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#but now i'm actually interested in finishing it! We'll see how it goes
the-sky-queen · 15 days
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Been rewatching Transformers Rescue Bots with my three littlest siblings and I'm seriously loving it so much!! Don't believe it when people say it's a preschool show. It is NOT. The story is so fun! The characters are all amazing and there are SO many funny moments. I love the family dynamic the most. Cody, Kade, Graham, and Dani act like real siblings and they have a lot of great moments together! (Kade even has a line in one episode that is literally EXACTLY what one of my brothers would say XD)
It's been a while since I've last watched this show and I think I love Heatwave so much more now. I forgot how angry he is ALL THE TIME. XD And he has his own funny moments too! During the flobster episode, Heatwave literally 'pretends to be sick' so he can get out of going to the parade. XD XD "Ohhhhh. Oh no! My engine won't start! Darn it, I guess you'll have to go without meeee" He comes around in the end though. :)
It's so fun, because I haven't watched this in a while, but my two littlest brothers at least kinda have and my baby sister Potato hasn't. So me and the boys keep remembering details about what's going to happen in future episodes and I keep having to shush them so they don't spoil anything for Potato. XD We just got our first tease of Dr. Morocco and we went NUTS. I can't wait!!
Please watch this show. It's really good. :D
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woso-dreamzzz · 2 months
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Escape III
Bruna Vilamala x Eriksson!Reader
Summary: You visit Barcelona
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"Looking good," Frido whistled as she slumped next to you in the stands," Looking to trade Germany for Spain?" She wiggled her brows.
"Everyone's abandoning ship," You shrugged," Jill's gone to City, Obi's running off to Bayern. Who knows?"
"Wait, seriously?" Frido looked at you in shock. "I was only joking but you're actually thinking about it?"
You shrugged again. "I'm only looking, getting a lay of the land and stuff. But it's warm here."
"And it's got Bruna."
You grinned. "And it's got Bruna."
"You're so in love with her, you make me sick. You're just like Magda."
"Take it back!" You pretended to gag. "I never want to hear those words again!"
Frido flashed you a grin. "Why don't you go to Bayern like Obi? Nice little sister reunion."
"There's better chance of me going back to Sweden."
"You're going back to Sweden?"
You looked over at the barrier and stood, shaking your head. "No, baby." You cupped Bruna's face. "I was just telling Frido that I'd rather play in Sweden again then join the same club as Magda."
Bruna laughed. "You could use Pernille as a buffer?"
"Magda would get me while I was sleeping. No, it would be much safer is I just came to Barca with you."
You leaned over the barrier to peck her lips. When you pulled away, she was blushing and reached up to keep your hands on her cheeks.
"Really?"
"We're already in talks. I thought about following Jill but I don't think I want to stay that far from you, baby. I told you, I want to be mushy with you like Magda and Pernille are...just...as far from them as possible."
"I'd like that," Bruna said," Are you still coming to the afterparty?"
"Yes. Go, baby, you've only got so long to rest before the second half. Score a goal for me, okay?"
Bruna did.
Half an hour into the second half, she scored from the edge of the box and celebrated by pointing up to where you were sitting and blew a kiss.
"Gross," Frido said," God, you and Magda are definitely sisters. You're always so lovey-dovey with your girlfriends."
"Stop comparing me to Magda!"
Frido must have been getting tips from your sister on how to annoy because she didn't let up until Ingrid dragged her off to the bar at the afterparty.
You nursed your own drink as Bruna sat in your lap, resting her head on your shoulder. You weren't that familiar with her teammates bar Jana so you were happy to let the conversation wash over you.
"I heard you're in talks with Barca?" Keira asked.
You shrugged. "Yeah, looking for something a bit different. Wolfsburg isn't going to be the same next year so I'm going to get out now."
"I heard that City was interested."
"They were. Jill's trying to vouch for them but Barcelona's got good weather and Bruna. It's a no-brainer really."
You felt Bruna grin against your shoulder, leaving soft featherlight kisses to the exposed skin.
"Well, if she keeps scoring like she did earlier then you need to transfer now because, wow, that was class."
You grinned. "I'll keep that in mind. We'll see what your club says."
"You're staying," Bruna whispered with certainty as the conversation moved on," I know you are."
"You're so certain, baby," You tutted," What makes you so sure?"
Bruna fixed you with a pointed look but only really managed to look like a disgruntled kitten. You'd seen angrier looks from Pernille, whose good books you perpetually lived in.
"One of the trainers broke the news that you'd already signed. He thought that I knew."
"Damnit," You said with an eye roll," There goes my surprise. Do I still get points for it?" You winked at her and Bruna laughed, pulling you into a soft kiss even though you were surrounded by her teammates.
"I guess so. When do you start?"
"After the summer," You replied," I'm going to finish off my last season at Wolfsburg and then fly over for preseason with you."
"You could start sending your stuff over now."
You laughed. "Slow your roll there, babe. I still need stuff at my place in Germany. Besides, Magda and Pernille are coming over next week. I didn't want them to be suspicious."
"Are you going to tell your sister?" Bruna asked as she relaxed more on your lap, stealing kisses whenever she could.
"She didn't let me know about her move to Bayern. I found out through Twitter."
"You could be the bigger person."
"Eww, no, gross! I want to stoop to her level! Hell, I want to get lower than her level! In fact, I want to play limbo with her level!"
Bruna giggled. "I think I understand why you and Magda fight as much as you do."
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2nd Chance at Love (pt.2)
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Summary: Ningning gets your number from Eunchae and asks to hang out together. Karina finds out and she doesn't like it at all.
Warnings: none for this one
PT.1
- Y/n-unnie, Ningning-unnie is asking for your number. Can I give it to her? - Eunchae asks from her place on the couch. You got home from the restaurant a while ago and were both waiting for your turn to shower.
- Why? - to that the maknae only shrugged - yeah, sure.
Eunchae typed something on her phone and blocked it going back to laying her head on your shoulder and closing her eyes. Not even a minute later you got a text from an unknown number.
| Hey! This is Ning from aespa. I just got your number from Eunchae. Hope that's not a problem
'Well, that was fast' Frowning a bit you answer right away just hoping it got nothing to do with your ex. 'Why would it now of all times?'
| Hello, sunbae-nim. Not a problem at all, is there anything I can do for you?
| Please, just Ning. Yes, actually, I want to know if you're down to hang out together
| Sounds good, just let me know when so I can tell the girls
| Oh, I was actually thinking on hanging out 1x1
'1x1?'
| I'm a bit shy but Eunchae was talking about you earlier and I think our personalities match. We could be good friends. Y'know aespa got no friends >.<
At that you chuckled. You've heard from Ryujin the girls were kind of shy around strangers and had a hard time making friends. Well, you knew that about Her.
| Totally get you. I'm down, we just finished promotions so I got some free time. Let me know when and where, I'll be there
| I'll text you later. You must be tired and it's already late, I'll let you sleep now. Goodnight ^-^
| I'll be waiting. Goodnight ^-^
- Bro, who got you smiling like that? - Yunjin asks in English while drying her hair with a towel, coming out of the bathroom with a cheeky smile.
You roll your eyes smiling back at her
- None of your business. But for real, I think I made a new friend.
- Friend or Friend? - she asks wiggling her eyebrows
- Stop, just a friend - you answer laughing
- Unnie l, stop shaking so much. - at the maknae's complaint you apologize
- Aren't you going to shower, miss? - Yunjin asks
- Ugh! I am. - she stands with a groan and makes her way to the bathroom leaving you and your bestie alone in the living room
- So… who was it?
- Ningning- sunbae-nim
- Ah, she's so nice, I was a trainee with her
- You were a trainee with everyone at this point, Jen. - you say laughing and she follows you
- True
Aespa's Dorm
- And how do you plan on doing that exactly? - Minjeong asks her friend after being told of the interest she had in the well-known player
- I'll just let it happen naturally. We'll become friends first and see where it goes from there. I want her and the only thing I know about her that I don't like is that she sleeps around a lot and only once with each girl - Minjeong hums and Ning continues - I'll just have to make sure she likes me before sleeping with her
- That's not a bad plan but… it's not great either
- I know but that's all I got for now
- What are you talking about? - Jimin peeks her head in through the door
- Just Ning's amazing plan to get y/n to fall for her - Minjeong answers, sarcasm clear in her voice
Jimin's world stopped spinning for a moment
- … right, Jimin-unnie? - she heard the maknae say and came back to her senses
- w-what? - Ningning sighed
- I'll just get close to her and show what an amazing catch I am, and then I'll just let things happen from there, it's good enough, right? - Ningning summarized her plan.
It could work… Jimin was once your friend too and things did happen from there
- Y-yeah. Yes, it is. - her voice was low and kind of sad, the girls blamed it on tiredness - Anyways, I just came here to tell you both to sleep soon. We've got a schedule early
Both girls nodded their heads. They all said their goodnight to one another and went to their respective rooms.
Jimin laid on her bed and looked at the ceiling. She tossed and turned a few times before sighing. She knew she wasn't getting any sleep that night.
Picking up her phone, she texted that one number
| We need to talk. It's important, y/n
___________________>_<_________________
Taglist: @desireyu @xen248
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Unwrap Me-Colby Brock
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(not my gif)
A/n: I just thought I'd drop this small one. I know Christmas is over, but I got sick over the break and didn't get to finish until today. So Merry Late Christmas to whoever celebrates. I kind of got this idea from an Ariana Grande song. Please relax and enjoy.
-Samantha 
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I was sitting on the couch scrolling through tik tok when I kept getting videos of girls making outfits out of wrapping paper. I just knew I had to try on Colby. I went to my room to start planning. As I was planning out how I want the outfit to look I got a call from Kat. I picked it up and smiled. " Hey Kat! What's up?" I questioned
" Hey, just wanted to chat." She said 
I nodded while cutting out the pieces for my outfit. " What are you doing?" Kat questioned 
I replied with, " You know that trend going around where everyone is creating outfits out of wrapping paper?" 
She let out a loud laugh while saying, " Don't tell me you're making one for Colby." 
I stayed silent while making the skirt. She stopped laughing. " OMG! Oh my god! You're actually being for real." 
I let out a chuckle. " Yea, I just think Colby's reaction will be amazing." She was just watching me. " Girl when you're done making it please show me." 
I nodded while continuing the skirt I'm still making. 
'time jump'
I was just about when I heard someone enter Kat's room. I glanced up to fins Sam. " Hey Sam!" I shouted 
He glanced up confused until he saw me through the phone. " Hey Y/n/n. What are you working on?" He said, wrapping his arms around Kat. 
I smiled, " Something for Colby, we'll, more for my entertainment." I said laughing at the end
He raised his eyebrows interested in the thing I was making. " Are you almost done?" Kat asked
Right as she asked I finished the very last part of the outfit. I smiled at both of them. " Done." I exclaimed 
" We'll go try it on." Kat said excitedly 
I smiled and nodded. " Be right back." I said rushing to the bathroom. I was carefully putting it on to not rip it. I heard Kat yelling through the phone. " Girl hurry, I want to see." I let out a soft chuckle while double checking that everything was perfect. I smiled, hyping myself up. I opened the door and stated...
" Okay, Are you guys ready?" 
I didn't get to hear Sam's response due to Kat screaming. " I've been ready." I let out a laugh before walking over to the phone. Kat let out a loud gasp while Sam's jaw immediately dropped. "Omg! You look so gorgeous Y/n/n." Kat said hyping me up
I felt my cheeks getting warm. " Thanks Kat." 
" Colby is going to die when he sees you." Kat stated 
I smiled when Sam smirked. " What's that face for?" He let out a chuckle before saying,"Just so you know Colby just showed up at the house."  
I felt myself panic, " What!" I whisper shouted
He just laughed at my reaction. Kat let out a small laugh before calming me down. " Y/n/n don't panic, you look stunning." I glanced at her, " You think so." 
