun day & night ❤️
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chloestroll ❤️❤️❤️
user am i going mad or is that the dress from y/n’s story?
⤷ user i saw she was there too!! i didn’t know they knew each other
⤷ user they’re both from montreal!
yourusername the best night 🥺
user i am looking: suspiciously
INSTAGRAM.
liked by lance_stroll, barbiemovie, and 989,327 others
yourusername world premiere baby!!! this barbie loved the pink carpet (this ken got tired very quickly) 💗💖🌸💕🌷💞💓💘
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user LANCE????
⤷ user the crossover we didn’t know we needed
jvn STUNNING 🤩
lance_stroll 🧎🧎🧎
⤷ charles_leclerc simp
INSTAGRAM.
liked by yourusername, yukitsunoda0511, and 740,917 others
tagged: yourusername
lance_stroll my barbie girl 😍 i’ve been head over heels in love with you since high school and watching you on the big screen, doing what you’re made for, only makes me love you even more. i’m so proud of you, darling ❤️
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user talk about HARD LAUNCH
yourusername and he’s just ken 🫶
⤷ fernandoalo_official i like her more than you lancestroll
yourusername jk i love you more than this earth. thank you for being my rock and shoulder to cry on. i truly don’t deserve you 🫶
comment liked by lance_stroll, and 83,482 others
user they’ve been dating since high school and we’re only finding out now😭😭😭
landonorris how did you manage that, man
⤷ lance_stroll i’ve been asking myself the same question for 8 years
#formula 1#formula 1 instagram au#formula 1 x reader#lance stroll#lance stroll x reader#lance stroll imagine#lance stroll instagram au#charles leclerc x reader#lando norris x reader#carlos sainz x reader#fernando alonso x reader#daniel riccardo x reader#max verstappen x reader
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Last Hazbin character ask, thoughts on Emily, Sera, Lute, and Pentious (you forgot him when talking about main characters)?
Emily
You mean the love of my life???? I am very normal about her.
Lol but fr tho she's in my top favorite characters right after Vaggie and Charlie. She's just so sweet and kind. I love characters who remain that way even after their world view is challenged, just with less naivety. Characters who are so morally good are just so especially interesting to me in a show like Hazbin Hotel that's just filled with assholes of every flavor(with some more redeemable than the others ofc).
Seeing her get mad at Sera was so satisfying btw. Righteous/protective anger looks so good on sweet characters like Charlie and Emily.
Her singing voice is also one of my favorites, along with Charlie, Lucifer and Carmilla. Recently found out that she was one of the talented ladies who sang in the First Burn mv for Hamilton too. She's the third girl that appears, coming in for the harmony. Seeing her sing in a song with Rachel Ann Go feels like a crazy crossover for a Filipino like me because Rachel Ann is a famous singer over here.
youtube
Sera
I think she's a neat character! The type of self-righteous, classist christian I'd avoid like the plague irl, but so fascinating as a character. I'm really curious as to what direction the story will take her to. I can more or less guess the case for other characters, but I can't quite pinpoint the goal for Sera, because I'm not quite sure yet if she's gonna be truly a bad person like Adam and Lute. She could either double down on refusing to let sinners into heaven or see the error of her ways. The former is probably more likely, but I'm not opposed to idea of the latter happening.
Lute
Logical brain: she deserves to suffer so much more for what she did to Vaggie and calling her love for Charlie "vile and blasphemous"
Sapphic brain: ... Scary angel lady hot tho...
Jokes aside, I'd love to see what kinda antagonist she'd be as the one calling the shots instead of just being Adam's sidekick this time. I wanna see her spiral and just become worse and worse. I also need a rematch between her and Vaggie that's a little more fair, where Vaggie is now more used to fighting again. With the whole one-eye VS one-arm thing making it even more even.
Sir Pentious
My boy!!!!! I really didn't expect to like him as much as I do. I liked him fine in the pilot, but they made him so dang cute in the show. You can tell Alex Brightman loved voicing him too. I really hope we get to see what he's up to in heaven. I'm proud of him for being first to ascend, but im scared some angels might be wary or even threatened by his presence in heaven. They do have a pretty bad track record with snakes after all.
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Loki x reader - the time together
hi! it's me again, the person that keeps requesting crossovers (ilysm for them by the way they keel my heart fed 😭). could i request a daughter of hades!reader x loki fic where they spent time together in Tartarus and thought that the other had died only to be reunited in an avenger's meeting? (hope this makes sense!) - Anon💜
Yawning, you padded through the hallway, from one patch of shadows to another, only to let out an annoyed groan as you found yourself still there.
“We’ve put measures in place to make sure you can’t just wonder in.”
You turned around, narrowing your eyes a little bit.
“Then don’t call me here, I dislike walking Fury, you know this.”
You made your way over to him, giving him a little smile.
“It’s been a while.”
“You said you didn’t want to be involved, so I tried to leave you out of everything.”
“I know, thank you. Must be serious if you brought me here now.”
“We just need you to consult on something, if it’s not mythology related we can handle it, if it is, we may need your help.”
“That’s fine, just show me what it is and tell me whatever it is you know.”
He led you through to a conference room and walked over to the table, setting some files and papers out and bringing something up on a holographic wall.
You looked over the video, furrowing your brows a little bit.
“Yeah, it’s one of ours. But it shouldn’t be behaving like this, generally Skeltons are weak and don’t leave the underworld.”
“It’s not just that, there’s more.”
He showed you more, and you carried on watching.
While you were watching, your noticed some people come in, but you didn’t really pay attention to them as you carried on watching them.
“It looks like like there’s something wrong in the underworld.”
“Can’t your just speak to your dad?”
You shook your head and glanced up at Clint before looking back down.
“No, after what happened he isn’t letting me back. I can try ask my brother, maybe he’ll know what’s going on.”
“Is it all Greek mythology related?” Tony asked.
You slowly nodded, skimming through the pictures and reports.
The door opened and closed again, and you set some papers down, paying more attention to the holographic footage in front of you.
They were all discussing what was currently going on, and you were analysing ever second of the footage, seeing if anything was being missed.
“Impossible…”
You snapped your head up at the voice, staring at him in disbelief.
Everybody was too busy to pay attention, and you slowly walked over, taking the man into the hallway and closing the door.
“You died..” you whispered.
“No, I found a way out. I tried to come and find you but you were gone.”
You stared at him in pure shock, and he did the same.
“This can’t be real..”
“It is, I assure you. No tricks.”
You touched his arm.
“Loki you shouldn’t have been able to get out…”
You narrowed his eyes a little bit.
“You aren’t pleased I did?”
“Of course I am, you didn’t deserve to be there Loki. But Tartarus is supposed to be secure, nothing should get out.”
“How did you get out?” He asked.
“My father, I asked him to get you but you were gone. I thought something had killed you…”
Walking over, you hugged him softly and he smiled softly, giving you a gently hug back.
He took a small breath.
“I’m glad you’re okay..”
“As am I.” He responded.
You let go of the hug and you glanced at the door before turning back to him.
“Perhaps I can be of assistance?”
You smiled at him, nodding your head.
Loki had always been a huge help when you two were trapped together.
So you knew despite the fact that he was a trickster and he tricked everybody, but after being stuck together in such a place you had to build trust.
And you still trusted one another.
So, you walked back into the room with him and showed him a few papers, and you began sharing some ideas.
“I need to see my brother, can you take me?”
“Yes.”
You turned to Fury who narrowed his eyes at you.
“Watch him.”
“I will.”
With that, loki placed his hand on your shoulder and you two were out of the building and somewhere else.
“You know how to find him.”
“Right of course.”
Looking at Loki, you spun around and jumped into his arms making him laugh a little bit.
“You really missed me.”
“Of course I did moron.”
He laughed again, and hugged you back as well.
What nobody knew is that for years you two were down there you had formed a close bond, almost as falling into a relationship.
You had missed him, and you wanted to be sure that the pair of you would never be part again.
And he was going to do the same, because in his time down there with you he had learned a lot, and he wanted to stay with you, after everything you had been through
#marvel#marvel x reader#marvel x you#marvel x y/n#marvel imagine#Loki#Loki x reader#Loki x you#Loki imagine
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Some of My TMNT Hot Takes (PART 2) 🔥
Warning: More Opinions
Part 1 Here
I don’t like that in Mutant Mayhem Donnie is not a “science guy” but instead is more of an anime and pop culture geek. I’m not against him being an anime fan (I love anime too) but I wish we saw more of his science and being a tech genius side instead of him just liking stereotypical “nerdy stuff”. If that makes sense.
I don’t like the Punk Frogs (any version).
The 87 crossover episodes in the 2012 series (as much as I did enjoy them & are great episodes) should not have happened. They leave no real impact or development to 2012’s overarching story and just waste time. These episodes could’ve covered more important things that 202 was desperately lacking like like character exploration and character dynamic development. It was just nostalgic fanservice. The arc in S5 specifically would’ve work better as a movie instead of a 3-4 episode arc in the (most likely non canon) final season.
Shinigami being Mikey’s second love interests ruins her character a bit (for me personally). That was a pointless decision that did NOT need to happen. She would’ve been our first recurring female character to not be a love interest, but nope!
People are allowed to like/ship Donnie x April in ROTTMNT (this is coming from someone who’s not crazy about April being shipped with the Turtles).
I ship Yuichi with 2012 Leo more than Rise Leo (still ship Rise Leoichi, but I just think 2012 Leoichi is way more interesting, plus 2012 Leo deserves a good love interest).
The humans in Mutant Mayhem look ugly af (I know that was probably an intentional design choice but still. It looks bad.)
I hate Raph x Casey (any ver). I’ve stated in part one that I don’t like Raph (any version) being in a romantic relationship with human characters and yes, that meant him with Casey. Not only that but Raph and Casey being a couple ruins their whole dynamic and iconic friendship I love so much. I’m all for friends to lovers but they are a line that should not be crossed. Not every friendship needs to turn romantic.
2012 Karai’s hair looks bad.
Fans often over exaggerate Rise Donnie’s character and badly mischaracterize him in fanfics and fan comics to the point it makes him feel like he’s an entirely different character.
Shinigami should have been revealed to be a villain.
Rise Donnie was just as mean to his brother as fans claim 2012 Raph was to his. Yes, they both do love their families and I’m NOT saying either of them are abus!ce (they’re not), but fans praising Rise Donnie for doing similar things fans criticize/hate 2012 Raph for doing just makes them hypocrites.
Venus does NOT need to be in every iteration of TMNT. It gets kind of annoying when fans keep on saying that she should be in all the other iterations when in truth her presence would not make sense based on the already established canon story. The only (recent) version of TMNT where I think her being included would’ve fit the best and deserved to make her comeback in is ROTTMNT.
The side plot of 2012 Karai being mutated and later getting brainwashed by Shredder was a waste of time and the most boring arc in the series.
2012 April, Donnie and Casey being in a poly relationship does not fix anything with their problematic dynamic and massive flaws with one another. I'm not saying you can't ship all three of them together, you do you! Idc But in reality their relationship would be a train wreck, that's why I personally don't ship 2012 Capriltello.
Renet is probably one of the most powerful allies the Turtles have in the 2012 series.
Rise Donnie would NOT hate 2012 April. He’d go crazy over her psychic powers and want to study them to help her explore them more.
From what I've seen so far, Leo x Usagi seems like the only GOOD ship in the 2003 series (this hot take might change tho).
Raph had the best character arc and development in the 2012 series and changed the most out of the four brothers. Next would be Leo. With Mikey and Donnie have little development (or none at all sadly).
#hot take#tmnt#teenage mutant ninja turtles#mutant mayhem#tmntmm#tmnt 1987#tmnt 2012#rottmnt#rise of the tmnt#tmnt 2003#tmnt leonardo#tmnt raphael#tmnt michelangelo#tmnt donatello#april o'neil#casey jones#tmnt karai#tmnt shinigami#renet tilley#venus de milo#yuichi usagi#usagi miyamoto
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K&J x MMSS 4: Valen & Jim Part 4B
So, this is the first chapter of an alternate timeline that we wrote to the fourth crossover. This diverges from the story at the original chapter 4 (I'll call it chapter "4A" and this is the "B" timeline.)
The first three chapters go the same way, and then in chapter 4, for the "B" timeline, Jim's dropoff with his sister goes without incident, meaning Valen doesn't get burned and therefore does not come back into human territory with Jim. They go their separate ways and don't meet again until years later.
Since Valen does not have the protection from Jim and Liz in this timeline, he ends up getting captured by vampires hunters when he comes back years later--the same ones that took Kane in K+J. Those hunters then get the details from Jim's book mixed up--since obviously Valen would be mentioned in it--and think of Valen as "That vampire from Jim Liberman's book," assuming he's the one who held Jim hostage without really checking the details. They then offer Valen to Jim, who showed up expecting Kane like in K+J canon. So this version would be more of a "caretaker-turned-whumpee" and "whumpee-turned-caretaker" story.
We lovingly refer to this as "the horrors version." What happens to Valen in this AU is much, much worse than what happens to him in canon MMSS.
K&J masterlist
MMSS masterlist
K&J x MMSS crossover masterlist
To be added to the taglist, contact @whumpsday
Warnings: Blood, aftermath of torture. The usual. Just some real sicko shit.
***
The rest of the meeting at the border is tense, but ultimately goes off without a hitch. Valen is ultimately happy to be rid of the car and simply runs back home. They exchanged phone numbers, and Valen calls to leave a message to say he got home safely.
They talk a little bit over the phone over the next week or two, but Valen decides to leave Jim to his human life, and goes back to focusing on his research. Down the road, he realizes he needs to spend some time on human territory to make it feasible, but by then he hasn't talked to Jim in years and doesn't want to bother him. That's when the unthinkable happens.
***
They'd told Valen that his victim, Jim Liberman, was coming to pick him up, for revenge. That he'd get his just deserts.
Valen can't remember who Jim is. He'd racked his brain, trying to think of all the people he'd ever wronged, and had come up empty. He's no stranger to tears at this point, but he cried like he'd never cried before that day, salty tears streaming down his cheeks in the same track they'd run a thousand times before, over the bare silver muzzle that had been fused with his melted skin for years at this point. They hadn't even given him a chance, they'd just assumed the worst about him and used that as evidence that he deserved the worst torture imaginable for years, and now he was going to be given to someone who was going to treat him even worse, and he couldn't even remember who or why.
Then the hunter drags him outside and throws him at the feet of the human who was to be his new jailer. And he does recognize him. They met once for a few days, 15 years ago, and Valen's hazy, pain-addled brain can't quite remember what their interaction had been. Valen found him outside, he remembers, and he'd taken him home. That was bad, right? Had he kidnapped Jim? Maybe that's what they'd been talking about.
