#and all that'll be left is our things

[tswwwit]

And here's Bill vs Bill, aka the Pinnacle of Billmei vs Billge's Faceoff, part three. Not the finale, but that's coming very soon!

I am now going to go lie down and take a nap.

-------------------

“You’re not gonna get what you want,” Bill says.  

“Thanks.” Dipper had guessed that part five minutes ago. He rubs at the bridge of his nose. “Really great to know.”

He stares across the bare dirt in front of him. The sigils are scrawled on with a stick - he didn’t have anything else on hand - and he wasn’t expecting company. 

Company he’s currently trying to ignore. 

“I had to say something! You’re terrible at this.” From the side of the clearing, Bill snorts. “You need all the help you can get.”

Commentary from Bill never fails to be unhelpful. For the first time in a while, Dipper finds himself genuinely, unflirtingly irritated by it. Tension has been building in his shoulders for the last day and a half and they’re starting to ache. 

Bill Cipher lounges on a stump nearby. Seated in a way that couldn’t possibly be comfortable for a normal human, but has the appropriate level of drama for a demon. 

He’s spent most of the last half-hour mocking Dipper’s futile scribblings in the dirt. An unwelcome interloper, in multiple senses.

Ditching this Bill to go experiment in the forest has been a total loss. All Bills are smart, and for all that this one knew so little about their situation - still doesn’t - he’s somehow latched onto being able to locate Dipper, easy as anything.

“Do you mind?” Dipper reels on him.

“Often, as you know!” Bill shrugs that off with a grin. “C’mon, you need me for this!” He adds a slow, unsubtle wink. “Besides, all our other stuff worked out!”

Dipper makes a disgusted sound, and hears Bill start to chuckle.

The one good thing about interacting with demons? Is that Dipper doesn’t have to pretend to be nice.

Even though Bill doesn’t have the entire picture, he’s clever, and he can make inferences. All of Dipper’s reactions have shown him that this human’s not servile. It’s just enough to accept it as par for the course.

He knows that Dipper knows he’s a demon - but not that Dipper knows about demons, and how they do… stuff. As far as this Bill’s aware, the non-flirtatious insults are just how they interact. That Dipper, of course, wouldn’t know that some other ones have… implications.

There’s no reason they would be flirty, anyway. He thinks they’re just - 

Buddies.

God, Dipper hopes his Bill won’t learn about that part. It adds another layer to the joke, and not one that works in Dipper’s favor. 

Dipper breathes in, then out. Trying to relax, though his back and shoulders aren’t cooperating. 

He looks back at the interdimensional asshole and asks. “Why are you here?”

“What, did you think I wouldn’t show up?” Bill rests a hand on his chest, a near-perfect picture of surprised innocence. “Like you’d get rid of me that easy..”

Dipper tries not to grit his teeth. He stomps deliberately on the ground as he turns away.

“C’mon,” Bill’s voice is coy and almost cloyingly sweet, in a way that makes Dipper want to spit. “All this dimensional stuff you’re looking at. All that curiosity,” A tinge of something else enters his tone. There’s a soft pat, probably in his lap. “I got all the knowledge, right here! Why not enjoy it?”

Dipper picks up the stupid stick he was using to draw his stupid improvised signs into the dirt. He scrapes down a few more, simply out of spite.

He looks like a six-year old playing at being a magician, not a real one - but it’s better than letting Bill win.

For the second time ever, Dipper Pines has the dubious honor of being the focus of a Bill Cipher’s intense interest. 

It’s mostly because of his world-conquering plots, of course. Somewhat because Bill’s learned that this dimension comes with… extras, he guesses. Not that he’s getting any use of them. And partly because…

Okay, Dipper’s not sure what the rest is, but Other Bill has a way of leading down tangents that Dipper would, in any other instance, pursue. He’s had to not argue a surprising number of times. 

Dipper won’t let this guy drag him into some coquettish debate over…. leyline geometry, or anything else. Even if it’s tempting. Dipper’s dug in his metaphorical heels, because being led down that road can’t end well.

Maybe Dipper’s home dimension has something in the air, or… ether or whatever. An ephemeral thing that turns a Bill extra weird, because this doesn’t seem like it’s ‘universal’. 

The alternative would be that this is kind of multiversal, and that would mean -

Dipper grimaces.

Demons are dangerous. Bill’s the worst of them. 

Luck…. wouldn’t always run in Dipper’s favor, he thinks.

For the sake of his remaining sanity, he’s decided not to think too hard about it. 

“If you want results, you should be working with my information, not whatever crapshoot you have going on in your noggin.” Bill adds, rather pointedly pointing to the papers he tossed on the ground. They’re spread out in a loose pile, even when he could have neatly stacked them. “Take my word for it!”

Dipper doesn’t have a good response. He shrugs instead. 

The wind blows gently through the clearing, and Bill makes a face as some of the pages get caught. He raises an eyebrow. Jerks his head towards them, with a smirk.

And fuck that. 

There’s no way Dipper’s going to rifle through that mess, much less chase after it. He has some dignity, and this Bill would just love watching him scrabble through the dirt for scraps of information. Dipper refuses to entertain him. Hell, he wouldn’t do that even for his own Bill. 

And second - 

That information is absolutely, 100%, a poison pill. A trick. 

A little over thirty years ago, Bill Cipher - a Bill Cipher - nearly led Stanford Pines into ruining an entire dimension. The only reason he got caught was because Ford, in pure academic diligence - noticed something very, very subtly out of place.

Ford might be oblivious to personal interactions - but he’s downright incredible when it comes to scholarship. Even then Bill nearly tricked him into a cascade failure of literally disastrous proportions.

So yeah, Dipper’s smart. And maybe he is getting pretty okay at the dimensional stuff. But he’s barely getting into this field.

He knows way better than to think any Pines is going to get that lucky, twice. 

It’s pretty clear he’s already used up his own. 

Behind him, Dipper hears Bill starting to ramble on about something. This time with a tinge of annoyance in his tone. 

Out of the corner of his eye Dipper can see the pages caught on some bushes. Wherever the rest are, he doesn’t care anymore.

And in front of him, Dipper sees his own futile scribblings leading… precisely nowhere. 

No matter how perfectly the circle is drawn, or how his sigil handwriting is second to nobody’s, it’s basically as good as Ford’s -

He just… 

Doesn’t know what he’s doing. 

The only person who really, truly knows exactly what to do is out of reach.

There’s a copy around, sure. Right down to the intelligence, personality, and name. Even the face is downright familiar, though the expressions it wears are strange.

Dipper swallows. His mouth feels dry. 

There’s so much information to learn, infinite piles of it, offered up on a silver platter.

And none that he can trust. 

“What’s with the face?” Bill sounds cheerful, though Dipper can hear the tension behind it. Other Bill isn’t getting his way, and it’s annoying him. “Frustrated? Struggling?” He claps a hand on Dipper’s shoulder, and his voice turns that syrup-smooth tone that Dipper hates - “Between you and me, we could-”

“No world-conquering.” Dipper shrugs away from the touch on his shoulder. That’s it. He’s done. “Ever.”

“Whoa, whoa, who said anything about that? I-”

“Save it for the suckers, Bill.” Dipper turns on him, backing up a step - but not far. “I never bought it in the first place.”

Other Bill looks at him with… mild confusion. But that’s only what shows on his face. By the way his head tilts, and his shoulders set - Dipper can tell he’s thinking, fast. 

This Bill knows he’s been caught at something - and he’s equally sure he can talk his way out of it.

Dipper can’t work his way around Bill’s magical trickery. Even if he could, that’d take years, maybe decades of study. And all the while, he’d have to be lucky enough to avoid the many, many landmines that Other Bill would place in his way.

That’s not going to happen. Probability isn’t on Dipper’s side, he’s never going to learn enough to stop whatever this demon is planning. 

But he does know Bill.

His thoughts. His motives. His emotions, too. Even when he tries to hide them, Dipper can almost always find out what he’s really feeling. This might be a different version, but Dipper still understands this creature right down to - 

Well, not his bones - the few Bill has are at best non-euclidean - but Dipper gets the majority of what’s underneath his exoskeleton.

So, fuck it. Last resort.

Dipper just… asks.

“Where is he?”

“Where’s who?” Other Bill cocks his head to one side. His face flickers into an expression of not-quite concern. “You’re-”

“No.” Dipper cuts through the air with his arm. Frustration is tight in his chest. “I said I’m done playing.”

“Yeesh, you’re testy today.” Other Bill taps his foot on the ground, shaking his head. “Figures, what with all the sleep you’re not having.”

And god, comments on that have always been annoying, even from Real Bill. 

“Nice try. Sure, you’re a Bill,” Dipper stomps forward. Jabbing a finger into Other Bill’s chest, and giving him his second-worst glare. “But you’re not my Bill. And I’m tired of pretending that you’ve,” He makes finger quotes. “‘Fooled’ me.”

Bill blinks at that, for a full two seconds. ”Who says I’m-”

“That won’t get either of us anywhere.” Dipper interrupts. He runs a hand through his hair. Being angry isn’t going to work, so he tamps it down. He has to make this convincing. “We should… get you back to your place.”

Other Bill watches Dipper for a long, lingering moment.Then he lets out a long, low whistle. Shaking his head again, he takes Dipper by the shoulders. “Aaand it’s naptime for Pine Tree!” Bill strides forward, pushing Dipper along. “Boy, have you been working too hard! All this dimension stuff has really gone to your head if you’re coming up with something that crazy.”

Now Dipper digs his literal heels into the ground - something Other Bill wasn’t expecting, apparently - and manages to tear himself out of Bill’s grip. He folds his arms over himself, backing up a few steps.

Bill huffs out a sigh. “Seriously?” 

“Yeah.” Dipper folds his arms over his chest. “Seriously.”

“C’mon, we’ve known each other for years!” Other Bill spreads his arms wide. Deep concern furrows his brow, his voice softens. “You’re overthinking, kid. Maybe all this study isn’t good for you.” He beckons towards himself. “Let’s just get you-”

Dipper scoffs. It comes out almost like a laugh. Other Bill straightens up, a brief flicker of annoyance on his face. 

Bill’s bullshit isn’t going to work. Not this time. Not on Dipper. 

“If you were my Bill, you would know better.” Dipper lifts his chin. “If you were my Bill, you wouldn’t suggest that, or act like that, or…” He shakes his head. Other Bill barely did any research, and now he’s surprised he’s fucking up? “You’re really bad at this.”

A muscle in Other Bill’s jaw twitches. The rest of his face maintains the same, gentle concern. “You’re making a mistake, kid.” He sounds too calm - “If you were sane, you’d-”

“Oh, I’m not.” Dipper jabs a thumb into his chest. Almost proudly. “That’s how I know.”

Hell, Dipper gave up total sanity a long time ago. Once he realized what he’d gotten into. Once he realized he liked it. 

 “Huh.” Curiosity, apparently, overrides a Bill’s need to keep up a ruse, because he’s starting to smirk. “Never let it be said I don’t like insanity!” He tilts his head. “Enlighten me!”

Welp. He asked for it.

The smart thing to do would be to play nice. To work with this Bill, as much as is possible - to be flattering, and convincing, and massage that ego until he did want to cooperate, instead of obfuscate. It could even be easy. 

But fuck this guy. 

“Okay, so we’ll forget how you’re fucking up basic rules of this dimension, your obvious lack of knowledge,” Dipper starts. He rolls a hand in the air, in the way Bill does when he’s lecturing, and watches Other Bill’s eye twitch. “And how your acting sucks-”

Other Bill folds his arms over his chest. He starts tapping his fingers, in a slow, rhythmic beat. “More proof that you’re delusional, but sure!” He shrugs. “Why not!”

“You might have pulled it off in another world, but there’s too many details in this one.” Dipper admits. This dimension is pretty weird, if you think about it.  He rubs the back of his neck, suddenly awkward. “We’re, uh…. Kinda out there.”

“A lotta suppostions, and zero facts.” Other Bill waves them away casually. “That’s hardly evidence.”

Dipper shrugs, almost casually.  “No,” He says, very slowly. “I guess it isn’t.” 

Other Bill starts to grin. 

And Dipper shoves his left hand right in front of this smug asshole’s face. His palm - and its mark - on full display.  “But this is.”

Other Bill violently recoils, letting out a sharp, startled swear in that strange language  -

Then instantly realizes he’s blown his cover. He grimaces, hissing something else vulgar. Other Bill rubs at his eye, ducking his head.

Holy symbols don’t affect Bill, but that threw him right the hell off. A minor victory at best - yet oh, is it sweet.

Dipper waggles his hand in Other Bill’s view, and watches him turn away in disgust. “Well?” 

Other Bill clapped a hand over his eye; now he draws it slowly down his face. “What. The hell. Is wrong with that guy? I thought the body was bad, but nah, that was just the beginning!” He shudders, shoulders rising. “There’s an entire conspiracy of awful.”

“Answer the question.” Dipper insists. The jig is up, the ruse is gone. Other Bill can’t lie his way out of this now.  “Where is he?”

“Eesh, put it away already.” Other BIll flaps a hand at him. After a moment, Dipper reluctantly lowers his arm, while Other Bill sticks out his tongue. “Trust me - if you knew what that mark really meant, you wouldn’t be champing at the bit trying to find the other guy.” This… asshole.

He thinks Bill never told Dipper - 

And okay, he didn’t, Stan had to point it out first - 

But it’s like he thinks Dipper’s an idiot. That he doesn’t know exactly what he signed up for. That nobody would ever want to be - 

Dipper takes a step forward, fists clenched tight by his sides. “Where’s my husband?”

Other Bill just. Looks at him. For a long moment, face blank and staring. 

After a while, he slowly shakes his head. “I dunno what kinda demiurge got their tendrils into this particular space-time weave,“ Other Bill says carefully. Almost consideringly. “But boy, do they have a sick sense of humor. It’s almost impressive!”

“Oh, I get it.” Dipper ignores the distraction and folds his arms. This will get to him. “You don’t actually know. Do you?”

“Ha ha, very funny. Of course I know! We’ve been talking theory for days and you still haven’t guessed?” Other Bill waves his arm over the forest, vaguely skyward. “You see any big magical storms going on? Or any nice convenient rifts? No! Not even one! Things are still,” He curls up his lip as he makes finger quotes. “‘In balance.’”

And that kinda tracks. With what Dipper knows. 

Passing into another dimension is difficult for a long, long list of reasons. At the core, it’s because they’re… mostly incompatible with each other. 

The very fabric of reality keeps the planes apart, and healthy. Literally a skin between realms, since having different rules in place is like having a separate immune system. They can’t mix unless something is already compatible - or unless something’s gone terribly wrong.

But. Theoretically. 

If you knew how. And if had the magical capital to pay the tolls - You could trade out an equal measure of mass, or magic. As long as it was similar enough, it might get overlooked.

And Bill Cipher’s a huge weight in the fabric of existence, simply out of sheer magical heft. Even if his realm is the Mindscape, he’s still linked to this dimension. If a nearby place suddenly had two Bills - or no Bills - there would be some major ripples in the fabric. Causing strange phenomena. Further anomalies.

But that didn’t happen. There was only one big surge, until everything sort of…. 

Evened out.

“So.” Dipper shuts his eyes, feeling suddenly exhausted. “He’s at your place.”

His Bill wasn’t randomly transported into the beyond. He hasn’t even gone all that far.

Somewhere out in the infinite multiverse - There was a triangular gap that he could slot right into. 

“I guess you’re not totally slow.” Other Bill grins. Weirdly, he sounds pleased. “Yeah, it’s the ol’ switcheroo. Usually a decent time!” He heaves a heavy, dramatic sigh. “But I guarantee that guy’s having a way better day than I am.”

One mystery solved. Bill’s location. Relatively nearby, as these things go - 

Dipper looks up, suddenly intent. “Bring him back.” 

Other Bill raises an eyebrow. 

“Just…” Dipper fumbles, he tries to wave vaguely in a dimension-adjacent direction, which ends up being everywhere. “I mean, we’ll reverse it, right? It-”

“Oh yeah? With what?” Other Bill snorts, and sets his hands on his hips. “I’m not sitting on infinite power and influence right now, kid.” He shrugs. “Even with that it takes a lot of finagling. No dice.”

Dipper leanis his head back. 

Shit.

“But there’s good news!” Bill sounds surprisingly cheerful, and Dipper glances over - “Ripping a hole between realms is a hell of a lot easier with a native. And I don’t qualify, on several counts.” He tilts his head thoughtfully, starting to smirk. “You could really come in handy.”

Dipper simply stares.

Double shit.

“Hey, you’ve already worked with a Bill. A real messed up one.” Other Bill makes a face, glancing at Dipper’s left hand. “You wanna dick with dimensions, then you got a way better opportunity, right here.”

Dipper breathes in, then out. Right.

He… kind of figured it would come to this.

“Go fuck yourself.” 

Other Bill gives him a surprised look. Dipper flips him off. 

He’s had a lot of bad ideas in his life, but this is clearly the worst deal he’s ever been offered.

“What?” Other Bill has almost mastered the innocent look. “Don’t you wanna see your dear hubby again?” He tuts softly, resting a hand on his chest. “Poor guy might even,” He hesitates. Dipper thinks he’s trying not to gag. “‘Miss’ you!”