She smiled through the phone. " Now go get your man." 
I chuckled. " Well I'll let you know how it goes." She winked, " You better." Which made me laugh, we hung up and I started hyping myself up. I took  a deep breath before calling him just to make sure he was home. 
" Hey, baby." he said 
" Hi." 
I heard him let out a chuckle. " What's up, I know you're home." 
I let out a small giggle. " I just want to make sure you are home." 
" Why?" he sounded curious 
" You know, I may or may not have a surprise for you." 
" Really!" he said 
I ignored his response to ask, " Where are you in the house?" 
" The living room." he stated 
I smiled to myself. " Stay there." 
Before he could say anything else I hung up. I took one last deep sigh before heading down the stairs. I turned on the song which made Colby laugh. " Babe, what is this?" he asked through deep chuckles 
Which only made me let out giggles. " It's your surprise, silly." I said walking down the rest of the steps. 
" Okay you ready?" I asked feeling nervous 
" Babe, what are you nervous about?" 
I let out a chuckle. " No reason, I'm coming in." 
" We'll hurry up and get your cute butt in here." 
I felt myself blush. I slowly walked in and Colby's eyes widened. I felt butterflies swarming in my stomach along with my heartbeat getting faster just from him watching me. 
Colby's POV
I was really confused when she turned music on but also kind of excited to see what she had planned. 
After I told her to get her cute butt in the room, I was getting pumped up. What I didn't expect was to see her in wrapping paper. My brain froze just watching her. I was speechless, I then listened to the lyrics and smirked. " So you want me to unwrap you?" I saw her blush which was adorable. I got up from the couch and walked over to her. I gently placed my hands on her hips and glanced up and down her body. Seeing her body covered in wrapping paper up closer was even more exciting. 
I leaned my head to her right ear and whispered. " I would love to do the honors of ripping this off you." 
I pulled back to find her staring up at me with so much love. She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me down to her lips. Once her lips touched mine I couldn't stop myself from going in deeper. She let out a soft groan from the feeling. I felt my hands exploring her body. I pulled away and picked her up over my shoulder. She let out a slight scream. " Colby!" 
I just chuckled and made my way to the bedroom. " What for the room cause you will be screaming my name to the whole world darling." I said 
Your POV
 I felt myself blush again from his words. I then wrapped my arms around his back so I didn't fall. " Colby..." I mumbled 
He tightened his hold on me and responded with, " Yes princess." 
I let out a nervous giggle. " Um...the paper might have torn when you picked me up." All he did was laugh, " Well it was going to come off anyway." 
The next thing I knew I was softly tossed on his bed with him leaning over me. " I can't wait to rip this off." he whispered 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, I know some of you won't like me for how I ended it, but I rather not write anything with that. I mean feel free to imagine. I know I might be robbing you guys, it's just I don't feel super comfortable writing the whole topic. 
Thank you so much for supporting me through the many years I started writing. 
-Samantha
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shepherds-of-haven · 4 months
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Happy New Year, everyone! I thought it would be fun to do a little retrospective on the game's progress over the last year... Shepherds of Haven has grown so much from the little demo I posted in January 2018, and it continues to steadily build and flourish in so many different and exciting ways! Here's a look at just some of the things we accomplished in 2023!
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I added 143,151 words to the game (2.5 main chapters, 8 new character interludes) in 2023: the equivalent of writing the longest Lord of the Rings book in one year! We also broke our huge 1 million word milestone—without including code—meaning Shepherds of Haven is now officially twice as long as War and Peace, and almost as long as the entire 7-book Harry Potter series... and all in a single game!
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A lot goes into game creation behind the scenes, including the coordination and creation of visual assets for the game—like character cards, codex entries, maps, portraits, and backgrounds—fun stuff for the fans (like the MC info template we created), and songs for the official soundtrack. As the game creeps slowly and determinedly towards its initial completion, that also means learning new things as a solo developer to prepare for the future, like learning to build an official website, researching business and tax practices, and beginning to think about how to conduct testing, publishing, and marketing down the road. Much of what I enumerate here hasn't been made public yet and will continue to cook in the background for a while, but I'm very proud of the work I've gotten done this year and will be excited to unveil more in the future!
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And of course, for even more Shepherds of Haven content, I've added and completed even more stories for our little library on Patreon (which also has sizable word count at this point): The Bridge of Bones (a Trouble and Riel murder mystery), O Happy Dagger (a dark adventure featuring Briony, Chase, and Red), and The Hunt (a wild tale involving Tallys, Halek, Shery, and new kinds of spirits, fey magic, and Elves) were all serial stories completed in 2023, while Some Kind of Virus is a cyberpunk zombie apocalypse AU that will continue to be updated with new chapters monthly.
A full list of the Shepherd short stories and serial novellas (with links) can be viewed here!
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I hope you enjoyed this session of Shepherds of Haven Wrapped! Honestly, this doesn't actually cover everything I've been working on, but some things can't be packaged and listed out neatly, or otherwise won't seem very interesting to anyone else but me! 😂 As we inch through Chapter 9 and get more interludes done (only a few more main chapters to go), I'm hopeful that I'll also be able to find time to work on my next novel, but we'll see if the Shepherds schedule ends up ramping up or settling down as we work steadily towards finishing the main story!
One important thing before wrapping up is to acknowledge your guys' role in this wonderful, wild journey. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your invaluable contributions to the development of Shepherds of Haven. Whether you took the time to share links to the game, supported its growth on Discord or Patreon, left encouraging messages or asked interesting questions, reported bugs, or showcased your remarkable works of fanfiction or fanart, I am sincerely thankful for the unwavering support from this amazing community! Your collective efforts have played a pivotal role in shaping the world of the game into what it is today. Words cannot adequately convey my gratitude for your support, and I am truly blessed to have such a passionate community surrounding this project.
As we step into 2024, I am filled with anticipation for the developments awaiting Shepherds of Haven. Big things are on the horizon, and I am so excited to share these experiences with you! Thank you for being an integral part of this journey, and here's to the continued growth of our shared little world. Cheers to 2024—may it be a year filled with creativity, adventure, and joy! 🎊
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ragnviindrz · 1 year
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revenge is sweet. / dottore x f! reader
info: you trick dottore into inhaling aphrodisiac, however that goes bad for you..
this content includes: DARK CONTENT, drugging, NONCON, porn w/o plot, syringes, use of scalpel, forced kissing, rough sex, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it), creampie, mating press, breeding kink, forced pregnancy, bleeding, pregnancy mention lmaoo im not actually sure if what i said abt the position is correct :')
note: one of my drafts got deleted so i made this instead. this was kinda rushed.
any reblogs/support is accepted!! :)
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"How did this happen?" He hissed, as he dropped the syringe on the floor. You look up to see his face, flushed red. He looked like a mess, it seemed your plan worked.
He turned away from you, but was unable to hide his erection. Though, as he turned back - he noticed your smug expression. Your smile could not get any wider as you see him practically fuming. It's like he has smoke coming out of his ears like those typical cartoons.
"Hah? So it was your doing? How stupid of me to get tricked by a labrat like you. That's fine, I have another test in mind. Female anatomy is so interesting. Hm.." He spoke, as he didn't seem bothered, yet he was.
Your smile dropped immediately, as your heart did too the moment he continued, "I wonder if I could get you pregnant. A mortal, and myself... What would be the result?"
His hands reached to you, though you couldn't do much; being chained against the examination mattress. Slowly, he pushed your nightgown up revealing your naked pussy as he pretty much took every of your belonging when he took you.
"Wait– stop!" You yelled, but he didn't - he removed his gloves pushing two fingers inside you and scissoring enough to try and get you wet. He leaned closer, staring into your eyes as he forcefully kissed you, shoving his tongue in your mouth as you let out tiny moans.
Your slick coats his finger, as you adjust taking his fingers. It was like your body was overjoyed at this, but he didn't really mind as you writhe and let out gasps and moans within the kiss.
He pulled away from the kiss, string of saliva connecting the two of you. "You taste delicious.." He pulls his fingers out of you, tasting your slick.
"I believe you're ready now." He hums, as he tugged his pants down, letting his leaking cock slap onto your stomach.
"No way, Dottore.. That won't fit– please!" He doesn't answer as he removes the chain, pushing your legs and practically folding you in half.
He pushes the tip inside your slit carefully, stretching your pussy out and he muttered, "We'll make it fit, then."
As soon as he finishes his sentence, he shoved all of his girth inside making you scream in pain. He had barely prepared you to take his huge cock, and you weren't wet enough.
You blacked out for a moment, until he slaps you awake, and in that minute you've blacked out he has grabbed hold of a scalpel, tracing it against your skin, cutting just enough to make you bleed, but not enough to harm you seriously. "So.. fucking pretty."
He thrusted in and out, as you let out gasps of pain and pleasure - your blood coating his dick but he didn't stop. He got faster and faster, as he licked the blood from the cut he made earlier.
"Did you know that the position we're in.. Is the most effective for when a man is trying to get a woman pregnant?" He groans in your ear, as he pounded your pussy. "Luckily for you, I'm close, so stay still. Okay?"
His thrusts got more erratic, as he tries to chase his orgasm. His fingers found itself on your clit, rubbing and swirling his fingers creating a circle motion.
"Please.. Hgnnh..~ Pull out.." You plead, but your plead goes in his ear and comes out the other.
"I beg y–" Your pleading was stopped as he forced an orgasm out of you, your slick coating his dick and stomach. You tightened up even more around his cock, making it impossible for him to pull out.
"You ask for me to pull out, but your body doesn't want me to. You're begging to be bred, girl. Don't worry, I'll give you what you want. After all, what doctor am I if I cannot provide you what you desperately need?" With that, he was balls deep inside you, filling your womb with cum. It was extremely hot inside you, whilst he rode his orgasm, his cum acting as a lube.
He pulled out of your cum filled pussy, as you felt extremely bloated. His white cum mixed with your blood. Dottore scoope the cum dripping out of you and shoved it back in, keeping you folded to avoid anymore of his cum spilling out.
He let you rest for a bit, until the five minute has passed - and he stood above you, his cock erect once again.
"What? Didn't think we were done, were you? It's only begun after all."
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first post, woo!! thank you for reading. :)
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satureja13 · 2 months
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Jack is disenchanted and disappointed. As exciting as it was to talk to Tiny Can, he'd expected more of the AI Therapist.
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Sai went back to sleep again, he's exhaused from crying and reliving his worst memories. And Ji Ho and Jack decided to play a bit. But the only 'game' available is a boring puzzle... Jack: "Oh my, I don't know what's more boring. This puzzle or our therapy... Have they never heard about gamification? Or fun? Or to make it a bit more interesting?" Ji Ho agreed. Though the insight about Vlad and his own locked away feelings was interesting. Maybe he should follow and explore these thoughts a bit deeper.
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Suddenly Saiwa was wide awake: "What did you just say, Jack?"
Jack: "Uh - probably something wrong? You finish the puzzle, Ji Ho, I go and run."
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Saiwa: "No! That's actually brilliant!
Gamification! The Game!!!
We combine the AI with our game and make it a Therapy Game!" Jack and Ji Ho: "..." (Haha you can see how Jack and Ji Ho's brains are working ^^') Saiwa: "And not just for us - for other creatures too! This would have been so helpful when we'd been so scared and alone! And who knows? This could be a sucess and we'd make money to pay Rubyn and the others back!" We barely get to see Saiwa this excited ^^' But here some of his main interests meet, his love for games and computers - and being there for others and help them.
