#it happens /so much/ in fantasy and probably other books as well but i see it a lot in fantasy | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

on-my-vigilante-sht · 4 months

Text

Delicate

Luke Castellan x Reader

Summary: "Is it chill that you're in my head? / Cause I know that it’s delicate"

Warnings: Angst, death, major series spoilers for people who haven't finished the books

Word Count: 2.1k

Masterlist

Sometimes I wonder, when you sleep / Are you ever dreaming of me?

Luke could admit to himself he wanted his best friend. He had for a long time. In fact everyone could see it, except for her. She seemed blissfully unaware of any feelings Luke had to the point that it made him nervous she was doing it on purpose. But if he couldn’t have her, he’d take the next best thing of being her friend. As long as she was in his life.

It was supposed to be bonfire night but Luke and Y/M had snuck off to the beach. They lay next to each other, staring up at the stars. Well, she was looking up at the stars, Luke was looking at her. They talked for hours about nothing until she finally dozed off.

Given the strict rules about curfew, Luke hardly ever got to see his best friend’s peaceful expression as she slept. Her face relaxed, unburdened by the perils of being a demigod. And as the two oldest at camp, they had a lot of perils.

Luke reached out, stroking her hair. That elicited a content sigh from her and he wondered if she was aware it was him. He wondered if she thought about or dreamed about him nearly as much as he did her. He had an ever present fantasy of absolutely sweeping her off her feet in a moment of glory. One of his favorites was after he won capture the flag, he’d march right up to her, wrapping an arm around her waist and just kiss her.

But of course that would never happen so he kept it stashed in the back of his mind.

He let her sleep for a few more minutes before he finally woke her up. “Hey, you gotta get up or the harpies will get us,” he laughed softly, shaking her awake.

She groaned but opened her eyes nonetheless.

Sometimes when I look into your eyes / I pretend you're mine all the damn time

Her eyes. Luke could probably get lost in them forever. He didn’t even need to watch the stars. He’d much rather watch the reflection of them in her eyes.

Unfortunately, the moment was ruined by one of the Athena boys. “Oh, hey Luke. Um, I just came to find Y/N. Chiron said late curfew starts in five minutes.”

“Really?” she asked, sitting up. “How long was I asleep?”

Luke felt his face get hot. He actually had no idea, he had completely lost track of time while watching her. “Uh not long. I just didn’t want to wake you,” he tried to play it off smoothly.

She gave him a soft smile, her hand finding his knee. “I’m sorry, I didn't mean to waste your night.”

“No, no, no,” he quickly corrected. “You’re never a waste of time.”

“So um,” the Athena boy cut in awkwardly. “You want me to walk you to your cabin, Y/N? It’s right across from mine.”

Luke felt a surge of possessiveness. This guy clearly liked her. But before she could answer, Luke did it for her. “We’ll head over in a few minutes but thanks,” he tried to dismiss him.

The boy looked discouraged but tried to play it off. “Oh- uh ok.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Y/N offered, feeling bad for him. He immediately brightened with a smile before retreating back to his cabin.

Luke hated that she always seemed to leave the door open for other guys. They had had numerous conversations about the boys that liked her so he knew she wasn’t doing it on purpose. She just felt bad outright rejecting them so her sugar coating often came across as a signal to try harder. He just wished he could make it clear to them she was taken. Of course, she wasn’t his (yet).

Once Luke was sure he was out of earshot, he brought the topic up again. “He likes you.”

“No he doesn’t,” she immediately dismissed.

“Yes he does, and you trying to make him feel better about rejecting him doesn’t make it any better.”

“I didn’t reject him, you did.”

“Because I know you don’t like him.”

“Who says I don’t like him?” she shrugged.

Luke’s heart stopped. He had been playing defense so well for so long now that it hadn’t even occurred to him that she could like someone else. “What?”

She just shrugged again. “Who’s to say I don’t like him? You chased him away before I could get a word in.”

“D-do you like him?” Luke’s heart was pounding in his chest.

“No, but I’m just saying-”

“Gods, Y/N!” Luke interrupted in relief. “Don’t scare me like that.”

A satisfied look crossed over her face. “Why is that scary?”

He sent her a playful glare. “You know.”

“Tell me,” she pressed.

Is it cool that I said all that? / Is it chill that you're in my head?

Luke’s heart was pounding in his chest. She had basically already confirmed she was into him but the fear still lingered in his chest. He just had to say the words and he’d have his fantasy. She’d be his.

“I like you, Y/N. I have for a long time. I was just always scared you’d… I don’t know, reject me. Or think I was being stupid. But I like you.” Luke looked at her nervously, unsure of what she’d say. His heart was still pounding even when she leaned over and kissed him. As she tried to pull away for air, Luke’s hands found their way to her face, keeping her close. “I’m not done yet,” he mumbled against her lips, eliciting a giggle.

Long night with your hands up in my hair / Echoes of your footsteps on the stairs

That night Luke really didn’t want to leave her but Y/N wasn’t willing to break the rules just yet. He had spent the entire walk back to the cabins trying to convince her to sneak into the Hermes cabin. “Please, I swear no one will snitch on you.”

She laughed, intertwining her fingers into his. “Well what about my siblings when they see I’m not in bed? What will the children think?” By now they reached Cabin 7.

“The children can think whatever they want,” Luke smiled, pressing a kiss to her lips. It was late but several campers were still awake. Word of the couple would spread like wildfire and by the morning, even Chiron would know about the new couple.

But spending every night separately wouldn’t last for long. Y/N normally spent the evenings in the Hermes cabin where they had somehow managed to smuggle many forbidden things in. Like video games and junk food. And every night when the conch blew, signaling that curfew was soon, Luke begged her to stay. “Come on, no one will tell. Will you?” he asked his siblings.

That received a resounding “No!” swearing they’d keep our secret. She looked around the room, her resolve crumbling after weeks of this. “Fine,” she agreed. So many cheers erupted you’d think she just agreed to marry him. “But!” she waited for them to quiet down, “I’m still a counselor and I have to make sure everyone else is in bed.” Luke pouted but let her go nonetheless, promising to drag her back to Cabin 11 if she didn’t come back.

So after putting all the younger kids to bed, Y/N snuck back to Cabin 11. She found it dark but made her way to Luke’s bed. As she reached it, Luke could recognize the outline of her created by the moonlight. “Finally, I was just about to come break down your door.”

“Ha ha,” she laughed sarcastically. “Scoot over,” Luke obliged, sliding against the wall to create room. She slipped under the covers, settling against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, embracing her tightly, his face buried in her hair.

“‘M glad you’re staying,” he mumbled. “Feel like it’s easier to fall asleep when you’re with me.” He didn’t say it out loud but he liked having the assurance that she was safe in his arms as they slept.

“Me too,” she mused, her eyes already closed. “But I’ll say you kidnapped me if we get caught.”

“Okay,” Luke chucked. “You can blame me.”

My reputation's never been worse, so / You must like me for me

But those nights were gone now. Luke made his choice but so did she.

“Isn’t it messed up how the gods neglect their kids?” Luke asked as casually as possible, staring out at sea, his fingers tracing the dock.

“Yeah,” she mused. “Can you imagine being an omnipotent, immortal being but you can’t even take the time to tell your kid they belong to you? I mean, Apollo’s been pretty good about it but the others…?”

The pressure in Luke’s chest lessened as she more or less agreed with him. “Or how they treat us as disposable puppets? Like pawns?” He watched her face carefully as she considered it.

“What do you mean?”

Here we go. Luke began chipping at any remaining loyalty she had to the gods. “Well think about it. Thalia? Her godly parents could have saved her. Every demigod who died? Their parent could have saved them. My quest was a joke. All Hermes wanted me to do was repeat one of Heracles’ labors.”

She looked deep in thought. “I guess but why are you asking me about this?”

He took a deep breath before lacing his fingers in hers. “I’ve been uh… talking to someone.” She didn’t say anything but her furrowed brow urged him to continue. “I’ve been told that things don’t have to be the way they are. We don’t have to wait around until we’re killed. The Titan Lord could restore-”

“Shut up right now!” her frightened voice cut him off. She pulled her legs out of the water, shifting her sitting position to face him directly. “Luke! What- how- why are you doing this? So what if you can’t rely on the gods? You certainly can’t trust Kronos anymore.”

He gently grasped her hands. “Y/N, he promised every demigod that joins him immortality and safety. We wouldn’t have to cower in a summer camp with children who most likely won’t make it to their 18th birthdays. Please, come with me.”

She shook her head. “I can’t.” That broke his heart. “Luke, I love you. I really do. But I can’t let you go down this path.”

Through his internal struggle with Kronos, Luke could see Y/N staring at him, pain in her eyes. He gripped Annabeth’s knife tightly, saying a silent goodbye to everyone he loved and a curse to Kronos. “I love you,” he tried to say to her but it came out strained. The blade sunk into his only vulnerable spot under his arm—his Achilles heel.

“No!” he heard her yell. But he was already on the ground, beginning to lose consciousness at the fatal blow. But Y/N was kneeling over him, tears leaving tracks on her dirty face. “No, no, no,” she mumbled. “Why, Luke?” she practically screamed in frustration.

He reached up, wiping her tears and some dirt from her face. “Do you still love me? After everything I did?”

“Of course I love you!” she cried. “I never stopped.”

Despite the pain, he was smiling. “I love you too. I’ll see you in Elysium.”

She nodded, trying to smile too but the sobs were clawing their way of her throat. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Not too soon,” he insisted. “I love you, Y/N.”

Masterlist

#percy jackson #percy jackson and the olympians #pjo #pjo x reader #the lighting thief #luke castellan #luke castellan x reader #percy jackson and the olympians x reader #x reader #Spotify

835 notes · View notes

dr3c0mix · 1 year

Note

,,also can you do a wholesome jock x reader too

Jock x GN Reader pt.2

an: wholesome? i can do >:)

🏈 For the rest of the day, Brandon could not stop thinking about you and the plans you two made after school. His heart ran a mile a minute and his cheeks flushed so much one of his teachers asked if he was feeling alright.

🏈 The bell rang, signaling dismissal, students flooded out of classrooms and into the hallway. His friends are already grouped up together along with a few cheerleaders, but he could care less, his mind only focused on finding you.