“Nice try.” Dipper waves it off, ignoring the slight pang in his chest. Asshole. Manipulative jerk. “But I know you didn’t leave your dimension just to sightsee.”

Other Bill’s face sours. Possibly the first genuine expression Dipper’s seen; it weirdly makes him look more like the real Bill - 

“So. no.” Dipper looks away. Clearing his throat, once. “Not a chance.” He lifts his chin. “If you hate it here, that’s your problem.” 

This demon might not have enough leverage, or magic, in this realm to pull it off -  but he did say ‘Right now’.

Other Bill makes a low sound in his throat, so. Yeah, Dipper’s right. Again. 

For this to happen in the first place. This strange and bullshit switch - 

Someone had to start it.

“What was wrong with your place?” Dipper asks, because - okay, it’s dumb, but Bill loves talking. And hell, he’s always curious. “Too much competition?”

“Pfft, hardly! Kinda the opposite.” Other Bill flicks his fingers dismissively, then examines his nails. Starting to smile again, that ego bloating with pride.  “I did that dimension already, y’know? All conquering, no contest.” He shrugs. “Can’t blame a guy for wanting a little novelty.”

Greedy jerk. One wasn’t enough for him. A second, like he’s obviously trying for - Dipper rubs at his eyes.

How many is ever going to be enough? Will there ever be? If his world’s Bill Cipher seems messed up, it’s only because all of them are.

“I’m your only chance, Pine Tree.” Other Bill has mastered the convincing tone. It’s almost a shame he’s wasting it on the wrong person. “How about you-”

Dipper flips him off. Both hands this time.

With a huff, Other Bill folds his arms. “Fine. Be like that.” He turns slightly away, looking disgruntled. “You’re a stubborn little mortal.”

“I didn’t help my husband take over the world.” Dipper mimics his stance. Turning away a bit himself. “I’m not lifting a finger to help you.”

God, he’s exhausted.

And damn it, now he’s going to have to get Ford to help. It’s going to be ten times more difficult, and way slower. Half of that will be convincing him that yeah, actually, they should try to get Bill back. Throw in whatever this Bill pulls in the Mindscape, and Dipper can already tell this is going to be a huge pain.

“Y’know, if there’s any upside to all of this,” Other Bill starts, slow. Dipper feels himself tense. “It’s that the other guy might make a recovery.”

“I-” Dipper hesitates. 

This is a trick. Manipulation, Bill’s all about that - He grits his teeth. “There’s nothing wrong with him.”

“Oh, how cute. You’re fully delusional!” Other Bill’s tone turns syrup-sickly sweet. It makes Dipper grimace. “Guess other me pulled a great scam on ya! But I gotta tell you…” A slow, serious shake of the head. “He’s sick.”

That’s obviously not - 

True?

Dipper meets Bill's eye and finds nothing but smug sincerity. 

“Being back at my place will be great for him! All the power and influence and stuff you could ever want!” Other Bill spreads his arms at some invisible grandeur. “He’s spent too long in this body, being powerless. You think that’s good for a demon?” A raised eyebrow. “Even the slightest bit healthy?“

And… okay, Bill does spend a lot of time in reality - but he has the Mindscape - Dipper didn’t take that away, that - that has to - 

“No wonder he came down with something! Without other people to manipulate, he had to let it out somewhere!” Bill shakes his head pityingly. “In all this time, the only trick he managed to pull - “ The smirk turns mocking - “Was convincing himself he wanted you.” 

Sincere, still, though - maybe it’s just out of spite, that’s a major part of any Bill’s makeup - But. the way he says it - 

Dipper doesn’t know what to say, he tucks an arm over his stomach. 

For the first time in a while, he really, really wishes he knew less about Bills.

“Yep, I figure a few days of actual autonomy will get his angles straight.” Other Bill sets his fists on his hips, nodding to himself. “No gross body, no boring reality, and most of all - “ He snorts. “No ball and chain.” 

Dipper stands up straight, indignant. “I-”

“Sure, you’ve got an okay brain, I guess.” A sharp, dismissive wave. Dipper feels his face heat up - was he looking? “But your guy’s spent about forty-eight hours getting a taste of real freedom.” A shrug, fingers waving away some invisible stink from Dipper’s hand. “Trust me. He’s already wondering why that seemed like a good idea.”

“He wouldn’t.” Dipper stands firm. No, fuck that. The marriage was Bill’s idea in the first place. “He-”

Dipper stops himself before he says something stupid, shutting his mouth with a click.

He can’t talk about the… other part. 

That thing is true, too. Even though it sounds improbable. Impossible, in fact. It’s too weird, even for a Bill, and definitely too sane. No version of Bill should ever, or would ever do it. 

Other Bill will only think it’s bullshit, and mock him for thinking there was a chance.

Dipper lets his arm drop. His fists clench. 

He knows better.

“Oh, please. And people call me arrogant!” Other Bill stalks forward. “He's already forgotten you, kid. Think about it!"

Dipper doesn't back up - he won't give in, now or ever - but he holds back a flinch. Other Bill is right in his face, now. 

"What's better - Infinite power, freedom, and control over a slice of the multiverse -” He hisses. Teeth bared white in his smile. “Or one mouthy little brat.”

Dipper meets that single, strange, and glowing eye. Not backing up, even an inch. He watches Other Bill’s sneer turn into a glare. 

They’re so close that Dipper can feel the heat of that illusionary body, worn like an ill fitting suit by this… jackass. 

Who’s also a complete, absolute idiot.

“If your place was so great, you wouldn’t have ditched it.” Dipper states, watching Other Bill blink in surprise. Dipper sets his jaw. “So yeah. I think I know what he’d pick.”

No snappy response - Other Bill’s caught off his footing. 

For once, shoving a Bill with all his strength actually makes him back up a step. Dipper straightens his back, suddenly proud.  

“This universe already has a Bill Cipher. Yeah, maybe he hasn’t taken this plane over. Yet.” Or ever, but that’s a minor detail. “But he's a better actor. And smarter. And more vicious, and clever, and…” Saying all of this out loud feels strange. Sheer irritation carries Dipper onward, though he stumbles getting it out. “And funnier, and way cooler than you.”

Other Bill glares at him, but stays silent. The corner of his mouth twitches.

“In every way that counts, he’s better than you.”  He stabs a finger into Other Bill’s chest with each word, back tense and face hot with anger. Stepping forward even as a part of him recognizes this might not be great - “You’re just some dull-witted, myopic knockoff.” 

There’s a long silence. 

Dipper heaves out a breath, trying to calm down. This was. - He shakes his head, disgusted.

“Alright.” Bill nods slowly, almost thoughtful. He lifts his hands in the air with a simple shrug. “I see how it is.”

A  sudden crack sends Dipper reeling. 

He hits the bare ground on his side, breath forced out of his chest. 

When his vision comes back, Dipper stares numbly forward. 

He's on the ground? His left eye doesn't want to stay open, and - and strangely, his ear is ringing, and moments later the pain blooms in his cheek and jaw. Sharp and throbbing all at once -  a splitting headache follows it up a moment later, and Dipper groans. The light hurts his eyes - the one that’s cooperating anyway - so he shuts it.

There’s a muffled sound, and Dipper feels a hard impact on his side, a voice hissing, “-et up.”

This time Dipper rolls onto his back, breath escaping in a huff. Above him, BIll’s standing and smirking, one hand extended downward. Dipper reaches up to take it. 

And the crushing grip, tight around his wrist, sends pain down his arm and the sharp, sick reminder that. Oh. Right. 

This isn’t his Bill

“You,” Other BIll says, grip tightening - Dipper groans, teeth clenched - “Have been spoiled rotten.”

He hauls Dipper up. High up - 

Bill raises him until his feet barely skim the ground. Suspended like this, his whole arm aches, shoulder wrenched upwards -

“Funny thing, though.” Other Bill muses, cupping Dipper’s chin in his other palm. “Maybe I can’t  coax you-”  His thumb digs, hard, into Dipper’s cheek, and a burst of pain sends Dipper’s vision swimming again. “But one good swat and you’re way less mouthy!” 

Dipper can’t pull away, he can’t even find his feet. Grabbing Bill’s arm makes his grip tighten into something sickening, he thinks he feels a crack - kicking out only puts more tension on his already aching arm, twisting it in the socket. 

“Still feisty, huh?” Other Bill tuts softly. Then smirks. He tilts Dipper’s head back. “Now that I know how to handle ya, that's no big deal.”

Bill’s body is unnaturally strong, and he wasn’t pulling the blow. Through a kind of haze, Dipper’s faintly glad Bill went for a slap over a punch. He’s hurting, it’s hard to concentrate - but he doesn’t think his jaw is broken. 

More than anything, Dipper wants to glare, but he can’t lower his chin. He can’t tense his jaw to speak, either. Bill’s thumb burns into his cheek like a brand, a point of stabbing pressure.

“Aw, what’s the matter?” Other Bill shakes Dipper’s face roughly, like a dog worrying a bone. “Not got much to say anymore?”

“Ghnnn.” Not… much of a protest. Best he did was bare his teeth, and the throbbing in his head is twice as bad now - Dipper shuts his mouth before he can make a stupider sound.

Weirdly, this Bill starts grinning even harder.

“Boy, you got some fire in you, Pine Tree. And y’know what?” Bill tilts his head to one side. He chuckles, grinning wider. “I almost see why he didn’t try to snuff it out!”

Other Bill swings him lightly, side to side, before giving him a toss.

Dipper hits the ground again, hard. He props himself up, only to find one wrist won’t support his weight and swears. Sitting up turns from a simple move into an awkward scuffle.

The whole time, Other Bill watches him, with a smirk on his face. Like he’s admiring his work.

Frustration surges in Dipper’s chest. 

Pushing this guy into the Mindscape has moved from a ‘soon’ priority to a ‘now.’ 

There’ll be a chance. Once he stops being grabby. It has to be when he’s not holding on, or Dipper will get dragged along for the trip - and it’s not like things would get better after that.

Dipper takes a slow, shaking breath. “You’re not-”

Other Bill backhands Dipper with an idle smack. “Ah ah ah!” He wags a finger. “I’ve heard enough from you.”

Dipper’s elbow hits the ground, his vision swims. That slap wasn’t as hard as the previous, probably. Just in the same-ish place, resonating with pain like a bell. Normally he’d have a followup, but nothing comes to him.

Damn it, he’s been through fights, more than a few at this point - but this one is messing with him. 

“Despite everything, you could still be useful.” Bill says, low soothing. He kneels in front of Dipper, one elbow on his upraised knee. “Once I get this dimension under my thumb, it’s back to business!”

Dipper wipes at his mouth with the back of his hand. It comes away streaked with red. 

“Work with me here! We could get the whole shebang started,” Other Bill continues, eye bright. “When I’m back in power, things are gonna be great.”

He holds out a hand. 

Dipper stares at it.

“Infinite power. No more bullshit rules.” Leaning in, Other Bill smiles, white and wild. “Help me out, and I’ll even be generous!” He waggles his fingers. “When I control reality - you can have anything you want.”

Dipper looks up at… this Bill. 

At a stranger, puppeting a familiar face. 

It’s a face that Dipper knows so well.

Knowing when it’s happy. When it’s upset. When it’s about to burst out laughing, or starting to sulk. When it’s a different monster behind that mask - when it doesn’t have that hidden contempt behind it - it’s even handsome. 

The distance between them is so close, and his husband’s still a million miles away. 

Other Bill makes a low sound in his throat. Maybe he saw something in Dipper’s own face, because he slowly rises up. 

“Anything,” Other Bills hisses out the words through gritted teeth. “Except that.”

Dipper grunts as Bill grabs him by his hair. He tries to jerk away, but he already has a headache, this just makes things worse.

“He’s outta here, kid. Vanished. Kaput!” Other Bill yanks him forward, and Dipper smacks a palm on the ground before the hold in his hair is the only thing supporting him. “He’s gone.” 

Though Other Bill turns his head upwards - Dipper shuts his eyes. 

“Face it, Pine Tree.” The low words ring in Dipper’s ear’s, and there’s hot breath on his face - “You’re stuck with me.”

Dipper’s been injured before - bruised, some burns, a broken bone - but it wasn’t like this. He knew Bill was strong, but it wasn’t supposed to hurt so bad. 

He feels his head get shaken again. The grip is too tight - Dipper’s eyes are stinging, and frustration burns so hot in his chest that it feels almost physical. 

The second this asshole lets go, he’s out of here. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, or how much Dipper has to work, he’s going to get rid of this jerk, and get his own jerk back. Even if it takes years. Even if it takes decades.

Anger surges inside him, and he struggles. When Dipper looks up at that horrible, smug laughter, he almost sees red in the corner of his eye.

Only…

Other Bill stops cackling. 

He glances over to Dipper’s right and quirks an eyebrow up. 

EIther that’s some complicated ruse, reading Dipper’s emotional state, maybe even what he’s seeing - 

Or - now Other Bill lets him drop, stalking away, eye narrowed - it’s not.

Dipper glances over, and his own eyebrows shoot up. 

Okay.

That's different.

Living in Gravity Falls shows you a lot of weird stuff, if you’re the kind of person who really wants to see it. Not many people get into the gritty details, or do a lot of research. 

Dipper and Ford are probably the only two people who ever really got into it, and Ford’s not here all that often. That leaves Dipper to be the resident Gravity Falls expert. 

This is one even he hasn’t seen before. 

The glow isn’t a figment of his imagination, it’s real.

Real, and weird.

There’s a long, bright eggshell-crack in the middle of the air, glowing in shades of  white-yellow… Something. That one color that Dipper has only seen in the Mindscape. The one Bill thinks is ‘pretty’. 

This thing is the source of the red light, radiating an eerie hellish aura, as the cracks start to grow and spread.

Judging by the way Other Bill looks at it, eye alight with pure avarice - rubbing his hands together, too - 

“Ha! Now there’s what I was looking for!” Other Bill strides forward, grinning wide.

Dipper grimaces.

Well. There’s his freaking ‘wound in the skin of reality’, apparently.

Just great.

 “A rift.” Other Bill purrs. He clenches his fist, grinning wide and triumphant. He starts laughing, loud and wild, lifting his arms -  “Finally, a good surprise!”

And around him, the earth shifts, and changes. 

Several rocks totter away on unsteady, newly-formed legs. A bird darts overhead and sprouts several more wings - and a the head of a deer - before it burst into flames with a squawk. 

Dipper feels his blood run cold.

Shit.

The skin of a dimension keeps its internal rules in place. When there’s a break in that, things get shifting, and strange, it isn’t meant to work like this. Just like Bill in the Mindscape - in a place where he isn’t restricted - 

When nothing enforces ‘you can’t’ - he has enough power to stand up and ask ‘why not?’

“It’s about time.” Other Bill’s laughter turns into a cackle. He stands in front of that new break in the universe, shoulders squared. “I can’t wait to get started!”

Proud, and full of his own power. 

All of it.

“Welp, guess I don’t need you anymore!” Other Bill shrugs, tilting his head with a coy grin. “Credit where it’s due - it wasn’t boring, Pine Tree!” He waves, and winks. “I’ll at least give ya that!”

Dipper watches as he paces forward - then pause. Other Bill lifts a finger in the air.

“But then again…” Other Bill hums for a moment. Dipper feels a tendril of dread seep into him.

Then Other Bill curls his finger towards himself, and Dipper gets dragged over the dirt by an invisible force.

“When it comes to you, eh.” Other Bill waggles a hand, and winks. “Maybe I’ll-”

The world goes ‘zmm’ for a moment with a taste of oranges, and a smell like earwax. The air wibbles like it’s under intense heat, only with a paisley pattern. 

Other Bill starts. He turns back towards the rift, somewhat surprised. "What."

And Dipper skids to a stop, bracing himself on the ground. He clutches at the bare dirt like it’s a lifeline, heart pounding in his chest. 

He can’t tell what’s going on. He doesn’t know what to do. But whatever’s stopping Other Bill from acting, he could practically kiss it, he’s so grateful. 

And a hand bursts out of the rift, cracking it further open. 

The motion sends not-real splinters of unreality shattering to the forest floor, bubbling up into nothingness. Dipper stares as it pats around for a moment, until it finds another part of the crack, and pushes. 

It’s a weird hand. A strange hand, black and formlessly weird. 

Instantly recognizable.

The hat pops out next. Then a top corner emerges, with a single eye shut as he strains. 

Other Bill smacks himself over the eye, muttering. “You have got to be kidding me.”

Dipper feels his heart surge, and he starts to smile. 

Bill Cipher always comes back. 

His Bill is there, Dipper can feel the bond bright inside him, like a light. Showing exactly who it is, and where he is, right down in his soul. Not distant anymore, not gone anywhere, Bill’s right there.

Bill swears, and shoves, and pushes against that interdimensional wound until his bottom angles follow him out, popping fully into reality -

And he instantly flops to the ground. Surface first, with a resonating ‘thud’. There’s some muffled swearing. Bill’s legs flail in the air. 

“Blegh.” Bill shakes himself. “Stupid friggin’-” He shoves himself up off the ground, muttering in a distinctly grumpy manner. “Lousy hack built the worst goddamn-” 

Other Bill coughs into his fist, turning away and looking distinctly uncomfortable. A bad look for one Bill must bruise both their egos. 