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Vlad went back home to grab Saiwa, Jack and Ji Ho's content they'd already had created for their game over the last months and then they started their epic gathering to develop the:
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For the computer game they'd planned, Jack already made the concept art and design, Vlad wrote and Ji Ho composed the music and soundscapes. They are going to feed all this to Tiny Can and see what kind of 'gamification therapy' he'll create. How exciting! (For me it really is! Imagine this: a game that also is a therapy - supported by an AI! How amazing would that be if you could see the things that make you suffer from a distance and you'd find solutions for them by doing insightful AND funny AND interesting quests! You'd gain helpful new habits and get rid of unhealthy ones by playing a game! Where I live it's so hard to find a therapy place. We have to wait up to a year -.- I do have high hopes in AI. You could go by your own pace. And you wouldn't even have to leave the house!)
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After a very long gathering, Ji Ho and Jack relaxed in the hot tub. Jack's pain is thanking him. They sat silent for quite a while, lost in their thoughts. Very unusual for Jack, but his brain is running on hyper speed now. He's so excited :3 And Ji Ho was pondering about his locked down feelings. The Bond made it easy for him to love Luci. They had a whole different approach to each other. While his relationship with Vlad was doomed from the beginning (their story in (kind of ^^') short -> here).
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The only ocassions where Ji Ho was really comfortable with Vlad was, when they touched and made love. And this is also a benefit of the Bond and Luci because Ji Ho hated being touched in the beginning. After all he'd seen at the House of the rising Sun in the slums of Sulani. But Luci had approached him slowly and tenderly. Ji Ho shared his thoughts with Jack: "Do you think this might be a way to become more comfortable with Vlad and finally be able to love him? And to find my buried down feelings?" Jack: "I think that's brilliant! At least one of us learned something in that therapy. When you charge the Bond later, just try a bit more and we'll see how it goes."
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A little later Vlad came down: "Uhm, I'm leaving now. The Bond..."
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Ji Ho left the hot tub and went over to Vlad to charge the Bond - and try his new theory... They embraced each other as usual and then Ji Ho tried to kiss Vlad.
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But Vlad moved his head aside and whispered: "I want nothing more than you - but not like this." Vlad's breath ghosted over Ji Ho's still wet skin and made him shiver.
Vlad still has his principles - not to forget his foolish pride. No way he's going to have a plain physical relationship with Ji Ho - without love. There is no 'two out of three ain't bad' or 'it's better than nothing' in Vlad's world ^^' Only 'it's all or nothing'. He would do anything for Ji Ho, but he won't - and can't do that. It would break him apart. That does not mean it was easy for him to not give in and leave. Vlad really is the master of self control ö.ö
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And then Vlad left. Ji Ho seems a bit piqued after Vlad's rejection ^^'
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'I can't stop this feeling Deep inside of me Girl, you just don't realize What you do to me
When you hold me In your arms so tight You let me know Everything's all right
I'm hooked on a feeling I'm high on believing That you're in love with me'
Hooked on a Feeling - Blue Swede from the OST of Guardians of the Galaxy I
Outtakes
He will be mine, oh yes, he will be mine.
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Yang Mal: "Can we grill our corncobs now?" 🌽 Saiwa: "Uhm - sure ö.Ö'"
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Ji Ho checking the mail... 📬 Who might have sent that letter when Ji Ho looks like that?
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Tyalindo watching the sun set 🌅
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From the Beginning  ~  Underwater Love ~  Latest 🕹️ 'Therapy Game' from the beginning ▶️ here 📚 Previous Chapters: Chapters: 1-6 ~ 7-12 ~ 13-16 ~ 17-22 ~ 23-28
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heyidkyay · 5 months
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And I'm petrified of being alone, now |
Part Five
Matty Healy x reader
Summary: She’s just trying to get by, really. What with being a single parent to her four year old son whilst simultaneously trying to kick start a successful career as a radio presenter. She’s got everything she’s ever wanted though, friends close by, a mum who’s merely a phone call away, and of course her baby boy. What else is there to wish for? But then, it’s not long before her relatively normal life gets upended and turned on its head, and she’s suddenly forced to deal with situations she’s never even thought to imagine.
What happens when one mention of a certain controversial singer on her show sends a flood of unexpected challenges her way? 
Authors Note: IT'S FINALLY HERE. THEY MEET. AH IDK WHAT ELSE TO SAY. But I have just finished writing part 6! So I figured why not post 5? SO here it is, hope you enjoy? X
>Just a note! So there's no confusion, this first section of 5 coincides at the same time as the last part of 4, as in where heading into the studio it was seen from Matty's POV, this starts with Mouse's and then goes onto them actually meeting one another! Okay? ta:)
Warnings: um, moody matty, lil bit of self-consciousness, mentions of scarring
Masterlist
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I was running a bit behind schedule. Which wasn't too unusual for me, what with being the single parent to a rambunctious four year old, but this time around I’d somehow managed to allow myself to be waylaid by Adi's antics.
Apparently upon entering the studio this morning, everything had just felt a little 'off'.
And after having announced that, I’d had to sit back and watch on whilst Adi had trudged out of the room in her heavy black boots, only to come back a few moments later with a stub of sage in one hand and a lighter in the other.
Honestly, I was pretty sure that I could still taste the thick plume of smoke that I’d been forced to inhale each time I breathed in, even after having quickly made my escape. But yet it clung to the back of my throat uncomfortably and I couldn't avoid the grimace that wrinkled my face as I tried to rid myself of the sooty tang which coated my tongue.
But that was just Adi, I supposed. And it was one of the many things I loved most about her, how she was so unapologetically herself- even if it meant that I was forced to cough up a lung-full of herbs every once in a while.
See, it was actually Adi’s grandmother that had gotten her into performing all of the rites and cleanses she did so often. The woman was a real spiritualist and had taken Ads in at a very young age, so Adi had practically grown up around it all. She often spoke about how her grandmother had wanted her to follow down the same path and show a deeper interest, but Adi had always been much more fascinated by music, fashion and all things that revolved around tech. 
She was a proper whiz with a computer, but that didn't mean she didn't have an appreciation for her grandmother’s beliefs, nor a knack.
"Are you still coughing up a storm, you drama queen?"
Speak of the devil, and he doth appear, I thought dryly, as Adi reemerged from out of the hazy recording booth. The sage now nowhere to be seen.
I rolled my eyes at her and continued to fiddle with the wires I had wound in my hand.
"I can't fucking stand the stuff, Ads."
Adi merely smirked at me as she bypassed, practically skipping.
"I know, but it's always good to be prepared! Who knows what we'll have to deal with when the infamous diva finally arrives!"
I snorted at Adi's mocking tone and couldn't quite hide the quirk of my lip.
"Fair enough. Just leave that door wide open, will you? And grab the fan while you're at it, as well. Don't need him, and whoever's tagging along, catching on."
I watched Adi laugh in amusement as she wandered over towards the sofa, the sweet sound echoing around the open space.
"On it, Captain!"
The two of us worked quickly after that, whirling around the loft, and one another, in an attempt to get things sorted before our guest's imminent arrival.
It wasn't long before we both recognised the telltale sign of a car pulling up outside though, and upon hearing the engines rumble die out I immediately caught Adi's eye from across the room.
It was a silent challenge and with it there was a frenzied rush to see who could get to the nearest window first. Adi had promptly tossed her notes towards my desk and taken to skidding across the hardwood floors, whilst I had all but thrown myself over the back of the settee.
Adi made it there first, even in her heavy docs, and claimed the windowsill with an unnecessary amount of arrogance. She grinned primly at me as I reluctantly slowed my approach, leaving me to lean in close so that we could both try and get a good look in. 
But from this angle, there was practically no use. I craned my neck as far as my torso would willingly allow me and could only just make out the tail-end of a sleek car parked up on the curb. I assumed that meant Healy had arrived. 
"Can you see anything?" Came Adi's impatient voice, a hushed whisper even though we were three flights up.
"No." I grunted back, "Your fat head's in the way."
Ads scoffed at me and I didn't have to look at her to know that she was now glaring up at me. I grinned.
"My head is perfectly sized, thank you! But seeing as we’re on the topic of abnormalities, you're practically half giraf-”
Adi immediately cut her snide comment short when a loud voice suddenly trumped the usual roaring noise that went hand in hand with the large city that was London.
"Right my!" We heard.
The voice was sharp and irritated, fuelled by an obvious anger, and soon trailed off into a muffled grit. 
Adi's head snapped back to the window at the very sound of it, whilst I couldn't help but question just how exactly she’d managed to contort her body in the way she had, long legs tucked up beside her as she pressed her torso against the glass to listen closer.
The voice rang out again, sharper this time, and my eyes shot down to meet Adi’s own. 
In return, she gifted me a catty side eye- obviously enraptured by the sudden drama that had seemingly been handed to us- and I could do nothing but shrug at her in response, somewhat baffled.
I pulled away slowly when the voices didn't seem ready to rise again, and silently wished that I could've been a fly on the wall during a conversation like that.
Clasping Adi's wrist, I gently tugged her away. "Come on, you best get down there before things go sideways and we end up on the backend of it all."
"Me?!" Adi crowed back, her eyes wide in alarm as she let me drag her back from the windowsill. "Why not you?"
My face scrunched up at the very thought. 
"Ah go on, Ads. Please! You're so good with shit like this, can charm your way out of practically anything."
She narrowed her eyes in response. "I know what you're doing."
I pursed my lips together in an attempt to keep up the innocent act, already feeling a grin cropping up. “Is it working? ‘Cause we both know you’re the sweetest talker around, Wells. Could talk your way out of police custody, you like.”
Adi clucked her tongue but moved to cross the loft. “Yeah, yeah. But we both know you’re just being a coward! What, you really aren't ready to face him yet?”
I was swift to spin around on my heel to hide the truth my expression conveyed, and ignored the question altogether as I headed back towards the booth. I also pretended not to hear the cow’s delighted cackles as she began to descend the staircase.
"Just make sure the camera's are rolling before I get back! And wish me luck!"
"Luck!" I called out loudly over my shoulder before unplugging the fan and then storing it away. She was definitely going to need it. 
I busied myself with the last of my tasks afterwards, an odd feeling of anxiety welling in my chest as I went through the usual motions.
It was strange for me to linger too long on thoughts of nervousness, because I usually had too much going on in other aspects of my life. Making things a little too difficult to concentrate on the many things that could possibly go wrong.
This time around though, we weren’t dealing with the usual up and coming artist, new to the industry and overwhelmingly pleased to be invited on. No, this time we’d practically been fed to the sharks.
Because, of all the possible people, we’d just had to have landed Matty Healy.
I started to question it all again. How exactly I'd gotten myself wrapped up in a mess this big in the first place and only hoped that Adi fared alright with dealing with Healy on her own for a while.
Maybe it had been cowardly of me to send her in first but I really didn’t think I could face him just yet, seeing as it had been me that had set off the pyramid of fireworks that had seemingly burned a hole in his life.
A dull vibration pulsed in my back pocket, breaking me from my train of thought, and I found that I was very much thankful for the sudden distraction it offered.
Messages now Finnleyyy Just got back to the gallery, Teds was fine when I dropped him off! If the show goes on any later feel free to message me and I'll pick him up x
I smiled down at the message. 
At least that was one less thing I had to worry about, Teddy was safe and well, already settled in at the local nursery and in all honesty, I truly didn't know where I'd be without Finn, especially on days like these. 
I was quick to fire back a text full of appreciation before I slipped the phone back into my pocket.
It was just as I had finished clearing up the rest of the studio that I heard a sudden rush of voices trail up the stairwell, and stilled at the very sound.
It was Adi’s voice which carried the furthest and so I ran my teeth along my bottom lip before ultimately deciding that running and hiding was my best bet. So I shot across the loft floor and into the recording booth to stow myself away.
Adi didn’t give me the chance to worry excessively over every little detail that could go wrong as the group of visitors grew marginally closer. So to keep myself busy for a minute or two, or to rather calm my erratic heart, I chose to fiddle with the last of the cameras that had been set up.
I felt, more than heard, the moment they passed the top of the stairwell as the wooden floorboards of the studio tended to creak beneath added weight.