🏈 He found you as you were heading outside, offering to let you tutor him at his place.

🏈 The drive there was a bit awkward in your opinion, you didn't want to be there in any way, you hoped this would be over as soon as possible.

🏈 Brandon kept stealing glances at you, his eyes switching to the road then you. He couldn't get enough of how you looked so disinterested in him, not even making small talk and just watching the trees and houses go by. Girls he would drive with would always try to chat him up, touch his thigh while he drove, did their makeup as an effort to look hot in front of him, anything to garner his attention, it was so...cute...

🏈 Finally you arrived at his house, you wasted no time tutoring him, explaining the important points of the work assigned to the class. It was weirdly astonishing how interested in the topic he was, every time you caught a glance of him in classes, he wouldn't be paying attention whatsoever, either looking out the window, snickering among his friends or just absent, probably cutting classes god knows where.

🏈Even after you finished helping him with his homework, you found yourself talking and rambling to him about other works and books you liked.

🏈 Brandon reveled in the time you two were having together, your smile and laugh was intoxicating, absolutely contagious to him, he couldn't help but get excited as well as you ramble about a book you're reading, your genuine happiness made him think about checking it out, just reading in general.

🏈 He's never been interested in books, but seeing how you were such a big fan, he had to find a way to talk to you without you scowling at him the entire time.

🏈 The days after your tutoring session, he started going to the library in secret, telling his friends he had things to do at home, only to sneak in and look through the shelves in order to find the ones you liked.

🏈 He started reading more and more books, fantasy, drama, iconic works, anything you liked or mentioned, he read. Granted he didn't get most of what happened in most of them but at least he had something to talk about.

🏈 There are times where he misinterprets things because of how sophisticated the writing was, and he asks you what it meant.

🏈 You couldn't help but laugh at how lost he was.

🏈And he couldn't ask for more, melting at your adorable chuckle.

3K notes · View notes

thewritingmagician2022 · 28 days

Text

You Refuse to be Submissive - Brothers and Dateables

Lucifer: Oh boy, talk about challenging because Lucifer is 100% going to take that as a challenge at first. He’s going to assume that not only will you not be submissive (which is a no go in his book) but that you also expect him to be the submissive one instead (absolutely not). There is going to be a lot of heated discussion there, I think. It’s not that Lucifer doesn’t want to respect your boundaries, it’s just that his entire personality is built on being respected and feared and obeyed so this is really throwing him off. The more you talk about it, the more willing he is to listen. He’ll never concede to being submissive but he will settle for equal partnership. You’ll probably have to regularly remind him of this because he’s going to unconsciously act in a very dominant manner sometimes but eventually he’ll learn and you guys will find a balance that works well for you both.

Mammon: For the most part, Mammon is only going to argue on principle. He’s got to remind you that he’s the second most powerful demon in this family and he’s your first man; you should do what he says! However, this is definitely more for the sake of telling himself that he tried to be in control and assert himself. In reality, Mammon absolutely loves letting you take control. He’s used to his more submissive role in relationships and feels most comfortable when you’re putting him in his place. There’s something incredibly addicting to him about the idea of belonging to you, the sweet, loving human that wandered into his life and treats him better than his family ever did. So aside from that first perfunctory argument and maybe some sporadic little comments about how he’s “not gonna sub for a puny human if you think that’s what’s gonna happen” when he’s feeling particularly insecure, you have a perfectly happy sub of your own.

Levi: That’s more than fine with Levi! In fact, it’s a relief. In most situations, Levi absolutely hates being charge; it’s too much pressure for an Otaku like him. This translates to your relationship as well. Levi is much happier worshiping you and falling apart under your words and ministrations than he would be ordering you around or calling the shots. Levi is quite the blushing but eager sub and he never fights you on the roles you’ve created for yourselves.

Satan: At first, this is a tough blow for Satan. Not necessarily because he wants you to be submissive but because he doesn’t understand why you wouldn’t be for him. A part of him is going to wonder whether you would do it for Lucifer or if you didn’t respect him as much or a myriad of other things; this means he may blow up a little at first as he gets his bearings. However, Satan is also very logical so once you sit him down and explain that it’s nothing to do with him and just a preference on your end, he’s much more agreeable about it. You’d probably end up in a detailed conversation about kinks and boundaries so that way he can make sure you’re both totally happy with the sex and your roles in your relationship. I don’t see Satan full on subbing for you, more like an equal partnership both in and out of the bedroom.

Asmo: You don’t wanna sub? That’s totally fine with Asmo! He’s the Avatar of Lust, he can roll with just about any and every preference you may have. You just tell him what you want him, how you want it, and when and he will do everything in his power to make all of your fantasies come true! He may tease you a little bit about it, in the sense that he likes to think he would be able to make you actually enjoy being submissive - especially if your reluctance is due to bad past experiences. He would want to show you what a real dominant could be like and how good submitting can feel. If it’s a hard stop though, he’s more than willing to take on that submissive role instead and won’t push the issue.

Beel: Beel has never thought much one way or another about you being submissive. It was never anything he was going to ask you to do though, admittedly, he’s probably always seen you in a more submissive view simply because you’re so much smaller and weaker than him. It just seems like the de facto setting in that situation. Once you tell him you’re not interested in being submissive, he’s totally okay with it and will ask you what you do want. Beel is a pleaser by nature and he would be happy to take on the role, if you’d prefer for him to be the submissive one. However, I did think the sub/dom thing would very rarely come up for Beel so it’s simply not something you two need to worry about.

Belphie: It’s a toss up for Belphie. He hates being told no and he doesn’t like the idea of being “forced” into the submissive role; there’s still a part of him that believes he should be in total control and that you’re just a little human that should cater to his every whim. (It really doesn’t help that he’s so spoiled by everyone and is used to getting what he wants) This can work in a positive way though because Belphie is undeniably lazy, which means he doesn’t mind if you’re the one putting in all of the work sexually. So, sure, he can lay back and be a little pillow princess for you. Or, if he has some energy and/or big feelings, he’ll be a very bratty sub and take great joy in harassing the hell out of you until he lets you put him back in his place. Basically, you not subbing is fine as long as you show Belphie all of the ways that he benefits from you taking on the dominant role.

Barbatos: Barbatos was literally born to serve. He is a pleasure and service sub, through and through. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a little sadistic sometimes and he will happily “act out” if that’s something you enjoy him doing but, for the most part, he is incredibly happy in his submissive role. He lives to make you happy and feel good; in fact, being the perfect sub is one of his greatest achievements. He wants you to not only not feel bad about your decision to not be submissive but actually feel good about it. He enjoys being submissive and he wants you to use that to your advantage as much as possible and feel good about doing so.

Diavolo: He is more than a little thrown off by your refusal to sub for him. He’s the Demon Overlord, King of the Devildom. No one would dare say no to him. Most people would give up everything they have just to be able to say they subbed for him. All that to say, he’s thrilled. It gives Diavolo such a rush to know you’re so willing to set your boundaries with him and that you trust him. And now he gets to explore an entirely new side of himself! The side where he listens to someone else for once and has to do as he’s bidden. It’s terrifying and exhilarating and there’s no one else he would trust to explore that with. I do think the novelty would wear off for him after a while and, yes, he’d still sub when you’re both in the mood for that but it would be an equal relationship the majority of the time. Diavolo likes to let go of control every so often, especially when he’s stressed, but it’s not something he can long term commit to.

Simeon: This poor baby is going to be confused as heck when you tell him don’t want to sub. He doesn’t even know what that means and at first he thinks you mean subservient in a very old school biblical sense and he rushed to assure you he’s not looking for you to follow his every whim. Once you explain what you mean, he’s a little mortified but also turned on by the idea of being submissive for you? He’s always been in a submissive position, thinking about his father and all of that, and he enjoys pushing the limits so I think Simeon would be a lowkey bratty sub. He’s not nearly as malicious or tough to tame as Belphie but he does enjoy riling you by purposefully misunderstanding rules or using gray areas to his advantage. Mostly though he’s just happy to give you whatever you ask for because all he wants is to make you happy and prove just how good it can be to have an angel like him at your service. (The blasphemy of serving and worshiping a human rather than his father is also a huge turn on for him)

Solomon: Solomon is a happy switch so if you’re totally against subbing, he’ll take up the task. I think he would be the third “pushiest” after Lucifer and Asmo, in the sense that he really thinks he could get you to enjoy being submissive. I think he would try plenty of suggestions and wheedling, using his sway as the most powerful sorcerer, but if it’s truly not something you want to pursue then he’ll let it go. Solomon enjoys being submissive to you because, just like with Diavolo, it’s such a juxtaposition to his day to day life. He has fun with it and is regularly supplying you with new ideas or items that you can implement with him. He also loves being subby in front of people in subtle ways, just enough to throw them off because who would expect him to listen to a mere mortal human?

#obey me #obey me imagines #obey me headcanons #obey me luficer #obey me mammon #obey me levi #obey me satan #obey me beel #obey me belphie #obey me asmo #obey me diavolo #obey me barbatos #obey me brothers #obey me simeon #obey me solomon

171 notes · View notes

toskarin · 1 month

Text

forewarning that this is mostly just an observational ramble

one thing I've gathered from looking around older western fantasy otaku sites is that, presumably in large part because of the order in which things entered mainstream consciousness, sauron is talked about pretty consistently as the final boss of the lord of the rings

technically, this is true of everywhere, but I want to emphasise that it is extremely common to see younger fantasy otaku a decade or two ago use ラスボス when explaining who he is, as a primary descriptor

[before going any further on this, it probably bears mentioning that the japanese translation of lord of the rings is a bit divisive. when it comes up, it's either in the context of how impressive the translation is (skews older) or in how unreadable it is (skews younger), because it's translated into antiquity prose. apparently exceptionally so, even for a fantasy novel, so it was very much extreme nerd shit]

a big part of this is, of course, just the idea of the final boss having more awareness than tolkien at the time the movies were coming out. I imagine almost the exact same thing would happen more or less anywhere that video games hit mainstream nerd awareness before tolkien did, but there's something else that I think might have something to do with it, because if you're looking at old enough threads, you notice that not only is sauron being explained as the final boss, but this is being mentioned in contrast to morgoth not being the final boss

which seems a bit random (morgoth doesn't exactly come up enough in lotr proper to cause this confusion), if you don't know that angband, where morgoth is the final boss and sauron is just the midboss, was pretty popular with western fantasy otaku. well, popular in the way that cult classics are, but you know how it goes

with that in mind, it makes sense that it was (at one point, before tolkien was more accessible through other channels) something people called each other fake fans over

so in a kind of interesting way, namedropping sauron in fantasy otaku spaces that skewed younger (for a time) was almost equivalent to namedropping morgoth in western fantasy nerd spaces. that all kind of stops being the case once you have the peter jackson movies immediately at hand, though

there's also the fact that, because it's a little harder to read lord of the rings in japanese, someone who's casually into the book is much more likely to also go ahead and read the silmarillion, which helped rings of power get incredibly popular with older audiences in japan when it came out. as a fun side effect of all this, there's a bit more morgoth x sauron shipping around

#also should be clarified that the specific way that tolkien is translated in japanese is like #seemingly made to create a generational divide in people who have strong opinions on whether you should use kanji in western location names #same argument as always: do you translate for western sound or period-appropriate language #and its answer is a resounding 'both'

159 notes · View notes

celluloidbroomcloset · 6 months

Text

"Stede sees Ed through rose-colored glasses." I've seen this one floating around a wee bit, so I had thoughts.

