#anyways it's good and this is probably a metaphor for how i have approached a lot of stuff in my life

[thephilosopherspupil]

how am i doing? well, i am currently working my way through nick cave's entire discography chronologically and i'm up to tender prey (1988).

#personal #honestly this has been a music experience and i need to start committing to listening to more music by artists i like #tend to get stuck on one or two songs and then just never get around to the rest of it even if it is good #but the last year or so i have been approaching aesthetics totally differently #and now i want to listen to and see all the things #like i'd really enjoyed his work with the birthday party #and had gone through phases of intermittent obsession with abattoir blues for the past decade #but then just never really looked up anything else? #anyways it's good and this is probably a metaphor for how i have approached a lot of stuff in my life

[janeyseymour]

hiii!! i love your writing and i hope you’re doing well <3 i was hoping to request a melissa x reader with “causal” work crush between the two of them. reader is a very put together teacher during school hours but a trendy aesthetic person off campus. mel comes across reader at the grocery store and is astonished at the revealing alternative style and sexy tattoos. reader gets super nervous and shy once mel teasingly approaches. no one at work has ever seen her like this but especially not her crush melissa

oh wow, this one... nice. written as i procrastinate cleaning my house!

Personal and Professional

wc: ~2.4k

You grew up hearing from both of your parents that you should never mix the personal with the professional. So you compartmentalize. You’ve always done it. You kept school life away from home life when you could, and now you keep your work life away from your home life. That’s not to say that you aren’t friends with your coworkers at school. It’s just that it’s much easier to keep professional Y/N and personal Y/N separate.

And the personal and professional you are two entirely different people.

You see, at school, you’re ‘Miss Y/N’. You keep it all together. You’re buttoned up, you’re conservative in your clothing style, and you strive to maintain that aura of professionalism that you see coming off of people like Barbara Howard. You’re pretty damn good at it too. You’re kind, you allow your coworkers to see small bits of your home life (“Oh, I’ll probably just do some grocery shopping before laying on my couch for the entirety of the weekend… maybe I’ll go to the gym,” is your usual response when they ask what you’re doing over the weekend), and the teachers have all come to respect you once you settled into your position.

But once the school hours are over and you can let your hair down, both figuratively and metaphorically, you trade out your blouse and sweater or blazer for more form-fitting and revealing shirts, pants that aren’t slacks, and you change your flats to your doc martens that you’ve been rocking since the eleventh grade. You take out the clear stud and put in your nose ring, and exchange earrings different from the delicate hoops you wear to school. Your multiple tattoos show in your street clothes, and you love it. 

You’re not entirely sure how your coworkers would feel if they knew that this was how you presented yourself outside of the school, but it doesn’t matter. They’re so used to seeing you all done up to teach that even if they did see you outside of school, they probably wouldn’t recognize you. You sure as hell wouldn’t go out of your way to say hello if you saw one of them outside of campus.

But then things start to change about six months into working at Abbott.

Shit. You have a thing for one of your coworkers- Melissa Schemmenti to be exact. It’s a very casual and silly thing the two of you have going on, really. She flirts with you, you flirt with her; it’s all in good fun. You know that you’ll never act on it though because you keep your many lives as far away from each other as possible, even going as far as grocery shopping a few streets over from where you know most of your coworkers go in order to not run into them. You’ve never had an issue with running into anyone outside of the school anyway- why would that change?

“What are your plans for the weekend, hot stuff?” Melissa flirts with you while you’re eating lunch. “And don’t give me your usual answer… you gotta have more of a life than what you lead on, miss mysterious.”

You roll your eyes. “You wish I was with you.”

She hums in lieu of an answer before asking you again, “What are your plans for the weekend?”

“Honestly?” you chuckle. “Probably some grocery shopping, I have a friend coming over tomorrow, and then Sunday is a day to grade and veg out on the couch while I catch up on some shitty reality tv.”

“Sounds riveting,” the redhead jokes.

“Well, what do you have going on?”

“Nothin’,” she grins. “I fully plan on staying in my Eagles sweatshirt and catching up on laundry and some chores- probably have some wine while I’m at it. Care to join me on Sunday after I go to church?” She’s never asked you if you wanted to hang out outside of work before, and it throws you for a loop. You nearly choke on your salad.

“Oi,” she huffs playfully. “I was just messin’. I don’t want to have to endure any of that shit reality tv in my house.”

“Yeah,” you chuckle. “I wouldn’t want you to have to sit through that either.” The two of you finish up your lunches and head back to your classrooms to deal with your monsters for the rest of the Friday.

“See you Monday, babe,” Melissa winks at you as she closes the door to her classroom and locks it.

“Oh, counting down already, I see,” you roll your eyes. “See you Monday, babe.”

When you get home, you change out of your stuff work attire and into a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie. You change out your jewelry for the things you prefer. You fully plan on laying on your couch with a bottle of wine on this lazy Friday night, but when you get home you realize that you finished off your favorite white last weekend. With a sigh, you go into your bedroom to change into some nicer street clothes- you would rather be caught dead than wear sweatpants and a sweatshirt out in public. At the front door, you pull on your docs, and then you’re off to the grocery store.

If you’re there now, you decide it’s best to just get your grocery shopping for the week out of the way. You grab a cart and start perusing the aisles like you usually do.

You have a few things in your cart when you find yourself in the aisle with the wines and beers, and you’re currently pouring over the selections. What would your friend want? Probably just some Yuengling. So you throw a case of that into your cart before turning to look for the wine that you love. Little do you know, Melissa is turning her cart down the aisle that you’re currently in, and she recognizes you almost immediately.

You look so starkly different than she’s used to seeing you. If she’s being honest, she’s a little thrown off with your outfit. She’s so used to seeing you in your work attire, your hair either in a neat, low bun or down. But here? This look is entirely different from what she was expecting you to be done up in outside of work. She of course knew that you wouldn’t always be dressed like a teacher, but wow. She was not expecting this. You’re in a pair of tighter, ripped black jeans, you have a tank top on, and your hair is thrown up into a stylish messy bun with a few pieces strategically pulled out to give off the appearance that it’s an effortless look (it is for you). Is that a tattoo on your shoulder that she sees? And a tattoo on your arm? How has she never noticed that before? You have a cartilage piercing, bold earrings for your first and second, and… is that a nose ring? She didn’t even know you had your nose pierced. If Melissa’s honest with herself, it only makes you that much more attractive.

You turn, satisfied with your decision, and pop the bottle into the top of your shopping cart. You make eye contact with the redhead that is practically drooling over the sight of you. You give her a shy wave, but you don’t dare to interact. Don’t mix the personal from the professional. The woman snaps out of her own trance and waves back with a curious look.

You continue down the aisles, and you think that you’re in the clear from Melissa- you acknowledged her, that’s all you had to do. She goes on her way too, but the two of you run into each other again during checkout.

“Hey there, hot stuff,” she winks at you as she starts putting her groceries up on the conveyor belt. “Never pegged you as a beer girl.”

“Hey,” you say softly, shyly. “It- it’s actually for my friend.” That also throws Melissa for a loop. At school, you’re so confident, quick to make a remark. But now, you sound like you have something caught in your throat, and you nervously tuck one of the loose strands of hair behind your ear, as if that would make you more professional looking. “I’ve never seen you around here before?”

“I usually go to the one that everyone else goes to, but they were out of my wine, so…” she gestures to it before putting it up on the belt. “It was worth the extra ten minute drive though if it means I get to see you.” She winks at you with those emerald green eyes of her, but you don’t reciprocate. You nervously worry your lip between your teeth, as if you have no idea what to say.

Melissa understands your hesitation and shrugs. The two of you stand in line together awkwardly. She’s rung up, and as she leaves, you call a gentle, “Have a good weekend, see you Monday.”

She turns and blows a kiss your way, waving flirtatiously before leaving.

Your weekend is nice. Your friend comes over, you go out to the clubs, and you almost forget about the encounter that you had with the hot redheaded second grade teacher.

The small break from work is over all too soon, and you find yourself somewhat dragging yourself into Abbott on Monday, but duty calls. You’re back to wearing your lightly colored blouse and a sweater over top to cover the tattoo that you didn’t feel like putting makeup over today, you’re back in your dress pants and flats. You didn’t even bother to do your hair, just simply brushing it and letting it cascade over your shoulders instead.

You enter the staff lounge and it’s empty, as it always is. You’re always the first one in. Whoever comes next is always a mystery, but today, it’s Melissa Schemmenti. Of course it is. Without anyone else there to buffer, you know she is absolutely going to bring up your meeting on Friday night.

“Hey there, gorgeous,” the redhead says suavely. “Have a nice weekend?”

“Yeah, babe,” you shoot out. The coffee pot dings. “You want some?”

“You know I always do,” she sighs out as she makes a move for the cabinet with the mugs inside. She grabs hers before sauntering over to you. The second grade teacher hands you the mug before cozying up to you.

“For you,” you roll your eyes as your pour the scalding hot liquid into her cup.

“Thanks, babe,” she smirks and winks. “So… when were you goin’ to tell me about this little number?” she rests a gentle hand on your shoulder- the one with the tattoo.

“What do you mean?” you chuckle.

“That tattoo,” she licks her lips.

“I forget it’s there,” you roll your eyes. “Young Y/N mistakes.” Not true at all. You love that tattoo, and most of your street clothes show it off. 

“It’s sexy,” she tells you lowly. “Kinda like the ear spike and the nose ring I had no idea you had.”

“I’m a different woman outside of school, babes,” you tell her, smirk evident as you start to fix your own coffee. “Didn’t realize I had to tell you about it all.”

“You don’t,” she shrugs. “I’ll find it all out myself… little miss alt girl.”

“In your dreams,” you fire out, and you get pretty close to her.

“Oh, every night,” she challenges you and moves even closer. At this point, the two of you are nose to nose.

And wow, it wouldn’t take much more for you to-

“Good morning!” Janine bursts in through the door, not knowing what she’s walking into.

You and Melissa couldn’t jump away from each other faster. The young, energetic teacher starts to ramble on all about her weekend, and your other colleagues start to make their way in. When it comes time to watch the news, Melissa settles herself in next you. Her hand finds its way to your shoulder, and she starts to trace the outline of you tattoo. Then, you feel the redhead’s hand make its way to your arm, where the other tattoo is that she saw. You didn’t know she saw that one too. She lets her fingers lazily trace around that one as well. All of your coworkers are too enamored with what’s happening on the screen to really notice, and Melissa’s green eyes are trained on the television as well. You could not be further from what’s happening on the screen. All you can think of is Melissa, and the things that she’s doing right now are driving you crazy.

Soon though, the kids will start to trickle in, and you know you have to get to your classroom. So you head out, a flirtatious smile and wink thrown the second grade teacher’s way before you close yourself into your room. You take a deep breath, and get ready for your day.

As you’re about to make your way out of your classroom, you hear heeled boots clinking along the linoleum floor, and you know those boots belong to the redhead that’s been on your mind all day.

“Hey, babe,” you says, back turned to the door, but you know it’s her. “Come to walk me out?”

The clicking gets louder, and before you can even think, Melissa has you pinned up against your desk. You can feel the corner of it digging into your back, and then you don’t because all you can feel are her lips on yours. Instinctively, you kiss her back. It’s better than you had been dreaming of. And then she pulls back, wipes away the lipstick she left smudged, wipes her own mouth to fix her own lip, and then winks at you.

“I’m done pretending that all this flirting we do is harmless,” she says once she’s righted herself. “You, me, dinner tonight at The Capital Grille. 6, sharp.”

You don’t know what else to do other than nod.

“And don’t come dressed in your teacher outfit,” she instructs. “I want the babe that you are… Ear spike, nose ring, tattoos out.”

With that, she turns on her heel and makes her way out of your room. As she’s making her way down the hall, you hear her call over her shoulder, “Don’t miss me too much!”

So much for not mixing the personal with the professional.

Next

#melissa schemmenti #melissa schemmenti fanfic #melissa schemmenti x reader #melissa schemmenti x you #abbott elementary fanfic #abbott elementary fanfiction

[pochipop]

＃FNAF MOVIE !! ♡ — IT'LL BE ALRIGHT (MIKE SCHMIDT X READER).

#. synopsis! — mike is used to walking on eggshells, just waiting for another tragedy, and you really don’t want to be just another person who's let him down.

#. characters! — mike schmidt .

#. warnings! — vague references to past traumatic events (canon compliant) , references to a verbal argument .

#. word count! — 1.8k .

#. alt accounts! — @ddollipop (nsfw) @hhoneypop (moodboards) .

#. others! — navigation & masterlist .

Mike is used to people leaving. They come and they go like stray cats who've found someone better to nab food off of, —leaving him with more ghosts in his life than he'd care to admit. At least these ones are metaphorical and melodramatic, though. His saving grace has been the fact that he chooses wisely who to introduce Abby to, just in case. She's been through enough, and she's so young that the absence of anyone would be duly noted. Not that it isn't when it comes to himself, it's just. . . He's learned how to live with loss. Maybe not effectively, but he does it, and for right now, that's probably as good as it's getting.

