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starlight-tav · 2 months

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Mortal Again

Gale x Trans Male Tav

Content: smut, minor act 2 spoilers, slightly angsty gale, lots of fluff and trust, anal sex (Amethyst uses magic to enlarge his bottom growth for penetration), hope

Summary: Gale doesn't know why Amethyst cares for him, but he finally confesses that he wants him. In return, Amethyst gives him everything.

Gale can hardly believe it on the best of days – that Amethyst would have affection for someone like him. He is a constellation of insecurity, ravenous ambition, and spurned desires. And now he is also given unto death by the gods themselves. What can he offer him, save for blathering lectures and ill-wrought witticisms?

Gods, but he wishes Tara were here; well, rather he wishes he were at home in Waterdeep and her good company. For all is foolhardiness, she offers him remarkably little judgment. Constructive criticism? Aplenty. But judgment? No. She only wishes to see him contented. And, if he were completely honest with himself, she seems to know better than he how to achieve that. Always has.

Gale draws in a surplus of breath and releases it like a field ox under heavy yoke. Amethyst's ears perk at the sound from his perch at Astarion's tent. To the vampire spawn's great relief, the half-elf's words trail off as he becomes distracted by the wizard's distress.

"Just go to him," Astarion groans, momentarily dropping his mending work to his lap. "And leave me to my task. You're annoying me."

Amethyst glares at Astarion and the spawn shoos him. The urge to stubbornly remain at his companion's side out of spite is strong, but the desire to investigate Gale's weariness is stronger.

Amethyst stands and crosses camp. He finds Gale seated on a stool, book unopened in his lap, with a ponderous frown creasing his brow.

"Care to share the burden, my dear?" Amethyst ventures, squatting in his usual way in front of Gale so he can look up into the wizard's eyes.

Immediately, Gale's brow softens, and a smile graces his lips as if unbidden. He opens his mouth to protest, but his thoughts of Tara chastise him as though she were actually present. She would urge him to be honest with one he claims to be so fond of. So, he asks Amethyst to join him for a walk.

The pair travel in companionable silence to a knoll blanketed in the dark grass so common here in the Shadow-cursed Lands. Gale sits first and then gestures for Amethyst to join him.

"I've been thinking about you," Gale begins, eyes trained on a crooked tree just ahead of them. "And how strange it is that you've come to care for me."

Amethyst's pale brows furrow as he examines Gale's expression. He doesn't know what he sees there, so he waits for Gale to continue.

"The truth is, I fear I have too little time left and even fewer virtues to give you. In a wry twist of fate, it seems that the very thing that could fashion me into a far worthier man would also bring our journey together to an end. You deserve more than a fool. More than a sacrificial lamb. More than I am. And yet…"

Gale suddenly turns to look at Amethyst, and just as Gale softened the moment he heard the half-elf's voice, so too did Amethyst melt into the warmth of the wizard's gaze.

"…And yet, selfishly, I want you. I want to give myself to you. A paltry offering, I am, but-"

Amethyst surges forward and quiets Gale with a touch of his lips to the corner of the wizard's mouth.

He pulls away from Gale, just enough to capture his eyes with his own, and assures him with confidence and grace, "There is nothing meager about what you are willing to share with me, Gale. I want it all. I want you. And you can have all of me in return."

Perhaps it is the earnestness with which Amethyst speaks, but Gale finds neither will nor word of protest within himself. Instead, he leans into his companion and kisses him delicately.

Amethyst responds eagerly, pressing into Gale's body, his hand finding the back of Gale's neck to pull him closer.

Gale marvels at the balance Amethyst strikes between insistence and restraint, and chuckles against his lips.

"What's so funny?" Amethyst asks, smiling in between pecks to Gale's cheek and jaw.

Gale's hand travels the length of Amethyst's arm and shoulder to tangle in the hair at the nape of his neck as the warlock-sorcerer nips at his skin. "Nothing. You're perfect," he says. Amethyst hums against him and sucks lightly at his throat.

Gale moans, a quiet and desperate little sound.

"Like that?" Amethyst asks.

"Yes." Gale tugs on Amethyst's hair so the man looks up at him. "I'm all yours, Amethyst."

The way that Gale says it makes his meaning clear, and Amethyst grins before pressing an agonizingly chaste kiss to Gale's adam's apple.

"Want me to mark you?" He asks, nipping playfully. "Want me to write my desire into your skin?"

"Yes. Gods, yes."

Amethyst latches onto Gale, sucking bruises into the column of his throat, and Gale's grip in his white hair tightens.

The half-elf hums with pleasure at the sting on his scalp and the sound makes Gale's cock throb.

Gale nearly whimpers his lover's name and Amethyst bites him in response.

"I want to fuck you," Amethyst speaks against Gale's skin, voice darkened with need.

"I would like that very much." Gale cards his fingers through Amethyst's hair. "I want it to be perfect. I want to bond with you the way the gods do." Amethyst freezes for a brief moment, body gone rigid against Gale's before he slowly disentangles from the Wizard.

"What's wrong?" Gale asks, voice gone tight with restrained panic.

Amethyst uses both of his hands to tenderly hold Gale's face, thumbs gently tracing his cheek bones.

"Gale, I am no god," he says, sadness where desire filled his voice only a moment ago. "I neither need nor want perfection."

Like hearth fire, the words soothe something deep inside Gale's heart. Maybe Tara is not the only one with insight into Gale's needs.

"Okay," Gale smiles and presses his lips to Amethyst's forehead. "What do you have in mind?"

"Just be with me, hm?" Amethyst asks.

Gale nods.

Amethyst grins and stands, pulling Gale up with him. They return to camp and surreptitiously gather their bedrolls before returning to their secluded glade. They create a comfortable pallet for themselves and kneel naked before one another, lips joining in a feverish kiss.

Pink blooms beneath Amethyst's ravenous mouth from Gale's jaw to his hips, and it drives the wizard mad. When his lover's tongue finally meets his aching cock, Gale whines like he never has before.

"Please," he begs, adjusting his position so he can spread his legs to suit Amethyst's broad shoulders. "More."

Amethyst hums contentedly, dragging his tongue from base to tip before sucking the head into his mouth.

Gale's toes curl and he groans with the release of weeks of want. With anyone else, he'd have been embarrassed at his easy arousal, but Amethyst responds so greedily to his pleasure that he couldn't be ashamed even if he'd been able to think through the unspent lust.

The half-elf's teeth gently scrape along the underside of Gale's cock and the wizard trembles, his fists bunching in the blanket beneath them. Amethyst lets Gale fall from his mouth so he can speak an incantation to oil his fingers.

He presses the pad of his thumb to Gale's asshole and looks up at him, "May I?"

"Yes, by all means," Gale nods, grinning.

Amethyst dips his thumb into Gale for a brief moment before replacing it with his index finger. Gale had never had something this solid and warm inside of him before, and the feel of it sends sparks up the length of his spine.

"Amethyst, please," he requests sweetly.

Amethyst takes his dick back into his mouth, sinking his finger as far into Gale as it will go, and a melodic whine spills from between Gale's lips. Amethyst slips a second finger into Gale and the wizard gasps when he presses into his prostate.

"Oh, hells," Gale sighs. "More. Please, more."

Amethyst happily gives Gale what he asks of him. He swallows around his cock and soon presses a third finger into him.

"Amethyst, please, I'm close," Gale says, tangling his hand in his lover's hair.

Amethyst releases Gale from his mouth and halts his fingers, keeping him full but no longer stimulating him.

"Gale?"

Gale props himself up on an elbow to meet the warlock-sorcerer's gaze. "Yes, my love?"

"I'd like to fuck you now."

Gale quirks an eyebrow, "Is… that not what you've been doing?"

Amethyst chuckles and moves forward to kiss Gale. The wizard's asshole clenches around his fingers, and Amethyst pulls them out until Gale whines.

"I have something else in mind," the half-elf whispers. "Do you trust me?"

Gale nods, "Of course."

The warlock-sorcerer presses his lips to Gale's chastely and grins. He speaks an incantation and Gale's eyes widen. The wizard's eyes fall to the space between his lover's legs and watch as his small cock grows large enough to penetrate him. Gale's cheeks grow warm and his heart rate increases.

"Of all the ways I've used magic for intimacy, never have I considered this," he says, giggling with genuine glee.

"When you're a man like me, innovation is sometimes necessary," Amethyst smiles and Gale sees the vulnerability in his lilac eyes. He realizes belatedly that Amethyst may not have been as confident as he seemed earlier. His heart fills with admiration.

Gale kisses his lover and speaks his desire against his lips.

"I want you," he says. "I want your cock inside me. Please?"

Amethyst shivers and presses his tongue into Gale's mouth, voracious with lust and relief.

Gale feels the length of him between them as they embrace, and it stokes the fire burning in his belly.

"Amethyst, please," he urges, desperation growing.

Without further preamble, Amethyst dips his fingers into his own cunt and uses the slick to coat his cock. He lines himself with Gale's asshole and kisses him again as he presses inside.

Amethyst may not be a god, but his body meeting Gale's is an act of divinity such that Gale breathes his name in supplication.

"You feel so good," Amethyst praises him, panting into his neck as he rocks his hips against Gale's ass.

Gale hooks his ankles behind Amethyst's back, pulling him closer, deeper. Amethyst is hard and warm inside of him; and so, so corporeal. He is a comforting weight pressing him into the earth, so substantial – so real.

"More," he pleads.

Gale doesn't know how, but Amethyst understands what he needs. His lover tugs Gale's hair free of its tie and combs his fingers through it a few times before tugging his head back. Amethyst latches onto his wizard's neck, leaving marks upon his skin like tenets etched in stone.

Without warning, the heat in Gale's belly swells, and he cums between their bodies with a strangled cry of his lover's name.

"Fuck, Gale," Amethyst shudders and releases, his slick trickling down the inside of his own thigh.