First, yes, he does, to a certain degree. From the start, he's fixated on finding Ed. He sees the wanted posters and disbelieves how Ed is being depicted (with good reason - the first view he had of Ed was from the book on pirates and when he meets Ed for the first time the man in no way fits the image). That's not his Ed.

But Stede, for all his sweetness and his lightness, is neither naive nor deluded, and nothing makes that clearer than the scene between him and Izzy in "The Innkeeper."

We should note that Stede is either lied to or not told things pretty consistently here. Part of it is the crew trying to protect him, knowing his feelings about Ed; part of it is the crew trying to protect themselves from retribution. But other than what he has heard about Ed - which he can't take at face value, for good reason - and what his old crew have told him - and they didn't see the full descent into the Kraken - he does not know what happened on the Revenge.

Or does he? Izzy starts out by saying "I know you think you understand him—" And Stede interrupts: "He was either going to watch the world burn or die trying. Which was it?"

This is not a deluded person. He is well aware of what Ed is doing. I think he's also well aware that most, if not all, of the destruction of his things and his ship was Ed's doing. More importantly, this line indicates very clear that Stede is far more aware than we think. He does not try to explain things away. Yes, Ed did this. Where is he? Did he die or did he watch the world burn?

Stede takes on a lot of the guilt for what Ed became (that's a whole other thing, I won't get into that too much here) even before they board the Revenge. He later tells Zheng that he thinks what has happened is his fault. And with Izzy, it's important how the conversation gets framed, as something that happened almost randomly: "He went mad. He tortured the crew. He took my leg because I dared to mention your fucking name."

As viewers, we know that's what happened, and also not what happened. We know that Izzy goaded him into putting on the Blackbeard persona again. We know that Ed's first reaction to losing Stede was to build a blanket fort and cry himself to sleep. We know that Izzy threatened him and mocked him and needled him until he cracked. We also know that Ed sobbed every night and tried to kill himself by getting others to kill him. There's a lot that Izzy knows and doesn't say, in that moment, not just that they actually killed Ed.

There's both kindness and cruelty here. Izzy is giving Stede false hope - that Ed is still alive somewhere - and he's protecting the crew and he's also protecting himself by the way he frames it ("He went mad" not "I goaded him into madness"). Whether or not he knows about Stede's guilt complex, he's making use of it. But he's probably the most honest with Stede, and himself, than he's ever been: "You and me did this to him, and we cannot let the crew suffer any more for our mistakes." He's not wrong, and it's not a lie. The important thing here and now is the crew and protecting them, because Izzy and Stede very much agree that it is not their fault.

But again, none of this indicates that Stede is looking at Ed through rose-colored glasses. For what he does know and see, he sees very clearly. He naturally doesn't want to believe that Ed has lost his mind, but when he sees actual evidence of it, he doesn't deny it or try to explain it away as untrue. He does take on the burden of guilt, though (which, TBH, Izzy is partially shoving off on him, but these are not well-balanced or particularly logical men able to manage their emotions very well).

Stede is not a deluded man. He's a romantic man, and he indulges in his fantasies, but he learned very early that piracy is not fantasy. There's a major interplay between his guilt for leaving Ed and his clear-sightedness when it comes to Ed.

I think what might bother people, TBH, is that Stede does indeed see Ed for who he is and still loves him (not gonna get into the fucking weird headcanon that Ed is going to abuse him or some shit, Jesus Christ). He just also has faith in all the other things he's seen in Ed. He points out that "you were gonna burn my face off, remember?! I got over that pretty quick." Which is funny, but it also shows how very not scared of Ed Stede is. Not for one moment does he think that Blackbeard is all there is to Ed, but neither does he deny the existence of Blackbeard. He absolutely does understand.

#ofmd season 2 #ofmd s2 #ofmd spoilers #our flag means death #ofmd meta #stede bonnet #ed teach #izzy hands #gif

321 notes · View notes

watchmegetobsessed · 1 year

Text

SUBTLE

A/N: this idea got stuck on my mind and i thought i would just type it out so here we are!

WORD COUNT: 1k

SUMMARY: Harry's not so subtle way of hinting that he is in the mood.

MASTERLIST | SUPPORT ME!

There are celebrities that never wear the same outfit twice. Some keep them tucked away in their closet, probably hoping one day they will be displayed in museums and some just simply get rid of them once the clothes are off of their bodies.

Well, your boyfriend is definitely not one of these people. He is the king of wearing something over and over again until it’s totally ruined and can’t be worn again. The best example is his crusty Vans he always wears to the maximum before even considering buying a new one. When Harry likes something, a shirt, a hat or a pair of pants, he is the biggest outfit repeater and that’s something you love so much about him, because it’s so mundane, so down-to-earth.

His most worn shirt however is a surprising one. Well, not to you, because he wears it because of you so whenever you spot him sporting it, you know what his intentions are.

It’s a quiet Sunday afternoon, it’s been raining all weekend so you’ve spent most of it snuggled up at home, watching movies, cooking and spending some well-deserved quality time together after such a busy week. For the past hour you’ve been glued to the couch with your favorite chunky blanket and a book that you haven’t gotten around to read during the weekdays. Your tea is set on the side table, an hour ago it was steaming hot, but now it’s more like room temperature and half of it is also gone. A pair of old sweatpants has been your uniform since yesterday and today you paired them with one of Harry’s many graphic shirts.

Speaking of your boyfriend, you haven’t seen him for a while now. Last time he mumbled something about having a riff stuck on his mind before he wandered off into his home studio. It’s been radio silence since then and you got to focus fully on your fantasy book.

Harry emerges from the studio after about one and a half hour that he spent strumming away on his guitar, recording a possible new hit song for his next album. Making music usually makes him feel two ways. First one, which happens more often is hungry. His creativity takes a lot of energy and he is a big boy, he needs food to fuel his body and brain as well. The second one however… that’s what causes him the most issues, especially when he is not recording at home and this is what he feels right now as well.

He’s horny.

The song he worked on was heavily inspired by you and the intimate moments he spent with you in the past months and reliving them definitely got him worked up, that’s why he had to put down his guitar and find a solution to his little situation.

But instead of just looking for you, he sneaks into his closet and grabs the shirt he’s been using with ulterior motives lately. He gets rid of his hoodie and then pulls the other shirt over his head before checking himself in the mirror, his eyes scanning over the “Sex” sign over his chest. He can’t help but smile at the sight of the shirt he wore on SNL, which was such an iconic appearance.

He wanders out of the closet and then the bedroom, looking for you with his teeth sunk into his bottom lip to hide his cheeky smirk. He finds you right where left you before his studio session, snuggled up on the couch with your book, your lips moving as you ready but it’s hard to notice. Your eyes are scanning over the lines, one hand holding the book, the other one playing with the necklace he got you for your birthday two years ago. You look adorable and cozy, but he’s also extremely eager to get under that blanket and between your legs.

Clearing his throat he walks closer, failing to pretend like he is just aimlessly wandering around. He peeks at you and narrows his eyes when he sees you haven’t even acknowledged his presence.

“Hey baby,” he speaks up, hoping to catch your attention.

“Mm, hi, what’s up?” you ask, but your eyes are still glued to the page in front of you.

“Not much. Just checking in on you.” Squaring his shoulders he takes a deep breath before exhaling dramatically, his palms smoothing over the shirt, especially the word written across his chest.

“I’m good. Did you finish recording?”

Still no peek at him and he is starting to get frustrated.

“Yeah,” he nods and clears his throat again, standing right in front of you at this point, towering over you.

“Good,” you hum.

You’re still ignoring him and now he is determined to have your pretty eyes on him. A series of coughs follows that finally forces you to look up from the book, mostly because you fear that he has a sore throat, judging from the coughs, but when you catch a glimpse of him you see how he’s puffing his chest so you see what shirt he is really wearing.

“Huh,” you smile, putting your book aside. “Are you trying to tell me something?” you ask, a smirk stretching across your face.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he shrugs, running his tongue across his lips.

“Do you happen to want to have sex?” you tilt your head to the side.

“Oh! Now that you’re asking, yes. Yes, I absolutely do!”

You can’t hold your laugh back as he basically throws himself at you, his lips already kissing you all over your face as he wedges himself between you and the back of the couch.

“You’re so subtle,” you giggle against his lips, pulling the blanket over the both of you while his hands are already wandering under your shirt.

“That’s my middle name,” he grins. “Harry Subtle Styles.”

“What happened to Edward?”

“Gone. He’s dead,” he chuckles before his lips get busy with yours.

Thank you for reading, please like and reblog if you enjoyed and buy me a coffee if you want to support me!

#harry #styles #harry styles #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles fanfic #harry styles oneshot #harry styles one shot #harry styles fluff #harry styles x you #harry styles x y/n #harry styles x reader #harry styles blurb

2K notes · View notes

praisethesuuun · 9 months

Note

Hiiiiiiiii Could I request for a Buddha NSFW alphabet? please? qwp"

the time...has come. I apologize for any kind of mistake or if it's not the best, I tried my best!

