#maybe even Ray Tango

[theydrewfirst]

Thinking about making an incubus oc/sona because I’m kinda in the mood for demons suddenly- 😳

#incubus #demon oc #help #I love demons way too much #BARK WOOF WOOF #might ship him with Rambo #or Rocky #maybe even Ray Tango #idk I’m just all over the place

[nearest-dearest]

The Red Lady

"Thanks for helping me again (Y/n)"

"No problem Julie!" You say as you placed more flowers on the new pats Julie ordered. came in this morning and Julie couldn't wait to use them, that's why she enlisted your help, of course you agreed to

help, anything for a friend.

"So you and Wally huh?" You felt your checks grow warm when Julie mentioned the painter. It's only been two days since the dance, and Julie wouldn't stop mentioning it

"We just danced Julie, what's worth mentioning about it?"

"Sweetie, if there's nothing going on betwee you two, then why keep the red string tied around your finger?"

"Uh... Because that would be rude?"

That interaction happened happened two hours ago, now you're walking around the forest to heart beat. You swore you have never run that fast in your life, and all of that hassle just to get away from Julie's teasing. That was also the fastest you've ever

said goodbye after planting the last flower. At

least you're alone now, that actually gave you a chance to think about it all.

Wally...

What are you two really?

You're not a couple, you two would've confirmed it if that was the case, but your interactions with him is so much more than what normal friends would do. It felt like this slow tango, dancing between the line of friends lovers. But would Wally even want to be more than just friends? What if he was just teasing? or

maybe he took it the wrong way.

. . .Do you even deserve him? Do you deserve everything? When you lied to their faces for almost a year now? Would the neighborhood even accept you when they find out?

Would Wally accept you?

You don't know, but you're not sure you

want to find out either.

The sound of rustling in the bushes made you stop walking. Then you saw a small patch of red sticking like sore thumb.



You can always be seen carrying your umbrella or a parasol wherever you go. Never once has anyone in the neighborhood have seen you without one, well at least outside, You put away her umbrella once she heads inside. Otherwise, the umbrella or parasol stays by your side. Whenever you’re asked as to why you do such a habit, you only gives one response “You never know when the clouds are going to cry.”

So it’s a habit instilled in you then. That made a lot more sense. But the neighborhood’s oddity towards you carrying your parasol only lasted for the first three days since (Y/n) moved to the neighborhood. Now, no one bats an eye whenever you carry your parasol. So much so that the neighborhood were in for a surprise when they saw (Y/n) one morning. Sally had Invited everyone in the neighborhood to show them a new dance routine that she took two weeks to master. Everyone is there, ready to support their friend with every encouragement she needs. Everyone, except for (Y/n). Though the neighborhood couldn’t ponder long, because the door to Sally’s place slowly opened, revealing you, with no parasol.

“Oh my! Where is your parasol dear?”

“Are you ill or feeling feverish?”

Poppy and Julie jumped in to try and see what was wrong, only to discover that nothing was wrong. (Y/n) simply didn’t feel like using a parasol.

“Frankly that is a wise decision, the body needs sunlight in order to stay healthy.” Frank added.

And that was the first time Wally saw you under the sun light. Infatuation is something that doesn’t come to Wally often, but when it does, it sends his heart pounding until its so loud that he can feel it within his eardrums. That’s exactly what happened to him when they all left Sally’s place. Where Wally could see (Y/n)’s skin and locks glow under the golden rays of the sun. The slow wind billowing your hair in a gentle motion, and the smile and laugh you had over a joke Barnaby made were like music to his ears. . .

Has (Y/n) always been this beautiful?

Wally found himself asking one day, and it wasn’t like it was just a sudden emotion he felt on a whim, because as weeks passed by, the infatuation just kept growing until Wally finally decided to paint what he saw that sunny day. In hopes that it would calm down this infatuation. It helped a little, but it never quelled the feelings he had. He’s not quick to call It love though, an infatuation is just a little crush, and given enough time. Wally will laugh about this all one day and forget. Just like how it always is in this

s neighborhood.

