#(what do you mean you don't want our Soul? i don't want him either man. take em ill pay you) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

touyasdoll · 9 months

Text

Humanity

pairing: Touya Todoroki/Dabi x fem!reader

word count: 1.1k

warnings: reverse comfort, implied unproteted sex but no smut, touya has feelings™, he's a little mean for a second but its resolved

notes: he just needs a hug okay?? I would coddle this man until the ends of days 🖤

“I fucking hate you,” Touya grinds our through his bared teeth.

“Keep telling yourself that, but I know the truth, handsome,” you reply easily.

He bristles at the word ‘handsome’. No one has ever called him that until you came along. Not since his mother spoke that word to him as a little boy and he still doesn’t understand why you use such a word to describe him.

“You love me, Touya. I know you don’t love yourself. You don’t even know the meaning of the word, but I could change that, if you’d let me,” you say more softly.

His shoulders sag at that. He lets down the tall, imposing walls that he’d spend so many years constructing for just a moment, but he props them right back up again.

“Fuck you,” he spits. “I don’t need this. You were an easy lay and that all.”

He turns on his heel, intending to leave your apartment, but it’s hard. Harder than he thought, especially when you’re baring your soul to him.

Why tonight? Of all nights, why now? He can’t take this.

“If that’s what you need to tell yourself,” you say as you slip out of bed, heading towards the bathroom to clean yourself of the evidence of what you both just did together. To rid the proof of his seed between your thighs.

“It’s the truth,” he insists as he makes for the bedroom door, but he finds it difficult to actually turn the handle.

He watches you slip into the bathroom, appalled when he discovers that he can’t seem to drag himself out and finds himself sitting on the edge of your bed instead.

You return a few moments later, not much surprised to find him still sitting there. He does crave the love that you have to offer him and he knows it deep down, as much as he loves to vehemently deny himself of that pleasure.

"You're still here," you point out, your voice soft, a gentle whisper carrying through the chill in the room.

"I can't fucking leave," he whispers and even in the dim light of your bedroom, only the midnight moon offering light to the space, you still spot the bead of crimson rolling over his cheeks as he keeps his gaze fixed on the floor.

He never lets you keep the lights on when you do what you do. He says he just prefers it that way, but you know it's because he's too embarassed to let you see him properly with all his scars and marred skin on full display, even though you've told him countless times that you still think he's beautiful that way.

"You don't have to," you insist gently as you pad closer to him, approaching him as one would a cornered animals, because that's what he is in this moment. "I'd rather you stay anyway, Touya."

"Stop calling me that," he hisses, his voice growing more quiet. "I never should've shared that name with you."

His name. The one he'd uttered to you after mere weeks of coming to meet you in your bedroom late at night, when the city was quiet, but his mind was busy, too full of the events of the day and the wight of his goals weighing on his crumbling shoulders. He hadn't regretted it then and if he's being honest with himself, he didn't now. Not really, anyway.

"You don't mean that," you whisper, taking a seat beside him to rest your hand on his knee.

It's the truth and you both know it. He looks down at your hand and it only makes it that much harder to reject you. Why can't he shake you? Why can't he walk away and stay away?

"I don't," he admits, clenching his teeth as he feels an unfamiliar pressure just beneath the seams of the staples lining his under eyes. "And I—," he cuts himself off.

He wants to insist that he hates it, but that isn't the truth either. He doesn't hate anything about you or this or the things that you make him feel, except the fact that he knows he's going to fuck it up. he knows it won't work. You will disappear like everything else he has ever actually wanted in life and he is powerless to stop it.

"You what, baby?" You ask as you work a hand into his hair, your fingers gently massaging his scalp beneath his mussed midnight tresses.

"I'm no good at this, doll," he says almost inaudibly, his tone laced with pain and tight as the scars beneath his eyes. "I've never done this, but I know that I can't. Not with you. Not to you."

They begin to leak, seeping crimson tears over his cheeks that threaten to snap your heart in two when you spot them.

"You can't know that if you've never tried, Touya," you insist gently as you rest your head on his shoulder. "And this doesn't have to be anything if you don't want it to be."

"But you want it to be," he points out, his arm slipping around you to hold you close to him as his hand glides up and down your arm. "I.. I do too, but I'm.."

"Afraid," you finish, tilting your head back to look up at him. "I am too. That's okay. It's scary and that's not a bad thing. It doesn't make you weak or inferior. It makes you human."

Human. Something he hasn't felt for a long time. That's what it is about you. You make him feel human. You make him feel iike someone worth loving, worthy of being able to try to love another.

"That's terrifying. I hate it," he says, staring blankly at the floor of your bedroom.

"Makes sense coming from someone who doesn't seem to fear anyone else. Wecome to your humanity," you say softly as you tuck your face into the crook of his neck.

You wrap both arms around him, holding him dearly as he does the same to you. He turns his head towards you, nuzzling against your scalp before he presses a kiss to it and closes his eyes.

"I think I do love you, doll."

The words are timid, but they're honest. The most honesty he's offered you or himself since you two had met, but they feel right. A small smile turns up the corners of your lips as you hold him a little tighter.

"I love you too, Touya."

#dabi x reader #touya todoroki x reader #touya x reader #mha x reader #bnha x reader #dabi x you #dabi x y/n #touya x you #touya x y/n

641 notes · View notes

ashestoroses018 · 2 months

Text

A Missed Opportunity

Astarion never comes to confess to you before Moonlight Tower.

Being the BAMF you are, you confront him with the dreaded "what are we" conversation.

Short, sweet, to the point. Idiots in love confessing to each other.

Astarion watches you from his tent. He does it constantly, and you are well-aware of it. Sometimes, you purposefully catch his eye, your own gleaming with intent. He never backs down, yet he never acts on your significant looks, either. Tonight, you decide, enough is enough. You're nearly to Baldur's Gate, now, after two months of traveling with your erstwhile companions - your band of misfits, if you will. Hells, you're supposed to arrive in Rivington in two days' time. Enough is enough. If you are just prey or just a plaything, you deserve to know, at least so you can make an educated decision for yourself. You should be allowed to decide if you're willing to be a...a plaything forever or not. You're not completely certain you're against it, considering the depth of your feelings for the man, but you still deserve to have a choice in the matter. He owes you that much, at least.

Heaving a great breath - one you didn't even realize you'd been holding - you stand up from your seat at the campfire and do your best to stride confidently to Astarion's tent. His eyes widen a fraction; if you weren't so familiar with his facial expressions, you likely would have missed it.

"Astarion," you say, "we need to talk. Now."

"Why, whatever about, darling? Have you changed your mind about our little deal? I would hate to lose such a scrumptious snack, but I understand if I must."

You shake your head in the negative. "No, Astarion. We need to talk about, well, us."

He puts his wine glass down and rakes a hand - quite elegantly, mind you - through his artfully disheveled hair. "Must we?"

"Yes," you say, firmly steeling what little resolve you have.

"Fine." He huffs, grabbing you by the hand and leading you quickly and quietly to a nearby grove. The need for privacy seems to be at an all-time high, you think idly.

"What do you want to know, Tav?"

"Everything. We've slept together once, over a month ago, after the party, and I've been your dinner every night for even longer. Am I just a plaything to you? A toy?"

He lets out an anguished groan. "No. You're not."

You blink. You blink again. A third time, you blink. You'd not been expecting that.

Noticing your obvious confusion, he rakes a much less graceful hand through his hair, which is now in a much less artful disarray, you note. He's obviously disgruntled, or, perhaps...frustrated? With you? With himself? All of the above?

"You haven't ever been 'just' a plaything. At first." He sighs once again, "you were a...means to an end. It was supposed to be simple. I seduce you, use you for protection, maybe food... But damn it all, you had to go and be...nice!...in a way I've never experienced before. Nobody has ever given me a choice before, at least, not since Cazador turned me. But you, Tav, you give me choices all the time! To feed on you or not, to pick campsites, to hunt various animals for everyone's dinner, including my own...To not bite that strange Drow woman." He visibly shivers at the mention of the Blood Alchemist.

Through all of this, you just stare at him in a dumb, stunned silence.

"Do you get what I'm saying, Tav? I don't really know WHAT you are, but you're so much more than a plaything or a means to an end. You deserve something...real. I want us to be something real."

Breaking out of your stupor, you sidle closer. "May I kiss you?"

Astarion gives you an affronted look of pure indignation. "I pour my heart and soul out to you, and you think you need to ask to kiss me?"

You merely nod. "You always have a choice, Astarion. Always."

With a quiet growl, he surges toward you with inhuman speed and pulls you into a ferocious, bruising, breathless kiss.

A moment later, when you break for air, you smirk. "Nice of you to profess your undying love for me, Astarion!"

The squeak of pure indignation is worth the scowl he throws your way for the next few minutes. It goes away, however, when you whisper in his ear that you feel the same.

131 notes · View notes

marymary-diva17 · 7 months

Text

Realization

Jake x avatar reader x neytiri

Avatar mini-series masterlist

The love that was shared between three souls will never be broken, but what happens when two of the sounds finally see that haven't been there for the other soul. That what had been happening in the last couple years was destroyer the relationship that once held dear, for the other person they love and cherish and if they keep this up they will lose them forever. That had become a big realization to know you will lose someone you have love so deeply, and might not ever have a special bond and relationship with them every again if everything comes crashing down.

y/n " breakfast is everyone" soon the family had come when you called them for breakfast all the children had soon sat down, when Jake had sat near you he saw you and move a away from him. Even neytiri had seen it as well when she tried to touch you it will result in you, moving a bit away from her as well.

Jake " breakfast is delicious honey"

y/n " umm thank you" it seems like the kids were shocked when Jake had called you honey, they were looking at him with shocked expression that got his attention.

neytiri " yes it wonderful ma y/n thank you for making the morning meal for us" The kids looked at neytiri shocked soon as well both Jake and neytiri were very confused, on why their kids were giving them these looks.

y/n " you are both welcome I thought it will be good for me to helpful towards the family" The family soon parted ways as everyone had gone to their own things.

Jake " you noticed it as well did you"

neytiri " it was not that hard to not pay attention to what had happened, even the kids were acting off as well"

Jake " yes maybe we should speak with them and see what the matter" the coupe had nodded their heads and soon went to find their kids, it seems like they were lucky as they came across their three other kids expect lo'ak.

Jake " kids may we speak with you"

neteyam " yes sir"

Jake " we want to know if everything okay with you mom she seems a bit off this morning" the two older children looked at each other as it seems like they, are having a silent fight with each other.

Jake " what going on here"

neteyam " why are you asking this question dad"

Jake " well because we noticed this morning your mother had pulled awya from our affection and you all loved weird when, we called her honey or ma y/n"

kiri " well it becomes dad it been many years since you called mama that"

Jake " no it hasn't"

kiri " yes it has"

neteyam " with all respect sir either one of you have been that close to her for a very long time" neteyam has give his father and mother a serious look he had respect for them, but hr had held more respect towards you.