That doesn't sound like something Valen would do, though. Well, maybe it was something he would do now, he has no way of knowing what kind of person he is now. He does remember he used to be very kind and compassionate, though, and it seems like he wouldn't have hurt a stray human. But the hunters have been telling him over and over that he's a monster, a leech, a wretched animal that deserves all the pain it's getting, so maybe he did hurt Jim, maybe he does deserve to be strung up in the sun forever with his air cut off.
But still. Even if he deserves it, it's too horrible to think about. He trembles on the ground, looking at Jim’s knees with pleading eyes. Please just kill me. Please just end this travesty of existence.
All of Jim's nerves and expectations go out the door the second he lays eyes on the vampire the hunter pushed in front of him.
Not Kane. Valen.
Jim looks at him in shock that quickly morphs into horror. He opens his mouth to object, to say you had the wrong guy and even if you had the right guy this would be unthinkable, but the words die in his throat. They're already handing Valen over to him, and only because they think he deserves revenge. He won't say anything that could even potentially jeopardize that. These hunters probably would not approve of him freeing Valen. God, they used the padded cuffs he brought for Kane, but that's a silver muzzle.
"I'll be g-going now." he says shakily to the hunter instead.
"Just give me a call if it's too much trouble and you want to return it." says Chase.
"That won't be necessary." Jim says curtly, trying to hold back tears. He and the hunter exchange goodbyes, and Jim drops to his knees, eye-level with Valen.
"Oh my god. Oh my god, Valen, holy shit, what did they do to you?" he whispers in horror.
"What did they do to you?" Just what I deserve, right? That's what they'd been saying this whole time, so he'd started to believe it. The alternative was something unthinkable.
Jim reaches to unlock the muzzle- he can try to talk to Valen about the whole please don't use persuasion on me thing later, but it's apparent that Valen won't be able to speak for a bit anyway. "I'm gonna take this off, is that okay?" he asks.
Jim is taking the muzzle off? That can't be right. The muzzle stays on was the very first rule the hunters had laid down, because he was dangerous and could use his mouth to hurt in a number of ways, and this burning sensation locked around the lower half of his face had become the only constant in his new life, and the idea that it would go away had never occurred to him as a possibility. It was part of him now, just as his skin was melted to the silver.
And why is Jim asking Is that okay? like his opinion on anything makes any difference? What is he doing, talking to Valen like he's a person? Valen doesn't answer, sitting there with eyes downcast. Some humans didn't like it when he made eye contact, they said he was trying to use persuasion on them, and that earned him the ultimate punishment: the sun. He avoided eye contact like the plague. Even just looking up at Jim earlier had been risky.
"Alright. I'm goin' for it. Sorry that there's no way to do it without it hurting, but that thing on your face can't be comfortable. Sooner I get it off, sooner you can heal, right?" Jim gives his bony shoulder a gentle squeeze. "S'gonna be okay. You're out. I- I'm gonna help you, like you helped me." His tears do fall, then.
He unlocks the muzzle and begins pulling it off. It's melted into Valen's face and almost impossible to remove. His skin tears like wet paper. Jim punctuates his efforts with a sorry every few seconds until it's off, leaving Valen's face a gory mess, lips completely gone and teeth on full display. Jim retches involuntarily at the sight. "I'm so fucking sorry, Valen. Least it's off."
Valen dissociates from the pain, just thinking of Jim’s words. It's going to be okay? I'm gonna help you? None of this sounds right, it clashes with what the hunters had been telling him for years. Like you helped me. Maybe Valen had helped this human? But then why had the hunters punished him? Helping a stray human does sound more like something Valen would have done, though, in the past, when he'd been a person and not a rabid animal.
Oh, that's right. That's the answer to what kind of person he is now, as he'd wondered earlier. He's not a person at all, he's a mindless animal, the kind that would, here still on the hunter's doorstep, immediately bite the metaphorical hand that feeds, in an attempt to turn it into the literal hand that feeds.
Valen's mouth hadn't been free in years, and all he can think of is his primal instincts urging him to take the chance to feed while he can. They hadn't needed to train the instinct out of him, because he'd had no opportunity to use it. And Jim is so very full of delicious, aromatic blood, and so soft and vulnerable, and so very, very right there next to his mouth, and Valen is so very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very hungry.
As soon as Jim says least it's off, the gory mess he'd just exposed around Valen's jaw comes to life and snaps shut over Jim's wrist.
Jim freezes, eyes wide and mouth shut tight. He cranes his neck to the side, just like he's supposed to, even though it's covered in fabric and Valen feeds from his wrist. He hasn't forgotten how to behave.
He trembles horribly as Valen feeds, crying much harder, though the only sounds that escape him are quiet sobs.
Until he starts to feel lightheaded. More lightheaded than Kane ever made him, even when Kane overfed.
"Valen, p-please." he whispers through his tears.
Nobody hears him. Valen's stomach is a blackhole that can never be filled, his heart a void that screams to be filled with violence.
Valen, p-please... Valen is gone, there's only this animal that won't stop drinking until he's forced to. He'll kill Jim, but he doesn't care, he can't.
He bites again, getting a bigger mouthful, tearing more skin, sweet, wet blood gushing into his mouth, down the front of his nearly-naked body
Jim knows it's bad bad bad, he'll be punished for sure, but he has to get away or he'll die. He pushes Valen off of him- it's easier than he'd thought it would be. His already-hurting wrist erupts even further into pain, and Jim cries out softly, cowering away from him.
Valen hasn't been strong in years. It's easy to push him off, his fangs tearing the skin as they're pulled out. He swallows what's in his mouth desperately, licking the remaining blood off his shaking, chained hands.
He bit, he attacked, he fed, the ultimate thing he wasn't allowed to do. The hunters are all still nearby, they'll surely hear Jim's pained sounds, and then he'll be punished beyond belief. But he needs the blood, he needs it, he can't think of anything else.
Jim holds his bleeding wrist to himself, sobbing.
"I'm sorry, I'm s-sorry, sir." he blubbers. "Please don't hurt me, I'm sorry. Please, I just, I don't wanna die."
Chase comes back out, hearing the commotion. "The fuck! It bit you?!"
Valen cowers when Chase comes back on the scene, his very presence instantly reducing Valen to a submissive, trembling mess. He whines like a dog, the only method of communication that had been available to him for years, and presses himself into the floor. Please don't put it back on, please please please.
Jim snaps out of it with the hunter's call. He's on a rescue mission now, he remembers. He needs to get Valen out of here safe, no matter now terrified he is of him.
"N-no." he lies, unable to stop crying. "This is the vampire's blood. Just, just tryin' to switch muzzle."
"Fuck, I told you it wasn't a good idea. You should've asked. Here, let me put the muzzle back on, it's better with it on." Chase starts to approach, going straight for the discarded silver muzzle on the ground.
Jim kicks the gore-covered monstrosity away. "No, just, use the one I've got." He doesn't want to muzzle Valen at all, especially given how painful Valen's face looks, but there's no way he can drive home with Valen unmuzzled after this. "It's in the car."
"Right, switching. Sure, your call." As Chase goes to grab the padded muzzle from the car, Jim mouths I'm sorry to Valen.
Chase fastens the muzzle onto Valen, too tight. "You good to go? Need anything else?" He assumes Jim's crying is due to seeing his captor again, emotions high.
"I'm good."
"You sure?"
"Yes." Jim insists. "I can handle this."
"Alright. Drive safe." Chase heads back inside.
Valen remains a terrified, quivering puddle on the floor, hardly able to believe he'd escaped Chase's check-in without being strapped to the board and set outside in anticipation of the sunrise. He'd swallowed blood, he'd fed, and it's better than he's felt in years despite the raw mess of his face and the new muzzle squeezing him. It doesn't burn, and his stomach has something in it, and any relief from the pain in any amount is welcome at this point.
He rolls over so he's facedown on the ground. He's muzzled again, the way he should be, and that's enough for his brain to remember he's supposed to be submissive and obedient and nonthreatening. He stares straight at the ground, no chance of eye contact
Jim shuffles back over to Valen and reaches out a shaking, bleeding hand to gently rest on his forehead. This way, if Valen lunges again, he can easily push back. Heart clenching with terror, he puts his uninjured hand under Valen's muzzled mouth.
"Please spit." he whispers. "I can't ask the hunter for first aid without letting him know you bit me. I need the bleeding to stop. Please."
Valen looks at what Jim's doing through a haze of pain and confusion. Spit. He knows that one. He has to be obedient.
As best as he can through the bit blocking his mouth, he lets bloody saliva dribble out of his mouth, stringing down into Jim's hand
"Thank you." Jim retracts both hands and rubs the saliva over his wound, thankfully stopping the bleeding pretty quick.
He takes a moment to breathe, trying to calm himself down. "Well, least I don't have to psyche myself up to feed you. Jumpin' right in the deep end." he says nervously. "Do you remember, when you found me? I was dying, and you gave me water. You saved my life. I'll never forget it. I'll make sure you get home safe, too."
Valen doesn't look at him. He can't. But Jim's words are washing over him in waves. Valen had saved his life. Yes, that sounds right. He'll make sure he gets home safe, too. That doesn't. Valen is a dangerous creature, and he'd just attacked Jim, and he was going to be disciplined and tortured. It'd already sunk in a long time ago that he was going to be imprisoned and in pain for the rest of his life, and there was no way he could let himself believe Jim's words, to open the can of worms to start hoping again, because that was always how he got hurt emotionally. Bitter tears spring into his eyes.
As shaken as he is by the bite, Jim remembers what it was like to be so thirsty he'd do anything for water. He gets it, and he can see how terrified and desperate Valen is.
"It's okay. Let's get you in the car, alright?" Jim takes Valen's arm and helps him into the back seat, figuring he might want to lie down.
He's too nervous to take the muzzle off: if Valen bites while he's driving, it'd be very bad for both of them. He does take off both sets of cuffs, though. "Hope that's a little more comfortable. It's gonna be a few hours until we get back to my place, figure you could crash there while you heal up and head home whenever you're ready. I'll take that thing off when we get home, okay?" He gestures to the muzzle. "Don't wanna get in an accident."
Valen watches Jim help him into the car, and take his manacles off, and promise him gentleness, all with wide, uncomprehending eyes. Head home? Head home???? The possibility is too absurd to comprehend. Is Jim being cruel, messing with him? No, that doesn’t make sense. If Valen really had saved Jim's life, maybe this is real?
He lies down in the back of the car, with his wrists free, limply allowing himself to be carted around. He should apologize for biting Jim as soon as he can. Maybe that will earn him less pain.
He stews in that thought for part of the ride before being once again overwhelmed by his animalistic fear, and he starts pawing at the muzzle, trying to get it off, but there's a lock on it. He whines, tears streaming down his face.
Jim hears miserable whining from behind him. "Hold on, lemme pull over and see what's up.”
He does, pulling onto the shoulder and opening the back door. "I know it sucks right now. I'm so sorry. I'd ask what's wrong, but there's a lot. What can I help you with right now?" He's hoping Valen can charade it to him. He doesn't have anything to write with, and Valen won't be able to talk until he heals, muzzle or not.
Valen claws at the muzzle on his face, worming around in the backseat, just wallowing in his desperation
"Hey, hey hey hey." Jim hesitantly reaches out and takes Valen's hands in his. "If I take that thing off you, are you gonna bite me again? I'll take it off if you think you can hold off."
Valen tries to steady himself. Jim is helping him, Jim is trying to help him. Right?
He bit Jim, and it was nowhere near enough blood to sate his hunger, but if he wants the muzzle off, he has to not bite. He can do that, right? He nods slowly
"Awesome. Thank you, I know it's gotta be hard. But you did take enough to make me woozy, so I hope it's enough, 'cause I can't give you more tonight. I only got so much blood. I'll find a way to get you more soon, though, okay?" He can ask people. Liz or Laken, maybe.
Jim unlocks the muzzle, lifting it off Valen's face. "Didn't realize that asshole put it on this tight. I'm sorry, that had to hurt, 'specially with your face. Is there anything else?"
It's off and it'll stay off if he behaves. He can do that, he can behave. He rolls over and curls up into a ball. He wishes he had something to cover himself, in case the sun comes up. Still hiding his face, he mimes a motion like pulling a blanket over himself
"Yeah, fuck, sorry." Jim should've been thinking about the fact that Valen would want some clothes for the ride home. He came expecting to have to come face to face with his abuser, only to be met with this entire situation, and his brain's on the fritz. He takes his flannel off and hands it to Valen. "Will this work for now? We'll be home in like, two hours, and then I can get you some real clothes." It’s well before sunrise, but Valen would have no way of knowing what time it is.
Still crying, Valen takes the flannel and wraps it around himself, barely managing to get his arms into the sleeves, like he doesn't remember how to put on a shirt.
Thank you. It's the most covered he's been in years, and if he gets thrown into the sun, less of him will be burned. He wants to say thank you. But no, that's talking, that's bad, he might use persuasion, he has to show he's obedient. Eyes still downcast, he nods, hoping Jim can see his appreciation non-verbally.
"Alright. Let me know if you need anything else. When we get home, I'll get you a pen and paper so you can write. You can take a bath, get into some pajamas, and I've got a bed set up in the basement for you." Jim gets back in the driver's seat and keeps going.
All of that sounds too good for him. He doesn't deserve a bath, and pajamas, and a bed. He knows that now, the hunters taught him, the hunters taught him he needs to be happy with a concrete floor and a hose and whatever pain they were giving him, because it could always, always be worse, somehow.
Valen tries to show he's grateful, but he's just so scared. He can't get his hopes up that this foggy promise of comfort from somewhere above him is real and not something he's imagining. He has a very good imagination.
He stays curled up in a ball, shaking. It's the first time in forever nothing is actively hurting him, and he has something in his stomach, and he feels okay, but all this change is making the entirety of his ordeal hit him all at once, and he can't seem to stop crying and being scared even though Jim is being kind to him. He tries to stay quiet so as not to seem ungrateful, but the tears and sobs occasionally come out in waves all the way home.
Jim's heart breaks for Valen. He has no idea what kind of unimaginable horrors he's been through, but he knows what it's like to be helpless and scared. He's just glad he can do something about it.
When they arrive home, Jim opens the back door and peers in at Valen again. He's nervous, very nervous, to be so close to Valen after the bite. But for the past decade, Valen's been almost like a deity of safety in his mind, the savior who took him from the brink of death and delivered him home. If Valen isn't safe, no one is.
"We're here, bud. C'mon, let's get you inside." he encourages, holding out a hand for Valen to take.
Valen wants to bite again. He really, really wants to. All he'd wanted to do for the past five years was bite the people who were causing him pain, and he is in pain and helpless and scared, and it's like wading through thick fog to grasp what's actually going on and what he needs to do.