He's got more pressing matters to attend to. He always does. That's what he argued about with you, —what he fought tooth and nail to defend, even when you backed off. At the end of it, he knew he'd gone too far for no real reason. He wasn't arguing with you at that point, he was arguing with all the people that have left him starved for their affections and their care. The words he said to you were so far beyond your scope that it was almost pathetic to think about all the bullshit he unloaded on you like it was somehow your job to fix it, even when he knew it wasn't. So really, it's no wonder he's adding you to that list of people who've walked away.

For once, he truly deserved it. 

And now he's got to explain this to Abby. Because she likes you almost as much as he does, —almost being the operative word there. Mike sucks at a lot of things, and showing you he cares tends to be one of them, but he loves in his own ways. . . And now, he fears he'll have to do it from afar.

He sort of wishes Abby was the kind of kid he could bribe with ice cream for breakfast to break bad news to. It'd be easier to scoop her some off-brand Neopolitan and tell her she'd never see you again if that would help soften the blow. But it won't, and he knows that. He knows her too well to even try.

Still, he finds himself putting chocolate chips in her pancakes that morning in spite of himself.

When he places the plate in front of her, she narrows her eyes, as if to ask him what he's done so wrong. . . Asking what he's offering silent apologies for in the form of sweet pockets stolen away inside her favorite breakfast food. He opens the fridge in search of orange juice just to avoid her gaze.

Before she can even take a bite, he opens his mouth.

"Listen, Abby—"

She looks up at him with those big, doe eyes, and he probably would have cut himself off anyway if not for the knock on the front door. Mike mumbles for her to hold that thought, then goes to check who's outside.

And there you stand a little awkwardly on his doorstep, a brand new bottle of orange juice in your hand. Once again, it's like you've read his mind, and he's as sick of it as he is thankful for it, especially right now. Still, he can't turn you away.

"Morning," you say, almost hesitantly. "I brought juice. . ."

He tries to think of something to say, but hears the quick pitter-patter of Abby's feet fastly approaching. She calls your name so happily, and you smile at her.

"Good morning to you too," you laugh, returning the hug she gives you with no hesitation.

Mike just stares, as if he can't believe you're even here right now. If you're just here to grab the items of yours strewn about his house, he feels like the least you could have done was wait until Abby was asleep or something.

"Can I have some?" Abby asks, pointing to the orange juice in your hand.

"Yeah, that's what it's for," you smile, handing the bottle to her.

She scurries off to the kitchen to pour herself a glass.

"Mike," you say softly now that she's out of earshot, "can we—"

"I'll get your stuff together," he cuts you off.

Your jaw slacks.

"What?" Is the only thing you can manage to muster up in response.

"You could've done this at a different time," he snaps, trying to keep quiet so Abby doesn't hear. "It's gonna be ten times harder on her now for me to explain why you're not coming back."

You stare at him, trying not to cry. Out of all the things you expected to happen this morning, such a drastic change of heart on his part wasn't one of them.

"You. . . You're breaking up with me?" You question.

He pauses, a lot of the frustration dissipating from his features, replaced by genuine confusion.

"Didn't you already break up with me?" He asks.

Your brows knit together quizzically. 

"No? What are you even talking about, I never said I wanted to break up with you," you point out.

Sure, you didn’t say it. But most of the others had never said it either. It was like flipping a lightswitch. One minute they were there, and the next they weren’t. That's why he'd gotten so good at keeping his relationships at a distance, and he'd taken the biggest leap of faith in introducing you to his sister.

"Yesterday evening?" He says, but it sounds more like a question.

"We had an argument," you acknowledge. "It was stupid, and you hurt my feelings. I'm sure I hurt yours too. That doesn't mean I want us to be over."

Mike stares at you like he's not sure what to say, because he isn't. He's not used to someone caring enough to fight for him, and for what festers between himself and someone else. He's learned to let go before the thread pulls too tight, —before it wraps around his throat and slices through every defense he's built up for the sake of protecting himself, his heart, and the little girl that depends on him.

"Mike," you say softly, almost cautiously. "I care about you. One bad night doesn't change that. . . Not for me."

God, it was stupid. It was so stupid. You weren't even mad at him specifically, and you're fairly certain he wasn't really angry with you in particular either. Long days on both your parts collided like a warm front to a cold one, and the things both of you said in the wake of it were uttered through venom and gritted teeth. Sweeping generalizations, a lot of rolling eyes, some tears that were more about frustration than they were anything else. . . But you still loved him at the end of it, even as you found yourself walking home alone.

In fact, that walk was particularly sobering. The crisp chill of the autumn evening was enough to convince you that you'd rather be back at his place where he keeps an extra toothbrush for you in the bathroom and emptied out a drawer just so you could have a place to store some clothes. The sleep you got in the night that followed was shallow at best, restless enough to leave faint bags beneath your eyes by morning, and you were determined to make up any excuse in the book just to swing by.

So you went out and got some orange juice, knowing there wasn't any left in the fridge, and you stood outside his door for a while, working yourself up just to knock. You thought about all the things you'd need to apologize for, and you were ready to push aside your ego if it meant Mike could understand just how much you care, even when you're upset.

He swallows, just to give himself something to do while he prolongs his own response, because he's just not sure what to say. Somehow, a part of him is whispering that this would be easier if you just didn't give a fuck. . . If last evening was the end, and he could go back to finding comfort in silence again.

That's how it's always been. Someone leaves, and he copes, and then he files them away with the rest. But here you are, and Mike knows he can't bring himself to put you in with the others.

"Mike, I'm—"

"No, I am," he breathes, reaching forward to pull you into his arms. "I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings, and I'm sorry that I suck at being a boyfriend, but I don't know what I'm doing and all I can tell you is that I'm trying."

He feels the tension meld away from you, and it's then, before you even open your mouth to reply, that he starts to think everything is how it should be.

"You don't suck at it," you answer lightly. "I know you're trying, and that's genuinely all I could ask for, and I'm sorry about yesterday evening. I was in a bad mood, and I took it out on you, and that wasn't right."

"We both took shit out on each other," he corrects, ready and willing to share the blame.

"True enough," you acknowledge with a weary smile, finally pulling away from his embrace.

"I'm sorry," he says again. "When things go wrong, I. . . I've just learned how to slam on the breaks. If I stop things before they feel like they'll suffocate me, I can avoid them. But I love you, and I know I don't want to avoid that."

"This isn't a one way street," you remind him. "Relationships are hard, and sometimes things happen in a way that they shouldn't, but I'm here for you, and I want to be here for you. . . It's not contractual. One bad night doesn't take away all the times you've made me feel like the happiest person on the face of the planet, Mike."

He sniffles a little, then lets out a relieved sigh.

"Are you hungry?" He asks. "I can make you some pancakes. Chocolate chip."

You raise an eyebrow.

"Chocolate chip? Are you apologizing to Abby for something?"

God, a part of him hates that he's so obvious, but another part loves that you know him so well. It makes him feel even stupider for just assuming that you'd be willing to throw in the towel after one rough night.

"No, not really," he shakes his head. (Not anymore, at least.)

Mike glances toward the kitchen, just to make sure Abby's still preoccupied with her breakfast, then steals a quick kiss from your lips.

"I'm sorry," he says again.

You smile.

"Me too."

"And I love you," he adds.

Your smile widens.

"I love you too. Promise."

With that, he pulls you to the kitchen, and you sit down beside Abby at the table. She tells you that when breakfast is done with, she'd like to show you some new drawings she's done, and you nod, telling her you're excited to see them. And you are.

Mike stands at the stovetop, his back to the both of you, not bothering to bite back his grin. 

He feels his foot ease off the break.

#fnaf movie #fnaf #fnaf movie mike #mike schmidt #mike schmidt x reader #mike schmidt x you #mike schmidt fnaf #mike schmidt imagine #michael schmidt #micheal schmidt #abby schmidt #abby fnaf #fnaf x reader #fnaf movie x reader #five nights at freddys #reverse comfort #mike schimdt x reader #mike schmidt reverse comfort

[petite-phthora]

Oh, he’s stupid.

[DP x DC fic]

[Love at first... murder? - part 4]

<< Prev | Next >>

Part 1

Ao3

---

“THAT CLOWN I PUNCHED WAS THE JOKER?!”

The frenzied question stuns Jason for a moment.

Oh. He realizes. He’s stupid.

...

Fuck, he wants to kiss him so bad.

Slightly incredulous, he manages to get out a question of his own in response.

“Just how many insane clowns do you think we have wandering around Gotham?”

“I don’t know, man! I’ve only been here for less than a week. And it’s Gotham, there’s a new rogue like every other week!”

Jason considers his point for a moment before conceding.

“… You know what? That’s fair.”

Danny slumps in his chair with a groan, his cheeks slightly dusted pink due to embarrassment. He puts his forehead on the table. Slightly worried, Jason speaks up.

“Are you alright?”

“Just peachy. Not even a week in a new city and I already managed to dispose of one of the city’s most infamous rogues, and I wasn’t even aware of it. Ugh, my sister’s gonna kill me. Fully this time.”

Right. Jason’s not gonna touch upon that last statement with a ten-foot pole.

Instead, he suggests “Well, you could try to keep it from her but, knowing how siblings can be, she’ll probably find out anyway. Better rip off the metaphorical band-aid and tell her yourself first so she’ll be less mad about you keeping it from her.”

Danny seems to think it over for a moment before nodding.

“Yeah, if I tell her beforehand she might be merciful enough to make it painless.”

Jason lets out a snort. He then considers something before speaking up.

“I could… show you around sometime if you’d like? Explain some standard protocols, show you which places to avoid, which places to visit… So something like this doesn’t happen again…?”

“I’d… like that” Danny days, looking up at him with a small smile.

“So…” Jason decides to switch topics “Tell me some more about yourself, you’re studying aerospace engineering, right?”

Danny decides it’s better not to ask how Red Hood found out all this information about him. If he were in any danger from the other, he probably wouldn’t have gotten flowers or been taken out to dinner anyway.

“Oh, yeah! When I was little I actually wanted to be an astronaut, but due to health reasons, that’s unfortunately not possible anymore. So instead, I decided to combine my mechanical engineering knowledge with my love for space. This way, I might still be able to land a job at NASA.”

Jason ponders over the possibility of sneaking Danny onto the watchtower.

They get interrupted by a waiter approaching their table, nervously asking if they’d like to order dessert.

“Oh, I’ll have some cannoli please!” Danny says.

Ah, a man after his own heart.

---

When they get to the observatory, Jason already notices Danny’s excitement growing the closer they get.

He managed to rent the place out for tonight, not having been in the mood for a tour or something. Besides, if he really wanted to know more about the stars, he’s pretty sure his date Danny’s got that covered for him.

“Over there you can see Ursa Major and Ursa Minor! They’re also known as The Big and Little Dipper, and are some of the easiest constellations to spot, mainly due to their pan shape. Though, the Big Dipper isn't the entire constellation, but actually only a part of Ursa Major, just the tail.”

Danny had started to tell him about the different constellations they should be able to see at this time of the year, using the telescope to navigate towards them and then letting Jason take a look while he tells him all about what they’re looking at.

“Oh! And there’s Hydra! While some parts of the constellation are visible for about half of the year, around this time of year the full constellation should be visible! It is both the largest and longest constellation.”

Danny seems to be practically glowing.

Wait, scratch that. Danny is glowing.

Jason takes a good look at Danny while he’s rambling. Not only does he seem to be emitting a soft glow, but his hair is also slowly starting to float as if he’s underwater. It looks like his meta powers are probably acting up.

Moreover, his freckles, which were very faint before, are now glowing a bright and familiar Lazarus green, which Jason finds mildly concerning. But also… kinda cute…

He tenses a little, keeping a wary eye on Danny, before slowly relaxing as he notices Danny is still excitedly going on about the Hydra constellation.

“Did you know Hydra is also often referred to as The Water Snake? The naming is based on the myth where a crow served Apollo a cup of water with a hydra snake in it. Apollo then caught the crow and was so enraged that he threw the cup and the snake into the sky.”

Yeah, no matter the connection Danny might have to the Lazarus Pits. There’s no need to worry about this fucking nerd, Jason notes with a small hint of fondness.

At the end of their little observatory tour, the glow around Danny starts to dim and his hair stops floating. The glowing of his freckles has also started to disappear, though he is still beaming.

Well, he’d call that a successful first date.

---

After their date, Jason brings Danny back to his apartment on his motorcycle. Once they’ve arrived and Danny is about to leave, Jason blurts something out.

“Oh wait! Before you go…”

Danny looks at him questioningly.

“Can I have your number?” he quickly asks, glad that his helmet is obscuring his reddened face.

He watches the way Danny lights up, his cheeks dusted light pink.

“Ah, uh. Sure!” the space nerd stammers.

Jason takes out a pen that he totally hadn’t taken with him just for this occasion and hands it over. Danny takes the pen and pauses, looking Jason in his Red Hood outfit over, before taking a gentle hold of Jason’s hand.

He glances up at Jason with a questioning glance, asking if he’s okay with this. Jason gives him a nod, that he really hopes doesn’t come over as too eager, in return.

Either way, it seems to be enough for Danny, who then proceeds to move down Jason’s glove a bit and write down his number on Jason’s hand.

Once he’s done, he puts the glove back in place and hands the pen back. Danny’s face is red and he’s grinning. Cute… Jason stays silent, not trusting his voice, and nods in thanks.

“So, I’ll uh see you… next time?” He asks, hope lacing his voice.