Jake " what do you mean by that young man"

neteyam " you three were once so close as mates hey I wanted to have the same relationships as you all when I got older, but now looking where you all are I fear becoming like that not loving my mate anymore or being there for them"

Jake " we are there for your mom"

kiri " make that past tense you were there for mom not anymore she always alone, and she still love you two even after all the ways you both been treating her"

neytiri " we were busy we didn't have enough time"

kiri " you always made time for each other and never her it was always you two and never her, that hurt her mom and dad and you can't see that" Jake and neytiri were starting to see the errors of their ways slowly.

kiri " hey tuk why don't you go play and make a sand castle we will join your later"

tuk " okay can we collect some shells I want to make mommy a new necklace her old one is breaking"

neteyam " sure baby"

tuk " yeah I'm going to find the most beauty shells for mommy and lo'ak as well" tuk soon ran off with a bright smile on her face she was now looking for a shell. Once she was out of her shot kiri and neteyam soon looked at their parents.

kiri " you are going to lose mom"

Jake " what do you mean we are going to lose your mom she loves us"

kiri " yes she loves you two but how much will that love stay as you keep on this route of being mean to her"

neytiri " what do you mean leave us"

neteyam " her living the home and making her own she will keep distance from there and be civil"

Jake " she never told us this"

kiri " she doesn't have to say it dad it easy to see it become like that and when it comes to who going with her lo'ak will leave right away"

Jake " no lo'ak wont"

neteyam " it seems like you don't know your wife or son you have failed both of them over and over again"

kiri " if you want to keep this family tougher the both of you need to take responsibility for you actions, and change if you wish to keep her and lo'ak because if they leave I'm going with them" kiri soon turned around and walked away to join her sister.

neteyam " we are not picking sides not if you two don't change you will lose everyone, even grandmother thinks so as well" neteyam soon walked away as well. Jake and neytiri stood there watching the kids soon see you and lo'ak come home and race towards you happy.

neytiri " we are going to lose her my Jake we are going to lose lo'ak ... we are going to lose everyone"

Jake " no we are not going to lose here we need to make up for what we had done, and just maybe we will be given a second chance or reconcile with her but we can't lose her" Jake and neytiri were going to join you and the kids but they need to seek advice from some others, they need to see if they really have failed as mates and parents. later that night they wouldn't be happy about what they had been told, they completely had failed in many ways for their family leaving you to carry all the weight without any help. Now they were going to do anything that was need to make up for their mistakes as they wish not to lose you or the kids as you and the kids were their whole world. they didnt want that whole world coming crumbling down on them.

171 notes · View notes

psychoticpossums · 3 months

Text

Good Omens Season Two Finale Rewrite

Crowley stared at the man in front of him. Could he truly believe what he was hearing? It felt like his soul had shattered deep within himself.

“Oh, we're better than that, you're better than that, Angel! You don't need them. I certainly don't need them! Look, they asked me back to Hell, I said no. I'm not gonna be joining their team. Neither should you.” Crowley could feel the resentment that he had for Heaven and ‘the Metatron’ grow more fiercely as he looked at Aziraphale, his angel.

“But... Well, obviously you said no to Hell, you're the bad guys. But Heaven... Well, it's the side of truth, of light, of good.” Aziraphale held so much hope that Crowley would see that he only wanted to make Heaven good enough for him. Make Heaven see that it was wrong to make Crowley a fallen angel in the first place.

“When Heaven ends life here on Earth, it'll be just as dead as if Hell ended it. Tell me you said no. Tell me you said no.” Crowley hated feeling like he had to beg for anything, but none of that mattered in this moment. All that truly mattered to Crowley was Aziraphale. If he had to beg for him to see how much he meant to the demon, then that’s what shall happen.

Aziraphale held a look in his eyes that was foreign to Crowley.

“If I'm in charge... I can make a difference.” Aziraphale only wanted the best for everyone. Especially Crowley.

“Right. I didn't get a chance to say what I was going to say, I think I'd better say it now. Right, okay, yes, so… We've known each other a long time. We've been on this planet for a long time. I mean, you and me. I could always rely on you. You could always rely on me. We're a team, a group. Group of the two of us. And we've spent our existence pretending that we aren't. I mean, the last few years, not really. And I would like to spend… I mean, if Gabriel and Beelzebub can do it, go off together, then we can. Just the two of us. We don't need Heaven, we don't need Hell, they're toxic. We need to get away from them, just be an us. You and me, what do you say?”

“Come with me... to Heaven. I'll run it, you can be my second in command. We can make a difference.” Aziraphale knew what he was asking would be difficult for Crowley to comprehend, but he needed him. Maybe more than he needed Heaven.

“You can’t leave this bookshop.” You can’t leave me!

“Oh Crowley. Nothing lasts forever.” The angel had a sad smile on his face as he looked at the astonishment on the demon’s face. Crowley looked past Aziraphale and put his glasses back on. The last thing he needed was for Aziraphale to see the tears welling in his eyes.

“No. No, I don’t suppose it does. Good luck.” And with those two words, Crowley could practically hear his heart crack as he pushed past Aziraphale to make his way out of the bookshop. As he was racing out, the demon’s hand was grabbed and the angel pulled him to himself. Aziraphale looked into the eyes of his stunned demon and decided that this was as good of a time as any. Before either of them knew it, their lips were touching. The emotions in the air were a complex swirl of adoration and hurt, guilt and giddiness, and most importantly, passion and desire. The two pulled back to look the other in the eyes. Before Crowley could say anything, the angel embraced him and started speaking.

“Heaven isn’t worth having if I have to choose whether or not we are in each other’s lives.” Aziraphale had tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. He couldn’t imagine his life without Crowley in it.

Crowley couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He finally won. He didn’t need Heaven. Crowley didn’t need Hell. They only needed each other. Crowley let a tear fall as he pulled his angel impossibly closer to him. Aziraphale had chosen him, and that’s all he had ever wanted.

After Aziraphale made it clear to Metatron that he was no longer interested in the position, (which Metatron didn’t take very well), the angel and demon pair sat together in front of the pond. Crowley had a bag of frozen peas in one hand and in the other was Aziraphale’s hand.

#good omens #aziraphale #crowley #aziracrow #aziraphale x crowley

78 notes · View notes

littleprince612 · 8 months

Text

Lies of P - ENDING EXPLAINED, THEMES & FAQ

MAJOR SPOILERS MAJOR SPOILERS ENDING SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT

By the way, this is not a lore analysis at all, this is a discussion on the thematic ideas in the story, and I refer to the player character interchangeably as "we" or P/Pinocchio. This is also all just my personal interpretations on the story, and is subject to inaccuracy.

Please enjoy my spark notes-esque analysis on Pinocchio souls!!

Was Carlo evil?

My answer is no. This is a bit complex, so I’ll try to answer within two questions.

In one of the endings, P surrenders his heart and Geppetto then uses it to revive Carlo, his biological son. Carlo then ends up killing everyone in the hotel if we choose to "save" him. He steps out into the rain, looks at Geppetto, and smiles (something that P doesn’t do), seemingly confirming his newly found humanity.

This does seem like a happy ending at first, doesn't it? By submitting to him, We/Carlo may win the purely conditional love of our father, but this comes at a cost. He has surrendered a part of himself in obedience. He no longer has any agency. Thereby making him a puppet in the ideological sense:

The game has a meaningful mechanic where our hair will grow during the duration of the game. Carlo's presented with short hair, but he's also wearing the same outfit (white blouse) we had in the train station; This is the version of ourselves from the beginning of the game. Like showing all that development we made is now gone for submitting to our father, we're right back to where we started, even as a "real boy”: a non-realized being who is at the call of someone else, a (Gasp!) puppet.

Why does Geppetto sacrifice himself instead of calling the attack off?

Let’s say instead of giving away the heart, we refuse. Geppetto, disappointed, then opens the suitcase he’s been carrying since the first trailer. He reveals the unnamed puppet boss, raises up the unnamed puppet on strings, and attempts to take the heart by force.

If you survive the first phase of the fight, P is able to slice the top his head off. There's then an animation of the "strings" around the nameless puppet being cut, becoming more ethereal.

The fight goes on as it does, and then something strange happens. The nameless puppet seemingly defies Geppetto, and nonsensically attacks the heart Geppetto so needs in the first place, at which point he is so desperate for Carlo's revival that he dives in front of us.

Geppetto asks, shocked, "Were you trying to destroy Carlo's heart?"

What’s in the box?

Geppetto opens the suitcase we’ve seen him carrying since the first trailer, and raises up the nameless puppet. In the other ending, we can see that the body in the suitcase is indeed Carlo.

I think that Carlo/Nameless puppet regained some amount of sentience after being damaged. After the "real boy ending", Geppetto has him kill the rest of the people in Hotel Krat. Carlo being revived would mean Geppetto still has absolute control over his son.

Short answer: He lost control of the puppet in the second phase and it either sabotaged him or acted purely of its own accord to end the fight. I think the implication was that even Carlo knew being brought back was a bad idea. Damn :(

[note: people online have pointed out: It’s implied that Geppetto seems to have heavily neglected Carlo, and Carlo may have hated Geppetto in reality ("I don't care if an old man like that kicks the bucket!"). This reinforces the idea that the Carlo we see at the end is just a pawn.]

Is Pinocchio = Carlo?

I think this is one of the more interesting points. This is either ambiguous or left unresolved by the game; but I think it's probably true that Pinocchio and Carlo are virtually the same person. If Geppetto had just accepted our/P's decision not to surrender the heart, he may have still gotten the son back that he always wanted anyway. But for all intents and purposes, the game seems to answer that it doesn't matter. Antonia's final letter to us rather profoundly chooses not to answer the question.

Why Antonia is a real one

This is Antonia's final message to us, contrasted with Geppetto's role with us as a parent in our final battle. [emphasis mine]

To the wonderful gentleman who gave my precious time back to me, That time I met you was light itself. Whether you're that child or not, I think you're a kind, precious child. Thank you for giving my joy back to me in my last moments. To the young gentleman who resembles Carlo, Antonia Cerasani

[Remember, these are Antonia and Geppetto’s respective last words to us]

To be very fair, Geppetto was Carlo's actual parent; Antonia was not. But this seems to contrast with Geppetto asserting to us during the final boss sequence that we are just a puppet. The word "precious" is also very particular, as it's a word that Geppetto uses to refer to us near constantly ("Always remember that you're precious to me"/"it pains me to send someone so precious into such peril"). But while it could be read that we are only precious to him for ulterior reasons (because we carry the organ needed to revive Carlo), Antonia asserts that we are precious regardless. I see that as a truer, non-possessive love.

[also: Carlo's eyes are very noticeably brown (also seen in the painting), Our/P’s eyes are blue. Eyes, nearly always, have quite the symbolism! "The window to the soul", remember? While P and Carlo may have had a near-identical shell, I think this might be the game telling us that P and Carlo weren't truly the same. ]

Who’s a good boy?