Don't bite, the muzzle will stay off if you don't bite. Don't bite.
He gingerly reaches out and takes Jim's hand.
Jim takes him inside, leaving all the restraints in the car. He doesn't plan on using them. "Alright, what do you wanna do first? Bath, sleep, or write? Uh, just hold up one two or three fingers. And I'll get you some clothes."
Valen feels so overwhelmed by the way Jim is talking to him. He has to make decisions? He's too tired to think, drained and exhausted by his hunger and fear. He holds up two fingers. That was for sleep, right? Maybe he wants to just be left alone for a while
"Yeah, I bet you're exhausted. Lemme grab something for you to wear, just hang tight for a second, yeah?" Jim leaves briefly, returning with a set of soft checkered pajamas and a familiar outfit: the clothes Valen gave to Jim 10 years ago.
"I can finally return 'em." Jim says with a smile, handing everything to Valen.
Valen takes the clothes with shaking hands. He recognizes them. He finally remembers taking Jim home and caring for him when he was in need. Just as Jim is doing for him now. He buries his face in the outfit and drops to his knees, crying. He wants to say thank you. But he shouldn't try to talk, that's bad, and he should be good for Jim, who's helping him.
Jim goes down with him, rubbing his back, careful to avoid the half-healed burns. "You're gonna be alright. I've got you. I won't let anything bad happen to you. How about I show you downstairs, you get some rest, and tomorrow you can get cleaned up, get some more blood in you, and if your mouth's not healed enough to talk yet- which, yeah, I dunno how long that'll take- you can write anything you wanna say. Sound good?"
Valen tries to compose himself, sniffling. He's scared, but all he can really do is hang in there and trust that what Jim is saying is true, and that everything will be okay. Downstairs and rest sound nice.
When Jim shows him downstairs, the basement reminds him uncomfortably of his cell at the hunter's compound, although he quickly decides he'd prefer it to the upstairs anyway just because it has no windows and therefore no risk of the sun.
There's a bed, and a blanket, and a pillow. Jim intends those to be for him, right? He'd said he'd set up a bed for him. Right? But it seems so outrageously luxurious, so much more than he deserves or is used to, that he can't bring himself to accept it. He must be misunderstanding somehow, or thinking wishfully. Such things are not for him anymore, and he can't risk seeming entitled and presumptuous. He can hear the hunters' voices: You think you get a bed, leech? That's cute.
No, he can't risk it. He needs to show he'll be happy with whatever Jim gives him. Especially after he'd bitten Jim. There's no way that behavior should be rewarded like this.
He really, really wants the blanket, so maybe if he shows he knows his place, Jim will be kind and give it to him anyway, even though it's too good for him.
Valen staggers to the corner of the room and slides down onto the ground, lying on the cement floor with the clothes Jim had given him under his head as a substitute for a pillow. He hopes that misusing the clothes that way won't seem too entitled. The voices come back. Oh, you think you deserve a pillow, leech? That's cute. Since you don't know how to use them, might as well take them back.
"Oh, hey, what's wrong? Is something wrong with the air mattress? I know it's not, like, the best thing ever, but I only got... you can use my bed if you want. It's upstairs, but I can close the curtains and you should be peachy." Jim offers. "You can sleep wherever you want. Take your pick."
Oh no, no, this is too hard, it's too hard to try and figure out if it's really safe to accept the air mattress. He wants it so badly, which is the exact reason why he knows he can't have it. That is something they trained into him. He curls his bony knees up to his chest and cries, unsure of what to do
Okay, Valen is scared. He's just scared. "It's okay. Nothing's gonna hurt here." Jim says softly. "How about you put on your pajamas and get into bed? Can you do that? I'll turn around while you get changed, just like, make any noise to let me know when you're done or if you need help.”
He turns around, hoping this will encourage Valen.
Valen wishes Jim would stop phrasing things so ambiguously, and start just saying what he wants Valen to do. He is used to commands, not ambiguous suggestions. How about you put on your pajamas and get into bed could mean anything. He thinks it means Jim wants him to do that, but he really wishes Jim would just order him to use the bed so he can do it without being afraid that he's doing something he'll be punished for.
But he'd said Nothing's gonna hurt here. That doesn't seem right. How will Jim punish him, then, if he won't be using pain to do it? Unless Jim doesn't think he needs punished? Maybe he doesn't, if Valen saved him, like it seems like he did forever ago, in another life. But the hunters had seemed so sure he'd deserved it, so maybe they knew something Jim didn't.
Oh no, if that was the case then maybe there was some danger that Jim could find out what it was that made him deserve pain, and then stop being nice to him and helping him. His brain runs off in this anxious train of thought, before he tries to ground himself by the fact that Jim has turned around and clearly wants him to get changed. Just get changed, you can do it, stop using your wild imagination and just get changed.
He drops the mangled, bloodstained tatters that comprise the clothes he'd been wearing when he'd been captured to the ground, then pulls on the pajamas. They're soft and warm and cozy, and so, so wonderful and that makes him so nervous because surely this can't be for him, this has to be a mistake, right?
Say thank you, say thank you or he might take them back. He tries to remember how to talk. You have to vibrate your throat, like a growl, and move your lips, except he doesn't have those right now. He tries anyway, and it comes out as a strangulated gurgle. He puts his hands over his mouth. No, talking is bad, isn't it? He doesn't know, he'd never been given the opportunity with the hunters.
Jim turns around at the sound to see Valen dressed. "Awesome. You can go to bed now, get some rest. And don't touch the door, okay? It's got silver on it. I was, uh, expecting someone else, not you. The hunters said I was picking up Kane, so y'know, precautions. I'll leave it open, so don't worry about it. You need anything else before I head up?"
Go to bed. Go to bed, go to bed means go to the bed and lie down in it and close your eyes and go to sleep. Right? He wants to so badly. But he is so, so anxious. He wants Jim to reaffirm that he means for Valen to sleep on the air mattress. It feels like it's not going to be safe to accept the bed and the blanket and the pillow unless Jim tells him he has to.
He can't look Jim in the eye and give him a questioning facial expression. He can't ask Are you sure? Valen is completely oblivious as Jim tells him about the door--he has no intention of going near the door, or trying to escape, escape is impossible and useless to even hope for--he's laser-focused on the bed. He steps towards it and kneels again, slowly extending one hand out to touch the blanket, whimpering as though he expects Jim to hit him. Keeping his eyes low, he looks at Jim and pauses with his hand on the blanket, to give Jim an opportunity to either tell him to keep going, or to shoo him away and confirm his doubts.
"Yeah, that's it. Shit, at least Kane let me sleep in a damn bed. Go for it. You're all good." Jim gives him a thumbs-up. "Or, uh, if there's some other problem, I could get something for you to write with after all?"
Valen nods at the suggestion, and holds his hand out, trying not to cry. Why did this feel so hard?
"Alright, one second." Jim heads upstairs, coming back a moment later with a pen, paper, and a cutting board he grabbed just for a hard surface to put the paper on. He sits on the air mattress, handing Valen the materials and patting the space next to him. "What do you wanna say? It's alright, you're safe now."
Valen doesn't get up onto the bed next to Jim. He stays kneeling on the floor and takes the materials from Jim. His hand is shaky, and he fumbles with the pencil, crying as his hands struggle to write, something he hasn't done in years. Eventually he manages to get out a message in messy font: I don't deserve a bed.
Jim sighs sadly. "Yeah you do, man. You deserve a bed. Promise. Look, I don't know all of what those fuckers did to you, I can't say I know how you feel. But I do know what it's like to have to learn how to be a person again after being told over and over again I'm not one. You're a person. You deserve nice things, and you deserve to be safe, and you deserve a bed. Okay?"
Finally, finally that's enough to make him feel like he can take the bed without being anxious about it. It sounds like it's safe for the blanket and pillows too. Tears still rolling down his cheeks, he crawls into the bed underneath the blanket, balling up and tucking himself away.
"There you go. Feel free to come up and get me if you need anything, alright? Up the stairs, down the hall, first door on the left. Hope you sleep good." Jim pats him on the shoulder before getting up, turning the lights off, and heading upstairs. As promised, the door remains open.
The feeling of softness around him still feels wrong wrong wrong, after so long on hard floors, but he weeps with joy at the luxury. He falls asleep truly comfortable for the first time in years. Maybe, just maybe everything is going to be okay. He doesn't try and get out of bed, especially not to leave the room; he isn't convinced he could make it up the stairs anyway. But he doesn't even want to. He doesn't want to escape from the luxury of having a blanket.
***
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Chapter 3: Starting Point
You and Dan Heng are a match made in heaven until fate takes him away from you too soon. Years later, you think you moved on with a mutual friend who shared your grief and stuck with you during tough times until you meet a mysterious man with a striking resemblance to your past lover and a hidden motive. You’re determined to get rid of him, but how are you going to get rid of a god?
Dan Feng/You
Notes:
Cross-posted on Ao3
Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail crossover
Female reader
Chapter index at the end of chapter one
Support my writing
Tomorrow is the big day: the day you’re finally discharged from the hospital.
Throughout the week, Dan Feng never visited or contacted you. You noticed early that he put his number in the phone he gave you, but you never contacted him. Ever since he left that day, it’s been dead quiet, and you’ve been focusing on work and recovery. However, that doesn't mean he'd occasionally sneak into your thoughts. You've come to accept that Dan Feng only looks like Dan Heng, but that doesn't stop it from reopening a wound that once caused endless sleepless nights, therapy, and medication. Yet this time, the pain came with a childlike curiosity that tempted you, something that you refused to acknowledge let alone satisfy.
It’s almost dinner time, and you’ve been working as Stelle had brought you your work laptop—at your request—early in the week. You save your work, close your laptop, and reach for your phone on the nightstand.
No call. No message.
It’s not Dan Feng you’re waiting for. Your fiancé messaged you earlier that he would be dropping by with takeout… again. It’s something you noticed. Perhaps he was too busy to cook for you as he did for the past years you two were together, but every time he’d visit you, it was always takeout and none of the homemade food you used to enjoy together. No matter how busy he was, he'd always make you something of his.
It’s been nearly two hours, and he’s still not here. You’re heading to the hospital entrance when you give him another call, but the line goes on… and on… and on until you see him walk inside the building. You're about to call his name when you see a woman—an old classmate and your fiancé’s friend from college—run up to him. She looks almost the same from her college days. At least, her red lipstick never changed. She hands him what you think is his phone, and then with her hands on his shoulders, she leans up and kisses him on the lips.
Your eyes go wide. Your hands fall to your sides, and you almost drop your phone. He'll push her away, you think… but he doesn’t, which confirms your worst nightmare. You clench your fists, and with your face almost red with anger, you snap a photo with your phone. Then, you turn around and walk away.
Your fiancé pulls back and then says:
“We shouldn’t do this here.”
The woman pouts. “Don’t get so worked up. So what if she sees? She’s cheating on you too, isn’t she?”
“She—”
She puts a perfectly manicured finger to his lips. “You don’t need to make excuses for her. Her heart has always been with Dan Heng, and now that this new guy showed up… Of course, they’ve been talking behind your back. She’s always been using you… to get over her heartbreak over what happened to Dan Heng. You deserve so much better.” She puts a hand on his cheek. “It’s time to end things with her.”
Back in your room, you’re desperately trying to convince yourself that he’s not worth the pain or the anger, but that’s not enough to stop a few tears. As you’re trying to calm down, you hear your phone buzz. You walk over and see that it’s from that good-for-nothing man. You know exactly why he’s calling. Right when you came back to your room, you immediately called for a nurse, telling her that you'd be refusing visitors for the remaining visiting hours.
You stare at your phone that’s still going off. After ringing for the third time, you pick up.
Your fiancé says your name in a panic. “They said you were refusing visitors. Why? Is something wrong?”
“Isn’t that a question you should be asking yourself?”
“...I don’t…” When he falls silent, you almost scoff.
“Let me make myself clear. I don’t like second-hand things, but some people do. So, why don’t you scurry back to the person who actually wants you.”
“Y-You think I wanted to do something like that? Of course not! But, you’ve been making me feel so insecure!"
"From what?"
"You've been talking to Dan Feng behind my back, haven't you?" You have no words for how confident he sounds.
"And if I told you we haven't talked at all, would you believe me?" You sigh. "Whatever. We're done. I'll move out tomorrow."
Then, you end the call and block his number.
◆◆◆
The night has gotten significantly colder when Dan Feng returns to Wangshu Inn, the place he’s been staying for the past week. He’d read about the place in Bailu’s journal where she described it as a beautiful hotel that preserves the beauty of traditional elements. The exterior reminded him of a temple while the interior had architecture that rivalled those found in ancient Chinese palaces. Giant lanterns lit up almost every hotel amenity; their bright, warm glow was as welcoming as the attitude of all the staff. It's a place that reminded Dan Feng of home. As he walks across the lobby, a slim woman with long, light brown hair and bangs and brown eyes looks up from the receptionist's desk. Verr Goldet is the name on her gold nameplate on the left side of her dark red overcoat.
“Good evening, sir." Her smile carries one of genuine warmth. "Welcome back.”
Dan Feng gives a polite nod and heads back to his room.
During the week, he’s been studying and researching the human world, something that once felt familiar but was now a distant memory. He’s not surprised Xianzhou has changed so drastically since his parents were in power, but Dan Feng is pleasantly surprised that this technologically advanced city still preserved some traditional landmarks, including the palace he once called home, which is now a bustling tourist destination.
The night was still. One could hear crickets and owls in the distance, but the palace was quiet. No one would’ve guessed that someone was awake.
Dan Feng was in his chamber, sitting on a woven mat in front of a low table made out of the finest wood in the nation. He flipped the page of the history book he was reading when a familiar voice came from behind the sliding door.
“Brother?”
What was Dan Heng doing out so late at night? Dan Feng closed his book.
“...Come in.”
Dan Heng, dressed in a long white robe with green and gold accents and a dark green sash around his waist, quietly entered his brother’s room. Upon seeing the book his brother was reading, he asked:
"Are you studying even at this late of night?"
"No, I'm not. Just a bit of light reading."
"...Light reading?" Dan Heng asked, noticing how thick the book was. He sat on a woven mat on the other side of the table. "How is the studying for the exam, by the way?"
"What do you think?" The slightly playful tone didn't go unnoticed.
Unlike Dan Heng, a skilled swordsman and general of the nation's military, Dan Feng found his place in academia where he spent countless hours researching, experimenting, and writing papers. The National Scholar Proficiency Exam also known as NSPE was a test for those in academia to rise above the ranks and grant them various opportunities such as opening universities and programs and drastically increasing their chances of getting direct funding from the palace to support their research.
