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#imma go do that now maybe perhaps
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So, I just??? Randomly just the motivation for this??? So enjoy more Tealstar stuff ig lol. Tried to do a lot here, not sure how well it worked for me. You can tell I got a little rundown at Tongbi's part, but I was still really determined to finish this, so. Here ya go.
   Chikao loved the storm.
   The smell of fresh rain and the swirl of dark clouds overhead lit up by flashes of lightning that split the sky in two and sent deep, booming thunder rippling over the land was something she could never get tired of.  Every lightning strike lit up her eyes, she could feel the vibration of thunder running deep within her bones, and the entire world was pulled just a little to the side by the chilling winds that whipped past.
   She was fond of the world after a storm, too.  The way the smell of rain lingered for a week afterwards, clouds drifted past so you could see sheets of rain coming down in the distance as they left, the sudden abundance of greens and the pinks and blues and yellows of plants as they sprouted up, the splashing of puddles gathered in random dips in the ground and squishing of deep brown mud as water sunk into the soil.  She loved that.  Loved everything about it.
   And the best part was that she could do it.  On a whim, whenever she wanted, she could summon the clouds and lightning and feel the very storm surging through her bones.  She could feel the world come alive in a way so, so different than it did in the shine of the sun.
   But, unfortunately, not everyone was so welcoming.
   And why weren’t they?  What was even the point of limiting her ability to create storms?  Why did she have to “register” a storm or whatever to create one?  It wasn’t like she was creating out-of-control tornados or setting forests on fire with lightning.  Most of the time, it was just a little rain to give the village crops a boost!
   But the Celestial Realm hadn’t seen it that way.  The first time Nezha had come down to meet her, he had called it “undermining the Jade Emperor’s authority” and “breaking the laws of the Celestial Realm” and “a matter to be taken seriously”.  But honestly?  How could she take someone that had come down to lecture her about why she couldn’t summon rain without paperwork seriously.
   And that was all it had been, for a while.  Something funny, eventually just a friend coming down to spar.  Barely an annoyance.  Not even a concern.
   And then Princess Iron Fan had joined him.  And they’d struggled over the winds of the storm, trying to turn them on each other to gain an advantage.  And then…
   Flash
   And then people had gotten hurt.
   And the Celestial Realm was angry.
   Stealing the Peaches of Immortality from their orchard?  That was probably just the cherry on top.
   But even when they’d come to arrest Chikao for her “crimes” (come on, they were peaches), they’d made a mistake to dare go after Tongbi.
   Chikao sighed quietly as she stared up at the endless night sky, the stars twinkling back at her like tiny diamonds against a sheet of inky paint.  It felt so close when the storm was swirling around it, the wind catching every little loose thing on the ground and throwing around every small hair out of place, but when the night was clear like this and she was laying on the ground beside Tongbi…it felt so, so far away.  She itched for it to be close again, to touch the clouds and feel their water in her hands. 
   She wondered if, in a world where Nezha had time, where Nezha could step away from his celestial duties and just relax for a moment, they could fly around through the clouds and throw water at each other.
   She didn’t live in that world.  She didn’t know.
   “Chikao?” Tongbi’s soft voice pulled Chikao out of her thoughts.
   “Yeah?” Chikao rolled onto her side to look at Tongbi, flattening the grass beneath her. 
   Tongbi’s eyes stayed on the sky as he spoke and his hands picked through the fur on his tail.  His voice was muffled by his dark green scarf as he buried his face into the fabric.  “You won’t let them t-t-take you from me, will you?”
   A small spark of anger flashed in her chest.  She’d said they’d be together forever, and she’d meant it.  No Celestial Realm would change that.  “Of course not.  And I won’t let anyone hurt you, either.”
   Tongbi didn’t respond and Chikao rolled back onto her back with a soft sigh.  She didn’t want Tongbi to worry.  He shouldn’t have had to worry.  She dealt with Nezha and Iron Fan on her own fine, didn’t she?  And then even when more celestials had shown up, she’d dealt with it.  But Tongbi was still worried, and Chikao knew well by then that the only thing that was going to soothe his concern was time.
   Time, or get rid of the Celestial Realm’s meddling completely, but she knew that wasn’t going to happen.
   At least, that’s what she thought, as the days went by and Tongbi slowly felt safe being outside of his library again.  As toddlers and children became teens and adults.  As people aged and grayed and passed.
   Until the Brotherhood reached out with a dream.  A dream of glory and ambition.  A dream of change and prosperity.  A dream of safety and comfort.  A dream of freedom.  A dream of storms.
   A dream of a day storms could freely brew in the days, and the skies would be theirs at night.
   A dream where the Celestial Realm wouldn’t meddle, Nezha could freely come and go, and Tongbi’s concerns would vanish.
   And Chikao took it.
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Tongbi hated surprises.
   The unexpected whirlwind of emotions he wasn’t ready for, having to think on his feet and his mind going blank, only moments to make a decision and if it was the wrong one he was doomed.  The mounting pressure of what felt like a mountain behind his head and the crushing weight of do or die that he just couldn’t pull himself out of.
   And the aftermath was worse.  Because then there were a hundred different feelings all weighing him down like boulders, telling him there was some way to alleviate their weight but not giving him a single how-to.  Sometimes the boulders were hot and sometimes electric and sometimes just heavy, and those meant different things, but he didn’t know what they meant.  But apparently, knowing what they meant and how to sort them out was the very key to getting them under control sometimes, because otherwise every time he thought about the surprise he would trigger another rockslide.
   Physically, Tongbi didn’t mind rocks, boulders, or even mountains.  Feet on the ground, dig his heels in, take a deep breath and move.  He could move boulders, sort out rockslides, split entire mountainsides in two that way.  The boulders he could touch the rough or smooth surfaces of were lighter than the ones that crushed his heart and held him down in the corner with tears spilling onto blurry pages, but never had a texture.
   Fortunately, people were welcoming.
   It had been a strange change after the curious chirps of the monkeys that found him hiding away in caves on Flower Fruit Mountain, but a warm one.  Chikao helped lift the boulders off his chest, explain some of the feelings and help him separate them apart so he could think without folding into a mess of matted fur and heavy emotions. 
   The warm nights of staring up at the stars and pointing out constellations as Chikao worked through his fur were the best nights he’d ever known.  Spending days reading books about the sun aloud and telling Chikao about asteroids that flew by brought him a warmth he could never quite explain.  Even the flower pin he had, with teal and red petals, served as a small comfort when he was alone, to remind him that someone cared.
   Though he had been nervous at first, the village was nice too.  Adults were happy to trust him to read about the phenomenon of eclipses to children and watch meteor showers with them, and the kids were always fascinated by his words and eager to ask questions and learn more.  Even on days where he didn’t have books, several of them were ready to ask questions and listen to him ramble. 
   And even as they grew and had more chores and work to tend to, nobody minded when he sat on a bench and read the afternoon away.
   Tongbi hummed a tune as his eyes scanned across neat words, written with meticulous precision.  Dust kicked up into the air as the click clack of horseshoes went by, but Tongbi was fully absorbed, the rest of the world blurred as he imagined how it would feel to step on the moon.  Would he feel lighter?  Would it feel like stone on earth, or dust, or powder, or something else entirely?  Would the stars look different?  What kind of new star charts could he make from there?
   “I’m bored!” The high-pitched whine of a kid caught his ear.  He almost called out to invite them to read, but…no, they probably didn’t want to hear him.  All of the kids he used to read to were teenagers or adults now, and had too much responsibility to bother listening to him anymore, and the new ones probably didn’t have any interest in him.
   “Hey, this guy’ll read to you about some pretty cool stuff, if you wanna.” Tongbi glanced up from his book to see a teenager with long black hair running down past her shoulders and freckles mixing with the dust and dirt on her face.  He felt a small flower of warmth bloom in his chest.  He knew this kid.  Did she still remember him?
   “Ooo, like what?” One of the children asked as their arms swung back and forth.
    “Well, you know the little white things that are up in the sky every night?” She smiled.
   “Uh-huuuuh.” The kid nodded.
   “Well, he taught me that those are called stars, and they’re actually very, very distant suns.” She said as she walked over to the bench Tongbi was sitting on.
   “Woah!” Three kids followed her, their eyes shining brighter than the sun. 
   “But suns don’t look like that.” Another kid frowned.
   “That’s the fun part.” She sat down in front of Tongbi and skimmed the title of his current book.  “He’ll explain the whole thing.”
   The kids promptly sat down in front of him, staring up with eager curiosity that filled Tongbi with warmth.  He started explaining, slowly at first, then faster when they only seemed more intrigued.  More children, kids playing in the village and teenagers he used to read to just finished with chores, came around him and sat down, enjoying his reading and explanations.
   He hoped this never changed.  And, luckily for him, it didn’t seem that was going to happen. 
   At least, that’s what he thought, as Tongbi’s reading slowly expanded to the entire village.  As toddlers and children became teens and adults.  As people aged and grayed and passed.
   Until the Brotherhood reached out with a risk.  A risk of danger and hostility.  A risk of battle and bloodshed.  A risk of pain and uncertainty.  A risk of imprisonment.  A risk of change.
   A risk of ferocious and bloody battles by day, and wounded and torn foundations by night.
   A risk of the Celestial Realm coming down with all their fury, Nezha would be injured, and Chikao being imprisoned.
   And Tongbi denied it.
   Tongbi denied the dream.  Chikao took the risk.
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la-cocotte-de-paris · 6 months
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i stg that Edwige magazine I got was written for the sapphics
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Nevermore Chapter 97
Spoilers ahead, lads. Skedaddle if you don't fast pass. EDIT I guess I’ve said too much in this post and need to pull it back a little. So imma gonna edit it so it doesn’t say too much about this chapter.
Alright, first my reaction cause HOLY HELL those last few panels really got me like
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I really had to put my phone down and talk myself through them. Now, lets talk about what I gained from this chapter and the infamous Annabel Lee. I've noticed, at least in the comment section, the fandom really doesn't care for Annabel's character and its difficult to know where the animosity has come from. Tumblr obviously loves her but us heathens support women's rights and wrongs (Don't we gents?) Many call her a sociopath or what’s happens in the last few panels. Annabel is indeed ruthless, calculating and stone cold but she obviously cares. She cares for Lenore above everything. It can be easy to see this as obsession as we really haven't seen her care about much else or even herself. But one comment on the Webtoon brought up a very valid point which I've also picked up on.
Annabel and Lenore in life were very isolated and broken people when they met one another. Annabel, broken and then rebuilt into a prim and proper lady. Lenore, broken physically and mentally and closed off from the world.
Meeting each other saved them. They were no longer alone. There was an understanding between them at least that we know of.
Their differences though is what divides them in death.
Annabel played games, and masked her true self around her father and family connections. She now makes games of situations to retain what little control she had in life over a society she knew she could never break the rules of. A Game that was always rigged against her.
Lenore rebelled against society. She fled the estate to escape a suitor, was bound to the attic and ostracized by her family, she then faked her death and posed as man to court Annabel, the one person who cared for her.
Lenore wants to break the rules of the deans Death Game. Annabel wants to follow them.
It’s all they’ve ever known.
Before it was only them that mattered. Now Lenore has so much more to fight for and Annabel still only has Lenore. Both are right in their own way of playing the game but it pains the other to witness.
Annabel, I’m sure is aware that the Deans are not all they seem to be and won’t simply allow the students to turn the tables on them if they played how Lenore wants to.
And playing Annabel’s way means the callous death of many many people that do deserve another chance at life.
Now. I do have to agree with Annabel in the sense that Lenore forgets
This is a Death Game
Right now the “villainous” characters show their true face with pride and the “hero’s” are charming and true but as we get down to the wire, it’s going to get grey. There are no good or bad at the end of these games, only survival.
Could Annabel show some restraint and more tact when speaking strategy and making plans with Lenore? Absolutely. She’s little too giddy about sweeping some pieces off the board.
Lenore also needs to stop being so naive. She saw first hand what exactly the Deans are capable of in Dreamland, it put the fear of god in her.
In fairness to both characters though they and we are still missing big pieces of what happened between them and what their causes of death were. Which could hold big aspects of their characterization.