Buddha: NSFW Alphabet

A: aftercare <what they're like after sex>

I'm pretty sure this concept isn't too developed in Buddha's mind, I don't think he's the best person for aftercare, but he has his tricks to make you fall at his feet. I can see him offering you some sweets or your favorite snacks stored in the drawer next to your bed. I think Buddha deserved some cuddles, he tried so hard not to eat them!

B: body part <their favourite body part on them and you>

His favorite part of his own body is probably his eyes: Buddha likes the way they allow them to read you like an open book, or your dazed gaze every time you enchant yourself in front of his irises. His ego skyrockets every time it happens and he will never stop teasing you about it. As for which part of your body Buddha prefers, I don't think there is one in particular; he doesn't seem like someone who places too much emphasis on physical appearance. If he loves you, Buddha will love everything about you, without preferences.

C: cum <anything to do with it, really>

I'm pretty sure Buddha lives for cumming in your mouth. He would squeeze your cheeks or pull your hair, seeing how you swallow everything; a grin on his face when you struggle. "Was it sweet, honey? No, no, bad girl...don't talk with your mouth full~"

D: dirty secret <a dirty secret of theirs>

Buddha always had a fantasy involving candy in bed. Let me explain, he would masturbate you with a lollipop, making you lick it and asking you which is tastier, the sweet or you. Buddha would make you cum repeatedly with his tongue, licking you good in all the right spots, feeling the sweet taste of his two favorite snacks, giggling from time to time. You'll need a shower after...you'll be a little sticky-

E: experience <how experienced are they>

Well, Buddha had a wife and children before he set out on his path to enlightenment; so I'd say he has enough experience.

F: favourite position <self-explanatory>

I think the lotus position is the most suitable, because he can hold you close to him, neither of you is in control, you are moving at the same time. It's the right definition of equality and balance, just the way he likes it. Not surprisingly, another position Buddha is crazy about is 69; bring you pleasure with his hot tongue, while he thrusts ruthlessy in your mouth...it's just perfect for him!

G: goofy <would they use humor in the moment?>

It is Buddha we are talking about, it is obvious that he will crack a few jokes here and there. He's not serious AT ALL.

H: hair <how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the courtains?>

The carpet is slightly darker than the curtains. Also, Buddha is not really clean, travels all the time and lives on poverty and good principles. You certainly can't expect too much. I'm not saying he totally stinks, but remind him to wash up once in a while, okay?

I: intimacy <are they romantic in the moment or they do not care?>

Given his character, Buddha is not inclined to bond with anyone, but only with people who manage to catch his attention; as a result, he'll try to make every moment he spends with you special - in his own way. Your sessions are not necessarily long, but very passionate and romantic, full of love and sweet words.

J: jack off <...self-explanatory part 2>

To no one's surprise, he does, but only when he hasn't seen you in a long time. Otherwise, you can rest assured that he will come looking for you at the exact moment he feels aroused.

K: kinks <their kinks>

If there's one important thing for Buddha, it's feeling every part of you, he has to live you deeply. When you make love, Buddha kisses every part of your body and enjoys when you masturbate each other; plus, he has a thing for involving food. Once, he could easily blindfold you, and then cover you entirely with honey, licking and kissing you, mixing the sweetness of that sticky gold with the taste of your fluids.

L: location <where they usually do the do>

Buddha is a person who wants to bring out the best in you, trying to grow the couple, so his favorite time to do it is at night, in the moonlight. When the soft moonlight illuminates your red cheeks and bright eyes, while is hair falls softly on his shoulders, creating a sort of barrier around you two. Also, this boy has a penchant for fucking near water sources, like rivers, lakes, or natural waterfalls.

M: motivation <what turns them on>

How can Buddha resist your tongue and lips sensually enveloping a lollipop? Especially if it's HIS lollipop, which you literally ripped out of his mouth. If anyone else did it, that person would be dead by now, but since it's you...he'll give you another kind of punishment...

N: no <things they refuse to do>

Involving other people in your sex life, he does not feel like it. As I said before, Buddha has to live you and no one else, your relationship is like a small nucleus that no one has the right to intrude; whether it's from a sexual or amorous point of view.

O: oral <do they like giving or receiving?>

He probably has no preferences, however, if someone were to present the choice in front of him, he would prefer to receive. Buddha must see you struggling as he grips your hair, abusing your mouth as he pleases. Buddha hears your gags, moans...everything, and it drives him crazy.

P: pace <are they slow and sensual or fast and rough>

It really depends on his mood, but he takes it easy most of the time. Buddha wants slow and romantic sex, full of passion, as if his every breath was the equivalent of a small part of his heart; but if you want it to go faster, you can straddle him and ride him like there's no tomorrow. He'll enjoy the pleasure, sucking your breasts while you ruin him❤️

Q: quickie <would they fuck you for five minutes or wait until you wait home?>

Let's say Buddha prefers to take his time and not act hastily: he wants you both to enjoy the moment, he wants to play it safe and take his time, and, more importantly, he wants to avoid anyone seeing you.

R: risk <...DUH>

To make you happy, but just to listen to you for once, Buddha would be inclined to take risks. But you absolutely choose a safe word and, at the first wrong thing, you stop immediately and cuddle.

S: stamina <how long can they last?>

His rounds are quite long and passionate, so Buddha can go on for a good few hours. I'll say at least 4 or 5 hours.

T: toys <do they own any? do they use them?>

I don't think Buddha has too many toys - also because he doesn't have enough money to buy them - so, I'm sorry but that's a no. However, you could easily involve simple things, like, bandages or bandanas to tie you up.

U: unfair <how much they like to tease>

All right, I say it, Buddha likes it a lot; however, it only does so because it can prepare you better that way. With his teasing, he always makes you nice and wet, ready to welcoming him and his cock.

V: volume <are they asking for a noise complaint, or are they quiet?>

Does he look like he's quite? This one a screamer, not gonna lie! Everyone knows when you are making love, and whoever hears you starts betting on who will moan the most, if you or Buddha. He can't help himself and sees no reason to not moan out of pleasure if he feels good.

W: wild card <a random headcanon☆>

Let's talk about that time you got stucked to the covers. After everything I've told you, you couldn't not expect such an episode. It was among the first times that Buddha had insisted on trying to involve food during one of your sessions, in particular, a mix between honey and caramel was created. You got attached to the bedsheets. Buddha laughed. That mix was never used again.

X: x-ray <what to they look like under there?>

Well, the size is average, it's neither too big nor too small, and it's perfectly straight. The base is slightly wider. The tip color is #e8a497. Oh, and it's a bit hairy!

Y: yearning <are they in the mood to fuck or are they tame?>

Buddha is very lazy, you have to stimulate him, always looking for interesting ways to make him lose his mind. You could play brat, that might get his attention...why don't you steal his snacks? That's a good idea!

Z: zzz <how quickly they fall asleep afterwards>

Pretty fast asleep, but he doesn't fall asleep until he's sure you're safe. So expect to find yourself sleeping on his chest where he can feel you close.

#record of ragnarok #ror x reader #ror x you #request #snv x reader #snv x you #shuumatsu no valkyrie x reader #shuumatsu no valkyrie #buddha x you #snv buddha #ror buddha #buddha x reader #record of ragnarok buddha

332 notes · View notes

happilyfeatherafter · 1 month

Text

Happilyfeatherafter’s ficrec Fridays

Good friday y'all. Welcome back to a new fortnight of fics that I’ve read and loved recently. I took my first holiday of the year and IMMEDIATELY caught a cold that knocked me out for the week but at least it meant I got reading done. Save me, destiel, save me.

If you want to find more you can see my previous rec lists here!

29 March 2024

virga(e) by @shineforthee (art by @neversleepuntilfive) has gone straight to the top of the favourite fics ever pile, oh my god you guys, please read it immediately and admire the art that inspired it as part of @deancasreversebang. This fic is a thing of beauty from start to finish. In one version of the story of Dean and Cas, we find Castiel perpetually waiting in the desert, when a 26 year old Dean stumbles upon him drawn to the location mid-hunt. They must learn to trust each other, to figure out what's causing the push and pull that bonds them. The poetry of this fic, run through with this yearning devastating emotion on their journey together, coupled with the incredibly evocatively descriptions and research into the setting, come together to make the most gorgeous picture, the desert a place that seems desolate but is teeming with life. Much like the slowburn romance that flourishes between them. It also links back to post-canon in a way that is seeded so carefully and cleverly, and made my heart explode. It's funny, romantic, devastating, emotional, moving....I can't do justice to this fic with such a short snapshot, please read it for yourselves and come yell at me about it. It's so beautiful. shineforthee also has a great 9x06 fanfic gap one shot and an ongoing wip now too and I can't wait to read that! (Somehow need any more convincing? Check out @bloodydeanwinchester's Virga(e) liveblog).

It's all very complex by artichokeflower okay that was all very serious, so let's turn to a short and sweet smut fic that had me giggling gleefully throughout. 'After walking in on Dean's private time, Cas decides to do a little research and experimentation of his own and gets magically trapped in a book about sexual fantasies. And if that means Dean has to go in after him, well what are buddies for, right?' The thing that is just GOLDEN about this fic aside from the hot smut is the dry sense of humour, borderline French Mistake parody level porn and dialogue between Dean and especially Cas which just gets them so well...the cowboy scenes in particular. Glorious: “I’m sorry, Dean. That’s the end of the erotic violence. Are you hurt?” “Is there going to be any sex in your sexy fantasies?” Dean wheezed. “Not that the whole shoot out wasn’t fun. I just wasn’t expecting as much plot is all.” He coughed. That had probably sounded too eager.

Just Being and Just Having by Englandwouldfall I have recced before but is now complete!! This the post-canon fic series delves so incredibly beautifully into Dean and Cas’ history of miscommunication and gives them the chance to truly talk things out, finding themselves falling more deeply in love as they do so and understand their own mistakes but also what makes them work so well together when they’re no longer under Chuck’s thumb. Each chapter feels like therapy and a brain and heart massage! It sticks the landing so well and I just love these boys so much.