Again, Jason just nods in response.

“Great! Cool cool cool. Uh, yeah, uh Toodaloo Kangaroo?” He ends his statement with an awkward grin and finger guns, stumbling when he tries to walk backward.

Fuck me.

He watches as Danny rubs the back of his neck sheepishly before waving him goodbye and turning around, making his way into the apartment complex.

Jason keeps his eyes on Danny as he watches him disappear into the building before tugging off his glove and lowering his gaze to the phone number scrawled on his hand.

He swallows as he realizes that oh, he’s in deep.

#dp x dc #dp x dc fic #dpxdc #dcxdp #dp x dc crossover #dead on main #dead on main ship #jason: *falling harder once he realises that while danny has intelligence he's also kinda stupid* #jason is moronsexual #in dannys defence he had been a little preoccupied by the fact that there was another crazy clown after him #if danny had a nickel for every time an insane clown has tried to kidnap/kill him he'd have two nickels #which isn't a lot but it's weird that it's happened twice right? #he also decides to not question how the (former) crime boss got his info #and jason decides to ignore any suspicous or concering shit #he just wants this cute twink as is bf is that too much to ask? #no he doesnt care about the concerning lack of info on danny and his town #he's cute and he got rid of the joker so jason's willing to ignore that shit

[that-ari-blogger]

Galinda's True Colours

One key theme in Wicked is superficiality. The world of Oz is a place where honest conversation is difficult to come by. Almost everyone is pretending to be something, or believe something, or have something, all to get what they want.

Popular approaches this theme with the subtlety of a hyperactive wrecking ball and gives a musical monologue about how this world works, and why.

Because Galinda has been portrayed as ditsy up to this point, with a bit of the self-serving schemer archetype thrown in for flavour. But here, we see just how intelligent she is. Galinda has caught on to how the world works, and understands what buttons to push.

Let me explain.

SPOILERS AHEAD (Wicked)

The first element to be brought under examination is Wicked's love for subverting expectations. By this, I mean that certain mindsets in the world have stereotypes associated with them, take idealism and cynicism for example.

From what I have observed, when a writer wants to use one of these archetypes, they will probably draw on a few common ideas. The former is usually portrayed as stary-eyed and naive, or unflinchingly positive. Cynicism meanwhile has a certain sarcasm to it. A cynic might feature a permanent scowl and a dry remark as a kneejerk reaction to anything.

In short, Cynics are usually written to be villains who are overcome by hopeful heroes, or to be heroes who are proven right by a world where hope is meaningless. Idealists on the other hand are either heroes who make the world a better place by sheer force of goodness, or naive fools who the world breaks down.

Obviously, there are exceptions to the rule, but those exceptions are mostly more developed characters in their own right, so the label of "a cynic" doesn't really fit them. Batman is an idealist (when he's written properly).

What is fascinating about Wicked is how the characters are presented. Elphaba is introduced as cynical, she fits the archetype to a tea. But after a musical number, her character swaps entirely. She keeps the sarcasm, but the hopefulness becomes a driving force that goes against the stereotype.

Galinda is... introduced as a bit of a ditz. She's got an ego, she gets what she wants all of the time, she has a well-known family. She's the generic rich kid, essentially. Fiyero gets the same treatment.

For the record, By Galinda, I mean young Glinda, and I am treating them as separate entities until they meet back up.

Anyway, when Galinda starts singing, her real worldview becomes clear. It's possible to argue that it wasn't particularly hidden to begin with, but in Popular, she bludgeons you over the head with it.

"Celebrated heads of state Or 'specially great communicators Did they have brains or knowledge? Don't make me laugh! They were popular! Please, it's all about popular! It's not about aptitude It's the way you're viewed"

As much as I despise it, Galinda is kinda right here.

In 1964, Henry Littlefield published an essay in the American Quarterly titled The Wizard of Oz: Parable on Populism in which he gave some opinions on a theoretical metaphor inherent in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz book (if you don't want to read it, TedEd has a video discussing it and its legacy). He claimed that it was an inherently political book about the time Baum wrote it.

The sparkly new world looks even better if you put on tinted glasses, and only works if you understand that the wizard's power is empty, so Littlefield proposed.

Scholars since have praised, debated, and debunked Littlefield's essay. Pointing out the fact that this is pattern recognition with hindsight, in the same way that you can look to the stars and see a goat.

Essentially, there is an argument for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz being political, and there is an argument (most famously made by its Baum himself) that it is just a children's book.

Wicked is a satire, and not a children's book, so it gets away with some heavy insinuation, but to avoid landmines and a lack of knowledge on my own part, I am going to talk exclusively about how this affects the land of Oz itself, rather than its implications for the real world. Please don't argue in the replies.

So, Galinda's hypothesis here is that the leaders of Oz do not get to where they are because of any actual skill, but rather because they were well liked by either the people, or their superiors. She gets proven right about this throughout the musical. Madam Morrible moves up in the world by presenting Elphaba to the wizard, the Wizard gained power by giving Oz a common enemy, and Galinda and Fiyero themselves gain status seemingly out of nowhere.

In Oz, it doesn't matter what you know, but who you know, and who knows you.

In the show that I watched, Galinda was played by Courtney Monsma, who knocked this number out of the park. Galinda is an incredibly cynical character, but Monsma played her with what I can only describe as "manic pixie energy", which circles back to Wicked's idea of superficiality.

Because the ditzy pantomime of Galinda present in What is this Feeling and half of Dancing Through Life is nothing compared to the madness that is Popular. This is a character who knows exactly how to toss her hair to get what she wants, who knows how to make people think she is something she isn't.

Monsma played a character who was well aware that perception would get her further in life than intelligence, and was having fun with that confidence. But she is actually clever, Galinda has picked up on this fact that everyone else has just accepted subconciously, but now she can explain it.

This song feels like a hyper fixation rant. The frantic obsession was a mere outlet for the excitement of finally being able to speak to this worldview head on to someone who she respects and knows will actually understand her. This song feels like Galinda and Elphaba are on emotional and intellectual equal footing.

This song is also part of my case for Wicked as a queer musical that only works as a story because the romance doesn't. As in, this is a story about a romance that could have been, and that romance reads as queer to me. I will get more into it next week, but for now, I will say this:

This song doesn't matter, and that's exactly why it does matter.

This is the moment when Elphaba and Galinda connect, and share. This is Galinda trying to give back for the wand and make up for her previous behaviour to make Elphaba less of an outcast. But she has already done that.

The moment at the end of Dancing Through Life when Elphaba and Galinda share the spotlight, when Galinda makes herself look like a fool to match Elphaba, when she lets the outcast lead, and the rest of the room goes along with it. That moment is when the romance is kicked off, that is the moment when she starts making amends. That is the moment when she starts to make Elphaba less of a social pariah.

That dance renders Popular superfluous, or at least it does on paper. In reality, this song is doing a lot of heavy lifting in the foreshadowing department, even more so than What is this Feeling, in my most humble of opinions.

Popular happens because Galinda is right about so much in her world, but wrong about the most important thing. Brains and knowledge are irrelevant in Oz, perception is powerful, but empathy rules them all.

Galinda gives this big show of how amazing she is for helping people. Look at her, she's so good. But, Elphaba doesn't care about that, and Galinda does. The romance doesn't work in the end because Galinda realises too late that in the big scheme of things, superficiality is nowhere near as fulfilling as connection. That's why her romance with Fiyero breaks off, and its why her romance with Elphaba is doomed. She only realises this when both options are off the table.

The romance between Elphaba and Galinda breaks apart, but it can only do that because it was there to begin with. You can't tear down nothing.

You could read the relationship as entirely platonic, a friendship that breaks down. But art is subjective, and to me, the romance makes this story so much more compelling.

Final Thoughts

Popular is a popular song in the fanbase. It's an absolute bop, but it's also one of the simplest numbers in the entire production. The set is two beds, there is no fancy dancing, just one character sitting still and the other jumping around like she's on springs. The set doesn't change, there are no extra characters, nothing.

This song doesn't let anything distract from the character drama that is going on in centre stage, so that the audience can take in what is actually being said and done.

Next week, I am taking a look at I'm Not That Girl, and I will being going all in on the queer reading of this musical. Although, that is a heterosexual love song, right? How could that be queer? I have thoughts, so stick around if that interests you.

Previous - Next

(Images were sourced from this video)

#rants #literary analysis #literature analysis #character analysis #wicked is a queer story #wicked the musical #glinda upland #elphaba thropp #wicked musical #musical analysis #lgbtq #queer coding #lgbtqia #queer #gelphie

[annabelle--cane]

a few notes on how I'm going to be approaching tma 2 as a fan because it's my blog and I can make too-long navel gazey posts if I want. in brief, even if there are decisions in stuff like the premise that I end up not liking, I still intend to enjoy whatever fun content there is and largely ignore whatever annoys me.

in long,

I am cautiously optimistic that the sequel premise will be something cool that I like and won't undo the ambiguity of 200's ending. in various q&a episodes, jonny and alex stressed the importance of the ambiguity of that ending, and jonny has said a few times that he doesn't want to make canonical material that supersedes a lot of fan activity so I doubt he'd want to joss everyone's somewhere else aus. also, as other people have pointed out, the martin in the "oh hello" trailer doesn't react to a tape recorder turning on the way a post-canon martin probably would, which makes me inclined to think something funky's going on. I've consumed and enjoyed enough of jonny's writing that I feel like he could do an interesting and satisfying continuation, but even if none of that is the case, and we do just get normal follow up with jon and martin, that brings me to point two:

maybe the premise will suck. I'm prepared for the eventuality that it comes out and it's everything I don't want in a tma 2 premise, and if that's the case then I'm still gonna try to enjoy subsequent content we get from that premise anyway, like eating around the bad bits of an apple. if it comes out and it turns out the whole thing sucks then I will be tremendously bummed and then simply not listen anymore and ignore it. to continue the metaphor, I'll probably just relisten to the original show or something to get the taste of rotten apple out of my mouth and then pretend the rotten apple never existed. and that brings me to point three:

if the whole show sucks subjectively, objectively, all the other jectivelys, if I think the premise is bad and the plot undermines the themes of the original and all the characterization is way out of whack, then I may potentially whine about it on here but I am not going to make that any creative team members' problem. if other people end up liking tma 2 while I don't, then I also won't make it their problem, I'm just going to disengage and maybe make complainy posts here with an easily filterable tag on them. there is no moral weight to making a bad show, if it's bad then I still hope everyone involved makes a living wage and doesn't have to quit social media because of it.

I hope to have a good time with this show and I'm reasonably optimistic I will, but if I don't then I'm not going to start harassing everyone who works on or enjoys it.

#tma #marina marvels at life

[capriciouscapsss]

meeting your future spouse ™

BOOK A READING WITH ME

today we're doing a first meeting pac with your future spouse

we have four piles; intuitively choose the pile you're most drawn to.

now let's go ahead and start ♡

pile i. daffy duck rolling in money

[The hermit, 6oS, Knight of Cups, t.w.n.o.o.t.u, n.t.i.w.w., o.n.s]

This was my face as I was shuffling for you: 😲 you guys haven't been trusting the universe at all right now! the universe asks you to trust, to let go, to make sure that you're healing yourself before worrying about when you and your person will meet. they will come to you!! they will. but you have to let go. only when you let go is when you and your f/s will finally meet. only when you choose yourself over anyone else is when you two will meet. you know a lot of people say that they find love when they least expect it and I do think that will be the case for you, pile one. when you finally choose to put yourself first is when they will come into the picture. but for this you have to let go!! are you staying up late at night watching someone else's profile? seeing what they post and crushing from afar? yeah, let go of that rn😠 act like you need no one bc they'd all be LUCKY to even have a chance with you and this person will come!! when you retreat, when you put yourself first and detach from an unhealthy situation (crushing badly, toxic relationship, self isolation, ect) you'll see that this person will come rushing in. Now for the actual MEETING, well I do see that you meet this person from afar at first. they have a good reputation and they're seen as someone elevated. honestly i get the image of someone watching from afar, trying to act distant like they don't care (this is you btw😭) whilst still keeping an eye on them. you notice them first but that does not mean they don't know you. honestly they haven't heard very good stuff about you when you two meet sorry sorry bUT they still approach you anyways. again i get the image of you trying to act cool and collected, you probably don't even take them seriously. it might be somewhere crowded where you can (metaphorically or actually) feel everyone's eyes on you both. i do see people thinking like oh these two are about to fool around or like nothing can stem from the both of you talking but they're still curious enough to watch. + for some of you this can point to having a crush on them back then without knowing them, as in maybe a social media crush or something like that. like you KNOW them because you've been keeping an eye on them before but they don't know you; they've just heard mean things about you.

additional little notes: forgive, 9, the past, past crush?, problems, do we have beef?, the situation improves

pile ii. a stack of cash being flipped through

[6oS, the world, 9op, l.a.f.s, g.t.h, n.r, m.e]