Because of Dan Feng's status and obvious family connections, there were many opposed to him taking the exam as some speculated it was “just for show” and that he would get a free pass because of his parents. But throughout his academic journey, he never relied on them, proving his place and worth with his skill alone.
If Dan Feng passed, he’d be the youngest scholar to ever take the exam and succeed.
"So, what's keeping you awake, Brother?" Dan Feng asked. "If I were to venture a guess... it's our parents's latest attempt to find us a wife."
“...So, you’re aware.”
“Oh”—Dan Feng rolled his eyes—”if only you knew what the maids talk about.”
It was no secret that the king and queen were hunting for a suitable bride for their sons. Being a powerful nation, there were many neighbouring kingdoms where the royals were looking to marry off their daughters. But, the economic and military benefits to Xianzhou weren't enough, which was why their parents politely declined.
“It’s starting to get out of hand."
“Just noticed it now?" Dan Feng picked up his book and walked to a large wooden bookshelf on the other side of the room. "Focus on other things"—he put the book in its rightful place—"and let them have their fun. Reasoning with them won’t work anymore.”
“...You may be right. But, I will not participate anymore.” Then, Dan Heng said a woman’s name, a name that Dan Feng was also familiar with. She wasn’t of royalty but came from a family of skilled calligraphers, and her father taught the brothers calligraphy when they were young. It was how they knew each other, and they surprisingly kept in touch even until now. Now, she was a textile designer working in town. “...She is someone important to both of us, but I wish to give her a life of happiness.”
Dan Feng turned around. “Are you asking for my blessing?”
“I’ve seen how you look at her, though it’s only something I’ve noticed recently.”
Perhaps Dan Feng wasn’t as good at hiding his emotions as he thought. While he admitted that he had been growing some fond feelings for his childhood friend, he wouldn’t call it love. But then again, romantic love was something he’d never experienced. Who was he to say that it wasn’t? Regardless, Dan Feng was still figuring out his feelings when his brother dropped this bombshell on him.
“...You’re serious about her.” Dan Feng was careful not to let his voice wander up to sound like a question.
“I am.”
He wasn’t sure what to feel about his brother’s conviction. Dan Feng respected how his brother had said it without any hesitation, but there was also something else. Frustration? Refusal?
“...Have you confessed to her?" Dan Feng asked. "Surely, not yet… considering her circumstances.”
Her failed arranged marriage was no secret. Most, if not the entire village, knew about the man’s infidelity with a woman from another village, and their childhood friend had gotten the brunt of it. Ridiculous gossip like “because she wasn’t womanly enough” or “because she’s too focused on her work” came about, but she had told the brothers the truth of the matter:
“We didn’t love each other,” she had said. “How could we? We don’t match.”
“I’m waiting for the right opportunity,” Dan Heng admitted. “And, your blessing would mean a lot to me.”
Then, for the first time, Dan Feng did something he considered to be unreasonable.
“...Let’s talk after my exam, shall we?”
Wearing a white bathrobe, Dan Feng is sitting on a chair, sipping his tea. He glances at his phone on the small, round table, and he suddenly thinks of you.
Was your fiancé cheating? If he was, did you find out? Dan Feng never sticks his nose into other people’s business, but… if his hunch is right, your fiancé is cheating, and it’s only a matter of time before you find out. He puts his empty teacup back on the coaster. If his hunch is right, then that’s one more similarity between you and the woman he used to love. You never confirmed that you and Dan Heng were romantically involved, but your fiancé’s initial reaction was too much for Dan Heng to have been just a friend. So, perhaps Dan Feng should thank your fiancé and his inability to control his emotions.
While Dan Feng has been catching up to all the advancements in the human world, he’s also been researching reincarnations, but he hasn’t found anything new than what he already knows. Dan Heng is living proof that reincarnations happen. But, if you really are her, why are your names different? Soon, Dan Feng’s mind goes on a spiral: Who are your parents? What do you do for a living? How did you and Dan Heng meet? He uses two fingers to rub the space between his eyes.
You’re driving him crazy in the worst way possible.
He looks at his phone again. Is it a blessing or a curse that he doesn’t have your number? Then, he narrows his eyes and looks over his shoulder.
“Livin’ the good life, are we?”
“Get off the bed,” Dan Feng says flatly.
Sampo swings his legs over and leans forward so his elbows are on his knees. “Hey, at least I took off my shoes before I got on, right?”
“What are you doing here?”
“Well… my big ‘ol boss got wind of me saving a human… So, I’ve been banished.”
Now, this is unexpected.
“...Banished?”
“For the year.”
Dan Feng turns back. “What a punishment.”
“...Well, here’s the thing, my dragon friend…” Sampo stands and plops into the chair on the other side of the small table. “If the Aeons aren’t caught, the two of us… we’ll be stuck here forever.”
Dan Feng scoffs and swings one leg over the other. “...You sold me out, didn't you?" Sampo shrugs with a not-so-innocent smile. "What about everyone else?"
“Regardless of the result, they’re free to go back.”
“...Answer me first. Why did you help me save her that night?”
Sampo puts his hands behind his head. “You asked me to, didn’t you?”
“And you’d do anything I say?”
Sampo’s cat-like smile is back. “She was cute.” Then, he makes a gesture as if he’s whispering to someone. “Too young and too cute to die just yet.”
Dan Feng imagines throwing his teacup at him. If he still had some of his power, he’d make it happen in a blink of an eye.
“What? Looks like you’re not satisfied with that response.”
“I want a real response, not that ridiculous garbage you just told me.”
Sampo puts a hand over his heart and looks offended, but he really isn’t. “Gosh. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." A soft sigh. “All right, fine. I’ll let you in on a secret, but I’m sure you already know… I heard her say a name that’s too similar to yours not to be a coincidence. Dan Heng… He was your doppelganger, am I right?”
“...That’s it?” Dan Feng deadpans. “That’s the reason?”
“I figured she might have something to do with these untimely deaths. Dan Heng wasn’t supposed to die that day, but this woman was. They… oh, how can I put this? They switched places. If that didn’t happen, we wouldn’t have been able to save her.” Sampo stands and walks to the balcony. “As I told you before, people have been dying when they aren’t supposed to. Your doppelganger was one of them. And since that started happening when the Aeons disappeared, she could be affiliated with them without knowing who they really are.”
Dan Feng crosses her arms. “In other words, you want to use her to find out where the Aeons are. And what if she’s never met them?”
“She knows your doppelganger, which means she must know something or have connections to his family. She’s our beautiful, little starting point.” Sampo sighs as if satisfied. “Ah… This adrenaline. Feels so nice to get a change of pace once in a while. It gets awfully boring just taking souls.” Then, he walks over and swings an arm around Dan Feng. “So, start using that charisma of yours, and let’s get Aeon hunting, hm?"
Dan Feng stands and walks over to the room service phone. “...Hi. Yes, I’d like to report an intruder." A small pause. "...Room 1220."
As soon as Dan Feng puts down the receiver, Sampo frowns. "I thought we were friends, Dan Feng. I thought we were behind this."
"Friend or not..." A firm knock comes at the door. Sampo snaps his fingers and is shocked when nothing happens. Despite his constant finger snapping, it still isn’t working when two guards walk in and seize him. "Neither of us should ignore the rules of this world."
“...This is a huge misunderstanding,” Sampo says to the two guards. “This guy's playing games!"
“Rule number one,” Dan Feng says, his hands behind his back. “Nothing in the human world comes for free, not even for The Reaper.”
Sampo frowns as he's escorted out, and then Dan Feng closes the door.
◆◆◆
It’s only noon but you and Stelle are having drinks at March’s house.
Your luggage, holding all of your things from your ex’s house, is placed neatly by the door. You had gone early in the morning to grab them, and while it was awkward, you obviously weren’t going to shy away from it. After hearing about what happened, Stelle offered you to stay at her place. March had photoshopped the photo you took and replaced their heads with the ugliest images of cartoon poop she could find because replacing them with any animal would be an insult to said animal. Then, she also offered you a place at her apartment.
While you’re grateful for their offers, you know their families are visiting and staying with them starting tomorrow since a month ago. So, before telling them, you already came up with a plan. It’s not like you had nowhere to go. You never sold the apartment left behind by your parents when they passed. When you got engaged almost a year ago, you rented it to an elderly couple. So, it's just a waiting game for their contact to end until you can move back in. Thankfully, it's set to expire by the end of next week.
For now, you booked a room at Wangshu Inn for a week while you wait.
“What a scumbag,” March says, slamming her wine glass on the table. “But damn… He went after you for years. I can’t believe he’d just throw all of that away.”
“No matter how much a woman tries,” Stelle says, “they can never erase the worries of an insecure man.”
You groan and lean your head back on the sofa behind you. “...And I still don’t know who has my necklace.”
After booking a room at Wangshu Inn, you called the pawn shop and asked about the necklace. But to no avail.
“...Maybe… Maybe it’ll show up when you least expect it!”
You give March a little smile. “Thanks, but… I doubt it.”
“You know… There may be one good thing that came out of all of this…”
March and Stelle glance at each other, and March nods with a wide smile. “Mm… Oh, yes, I think you’re right.”
You look at them. “...What are you two thinking about?”
Suddenly, your friends are on either side of you. March, still with that smile, asks:
“Dan Feng gave you his number, didn't he? Let's call him!"
“No.” Then, you sip your wine.
“Why not? You’re single!”
You slowly turn to March with an unamused look.
“You have to contact him eventually, don’t you?” Stelle asks. “You said you’d show him around town.”
“When I have time,” you say. “Right now, I won’t with all the moving and work I have to catch up on.”
“But, I’m sure he’d like to get an update on how you’re doing,” March says, sounding but failing to sound convincing.
“Right… Because I'm sure anyone would love to share that their fiancé cheated.”
March pours you more wine. “Well, you could, like, just don't mention that! Okay, but seriously... Is Dan Feng rich? Like, did you see the outfit he was wearing? And that watch?”
"That outfit isn't hard to find," you say. "There are a bunch of cheap options for the same look."
Stelle puts her elbow on the couch. “But, I do wonder… What does he do for a living?”
“Yeah!” March nods eagerly. “I’m curious, too! It makes me wonder if he’s Dan Heng’s cousin twice removed or something. Or, maybe Dan Feng’s the heir of a rival fashion company. How's that for a plot twist?”
“You have a wild imagination, March.”
March nudges you. “If you don’t wanna talk to him, can I? I’ll keep it short… Promise!”
After seeing March’s eager expression, you cave, and hand her your phone. She clicks on Dan Feng’s contact and turns on the speaker. As the phone tries to connect, your hands start fidgeting. He won’t pick up, you think. All of that talk about you showing him around was just—
“Hello?”
You shouldn’t be that surprised, but your eyes still go wide. You look at March. She looks at you, and your face almost goes pale when she gestures for you to talk.
“...Don’t tell me you’re going to say you accidentally dialled my number.”
Everyone turns to the phone, and you awkwardly clear your throat. “...My friend wants to talk to you.”
March gives you a deadpan look, and you hand her the phone when he suddenly says:
“But I’d rather talk to you.”
March quickly puts a hand over her mouth while Stelle almost gasps.
“How’s your recovery?” Dan Feng asks.
“...Um… Well, I was discharged today.”
“Congratulations.”
“...Thanks.”
“Now, before I go on… That fiancé of yours. He’s not going to suddenly take the phone away and start yelling, is he?”
“We broke up.” You’re careful not to sound too hostile and angry about it.
“...Ah. And is another congratulations in order or should I be offering my condolences?”
You’re quick to catch on. Is this his way of trying to get information on what happened? Maybe you’re overthinking it. So, instead, you say:
“We didn’t match. So, I suppose you could congratulate me.”
There’s a small silence, and then:
“I see. Then, if that’s the case… Congratulations. You deserve better.”
March gives you two thumbs up and a wide smile.
“Because of my current circumstances, it might be a little while before I can show you around,” you say. “So, if you don’t want to wait, maybe you should ask someone else.”
“I fully intend on getting my tour around the city, and if waiting will get me there, then it is what it is. I’m willing to wait until you’re ready. But if this is a way of rejecting my offer of friendship, I’d rather you tell me directly.”
March and Stelle are staring at you as if this is a life-or-death situation.
“It’s not,” you say. “I really—”
“Then, I’ll be waiting.”
You lift the phone away from your ear, surprised that he ended the call.
“Oh, my God!” March is almost slamming the table. “That was… That was…” She immediately looks at Stelle. “Help me, Stelle!”
“Offer of friendship… That’s something I’ve never heard before.”
“It’s innovative!”
“All right. Is everyone happy now?” you deadpan.
March and Stelle exchange a glance.
“Well, it’ll have to do for now,” March says.
You finish the rest of your wine. Then, as you and Stelle help March clean up the table, you say:
“Is it just me, or are you trying a little too hard to set me up with a stranger I barely know?”
“...For now,” Stelle says, and you turn to her, not expecting this response.
“He’s a stranger for now,” March clarifies. “Look”—she swings a friendly arm around you—”we’re not saying you have to go and date the guy. But, it won’t hurt to meet some new people!"
You’re about to say your opinion, but Stelle is quick to add:
“We know you want to focus on work, which, hey, we totally support. But, he genuinely doesn’t seem like a bad person. At the very least, we'd be making a new friend."
“...Besides…” It’s one of those rare times that March has a serious look. “...I somehow can’t shake off he has like… some kind of connection to Dan Heng.”
So, it’s not just you.
“Or, maybe it’s because I miss him a lot…” March continues quietly.
“...I miss him, too.”
March hugs you as Stelle, standing on the other side of you, puts an arm around you and March.
◆◆◆
Wanting somewhere quiet, Dan Feng had gone to the nearby library as there was an upcoming wedding at Wangshu Inn, causing a lot of commotion. He’d quickly learned how to use a computer, and for a couple of hours, he’d been finding out all that he could about his brother’s life, which surprisingly didn’t take that long.
His brother was an only child and the heir to Lunae, a large fashion company, but was involved in a tragic accident when the private jet carrying him and his family crashed into the ocean. Despite a thorough investigation and finding the black box, investigators were puzzled that they couldn’t pinpoint the reason behind the crash. The bodies of everyone on that jet had also strangely “vanished.” Investigators couldn’t find any human remains, but there was no way that anyone could’ve survived considering the impact and location.
Dan Feng clicks on an article. His eyes scan the page, and that’s when he sees it. It’s a photo of you surrounded by reporters. Half of your face is covered in shadow, but nothing can hide the solemn, broken look on your face. Dan Heng wasn’t a celebrity, so there was very little about his private life. But this accident had brought those connected to the family, including you, his girlfriend, into the spotlight.