Something Happening Somewhen by allthismusic (@folkbloodbaths, art by @eggchef) aaaahhh time travel young Dean brought to the future to meet older Dean and Cas fic trope my beloved. A @deancaspinefest fic, Allthismusic is a fan of the trope too and this fic is a gorgeous tribute to it and the fics that came before. Cas saves 24yo Dean from an accident and brings him to the future when he witnesses what his life will be. Will Cas have to remove his memories to stop a paradox? Sweet and heartfelt, a joy to read.

Books, Pies, and Roommates by @seidenapfel (art by @kitshay) is a @deancaspinefest two-person love hexagon, with some excellently farcical misdirection. Cas moves in to the spare room of Dean's house, but he doesn't meet him, he meets Sam, as Dean is busy working. Cas is professor but helps his cousin out as a barista and his favourite customer is Deano. Dean's intrigued by the barista but he's not his online penpal and best friend Angel. Lines blur, connections are made, and hearts are gonna get broken...or are they?

Tag list under the cut, let me know if you'd like to be added! Please reblog <3

@dean-you-assbutt-cas-loves-you

#happilyfeatherafter ficrec friday #ficrec #destiel #destiel fic #deancas #destiel fanfic

90 notes · View notes

ladyloveandjustice · 4 months

Text

My Favorite Books I Read in 2023

I read a ton of good novels last year- 36 in all (and uh, 78 manga/graphic novels, but we'll examine that in another post). Here's a link to my Goodreads year in books (the manga is at the beginning, the novels start with Siren Queen) and my storygraph wrap up.

I reread a ton of Discworld this year, and it's as spectacular as ever. But what about new reads?

Well, here are my favorite books I read in 2023!

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

This is an autobiographical memoir about the abusive relationship the author went through with her ex-girlfriend. It's absolutely gut-wrenching, and at times, achingly beautiful. Machado uses the house she shared with her girlfriend, which she calls the "dream house", as a back drop. It's a place she always wanted and also a place she became trapped in, Machado's language is beautiful as she explores the relationship from different lenses-- The Dream House as Lesbian Cult Classic, the Dream House as Noir, the Dream House as Creature Feature, the Dream House as Stoner Comedy....All facets of the relationship are explored in a way that grips you by the throat and makes you remember everyone who ever tried to suffocate you-- but it also explores the hard work of moving on, of picking up the pieces, of living and embracing tenderness along with hardship.

I especially related to Machado's struggle to talk about abuse between queer lovers because of her fears of giving homophobes more ammunition...and when she says "we deserve to have our wrongdoing represented as much as our heroism, because when we refuse wrongdoing as a possibility for a group of people, we refuse their humanity", I felt that deeply.

This wasn't just one of my favorite books this year, it goes on the list of all-time favorite books. I wish I had this kind of writing style. I'll be returning to this again and again.

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao

A middle-grade novel about a Chinese-American teen who feels a bit alienated from his heritage, which becomes a bit of an issue once he finds out the First Emperor of China has possessed his A.R. Gaming Headset. Now he needs to close a portal to the underworld with the help of other kids possessed by emporers.

This was a whole lot of fun, and often quite poignant. I was unsure if I could really enjoy middle-grade books as an adult, and this absolutely proves I can. There's a lot of really interesting Chinese history blended with action-packed fantasy, and exploration of the complicated feelings a kid can have about their own heritage . The dynamic between Zachary and Qin Shi Huang was so entertaining with the Emperor being villainous, heroic, charismatic, detestable-- and Zachary realizing how his complicated feelings about him mirror his relationship with his culture at large. There was also a lot of fun with other historical figures, and Xiran's take on Wu Zetian is a joy. (Also, if you like Yu-Gi-Oh!, you'll probably like this, since Xiran says it was one of their influences).

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

Rose is young woman who's raised in a fundamentalist Christian household, and she's a devout, obedient daughter. But some weird things are happening. She's seeing a terrifying demon everywhere, insects are coming out of her mouth....and she's possibly having feelings about other girls. What's going on?

Yes, this is by the Chuck Tingle who makes all those Tinglers. But THIS one... will make you tingle with fear! It's a great horror novel! It's skin-crawlingly creepy at times, but also does a great job digging into how fundamentalist dogma harms queer people, and the hypocrisy of such beliefs. The conversion camp aspect is handled tastefully, and overall it was a great spooky read that's also ultimately very affirming, cathartic, and hopeful.

Qualia the Purple by Hisamitsu Ueo

You might go into this thinking it's just a quirky yuri light novel about a schoolgirl and her crush who sees everyone around her as robots (like literally, when she looks at someone she sees a robot instead of a human). But it quickly becomes surreal queer psychological horror steeped in absolutely wild applications of quantum mechanics and thought-provoking time travel. Some of the quantum mechanics exposition dumps were a bit much but I deeply enjoyed having my mind cracked open by this book.

It's one of the most interesting takes of time loop stories I've seen. But it definitely covers a lot of rough subject matter, including a relationship with a serious age gap and extremely messed up relationships, so be cautious if you have triggers.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

This book follows Miri, whose wife goes missing on a deep-sea submarine mission for six months. Miri thought her wife dead, but she miraculously returns one day...but her wife has changed. She's like a stranger. She may have bought the horrors of the sea home with her.

This is a gripping exploration of grief and loss combined with a delicious, slow horror that creeps under your skin. There's excellent Lovecraftian and body horror elements to the novel, but it works very effectively as a metaphor for a loved one going through trauma, and a relationship starting to crumble because everything seems different. A moment that really stuck out to me is when Miri copes with her wife's disappearance by frequenting an online community where women roleplay as wives with husbands missing in space. The way the online drama of the community interacted with her grief was both funny and heartbreaking.

This is another example of a book that makes me deeply jealous with its lyrical writing, and another one for the ever-lengthening all time favorites list.

Otherside Picnic Volume 8: Accomplices No More by Iori Miyazawa

The latest entry in a series about two girls exploring an alternate dimension full of creepypasta monsters, while also falling in love with each other. See my other reviews here and here.

This volume has the payoff to a lot of careful character work and relationship building, and it was completely satisfying. In fact, it was...show-stopping. Spectacular. Incredible. I loved the exploration of how love, sex, and romance are so different for different people and it's impossible to put it in neat boxes. The frank and messy conversation our leads have about their relationship was perfect and so was that absolutely bonkers, wonderful finale. This is another one for the all times favorite list, and I loved it so much I wrote a extremely long review/recap here.

Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality by Eliot Schrefer

This was a well-researched, well-crafted, easy to read book that explores queerness (mainly homosexuality, bisexuality, trans and genderfluid expressions in animals, and even the question of if and how animals can related to gender) in the animal kingdom. Though it's definitely aimed at teens, I learned a lot from it (who knew female bonobos were such life goals) and it presented its information in a fun way. It included some interesting examinations of how proof of homosexuality and bisexuality in animals was historically suppressed and filtered through homophobic assumptions. If you want to learn a little animal science in an accessible format, definitely check this out.

Night’s Edge by Liz Kerin

The story follows Mia, a woman in her 20's living with her vampire mother. Her whole life revolves around not drawing suspicion towards her Mom. She also has to make sure to feed her Mom some of her blood every night--lest her mother fall back in with her abusive boyfriend and start hunting humans. But when Mia meets a cute girl, she starts to dream of living her own life...

It was a really interesting use of vampirism as a metaphor for both living with a parent struggling with addiction and having an abusive parent. It's just a well-told, heartwrenching tale that got deep into the character's mindsets. I thought the ending was bit abrupt and rushed, but it did make more sense once I realized this was the first in a duology. It's a fascinating take on vampires, and I'm interested in seeing more.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

This novel follows a middle-aged Muslim female pirate living around the Arabian Peninsula. She's supposed to be in retirement, but wouldn't you know it, she's lured in for one last job! I she rescues a kidnapped girl, she'll have all the riches she needs to set her family up for life. So Amina begins her adventure of fighting demons and monsters and ex-husbands. But the job might not be all it seems.

This novel is full of all the entertaining swashbuckling action and shenanigans that any pirate story should have. It's a rollicking good time, and feeds my craving for middle aged women going on quests and kicking ass. Amina's journey is a fun, wild ride full of dynamic characters and interesting mythology!

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

Juniper is friends with a successful Chinese-American author, Athena Liu, and has always been deeply jealous of her. When Athena dies in front of her, Juniper decides to steal her manuscript rooted in Chinese history and claim it as her own. But plagiarism might catch up with her...

This is a strong example of a book I thought was really well-done, but one I'm probably never going to read again. The way it depicted Twitter drama is just too accurate and I got anxiety. It did such a good job putting you in Juniper's awful shoes so you can feel the pressure close in along with her. The book's commentary on the insidious racism of the publishing industry was effective, and it made a horrible character's journey fascinating to follow. I was so intrigued yet anxious I had to force myself to finish the last few pages.

Bonus read:

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldtree

A very cute novel about an orc named Viv who decides to retire from the violent life of a bounty hunter and run a coffee shop instead. She ends up getting a lot of assistance from a succubus named Tandri...and my, is that a slow-burn coffee shop romance brewing? This book reminds me a lot of various cozy slice-of-life anime, and it's nice to be getting more of that feeling in book form. I wish there was a little more specific to the fantasy world rather than making it a coffee shop that line up 1 to 1 to a modern day shop, but it was definitely a sweet read.

#year in books #my reviews #our wives under the sea #in the dream house #zachary ying and the dragon emperor #camp damascus #qualia the purple #otherside picnic #queer ducks #night's edge #legends and lattes #the adventures of amina al sirafi #books #queer lit #yellowface #r.f. kuang #xiran jay zhao #carmen maria machado

132 notes · View notes

grassbreads · 1 year

Text

What Tai Sui is and Why Everyone Should Read It

So if you follow me, over the past couple weeks, you've probably noticed me obsessively screenshotting and posting about a book called Tai Sui. And now that I've finished it, I'd like to try and convince y'all to give it a chance.

What Is Tai Sui?

Tai Sui is a chinese web novel—a relatively unpopular work by the very popular author Priest (author of Guardian and Sha Po Lang, among others). Unlike a lot of the most popular web novels on tumblr, it's not a danmei. It's in fact rather important to the plot and themes that there is almost entirely no romance, but I promise you, it is absolutely worth it regardless.