Maybe Lenore was originally very callous about others. In life, aside from Theo and Annabel, we’ve never really seen her interact with others. Perhaps this is the Lenore Annabel speaks of.
Anyway, I’m rambling. In conclusion, I’m a bit disappointed in Nevermores comment section. I enjoy Annabel’s character although some parts do worry me a bit but I have hope Red and Flynn have plans to curve this to a satisfying reason and conclusion.
That cliffhanger, boy howdy, what the fuck is Lenore gonna do…
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the-s1lly-corner · 6 months
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Not too sure if you’ve done this but can you do TADC x Ghost!reader? Like they’re kinda just wearing a white sheet with black holes that resemble eyes, but there’s like nothing under the sheet so when it’s pulled off it looks like no one’s there
TADC cast x ghostsheet!reader !
Wasnt sure if I shouldve said ghostsheet or ghost... ghost implies like, traditional ghost but ghostsheet ties in the... sheet..
Still a lil sick and imma be blunt (not to you but in general.. actually I had ideas for nearly everyone for this idea!) I do be struggling with coming up with ideas for some characters for some requests <\3 I feel so bad when a characters part is dry or short 😭😭 I promise I'm invested in yalls ideas but some prompt/charafter combos do not give me many ideas <\3
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CAINE:
Assuming this is romantic imagine he tries to lift up your sheet.. probably says something about "wanting a lil sneak peek of his darling" or maybe even making a joke that the sheet is a veil.. only to pause when theres visibly nothing there. His jaws probably hang open before he composes himself and tries to play off his shock with quick witted flirting. Of course this is all stemming off the idea that you forget to tell him/he has yet to see your sheet fall off so..!
POMNI:
Depending on how long your sheet is (mentally I'm seeing it at the ankle... oddly enough I can see the reader wearing these sneakers) she probably finds out you're... invisible... after accidentally stepping on the back of your sheet and pulling it off. Stops mid apology before just absolutely freaking out. Probably let's out a choked out scream thinking she just krilled you before you slap a hand over her mouth, so no one rushes in to see the commotion.. it's a little embarrassing for both sides...! You're basically nude..!!!/j
Or actually who knows, maybe the reader views it like that... I dont know the readers personality
RAGATHA:
Ooo okay so I think she would give you cute little pins and patches for you, so you can personalize your sheet more! Also ties in the hc that ragatha makes handmade stuff for her friends/partners!
A little thrown off guard when you go sheetless around her for the first time, but she quickly shrugs it off. Pro not the weirdest thing shes seen in the circus!
Offers to make you entirely new sheets, with patches and patterns and all that now that she knows it detachable
JAX:
Does the same thing as pomni except he would do it on purpose. Or maybe he yoinks your sheet and tries to make a run for it.... before stopping dead in his tracks when he turns around and you're seemingly not there. Of course assuming this is his first time snatching your sheet
Kind of just
Stands there
A little confused, really
Also assuming reader doesnt have shoes and just has their dogs out/j
Lets out a short Yelp when the sheet is suddenly torn out of his hand
I know you may be thinking that he would try to recruite you for his pranks but I wholeheartedly believe he would be terrified of you. Like all you have to do is take the sheet off and you can be hiding anywhere. For all he knows YOURE planning to do something to him, prank wise
Also likes having his pranks me a surprise
KINGER:
He sees your sheet abandoned on the ground and he thinks you melted, or perhaps you can "collapse" like gangle... huh, weird... goes to pick your sheet up, asking if you're alright. Before jumping st least 2 feet in the air when your voice answers his question... from behind him...
Oh reader please please dont do that ever again, his poor digital heart cant handle scares like that.. paranoia or not, I think kinger always hated jumpscares. Long before he entered the circus
Please apologize to him
ZOOBLE:
Now ZOOBLE would ask you to cause some mischief when they find out you're invisible under the sheet. Except, only target it to one person... jax. I mean think about it, zooble already doesnt seem to like him... and they're probably annoyed about the whole "stealing your arm to scratch my own back thing"... I mean I doubt it's the first time jax has messed with zooble, considering he did it so casually and how he treats the others... so if you're... down with a little haunting..
Similar to ragatha, I dont think theyd be all that phased. If anything they would think it's cool! I already hc that before getting stuck in the circus, zooble was into cryptids and the supernatural as well as general "disturbing" topics, so ghosts are right up their alley...... even if you're not really a ghost
GANGLE:
Thinks the sheet is cute! I was gonna say she finds out after accidentally tripping over your sheet and pulling it off, but... I actually.. dont know if gangle has heavy enough feet to do that
I mean she's ribbon
I think it would be revealed when you casually ask if you can.. "get comfortable" while in her room while you guys are drawing
Obviously, she says yes, because who wouldnt want someone to be comfortable... before literally dropping her comedy mask in shock when you literally. Take the sheet off
Of course this is assuming you dont view it as being nude, as opposed to pomnis segment but
Yeah
Tries not to make a big deal of it, last thing she wants is for you to feel bad... definitely takes her s minute to compose herself...
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yan-lorkai · 5 months
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*vibrating in excitement for platonic yanderes*
Ok, so I haven't watched black butler in years, imma re-watch it soon tho, so if none of this makes sense it's cause my memories shit and you can just ignore this lol
Anyway, here's my idea/request, Obv platonic yandere Ciel with a young reaper reader (14-16)? Like maybe they meet through Grell who mentors the lil reaper. Or maybe like a young ghost reader, he meets during an investigation or smth.
Your free to pick which one obv, anyway. I hope you are having a wonderful day luv, make sure to eat and stay hydrated!
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.⁠。⁠*⁠♡ A/N: Lemon, I made you wait a little but I finally finished this request hehe, despite having changed it a little and distorted some historical facts. Funfact: Ouija boards were created in 1891, but for the sake of this fic let's all ignore that Ciel was born in 1875; btw yesterday was his birthday. Congratulations Ciel <33. Also, many people have a hc that his real name has something to do with stars, hence the nickname present in the fic. Having said all that, I hope you enjoy Lemon, I loved writing this! Happy reading everyone!!
.⁠。⁠*⁠♡ Warnings: Platonic yandere content, spoiler about Ciel's brother in case nobody knows about it, ouija board and some typos probably!
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Ciel likes to watch the sky. He likes to watch how the clouds race to overtake each other, he likes to watch the sun dancing alone in its place, twirling its colorful skirt of orange, yellow and pink during the hours that pass until finally the moon takes its place.
Quiet moments like this now, where he just sits in his armchair, his work all done and Sebastian far away, is when he can think about the things he's lost. But also the ones he won. If Sebastian had any knowledge about such thoughts, Ciel would certainly be subjected to his jokes and mockery.
The demon, while bound by the contract, could still make fun of his little master and he knew exactly how to embarrass the young lord. But Sebastian didn't need to know how the boy thinks about his twin brother, his parents, the employees and his childhood friend, Y/n; If they were alive now they would be maybe thirteen or fourteen, just like him and his brother. It was a fateful day, indeed.
The murder, the cult, Ciel hates remembering it, but he doesn't know how to let it all go. He's a child and there's no one he can ask for help - even if there was, perhaps his pride wouldn't allow it. He didn't ask for help when he was kidnapped, he didn't ask for help when he went through countless assassination attempts, nor did he ask for help with difficult tasks that the queen assigned him. He was the Phantomhive heir, the family's leader, he couldn't just simply ask for help.
The count narrows his blue eyes at the brooding darkness that has settled in his office, counting how many grains of sand fall into the hourglass and how long he has left in peace before Sebastian shows up to annoy him.
Maybe fifteen minutes.
With enough time for the boy to put his small plan into action, he pulled a wooden board from one of the drawers and placed it on the table. Ciel, by and large, was not superstitious, but recent events had left him puzzled. Moreover, he had a demon as his butler, a boy with super strength as his gardener, a sniper as his maid, and a soldier as his cook. In any case, he had even encountered death gods.
Therefore, if he suspected that the presence lingering over his shoulders while he worked or the entity hiding his items and making them appear in different places was something to be investigated, then he would investigate until his doubts were cleared. The giggles and whispers were becoming unsettling. Of course, he heard voices, but they were the voices of occultists, screams and cries from when they died at the hands of Sebastian.
But this particular voice was incredibly irritating and almost familiar.
Ciel scanned the wooden surface, wondering if he was a fool for buying it. The boy was almost certain that Sebastian knew about the board, but he decided not to comment; the butler had been rather distant since they returned from London that morning. Ciel didn't mind, quickly reading the rules and holding the pointer in his hands, trying to see something through it.
There was nothing… yet.
Ciel laid the pointer on the board and sighed, placing his fingers on it, ready to start. He hadn't said anything yet, but an aura already seemed to completely envelop his office. Or maybe he was anxious; he couldn't tell.
"Is there anyone there?" Ciel murmured, his firm voice echoing in the silent room.
For several moments, nothing happened. He really didn't expect anything to happen, judging this whole thing as something foolish that only became popular because of the horror stories that circulated in cities. He stared at the board intently, each letter in cursive, every mystical symbol adorning it, waiting for a response that would satisfy him. Impatiently, he repeated the question once more.
"Is there anyone there?" He looked at the pointer and then around. "If there is, give me a sign."
This time, the pointer began to move slowly across the board as if the entity on the other side was drowsy, gliding from one letter to another with a calmness that Ciel himself didn't possess. Ciel watched with intensity, his expression impassive. But inside, a strange feeling took hold of him.
It was real, after all. As real as shinigamis or Sebastian. He stifled another sigh in his throat.
"Who is there?" He asked, the words leaving his lips with determination.
Who behind the veil was tormenting him, holding on to him tightly so as not to be pulled into the forgetfulness of eternal sleep. He put more force on the pointer as if everything depended on the answer he would receive.
The letters came together to form words, and Ciel remained focused, but a hint of skepticism was present in his gaze when the words spelled out a name. Your first and last name.
"Y/N?" He wondered aloud.
Ciel may have lost a lot, but he also gained a lot. He gained another family, gained new friends allies, gained a new chance.
And yet… He hadn't gained you back. Or had he?
For a second, he let the pointer rest on the board, feeling a heavy sensation settle in his chest as he thought about the days when you used to stay by his side when he was bedridden with asthma, telling him your silly stories and jokes, all while holding his hand and looking tenderly at him. You were his best friend. And he missed you a lot.
And now you were here. You were here.
He placed his finger on the pointer again, still feeling doubtful if it was really you or some other spirit. Confidently, he asked something that only you knew. "What was the nickname that only you called me, and why?"
The nickname you used for him when it was just the two of you. Not for his brother, not for Ciel. If it was really you there, you would notice the small differences, as you did when you were alive.
The pointer moved, taking with each movement a beat of the young earl's heart. One by one, the letters formed a nickname forgotten by time and bitter memories of the only Phantomhive still wandering through this tedious world.
"Pleiades, that's what I used to call you." There was a pause, and Ciel felt his entire body trembling with the confirmation that yes, it was you on the other side. He straightened up in his chair, trying to show that he was calm — little did he know that you could perceive how surprised he was.
And you would tease him about it later.
"Just like your hair, they are blue, an optical phenomenon caused by the dispersion of light in the Earth's atmosphere." You explained, nodding as if he could see you. Ciel rolled his eyes but almost unconsciously smiled.
"I see you remain a know-it-all." He teased.
And you stuck your tongue out at him, moving your arms to make the chair he was sitting in slide backward. Ciel's cheeks immediately turned pink as a little yelp escaped his lips. He hadn't expected you to have more tricks up your sleeve, but soon he regained his composure and cleared his throat, watching you move the pointer.
"One of us has to be clever," You chuckled. "Obviously, I'm the smart friend."
Ciel let out a long sigh. "Your knowledge is all random, though."
You shrugged. What importance did any kind of knowledge have now that you were dead? You said nothing for a few minutes, running your fingers over the wood of the board and the supposedly mystical symbols. Being dead was boring, different for everyone, and you weren't even sure how your soul managed to escape the shinigamis for so long.
But you had one certainty; you were stuck in this world for some reason still. In many stories, there would be an unfulfilled desire or a want, and you had several, but you had made peace with the fact that you could no longer fulfill them. So what was still keeping you there?
"Hey, can I ask you something?"
Ciel nodded, gesturing with his hand for you to continue.
"Can you free me? Can you invite me out?"