It was pretty much impossible to hear what was being said on the other side of the recording booth though, due to its soundproof walls, but that tiny fact didn’t stop me from practically sealing myself against the door in an attempt to decipher the perfect moment for me to intervene on the situation outside.
For days I’d been practically driving myself stir crazy over all of this, I knew that I just needed to get it over and done with, save myself the stress before I brought another headache on. Because I could do this, he was just some guy. Famous or not.
So with a final albeit shaky breath, I braced myself and opened up the door.
Thankfully, I was almost instantly met by the comforting sound of Adi's voice.
“Ah, there she is! Was wondering when you’d show your mug. Fancy a cuppa, babe? Fixing up a few.”
“Please.” I breathed out a sigh and dragged a hand through my hair as I wandered towards the kitchenette, catching sight of the two bodies currently commandeering our tiny seating area. 
I focused on the man sitting closest and the first thing I noticed about him was the sleek haircut he’d styled, it was clipped closely at the sides but left long on top to keep the thinning hairs going in one direction. He was different from what I’d expected, but not just because he was older, he also wore this brilliant smile when he moved to peer up at me, sincere enough that I felt my doubts ebb as I smiled back, taking in the rest of him and his fine fitting clothes which seemed to suit him well.
I dipped my head in a silent hello before my gaze flickered over towards our remaining guest.
It shouldn’t have felt as shocking as it did to finally set eyes on Matty Healy in person, not after all of the thorough planning I’d put into his very visit. But it was strangely surprising to bare witness to the way his lithe body was currently perched on the edge of our shabby armchair, the very same Adi, Finn and I had dragged back from the secondhand shop further up the main road. It felt wrong almost, having someone so obviously used to a certain luxury sat in the tatty thing.
I pulled my mind away from that last thought and focused on how I couldn't quite seem to tear my eyes away from the way Healy’s frame folded in on itself slightly, legs jutted out wide, elbows pressed against knees, and his chin cocked high. The guy’s overall stance was oddly domineering for someone so wraithlike, with hollowed cheeks and an aristocratic smile. It made him that much harder to read.
Healy’s own eyes were also hidden, so I couldn't make out the line of his gaze. Disguised behind a dark pair of glasses that I could only supposed cost more than what I’d make in two, maybe three months.
The question of what Healy might've first thought upon seeing me and the way I’d drowned myself in the oversized band tee I’d chosen that morning crossed my mind. But I was simply just thankful for the fact that I’d forgotten my knitted cardi somewhere behind me in the recording booth. Silently wishing that I had the balls, as well as the body, to pull off the outfits Adi liked to wear.
"Hiya." I finally greeted them, forcing myself to smile as I extended a polite hand outwards. "It's great to meet you both."
Even with the dark shades on, I easily spotted the way Healy's brows lifted in reply before he- rather reluctantly- clasped his own hand in mine.
I swallowed back the strained smile I wanted to give him in return and focused instead on the shake. Healy’s hands were apt, fingers long and slender, skin much softer than it should’ve been for any musician, and his knuckles prominent but wrist almost dainty. He was a juxtaposition if I’d ever seen one.
He was the first to pull away.
“Likewise.”
My jaw ticked at Healy’s sarky tone but I didn’t let it deter me. Staying professional, I turned to offer the same sentiment to his accomplice. 
“I’m Mouse, by the way. It’s lovely to have you both. Hope you got here okay.”
The other man was much merrier than Healy, practically a total contrast actually, and he showed it in the joyful way he shook my hand, still smiling away.
“You know London traffic.” He replied around a low chuckle and let our hands fall, “Lovely to be here though. I’m Matty’s manager, Jamie.”
I smiled as I nodded in remembrance.
“Got to say, I really love what you two have done with this place. Skylight’s incredible.” Jamie added and I grinned before settling into the adjacent sofa, leaving plenty of space for Adi to take.
“You saw that? But yeah, I honestly think it’s the only reason we were so sold on this particular building- ‘cause the stairs are killer.”
“I can see why! I’m dying to have something like that back at mine, but the conservatory will have to do for now.” Jamie enthused and stood up when Adi strode on over.
Skillfully, the man helped guide the wooden tray Ads had been carrying towards the coffee table and smiled when she thanked him for his efforts, the image of a perfect gentleman.
“Thanks, Ads.” I breathed out in appreciation when the girl handed me my usual milky brew, then took a quick sip.
Someone snorted as I did and my eyes instantly flew over to discover that the sound had been made by Healy, because of course.
He seemed all too amused by something and, from the way his body was still angled towards me, I could only assume that it was down to something I'd done.
I blinked in confusion before I moved to raise my mug high above my head, reading the large, industrialised font that covered the bottom of the cup. Cunt.
The studio was probably the furthest thing from a professional setting, we’d always wanted the entire space to feel comfortable, safe even. But this was supposed to be our big break and so we had been trying to convey it as though it was. But here Adi was dishing out the gag gifts Finn had bestowed upon the loft last Christmas like it was a regular Tuesday.
Still, with a shake of my head, I couldn’t quite bring myself to dim my grudging grin as I shot a narrow eyed glare Adi’s way.
"Ta for that." I voiced with a light chortle and tipped the mug at her in false cheers, before my eyes then flittered over towards Jamie, who had since stifled his own amusement in favour of taking a slow sip of his own brew. And ah, yeah, there was the matching mug.
Healy laughed to himself in the little corner he’d created and I caught the way he subtly surveyed his own cup, out of the corner of my eye, just in case Adi had got him too.
Somehow he’d managed to avoid that particular jest and I knew that the only thing Healy really had to worry about now was if there was a secret dirty message waiting for him once he’d finally polished off his drink.
"What can I say? The mugs, they do not lie." Adi jeered, a mischievous glint in her eye before she turned her head back towards the two visitors. "See you've met our wonderful Mouse then! Ain't she a looker?"
I grimaced away from the hand that reached out to grab at my chin and silently questioned what I'd done to suddenly be on the deserving end of all her taunts.
Jamie laughed at the pair of us, but even with it, I didn't miss Healy's quiet hum or the way he was now seemingly more interested in the contents of his cup than the current conversation.
"Quite. We were actually just talking about you on the way up here, mate." Jamie divulged and I dragged my attention back towards the man, eyebrows lifting.
"Only good things, I hope." I replied, somewhat uncomfortably, but smiling lightly at Jamie before I managed to catch Adi's eye.
Ads simply waved me off. "Of course! They were interested in the show- how it started and what not." She told me and I nodded, mostly to myself as I relaxed further into the settee.
"Oh, well yeah, we've been around a while now."
"Adi mentioned that you were just a kid when you started out, sounds mad putting it like that." Jamie pondered, appearing quite intrigued by the topic. "How did this all come about then?"
Usually, I liked to skirt around this particular subject, wanting to dive straight into the work and forgo most of the small talk, but I caught the way Jamie’s eyes darted around our quaint little studio. He wasn’t just asking for the sake of it.
"If I'm being truly honest, a lot of stuff happened all at once." I revealed with a soft chuckle, but it lacked any of the mirth I was aiming for as I thought back to my second year of university, the year everything had quite literally turned on its head.
"I was in between jobs and my best mate suggested that I take the Twitter account I already had and turn it into something with a bigger presence. At the time, I had nothing left to lose so I just went for it."
At least, that was the shortened version of it. I’d skipped the mental breakdown, the almost losing my flat, and the birth of my child for the sake of not looking like a total psycho.
Jamie looked impressed or, at the very least, understanding as he nodded along to my words.
"Can't say I regret it now though." I had to tack on and smiled before attempting to trail my way onto a more formal topic. "I got your list by the way- what not to ask and all that. Think one of your lot emailed it to me earlier in the week. But I just wanted to let you both know-”
I let my eyes flit over towards Healy for a brief moment before they settled back on Jamie. 
"That you don't have to worry about any of that whilst you're here. We want things to be relaxed, comfortable. I know your team was adamant on everything being a bit more structured, following the lines of an actual interview, but we don't do much of that around here. So I hope you're happy with just having a simple sit down."
"Like this?" Came a reply and I had to pause for a second before realising where the question had come from. Or who, rather.
I settled my mug down on my thigh, loosely supporting it with my hand, and looked over in the direction of Healy.
"A bit, yeah." I confirmed with an incline of my head, "That alright with you?"
The singer was silent for a long second and I couldn't help but take the opportune moment he gave to simply admire the way his fingers had wrapped themselves around his mug, mindlessly tapping away to a hollow tune.
Just when it appeared as though the silence had stretched on a beat too long, and Jamie had begun to shuffle forward ever so slightly in his seat, did Healy finally reply.
"If it's just you, then yes."
I tried not to let the reaction of how I really felt flash across my face then as I stared back at the man opposite. 
From the corner of my eye, I could see the way Adi's lips had pursed unhappily in retort and how Jamie’s expression had hardened into a somewhat steely glare, desperate for Matty to spare a glance his way. Probably to scold him for being so painfully rude. But Healy, to my utter disbelief, kept his head firmly fixed towards me, even as he pushed the dark sunglasses he wore up into his curly hair. 
It almost felt like we were in a stare off with the way I watched him for any tell that would surely give him away, slowly considering the proposition and not caring to cover up the way I could now stare into the other man’s dark brown eyes unabashedly.
From where I was sat, I could only just make out the darkened circles that rested beneath Healy’s pupils, as well as the red line that rimmed them. Their colour was far from unusual, brown, but his were not something you saw very often, they drew you in, kept you trapped. They harboured a multitude of other colours that blended ruthlessly into an array of raw umber.
As magnetising as they may have felt though, I found that I was mostly grateful to see that Healy’s pupils were of a normal size. The only thing I wanted to question were the walls that were so obviously barricaded behind them, giving me absolutely nothing in return.
"Just me?"
Healy simply stared back. 
I couldn’t look Adi’s way when I finally answered the request, simply hoping that she would somehow understand. This felt too much like a test to say anything other than, “Alright. If that’s what you’d prefer.”
I moved to push my mug onto the corner of the coffee table, allowing myself a seconds release from his stare.
“But Adi often controls what goes on behind the scenes when we record, so it’ll be harder without her there, especially with all the cameras.” I explained carefully.
"Look, just hang on a second-" Jamie tried, obviously wanting to defuse the situation, but was ultimately cut off by Healy. It honestly felt as though the man believed neither Jamie nor Adi were a part of the conversation any longer.
"Can you do it?"
His tone was almost challenging, the four words fell from his wicked tongue like a dare.
"Not the type to back down." Was all I could think to retort, my hardened gaze once again zeroed in on Healy's own.
***
The recording booth was smaller than he’d expected. A table sat in the very centre, surrounded by a swarm of cameras and microphones, all of which seemed to be connected to a variety of wires Matty could hardly even bring himself to be cautious of as he stepped past.
The table hosted an array of tech though, from computers and mixing boards to monitors and speakers. None of which Matty was the least bit interested in either.
Three of the four walls were lined with acoustic foam panels, one’s you’d typically find in booths, while the last had been turned into a mural of sorts. 
The mural was dark and edgy, a string of trees sprouted up from the ground and swept across the expanse of it, its branches winding upwards only to entangle in one another. A common field mouse sat crouched in between the trunks of the trees, its big eyes shining as it met Matty’s stare head-on. The walls centre held the name of the radio show and at first glance it looked as though it had been printed on one of those acrylic neon signs, but it was actually just extremely detailed.
Matty had to blink once or twice before he was finally able to look away.
"Who's work?" He found himself asking, filling the silence that had settled upon the closing of the booth's door. He jutted his chin out towards the far wall, sparing the art one last glance before he gave the girl his full focus.
Her eyes flitted up to meet his own before they sailed across to the mural.
"A friend." Was all she replied, but her voice had softened a touch now that it was just the two of them, Matty noted.
She offered nothing more than that and so Matty took it for what it was, nodding his quiet assent.