The mystery had generated a lot of buzz when it first came out and conspiracy theories went wild. Some speculated it was the pilot who had a suicide mission. Others speculated there was someone else inside the plane who murdered the family and tossed their remains elsewhere before the plane crashed.
Dan Feng opens a new browser and types in ‘Lunae’.
Established more than a century ago, the fashion house is known as The House of Moons, originally specializing in East Asian designs. But after the unfortunate accident, Tsaritsa, a distant relative of Dan Heng’s mother, took over and reorganized the management team. While Dan Feng doesn’t recognize anyone from the list, there is one person who stands out.
A distinguished-looking man who goes by the name ‘Pierro’. That angular face and sharp look in his eyes that pierces through one’s soul… It reminds Dan Feng of a similar man back in his time, a leading general of the military from a neighbouring nation who did not see eye to eye in political matters with Dan Feng’s family. Their names are similar, and their appearance heightens the possibility of Pierro being a reincarnation. Or, is he simply a descendant?
Dan Feng closes the browser and leaves the library, going over in his mind what he’d learned.
While he's not certain, the crash might have happened because of some extra… help. Considering the crash happened within the last decade, the Aeons would've been wandering in the human realm. But, if the Aeons were involved, how did they meet Tsaritsa? And… why would they help her? Was there an internal power struggle before all of this happened?
As soon as Dan Feng enters the inn, there’s a familiar woman at the receptionist counter. With his hands behind his back, he walks across the lobby, his steady footsteps sounding quietly against the wooden floor. He’s a short distance away when he hears you thank the receptionist. Then, with a small mischievous smile, he says:
“Guess I didn’t have to wait that long to see you.”
Chapter 4
Tag list: @lunavixia
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An Unnecessarily Comprehensive Sandman Reading Order
Having now read EVERY comic that I could find based on, using characters from, or tying in with @neil-gaiman‘s Sandman series, I thought I should provide what is, as far as i can tell, the definitive list of everything Sandman, in roughly the order of publication, and also what I thought of them. Warning: there’s a lot of it (over 580 issues in two and a half months).
Sandman (1989) #1-28 [Neil Gaiman] (x) (x) (x) (x) (x) (x) (x)
Obviously we start at the beginning (I hear it’s a very good place to start) with the first 3 main arcs of Sandman plus some single issue stories. This is where the series really leans into the horror side of “dark fantasy,” and I for one love it. Idk, there’s not really much to say here. This is a Sandman blog, we all love this series here, or at least like it enough to talk about it. Go reread this stuff. It’s fuckin good.
The Books of Magic (1990) #1-4 [Neil Gaiman] (x)
The original Books of Magic series is essentially a guided tour of the DC universe’s magic side. Each issue focuses on a specific part of the universe, most of which are callbacks to comics that, I promise, you do not need to have read. The main three reasons to include this is: a) it’s fun, b) Tim as a character gets his own series which becomes part of the Sandman Universe relaunch, and c) it’s a nice place to learn a bunch of DC magic stuff which might show up later without having to drag yourself through the wiki and or read a thousand other comics. Then again this list is over 570 comics long, so maybe that second part’s not much of an issue here.
Sandman (1989) #29-31, Special #1, #32-50 [Neil Gaiman] (x) (x) (x) (x) (x)
This begins with the Distant Mirrors collection (rather than placing them in the Fables & Reflections TP) and runs all the way to the end of Brief Lives and the Ramadan issue (essentially the end of Distant Mirrors, albeit two years later). Brief Lives and A Game of You are still my favourite Sandman collections, the best examples of what I call “human Sandman,” focused on dreamers and their lives and all that, and “Endless Sandman,” focused on the affairs of Dream and his funky family.
Death: The High Cost of Living #1-3 [Neil Gaiman]
The first Death spinoff! It’s based on the one-day-as-a-human thing she does, it’s a lot of fun, and other side characters from Sandman make an appearance! Look, we all know these are good. I don’t have as much to say about them as I do about the obscure comics from the early 2000s that it feels like only I read.
The Children’s Crusade: The Children’s Crusade #1, Black Orchid Annual #1, Animal Man Annual #1, Swamp Thing Annual #7, Doom Patrol Annual #2, Arcana (The Books of Magic) Annual #1, The Children’s Crusade #2 [Neil Gaiman, Nick Foreman, Jamie Delano, Nancy A. Collins, Rachel Pollack, John Ney Rieber, Alisa Kwitney] (x)
This is a crossover between all the big Vertigo titles, focused on the children of each series. Don’t worry about what’s actually going on in the individual series the annuals are from, but the overall plot (by Neil Gaiman) focuses on what the Dead Boy Detectives (Charles and Edwin from Sandman #25) have been up to since escaping Death. They get more very good spinoff content later on, and apparently they’re getting a tv show soon which should be fun.
Death Talks About Life [Neil Gaiman] (x)
This is the short AIDS educational comic. John Constantine has a banana. I like it, I think it deserves a place in this list. Apparently Neil Gaiman almost got arrested for it which is some king shit honestly.
The Spectre (1992) #19-22 [John Ostrander]
This is a very meh arc of a Spectre series that I have not read anything else of. But Lucien is in it briefly so I did read this bit. And in my opinion? Completionism was not worth this boring comic.
Sandman (1989) #51-75 [Neil Gaiman] (x) (x) (x)
The big finale! Worlds’ End and The Wake bookend the massive 12 issue The Kindly Ones arc, so I think keeping all of them together makes a certain amount of sense.
The Books of Magic (1994) #1-20 [John Ney Rieber] (x)
The start of the proper Books of Magic ongoing series (this series being one of my favourite things I’ve read for this) expands nicely on what we know about Tim from the Neil Gaiman miniseries. A lot of plotlines also get picked up from the Children’s Crusade event, and stuff from there is explained and expanded upon. Look, I love this series so much and I think that, while what the Sandman Universe reboot did with it was entertaining, this is still much better.
Sandman: Midnight Theatre [Neil Gaiman, Matt Wagner]
This explores the golden age Sandman, Westley Dodds, and also gives a look at Dream in captivity. The actual Sandman content isn’t a huge part of it, mostly focusing on character that are presumably a part of Vertigo’s Sandman Mystery Theatre series of which this is technically a spinoff. Still, it’s enjoyable, the art is nice, and we get a nice look at the Order of Ancient Mysteries that we don’t really see in Sandman.
Death: The Time of Your Life #1-3 [Neil Gaiman]
Death spinoff 2! This one focuses completely on Hazel and Foxglove after A Game of You and The High Cost of Living, and is less about Death herself (although this isn’t the Death spinoff with the least Death in it. We’ll get there).
The Books of Magic (1994) #21-32, Annual #1, #33-38 [John Ney Rieber] (x)
More of a transitionary period in the series, Molly gets sent off on her own subplot while Tim wanders aimlessly around America for a bit. The America stuff can get confusing and disjointed and doesn’t quite fit into a compelling coherent narrative, but Molly’s plotline more than makes up for it
The Dreaming (1996) #1-16 [Terry LaBan, Peter Hogan, Alisa Kwitney, Bryan Talbot, Jeff Nicholson] (x)
While the best bits of this series are yet to come, there are some good stories in this first, more loosely connected section. That being said, the first 3-issue arc in particular isn’t exactly a perfect example of what the strengths of this series will be, and really it’s just treading water waiting for a writer to come along with a good overall vision for the series. Don’t worry, that’ll come.
The Books of Faerie #1-3 [Bronwyn Carlton]
This seems like a fairly standard telling of an origin story, but it actually ends up providing insights into Tim’s actual true parentage which was left entirely up in the air in the issue of Books of Magic that this picks up from. Which is nice, because I was kinda confused.
The Dreaming (1996) #17-25 [Caitlin R Kiernan, Al Davison, Peter Hogan]
This is really where this series starts to show what it’s gonna be good at. The arc that begins in #17 is the first to be written by Caitlin R. Kiernan, and introduces characters, concepts, and themes which will become very important when they eventually take over writing the series, as well as just being really fucking good.
Vertigo: Winter’s Edge #1 [Neil Gaiman, Caitlin R Kiernan, John Ney Rieber]
These winter specials are always something of a mixed bag. For what’s relevant here, Neil Gaiman offers a Desire-based story which is confusing and vague and has little to do with Sandman aside from featuring an Endless, the Books of Magic segment is just a short and inconsequential adventure for Tim, and Caitlin R Kiernan clealy shines when they provide a Cain and Abel short which is both a fair bit of fun and establishes concepts and themes which will become very relevant for some of their later writing.
The Books of Magic (1994) Annual #2, #39-50 [John Ney Rieber]
It’s time for a big ol’ finale for the John Ney Rieber run on this series! A whole bunch of characters return! Excitement! Action! Magic! Chocolate! A surprise twist involving a character from very early on in Sandman! What more could you want, really?
Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold #1-3 [Alisa Kwitney]
This is essentially a series of historical stories that loosely connect to one character who is somewhat linked to Destiny. It’s good, even if the stuff about a huge plague in the 21st century is a weird read now, and the individual issues are also pretty long. Don’t go in expecting a spinoff starring Destiny or providing insights into how all his shit works. The story is rather built around him, like a lot of Sandman around Dream, or the next-but-one item on this list around Death, and if you take it with that in mind you’ll enjoy it more than if you expect something it’s not.
The Dreaming (1996) #26, Special #1, #27-34 [Caitlin R Kiernan, Len Wein, Peter Hogan]
The Many Mansions arc, beginning with #27, is the first section of The Dreaming that’s felt like it’s really shaken up the status quo, and has taken big risks with the characters in service of the story. One of the main strengths of the series, in my opinion, is the fact that it allows what were simple running jokes, exaggerated horror hosts, or side characters to Dream’s angst a time to shine, both in the sense that they get the spotlight, but also that they are allowed to change, grow, and don’t end up in the same role as the series continues.
The Girl Who Would Be Death #1-4 [Caitlin R Kiernan]
This is a spinoff of The Dreaming and ties in with characters that Caitlin R Kiernan has already established, as well as establishing a few more, rather than being a sequel to Gaiman’s previous Death series. As with much of their writing in this universe, it’s got a brilliant atmosphere and fascinating characters. Also, it’s now canon that Death was at least one lesbian’s gay awakening which I think is the most realistic thing that’s ever been shown in any Sandman comic.
Vertigo: Winter’s Edge #2 [Neil Gaiman, Peter Gross, Caitlin R Kiernan]
The Sandman segment in this one is much stronger in my opinion, pulling on threads that are hinted at and explaining things from Sandman to give a good look at Death as an actual character. The Books of Magic story is the same sort of thing as the previous years, just a nice inconsequential short story with Tim. Again, though, Kiernan’s The Dreaming story is the best of the ones that I bothered to read, setting up things for the future and also providing some down-time to acknowledge the way that the status quo has shifted.
Sandman Presents: Lucifer: The Morningstar Option #1-3 [Mike Carey]
The beginning of another major spinoff line! This one’s fun, and also the start of the Sandman Presents collection of miniseries that came out from 1999-2004. Its plot also sets up the events of Mike Carey’s subsequent Lucifer series, so read this is you want the start of that to make any sense at all.
The Books of Magic (1994) #51-56, Annual #3, #57-63 [Peter Gross, Peter Hogan] (x) (x)
Idrk what to say here, I’ve already talked at length about how much I love this series. The exploration of private school culture is interesting even if it doesn’t last, and the multiversal implications of the Other are also very fun. That being said, sometimes the Peter Gross run does feel like it’s repeating what happened earlier (awful things happen to Tim’s dad, Tim gives away his magic, an imposter Tim takes his place, idk).
Sandman Presents: Love Street #1-3 [Peter Hogan]
I have no idea if this miniseries contradicts any of John Constantine’s established backstory from Hellblazer but personally, I really enjoyed this one. It finds a way to involve itself in the Sandman universe that justifies its Sandman Presents title, even if the fact that it’s a Hellblazer book could have been more clear. It’s also good to see more of the dreaming during Dream’s absence, and show what the dreams themselves actually did then.
The Books of Faerie: Molly’s Story #1-4 [John Ney Rieber]
IF you can get past the fact that this series has the ugliest art out of any comic I’ve read, the story here is really neat and it’s always nice to see Molly back, and any exploration of Faerie is usually enjoyable. Just, give yourself a second to get used to the art. Molly really doesn’t look like herself.
The Dreaming (1996) #35-43 [Caitlin R Kiernan] (x)
The culmination of Echo’s story has a big ol’ pile of transgenderism, and despite what certain other sandman blogs will tell you, the ending of Fox and Hounds is not just a repeat of The Wake and really, I don’t know how one might come to that conclusion. For one thing, it’s not the end, nor is it as grand in scope, and for another, it scratches my brain in a particular way because, on a more meta level, the ending grapples with how the concept for The Dreaming differs from the concept of Sandman, and how that difference impacts the story and the characters.
The Books of Magic (1994) #64-67 [Peter Gross]
While I know that part of the whole point of this series is that Tim can’t really settle down anywhere for long, this little home he makes in these issues is by far my favourite and I wish it had lasted longer than the Peter Gross run on the series. Also, this is where I started my “hey Tim... you ain’t cis” crusade and I need everyone to know that this child is very very queer.
Vertigo: Winter’s Edge #3 [Neil Gaiman, Caitlin R Kiernan, Peter Gross]
Another weird Desire story that I’m not too fond of from Neil, and Kiernan’s Dreaming segment is nice enough, but my favourite is the absolute pure fluff of the Books of Magic part, which crosses over with Sandman again and also seems designed to make me ship Mary and Joh as hard as humanly possible and, believe me, I do.
The Books of Magic (1994) #68-75 [Peter Gross] (x) (x)
Another big finale, and this one actually represents more of an end of an era than #50 did. Gross ties it back in with the very beginning and resolves a bunch of loose plot threads, as well as giving cameos to a bunch of characters from the John Ney Rieber issues so that The Names of Magic can transition to a different sort of story. It’s just a shame that we have to ditch the entire recurring cast again. Ah well.
The Dreaming (1996) #44-49 [Caitlin R Kiernan]
This is just the Trinket arc which resolves, or at least brings back, most of the loose ends to do with faerie, with Cluracan and the Nemesis and Nuala returning, and also brings back everyone’s favourite transphobic witch.
Sandman Presents: Petrefax #1-4 [Mike Carey]
Look, word of warning, there are a lot of slurs used here by a writer who evidently does not know that’s a slur for romani people. Gritting my teeth and putting that aside, when this series actually gives Petrefax something to do that’s relevant to his skills it’s quite fun. But that only happens a couple of times in the whole series, a significant proportion of it is just fantasy worldbuilding I really don’t care about, and also did I mention they keep saying a slur? Because they do.