“Whoo! Now that was a trip,” Bill says, finally over himself. He starts dusting off his sides. He glances back at the rift, rolling in its socket. “Not as dramatic an entrance as I’d like, but eh,” He shrugs and floats in the air, lower eyelid lifted and arms raised. “Hey, Gravity Falls! Good to be back!” 

Doing the impossible is in Bill’s purview, and usually Dipper tries to figure it out. There’s always questions when it comes to his demon. Always the urge to make it seem reasonable.

This time, Dipper has no questions, at all. Bill can do whatever the hell he likes.

“And boy, lemme tell ya,” Bill continues, brushing his hat off. He plops it down to float over his top corner, fists resting on his sides. “You would not believe the day I’ve had.”

Other Bill clears his throat, and steps forward, halfway blocking Dipper’s view. The jerk. 

“Huh.” Bill folds his arms over himself, leaning forward, eye narrow. “You.”

“Well, well, well,” Other Bill says. There’s a smile on his face, with no humor behind it. “If it isn’t Bill! Nice to see ya!”

“Bill.” Bill floats closer, looking him over. His fingers drum on his other arm. “Real nice to meet ya.” A clear and blatant lie.

There’s a long, awkward silence. 

“So….” Other Bill trails off, clearly searching for a topic. Once he alights on one, he grins. “How was the vacation?” A wink. “ Thought you might need one, considering…” He waves over… everything. “Your place.”

“Oh, ‘vacation’, he says.” Bill makes the finger quotes, flaring bright gold. “Sure, I've had a good look around your digs.” He sets his fists on his sides. “And lemme tell ya, I was not impressed.”

Other Bill snorts - though his back straightens in offense “C’mon, it’s pre-conquered! Free reign over a whole plane!” He spreads his arms wide with a smile. “Compared to this craphole, what’s not to like?”

“Oh, of course! Why didn’t I think of that?” Bill smacks his top corner, low and sarcastic. “Except that taking things over is seventy percent of the fun!” Bill glows brighter, slightly tinged with red. “You plopped your pre-chewed gum of a dimension in my palm outta friggin’ nowhere!”

Other Bill draws himself up self-importantly. “Like what you’ve got is-”

“Ah, cram it. I didn’t come back for this.” Bill shoves him to one side, dismissive, and floats right past him. Other Bill stays upright, but his shoes leave a streak in the dirt. He sputters, indignant. Bill glares, pointing two fingers at him. “I’ll deal with you later.”

As that single, strange eye finally alights on him, Dipper scrambles to get to his feet.

He wants to see Bill again. He wants to grab this stupid triangle and shake him, and yell at him, try and crush those metal angles like a tin can in his arms, even though it’s impossible -

“Hey there, sapling!” Bill spreads his noodly black arms wide, lower eyelid raised, and glowing. “How’re you-”

Only when Dipper moves to prop himself onto his feet, he forgets about his wrist.

It fails within the first push - Dipper swears - and he thumps back down into the dirt.

Across the clearing, Bill’s slit pupil narrows to a thin line. His arms drop.

Great. Instead of leaping up, and being cool and dramatic, Dipper looked dumb.

He lets his head drop onto the ground. Even the rest of his face feels hot now. 

Shit, he should -

“Hm.” It’s a low, displeased sound. 

Then Dipper hears Other Bill speak up - 

“Oh no. No no no no, and no. C’mon, you’re smarter than this.” Other Bill sounds almost… scolding? “Believe it or not, I got an understanding of your particular damage.” His voice holds a sneer. “You gotta know how messed up you are!”

Okay, what?

Dipper rolls onto his side, pushing himself into a sitting position. He has to see this. 

His Bill’s gone fully red now. Growing, and - actually, he keeps growing, eye black and full of golden symbols. He cracks nonexistent knuckles. One hand, then the other.

“Oh come on! This is bullshit!” Other Bill looks up at him with disgust, head tilting back as Bill grows. Some confusion flickers over his face. He glances over, waves an arm at Dipper. “He’s just a-”

One enormous hand draws its index finger back, and flicks.

Watching Other Bill sail over - then through - some of the treeline makes Dipper feel the best he has in at least two days. 

By the distant, but loud cracking of branches - Dipper winces at a particularly loud one - That Bill… might not be out of commission. But it’ll be a long, long walk to get back to the rift he wanted.

“Welp!” Bill shrinks down again, brushing off his hands. Golden again, and bright. “That’s a problem for later.” He casts a glare at the arc Other Bill made through the branches, and sets his hands on his sides. “Jeez, what a prick.”

Bill floats over, and Dipper glances up at the irritated, eerie shape in front of him “As for you, kid. -”

Bill’s triangular form starts to wobble and shift. Weirdly bright, and oddly silent. Dipper shuts his eyes against the light. When he looks again, it’s at -

A recognizable face. With a bright grin on said face, charming and pleased. 

“Bet you’re glad to see a familiar look. Huh?” Bill - in a human shape, the one he’s always in - winks. “Get it?” He waits for a beat - then rolls his eye, and holds out an arm towards Dipper. “Alright, get up already.”

Dipper just…  stares at him for a moment. 

He did know Bill could shapeshift. Size and color and some varieties of geometry he’s seen, but he wasn’t aware it could be this… thorough. Though he supposes Bill hasn’t really had much reason; he’s not typically out of shape. 

Bill’s grin falls by a fraction. “Sure, don’t break out the party crackers and champagne or anything. Totally wasn’t a pain in the angles getting that mess sorted.” He jerks a thumb in the rift’s direction. He waits a bit, then pushes the smile back on his face. “Aw, you’re too stunned to react! C’mere!”

Dipper gets hauled up, Bill holding him under his arms. He shuts his eyes, and clenches his jaw tight. Bill’s grip isn’t hard - if anything it’s less so than usual -  but Dipper’s wrist really didn’t like being moved again.

“What, did you think I wouldn’t show up?” Bill’s grin widens. He’d probably be preening if he wasn’t holding Dipper up like he just won a carnival prize - though his gaze keeps darting over Dipper. “Like you’d get rid of me that easy.”

Dipper doesn’t have a response ready. He… should probably think of one.

Nothing comes to mind, though. Mostly there’s headache and faceache and just… ache, with relief and surprise fighting for the steering wheel. Wit’s so far in the backseat it might as well be in the trunk.

Bill’s grin continues falling by degrees; it falters. Glancing over Dipper, up and down, turning him slightly side to side

“C’mon, sapling, speak up.” Dipper gets jostled, just a quick couple bounces. Now Bill’s face is strange, and serious. He even pauses, and Dipper dimly realizes he hasn’t seen this expression before - “I hate it when you won’t talk.”

True enough. His Bill hates not getting a response, the attention hogging, narcissistic - 

Dipper breathes in, shakily, and sighs. He looks at his stupid demon, exasperated. “Put me down, Bill.”

The grin blooms again, even brighter this time. “Ha! I don’t think so!” Dipper watches Bill’s posture change as relief rises off him like steam. He pulls Dipper closer, pressing an overly-dramatic smooch on his jaw. “You already had your vacation from me, Pine Tree. I’ll do whatever I want!”

It’s ridiculous, and - and maybe a little sentimental, but Dipper feels heat rise to his face. Like warmth spreads out from where Bill’s touching him.

Dipper blinks rapidly, and clears his throat. “Let me down?” He tugs at Bill's arm, just gently.

“Alright, alright,” Bill, surprisingly, relents without much fight. He sets Dipper on his feet, smile fading somewhat. “Let’s have a look at ya, anyway.” 

“I’m fine.” Dipper lets his forehead drop against Bill’s shoulder. It’s solid and warm. Tension is dropping out of his shoulders, which is probably why they’re shaking. 

Dipper’s been in worse shape - and in better - but things are a hell of a lot finer than even three minutes ago. 

“Right,” Bill says, very dry. Dipper gets pushed slightly away, a knuckle tilts his chin upwards. “‘Cause this just screams fine, like a horrorshow!” Bill’s eye darts over his face - frowning now, lips drawn tight. “Where else did he get ya?”

Weird question. "Nothing serious.”  Dipper tries tucking his arm by his side, but that only makes Bill's face turn down more. “It’s cool.”

"It's only 'cool', for a guy who's lost all sense of thermoregulation." Bill tugs Dipper’s arm up by the elbow, glaring at his wrist. Admittedly, it is swelling a little. “You’re real crap at lying.”

Dipper watches as Bill taps a warm finger on the reddening skin, and sucks in a sharp breath. Bill’s lip twitches. He lets the arm down carefully, only to grasp Dipper’s sides. 

“Don’t bother covering stuff up, ‘cause for once I’m not messing with you.” Bill says, flat this time. "Own up to the rest, already." And at Dipper’s look of confusion - Bill tugs him closer, strangely serious. ”He wouldn’t have started with the face.”

Dipper swallows, and nods. 

Sure, he knows Bill -  but Bill definitely knows himself, so that’s. Deeply unnerving, on multiple levels.

But also, thankfully, wrong. 

Bill’s running his hands up and down, squeezing like he’s checking for a soft spot on some produce. Not finding much - though there’s a spot on Dipper’s ribs he hadn’t noticed himself. For some reason Bill’s only more insistent after that -

“Hey.” Dipper taps Bill on the cheek. He offers a half-smile, the best he can manage. It startles Bill enough that his inspection slows. “I missed you.”

Maybe Bill has a follow up to that. Maybe he’s going to insult, or - something, but fuck it, Dipper did miss him, and - 

He wraps his arms around his husband. One can’t join in properly, but Dipper thumps Bill between the shoulders, and hugs on tight.

Let him try to get away from this.

Possessive arms clamp around him in response. A comforting bear trap that Dipper intentionally set off, even if it isn’t nearly as squishing as usual. Like Bill isn’t certain how much to hold him, even though he’s had plenty of experience.

Dipper relaxes into it anyway. 

When Bill shapeshifted, he must have used the body template he’s used to wearing. Even now, Dipper can feel his heart, steady and comforting, beating somewhat faster than the usual second-and-a-half pace.

Then Bill sighs. “Well, whatever. You’re pretty intact! All limbs accounted for and everything!” A firm kiss gets planted on Dipper’s forehead. Then another on his temple, before Bill basically shoves Dipper’s face against his neck. Adding a couple thumps of his own on Dipper’s back. “Not too shabby, all things considered.”

Bill finally squeezes Dipper’s waist with one arm. His other hand cups the back of Dipper's head, fingers carding through Dipper’s hair, once, then twice.

Every time Bill wants to hug Dipper close, he throws in human-abnormal pressure. Not painful, just to one side of uncomfortable; like he’ll never, ever let Dipper escape his grasp.

Dipper matches it as well as he can. He kind of gets it now.

With the sounds of the forest, and Bill here, and holding him, it’s almost like things are normal. Quiet and still, while he feels the warmth of Bill's body his arms, and the bright red glow of the air - 

Dipper jerks his head up.

Staring at the still-extant crack in reality.

Thankfully it doesn’t seem to have grown since, but if he looks too close it kinda hurts his eyes. And part of his brain.

“Uh.” Dipper taps Bill a few times on the shoulder. There's a sigh against his scalp, as Bill hums something quietly. Dipper taps a little harder. “Bill?”

“What?” The word is slightly muffled by Dipper’s hair. 

Dipper nudges him. “Should I be worried about that?”

“Hm?” It takes Bill a moment - he tilts his head, following Dipper’s gaze - then smirks. He snorts, like Dipper pointed out a big scary bug in the bathroom. “Pfft, oh, that.” 

True to form, a ten-foot eggshell crack in the flesh of the universe doesn’t seem like a big deal to him. Dipper leans back and meets his eye skeptically.

“That’s barely a papercut, not a genuine fistula. Nothing important..” Bill waves over the rift, other arm staying tight on Dipper’s waist. “We got bigger fish to fry!”

Dipper hesitates. “Uh.” He darts a look at the rift, then back again. “Really?”

“Oh, definitely! That Bill and I have some unfinished business,” Bill’s eye glows red, and his grin shows an absurd amount of teeth. “We’ve gotta have a little chat.”

#Bill vs Bill #Okay now what to say in the tags #Without spoiling anything in the post hmmmm except okay there's a little violence guys #Okay first of all yes the thing gets further elaborated on in the next part #Second I wonder how many people googled that word and went 'ew' #And third this entire concept was so big brained because #While Bill would look at pretty much any other demon or monster or abomination and go 'eh he can handle it' #If there's one being in the multiverse Bill isn't going to underestimate it's himself #And Bill knows to the Exact Degree how nasty he can get #He had a whole two days to stew in that knowledge #With only the information that Dipper was still alive which is arguably not all that helpful #Dipper's usually got the runaway imagination but Bill's isn't any less powerful in terms of imagery and creativity #I've already started writing the fourth and final part and hopefully that'll go over well #Hopefully this part goes over well and you liked it! #Other/Weirdmaggedon Bill is not very happy about this turn of events as you can imagine #Things aren't just going to get nasty they're gonna get PERSONAL #Our Bill would shell out huge amounts of cash or favors to hear some of those things Dipper said #I hope you enjoy this silly fic and thank you for reading #Just one more part left though it'll be a big one! #I even have a fun epilogue idea that I may never get to but we'll see how things go

[sugar--pain]

Kinda tempted to go back to identifying as aromantic but from the perspective of "I have chosen to love everyone that I have dated. I can choose to stop." but I don't know how well that would go over.

#I mean easily parts of us can identify as such just not collectively #so i guess that's why I'm saying it here #like. it's not wrong #some part of my brain has always decided that for whatever reason loving someone was in my best interest. #and only then did I develop interest Like That. #Usually we would like someone and want their attention want to be their friend and they'd develop interest #and we'd adjust to match their energy because they wanted that from us #for a while we argued amongst each other #that it wasn't valid if we didn't agree. pondering if this is ever valid #i saw people say it was popular to say that we don't choose to love #but i just don't relate to that #i know exactly how my brain works. and i can successfully convince it to love someone. and i can successfully convince it to stop. #i don't think being calculative is wrong #and honestly i think our feeling these things aren't genuine just because we can control it. it doesn't seem fair. #i'm fully capable of love. and there's nothing wrong with me deciding to love because it seems like it'd benefit us both. #and if we're already feeding each other anyway i just don't see anything wrong with accepting what's happening. #i don't like the expectations that get pulled with it. #i want to be able to independently decide what and when i want. i don't like labels. #i like that we're an anarchist but not everyone can even be on the same page about what that means #i know we left the aromantic community because they got too specific and a lot of ideas became too stiff and twisted in to reactionary #misunderstandings but how long can we keep leaving communities and cutting ourself off in to something nebulous #because of a problem that'll folllow us no matter where we go? #i think we can define ourselves any number of ways #i don't think any of them are wrong #bigger fools than i have claimed identities that were more maligned than my own #and when it's inevitable who's to say it's wrong #we're all who we are at the end of the day. these words can't contain or quantify us #they can be shortcuts but they can't define us #this is just how i live. it's about give and take #vv

[anarcho-yorpism]

To all the communist transvestites, VOTE👏VON👏HINDENBURG👏

I'm just as radical as you; I'm a proud member of the great Social Democratic Party of Germany! I don't know what the crazy communists are telling you, but Paul von Hindenburg is our only hope to defeat the Nazis. After we elect him, then we can discuss other politics, but this is the BARE MINIMUM, and if you don't vote for him, you clearly have this crazy purity test that'll bring us all to fascism.

I know you might be worried about his "senility" and "failing health", and I know you may not like him because of his push to the right, and I know you may be worried about the brownshirts, and the recent persecution of Dr. Hirschfeld and his work, and maybe you STILL haven't gotten over the whole Rosa Luxemburg stuff,

but none of that really matters! We need to keep the SPD in power, or else Hitler will get in charge! This is the most important and most basic thing you could do to help Germany stay a democracy. In 6 years, then maybe we can find a better candidate, but no matter what you think about von Hindenburg, he's the best shot we have at keeping the fascists out of power. We can totally push him left!

Any vote against von Hindenburg is a vote for Hitler. #Hindenburg1932

#find something better to do with your time #rather than pestering leftists to vote for a genocidal monster #you didn't push him left he pulled you right #go shut down iof and alt-right events like the rest of us #this exact situation has played out before #nazi germany #hitler #anarchism #communism #joe biden #biden #donald trump #vote blue #please vote #vote democrat #vote #fascism #rosa luxemburg #magnus hirschfeld #vote blue no matter who #fuck trump #go vote #us elections #kamala harris #2024 elections #election 2024 #2024 presidential election #us presidential election #anarchist #leftist

[rusmii]

[𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄] 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐘 𝐃'𝐬

beast!chuuya x fem!reader x beast!dazai

🧷.... sometimes, being obsessively infatuated with your bosses was okay!

A/N ° i need more bsd moots 😭💔 ngl i didn't like it.. i like the beginning, but the middle to end was erm.. this a bit freaky yawl🙏

C/WS ° w/c: 1.5k+++ | a bit of humiliation (reader wants to jump off a building), breach of privacy, unprofessional relationships, reader stutters a lot due to nervousness, sex by the book (readers personal fanfic of a 3way), implied no used protection, dazai likes getting cucked, p->v, voyeurism, clit stimulation, ball sucking & dazai tongue-rimming chuuya's hole (im not sorry), creampie, power dynamic, Chuuya is a bit mean :(, bickering in the middle of sex, DOM!SKK, SUB!READER, petnames, NOT PROOFREAD, ALL BANNERS/DIVIDERS MADE BY ME.