Geppetto calls us "good boy" quite a lot. It's been fun watching various streams of this game, and whenever Geppetto calls us a "Good boy", I remember the chatroom filling up with messages of disgust, like: Good boy has real "Would you kindly" vibes! and: I squint my eyes at him every time he calls us a good boy like a dog.

It really reminds me of Mother Gothel! When Mother Gothel calls Rapunzel "pet" and consistently dresses her in undersized dresses, she's infantilizing Rapunzel to take away her agency. Cleverly, each time she tells Rapunzel she loves her, she seems to be directing that love to her hair! She's also constantly touching and caressing it. She isn't interested in Rapunzel as a person, but in the functional idea of her. Geppetto also expresses discomfort seeing us age (our hair growing), in contrast to Sophia's honest and enthusiastic interest. It's symbolic of his disdain towards our growing self-autonomy (growth into an adult).

[Even in the last hug with P, it’s a basically a ruse to grab the heart, and he never gives P a second look when he collapses for dead on the floor.]

[To be somewhat sympathetic to Bad Dad Giuseppe (I'm not defending him), it's also probably because we are now growing past the age that Carlo died. Essentially, we're starting to outlive him, and Geppetto has to witness the growing that Carlo never got to reach. That's got to be hard to bear.]

What does P actually stand for? P stands for Puppet, Not Pinocchio

People have noticed since the demo that we are never actually, explicitly referred to as "Pinocchio". The NPCs seem to dodge around saying "Pinocchio", opting for words “like Geppetto's puppet" or “child” instead. Given the story's inspiration and the game's title, however, it could be inferred that our name is Pinocchio. Why not just call us by name?

Well, the doylist interpretation is that maybe they just didn't want to stir up some kind of trademark trouble with a certain Walter Mouse. But the game does something clever with this, lore-wise. After our "betrayal" at the hands of our father, I think the big reveal is simply that we are unnamed. Giuseppe gave us no name, showing he didn't view us as a true autonomous being.

Why does Geppetto apologize in the alternate "good ending"?

Both the endings are near identical, but when Geppetto is beginning to curse Pino, he apologizes instead. The beginning of the end cutscene is the same as the second “good ending”, where Geppetto tells us that we’re “just a useless puppet”. He's beginning to say this, except for when he sees the tear fall, at which point he seems to relent.

I think it's supposed to imply, seeing Pinocchio seemingly mourning for him, that in the very last moment Geppetto understood that either 1. Pinocchio was truly Carlo or 2. that he was sentient enough to be his tangible son anyway.

Is Pinocchio still alive? (+ Collodi's journey to Adulthood)

I think so!

If you've taken certain paths, you unlock the third ending, which is like the second ending, except with an additional scene where we can see P returning to the Alchemist's tower to look at a peaceful Krat. P then uses the ergo from Sophia into a puppet replica, at which point he collapses, seemingly from exhaustion. Sophia cradles him as he sleeps and serenely tells us it's good to see us again.

In the book, Pinocchio, after travailing to support both his ailing father and the sick blue fairy, falls asleep and dreams that he is visited by the blue fairy. The fairy, now whole and healed, tells him he hasn't been the best son, but that boys who support their parents are "deserving of great praise". When he wakes, he is a human boy, and his puppet form lies lifeless on a chair. It isn't Pinocchio showing pure obedience that makes him into a real boy, but the selfless act of caring for his father (the reversal of the parent-child structure). In my interpretation - her final message is this: That he was never perfect, (and perhaps he would never be perfect), but the bottom line was that he loved his father, and that was enough to make him human. [I think there's something in my eye!]

(Easter - The Resurrection of Christ, Rebirth, Death and renewal, Spring)

In case you don't know (I didn't btw), the statue in the Exhibition is actually Michelangelo's La Pieta. Its inclusion in the game not only alludes to the novel's Italian origins, but also serves as a central visual motif as it's representing Jesus's death in the arms of Mary. This visual motif is revisited by P and Sophia at the end of the game in the “true” (canonical) ending. Symbolically, In the selfless act of reviving Sophia and at the end of his journey, he has transcended and broken the "egg shell of his puppet body" into a true adult (a human being).

Does lying make us human?

At the centre of Collodi's Pinocchio is a father-son relationship wherein underlies an unconditional love. But this game has quite the different father-son relationship. When puppets are made, they are meant to follow under the laws of the Grand Covenant, and our father is the father of all puppets. Namely, each time we lie, this is in defiance of our father figure. Remember, the rule is that a puppet cannot lie. Lying doesn't have the connotation it has in the book or in popular culture adaptations of Pinocchio. Rather, lying in the game seems to infer choice and not deception.

It isn't just the act of disobedience (Self-agency) that gives us our autonomy ("A man chooses", mirroring Bioshock), In many cases in the story, we are asked if it’s better to comfort someone with a lie than telling them a truth that maybe wouldn’t serve them. In that way, you can also view lying as the selfless act of taking a burden.

Again, this adapts Collodi's psychological ideas in the book on the growth of the self-interested nature of the hedonistic, narcissistic child into the empathetic "adult" that works to serve others. [I know I might come across as harsh here, but bear with me, I’m just trying to speak in literary terms.] But while Collodi's Pinocchio focuses on the selfless nature of a parent, Lies of P focuses on the self-agency of an adult.

So why is Lies of P so dead serious about Pinocchio? Well, it's an elaborate metaphor for self-autonomy.

In Conclusion…

Does Lies of P have an identity issue in of itself? Great soulslike? PuppetBorne 2.0? But it's also a beautifully rendered Pinocchio adaption. Quite unusual, perhaps, but there's a quote that bizarrely enough comes to mind when I think of the audacity of a Pinocchio themed soulslike - Talent is hitting the target nobody else can hit, while genius is hitting the target nobody else can see. I think there is a reason why the tale of Pinocchio persists and persists.

#lies of p #LOP #lies of p spoilers #spoilers #spoiler #pinocchio #carlo collodi #liesofp

138 notes · View notes

monzamash · 1 year

Note

❝ what am i to you truly ? a puppet to be used to get what you want? ❞ + daniel 🥺😩

on our side daniel ricciardo x you | 1.1k — i combined this prompt and “did you just seriously insinuate i would do something like that to you?” because we love the drama, don't we folks? x

“You good?”

Daniel’s raspy voice stirred you awake, the exhaustion of too many night shifts strung together and the red wine he’d graciously provided for dinner had caused your weary eyes to close just for one peaceful, silent moment.

“Yeah, just needed a minute... it's so rowdy out there.”

The dip in the bed had your head tilting to the side, eying Daniel as he slumped down beside you, laying back on a bed that didn’t belong to either of you. In reality you didn’t know whose bed it was; maybe Scotty’s, maybe Sean’s – neither of you cared now that the dinner party had entered the wee hours of the morning.

“It’s been the longest day in history, I reckon. Trust those two to have the most extravagant wedding rehearsal dinner known to man…” Daniel sighed, hands linked behind his head; distressed curls falling every which way.

“Well, we are talking about a Stroll funded wedding event so not surprised that they’ve gone all out… Thought maybe there would be a flurry of doves as we walked in, it was that beautiful.”

Daniel chuckled at your joke and glanced your way, eternally in awe of how effortlessly funny you were. Quick witted and sharper than a tack like you’d always been; since the day he met you all those years ago.

“Should suggest that to Scotty for the big day – he’s all about the theatrics and hoopla… Christ, he might actually do it,” Daniel scoffed, making you chuckle and catch his eyes – gleaming and bloodshot from jet-lag.

There was a beat before his question; a question that you didn’t expect to get and certainly one you didn't want to receive.

“You ever think about getting married?”

The scoff that bubbled in your throat surfaced, eyes now widened at the man looking back at you with intrigue. Was he seriously asking you that? You? The girl who couldn't hold down a relationship because she's hung up on a man she can't have? Him.

“To who?” You asked, voice higher in pitch than you would’ve liked.

“I don’t exactly have a line of men queuing up around the corner…”

You cringed at the self-deprecation, wishing you’d gone with something less sad but the words spilled before you could catch them, painfully honest.

And Daniel’s quirked brow didn’t help you feel less desperate, “Oh, you know I’m camping out to be at the front of that queue.”

His tone was light-hearted but you knew that he wasn’t joking around. You’d found yourself here too many times, on too many late nights – fantasying about what could’ve been, maybe what should’ve been with the two of you. The almost’s, the close calls, the declarations of love when it wasn’t “the right time” and the apologies the next day when you wake up filled with regret, wanting nothing more than to pretend it didn’t happen because “your friendship means more to me than anything.”

It was cyclical.

“You promised we wouldn’t say things like that anymore, Dan.”

It was his chuckle that set you off, ringing in your ears like a taunt. It was as if the pain you felt every time he dangled himself in front of you, forbidden fruit, meant nothing to him. Like it didn’t rip his heart out of his chest, when it did. Having you as a friend killed him, every time he heard your voice on the phone, every time he made you laugh. Deflecting was his defence mechanism because admitting how he truly felt would hurt more than just you and him now.

“I’m deadly serious…” You reiterated, staring into the windows of his soul, or so it felt for him as he watched your pupils widen.

“I know.”

And Daniel did know. He knew all too well the feeling of watching you happily in love – even if it was fleeting. But now it was his turn. The action of finding someone new was never intended to be vengeful or mean-spirited; it was just the way it was. Timing never on your side.

“But sometimes I think about getting married and when I do, I know you’re the only person on earth that understands how I feel… what that could look like and that might not be fair but it’s the truth.”

Daniel looked back up at the crown molding ceiling, hands clasped over his stomach, rising and falling with deep breaths. His heart was pounding, confessing his feelings was never easy when it came to you – and that was part of the reason you were laying side by side as friends, nothing more.

“You’re right, it’s not fair,” You stated, still staring at his sharpened jawline, tensing at your words, “I feel like… I feel like I’m just a puppet to you – a puppet to be used to get what you want whenever it doesn’t work out with your flavour of the month and… and…”

Daniel shot up, elbow buried into the mattress as he propped himself up beside you. As soon as you looked into those dark brown eyes, your heart shattered into a million pieces – the look of complete horror staring back at you as you stuttered through the sentence you wished you never even started. Regret getting the better of you.

“Did you just seriously insinuate i would treat you that way? After everything we’ve been through?” Daniel was stunned, gobsmacked by how differently you had perceived your relationship. Disposable.

He never wanted to make you feel that way, not ever.

“I fucking love you. I’m in love with you. And you know that. I know you do and I know you feel the same, which is why I sometimes keep my distance, especially when you’re with someone because I know what we have isn’t normal. I know it isn’t a normal friendship 'cause the reason all of my 'flavours of the month' leave is because of you.”

“Because they see the way I look at you and apparently it’s the same way you look at me so I dunno what to tell ya? You’re not a puppet and you never have been, it’s just… when we do get the chance to be together… in that way, I can’t say no to you… You’re you.”