Ciel had already broken some rules, especially the one that said he couldn't play alone and that the player should have a form of spiritual protection, whatever they had faith in — a crucifix, a talisman, anything. Ciel, however, had a mark on his eye, so you assumed that nullified this rule. Did that thing serve as a protective mark, though?
The boy remained silent for some time, seemingly weighing the pros and cons of taking such action. To bind a spirit to himself, to the world of the living, when he knew he should let you rest in peace, when he knew such agreements were dangerous.
But he was still the selfish earl who liked to monopolize your time; he was still that same sickly boy who needed a friend. And no one else could be his friend but you. Only you understood him, after all.
He nodded.
It was foolishness, but not even Sebastian could have stopped him. He pressed the pointer harder, desperate for it to work, but of course, it would work if you were already in front of him, the dead proof that there could be life in death.
"I invite you, Y/n, to leave this board."
A warm feeling flooded your chest, as if your skin were kissed by the sun again after so long. You savored it for a moment, smiling, feeling strangely more alive than before, and withdrew your hand from the pointer.
"Can you see me?" You asked, your voice hoarse from not speaking for months.
But Ciel didn't seem to understand, not yet at least. So you touched his cheek as you did when congratulating him on a chess victory, and he felt it, his eyes widening as he assimilated the situation. You figured that now that you touched him, he could hear you, so you asked the question again.
And slowly, he nodded. You could only imagine what he thought of your bloodstained shirt and disheveled appearance, so different from the one you once proudly preserved. Times change, and so do you, and you were like this now, a lost ghost that not even death seemed to want.
You smiled, squeezing both of his cheeks and watching him shudder. It was good to see him, good to be back, even if nothing would be the same. Nothing could ever be the same again, but being able to touch him again after so long, you didn't hesitate to hug him.
You were together again.
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cheesit-notes · 2 months
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Ghost x Reader (if you squint)
warnings?: fem!reader, sorry but brief mention of pregnancy (i swear this isnt a pregnancy au thing, just the consequences of actions...), ghost is a red flag and reader is a damn bull, word vomit
a/n: below is just a short drabble about how Ghost x Reader and they’re unhealthy relationship. his characteristics are slightly exaggerated and it's like sorta angsty? hurt no comfort, idk what to call it. sorry for not writing and uploading but imma try to balance and post more from now on :3
Ghost isn’t someone you can up and go date with. he’s a dead man with a target on his head, and as long as he’s still alive, that statement stays true.
he won’t approach you, a civilian unrelated to any of the missions he’s been assigned. so what, you approach him? he isn’t the easiest to approach either. you'd have to be persistent, to the point of annoyance, for even a chance. and even then, what after? he won’t let you close. he won’t let you within arms reach. why? because as long as he’s breathing, anyone who knows of his existence instantly has their safety jeopardized.
say you do get past his emotional barriers and that perhaps he does care about you. it’s not like he’ll say it. maybe his actions will show for it, but even then what good are actions when they’re accompanied by berating words degrading you for simple mistakes.
so you ignore all his signs, all the red glaring flags. even he'd admit he isn't and will never be close to a good partner, not even a decent partner. say you do make the first move. you touch him. you offer yourself. you whisper things in his ear that you shouldn't. and what is he supposed to do? Ghost may be a dead man but he's still a man. he takes you up on your offer.
then maybe you'll have a blissful few weeks that you were dreaming of. but when your stomach hurts, you feel sick in the morning, and, god no, the pregnancy test shows positive. what? you think he'd bother with all that protection nonsense? he's chasing after his high. you and him were nothing more than each other's stress relief. he tells you to "get rid of it" with bitterness lacing his words. will you?
you choose to get rid of it. you're lucky you did before it grew too much, too developed. because then, you risk growing attached to the little thing inside you. Ghost is reluctant to keep going with this- whatever you two had. you convince him. you'll go through this cycle until you can't anymore. he'll think about 'it' and hate it. eventually, Ghost will leave. he'll suddenly cut all ties with you and leave you emptier than you were before. you think you'll find him again if you try? wrong. he can disappear from your world in an instant, and there's nothing you can do.
oh, so you decide to keep it? that makes it easier for Ghost to decide. he leaves. it was already risky, you associating with him. so he breaks off any relation he had to you now that there will be a child that's a mixture of him and you. soon, you and that child will be but a memory buried somewhere forgettable in his mind.
no matter the choice, you and Ghost are not meant to be. don't waste your breath on a dead man.
133 notes · View notes
Text
So here’s what went down…
Ah, yes.
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The infamous “Splinter passes on the mantle of Sensei” scene.
Possibly the most misinterpreted scene in the history of 2012turtle scenes. (Perhaps I shall get to the others someday.)
I’ve always assumed that the verdict for this scene was the same for all, and I never knew people hated, or even disliked, Splinter for his choices in this until recently. And it has been eating away at me, because I don’t think ya’ll understand what’s going on here.
Maybe you do, but…
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Can I point out exactly what I saw happen here?
Yeah?
Thanks. 🤎
1: Splinter is not sleeping and is ‘distant’, making Leo worried enough to inquire about his health. He’s clearly spending every second agonizing over what’s coming, and meditation is probably his only solace from the burden of his fears. (I do the same thing when I’m anxious. Distract and distance, it helps me feel a sense of- control, I guess.) 2: Splinter does not address Leo’s question. He’s already tried to tell Leo what was going on before this, and now he wants to focus on what he feels is important. His family. He immediately changes the subject (limping in a way that has me suddenly concerned because GUYS HE HURT AND OLD AND GOING TO FIGHT FOR HIS LIFE PLEASE NO-) and asks Leo why he made him leader. 3: Leo awkwardly repeats what he said, “Because I asked to be… You said it wasn’t because of my skills…” (THAT’S ONE INTENSE OF A WEIGHT TO CARRY IF YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, THE HECK-) and Splinter corrects, “I said that only to temper your ego at the time. I knew even when you were a small boy, that you would one day grow up to be the leader of this team.” -Can I just add that he’s not saying this literally. He’s the cryptic, wise, know-it-all sensei. He’s not saying, “I planned to make you soldiers and for you to lead the fight”. He’s saying, “You have always been the one to teach, protect, and lead your brothers, and there was absolutely no one else as perfect for the job.”
Seriously. Lookit baby Leo guarding them while daddy’s away. 💙💙
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4: And then he throws everyone watching through a loop: “And when I pass on, to be like a father as well.” And just like us, Leo’s got a whole lot of “EXCUSE ME, WHAT?!” going down.
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5: But Splinter’s going stay his cryptic self by clearing no air. (Okay, but let’s think about WHY for a moment. We know our leader in blue by now. If Leo knew exactly what he knew, martyr instincts would kick in hard core, and he would do everything it takes to make sure their father survives. And Master Splinter isn’t going to sit here and let Leo go on a suicide quest. From his POV- He’s old. He’s lived his life. He can try to accept his own death. He will not accept Leo’s.)
6: Splinter imparts this saying that I love with everything in me. “Leonardo. If I can only impart one piece of wisdom that will remain with you forever…” (Ergo, Dude, this is Important. Pay attention to what Imma about to say) “Remember. Giving guidance to your brothers and friends does not come from here…”
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“It comes from here…”
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THIS IS DEEP, YO. IT SAYS SO MUCH AND IT’S SO SIMPLE-
And people are MAD AT HIM FOR THIS?!
Sorry, sorry- emotions. I’m breathing. I’m breeaaathing… Okay. Yes, I get the gist of the arguments. ‘Splinter made Leo head of the household and that was a terrible thing for him to do. Leo’s too young for that responsibility, he already has the weight of being leader on his shoulders, and that’s a burden his mourning heart can’t carry. It’s cruel for him to do such a thing.’
Or-
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And-
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@tmntforeverinmyheart and @stardustartist, everyone’s opinion is built off of observations, beliefs, and their own POV on events, and every opinion matters. Thank you for yours. 💚
Now onto mine-
I don’t know what this quote from Splinter means to you guys, but to me, it’s his way of trying to fix things!
I think he finally realized that he done messed up. He knows that he put Leo in a position of ‘I am leader, and mission always comes first’. He’s had plenty of time to see the damage he’s done, and he’s worried of what will come off his family if he doesn’t fix it.
Leo is too far into his head. He isn’t thinking with his heart- “what will happen to my family with me gone?”. He’s thinking with his head, “lives are at stake and I’m the leader- self sacrifice it is.”
Every mission, every step, every choice is a plan, and his life is simply a factor in it. A pawn to be thrown away to complete the important task. It doesn���t hold meaning because of what Splinter told him all the way back in season one, and his father is finally realizing it. (ABOUT FREAKING TIME-)
He’s not telling him “don’t think”.
He’s saying, “Think another way.”
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I feel you, @sr200916. A friend of mine said this exact same thing, and I wholeheartedly agree. And here’s some depth into why.
Kids without parents attach themselves to role models. Mother figures, father figures- kids need to be guided, and led, and hugged, and need that one person who can say “it’s okay” and magically the world is a little less dark.
And they’re just. KIDS. They left the sewers three/four years ago! Everything is still so wide and new and confusing and there’s still so much they haven’t learned or experienced- they’re kids.
And yes. Leo is a kid too. But who else are they supposed to turn to?
Karai?
She’s not a parents. She’s gone from enemy, to somewhat friend, to sister-in-college-who-drops-by-sometimes. She’s living her own life. They aren’t going to see her as anything more than their equal. Much less look upon her as a guardian.
April and Casey?
Best friends/honorary siblings. They aren’t going to fit that role.
Mutanimals? Leatherhead? Bishop?
Friends. Equals. People that they trust. But not anyone that they’re immediately going to lean on as a guardian. They need someone who they already look up to and trust to lead and guide them. They need someone who already has their well-being as a number one priority. They need someone who they can feel comfortable going to talk to when he can’t be there to lend advice.
-And I know what some of you are still thinking. But what about Leo?! He’s just a kid too!
And, hey, I’m not arguing. He absolutely is, and in a perfect, fair world, he would continue to have an adult to teach and guide him- but their world is neither perfect nor fair.
All his life, he’s had two solid goals: Make sensei proud. Protect my brothers.
He’s seen as the most mature brother for a reason. He’s had to grow up in a world where finishing school and getting/keeping a job isn’t his main concern. For about three years, he’s spent every night making sure that his brothers stay alive. In fact, he starts doing it almost unconsciously- taking responsibility of his brothers and their missions without filling Splinter in, as shown in Annihilation: Earth! Part 1, when he’s laying out the plans, and Splinter straight up asks, “What is going on?” and Leo brushes him off, essentially just telling him that there’s trouble, but they have it covered.
Splinter is speechless for a moment, but then consents, telling Leo that he’ll be near the cheese phone if they need him.
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This is a huge change if you really think about it, and done very subtley. They show us how their relationship has changed- Splinter no longer has the control to give the okay. Leo no longer feels like he needs Splinter guidance or permission. He’s grown up, and he’s leading with a firm hand, just as he was born to do.
And Leo also has experience raising his brothers- who do you think was acting sensei while they were in space?
Fugtoid was Donnie’s mentor, sure, but it was Leo who the brothers turned to when things got out of hand. It was Leo who had to talk sense into them, who always has the last word, who seemed on edge 24/7 as the season progressed, seeing the dangers space held and sending away his team when the evil space station was sent to go boom.
Whether fans like it or not, a leader, a sensei, is simply who Leo is.
There’s a reason he always gets heated and offended when he thinks his place is being challenged-
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Leo thrives under that sense of control, and his brother thrive knowing that the control lies in someone else’s hands.
Now, with their father gone, it’ll lie in the hands of the brother that they trust with it most (whether Raph admits it or not) because he’s proven himself time and time again to be able to handle it.
Splinter isn’t stupid. He knows his boys. He knows exactly who Leo’s younger brothers are going to turn to after he’s gone for good this time, and he needs Leo to realize this too. Perhaps he hopes the burden will be easier to bear if it’s given slowly, instead of chucked out of nowhere.
Splinter was not purposefully ‘parentifying’ Leo. There’s a reason he waited so long. Maybe he was never going to say anything at all. Maybe he was struggling with the choice, and when Leo walked in to ask if he was okay, he made a last-minute decision.