Hellooo pile two! your first meeting is a weird thing. they keep pulling me to tell you about your second meeting and not your first. first off, I'm praying for you. the energy of your future spouse- wait no scratch that the alleged appearance of your future spouse??? yeah good luck. we got the oracle card "guy is too hot" like what else do we even need??? 😭 you're going to be so caught off guard when you meet them. i don't believe necessarily in love at first sight but it's so likely that it happens to both of you. you my dear lovely pile two, are somewhat of a romantic (this is my nice way of saying erratic in love) you seem to crush on people allll the time. you put big emphasis on the more uhm rated r side of love. like how it'll be, how they'll be and so on and so forth. BUT the crazy thing is, this doesn't happen with this person; you're stuck wanting to know more about them on a even friendship SOULMATE level. they're ridiculously attractive and yet you don't even want to connect bodies you want to connect with their SPIRIT. it's crazy because your way of meeting each other is almost like destiny. I can see you guys telling the story later on in your marriage and realizing that if xyz hadn't changed even just a bit then you two likely wouldn't have met. like true destiny type of vibes in your connection. i do think the reason as to why spirit doesn't want to talk about your first meeting it's because nothing really happens the FIRST meeting. most likely they're watching from afar, immediately in love. and they won't even ask for your name or nothing either, just watches from afar then goes home lmao. it's DESTINY intervening that has you two meeting again and that's when it starts. you SEE them now too. you want to speak to them and learn their name. honestly I do get the vibe that they're a bit more "refined" than you are. as in more polite and with better manners. you're gonna charm the pants off them though, just in a wilder way. def gonna surprise them.

additional little notes: the notebook but with noah as the girl and allie as the boy lol, fated connection, meeting by a friend, charity, travel

pile iii. person counting money next to their cat

[the high priestess, the hanged man, 8oC, remain positive, v.s, mm, s.b]

my dear pile 3s it's all going to get better. you'll see ♡ the energy in this pile is tired. take some rest, you need to sleep. you need to think, be alone with your thoughts and untangle the web that you take great care not to focus on. pile three, you and your f/s will meet in a period of trying to advance knowledge wise. so attending school, college, starting a class, or just in a library. it's going to be during a period that you do not want to be bothered. you and them seem to be on the same struggle boat; whatever it is you're trying to get doesn't seem to want to be gotten 😭 and you are so stressed out. you keep wondering if the dream you're even going for is possible of being accomplished. i do feel like at the time you meet they are not in that situation anymore but they can relate to these feelings. like it was like prior to meeting you they were going through your exact situation but they're better off now. as in like they already accomplished what you wanted to do first. they might see you looking lost in thought or just going through a hard time and approach you only to give you advice or help you in a sort of way. they don't mean anything romantic by it but you look so distressed that they can't help but WANT to help you. and help you they do, I'm seeing that they change your way of thinking. they force you to see things differently. like "hey why don't you try this" or "what are you so afraid of" making you relax and feel more sure and confident. + for some of you I'm getting that later you might find out that this person might've actually been someone who your friends or family tried to set you up on a blind date with prior but you always refused. silly uu &lt;3

Additional little notes: riches, tired, 3, help, a year from now, intuition

pile iv. perfect pink stack of cash being presented

[9oC, 2oW, Knight of Pentacles, R.B, P, T.I.S.I]

my passion pile omg what!!! pile 4 i thought we were starting out cute and loving as we shuffled out the tarot cards then the oracle cards came out and my mouth dropped. one of you is so impatient!! like i can feel it from over here ngl. please be patient, this is coming to you, faster than you think. you see, your first meeting is so intense. like passionate. you might even raise your voice at them the first time you meet. omg okay so this might sound very weird BUT hear me out. this is someone from your past 😭 bUT i know no one likes hearing that but liSTEN. this is someone from the PAST past. as in you knew each other from childhood and maybe never saw them again as you grew up. ever wonder what happens to that one person you went to elementary school with and you just never saw them again. yeah, this is what this is looking like. the last time you saw them might've been since childhood and i know this is a first meeting reading but shush! childhood doesn't count. at least in this case it doesn't cause meeting them again is recognizing them. seeing them and feeling a flicker of the past. feeling like "hey I know you". seeing them is realizing that they've really grown into themselves and that they turned out to be amazing (attractive) people. like all their good qualities that they had when children seemed to have gotten better with time. this is a long gap of not seeing other again by the way. for ex. say the last time you saw them you had just turned 9/10, the next time you saw them you'd be 25 or just significantly older. they'd moved away and come back looking very different but with core characteristics being the same. I do think that at the time of your meeting you'd be getting out of a relationship. a bad one. you never felt yourself, you always felt like you were putting on a show. like you were lying, like it was all an act. and i do think you eventually end it. and when you do, this person pops us; and they have it all it seems. they're happy, successful, and confident. you both immediately want each other; it's intense. something filled with water AND fire. like I mentioned at first, you pile three might have heavy fire in your chart or on the flip side it could possibly be that coming out of that relationship has made you have to be mean and cruel at times. that's why I feel you're not nice to them at first. they're pure water, something pure deep and gracious. you on the other wand are trickier. as you see they don't get bothered by your comments or suggestions, I do feel that's going to make you pause like "huh"; it's going to intrigue you.

Additional little notes: run away, intensity, perform, mask, communication, no!

that was all for today; hope you all have an amazing day and that this pac reading resonated. blessings xx 💞💞

#pick a card #pick a pile #pick a pile reading #pac tarot #pac reading #intuitive readings #intuition #astro notes

[idontknowreallywhy]

5 - Essence

I did it! I finished a fic!

*makes note in calendar for this is a day to be MARKED*

Never mind that I already have a spin-off idea… this is complete. And, I’m actually really proud of it. There are clumsy parts, I can always see things I want to improve but I think the ideas are good and I like it.

Hope those who’ve enjoyed the previous chapters think I’ve done this part of Scotty and Virgil’s story justice. And will forgive how viciously I’ve tortured a metaphor…

Presence, Absence, Divulgence, Patience…

💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚

Virgil and Scotty’s plan was simple. 726 meant 7th floor. His room was 625. So he just needed to get up one floor and along a room… unless the numbering was haphazardly allocated. But it probably would be fine.

They slipped out of the door and hurried away from the ruckus happening elsewhere on the psych ward. Virgil took a moment to wish whoever it was improved health very soon. They turned the corner. Well, Virgil did, Scott cut through the corner just to show off. Then they were out of sight and could breathe for a moment. Virgil clutched the pillow he’d brought in one hand and the waistband of the undignified pyjama pants in the other. Which meant no hand free to hold Scotty’s but he was in the lead and half way down the corridor anyway. So Virgil followed.

They’d get caught on the main stairs or in the lift so they were going to use the fire escape.

Scott hung back as they approached the door and let Virgil do the honours of leaning on the bar to open it. He jumped in horror as alarms blared and he clutched the pillow to one ear while trying to block the other with his shoulder, waistband still clutched with a white knuckled grip. Scotty gave him a meaningful look so he swallowed hard and leapt out on to the metal staircase. They were… a long way from the ground. As his brother had suggested, he dropped the pillow over the edge and watched it fall and land in a hedge. Then he tiptoed as quickly as he could up one floor and crouched by the door… hopefully nobody would look up. He closed his eyes and tried to tune out the harsh clanging noise which seemed to be trying to split his brain into two. The scent of cut grass and sun baked concrete was overwhelming after the antibacterial monotony of the hospital ward.

It worked like a dream. Three people came rushing out on to the stairway, one spotted the gleam of white below and they thundered down and down and down the stairs, the vibrations making Virgil’s teeth rattle. He hardly dared breathe. Scott however, refused to be stealthy and was standing on the railing doing a ridiculous victory dance. Virgil hissed at him to get down. He knew Scott wouldn’t fall, his balance was borderline superhuman, but it would be bad if he was seen.

Right, he had made it this far and still had his pants. Now to get on to level seven.

This part did not go to plan. They had forgotten… the fire doors only opened from the inside. Scott facepalmed in despair and Virgil told his brother not to blame himself… he hadn’t thought of it either. Ok. Take stock and work the solution.

The door wouldn’t give a millimetre. Scotty suggested smashing it with a rock but the rocks were seven storeys down along with the people he could still hear hunting them. Virgil looked around desperately. The window to the room nearest the fire escape was cracked open. It would have to do.

Scotty took him by the shoulders and looked him in the eye, smiling encouragingly. Virgil felt encouragement was all very well but how was he going to climb over there with one hand unavailable? He didn’t want to risk falling to his death without his trousers either. Scott suggested maybe if he’d got more rescue scout badges he’d be able to fix them. Virgil scowled at the familiar dig because he’d spent more time on music than tying knots and whatever.. but it did give him an idea. Mr Made-it-all-the-way-to-Falcon didn’t seem willing to part with his belt, so Virgil tore a strip off his pyjama top and bunched the waistband tight, tying the excess fabric together. Then cautiously let go. It held.

Alright.

He did feel a little wobbly as he climbed over the railing but hoped that was just a natural reaction to the horrifying drop below him rather than any lingering effects of the sedatives. Scott gave him two thumbs up then rubbed the back of his neck as he frowned over at the window. Virgil hoped he wasn’t having second thoughts because he couldn’t do this by himself. He hooked a foot around the railings behind him and feigned a confidence he didn’t have to bolster his brother by letting himself tip forward until his hands caught the windowsill. Ok. He pulled at the window to open it more and froze in horror.

It was a hospital. Of course every window would have a limiter on it to restrict how far it opened. So people couldn’t climb out.

Or in.

He looked back at Scotty who was in full pacing SmotherHen mode. Virgil could just ask his brother to pull him back and they could come up with another plan but found he didn’t want to give up yet. Resolutely not looking down he kept a firm grip on the windowsill with one hand and slipped the other into the gap, feeling for the mechanism that was causing all the trouble. There was a screw. He put all of his strength into forcing it loose, fortunately the fine motor control seemed to have returned along with his strength. He grunted with the effort then bit his lip. It wouldn’t do for someone to hear him now.

It moved! Then it spun and came off in his hand. He let it clatter to the floor, too late for stealth now, and pushed the window open wide. Thankful for the years working on his upper body strength he heaved himself through the window and slithered to the floor, landing with a thud and his trousers round his knees. His face burned and he scrabbled to make himself decent, looking in panic around the room for anyone who might have seen but… the room was empty. He sighed in relief and got to his feet.

This room smelled different. It was a different kind of empty to the ward he’d been on. The sort of empty that had recently been full then emptied suddenly but not yet scrubbed clean. Maybe the occupant had gone home. He hoped the occupant had gone home. Virgil stood there, a little lost all of a sudden, wondering whether he and Scotty would both get to go home one day.

Scotty squeezed his shoulder. That meant he was proud. Virgil glowed. It had been a pretty awesome stunt all things considered. They were a great team. And they were nearly there.

He opened the door slowly, silently and peered out. All was quiet. He started moving stealthily to the next room, but had to turn back to shush Scotty who was whistling nonchalantly. He’d get them caught! And worse, it was horribly off key. Virgil was sure he did it on purpose to annoy him.

The next room said 726! This was the one! He went to high-five Scotty and over-balanced slightly as his childish brother moved his hand away just in time. He really was an idiot. But he was Virgil’s favourite idiot so it was good he was here. He looked around one last time then tried the handle and pushed open the door.

And froze.

He’d got it wrong… must have misheard the number. This was some old guy’s room. The stench of antiseptic and panic was strong in here. Virgil clenched his fists in frustration and turned away. He’d just have to check every single room in the place. He knew his brother was here somewhere and he wasn’t sure when the chance to sneak away would come again.

He took three steps then froze as his brain caught up with the information his eyes had sent through moments before: Dad’s jacket was hanging on the back of the chair next to the bed.

Huh?

He shuffled back and looked again. Maybe just a similar jacket? A foot was sticking out from the bottom of the sheets, the man was tall like Scott, but it was thin and frail. This guy was about 80 and had a beard and looked… done. Poor guy.

He glanced at the name card that had been inserted into the slot at the foot of the bed.

Tracy, Scott Carpenter

His heart soared and plummeted within a single breathless moment. It must be a mistake… everything was wrong. The little of this body not padded by bandages was skeletal, ancient-looking. Where there should be strong warm hands were wires and splints and the darkness of bruising. The man’s cheekbones were like knives, below deeply shadowed eye sockets in which reddened eyelids flickered. Sweat beaded his face. The little hair visible beneath the dressings on his head was too long, the beard too… beardy. The click and whirr of the machine breathing for the stranger was alien. The heart rate monitor was agonisingly arrhythmic and definitely too fast. His brother’s pulse was always steady - Virgil had felt it many times through a tightly gripped wrist as they stood somewhere way too high and Virgil’s own heart raced in anticipation of the next crazy stunt. Or through a gentle thumb in a handhold when he was nervous. Or best of all ear to chest when surrounded by his brother’s arms.

There was a familiarity but… no. This wasn’t his brother. It couldn’t be.

He looked up at Scotty who smiled at him sadly and tilted his head towards the haggard face on the pillow. Virgil crept closer and slipped into the chair to study it. The ears were the same, except a little swelling behind and even more bruising. He couldn’t even start to think about any human could get into this state, let alone…

Virgil’s eyes dropped to the faint white scar on the bottom of the man’s jaw, just to the side of his chin. The relic of an old misadventure, barely visible under the patchwork of red and black and purple, but instantly recognisable to the boy who’d tried to tape it together with sticking plasters. If they’d owned up and his brother had got the stitches he needed at the time, it would never have scarred. But, as with so many things, those blue eyes had pleaded with him and he’d done his best to help.