"Do you have anything in particular you'd like to talk about whilst you're here?" Mouse asked him as she clicked away at the computer, he felt strange using the name, even if it was just in his own head. "We've got a good hour or so before Adi comes snooping."
"I've got a million things I'd like to say," Matty let slip as he trailed on closer to the table, then forced a sardonic smile. "But I'm not particularly in the mood for a good tongue lashing today."
She looked slightly startled by his dry joke and Matty found himself having to hold back a smirk as he rounded the desk, fingertips gliding across the table's smooth surface.
"What about you, then?" He posed, not wanting to stunt their talk just as it had begun. Somewhat intrigued now. "Got anything you'd like to get off your chest for millions of people to hear?"
It was sarky, but when was he not? Though if he was being honest, Matty just found that he wanted to hear the girl talk, because for some reason he enjoyed listening to her. Her gentle accent had obviously been weakened during the time she'd spent in London but Matty enjoyed its easy lilt. It was almost soothing. He wondered where she was from, but didn't ask.
Mouse snorted, shaking her head. "Wouldn't quite say millions, a couple thousand at best."
Matty felt his eyebrows raise as he spared another glance over at her, thinking back to those eyes that had held his so solemnly. "What, even with me here?"
He was teasing, but her eyes widened briefly as though she feared she had offended him, but as mentioned, it was only a brief flicker before a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see how loyal your fans truly are, Healy."
"Guess so." Matty mocked.
***
The show had gotten off to a rocky start. I had been all too aware of the surrounding cameras and the way the menacing rockstar, sat centimetres away from me, liked to keep his stare fixed firmly on me at all times, following my each and every movement.
I couldn't quite help the way I shifted uncomfortably every time I looked up and caught Healy's eye either, or the way I’d chosen to angle my face away from the cameras to avoid looking directly into any lenses.
I was dead crap when it came down to things like this. It all became too much, the pressure to entertain, to pretend that I was fine, that I was comfortable in my own skin, to chat away like there weren't already a thousand eyes studying my every flaw.
Look, give me a microphone and any sodding topic that either pissed me off or positively enthralled me and I'd be happy to rant the ears off of any nutter willing to listen. But in scenarios such as these, I always felt slightly on edge. Teetering on the verge of falling right on over it.
‘Cause I knew what people saw when they looked at me. I was all too familiar with the pitying glance I often got spared, as well as the grimaces people couldn’t seem to hide when they walked by. 
I’d had to deal with it for years. Ever since I was a kid.
And upon hearing that, anyone would probably figure that I might’ve gotten used to all the gawking by now, especially with a toddler constantly keeping me on my toes. But ultimately my son’s presence often appeared to exaggerate the mixed reactions I received.
In truth, I’d never really been given the time to come to terms with the scars that marred my body, my face. The white lines that spoiled the features underneath.
So claiming it to be a rocky start, would only put a dent about the size of a pea into the way I was currently feeling! 
Healy was rather unhelpful too, just as I’d predicted. He seemed to almost get off on watching me writhe under his leer and his answers to the questions or topics brought up were half-hearted at best.
Really, I was beginning to doubt the way in which I’d figured this entire mess would end.
It was only supposed to be a quick and easy chat, the two of us sat there gossiping like old mates, proving to the rest of the world that there really was no animosity or underlying conspiracies to this whole setup. When in actuality, that really wasn't the case.
Time and time again I found myself questioning why exactly Healy had even bothered to come, why he had even agreed to the whole ordeal in the first place. Especially when he was so apathetic with his replies.
"So," I trailed off, somewhat desperate to save what was left of the segment- for my sake at the very least. I didn't even want to think of what sort of issues this would cause for the show. "Music! I mean, from an outsider's point of view, we never really got the whole backstory on how you and the rest of the band really met. I mean, you’ve said you started it in secondary school, but you yourself were kind of pushed into the limelight at a really young age, so how did you and the guys connect?”
Healy tensed at that particular question, his shoulders forming a more rigid line as his gaze flickered away from me for only the briefest of seconds before it returned, but it was enough to alert me to the fact that I was treading into murky waters. I tried to backtrack.
"But in all honesty, what I really want to know about are all the sordid details, life after all that crap, the answers to the things people never think to ask. Like, I've seen pictures of your clearly extensive guitar collection all over your Instagram feed, you must have a favourite!"
Matty's lips curled into something which almost resembled a smile then and it honest to God threw me through a loop. A metaphorical loop, of course, I wasn't quite sure if we could fit any sort of loop-like shape into a space this small.
But I was letting myself get sidetracked and couldn't help but question whether that was the sort of thing Healy typically thrived off of. He’d smiled, and nothing wicked or sarky had tinged it, it’d been a genuine smile. And I had to blink just to make sure my eyes hadn't been playing tricks on me as Healy edged forward in his seat, a coy grin now dancing at the corners of his muted pink lips.
"A favourite? Now that's the question to ask! Honestly? It'll have to be the '63 Jazzmaster I've got. It’s wicked, used by the Ramones on their debut album and then by David Byrne on early Syre demos. So it’s seen quite a bit."
After that, I just sat there. Stunned as Healy continued to rant about this poxy guitar he was so obviously smitten with and couldn't help but be utterly captivated by each and every word that slipped from his mouth.
Apparently all I had ever needed to get past the games and ginormous walls Healy had defensively built around himself was to simply be myself. Ask the questions that maybe only I wanted to know the answers to. 
See, I wasn't the biggest people person but I figured myself to be somewhat of a skilful conversationalist. What with my past, I’d kind of had to force myself to be. But I was glad to have finally been given an in with Healy, no matter how small. It helped the interview pass by a lot easier. 
Although the new spirit Healy adopted after that only seemed to last until nearing the very end of the show. 
In truth, I had all but forgotten about the cameras and microphones set up, the fact that people were still listening in, were watching us converse, whilst I simply lost myself in listening to Healy prattle away. Positively enraptured by the way the musician's mind worked as he explained the complexity of a certain riff he adored, or the time he'd pretended to get off in Madison Square Garden- much to the dismay of his PR Team.
"They went absolutely mental when I first proposed it. I'm telling you! Yapping about time and effort, and it being too much for the younger viewers, then the plans that would have to be put into place- all that merry shite. And I’d just been sitting there in these, these skimpy leather trousers, quietly debating over when, or if I'd ever, get the feeling back in my legs. And don't even get me started on my knob. I mean, it must've shrivelled up and die- hang on, I can say knob, right? On air?"
Looking at him in that moment, forgetting everything I already knew, it was like I was seeing this whole other person. Someone who wasn't so confrontational, so quick to defend, or easy to recoil. 
It was clear, to me at least, that Healy wasn't the image the media painted of him, he was simply human. A troubled man who truly loved music, in every sort of variety, and wanted to vocalise and share that love with everyone else. He was eccentric for sure, but sincere.
I could see that, even if it only felt like I'd only been given the tiniest bit of insight into the person Healy so obviously tried to keep concealed.
It wasn't long later when I startled somewhat upon seeing the flashing red light of one of our cameras go off to my left and immediately, I jolted upright in my seat.
"God- crap!" I blurted out stupidly as I grabbed at the headset that had threatened to fall off my head in my sudden haste. "Hold on. Sorry, got really sidetracked there- one of the camera's is telling me it's on its last legs, so we'd best start wrapping this up."
Healy deflated ever so visibly, shrinking back in his seat as he huffed a soundless chuckle.
"Can't seem to stop me once I get going." Healy widened his eyes to emphasise his point and I observed how he had hastily retreated back into himself to haul his guard up again.
I was quick to shake my head. "No, truthfully I can't remember the last time I just got to sit here and listen. It was nice not having to do all the work for once."
Matty licked at his top lip upon hearing that and rewarded me with another mirthful smirk. I realised I'd properly put my foot in it there, stressing over why I’d even worded it like that. 
Whilst he chuckled to himself at the picture I must’ve made, I decided my best bet was to hurry on and end the show, reciting what needed to be said before I finally signed off, clicking a button.
It was just as the 'ON AIR' sign above the door went off that Adi barged straight through the entrance, gracing us with her wonderful presence. Jamie was just behind her, peeking his head around the doorframe.
"Well I think I can say that that went as well as it could’ve!" He announced, coming to a standstill by Matty as he clapped his client heartily on the back. "Well done, Matt. You as well, Mouse."
"Appreciate it." I smiled up at him before tugging off my headphones and pushing away the mic.
With all four of us now crowded into the makeshift room, the booth suddenly felt a lot smaller than it usually did, and so I tried my best to disguise the way my body immediately reacted to the realisation.
"I'm in dire need of a fag though. Will you be alright tidying up in here, Ads?" I announced as I pulled myself up onto my feet, already beginning to shuffle towards the exit. I picked up the cardigan I'd left on the back of one of the chairs as I went, using it as a shield almost. 
"Yeah, of course. Glasses here wanted to discuss one more thing before they made a move anyway."
I shot an arched brow at the man in question but Jamie waved my curiosity off. "Nothing too detailed. Just some forms that need signing."
I didn't much like the part of the arrangement that came after recording, but with an understanding ‘Ah’, I forced myself to ask, "Erm, don't suppose you need me to stick around for any of that do you?"
"Nah," Jamie laughed lightly, "Go on, you're all good."
I smiled, silently praising the stars above as I nodded once and resumed my exit, tugging the cardi on as I hastily made my way over to the fire escape.
Praying that our luck hadn’t run out just yet, I hoped that no one else was up on the roof waiting for me when I pulled my feet up the rickety metal staircase. It was just about the last thing I needed at that moment.
I already had my lighter in hand by the time I'd made it over to our little makeshift patio we’d created, which consisted of a few wooden pallets and a couple of large cushions that overlooked the neighbouring buildings.
It wasn't much, Islington. It was inner London sure, and had its fair few classier joints to show off, but I much preferred what else it had to offer. Like how the hustle and bustle of the city quietened just as you lost yourself down the backroads. And all the parks that had been scattered in and around the main developments and the dozens and dozens of buildings that were constantly cropping up. How there was a pub on almost every street corner and a Sainsbury's never too far away. I even enjoyed the gentle rattle of the overground, it was all too familiar now. Felt more like home than the Isles ever had.
Looking out across the surrounding rooftops, I wondered again just why my mum had yet to leave our tiny town as I lit a cigarette and lifted the filter to my lips.
The first chance my father ever got he’d gone running for the hills and then me, myself, had upped and left the confines of our small cottage as soon as the offer had presented itself.
It wasn't that the harbour town I'd grown up in had nothing to offer. It had a sense of community, a beautiful shoreline (even in the colder months), and of course, the local rugby team.
But speaking in a manner of careers, well, unless you were breaking out on your own and had the cash to open up a shop on the high-street, then you were probably destined to either work in the local greengrocers, serve behind the village bar, or get a shift down by the docks.
You were lucky if you had a bit more meat on your bones though, because then you also had the added opportunity of getting an offer to start laying bricks for one of the few building companies. Most of which were family based.
We had the main school too which housed both primary and secondary  kids, and the local college was available if you wanted to further your education. But the closest University campus was a good hundred miles away. 
I had applied, but only to lessen the guilt I'd felt towards my mother when I'd started looking for courses available in just about any place apart from home whilst filling out uni apps.
I could still recall the day I’d finally told her I'd be leaving for London. Felt like a lifetime ago now really.
I'd definitely have to call her up again soon, to make sure that she was doing okay, even if it meant that I'd be forced to listen to her rattle on about coming home for Christmas. Again.
I sighed contently to myself and it was just as I flicked away a stump of ash that I heard someone approach.
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slaingelo · 13 days
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HOLY SHIT HERE WE GO !!!! somewhat world building dump as the prologue.