Moments pass with them entangled, breathing in the scent of their coupling while their hearts race together. Amethyst lets go of his concentration, and his cock returns to its smaller state. Gale clenches around nothing, missing its warm immediately.

Amethyst affectionately noses the lines of Gale's orb marking, and it occurs to Gale that he is wholly satisfied. The revelation stirs his emotions and his eyes blur with unshed tears.

"I had forgotten," he starts to speak, pausing to swallow around the lump in his throat. "I had forgotten how good it could feel to be so mortal."

Amethyst's gem-like eyes meet his and Gale smiles.

"Thank you," the wizard says.

Amethyst kisses Gale, a sweet lingering touch of lips.

"You make me happy, Gale," Amethyst says with earnest adoration.

"You make me happy too," Gale promises.

They lay together for a long while before Gale conjures fresh water for them to wash up with. Amethyst balls up the blanket that was on top of their little pallet and promises himself it'll get washed tomorrow. He and Gale cuddle beneath Amethyst's raggedy quilt, which is thankfully mostly clean.

While Amethyst naps, Gale scratches lovingly at his scalp and considers himself anew. Tonight, he made love as mortals do – filthy, sweaty, earthen love – and it was the sweetest pleasure he's ever experienced. For the first time in well over a year, he feels truly happy. To be here. To be mortal. To be with a man who may yet love him.

This is hope, he thinks. And he resolves not to squander it. He will find a way to defeat the Absolute and to live, goddess be damned.

#gale has not had sex in a long time so he's needy okay #he's a good boy and i love him and want to give himi what he needs #also fuck mystra #also posted on ao3 #gale x male tav #trans male tav #trans tav #gale x named tav #gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #gale bg3 #bg3 #baldur’s gate 3 #gale smut #bg3 smut #my tav

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nagoo · 2 months

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I also wanted to ask something. What is Vincent’s place in the Snood AU? I’ve seen some art of him tagged with the snood au, but I couldn’t find anything that explains what he does. Is he a leader of the Naga cult or something? I was considering some involvement between him and Lucrecia, but I’m not sure how the timeline of that would work out. Could you explain this for me?

Vincent is very special in The Snood AU,, I am also the sort of individual who ships Sephiroth with Vincent, which im sure not everyone is crazy about, but alas, i simply cannot care. Vincent's involvement with Lucretia as such platonic in The Snood AU, but she does still play a role in how hes ended up with The Snood. The Snood himself is an actual Deity, but he is still very much artificially created here as well, a joint effort between the Goddess Jenova, and her two most trusted worshippers, Lucretia and Hojo. Jenova, having watched the mortals for so long, wanted more than anything, to know what it could be like, to have a family, something so intrinsically hers that would have come, and been created - not by her, but from her. Lucretia and Hojo were to help her. But where Lucretia's intentions were to achieve their goal, learn, and please Jenova, Hojo's ambitions were more corrupt. He DID want to create Jenova's son.. its just that he wanted him to replace her, under his control. Vincent's role in all this was as the person assigned to assist them. Vincent's Job wouldve been to retrieve the extremely rare materials needed for their experiments, and as such, when things got Hojo'd, Vincent would have been in the middle of the ocean, making his way back to deliver something. He would then have been juuuust barely far enough away to not die instantly from the initial effects of the conflict between Hojo and Jenova. That whole thing is its own loooong explanation, but basically, Vincent is the ONLY living thing aside from The Snood himself to have been alive that impossibly long ago, and the ONLY individual to actually truly remember and have experienced firsthand, what the world had originally been like, back when all the minor gods - and Jenova herself - were still alive. He is, for all intents and purposes, the oldest living thing on the planet; because he was literally around during the creation of The Snood! everything else would have been either destroyed instantly or would have died or gone extinct afterwards, but because Vincent just so happened to be at the one exact spot at the right time, doing the right thing in the right way without even realizing it, he survived to see what is basically an entirely new world built on the ashes of the old one. The Snood found him, dormant and fading away, sunk deep within an ocean cavern and has become incredibly attached. at this current point in time, The Snood hasnt yet learned all this however, as He has only recently found Vincent. As such, Vincent isnt a Snoodist, but he also isnt not a Snoodist - not a usual one, anyway. He is fond of The Snood, and just wants to help him be happy more than anything. The Snood is all he has left in a world he no longer recognizes, and Vincent is The Snood's only tie to a past that was taken from him before he had ever even finished forming. The Snood, despite his many adoring worshippers, is a very lonely creature, because he cannot relate to the mortals, and he has no peers among other gods because there arent any left; not even lesser ones, all of them wiped out before he even got the chance to leave the cocoon he was formed in. Though Vincent is not a god, he was able to have been alive to experience them to a degree no one else has, and has been alive long enough to be the next closest things as far as The Snood is concerned, even if only because of external side effects of The Snood's birth. There is so much that he just doesnt know or understand, and its overwhelming. it makes him anxious, but Vincent is quiet and calm, and it Soothes The Snood. The Snood fears constantly that now that Vincent is awake and no longer held in stasis. Vincent is just a mortal after all, and The Snood has been alive long enough to see many thousands of years worth of mortals come and go. But maybe He can find a way to keep him around...

#long post #Nagi's Snood AU #the deeper snood lore is very angsty #i never mean to write novels when i answer things #its just that i never know where to start because nothing makes sense without context hhhHHHHH

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girlgeekjf-blog · 1 year

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Ranking all the main range Big Finish Eighth Doctor Stories

(Excluding Multi Doctor stories)

(With bonus Eight and Charley special releases)

1. Caerdroia: Just delightful. Witty and cathartic-listened to it twice in one week. Such strong writing and acting, everyone has a moment to shine

2. Scherzo: Some of the best acting you will ever hear, stunning sound design and an awesome script. A masterpiece.

3. The Chimes of Midnight: Meticulous plotting and wonderful dialogue, a tight and constantly gripping story. I love the message about the value of life.

4. Seasons of Fear: Highly entertaining journey through history with a memorable villain and lots of quotable lines

5. The Silver Turk- Genuinely scary, stuffed with atmosphere, one of the best Cybermen stories ever

6. The Natural History of Fear: Excellent showcase for great acting and writing with unforgettable twists. I am fond of stories about shifting power dynamics, so this really appealed to me.

7. The Company of Friends: Each story is creative and well-constructed. The Doctor has convincing chemistry with all four companions (though Izzy suffers from weaker writing) Mary's story is an atmospheric highlight and it is amazing to have Fitz off the page for once.

8. The Girl Who Never Was: Does the difficult job of separating a great doctor/companion duo while keeping them both true to themselves by intelligently combining elements of other companion departures. Heartbreaking but satisfying.

9. Living Legend: A perfect slice of pure comedy, the leads are having a ball and are at their most likeable

10. Terror Firma: Gripping, great dialogue, and a twist that blew me away. A bit over ambitious for the run time, but so memorable and quotable.

11. Storm Warning: Energetic opening story which perfectly captures our two heroes from the get go. The setting is great as well.

12. Neverland: Expertly pays off what was set up in the preceding stories, with amazing concepts and can't miss character interactions

13. Other Lives: Love me a pure historical, especially one that gives each of the leads a compelling plot thread. Eight is so sweet in this it hurts.

14. If I Should Die Before I Wake: Great use of nuwho monsters to construct a twisty plot with lots of great moments between the leads.

15. Zagreus: Lives up to its reputation for being confusing, but it is also very entertaining and I admire the ambition. Plus Zagreus!Eight is a must listen.

16. The Witch From the Well: A smart blend of sci-fi and historical elements to tell a creepy and engaging story

17. The Faith Stealer: A solid story uplifted by delightful dialogue and great world building

18. Memory Lane: Does a lot with its off-beat, dream-like setting and I found the conclusion pretty unique while still fitting with the rest of the story.

20. Embrace the Darkness: Creepy concept and sound effects mixed with insight into the Doctor's character. I did get rather irritated with one of the side characters being stubbornly obstructive.

21. Solitaire: A tight, compelling showcase for Charley and the main villain, plus the idea of ventriloquist dummy!Eight is irresistible.

22. Invaders From Mars:A fun historical romp making the most of its inspired setting.

23. The Mummy Speaks!: Fast paced with some great dialogue and action set pieces. Gee the Gorilla is a star.

24. The Stones of Venice: The plot is messy, but it does a good job of continuing to develop the relationship between the Doctor and Charley.

25. Time Works: I just like the vibes on this one, a nice little self-contained fairy tale.

26. Absolution: Like C'rizz himself, kind of a mixed bag, but does a decent job of sending off my poor lizard/insect boy. The ending is a gut punch.

27. The Next Life: I really enjoyed Daphne Ashbrook in this, she's clearly having the time of her life, and she has great chemistry with McGann. Loved the villains ultimate fate. Did feel the leads were a bit out of character.

28. The Time of the Daleks: I like watching how protective the Doctor is of Charley here, and his sassy attitude towards the Daleks. Objectively, a bit of a slow story.

29. The Slaying of the Writhing Mass: Light and breezy story which has fun teaming up the Doctor and a kid for the adventure. Suffers a bit from separating the Doctor and Charley most of the story.

30. The Army of the Dead: A clichéd plot, but worth it to see the relationship developments between the Doctor and Mary.

31. Something Inside: This story is great for people who like hurt comfort. Which I do, though I prefer a bit more comfort. Otherwise, solid story if a little slow

32. The Last: Bleak, but does provide a fascinating look at the leads in extreme circumstances and helped me understand how the Divergent universe works. Did not like how Charley was written in this.

33. The Twilight Kingdom: It forces Charley to come off as irritating for plot reasons, but has some effective scenes and body horror.

34. The Heart of Orion: Improved sequel, with a better story and grasp on the characters than Sword of Orion. Still kind of middling.