Daniel reached down and softly brushed the pad of his thumb across your reddened cheek, a single tear rolling down the flushed skin as you let his words wash over you. He was right about all of it; he always was. He was the rational one, levelheaded and steadfast. But his words could only ease the pain so much.

The room was quiet, erratic breaths were the only sound being caught in the thickened air. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of your lungs, confessions somehow confusing the situation even more. Closure now being the only remedy for the heartache.

“If all that's true then, what do we do?”

Your voice was meek, barely a whisper as Daniel fell back onto the white linen duvet, hand searching for yours. You did what you always do and laced your fingers together; a comforting gesture to ease the sadness and gentle squeeze for good measure.

“I don’t know.”

Daniel genuinely didn’t know what to do and you could tell by the way his eyes darkened and the smile lines that were almost always visible were gone that he was as clueless as you. Stuck.

Because timing was never on your side.

a//n — don't know how many angsty drabbles i can write to be completely honest 'cause this hurt 😂 but hope you liked it x masterlist | askbox

#daniel ricciardo #daniel ricciardo one shot #daniel ricciardo drabble #daniel ricciardo x reader #formula 1 one shot #f1 drabble #f1 writing #monzamashmasterlist #monzamashprompts

333 notes · View notes

jellys-compendium · 4 months

Text

V - SFW Alphabet

Rating: T

Cw: none A/n: Here are some SFW thoughts on our poetic, melancholic, and edgy boy, V. This was a lot of fun and I was happy to show him some love.

V - NSFW Alphabet

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

V is selective with whom he shows his affection, whether it be platonic or romantic. V is not overtly affectionate overall, but he does show care and concern for the people that he deeply treasures. How V shows his affection is also subtle, but at the same time can be a little dorky and poetic. Scribbling you little poems and sticking them in places for you to find later, gently wrapping his fingers around yours whenever the two of you are standing close, staying up late with you into the night just so he can spend more time talking with you. These are the ways V shows his affections.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

V is one of those quiet best friends that you don't really know everything about, but still share that deep sense of trust with. He is that kind of best friend that you could simultaneously share deep conversations with or sit with him in silence for hours without it feeling awkward. The two of you just enjoy being in each other's presence. As for how a friendship with V would start, I think it would spark either due to similar interests, or there is something about you that V just finds alluring.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

V does like to cuddle, although you wouldn't find this out well into the relationship. V adores the feeling of your warm skin against his and the softness of your embrace. When V is comfortable with you, he's not at all shy about cuddling, and he will happily wrap you in his arms and pull you close whenever you ask. V also loves it when you cuddle him back. To him, the soothing feeling of your hands gently stoking up and down his back is sweeter than any prose.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

I imagine that V has secret little fantasies about settling down. While he doesn't often get much time to think about it, whenever he sees you happily engaging in one of your domestic chores or hobbies, he always gets that little pang of longing in his heart. Some nights he dreams about stealing you away to a place where he can have you all to himself. A place where it can just be the two of you peacefully living together. When it comes to household chores, I'm going to be totally honest, V is not really the best at these things. He's often aloof when it comes to chores and the man can't cook to save his life.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

V would be heartbroken, but in the end I think he would be straightforward about it. I don't imagine him abandoning a partner without saying something. Likely, V would pull you aside to tell you that his feelings have changed and that he's ending things. However, if he's doing it to protect you, I can see the breakup being very teary and messy. V would be so torn, but his willpower is formidable and if he's set his mind on protecting you, then that's exactly what he's going to do.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Oh this man is committed. Once V realizes that he loves you, that's it. His body, heart, and soul are yours. Whether or not that means he will share his life with you in the traditional sense, is another thing. Being who he is, there are many obstacles in the way, but that won't stop V from adoring you, even if it's from afar. As for marriage, I think that V isn't particularly one to jump into such a thing right away. He probably would only do it to make you happy. To V, the feelings he harbors for you in his heart are far purer and more powerful a reflection of how much he treasures you. I have to say though, he would write the most beautiful and tear jerking wedding vows.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

V is a gentle soul, both physically and emotionally. His touches feel like the cool summer breeze, his kisses are like velvet, and his voice is like the morning sun trickling in through curtains. Emotionally, V is quite introspective and sensitive towards both you and himself. V always seems to have a sixth sense about how you're feeling and will comfort you however he can when you need it.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

V is not really the biggest fan of hugs (except those coming from you of course). I wouldn't say that he outright hates them, but he feels awkward and doesn't really know how to feel or respond whenever he receives them from others. V's hugs are very soft and gentle. He's not one to wrap you in a lung splitting bear hug. Instead, he elects to gingerly wrap his arms around you and pull you into a comfortable embrace.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

Saying those three little words "I love you" out loud takes V a very, very long time. V knows he has fallen in love with you long ago, but funnily enough even though he is lover of words, he can't seem to ever find the right time to say it aloud. Instead, V tells you that he loves you through his poetry. The breathtaking verses he writes in which he so tenderly and carefully illustrates the depths of his love for you, speaks more than those three words ever could.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Jealousy is not an unknown beast to V. This man does have a tendency to get jealous of those who possess the qualities, relationships, or life he desires. However, being as introspective as V is, he does come to realize this about himself and so will strive to have it affect his actions as minimally as possible. If V were to ever get jealous over someone trying to steal your attention and/or affection from him, I can see V mostly being quiet about it. But that acidic bile will seep into his tone, the sharpness of his gaze, and the harshness of his words. Luckily, it usually only takes a comforting word from you to pull V out of it.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

V's kisses are as ever changing and moving as the clouds in the sky. Sometimes his kisses are soft and tender. Other times they are passionate and desperate. V's kisses are a mirror of the emotions in his heart, and while he can control his words and mannerisms for the most part, V finds he has a difficult time concealing how he really feels whenever he kisses you. That being said, V loves to kiss you. It's his favorite way of physically showing his affection towards you. With reverent lips V adorns your mouth, hands, throat, shoulders--every inch of you he can reach with worshipping kisses. As for where V likes to be kissed, he always melts whenever you kiss his cheek. There is just something so pure and loving about those kisses that makes his heart squeeze pleasantly in his chest.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

I'm going to be honest, I don't think that V is all that great around children. His solitary and more introverted nature makes him come across as standoffish and that doesn't always lend well to his interactions with young people. In addition, V can come across as unempathetic when a child is whining over something. However that being said, there is a rare breed of child that finds V's mysterious aura intriguing, and they will often seek him out just to talk with him or listen to him read. They are intrigued by him, and he in turn is intrigued by them. The way V's voice softens and the tiny little smile that pulls at his lips whenever he is around those particular little ones is one of the sweetest things you've ever seen.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

V is absolutely not a morning person. Rising with the dawn he does not. Typically, if you want to get V up in the early hours of the morning, you will have to roll him out of bed. That or bribe him with multitudes of kisses. If V had his way, he would spend every single day cuddling under the warm blankets with you until noon. The demons can wait.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

V's a night owl. He likes the quiet hours best, and finds the peaceful solitude of that time both inspiring and comforting. V enjoys spending nights relaxing with you. Lounging on the couch with you curled up in his arms as he reads you poetry. The nights he gets to spend with you like that are his favorites.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

V is guarded to a certain extent, but he also has a vulnerable side to him. V will keeps things about himself hidden at the start of any relationship he has, but once that bridge of trust has been built, he is surprisingly quick to open up. He genuinely wants to make meaningful connections with the people he cares about. In your relationship with him specifically, V started to open up to you once he realized that he could trust you with his feelings and fears.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

It takes effort to anger V...with a few exceptions. He maintains a cool calmness most of the time and he is very much of the "live and let live" mindset. However if finds himself facing something that reminds him of the trauma he has endured, or if you are harmed in anyway, V's anger erupts. With the help of his familiars, V will tear the target of his anger to pieces.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Ohohoho. Listen. V remembers every single little absolute minute detail about you. Is there something that you mentioned in the briefest of passings 7 months ago? He'll remember it like it was yesterday. V adores you, and he is diligent in committing to memory the little details and intricacies that make you, you.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

V doesn't have a specific moment that he considers a favourite over others, because he treasures every single moment with you. V knows that he's not long for this world in his current state, so he savours every glance, every word, every touch, and every second that he gets to spend with you.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Very protective to say the least. V will put himself between you and harms way without a shred of doubt. The unfortunate thing is that V isn't exactly in the most ideal position to protect you from the powerful demonic threats that the two of you face. His body is decaying and he is vulnerable without the help of his familiars. This bothers him exceptionally. When it comes to himself being protected, V won't turn down help when he needs it. But he would be lying if he didn't say it burned him deep inside. In his heart, he feels he should be the one protecting you.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

V likes to put in effort into his gestures of affection. While he is not one for grandiose displays, V does very much enjoy showering you with small little tokens of his love for you each and every day. Slipping a flower between the pages of the book you were reading, going on a date to a place with beautiful scenery for the two of you to admire, leaving little love notes and poems for you to find, dancing with you to the melody of a sonata. V loves you above all things and he wants to make you feel cherished and appreciated.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Unfortunately, V doesn't take very good care of himself. Lets be honest, his sleeping habits are terrible, he doesn't eat much or drink enough water, and he is continuously pushing himself to the brink of exhaustion. Thank goodness he at least bathes and is good in the hygiene department.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

I think V is vain to a certain extent. He does want to look good and charismatic (at least to your eyes). However, I should say that he's not so vain that V would sacrifice anything important for the sake of his looks.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Without a doubt. V is a sentimental man. If you were to ever leave, he would feel like a part of himself left with you. A part that V knows he'll never recover so long as he is without you.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Underneath the mysterious, edgy boy layer, V surprisingly has a dorky sense of humor. He often makes inside corny jokes with you and will reference them on occasion while in the company of others. V loves making you laugh with a private little joke the two of you share, and he is not in the least bit bothered with the confused glances the others send his way.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

I think that V is adverse to people who are extravagantly loud, brutish, and/or abrasive. People who have no moments of quiet, or who have no sense of appreciation for literature, music, and art. While V doesn't necessarily hate these personality types, he finds he doesn't have the energy to be around those kind of people for very long.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

As I indicated before, V has absolutely terrible sleeping habits. He typically doesn't sleep more than a few hours at a time, and when he does his sleep, he is quite restless. Nightmares are common, as is him jolting awake in the middle of the night covered in a cold sweat. Since sharing a bed with you however, V has found that being able to feel the warmth of your body beside his has helped to ease his mind considerably. And even if he has a bad night, V will ask you to help him make up for it by dozing with you through the mornings.

sfw alphabet template

#devil may cry #dmc 5 #v dmc5 #v #dmc v x reader #dmc v x you #v x reader #v x you #jellywrites

75 notes · View notes

tsunami-watch · 3 months

Text

Outrunning Karma

Main Story: 1

Summary: V meets Nathan, the beginning of our adventure.

Ships: (Nathan Bateman x F!V!Reader)

Word count: 1767

“This could be big for you, don’t fuck it up.” Rogue’s warning rang in V’s mind as she entered the conference room.