Chapter one will be longer and in parts, and will involve exploring Link's current life, more world building, and also !! HIS DAD !!
more rambling below;
So in case it wasn't obvious the whole "you'll die if the gem is broken" isn't TECHNICALLY true. no one's ever actually had the gem break while bound to it, so the thought that you'll die is just an assumption based on like... well. YOUR SOUL IS IN THAT. and it's been passed down as fact rather than theory.
the gem will get broken at the end of chapter one, leading to Link's soul being torn into four pieces. This technically kills Link which is why I do want to spend time going over his current place in life in chapter 1 before the DeathTM :3
also worth noting; they're young adults ! Link has no plans to go to college and is kind of a mess right now, Zelda rather than being any kind of princess is from a family with spiritual importance- ofc being taking care of the force gem. it's been a while since a hero had to be chosen !!
also, all the maidens are being given actual names, chosen after gemstones instead of colours because like,,, I mean, blue maiden is the most important one here, I can't really call her Blue lol.
I DUNNO HOW FAST UPDATES WILL BE, I wanna be careful to not burn myself out, so we'll see how it goes :3 I might post 3 or so pages at once per update instead of 9 each time aha;;
I hope this is interesting !! I'm really excited to tell the story I wrote for this AU and I hope you guys will enjoy the ride <3
consider this some exposition combined with experimenting with the comic process because this is the first time I've actually finished a comic that's longer than 1 page and it probably shows. I'll be forced to make it more interesting once I get to the action stuff don't worry XD I'll try to get better at making the talking stuff look interesting over time .. AND YOU CAN SEE HOW INCONSISTENT MY ART IS WAAH.
I ended up changing line thickness after 3 pages bc I realised I was going too thin and I was never going to finish it if I kept w/ it because I haaate doing thin lineart...
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cha-melodius · 6 months
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I woke up to WIP Wednesday tags from @kiwiana-writes, @sherryvalli, @littlemisskittentoes, and @leaves-of-laurelin, and just got one from @tintagel-or-cockleshells before I could post this lol, so I guess I better dig up something. Actually, I finished the chapter I mentioned on Sunday, but I now have to take a bit of a break to work on a secret exchange fic and also something else I'm keeping under wraps until next month, so this might be my last one of these for a little while. We'll see how fast the writing goes lmao.
“You don’t need interesting, you need to get laid,” Pez chimes in as he nearly collapses onto the bar for support on Henry’s other side, glistening from the exertion of dancing and drawing quite a few looks of his own. “I’m perfectly fine, actually,” Henry insists. “Besides, I’m not going to bring someone home while my sister is staying with me.” “I can stay with Pez,” she volunteers cheerfully. “Or you could go to the other guy’s place and leave me with your giant telly. I wouldn’t complain about that.” “Look, I appreciate the effort on my behalf, but I’m just— not interested,” he sighs. Bea stares at him for a moment, then seems to come to a decision. “All right then, let’s go,” she says, grabbing her jacket out of his hands and shrugging it on. “Go where?” “Home. Tea, biscuits, Bake Off.” “But you were dancing—” “And I had fun, but now I’m tired and ready to go,” she tells him. She peeks around him at Pez. “What about you, love?” “Oh, I’m staying. I’m having too much fun to leave now,” Pez says, flapping a hand at them. “Go. Snuggle on the couch and watch your baking programme.” He looks pointedly at Bea. “And don’t let him pine over either of them.” Bea’s eyebrows shoot upward. “There’s another one? How did I not know about this?” “Bloody hell, I’m not pining over anyone,” Henry protests, groaning.
Tagging @rmd-writes, @welcometololaland, @cricketnationrise, @three-drink-amy, @iboatedhere, @indomitable-love, @dumbpeachjuice, @liminalmemories21, @myheartalivewrites, @nontoxic-writes, @14carrotghoul, @orchidscript, @nicijones, @loki-is-my-kink-awakening, @mirilyawrites, @wolfpup026, @hummingbee-o0o, @dreamycloud, @daisymae-12, and anyone else who wants to jump in, tag me!
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let-them-eat-rakes · 21 days
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third semester persona 5 royal is so the mind electric coded (some of these are my headcanons for akira's feelings) (also long post)
"resident minor, how do you plead? we'll need your testimony on the stand. solemnly swear to tell the whole truth; so help you, son, now raise your right hand." maruki's multiple ultimatums
"i've a good heart, albeit insane." if akira or akechi tried to explain the situation to anyone they would come across as bat shit crazy
"condemn him to the infirmary." 2/2 vibes. akira has to choose between letting akechi go out on his own terms or condemning him to maruki's reality
"all mine towers crumble down, the flowers gasping under rubble." akira wakes up to find everything he worked for had disappeared, and has a small mental breakdown as his world crumbles around him when he sees his friends
"shrieking in the hall of lull, thy genius sates a thirst for trouble." maruki seeing the engine room scene, akira screaming for akechi to still be alive
"scattering sparks of thought energy, deliver me and carry me away." maruki manipulating the phantom thieves' cognition to blind them to the truth, but he believes he is doing good, carrying them away from pain
"here in my kingdom, i am your lord; i order you to cower and pray." maruki's god complex, that he is somewhat unaware of / ignoring
"nuns commence encanting, as the lightning strikes my temples thus." akira going around, breaking the thieves from the illusion, clearing their minds
"spiralling down thy majesty, i beg of thee, have mercy on me. i was just a boy, you see; i plead of thee, have sympathy for me!" the thoughts going through akira's head in the seconds before the phantom thieves arrive
"see how the serfs work the ground. (see how they fall) and they give it all they've got (fall) - and they give it all they've got (fall) - and you give it all you've got, till you're down. (ha! ha! ha! ha!)" i imagined a cool scene about this part when just randomly listening to the song, and it's kinda what inspired this entire post: at some point before 2/2 (like maybe 1/30 or something) akira secretly goes to maruki's palace, and basically just asks 'why. why are you doing this, what's your game here.' and maruki brings him up to a balcony overlooking the city. he says the lyrics (i know cheesy, but imagine he's using it as a metaphor or something) and the parts in parentheses are his savior complex/azathoth/adam kadmon.
"see how the brain plays around; and you fall inside a hole you couldn't see. and you fall inside a hole, inside a-" maruki truly believing that he is in the right, as he sees how (for lack of a better word) damaged the thieves (especially the royal trio) are mentally
"SOMEONE HELP ME" once again, the royal trio and maruki. sumire needing help to be who she truly is, and it's interesting to imagine her just suddenly yelling it during her boss fight. akira needing help to be able to finish things, and a bit of a headcanon: he has so many personas that his original self (pre metaverse) is buried so deep that he can barely access it. akechi needing help to finally do something that he chooses to do for once, and go out on his own terms. maruki believing himself to be the help that they need, but in actuality he also needs help
"doctor, i can't tell if i'm not me." i think that each of the royal trio has identity issues. kasumi/sumire is obvious, akechi is split between his facades, and the previous headcanon that akira has so many personas that he doesn't know who he is anymore. also, if anyone wants to make an animatic or something, this line can be sumire and akira actually saying this to maruki back at shujin, and akechi pondering it to himself during the events of the game
"when it grows light, the particles start to marvel, having made it through the night. never they ponder, whether electric, calming if you look at it right." maruki lying on the platform after the fistfight, accepting that he was wrong and deciding not to try to stay alive when the platform collapses
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bidonica · 2 months
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Hey! I see you're into fragile/higgs ship and caught myself quite like them too recently (tho i've been in DS fandom already for a year and mostly thought about them as a friends)
Just wondering why do you like them? Do you have any headcanons/interesting thoughts? I'm very curious 👀
Hi! First of all apologies for the wall of text you're about to get, but unfortunately you came knocking at my door after I spent nearly two months ruminating about this ship basically by myself sooo I'm dumping it all here
Well the short (lol) version is that in my first playthrough I mostly just absorbed the characters and storyline, but by the time I got to their final scene on the Beach I was like wait a minute... their whole shared storyline feels way too loaded for them to simply have been business associates, that shit is personal, even Higgs wanting to damage Fragile feels way too pointed to just be justified by "he was a turncloak with a secret agenda." Now, I'm not against a "they were simply close friends" interpretation, it works just as well to explain the emotional weight of their falling out, BUT I also cannot ignore the zest, the flavor, the spice of them actually having been involved romantically at some point. And honestly going into my second playthrough with the shipping goggles on I can't help thinking that Fragile speaks about Higgs like he was an ex that hurt her, and the way that she is suspiciously cagey about the specifics of their relationship makes my ears shoot up like a German shepherd.
On a Doylist level I also find it interesting that Kojima gave Higgs extra backstory that connects him to Fragile in the Director's Cut, and also how the behind the scenes for the DS2 mocap show Troy and Léa sharing a scene... I think Kojima is not done intertwining their story and we'll get more info in the sequel.
Now for the headcanons... I have enough that I might or might not be writing a long-ish fic about it, but I want to finish this Director's Cut playthrough before completing it (I could just look stuff up on the wiki but that's not fun). Also I have some art in the pipeline about it that I hope to post within the week. Anyway, the bite sized version of how I envision their relationship:
I hc Higgs as being immediately attracted to Fragile but not really acting on it, while she develops her attraction after getting to know him a little. Then she's down bad but she doesn't even realize it until it's so obvious it hits her in the face
A few people at their joint Fragile Express/whatever Higgs' operation was called co-op assume they are an item long before anything ever happens, because they just hang out together a lot. They have a similar penchant for corny jokes and puns and enjoy some light banter; Fragile finds Higgs' flair for theatrics endearing, while he is drawn to how gentle she is because he has known so little softness in his life (also he thinks she's insanely pretty, which duh. It's self evident because Léa Seydoux) (it's his first serious girl crush anyway; I hc him as bi and as having had mostly experiences with men before her)
They bond over their DOOMS condition and Higgs is fascinated by Fragile's powers, while she is less enthused by all the collateral effects. In my hc, at this point she has yet to become as skilled at traveling through dimensions as she is in the game, which makes her reluctant to agree to Higgs' requests to show him the Beach. This sows the seeds of his resentment towards her, because he feels she has a privilege she doesn't make use of and doesn't want to share.
They are both pretty touchy feely (canon!) so when their relationship goes from friendly to romantic it gets physical immediately and enthusiastically. Yes even accounting for the worldwide lowered sex drive. If there's one thing I never do is put characters in horny jail 🫡
 I think Fragile got to know a version of Higgs that was quite different from what we see in the game, which you sort of can gauge from the more optimistic pages of his diary. Like there's a part of him who's starved for love and connection and a sense of belonging and gravitates towards people like Coffin (he never had a mother) and Fragile herself; ironically, the pull towards Amelie answers to the same need but in reality it feeds on his more nihilistic, call-of-the-void side. I'm not saying that Amelie brainwashed him or anything, but I think she saw what was already there – a  deep seated resentment towards a hostile world and towards those he feels got handed a luckier deal than he did, that he countered by clinging to the notion of being special because of his DOOMS, but then there's someone like Fragile who's even more special and doesn't seem to be doing much with it. Amelie gave him a chance to fulfill what he felt was his potential and shared her power with him, but the tradeoff was severing  the connections he had, "killing" the part of him that wanted to be loved to make space for what he perceived as a higher form of love ("I found someone who completes me" which he says to Fragile specifically like he wants to rub it in her face? Like she wasn’t  enough to fulfill that role?)
That’s why I think it’s significant that he lost his hands with his power-up, because the (holding, welcoming) hands are strongly associated with Fragile; and to me it makes sense if he purposely ruins her body also because it’s a way to stifle his attraction to her. There’s also a lot of projection because HE is the one who’s felt like damaged goods all along, who grew up being  crushed psychologically and physically. I also think that both of them coming close to annihilating the other but choosing not to – leaving them in a dicey situation but not entirely without escape – shows in some twisted way that their bond still exists, which makes me giggle and rub my hands like a nasty little goblin knowing we have another game coming.