What is Tai Sui About?

Tai Sui is a steampunk xianxia cultivation story. For those unfamiliar with xianxia and cultivation, this is a particular genre of Chinese historical fantasy.

The official summary of Tai Sui reads as follows:

“If I had a choice, I would only want to be a little insect in the mundane dust, born in confusion, dying in mediocrity, never seeing the light of day beneath the fog of Jinping City.

Better than taking this wrong road to heaven.”

You may have noticed that this summary is not in fact really a summary. It gives you a glimpse into the story's themes, mood, and destination, but it doesn't exactly tell you what happens in it.

That's because Tai Sui is one of those works that's incredibly hard to summarize. The story is incredibly wide in scope and changes massively over its course, to the point that any summary that encapsulates the whole thing is going to feel like a spoiler. However, I can try my best to add a little detail without giving too much away.

Tai Sui is the story of Xi Ping—an obnoxious, trouble-making rich boy with no interest in cultivation—who gets unwittingly involved in a plot to resurrect the "evil god" Tai Sui. This plot pulls him into the cultivation world against his will and, over time, threatens to rewrite everything he is.

Tai Sui is the end of immortality.

Why Should You Read Tai Sui?

Tai Sui is one of the most compelling stories I have ever read. It is a love letter to the power and promise of the whole world and its many mundane people. It also has some of the best worldbuilding I have ever seen.

Tai Sui is written in omniscient perspective, and though Xi Ping is very much the main character, as the story progresses, we spend more and more time alongside characters that aren't him. By the time the novel ends, his entire continent is at stake, and we the audience know that continent and its troubles inside and out from countless angles. Everyone from the immortal demigods of the cultivation world to the most wretched, miserable paupers is given a grand sense of emphasis.

Tai Sui is a deconstruction of the cultivation genre. It establishes a magic/cultivation system and its history, lets the main character live in that system for a while, and then dives deep into that system's depths. It looks at the cultivation genre, at the idea of people who leave behind their status as mortals for greater things, and asks "How does this really work?" and "Is this how the world should be?"

Tai Sui is the story of countless people who were never supposed to be powerful coming together to make the world a better place. It's well written (and very well translated), exciting, heartbreaking, and incredibly beautiful. It's also funny as hell.

I cannot recommend this story enough.

Warnings/Caveats

As I said before, Tai Sui is a deconstruction of the cultivation genre. If you're unfamiliar with this genre, while the book is certainly readable, you are going to be thrown head first into the deep end with the tropes and terminology at play. It's absolutely worth the learning curve, but it will be kind of a lot. Maybe do some light googling about what a cultivator is before you pick it up. (Or just ask a fan. I think most of us would happily explain anything that would win a new reader).

There are portrayals of people/cultures in Tai Sui that are heavily inspired by minority cultures in real-world China, and some of these portrayals play into pretty harmful stereotypes. It's not SPL "Barbarian" or TGCF Banyue levels of racist, but it's something to be aware of and careful about. I'd really recommend reading from the perspectives of those from the cultures in question (including but not limited to the post I linked) for more about the issues I'm talking about.

Tai Sui's English translation is 930,000 words long. I believe this is a strength, since its length is what allows it such an incredible scope. It is also a fucking daunting commitment, and I acknowledge that.

Finally, while Tai Sui doesn't need too many trigger warnings, it does contain some pretty viscerally upsetting depictions of inequality and mistreatment, as well as a few instances of violence toward children. You can't uplift without first seeing what the people need uplifting from, and hooboy. They need it.

There's also some scenes that are technically rather violent, but the goriness is not presented as gore, if that makes sense. It never feels intensely or overly violent in the way some fantasy novels do.

Links

If all my gushing and propagandizing has convinced you to give it a try, you can find the original Chinese version (where you can buy chapters to support the author) on JJWXC.

The complete English translation is free on the website of E. Danglars, who does a truly incredible job with the translating.

Happy reading :).

#my desperate shot at propagandizing now that my followers have sat through months of on and off obsessive tai sui posting #besties it is genuinely so good #it made me cry. and that is a fcking feat.#tai sui #priest #cnovel #webnovel #long post #I'm not putting a readmore on this bc I want to force y'all to look at it #sorry #book rec #invasion of the frogs

507 notes · View notes

coffeetank · 23 days

Text

Build CHARACTERS!

Every time you write a book, you're creating a journey for your reader. Your main characters are the medium through which this journey is carried out. Your readers see the events in the book through your characters' eyes. Thus, it's very important to have characters that feel human, even though they might not be (if you're talking fantasy).

Now, of course, if your writing fantasy and your character is a dragon or some mythical fox, they won't act the way a human would. But that's the best part about making characters, you can give them layers. No matter the circumstance, every character will have a way of responding or reacting to it. That's where your characterisation comes in.

Here are a few things I do to make my characters, well characters:

1. MORAL CODE:

Your characters, regardless the genre, are the immediate connection to your readers. Fantasy or not, they'll be carrying the story. So they need to have a set of values that they follow. When you're affixing a moral code to your characters, first take an example setting. Suppose, you've created a character named A. Let's say A is a man and a detective by profession. Now let the main event of your story be a case of murder. Obviously, there's going to be an investigation. Let your detective (A) find out that the victim, who is a woman, was a sex worker. After the victim's body comes back from a forensic search, let there be signs of sexual assault. Now conventionally, as a detective, A is supposed to jump into action and go above and beyond to find the culprit and bring justice. But here is where you can add a characteristic that isn't conventional. Even though A is a detective, make him look down on sex workers. That would mean that A believes that the victim probably 'asked' for whatever happened to her. Your character needs to have a moral code so that they can ignite some sort of feelings in your readers. This moral code further also revs the whole process of character development. In a nutshell, a moral code is a set of beliefs that your character has which can either be agreeable, or questionable, or both. We call them the white zone (virtuous/agreeable), the black zone (evil/questionable) and the infamous morally grey zone (both).

2. OPPOSING QUALITIES:

This is by far the most interesting advice I have ever received. Opposing qualities are actually simple – it's one quality (that's good) and it's inverse (which is a flaw). What you do here is, you give your characters a good/admirable quality and then you give them flaws based on those specific good traits. Some of these that I have used are:-

helpful :: people-pleaser (you character helps others but at the same time seeks validation from others, thus only helps people who validate them)

confident :: cocky (you're character is confident, but they often come off as cocky in situations requiring humility)

perfectionist :: obsessive (are they a perfectionist or are they just obsessed with having things go their way only?)

supportive :: nosey (sure, they support all their friends, but they also tend to poke their nose into everything which makes them ignore or overlook people's boundaries)

straightforward :: rude (they are straightforward and don't shy away from speaking their mind which is good; however, they end up saying things which could be harsh or hurtful)

reserved :: unfriendly (character can be introverted and reserved too, but sometimes they get away with being outright hostile all in the name of their introvertism)

protective :: possessive/controlling (this is easy to confuse as both parties involve an exceptional amount of care for their loved ones, but ask yourself - are protective and possessive really the same?)

practical :: ignorant (one of my favourites; is your character just level-headed about stuff? or are they just heedless to others' emotions?)

There's so much more you can do with this one! Use as many traits and their inverses as you wish! This tip really helps a lot (speaking with experience)!

3. BACKSTORY:

Probably the most important part of making a character. Everyone has a backstory. You. Me. Most importantly, your character. Backstories as just significant events that alter the mindset of your character. It can range from something minimal to something grave. It could be a cup of coffee or it could be a traumatic experience. The experience could be personal or they could have been an observer; anything works as long as it affects them and hits their weak spot.

The following questions are important to frame a backstory:

• how does your character think?

• what is their moral code? are they in the black zone, the white zone, or the grey zone?

• what are their emotional fears? how do they deal with them?

• what is their level of emotional maturity? do they have any form of issues (trust, attachment, etc)?

• how was their childhood? how were the parents? how were the sibling, the relatives or family friends?

• was their school/college life good? did they have any life-altering experiences?

• what kind of friend circle do they have?

Answering these questions will help you get to know your character even better. Thus, making it easier for you to create your character for your readers.

4. THEIR EMOTIONAL ENVIRONMENT:

Your character has a family, or doesn't. Maybe they're an orphan, or grew up in a foster home. Evaluate what type of effect that may have on your character. Was the foster family abusive thus making your character too shy and timid? Or was life as an orphan so difficult that they learnt to be hyper-independent?

Include their friend circle in this. What type of friends do they have? Are they friends with the good kids? Or the bad kids? Or is it a mixed group? If it's a mixed group, then further focus on how the differences in opinions has an influence on your character. Use your character's emotional surrounding to build their functioning.

If you've come this far, thank you! Do let me know if these tips seem helpful/have helped you!

- Ashlee.

62 notes · View notes

nellasbookplanet · 10 months

Text

Book recs: sapphic romance for people who like Hannibal and Interwiev with the Vampire, aka fucked up and toxic

Enemies to lovers, lovers to enemies, fucked up power imbalances, manipulations, plain bad people doing bad things - if you like your sapphics a little bit dark check out these books!

Some of these end happily, some tragically, some are more will-they-won’t-they than full on romance, some focus on healing while others focus on Getting Worse, but they’re all very juicy.

For details on the books, continue under the readmore

Feel free to recommend more books in tags and comments!

Othe book rec posts:

Really cool fantasy worldbuilding

Really cool sci-fi worldbuilding

Mermaid books

Vampire books

The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie

Young Adult. tumblr classic back in the day! A trainer of sea monsters genetically engineered to protect ships from pirates is kidnapped by, you guessed it, pirates, one of whom happens to be very hot.

Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden

While my feelings on Escaping Exodus were mixed, it cannot be denied that the dynamic between the two leads and the way they go from childhood best friends to enemies on different sides of a class and power struggle is very delicious. It also features some really cool worldbuilding of living, alien generation spaceships and the human culture that has developed inside them.

The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley

This book fucked me up when I read it. It’s weird, it's gross, there’s So Much Viscera, there are literally no men, it has living spaceships and biotech but in the most horrific way imaginable. Had I to categorize it I would call it grimdark military sf. It’s an experience but not necessarily a pleasant one.