Wally should hurry, he knew you’re going to meet up with Frank and Julie for butterfly watching later, so he better give your handkerchief back to you as soon as possible. A handkerchief you dropped along the pathway between Howdy and Barnaby’s place. You must’ve been a hurry to drop something that you left behind something important. Just a few more walks, Wally made it to your front door and knocked three times. Then he waited, fiddling with the red string tied to his pinky finger in the meantime.

. . .

Knock knock knock

Wally knocks again “(Y/n)? Are you home?”

Because if not then she probably already went to meet up with Julie. Then she must be in the forest already.



"NO! GET AWAY!" You didn't know why you bothered yelling, the lady in red will keep chasing you no matter where you go. Ready to drag you back to the world of Guertena. You can't run back to the neighborhood. That would get your secret out and you'll lose everything. You have to keep the painting in the forest. Even if it means running in circles while a red lady is draining out your energy.

Thank goodness you left your rose is at home. How did this painting even escaped?!

"Gah!" You felt your ankle be blocked by a twig, tripping you down to the ground. You turned to look behind and saw the lady in red, catching up to you with fast speed. You tried to get up but the pain in your ankle kept you from standing up.

The red lady got closer and closer. And you couldn't do anything about it!

Then someone blocked your view of the lady, and though it's getting dark you can make out the blue of Wally's cardigan.

"Wally?!"

Wally just stood his ground, and the lady in red suddenly froze. Then you could've sworn you heard a whimper, you manage to stand up a little to look over Wally's shoulders. That's when you saw the lady, a terrified mess as it left you and Wally alone. Disappearing to the darkness of the forest. That's when Wally turns to you "(Y/n), are you alright?"

He immediately got to your side and helped you stand.

"I think I'm fine, thanks Wally." How Wally even manage to scare away the red lady is not in your mind. It's too occupied wondering if your rose at home is still blooming.

"We need to get you home." Wally said before the two of you started walking to your home.

That's when you realized what comes next. Wally just saw what your secret is, and now he's going to want answers. You have no choice but to answer them, because as you already know. Wally is one perceptive puppet.



Daphne, Ficus, Iris, Lythrum, Myrica, Sabia, and Flos.

Those were the flowers that grew within your garden. Well, mother and father says it's your garden, but you know that you don't get to call it your garden. It wasn't you who planted those flowers; it wasn't you who; it wasn't you who maintained their health and beauty; it wasn't you who watched them grow from a little seedling and into a bright bloom; and it certainly wasn't you who can arrange each flower into a beautiful bouquet that will look lovely in your room. You'd love to be the one to do all of those things, but you're parents would never allow it, neither will your doctor, maids, butlers and your own skin.

And as much as you wanted your birthday to be celebrated outside where the sun can shine it's warmth. You knew that it would be an impossible birthday wish. Your condition will act up and you'll feel your skin burn for days on end. So your celebration remained indoors. No one to bare witness to your birthday but the maids and butlers. Friends never existed in your world and your parents are off on a business trip. Therefore they couldn't be there to celebrate.

All your parents did was send you their regards and a few gifts. Why are you not surprised? Your mother had gotten you another necklace. The color is not your favorite? Check. Will you be able to wear it on a special occasional like a ball? No, because that would mean going outside and take a risk with your condition. Also check. To the jewelery box it goes then.

The next gift is from you father, which was an oddity in itself. Your father would never dare to send you a painting, but as you scanned the painting itself, everything suddenly made sense. This was a painting of the neighborhood. And no, you're not thinking about your neighborhood, the painting showed the neighborhood from an old show called "Welcome home."

Your father adored that show, and it seems like this gift for you is more of a gift for himself. Still, it is a charming painting, that's why you had it set up in your room along with the other paintings you commissioned.