Walking through the double doors, you were met with your boss and his right-hand man staring right at you; waiting for you. The silence consumed the room when you heard the doors shut, cueing you to walk forward until you reached his desk — stopping to take a bow and greet them. "You called for me, sir?" You say, unsure on how to properly greet your superiors. With a flick of his hand, Dazai, the Mafia's boss, gestures for Chuuya, your boss, to do something.

A grumble left Chuuya's lips as he pushed his weight off the table he was leaning on. Walking over to where you were at, he suddenly has a grip on your arm and drags you with him to where Dazai sat at. "Chuuya~ Not too rough, she's a delicate little thing," He sighs, no sour note on his end. Chuuya clicks his tongue but decides against talking back — sitting you down onto Dazai's lap.

Confused, you wriggle in his lap. "Um.. - Sir...?" A quiet question came from you. You didn't want to say anything that'll upset the two men in the room, so you chose to sound neutral until you were given answers. A shuffle of sounds Chuuya made while rummaging inside the desks drawers dragged you back from your thoughts — a hand rested on your waist as Chuuya pulls out what seems to be a book.

"This seem familiar to ya, doll?" He waves the flimsy thing around. Its presence almost made you choke on air. "Where - How? - " — "Don't worry 'bout that." He cuts you off, opening your diary to the first few pages. Dazai laughs at his executives' reaction upon reading the contents of your not-so-secret thoughts anymore. "Naughty little minx has Chuuya in a gawk!" The soft rumble of his laugh caused you to feel like throwing yourself off the top of the Port Mafia's building.

Admist your embarrassment, you could hear Chuuya whistling. "Damn - boss, take a look at this!" He throws the diary to Dazai, who barely caught it. Not bothering to lift your hung head that laid low, you pick at your nail bed. Dazai rebalances himself, glancing at Chuuya's choppy smirk before reading the page for himself. A second later, and he's giggling to himself. "Oh my!~ Chuuya, our darling is so..!"

Cutting himself off, Dazai stifles a giggle. But despite that, Chuuya knew the ending to his sentence: compatible with us.

He snorts, "Yeah, she is." Chuuya then steps closer, folding over a bit so now that he's just above eye level with you. Using a gloved hand, he lifts your head by your chin — his fingers meshed on your chin. "Hmmm~ Whatever shall we do with our minx boss?" He rubs the corner of your lips, already guessing the bunch of scenarios in Dazai's mind. "Dunno! Shall we follow her guide ?" Dazai sneakily suggests.

Looking over your shoulder slightly, Dazai's slim smile told you that this was going to be your only opportunity at being this intimate with them — and like hell you were going to throw this overboard.

°

"Sweetheart, eyes down there," Chuuya reminds you. Adjusting your eyesight down to where it was supposed to be, Dazai's playful expression is the first thing you see — "Darling minx, needs to learn how to focus better!" He gave your clit a light tap. You flinched, not expecting for him to do that. Feeling the slight movement, Chuuya bit his lip to suppress a groan.

"Fuck - Dolly, don't squeeze me like that," he said. You relax your body, walls loosening up around his dick. "Sorry..." You apologize quietly, but a small suction around your clit made you release a strained moan. "Ah-nn!~" Chuuya's hands wrapped themselves around your waist, preventing you from squirming too much. "Geez - relax [Name]. Dazai, stop that shit it's my dick being squeezed, not yours," he snaps at the brunette.

Said brunette releases your clit from its stimulation, making you whine from the lost of contact. "Umm.." You wanted them to do something: anything, instead of just making you cockwarm Chuuya and watch your boss toy with different parts of your body. "Hm?" Dazai inquires, the tip of his index finger slipping around your pelvic area. Without saying anything, you bring their attention back to your diary. "Ne-next line.. Says for Person A to start instructing Person B to uh.. - " Hesitation bubbled up inside you.

Should you really be telling them what to do? To live out your dark fantasies was a dream already, a well-kept secret at that — but to think you were sitting here, naked from the bottom-up in front of your two superiors, all because they found your diary. Chuuya sighs, hips thrusting sharply as a way to get you to stop overthinking. "Uh oh, I did something without our boss's permission." He winks at Dazai, leaning forward so that his view of Dazai was more amicable.

Dazai doesn't get up from where he's kneeling. Instead, he grabs the diary from atop the desk, sliding it off the edge. His eyes scan the written text, a smirk widening as he does so. Coughing to clear his throat, he reads the next section out loud. "Person B is to listen to every command Person A instructs - Handling Person C with care as Person A takes care of the other two." He pauses midway.

"Chuuya," Dazai suddenly calls out for his executive. Chuuya raises a brow, using the arm rest to lean his elbow on. "I want you to bounce her very gently on your dick please!~" What sounded like a nice request was actually a command in plain sight. Not wasting a single second after that, Chuuya's hands made its way back around your waist, pushing you up to readjust both of your previous positions.

Before he continued, Chuuya rested his head on your shoulder. "Wanna back out while you still can?" He whispers into your ear. But what you heard was, 'Quit the game now before you can't pause midway.'

Shaking your head, you move your hips slowly, a clear direction of what your intentions truly were. A smile made its way on both of their faces, Dazai giving Chuuya a nod to continue what he was doing. Lifting you up slightly, Chuuya pushes his hips back into the chair before mushing his crotch against your ass. Grinding you slowly on his lap, Chuuya let's himself loose — a breathy moan hot against your nape.

"Good," Dazai commends. "Ah - my lovely subordinates are so good for me~" He giggles to himself, sitting back and watching as Chuuya's dick eases in and out of your entrance. The slippery gush of your arousal dirtying Chuuya's pants made Dazai's boxer strain a bit. Every spasm of your walls, each convulsion, and the tiny squirms that rotated your hips in movement had Chuuya gritting his teeth — it taking most of his will-power to power through the urge to get up and fold you I half.

"Neh~ Chuuya is such a good pup." Dazai says, irritating the poor man to his core. "Shut the fu-gnck up!" He moans frustrated by hearing his boss's voice. "Your shit talk is turning me off." That was a lie, and they both knew it. You moan, unbothered by their small bickering. "Ahn~ Ogh!~" You suddenly let out, surprising Chuuya. "Th-at! There!~ Please!~" You wriggle in his lap, attempting to find that spot he brushed over again.

Chuuya's hands stop you from moving much further, causing you to whine. "But I almost found it! It was right there! - " — "Quit your fuckin' whining, boss didn't say you can just move." He cuts you off, clicking his tongue in annoyance. "He ordered me to move, not you. So - " He stops, giving you a sharp thrust directly into your spot that made you gasp. " - Sit on my cock like a good girl and do as ordered."

You squeal, legs threatening to close, "Ug!~ HN!~ Yes s-ir~" Chuuya's dick rubbed along your spot as a response. The tender, raw feeling of being so intimately close to him had your cunt becoming more erotic by the second, and he could feel it. "Fuck~ - Shit she's dirty as hell," Chuuya moans, Dazai humming in agreement after seeing how wet Chuuya's thighs were.

For the next few minutes, it was absolute radio silence from them. Despite your constant moaning and mild movement from Chuuya — Dazai still hadn't taken any initiative. Well, until just now. "You two been at it for a while now, haven't you guys?" He asks, breaking the silence.

Observing the two sitting in front of him for a second, Dazai bends his knees so now that he's kneeling in front of your entrance. "Chuuya, spread her legs." Upon command, said male lifts your underside and held it in place — hips still rutting slowly. Now, with a clear view of Chuuya's slime coated dick, he moves his head in — planting a kiss on your clit before he dragged his tongue down from your slit all the way to the base of Chuuyas cock.

Chuuya shudders, his breath hitched as he stops all movement and stares at his boss wide-eyed. "What- What the hell was that for?!" Dazai doesn't give him answer, choosing to occupy his tongue with a mouth full of Chuuya's sack. He grunts, resuming with bouncing you on his dick.

You let out a breathy moan, air escaping your lung with each slap of skin contact you made with the ginger. He let's out small sighs of pleasure, not letting himself get too carried away with how good your pussy felt. "Fucking shit - 'Zai needa feel this one day," He snickers jokingly. "Oh, I will! Just letting 'Bella live out her little fantasies before we actually get her down good." His voice treads lightly in the room, Dazai's attention now fixated on your clit.

"Hm.. yeah, just like that. Hold her exactly as is," Dazai orders for his executive to keep the same grip he has on you now — expecting for him not to falter in strength. "Yes sir," he complies rather quickly, not objecting as he usually does. Still keeping up his slow pace, Chuuya feels your sudden shuffle on him: already assuming what his boss was doing.

"F-uck! Boss!~" Arching your back, you finally rest your head on Chuuya's collar line, a groan leaving his lips when he feels your walls spasm around his dick. "Damn it - Dazai - Shit!~" He throws his head back on the chair. "Sweets, ya' feel so good~" His head returns to its original position, a nip to your nape brings your cunt to convulse again.

"Doesn't she?" Dazai quips from beneath you, igniting another spark in the redhead. "Shut up, and keep doing whatever the hell you're doin' right now." — "Nu-ah-ah!~" Dazai cuts him off, now using his fingers to gently stimulate your clit as a replacement. "Good dogs don't bark at their owners, right kitty?" He asks you, a sloppy grin placed on his lips as he sees a short sighted scowl tug on Chuuya's.

Suddenly the mood was shifted — You could feel the high rising tension in the room, along with your slow approaching orgasm that was rising with every bump to your spot and clit. "Uhgn!~ I - 'M almost there! Sir, I'm cum- Gonna cum!~" — "Gawh!~ Chuuya, you hear that? Come on now, fasten your pace." Dazai cooes, slapping Chuuya's knee.

He grunts, biting back an insult. Moving your entire body so now that your ass was flushed right on his dick — Chuuya roughly thrusts up, then another came, and another. "OGHnn!!~" You threw your head back, the sudden change of treatment had your hips trembling in place. Dazai leans into your thighs, mimicking a train line of hickies and marks from your inner thighs to Chuuya's. As he lowers his head, he notices Chuuya's slightly lifted arse — taking this chance, he give his puckered hole a kiss before sticking out his tongue to trace along the rim.

A shot of pleasure shot up Chuuya's spine. Shifting midair, he feels Dazai grip his knees, and his tongue threatening to enter his hole. No words were exchange, Chuuya's priceless groans matched your moans. His cock already about to tip over the edge within the next few thrusts. As you were squealing both of their names, you felt Chuuya's grip on you tighten — his high pitched groan sending shivers all over your body as he shoots ropes of creamy white into your cunt, making you squeeze your walls and milk him for all he's worth.

Your eyes shut, legs straining into a stick when you feel Dazai rubbing your clit — Both him and Chuuya helping to get you to cum, despite Chuuya's slight overstimulation. "C'mon baby, you can do it," Chuuya says. His tinsy whines paired with Dazai's soft kisses and gentle cruzing finally made you break. White washes down your vision as your pussy uncontrollably spasms around the executives dick. He hisses, but still holds his composure, making sure that Dazai was able to get you off till the end.

"Oh fuck - geez, that's it hun. There she goes; good girl," Whispering from behind you, he watches mesmerized at the sight of Dazai's slobbered coated face. It takes him a minute, but Chuuya manages to slowly slip his dick out of you — his cum oozing out in a thick goop as soon as he drops you onto his lap to rest his arms. You lay limp on his chest, both of you breathing heavily from your intense orgasms.

Dazai hums contently at the view of both of his fucked out partners. Getting up, he grabs the discarded diary and read the remain of what was left on the page. He looks at Chuuya, who was staring at him awaiting his next orders while softly rubbing your stomach in a soothing manner.

haiii:3 can't believe i wrote this but here we are huh...

upcoming projects <3

ATTWR — n. chuuya x fem!reader series: chapter 1, PEACH FUZZ

vampire!dazai x fem!reader — forbidden love, angst, character death (unintended double suicide)

breeding hub event reqs <3

a brat tamer fyo hcs/or fic (still haven't decided)

a fyo fic for my lovely moot reverie <3

rules (for m.list) | taglist: @luvan1 @bfdazai @asqmi @squigglewigglewoo @liviash @doonifox @ishqani @xxcandlelightxx @iheartpieck @ezelium @saelique @little-miss-chaoss

#𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗥𝗨𝗡𝗜⸸⸸ #d for chuuyas dick #and d for dazai #I DIDNT EXPECT THIS TO BE SO LONG AAAHH💀 #chuuya x reader #dazai x reader #chuuya x you #dazai x you #chuuya x y/n #dazai x y/n #chuuya x reader x dazai #chuuya smut #dazai smut #beast!dazai x reader #beast!chuuya x reader #bsd x reader #bsd smut

[hypewinter]

There is an information blackout on Amity Park and the GIW are indeed involve. But not in the way most expect. They think ghosts are involved and the GIW have been trying to break the blackout in increasingly unhinged ways. Like a missile to the Ghost Zone unhinged

Ok so we're going for the ghosts and ectoplasm in the air create a natural blackout route? Naturally the GIW think they're helping. They think they're freeing the people of Amity Park (by any means necessary). At first they try simply eradicating the ghosts. But they quickly realized that the random stragglers they've been capturing aren't the true source of the problem. So they track a ghost back to the source and find something far stranger than their wildest imaginations: A portal to a space LEAKING ghosts and ectoplasm. So that's why our methods weren't working! Nothing to do with our incompetent. Nope nothing to do with that at all.

One eviction of a family of four and a quick relocation of their gear later and the GIW is ready to free this poor impoverished town. The GIW set up bombs around the inside of the portal and set them off in triumph..... Except the portal doesn't close. Hmmmm that was weird, they must've all been duds. Welp! No matter we'll try again. But the explosives don't go off this time either. As it turns out, the zone seeped out all the energy of the bombs before they had a chance to explode. Honestly that seems a little unfair but fine, they'll just unleash something on the portal that'll destroy it before it can suck up all its energy. A grenade should do. No big deal.

Or perhaps a big deal indeed? Because the grenade also ends up losing power before it takes out the Ghost Zone. No no no! The GIW is getting desperate. Nothing is working. Not the rocket launchers, not the tank rounds, not even the missiles. Meanwhile their superiors are constantly breathing down their necks and the people of Amity Park are getting more and more uncooperative by the day.

Why!? Don't they see we're just trying to help!? Why do they insist on us leaving!? Why are they starting to protect the ghosts!? Oh, we get it now. This whole town has been corrupted. You don't live this close to a portal to another realm without getting contaminated. That's why they're siding with these things. Because they're becoming more like them everyday. The people of Amity Park are all too far gone. They cannot be saved anymore. But this Ghost Zone must still be destroyed. To prevent it from affecting any more people.

Say.... if these people have already become inhuman and we need a blast big enough to destroy this place once and for all, can't we just.... you know.... nuke it? Hey yeah. That's a good idea, let's do it.

----

While the GIW have been devising up ways to destroy the zone, Danny has been working hard himself. For starters, he capitalized on his parents newfound hatred for the GIW to reveal himself. Which went well all things considered. Then he and the others set to work showing the townspeople how much more destructive the GIW were than the ghosts (which honestly wasn't very hard). Day by day, they continued to show everyone that the ghosts weren't so bad and were actually even quite similar to themselves. Day by day they won everyone over to their side. While they did so, they spied on the GIW, continuously using the intel they gained to sway more people. It was during one such spy mission that Danny uncovered what the GIW had planned. The horror they wanted to unleash. Yet he can't stop it alone. No, there's not enough people and not enough time. There's only one option he has left.

----

It was supposed to be a standard meeting for the Justice League. For once all things were quiet (that should have been their first red flag honestly). All they had to do was get through one last debrief from Batman and they were all home free. That is until a boy phases through the table, begging for their help to save his species from ah annihilation.

#dp x dc #dc x dp #dpxdc #dcxdp #winter answers #this became longer than i wanted it to be #whoops #thanks for the ask!

[thebibliosphere]

if/when you ever have the energy for it, do you have any resources/suggestions for dealing with adhd understimulation when trying to rest or relax? I'm supposed to be resting and not doing tasks but all the resources I've found seem to be about ✨accomplishing your goals✨ and ✨doing tasks✨ and mostly I just want to lie down for a few hours without chewing through the bedposts

Funny, that. It's almost like there's a problem with ADHD resources prioritizing productivity over rest and mental well-being.

Understimulation genuinely makes me want to crawl out of my skin, so I getcha. It's hard to rest when your brain feels like a shark that'll die if it stops moving.

One thing I've found helpful is guided meditation. I suck at the regular kind, but if there's a voice to guide me through it, I find it much easier. I also like watching nature walks on YouTube. There are quite a few left over from the pandemic when that was a big thing.

Adult coloring books were also something my therapist got me to do when I was going through major mental and physical burnout and my brain was climbing the walls. It felt creative and productive while also being not too tasking.

Word puzzles were also something I did a lot of. I tried to avoid doing them on my phone lest I get sucked into a social media doom scroll, but sometimes doing games on your phone can be a good way to decompress.

If you can handle audiobooks, those can be easier than reading sometimes. I get the majority of mine through Libby these days.