So… That’s the gist of it. Sorry for rambling on but as I said, I don’t really get the chance to talk about this ship much – greetings from rarepair hell, etc.
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agentravensong · 6 months
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i've had a fic in my drafts for multiple years now (first version of it is from shortly post witch in the web) about paul becoming something of a surrogate dad for hannah (or, more accurately, just beginning on that journey, and then the events of tgwdlm happen). and now i have an idea for a similar story that i think i'm even less likely to finish, so i'm gifting it to tumblr:
bill becoming grace's new, better dad (potentially leading to, depending on how much you want to balloon the scope, the full ccrp gang (minus ted, for timeline reasons we'll get to shortly) becoming psuedo-parental figures for the full npmd protag gang)
to start: bill and grace. i think we can all agree that grace deserves better parents, right? well, there's one reason i think bill is the prime candidate to step into that role for her: they're canonically the same denomination and go to the same church. meaning that a) bill has seen this girl once a week for probably her whole life, so he's got to at least know her a little bit by now, and b) grace probably has a baseline level of respect for and willingness to listen to him, at least compared to any of the other ccrp adults (who are all different denominations).
them having their church in common gives them a starting point, but we also know just how different bill is from grace's parents (for one, he has no problem with his daughter being gay and dating). so being around him could give grace another perspective on life, one she wouldn't be so easily able to dismiss out of hand. there's a chance, however slight, that grace might actually believe him when he shows her there are other ways to be good. other ways to Be.
i guess there's also the possibility that grace's family (and thus grace) could secretly despise bill for not adhering to their version of their denomination's beliefs? but i still think it could work given the right circumstances.
what would be those circumstances, you ask? here's what i think:
the workin boys timeline, post workin boys (gals).
think about it: bill was there, and he has to know grace was there, since she's the one who Dealt with hidgens. imagine being him, and going to church the next sunday, and seeing her there. you'd be at least a little concerned about how she's doing, right?
now, answer me this: do you think grace's parents would be at all equipped to give grace the emotional support she would need after that experience? do you think they'd react at all rationally when they found out about this whole thing?
do you think grace would be able to fully keep up appearances the next time she went to church, after smiting someone in the name of god?
which is to say, i think bill, for as obtuse as he can sometimes be, would notice that she's not okay. and knowing how much he misses alice when she's not around, and how much he always worries for her... i think it's a fair jump to make that bill's fatherly side would start coming out. that he'd offer to be there for grace, and maybe start looking into her family on his own.
and grace, after a short while doing her best to hold things together on her own, cracks, and decides to take him up on that offer.
i think bill would have to do some more developing himself in order to really help grace, because we do see in his relationship with alice that familiar strain of overprotectiveness, even if it's much less dominant than in the chasitys. in that respect, i think setting a version of this idea in the watcher world timeline could be easier, because bill goes through some serious development there... but overall i find that version less interesting for grace, so instead, bill is gonna have to learn the longer way.
it would take a while for bill to start getting at the heart of how grace got messed up by her parents. but i think, with enough time — and maybe some help from a certain social worker and his specially gifted (girl)friend, if we say this timeline is one of the better 50% — he could get there.
now, i mentioned the other npmd teens up top. for the sake of this story, i like imagining that ruth actually survived; she hid when hidgens started murdering and he didn't get to her before the curtains went up. so she gets to be here! yay!
but, uh. none of them are doing too hot. obviously a ruth who lived through that would be traumatized; it might even ruin her love of theater entirely. ritchie saw it all, and i figure ruth wouldn't come out of hiding until after it was all over, so there were a good few minutes at least where he genuinely believed his (maybe best) friend was dead.
and, pete... he wasn't there, but, ya know. he lost his brother. so.
all the kids need help, is the point. and if bill is starting to look after grace, then it's basically inevitable (heh) that he'd start seeing some of ritchie (since he and grace were already kind of friends in this timeline, and i can imagine them developing a trauma bond in the aftermath of the event) and then, by association, ruth. i can even imagine him encouraging grace to hang out with them more as part of her healing, and then they could start having hang-outs at his place, and... plus, i figure the other ccrp adults probably at least vaguely knew about ted's younger brother, so bill doing at least one courtesy check-in on pete makes sense. and pete is friends with richtie and ruth, so, it all comes together!
and at some point, if bill is gonna end up helping out all these teens to some extent, it'll probably become part of his small talk at work, and that's how, if you wanted to, you could get the other adults involved. like, we know paul has babysat for alice before, so i think bill could probably convince him to help out here too... eventually. i mean, it's not like he'd ask him to take them to a musical, given Everything. if paul has started pursuing something with emma, then she can be here too! and charlotte... well, i don't know if we know anything about her opinion on children, and i don't want to stereotype her given she's the only woman of the group. but she's at least generally a nice person; i think she'd be willing to help out when she sees bill starting to get overwhelmed.
which basically just leaves the question of how steph gets involved. my answer: she hears about what happened, then learns that pete's brother was one of the casualties, and through some combo of feeling obligated and having a spark of an interest in pete, reaches out to him to ask how he's doing. so she gets pulled in through him. with this set-up, tho, i figure she probably wouldn't be a major player (though she definitely also deserves a better parent... that can be its own story).
to kind of wrap this up, the point of this whole story concept is that bill accidentally gets a second daughter, figuring out how to be a better dad in the process; and grace, on the precipe of entering adulthood with some fresh trauma, gets a real chance at salvation. a chance to be, relatively, normal. or, whatever she wants to be when free of her parents' expectations and religious standards. anything else for any other characters is a bonus.
(there can also be some alice — bill drama when alice next visits and starts noticing how much bill is devoting himself to this girl that isn't even his daughter. drama that, eventually, results in the two of them becoming closer, and grace getting an honorary older sister!)
(also remember that duke and holloway can be here helping with the kids, if you want them to be. and why wouldn't you?)
like i said up-top, i have no plans to actually write this. y'all can take it and do whatever you want with it. i just hope at least one other person gets something out of this bain blast i had :D
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moonshine-nightlight · 4 months
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2024 Writing - Plans
similar to last year, i wanted to post a little look forward at my plans for writing this year are. the necessary disclaimer: this is 100% high level, optimistic, ideal situation and subject to change but i still like thinking about it and posting for anyone who's interested. see this post for last years!
so, i like separating things out it mini goals/sections so see below:
Nothing's Wrong with Dale: with DSM self-published under my belt, I'd like to focus on the NWWD publishing journey next! The main obstacles/costs are time and money. Hiring an editor and a cover artist are the pricey-est part of the process but my own edit (first to convert everything from 2nd POV to 3rd POV and then another high-level edit/revise once i've got it in the right POV) will take the most time and needs to be done before i hand it over to an editor. Then after the editor takes their time (and NWWD is much longer than DSM), and finally i need to process all of their edits as well. And i need to do all of this while i do my day job lol.
i've already converted the first 11 chapters to 3rd POV (i hav some IRL friends/betas who only read that version, so if u feel like the tumblr version took a lot of time lol). the timing of being able to publish this year will all end up depending on how quickly i can do all that and kick off the part of the process that depends on outside parties. Even if i manage to self-publish in this year, i don't expect it to come out until lik December and even that's ideal, super best case scenario.
Long Stories: I want to outline both A Perfectly Ordinary Research Position and Shadow Diplomacy and then pick one to be the new long story on here. I do what i call a chapter outline and a scene outline, which is confusing to not!me because the scene = a chapter on here. i should probably rename that process lol. (NWWD was 11 'chapters' and 35 'scenes' for reference).
once i pick a project, i just hope to post as many chapters as i can. Since this will be new, long, and likely just building steam, i actually think it'll be my lower priority after the Short Stories and NWWD publishing, but we'll see. i'd like to start putting that up in June, according to my tentative 2024 schedule.
Short Stories: Since i didn't get as many of these done in 2023 and they've been haunting my brain longer, i want to for sure get some of these shorter stories done. learning from last years overestimation lol, i plan to post 3 short stories: Courtship Confusion, Feral, and finish Free Piano: Haunted, in that order. i'm excited about all these stories and will let me cover 3 different types of pairings (although technically all are Reader) which is fun. All have been outlined and have parts and pieces written. I wish Feral and FPH could both happen in the fall but the timing just doesnt work out so summers gonna b a little spooky lol.
The schedule i worked out makes it so all this will be possible, but also basically has no breaks in sunday postings after my haitus which is beyond optimistic but i lik to start overly confident lol
Hiatus: this is also your reminder that my work has a specific Busy Season which honestly started already (lucky me) and i will b beyond busy Jan-March at a minimum. i hav more projects than ever with my promotion, a lot to learn, and a lot to juggle so minimum 6 day work weeks will be the name of the game - but hopefully all goes well and i'll get a nice bonus i can feed directly to my editors lol
anyway, that's where i'm at right now and I'm looking forward to all the exciting writing and publishing to come in 2024!
Feel free to send in any asks about upcoming/current stories!
Thanks again for all your support in 2023 and Happy New Year!
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So, Canto 5. Spoilers.
Peak fiction, utterly incredible. My following thoughts will be jumbled but forgive me.
I've sadly not finished the source material, so I won't analyze it from that POV, but just to discuss the continued building of the world of the City, the Great Lake is so well conceived as a setting. The individual Lakes and their Waves, and the Whales that cause them, the variable coordinates and U Corp's monopoly on written data of Laws. You could make a whole damn RPG on the back of this stuff alone, I know TTRPG heads are looking at this and coming up with some homebrews.
I wonder if the Lakes are actually the result of the Whales changing the waters around them? Ishmael theorizes that the Whales parasitize humans out of loneliness, to make others like them (which of course reflects on Ahab as a Whale) and I wonder if the waters of the lake are similarly changed to reflect the Whale? And then I think about how Ahab turned the inside of the Pallid Whale into Pequod Town gah the subtext.
I'm also thinking more about the Sinners as a found family. While they've gotten on well enough since Verg put his foot down it's becoming clearer as time goes on that real bonds are forming. Ishmael was certainly straining those bonds but its a testament to them that they grew stronger after she found peace. I was pleasantly surprised she and Outis found a dynamic as fellow seawomen leading to mutual respect, not to mention what's going on between Heath and Ish (I have never shipped anything harder in my life). And then there's the individual relationships to Dante. Dante and Ish have gotten over the hump, and while she says that if they ever go in the wrong direction "she'll drop a skiff and depart" I feel like Ish is invested in Dante as a friend and will be there for them no matter what, including steering them back on the right course.
We saw it in S.E.A., but it's dawning on me that we get to experience characters post arc and that there are consequences to that. It didn't feel that way as strongly with Canto 1 - 3 because Gregor and Rodya are thoroughly still cooking on their issues and Sinclair feels like he's started his arc to becoming more confident and capable (the part where he actually threatens that guy is just chef's kiss). But we saw a Yi Sang who's actively trying to preserve his new friend group and find the bright side of things. Now we'll have a collected Ishmael who can keep it together and is firmly on Dante's side, which will be amazing come the Heartbreaking if the Heathmael dream is real.
Rapid fire thoughts in no particular order:
Ahab VA is perfect casting, her character is phenomenal, and I can't wait to see how she'll do on Hermann's team. PM is carrying the torch of insane old ladies.
I'm increasingly certain that the plot of Limbus will be ultimately about the multiverse (IN A GOOD WAY) and the goals of the villains and other groups deals with mirror worlds in some way.
I'm thinking about the other 3 Calamities of the Lake, Whales that attack without rhyme or reason. I have to imagine them as other great beasts of literature, so one surely is the Crocodile from Peter Pan. Possibly another is the Dogfish from Pinocchio (adapted as Monstro in the Disney version). Then I don't know, the Giant Squid from 20'000 Leagues Under the Sea (or maybe the "Narwhal" itself)? There's many possibilities.