It's been three days ever since. And every single day you longed to just jump into the painting of the neighborhood and live there. Where peace is a constant and there's no one there to pamper everything you need. A place where you're an equal and the condition you have is non existence. You haven't watched the show itself, but your father has told you stories about it, and what your father describes sounds like a paradise. If only he had time to watch the show with you instead of working. . .

"Come (Y/n) dear."

You paused, looking up from your book. Expecting to see someone by your bedroom door to let you know that it's time to take your medicine. But there was no one there.

"Okay, creepy. Must be just the wind." You say to yourself while shrugging your shoulders. Then you went back to reading where you left off about the red eye stranger.

Then the lights went out. You let out a small yelp from the sudden darkness. Your hand darted under your pillows to grab the flashlight you always kept there. The light reached as far as it could, giving you a chance to see your room. You pointed the flashlight to your desk, to your bookshelf, to the window and finally to the. . . Paintings.

"Come (Y/n)."

We're written on every single painting, painted there with red paint. Whoever did this you don't want to know, you scrambled out of your bed and fumbled with the doorknob. Still, you manage to open your door and began running down the hall, with nothing but the light of flashlight to serve as your guide to the darkness that engulfed the house. You immediately went downstairs, expecting to see the green wallpaper, but the further you ran the more you realized that the green wallpaper had turned into a shade of blue. A blue hallway where paintings of a red seascape hung on the walls. When did the hallway got longer? And why is it suddenly getting cold?

And. . .

There's footsteps chasing you from behind. You didn't dare look back to see what it was, after turning to another hallway you found a door opened to another room. You dashed to that room and locked the door. You may be meek, but that didn't stop you from barricading the door to with yourself. The footsteps you heard then kept on going down further the hall. Leaving you to catch your breath from all that running.

"What in the world is going on?" You say to yourself again, using your voice to ground yourself in reality. Who are you kidding?! There's no way this could be real!

"Maybe I'm just dreaming?" You pinched your cheeks as hard as you could. . .

Nope, still here.

"Calm down (Y/n) maybe you just need something else to wake you up!" You got ready to ram yourself against the wall. Hopefully the impact will be enough to wake you up. If not, then it's just going to be really painful for you.

"Come (Y/n)."

There it is again!

You looked around again and like before, you saw nothing. Except for the painting of the neighborhood and a table with a rose. Shining it's warm atmosphere. Is that where the whispers are coming from? Impossible, a painting can't say anything other than the message it sends through pigments and brush strokes. Then there's the rose, idly sitting in a white porcelain vase. Without thinking, you picked up the rose from the vase and take in the beautiful scent. The painting stares down at you.

And in turn, you reached your hand out.

This is where your new life begins.

#wally darling #wally darling x reader #wally darling x y/n #wally darling x you #welcome home #fanfic #wally darling my beloved #wally x reader #welcome home arg x reader #welcome home fanart

[writingpencil]

The Rift

From the forming rips in the earth’s beautiful skin glowed purple; brilliant rays of lavender and magenta combined, with beams of light matching the stars, created wounds that expanded across all of the horizons. Buildings were cracked in half, shattered like feeble glass, and others disappeared entirely, neverminding who or what was inside. Villagers and animals ran from the purple, many unable to escape, crying out for the guardians of the continent.

The Hermit of the mines, TFC, had felt the earthquakes long before they arrived. He noticed the way the monsters began to cower, even ran past him, and how the bats flocked to him for protection. The older man was the first to encounter a rip in the underneath. It had nearly swallowed him whole if not for his quick thinking. TFC gathered up everything he could as the earth rumbled - including the bats - and scrambled out of his mines. Thankfully, the miner sustained few injuries. It was TFC, accompanied by a bird, who reported the strange phenomenon that allowed the other Hermits - the supposed guardians - to act.

Several Hermits had spread out, saving who and what they could. False had led the recovery charge, commanding her fellow Hermits with the grace of a true warrior. However, even with her leadership on the surface, many were unable to be helped. For every shulker of valuables Etho gathered, Beef lost several cattle. For every villager Stress saved, Tango wasn’t able to save entire farms - losing pounds upon pounds of redstone. It was a game of balance, an ability to win but with cost, and no Hermit knew how long they had.