He looked back over his shoulder to where Scotty had been standing guard, seeking his reassurance.

But he was gone.

He turned back to Scotty in the bed, heart torn into shreds by his inability to help this time. This was beyond sticking plasters and hugs and promises not to tell. His head swam and the other words that voice had said to his father, the ones he had refused to acknowledge or understand, came floating to the surface. The possibility Scott might not…

No. Not while Virgil still had blood in his veins. They were together now and everything would be alright.

He reached out a tentative finger and stroked the one small area of cheek that wasn’t obviously injured and then rested his head gently on the pillow alongside his brother’s, close enough that his face brushed the side of Scott’s but not so close he might cause painful pressure. Little brother inhaled deeply through his nose, seeking a semblance of calm to counter the fear rising in his chest and then held his breath, hardly daring to believe. Hiding behind the antiseptic and the plastic and the soap and the hollow cleanliness of it all, something was filling the emptiness. A faint melody, unique, as familiar as his own. A music that meant safety, and that he wasn’t alone. A music that meant home.

The constant erratic beeping noise slowed, almost imperceptibly, and fell into a steady rhythm.

A brand new score had been opened. But Virgil knew the notes now. They’d compose this next version together.

💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #thunderbirds fanfiction #idontknowreallywhy fanfic #scott tracy #virgil tracy #Tw: mental health #Tw: hospital #Tw: war #Presence fic

[gremlinaristocrat]

Overthinking Sylvie’s Strategy

So, I know the Gio&Molly vs Sylvie fight in Ep2 was mostly about getting the protagonists to show off their personalities and powers . . . but I think if you read (way too far) into the strategy Sylvester uses it tells you a surprising amount about him.

Start at the start. Sylvie overhears our heroes talking about how they’re villains. Instead of sneak attacking them while he has the drop on them, he starts a dialog, to confirm they’re actually bad guys (and maybe to satisfy his own desire for drama and/or indulge in his sense of invulnerability). Gio responds by confirming he’s a criminal, calling Sylvie a kid and initiating combat.

It’s kind of overshadowed by what he does later in the fight, but the doc is pretty reasonable early on; I get the feeling he’d have been even more willing to talk things out if dealing with Indus’ stupidity and Mera’s manipulation hadn’t shortened his already-short fuse and made him Done with Trying To Talk To People.

Sylvie’s first move is to use sleep pollen like he did with Indus earlier; unlike all his other attacks, he doesn’t call its name when he uses it, probably to minimize the chances that his targets will figure out what it does in time to stop it. This is a 10/10 opener, with the potential to harmlessly incapacitate enemies and end fights before they start.

When that fails thanks to Molly’s quick thinking and Gio’s creativity, he follows it up with Counting Sheep. This is another solid decision, and unlike the last one, it actually works out for him: his minions swiftly swarm and overwhelm his opponents.

Pictured: Flawless Victory.

Note that – as far as I can tell – Sylvie has basically won at this point. Molly and Giovanni have no way to stop the sheep before they nibble and poof them into unconsciousness; all he has to do is stay the course.

And then our boy screws up. He banishes his own army – or maybe incinerates them, the animation isn’t clear on that point – in order to confront a twelve-year-old girl with her worst nightmare, while having no idea what that nightmare is or how he’d be able to use it.

He also picks this point to sacrifice his vantage point, achieving no obvious gain. I don’t think Jello did this on purpose, but it fits very well that Sylvie literally gives up the high ground for no reason – while forcing his opponents onto a different patch of high ground – at the same time he’s metaphorically doing that.

Let me psychoanalyze the psychoanalyst: what the hell is the good doctor thinking when he unleashes (almost literal!) hell on the adorable cosmic brownie? What’s going through his head when he passes up sure victory for the chance to re-traumatize a child?

Well, it’s possible that Counting Sheep drains stamina faster than it appears to (though he doesn’t seem winded after using it). It’s also possible that he’s worried about one of them using ranged attacks on him, and feels the need to end the fight ASAP. The magic system in EE is intentionally kind of loose and vibes-y, so there’s an endless list of possible excuses.

That said, I think the most likely answer to “what was he thinking?” is “absolutely nothing”. This whole thing looks like a (legitimately!) clever synergy-exploiting strategy he thought up a while back, rarely or never got to see in action, and is just unreflectively executing on even though a more humane approach would have straight-up let him win.

I didn’t notice this until the Youtube comments pointed it out, but I think it’s neat Gio never calls Sylvie a kid again after he finds out the doc has issues with it (except that one time he does it to signal that he’s putting on a show for the cops). He’ll mock you mercilessly, and maybe steal your stuff, but our glorious pink-haired overlord will not use That Word You Dislike to describe you once he knows you dislike it.

Anyway, back to the fight. Sylvie tries to negotiate with his prisoners in the Flame Vortex, since apparently his Psychology PhD never taught him that confronting people with their literal worst nightmares might make them unreasonable and/or push them to extremes. Gio escapes with Molly; Sylvie doubles down on the Nightmare Fuel; Gio responds by thwacking a ball of yarn at him.

This is another point at which – again, as far as I can tell – Sylvie has basically won. The fact that Giovanni resorted to such weird and desperate measures suggests Gio & Molly don’t have any better ways to attack or escape from their current position. All the alleged genius needs to do is take cover behind an exhibit and let his summons finish the criminals. Instead, he cancels his own winning move (again!) so he can summon Dr Beefton, escalating (again!!) in a way that doesn’t actually help him (again!!!).

Like, seriously, what was the plan here? There are a lot of words you could use to accurately describe Sylvie’s colleague/alter-ego/fursona, but ‘agile’ and ‘nimble’ aren’t among them; if Gio and Molly had decided to hold onto their high ground on general principles after Sylvie (apparently) fainted, or if they’d sprinted off in different directions instead of trying to stand their ground, what would he have done then?

From here on out, the beef revolves around Beefton. This tells us very little about Sylvie, except maybe in terms of how much frustration he’s repressing, and what being powerful means to him.

Pictured: What Peak Performance Looks Like

So, what does all this say about Sylvie? He’s clever, willing to hear people out, and merciful when he can get away with it; however, he makes dumb or pointlessly cruel decisions under pressure, and follows a prescribed plan instead of adapting to the enemy; will escalate when surprised or provoked, even when it’s counterproductive, choosing moves which feel strong instead of ones which make sense. In summary, he’s the world’s smartest dumbass, and (at least in this part of the story) acts more like a stereotypical cop than the actual cop character.

He’s getting better quickly, though. I think a lot of this is symptomatic of him being new-ish to fights, and especially new to fights where people get hurt and/or which last more than one move . . .

Yeah, it shows, and not in a good way.

. . . since he gets more flexible and responsive when fighting Mera . . .

Pictured: Character Growth

. . . though, uh, apparently not enough for him to realize that he could demoralize her and/or broker a truce by offering to remove her Epithet with the amulet if he wins.

Out-reasoned by the tweenager; that’s embarrassing.

#epithet erased #sylvester ashling #overthinking

[megbimbo]

john marston; stitch me up, buttercup

a/n; mfw i go into a coma after every post, anyways this has been collecting dust for ages and i don't know why i didn't post it? figs def helped me write it tho. props. I FORGOT TO MENTION ty for also being an awesome photographer @thisfanisgonesorry hugs!!

cw; john takes care of you after a cougar attack, he's a bit of a grumpy pants. fluff.

wc; 1730

You rested your head on Arthur’s back as your arms stayed wrapped tight around his waist, trying to not wince or groan as he rode you into camp, Charles close behind. Blood was coating your entire lower half, a good portion of your pant legs being ripped away from your body. Camp was getting closer, you could tell, the familiar scenery that surrounded your temporary home becoming visible to you.

Shifting slightly, you lifted your head off of Arthur, who had been silent the entire ride back besides the occasional panic, bickering, and checking if you were alright. You groaned at the movement.

“We nearly there?” You mumbled, just loud enough for him to hear you. The sunlight peeked through the trees, almost blinding you entirely.

Arthur exhaled. “Almost, you alright?”

“I think so.” He nodded, Charles coming closer to the two of you to speak.

His smile was sincere, trying to cover the obvious concern on his face. “How’re you feeling, y/n?”

“Like hell, but I’ll be ‘right.”

“John won’t like hearing about this,” he said, raising his brows and looking over to Arthur.

In response, Arthur chuckled, the vibrations sending shivers as you rested your head on his back once again. “He ain’t gotta find out.”

Raising a brow, you took a mental note of the severe pain you were in, extremely doubting Arthur’s words. “Not find out that I’m covered in blood? Really? Camp ain’t blind.”

He nodded, fully aware, though he didn’t say anything. Probably exchanged a glance or two with Charles.

You closed your eyes, the ambience of camp coming into earshot. Probably the usual bickering and people crowding around the campfire, like usual. Made you wonder how they’d feel when they saw you. “I don’t want no trouble,” you said. “Just wanna get some rest.”

Arthur mumbled something in agreement, as Charles moved in front, probably to shield whoever was around. You lifted your head, acknowledging your surroundings. Everyone was either at the campfire, playing poker, or doing chores. It was then that you noticed John tending to the horses, and you knew you wouldn’t be able to hide your quite obvious injury.

It seemed neither Charles or Arthur could, either. The minute they both went to go hitch their horses, he immediately noticed, stopping the two of them, which included you on the back, dead in their tracks. Whether he noticed the blood or you first, who knows, but he didn’t look pleased. The hay bale he was holding hit the ground with a ‘thump’ as he dropped it, storming over. Tears began to form in your waterline as you turned your head away, knowing you wouldn’t be able to bear his reaction.

Charles tried to make conversation with him, meanwhile you sobbed quietly as Arthur poorly tried to comfort you. “Shh, we can’t have him knowin’ ‘bout this.” He knew there wasn’t a lot he could do, but he was trying his damn best.

Eventually, he sighed, as John approached the two of you. You turned your head back to face him, the tears streaming down your face as you were drenched in your own blood. He looked pained to see you.

“Y/n? Who did this?” he snapped, his raspy voice making it all the more intimidating, as he stared holes through his metaphorical brother.

“We went on a hunt, as you know, and, well.. it didn’t go all too well.” He wasn’t wrong. There was a cougar worth good quality that the three of you were set on killing before anyone else could. You each split up your own ways, your dumbass going the way towards the predator. Before you could even defend yourself, it attacked you, leaving you practically near death as the two men tried to shoot it, but it simply left. “Cougar, it was. The one we wanted.”

John immediately reached for you, helping you to dismount Arthur’s horse, as he wrapped his arm around you, supporting your weight because he knew damn well you wouldn’t be able to walk anywhere alone. “Did you kill it?” he asked, glancing around to notice no one else was nearby, taking a few steps away as he glanced at you, frowning.

“Well.. No.”

His eyes widened as his brows raised, looking absolutely gobsmacked. “You’re fucking kidding me? Y/n nearly DIED and you didn’t KILL THE FUCKING THING?!”

“John-”

“No, no! That’s the most bullshit I ever heard outta you!” he said, raising his voice and throwing his free hand up. “Someone nearly got killed, and you’re just gonna let the fucker live? You’re outta your GODDAMN MIND!” 

Hearing the commotion, some of the camp rushed over, including Dutch. “What the hell’s going on?” 

“Three of ‘em went hunting’, not only did Y/n nearly get killed but they didn’t even kill anything! Dumb bastards can nearly get a girl killed but not bring any game!” John yelled, the music from Dutch’s monograph in the faint background.

“Sort it out, will you? I shouldn’t have to parent grown men,” Dutch plainly said, not paying you any mind, and walked off, the rest of camp lingering to see what happens next. Hosea walked after him, most likely to have a talk about the interaction that just happened.

Now that he was gone, John took the opportunity to get closer to Arthur’s face, speaking in a hushed tone. “I don’t care if you nearly die doin’ it, but you’re both goin’ back out there and you’re not coming back till it’s fuckin’ dead.” To which he simply nodded, said something to Charles about ‘leaving these two be,’ and they both turned, riding out of camp and back into the wilderness they just returned from. You could hear Charles mock Arthur, saying ‘John ain’t gotta find out,’ as they did so.

He turned you towards his tent, slowly walking the two of you there, enjoying the silence, but most of all, your presence. Whether he’d like to admit it or not, he knows you could’ve died out there, and he’s grateful to have you. When people would approach, asking what was wrong, he’d hush them and say he had it covered. As the two of you approached his tent, he opened it, sitting you down on his cot, taking the moment to really take in your state.

“John, he was hurt too. You didn’t have to do that,” you said, weakly putting a hand out to grab his wrist.

He took note, sitting down on the bed next to you, staring into your eyes as he wiped the tears and blood off of your face. “He’ll manage, love. I’m worried about you. I mean, look ‘atchu. Still pretty, of course, but beyond fucked up.” Reaching to grab a box, he gave you a peck on the lips, opening it and grabbing out a few items, setting them down on his lap. “I’m gonna have to stitch you up, that alright?” You nodded, as he grabbed a cloth, dunking it in a bucket of water, as he cleaned the blood off of you in a nearly tender way. “You’re gonna be alright, I promise.” John’s voice that was yelling a few minutes ago had quietened down to soothe you, occasionally kissing you.