Also, something random that I found helpful with calming my brain down was green light. I used it initially for migraine treatment (green light therapy), but I've also found it helps with sleep and relaxation. Most of our lights in the house are fitted with 'cheap' light-changing bulbs I can control from my phone so I can change them all to green when I've got a migraine, but I also use it when I'm jittery and need to relax. Seems to help. Just throwing it out there in case it helps.

Hopefully, others will have more suggestions in the notes!

I hope you find a solution.

#burnout #adhd #chronic health tag

[sunkissed-zegras]

𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡. | delicate au, jack hughes

౨ৎ ─ summary | this takes place in late august of 2023, a little before the njd season started. jack hughes dm's the girl the whole internet thinks he's dating and invites her to a pre-season get-together at his house.

─ word count | 1.9k

─ warnings | anxiety, some flirting? nothing else!

─ taglist | @dancerbailey3 @valluvsu @daisysnhl @dasiysthings @iminlovewithtz11 @literatureluster @lvrzegras @lxvleyzoe @bowen-power @ru-kru @jackhughesily @hearts-for-luke

─ ev's notes | please lmk ur thoughts on this au so far! i, of course, always read ur guys feedback so anything would be very much appreciated.

Accept message request from jhughes (jackhughes)?

jhughes: have you seen twitter? we're trending 🤣 jhughes: looks like i'm your bf now 🤷🏻🤷🏻

libbytf: yeah um i don't even know how that happened😭 libbytf: they're crazy, that's not either of us?

jhughes: it does really look like us though haha 🤣 i don't blame them

libbytf: the more i look the photos the more i disagree lol, i hope they figure it out on their own 😭

jhughes: haha yeah [seen]

jhughes: me and luke are having a pre season party, you should come if ur free jhughes: oh and if leon wants you to hahaha😭

libbytf: when is it? i'll see if i can come and if i'm in town

jhughes: next saturday at our new place

libbytf: i'll let you know!

jhughes: k lmk ( 👍🏻 )

Libby stared down at her screen, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Did she just get asked out?

She received the message later that day and she was surprised that Jack Hughes had messaged her. She wasn't starstruck or anything but he didn't seem like the "dm" type, he looked more like the type to approach you in public.

She shook her head, she didn't even know if he was hitting on her. He probably wasn't even trying to come off that way, he probably just needed more people at his party. And the truth was, after the whole "Josh" thing, she didn't really have anything to do because everyone in the world was seemingly against her. The messy breakup with Josh had left her feeling exposed, as if every aspect of her personal life was now fair game for public scrutiny.

She had been under the spotlight for years now, long before she had even considered the idea of being a singer. Her sister and father were already apart of the "Hollywood" circle, she has seen this kind of stuff before. She's never been apart of the gossip, though - this was the first time she'd been in the spotlight for a bad reason.

Growing up in the shadow of her sister's and father's fame had accustomed her to the entertainment industry and all the drama that came with it. But now, as the fallout from her breakup with Josh engulfed her, Libby found herself thrust into uncharted territory. The barrage of rumors and gossip had stripped away the layers of privacy she had worked so hard to preserve, leaving her feeling vulnerable.

Libby couldn't even turn to her music anymore, she felt like it was no use because the whole internet (and their moms) hated her for no reason other than her relationship, or lack thereof.

She was pulled out of her thoughts as she felt her phone buzz on her bed. She reached for it lazily and opened it, reading the message.

leon 😛 are you down for something this weekend?

Libby typed out a quick response.

libs 🥸 depends

leon 😛 me and some of the team are gonna have a party this weekend to celebrate the start of the season, they told me to bring someone and ur all i have

leon 😛 unless u say no i'll ask someone else

libs 🥸 jack already asked me so sure :)

leon 😛 wait so ur his plus one?

libs 🥸 no bc he's the literal host, he just invited me😭😭

leon 😛 thats weird but okay, can u still be my plus one

libs 🥸 idk if that'll change anything but sure!!

She sighed at her brother's slight stupidity. It sounds like she was going to be going to the party this weekend. As she agreed, Libby couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety about attending Jack's party. The thought of facing a bunch of strangers, each with their own preconceived notions about who she was, made her stomach churn.

Before she could turn off her phone, her phone buzzed and she looked at the notification.

jhughes (jackhughes) started following you!

──

"Have you been on Twitter?" Leon spoke up as he drove, his eyes glancing toward Libby before focusing back on the road.

She shrugged, "Yeah. Why?"

"Everyone thinks you're dating Jack, it's kinda funny. Isn't this like, your first time meeting him?" Leon replied with a small laugh, shaking his head.

"It's pretty dumb, isn't it?" Libby replied, her voice tinged with amusement. "Well this is like my second or third time meeting him so it's not like we're strangers but still, we're far from strangers."

"Are you sure about that? He messaged you." Leon joked as he smirked at you as you rolled your eyes. She knew he was joking but a part of her thought that maybe he was flirting with her. But Libby could not even mention that to Leon because it'll make him go crazy, staying quiet was the better option.

"Shut up," Libby mumbled as Leon laughed. "The pictures aren't even us, you know?"

"The guy looks a lot like Jack but not you. It's so funny especially because everyone swears that they know you so well but they can't even tell the difference you and some other person." Leon grinned, clearly enjoying the absurdity of the situation. "Well, I guess the internet just loves drama. Can't blame them for trying to spice things up, it is fun."

"I just hope people figure it out soon," Libby sighed, glancing out of the car window at the passing city lights. "I mean, it's not like I need more rumors right now."

Leon shrugged. "Yeah, I get it. But you know what they say, any publicity is good publicity."

"Yeah at least I'll know my new album will get tons of new streams, thanks to Josh's fangirls."

"You mean dickriders? Jesus, have you seen the comments?" Leon scoffed, making a turn to Jack and Luke's home.

Libby sighed, her shoulders slumping as she leaned back against the car seat. "Yeah, I've seen them. It's like they're just waiting for the opportunity to tear me apart completely, I can't even go on Instagram anymore."

Leon's expression softened with empathy as he reached out to place a comforting hand on Libby's arm. "They're just fucking bored, that's all. They have to tear someone down to feel better. Don't let them get to you."

Libby nodded, grateful for her brother's words of encouragement. "I know, it's just hard sometimes, you know? Feels like I'm constantly under a microscope."

Leon nodded in understanding, his gaze unwavering in its support. "Yeah, I get it. But remember, those comments don't define you. You're so much more than what people say about you."

Libby managed a small smile as they reached Jack's home. The night air was crisp as Libby and Leon made their way towards Jack's home. The distant noise from the party spilled into the quiet neighborhood as they walked towards the entrance.

The home was pretty big but you weren't surprised, they were really good and popular hockey players so of course they had a big home. However, as you walked into their porch, you noticed how clean it was. Not many boys in their twenties kept their homes so clean and organized but Libby was pleasantly surprised at how clean their home was and she hadn't even been inside yet.

Leon gave the door a few knocks before the door opened to reveal Jack, a big grin on his face and a backwards cap on his head. "Leon! You made it!"

"Yeah, and I brought Libs!" Leon grinned back at Jack as his gaze finally fell on Libby, she felt his eyes scan her body before they landed on her eyes once again.

Libby felt a slight flush rise to her cheeks as she met Jack's gaze. His warm smile putting her at ease as she returned it, trying to ignore the flutter of nerves in her stomach.

"Awesome! Come on in, guys." Jack ushered them inside, the sounds of the party becoming more pronounced as they stepped inside.

"There's some chips in the kitchen and you guys can just help yourself to the drinks inside the fridge, just don't drink any of our protein smoothies." Jack side glanced to Leon playfully, in which he responded with a quick fine. "Everyone's in the living room playing pool."

"I'm gonna go get a beer, if y'all don't mind." Leon called out as he headed towards the kitchen, leaving Libby and Jack by the entrance.

As Leon left, Libby shifted her gaze to Jack with a warm smile. There was a brief awkward silence before Jack broke it, "I didn't know that you lived in Jersey."

"Well I don't but ever since Leon's moved here I've been spending every second at his place. I actually live in New York City but it gets a little hectic, I need a break sometimes from... everything." Libby explained as she recalled all the drama from the summer, from everything with Olivia to Josh, it was eventful.

Jack nodded, his expression sympathetic as he listened to Libby's explanation. "I get it. New York can be intense, especially with everything going on."

Libby sighed, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders as she spoke about the challenges she faced. "Yeah, it's been a lot to deal with lately. Sometimes, it's nice to escape to somewhere quieter, you know?"

Jack's gaze softened with understanding. "I get it. I'm sorry by the way, with the whole uh... thing." Jack didn't really want to specify but they both knew as Libby nodded.

Libby gave him a sweet smile but before she could respond, Luke came in wearing a Devils jersey. "Dude I've been looking everywhere for you, there's something wrong with the-" He cut himself as he noticed Libby.

"Hey Luke." Libby greeted the tall curly-head with a grin as he walked over to where Libby was and gave her a side hug as Jack observed.

"Libby! I haven't seen you in a while, how's everything?" Luke asked casually as he pulled back.

"Can't complain." You spoke with a small grin as you looked in between the boys. "You?"

"Very excited for the new season, I don't know if you could tell." Luke chuckled as he looked down at the jersey.

Libby couldn't help but chuckle at Luke's enthusiasm. Even though she's never formally met Jack, her and Luke have a pretty good friendship through Leon. As soon as they met they clicked and now they're practically tied at the hip. "Hmm... I couldn't tell. Go Rangers, right?"

"Hey, hey, hey!"

"Whoa, don't you dare step foot in our homes and disrespect us like that. That is a like a slur around here." Jack shook his head playfully as him and Luke exchanged looks before all three of you busted out laughing.

"Sorry, sorry won't happen again!"

"It better not or we're gonna have to kick you out." Luke threatened with a mock-serious expression. "But seriously Jack, the TV isn't working and everyone wants to play Fifa for some reason."

Jack shrugged as he motioned to Libby towards the living room, "I don't even know if we own Fifa..."

They all entered the spacious living room where everyone was. There were some teammates who she recognized and some people she'd never seen before. Jack and Luke ventured off toward the TV, leaving Libby to go stand by the couch. She'd enjoyed the night so far but as she stood there, anxiety began to creep into her stomach.

Everyone here knew somebody and right now the only people she was close with was her brother, Luke and Jack and they were all playing Fifa right now.

"Libs, get a controller we need one more player!" Jack shouted from the coach and waved at her to come over. Libby hesitated for a moment, feeling a familiar pang of anxiety at the thought of joining a group of people she didn't know well. But as she stared back at Jack, she swallowed all her fears and walked over, taking a controller.

As she settled in next to them, Libby felt a sense of normalcy wash over her. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she could just be herself, without the weight of everyone's expectations or the glare of being perceived.

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[chirpsythismorning]

Mike's character regression can be explained in large part by one emotion in particular: guilt

Just want to preface this by saying that, this is not Mike slander. I love this dude. In fact, I think what makes Mike such an interesting character is that a lot of his behavior throughout the series can be explained in part by previous moments, and after really looking at all these moments together, what you end up with is a pretty fucked up story.

So while some might want to take this as Mike slander, these points I'm making are a part of Mike and things he has done and said and whether they were intentionally harmful or not, it's Mike. It's all shaped him and his role in the story. The fact that we're seeing a visible shift in his behavior at all, with plenty of moments from the show to back up what brought us here, makes it compelling enough to talk about.

So, without further ado, back to our roots:

Ah yes, the infamous canon proof disputing Mike's I think my life started that day we found you in the woods, claim during his monologue. Not only that, but in this original scene from 1x02, it turns out Mike actually intended to send her away the next day (all of which El could hear Mike saying from the open bathroom door).

Mike outright calling El a weapon, again telling the others they need her because they stand no chance at getting Will back otherwise.

I wont elaborate on this now, because there is way too much to unpack that'll honestly be more worthwhile discussing further on.

For now, this is a secret tool that will help us later.

These next couple scenes right here though, are pretty painful if I'm being completely honest. The way its shot, specifically El's very visible exhaustion, accompanied by the varying priorities of others around her, leaves me feeling pretty unsettled upon rewatches.

I obviously can't remember how I felt when I watched these scenes for the first time, but I imagine I viewed them as this huge romantic moment for Mike and El (I was tricked by heteronormativity, okay?). But, again, upon rewatching them since then, I've realized I get this sort of sad feeling by the end. You'll see what I mean.

El obviously just went through something extremely traumatic. She tried to go find Will and Barb in the void, only to find Barb dead and Will presumably alive, but then slipping through her fingers at the last second (no, literally).

We then got a moment where Joyce held El while the others sat by quietly because she clearly needed a moment of comfort given what she just endured.

Then in this scene shortly after, everyone is leaving to get ready for their final attempt at saving Will.

Now, notice how not only Lucas, but also Dustin make the effort to reach out to El to comfort her affectionately after that traumatic event, with those twos' actions specifically being showcased in sequence?

Lucas, who spent the better part of the season being critical of El, is now ending the season rubbing El's shoulder to warm her up, literally soothing her to make her feel better.

Then there's Dustin, who right after Lucas' gesture makes a gesture of his own, putting his hand on her knee reassuringly, to show her he's there and he's happy she's okay.

And lastly there's Mike, who is so kindly allowing El to rest her head on his shoulder. This placement of Mike and El here is definitely a testament to the fact that Mike has vouched for El this whole time in contrast to the others and so, understandably, she put her head on his shoulder for reassurance, because out of the three of them, he's the one whose been looking out for her the most. (Right?)

Now you might be thinking that this sequence's only purpose was to show Lucas and Dustin's development with El, and that it wasn't intentional that they focused on Lucas and Dustins' priorities in this moment in contrast to Mikes'. And I raise you, this next scene.

Here we have a focus on Mike looking on to where everyone left, while the others beside him are presumably just processing what went down and taking a rest (and boy oh boy do they (El) need one).

Mike on the other-hand decides to take this moment of rest to display the most cliche and universal forms of distracted unrest known to man: he checks his watch.

Mike then stands up abruptly, causing El to fall without his shoulder there for her to rest on anymore, all while her and Dustin are looking on after him, sort of like... Okay?

It's small. It might seem insignificant. But if you actually pay attention to what this scene is trying to make you feel, after really looking at it for what it is, it's kind of sad.

In a moment that chooses to highlight the other boys' acknowledgment of El after what just happened, and not only that, but at the tale end of their final battle of the season, Mike is... distracted?

Mike, who has been presumably looking out for El more than the others in the party this whole time, is conveniently out of commission? And right now when El is looking for his reassurance the most? Mike doesn't even have a moment to say, 'Hey I'll be right back, I just want to check something. Can one of you?--', asking Lucas or Dustin to sit next to her in his place. No. Dude just stands up without even acknowledging her.

If it was any other moment in the show, under less post-traumatic circumstances for El, then I wouldn't even think much of it. But it's at this point in the story when El is essentially at her most exhausted and quite literally seeking out support from others, specifically Mike, that makes his distractedness so eery.

Again, you might still be thinking that this isn't that deep. However, I think based on the events leading up to this, and what follows right here, could quite literally hold the answer to the guilt Mike is still keeping to himself to this day.

So... How are we feeling?

Are we feeling like Mike None of you are thinking about El's wellbeing right now! She could get brain damage from using her powers too much! She's not a weapon!* Wheeler is a little bit of a hypocrite? (I told you that tool would come in handy!)

It's actually quite terrifying how similar this scene is framed to the scene in Hopper's cabin in s3, where Mike pretty much says the exact opposite. In s1 Mike goes from being one of the first people to refer to El as a weapon within the context of them using her powers to find Will, with him being completely un-attuned to the fact that she is exhausted in this moment while the others are saying El's rest and safety is the most important, to then in s3 completely flipping script and saying El was using her powers for nothing, blaming the others for treating her like a weapon and not taking her wellbeing into consideration.

It would be one thing if Mike had a little arc where he acknowledged this script flip. Because that's what it is. It is them having Mike use a word in s1 to describe El, that being weapon, only to say the others are treating her like that with that same word being used. It is them having Mike not agknowledge El's well being after overusing her powers, only to say the others aren't taking her wellbeing into consideration for overusing her powers.

And it would be one thing if Mike had spoke to El or literally anyone about how he felt like he wronged El for planning on sending her away the next day after they found her so that they could go back to looking for Will, or how he said she was a weapon that they needed in order to find Will, essentially being no better than the people she just escaped from, who also used her for her powers. But we don't get that (actually we do.. but it's not acknowledged for what it is aka survivor's guilt. It's instead seen as romantic... another tool for later...)

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think any of Mike's behavior takes away from what Mike did do for El, because yes he was kind and accepting when the others weren't. But even despite all of that, at the end of the day, he was often at the forefront of expecting El to risk her life for them, even if he wasn't outright asking that of her.

Before you freak out, No. I don't think Mike, a literal child, was capable of fathoming that El was going into these situations risking her life. She's a superhero. El's alternative was literally going back to the lab, running, or staying with Mike. This was her safest option.

After a bunch of rewatches and putting together a lot of these moments as a whole, I've come to a point where I believe that Mike's behavior throughout s1 was him thinking that because of who El was, she's already in danger at all times. That is a constant reality for her. And so why not have her help them find Will, because she is able to, all while he can also help her. And El clearly wanted to help them, because she wanted to help good people and finally do something meaningful with her powers for a change. Unfortunately, she also had to endure PTSD flashbacks almost every single time Mike and the boys had her use her powers to help find Will.