In the meanwhile, the Admin had the rest of the Hermits at the source - as close as they could be, housed in the Entity that seemed unaffected. The Rift had grown significantly bigger, swallowing Grian’s base whole without thought, creating a massive crater. As if it couldn’t get any worse; Xisuma had started looking through code hours ago, but what was dubbed the Rift left no error in the code. There was nothing he could trace, nothing he could find, and nothing he could do. Xisuma looked at the Hermits who were’t on recovery. Iskall and Mumbo were some of the best redstoners, Doc was immaculate at breaking the established universe, Grian caused the entire mess, and Scar was leaning out of the Entity, trying to touch the Rift.

“Scar, no!” Grian grabbed Scar and pulled him back. 

“Get a hold of yourself, Scar!” Doc yelled, pausing his pacing to do so.

Scar blinked. “But it reacts!-”

Xisuma shushed them. “We can’t lose a Hermit. Scar, stay away from any exits.”

“Why am I here then?!” Scar asked, confusion painted in his face.

“You’re-...” Xisuma stuttered. “You’re a terraformer! The Rift is terraforming the earth! We might- we might need you…”

“It reacts…?” Iskall mumbled, grabbing a piece of wood from a chest. The redstoner knelt by the entrance and threw the wood toward the edge of a deep chasm. He jumped back in surprise when a wave of purple snatched the piece of wood, pulling it into purple. “You guys saw that, right?”

Mumbo nodded, kneeling beside Iskall while Doc stood over them. “Why isn’t it doing that to the Entity?”

“It’s the Entity.” Grian answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“It could… be a safe space.” Doc said, moving the two redstoners aside to stick his hand out, only to pull it back when part of the Rift extended toward him. “It’s a safe space, oh dear malarky- Grian, how did you do this?!”

Grian scrambled. “I-I built it! It’s just colored glass and ender rods!”

“Ender rods…” Iskall tapped the side of his index to his lips. “Ender rods don’t have a history of teleporting items or people… but maybe there’s something in the glass its reacting to?”

“Glass is just sand-” Mumbo pointed out. 

Doc let out a frustrated hiss .”Sand heated at one thousand degrees celsius -  four thousand at fahrenheit… All of that done in furnace without us interfering. Nothing should’ve gotten into the glass-”

“Well, something did.” Mumbo said.

Xisuma checked the coding once more. “I still can’t find anything wrong with the code. We’re gonna have to go with the natural world explanation - as much as we hate it.”

“Or the unnatural.” 

The Admit and Hermits looked at Grian, who approached the entrance with hesitation. His eyes of lack coal stared at his creation, his wings and body tense. 

“Grian…?” It was Scar who called out his name. 

With a sigh, Grian rapped his knuckles against the stony walls of the Entity.

“Get us down there.” Grian commanded, a faint purple glow appearing on his forehead, under his mess of curled bangs.

The Entity slowly began to move, its heartbeat becoming more alive, surprising the Admin and other Hermits. While the others grabbed on for dear life, Grian stayed standing at the entrance. Once the Entity stretched its legs, it began to crawl toward the crater, walking on the Rift as if it was another floor. Several chests slide around, but never went far, unlike the panicked screaming of the others.

Finally, the Entity stood at the bottom of the rift crater, where the living galaxy’s stars were most intense and clear. 

Grian patted the Entity with a smile. “Good interdimensional being, good Entity.”

There was rumbling in the walls of the Entity, mimicking that of a purr.

“G-Grian… what the heck?!” Xisuma was panicking, more than he should. He witness the entire moon crashing onto a continent, yet a moving rock with legs is what scared him most.

“One problem at a time?” Grian looked down at the portal-esque galaxy. “This is as close to the source as we can get without getting absorbed.”

“As close, he says.” Iskall rubbed the stress away from his eyes.