The room was monochromatic with minimalist decor, nothing really clueing her in to who this “Nathan Bateman” guy was. No personal effects or awards, just some plant that looked fake in the corner and a geometric table with two chairs. She scans the room, finding nothing of note, just a security panel and a thermostat. She shrugged and sat down in one of the chairs, tapping the table under her fingers. She had gotten from Rouge was that this guy was “Unlike any other corpo.” and that could mean anything. She sighs and leans back in her chair as she looks up at the paneled ceiling, after a brief moment of pretending to play tic-tac-toe with its gridded pattern she’s startled by a low voice.

“Anything interesting up there?” She jumps slightly and turns quickly in her seat about to curse out whoever scared her when she’s face to face with him. She’s surprised by the man in front of her, not a scrap of visible chrome on him. She starts up her scanner for a habitual scan, but before she can even get a glance at the info, he vanishes from her field of view in the blink of an eye, a sudden gust of wind whipping across her face from the movement. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Nathan’s voice comes from around the corner.

V instinctively flexes, Mantis blades springing into action, she takes a defensive stance, anticipating the worst.

“Woah, chill honey. Not gonna hurt you.” Before she could even react, her blades retracted, plates shuffling and closing back to their inactive state.

“What the- How did…?” She felt significantly less chill.

“So, can we talk or are we gonna keep this back and forth going for a while longer?” Nathan asks.

“I’m happy to talk, I don’t know why you vanished in the first place.” She stands up straight again and leans on the table, Nathan comes back around the corner.

“Trust me, you don’t want to randomly scan me like that, just might end up another fried corpse in a trash heap if you’re not careful.” Nathan stands in front of her and relaxes slightly. “Now go ahead.” She raises an eyebrow but doesn’t ask anything further as she proceeds to scan him. As she's skimming over his NCPD file she's surprised to see his middle name vanish from the file in real time, glancing back at him it appeared he had been following along her reading.

"Much better." He mutters

"Hamlet? Really?" She chuckles.

"We don't talk about it." He crosses his arms with a sigh.

“Noted.” She looks around the room again, trying to figure out what to say next. “So, what's the deal? You’re definitely not like the other CEOs of megacorps, pretty sure most of them don’t even look the mercs who do their dirty work in the eye, much less invite them into their freakishly minimalist space.” Nathan laughs.

“I guess you could say I’m not like the others.” He walks past her and sits down in one of the chairs, gesturing for her to do the same. She sits down, her eyes still trained on him. Rogue wasn’t wrong, he was different from any other corpo she’d ever met, Ditching the expensive restricting suits for a soft waffle-knit white sweater and some dark slacks, his head shaved, and a full well groomed beard. After a longer examination she could tell he didn’t have any optic enhancements either, somehow wiring the typical display functions of cyberoptics to the silver wireframe glasses perched upon his nose, leaving his eyes a natural deep brown, which was almost unnerving, she was so used to the bright artificial colors and slight glow that most had, seeing pure natural eyes, she understood what all those old poets meant by the eyes being the windows to the soul. Nathan gives her a slight smirk, leaning forward in his seat with interest. “Not every day I meet someone who knows nothing about me.”

“Sorry, don't mean to bruise your ego.” She says leaning back in her chair, keeping a comfortable distance between them.

“No, No…I quite like it. You have no expectations, you aren’t expecting some genius bullshit that blows your mind. It’s nice, no performance, no need to please or meet some expectation of grandeur.” Nathan also takes the time to examine her more closely. Sure, she was here to do a job for him, but he couldn’t help but enjoy the view. It's not often someone who looks like that waltzes in, toned muscle and soft skin fading into the harsh telltale lines of combat cyberware, fire in her cybernetic eyes. He blinks lazily, taking a second to refocus. “Alright, the gig should be easy enough. I just need you to get something for me, and if necessary, zero the choom who has it.” She’s slightly taken aback in his casual choice of words but nods.

“Okay, what exactly am I looking for?” She asks, her eyebrow raised slightly.

“Long story short, a Braindance. I got drunk at a party and a doll got a BD of a conversation I had, where I gave up some information I shouldn’t have. I can’t have that getting around, top secret shit.” She watches Nathan talk, as much as she was listening to the details of the gig she was amused by the way he talked with his hands, the expressions he makes, she couldn’t help but feel at ease with him, not something she had felt so easily with anyone in a while. Nathan had picked up on that feeling, her body language going from tense and on edge to seemingly relaxed. Her shoulders lowered, her head tilted to the side a bit, ankles crossed in front of her. She had let her guard down just a little bit, the corners of his lips turning up slightly in a smile. “It should be simple, get the BD, by whatever means necessary.”

“Seems easy enough, who am I looking for?”

It was jarring to have information transferred without seeing the familiar blue flash from the optics of the transmitter. “Amethyst Bronte.” Her NCPD database file didn’t have anything notable to speak of besides a tie to The Mox, which was not unusual for a doll.

“Sure it’s her? She seems remarkably…unremarkable in her records for an NC citizen.” V did another once over of the squeaky clean file. “Only offense was trespassing…to feed stray cats on private property. This upstanding citizen if NC’s ever known one, snagged a BD of you giving up classified info? Choom-”

Nathan quirked a brow at her, an amused smile tugging at his lips. Another tab appeared in V’s view, the ice blue backdrop and text looking oddly familiar, as she skimmed through the extensive file including images, video, and audio attached that did not seem like they were recorded with the subjects’ knowledge. This file painted a very different picture of Amethyst, a data broker who sold information to corps and gangs alike for the highest offer, the file even included insights into her personal life, broken family, little to no friends to speak of, just trying to keep a roof over her head and food on the table. “Thought you’d know better by now than to judge a BD by its title, choom.”

“Where- The fuck? How did you even get this much information? I know the place this was taken, there’s no cameras-” He silently stared, waiting patiently as realization dawned upon V. “No, no, they’re real? Those fucking, conspiracy theories about Tsunami?”

“Tsunami Watch.” He nodded, leaning back in his chair, expression only describable as with the pride and arrogance of a man who thought himself to be God. Maybe he wasn’t all that different from other corpos after all. “Anyways, you don’t have to worry about all that, just enjoy the extra deets.” Nathan waves dismissively, she doesn't know how to feel about the sharp contrasts of emotion he’s made her feel in the short timespan she’s known him. She shakes it off with a hesitant nod, she needs to focus on the job, get through this and get home. That's what matters.

“Sounds good, I’ll keep in touch.” V says calmly as she stands up and gets ready to go.

“Oh and V, be careful. You never know who's watching.”

It took over a day to track down this Amethyst character even with the additional deets provided, despite having her life in a neat file she posed more of a challenge than V initially expected. When V finally found her, it was in amongst the pounding beats and sweaty bodies of the most popular club in Night City, Riot. As she entered the establishment she was greeted by the familiar sound and sight of Johnny’s engram flickering into existence, leaning against one of the lobby’s brutalist concrete walls.

“You should try taking me somewhere this nice sometime V.” He snarked with his usual tone of arrogance-riddled sarcasm. V rolled her eyes and decided to ignore him, pushing past as he flickered out of view. She decided to observe Amethyst from afar, having spotted her bright purple streaked hair through the crowd, chatting with someone as she moved to the beat. Calculating her next move, V carefully moved to the bar flagging down the bartender, watching out of the corner of her eye as Amethyst approached the opposite end of the bar. Perfect timing.

“A shot of house tequila, neat, and whatever she’s drinking.” She said tilting her head in the direction of the other woman. The bartender silently nods in acknowledgement, pouring and setting the drink in front of her with the flourish of practiced efficiency before turning to get Amethyst's order. V knocks back the shot, letting the familiar feeling of the burning amber liquid ignite upon her tongue as it slides down her throat. It was only a moment before Amethyst approached, holding her own drink of a dreamy pink and purple hue.

“Thank you for the drink Miss V, I think I have something you’re looking for.” She smiled as she slid what looked to be a metallic cigarette case across the table, motioning for V to open it. V cocks an eyebrow at her before cautiously popping the case open to find a datastick and a handwritten note, a mix of shock and irritation crossing her face as she reads the note.

“You passed. Congrats. -N”

Masterlist

Credit: @winniethewife @burymesanti

#nathan bateman #cyberpunk v #cyberpunk 2077 #blue book #Bluebook #Tsunami watch #ex machina #ex machina fanfiction #nathan bateman x reader #oscar isaac #oscar issac characters #oscar issac hernandez estrada #oscar issac x reader #cyberpunk fanfic #cyberpunk AU

40 notes · View notes

ye-local-simp · 2 years

Note

Can i have a monalike reader? Like.. She has a hydro vision with the same outfit and attacks and all, i wanna see what would the heartsybul members do! Especially for riddle like for example when grimm tried burning the place down the reader immediately used her vision and i think it would be cool if whenever we used attacks and we weren't in our attack outfit then it would automatically change to our attack outfit! (talking about mona from genshin)

Don't worry!!! I've seen your other request

[With a Mona like S/o]

[RIDDLE,LEONA,AZUL,KALIM,VIL]

Riddle:

-You can say he is intrigued by you.

-Your powers were a bit more unique that others in the Twisted Wonderland.

-Like you had a "vision" but magic is magic and you were helpful at the entrance ceremony after Grimm practically almost burned everyone down.

-When he first saw your outfit, poor man was blushing so much that you thought that he would die right there.

-Mostly because he didn't expect it since you just had your uniform on a second ago.

-When you told him about your love for astronomy, he could be any more happier.

-You actually have a goal and hobby in tour life and the two troublemaking freshmen might be able to learn something from you.

-which would save him a lot of stress.²

Leona:

-To be honest, he basically slept through the entrance ceremony so he didn't really get the chance of actually seeing you in action.

-But after Ruggie told him about what you did either from what he had seen or rumours, he was a bit curious about you.

-The fact that you had no nature of a soul but you had very useful powers brought up questions for him.

-When he finally did have the chance to actually speak to you, he probably asked about your "vision".

-When you tell him, it starts to make so much sense to him.

-When your outfit changed for the first time, he was confused, but when he saw the outfit, he definitely didn't shy away from commenting on it.

-When he realised that you were into astronomy he brought you to the botanical garden for a stargazing date.

-Mostly because it is just perfect for the two of you, he would sleep under the stars next to you in his favourite sleeping spot whilst you point at all the constellations you can see from there since the botanical garden has a clearer view of stars.

Azul:

-Probably the most curious of the whole bunch.

-Most of the water based powers were given to the mermen and mermaids.

-Especially when it comes to being the essence of your soul.

-Even though, the Dark Mirror already told you that the nature of your soul was empty, he still believed that you were definitely connected to water somehow.

-Especially after seeing the action you brought in the entrance ceremony with Grimm.

-Yeah, his cheeks definitely started to flush when he saw the outfit though.

-I mean-he has seen many mermaids in his life and they wear skimpy outfits but seeing it on you just took his breath away.

-Physically and Metaphorically

-When you meet him, he asked about your powers at some point and you just tell him as it is:that you had a "vision" and you weren't from this world so you probably didn't have am essence here as you're not supposed to be here anyway.