Speaking of Will, he is currently missing and possibly dead. Will also, in contrast to El (for now...), does not have any sort of superpowers.

Mike's concern over the threat of Will's livelihood is much greater than Mike's acknowledgement to the true risks El is exposing herself to each time she uses her powers to help them. That is s1 canon.

Is there times when Mike is focused on El and her well being. Absolutely! But is there also times when Mike is not showing any display of concern to El's well being in the moment, in complete contrast to the other characters around him... Also yes.

And so the events happening the way they did, with Mike himself not fully comprehending the severity of what's been going on during these high stake situations going on around him, makes sense.

And that's what makes it all the more sad that when Mike finally does realize what he's truly been asking of El this whole time, which is to risk her life for them, it's too late.

This whole scene is obviously very emotional. All of the boys are crying, but the focus on Mike calling out for El painfully is heartbreaking.

But what's even more sad to me, is that El has been sort of used to mistreatment her whole life. She's used to having to find any comfort she could get from people in her life, all the while they were using her for her powers. I mean even despite Brenner being who he was and doing what he did, she still showed these signs of wanting to love him despite it. Which is very very fucked up. But knowing what she's gone through, makes sense.

Mike on the other-hand does greatly contrast Brenner because he was one of the first people to actually treat her with genuine kindness right from the start (before he even knew she had powers), making it a lot easier for her to care for him even despite that pesky trait of using her for her powers being almost synonymous with Brenner's very similar trait.

So when she looks back at Mike, and points him out specifically before sacrificing herself, it feels like a few things at once.

It feels like her acknowledging the fact that she appreciated him specifically for taking her in and supporting her more genuinely than anyone has in her entire life.

And yet it also feels like her, either intentionally or unintentionally, acknowledging the unfortunate side affect caused by days of Mike leading the efforts to find Will, with the expectation of her to do things to achieve that, which could have all lead to her demise technically. And so now when it all comes down to it and the stakes are at their highest yet, same as the risk, she's got to a point where she believes there is no other choice but to do just that, risk her life, especially if it means saving them.

While this is happening, Mike is backtracking in real time. He is trying to get El to stop and it's because he doesn't want her to die. Obviously.

But that's the fucked up part isn't it? When he finally realized what he's been asking of her this whole time, it's too late.

Which takes us to S2 Mike Wheeler, known by many for being a boy whose been calling his true love everyday for almost a year now because he's just so in love, but is actually in fact a boy suffering the most intense form of survivors guilt, one that involves a person who genuinely feels responsible for the persons death...

But that will probably take at least another 2,000 words so I'm thinking maybe I better split this into multiple parts.

I will tease that the next part involves one specific detail in particular that I never see anyone talk about, a detail that I think, in combination with what's discussed in this post, is so important to understanding Mike's breakdown for what it truly was at the end of season 2. I will also probably do more posts beyond that for s3-4, to delve into the impacts these moments from the first two seasons have basically put in place a perfect recipe for what is currently going down.

So feel free to stay tuned for those nonsense updates.

Continued

#byler #stranger things #mike wheeler #this is not mike slander! #this is mike deconstructed #this is mike in all his glory #well not all his glory #bc i think s2 and s3 and obviously s4 build off of this #making all of these moments all together overall a lot more compelling as a whole #but these right here are our roots ppl #find the root of the problem and everything else just falls into place #i can't wait for part 2 though #it's even more heartbreaking and tragic somehow #the suppressed guilt of it all #the denial #the shame #the gall at times #it's only gonna pile up for this kid #watch out dominos (mike wheeler) #your dominos are gonna fall...

[thatfreshi]

Not if You Collect Them Like Ex-lovers (Astarion x Reader)

Tw - couple arguing

Recommended Song: This Is Me Trying - Taylor Swift

Whenever you and Astarion fight, it gets ugly. Two extremely emotional people, two people who still aren't used to letting their guard down all the time, people with faults.

"I don't understand why it bothers you."

Usually, it starts with a misunderstanding, an attempt at love, a hand reaching out to simply ask a question.

"Because Astarion, it's my house too!"

Full names, no more sweets and doves. Throwing words around like rocks, glass bottles breaking on countertops, shards, shattering.

"Yes, our house, I thought that's what you wanted? Or was I mistaken when you pleaded with me, saying you wanted this forever."

Questions lose answers, no longer searching for love, just words to defend yourself with. When the friend becomes the enemy and your throat closes up with grief, what do you do other than fight back?

"I wanted a house that at least had some semblance of looking like a house, not just your shit everywhere!"

Wounds that run deep, that need to hold onto every little thing he finds, your home decorated with the most meaningless items, things that mean everything to him. To you they're knick-knacks, some of them even garbage, and that hoarder's mentality drives you mad. The argument was so incredibly stupid, easily solved, but it's impossible to be peaceful when you never get time apart.

"Well, why don't I just take my things and leave then?"

And there he goes, escalating when he feels cornered.

"Oh right, and go where Astarion? Go burn to a crisp in the sunlight, or maybe hide in an alleyway somewhere? I'm sure that'll be so much better than living with me!"

Poking the bear, as you do when you're stressed. You know he hates the fact that he's lost the sunlight, cursed to be in a wooden box with blackout curtains.

"I'm sure you'd love that, if I just disappeared right?"

Deflecting, but also wrapping himself in insecurity. It's a test, a trick question, a puzzle.

"At least I'd have some room in this fucking house to do anything without tripping over all your useless 'treasures.'"

From trying to understand to going on the prowl for hatred, you've reached a point of no return.

"Why do you even care Tav, I just like having things! Is that so much to ask? Are they not allowed to mean something to me?"

"Not if you collect them like ex-lovers!"

Astarion opens his mouth to say something else, but trembles. Now you've done it, gone too far. He scoffs, tears leaving his eyes.

"Well then perhaps I should have another."

It's late, the stars dotting the sky like scars from teeth, allowing the vampire to storm out of the house, slamming the door. You begin to cry as well, knowing you shouldn't have said that, knowing you didn't really mean it. You're just frustrated, the stuff scattered everywhere is overwhelming, and you just don't get why it matters.

When Astarion leaves, he knows he only has a couple of hours to cool off, to think things through. It's infuriating at times, being so chained to one place, after getting to explore the world for months on end. He wasn't allowed to have things with Cazador, not anything that was his own. After the nautiloid crash, he started grabbing everything he could get his hands on. Jewelry, pretty fabrics, anything that could possibly mean anything. Now he's stuck in one place again, but a place where he can finally store all those little finds, a nice-feeling rock, a bottle that reminds him of a night stroll the two of you took. It's a comfort in a scary transition, to be allowed to keep something, anything.

While you're thinking of where he's gone, you look around at all the things Astarion has piled up on the coffee table. A couple rolls of thread from the market, ones he hasn't even started to use, a stack of books he'll probably take forever to finally read. You go through these items forever, trying to organize all the little things he's left around the place, filling drawers with memories you didn't realize were important. After clearing out most of the things in the living room, you find a small, poorly crafted ring. It's heavily scratched, but has an inscription on the inside. Your mind floods with the magical feeling of the grove, and Astarion pocketing this ring after showing the young tiefling child a magic trick. Back then, his intentions were just to show the child that your things can get snatched up so easily, but he slowly began to believe it was lucky, just as the kid said. You meditate on the thought, realizing these items, they're all either moments or possibilities. The front door opens.

Somber steps, the sound of his dagger being placed on the nearby table. You turn around and walk towards him, wrapping your arms around each other.

"I'm sorry."

You manage to choke out.

"It's alright darling, I'm being ridiculous."

You shake your head, breaking the embrace.

"No, no you're not. I was going through all of this, all of this stuff, and you're right. It all means something."

"Stupid meanings though. It's all fear Tav, fear I'm going to forget, fear I'm going to lose everything I have."

"That's okay, it's okay to be scared."

You show him the tiefling's ring.

"But we don't have to be scared anymore. We have luck on our side, right?"

He laughs, fiddling with the silly scratched-up band.

"You remember this?"

You nod.

"Of course I remember. I still don't know how you did that trick."

"A magician never tells."

You both laugh, still crying

"Gods, I thought you were so annoying."

"Well apparently I still am if you had to take that heavy of a jab at my past."

You frown.

"I-"

"I know you didn't mean it love, but we can't just say things we don't mean to get a rise out of each other."

He's become better at being the voice of reason, growing, changing.

"It's just so overwhelming sometimes. I know you're new at this whole, living a domestic life thing, but I just want to have a say in our space. That's all."

"I know, I hear you and I respect that. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have made our space my space."

"I'm fine with all your keepsakes, but can we just organize them? Have a space for all your little treasures and such?"

"We do still have that extra room upstairs."

You push him.

"That's supposed to be another guest room!"

"Do we really need that many guest rooms?"

The two of you giggle to yourselves.

"You know if we can't host all our friends at once, they will throw a fit."

"Well, I'll find some way to give you some more space. I never wanted to make you feel suffocated."

You look into each other's eyes for a moment, seeing that spark again, finding that love bubble back up. Saying things you don't mean, meaning things you don't say, it's all so new to both of you.

"I know my love, I know."

You hold each other by the doorway for a while, mumbling about how to make this space work for the both of you, how when you start raising your voices, you need to just step away and rethink it. Learning to love, to truly love, to exist as one, it's such a struggle, but a worthwhile cause. After all, there's no one else you'd rather fight with.

#astarion x reader #astarion x tav #baldurs gate astarion #astarion #baldur's gate 3 #angst #comfort

[lousypotatoes]

So Dark Up Above

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

90 years ago...

It was now mid-June. Alastor had visited the flower shop every day since Mother's Day, buying different kinds of flowers each day.

Y/N was sweeping the floor when she heard the tiny bell ringing, signaling the arrival of a customer.

"I'll be with you in a second," she said, continuing to sweep, not looking up from the floor.

"Oh, take all the time you need, dear," said a voice. "I can wait."

At the sound of Alastor's voice, Y/N jumped and dropped the broom. This made Alastor laugh.

"Alastor!" she said sternly, picking up the broom. "Don't be scarin' me like that!"

"My apologies, Y/N" he said, still laughing. "I didn't mean to give you such a fright."

"Oh, is that why you didn't say anything when you came in?" she said, a doubtful look on her face.

Alastor didn't answer, instead looking at the different arrays of flowers. "Say, when did you get these Geraniums?"

"Oh," she said, putting money in the cash register. "I got them yesterday soon after you left."

"They're quite the lookers, aren't they?" he said softly.

"Oh, they are," she said, smiling. "Did you know that they hail from South America? They also come in a range of hues from white to lavender and-"

Listening to her rant about Geraniums of all things made something in Alastor's heart stir. Looking over at her, he found it adorable the way her eyes lit up and the way she talked with her hands. Alastor found himself staring and immediately blush started to creep up in his neck. He cleared his throat.

"Apologies for my rantin'," she said sheepishly. "I find the history of flowers rather captivatin', it's real easy for me to get carried away talkin' about them."

"There's no need to apologize, darling," Alastor chuckled. "In fact, I find it rather endearing."

"Oh, your words carry weight, Al," she said, picking up a vase of Geraniums to hide her blush.

"I'm glad you think so,"

It was silent for a few seconds.

"You plannin' on buyin' some flowers," Y/N said playfully said. "Or are you just gonne keep on smooth talkin' me?"

"Oh, right,"

"What do you even do with all the flowers you buy, hm?" she asked, as he picked out a bouquet of Narrowleaf Sunflowers. "That'll be two buck per stem, if you please."

"Sometimes, I present them to my mother," he said, handing Y/N the money. "Other times I adorn my studio with their beauty."

"I'm pleased you're makin' good use outta them," she said. "Y'know, you don't need to pop in here every day."

"I'm aware," he began. "But I enjoy our daily conversations, my dear."

Alastor saying that made butterflies appear in Y/N's stomach. "I do as well, Al," she said.

"I'm mighty curious, darling," he said, propping his elbow up on the counter. "What is your favorite flower?"

"Daisies," she answered immediately. "I know it's boring, but there's somethin' about them that I absolutely love .Why you askin'?"

"Just curious, dear,"

Alastor looked at his watch. "Good heavens, I need to rush if I'm to make it for my 2 o'clock broadcast," he said heading out the door with the bouquet of Narrowleaf Sunflowers. "Will you be phoning into the station tonight?"

"Don't I always?" she smiled, sad see to Alastor leave. "Have a splendid remainder of your day, Alastor."

"You as well, Y/N," he smiled back.

And with that the little bell above the door rang, signaling that he left.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night...

"You only have yourself to blame, sweetheart," Y/N said, out of breath. "Had you not strayed from your vows, your husband wouldn't of hired me to kill you."

"Please," the woman sobbed, backed against the back alley wall. "Please don't do this! Just tell him-"

"I'm not tellin' him nothin'," she said, grabbing the woman's throat. "Why do you think I'm in this line of work? I like killin' people. The only reason I'm not doin' this for free is 'cause I also like the money."

"Please," the woman choked out. "Don't do this, I'll do anything."

"Broads like you really piss me off," she said, squeezing the woman's throat tighter. "What's the point of tyin' the knot if you're gonna sleep around with every Tom and Harry you lay your eyes on?"

The woman started thrashing and trying to pull Y/N's fingers off her throat, but she couldn't get out of Y/N's grip.

"Make sure you tell Satan I said hi, sweetheart." she grinned, placing her other hand on the woman's throat.

Suddenly, the woman lifted up her hand and scratched Y/N's cheek, drawing blood with her manicured nails.

Y/N yelped in pain, letting go of the woman with one of her hands. With Y/N distracted, the woman started thrashing a lot more.

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

Y/N pulled out her gun from under her dress and shot the woman three times in the head.

The woman fell to the ground, blood oozing out of three different places on her face.

Y/N put the gun back under her dress, glaring daggers at the dead woman. She touched the scratch on her face and hissed in pain.

It stung, and it stung a lot.

After she put the body in a dumpster, she walked home as fast as she could, not wanting to draw attention to her cheek.

As soon as she got home, she rushed to the bathroom, putting rubbing alcohol on the scratch to clean it out, and finally putting a bandage it on it.

She sat on her couch, trying to relax. Honey tried to jump up on her lap, failing each time, making Y/N giggle.

After a few moments, she got up turned on the radio and walked over to the phone, dialing the radio station's number.

"You've reached Alastor Altruist!" said a voice that made Y/N smile giddily. "To whom do I have the pleasure speaking to on this lovely night?"

"You're gonna be gettin' tired of my voice, here soon, Al," she giggled.

"Ah, I had a feeling it was you calling," he laughed. "What tune do you fancy, dear?"

"It's been a spell since you've played Singin' In The Rain," she said. "I reckon I wanna listen to that."

"I was hoping you would request that tune," he said. "You'll be hearing it in a jiffy."

"I'm lookin' forward to it,"

"Have a lovely rest of your night, Y/N," he said into the phone. "You keep yourself outta trouble now."

"Trouble usually finds me," she giggled.

With that she hung up, sighing happily.

It had been a real long time since Y/N felt in love. She wanted to cherish every single moment of it and never let it go.

Just as she was about to get ready for bed, the phone rang again.

"This is Y/N, to whom am I speakin' to?" she said, picking up the phone.

"I could never get tired of your voice, dear," Alastor's voice came from the phone, making Y/N jump for the second time that day.

"Alastor!" she cried out. "I told you to stop scarin' me!"

"I apologize, Y/N," he said, laughing. "I didn't mean to give you such a fright.

"Yes you did, don't lie to me,"

"Alright, perhaps I did,"

"How'd you get my number?" she asked curiously.

"A friend of mine prints out the phone books," he said. "I was calling to see if you might wanna grab a drink with me tomorrow evening?"

Y/N had a loss for words. Since the two of them had met, she had imagined going out for drinks with him.

"Uh- yeah, of course," she stuttered. "What time?"

"I could pick you up at 8 o'clock, if that's alright with you?"

"Oh no, that's perfect,"

"Wonderful!" he exclaimed. "Could you give me your address?"

"Oh yeah," she said. "Write this down. It's 2734 Burgundy Street."

"Oh, that's not too far from me," he said "I look forward to see you tomorrow, Y/N." he said softly.

"Yeah, me too."

"Sleep well, my dear.

"You too, Alastor

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ughhh i absouletly love writing for characters in love, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy

i am so down bad for this man

stay safe and drink lots of water <33

xoxo, Izzy

Taglist 💋

@maksdust @trippoverrt @slytherin4ever @lucifers-silhouette @a-small-tyrant @leviwife1

#alastor #hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel x reader #alastor x reader #hazbin hotel alastor #alastor altruist x reader #alastor altruist #character x reader #alastor x y/n #alastor x you

[fictionalgap]

Steal My Heart

(chapter 3)

Pairing: Kit Thantalos x Thief! Reader

Summary: Your first weeks of being Princess's personal guard.

Chapters: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 4

Song Recommendation: Oh to Be in Love - Kate Bush

You were sittting in front of the Queen of Tir Asleen and it was really hard to not to be nervous. Especially after you have just met her daughter. The princess was something else... Fierce, extremely pretty and caring. You liked that she didn't dressed in gowns like other princesses. She looked really cool and badass like that. Even when she was on the grass and bit by a snake.