Lucifer (2000) #1-13 [Mike Carey]
I wasn’t immediately a fan of this series, but once it starts building out its recurring cast and gets into the characters a bit more, this is really fun. I was 100% sold by #4.
The Dreaming (1996) #50-60 [Caitlin R Kiernan, Bill Willingham] (x) (x)
Another series draws to a close, and while the last arc could have maybe done with another issue just to give it a little more time to flesh things out and provide a satisfying conclusion for every character, this series is so good, if you don’t mind it the fact that it all basically gets erased from contuniuty by the time of the Sandman Universe publishing line (I guess due to the New 52 or some other DC relaunch, or at least that’s the excuse that I expect they used) I would absolutely recommend it as a followup to Sandman, especially if you don’t want the shift to modern comic styles that the other option leaves you with.
The Names of Magic #1-5 [Dylan Horrocks]
Since Books of Magic #75 ended with Tim proclaiming that he finally knew who he was, was free from his destiny, and wasn’t going to be looking for someone to lead him, and now he was meeting his future on his own terms, having his first move be “ask for help” and then have him shoved in the direction of school by a bunch of more established adult characters seems kinda antithetical the the whole point of that last series. Still, this sets up the next series neatly and isn’t too annoying to get through.
Sandman Presents: Merv Pumpkinhead, Agent of DREAM [Bill Willingham] (x)
This book is one long extended James Bond joke. I do not care about James Bond. What’s going on? Why should I care? Why did the woman have sex with a pumpkin man? Help.
Lucifer (2000) #14-32 [Mike Carey]
Ahhh, now we get to the good shit. The Lucifer series reaches its first Big Event Where A Bunch Of Shit Goes Down in the Paradiso, Purgatorio, and Inferno arcs. I don’t know enough theology to tell you if most of this comes from Jewish or Christian teachings but it’s interesting and probably at least slightly heretical so I’m down.
The Little Endless Storybook [Jill Thompson]
This is cute. No other reason needs to be provided. Read it, it’s cute. (Also if you can find a copy I imagine it is a much better experience if you have a physical copy)
Sandman Presents: Dead Boy Detectives #1-4 [Ed Brubaker]
If slightly frustrating with its actual detective side, this is a fun series that explores the boys and how their ghost powers actually work, and I look forward to what the next writer decides to do with them (and apparently they’re getting a show!! fuck yeah) (also uhhhh more like gayboy detectives amiright gamerz?)
Hunter: The Age of Magic #1-11 [Dylan Horrocks] (x)
It seems the little nosedive Tim’s story took in Names of Magic was only a short one, because right out of the gate Age of Magic is fantastic. The timeskip is slightly disconcerting, but it means we can skip all the “Tim learns magic” “Tim fucks another girl” “Tim discovers things” stages of his schooling and just have him finish and leave as quickly as possible, after using the setting to establish all that it needs to, and Tim can be free to do his own thing rather than being stuck in a “misadventures at the magic school“ style story.
Sandman Presents: The Corinthian #1-3 [Darko Macan]
This one’s mostly atmosphere, but it’s good atmosphere. It’s nice to see a little of the original Corinthian (rather than the rebooted version from The Dreaming) and how exactly he went bad, and what he was doing while Morpheus was imprisoned. Apparently elements of this (with the Corinthian’s experience in WW1) will be involved in the show, which is good because I can point at the screen and go “ooh! ooh! I know this one!” while my dad’s trying to watch, which is always fun.
Sandman Presents: The Thessaliad #1-4 [Bill Willingham]
I really wish I could like the Thessaly spinoffs. I love the character (despite her being claimed by TERFs apparently) and I wish we got more of her history, more of her being ruthless and cold and calculating, I’d especially love it if we explored how her normal life functions and how she does magic, but no, instead we get comedy hijinks with Fetch, the most annoying character to be introduced so far. Also the art is by Shawn McManus who is by far my least favourite Sandman artist and the only thing I actively dislike about A Game of You.
Lucifer: Nirvana [Mike Carey]
This is one of those fancy graphic novels with painted art and so on, but all that achieves is making it harder for me to focus on the story really. Tethys the Raven shows up which is neat. At least The Dreaming is still canon at this point.
Hunter: The Age of Magic #12-25 [Dylan Horrocks] (x) (x)
Big wrap-up of everything established from Names onwards, and a good end to the series, even if bringing back Molly again starts to get slightly tiresome (just let her live her life away from Tim. She’d be fine).
Sandman Presents: The Furies [Mike Carey]
Some of the Sandman Presents stories are spinoffs, or stories that happen to be set in the universe, but this really does feel like somewhere between a sequel and an epilogue to The Kindly Ones, giving Lyta more resolution than she got in the few pages she showed up in during The Wake. The “fancy graphic novel” problems I mentioned with Nirvana do make it a bit annoying to read, but it’s a good and interesting look at a character who got slightly left behind by the story once she’d succeeded in killing Dream off.
Hellblazer: Lady Constantine #1-4 [Andy Diggle]
I’m sure there’s parallels and references that I don’t get because I’ve only read the first few dozen Hellblazer comics, but this was really fun! Johanna is such a fun character and I loved her dynamic with her kid even if I knew they were gonna snuff it the minute they showed up.
Lucifer (2000) #33-40 [Mike Carey]
The Naglfar arc is my favourite sort of comic arc: every recurring character thrown together on a mission and forced to get along. Also, shit goes down with god and while I’m not gonna pretend to know what the precedent is for all this in the Tanakh or in the christian Bible, I’m enjoying whatever is happening immensely.
Sandman Presents: Bast #1-3 [Caitlin R Kiernan]
This is Caitlin R Kiernan’s last offering to Sandman, and it’s also one of their best. The exploration of Bast as a character and how the death of gods actually works is really good, honestly just read it, I’m not sure what else to say except it’s a shame this is the last comic of theirs in this universe.
Death: At Death’s Door [Jill Thompson] (x)
This one’s just a fun look behind the scenes of Season of Mists with Death, Delirium, and Despair dealing with all the dead that have just turned up. The style is so fun, I love the vibes, and also anything that gives Delirium a lot to do is an instant favourite.
Sandman: Endless Nights [Neil Gaiman]
The first of Neil’s followups, and while some of the more abstract or disconnected stories like Desire and Despair’s feel like they’re just there to fill space and give a chapter to every Endless, the (small) through-line of Delirium’s grief is really nicely done, and, again, this captures the consequences of and provides a followup to the ending of Sandman in more depth than The Wake did
Lucifer (2000) #41-49 [Mike Carey]
This part of the series splits its time, mostly focusing on Elaine and Mona’s fates, along with the rest of the supporting cast, while Lucifer does important overall plot things with the angels. I’m not complaining, though, this series has such a good cast of characters and I’d happily read a spinoff with any of them.
Sandman Presents: Thessaly: Witch For Hire #1-4 [Bill Willingham]
Reaching the end of the Sandman Presents series and this is how the original line of spinoffs ends. Not with a bang, but with an aimless and annoying whimper that really isn’t doing any of the things I want this character to be (except murderous. I do enjoy when she kills people). But I think Bill Willingham is somewhat allergic to writing a story with a dark tone that isn’t filled with constant jokes. Like, yes, having comic relief is important in every story lest it become grimdark edgy nonsense, but I would rather see Thessaly at her most fucked up and evil without a ghost trapped in a mirror doing a Funny Bit every other page. Maybe that’s just me, though.
Lucifer (2000) #50-61 [Mike Carey]
Reaching the endgame of the series, and almost every element that was set up gets involved in the last few dozen issues. Not sure what to say, this shit’s just really fucking good. Go read it!
Dead Boy Detectives (2005) [Jill Thompson]
If your detective story ends with the detectives putting together the clues to solve the mystery and publicly confronting the villain and then the villain explains that actually it was all innocent misunderstandings and they’re not guilty at all, I think maybe you shouldn’t be writing detective stories. Also all the crossdressing jokes got old very fast. This is by far the worst of all of these, and there’s some bad shit on this list at points.
Lucifer (2000) #62-75 [Mike Carey] (x)
The gert massive finale of this fantastic series really doesn’t disappoint. Characters get their arcs resolved in a mostly satisfactory manner, it does what DC did a few decades earlier in Crisis On Infinite Earths with resolving a multiverse in a much neater and less confusing way, and we learn that the god of the DC/Vertigo universe looks like the stereotype of a tory civil servant from the 1970s.
Madame Xanadu (2008) #6 [Matt Wagner]
The way Death is used in this is really interesting. For one thing, according to Death the whole “i give you a __” ritual is just set dressing for the intent which summons the Endless, so either Burgess did something really wrong or Death can tell when it’s a trap and tell when someone just wants a chat (and Dream is too stupid to tell and was also understandably destracted in 1916).
The Brave and the Bold (2007) #1-12 [Mark Waid]
The "Lords of Luck” arc, if kinda confusing, is interesting and brings in the Destiny elements in a cool way, even if the way they write Supergirl is sometimes uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh gross. The “Book of Destiny” arc, by contrast, is just a series of tangentially linked stories and some of the most generic superhero comic stuff I’ve ever read, and the Book itself is only an afterthought in #12. Also, they gave Destiny the fancy Desire font instead of the harsh bold italics. Come on guys.
Action Comics (1938) #894 [Paul Cornell]
Another standalone Death issue within a broader series I have no interest in reading. She’s fun here too, and I always enjoy someone making Lex Luthor have a little bit of an existential crisis. This also seems to be the first significant appearance of Death outside Vertigo since the imprint began, as TBATB is for Destiny and Metal is for Dream.
Sandman: The Dream Hunters #1-4 [Neil Gaiman]
The story that Neil Gaiman accidentally trolled a bunch of academics in a tiny afterward to this story is very funny to me. I read the comic version rather than prose, I’m sure the prose is also very good because (shocking) Neil Gaiman happens to be a good writer.
House of Mystery Halloween Annual #1 [Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham]
Not much here innit just a fun merv story. If I wasn’t going for 100% I would not have even brought this up.
Dead Boy Detectives (2014) #1-12 [Toby Litt, Mark Buckingham] (x)
This is THE Dead Boy Detectives series, it’s the best by far because, amazingly, if you let your detective characters do detective work, the story is more engaging! Also, the series introduces a fantastic supporting cast, and actually delves into Charles and Edwin’s characters and all their masses of trauma from, y’know, being murdered. Also got me excited about the tv show they’re apparently making. Please let it be like this series and not like the shitearse Jill Thompson one. Please.
Sandman: Overture #1-6 [Neil Gaiman]
I have no idea why the reading list on the back of my copy lists this before Preludes and Nocturnes. Like yeah it’s a prequel technically, but if you hadn’t read Sandman before, reading it first would be a very bad idea since it hinges on lore from the series and also spoils the ending if you didn’t know what happened. If you have actually read Sandman though, yeah it’s fucking good idk what to say. It slaps.
Lucifer (2016) #1-19 [Holly Black, Richard Kadrey]
Honestly, I would have enjoyed this regardless of the writing because it has my favourite artist from my favourite Marvel series, Loki: Agent of Asgard (go read it. do it.), but the writing is also fantastic. It’s the perfect example of a followup that on the whole respects the original series, the themes established, and where the characters were left, before bringing things back into the fold in a realistic way to do something new with them, instead of just resetting continuity so that you don’t have to deal with somebody else’s recurring cast, *ahem*, the entire Sandman Universe reboot you do good things but you could leave some of this in canon, *ahem*. (Speaking of The Dreaming, the inclusion of Matthew makes this the first concrete confirmation that the 1996 series isn’t canon any more, which did make me a bit sad). Well worth a read if you’re a fan of the original!
Dark Nights: Metal #1-6 [Scott Snyder] (x)
It’s your usual boring comic book crossover event. Dream shows up and it sort of sets up the Sandman Universe series, but mostly this is about the usual multiverse bollocks that DC always does. "Batmanium” did make me laugh, though.
Sandman Universe #1 [Neil Gaiman, Simon Spurrier, Kate Howard, Nalo Hopkinson, Dan Watters] (x)
Plenty of setup here, but since I have no idea where any of it’s going I think I’ll just... Let my reviews of the series themselves do the work here instead.
The Dreaming (2018) #1-12 [Simon Spurrier] (x)
The issues with the start of this series are a lot more complicated than just “bad writer” or “incorrect characterisation”. In some cases the old characters are spot on, and the new characters are all fantastic, but something about the way Merv and Lucien develop in the first few issues feels a little forced. This series could have absolutely benefited from what the original Dreaming had - short story arcs focusing on specific parts of or people in the Dreaming that slowly, slowly come together to form a larger whole - and just slowed down the breakdown of Lucien and whatever they were going for with Merv enough that we get a good sense of where it comes from. Instead (probably more due to editorial rushing and a need to get the Big Threat of the first arc in the picture by the end of #2 to appease convention in modern comic storytelling, than the intentions of the writer), the political commentary and character progressions end up a bit hurried and I’m left with a feeling of “Yes logically I get how we got here, but like... how did we get here?”.
All of that being said, once it manages to get into the swing of things, this series is honestly a worthy successor to the original, even if I’m still annoyed about it replacing the original continuity entirely. The way that other Sandman characters are slowly brought in is really nicely done, and the development of the central mystery is intriguing and develops at a perfect rate to give answers, but also keep my interest going.
House of Whispers #1-12 [Nalo Hopkinson, Dan Watters]
Now this feels like Sandman. I love the characters, both human and godly, and the Ananse storyline makes me fall victim to my greatest weakness once again: stories that are about stories, that acknowledge that they’re stories, that twist the narrative of the tale it’s spinning and in doing so acknowledge the consequences of the characters existing in a world defined by narrative conflict. That’s my shit! Also I think it’s really cool that a comic published by one of the big two comic companies has a nonbinary character that uses neopronouns who also defines zirself as queer. Ze are iconic.
Lucifer (2018) #1-13 [Dan Watters]
The style and tone of this is very different to the other two Lucifer comics, and it exists outside of the continuity established by them (hence Lucifer having no scar, Remiel and Duma still ruling hell, Mazikeen’s dialogue takes a while to get used to, etc). Instead of being about the end of the universe and Lucifer’s attempts to get out from Yahweh’s rule while also saving the world surrounded by a huge supporting cast of characters we sympathise with instead of him, this series makes Lucifer pathetic in the best way. It’s much more introspective, and focuses on Lucifer, his ex-lover Sycorax, and their son Caliban, and how their relationships evolve. Also, the art is by far the best out of any of these Sandman Unvierse comics.
Books of Magic (2018) #1-13 [Kat Howard]
Again, a very different take on the same character. I’m not sure I like this one as much as Lucifer though. The focus is on the Cold Flame and Rose from the original Neil Gaiman series, although some elements from the Rieber/Gross series make it through, in particular some interesting things are being done with Tim’s dad. This is fun enough, and I’m interested to see where it goes, but I still much prefer the style of the original.