Splinter knew it was going to happen. Leo was going to become head of the household, whether or not he said anything about it. It’s how their family dynamic always shapes out- there’s a reason the fans call Leo a mother hen!
It was always going to happen. So instead of standing by and letting fate play out, Splinter decided to interviene.
He wasn’t putting the burden on Leo’s shoulder. He was reassuring his son that he could handle it. He was giving advice on how to take care of his brothers. He was trying to help, not to hurt.
Obviously Leo is going to end up hurting. Obviously, it’s going to be hard. Obviously, it’s going to be a lot to adapt too. For Splinter’s sake- their father is going to die!
But his brothers will be there for him. He may be acting sensei, but we’re shown that they have his back. (Raph’s talk with Mikey on the rooftop is a very prominent piece of proof.)
Splinter knows that no one else can do the job better, and by voicing that he’s sensei, no one else should be able to take Leo’s family away from him. At the end of the day, as the eldest, he will be the one who bears the Hamato legacy (remember, Karai is busy shaping the Foot legacy anew), but unlike Yoshi, Leo will not be alone. He’ll have family and friends to back him up when things get difficult.
It’s a heavy title, but one that Leo is ready to carry.
Except… For one pretty major flaw. A flaw Splinter encouraged, and a flaw that he knows cannot stay.
The martyr complex.
That, is what I believe the “use your heart and not your head” phrase is meant to squash. And I believe with everything in me that it does. Leo’s life is no longer just a chess game. If this pawn doesn’t come home from a mission, his team suffers. His brothers suffer.
He is no pawn, and he can’t afford to see himself as one. He cannot afford to treat his life like it’s expendable. There’s more at stake then just the mission, and deep down in his heart, he knows that. He’s no longer just a leader. He is a father, and he has a family to live for.
And… Can I just add that Splinter’s not just up and abandoning him?
When Leo doesn’t know what to do next after his father is gone- Splinter is there. When it looks like he’s been defeated by the Shredder- Splinter is there. When they face their first real threat since his passing, and Leo is in the dojo struggling with what to do- Splinter is there.
“Leonardo, I know you feel the weight of leading your family, but remember, I am always with you.”
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I mean- come on! Even in the afterlife, he’s looking over him!
He knows the burden on his son’s shoulders, and he’s come to help and warn to relieve it, if only a little.
Should he also have appeared to his others sons? ABSOLUTELY!
Could he…?
Well…
Don’t get me wrong- They’d have every right to be upset if they find out that Splinter appeared to Leo and not to them. But I’m sure there was a good reason- Leo mentions “meditating for weeks” after his father’s death at one point, so his spiritual strength, place in front of the altar, and need to speak to his father could have urged down “Mr. Higher Spiritual Plane”.
That’s why Donnie couldn’t see him when he walked in. This wasn’t a ghost doing his own thing, this was a spirit summoned down by Leo. When Donnie startled him, Leo lost concentration, and Splinter disappeared.
But, it’s still going to hurt, knowing he appeared to Leo and not them…
And should he have told his other sons that he was going to die?
….No. Just, no.
For one: He only hinted at the fact with Leo because he felt it was necessary to pass on certain information, to help him prepare for what’s coming. He didn’t give him specifics, no matter how much he begged.
If he told any of the brothers- Donnie would not rest until he pressed him for every ounce of information, Mikey would not have been able to handle the thought of something happening to Splinter, and Raph probably would have died that night on the rooftop trying to stop the prediction from becoming reality.
All of them would have wanted to stay with him after the warehouse fire, and I believe Splinter separated them for a reason.
As the youngest brothers, Donnie and Mikey needed to be shielded from memories that their analytical and photographic minds would not have been able to handle. It would have broken them to see their father die.
Leonardo would spent the rest of his days hating himself for being there and not preventing it. He’d drown in the guilt and fear- because if he couldn’t doing anything, how can he be certain that he’ll be able to keep his brothers safe? How can he be trusted with their lives when he couldn’t even save their father?
This way- Leo knows he’s been sent away, and he knows Splinter’s the reason that he couldn’t protect him. The blame isn’t as strong because he wasn’t there, and that was Splinter’s fault. It’s easier to manage when there’s another to pass on the blame.
Splinter didn’t let him protect him, and by doing so, protected Leo.
Now, Splinter’s sons would have put up a fuss or gotten suspicious if one of them didn’t go with him, so he made an educated choice.
Raphael is the strongest of the brothers. Out of all of them, he’s the most likely to mentally and physically survive the battle. He doesn’t let guilt swallow him like Leo does- he turns it into anger, and uses that anger to defend his family better next time. Out of all of them, Splinter hoped that Raph would be able to handle the memories, and the show basically tells us that he does- his maturity to accepting Leo as sensei was both shocking and relieving.
Now, I’m not saying every choice made here was inherently a good one. There’s a lot of choices made in Splinter’s life that are questionable- but every choice he makes is only in his sons’s best interest. At one point, Splinter was going to run the last of his clan. He was raised to prepare for war. His sensei could have groomed him with a leader mentality, and the notion to never put his life over the sake of his clan’s, since he was supposed to lead them one day.
He’s a single dad living in the sewers who doesn’t understand the internet and fears human contact- the only way he knows to raise his children are based off experiences with his own family, and his culture. Making Leo a martyr was a mistake, and he sees that now.
So to summarize:
No one was being made a parent. Leo is a verified mother hen, and he will lead. Period. It was always going to happen, and Splinter was trying to help lead the way. He probably would have given a lot more advice had his other children not interrupted.
Yes, he made a huge mistake years ago, but now he’s trying to fix that with a simply offering of advice. Follow your heart, not your mind, because at the end of the day, the heart will always lead you and your brothers home.
No, the entire family should not have known. They would have done everything in their power to stop what could not be prevented, and that could have gotten them killed. Splinter would never allow that. Their time was not up. They would not needlessly suffer because of him. Not his boys.
Just a side note: Taking care of his brothers might not be the worst thing for our mourning boy. Not only does it give him something to focus on, but, as an older sibling, I know it sometimes brings me comfort to comfort a young sibling. Maybe it’s some buried instinct in my being to keep them happy and healthy taking over, maybe it’s because I have a tiny bit of control in the moment, or maybe it’s a feeling of accomplishment that helps battle against the aching hurt eating away at me- but it helps. It really does.
It’s not like their infants, or little kids. His brother’s can fend for themselves, and they understand their place in the world much better than they did years ago. They can protect each other.
In reality, the only thing that will change is the hovering knowledge that someone is missing.
Holy chalupa, I just wrote an essay…
Back to the episode!
The rest of this isn’t too deep. So have some reactions:
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“I don’t understand… You’re fine, father-”
🎶I can see what’s happenin’ here🎶
HE CALLED HIM DADDY IN A DOJO SETTING AFTER ASSURING HIM THAT HE WAS WELL!
POOR BABY BLUE KNOWS BUT IS STUCK IN DENIAL- 😭❤️‍🩹
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“Is there something you’re not telling me?”
Leo, he is trying to tell you! And he could have! If not for literally MILLISECONDS after he asks, Mikey interrupting. Splinter might have clarified! He might have said more! Hinted how he knows! Said he was so proud! Given advice! Cleared the air! THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS-
Ah, these poor naive boys and their bad timing….
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Okay, but like, how am I supposed to be annoyed at these faces. AND WHY IS RAPH OH-SO JOYOUSLY COPYING MIKEY- AND DONNIE WHAT IS THAT DEAD-EYED STARE- 🤣🤣🤣
YA’LL ARE MESSING UP MY EMOTIONS IN THIS FREAKING SCENE, YO
I’M TRYING TO BE SERIOUS IN THE MOMENT
BUT EVERY TIME THEY POP UP- 🤣
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Okay, but is Splinter immediately taking the invitation to spend time with his sons because he knows that he doesn’t have much longer not the most wholesome thing ever?
He can’t continue this talk with the brothers present, and they’re clearly excited to go, so why not attend and make a few more bright memories before he’s gone?
Also, I deem it illegal for rock music to be this ominous-
I blame Leo for looking despondently after them and triggering bad things are about to happen emotions. Poor blue boi.
Anyway
Splinter is not a bad father. He is imperfect, but every choice he makes is for his sons’ good. They are his world. Their lives will come before his every time, even if that means giving heartbreaking advice before he has to be taken from them. He only wants what’s best for his family.
They are his sons. He is their papa.
And that’s all there is too it. 💚❤️💜💙🧡💚
I freaking love this show…
Thanks for reading!! I did my best to double-check everything that I wasn’t sure about, so that I could be as accurate as possible! Even if I didn’t change stubborn minds, I hope I gave you guys some things to think about!
Every opinion matters! Thanks for checking out mine!
677 notes · View notes
icyhottodo · 1 year
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hey, you're pretty cute!
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characters: isagi, rin, reo, sae
summary: meet-cutes with bllk characters!!
contains: mentions of alcohol, isagi’s you’re of age to drink, a man harasses you in sae, in reo’s reader is described as having “longer and darker hair”, some are kind of like love at first sight, kind of not proofread, gn reader!!
wc: 2k words
nini's notes: i wanted to do more characters but im like so tired so i hope this is okay. maybe i can do a pt. 2 if i feel like it ૮₍ ´• ˕ •` ₎ა
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✩ ISAGI YOICHI
you originally came to the club with your friends, looking around and even hoping that you would have a fun time. but right after the small group of you guys walked through the club doors, as each minute passed, one of your friends excused themselves.
"i need to go to the bathroom; be right back!"
"imma go get some drinks."
"WOOO PARTAYYY!"
you sighed as each excuse came after the other; you were now left alone, in a club, all by yourself. you looked around, not knowing what to do when you accidentally locked eyes with a guy with deep, dark blue eyes across the room. the blue-eyed man was sitting at a table with multiple people, assumingly his friends. the man was wearing a white collared shirt and some fancy dress pants. he had a charming aura around him that made you entranced. perhaps you found him cute.
but you looked away; you had one goal in mind: to stay sober. you knew you were one of the (un)designated drivers even if no one appointed you as such. nonetheless, you sat on a bar stool and asked for some water.
after a while, you just sat there watching the dance floor. for some reason, you kept on glancing at the man you had made eye contact with before; it was just something about him that captivated you. but you looked away; you weren’t here to just ogle some cute guy across the room.
just sitting there and looking around the party was kind of… boring. yeah, it was a party and all, and people were dancing, but without the alcohol, everything seemed so bland. and you didn’t want to be the type of person to just be on their phone the whole time.
some hours went by, and you finally stood up to go to the restroom. you did your business and went back to the party. that was until you saw the cute man you were gazing at before, but this time he looked like he was extremely drunk. 
"i finally… got away… from reo…! ha…" the blue-eyed man said randomly, holding onto the walls and walking towards you. he didn't notice you when he spoke, but he caught sight of you after that. you can see the shift in his expression; his smile became lovestruck.
"oh heyyy! i noticed… you earlier.." the unknown man drunkenly walked up to you, giggling between the slurred words.
"i thought you were so cute-" "oh, there you are, isagi!"
you could see a purple-haired man walk up towards you, talking to the man you know named isagi. the sober man takes hold of isagi and starts to pull him away. "sorry! if isagi was bothering you!"
"reo.." isagi whined as his friend started to drag him away, "let me at least get their number!"
reo sighs while taking isagi to another friend of theirs, who seemed to have cyan hair. after reo leaves isagi with him. reo takes a piece of paper and writes something on it before coming back to you. "this is my friend isagi’s number. he was so interested in you once you walked in and would hate me if i didn't try to give you his number."
you smiled widely, and you guessed your fleeting feelings weren’t only one-sided. you took the paper and said, "i guess i’ll see more of you guys soon."