"So what kind of things you were engaged with? Don't bother to lie though. I can tell."

You didn't want to lie to your future mother in l-, the Queen. So you told her every criminal activity you did which include lots of theft.

"That's all?" she questioned with a raised brow.

"Yes, your majesty."

She sighed. "Okay. You are free to go. You are not under charge of anything."

"Really?"

"Really." she nodded, keeping her gaze on you.

"Unless, you want a job." she added.

Your mouth hang open. "A-a job?"

"Of course no more theft. Especially in this castle. It won't be tolerated and you would be banished from Tir Asleen."

You gulped. 'What kind of a job is this, your majesty?'

"My daughter, the Princess used to have a personal guard. She left to train with other guards somewhere far away. I want you to be her new personal guard."

You were out of words. 'New personal guard of the Princess…'

"Your majesty, I am honored by your offer. It's just I don't know anything about being a guard. There are people more capable than me here. Why me?"

Queen smiled at you knowingly. "I have lots of guards here. She doesn't want them. I have this feeling she would make an exception this time. But that's not the exact reason at all. You saved her before knowing she was a princess. You saw a girl bit by a snake. "

"Anyone would do-"

"They wouldn't and you saw enough things to know that. For the capable part, Kit wants to train all the time. Also, I have lots of capable guards and knights you can train in this castle so that'll cover that. You're already familiar with necessary stuff as much as our healers told what they found in your pockets." You smiled and looked down at your feet. You couldn't feel your knives on you. They probably put it somewhere else.

"What I need for her isn't capable. It's resilience. You saved her when your condition was not appropriate at all and when you were running away from going to court. You threw that all away to help. That's what I need from you for my daughter. "

You fiddled with your fingers.

"Why do you trust me? I am a thief."

"That's a good enough offer not to ruin. I trust that."

You nodded. More than good enough. Spending time with princess and training all day, only to protect her when required. That was more like a prize.

"Does the Princess know? About the job?"

The queen eyed to something behind you and you looked at you back to see the Princess smiling nervously.

"I wanted to be here so that she wouldn't scold you." she joked and the Queen rolled her eyes.

You sighed nervously.

"My mum insists for me to have a personal guard so If anyone is going to be that It should be you." she stared at you for a while.

You felt your breath stuck in your throat. You tried to make yourself remember how to breathe under her gaze.

"So, what do you say?" Kit asked, her hands were at her back.

"Yes." your smile met your eyes.