Afterwards, he picked up a different rag, dousing it in whiskey before using it to disinfect your wound. When you’d clench your teeth, or ball your hand into a fist, he’d notice, mumbling quiet words of praise

You smiled softly, looking down at the deep wounds. “You don’t have to do this, y’know.”

“‘Course I do,” he grinned, in an almost joking way, as he reached for a needle and a thin string. “Had to do this to myself, you’re lucky I’m a professional now.”

“You should be a doctor.”

“Hell no,” John responded, laughing for a moment, starting to stitch your wounds up. Occasionally, you’d make a squeamish face or grit your teeth together, to which he spoke in an attempt to comfort but also lighten the mood. “Got mauled by wolves ages ago. Hurts like a bitch, don’t it?” “You don’t say,” you commented in response. You remembered hearing briefly about this, but most of the camp agreed to not bring it up. He chuckled quietly, but didn’t comment.

John’s dark eyes softened as he continued to take care of you, humming to himself as he cleaned your wounds and stitched them. The warm lighting from the lantern shining on him in just the right way, and when he finally finished, he sighed.

“How’s that?” he smiled, putting everything back in the box and setting it aside once again.

“Still feel like hell, but better.”

He nodded, muttering a ‘good, good’ as he got up, grabbing a pair of his pants from his wardrobe, setting them down on the bed. “Wear those instead.”

Instead of trying to argue, you did just that, casually changing in front of your lover, even though he promised to not look, standing in a corner with his back to you. When you gave him the clear, he got back on the cot, laying down and tapping next to him. “You should rest.”

“In your tent?”

“Yes, in my tent. I don’t bite.”

“Bet those wolves did.”

He seemed taken aback by your joke, but laughed anyway. “I’m being serious. You need sleep.” You gave in at the promising offer of cuddling up next to John, as you laid in his arms, his hands running through your hair. 

“John?”

“Hm?” he said, looking down at you.

“Know I’ve said it a hundred times, but you didn’t have to do all of this for me.”

In the moment, he brought a finger to your lips. “Shh, let me feel proud, buttercup.” To which you nodded, and the two of you cuddled in peace.

Suddenly, he spoke up, breaking the silence.“You’re so pretty, you know that?”

“Really?” You whispered, looking up at him, as he looked head over heels for you.

“Yeah. Even when you’re all bloodied up, ya still look perfect.” He mumbled, pausing briefly, before continuing his love drunken ramble. “Just glad to have you, that’s all. Happy nothing worse happened.” You snuggled into his touch at his sweet words, as you dozed off in his arms, knowing that even if you didn’t get the cougar, you instead had John Marston all to yourself.

#red dead redemption #red dead redemption 2 #rdr2 #rdr2 hcs #john marston #john marston x you #john marston x reader #fluff #comfort fic #mentions of arthur and charles #john is very kind #rdr2 fanfic #rdr2 fluff

[merakime]

halo! may i request how would the people of sumeru react (or the people of the akademiya to be exact) react if they find out cyno actually has a lover aka the reader 🤭

like maybe some stumbled upon seeing him actually holding hands with the reader or kissing them and they have to look away before cyno kills them with his eyes HAHSHSHS

sorry if this doesn’t make sense 😭🙏 itsok if u are planning to reject this! no pressure of course <3

＃ SECRET, SECRET ! — ft. the scholars

with cyno’s position, it was better secret than sorry.

but love makes you reckless, you suppose. hey, you can’t even blame yourself, can you? his hand sat so perfectly still and lonely on the library table. you couldn’t help yourself—lifting his hand gently to press a kiss to his knuckles. at that, you see the corners of his lips raise just slightly, his eyes—

the door creaks, and your soul leaves your body, his hand still to your lips.

a / n: grabbing you by the shoulders and looking you dead in the eye. this is one of the cutest things i’ve ever received i think it’d count as a crime if i would reject this. i decided i’d do this in a voiceline-text-esque format !! that’d be cute mefhinks…… i didn’t know exactly if i should include kaveh in this, because apparently he graduated, buuuut.. i did it! my grasp on kaveh is very loose though.. so i hope i did okay! ;-;

──✦ TIGHNARI: “i knew it. i always knew it, but this was the confirmation. hah, they thought they could fool me! it’s obvious when they look at eachother.. so that must be why cyno has been bugging me about flowers. he’s always.. so picky, but knowing this, i guess it makes sense. good for them, good for them.”, tighnari is probably the biggest backstage support for you both, a steady supply of date-spot advice and flowers.

──✦ AL-HAITHAM: “is that so? hm.”, that’s the most you’ll get. the chances that al-haitham cares are very low. other than a brief moment of surprise, he remained unfazed. hell, he picked up a book from right above you and didn’t spare you more than a glance when you looked at him. but he does keep it in the back of his mind, and he will take it into account if needed.

──✦ KAVEH: “i see how it is.. so they were trying to keep it secret, huh? well, i can understand, but these strong sentiments are impossible to conceal, even for someone as straight-faced as cyno. oh, this is an interesting predicament.. i feel oddly.. captivated.”, kaveh is probably the one that would approach you about it, and also the one that would get the death-stare. he keeps his distance after that, afraid to poke the sleeping jackal the wrong way. but he can’t help but turn an eye sometimes. “it’s sort of endearing, isn’t it?”

──✦ LAYLA: “ohh.. the library.. i saw it. it was sort of.. cute.. the general mahamatra seems to have a softer side. i wanted to lend a book for my project, but i felt like i was intruding when they turned their heads like that.. so i quickly left.. i hope they didn’t notice it was me..”, layla left the wing of the building so quickly, she could’ve probably fallen asleep on the floor if her bed was one more step away.

──✦ FARUZAN: “i don’t know if i should be worried about that child or not. on one hand, fine, if they’re happy together, good. on the other hand, how do they tolerate these senseless jokes every day? i see them laughing all the time..  is there something i don’t understand here, or are they both just like that? well, then, it makes sense that they’re together..”, she’ll leave you to your own devices, and while she is supportive, better not be too lovey-dovey on academic grounds! there’s a etiquette of respect and restraint to be followed.

───── ending note: kaveh is probably somewhere out there with his binoculars for the latest couple gossip only to be metaphorically sniped by cyno’s dagger stare. ANYWAY !! this was so cute and i’m not very sure if i did it justice, but i hope it’s okayyy !!

#✦ mari writes !! #genshin impact x reader #genshin imagines #cyno x reader #for the sake of my sanity i'm only tagging him baibai ✈️✈️

[welcome-home-art-dump]

Wally Darling x Plushie reader one-shot

Just a little scenario from my book;

Wally spends the night at your house when it rains, and it is here you learn sleep doesn't come naturally to him. Literally.

Note: I've read somewhere [or at least suspect] that Wally doesn't sleep. I like to think it's because he doesn't know how, but I'm probably wrong-

"Gosh... it's raining cats and dogs out there."

You muttered to yourself, watching from your window as heavy rain pelted against the landscape. Thankfully the rainfall wasn't hard enough to be torrential in anyway, but just enough to not only drench someone entirely, but enough to make the mud and rocks around your home slippery. On top of that, the dark storm clouds overhead had obscured the moon's light, casting the forest in near complete darkness.

While you weren't a stranger to thunderstorms, you weren't used to seeing such a gloomy sight in an otherwise bright and colorful scenery.

"Cats and dogs?"

A calm voice drawled behind you, and you looked over your shoulder to see Wally approaching slowly. His head was tilted, peering out the window you stood in front of, confusion evident in his eyes. "...But I don't see any cats or dogs out there..."

"It's just a metaphor, silly. It means it's raining really hard." You chuckled softly turning to fully face him, your smile fading to a look of curious concern. "I'm glad I managed to find you in time. What were you doing so far away from the neighborhood anyway?"

"Ha ha," Wally gave a shy, monotonous laugh and unconsciously itched behind his head looking to his feet. "I was trying to look for a new muse to paint... I didn't know the woods were so deep." His smile dimmed subtly, his face now showing concern. "I hope home isn't too worried."

"Oh, don't worry! Tomorrow when the storm clears, we'll explain what happened!" You assured cheerfully, placing a paw on his head. "I'm sure he'll understand."

He looked up, his usual drowsy smile widening with warmth. "Thank you again for letting me stay the night, fluffy neighbor."

"Oh, its no trouble! I love a good sleepover!" You patted his head lightly, careful not to mess up his pompadour. "Are you comfy with my PJs though?"

Wally looks down at the (color) night shirt you had offered him. It hung loosely on his small body, looking like more of a gown than a shirt. "A tad big." He spread his arms so he can see the (color) (shape) on the chest. "But I like it."

You smiled with relief and motioned you to follow him. "Come on, let's get to bed."

As you walked to your bedroom, Wally stood for a moment before following you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Do you have enough room, Wally?" You scooted over slightly. Even though the bed was just big enough for two, Wally was pressed quite closely into your side. "Are you sure you don't want me to sleep on the couch?"

"No, I like this better. You're really fuzzy and warm. Like Barnaby." He answered, pressing himself into you. "And you smell nice."

"Oh..!" You were mildly taken aback by the bluntness of Wally's reply, but chose to view it positively. "Thank you... well then... goodnight, Wally."

"Goodnight, (Name)."

You sighed softly, shutting your eyes letting yourself succumb to--

"...I'm sleeping... I'm sleeping... I'm sleeping..."

Your eyes opened, as you heard a soft whispering break the relatively quiet atmosphere. It was so soft you nearly thought you were hearing things, but straining your ears over the patter of rain, you managed to make out the words yet again.

"...I'm sleeping... I'm sleeping... I'm sleeping..."

You blinked a couple times. Was... this a joke of some sort?

"Erm... Wally?"

"Yes?" He answered after a pause.

"Uhm... what... what're you doing?" It was a silly question, but you only asked for assurance.

"I'm... sleeping...?" He answered, though it sounded just as uncertain as you did.

"Ah. Uhm... Wally, you kinda have to be quiet to... sleep." You said somewhat slowly, hoping you wouldn't offend.

"Oh. Okay." He replied quietly. "My bad."

"It's okay, neighbor." You assured, closing your eyes again. "Goodnight."