-If you tell him that you were an expert in astronomy, you would probably give a big business idea like making astronomical-looking drinks.

Kalim:

-He already liked you at the entrance ceremony.

-Mostly because of how you extinguished the fire that Grimm was creating.

-And because you extinguished the fire on his butt.

-But he did try to understand your power; how can you have no essence of magic and yet have a water magic.

-He was probably the only one to actually go up to you and ask straight-forwardly.

-Of course, you tell him the truth and his face basically becomes this :0.

-He does really notice the outfit change at first but he does notice it at some point and doesn't make a big deal out of it.

-Yes, he finds you attractive but he obviously doesn't want to come across as rude or annoying to others so he just gives a few compliments on your outfit and just treats you as normal.

-He likes your conversations about astronomy since he never really looked into space before; however even if you were a boring person, he would still enjoy talking to you.

Vil:

-He also wondered about you after the entrance ceremony.

-You managed to stop chaos and a fire with water magic after being told by the dark mirror that you had no magic.

-Straight after realising you have magic,he realises your outfit.

-As a Model, he already has seen a lot of skimpy outfits but seeing you wear them in combat somehow made him feel flustered with curiosity and love.

-Of course this will raise questions for him but as a model, he cant be seen as desperate or lovey dovey with someone very openly and he just figured that you two will meet at some point.

-Soon enough, you two actually do have a reason to meet when the SDC was announced and they'd stay at Ramshackle.

-He had to obviously get to know you before he bombarded you with questions to not give you the "I'm a creepy guy aura".

-Especially since he has a crush on you.

-Nonetheless, he still got the answers from you and he doesn't really regret asking.

-After a while, he notices that you are actually interesting to talk to as well as you having a lot of knowledge on astronomy.

-He would definitely ask you from time to time when his fans mention zodiac signs, etc.

#twisted wonderland #twst #twisted wonderland x reader #twst x reader #twisted wonderland fluff #twst fluff #twst scenarios #twst headcanons #dorm leaders x reader #vil x reader #riddle x reader #leona x reader #azul x reader #kalim x reader

1K notes · View notes

sgiandubh · 1 month

Note

I'm interested to know whether you came to enjoy Greek music during your many years living in Greece. Do you have any favorite Greek artists or songs that you'd be willing to share? I always enjoy your posts about Greece and all your travel stories for that matter 🙂

Dear Greek Music Anon,

This is a beautiful question and you have made my day: thank you for asking and come back whenever you want, whoever you are - you are always, always welcome!

If you think Greek music is just this...

youtube

... then you are touristically biased, Anon. And that is ok, to some extent and not really your fault, because this is exactly what they will have you listen to, when you make the childish mistake to book that Greek Evening on your cruise or tour. For some unfathomable reason, this is what they imagine foreign guests should be shown. But then there is music for their and their friends' souls, something completely different and a whole universe to discover.

This is Greek music to me, Anon:

youtube

The best Greek female voice of all times (Callas does not count, for innumerable reasons, we do not discuss a Goddess), Our Lady of the Rebetiko: Haris (it means Grace, by the way) Alexiou. A true Dame Blanche, witty, warm and rightfully worshipped. When I was first introduced to her, I was so moved I almost couldn't open my mouth in awe. I was stupidly glued to my French formulaic praise and I remember I just mumbled something along the lines of 'eh merde alors, fuck it, I just wanted you to know that to me, you are not only the voice of my teenage years: you are the Voice of Time itself'. She laughed and the rest is, as they say, history.

This happened in November 2018, after one of her concerts at the Gazarte hall in Athens: a dificult comeback for her, after a cancer scare. We were very moved and fangirling AF, my Culture and Press colleague (remember her from the Mycenae story? Greek music made us instant friends - I was the only one to know what she was talking about) and I:

I have blurred my former colleague's face. I am not sure she wants to be seen on Tumblr, LOL. And see, Anon? I really look like an overwhelmed twat, in this pic. Chances are I'd look the same at Landcon 2025 (what was the last price, 149 euros? Sweet Baby Jesus, the results).

Haroula's one time lover (speculation is still rife and many shipped those two during the late Eighties and early Nineties, unaware it was completely true) and probably the Greek equivalent of Sinatra is George Dalaras. A., my colleague, is absolutely nuts about him and as such a big, boisterous presence in this man's fandom. She follows him just about everywhere (I didn't understand her and residually still don't, to be honest), so it's not a surprise I quickly got to meet the guy, after one of his extraordinary stunts at the Klimataria, a well-known tavern and rebetiko joint smack dab in downtown Athens (I think it was one week before I met and befriended Haroula, funny that):

Now, he looks like a banker. But back in 1993, he looked and sang like this:

youtube

This is his greatest hit, if you ask me. Βαμμένα Κόκκινα Μαλλιά (Dyed Red Hair) is the score of a very successful Greek TV series during the Nineties (don't ask, it's very syrupy) and legit one of the most beautiful Greek love songs ever written. But unlike A, I am completely chilled as far as Dalaras is concerned and I think it showed, when we met. He offered an autograph and I said no, just because I am completely dumb, like that. The trouble is, he gently remembered me and he always brought it up every single time we met (at a couple of events and receptions) - how's that for totally embarrassing, eh?

And then you have the opera divas, among which is my dear friend Sonia Theodoridou, one of the best Greek sopranos after Callas. Sonia came back to Athens after a rich career in Germany right in the middle of the economic crisis turmoil. Things were not easy for her and I have to say, bless her heart, she is not an easy person, either (which opera singer is, mind you?). But her voice is magical and she loves to play with it. See what she can do with a really meh song, written and successfully performed by Pandelis Pandelidis, the one-time local Justin Bieber (he unfortunately died in 2016, in a motorcycle accident):

youtube

The strange instrument you see in the clip is a Cretan lyra, by the way. I hate it with a passion. But I still love Sonia, no matter what.

We shared a lot of things, Sonia and I. Here is our first pic, together with her ex-husband, Theodoros (still a friend):

These people are those I personally know and like/love. I haven't told you anything yet about the formidable, mythical Maria Farantouri, Mikis Theodorakis' muse or Vicky Moscholiou, another diva (different niche, though). Nothing about Miltos Paschalidis, either, the mathematician turned singer or Alkinoos Ioannidis, perhaps the best Cypriot voice after George Michael. The only reason I won't, for now at least, is that I don't really like mammoth posts. And this is quickly turning into one of those.

But I digressed. You asked me about my favorite Greek song, Anon. It's Manos Hatzidakis' Kemal - a masterpiece with a strong, subversive political message in the guise of an Oriental cruel parable:

youtube

Do I know it by heart? Of course I do (and I always, always cry, because I am a sentimental idiot, like that). Singing along with the locals at concerts, in taverns, in your car, on that bus ride, is a mandatory part of the Greek experience. And the most heartfelt homage you can pay to all those wonderful men and women who make our world a brighter, better place.

#anon #travels #Greece #diplomatic life

36 notes · View notes

book-pirate · 7 months

Text

Astarion x Tav, because the Baldur's Gate brain rot is real. Sorry to my beloved mutuals who have no idea what I'm on about!!! I don't know either!!!!!!

tripping over my own heart AO3

“I do not wish to sour our friendship, but I have to know if it can be something more.”

Tav is maybe not the best judge of when people are trying to flirt with her. It’s funny, really, because she can sniff out bullshit from a mile away, and her gut hasn’t been wrong once on their absolutely insane journey. There are a million excuses she could use, to try and explain why in this one facet of social interaction she fails, but the simple truth is it just doesn’t occur to her that someone might be in to her.

Especially Halsin.

Without thinking, she blurts out, “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested,” realizes how that sounds, and then continues with a cringe, “but I’m already in a relationship.”

Which should not be news to you! she stops herself from saying.

Part of her expects it to end the conversation, but he keeps talking, about bonds and souls and gardens and nature. She has to actively fight herself to remain calm, have her face stay open and friendly instead of running to Shadowheart and asking how she might voluntarily give up the memory of this interaction ever happening.

There’s a snicker in her head that sounds suspiciously like her friend’s as she finally extracts herself from the conversation with a polite, “I’m sorry, Halsin.”

He seems to understand and doesn’t hold it against her, maintaining his smile, even if it’s a touch bittersweet as she walks away. Her gait is steady and casual as she walks to the edge of the camp, avoiding eye contact as she focuses on her footing on the path towards the small river they’d managed to find. After all, she had been on the way to wash up when Halsin had asked to chat. Something she is very much Not Thinking About It.

Until she dips her toes in the river, peeling off her clothing with care. She can’t wait to do laundry in the city, and have a proper bath in something that isn’t a natural body of water. As a druid, she loves being outdoors, but a hot bath is incomparable. Even Halsin -

The thought of him stops her cold, and suddenly she finds herself giggling, grabbing at her soap as she wades further into the river. That makes what, five of her eight traveling companions that have blatantly come on to her? The girls back home would never believe it. Homely little Tav, suddenly finds herself with a string of suitors. All it took was a tadpole eating away at her brain.

The general lack of attention she’d received her entire life are probably why it always takes her by surprise when someone admits to wanting her. She’s no blushing virgin, but rarely has she ever been so desired. Maybe that’s why she wasn’t surprised when Astarion admitted his plan, felt something like sick acceptance in her stomach. No, the surprise came after, when he told her he genuinely cared for her.

She’d been prepared to take her own feelings to the grave, accepting that she’d share Astarion’s bedroll, or grassy clearing, until he decided he was done. The man flirted with everyone, and she’d assumed it’d been lack of choice that lead him to her. Instead, they’d fallen into something deeper, scaring both of them.

It’s not easy, by any means, but by pushing sex off the table and getting more comfortable with platonic touches, they’re growing into something she feels like might be big. Even rest-of-her-life big. Which is another shock, in and of itself.

“And what has you so lost in thought, my dear?”

She stifles a shriek as she whirls around, inadvertently splashing an amused-looking Astarion as he wades closer. “You startled me!”

He grins as he pries the bar of soap from her pruney fingers. “Apologies, my love, but I did say hello. It’s hardly my fault you were miles away and didn’t hear me.”

“I don’t believe I was done with that.”

“No?” he asks, all faux innocence as he scrubs at his torso. “You’ve been in the water for nearly a quarter of an hour now, so I merely assumed you were just -”

“Relaxing?” She hums as she takes the soap from him and starts to scrub at his back, mindful of the scars. Part of her feels like she should be attempting to cover her nudity, but another, much larger part, reveled in the intimacy born of just simply being with him. “I meant for just a quick wash, since we’re going to be in the city proper tomorrow. I don’t want to show up looking like we’ve just spent the last tenday hiking.”

“I cannot agree more, darling. Mustn’t have the locals mistaking us for goblins, covered in muck and grime and speaking in mono-syllables.”

She laughs at the image he paints. “As if anyone could mistake you for such a creature.”