✩ ITOSHI RIN
you had to use the bus today, whether it was for school or work. nevertheless, you need to use public transportation at the moment. you stood by the bus stop, underneath the little roof made to shade people when it was sunny. you can see on the little notice board that the bus was two minutes away from arriving.
you start to pull out your fare when a loose coin falls out of your hands and conveniently goes down the drain. it's okay; you have another coin, right? you looked through your wallet to find any other currencies. but as you do not see anything, you start to frantically look for one, rechecking places that you have already checked.
the whole time you were trying to find an extra coin, the bus had arrived and was already taking people on it. you sighed, getting ready to start walking away from the bus stop. when a tall young guy lightly grabbed your wrist and pulled you onto the bus
"i’ll pay for it," the man said, already paying the fee. you looked at his face well; the guy who paid your bus fare had noticeably long under-eye lashes and bright teal blue eyes. you suddenly felt mesmerized by him—maybe it was because of the kind act he did or maybe because you find him cute. or both.
conveniently, both of you sat near each other, and you couldn't help but feel like staring at him. you want to help him after he helps you. he notices you staring at him and pulls down his headphones to hear what you have to say. "how can i repay you?" you asked the man.
"... you can leave me alone." what?! you weren't going to take that as an answer.
"oh come on! i want to do something more than that!" you kept on pestering him until he said something that you could help him with.
you soon learn that his name is rin itoshi but that was all you got out of him during the whole bus ride. it wasn’t until he stood up to leave for his destination that rin told you something. "since you won't stop bothering me. you can take me out on a date."
even though rin rolls his eyes, there's a slight waver in his voice as he says that. handing out his phone for you to type in your number. you were slightly shocked at how straightforward the guy is, but you smiled, complying with his request. busy doing so, that you couldn’t see how red his ears became and how he was staring out the distance at how awkward rin felt.
once you returned his phone, he said, "you’re lucky i find you attractive."
✩ MIKAGE REO
nagi had rented a new apartment unit in the city and asked reo to come over for whatever mundane help was needed in his place. or, as nagi calls it, a "hassle" to do. nagi tells him the address of his new home, but nagi might've accidentally typed the wrong apartment number because reo wouldn't think that nagi would magically have longer and darker hair.
"oh, i'm sorry, i must be in the wrong apartment." reo says, embarrassed from knocking on the wrong door number, his left hand reaching to the back of his nape with an awkward smile on his face.
"it’s okay!" you waved him off, trying to put off your feelings for this man you had just met. this man is cute as hell. you gushed in your thoughts.
"well, it was nice meeting you!" the purple-eyed man said warmly, bowing before taking his leave. you said your goodbyes and then closed your door. whatever you were doing beforehand, it was forgotten after meeting that man. 
when am i going to see him again? you thought, staring at the plain door, standing at the same spot where you had met the man. maybe you wouldn’t ever see him again.
that was until someone knocked on your door a few days later. but it wasn’t the cute man who accidentally knocked on your door before. instead, it was your new neighbor next door, a guy with snowy white hair and sleepy eyes. he was holding something in a colorful bag, and it caught your eye.
"what a pain…" your neighbor sighs; it seems like your neighbor just woke up from a nap.
"reo… my friend. i don’t know why he can't do it himself, but he wants me to give you this." the sleepy man hands you over the colorful bag, then shortly utters a farewell to you. muttering how he was going to take a nap or play some video games.
once you closed the door, you excitedly rushed to your living room and immediately opened the gift that the man you now know the name of, reo, gave you. it was a cute plushie of a lion. you looked into the bag to see if he had given you anything else; there was a small card just below where the lion was placed.
‘hey! i thought you were extremely attractive and i was too scared to give you this in person, so i got my friend nagi to do it. anyways, i thought maybe we could talk sometime? here’s my number!
xxx-xxx-xxxx’
✩ ITOSHI SAE
parties. whether you love parties or not, you are currently hating the situation you are in because of it. you were enjoying yourself on the plush couch at reo’s place.
until it was broken when a man suddenly wrapped his arms around your shoulders. you turned your head and noticed it was a man who was a bit older than you. he was balding, and he didn't particularly fit the normal beauty standards. along with the fact that his perverted expression did not exactly make you feel comfortable.
"what is a cutie like you sitting here all alone?"
"uh…" you stuttered, laughing uncomfortably. but it seemed like the man didn’t notice the agonizing tone you had.
"do you want to maybe get out of here?" if there was even a bit of space between you two, the creepy man would move even closer if it was possible. with this man around, you suddenly felt dirty, as if you needed to shower. but this icky feeling abruptly went away, and you noticed the cute guy you were eyeing earlier. the teal-eyed man harshly threw off the creepy guy’s arm around you.
you noticed how he had blush-pink hair and was wearing clothing from brands you could never think of touching. the pink-haired man wrapped his arms around you, not with a hurtful grip but a tight one. but what bewildered you was what he said next: "get your hands off my partner, and no, they’ll be coming home with me."
your eyes widen slightly, my partner? but with the current context of what was happening, you soon realized that the charming man was trying to help you get out of this situation. you lean into the touch of the young man and try to muster the best smile you can.
"yeah, he’s my significant other. whom i love so much."
with this, the man who was harassing you earlier raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "oh really? kiss each other on the lips then."
you looked at the man next to you, who was defending you. what were you going to do?! without much thought, the pink-haired man closed his eyes, puckered his lips, and started to lean in. you guessed it—you have to do the same.
following the man with long undereye lashes. the kiss seems natural for both of you; your lips molded easily to his. easily forgetting everything and everyone around you and him; they became a blur. your kiss with him felt so short, yet you had to pull back for air. you caught your breath, then went back for the kiss.
right then and there, you thought, i’ll catch his name later.
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chubs-deuce · 3 months
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Okay but Charlie angrily ranting to Alastor is like
Fanfic come to life
Not trusting him but also totally trusting him enough to express her feelings. I know she expresses her feelings to like... everyone haha, but being fully aware HOW Alastor is and still going "Imma pour my heart out to this man about all this stress I'm going through even tho I'm angy"
RIGHT
I'm not gonna lie, I was so genuinely shocked to see just how close that scene got to what fics have been writing them like for years???
The difference between the two however is that in fics we usually know what exactly his goals are, or at least have an inkling of an idea sdkjhsdkjfh
Right now, we are technically clueless, maybe the Lilith-sent-him theory is true and this genuinely is for Charlie's greater good?
But I do think it's way more likely that he's subtly priming her to strike a deal... That's at least where the vibe seems to be atm.
I'm thinking maybe this could also be a thing where Lilith is actually the one pulling the strings and just lets Alastor be the tool through which her plan is executed?
The way things are going, and with the other teaser fragments we have, it seems like heaven and hell will be gearing up for a full on rebel war of some kind - something Lilith has (if my memory serves me right) been vaguely implied to strive for in the past, and it also tracks with her apparent introductory dislike of subservience.
EDIT: I have been informed that the string-puller could apparently also be Eve perhaps??? God I can't fucking wait to see how all of that unfolds
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earlofbats · 10 months
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Okay so because this post about Harry being a bottom I'm going to give a genuine dissertation on the thematic relevance of sub Harry and maybe a little bit about dom Kim.
First I wanna establish the "Harry is definitely a subby little bottom boy" and is also definitely Bi and probably has some sorta fucking complex about it.
Evidence A. Contact Mike, Guillaume Le Million, Measurehead (when fascist).
Harry tends to idolize and gravitate towards extremely masculine figures.
This is probably due to a reflexive need to feel masculine and have masculine role models in the face of elements of identity that are seen as unmasculine by society and have become exacerbated by the breakup which had to be pretty emasculating for Harry.
Also :
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Imma start a Harry's Kink counter here +1 light bondage.
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+1 auto-erotic asphyxiation.
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Uhm +1 uhh,Spanking? Additional +1 for being what I think is most possibly the horniest thought you have in the game also:
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+1 Kim is a Dom.
I think Harry has kept his attraction to men or his desires about men fairly low key for his entire life. The way he conceptualizes Homosexuality in general as an "underground" society filled with whispering rooms and forbidden secrets is likely more of a reflection of how Harry views his own sexuality than how Queer culture is manifest in Revachol. (In reference to the way both Kim and The Smoker kinda laugh Harry about it)
The organizational element of the idea being likely reflective of the way internalization is akin to paranoia.
Harry is also extremely intimacy starved and I think part of that is due to an unmet need for affection and the desire to be taken care of. That masculinity and status as both a survivor and an oppressor was sorta thrust onto Harry, he was born the last year of the war on a hospital floor, given a name associated with war time and survival, grew up probably in a little street urchin gang, got into *Disco* (man I'm sure Harry brushed elbows with the underground then.) Was a gym teacher a good balance between masculinity and caretaker and guardian something that harry clearly excels at and enjoys. Then Dora encouraged him to be a cop for unknown reasons perhaps prestige, money, because Harry has a bleeding heart.
Engage Heterosexual Cop hell for 12 years then an additional 6 single Cop hell years.
And now you're like :
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Another element is Harry's tendency to worship and diefy his partners which like man that's gotta be the subbiest fucking thing you can do. I honestly can't articulate all of the reasons why that's just extreme bottom behavior.
Harry is an empathic jelly creature who is forced to handle a job with dead people in it all day and has created this reflexive hyper masculine obsession to compensate for his perceived inadequacy in not living up to the patriarchal capitalist ideal of what's supposed to be his birthright as a well off, able bodied, 'straight', occidental, man.
Except the actual issue is that Harry is mostly perceived or perceiving himself as that, when in reality he's in clear conflict with his actual identity as a Poor, mentally Ill, bisexual, occidental, man.
And it's those last two that end up kind of making this smoke screen to Harrys deficiency in privilege. He can mask or hide behind being an Occidental Man.
Can buddy buddy with patriarchy and take up the idea of a Big Strong Manly Cop.
Something that Kim also seems to be doing by seeking out positions of authority he can compensate for the disrespect he gets as a Poor, blind, gay, seolite, man.
Last of which probably won't get him far because of how "juvenile" his body type is.
Kim can't really coast on patriarchy much the way Harry can. He has to work twice as hard cuz there's not a lot he can hide behind.
Pursuit for control in the face of denial
Vs
Shielding ones self behind control as a means of denial.
Dom/Sub dichotomy.
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lassieposting · 2 months
Text
So like. I've seen plenty of posts discussing CatNap's death scene, the Prototype's involvement, and whether CatNap was betrayed by his mentor or willingly sacrificed himself, but there's one detail that nobody seems to be talking about. So imma bring it up, because it's relevant, it's important, to the point that we might actually only be seeing half the interaction between them.
Prototype is telepathic.
Or at least, he's something similar. It's strongly hinted at throughout his story:
Prototype manages to befriend Theo, despite the fact that he's kept locked in the labs under constant surveillance. Theo's artwork implies he believed Prototype lived under his bed. It also shows that he was - at least partially - aware of what Prototype looked like, as he drew an accurate representation of Prototype's mechanical arm. So how were they communicating? Likely via telepathy, with Prototype reaching out to Theo from the confines of his cell, and possibly projecting an image of himself for Theo to interact with. Theo feels safe with the fearsome-looking Prototype when they meet in person, which would suggest that Prototype is, by then, a familiar face.
Prototype's influence is clear in the video tapes, such as the instructions for moving a Bigger Bodies toy or the Emergency Alert video - he overrides the original content with new instructions like "RELEASE THE GIANT" or "OPEN THE DOORS. THE HOUR OF JOY IS NOW." And it's implied that this "tampering" came hand-in-hand with some kind of telepathic hold on the Playtime workers - they do release Kissy, against all common sense, despite the original instructions being visible beneath Prototype's override, and at the cost of their lives. It makes me think that the "tampering" is actually more of a side effect - that the control Prototype is projecting is so strong that he affects not only the minds of the workers he's targeting, but also any communication media within range - the messages on the VHS tapes are the orders he was pushing into their brains, flash-framed on film. Perhaps, if a worker had picked up a phone to call for help, they would only have heard a cacophony of voices insisting release the giant release the giant release the giant.
DogDay mentions that he and the other Smiling Critters - minus CatNap - "tried to resist [Prototype's] control". It's said in a way that suggests that Bigger Bodies who weren't fully on board with the Hour of Joy were... let's say "encouraged"...to participate, willing or no, via a helpful jolt of Assuming Direct Control. Given how docile she is most of the time, this could also be true of Kissy, who we see joining in with the massacre.