The Sandman Universe Presents: Hellblazer [Simon Spurrier]
This one-shot spins out of the 1990 Books of Magic miniseries, and explores what the fuck was actually going on in that potential future they showed. I’m sure it also ties into various bits of Hellblazer but, as already mentioned, I haven’t read more than a couple dozen issues of that series yet and it still made sense.
The Dreaming (2018) #13-20 [Simon Spurrier] (x)
The finale to this series is so good! Like I said earlier, the way that the mystery is slowly revealed works so well, and bringing all the threads together slowly is so satisfying when a writer can do it well. Also, the things it does with Lucien as the narrator in a meta sense is very fun.
House of Whispers #13-22 [Nalo Hopkinson, Dan Watters]
The way that this series builds its characters and worlds is so good, the balance between the human and godly characters especially. I’m also a big fan of how weird-looking the Corinthian is, I think some artists forget to draw him like a nightmare who’s slightly out of sync with reality in a “he looks creepy as fuck sometimes” kinda way.
Lucifer (2018) #14-24 [Dan Watters]
Word of warning: you will need to find the 3rd TPB collection if you want to read the actual conclusion of the Wild Hunt arc, because #19 was never published and the next collection was #20-24. I think it had something to do with covid, idk. Putting that aside, the art here is great and I love the way Lucifer works in this series. Probably the best of the initial four Sandman Universe lines.
Books of Magic (2018) #14-23 [Kat Howard, David Barnett]
The second half is much better than the first (as it seems is the case with a lot of these) , and the finale arc pulls in a few other Sandman related characters which are all fun (even if they don’t always make sense entirely). It’s still nowhere near as good as the original Rieber/Gross series, but it’s fun in its own way.
John Constantine: Hellblazer (2020) #1-12 [Simon Spurrier] (x)
I have not read enough Hellblazer to compare it to what came before, but this is an absolutely fantastic series. The tone is brilliantly managed, the supporting cast is endearing, John’s arc is engaging, and the series knows when to be funny, when to be brutal, when to be horrific, when to be tragic, when to be political, and when to force me to look at a drawing of Boris Fucking Johnson.
The Dreaming: Waking Hours #1-12 [G. Willow Wilson] (x)
This is the most Sandman-feeling SU series, and I mean that in a good way. We get a good amount of seeing Daniel in action, the cast of new characters are all fun, and it feels like a good followup to The Dreaming without stepping on its toes - it uses the new characters as a natural part of the universe, and utilises the plotlines left hanging in a good way. My only real problem with it is a problem I have with a lot of comic series that only run for a dozen issues - the wrapup is a bit rushed to fit it all into one issue, we don’t really get time for the characters to settle into their endings before it’s over.
Locke & Key/Sandman #1-2 [Joe Hill]
The first three-quarters of this are very fun, but it does get a bit boring once they go to hell. Lucifer feels out of character, and I do not have any idea what the normal Locke & Key series is about, so there’s no way for me to be invested in these characters. The stuff that actually takes place in the Dreaming itself is fun, though, and I like the look into Fawney Rig during Sandman #1. Also, it’s always very funny to see a series have to write itself around continuity and go “hey hang on, why don’t the various dreams go rescue Dream?” While we don’t get a satisfactory answer to that, it’s not really what they were focusing on anyway so I have no reason to get angry about it like some people might.
Nightmare Country #1-? [James Tynion IV]
This series is only four issues in at the moment so I can’t say anything conclusive, but it’s got some great creepy shit in it (some of it reminds me of Caitlin R Kiernan’s work with the Corinthian in the original Dreaming) and I was convinced enough by it to pre-order the next two issues, which I look forward to reading!
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I’m probably meant to put a conclusion paragraph here but my English teacher would probably agree when I say I’m kinda crap at them. The best long series to spring from Sandman are Lucifer and Books of Magic, Caitlin R Kiernan was the best writer on The Dreaming, and Waking Hours is probably the best of the Sandman Universe books but you’re absolutely in safe hands with any of them. The Sandman Presents comics are good for the most part, but the quality varies wildly. Every time there’s a non-Vertigo series which involves Sandman characters it’s probably not worth it. Don’t bother with the Dead Boy Detectives graphic novel, read the Litt/Buckingham series instead. And most importantly, don’t tell me that I forgot that one 2008 (?) House of Mystery series. I did indeed forget it, but to be fair I didn’t know it existed until I saw a copy in the library the other day and I cannot be bothered reading it now.
#sandman#the sandman#sandman netflix#comicc#books of magic#dead boy detectives#the dreaming#nightmare country#sandman universe#hellblazer#house of whispers#lucifer#lily liveblogs#dream of the endless#death of the endless#the dreaming waking hours#vertigo#dc#lily dot tee ex tee
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Hi I’m the anon that asked for the Soul Eater x Twst Crossover. I really liked how you went about it plus if you’re up to it could you do a Crona!Reader x Vil, Malleus, Leona and Lilia?
I can already imagine Vil’s outrage on their lack of good posture. 🤣🤣🤣
I Love This
Crona was such an interesting character that deserves the world
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
I'm not going to include how they would deal with fighting you mostly because without the influence of a certain someone you have no reason to be fighting
plus i don't think they'd stand a chance (but if they did I'd write ab that separately) but anyway...
Malleus Draconia
“What’s wrong, are you ill?”
Your constant deprecating attitude has him pretty baffled
But you are one of his first friends ever so who is he to judge
Not to mention for you to even seek him out you’d have to have a soul connection anyway
He finds himself taking on the more active role in your friendship
“I assure you (Y/n), you are more than capable of being my friend.”
“Nooo, I’m sure I’m worse than scum of the Earth.”
“Yeah, you can say that again.”
“Silence Ragnarok.”
He makes it a point to see if he can separate the little monster from you
Mostly coming up unsuccessful
But he’s more than happy to zap him back into you when he’s being a big nuisance
And since he knows that Ragnarok only seems to bother you when your alone–
“I’ll have to stay by your side then. After all as your friend that's my goal.”
You tend to struggle with basic things even more so than him
And in the way that people are confident with their friends only he is more active with you as well
“Stop whining (Y/n) you’re so–”
“Oh my Seven! Is that–”
“Hello (Y/n), care if I sit with you?”
“I don’t know..I don't know how to handle this kind of situation.”
“ No worries, I’ll help you deal with it.”
Lilia Vanrouge
“Oi don’t put yourself down like that!”
He still won’t mind this at all
Because you’re less likely to put yourself out there
He can be the one to push you
Of course into situations he controls
“Ne ne (Y/n) what are you doing? Hiding over here?”
“Ragnarok was getting restless so I–”
“I was getting restless?1 You were the one wishing you could touch that stiff’s tail!”
“It was just a thought, I wasn’t going to do anything..”
“Hehe, how cute! How about we play a game! All three of us, together!”
He’s both an accessory to Ragnarok’s shenanigans and his absolute enemy
He appreciates how much of a blocker your counterpart can be when it comes to other love interests
Though he’s determined to build up your confidence
At least enough so that you’ll let him marry you in the Briar valley
“Now you can handle this can’t you?”
“No No! That’s what I’m saying! I can’t do this!”
“Of course you can, dear aren’t I with you?”
Vil Schoenheit
“What did I say about slouching?! And your head, hold it higher?!”
“Don’t yell, I really can’t deal with that right now.”
“I’m not yelling, I’m scolding you! Fix your face!”
You are so right
He simply can’t stand it
Everything you do is such a waste and he can’t bare to continue his student-career with you…being you
So forceful beauty treatments, etiquette classes, and confidence exercises
He knows you could be just perfect practically at his level if only we could get you to behave
That's not even considering the even worse behaved Ragnarok
“Again you miserable leech!”
“Hey! No need for the names Princess boy!”
“Can we really not do this now it's only going to make him angry at me and later he’ll–”
“What did we just learn, (Y/n)!?”
“Not to mumble…”
“And what are you doing now?”
“Sorry but i just don’t think I can deal–”
“Ah ah, we’ll practice on your speech after this. No spouse of mine is going to be so deprecating.”
Leona Kingscholar
“You’re saying this is too hard for you?”
“Yeah.”
“Too bad.”
That's his mentality to a lot of your issues
As long as you're able to do what he wants he doesn’t care
Or so he says
He’ll slowly encourage you to respect yourself a bit more
And in his opinion his disregard for how you feel is better off in crushing your crappy reality
Now Ragnarok will probably have to survive multiple attempts at Leona trying to turn him to sand
“Stay still, so I can get this dirt off your back.”
“AAAA I’m A Part of them, You CAn’t!”
“Try me.”
#yandere x reader#yandere x you#yanderexrea#lovelyyandereaddictionpoint#yanderes#yandere twisted wonderland#yandere twisted wonderland x reader#yandere twst x reader#yandere twst#yandere malleus draconia#yandere malleus x reader#yandere lilia x reader#yandere lilia vanrouge#disney twst#lilia vanrouge#yandere malleus#malleus x y/n#malleus draconia#yandere leona x reader#yandere leona kingscholar#yandere#yandere leona#leona kingscholar#twst leona#leona x reader#twisted wonderland leona#vil#disney twisted wonderland#yandere vil x reader#yandere vil schoenheit
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So I binge-read my biggest Torchwood fic this weekend. I'm still cringing over some of my writing, but otherwise you know what? It was still pretty good, particularly with plot and character. I'm proud of what I accomplished with my beta, who helped hash out so much of it. We had such fun working together! There's nothing like coming up with crazy ideas and figuring out a way to actually make them work. I also really like some of my original characters. Kind of makes me wonder why I don't ever write original characters with an original plot, but then I remember they need an original world, and I like the ready-made fictional worlds I write fanfic for. I have no real desire to build my own.
Anyway, the story was an alternate version of Children of Earth. I came to Torchwood after the series was over, but I think CoE did well in the ratings, didn't it? I feel like it was generally well received . . . until it wasn't. Aside from the devastating death of Ianto, there are countless plot holes that I'm guessing fans really started picking part online and then thought, hmmm, maybe it's not so good after all. We got some great Janto pics and gifs but their actual moments on screen were not the moments they could have been, you know? (True story: I convinced my parents and brother to watch it with me after they gave it to me for Christmas and at the end my dad had no idea Jack and Ianto were a couple. I think my mom figured it out but my dad totally didn't see it because it just wasn't enough. I still want to know why they were so weird from the beginning. I'm trying to remember if I wrote a story about it now...) And then fanfic exploded and there are now countless versions that are just..better. Stories that fix the plot holes of CoE and give Jack and Ianto the moments they deserved.
Fanfic really took Torchwood and elevated it. Sure, we wrote lots of smut (tentacles, anyone?) but we also gave relationships the depth we rarely saw on screen. We explained how Jack and Ianto came to be, even through all the new Big Finish revelations. We gave them real moments (and not just smutty ones.) We made them mortal and immortal. We saved Ianto countless times and let them travel the galaxy. We gave Gwen actual consequences and growth and even made her and Ianto good friends. We took the potential of the show, of 31 episodes and a few Doctor Who crossovers (sorry, I'm not counting the fourth season since most fanfic is set before it) and explored it over and over, showing readers not only what TW was but could have been. We filled in the missing scenes, expanded it, even rewrote it. I wrote over a hundred fics and probably read ten times that. What an amazing thing!
I'm so glad I was a part of it and have both good memories and some good stories to look back on. ❤️
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Prompt 59 “Don’t you think you’ve done enough?” as louis fluff please!
if it’s possible, where louis comforts y/n after finding her arguing with her now ex-bf? maybe admits his feelings to her as well?
a/n how are all of you my lovelies I actually love these types of asks as it gives me a background as to what you sort of want to go in it rather than give me free reign so I'd be more than happy to do it :) anywhooo on with the show also wanted to do a crossover between my fandoms so matty's the ex bf (because he's the best fit for the way the ex is I love him 75 fans pls dont come for me 🙏🙏)
PROMPT 59: "Don't you think you've done enough?"
words: 887 (sorry its kinda short)
"OH YOU WOULD JUST LOVE THAT WOULDN'T YOU?"
"LOVE WHAT MATTY?"
"OH COME ON Y/N ANYONE WOULD BE AS BLIND AS A BAT TO SEE IT. YOU BOTH SO CLEARLY WANT TO FUCK EACHOTHER LIKE RABBITS YOU WERE JUST WAITING FOR ME TO SEE IT WEREN'T YOU!" He remarks back to me, which earns a slap right on his cheek
"DONT YOU DARE SPEAK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT! HE'S MY BEST-" I'm interrupted by my hotel door swinging open the one I share with Louis my best mate, who just so happened to be the cause of the argument I'm in with my boyfriend right now who surprised me because his band was in the same city mine was in so he popped by only to find out I was sharing a room with him which sparked the jealousy in him to rise.
"yo. Y/n you coming to bar 21 tonight supposed to be so lively on a friday night." "OH FOR FUCKS SAKE HERE HE GOES AGAIN TRYING TO GET WITH MY GIRLFRIEND." "WOAH! mate I'm sorry if I ever gave you that impression. But she is just my bestfriend, always was always will be int that right y/n"
"see exactly! I said this Matty why can't you just see the truth?" "Don't you think you've done enough, Louis. You know what forget it, you and I" Matty remarks back gesturing between me and him "WERE DONE!" Is all he says before storming out and slamming the door shut. And I'm dropping to my knees against the wall which I was leaning against while the argument was taking place. Which makes Louis run over to catch me before gently placing me down on the floor and crouching down and pulling me into a hug while sobbing into his shoulder.
"Oh! y/n sweetheart. He doesn't deserve you he never has knew from the minute you two met at the meeting of him trying to sell the sound to us that he was a pretentious self absorbed prick. George was nice though" "You know what we need to do now." I quipped back after laughing and putting my head on his shoulder where he was now next to me on the wall "what?" "Put change your ticket on the album to piss him off it's not out yet." "Yeah he deserves it, specially after what he just did to you self righteous prick"
"haha! I love you lou" I say "HAHAH! bit too early for that y/n love don't ya think?" he jokes "I'm being dead serious, I don't know if matty helped me see it or what, but I think I have always loved you specially after bootcamp. but you got with eleanor before I could even admit my feelings to you and then you guys broke up, I know it's not out to the media and what not yet but Louis I seriously seriously love you."
"Oh what the fuck!" is all he says before he's doing a quick 180 turn and pulling me in for a long kiss hands cupped on my face, and pulling back sighing before pulling me in again but this time peppering kisses all over my face.