Preening, he says, “Yes, well, unfortunately for our little group not everyone can be as blessed as I. In fact, our first order of business should be getting Gale to a barber, as soon as possible.”

The chatter about being in the city again occupies them while they finish cleaning up, and Tav doesn’t think about anything other than the excitement of the new day until Astarion gives the braid he just finished helping her put her hair into a little tug. “You never answered my question, you know.”

She tips her head back to lean on his chest, blinking up into his face. “What question?”

A perfectly manicured eyebrow arches up. “Why you were so lost in thought, my dear.”

“Oh. Oh,” she says, scooting forward just enough to turn around to look at him properly, knelt in the grass with a curious look on his face. “You wouldn’t believe the conversation I had with Halsin on my way here -”

To her surprise, he erupts in laughter, interrupting her. “I was wondering when we were going to talk about this.”

Her eyes go wide as she feels her face heat. “How could you tell?”

“I guessed. The man can’t stay quiet about ‘enjoying the freedom of Nature’s gifts’.” She can’t help but laugh at his Halsin impression as he continues, “I bet he’d outlaw clothing if he could.”

The mental image has her covering her face with a groan. “Astarion!”

“It’s perfectly natural, after all, darling, no need to be shy.” His long, slender fingers gently pry her hands away so he can meet her gaze. “So, what did you say?”

The question has her freezing, mind stopping and restarting. “I’m sorry, what?”

“What did you say?” he asks again, somewhat impatiently. “I’m on the edge of my seat.”

“What?” she splutters, “I said no, of course! I’m with you, if you hadn’t noticed.”

“Strangely enough, I had,” he says, drily. “I would be more than happy to let you have as much Halsin as you want, you know. Don’t stop yourself on my account.”

Something in the air has changed, she thinks, his fingers still wrapped around her wrists as her hands hang between them. His face is open, and she doesn’t think he’s lying, but -

“If I’m understanding you correctly,” she tells him, slowly, “you don’t mind if Halsin and I have a tumble.”

She thinks annoyance flashes across his face before he can smooth it out again, but his voice is still even as he answers, “Far be it from me to deny you such pleasures. I would just, that is…”

The silence stretches long enough that she feels comfortable breaking it. Shifting so she’s closer to him, she prods him, “Yes?”

“It’s not because, you know, we haven’t, in a while?”

And there it is, the missing piece she was searching for. He’s worried.

She sighs, and gently tugs her hands out of his grip. His expression only shifts to concern for a moment before she slides into his lap, pushing him more securely onto his bottom so she can wrap her legs around his waist without fear of knocking him off-balance. “Astarion,” she murmurs, into his collarbone, “my silly goose.”

He’s somewhat stiff in her hold, but he hesitatingly brings his arms around her. “I’m not sure what I’ve done to be insulted, my love. Perhaps you can explain.”

Pressing a quick kiss to the underside of his jaw, she leans back far enough to meet his eyes, those wonderfully dark eyes that she wants to sink and drown in. “It’s a term of endearment, you silly man. I think there’s been some confusion here.”

Some of the worry leaves his face, but not all. “Pray tell, then, what the confusion is, for I admit to being lost.”

“I don’t want Halsin. I was flattered by his offer, in all honesty, but I don’t want him. I want you.”

His brow wrinkles. “You would still have me.”

“I’m a selfish creature, at heart, you know. For all of the grief and whinging you gave me about wanting to help people, there are certain things I cannot share. You are one of them.”

“But Halsin wasn’t asking about me he was asking -”

It's crude, but she doesn't know how else to get through to him, so she risks saying, “And you’re telling me that you would be completely fine with his hands on my skin? His mouth on me? His fingers and cock inside of me?”

A shudder passes through him that has her clutching him tightly. Caught out in his half-lie, he buries his face in her hair, finally squeezing her back. They’re quiet for a moment, and she strokes his curls the way she knows he likes, waiting for him, always waiting for him to be ready. She would wait forever if it meant waiting like this, wrapped up in him.

“No,” he finally says, voice rough, “no, I couldn’t stand it. But I don’t want you to regret being with me when I can’t, that is, I’m not capable of giving you all you need. If someone else is willing -”

“You are all I need, my love.” She smiles up at him, willing him to see the truth in her eyes. “It’s true, I miss being close to you, skin-to-skin with nothing separating us. But that ache is nothing compared to the joy and happiness I gain holding you through the night, holding your hand when we think nobody is watching, or even if they are. The kisses you greet me with and send me off with, our conversations, the way I can just be around you. That’s what I need. What I don’t need is someone else’s arms to help me find pleasure I’m perfectly capable of finding on my own.”

“You,” his voice is emotional, and he has to clear his throat before continuing, “you really mean that, don’t you?”

“When we agreed that this would be real, whatever it is between us, we agreed we would be honest, truly honest. I know it’s difficult at times, but it’s necessary, for this to work. I need you to be honest with me about how you feel, so we can talk about it. I might just surprise you.”

“Oh, that I know for certain,” he murmurs, tipping her onto her back so he can press soft kisses to her face. “You are so full of them.”

She hums moving her face gently so he doesn’t miss a single inch, a wide smile stretching her lips. “So, no Halsin.”

“No Halsin,” he agrees, before leaning down and capturing her lips for a slow and dirty kiss. The way his tongue slips past hers, flicks at it, draws a moan out of her throat. The sound must satisfy him, because he leans back with a wicked grin. “Now, darling, I just have one more bone to pick with you.”

She snorts. “And what might that be?”

“You naughty little thing, pleasuring yourself without me. I want to hear all about it.”

It’s not really a joke, but it makes her laugh anyway, hands covering her face once more. “Astarion!”

“But maybe not tonight, hmm?” he continues, gently prying her hands away so she can see the hungry smile on his face. “After all, we are very close to having privacy again, with four walls, a roof…”

“A bed,” she finishes for him, but she has a worried frown on her face. “Whatever you want, my love. If you want to hear about my solitary adventures, I will be more than happy to share. As long as you’re comfortable.”

The smile sharpens. “Oh, my dear, I think a step like this is exactly what I want.”

Later, when they’re tucked into what’s become their bedroll, with her curled up on his chest after a few stolen kisses, all she can do is hope the Emperor has the good sense to leave her alone this night. She has a feeling her dreams will be full of Astarion, and she doesn’t want to be interrupted.

Or share.

#astarion #astarion x tav #astarion ancunin #astarion bg3 #astarion fanfic #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 fanfiction #sofiewritesthings #fanfiction #fanfic

52 notes · View notes

galedekarios · 8 months

Text

honestly, it's just for a bit of fun and to explore the dynamic! it's not a dynamic i see skipping off into the sunset together, but as incredibly interesting nonetheless.

it started when i was talking with friends about how their dynamic might be and that i'd love to be a fly on the wall when raphael and gale talk.

they both strike me as very refined, very verbose, very intelligent. i think they'd have really sharp and witty interactions, where one thinks they are outsmarting the other.

like i first started to think about the potential in their dynamic after gale's convo where you meet raphael for the first time, seeing right through him and what raphael actually says and wants, and trying to figure out a way to beat the devil at his own game ("what is human is fallible.") and in early access, gale could approach raphael to make a deal of his own if you don't help gale getting magical artefacts to consume.

i can see (an origin) gale approaching raphael to find out more. about the tadpoles. about the orb. especially once the artefacts stop working.

i can see them drinking tea or a fine vintage red together and chatting rather pleasantly, even though it's really like... verbal warfare between a high int, genius level wizard and the literal devil.

raphael is so eloquent, whip-smart and clearly appreciates the finer things in life and gale does as well. literature, poetry. knowledge. ambition.

gale is one of the few companions who will not dismiss raphael's offer at salvation right off the bat, but rather argues that they should look deeper, look into his motives, what raphael wants and how the group can use that to their advantage:

"But let me play the devil deal's advocate: the man is too eager. Do not dismiss his offer out of hand. Raphael is a cambion, which makes him part human. And what is human, is fallible. Fact one: there's something very strange and very powerful about our tadpoles. Fact two: a devil offers to take it away. What if the tadpole is what he really wants instead of the customary price that is our souls? If I'm right, there's a mighty bargain to be made. Remember his Cormyrian rhyme? 'Down came the claw'. Perhaps we should start growing our nails."

plot twist: gale actually does outsmart raphael, and raphael is like

so, all of that that then led me down the path to more self-indulgent hcs, like "what if raphael and gale knew each other before we meet either of them in the game?" and i thought about two scenarios:

their first meeting at one of those rather fancy wizard balls in waterdeep that gale talks about attending ("mine was a popular hand at the annual blackstaff ball."). we know raphael has portals to all major cities and places, waterdeep included, and is keen on finding people with potential and power, making his connections across the worlds.

perhaps raphael sensed the potential there because we know that gale was brimming with it before being brought down low by the orb.

i had the clearest picture of gale taking a breather gale a breather on a balcony and then there's this sudden acrid smell of sulphur in the air.

"my, my, what manner of place is this?"

(he's a loser and still uses the same line years later in the middle of nowhere, on the road to baldur's gate.)

the other scenario i really enjoyed was thinking about the second meeting perhaps, after gale rebuffed him before, perhaps (stragically on raphael's part) a few weeks after gale has acquired the orb.

"and so we meet again! i can offer you help, my dear, with your... matter of the heart," whether he means the falling out with mystra or whether he knows about the orb remains unclear until raphael taps his chest, the very same spot where on gale's own the scars the orb left behind can be seen.

raphael offers salvation. temptation. yet gale declines for now. he had just made one grave mistake, he's not about to make another just as disastrous one.

yet.

and raphael leaves, graciously accepting the dismissal, but not without leaving behind a little piece of brimstone. a calling card, if you will.

ANYHOW. sorry for rambling you've just enabled my crack ship fixation that i've had since ea came out, lol.

i will leave you with this thought and then shut up:

you know what gale/raphael is prime material for? hand kisses. like, a low bow, a kiss on the hand, and that slow glance up at the other.

#this got longer than i had thought and i apologise #gale dekarios #raphael bg3 #raphael x gale #gale x raphael #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 spoilers #ch: gale dekarios #ch: raphael #otp: raphael x gale #vg: baldur's gate 3 #series: baldur's gate #text: asks

48 notes · View notes

mchlgayser · 1 year

Note

Please can you do a : Chubby! Reader x Jude Bellingham

Fluff or smut or both no matter :)

Like I really need it

𝐂𝐔𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐘 ft jude bellingham

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: Just Jude being extra cuddly with you.

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: fluff / ✮

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: none

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: Thank you for this one special request anon! I'll try my best and fulfill this to the fullest (even though it is short). I wanna thank you all that's been requesting from one shot to another, I appreciate it a lot! I hope you have fun reading this and have a great day/night ahead! xoxo

You were cooking in the kitchen with your apron on when a hand suddenly snaked around your form, you chuckle and swiftly turn your head around 'Morning, Judy!' You shafts, turning around, and went to peck his lip 'Morning, Godhead!' He caressed your hand before he left your figure to the fridge and grab a bottle of juice 'You want some?' You hum ushering him to ready plates on the island's top 'Yes please, the food is almost ready as well!' You topped two pancakes on his plates and did the same to yours 'What toppings would you like?' You asked referring to the maple syrup and the chocolate one.