Queen and the Princess shared a pleased look.

~~~

Weeks passed. Kit and you were like best friends. She didn't want you to treat her any differently. You had lots of fun with her. You trained almost everyday whether it was with Kit or any guards within the castle. You had to train with others when she was doing her 'Princess' duties. You liked training though. It made you feel strong, less vulnerable, like you weren't totally helpless.

The first time they payed you, you sent it to your mother with a letter through a messenger.

' I got a job at the castle as Princess's personal guard. This is my first pay. I won't do theft anymore. Something happened and now I'm not charged with anything. I am fine.

How are you holding up? I will visit you as soon as it is possible.

Y/N '

She sent a letter back to you.

"I'm good. Don't worry. We live with Marlene and her kids together. We help each other. Thank you for the money. You don't have to sent all of it. I don't know If they will let Princess's personal guard to leave her alone to visit her mum but If they will, you know where to find me. I really would like to hear what happened. I hope you're okay. I know your father had different opinions but I'm glad you found a proper job. It's not easy to live as a thief.

Take care of yourself.

Your mum. '

You put the letter in your pocket and walked to the Princess's bedroom. The door opened and you faced with Princess's personal maid. She smiled at you which you returned immediately. After she left you entered Kit's bedroom. "Your highness?" you called. The room looked empty.

"How many times am I going to have to tell you. It's Kit." an amused voice came behind you. You felt her breath at the back of your ear.

Somehow she always end up coming from your behind. Too sneaky for a princess.

You turned to her. "You scared me." you smiled genuinely.

She tilted her head to the side with a sly smile. "Aren't thieves supposed to be cautious of their surroundings?" she started to draw circles around you like a shark coming for its prey. You felt nervous. 'What the hell she was doing?' you thought to yourself.

Your gaze followed hers. "They usually are. I just didn't know I should be cautious of you and in your bedroom. " You tried to hide your amusement and crossed your arms.

She bit her pink lip and looked at her feet.

"I have a reputation for being spontaneous. You never know what's coming when it's me, Y/N. I don't even know." she said as she circled around you.

You chuckled and released your arms.

"Okay, we' re going." she pulled your hand quickly and you felt butterflies in your stomach.

"Wait- where?" you tried to get her attention for her to explain which she ignored, smiling.

"You'll see! " she said cheerfully.

Taglist: @valenftcrush @elliewilliamsgf69 @hayatistirahati @rubycruzsbitch @crxmxnzl-c0rpzes

#ruby cruz #willow 2022 #sapphic #lgbtq #kit thantalos x reader #kit tanthalos #willow the series #savewillow #save willow #willow series #willow fanfic #willow #sapphic fanfic #wlw fanfic #wlw #lgbtq fanfiction #hazel callahan x you #hazel callahan x reader

[thefallennightmare]

Miracle-seventeen

Pairings: Noah Sebastian x Reader

Warnings/Tropes: forced proximity, slight enemies to lovers, slow burn, smut, angst, fluff, mentions of death, and swearing.

Summary: Reader is the merch girl for Bad Omens. It wasn't what she wanted to do with her life but when her mother got sick with Alzheimer's, reader took a job where she could to help with the costs. She thought it would be a one-time gig but the longer she was on the road with them, the harder she fell for Noah Sebastian; even if he wanted nothing to do with her. She needed a miracle to save her mom and her future.

Author Note: To be honest, I wanted a bit better birthday shout-out to Noah. But the day got away from me so that'll have to do.

Tags: @ada-clarence @nonamessblog @thescarlettvvitch @malice-ov-mercy @crimson-calligraphyx @theoneandonlykymberlee @yumikitten @blackveilomens @cherrymedicine13 @thebadchic @notmaddihealy @jay02bo @beaker1636 @jakekiszkasguitarpick @punk-pr1ncessxoxo @er3nslovergirl @iamdesolate @lma1986 @jessitpwk @themodern-daywednesday @writethrough @bngurngheart @dreams-that-are-anwsered @loeytuan98 @omens-in-reverse @loverofagoodbeard @jay02bo @niicoleleigh

Alone.

Lonley.

Comfortless.

That's what I was. No one to turn to in my time of desperation. No one to comfort me when I was seconds away from a breakdown. No one to pull me out of the darkness that I was so close to succumbing too. The pain was eating away at my heart, gnawing and scraping at the part of my soul that I fought so hard to protect.

Both parents dead.

A brother that didn't care for a relationship with me, only wanted whatever our mother left him.

An ex that hurt me with the things he said. Yet my heart yearned to feel his warm embrace around me, to feel his adoration-filled gaze drink me in. To feel his lips on mine again even if it's one final time.

"Now I believe Y/N has some words to say."

My heavy eyes lifted from my hands that were placed in my lap as I stared blankly at the man on top of the stage next to my mother's casket. He was rambling on about how wonderful my mother was and the life she had created with my and her husband. I nearly vomited in my mouth at that, being one of the few that knew the truth. Everything my mother created was a lie; me included.

I noticed Lana turn her head towards me as she sat in the pew to the right of me but refused to meet her gaze. The small room in the funeral home was packed with everyone who knew my mother but yet, I sat alone in the pew in the front row in front of the stage. It was common in a funeral that the first pew was reserved for the immediate family of the one that died and I was the only one left, hence why I was alone.

No one left but me. What's the point of this anymore? It is even worth it?

A large hand squeezed my shoulder from behind and when I gazed at it, a small tattoo of black angel wings came into view, along with the large array of other tattoos. Peering up farther, I noticed Noah nodding towards me with a face full of concern.

"Angel," he gave my shoulder a squeeze.

I had to blink a few times because I almost forgot that he was here along with Folio, Nick, and Jolly who sat with him in the pew behind me. Turning around even farther, I saw Bryan, Matt, Davis, and other members of the crew that I worked with sitting in the surrounding pews. My cold heart suddenly felt warm and full at the sight of all of them here for me.

"Miss,'' the man on the stage spoke again. "Do you have any words you would like to say about your mother?"

Fucking loads.

Noah gave another squeeze to my shoulder. "You know you don't have to, right?"

"I know," my voice came out broken. "But if I don't, what would these people think?"

"Since when did you start caring about what other people thought of you?," he asked with the corner of his mouth turning up slightly.

I never did until Noah snaked his way into my heart and soul. Now the only person I cared about what he thought about me said some of the most hurtful things ever to me yet here I was offering his comforting touch and gaze. Was I pathetic for allowing him to do this? I told him to stay out of my life and meant it. But the second I saw his bright brown eyes, I nearly melted into him again; like I always did.

Noah was a vice that I couldn't quit no matter how bad it might be for me.

"Uh," I cleared my throat while turning back to the man on the stage. "I don't think I will. We can move on."

He nodded before he told the guests that now they can come up row by row to offer their condolences once more before we headed to the cemetery for the burial process. Once that was finished, we would head back to my house for the wake where I would have to be a proper homeowner and welcome these strangers into my home so they can ramble on about how much my mom meant to them and how they'll be sending me their thoughts and prayers.

A bunch of bullshit. No one knew the truth.

"Dear, you should stand so you can thank people for coming," Lana said as she came to stand in front of my pew.

Numbly, I nodded while slowly standing to my feet. This was the last thing I wanted to do but knew I had to. It wasn't so bad with the first few people who came to shake my hand but after the sixth 'I'll keep you in my prayers. She was a wonderful woman' I couldn't take it anymore and felt my knees about to give way. Until strong arms wrapped around my shoulders to keep me upright and a soft voice cooed in my ear.

"I'm right here as long as you'll let me."

Noah looked at me with pleading eyes and for a moment, I let the anger I felt for him subside and allowed him to stand with me as person after person came by to do the same shit the one before them did. It fell on deaf ears the longer it went on.

Noah still had an arm around my shoulder, fingers grazing over my arm, when Lana came up to me once the last person offered their condolences.

"You must be Mr. Sebastian?" She looked at Noah with stern eyes.

He nodded. "You can call me Noah."

Lana gave him a long once over before turning her gaze to me. "I'm going to head back to the house to make sure everything is set up for the wake. Do you need me to get you anything?"

"No, I'm okay," I gave a small smile to assure her.

"You make sure she makes it to the cemetery then back to the house?" Lana asked Noah.

He pulled me closer into his chest and I wrapped myself around him, letting his warmth quiet the voices in my mind.

"Of course."

The cold October air chilled around my ankles as I stared down at the now filled grave. The crowd of people were slowly dispersing to head back to my house; all but four. They stood behind me as they let me take all the time I needed before leaving.

One the way to the cemetery, I rode with the guys in Noah's car sitting in the passenger seat while he drove. Silence filled the entire car as his hand rested on my knee, his gaze bouncing to me every once in a while. I never once looked in his direction or removed his hand from my knee. The voices in my mind screamed at me to push him away, to tell him to go fuck himself, but I couldn't listen to them; I refused to listen to them. Noah was exactly what I needed right now and if I pushed him away, I was afraid of what I would do.

He hurt you. How can you forgive him for that?

Because he came. He's here right now even knowing I'm pissed at him. Even when I told him to stay away.

But how long would he stay? The Europe tour starts in a few weeks, without you.

I forced the negative thoughts of out my mind with one long, deep breath, to focus on the good. They were here now, and that's all that mattered. But that didn't mean I was ready to completely forgive Noah yet.

"Hey," a hand grasped mine. "You ready?"

Looking over to Folio, I gave him a weak smile. "Is it bad that I don't feel the need to say something?"

He shook his head. "Not at all. You're still full of all that anger. Once it clears, you might find the need to say something. But take your time with it, don't rush the grieving process."

"You guys didn't have to stay," I said while looking behind me to see Jolly, Nick, and Noah still standing there.

Noah gave me a warm smile. "We're not going anywhere, angel."

My heart fluttered but before I could respond, movement over his shoulder caught my gaze and I stilled.

James stepped forward with his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "Alright, which one of these guys is your boyfriend? Or is it all of them?"

"I told you to stay away," I scowled while standing my ground against him.

"You can't keep me from our mother's grave, Y/N. I'm not going anywhere until I get what I'm owed," his eyes sliced into me.

Folio shared a look with Noah, who immediately stepped right up next to me to place a hand on my lower back.

"You alright?" He asked me.

"This is James, my mom's other kid," I introduced, not daring to call him my brother.

James looked between Noah and I, a questioning light beneath the darkness of his eyes.

"So, you're the boyfriend," he muttered.

My lips parted but Noah was first to answer. "I don't see how that's any of your business."

Hearing him not deny James' observation made something twinge in my gut and heart flutter.

"Well," James motioned towards me. "I have some private matters to discuss so if you'll excuse us."

When he reached for me, I reared back behind Noah, who immediately stepped up into James' face.

"Unless Y/N wants us too, we're not leaving," Noah said.

"We have nothing to talk about, James. I already told you that my mom didn't leave you anything in her will. The only thing she left besides her mounds of debt was the house," I spoke over Noah's shoulder.

"I find that hard to believe."

I scoffed. "Why do you care so much? You're clearly doing fine money wise. What could you possibly want?"

"The house will sell pretty fast, great turn around and profit." James shrugged. "But of course, I need you to sign it over to me."

Before I was willing to give him the house for free but now knowing he was only wanting it for the money, I refused. Yes the house held all the bad memories of my mom but it also held the memories of where I grew up with my father; the one who raised me even after knowing the truth.

"I'd rather chew glass," I spoke through gritted teeth. "If my mom wanted to give you the house, she would have."

A muscle in James' jaw ticked. "You probably coerced her."

"How?! She had Alzheimers!" I snapped, voice raising to echoing levels. "I couldn't even get her to remember who she was, let alone have her sign the house over to me! Maybe if you were in her life more, she would have given you something but you only show up when she dies. Like mother like son, huh?"

James made a move towards me but Noah pushed a hand into his chest to stop him in the same moment Folio and Nick stepped beside. Jolly remained behind me and the four of them boxed me in to protect me. Never in my life have I felt more cared for and looked after than this moment right here.

"Stay away from Y/N," Noah threatened.

"Or what?" James scoffed. "Is she worth all this trouble?"

"She's worth more than you'll ever know," he didn't miss a beat.

"There's nothing left for you here James. The house isn't worth anything and for the sake of our mom who's buried beneath your feet, leave me alone. You've been in my life for less than a week and it's been fucking miserable. Do me a favor and go back to Texas. I'd give anything never to see you again.," I said defeated.

Everything from the past week suddenly caught up to me and I wanted nothing more than to go back home and crawl into bed. Except my house was filled with people I didn't want there. The only ones I wanted were standing around me.

James gave us all a glare before spitting at Noah's feet and walking away while calling over his shoulder. "Careful what you wish for!"

I couldn't help but snicker at his words. "How ironic."

Noah's back tensed with anger as he watched James intently walk to his car before driving off. I placed a gentle hand on his back which caused him to look down at me. The fight we had was suddenly fleeting away from my mind and the only thing I wanted was to move past it; of course, after we talked about a few things. I wasn't ready to jump right back into a relationship but maybe take things slow.

"You didn't have to do that," I said.

He shrugged while stuffing his hands in his pants pockets. "Let us know if he bothers you again, alright?"

"Okay," I nodded.

Deep down, I had this gut wrenching feeling that this wasn't the last time I'd be seeing James.

Jolly motioned towards the car. "Ready to head back home?"

Home.

It sounded so weird. Going back home to a metaphorically empty house. After the wake, everyone would go back to their lives while I stayed stuck in the empty void of my life.

"Do you think anyone would noticed if I snuck upstairs into my room?" I asked as we all walked towards the car.

Nick laughed lightly. "It's whatever you want to do Y/N."

"I'd rather lounge on my couch and watch movies while eating my feelings away with pizza and ice cream."

"We can make that happen," Folio said once we reached the car.

I shook my head. "You guys don't have to stay. I bet you're all exhausted."

Noah, who remained quiet the entire walk to the car finally spoke. "We're not leaving you, angel. As long as you'll allow us, we're staying."

I knew he had more of a meaning behind those words than the others.

"Can you guys give us a minute?" Noah spoke to the others.

When they nodded, I let him lead me a few feet away so we could talk in private. My heart was thudding so loud in my chest I thought it would burst through like those face huggers in that one Alien movie. A part of me had an inkling idea of what he wanted to talk about and I wasn't sure if I was ready to have this conversation yet.

"I know this might not be the best time but I wanted to apologize; for everything."

"Noah-," I sighed.

"No," he interrupted. "I've already waited to long to apologize. I should have came after you that night you left but I was dealing with my own problems and issues and took it out on you; our relationship. It was wrong of me to say those hurtful things to you and bring up private parts of your life in front of anyone else. I'm an asshole and deserved that slap."

"Can I be honest?" I bit my lip.

When Noah nodded, I continued. "I was mad at you, furious, at first. I wanted nothing to do with you and I thought I'd be fine without you but seeing you here today made all of those feelings for you rush back in. The ones I felt when I first started to work for you. Through the darkness of my life the last week, you were a light I never thought I'd need. It sounds stupid, I know, but it's true. All of you guys showed up to be here for me when you didn't need too."

"Stop saying that, angel. You know we would do anything for you," Noah said.

"I know," I nodded. "Some might think I'm a pushover for what I'm about to say but I don't care; it's what I feel is right. I forgive you, Noah. Can you promise me one thing, though?"

Noah reached for my hand and linked our fingers together. "Anything."

"Promise me that if you have an issue about something dealing with me or my friendships with the guys, we'll talk about it like normal humans?"

"Deal. Now, can you promise to talk to me about things that are bothering you," he playfully shot back.

"Deal," I gave a soft smile.

I could practically see the weight lift off of Noah's shoulders but I still had more to say that could ultimately ruin everything.

"I also don't want to rush into this again. Would it be alright if maybe we take things slow? I've got some things I need to sort out with my mom's death and some things with my past. I'm not saying completely ignore each other but I think, for now, I just need some more space. I still want to see you but not officially. But I'm not saying to see other people cause that's not what I want. Unless you want to, then I guess that's fine. I don't want to make you wait for me. If that makes sense."

I was rambling, nervous that he wouldn't understand where I was coming from. Thankfully, Noah understood because he laid a soft kiss across each of my knuckles.

"Take all the time you need, angel. I can wait for years if I gotta," Noah smirked.

I playfully smacked his chest. "Cheeky, aren't we? Using your own lyrics as a pickup line?"

Noah began leading me back to his car with our still intertwined hands and winked at me. "Is it working?"

I bit down on my bottom lip to keep the grin away but ultimately failed; the grin breaking wide across my face.

We all loaded into the car and Noah began the short drive to my house, cutting through the usually quiet neighborhoods. Only this afternoon, it was lively and loud with families running from house to house as their children wore different arrays of costumes and clutched their buckets of candy.

"Oh, shit," I muttered. "I almost forgot it's Halloween."

October 31st. Halloween.

There was also something else about this day that rang loud bells in my mind but couldn't quite remember. I racked my brain trying to think as I saw Noah shift in his seat while he pulled the car to a stop in front of my house. Suddenly, what I was searching for slammed into me with such force that I had to lean my head against the headrest.

Fuck.

"Thank you for everything, Lana. I don't know how I would have done any of this without you. Truly, I owe you so much," I said while pulling away from our hug.

She cupped my cheek. "Dear, please call me if you need anything. Even if it's just to talk. I don't want you to go through this alone."

I glanced over my shoulder to where both Nick's were discussing what movie to watch while Jolly went about ordering the pizza. Noah was in the kitchen cleaning up the mess from the wake. Everyone had left awhile ago, Lana staying behind to keep me extra company. But as the afternoon wore on into the evening, I told her she should head home. She already spent so much time away from it, no need to stay away longer.

"I'm not alone, don't worry," I smiled while looking back at her.

She nodded behind me towards the guys. "They're good friends of yours, yeah?"

I nodded. "Yeah, they're starting too."

"And Mr. Sebastian?" She asked with a raised brow.

My cheeks warmed as I averted my gaze to my feet. "Just a friend."

Lana hummed. "For now."

With one final goodbye, I slowly shut the door behind her and instead of going into the living room, I followed the noises coming from the kitchen and saw Noah loading the last bit of dishes into the dishwasher before starting it. He wiped his hands on a rag before folding it nicely on the counter then looked out the window above the sink; the moonlight casting a bright shadow over his face. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of him, my core twitching with a hunger that needed to be fulfilled; soon.

"You didn't have to do that," I said.

Noah gave me a warm smile. "I'm kind of neat freak so it wasn't a big deal."

I pushed myself off of the wall I was leaning on and walked over to him, closing the distance.

"But it's your birthday," I whispered while looking up at him through my lashes.

"You remembered?" He asked, almost shocked.

"I almost forgot, with every going on today. So I'm sorry you had to spend your birthday at a funeral," I cringed.

It wasn't the ideal birthday, that's for sure.

"I spent it with you, to me it was the best birthday in a long time," Noah admitted with a smile.

"Well," I placed a hand on his chest. "I have to give you your present."

He heart beat wildly underneath my palm but his face never gave way to his nervous state as he simply raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah?"

I nodded. "This is a one-time thing, alright? I meant what I said earlier about taking things slow."

"If I remember correctly, you also said this was a one-time thing about the time I got you off by riding my thigh; now look at us," Noah murmured as he dipped his head towards mine.

My eyes doubled in size as I felt my cheeks warm when I remember that night at the Airbnb. It seemed so long ago, and I yearned to feel that release again with him.

"Maybe I should forget about giving you your present," I teased while taking a step back from him.

Noah's large hands grasped at my hips to yank me back into him, my hands sprawling over his chest.

"Don't tease me angel," he groaned, voice dropping dangerously low.

Licking my dry lips, I stood on the tips of my toes so I could reach him and ignoring the voices screaming at me to stop; I laid a soft kiss on his plump, waiting lips. Noah wasted no time in kissing me back, his one hand leaving my hip to tangle in my hair, tilting my head back so he could get better access to my mouth. Just like the first kiss we shared, electricity shot through my entire body, rendering me numb to his taste and touch. My tongue brushed over his bottom lip before I explored every inch of his mouth. His teeth scraped along my lips as he bit down on it while I pulled away, breathlessly.

"Happy birthday, Noah," I moaned before slipping out of his embrace.

#noah sebastian #noah sebastian and reader #noah sebastian x reader #noah sebastian reader insert #noah sebastian smut #forced proximity #enemies to lovers #slow burn

[embracing-the-ineffable]

The Ineffable Detective Agency presents: Hidden Audio in Gabriel's Returning Memory

Ok everyone, I found a big mystery and I need your help! Are there any sound engineers in the Good Omens fandom? Please spread our search for them by reblogging this!

Remember when I posted the slowed-down video of Gabriel's memory returning and we all analyzed the scenes as they flashed by?

Well.

Eventually I realized that if you play the "memory tunnels" at different speeds, there's hidden audio. Mostly it's people talking, heavily masked by lots of extra sound effects which I've done my best to minimize unless they seemed meaningful, but realistically there are probably multiple layers of meaningful audio to decode, because that seems to be how things are with Good Omens!

There are also parts of the audio I can't decipher, and I'm hoping a skilled sound engineer will be able to do a better job manipulating this than I was able to do. (Plus, if you'd like to help, there's more hidden audio in other places, but that'll be the subject of another post 👀)

And … we're all Ineffable Detectives in this fandom, right?! The audio clips aren't anything we recognize from either season of Good Omens so far. Maybe some part of this will be familiar to you, from somewhere?? Sit down someplace quiet, pop in headphones if you have them, and listen to this (the first few seconds are silent):

Before we've influenced you, what do YOU hear??

I know a lot of people just hear noise at first, so if that's what you heard, you aren't alone! Now, here it is a second time, with captions for what we THINK we're hearing, and with gratitude for input from the @ineffable-detective-agency featuring @noneorother, @thebluestgreen and @eybefioro:

And here are the video captions again, with their timestamps: 0:03 oops... oops 0:05 you say you're a musician 0:08 it helps a lot as well 0:14 pssst, musician 0:16 crying or gasping 0:17, 0:19 musician 0:23 {music} 0:27 {singing} how good it feels (to pray?) 0:33 ? 0:41 ? 0:49 …what do you think… 0:50 glass crashing 1:03 ? 1:10 things look... things look super… 1:14 you say that the musician is negotiating his business …?… 1:24 things look super… super...

Do you recognize any of these clips from any other media? If not, my assumption is it's audio that was pre recorded for season 3, and left here as a hint about SOMETHING. But what?? As always, we'd love to hear your ideas!

Also, please reblog!

And if you have the skill/knowledge/interest to make this easier to understand, please let me know. We can collaborate, or you can just run with it, whatever suits you.

See more of our posts plus a link to a Google doc with metas and clues from all over the fandom, here!

#What was IN that fly #ineffable mystery #good omens clues #Ineffable Detective Agency #Good Omens analysis #Gabriel's memory #Hidden Audio #good omens #good omens season 2 #good omens 2 #good omens meta

[rottenraccoons]

Hi!! First of all, I wanted to say how much I LOVE Obscura, I’ve played through chapter one enough to get nearly all the endings now!! You guys are doing amazing work, I’m so excited for chapter two!

My question is sort of a writing/planning one! You’ve created such an interesting and complex story that can branch out in so many ways; so what is it like to plan and write something this complex, and what was your process like while developing it? Any tips?

Thank you!! <3

Aw, thank you!

I think our story can look deceptively complex from the outside, but from the inside it's actually pretty manageable (and this would be true for any story you make, too!). I'll show a bit of my process and hopefully that'll help you.

So this is a peek at what my workspace looks like (cropped to avoid showing too much). On the right are all the variables I'm working with, on the left is the script, and that little red square poking in is the preseason testing for Formula 1, because I need background noise to work (and I like F1).

With the variable list visible like this, it's actually very easy to keep track of all the different possible choices the player has made, and so it's pretty easy to either accommodate them or write in ways that suit all possible versions. So that's cheat #1: just keep your variables on hand and you eventually get used to thinking about them as you go.

Another thing that helps is our plot structure. Sam Kabo Ashwell wrote a very helpful blog post that helps visualise the different way choice-games like interactive fiction, CYOA stories, and visual novels can structure their branches. Obscura might look like a "sorting hat" at first, but it's better to think of each route as its own "branch and bottleneck" narrative. No matter what happens in the branches, things always bottleneck to the same place. No matter how your party goes in Oleander's route, either you get a bad end or you end up dancing together. So cheat #2 is to just think about places where your narrative can converge and ensure that your branches will come together to that bottleneck again.

Which isn't to say that this doesn't take work! If you're used to writing totally linear stuff then it can take a little time to get used to thinking in terms of branches and variables. But the good news is that when you start at the beginning of the story, there's not too much to think about. As long as you don't dump a huge number of variables on yourself right away, you can build them up as you get more used to thinking about them as you write.

I hope that helps!

#obscura vn #rotten raccoons #asks #about us #(by which i mean our process)

[bitchiswild]

Us Against The World

Rosé x F! Reader Word Count:887 Warnings:none A/n:i need more music from Blackpink Requested

You and Rosie have been in a relationship for over two years now. Both of you are former members of the immensely popular girl groups Blackpink and Twice. Lately, fans have started to piece things together and are slowly realizing the depth of your connection, wondering if you're more than just close friends but actual lovers.

The suspicions among fans began to arise due to the amount of time you and Rosie spent together. Whether it's days spent in each other's company or those instances when one of you goes live on social media, the other always seems to be present in the background, fueling conspiracies and speculations.

"Here we go again," you remarked to your girlfriend as you scrolled through Twitter, encountering numerous posts speculating about your relationship. Chaeyoung glanced over, leaning in closer to take a look. "Should we just tell them?" she pondered.

You shook your head. "Nah, I think it's kind of amusing. Let's see if they can piece it together. Besides, we're not exactly hiding our relationship; they just can't figure out if we're friends or lovers," you said with a chuckle.

Chaeyoung chuckled along with you. "You're right. Let's post another picture on Instagram, something similar, and use similar captions. That'll definitely stir up some commotion," she said with a mischievous smile, reaching for her phone to find the perfect photo.

After exchanging mischievous grins, you and Chaeyoung decided on the perfect photo and crafted matching captions for your Instagram posts. The images were almost identical, capturing a candid moment of the two of you laughing together, bathed in golden sunlight. The captions were cryptic yet playful, leaving fans guessing about the true nature of your relationship.

Within moments of posting, your notifications exploded with activity. Fans immediately began dissecting every detail of the photos and captions, drawing comparisons and analyzing potential hidden meanings. The comments section quickly filled with a mix of excitement, confusion, and wild speculation.

"OMG, are they hinting at something?!" one fan exclaimed, while another wrote, "They're definitely more than just friends, look at the way they're looking at each other!" The similarities between your posts only fueled the frenzy, with fans sharing screenshots side by side, pointing out every tiny similarity and difference.

As the posts gained traction, your Instagram feeds became flooded with reactions from fans across the globe. Some were convinced that you and Chaeyoung were indeed a couple, while others argued that you were simply close friends and nothing more. The debate raged on, intensifying with each new comment and share.

Through it all, you and Chaeyoung watched the chaos unfold with amusement, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle you had created. It was a testament to the power of social media and the fervent dedication of your fans, whose imaginations ran wild as they tried to unravel the mystery of your relationship.

The day your relationship was inadvertently exposed was one for the books, filled with unexpected twists and turns that left you and Rosie both amused and slightly stunned. It happened in the picturesque city of Paris, where you were attending a prestigious fashion show as ambassadors for YSL.

What started as a quiet, romantic date that Rosie had planned turned into a whirlwind of events when an eagle-eyed fan spotted the two of you together. They followed discreetly, capturing candid moments on camera, but things took a surprising turn when they caught you and Rosie stealing a sweet kiss amidst the Parisian charm.

The fan wasted no time in sharing the incriminating evidence on Twitter, setting off a chain reaction that sent shockwaves through social media and beyond. The photos and videos quickly went viral, sparking a frenzy of speculation and discussion among fans and even grabbing the attention of local news outlets.

In the midst of the swirling emotions and intense scrutiny that followed the exposure of your relationship, you and Rosie found solace in each other's presence. As you retreated to the privacy of your shared space, the weight of the world seemed to lift off your shoulders, replaced by a sense of calm and reassurance.

"I can't believe how crazy things have gotten," Rosie remarked, her voice tinged with disbelief as she scrolled through the endless stream of comments on her phone.

You nodded in agreement, wrapping your arms around her in a comforting embrace. "I know, it's overwhelming. But we'll get through this together," you reassured her, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Despite the mixed reactions from fans and the media, you and Rosie remained steadfast in your commitment to each other. As you navigated the tumultuous waters of public scrutiny, you found strength in each other's unwavering support and love.

"It's like a rollercoaster ride," Rosie mused, a hint of amusement in her voice as she leaned into your embrace.

You chuckled softly, brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face. "Yeah, but at least we're in it together," you replied, smiling warmly at her.

In the face of adversity, your bond with Rosie only grew stronger, a beacon of light guiding you through the darkest of times. And as you weathered the storm of mixed emotions together, you knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, you would always have each other's backs. It was the two of you against the world.

#bitchiswild #BIW.WRITES #park chaeyoung x reader #blackpink chaeyoung #chaeyoung x reader #park chaeyoung #roseanne park x reader #rosé x reader #blackpink rosé #roseanne park #blackpink imagines #blackpink fanfiction #blackpink #blackpink x fem reader #blackpink x reader

[ddejavvu]

I saw this on TikTok-

Y/n flashing Hotch her tits during an argument to see his reaction and he stops and wants to fuck her

this post is 18+, minors dni.

"I just don't like that he was hanging around you." Aaron grumbles, a stern frown on his face. You yearn to kiss the soft pout off of his lips the way you normally do when he gets, no offence to him, unreasonably jealous, but tonight you're going for a different tactic.

"He wasn't talking to me, Aaron," You remind him gently, toying with the hem of your t-shirt, "I don't even think he looked at me."

"But you two have history," Aaron urges, eyes widening a fraction, "Doesn't it mean something that the one night he's on our side of town he happens to stop by the same bar you posted online about and he happens to get a table to our left?"

"It seemed suspicious at first," You let him have that, as the sight of your ex had turned your tummy, "But again, he didn't even look at me! I think if he was doing it on purpose he would have at least tried getting my attention."

"I think he was trying to make you jealous," Aaron's frown deepens and it's taking all of your self control not to give in just yet, "He brought someone that looked scarily similar to you, and he sat on your side of his table, so that he was next to you and you could see his date, and he kept bragging about-"

You break.

Your fingers pinch the hem of your top and you yank it up over your torso. It's tight and strapless, so a bra was not necessary or preferable. Your tits bounce against your chest as they're freed from the insufferably tight shirt they've been trapped in, and Aaron's eyes widen, though they don't drop.

"-what he was.. Y/N," He keeps his eyes firmly on yours, fire flickering in his irises, "What are you doing?"

"Why aren't you looking down?" You tease him, voice sing-song-y, "I thought you liked my body."

"I do," He grits his teeth, "If I look down that'll be the end of things."

"Oh? Why," You hum thoughtfully, "You'll get distracted?"

"Very," He deadpans, now holding a staring contest with you, "Drop the shirt."

"O-kay," You grin, already tugging it up and over your head, "If you say so!"

It falls to the floor with a soft whoosh, and Aaron finally gives in. His jaw is tight as he lets his eyes finally rove over the curves of your chest, His nostrils flare as he takes a deep breath, then lets it out as his chest caves.

"Anyways," You hum, fluttering your eyelashes oh-so-prettily, not that he's watching your face, "You were saying?"

He's on you in an instant, hand flying up to grip ylur throat. It's not painful, but it's firm, and he tugs you by your jaw to meet his lips.

"Shut up," He grunts, voice hot and heavy as it funnels into your mouth. His free hand comes up to tweak one of your nipples while the other keeps the steady grip on your throat, teeth nipping at your bottom lip, "Brat."

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