“Yeah,” Mumbo followed. “As if we aren’t standing on it!”

Doc went by Grian’s side. “Wow… it’s kinda pretty…”

“Don’t get pulled in.” Grian warned, sending a glare Scar’s way. “This should help, right?”

“Grian…” Xisuma said, slowly, as if a warning. “Come here.”

Confused, the avian approached. “What is iiiiiiit- oh my Void-”

On the screen of code, the code had switched from the common tongue the hermits agreed on using, to one of ancient history. Grian’s eyes grew wide seeing it.

“Why would it…”

“And,” Xisuma added. “Yours and the Rift’s coding is the exact same.”

There was a moment of silence.

“What?” Mumbo was the first one to speak.

Xisuma nodded. “Furthermore… only a section of the Rift is present. The rest of the Rift - all the chasms and holes - are not showing up. Does this symbol look familiar?”

Grian tared at the screen, slowly nodding. “That was the original Rift…”

“As much I don’t want to say it… G, the Rift is connected to you-”

“I know.” Grian cut Xisuma off. “I know what I have to do.”

“What do you have to do?” Iskall asked. 

Grian went back to the entrance then tapped on the Entity’s walls. “Let me leave. Get them home.”

“G?” Scar took a hold of Grian’s arm, pulling him back. “What are you doing?”

Grian paused, avoiding looking Scar in the eyes. “S-... say hi to Jellie for me, okay?”

“Wh- Grian, what are you talking about? What are you planning?” Scar cupped both of Grian’s cheek, forcing the avian to look at him. “What are you doing…?”

“I-...” Grian closed his eyes, sighing out a deep breath. He took Scar’s hands and set a small, rectangle shaped device in them, not allowing Scar to see. “You and Mumbo take care of him, hear me?”

“Grian?-” Before Scar could utter another word, Grian jumped out of the Entity. “Grian!”

A chorus of Grian’s name could be heard following Scar, all in vain. At once, the Entity scrambled out of the crater. Xisuma and Doc held back Scar, not allowing the terraformer to join Grian. The sudden sound of infinite glass shattering echoed in the Admin and Hermits’ ears, mixing with the quickening thump thump thump of the Entity’s heart.

The entire world shook at its core, sending waves of pulsing energy, rattling the ground and knocking down all, even the birds and Hermits who were using elytras. Even the Entity lost its footing, causing the few inside to spiral. It seemed to last hours until, finally, everything stopped. The earthquakes ceased, the wounds had healed themselves, leaving no trace of the Rift. 

“Ow…” Scar shoved a dazzed Mumbo off of him. He attempted to stand, but a rush of nausea hit him like a bullet train. His head spun in the worst of ways, so Scar remained lying on the floor of the Entity.

“Is… everyone okay…?” Xisuma sat up, shutting his eyes tightly.

“I’m alive, if that counts…” Mumbo groaned. “I might need to go on another vacation…”

Iskall held up a thumb and Doc hissed lowly.

“Grian…” Scar tried once more to get up. “Where’s Grian…?”

“I don’t know-” Xisuma was the first to stand, stumbling toward the entrance. “... everything looks normal. I think we’re at Mumbo’s vault?”

“Impossible…” Mumbo was second to stand, peaking his head out of the entrance. “I don’t see Grian’s base.”

Doc pulled up Iskall, allowing the shorter man to lean on him. “Wasn’t it swallowed up?”

“I-... excuse me, Mx. Entity?” Mumbo wasn’t entirely sure who - or what - he was speaking to. Or if it would listen. “Can you move? We want to see the bridge.”

Slowly, the Entity hopped down from Mumbo’s vault and turned toward the bridge. The Admin and Hermits felt collective sorrow. Grian’s base wasn’t there, nor was the bridge. Any trace of it was left in the moon shaped portal, more damaged than it was previously.

Xisuma hopped out of the Entity, making sure it was safe before helping the others out. He pulled up the code, finding nothing. “No sign of Grian…”

“Nether?” Iskall asked.