He points towards the chocolate syrup and you pour some on him and put the maple syrup on yours. You two settles down and chucked in to the breakfast 'You got practice today?' You asked cutting on your pancake as you bit it down.

'No, I asked for a day off. Want to spend time with my favorite' He playfully bops your chin using his fingers and you blush 'Yes, thanks. I needed that.' He laughs before continue consuming.

It is now three in the afternoon, you and Jude are in bed cuddling with each other, a laptop on his lap as you two focused on the movie ahead.

'Jude, I need to get up. I got to do my assignments!' He whines tightening his grasp around you 'No! I want to stay like this longer! You are so nice to hold!' He commented, tightening even impossibly closer to you, his chest on your side as he wiggle around like a youngster. You huff at him, pouting a little 'But you said that on our second movie. This movie is our third and almost ended!' His frown deepens 'Do you not love me anymore, Y/n?' He asked like a pretend broken child making you awed 'Of course, I do. But I got works--'

'Then stay.' He ordered wrapping an arm around your neck and bringing your head to his chest in an attempt to joke around but you wheeze 'I can't breathe!' He immediately lets go and you laugh 'That hurts, Jude idiot!' You bashed joining him in a small laugh.

You two indeed stay around for another three to four movies after that with Jude being extra cuddly than usual.

'Why're you so unusually cuddly today?' You asked letting him lay down on your belly 'Just because.' You look at him with a knowing look making him exasperatedly sigh

'I love you, you know that?' Your eyes widen at the sudden outburst but you chuckle either way 'Of course I do, why are you asking such a foolish question, Jude?'

'Then stop bashing your form and look so much. You are my baby girl because I love you for who you are. Never get insecure about what other people say. I don't want to see you go downhill because of how you look. I think...No I know, you are perfect like this, just the way you are. You are the most beautiful woman I've met in my entire life after my mom. Your kind heart, your pure soul, your striking feature, and your glowing skin. I love everything about you. I mean, everything. If you dare hate any of your imperfections it means you dare to hate me. Your one and only. Understood? I love you...' He singsongs the last sentence and pounces you to the bed giving you kisses all over your face and hugging you hiding in the crook of your neck

'I'm the luckiest man alive!'

159 notes · View notes

tanadrin · 9 months

Text

went back and listened to the episodes on david bokovoy's personal experience with religion, and man, it's funny just how different the stuff that people twig on in their experience of faith is--for bokovoy, even as a scholar of biblical criticism, it really isn't the truth claims of the LDS church that were ever a problem for him. like his academic career definitely primed him to move from a more orthodox, small-c conservative theology to a more expansive one (and he remains a pretty spiritual guy in general from the sound of it), but the thing that really started to fuck him up was the church's insistence on beating the anti-gay-marriage drum, starting with proposition 8, and culminating in the 2015 declaration about the children of gay parents not being welcome in the church unless they denounced them.

and it's a little infuriating to listen to him talk about how he feels about the LDS church after all of that--this whole "the leadership are good people deep down, i just disagree with them on this." like, come on, dude. i get that you're a straight guy whose experiences with mormonism have been generally very positive, but you are also self-aware enough to talk with compassion about LGBT people, about the experience of having a gay daughter, about the way in which people raised in Mormonism who are gay or even just a little bit nonconformist in some aspect of their life can have a really brutal time of it, and yet you cling to this idea of the organization as having some noble core, some inherently good quality that is only failing in its ultimate expression. he even talks about the experience of watching a movie that dramatizes the way different faith leaders came together during the civil rights movement, and having a moment of acute discomfort remembering that at the same time the leadership of the LDS church was still racist as hell in its teachings and policy

like, you should not be afraid to admit that the LDS church fucking sucks! it's always fucking sucked! most organized religion fucking sucks, and the organized religion that doesn't fucking suck has mostly gotten there by virtue of progressives splintering off and forming organizations that retain only a general flavor of the awful bullshit they grew up with and none of the core dogmas. i don't know of a human organization from the beginning of time that rigidly patrols boundaries of identity politics and creates structures of authority based on spirituality that didn't rapidly collapse into tyranny, a grift, or both, except the ones that were already that from the beginning.

and this, i suppose, is my disappointment with even the very open-minded progressives that John Dehlin interviews, which is that they want to redeem an organization that i think is fundamentally unredeemable. no particular shade to mormonism here--I think the Catholic church is also fundamentally unredeemable. hell, if i knew more about tibetan buddhism, i'd probably think that whole hierarchy was fundamentally unredeemable as well. the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints cannot become progressive on LGBT issues and honestly pursue truth and cease to misrepresent its history and spend its money on helping the poor and needy instead of conservative political campaigns and exploiting eighteen year olds to do morally questionable missionary work in third world countries without ceasing to be the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and its leadership knows this. for the exact same reason the Roman Catholic church can't go "lol you know what, our bad, this Pope guy isn't all that he's cracked up to be" and remain the Roman Catholic church.

i mean ultimately bokovoy doesn't go to church anymore; he says that the 2015 declaration was kind of the straw that broke the camel's back, and even if it was revoked tomorrow, it's not like he'd start going back. i assume he's not tithing anymore either. and he seems like a generally very gentle soul who wants to see the best in people, and i don't want to get on his case too much about that, because i admire that. but man, i think it's kind of disappointing to watch someone as apparently smart and compassionate as he is work himself into knots to excuse the behavior of the leadership of an organization like that when the simplest explanation is just that these people are assholes on a fundamental level and always have been.

#there is a very funny moment he describes #where he and his wife came out of a movie where one of the previews beforehand was brokeback mountain #and his wife said something very generically of the form “it's awful when people who love each other can't be together”#and he recalls being viscerally upset that hollywood's gay agenda had gotten to her #like christ how do you go from thinking the gay agenda is a real thing that exists in the world #to being a socially progressive staunch lgbt ally #and can we bottle this and disperse it via airplane over the rest of utah

43 notes · View notes

cuntylestat · 1 year

Note

heyy do you have a loustat fic rec list? would you mind sharing some faves?

yes of course! i haven't delved deeply into everything so i'm sure there's more out there, but i really like these. they're a mix of show fic (starred) and book fic.

begin again In which Louis and Lestat clobber each other with their respective baggage, argue in various locales, and make their own happy ending.

and back to the river* Fucking hell, Louis thinks.

the long way home Louis has a secret, something he’s never told anyone since childhood. Lestat has just moved into Pointe du Lac when Louis receives a mysterious letter. And now he’s on the brink of losing it all. Set after Louis’ turning when he and Lestat are living at Pointe du Lac, canon divergent.

go fetch god* He falls in love with a man. He loved the man because he answered a prayer Louis had been sketching in the dark, on his knees, hands down his pants that he couldn’t look at for fear of loving. Dying too, but mostly loving. They don’t go calling love fool’s gold for nothing. The very apple of Eden had a sheen to it.

objects of devotion 1999. After months on the run from the Talamasca, Louis just wants to spend Christmas in New Orleans with Lestat. Will either of them ever manage to say what they actually mean? Featuring religious imagery and a trip to Montgomery Ward.

tinderbox (or: a history of fire in colonial new orleans) [wip] 1794. Pointe du Lac lies in ashes. Lestat, desperate to keep Louis with him at any cost, tries something he's never tried before: he talks.

the devil's in the details Claudia is never turned into a vampire. Instead, Lestat and Louis end up raising a human child. A study on age and family life.

the souvenir 1908. Louis and Armand are traveling through Europe. Louis seduces a young man who reminds him of Lestat.

fear death by water (what the thunder said)* Louis puts down the knife. Claudia leaves the nest. Lestat endures.

dress up Seven scenes across canon. Costumes: what they hide and what they don't.

all our yesterdays New Orleans, 1985. Lestat, struggling with change, comes home to Louis and an unexpected gift.

the house of atreus [wip] In the summer of 1860, Claudia raises her knife to kill Lestat. This time, Louis makes a different choice.

reading between the lines “Yes?” Lestat interrupts, savoring the noise of frustration Louis lets out. “Would you have me promise to spend eternity by your side? Is that what you want?” Louis looks away sharply, but Lestat won’t have that—he grabs Louis’s jaw and turns his face, dragging those pretty eyes back to meet Lestat’s gaze. “Is it a horrible thing to want?” Louis whispers. “Don’t you want it?”

there's vertigo in my soul at your name* Louis, in all his self loathing, convinces himself that the bite never happened. It's all a nightmare but the real nightmare is the life he wakes to and just how much he hates himself. AU from season 1 episode 1, when Louis and Miss Lily leave Lestat's home.

these devils of yours, they need love too* “Kill her,” Louis demands as his furious eyes burn into Lestat’s. He wants to melt those eyes and the look of them, to turn them into nothing but a memory to be forgotten. “Do it. Prove to me how much you love me, Lestat." Louis finally does what he's wanted to for years: He asks Lestat to kill Antoinette.

on brûlera toutes les deux en enfer, mon ange* In that exact moment Lestat's expression shifted. He stopped, narrowed eyes scanning Claudia's face, then running up and down her body. 'They dared…' Lestat's voice changed as well. Instead of the mocking tone from before it was cold with fury. So cold that Louis could actually feel the temperature in the room dropping. 'They dared to hurt what's mine.'

the visit* Lestat’s mother drops in for an unexpected visit to Rue Royale. This leads to all kinds of new emotions in the Du Lac-Lioncourt household. A coming of age tale from Claudia’s perspective featuring the one and only Gabrielle de Lioncourt.

retour à vous Although he’d overseen its restoration over the past few months, it still shocks him each time he sees the New Orleans apartment again. It truly looks like their old home — the environment of their happiest days together recreated with all of the modern comfort of the present era. What truly makes him stop in his tracks each time, however, is the feeling that for the first time since Claudia twisted the knife in his heart, this place they so long called home is free of ghosts. Besides, no lover of his will live in some rundown Garden District house overflowing with vines and insects. Lestat loves the Queen’s Wreath and bougainvillea as much as the next man, but he won’t have Louis continuing to dwell in that dark little place. No, it’s time that they had a home again. A home together.

parce que c'était lui, parce que c'était moi* “So,” Daniel says, huffed on an exhale, and the book makes a telltale thump as it's placed on the nearby coffee table. “You finished burning the body. Then what?” Then what? Then we left, he wants to say. We took our bags and we walked out of that courtyard and we boarded the train and then the steam liner. We left that city, that life, behind to seek freedom and answers across the Atlantic. We didn’t look back, he wants to say. He does not say it.

i clutched your arms like stairway railings, and you clutched my brain and eased my ailing* Lestat and Louis in December 2022, working through their many problems one day at a time, while trying to enjoy life, and love, together.

#fic recs

122 notes · View notes