35. Eclipse: Pretty unmemorable, if inoffensive; a generic sci fi story. I did like the ending.

36. Minuet in Hell: This is embarrassingly bad in many ways, especially in how women are treated. However, the parts with the Doctor are good, and I love everything with the Brig. Their meeting is fantastic.

37. The Sword of Orion: Objectively, it's perfectly functional. Subjectively, it is really dull. The leads are written to be the most generic Doctor and companion possible.

38. The Creed of the Kromons: This audio made me genuinely regret trying to eat breakfast in the car while listening. It's like they were trying to make the content as unpleasant as possible. Only good moment was the Doctor laughing about how stupid the villains were while they were torturing him. At least someone was having fun (for a moment).

39. Scaredy Cat: Deadly dull. Bad acting choices made by the main cast. The Doctor's moral compass is on holiday; not in an interesting way, just in a baffling way. It feels like the people making this just ran out of time, gave up and released something nobody particularly enjoyed, especially the audience.

Final thoughts: I adore Eight (now my current favorite Doctor), love Charley and Mary, like C'rizz and wish he had been better written. Loved most of these, and could recommend giving all but the last two a listen (the last two are in the running for worst Doctor Who story ever, and I'm pretty easy to please so I only have six or seven stories on that list).

I've been impressed with Big Finish so far, and I look forward to more Eighth Doctor.

#doctor who #eighth doctor #big finish #charley pollard #c'rizz #mary shelley #storm warning #caerdroia #scherzo #zagreus #the chimes of midnight #the company of friends #the silver turk #the natural history of fear #seasons of fear #my stuff

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class1akids · 1 year

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Do you think Fuyumi ever had to bear the "failure" label to the same degree that Natsuo had? Given that Touya and Fuyumi are born in the same year, their quirks likely manifested within months of each other. But Touya's constitution was only revealed after they'd been "training" a while. There would have been a period where Fuyumi had her ice quirk, and Touya had his fire, which was believed to be hotter than Endy's, without the crippling downside. Therefore satisfying Endeavor's conditions already. To begin with Fuyumi, unlike the others, was not necessarily born out of ambition and/or duty.

I never got the impression that the early years were "Touya: My son. My heir. My sweet pride and joy, the apple of my eye" but then Fuyumi was "that girl walking around my house" (unlike Natsuo, who was definitely just "that kid walking around my house") Although the Touya part holds true, and I don't believe she was as doted upon, was Fuyumi always in the same boat as Natsuo? I sincerely believe Enji is currently very fond of Fuyumi, and I think a lot of the efforts he makes are for her, contrary to the criticism he gets that he only does what he does so Shouto will forgive him.

I've just always wondered if, as much as she tries, could she ever truly empathise with Natsuo? Or any of her brothers? (I am not of the opinion that Fuyumi is forcing her family together, just to be clear. We love Fuyumi-chan in this house. I know on the flip side that those boys love her, but could never know how she feels.)

Fuyumi is in an interesting place in the family, because she's the only one I feel who truly experienced a vision of the "happy family" they could have been.

Even though it was an illusion - because Endeavor was still hoping for the perfect heir, Touya was immediately burdened with his father's ambitions, Rei still had the knowledge of why the children were created and that she's a part of it - for Fuyumi, it was real. She wasn't created for her quirk, but for the mundane reason of having siblings close in age who support each other.

I feel like Rei told Fuyumi this - so while I feel like Fuyumi went through her own experience of being abandoned by her parents, she seems like she has always had a strong sense of purpose of helping her siblings that kept her focused. (And this "reason for existence" is exactly what Endeavor took away from Touya and what screwed him over so bad)

Natsuo and Shouto were aready born into the hell of the family - they never experienced anything other than Endeavor being at the height of his abusive behaviour, of children being nothing but quirk-creations, solely existing for their father's ambition.

Since Fuyumi experienced Enji being more mellow at the beginning, it makes sense for her to be the most open to his change of heart. And yeah, I do agree that Enji is now fond of Fuyumi, but I think it's because he recognizes that she's the one giving him the unearned opportunities to interact with Natsuo and Shouto, who might not even give him a chance without her intervention. She creates the opportunities where he can prove how he's changed. But yeah, I think also that Enji fully understands that Fuyumi is not doing this specifically for him - but to give another chance to the family. To bring her brothers closer to each other, to create for Rei a safe place to return, because I think Fuyumi is the only one who truly has a vision for that happy family they could be.

#c1a asks #todoroki fuyumi #endeavor #todoroki enji

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malobanshee · 1 year

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Watching the Jude Law & Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes films again, and honestly...they are so much better than any other adaptation. It is a bit more over the top than what I think Doyle was portraying (but let's face it, Doyle couldn't be bothered to really care about continuity in his writing anyway, so what's a bit more fighting and explosions?), but it also is the truest to these two mad lads. Holmes, a stimulant-addicted Autistic wack-a-doodle, and Watson, his gambling-addicted adrenaline junkie bestie, along with Mary, their wife (Watson's romantic wife and Holmes' platonic one). So many of the details included for these two (even lines that are direct quotes) are directly lifted from the stories. It truly speaks to the talents of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce that the cultural understanding of Sherlock Holmes and Watson is so cemented in their portrayal! However, they are quite divergent from the stories themselves. I was also taken in by this for a while! I was not immune! The important bit is that I came around in the end to the Correct Conclusion (lol).

And regarding characterization, why do people always portray Mycroft as super ambitious? He is basically defined by the fact that he is perhaps more capable at deduction than Sherlock but "is not energetic or ambitious." He made himself essential in government simply by being a genius and enjoying retaining superhuman levels of facts and being able to put them all together. He detested fieldwork and somehow became possibly the most essential man in government because of who he is. He is the cloaked driver and conspirator with Sherlock in "The Final Problem." When Sherlock Holmes faked his death, his only confidante was Mycroft. Mycroft even kept Baker Street exactly as Sherlock had left it, awaiting his brother's return. So why do people show these boys as being constantly at odds? Really, aside from the fact that, in these films, they portray Mycroft as being more sociable than in the books, I far prefer his portrayal as a man who cannot fathom why people would get married, who is socially awkward, who cannot be bothered with convention, and who genuinely seems to be without ambition aside from getting caught up in things occasionally. Naked Stephen Fry Mycroft is the superior Mycroft!

And you know? Sherlock is the guy who truly cares about people but is awkward about showing it, so he tends to lecture them. "My good buddies who are quite dumb about all the things, but go us!" He doesn't want to be alone. If anything, he is a clingy motherfucker. I will risk my life on this here website and say that I hated Sherlock's portrayal of Holmes and Watson and Mary and Mycroft (Irene is the only one I loved). I am not fond of Steven Moffat's affinity for writing narrative gods that exclude the viewer from participating in any meaningful way in the mystery/story (here is a video that distills my feelings about Sherlock and Steven Moffat's stints as showrunner: https://youtu.be/LkoGBOs5ecM).

And listen, I don't begrudge anyone for loving that adaptation. I am genuinely so happy for you all. Please go forth and be within your fandom and I wish you all of the best things in this life. I also don't believe that every adaptation has to adhere to the source material. Though, I am saying that I think this adaptation is the ONE that adheres MOST in a sea of adaptations that do not adhere closely at all. Additionally, I simply would rather have the fun romp because my experience of the books growing up was a fun romp in which I saw parts of myself that I didn't understand.

Also, they are adorable, and I want them to kiss. Mary would understand (she knows they're in love).

#one time i was reading it to my then boyfriend's niece who was seven #and i definitely had to explain cocaine within the first five pages #that is when i realized that i maybe had been a very weird 6 year old #sherlock holmes #a game of shadows #robert downey jr #jude law #john watson #mary watson #mycroft holmes #sherlock holmes was an early hyperfixation point for me

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titleknown · 6 months

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HELLOWEEN #13: DIVAFFE

-DIVAFFE is a Lesser Propagandist-Engineer of Hell, with 44 new and innovative conceptual-schema and 26 steps. He may dispense any liquid the proprietor asks and is willing to provide conceptualization for any schema of art and science the conjuror may desire, though most is erroneous or lies. He appears as a bat with the horns of a bull and the body of a drinking cup.-

As with many in our worlds, the lowly status of imps in Hell leads to ambitions being heightened rather than lowered, though it is rare that they succeed, even if their insights and abilities warrant such. Or rather, especially if their insights and abilities warrant such.

For, also as in our world, the most petty-minded and lucky seem to be able to rise to the top if their incompetencies flatter the powerful, and thus so with Divaffe. The way Giobella puts it, he basically got lucky via working for a powerful torturer as a living beverage-dispenser and coming up with his one good idea "the caffine loop" that managed to succeed via pure luck and that was cynically utilized by those above him to make a "trendsetter" that would advance their views of hell. Not that he will admit this.

His ideas are regarded as trendy and tastemaking by the upper eschelons of Hell, but by the working class he is regarded as deluded, a reasoning that became clear to me as I spoke with him. He was able to speak with the most utmost, perfect and smug confidence about the absolute stupidest ideas.

What was remarkable is that, unlike many of those I spoke with, he seemed stubbornly uninterested in speaking of himself, and more about promoting his latest concept, the "Gassy Pudding Room," a torture superficially grotesque but conceptually incoherent. When I questioned him about this, my already flagging confidence further waned.

When I asked him about the failures of concepts Giobella had mentioned to me, in particular about the logistical failures of the "wine sharks" torture-mechanism or the catastrophic escalation of the "Caffine Highway," he deflected with criticism of the public, his superiors, his inferiors, anybody but himself.

When I tried to ask if he had any friends outside of work, he paused for a moment, left the room, and I could hear profuse sobbing for about an hour until he came back in.

I may as well also mention, at the beginning of our conversation, he attempted to offer me coffee. I declined (Not for the reasons you would think as a book, I'm simply not fond of the taste), but then he followed up with no delay in offering me his "new patented crystal coffee-powder."

I analyzed it later, after taking it and surreptuously not imbibing it. I'm pretty sure it was just PCP.