At the end of Chapter Three, the player joins Poppy on an elevator to go confront the Prototype in his lair. Which is weird, because...we know he's not in his lair. We've just seen him kill CatNap, and by this point we know he's likely been tailing us for a while. The Player would know, as they got onto that elevator, that Prototype can follow them down and trap them. But they say nothing to Poppy, their apparent ally. They don't warn her. Why? Maybe Prototype isn't letting them. If he could reach Theo in Playcare from the labs, deep in the bowels of the factory, it's not unreasonable to suggest that he's also in our head, subtly monitoring our thoughts, gently nudging away any desire to raise concerns with Poppy - who, as we know, wants Prototype dead.
So anyway: we know that Prototype has some variety of telepathy. And we know he has a preexisting connection with Theo - now CatNap.
Now, onto the actual death.
Lots of people have already covered the popular theories - that CatNap willingly offered himself to his god, and that CatNap believed the Prototype had come to save him and was cruelly betrayed. But honestly, on first watching, neither of those were the vibe I got. So I'm gonna throw my theories into the ring.
1) CatNap's death was a mercy kill
The first was that it was a mercy kill. CatNap is, at the end of the chapter, electrocuted to the point of collapse, and then horribly burned. There are no scientists left who can tend to the injuries of a Bigger Body creature. CatNap would be in horrifying pain, and if - as I've theorized here - Prototype all but raised CatNap, it could be that the death he provides is intended to put a quick end to CatNap's suffering. A mortally wounded apex predator will often become the target of groups of smaller, subordinate predators - like the swarming Critters in CatNap's territory - once they are dying and unable to defend themselves. Severing the spinal cord and targeting the brain would take away the pain, and make sure the death was as close to immediate as possible. If he'd wanted to hurt or punish CatNap, he could very easily have done so in a far more agonizing way - Miss Delight says that CatNap reports to Prototype, so they seem to be in relatively regular contact with each other and CatNap has few or no reservations about entering Prototype's territory to see him.
From this perspective, it also becomes interesting that Prototype reaches down to CatNap through a vent it's highly unlikely he could fit into, rather than fully appearing in front of us. Bearing in mind their mental connection, left open in the background of their minds, this could actually be seen as Prototype having an understandable and realistic caregiver panic response to CatNap's sudden, all-consuming agony - he wants to get to CatNap as quickly as possible, and he's picked a physically problematic route because it's faster.
2) CatNap's death was the Prototype fixing a problem he created
It's a sad truth that our children - or, in the Prototype's case, the young friend he assumed responsibility for - don't always grow into people we're proud of.
I've talked before about the Prototype's "parenting" as a positive influence on CatNap, and in several ways, it is - relative to the world they're trapped in.
CatNap is spared from the utter social isolation other experiments endure - he has Prototype to play and socialise with, which allows him to grow up with improved social skills and better ability to read people.
CatNap has a protector during the early years of the food shortage, once the toys begin turning on one another. Theo is shy and gentle, not naturally inclined to violence, so Prototype's protection probably shields him from becoming someone else's lunch at least once.
CatNap has someone to teach him to fend for himself. While Prototype's digestive system is vestigial - he doesn't need to eat to survive - he's an accomplished killer and it seems as though CatNap learned many of his hunting techniques from his mentor. It's likely that he would have learned to hunt the way young animals do - at first, Prototype hunts and kills all his food for him. Then Prototype brings back mostly-dead prey for CatNap to finish off. Then CatNap starts practicing his skills on small prey under Prototype's supervision, growing in confidence and competence until he no longer needs help, and then until he's fully self-sufficient.
But let's face it, Prototype is not exactly the world's most well-adjusted or morally upstanding individual. He's been imprisoned for decades. Tortured. Experimented on. He's deeply traumatised, his worldview irrevocably twisted in the name of survival. He's got a documented history of violence and as-yet-unquantified psychic abilities - the telepathy - that could be wreaking absolute havoc on his psyche. And CatNap is a young, impressionable mind who idolises him.
Now, we don't know how Prototype feels about the cult that's sprung up around him. It's entirely possible that he's thriving on it, that he's bought into his own mystique and begun to see himself as a god with the factory as his domain. @hrhowling came up with a fantastic theory along these lines, where CatNap's death is posed as a reward for faithful service - the opportunity to become part of his god and achieve immortality. A show of favour towards a loyal high priest. And if Prototype does appreciate the worship, honestly, this seems the most likely scenario to me.
But it's also just as possible that he's...not a fan.
It's a popular theory that "Ollie" is the Prototype, known to be a vocal mimic, using a child's voice to win the Player's trust. I vibe with this theory - Ollie's speech and tone is...not quite right, and there are multiple points where he sounds like his sentences are made up of different audio clips stitched together - stitched neatly, admittedly, but stitched nonetheless. That's very similar to the way we see Prototype stitching together words in different voices in his interview tape. Ollie's stitching is far less noticeable, but Prototype has had a long time to practice, and he's using the same voice - probably Theodore Grambell's, the child he's most familiar with - so it's not as obvious.
But if Ollie is the Prototype, that sheds a very different light on his character in general. Ollie is helping the Player. Ollie is known to Poppy and Kissy as an ally. Ollie opens up about CatNap, his history with the Prototype, and expresses obvious distaste around CatNap's religious zeal and tendency to kill anyone who opposes his mentor. If Ollie is the Prototype, it seems a lot more like he's a tired old soldier who's been made the unwilling messiah of a cult driven by isolation and insanity.
To add on to this, it's notable that Prototype doesn't seem to be hostile to the other experiments. In fact, his territory would likely be the safest place in the factory for the very small toys - with CatNap grown, he has no need to hunt or eat them, and although he's quite capable of killing anything in the factory, he seems to have no interest in attacking other Bigger Body apex predators. MLL openly hates and fears him, but Prototype has let her be for ten years, only coming to claim her once she's killed. He's openly benevolent to Huggy and CatNap. The only place we ever know him to have aimed his violence is at the scientists tormenting him and the children.
So yeah. Maybe he actually doesn't approve of CatNap's harcore religious leanings. Maybe he's disappointed at how their relationship has shifted over the years, from friendship to surrogate family to reluctant god and fanatical high priest. Maybe he's guiding and helping the Player in the hopes of finally putting an end to their collective imprisonment and misery. And when CatNap snaps - let's be honest, he does make it clear that the Player is intruding and gives them multiple warnings and opportunities to Get Out Of His Home Or Else - and tries to kill the Player, Prototype can't let that happen. He's forced to make a horrifying choice - the kid he loves the bones of, the only friend he had at his lowest points, or the instrument of his ultimate goal.
And we know the Prototype. He's willing to do terrible things in the name of what he believes is right. He massacred innocents along with the guilty during the Hour of Joy. He tells CatNap it's okay, he's done well, he can rest now...
And he does what has to be done.
3) CatNap's death was requested by CatNap
Let's be honest. CatNap is not doing well after that confrontation. He's probably mortally wounded, and he's facing a slow and agonizing death from - if not the player - his burns or his weakness or his inability to defend his own territory. I would not be surprised if the silent conversation between him and the Prototype involved CatNap asking his idol, his god, to please make the pain stop. To end it, quickly and cleanly. I think that would be a reasonable ask from anyone covered head to toe in terrible burns. And in this scenario, knowing there is no doctor that can treat, heal or gently euthanise CatNap, it would honestly be crueller for the Prototype to refuse him.
Anyway yeah I just. Think there's a lot of missing context added by remembering that Prototype is a telepath, and there is probably a conversation going on with CatNap before he dies. So this is my take on three different ways the death scene could be read.
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dreamii-krybaby · 7 months
Text
I am betting my soul that Doll’s parent’s death took outside of the colony.
And yes I have taken screenshots from the flashback scene from EP3 and saw it frame by frame bc am that insane. Imma post an upcoming post regarding the details found in the scene.
The reason why am saying this is bc the murder drones wiki estates that their death took at doll’s house. Not outside (which makes my ADHD ass go insane)
Now after I figured this out I went “wtf where they doing outside in the first place???”
And then it clicked.
They where probably in search for whatever Doll is looking for. Perhaps a cure for the AS as some people infer. Which to me is plausible.
Bc I infer Yeva knows the danger of the AS. Why would she risk giving her kid the AS??? Unless of course, there is a cure.
Also IF Tessa’s comment at the beginning of EP6 is true. Doll’s dad also has the AS (as it mutates in damaged AI, this may include WD’s who have damaged AI bc of a manufactory defect)
and IF both him and Yeva KNEW that both had the AS. It makes even less sense why would they have a kid and pass down the AS (ofc there is a possibility that Doll’s dad or Yeva didn’t know he was infected)
Unless there is a cure. They could have gone outside to explore the labs perhaps, after all, Yeva probably knows most of the lab’s layout.
Perhaps they already took this cure, maybe that’s why they didn’t come back after death, but I believe there are more reasons why an infected WD won’t come back, but its a possibility.
Is there a possibility that the whole reason they decided to risk themselves was for…Doll?
Because IF Yeva or/and her husband took this cure, maybe there wasn’t any left for their kid. That’s why they decided to go outside again.
Or they where simply looking for a cure for themselves and doll.
Either way, these two probably risked it FOR THEIR KID (IF the whole AS cure is real)
*Sobs in having her fav characters being dead*
I also am a firm beliver that Doll’s parents (Especially Yeva, obvious reasons) know a lot more than the series let’s us know. I mean- just look at their expressions in EP4. They’ve seen shit. They’ve seen something they probably shouldn’t.
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forever-rogue · 1 year
Note
ok ok ok, you wanted angst ideas for Joel so imma throw an idea around. so Joel has something of readers, and Ellie asks him about it, Joel refuses to tell her and they argue, time passes and later that night Joel tell Ellie about reader and how they are no longer alive and the flash back happens and what not and reader knows they’re not gonna live and tells Joel over and over again “ I don’t wanna die. “ and “ don’t let me die. “ and it’s just a sob fest in my mind.
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AN | You want pain, I want pain, so we have some pain. It’s going to hurt, so be prepared 🥰
Pairing | Joel Miller x Fem!Reader
Warnings | Language, TLOU canon typical violence (mentions of bites and blood, but nothing descriptive)
Word Count | 2.5k
Masterlist | Joel, Main
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
Ellie had always been a curious kid, from the time she was very young.
Her knowledge of the world was limited, and now that she had Joel she liked to learn as much as she could. She was like an information sponge. Her curiosity also pushed her into exploring all sorts of places where she wasn't explicitly allowed. But - to her defense - she was never explicitly told not to explore these places.
She was waiting around for Joel, not wanting to go out and befriend everyone in Jackson just yet. She explored around the house and familiarized herself with what a normal home might look like. This could have been her life if she hadn't been born into this world. 
This could be her life now. With Joel. She liked the thought of that.
"Wow," she was looking through one of the nightstand's drawers when she came across a piece of jewelry. She made a small sound of awe as she pulled out the gold chain, a delicate, yet sturdy thing with a locket hanging off of it. She’d already gotten this far, so she decided that opening it and looking inside wasn’t much of a step further.
It took Ellie a moment to pry it open; the locking mechanism stuck stuff over time. It hadn’t been opened in a number of years. 
“There we are,” she whispered to herself in triumph as she looked inside. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but there was no photo inside like she’s heard there often were. Two sets of crudely carved initials were on the back of the cool metal, no longer clearly discernible due to the passage of time. But inside, there was a small, expertly folded piece of paper - a note - yellowed and faded. Ellie was about to unfold the note, oscillating between putting it all back and pretending she never found it and just reading the note. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, her decision was made for her.
“What the hell are you doing?” The coldness of his voice caused the young girl to jump and drop the necklace to the floor. She turned around to find Joel in the doorway, a furious expression on his face. Ellie couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen him this mad; maybe never.
“I-I’m sorry,” she scrambled to her feet, shaking her head as if to show him that she really didn’t know anything, “I was just looking around-”
“You were snooping,” he took a few steps over to her and snatched the locket off the floor and closed it back up before shoving it into his pocket, “tell me why you thought it was okay to just look around in things that aren’t yours.”
“I’m sorry,” she felt like crying; the last thing she ever wanted to do was to hurt Joel or upset him, “I was bored and j-just looking around! I shouldn’t have looked at your stuff.”
“No,” he agreed, closing his eyes and letting out an angry breath through his nose, “get out and go to your room.”
“Joel-”
“Now.”
He left no room for discussion and the young girl nodded, feeling her eyes burn with tears. But she was determined not to let him see her cry as she ran down the hall to her room, slamming the door shut. 