The Lumionus Dead by Caitlin Starling

Possibly one of the most unsettling books I've ever read, and definitely the most claustrophobic. Gyre, a caver on an alien planet, ventures into the dark and dangerous underground, guided only by a woman who has no compunctions on using and manipulating Gyre as she sees fit to obtain her secretive goals down in the caves.

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

On the less toxic and fucked up side of the spectrum, but still pretty juicy. A princess held captive by her own brother, who wants to see her dead, tries to trick a servant into helping her escape, but with undeniable attraction growing between them and the servant having her own goals things quickly get complicated.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Listen, if you're on tumblr I probably don't need to explain this book to you. Trust me when I say it's exactly as good as people claim. There are indeed lesbian necromancers in space (quite a few of them, actually), but also incredible worldbuilding that keeps growing with every new installment, interesting political commentary, morally complex characters with fucked up dynamics, and well-thought out plot that keeps you guessing until the last.

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo

Listen, sometimes you just want to read about a vicious bisexual lady professor who murders predatory men and falls for the woman trying to solve her crimes and that's okay.

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

The source of not one but two movie adaptations, Fingersmith is a story of trickery and manipulation as a young conwoman works to gain the trust of a heiress. I don’t want to say much more because the twists are some of the best parts, but trust that it doesn’t take long for things to get real complicated between them.

The Unbroken by C.L. Clark

Tourraine, who was stolen as a child and trained as a soldier for the empire that conquered her home, is recruited by Luka, the future leader of the conquering country to route out a rebellion. A game of twisted loyalties and attraction is soon to develop.

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Again, if you're on tumblr (or twitter, apparently) you have in all likelihood already heard of this one, too. Just like GtN it lives up to all expectations. It features two women on different sides of the titular time war, who starts leaving letters for the other to find as they chase each other through time. A quick read, slightly surreal, and absolutely beautiful, I cannot recommend this enough. Pretty mild on the fucked-up-scale.

House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

In a world where the rich drink blood to preserve their health, Marion applies to a position as bloodmaid in a notorious noble house far from home. Suddenly showered with luxuries and debauchery, Marion soon gains the interest and favor of Lisavet, countess of the house. A fresh take on the idea of vampires.

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

A young pregnant woman flees a cult that left her body strange and changing in terrifying ways. Hidden from the world, she does her best to raise her children while trying to find out the truth of the cult and being pursued by a hunter in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. In no way a romance, but certainly has some fucked up sapphic shit going on.

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

After her home was conquered by another land, Baru is determined to join their forces and climb the ladder until she’s in a position to free her people. To prove her loyalty, she’s sent to bring order and quell rebellion in another conqured region. Baru is set to succeed, but also has to struggle with her feelings for Tain Hu, a duchess of this region.

Ice Massacre (Mermaids of Eriana Kwai trilogy) by Tiana Warner

Young Adult. A small island is forced to defend itself against intruding forces of vicious mermaids. As all men trying to fight them get lured in by their siren song, a ship filled with warrior girls is sent instead. However one of them, Meela, had a complicated past with one of the mermaids, which is brought back to life when the two reunite on the battlefield. This one is also available as an ongoing webcomic!

Borderline (The Arcadia Project trilogy) by Mishell Baker

Urban fantasy mystery. Very much of the will-they-won’t-they variety, with a bisexual lead who has a male love interest as well as a female without falling into the typical pitfalls of a love triangle. Plays around with various fucked up power dynamics. A year after a failed suicide attempt that cost her both her legs, Millie is recruited by a secretive organisation that works to control traffic to and from Arcadia, the land of faries. Bear in mind that while the sapphic-ness is present throughout, it has a much smaller presence in book 1 than books 2 and 3.

Bonus AKA I haven't read these yet but they seem really cool

The Hunger by Whitley Strieber

Ancient vampire is on the hunt for a new partner, none of which tend to last long.

Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings

Precursor of the famous Killing Eve tv series. While I don’t know much of the books, I did enough research to know this: their endings differ.

#next list will be either vampires or mermaids #(probably mermaids bc i have a couple of vampire books i hope to finish first)#book recs #nella talks books #wlw books #I've been playing around with the layout of these posts and you know what i like this #might edit the first to rec posts to the same layout to make everything nice and cohesive

304 notes · View notes

trans-luis-serra-navarro · 5 months

Text

Knowing me I’m gonna absolutely make this into a longer post but like. Isn’t it just SOOOOOOOO SILLY AND SO GOOFY that Luis bestowed the role of Sancho Panza onto Leon even though they’d only JUST met

Like,,,, Don Quixote isn’t just a book Luis loves a lot- he bases his ENTIRE MORALITY on his own ideas of what Don Quixote means and what the messages behind it are. He SURROUNDS himself with chivalric ideals and so, obviously, he holds that book and it’s characters VERY near and dear to him- hell, he doesn’t even let Ada or Ashley in on just how much this damn book means to him!!!!!!! The other scientists who he worked with during his time with Los Illuminados also called him Don Quixote, but realistically, how much would they have known of Luis’ deep-seeded love for that novel??????

So like. Clearly. There is NO WAY IN HELL Luis doesn’t understand the impact of Alonso (Don Quixote himself) and Sancho’s relationship. He ABSOLUTELY understands the importance of it and how vital to the tale each other are and how intrinsically intertwined they are in each others lives and how one would quite literally have not survived without the other and how they’ve gone through hell and back for each other (in Alonso’s eyes LITERALLY) and how Sancho was there for him when his illusions of fantasy finally faded away

So. Like. Luis picking Leon to call his Sancho HAD to be purposeful right????????

He HAD to have understood the weight of his words and the weight of his decision. Maybe Leon didn’t quite understand at first but Luis????? Luis knew DAMN WELL that Don Quixote and Sancho Panza’s relationship went further than two people who just happen to be on the same adventure. Luis picking LEON to be his Sancho was PURPOSEFUL.

He’s not just any old chum he happens to he stuck with; Leon is a man who fully encompasses EVERYTHING GOOD Luis believes in in the world. Leon is EVERYTHING his chivalric ideals want him to be. He’s an inherently kind and caring and selfless human being and he’s everything Luis wants to see in himself. He saved him from certain death and now they’re connected more by just the circumstances of their situation- they’d go through hell and back for each other and they HAVE. He wants Leon not just to like him but to LOVE him. Because Leon sees past his actions; he sees past his mistakes and up until now, nobody has ever given him that privilege. Just like how Sancho still believed in Alonso and still believed that there was worth in his fantastical delusions.

So how does Luis express this gratitude without just straight up saying ‘I love you’????

By using language he understands and is comfortable using, of course.

By projecting a story that has meant SO MUCH to him onto the both of them.

And GOD. THATS SO POIGNANT TO ME. HES TELLING LEON HE LOVES HIM IN A WAY HES BEST AT AND MOST COMFORTABLE DOING. HES SAYING ‘I LOVE YOU’ IN ALL OF HIS ACTIONS AND PROJECTIONS. WHICH MEANS MORE THAN THOSE THREE WORDS EVER COULD. HES USING HIS OWN LOVE FOR THAT BOOK TO PROJECT HIS LOVE ONTO THE PEOPLE HE CARES ABT GODDAMNIT‼️‼️‼️

(ALSO SIDENOTE THIS DOESNT JUST APPLY TO LEON!!!!! THIS APPLIES TO ASHLEY AND ADA TOO!!!!!!!!!!! HE PROJECTS THIS SAME LAMGUAGE ONTO THEM AS WELL, JUST NOT TO THEIR FACES!!!!!!!!!! HE SHOWS THEM KINDNESS AND LOVE IN HIS ACTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!)

And I think on some level Leon knows this too. He probably hasn’t analysed Don Quixote from every angle possible like Luis has, but he knows- in those final actions, when he takes up the mantle of his Sancho and confirms to Luis that, yes, he WAS a fine knight, he WAS his Don Quixote- I think he knew exactly what Luis had been trying to say to him this whole time. Just…. Using words that best describes it in his own way.

#human language is cool man #also there’s just. Yknow. the inherent queer coding of Don Quixote and Sancho that can’t be ignored HDNSHSNSHDNDJDJ #like it’s a GAY BOOK #but even that aside love doesn’t have to mean strictly romantic!!!!!!! I’m talking abt it in a broad sense!!!!#he loves Ada he loves Ashley!!!!!!!! he’s so full of love and these people for the first time love him back for who he is!!!!!!!!#so he uses lamguage he can exprwss himself with to explain it!!!!!!!!!!!#luisposting #serennedy #serrenedy #serrennedy #luis serra #luis sera #luis serra navarro #leon kennedy #leon s kennedy #ashley graham #ada wong

147 notes · View notes

byunejoo · 9 months

Note

if u arent comfy w/ this thats okayy! but i was always wondering who’d in the legal would be in to thighs , boobs, or ass 😔🙏

again if this doesnt make u comfy to write then its okay!!

notes i think the members will love your body no matter what, and these are just my own opinions on what their preferences could be. they will be under the cut. this post includes yuma and jo, so feel free to skip over their parts if you don’t wish to read them.

some are smuttier than others and some are pure fluff (looks nervously at jo’s) but i hope you enjoy anyway!

kei is absolutely an ass man, but that doesn’t mean he loves your tits or thighs any less. he really loves them all, but his preference lies with your ass. he loves seeing it as he watches you get dressed, squeezing into your jeans. he loves when you wear shorts or skirts so short he can see the bottoms of your ass cheeks. and he really loves the way you gasp and squeal when he can’t help but to get his hands on it.

fuma loves thighs. for sure. he loves to run his hands over your thighs and squeeze them when you straddle his own, kissing each other breathless. he loves when you sigh into his mouth at the feeling of his fingertips pressing into your plushy skin while holding you close to his body. he loves when your thighs tremble as you press them close to your chest while he fucks you.

nicholas, i think, takes whatever he can get. he likes it all. i think his preference will vary on a day to day basis, and especially depending on what you’re wearing. if you’re wearing something that accentuates your chest, he won’t be able to stop looking at them. if you happen to be wearing something that shows off your thighs, he would want to sink his teeth in and mark them. if you were wearing something that accentuates your ass, good luck trying to pry his hands off of it.

euijoo is 100% a tiddy lover. he loves to rest his head on your chest and feel you play with his hair. he loves to kiss, suck and leave marks on them. he loves to hold them in his hands when cuddling. and he really loves to squeeze them when he’s fucking you. and when you ride him, he always wants you to face toward him so he can have a view of your tits bouncing or be able to lean forward and press his face between them. he also loves receiving tit jobs as well.

yuma likes it all, in the sense that he is too perverted to care. he will think of any part of your body and get hard at least once. any part. there is not a single part of your body that yuma hasn’t had a sexual fantasy about, to the point it’s almost disgusting how much he thinks about you.

jo likes it all, in the sense that he thinks every part of you is perfect and he couldn’t possibly choose a favorite. he’s the type to find beauty in every curve, every edge, every stretch mark, every freckle, every mole. he loves your body and he’s just glad you trust him enough to share it with him. he probably has a secret sketch book where he doodles all the little details he loves about your body.