-Xavier X. Xolomon , Monsterologist and Understudy to The Librarian Of Babel

You might correctly suspect I took inspiration from venture capital dipshits like Nathan Masri of Garfield Eats for this character, and you'd be correct, but the actual impetus was this very specific Frank Zappa bit about "the hippie that gets the coffee," hence the design.

Frankly, VC douches kind of are the direct ideological descendants of The Hippie That Gets The Coffee, but that's neither here nor there!

As per usual the whole descriptions, designs, ectcetera from this project are free to use as you see fit under a CC-BY 4.0 license so long as I; Thomas F. Johnson, am credited as their creator!

#my art #my writing #helloween #demon #demons #creature design #character design #coffee mug #frank zappa #venture capital

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tired-reader-writer · 11 months

Note

For the character ask game: Hilmes numbers 12, 16, 23 and 24 if you feel like it, plus anything else you wanna talk about for him?

The character ask game is here, if anyone else wants to participate!

12. Sexuality hc!

Personally see him as a disaster bi that, once he falls for someone, falls hopelessly. If it weren't for his trauma and entire situation he might have a better chance of expressing it, lol.

16. A childhood headcanon

I headcanon that he was just beginning to pick up learning an instrument before the fire, he was... more creatively inclined back then than he is right now, his rage has drained him of anything to spare for art and creativity. And I also headcanon that he might've planned to pick up an instrument for his mother, though I am not sure of the timeline. She might've passed away sooner than I think.

23. Future headcanon

Pushing canon aside far, far away, I have two paths in front of me: speculative headcanon set in canonverse, or I could answer for Wolfpack.

Screw it, how bout I answer both? :D

For the canon-adjacent-but-still-divergent category, we have a Hilmes who surprise! Did not push Zandeh away and instead confides in him about the truth of his lineage, and of course Zandeh is unbothered by this. He is loyal to Hilmes and always will be. Irina doesn't mind either, he is Hilmes, he is the man she loves, and that's what matters. Through a series of events I have yet to parse out, probably includes raising an army via Irina's claim (news must've reached Maryam that Irina tried to assassinate Innocentis and damn well near succeeded, and she is the last of their royal blood), gaining allies, and things actually going kinda well bc he's not shackled by an alliance to the Lusitanians, getting rid of fucking Bodin, and taking over Maryam and ruling there. Sorry Guiscard, you should go back to Lusitania. I wanted to give Hilmes a chance for a do-over, this time not for his own ambitions but for Irina, her family, justice for her, a way of atoning for what he indirectly caused. And I'd like to think he's gone through some growth so as to become an actually decent ruler who will keep growing. Could I also see them living a quiet life away from all that nonsense? Yes! But I'm also fond of this idea for inexplicable reasons. I like the idea of him dedicating his devotion to his beloved (who knows, maybe it ends up in a poly relationship), setting things right, and actually giving the Maryami some damned peace bc I can't imagine living under Bodin's reign being easy.

As for Wolfpack, he ends up Shah of Pars, he doesn't have his coronation right away, opting to fix the immediate problem of Ecbatana's food and water shortage, though he has to have a coronation sooner or later bc he does kinda need it to solidify his authority. But it's a means to an end rather than the end itself, he recognizes that there's so much to do, that things just don't end with him getting the throne. So he works. And while under any other circumstance this would be out-of-character for Hilmes, in this AU he does eventually end up believing in the abolition of slavery for a couple of reasons: firstly it was always meant to happen, if only Kaykhusraw hadn't betrayed the clan it would've happened three hundred years ago, this was long overdue— secondly he is constantly influenced by Arslan who he claimed as a retainer. Arslan knows how to temper him, and Irina... oh Irina, she's a gentle soul, and during her stay in Gorgan let's just say she got influenced too— and she in turn would influence Hilmes.

After his coronation, after things settle a little (suppressing rebellions from pretenders and all that) he visits the haunted Temple once again, this time to hold a ceremony to appease the spirits, to apologize, to put them to rest. And who knows, maybe he catches a glimpse of a silver-haired boy with eyes the same colour as his, snow-white glows on his skin, laughing as he fades away.

24. What do you think is a secret they have that they never told anyone?

This is hard to answer bc he's already practically drowning in secrets in canon, LOL. I would just think of an answer and go, “wait that's an actual thing he kept secret in canon, fuck” so uh you're probably gonna get something outlandish and stupid for it, like that he actually knew jack shit about carving and whatnot, he just learnt it in a rush, practically speedran it just so he could show off to Irina, LMAOOOOOO

#arslan senki #the heroic legend of arslan #heroic legend of arslan #wolfpack au #winds of wolfsong #hilmes #ask game #thank you for this!

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dialovers-translations · 1 year

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Diabolik Lovers LOST EDEN ー Yuma Maniac [05]

Monologue

A little while has passed, since we came here to Rotigenberg.

Even though we were starting to feel a little impatient,

while being kept waiting for a chance to talk to Kino-kun,

we had a clear reason for coming here.

ーー Second-rate Demons.

We came to realize,

why exactly the Ghouls were given said name.

Despite being non-human, they do not have any kind of special powers.

These people... They have no other choice,

but to endure this disability on a daily basis.

ー The scene starts in town

Lucks: Sorry for making you come with me.

Yuma: I don’t mind, really. Why did ya need to come to town exactly?

Lucks: I’ve been put in charge of restocking of our supplies. We’re going to drop by various places to collect everything we need.

Yui: You each get a different task assigned?

Lucks: Yes. Us Ghouls work together like that to sustain our society. ...We can’t go out in group after all.

Yuma: Aah? What do ya mean?

Lucks: Nevermind...Oh, this is the first store on the list. Let’s go inside.

ー They enter a store

Shop owner: Welcome, come on in! What are you looking foーー Ah?

Yui: ( ...? His expression suddenly turned stern? )

Shop owner: You...You’re a Ghoul, aren’t you? Ghouls are forbidden from entering this store. Get out!

Yui: ...! No way...!

Lucks: It’s fine, miss. ...I am deeply sorry to cause you discomfort but there’s something I’d like from your store. Please?

Shop owner: I don’t sell my goods to Ghouls. If you won’t willingly go home, then...!

*SPLASH*

Lucks: Ugh...!

Yuma: Oi, bastard! He’s yer customer, isn’t he!? Ya might not be fond of him, but do ya really have to dump water on his head like that!?

Lucks: Yuma, stop! ...I understand. My apologies for the intrusion.

ー They leave the store again

Yui: Lucks-san, are you alright...?

Lucks: I just got wet. This sort of thing happens all the time, so it’s no big deal.

Yui: All the time...?

Lucks: You can tell by how the people around us react, no? ...They all walk in a big circle around me.

They’d rather not get too close to a Ghoul born from polluted air.

Yuma: ...Why not!? You’re no different from us two! That’s just plain discrimination!

Lucks: I’m sure you can only say that because you’re a good guy and we’re old friends.

Most people are ignorant and they fear that they themselves might turn into Ghouls as well if they get too close to us.

Yui: Is that possible...?

Lucks: Haha. If so, I wouldn’t be with you two right now. It’s all just a big misunderstanding.

Also...I guess they’re also just using it as an excuse to justify treating us worse than other species.

Yuma: ...Why the fuck are ya bein’ discriminated against when ya haven’t done anythin’ wrong? That’s hella unfair.

Lucks: Guess so. But that’s what discrimination is all about, isn’t it? You should know that as well, Bear.

Yuma: ...

...I guess in that regard, humans and Demons are really no different. Bullcrap.

Selection

→ Let’s resolve the misunderstanding (❦)

Yui: Let’s resolve the misunderstanding. This is...just sad.

Lucks: You really are a nice girl. No wonder Yuma chose you.

Yuma: She’s right. They’re gonna do as they please if ya keep quiet. ...Ya should know that as well, right?

→ It can’t be helped

Yui: ( I guess this sort of thing happens anywhere. I wonder...if there’s nothing which can be done about it? )

Yuma: ...It’s bullcrap, but no way I’m lettin’ it happen.

Yuma: Lucks, are ya fine with things stayin’ the way they are?

Didn’t ya tell me back then that all humans are equal and have the right to be free?

I thought it was yer dream to change that rotten country?

The current situation...is hardly any different from that. Yet you’re just gonna stand there in silence and watch it all happen!?

Do ya no longer...give a damn...’bout yer ambition from back then...!?

Yui: Yuma-kun...

( Yuma-kun has been trying to fulfill his dream this whole time. )

( I’m sure that’s because to him, his Boss...Lucks-san was someone he respected and valued more than anyone else. )

( I believe that’s why it so upsetting for him to see Lucks-san get treated poorly... )

Yuma: What’s yer answer, huh...!?

Lucks: ...Don’t get the wrong idea, Bear. My dream hasn’t changed one bit.

I still believe that everyone should be equal. That’s why...I’ve chosen to side with Kino.

Yuma: ...The fuck? What do yaーー

Kino: Oh? If it isn’t Yuma!

So the two of you came back, huh? Are you sure it’s okay for you to be here? Is Eden doing okay?

Yui: ...! Kino-kun!

Lucks: Kino. You’re back?

Kino: I returned just now. By the way, I heard you wanted to talk to me, Lucks?

Lucks: Ah, about thatーー

Yuma: I’m yer man. Come with me, we need to talk.

Kino: Ehー? I don’t really mind but safe me any trouble, okay? I’m tired, you see.

Yuma: Don’t worry. It’ll only take a couple of minutes if ya just fess up the truth already.

Kino: Haah...You should mind your language, you know? It makes your poor upbringing very obvious.

Oh well, I guess it isn’t very comfortable talking in the middle of the street like this. Come with me, I’ll show you the way to my house.

Yuma: ...This isn’t part of a plan to get us to familiar territory so ya can strike, right?