Joel sat at the edge of the bed and sighed heavily, scrubbing a hand over his tired face. The necklace felt like it weighed a million pounds in his pocket, practically burning into his skin. In haste, he pulled it out and threw it into the drawer, slamming it shut. 
He felt like crying too; at all the memories the locket brought back, and how he’d talked to Ellie. He wasn’t angry at her, not really, he was just angry at the situation. Not even angry so much as upset. 
A few tears rolled down his cheek and he hastily brushed them away. He hadn’t even realized he was crying. 
He didn’t know if he was ready to face his demons just yet.
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
Ellie remained silently in her room for the rest of the afternoon. Joel had walked by her room about a dozen times, thinking about knocking and apolgozing, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. She could hear him pacing around; the gesture made her feel a little better.
Around dinner time, Joel was in the kitchen and cooking, causing the girl’s belly to rumble with hunger. She didn’t want to go out just yet and get yelled at, so she was content to stay inside until he went to bed. 
Just when she couldn’t stand the delicious smells anymore, she opened the door, ready to go downstairs and apologize until he forgave her. 
He was standing outside the door, hand raised to knock. The two of them looked at each other in surprise for a moment before he cleared his throat awkwardly, “I made dinner - I’m sure you’re hungry by now.”
She nodded and before he could say anything else, she wrapped her arms around him and held onto him in a tight hug. He let out an almost silent sigh of relief as he held her back, some of worry and anxiety ebbing away. 
“I’m sorry,” she whispered against his chest, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he stroked her back gently, “let’s not worry about it and put it behind us. Yes?”
“Yes,” she agreed, giving him a small smile that he mirrored in return. He wrapped his arm around his shoulders and led her downstairs. His heart already felt lighter.
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
Dinner was mostly a silent affair, neither of them wanting to push any boundaries, instead exchanging words only over the food. 
But Ellie, wonderful, bright-eyed and curious Ellie, wanted to know the whole story. She wanted to make it better if possible, or at the very least wanted him to know that she was there for him. 
“Will you tell me about it?” she asked, pushing around some of the pasta on her plate, keeping her gaze specifically trained on the plate and not his face.
“About what?” he asked, but he already knew the answer. 
“The locket,” she swallowed thickly, “i-if you want to. I don’t know if you want to talk about it, but I’m here. For you. Here for you.”
“I know you are,” he promised quietly. And he did. He knew the girl was so much more than the cargo he had once considered her. Although truthfully, that hadn’t lasted long. Maybe a few days. 
The two of them fell back into silence before he eventually set his fork down and leaned back in his chair, “before I met you, I, uh, I had a partner.”
Ellie swallowed her bite before leaning, making it a point to show him that he had her full attention, “a partner?”
“A life partner,” he explained and she understood, her eyes widening. Her heart ached at the realization that hit her. Not only had he lost his daughter, lost his business partner in Tess, he’d the person he intended on spending the rest of his days with. She couldn’t even imagine that much pain and grief all at once - or ever, “the locket, it belonged to them.”
“Oh,” she swallowed down the sob she felt welling up, “Joel…I’m sorry.”
“I know,” he promised, his teary eyed gaze meeting hers, “I know, Ellie.”
“The note…”
“It was from me,” he drummed his fingers along the wooden top of the table, “I gave them the locket, with the note.”
“Joel…” Ellie pushed her chair back and padded over to him, wrapping him into a huge the best she could, “I’m sorry.”
“Me too,” he agreed, closing his eyes, feeling a wave of emotion wash over him. He hadn’t said this out loud to anyone before, and it felt like a million pounds had lifted off his shoulders. Letting it out wasn’t going to bring anyone back from the dead, but it did let him get rid of some of his demons, “I’ll take care of you, okay?”
“I’ll take care of you too,” she told him softly. His heart felt quiet and content, “I promise.”
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
Joel’s heart felt simultaneously like it was about to stop and burst out of his chest from how hard it was beating. He held you, trying to shield you from everything else but him. He took your face in his hands and kept your attention on him. As though there wasn’t a giant bite in your side that was bleeding profusely and coloring your clothes a horrible shade of crimson. He knew you could more than likely feel it. He knew that you were more than aware of what was happening. 
He blamed himself. This was his fault, solely his entire fault all because he turned his attention away from you for a few moments. But no - you had to be brave and have his back instead of the opposite. He was supposed to protect you, to take care of you. But he had failed - he had utterly fucked up. 
And you were paying the ultimate price. 
“I don’t wanna die,” there was blood smeared on your cheek that he swiped away with his thumb. Despite the situation, it felt like the right thing to do. Tears were streaming down your face as you shook your head, almost as if you were trying to convince yourself this was all a bad dream, “don’t let me die. Please. Please, Joel. I don’t wanna go.”
“It’s okay, baby,” he was lying. He knew that you knew he was lying. He didn’t know what else to do. Even if there was limited time left, he couldn’t bring himself to say the words out loud, “you’re going to be okay. Just look at me, baby.”
A small whimper escaped your lips as you squirmed, trying to ease the burning feeling in your side. He choked back the sob that had bubbled up in his throat, but the tears had run down his face too, “it hurts. It hurts.”
“I know,” he couldn’t imagine. He didn’t want to imagine. He wanted to wake up and find that this was all a bad dream. That he hadn’t failed you just liked he’d failed Sarah, “you’re so brave. And strong. And amazing.”
“I don’t wanna go,” you sniffled as you wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled yourself as close to him as possible. You just wanted to feel him one last time, “I don’t want to leave you. Please.”
“You won’t,” he promised, “you’ll always have me, I swear it. I’ve got you, baby.”
He pulled you into his chest, his arms around you in a bone crushing hug. You didn’t care, you just wanted him. You didn’t want him to let go. 
“I love you,” your face was buried into your chest and you could hear the cries he tried to hold down. You could feel his body shaking and trembling as he gently rocked you back and forth, “please don’t let me become one of those things. Please.”
“I would never,” he squeezed his eyes shut, wishing, wishing, and wishing he was in your place. That somehow, magically, he could take it away from you. Instead he knew what he was going to have to do. He never thought he’d be in this position. He never wanted it. He still didn’t, but he wasn’t going to let you down again, “I’ll take care of you. I love you, sweetheart.”
“I know,” you closed your eyes as you tried to surround yourself with him and only him. If you were going to go, you wanted the last thing you saw, felt, and heard to be Joel, “I trust you, Joel.”
You trusted him. It almost felt laughable at the moment, but in a horrible, terrible way. You trusted him and look what that had gotten you - death. He inhaled shakily, hating himself every fiber of his being. 
He did this to you. And now he had to do it again. 
He stared straight ahead at the wall, a blanket expression on his face as he pulled the knife out of his pocket. You were still crying, the sound muffled by the fabric of his shirt. 
Within moments, your body stilled and you were silent. 
He tossed the knife to the side, letting out a yell of pain and frustration. He didn’t even know what to feel anymore; if he even felt anything at all. Joel felt so empty, so hollow. 
He remained there for a while, still and unmoving, praying to whatever deity was out there for forgiveness. Forgiveness for what he let happen to Sarah…and now you. He didn’t know if he deserved anything at all, redemption, forgiveness, or otherwise.
“Joel,” Tess’ voice was the softest and sweetest he’d ever heard. She’d been crying too, clearly shaken up but what had transpired, “we…”
She couldn’t find it in her heart to finish her sentence. She gave him a nod before slowly walking away to give him some space. 
He couldn’t bring himself to look at your body. Instead, he reached around your neck and delicately unclasped your necklace, pulling it off and tucked it away into his pocket. He’d be damned if he let anything happen to it.
It was the last bit of tangible evidence he had of you. Soon you’d be a mere memory; a ghost haunting him. 
He pulled himself out from your lifeless body, refusing to look down at you. If he didn’t see you, it would be easier to pretend that nothing had happened. 
You weren’t dead. You were gone for a bit; he’d see you again one day.
He caught up with Tess and she gave him a nod which he returned.
“Ready?” 
“No,” he admitted, the remaining bits of his heart shattering into tiny pieces, “no.”
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
“Joel?” Ellie whispered his name after he finished telling her what happened. He turned to her with a small, sad smile. If anything ever happened to her, he didn’t know if he’d have the heart to go on, “I love you, you know? Even if it’s all sappy and shit, I mean it.”
“I know, kid,” he did. Even if she was a little shit sometimes. She was his little shit, “sappy shit and all. I love you too.”
And he did. Even if it hurt to put more love into the world, to allow himself to feel love and be loved, he was willing to do it again. For her. For himself.
For you. 
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the-s1lly-corner · 5 months
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This is a silly request you don't have to do it or don't have to do it now
TADC crew having to take care of a very sleepy kid reader
Like this kid just falls asleep in the most random places that are sometimes dangerous probably giving people parental/sibling panic as they try to get the sleeping kid out of danger as the kid is oblivious to the world around them
TADC cast x very sleepy kid!reader (platonic!)
UEUEUEUE gonna answer a few requests then imma go ahead and start cooking tonight's dinner yahoo!!
Sorry that stuff has been slowing down a lot lately, between being sick last week and getting a ton of baking orders to deal with after recovering, I've been a little pressed for time and energy <\3
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CAINE:
Good news for your safety, reader! Caine keeps all his eyes on you and watches you like a hawk! hes already pulling you to a safe place to sleep when you so much as yawn; perhaps even getting a digital cloud to hover around so you can sleep on it.. hell even if he cant get a cloud he might summon a bunch of bubbles to carry you around
Baby harness
He carries you in one of those/j
POMNI:
Easily one of the most panicked when she sees you curled up and sleeping in the middle of a chaotic IHA, tries to scramble towards you. You know those tropes in cartoons where a character has a fragile person/object they're trying to protect at all costs and it leads to the character doing the protecting getting all beat up? That's basically you and pomni, I think
You wake up and ask why she looks like she just got zapped by lightning
RAGATHA:
Always keeps you within arms length when she realizes just how sleepy you are all the time; perhaps even offers to carry you when you're feeling a little tired. Really with ragatha theres a little risk of you falling asleep in a random area. I think the only reason you may end up in a dangerous situation is if she needed someone else to look over you briefly
Just know that if this ever happens she will never let the one who was meant to be responsible for you live it down
Cough cough jax or maybe even zooble
JAX:
Unlike the above, if he were responsible for you in a general sense he would feel far more panicked than if he was playing babysitter. That's not to say he wouldnt panic if he was put in charge of you by someone else and you fell asleep somewhere. No he still would... but he feels a new level of guilt if youre *his kid*
As mentioned in the reader w/ crutches post he has a habit of zooming off and doing his own thing especially if it's for a new prank idea he came up with
So theres a chance he sometimes impulsively runs off. Like he gets better at it overtime as he becomes more responsible, buuuut...
Shakes you awake and tries to walk you to your room
Lightly scolds you but really I think hes more so beating himself up... just redirecting the blame.. again, jax is still trying to be more responsible with things.. not perfect yet, of course
GANGLE:
KINGER:
Keeps you at arms length AND in his sight at all times because 1. Hes a father and 2. Hes so so scared that something is going to happen to you, especially given your sleepy nature. Offers to let you snuggle into the soft fluff of his robe when you're feeling a little tired. You have probably fell asleep standing up while leaning into the fur. Very silly
This poor man nearly has a heart attack when he sees you asleep and in harm's way, but oddly enough I think it would make something "snap" in him and he immediately comes to your rescue. If he gets hit or struck by anything he just. Takes it and keeps going
Dad powers, I guess
Very determined to get to you probably doesnt let himself feel his feelings and panic until long after the events of the IHA are over, I think... starts fretting over you
ZOOBLE:
If you're their kid/sibling then they might just take you with them when they decide to skip a IHA, since zooble seems to not enjoy them in the pilot. So good news here, you're unlikely to be in any real danger when zooble is looking after you! When they're not doing a group thing and in the common area, they just stick to their room.... so they probably let you sleep in their bed!
Good ending here folks
Forgot to mention this in ragathas part but I think both her and gangle try to figure out why you're so sleepy, and perhaps try to find a solution aside from simply letting you sleep it off. I mean obviously neither of them would ban you from napping, buuuut
...well it's a digital body, could there really be any deeper stuff going on aside you just being tired?