⋆｡°✩
1 month later
"Lou! Babe!" I shout out where he appears toothbrush in mouth popping his head round the bathroom door "what is it sweetheart is everything okay?" "yeah yeah just have you seen this" "what is it? two secs just brushing my teeth" he says speech muffled by the plastic object occupying his mouth
he soons pops back out the bathroom and I hand him my ipad which has the article loaded on the screen.
"what did I tell you, I knew it would piss him off"
"yeah you told me alright, here you are Matty texted you"
"alright pass it back"
Matty: low blow don't ya think?
Y/n: maybe but I knew it would piss ya off so you're welcome ;)
Matty: FUCK YOU Y/N and your boyfriend
Y/n: how'd ya know about that only close family and friends know
Matty: **attached image**
open attached image?
[YES] [NO]
louist91
liked by: bedfordanes75 and 1,067,569 others
louist91: @trumanblack stole your girl lol
fan1: eleanor and louis broke up??? DID HE CHEAT?? surely Y/n must know he cheated
fan2: @fan1 fuck eleanor and louis. what about y/n and matty did he know?
eleanorj92: @fan1 dont worry, he didn't cheat. we've been broken up for quite some time now I'm happy if he's happy :) congrats @y/n and @louist91
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Y/n: Lol at least its out now. wasn't even aware he did this. Bye matty enjoy the rest of your life and stop worrying about mine ;)
⋆｡°✩
"You're a menace you"
"Why? whatever have I done?" Louis quips back in a pretending not to know tone
"You know exactly what. Thought we were waiting until the break up articles were out?"
"we were but I thought I'd piss off mr self righteous even more than he already is"
"You're gonna get shit from management hope you know that"
"Anything if it means I get to parade my love for you around"
"I hate you, and your big romantic gestures"
"No. You love me and my big romantic gestures."
"You're right I do" I say leaning in to kiss him.
⋆｡°✩
end.
#louis tomlinson fluff#louis tomlinson x reader#louis tomlinson#one direction fluff#one direction x reader#one direction#matty healy#matty healy is a right proper dickhead in this so he kinda deserves it
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For those attacking SJM in instagram take a chill pill 💊 here I will give you one for free. Guys let’s remember you don’t need to read hofas to understand ACOTAR so why would she put very important acotar stuff in hosaf. It makes not sense , this is another series nothing major was going to happen with the acotar characters , however you do need to read acotar to understand CC she said this on her interview not the other way around. SJM writing very important information on hosaf about ACOTAR would have force people to read cc to understand acotar 5 🤷🏼♀️. When she said that you don’t need cc to understand acotar was a give away nothing major was going to happen to acotar characters in HOFAS. To me this people attacking sjm were thinking CC was going to be an acotar book in some way or another. They wanted their acotar theories to be confirmed in another series and that’s not how it works. In my opinion SJM did the right thing by keeping crossover to the minimum because than she would have been lying in the interview. I just think people getting mad because their favorite acotar character didn’t save the day on another whole ass series is kinda immature and dumb. Love feyre to death and i hope we get more of her in the future but she already had her books, I love elain to tears but we she need to have her own book our girl deserves that. This is bryce book let’s keep that in mind when we get to read the HOFAS.
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For the story ideas folder "You Drew Stars Around My Scars" have definitely caught my eye!
Also hope you are doing good, Elm!
First of all, Crys, hiiiiiii! I'm doing okay! I hope you're well! ✨ Second, I just want to thank you for asking about "You Drew Stars Around My Scars" and to apologize for the person I'm about to become.
Are you ready for it?
"You Drew Stars Around My Scars" is a The Elder Scrolls V/Baldur's Gate 3 crossover that will likely never see the light of day for several factors, such as the number of WIPs I have, my original novel, school, and, oh, the fact that I've never played BG3 My MacBook Air cannot handle those demands. DESPITE THE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES!, I just think the game is neat and have been sucked into it in part by Astarion. Mostly Astarion . . . okay, entirely.
Background information: Ever since I started writing Keeping Count, I knew Bishop was lifted from Neverwinter Nights and that it was a D&D-based game. And I guess that's why someone mentioned Astarion as a palette cleanser to me a few months ago, shared universe and all. And my initial perception of the character was so cool that I vaguely entertained an alternative Keeping Count where Astarion shows up, seduces Leara from Bishop, and probably sexy stabs Bishop or something. And then I didn't really think about it again. For months.
Then my brain went back to it and Astarion and BG3 and I cried a bit when I realized that my laptop couldn't play the game. I'm fine. And you know what? @cosmermaid is right: Leara deserves a better companion than freaking Bishop. Also please forgive my minimal BG3/D&D knowledge, 95% of which I've absorbed since like last Monday ish.
SO! "You Drew Stars Around My Scars" features Leara getting picked up by the Mind Flayer ship post-Sovngarde and taken via dimensional travel to Faerûn where, following the crash, she joins the usual party on a quest to get rid of the parasites. This Leara is very specifically taken after the planned Chapter 15 of Keeping Count for Reasons. Can Leara use magic in Faerûn since she's not able to draw it from Aetherius? No idea. Can she Dragon Shout? Also no idea. Transdimensional magic mechanics are weird. Regardless, Leara probably mentions something about being Dragonborn and gets weird and confused looks because her definition of Dragonborn is totally different from that in the Forgotten Realms. Linearly, I have no idea what would happen, but overall, Leara and Astarion both suffer trauma from following people who hurt them and they have complicated relationships with sex. They could have what could be a very cathartic relationship. Or I think so, anyway. Also, I kinda want to know if vampires react differently to the Dragonblood.
Symbolism in the story could heavily involve stars and light. Leara means "Light of the Sea" while Astarion means "Little Star". Leara is dependent on the stars for her magic but she's lost them, while Astarion wants to walk in the light even after the parasite is gone. There's no balance and it has to be found. They're both so cold and have lived in the shadows for a long time. There are dark versions of themselves they don't want to be anymore.
There's the possibility that, given her background in the Blades and Dominion, Leara might see through Astarion's mask in Act I. But she'd end up helping Astarion (and probably not giving on that she's on to him until later) because she's a bleeding heart. Two other very important things about this underwhelming but brain-rotting story: First, Astarion wouldn't ascend. We would need a Leara Disapproves sticker because she would not be for Astarion doing that. The second thing is, well, since motherhood is an extremely important part of Leara's character, I did pick out a name for a possible child. If Leara and Astarion had a daughter, her name would be Ilmarien, derived from Quenya, Ilmarë, meaning “starlight”.
Because after all this time, Tolkien elves still make the most sense to me.
#i am not tagging his character in this because I am too embarrassed#it is taking all my willpower to tell myself that sharing this is okay and that I'm not being too much or annoying#it's okay i felt the same way when I was fixated on legolas and loki as a teen I just figured i'd have outgrown it oh well#oc: leara roseblade#azura's ask box
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Twenty questions for fanfic writers
I was tagged by @xxsksxxx. Thanks, friend! ❤️
Edited to add that @randomfoggytiger just tagged me too. Killing two birds with one stone here. Or something like that.
1. How many works do you have on AO3?
76 in total, but only 57 of those are my own fics. The rest belong to two BATB writers who are no longer with us but whose works needed to be available on AO3.
2. What's your total AO3 word count?
1,360,745 total. 587,663 of those are actually mine.
3. What fandoms do you write for?
The X-Files, Beauty and the Beast (TV), A Song of Ice and Fire book series.
4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?
These Scars We Wear
The Calling
Beggar's Banquet
Blessed Be (The Third Night)
Pas de deux
All of these are set in the ASOIAF universe.
5. Do you respond to comments?
Yep! There was a stretch of about six years when I disconnected from all my fandoms and didn't respond to anything. Those days are past now and I make sure I always respond to any comment I get.
6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?
Pass You By (TXF)
7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?
The Possibility of Being (BATB)
8. Do you get hate on fics?
Nope.
9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?
I used to be be a Smut Queen back in my OG TXF days. Not sure what's meant by "what kind"? Um, the kind that makes one hot and bothered? Het? Vanilla? I'll stop there.
I quit writing the more explicit stuff 'cuz I got bored with it. These days I'm more interested in the cerebral side of things.
10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?
No. I have a hard enough time keeping a single set of characters in line. Can't imagine trying to do it for more than one 'verse at a time.
11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?
Yes. Someone from The Nanny fandom (who knew?) pilfered one of my TXF fics, changed the character names, and posted it. Weirdness.
12. Have you ever had a fic translated?
Yes, several. More than happy to give the go-ahead to requests like that.
13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?
Yes, I wrote Doors with a fellow TXF writer named Alanna Baker. It was fun but I don't know that I'd want to do it again. I'm much more of a loner when it comes to writing.
14. What’s your all time favorite ship?
Can't pick one and you can't make me. My favorites are the three I write for: Mulder and Scully, Vincent and Diana, Sandor and Sansa.
15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?
Sticks and Stones, a TXF casefile I started a really, really long time ago. I also have a BATB WIP I've been messing with for the past year or so but I don't know if it will ever see the light of day.
16. What are your writing strengths?
Dialogue, pacing, tone.
17. What are your writing weaknesses?
Will actually sitting down and writing be considered a proper answer? If so, that.
18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?
I did a few lines in Italian in one of my BATB fics but that's it. I can barely write in English, let alone another language! 😄
19. First fandom you wrote for?
Beauty and the Beast.
20. Favorite fic you’ve written?
I'll give you one from each fandom.
TXF: Kintsugi. Not my most popular, but this one was effortless and there's nothing I'd go back and change. My take on Season 7 (aka The Season of Secret Sex).
BATB: The Possibility of Being (see above for the link). This entire project was a love letter not only to Vincent and Diana, but to my writing mentor, Nan Dibble.
ASOIAF (SanSan): These Scars We Wear. Link is above. Another love letter. This one to Sandor Clegane and his Little Bird. Because they deserve a happily ever after.
I figure this one has already made the rounds so I'm not going to tag anyone. Please consider playing if you've haven't been tagged and want to join in. It's fun!
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Proud [1: y/n’s posts]
The faceclaim and y/n inspo is Renee Rapp- and let's pretend France is still on the calendar in 2023 :)
Yourusername
New York City
liked by yourbestie, oliviarodrigo and others
yourusername nyc night 3! i cant believe i get to do this a couple more nights next week 🫶🏼🫶🏼
posted august 17th, 2022
randomfan omg i cant believe i saw you live
oliviarodrigo you were incredible!!
yourusername bye i could never be you
musicfan uh the guy ? 🤨🤨🤨
actingfan seeing you sing world burn makes me wish i could see you as regina again
lizziemckintosh what a performance
yourusername purple just for you x
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Yourusername
liked by jamesharveyblair, jakcrawford_ and others
yourusername abu dhabi afters (thanks for having me on the pod folks)
tagged marcusarmstrong, clementnovalak, screamingmeals
posted november 26th, 2022
marcusarmstrong thanks for lending us your studio
jamesharveyblair im surprised we kept the beeps to the minimum
yourusername same
screamingmealsfan omg what. a crossover i never expected yet absolutely need.
yourfan the chemistry between all of them!! this friendship is so unexpected but so good omg
clementnovalak 't was good fun having you on👌🏼
yourusername thanks mate👍🏼
... view more comments
Yourusername
London
liked by meangirls, callum_ilott and others
yourusername back to my roots (profesionally at least), regina on west end baby!!
posted march 13th, 2023
actingfan omgomgomgomgomgomg
marcusarmstrong happy for you mate! enjoy your time there
yourusername thank you marcus <3
yourbestie so deserved💓💓💓
clementnovalak are you going to talk with an accent all the time now?
yourusername i'm afraid you've already had that impact on me
... view more comments
Yourusername
liked by clementnovalak, felipedrugovich and others
yourusername full album friday the 22nd <3 ft. the pic that almost made it (swipe for the inspo for half the album)
posted april 10, 2023
comments disabled.
Yourusername
France
liked by marcusarmstrong, trident_team and others
yourusername what a weekend, so proud of you. you got him the most special win <3
posted august 7th, 2023
clementnovalak thank you for the support. thank you for being there. throughout the entire season. i love you most
yourusername i love you, so proud of you
callum_ilott 💙🤍❤️
felipedrugovich what a drive, aboslutely deserved this win
yourusername that he did
comments limited.
see clem's posts
#clement novalak#clement novalak x reader#f2 x reader#f2#formula 2#formula 2 x reader#formula 2 imagine
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Replies
A couple of replies! All of them related to our previous posts, and surprisingly almost all of them are Octa-trio related…
Anonymous asked:
We've seen art of Azul fucking in his merform but have you drawn art of the tweels fucking in their's? I looked through your previous art and didn't see any so I'm wondering if I missed it or if you only did it for Azul . P.s love you're work 💙💙
I have! I think… I feel like I have. I don’t remember if we posted any of it, and I absolutely need to draw it again, because there could never be enough of the tweels fucking someone in their mer-form.
One of the recent ones that is pretty spicy would be the Jade/Idia drawing we did for the Halloween event. Looooved rendering this one, his tail is so wet.
Anonymous asked:
regarding the 🥖 sucking ask, epel being the messiest one is so real…i’d feel bad for him if he tried to go down on floyd because he’d probably just grab his head and take control if he feels like it
(this is related to this post)
Yesss, Epel is the “all or nothing” type of boy, and Floyd is kind of this way too, so they’re a horrible combo in that regard. Or a perfect one? Depends on who you ask lol
But yeah, Floyd is absolutely going to grab Epel’s little head, move him around and make things easier for himself. But much more difficult for Epel who’ll think he’s going to die at some point during this whole thing…
Anonymous asked:
Just read your dark headcanons for Idia and….damn. The hell could he do to Azul to break his heart and merit all of that? Also, yay for dark headcanons
(this is related to this post, wow, it’s been almost a year since I wrote it!)
Thank you for reading it, Anon! It was a fun one to write, I’m still grateful that I was enabled to do so. For someone who really likes dark stuff, I feel like I don’t draw it often enough, and that has to change lol
The biggest sin one could commit when it comes to Azul is betrayal, and he is pretty sensitive when it comes to people he trusts. With the Tweels he expects them to betray him at some point, so it doesn’t count, but if he lowers his guard and starts trusting Idia only to be (for example) cheated on or something, he’ll feel heartbroken and angry enough to do something like this. Of course there could be more circumstances to this whole thing, but this is just one of the potential triggers.
Or maybe Idia wants to break up, that could lead to Azul punishing him too~
Anonymous asked:
Ortho would totally spill the beans to Miu about Idia’s special machine and she would NOT let it go. And also ask to use it. And ask if he thinks of her while using it. I am so sorry Idia, you do not deserve this 😂😂😂
Poor Idia… Someone has to tell Miu that Idia is a bottom bitch, just like she is 😔 But for some reason I feel like this would only make the Idia abuse worse.
This crossover is getting out of hand…
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