Kino: Who knows? I’m not going to force you to come with me but...There’s something you’d like to ask me, right?

Yuma: ...Che. Ya really know how to piss me off. Fine. I’ll come with ya.

Kino: Fufu. Well then, Lucks, you should join us as well. I’ll ask someone else to do the groceries.

ー The scene shifts to the entrance hall at Eden

Ruki: ...

Kou: Ruki-kun. Has Yuma-kun sent us a Familiar...?

Ruki: No. ...Even for Yuma, it is strange for there to be this little communication.

Kou: Then don’t you think that they could be in a situation where it’s impossible for them to contact us? In which case...!

Ruki: ...I suppose we should go look for them after all.

ー Azusa walks up to them

Azusa: Ruki...I went to investigate. It seems like the presence we’ve picked up on as of late are the Adler Clan’s troops after all...

Ruki: Are they close?

Azusa: Quite, yes...I believe they might be waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

Ruki: So it’s only a matter of time, huh...? I am worried about those two, but we simply cannot leave Eden right now.

I believe the Castle will be taken down from the second we leave it empty.

Kou: ...Then what are we going to do!? They could be waiting for our help as we speak!

Ruki: I know. With that in mind...I am trying to think of a solution.

Azusa: I guess us three just can’t handle it all on our own...

Ruki: Kuh...

Familiar: Ruki-sama, big news! That man...He has come here to Eden!

Ruki: That manーー ...?

Monologue

Even while Kino-kun was showing us the way,

back to his manor, Yuma-kun and I,

witnessed various instances of Ghouls suffering from discrimination (差別)

Many people would stare at Lucks-san,

giving him nasty (罵り) looks,

even more so than they would at a human like myself.

And the person who seemed pained by this whole situation,

more than anyone else

was Yuma-kun after all...

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

#diabolik lovers #dialovers #yuma mukami #lost eden #diabolik lovers translation #leyumamaniac5

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wa-kaizen · 2 years

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ARE THESE SIGNS COMPATIBLE?! | LIBRA AND VIRGO

Okay, so, I have decided to make a series on the connections of some specific signs that always seem to be attracted to each other no matter what. You can look at this as both platonic and romantic tbh! Two of these signs happen to be Libra and Virgo! I first saw it with celebrity couples (Jay Z & Beyoncé, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds ect) and then I noticed the pattern with people around me, or just on the Internet. The same happened with Aquarius and Aries, and Capricorn and Pisces! I will be making posts with those couples as well! <3 Tho! If you have a crush/friend and you are curious of your compatibility don't be shy to send an ask!! I will answer! But please remember two things! 1) This is my observation and opinion 2) Your compatibility doesn't rely on only one sign! Also, you can always buy detailed compatibility readings from me! Both tarot and astro! Have fun reading!

TAROT SERVICES | ASTRO SERVICES

Okay, so, I do think these two signs will either end up being toxic together or the perfect match. Whenever I saw couples or best friends with this dynamic, it ended but being either of the two. While the outcome depends on the inviduals themselves, I do think it's because the two signs are very similar.

They are both perfectionists, like to help others, like to intellectually stimulate themselves and constantly learn, refuse to not do anything in a way they look at it as perfect, doesn't like being seen crying and they often have similar humours as well!

They also differ though, Virgos tend to be more emotionally closed off, while Libras are the type to prefer to show their emotions - in moderation -, Virgos can be chaotic in their room and Libras can be insanely fond of being clean - yes, you read it right babes, no stereotyping here -, Virgos are very straightforward and strict minded while Libras are able to think with the logic of the person they are talking to. Virgos complain out loud, where as Libras tend to try to be kind even when they are frustrated.

You see where I am going with that, right? There is good and bad, just like in everything. Yin and yang? Ya know?

So, first of all, let me get into the bad sides at first, then the good ones. I am not here to bash, I am here to help okay? I want you to both sides of it.

Remember that it's earth and air signs, there will be troubles. Every connection has it's own trouble, but here we are literally talking about opposites.

Now, I think one reason it could be bad is, Virgos are very straight forward, they often don't know how to communicate. Which, you can argue that Libras can bring out the better of Virgos. Which is true! However, Libras are people too. While they are patient, they might get frustrated with someone that's too quite or confusing. They can also be sensitive at times, sometimes take things to the heart which would need a lot of communication from both parts.

These signs are also both extremely hard working. Which, in itself isn't bad. Yet, it can cause them both to be burnt out, and need rest a little. The problem with these signs are is that they work 90% of the time, and only not stress or just lay down to relax 10% of the time. This is both with general work and emotional work. Neither of them have a healthy balance. - ironic isn't it? -. This can especially be a problem if they follow the same "schedule"/routine with their hyperfixation, they cannot comfort one another if they are both burnt out. But, I do think it can get fixed if they have a healthy ambition drive.

Something that ties into it is that they both give too much. They seriously do. These two signs often have acts of service, quality time and receiving gifts. Which is great!!! They have the same love language!! But they could be prone to having unhealthy boundaries when it comes to one another. I can tye it down to one reason too. The endless argument of 'No!! I love and respect you more!!! I will show you this by putting you above myself!!!!' Please stop. Go for equality, not for a sick game of no privacy.

Also, Libras are sweethearts. I do think they have a judgement bone in their body, but it's very soft, you know what I mean? That's why they are very understanding. They are able to express themselves in unique ways and see the complexity of situations and how and why could one be hurt. Now, Virgos tend to push people away usually, they love affection. Love to give affection. Most isn't used to unconditional affection. What their view is on unconditional anyway. - Not to say Virgos aren't loved, they are! They aren't some cold hated monsters, they just have this 'ideal' image of the perfect love. - So, sometimes they could be left speechless by verbal affection and be unsure how to respond.

Also, I do think Virgos prefer a from of love they can see. Wearing the watch they bought as a gift. You using that one kitchen product they made you. Literally anything as long as they feel like you didn't forget their love for them. I can see Virgos making a whole list of things of what they like about their partner/friend and them being like 'Okay babe what do you want me to do with this?' So, while Libras would be appricative of it, also very confused.

Last thing I want to say, is that Libras are way more clean than Virgos, so that might cause some bickering? But that will definitely not be a big problem, because Virgos are people pleasers and Libras have high emotional intelligence. (Alongside Geminis and Scorpios!!!) So, that will really not be a problem.

Now, onto the good parts because I see how some of y'all are looking at this post. 😔 /j

I want to start out with saying that their humour often matches. They are both people who hyperfixate on specific tasks, so while they are aware of trends and current humour, they are not invested in it. They do find random things funny, especially sentences, but have a very specific line where they think jokes are too much. Their humour is either nonsense, dark or messing with people/provoking. I can see both hysterically laughing and hitting each other. There is also a virgo-libra fictional friendship where the dynamic is exactly like this, I just can't remember which. 💔

They are also both judgemental! Like I am sorry, they both have the intelligence to understand situations, but understanding means asking more questions, seeing all sides, and judging people for being dumb. Will they call it gossiping? No, it's a 'discussion'. But it's really just gossiping,

Talking about intelligence, they both love to learn and explore new things. They will definitely intellectually stimulate one another and talk for hours. About like, anything that is remotely interesting to them. Like the 'please shut up, it's 4 am and you are waking up the neighbours' kind of way. They have different perspectives on some things and they honestly enjoy coming to conclusions together. Nerds.

Also! They are in fact, both extremely supportive people. Virgos tend to be confrontational when they are in a situation they are disrespected in. Libras will stand there like 'go best friend!!'. Also, Virgo will hear Libra out on their opinions when they are mad and validate them. They both have a big sense of respect, which is great!

What I noticed is that both Virgos and Libras prefer being affectionate in private. In public they don't mind giving affection, but they prefer to receive it in private. Crawl under each others skin and everything.

They are also both very romantic people. Both to please and because it's honestly fun. They appreciate big things, and small things as well. A random rose? A playlist? Getting them a cake? Remembering their name day? Helping each other finding new ways to be comfortable and happy? They are gonna do it!! They tend to romantise life, seems to work for them.

In my eyes, it's really a hit or miss.

It's like stealing with closed eyes. It will either be good, or bad.

The best way a connection with these two signs will work is for them to both be less emotionally selfish but still have respect for their own self.

I mean, everything else is already there. Similar and same interest, same life views, same taste. Communication is excellent here. Just start looking at each other as more equal? Because being too similar can be a bad thing. By this I mean the 'I love you to the moon and back, I would die for you' but in arguments they focus on their own emotions and if not they give in too much.

Other than that, its a pretty fine combo. Reminds me of Gumball and Darwin, Mavis and Jonathan, Velma and Daphne!

If you have read it this far thank you!! I hope you had fun and enjoyed it!!!! If so, watch out for the Aquarius and Aries one! <3 Bye bye, thank you for reading!

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burinazar · 1 year

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under the cut, many words of an Ebil pondering whether it’s writing Wazukyan well or might be flanderizing the character by making him Care Too Much, in an attempt to overcompensate against readings where he Doesn’t Care At all:

i spent most of my initial viewing of s2 not particularly trying to understand what Wazukyan was 'really up to' as far as the motivations behind his actions bc i was too busy worrying about The Other Two Sages (as points of comparisons, i loved Vueko from episode one and liked Belaf from the same point but didn’t glom on to him SO hard until after ep7/8 and now I love them both so excessively much that it’s ridiculous.) But after finishing it and looking at the story as a whole it became clear analysis of that character was really rewarding in the context of the other ones i already liked, and now that i have/do try to put effort into 'getting’ him and became more interested in depicting the character as a result...lately I’ve become concerned that I risk adding to Boring Silly Readings Of Him.

there’s two interpretation that i think are not very interesting: ‘common fan take #1: he’s completely ruthless and uncaring, gives zero craps about Vueko, Belaf, Irumyuui, and likely the rest of the Ganja-tai, and only prioritizes his own wish to continue the journey’ (because this is simply not that interesting to think about and risks turning him into Bondrewd 2.0; though i also feel it is contradicted by some canon, but there is room for discussion there. feel free to throw an ask or message my way if this piques your interest or you’d like to Argue Politely over it) and ‘common fan take #2: LOL Wazuchad did Literally Nothing Wrong’ (this is mostly an attitude thing, and is distinct from ‘after consideration of the situation I personally believe his actions were justified’ or something. what i mean is people who meme about ‘Wazuchad’ are generally sweeping away the idea that there might have been any moral consideration to make at all and that is, again, boring. the entire arcs of all four characters (five actually, Fau too) fall apart as compelling if you aren’t even willing to consider the questions involved or accord any validity to not wanting Irumyuui to suffer.)