"...goodnight."

~~~~~~~[30 minutes later]~~~~~~~

"(Name)...?"

Your ears flicked as you were awoken from the semi-deep sleeping trance at that familiar whisper. Only it wasn't on your one side.

It was in front of you.

"Are you awake?"

You opened your eyes, and was startled at the pair of illuminating white sclera over you.

You then came to realize he was laying on your belly.

"Er... now I am." You replied, blinking a few times as the (shape) marking on your head lit up a soft (color) glow.

Once the room was lit, you saw his eyelids were slanted into a modest expression and his smile, while still there, was much less prominent.

He looked... troubled.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

He blinked, hesitant.

"...I can't sleep."

"Oh? What's got you up?" You sat up, feeling a sense of concern. "Are you not comfy? You're not too hot? Too cold?"

This eyes darted to the side for a moment then back to yours. "No... I can't sleep." He emphasized the word, playing with a strand of your fur in his fingers.

You squinted, confused. You processed his words, lifting your brow. "You... Can't sleep...?"

"No... I... don't... sleep." He said it slowly, lowering his gaze to his hands, seemingly embarrassed to admit such a thing.

"A-Ah." You uttered. It was quite a hard hitting statement, since you've never heard of such a thing. "Well then... you can just... lay on my belly and try to relax."

Wally hummed, resting his cheek on your belly. "Like this?"

"Yup!" You gently patted his head with one paw, while wrapping your arm around his back with the other, putting him in a soft hug. "Now... Just close your eyes and... try to clear your mind." You advised, staring up at the ceiling. "Try to focus on listening to the sound of the rain on the roof... it's usually really soothing."

You went quiet for a moment, listening to the light pitter-patter of rain yourself, turning your head to the window by your bed, watching the still steady rainfall beating down on the forests around your house.

"Is that helping, Wally?"

"A little." Came Wally's quiet reply. "But I like the sound of your voice better."

"Oh!" That gave you an idea. "Why don't I sing for you?"

You felt Wally nod, and you turned your head to look back up at your ceiling wracking your head for a lullaby.

You grinned as one came to mind.

You cleared your throat softly, and with a deep breath, you sang softly;

Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee; Sounds of the rude world heard in the day, Lull'd by the moonlight have all passed away...

Your soft, slow singing filled your room, and the soft pattering of the rainfall complementing the calm atmosphere as the dim (color) light started to fade to other colors, cycling between teal, blues, red, purples and reds, filling the room with a comfortable light.

Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song,

List while I woo thee with soft melody;

Gone are the cares of life's busy throng...

As you sang, you idly caressed Wally's head, your other paw rubbing in circles on his back.

Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me...

Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me...

You trailed off as you squinted. "...I... forgot the other words." You pouted slightly. "I'll have to ask Barnaby for the rest of the song."

"Was that good though?" You looked down at the small puppet on your tum.

You smiled. "That's good."

You let out a small sigh, laying back as you felt the slow rise and fall of his chest on your tum, hearing the faintest of snores emanating from him.

"Goodnight, Wally."

Reader’s a bunny plush here due to the poll, but if you’d like to be another animal, the asks are open.

but I left it ambiguous in the book so it’s easier to visualize yourself.

#welcome home #welcome home arg #wally darling #welcome home fanart #welcome home oc #welcome home x reader #welcome home x you #wally x reader #wally x y/n #wally darling x you #wally darling fanart #plushie #stuffed animal #fluff #snuggles #sleepover #comfort #comfort buddy #beautiful dreamer #you taught Wally how to sleep #you lucky #tooth rotting fluff #extreme cuddling #cuddling & snuggling #trouble sleeping

[trudemaethien]

OK I had to do it again because I got a ship I really want to see you give a try if possible:

The Ship: Wolffe/Mereel Words: content, education, combination & absent

this is not really shippy buuuut …lol you’ll see why. srynotsry (i should maybe update my post to say i dont write wolffe ships, like at all hides chaula in my pocket)

“Oh no,” Fox said under his breath, and then louder, “Go home, Mereel, you’re drunk.”

“Am not,” the clone disputed, and to Wolffe’s judgement he didn’t seem that intoxicated, just a bit manic.

Fox sighed and murmured to Wolffe, “This Null just finally figured out it’s okay to like boys. Clone boys, particularly. I’ve been keeping it out of Skirata’s ears, but kark, he makes me so tired.”

“He behaving himself?” Wolffe murmured back.

“Mostly,” Fox shrugged wearily.

“Who’s your friend, Fox?” Mereel said with a leer at Wolffe. Fox opened his mouth to fend off the undesirable advances for Wolffe as he’d done so many times before for his reticent brother, when Wolffe held up a hand to halt him.

“I’m Commander Wolffe,” he introduced himself with his customary dignified reserve, and held out his hand. Fox leaned back and kept his mouth shut.

Mereel took Wolffe’s hand and held onto it instead of just clasping it. “Bet I could make you howl, my good man,” he said provocatively, trying to tug Wolffe towards him. He succeeded in maneuvering the two of them closer, but only because he moved himself.

“I’ve never heard that one before,” Wolffe said with heavy sarcasm, subtly leaning back by straightening his already proper posture to something so rigidly immaculate, he could be the illustrated standard in the regulations.

Mereel smirked anyway. “Well, how about it?” he asked with what he probably thought was a winning smile.

Wolffe cocked his head. “I’m going to assume you weren’t decanted a mannerless cur, and your abysmal knowledge of etiquette is a combination of an absent father, a lack of education, a minimum of discipline, and a complete misunderstanding of the concept of subtlety; and that is a generous assumption on my part. If I were so inclined, I could write you up for several things, soliciting not the least.”

The meaning of the rebuff was penetrating Mereel’s skull in real time, and wide-eyed, he tried to step back, but Wolffe still had him by the hand and now he was the one prolonging the contact.

“I won’t, because I prefer to conduct my own correction in a more direct manner. I gave no indication I would be interested in your intentions, and in fact, if you’d been paying attention, you would have seen indications that I was not. It’s not due to your pick-up approach or technique that I am calling you to task, though those could bear significant improvement, but the fact that I was uninterested and you failed to notice.“

Mereel had dropped his eyes guiltily and stopped actively trying to escape Wolffe’s grasp.

“Furthermore, just because you’ve figured out what gets you going does not make you a Force-blessed gift to mankind, and not everyone is going to fall at your feet just because you smile charmingly.” Wolffe paused a beat, “What will make you a Force-blessed gift to someone or other is not so superficial, and it will take time and self-reflection and honest effort, to determine. No amount of shallow hookups are going to fill the metaphorical hole inside you.”

“Wow.” the pushy Null was still looking at him with wonderment and desire in his eyes. “I am…absurdly turned on by being chewed out.”

Wolffe’s lips thinned.

“—Sir, sorry, sir,” Mereel added with a bit of genuine respect.

“I’m still not interested,” Wolffe said shortly. “In general, in anything sexual or romantic. Glad I could assist you in your kink discovery though, trooper.” His tone was very dry. “Please remove yourself from my presence, now.”

Mereel nodded and beat a hasty exit, and Wolffe called after him, “Try pulling someone who will take you properly in hand!”

“Aww,” Fox cooed, “you’re such a soft touch, Wolffe. I hope you know how much inadvertent innuendo you dropped on that poor kid.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

Smack Down 🔒 https://archiveofourown.org/works/51601057

i also owe you a last line or two… *checks notes* —three!! ahahaha it has been waaay too long

…

welp. the wips are going nowhere, so i think ill just post this and put those IOUs back on the list 😅

#ask answered #writing prompt #fanfiction #cloneshipping #star wars tcw #repcomm #ask game #clone commander wolffe #null 7 mereel #not shipping #but flirting certainly #aroace wolffe

[alovesongshewrote]

Too Weird to Die | The Lost Boys x Reader HCs

Plot:  a monster hunter half adopts the Frog brothers and then avoids being murdered by vampires by being too weird to die. more at 8. [The Lost Boys x GN!Reader]

Word count:  2,873

Warnings:  murder, comedic violence, so much swearing that i'm putting it in the warnings

A/N: holy fuck i can't believe i wrote this lmaoooo. i might re-visit the concept, but for now, this is good

So all this shit starts a few years before the Emersons move to Santa Carla

You stop by the town on a visit because 

Y’know 

It’s a murder capital, who doesn’t stop at murder capitals for tourist reasons?

In all seriousness, you’re there because of all the suspicious murders

As a full time professional monster hunter, you know something is up, and you want to see if you can do anything about it

And you both can and can’t

At the time, you don’t find much evidence of actual monster activity 

Either because the titular lost boys are taking a break from murder for the month, or because they Know Something’s Up and they want to be Careful

BUT

YOU DO FIND SOMETHING

And that something is two dipshit (affectionate) amateur vampire hunters who are just raring to get themselves murdered horribly 

They followed you into an alley and threatened to stake you

It sounds bad, but keep in mind, they were like

Eleven

At the time

They were little

And they were so full of rage that you literally laughed at them for five minutes

AND YOU FELT BAD, BUT ALSO

IT WAS LIKE BEING HELD AT GUNPOINT BY PUPPIES 

You just couldn’t take them seriously 

However, the world you live in is a dangerous one, and those two dumbass kids were lucky that they threatened you, and not someone or something that wouldn’t have any objections to beating up literal children

So what you do is you take those little shits

And you train them up a little bit

Not enough to be actively dangerous

But enough so that they don’t get murdered

And that’s how you become the adopted older sibling to the Frog brothers

You didn’t have a choice in that, they hit you with the metaphorical adoption papers and you couldn’t do anything but go, “ok”

But you don’t mind too much

They’re you’re little bros

They’re so irritating, and if anything happened to them you’d kill everyone in santa carla and then yourself

Anyway

You leave santa carla for a bit, because, y’know, the murders stopped as soon as you got there

You’re away for a few months

And then bada bing bada boom, shit starts up again and you make your return

This time, you find the source of the problem, but you don’t realize they’re vampires for like, a solid minute

For the first few months, you genuinely think david and his gang are just

Annoying 

The first time you met them, david monologued for so long that you zoned out and started focusing on their jackets

You came to the conclusion that they all had dope jackets

And then you got bored and tried to leave

Which david wasn’t crazy about

So he told the boys to grab you and, well

Long story short, Marko got punched in the face

Rip marko

After that, the boys decided they were going to eat you

Because you don’t mess with them and get away with it!

So, they follow you around santa carla for A While

And at first it’s scary, because y’know

You’re being followed

But after some time you figure they aren’t actually going to do anything

So you’re more irritated than afraid

Aaaand they don’t try anything in all of that time because for one thing, they can never seem to find you when you’re on your own

And for another, every time they approach you as a group you let out a Very Loud Groan that informs everyone nearby of your location

So killing you would be too sus

Also, you don’t tell the frogs you’re being followed

Because they would probably try to murder your stalkers?

And like

You don’t need these fuckin kids going down on attempted murder charges, they’re too young for that shit

So

The cat and mouse game is just between you and the boys

And it’s at a stalemate 

For a While

Until they get the idea to approach you individually 

David is technically the first one to try it, though that’s more of an accident than anything else

The rest of the boys are off doing their own thing when David catches sight of you

He makes his approach 

All suave and cool 

Annnnnnd to make another long story short, he gets pushed into the ocean.

Oops.

Paul is the next one to try it

He heard about you pushing david into the ocean and he went :0

Like, that legitimately kind of sounds like a good time to him

Also, he kind of wants you dead!

But they all do, so

Anyway

He makes his approach

And you see him coming

And you just so happen to be drinking out of a glass bottle, so you chug the rest of your drink and shatter the bottom of the bottle in the minute it takes him to get to you

In retaliation, and also because breaking glass bottles is now a dick measuring contest

He picks up a bottle and tries to shatter it

It Does Not Go Well

Poor thing gets glass everywhere and like

You can’t help but laugh at him

AND AGAIN, YOU FEEL BAD

ESPECIALLY WHEN HE POUTS A LITTLE BIT, LIKE A KICKED PUPPY

AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU KICKED A PUPPY

So you walk over and you go

“Ok, if you promise not to stab me, I’ll show you how to break a glass bottle properly.”

And like

He already knows how to break a glass bottle

He just fucked it up that time

But he lets you teach him anyway

And it’s totally to earn your trust so he can eat you

It absolutely doesn’t have anything to do with the way he really likes the sound of your laugh

Nope

Not at all

He gets back to the cave later, and he successfully spoke to you, but he didn’t successfully kill you, so everyone’s kinda pissed at him except for star and laddie

And david’s pissed that paul didn’t get thrown into the ocean, but oh well

The next boy to approach you is dwayne

And honestly, he doesn’t really approach you with intent

It just kind of happens

But when it does, he also doesn’t get thrown into the ocean

He encounters you in a bookstore on the boardwalk

And at first you don’t notice him

You’re too busy reading something that looks like a bodice ripper, but it has tentacles on the cover????

And even if he had thought of picking you up and carrying you off somewhere to kill you, he gets way too fucking distracted by that thing

Eventually you notice him standing there and you just

Throw the book

You yeet it off behind you and you go

“OH, HI, HELLO, HOW ARE YOU?  IT’S DWAYNE, RIGHT?  NICE JACKET, YOU AREN’T WEARING A SHIRT, OKAY, BYE.”

And then you go to fucking run out of the store

Because jesus christ, your one night without the frogs for you to partake in your Adult Life and one of the fucking BIKE BOYS shows up 

FUCK

Anyway, dwayne manages to grab you before you can leave

And he doesn’t get punched unlike poor marko

No, you’re too embarrassed for that

And it only gets worse for you when dwayne starts asking questions

You answer

Because you have no idea what else you can do

And this motherfucker seems to be getting a kick out of your discomfort 

He’s got this SMIRK on his face

Like he likes watching you squirm

Like he thinks it’s cute (he does)

You hate it

You like it

After what feels like an eternity of questioning, he does take pity on you

He buys you a drink and, instead of murdering you, he answers your questions

And you get close to figuring out that he’s a vampire 

But not quite :/

Oh well

Dwayne goes back to the cave, and everyone is like, “jfc, why is this little shit so unkillable?”

No one has answers, but dwayne does have a weird lump in his jacket pocket, and when he checks to see what it is, he sees the very tip of a tentacle before he SHOVES THAT THING BACK WHERE IT CAME FROM WITH 0 MERCY

He has no fucking clue how you got that book onto his person without him noticing

But he respects it

Anyway, they send marko after you next

Because you punched him, and he hates you

Don’t worry about it too much though, because his opinion changes in like

Ten minutes

He follows you into like

A thrift store 

And once you realize you’re being followed you go, “oh hey, it’s you, with the cool jacket, sorry i punched you that one time, but to be fair, you did grab me, so”

And then you hand him a little bag of cool buttons that you found on a shelf 

And you say, with a very sweet and genuine smile

“These match your jacket!”

And all he can think is,

“Oh, so that’s why you’re still alive, okay”

Needless to say, he returns home having not murdered you, and david is Unamused 

You wounded his pride and punched his friend, he Does Not Like you

And then one night you run into him outside of the video store

And he already looks grumpy 

But then he sees you, and it just gets worse

Ironically

He tells you to buzz off that time

Which you don’t fucking do, because this bitch and his friends stalked you for A Time

And even though you’ve made friends with most of your stalkers, you’re still not gonna let this one go