I enjoy the Middle as a faction, they fit in with the deeply absurdist nature of the City and feel distinct from the other Fingers we know about. Makes me wonder what the actual fuck the Pinky's deal is if they're the worst Finger (iirc).
Love the feeling of Faust and Verg as outsiders Red Fraud Alert there's no way it doesn't come to a head at some point where Vergilius and the group are fundamentally at odds but the group is strong enough that threats won't cut it.
Compass is fire. Love that we're seeing different fan remixes combining the vocal and instrumentals in interesting ways, though I worry for the official version. Fly, Broken Wings doesn't work as well when it just goes through the whole thing without repeating the Broken Wings part, I much prefer an edit that matches the in game version more. I hope Mili sees what people are doing and gives us the heartbeat.
Praying to god we get a Stubb or Pip Outis ID with Pequod Captain Ishmael, but that will likely be end of season. I predict Ish ID to be a powerful SP support ID and will likely be as meta as Nclair (which is cool but also kinda unfortunate narratively, there are some downsides to the Gacha format).
Sentences like "Ishmael totally tops Heathcliff, that guy would turn into a puppy dog at the slightest hint of affection" are insane things I believe wholeheartedly and I love every time a literature person stumbles upon it and has to wrestle with this surprisingly valid crackship not knowing its origin.
All for now but I'm sure I'll think of something else later, can't wait for the Christmas Event (which will likely drop after Christmas but c'est la vie).
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fireemblems24 · 10 months
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Golden Wildfire Ch 9
Spoilers for GW up to Ch 9 below.
STORY
Edelgard makes no progress in the war. More news at 6.
Wow, 6 month time-skip. Part 1 finished. Didn't think we were getting another time-skip, but with Edelgard licking her wounds, it makes sense because no one tries to murder anyone when she stays in her own country.
"End of the Alliance" - sounds ominous.
Oh. It's now a Federation. Like Star Trek. But shady as fuck. Because Claude just crowned himself king so he could take more control. Weird how everyone just accepts this. It doesn't really fit the narrative that people don't trust Claude.
So . . . Edelgard's war actually made the Alliance less progressive 😅. Because now the Liecester is just a monarchy.
Claude didn't tell Shez, lamo. It really feels like these two aren't close at all. I feel like Shez is closest to Dimitri -> Edelgard -> Claude.
It would be nice if this was an Alliance focused part and not about Edelgard's nonsense anymore.
There's trouble in Alliance territory with areas that didn't want King Claude and they're rebelling. Honestly, don't blame them. Ohhh, they want to join Faerghus. They like King Dimitri better. Agreed.
This really is heading towards an Edelgard Claude team up, isn't it? With the people who don't want to bow to king Claude wanting to leave and join the Kingdom. Welp, at least it'll be different. And hey, Claude's funeral, not Dimitri's so what do I care? As long as it's interesting and different from VW.
Don't blame Claude for wanting to put down the unrest. Happy not everyone drank the Claude kool-aide. And don't blame anyone for wanting to leave the Alliance. It's kind of a no one is the bad guy here (except Edelgard), unlike with Dimitri with the Western Lords where they are definitely the bad guys.
I don't trust Claude farther than I can throw him though.
MAP/SIDE QUESTS
This "battle suggestions" is interesting, but it makes it seem like Shez is in charge of the whole army lol.
Can someone explain how the "merc whistle" works? It seems like you can take someone's special ability and give it Shez. But you could also equip it on someone else? So I could make someone else invulnerable like Lorenz if I gave it to him? But that person's "ability" goes away? Anyone have a list of what those abilities are exactly?
You can actually tell Claude you don't support his actions (or are unsure). Edelgard routes could never.
NPC says the minor lords now get no say in what happens.
Yep, here it goes. Claude's meeting with Edelgard to ally with her again. At least here Claude's calling out her shit on attacking them for no reason.
Edelgard is so two-faced, denying that her end goal is take over.
"We'll take tangible resources over insincere apologies any day." - Lamo, Claude, if you know she's a two-faced, insincere liar why on earth are you doing this?
I like this version of it better since at least Claude seems like he has two brain cells at least. In SB, he really came across like Edelgard's mindless bitch.
Now he's calling her out for creating her BS southern church lol. Holst called it an "obvious sham."
Arval said Edelgard wouldn't even acknowledge Shez's existence.
Shez is actually not supporting Claude's decisions in cannon.
See, this makes it WAY more interesting. SB/CF cram what you should think down your throat (SB less than CF, but still doing it), but GW is giving it more nuance.
I think I can say GW is by far my 2nd favorite right now.
Oh, another time limit one! I liked that in the paralogue.
Hurt having to fight the Kingdom again.
Judith also calls out Claude, saying he's talking about people's lives like they're just pieces on a chessboard.
Marianne and Ignatz are also upset.
"You let the Empire talk you into buying the whole store." - Judith
Claude claims he's using the Empire right back. I'd like to see how. Like, I think GW is a way more interesting take on this, but I'm honestly super confused why he thinks this is a good idea for the Alliance.
Lorenz also said he's throwing the Kingdom to the wolves for no reason.
Claude drags up ancient history as an excuse. Which is hysterical since recent history the Empire just killed Alliance people.
Seems like Claude just hates the church and that's why he's siding with Edelgard. Even though that leaves it really easy for her to take over and she said she would through non-military means later.
Claude is a complete dumbass here, but at least it's interesting.
Aww, Shez checked on Shamir, making sure she's ok fighting Catherine. This game really ships Shamir x Catherine and I'm here for it.
Shit. I missed Claude x Hilda's B Support. Did I miss something amazing? Does this mean I'll have to play GW again? Not sure I care enough. I like them both well enough and all, but I can really only see myself replaying AG. IDK, maybe one day.
Anyone else find it shady that Claude is killing any noble who doesn't want to follow his new system? I get it, but that's sus as hell. It's esp funny because the Empire is trying to smear Dimitri for taking out the Western lords (who all helped in a genocide), but their allies doing the same to not-evil people is fine.
CLAUDE & SHEZ B SUPPORT
This is going to be funny with how openly Shez isn't trusting Claude right now lol.
They're just talking about him being king and how Shez first suggested that the Alliance had a king.
Claude wants to open up to Shez because she doesn't have any strings attached.
Talking more about Shez's mystery mom who just died of illness. Then she got kicked out by everyone else. Wonder why?
SHEZ & HILDA B SUPPORT
Hilda still lecturing Shez on charging to the front lines, but thinks Shez is skilled enough to handle it.
Hilda compares it to Holst who also leads the charge, unlike most leaders who stay in the back.
Hilda doesn't think her brother is capable of dying because no one is good enough to kill him, and now thinks the same for Shez. No one told the poor woman about arrows.
Hilda now fights more up front but denies it.
Shez can tell Hilda her cheerleading annoys people, lamo.
Welp, that explains why she's ok with attacking innocent people and continuing war because rHeA bAd, because she's convinced herself the people she loves can't die. Ummm. Ok.
SHEZ & LORENZ A SUPPORT
I feel like Lorenz got flanderized a bit in this game. Like, there's not much to any of his supports so far but "I am noble, so I am better." I honestly don't care much about him, but he had more depth in Houses.
Shez expects Lorenz to complain more. But he's just her to brag about why he's grown stronger.
She can assume he did it to get the ladies lol.
But nope, of course not, it's because he's a noble and a noble is better than commoners than he needs to be stronger than her.
He wants Shez to get in trouble so he can rescue her. Ugh.
Shez says that Lorenz fulfilled his oath to get stronger bc Shez only does what she does bc she relies on allies.
That was really one-dimensional, and Lorenz was just unlikeable in it.
HOLST & BALTHUS A SUPPORT
Oh, Hilda's here. So they just squeezed her in his support with Holst to excuse giving her a support with Balthus.
Hilda is worried that Holst is acting weird and thinks Balthus might be behind it because they've been hanging out.
Hilda is convinced that Holst is uncurroptable because he only like things that are just. Balthus seems to hint otherwise.
Seems like Holst is DRUNK. Or just being cringy. Hilda's mad that Balthus set her up so Holst could listen in.
Hilda's embarrassed, understandably.
Holst calls Hilda his "hope." Yeah, I get why she's annoyed.
CLAUDE & LORENZ A SUPPORT
Lorenz points out that his family has always been friendly with the Empire, so this change is no big deal.
He accuses Claude of just copying his father.
He says House Gloucester should rule and not Claude, and says he will be the next king.
Claude accuses Lorenz of his ego being out of control.
Claude suggests letting the people of the Alliance pick the king. Lorenz thinks it's silly until he changes his mind.
Lorenz, rightly, points out that Claude's new position in precarious and its success or failure is on Claude.
Claude is a doo-doo bird though. He thinks that the Empire and King in Adrestia and Faerghus, respectively, are upheld because of "the Goddess's blessing" and not, you know, really complex stuff. Like, both Edelgard and Dimitri face getting thrown out in the two games over things that have NOTHING to do with religion.
That's weird, their support had a picture.
SHEZ & LYSITHEA B SUPPORT
Lysithea feels that their relationship is strained and wants to clear the air. Shez didn't even notice lol.
Shez is a pretty simple character, but I like it.
Oh, wow, Lysithea realized she acted like a brat and apologized. This self-awareness makes me like her a LOT better.
Aw, Shez is helping Lysithea feel mature and older. But then put her foot in her mouth when she referred to people under Lysithea's command as "real adults" lol. Lysithea struggled but kept her head!
Honestly, I like this a lot for Lysithea. Character flaws are great, but they're annoying as shit when they're not acknowledged properly (I still get flashbacks to her awful Ignatz support), but when they're used to show growth, that flaw is suddenly sooo much better.
SHEZ & LEONIE B SUPPORT
Leonie wants mercenary advice.
Lamo, Leonie thinks the bow isn't good enough to be a first-class mercenary. Homegirl's been watching too many movies and not reading enough military history. Mounted archers were unmatched.
So now they're just discussing over specialization vs versatilty.
It's kinda nice seeing Shez in a mentor role.
SHEZ & MARIANNE A SUPPORT
They go out to eat together. Marianne didn't eat her meat and Shez is concerned.
Marianne is now determined to believe she doesn't curse people around her.
Shez encouraged Marianne to just be herself, which Marianne wants but worries about her father.
Marianne accused Shez of talking without thinking and thought it was a good thing lol.
BALTHUS & LORENZ B SUPPORT
Lorenz absolved Balthus of his debts to House Gloucester.
Lorenz credits it to Balthus helping and saving Lorenz on the battlefield.
Lamo, I forgot that Balthus investigated Claude and claimed he found all kinds of dirty laundry.
Lorenz wants him to hold onto it so he can use it later to unseat Claude and take over the Alliance instead.
Balthus is upset Lorenz isn't a lady because he's impressed with him being a scoundrel lol.
MAIN BATTLE
Hahahaha lamo, the Knight of Serios are beating Edelgard's army, which has to be like 5x bigger.
Oh - led by Randolph, THAT explains it. Against Catherine? Pft. Catherine wouldn't even consider that a bout it's so one-sided.
Shez still doesn't understand what Claude's doing. I'm not the only one who thinks these two aren't even remotely close, right? I feel like Shez is way more invested in Edelgard and Dimitri, and like Claude's just some dude who hired her.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Claude legit just left Randolph to die, lamo.
I think we just killed Catherine :(
😂😂😂 Edelgard's forces got wiped out. Randolph is really the punching bag of Fodlan. They should've made it Dorothea or something if they wanted us to give a shit.
Yep, time for Claude to get chewed out. As if Randolph isn't foaming at the mouth to invade the Alliance in SB.
It's funny how offended everyone is. As if this didn't happen in real life all the time. I mean, they'd only be mad a noble died because you can make money taking them as hostage.
Is this evil!Claude, the route? Like because he was such a goody-goody in Houses? I still think it's funny it's always Randolph.
xxxxx
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