Readings i think are interesting tend to deviate from both of these either a little or a lot by adding complexity to how one views his goals, actions, and motivations, so that even if they may still land in the general category of ‘bad guy and did an indefensibly bad thing’ or ‘not a bad guy, did a bad thing but for compelling and human reasons’, he hasn’t been totally condemned or totally absolved on the way to either conclusion. Both of the flatter readings obfuscate the possibility he harbored genuine fondness for the other characters, and that’s what I want to push back on. I especially like thinking he cared about them a lot but this was counterbalanced by the need to save the rest of the crew (I always bring this up but it’s way too easy to forget 90% of the Ganja were already dead and drowned when they hit the Abyss, he can’t not have had thoughts about that?) and, of course, also his own ambition and desire (and yet in my reading his ambition was directly linked to the idea of a home for his people, not merely himself; the sense of homesickness and desire to journey on that Wazukyan articulates seems to be thematically linked to all of the characters in Ganja and be a cousin to the desire to see what’s at the bottom of the Abyss that most of the entire show’s cast feels). It’s complicated and sad and great.

BUT LIKE.

i’m afraid of accidentally creating ‘boring reductivist fanon #3′ if my depiction accords TOO charitable an interpretation to the guy and paints too rosy a picture of how much he cared about the others.

Like am I going too far in the other direction when I make him goofy and silly and a bit bumbling and genuinely caring, especially if I haven’t written all caps front and center in the same piece of fanwork that I understand the character has notably dark aspects to his actions and interactions with the others and the grim things his choices and his influence on them others’ choices ultimately lead to?

i don’t want to erase that he did stuff that makes your blood run cold, I just think it’s compelling to read the character as someone who did that while being very human and caring a lot about the others in the situation, because that’s a lot more interesting. I’m wrestling with this bc in the thing I want to finish next Vueko is thinking about how he was like a surrogate guardian to her at points in her life, and since it’s Vueko she obviously hasn’t forgotten anything he did towards the end of their time together and what it meant for her and her family and that comes up directly afterwards but I feel like someone could think ‘what is this story even doing, what is this apologism and flattening of Waz into some kind of friendly grandpa’. As much as I don’t want to see people Bondrewd him or Wazuchad him, I don’t want to Friendly Bumbling Grandpa him, which risks being boring and reductive in its own way. Alright that’s all, just wanted to ramble, input and comments from other san ken likers welcome tho.

#ebil writes #orphan hole tag #As Are Many Other Things About This Fandom For Me.....It Is All Vueko And Belafs Fault #i want a reading that is interesting for them but also don't want to mess up the existing characterization of him #also it is seriously a nonzero factor in how caring i tend to make him that he has Kotetsu's seiyuu #my hiroaki hirata based brainwashing #i just REALLY don't want to mischaracterize OR be a reductivist about any of the three sages #they're so cool and i definitely understand Waz the least #the most haunting reading that i still dont know how i feel about but definitely wouldn't mark as boring and flat is that he respected Vueko #as an individual and cared about her but DID NOT feel that way about Belaf and basically saw him as a tool. that one kept me up at night #considering that almost feels like an AU bc it's so far form how i see him but its a fascinating AU #if i ever make the threatened post about 'well i can see wazubela BUT WHAT IF--' i'm going to ahve to address how fucked up that would be #fucked up But Interesting #poor goddamn Belaf. <-- always saying this bc it can never be said enough

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dangermousie · 6 months

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So, my Three Kingdoms 2010 rewatch - eps 1 and 2

Ep 1 revolves largely around Cao Cao's aborted attempt to assassinate Dong Zhuo, who is the de facto ruler of the Han Empire. Cao Cao, a cavalry general, becomes very close to Dong Zhuo but decides to kill him, whether out of ambition, thirst for glory, or some mix of the two. However, the attempt fails and the enraged Dong Zhuo sends his adopted son, warlord Lu Bu, to hunt Cao Cao down like a dog while taking a side trip to eradicate his household (they really weren't kidding about the whole "if you go against the government, they will kill everyone related to you, down to the meanest slave." Let's hope Cao Cao was single and childless and wasn't too fond of any of his retainers.) And thus the story is set in motion…

Anyway, here are the mains we meet in eps 1-2 (most of them will disappear soon enough to be replaced by others, but Cao Cao will remain for most of it.)

Cao Cao. He's my favorite character in the drama, being clever, unscrupulous and larger than life. He's almost irresistibly magnetic. If I traveled back in time, he's the one I'd pick to be concubine n. 75 to.

Dong Zhuo, the warlord who installed a puppet child Emperor and rules the empire. He seems very susceptible to flattery and has interesting ways to get rid of people he doesn't like (see below). He's also supposed to like sleeping in the Emperor's bed (not when Emperor is there, thankfully) and raping palace ladies, though I am not sure I buy that last one because this is in the days before viagra and he's pretty darn old. He's also about to be catfished/honeytrapped together with his adopted son by the beauteous Diao Chan and her dad. His grooming is questionable.

Lu Bu, Dong Zhuo's adopted son. Or as I like to call him "psycho Legolas." Legolas because of the hair and the hotness, and psycho because - well - he comes across as scary-dangerous. I kept thinking he was going to stab his adopted daddy with that nifty armor-piercing dagger for the entirety of their conversation. Not that there was anything said about it but the vibe was eeeek. Eventually, one half of my top 10 cdrama OTPs of all time.

The other half of said OTP is Diaochan, whose beauty and scheming will bring down Dong Zhuo in a honeytrap of legendary deliciousness.

Gaotai, the official who follows Cao Cao into rebellion. He's a bit of a POV character/narrator, and an epic wet blanket.

Minister of Blah, Diao Chan's adopted dad. He is a bit of a rabbit-looking wet blanket but pretty sharp. Hobbies include prostituting adopted daughters to elderly warlords so warlord's adopted son would go murder daddy to protect the woman he fancies. I am not fond of the man.

Minister reminds me that if you want a drama that has men treat women as equal or even with care, this is not the drama for you. Psycho Legolas is about the only dude who views a woman as more than a specific kind of domestic animal until many many eps later we get Zhuge Liang. This drama has few women in prominent roles tbh, which is quite historic. This is largely a man's world.

Anyway, when I say they don't make them like this any more, they really don't. And I don't just mean close to 100 eps running length or the fact that the censors would never let any of these topics through now. It's also adult, gorgeous and with so much money poured in.

The other thing is, this drama is dark! Dark dark dark. For example, as early as ep 2, we get a scene where Cao Cao and his friend on the run hide out with a relative, assume his servants want to kill them and slaughter them, only to find out that the killing the peasants were talking about was slaughtering a pig in their honor. Sometimes this drama is depressing enough to make me want to eat my own head. It is certainly a world cavalier about killing. It's horrifying.

Bonus, for fellow Peter Ho fangirls...

#cdrama #three kingdoms 2010 #peter ho

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hanatiny · 2 years

Text

Bird in a Cage

a/n: yes I know I’m a continuous liar about which fics I post first but,,, writer’s brain do be like that

pairing: prince!Hongjoong x gn!reader

genre: fluff

word count: 4653

warnings: royal AU, strangers to lovers, brief mentions of alcohol, reader is mentioned to be wearing a dress but referred to as they/them, one suggestive comment/joke, mentions of feeling trapped (but only metaphorically)

-----

Hongjoong sighed for the umpteenth time that day; as much as he was grateful to be able to change his hair however he wanted to, he regretted the compromise of letting his family’s servants dress him - he didn’t mind what they picked for him in the slightest, but he absolutely hated having people fussing over him and adjusting things for him when he was perfectly capable of doing so.

He wasn’t a goddamn child anymore.

Which was also why he wasn’t particularly excited when his parents announced a masquerade ball for his birthday celebration without consulting him about his own wishes beforehand, even if they were considerate enough to choose the event he enjoyed the most.

Hongjoong had always liked seeing people’s fancy outfits and the masks they’d pair with them, even if he seldomly got to join the dancing crowd himself, out of a concern for safety - despite disguised guards roaming the ballroom at all times.

“Something on your mind, Your Highness?” His train of thought was promptly halted by the voice of his most trusted butler-turned-advisor, Seonghwa.

“Please, I cannot even recall how many times I’ve told you to simply call me by my name when we’re alone...” The slightly older man hummed amusedly in response, but obliged the request nonetheless, “Fine then, Hongjoong. What is it that has you so occupied?”

“I suppose it’s just...” Hongjoong trailed off momentarily as he thought how to best phrase his words while Seonghwa watched the prince move to gaze longingly out the window, “I do not mean to sound ungrateful by any means, especially since my lessons are now much fewer and farther between than they used to be when I was younger, even if they’ve just been replaced by meetings, but... I would love to have a little more freedom still.”

An affirmative sound vibrated low in Seonghwa’s throat, indicating how attentively he was listening to his liege.

“You remember how we used to sometimes try to sneak out, hm? To play with the children in the village, yet we’d somehow always get caught even before reaching the main gate? Those children... They have families now, children of their own.”

Seonghwa tilted his head in confusion, moving to stand next to Hongjoong with his arms crossed. “I can see that, Hongjoong... But I fail to understand what your conclusion here is meant to be.”