And that’s like

Literally what you tell him

It makes him roll his eyes and fantasize about pushing you into the ocean

But then you go quiet 

And for a few minutes, the two of you just

Stand outside of the video store, leaning against the wall together

In the middle of the noise and excitement of the boardwalk, the two of you are calm and quiet 

And then you go

“Hey, do you ever realize that you have free will, and if you wanted to, you could just throw eggs at your fridge?”

And he goes

“Why the fuck would anyone want to do that”

To which you respond

“To test out their free will.”

You bounce off the wall and hold a hand out to him

“Come on.”

He asks where you’re going and you just 

Look at him

With the most devilish smile that vampire has ever seen

And you go

“To get some eggs.”

And while you’re doing that, you learn that david is so grumpy because his father (he does air quotes when he says the word father) is being very very unreasonable and also possibly indulging in mild child endangerment 

And like

David isn’t a kid, but it’s still endangering family

And that pisses you off

So as you’re leaving the boardwalk’s convenience store

You basically say

“Do you want me to kill that guy for you?  Because it sounds like he sucks, and I’ll totally kill that guy for you”

And to his own surprise, David finds himself saying no

Because if you tried to murder max, you would die- or at least he thinks you would

And oddly enough, he doesn’t want that for you

And he, too, realizes why no one’s killed you yet

And then you just cement it by grabbing the eggs and going, “Come on, let’s test our free will”

Is it immature to throw eggs at the video store?

Absolutely

But fuck it, you have free will

Or maybe you’ve just been hanging around the frogs too much

SPEAKING OF WHICH 

IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT TO MENTION

THAT THIS WHOLE TIME

You’ve been going back to the frog brothers’ comic book store every night

Just to check on them, make sure they aren’t dead

Bc, y’know, santa carla, murder capital

And every time you come into the store after an encounter with one of the Boys, you have this weird smile on your face

Of course, they think it might be vampires.

And after you come back from the video store, they bring this up with you

One of them has a stake in his hand, and they go

“You’ve been weird lately, and we think it’s vampires.  Do you want us to kill the vampires for you?  Because it sounds like they suck, and we’ll totally kill those vampires for you”

So clearly, threatening violence is how all frogs, adopted or otherwise, express their love

Anyway, you just go

“Jesus christ, you know there’s more out there than just vampires, right?  Also, no, I’m not being weird because of vampires, I’m being weird because I found charming people in santa carla of all places.  Imagine that.”

And then the next week you find out the boys are vampires

You stop by the cave, and at this point they’ve given up on eating you, but it’s just so clear, and you are

Filled With Regret

In part because Holy Shit Your Brothers Were Right

But also because you’re probably going to have to kill the boys??

And oddly enough

You Don’t Want To Kill The Boys???

They went from stalkers to sweethearts and you’re mad about it

So of course, upon figuring it out

(they don’t tell you, by the way, you figure it out thanks to the smell of death, the sharp teeth, the Single Bed for four men, a little boy, and poor fucking star, and the poorly hidden dead body in their cave)

Anyway, upon figuring it out

You take the most rational route:

You get marko in a chokehold and hold a stake to his chest

Poor marko, he always gets the short end of the stick

Anyway

The boys all lose their shit

Which is

Fair

To them it looks like you pulled of their plan- you charmed them, and now you’re going to kill them, or at least try to

But before they can, y’know, rip your head off of your shoulders

You go

“WAIT!  Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, here’s the thing.  I!  Don’t want to kill Marko!  And hey, I’ve lived this long, so I assume you don’t want to kill me.  So, let’s make a deal.  We don’t kill each other, and everyone lives.  Sound good?”

Once they agree, you let marko go

And y’know what, because i think he deserves it

He punches you

And you can’t even be mad at that, you just threatened his life

But alas, that’s not where it ends

Because you’ve got a clause to add to your little agreement 

“Wait,” you say, mildly out of breath from the punching, “You can’t kill me, and I’ve got two little brothers you can’t kill either.  Their parents run that comic book store, the one on the boardwalk?  And they’re off limits.”

The boys sigh and nod, but jesus christ do you have more to say

“They also might try to kill you?  You don’t have to worry about it or anything, they’re like, twelve.”

The boys are not twelve at this point, but that’s how old they’re going to be to you forever

You’re never going to be able to see them as anything other than actual babies because that’s how siblings work

Anyway, you continue

“I’m working on getting them to be less murder-y, but they are very blood thirsty for their age.  I’m sure you can relate.”

Yeahhhh, no one laughs at that joke but you

But it’s okay

The agreement is made

You and the frog brothers are off limits in terms of murder

And you Don’t to tell the frogs about this because they would Attempt To Murder Your Vampires, and that’s not what you want

And in the same vein 

The boys don’t breathe a word of this to max

Because he would order them to turn you and your brothers

Or worse!

He would order them to kill you and your brothers

And they Do Not Want that

AND IN A SIMILAR YET DIFFERENT VEIN

THEY CANNOT LEAVE YOU ALONE AROUND MAX

IN FACT, I DON’T THINK THEY EVER TELL YOU THAT HE’S THEIR SIRE

You just think he’s david’s dad, and you don’t ask questions, because they don’t answer your questions, because if you knew what kind of power max had over them, and how easy it would be to abuse that power, you would try to kill max

Because murder is the love language of the frogs.

Anyway, they’re pretty sure that you would get yourself killed if you tried to fight max

And you’re 100% sure that the frogs would get themselves killed if they tried to fight the boys

That or they might actually hurt one of the boys

You did train them a bit, so they aren’t totally incompetent 

And the whole thing is just a messy web 

It’s an endless game where the only goal is to try and keep the people you care about from killing each other while the people you care about try to keep you from killing the people they hate

It’s

Complicated 

But hey, when you practice delinquency with your boys

Any of your boys

That shit’s fuckin worth it

#the lost boys x reader #the lost boys x gender neutral reader #tlb x reader #tlb david x reader #tlb paul x reader #tlb dwayne x reader #tlb marko x reader #the lost boys drabble #is it a drabble at this point??? #it's more me writing what could be a multichapter fic in a way that keeps my attention lord help me #anyway yeah #x reader

[sensitiveheartless]

*kicks down your door*

The newest chapter of Dazai’s Moving Detective Agency is so fucking good it is now my fave chapter I did not expect THAT to be the solution to the heart thing. Also the Akutagawa and Atsushi thing was Goddamn hilarious.

*Shakes your hand, fixes the door, and leaves.*

HULLO oh my gosh I'm sorry this took me so long to respond to alskdfjskfjs this ask was one of the ones that kept disappearing and reappearing in my browser inbox for some reason — ANYWAY YESSS (I want to talk about spoilers for chapter 19 so I'm gonna put them under the cut :0)

Ok so the heart thing! I wanted to mention that I remember seeing your comment where you theorized about how maybe the heart thing would be solved by Chuuya and Dazai kissing or saying "I love you" for the first time, and that maybe they could metaphorically share a heart between them, and the way you wrote it sounded so nice and romantic and lovely and while I was reading it I was internally just thinking "oh no" because of how it was actually going to go XD

In retrospect I really did have Chuuya solve it in the most brute force way possible aksdjfksfjks — speaking of that scene though, it did change a bit from the way I had originally planned it! Since I wrote the story back to front, I figured out the ending first, then the middle, then went back to the beginning and worked forward from there — so as a result, by the time I got back to the ending, a bunch of character stuff had changed.

Basically, in my first draft, Chuuya was going to get out of the chasm, find Dazai in the castle ruins, tell Yosano "before you say anything I know this is very medically inadvisable", then immediately pull his own heart out of his chest and split it in half (much to the utter horror of everyone watching). I was kind of hand-waving the magic aspect at that point, figuring "well, he's a star with a shit-ton of magic, he can probably survive doing wild stuff like that".

...But then I started writing everything out from the beginning, and added all the stuff with Chuuya learning not to shut out the people who care about him and to let them help him when he's in trouble, and in the process of really digging into his character arc I realized that I had made it so that him acting on his own like that would have been rolling back the character development I had already given him aksjdfksdfjskj SO I thought about it for a looong time and gradually figured out how to incorporate Rimbaud, Yosano, Kyouka, and the rest into all helping out in their own ways. And I ended up liking that version way better, since it fits more with the theme of support and the importance of all Chuuya's bonds he's made along the way, so I think it was worth the extra effort in the end!

...It still is a very brute-force way to solve it though XD Chuuya has a very straight forward approach to everything ksjfkdsj

ANYWAY that was a long ramble — I'm also really glad you enjoyed the Akutagawa and Atsushi shenanigans, I ended up having way too much fun with that part :D Their interactions are actually pretty similar to how I initially planned everything out (that end part where Dazai and Chuuya are completely wrapped up in each other while everything is spiraling out of control around them is heavily inspired by the ending of the book version of Howl's Moving Castle, and I had most of the dialogue for it figured out from the beginning).

...Honestly, considering how out of order I wrote it, I'm surprised I didn't have to scrap more scenes. As it is, the only things that really ended up getting changed/scrapped were:

A part of chapter 11 (in particular, the bit where Chuuya and Dazai talk after Dazai brings Akutagawa and Kyouka to the castle was originally a very different tone, because Chuuya was not supposed to have gotten as far along his "realizing he has feelings for Dazai" arc)(I do still kinda like the original version for the comedy aspect, but I like the way the final version fits with their relationship progression better)

A scene where Dazai was going to get drunk, which had to be scrapped entirely (I was basing it off of the book scene where Howl gets drunk and goes on a rant about the curse, but I ended up deciding that it a), made things way too obvious, and b), Chuuya should have absolutely figured everything out from what Dazai said and I didn't want to make Chuuya seem like a moron)

The final confrontation between Chuuya, Dazai, and Fyodor changed a LOT. I rewrote that scene. So many times. Similar to the Chuuya-pulling-out-his-heart-scene, there was a bit in my original draft that ended up being very out of character for Dazai because of how his and Chuuya's relationship had developed in the rest of the story, so I had to completely switch around how they got into the chasm in the first place. I again think it was worth the effort though, because I think where it landed (Dazai completely losing control of the situation and having to trust Chuuya to save them both) was more interesting for Dazai's arc as well.

Anyway, all that said— I've had a really really good time writing this fic, and I'm happy other people have enjoyed it too!! (And hopefully I can actually finish chapter 20 soon aksdjfksdj things keep getting in the way of it help)

#I am also so excited about the idea I got for the sequel aksdjfksdjfks but it's going to require a lot of planning #without giving too much away it's going to involve several season 4 characters #but yeah thanks for the lovely ask!! sorry again it took so long for me to respond aksjfksfj #howl's moving castle au #ask box

[vivi-scera]

Umm please talk about johndean. You seem insane enough no offense

none taken!! if the shoe fits etc. and lmfao i'm embarrassingly insane about a show that i'm only about 20% into watching. not watching past season 5 of course <3 blame @amonsternamed for infecting me, i'm just about to rehash/repeat conversations we've had before. but that probably doesn't make me totally unqualified— many such pairings/dynamics i'm well versed in that give me the background (see batman & robin... which i can talk about as well if you or someone else asks, totally not a suggestion haha 😐).

hmm johndean... probably should preface this by saying i'm way more into samdean since i think the fruition (physically or not) of an incestuous relationship (more incestuous than is already implied in the canon anyway) between them would make more narrative/thematic sense. but there's a lot to be said about the inherent eroticism in johndean's dynamic. you could say that they have a sergeant/soldier or god/follower dynamic in the canon which negates any sort of sexual charge. but the fact that they're father and son makes it erotic, imo. if there is a relation that gives precedence to all other relations/dynamics between the two then that very relation could be seen as erotic because it defines them and gives them their closeness. the physicality of their father-son relationship precedes even a quality that is divine.

it's this unjust exploitation of a "natural" power dynamic. corruption (whether physically or metaphorically of the blood, of the family, etc.) is, from my understanding, a HUGE theme in supernatural. they wouldn't have had the relationship that they had— dean wouldn't have had the opportunity of being corrupted— without them being father and son. whether john actually has/deserves the power to corrupt in the larger narrative could be argued, but that's another topic. he is, after all, a born-again hunter not one by blood like mary is. but the fact that his ordinary human blood that flows through dean has the ability to corrupt. the fact that the father twists and takes advantage of the very thing between him and his son that is supposed to protect the latter. it's horrific but un/fortunately there is eroticism to be found in the horrific.

even if john is the absent father-god he has enough of a physical presence to corrupt. it's why dean is so devoted, i think. his daddy is just close enough to touch! if he's good enough maybe he finally can. but would he still be "good" if he's able to get to that point? what would it say about him if he's able to come close to the very thing that corrupts him? when it comes to hunting and/or loving john, is dean doing what he needs in order to survive? or is he doing what he wants? and what does that say about him? there's such an obfuscation— where i'm at in the story at least— between dean's needs and wants, where his needs/wants transcend himself. his motivations center the person that he loves/feels a duty towards, regardless of what his own personal feelings on the matter are. if he even knows them that is. maybe he feels more comfortable in the serving, finding indulgence the same as betrayal of duty. in fact, this is part of what makes johndean sexy. what is dean betraying if he indulges in an incestuous relationship? is he really betraying his father if he does what his father wants? or is the real sin fulfilling his own desires and not the actual incest? this could just as easily be applied to samdean if we shift the target of his motivations. but even then... john was the one who gave dean responsibility over sam. none of this is to say john is all evil/corrupt. he loves his sons, of course he does, you cannot deny that statement without denying the canon itself. but how that love is displayed/professed is often conflated with violence. would any of them know how to approach love without violence or vice-versa?

also there's some basis in how the canon is set-up that lends itself to an erotic interpretation. he literally made him a mother!! it is in their profession/blood as hunters to confront that which is supernatural— unknowable, horrific and without presence— which is their curse to bear. so this is all to say that i don't exactly want johndean to fuck (such an event would probably conflate john's role as the absent, untouchable, unknowable, etc. in the canon story actually), i just think their relationship can be examined erotically, having both/neither positive or negative connotations since this is fiction yknow. and even if i did want them to actually fuck so what!! sorry this got so long about a pairing i don't even know that much about sdkjfhslf imagine what i could say about shit i actually have authority over.

#supernatural #johndean #wincest #deanjohn #feel free anyone to chime in #ik my wife is going to add to the other side of the validity debate and she will be equally correct if not more #since she's actually watched the whole show and has a ph.d on this #ignore what time i'm posting this everyone <3 i have a test in a few hours you know how it is #vivi.asks