“Where’s the nearest portal?” Xisuma glanced at the moon portal.

Even in the Nether there was no trace of Grian or his influence on the continent. Everything he has built, apart from the Entity, were erased, while every other building was repaired with subtle cracks - like scars. However, all the villagers and animals lost did not return. No amount of searching gave results.

“The only thing left to do is… rebuild.” Xisuma said, once every Hermit was in attendance for the gathering.

They were not about to abandon this continent. Not like the last one. 

This time they all could do something. 

“Hey, Scar?” Bdubs approached the unusually quiet terraformer. “Guess who I found!”

Scar looked at Bdubs, expecting nothing, but being filled with painful joy. “Jellie!”

“Yeah!” Bdubs handed the beautiful cat over, holding back giggles as Scar held her close. “I found her on a tiny island surrounded by the purple stuff before it poofed! She was totally unbothered! She has the luckiest nine lives ever!”

“Thanks, Bdubs…” Scar felt a lump swell in his throat. Cool tears rained down his heated cheeks, falling onto Jellie’s fur. “You… you didn’t see Grian anywhere, did you?”

Bdubs pouted his lips. “No… I didn’t… I’m sorry, Scar.”

“It’s fine.” With a small sniffle, a wipe of his eyes, Scar forced a smile. “He’ll show up, I’m sure of it. Hey, I’ll catch up with you later to help with rebuilding. I gotta do something.”

Bdubs didn’t look convinced, but he nodded anyways. “Okay, dude…”

Scar carried Jellie away, chewing on his lip and peeling the skin off. Jellie mewled in protest, shoving herself against Scar’s mouth to get him to stop. It worked, mostly. At least his hand her occupied. He never opened his other hand, where Grian’s strange rectangle was still waiting to be revealed. Scar wasn’t sure if he should look at it.

It was Grian’s. He said to take care of it- him. Take care of him.

Slowly, hesitantly, Scar unraveled his fist.

“A… tomogatchi?” Scar furrowed his brows in confusion, turning on the rectangular tomogatchi to see if there was anything else. The screen flickered blue, then three lighter blue dots appeared, doing the wave for a few seconds. “What in the Vex- OHMYELVENKISSES-”

Square eyes opened on the device, blinking at Scar as its mustache appeared. Scar nearly dropped the poor thing as text appeared.

Hello!

“Oh my Vex, it talks-”

My name is Grumbot! Of course I talk! He/They please!

“Grumbot…?” Scar could physically feel the buffering circle in his brain. “Oh, from the mayoral campaign! That was a long time ago, oh my Vex-”

Hello, Mr. Scar! Hello, jelly kitty!

“Hi, Grumbot, how- why- I thought you were left in your box?”

No, sir! Not for long! Fathers brought me with them!

“Fathers- right, Mumbo and Gr…Grian…” Scar couldn’t help but frown.

Yes! Where are my fathers, sir? I want to see them!

Scar looked around at the remaining Hermits, seeing if Mumbo was around. It wasn’t hard finding the tall, lanky man of black and red, and Scar nearly sprinted over. “Mumbo! Mumbo, hi!”

“Hi, Scar, I was looking for you-” 

“What a coincidence! I was looking for you!” Scar held up Grumbot. “I think- I think Grian meant to give him to you.”

Mumbo took Grumbot-gatchi and gave the little device a gentle kiss. “Hi, buddy…”

Scar watched Mumbo talk to Grumbot, unable to see the text.

“I’m, uh, I’m alive, Grumbot… Yes, I’ve been eating- no, no projects have been keeping me up. Grumbot-...” Mumbo was silent for a long time. “Grian is gone, Grumbot… we don’t know where he is. And… Grumbot, don’t overheat, we are still looking… Of course I’m not going to abandon you- Scar is gonna help me take care of you, okay?”

“I am-?”

Mumbo looked at Scar with an unreadable look - a mix of glaring and desperation. “Yes. You are. Grian asked you to.”