Hongjoong suddenly turned to the older, a determined look in his eyes beneath his two-toned and slightly too long, soft bangs. “I won’t ever be like them, I know this, and I also know you willingly gave up such a life to work in the palace. If we can’t be them... we’ll just have to help them instead.”

“Meaning...?” Seonghwa coaxed, clearly intrigued by the younger’s idea.

“We have more than enough resources to care for everyone in the palace for years to come, if not more, do we not? And instead of collecting taxes as dilligently as we do, we should give back to the people for once!”

Hongjoong’s expression had changed into a proud smile over the course of his rambling, and Seonghwa found it hard to bite back a fond chuckle - the young prince always had a tendency to dream big. “I say that sounds wonderful, though when are you planning to put that into motion?”

“Once I ascend the throne,” came Hongjoong’s reply, a commendable lack of hesitation in his tone, “so I’ll humor my parents tonight. I’ll show them how capable I am, and prove that I’ll be a ruler they could be proud of.”

“You have high ambitions, I see.” Seonghwa spoke up again, a hint of mirth noticeable in his voice, “But I do not mean to discourage you. No matter what you do, I’ll be loyal to you until the very end.”

Hongjoong’s eyes lit up when his friend encouragingly placed his hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

“Thank you, Seonghwa. I suddenly feel way more excitement for the ball now...~”

A smile was the only answer he received as the man in question turned to leave Hongjoong’s chambers, the prince straightening out his vest before heading out as well.

Now freshly invigorated from his exchange with Seonghwa, he sat on his throne next to his parents in a much more regal and elegant position than the one he usually took to at such events.

When questioned, he simpled adjusted his white mask - the color of innocence, he mused, how fitting - to hide his grin as he reasoned it was the very least he could do on his birthday. His parents left it at that.

Hongjoong was perfectly content with watching the crowd of royals mingle and talk amongst each other with drinks and dance like they weren’t here to celebrate him specifically. This was how it always went, Hongjoong knew that even if he hardly knew many of the guests by name, and it was exactly what allowed him to enjoy himself as much as he did in his observant spot.

Over the course of the evening, he had rid himself of his beige vest and folded it neatly over the armrest of his throne. His father, the more laid-back of his parents, shook his head lightly in amusement, while his mother quirked a curious eyebrow at their son before writing the action off as him simply feeling a bit warm and wanting to be more comfortable.

Hongjoong restrained himself from letting out a breath he almost didn’t realize he was holding - he vowed to be on his best behavior tonight, and making his parents suspicious of him even in the slightest was not the way to go for that.

His gaze swept the ballroom once more, suddenly getting caught on someone who looked like they really, truly didn’t want to be at the ball despite being invited - and having the choice to decline, at that.

You.

Hongjoong couldn’t deny being intrigued by the way you leaned against the wall, arms crossed and a glass in hand while your eyes were cast towards your feet. Or at least that was what it looked like to him, the upper half of your face concealed by your silver mask.

In the blink of an eye, one that could only be described as an impulsive moment of weakness, Hongjoong was off his throne and weaving through the crowd to reach you.

His parents attempted to stop him, although they were held back by Hongjoong’s older brother, the guard captain, who wanted to see how this would play out.

It was almost amusing to see how the mass of dancing - and to varying degrees also intoxicated - people seemed to intentionally part to let Hongjoong through, noone caring enough to question his behavior.

You had just put your empty glass down on a passing server’s tray with a polite smile, jumping slightly when an attractive young male appeared in front of you before quickly regaining your posture and bowing out of courtesy.

The man smiled, bowing as well and holding out a hand for you to take while his eyes studied what little he could see of your face.

“I couldn’t help but notice you from across the room,” your face warmed in realization from his words, “Would you care for a dance~?”

It took you a moment for the words to register in your head before you nodded, placing your hand in his. “I would be honored to dance with you... Your Highness~”

Hongjoong’s lips twitched into a wider smile - he had a feeling you’d recognize him, especially so given his rather extravagant taste in hair colors.

Standing up straight again, he gently tugged you along to the center of the ballroom before beginning to effortlessly lead you in a slow waltz.

You did your very best to not let your proximity to him fluster you, attempting to conceal that by keeping up a conversation instead, “So... how come I piqued the crown prince’s interest when I have been, allow me to be so bold, less than interested in the festivities?”

Hongjoong let out a small chuckle, “It’s simple - that is exactly why, I am... not much of a celebratory person myself, I much prefer the company of my piano, for instance.”

“I see,” you hummed in response, “and why are you here, dancing with me, if you’d rather not be here altogether?”

He was quickly growing to like your curiosity, he realized.

“I suppose it wouldn’t be very becoming of me to not be present at an event held in my honor, no? And I thought I may as well take my chance and ask someone as mysterious as you to a dance, make it a tad more interesting. Speaking of... what brings you here? Because with all due respect to my family’s ability to entertain nobles for hours on end, I cannot find it in myself to blame you for not wanting to be here at all~”

You knew you both felt it, slowly but surely felt the awkward atmosphere between you and Hongjoong cracking and instead melting into one that seemed almost... familiar.

“Well... That is a situation you can thank my dear cousin, Wooyoung, for.” Hongjoong smiled - he could hear the playful contempt in your tone, it was one he used a lot in regard to his brother when he was younger, and he knew you cared about this man deeply.

“He was the one invited and received a spare invitation as well, and both of our families agreed that his brother is much too young to safely be brought here, so they decided ‘surely Y/n would enjoy themselves much more than we would.’“

Realizing you were complaining openly about your family, you averted your eyes bashfully before your face warmed even more when Hongjoong’s hand, previously resting on the small of your back, moved to gently tilt your head back to face him.

His expression told you that he would remove both of his hands from you at a moment’s notice if only you asked, though you saw no reason to move away from the handsome prince. It was only mere seconds, but to your poor heart it had felt like an eternity had passed before he spoke again.

“Such is not the case, then, and I can truly not condemn you for it.” He paused for a moment, appearing to collect his thoughts. “Y/n... what a wonderful name, ‘twould have been a shame if I hadn’t been able to learn it tonight.”

Your brain short-circuited; his attempt at courting you was perhaps the least possible thing you imagined happening tonight. Hongjoong noticed this, laughing softly to try and ease your mind a little, and it seemed to work when you smiled brightly at him.

It was then that the song you were dancing to ended, the music seeming to cease for good - at least for the time being - while chatter and laughter filled the ballroom and surrounded the two of you where you stood once more.

Some wordless communication must’ve been happening between you and Hongjoong because only mere moments later, you gave him a small nod and he turned to pull you with him to the doors connecting to the hallways which, in turn, would lead you outside to the gardens.

A hint of nervousness shot through you when your eyes connected with that of a highly suspicious guard in front of a door, though the prince next to you took it in stride and simply fixed the other man with a challenging glare that looked menacing even beneath his mask.

It was almost amusing to see Hongjoong turn back to you with a cheery and innocent smile afterwards, nodding his head towards the door and allowing you to follow as he finally led you out into the embrace of fresh air.

Unbeknownst to you, he had to fight back a gasp of awe from how the moonlight illuminated your face - the lights in the ballroom, and within the palace overall, produced a much more artificial light that he had yet to grow to like.

A soft laugh escaped you as you picked up your dress a bit as to not stumble and fall, skipping towards the nearby fountain with a smiling Hongjoong in tow.

You sat on the edge of the cold granite, careful to balance yourself as you glided your fingers across the water’s surface while Hongjoong mimicked you a few feet away.

When you both looked up at the same time after a moment of silence, prompting your eyes to meet, the prince sputtered - clearly flustered.

“My apologies,” he started, his tone soft, “I’m not usually so... inadequate when it comes to social interactions with lovely people.”

You grinned, endeared, when he seemed to realize his slip of the tongue almost immediately and slapped a hand over his mouth.

“It’s quite alright, Hongjoong.” You assured him, and it looked as if every bit of tension dropped from his shoulders in response - a sight you were glad to witness.

“If anything, I find it charming to see the supposedly so composed and well-behaved prince show a little more reaction and be... a little more human, I suppose I should say.”

“A little more human?” Hongjoong echoed intrigued, his head tilting to the side. You were captivated by the dual-haired man and didn’t even realize it.

“Mhm. Most nobles I have met in my lifetime are, for lack of better terminology, rather stuck-up and care only for flaunting their wealth that they hadn’t worked a single moment in their lives for.”

Hongjoong’s eyes lit up then and it was your turn to feel your face warm, determined to see this look on him more often.

“That’s how I feel too!” He exclaimed with a toothy, enthusiastic smile. “My parents included, though I mean no offense - they’ve given me everything a man could ever ask for and more, after all.”

He still seemed a bit cautious around you, so you hummed your understanding. “Don’t worry, my family’s the same. Wanting my cousin and I to both marry other nobles to maintain our influence, regardless of what we might wish for instead.”

Hongjoong moved a little closer, then. Even in the darkness and beneath the mask, you could make out an equally curious and challenging expression on his face.

“What is it that you do want?”

You were positively caught off-guard by his question; you couldn’t remember a single instance of someone else who appeared to genuinely care enough to ask this question. It was usually about your family instead, so weren’t sure how to answer.

Noticing your hesitance though falsely interpreting it as discomfort instead, Hongjoong shuffled away again a little. “If I overstepped a boundary with that, I-”

He fell silent immediately when you reached for his hand and pulled him even closer than he sat before, his face visibly heated now.

“Nonsense. It’s just... nobody had ever stopped to think what I may want, and what I want is... to just be Y/n, and not someone with some fancy titles and money and things others deserve to have just as much, if not moreso. I want to be free.”

Hongjoong had an unreadable expression on his face, which you took as a signal to continue.

“As much as I am eternally grateful, at times I feel like...”

“...a bird in a lavish gilded cage?” He finished his sentence for you, and you nodded in stunned silence at how similarly the two of you felt.