#&team smut #&team hard hours #&team hard thoughts #&audition smut #&audition hard hours #&audition hard thoughts

155 notes · View notes

carnivalcarriondiscarded · 4 months

Note

Wait im sorry if like youve talked about this before but what is everyones roles in the fantasy au 👁️👁️ or jobs?

i've just Thought Aloud in bits and pieces but hey. i feel like talking today so i'll put it all in one place with Updated Thinkings

(i like to imagine that they all kinda Quit their initial jobs/lives to go adventuring with each other, either by choice or... not. except Howdy, who's a multitasking king). the Neighborhood party earns their wages by completing jobs/quests, though some of them have minor supplemental ways of adding to the coin collection

Wally, of course, didn't really have much of a Before. he didn't intend on becoming a warlock/wizard - that choice was kinda made for him by the circumstances of his existence. but Wally had to pretend to be a wizard for his own safety, and wizards have a sort of societal expectation to be Helpful and Magical and Wise and Existing For Public Service. so while Wally would have rather just been a painter, he's obligated to be a wizard - that's technically his role/job. within the Neighborhood party, he's a bit of a distance fighter/support! he doesn't really do the whole up-close / physical aspect of battle, though he technically knows how. He casts spells from afar, which tend to be widely benign. artsy little cantrips and inconveniences to make it harder for the enemy to fight. he's also a bit of a bloodhound - illusions don't trick him, he can "see" most magic, and he's really good at getting around unnoticed. if they're stuck somewhere, Wally can probably get them out

Barnaby's "job" before going adventuring with Wally - it started out as just the two of them! - was just working on the farm with Ms. Beagle, where he had been his entire life. Sure he'd sometimes do public performances/acts in town, which would earn him extra coin, but that was more of a paying hobby than anything (a paying hobby he will Continue) in the Neighborhood, he's... uh. their cheerleader? that's not entirely inaccurate! he's not big on combat or effort i'd reckon, so he prefers to just keep morale high. offer background music, funny commentary, jokes to lighten the mood, mediate tensions, etc. if necessary, he makes good backup - he has his illusions of course, and he Does pack a mighty punch if need be! he's also very helpful when retreating - he can grab the smaller party members and run

Wormie is the group mascot <3

Sally was a bit lost before joining the party - i like to think that she was constantly on the move as part of a traveling theater troupe, but she wasn't the star or director. she was just part of the group, uninspired and with a full well of untapped potential. one day she up and left (dramatically) to find her own inspiration/muse & path to stardom, which ended up being several years of wandering until she happened across the budding Neighborhood and went "this! this will be the source of my stories!" as for her role, she's a bit of an everyman. front lines fighter, entertainer, mediator, etc. she views herself as the party "leader", or rather, their Manager. she keeps the party entertained with stories, and bolsters their reputation in the same manner. in a battle she's a bit of a powerhouse - her light magic is useful both in combat and entertainment! she keeps a "book" of the Neighborhood's exploits (she swears it will be edited/published someday) holy shit she's moominpappa, and in their Extended downtime she writes and throws plays inspired by their adventures at their home base (town).

Eddie was still, originally, a mailman. or i suppose in a fantasy setting - a courier! until one day he saw a group of people being attacked by some bandits, managed to fight them off, and immediately got roped into helping rescue the folks' entire town from the bigger group of bandits. then they told others about Eddie's help, they wanted his help too, one thing after another and now he's got a full set of armor, a sword, a shield, and his whole thing is saving people. huh? how did that happen? he was delivering letters a month ago! if i had to give him a title... i'd say he's a Protector! he seems like the type! he always has his fellow adventurer's backs - i bet he has his hands full trying to cover everyone at once. outside of combat, he's still very helpful and does whatever is asked of him / needed. collecting firewood! pitching tents! stirring soup! getting Frank to remove a centipede from camp! in downtime he probably takes small bodyguarding gigs. he also is a minor healer - he took some sorta oath for some sorta god (or virtue) that he can't remember, but he has minor healing/cleansing powers. he's also good at sniffing out evil & dark magic! some would joke that he's the party's guard dog

Frank was raised in a monastery that believes in "using your body to fight for the greater good". this was not his job when they became old enough to actually Act on his training! nah they ran away in his mid teens because they wanted to fight things on his own terms. also they want to study bugs more than anything, which he does! for a long time! then they meet a certain princess, befriends her, and helps her run away. he only joins the Neighborhood because Julie wants to, and it's a good way to travel - read: study more arthropods - and earn coin. fighting is a bonus aspect Frank's role is... front line fighter, bookkeeper, and the Guy Who Knows Things! what monster are they dealing with? what are its strengths/weaknesses? Frank probably knows! can they afford a room or two at an Inn? Frank knows (no, they cannot)! who's throwing themself into direct mortal danger with gusto? it's Frank! no but really, Frank is like their resident nerd who can beat pretty much all of them in hand-to-hand. in downtime he probably has a garden purposefully full of plants that can be left alone for long periods of time... maybe they sell half the things grown for extra coin!

Julie, of course, was a princess! that was her whole job! it was incredibly boring and restricting, so she ran away with the help of a funny nerd. after that her whole life was just "avoid getting recognized while figuring out how to live in a world without the comforts/ease of castle life". i'd think she much prefers her new one! as a role, Julie joins Barn and Sally in the "entertainment category". while they entertain with humor/stories respectively, Julie goes straight for games and activities to fill the lull between action. keep the blood pumping, spirits high, and bonds Solid! camp games, road games, locked-in-a-dungeon games! in combat, she's on the front lines with her oversized sword. i think another fitting role would be "navigator" - she can ask plants for directions! technically Julie is a secret powerhouse. her flora magic is insanely powerful, though she prefers not to use it for several reasons

Poppy, i like to think, did indeed have a bakery. it was well-loved in her community, her staff were wonderful people, and it all burned down in a night due to raiders. luckily for Poppy and her town, Eddie was nearby and got on the case to get rid of their problem - maybe Poppy felt obligated to help in some shape or form, and Eddie wound up inspiring her to learn healing magic. She moved into the town that would become the not-yet-existing Neighborhood's HQ to try and restart her business, but it just wasn't the same, and she had gotten a taste of what it would be like to directly save/heal people Poppy is the party's cook, healer, and ultimate voice of caution! the most she'll do in battle is sprint into danger to drag an injured person to safety for healing - she doesn't have a combative bone in her body i'd guess! does she enjoy being in the Neighborhood? eh... it's stressful and terrifying, but she couldn't live with herself if she let them all brave the wild without an adequate healer OR an adequate cook. i like to think that she saw the state they were traveling in and went "oh no"

Howdy, of course, has his tavern! it's a popular hub for travelers, townsfolk, pretty much anyone and everyone. of course it helps that it's the only tavern in town! the only reason Barnaby managed to convince Howdy to join the Neighborhood on one of their jobs is because Howdy realized that he can widen his net & sell to new people On The Go. finally, a use for that magic backpack collecting dust in his room! Howdy got a taste for adventuring and joins the Neighborhood every once in a while, usually only for shorter jobs - he doesn't want to be away from his tavern for too long his roles are support, professional haggler, sarcastic commentary. he doesn't have a crumb of magic in him, but he's clever! he's learned how to make his own support items - including his fancy revolvers with magical crayonsbullets. Howdy rarely fights, choosing to watch over his pack, dole out items when needed, and listen to Barnaby's running commentary. when it is necessary that he join in on combat, he can usually clear the playing field in a matter of moments. he's skilled with both the revolvers and using his own items - he's a one man four armed army!

Home's job is "keep Wally upright and powered". they prefer to be an observer in all situations, even after their existence becomes common knowledge to the Neighborhood. the most Home will do is nudge Wally in the right direction or alert him to something important. Home's literally just hanging out behind Wally's eyes w/ a bucket of popcorn. unless something happens to his beloved little puppet, in which case Home becomes the biggest baddest bitch around and sends everyone else to the bench

tl;dr: Wally: support fighter, magic geiger counter, escape artist Barnaby: entertainer, backup Wormie: mascot Sally: storyteller, fighter, Manager Eddie: protector, minor healer, "paladin" Frank: bookkeeper, fighter, scholar Julie: activities director, navigator, fighter Poppy: cook, healer, overthinker Howdy: tavernkeeper, inventor, support Home: just keeping an eye out

#THERE'S A TL;DR AT THE END BTW #YOU DONT HAFTA READ ALL THAT #honestly thinking about them fighting is so funny #bc like... out of the 9 of them technically only 5 actually fight #Unless frank needs to sit one out to research #then its 4!#so you've got four guys fighting for their fucking lives while everyone else is just vibing off to the side #honestly half of the appeal of fantasy aus is the Fun Combat Aspect #not only the actual fights but also! sparring! practicing with each other!#its about frank teaching wally how to throw a punch & wally immediately decking him right in the face! Accidentally!#its also about the Camping. and the Healing. and the Trusting Each Other With Your Lives.#found family it up babeyyyyyyy #rambles from the bog #wh fantasy au #just realized that ~In Canon~ if anything the neighbors are Forced Family #they dont have a choice! they're in it together whether they like it or not!#and i say 'if anything' bc ehhhh i dont really think they count... are they more like coworkers? but yk #this is an au post i cant be speculating on The Delightful Source here

79 notes · View notes