#hermitcraft #hermitcraft fanfic #fanfic #grian #mumbo jumbo #goodtimeswithscar #xisuma #xisumavoid #docm77 #TFC #hermitcraft tfc #writing #on writing #creative writing #writers #writeblr #writers on tumblr

[candiedspit]

Banana Daiquiri

It was summertime; hot tango and swedish malt. 

I was twenty five, a lonely space cadet with no return mission. I floated through the mist of pristine, magic light. I wore a cocktail dress to the corner store because I could. Artificial diamonds shuddered on my wrist while a thousand hot words licked the walls of my mind every single second. I was very alive most days. 

For work, I took care of Gem, a bright seven year old whose favorite color was a carcinogenic green. The kid was mute. And in lieu of a proper schedule–some of the families I’d worked for before treated their children as hostages to time, every hour had a name–I was given the simple task of entertaining Gem until her parents got home from work. 

This meant long walks to the playground, afternoon movies, aquariums, library trips. I liked Gem. Her long sheet of blonde hair which ran down to her stomach and flew in the wind. Her penchant for worms and dirt. I could tell she knew more than I did, picked up on the subtle tones of the universe.

Each morning, I picked her up from her house and we headed out. Out to the avenues. Out to run out fingers along the brisk voltage of morning. Out to the world. It was the third week of June. It had been raining on and off for several days. But at last, the skies were clear and the sun was beautiful, dazzling rays falling to the ground. Gem held my hand. 

Gem, it’s a wondrous morning, I said as we walked. 

I held her backpack on my shoulder. 

It’s the kind of morning you could weep over, I continued. 

The kind you dream about when you’ve been inside for too long, marinating in all of your perceived misery piss. The kind you didn’t think you’d ever see again. But here it is. 

I love the summers most because every horrible thing you did in the winter is gone. Every tantrum. Every snarl. Every shard of glass. Gone, gone, gone.

Eleven blocks. 

We walked until we reached Gem’s favorite park, the one with the long, twisted slide and sprinklers and swings. Gem let go of my hand and ran to the swings. I sat down on a bench and drank from my water bottle. After this, we’d go to get lunch. Strawberry ice cream. Soda, sandwiches sliced down the middle. And then maybe we’d saunter down the boardwalk and play some of the games they have there. 

I’ve always gotten along well with kids. I think I understand them. The bossa nova of the world, each little thrill and dissapointment. How you can feel gladness singe your fingertips. How the sun shines for the first time every time. 

How confusing the grown ups are. 

After work, I usually went to my favorite bar or called the man I’m seeing. Or both at once. It depended on how tired I was, how long the day had been. That evening, I went to the bar. On third street, it was a run-down bar that never had more than twenty occupants. I sat at the bar and ordered my usual; a banana daiquiri. The bartend asked how my day was. I said it was fine and left the conversation at that. I watched the small television above his head. A newscast about the bombings in Turkey and gasoline prices. All things that didn’t touch me. The universe only existed as I could see it. I got one more drink, paid and left. 

On my walk back home, the skies were bloodied and vicious and beautiful. Clouds ate at one another like twins in the womb. I was wearing a long blue dress. I felt like taking off my skin. I wanted the wind. I wanted everyone to love me. The buildings seemed enormous, metallic titans left to rot in the ground after some fantastic war. I was living in the land of zero, the peace spread across the land like a woman on a bed. 

I got home too soon. 

✴

Gem stopped speaking at around three years old. 

It was January and outside, snow filled the gaps of the city like glue. It dawned upon her parents as syrup spreads across the table–the silence. No babbles through the hallways. No requests for sippy cup. No mama. When her mother would urge her to speak, she would look into her face with her insect green eyes, and then look away. Gem’s pediatrician said she would grow back into speech. Had something happened? 

Nothing happened, her mother said. Nothing has happened. 