“You could not possibly be more right.” You laughed sheepishly, and Hongjoong promptly joined in with a mirthful chuckle.

You wanted to hear that sound again. All the time.

He was the first to speak again after a moment of peaceful quiet, “Well... now that we’ve revealed our deepest secrets to each other, don’t you think it’s time for our literal masks to come off too?”

It took you only a brief moment to process his words before nodding, tugging down your mask and the string that kept it in place, effectively leaving the former to dangle from your neck much like a necklace would.

Hongjoong, meanwhile, had taken his own mask off and carefully tucked it into the pocket of his suit pants. Both of you gasped when you looked at each other once more; it wasn’t like the masks hid much, but seeing each other’s faces unobscured still felt meaningful - almost like a secret to be kept.

“I feel free with you.” You spoke at the same time, prompting a series of flustered quiet giggles to follow because you both knew it was true.

Even with the only light being that of the moon shining above, you could tell he was beautiful. His dark eyes reminded you of hot chocolate, his pointy nose of those of the fairies in the stories you loved to read, and his smiling lips had no right to look as soft as they did. And the small beauty mark on the side of his neck only added to how pretty he was in your eyes.

Hongjoong was likewise mesmerized, his hand reaching to caress the curve of your face and keep your gaze connected to his own. He was evidently entranced, not even fully aware of the distance between your faces slowly shrinking.

One of your own hands lifted to place itself at the back of his neck, careful to keep his expertly styled hair as it was.

When he seemed to come back to his senses, about to pull back to create more distance out of respect for your boundaries, you took initiative instead and boldly pressed your lips against his.

He froze in surprise for a few short seconds, causing to worry you might’ve overestimated your chances but when he melted and reciprocated almost eagerly, any semblance of concern ebbed away.

You parted what felt like an eternity later, shyly folding your hands in your lap while Hongjoong bashfully scratched his neck.

“I...” he cleared his throat, clearly stalling to find his words, “I hope you k-kissed me because you wanted to, not because you felt obligated since I was so close without even realizing it.”

You smiled at him in response, shaking your head lightly. “Hongjoong, with all due respect, I can assure you I did it because I wanted to. And you did too, right?”

He nodded his head ‘yes’ before trusting his voice, “I did, it was wonderful and it... it felt like a taste of freedom.”

“Better not overdose on it.” You joked lightly, affirmation following quick behind, “I feel the same way, though.”

Hongjoong hummed in both gratitude and amusement before getting up with seemingly new-found confidence, tugging you gently to stand as well. “Since we cannot possibly overdose on each other... may I take you for a little walk through the royal gardens until duty calls again~?”

He was a smooth talker, you’d give him that. You playfully quirked an eyebrow at him, “A walk in the royal gardens, you say? Is that meant to be a euphemism for something more... crude in nature, perhaps?”

The dual-color haired prince faltered in his steps and nearly tripped over his own two feet while he led you between gaps in hedges to elaborate and well-kept flower beds, nearly whirling around in shock at your suggestion.

“N-No I would never! I swear on my life I’m innocent!” You found his insistence cute, squeezing his hand to reassure him.

“You can relax Hongjoong, I was merely teasing. I know you’re a gentleman~”

He let out a small sigh in response, his tone almost whiny when he next spoke, “Don’t do that again~!”

The prince settled down completely when your lips brushed a peck against his cheek. “Oh my...~”

Neither of you knew how much time passed while you toured his family’s property together - you had to admit, it was impressive how well-kept it all was despite the size of it. You were well aware they had staff taking care of it, but that did nothing to deter your awe.

When it seemed you had seen everything there was to see outside, Hongjoong suddenly turned to you with a determined expression and caused you to almost bump into him in surprise.

“Well, I think this concludes our tour at least for now,” he laughed softly in reaction, “the secret passageways are too risky with all these guards around. So, pinky promise that we’ll see each other again?”

You blinked before enthusiastically linking your pinky with his with a smile, “Of course! I wouldn’t give up my personified freedom for anything~”

Hongjoong blushed at that, deciding the best way to convey his mutual feelings was to kiss you again, and you reciprocated in kind.

You were both a little breathless when you pulled away, “Also promise to stay in touch no matter what?”

“Promise.” Hongjoong grinned, taking your hand in his again - a lot less shyly than before - and leading you back to the palace, but not before ensuring both of your masks were secure on your faces again.

Just to look as if nothing had happened.

Once there you were met by both Hongjoong’s brother and your cousin. The latter simply quirked an eyebrow at you, a clearly amused smirk present on his lips while you stood next to him and smoothed down your dress a bit. The young prince, in turn, positioned himself to his brother’s side.

Ever the gentleman, he bent forward and gently pressed a kiss to the hand you offered him before standing straight and disappearing into the crowd with his brother.

Wooyoung looked at you expectantly, which earned him no more than a grumble of “I’ll tell you later.”

Both of your heads snapped up when a loud ‘clink’ sounded, indicating the royal family had an announcement to make. An older man, who you assumed to be the king and thus Hongjoong’s father considering his attire, stepped forward from the row of thrones. You also saw the queen standing on his one side and your dual-haired partner in crime on the other, with his brother a bit further off.

“As you all know, this ball was hosted in honor of our youngest son, Hongjoong. Given the time, we have decided to conclude tonight’s festivities and allow everyone to- hm?”

Confusion found its way onto your face and that of numerous other guests when Hongjoong suddenly tapped his father on the shoulder and whispered something in his ear before stepping forward.

“I just wanted to personally thank all of you for coming! I know I’m... not exactly the best nor most social of hosts, but,” his eyes met yours across the room and you instinctively straightened up, much to your cousin’s further amusement so you subtly elbowed him in the side, “I thoroughly enjoyed myself tonight, more than I have in quite some time, and I wouldn’t have if you all hadn’t come.”

You found it almost cute how Hongjoong was clearly buttering up all those nobles around you, yet they seemed none the wiser while they clapped happily before slowly but surely the crowd dispersed and everyone went on their own merry ways.

Wooyoung started tugging you outside after a few moments as well, and when you glanced back one last time you could’ve sworn you caught the corners of Hongjoong’s lips twitching up into a smile before he turned and left alongside the rest of his family.

Once in the carriage to your accomodations, Wooyoung refused to stop clinging to you until you told him where you were the whole time. You pointedly reminded him that he was the one to leave you on your own just to flirt with a pretty lady - who was probably already spoken for anyway. He pouted but let you continue, knowing you were right.

Purposefully omitting the part where you and Hongjoong kissed multiple times, held hands and declared each other as your freedom in human form, you simply told him that you both simply wanted to get away from the loud ball for a bit.

It technically wasn’t even a lie.

Back at the palace, Hongjoong hung his head low as he followed his parents to their private chambers, shooting his brother a glare when he spots him silently snickering in the corner of his vision. Because of this, he almost bumped into his father when he stopped and turned to look at him while the prince bashfully avoided his eyes.

His father gently gripped his chin and tilted his head up towards him.

“Son, you’re not normally so insistent on expressing gratitude for these parties. You were trying to impress us, no?”

“I- how-”

A chuckle came in reply. “We quite literally raised you, Hongjoong. Staff involved or no, we know you better than anyone except for maybe Seonghwa.”

Hongjoong was speechless; was he really such an open book? It was then his mother chimed in, “Worry not, we’re not the least bit upset you decided to... take a little break, if you will.”

“You’re really not?!”

“Not in the slightest,” his brother affirmed from the sidelines.

“In fact, it was what we were hoping for. You see... we know you were usually only sitting through these events for our sake, and we do appreciate your... sacrifice, in that sense, but we wanted you to finally live a little and make your own decisions. And we’re glad to see you seem to finally connect to someone from outside of our own home.”

Hongjoong was well and truly stunned, this wasn’t at all what he expected his parents to say about his impromptu disappearance - he was ready to beg on his knees in earnest for them to not punish him, this was a development he didn’t expect in the slightest.

“So, what you’re saying is...” He started carefully, encouraged by nods to finish his thought, “my next birthday celebration will be my coronation?!”

His excitement and the hopefulness in his eyes were beyond endearing to his family, having always had a bit of a soft spot for him.

“Correct. While we both may not be particularly old yet, we see no reason to not led you lead in our stead. You’re young, have high ambitions and the people love you as you’re aware. We’re confident you will be an excellent ruler, and we will be here to support you by whatever means necessary and possible for as long as we live.”

Feeling tears of joy well up in his eyes, Hongjoong enveloped his parents in a tight hug and tugged his brother close for him to join in as well before pulling back again and bowing to excuse himself, turning to retire to his own room with quick steps.

He wanted, no, needed to tell Seonghwa about this and get started on writing to you.

He had a promise to keep, after all.

His first letter to you, scribbled excitedly onto the first piece of blank parchment he could find, told you about his parents’ reaction and the date of his coronation, followed by an overly formal invitation to the latter. He felt awfully shy about it, but at the same time he was confident you wouldn’t turn him down - not after the meaningful exchange you had with the moon and stars as your only witnesses.

Your first letter to him, equally enthusiastic, told him that you wouldn’t miss it for the world and congratulated him on everything working out so well, and also told him about all kinds of shenanigans your cousin was up to as well as what you did together. Hongjoong was glad to learn more about you this way.

And both letters contained a vow to meet each other again as soon as possible. To be free together.

----- Taglist:

@ateezinmymind @cometoceantrenches @ddeonghwva @latte-fairytaekwoon @little-precious-baby @multidreams-and-desires @nightqueennyx @serialee @tohokuu @twancingyunhoe @vocalyunho

Network tag:

@8makes1teamnet

#8makes1teamnet #ateez fanfic #ateez fluff #hongjoong fanfic #hongjoong fluff #ateez hongjoong fanfic #ateez hongjoong fluff #*twirls hair* hii surprise I still write #hanatiny writes

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