Anyways
Her comedy mask literally pops off and breaks when she sees you just sleeping in the middle of the floor during all the chaos. Tries to get you out of harm way but it ends up in her also getting hurt, similar to pomni
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thatfreshi · 8 months
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Hi there! I saw the post about the requests! If you don't mind, Imma dump the three ideas I have here in one ask so I don't spam you. Apologies if there's not enough info in them or are too jumbled to understand! I'm not great at sending requests.
A Dragonborn tav who wishes to cuddle with Astarion/Rest their head against him, but can't due to horn/spike placement. Frustration on tav's end and, after some confusion, an emense amount of teasing on Astarion's. Maybe they find out some way to have resting on Astarion better.
Astarion helping out Tav after Tav had a medical surgery thing. They're just in pain for the first few days and Astarion just helps them out. (Mostly just want some personal comfort for my own recent surgery. I'm in pain.)
Dragonborn Tav doing some Dragonborn courting rituals to get Astarion's attention. Maybe even trying to research Eleven courting rituals to do so.
Went ahead and went with the second ask in this list. If you still want the others you can send them again! I prefer separate requests because it's easier for me to keep track of, but I appreciate that you have so many ideas for me :)
TW - broken bones
Recommended Song: Lovers Rock - TV Girl
Living a normal life comes with far too many responsibilities. Sure, killing goblins and avoiding shadows is stressful, but buying groceries? Doing dishes? It seems like there's something every single damn day, especially when you're renovating a house.
Now, Astarion loves priding himself on being a great bargainer, making a sweet deal out of any situation, and he figured a place with good bones like this would be a steal if he could cut the price a little. Was he wrong? Of course not, he has a habit of being right almost always, which can be frustrating. However, the two of you bit off far more than you could chew, especially when it came to the staircase that was practically falling apart. Mind you, neither you or Astarion are renovators, but both of you are far too stubborn for your own good.
"I'm sure we could get someone to fix it, right? Just needs some extra support."
You raise a brow at him.
"And spend more money? No way, we should just do it ourselves. I'm sure one of our friends has some extra wood lying around."
That's when you make the mistake of going up a couple steps to see just how bad the damage is. Apparently this place used to house a group of rowdy adventurers who couldn't help but destroy everything in their path. When you fall asleep on the floor every night, guess it doesn't really matter if you can't get up to any of the bedrooms. As you're analyzing the stairs, there's a crack beneath your feet, which you ignore.
"Darling, perhaps you should just take a look from down here?"
When you go to turn and tell him you'll be fine, your leg takes a plunge through the wood, subsequently fracturing several bones in your foot.
"Gods, damn it!"
You manage to cry out, trying to pull yourself out of the tattered floor. Astarion helps you, helping you get back down to the first floor, trying to make sure he doesn't face a similar fate.
"I guess a trip to Shadowheart's is in order."
You shake your head.
"Nope, her and Halsin are on that healer's retreat, remember? In Waterdeep?"
"Shit, I suppose you're right dove. When are they getting back?"
You sigh.
"Tonight, sadly."
It was currently far too early in the morning, as the two of you wanted to get a head start on your fixer-upper today.
"Alright, we'll just have to go see someone in town I suppose."
"Aster, we do not have the money for that right now. We've already budgeted everything for the house, I can't go see some uppity Baldurian doctor who's going to charge us far more gold than they're worth."
"Well, what do you suggest we do then?"
"Wait til Shadowheart and Halsin get back? I mean it's really all we can do."
"Gods Tav, we had so much planned today. Those tieflings are coming by to tile the kitchen at noon! And you know I am not good at being nice to strangers."
"Well my love, looks like you're going to have to learn, because I cannot walk on this thing."
You groan in pain, trying to flex your foot, feeling all the little spots your bones broke.
"To the bed we go then."
Astarion wraps you up in his arms, taking you to what in a couple of weeks is supposed to be the study. For now though, it's a makeshift bedroom. He gently lies you on the bed, getting a pillow for under your foot. Then, he thinks about how he truly does not like being broke, but the both of you didn't want to impose on any of your friends, staying at their place for any longer than you had to. Gale offered, but the thought of being all cramped up in his new tower was suffocating.
"Are you okay Aster?"
Your voice wakes him from his thoughts.
"Yes my dear, just thinking about our raggedy circumstances."
"It'll be nice when it's done, and when my foot's not broke."
The two of you chuckle.
"As much as I love living with you, I didn't think domestic life was quite this, complex."
He moves to lie down next to you, careful not to move your wounded foot.
"You still want this though, right?"
"Of course, a nice house to ourselves? A space just for us? I can't imagine a better investment. Just not quite used to all the contractors and market visits and drunken nights yet, all the normal things, the things I would've done so much sooner if..."
Astarion shakes his head, as if trying to get the thoughts out of his mind.
"Never mind all that, I should get you some tea."
Before you can tell him that it's alright, that you want to hear what he has to say, he's gone to the kitchen. Instead you just lay on the bed, thinking of just how lucky the two of you are. Two troubled souls set up for failure, and yet here you are. You laugh a little, thinking about how lucky you are with a shattered foot.
"Here we are my darling, a hot brew just for you."
He helps you sit up, making sure you keep your leg elevated.
"Easy my dove, don't want to break anything else do we?"
The hours pass by as the two of you wait for the tilers to come, talking about all the projects you were going to start today. It's nice, having a project, something to strive towards that isn't murdering someone or working through some major trauma. Just the two of you drinking tea in some old house, sitting on a bed that you'll have to break down and bring upstairs, and then put back together. While Astarion very easily could have left you to your devices and gotten started on all your little plans, he stayed by your side, talking about everything and nothing.
"This is just the beginning."
You say, suddenly breaking a natural silence.
"What is?"
"This. We get to start over. This is the beginning of us starting over."
He smiles at your whimsical view of things.
"I suppose you're right."
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Text
Sooo... Can we talk about Vox and Alastor Cause I'm literally obsessed...
Basically headcanons since of course I seen the post running around where Viv calls their relationship sad and complicated.
Being an 'angst-girlie' I HAVE to gobble this up so here's a few headcanons I immediately thought about.
Mentions of Valentinos acts against humanity so watch out for that. A bit, like a smidge, of kissing and making out mentioned as well.
For Starters
I happily wrote a fanfic for pics that @milariro drew (lovely artist, check em out!) and I think Valentino definitely plays a big roll in the fallout.
So Vox and Alastor were pals yeah, hung out, chit chatted, ate food together, even got close enough for Alastor to feel comfortable doing more intimate actions like cuddling and hugging and such.
I can't help but think of Vox perhaps being on the Acespectrum himself? He's giving "I will but I don't have to" so I get more demi vibes off of him. He probably doesn't give a fuck about anyone else like he does with Alastor so that's why.
I think he could build intimacy with others yes but he's so focused on his work usually outside of his competition.
Vox probably came to hell and started off really small and little so as he grew, he wanted to grow and took his time to try and get bigger. I would say that Valentino could come in here if not later when Vox seemed to develop feelings for Alastor and in doing so Alastor wants to return those said feelings but he's scared.
Scared of what? The unknown.
He probably is someone who doesn't like when he can't see what's going to occur or happen before it actually does.
He's a runner. Imma say that because I can be one. He cares for Vox but he can't stop the way his heart seems to race when they get just a bit too close...
Valentino probably comes in and ruins everything, most likely at a time when Alastor starts to get some sort of understanding on his own feelings and seeing Vox practically become infatuated with Valentino really leaves a void in his own heart.
Of course he wants to support Vox in his endeavors but... Valentino? Out of all people?
Alastor is most likely disgusted by even the thought of Valentino and seeing Vox so happy and eager with him sets. Him. Off.
A lot of arguments now, harsh words and such and really it's from Vox as he's confused and lost as to Alastor's behavior. He probably picked up on it and asked multiple times just for Alastor to brush him off every time so now that smoke is in the air everything is coming out.
Vox probably would confess he's in love with Alastor in this argument, tears, crying and all and Alastor can't help the way he feels about it
He feels he's at fault, and his airy silence doesn't help with all the anguish in the air already
He's scared. He loves Vox as well but something about the situation makes it hard for Alastor to swallow all the information and this leads to the 7 year disappearance
This mother fucker definitely leaves without saying a single thing to Vox and that hurts Vox more than anything else.
What else can Vox do without a single letter or sign as to where his friend went and of course he's going to know he's the reason to a certain extent
It definitely hurts both of them, like... World shattering.
Vox has no choice but to go to Valentino.
I can't help but analyze how Vox seemed... Happy? That he thought Angeldust quit when Valentino was raging. Vox does not love this man...
He of course knows about the things Valentino does... Or maybe... He doesn't? Like maybe he has an idea but he hates to think about it... He's never around when it actually happens to someone?
Valentino probably...has even done things to Vox himself?
Maaaannn like I said these aren't canon ofc but now I'm just rambling. Vox probably goes through similar ways of abuse from Val but he just puts up with it like everyone else? I can see him being so broken behind closed doors and when he's in front of others he puts on the cocky persona of his. It's something he's picked up from Alastor, smiling was a tactic all on its own.
He's unconscious of it but Vox thinks of Alastor all the time; when he wakes, when he works, etc etc and I think that in very little ways Alastor does the same thing.
Alastor definitely thinks of Vox often but he's so much better at hiding it. These two are so broken when they are alone.
I'm hoping they talk more about these two but OMG imagine so heartfelt ass communication after so maybe years... They definitely need it, to air out everything
And imagine that while they are Vox is speaking and Alastor is adamantly listening as he's always done and before he even knows it he's leaning forward, closer and Vox doesn't necessarily realize it until Alastor is just a breath away.
Tbh Alastor wouldn't even know what he was doing, it's like he's doing it unconsciously...no thoughts in mind and when Vox stops for a moment and just right then everything just seems to make sense? Alastor looks at him as if there's nothing but him and Vox would return the gaze before they closed in with a kiss
It's not just a little kiss either, it's one that starts off soft and gentle and leads into something hotter... Something raunchy as they cling to each other and hold each other.
Someone drew a pick with Vox being pinned against the wall by Alastor while kissing and I'll tag them (HERE) when I find them again but yeah it's like that.
It's like Alastor is letting off steam that's been trapped inside him for all those years even prior to his disappearance and he wants to be careful and gentle but he's... Excited, happy to have Vox in his arms again so he gets rough, biting, nipping, sucking until Vox seems to just completely become goop against him because in reality this is all he's wanted from Alastor... To be close to him, to hug him, to kiss him...
To help him, to protect him, to watch him grow and grow together with him.
Alastor still struggles with admitting it but he's just as happy to be with Vox too. (It's giving soulmates?? Soulmate AU ANYONE??! I'LL WRITE IT? PAY ME AND ILL START IT TODAY???!!! Support a disabled writer and I'll write whatever you want!~ current commission status: 3/5 stories to be done which I'll be working on right after this post)
Ahem...
But anyway they are married your honor!
I can see Vox coming to the Hotel after he manages to break free of Valentino. Maybe running off and disappearing on him and pulling an Alastor while Valentino rages at everyone else to find him. Velvet is broken between helping and not.
Vox coming to the hotel would be a shit fest to start off but... He is actually really helpful, and he takes the time to rebuild a connection with Angeldust and Alastor and he seems just so much more... Happy and genuine? And sometimes when Alastor notices he can't help but show a genuine smile as he admires Vox.
They would eventually come together to help publicize the hotel and WOAH are they banging!
The radio demon and TV demon have come together to help some crappy hotel rehabilitate sinners? Holy shit!
They reel people in from all over for various reasons whether it be fangirls shipping them or people actually wanting help and to grow...
They are happy together but...
Valentino and whoever is on his side of things definitely managed to also pick up on the sudden booming aura coming off of that hotel and maybe...maybe they'll pay a visit.
One that reminds Vox of everything that Valentino did to him and OMG imagine Vox having a panic attack or something, running off because he knows it's Val? Leaving Alastor to go hunt for him?
A fight would be interesting.
Alright alright, imma shut up.
I wrote this write the angst in mind but of course I rambled hahah. Either way, I said what I said. ÙwÚ
If you made it this far follow? Reblog? Comment???
MWAH 💋
- A
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