Gem had always concerned her parents. During holidays–out on the white, dense beach in Spain or with her many spritely cousins at Christmas–Gem preferred to play alone. She could never look at the camera when pictures were taken. And she had this–her parents called it a habit–habit of doing a sort of kangaroo hop when she was excited or nervous or anything at all. Sometimes she wringed her fingers in and out of crooked fists. 

 But the speaking was different. When Gem’s mother told me, she couldn’t stop herself from getting choked up. 

It was like we lost her, she said. Whatever stupid hope I had that she was simply an eccentric kid, that I was the idiot for not understanding the way she saw the world, was killed. And replaced with the fact that we had something on our hands we weren’t prepared for. 

When they finally got the diagnosis, Gem was five. 

Often in these cases, early intervention was key; but also, girls were typically diagnosed later than boys. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. And what mattered was what her parents were going to do next. Therapists moved in and out of the house like business men on a train. Occupational, speech, physical. 

But in the summertime, she didn’t have access to therapists. All she had was me and our little ventures into the world. I hoped I was doing good by Gem. That sunflower kid. That cartoon heart. All I could do was try to guide, be her compass in a dark terrain. 

I liked living two lives. 

One where I filled in the gaps and another where I fell through them. 

✴

Sometimes, I have strange thoughts, I told him. 

I was in the bed of the man I loved. And I was sure he loved me too. At least, at that moment. He was five years older than I was. But he was fun to be with. I liked spilling out in the dark with him. I liked his giant hands over mine. I liked surprising him.  

What kinda thoughts? He asked. 

I know what other people are thinking. I know what everything means. There’s an ultraviolet shimmer to the world and I can see through it, I said. 

It’s hard to explain, I continued. Happy neons. Dark, frustrated movements. An elevator dropping to the basement. How do you explain a yard to a kid kept in the attic? 

You’re a freak, he laughed and kissed my head. 

He didn’t understand. 

✴

I sat out on his balcony–he was one of those people who had balconies but never used them–at the end of a gigantic, African cigar; one of his favorite pastimes besides television. And me. It tasted like midnight, a rough kind of bark. Ash. I liked letting the smoke out so that it floated above the city like a warning of sorts. Beware, there are people who say they love you and don’t. Beware, there are peep holes even in Heaven. I was high on a pill he’d slipped into my mouth, something small and pink. In combination with the tar and the night air and the fact that I was naked, I felt like a kerosene bomb. I felt like a laughing serpent. A dirty thrill. I began to speak out loud, beneath my breath so that nobody could hear me. 

Not anyone besides you. 

There aren’t many people like us, I began. Not everyone can see the mess, the vomit and slashes of graffiti and stray dogs and doom, and smile. Not everyone can see that there are fairgrounds in a warzone. Not everyone can touch the music. Not everyone can hear the light from miles away. But we can, Gem. I think we are gods.

I think we are poets.

#my poetry #fiction

[happy-hermit]

Stuck on a long car ride and took it as an opportunity to write post-last life scar angst <3 (dedicated to @stiffyck who expressed a need for scar centered angst and I wholeheartedly agree. hope you don’t mind the tag aldkdj)

Anyway hope y’all like it!! :D

Part Two

———

They appear all together when the game ends. They pop in at spawn, a cacophony of noise and apologies and panic, phantom aches from their final deaths shooting through their bodies. Scar can still feel the arrow that had pierced his chest. Wonders if anyone had even noticed, when he died.

He sits up, groaning, eyes automatically falling to his chest, half expecting to see blood. There’s none, of course, and somehow that seems equally as disturbing as the alternative. He’s wearing his Swaggon outfit. It feels a little too cheerful. It feels like it doesn’t belong to him. He’s grown used to the weight of a heavy cloak around his shoulders; he’s off balance without it.

The others are all in front of him, some standing and some still on the ground. None of them look like they know what they’re supposed to be doing, all of them eyeing each other as they attempt to gather their wits. It’s the second time this has happened, for most of them. It doesn’t really make it easier.

Scar pushes himself to his feet after a few seconds of assessing if his legs are able to carry him, and though he stumbles, he doesn’t fall. Good thing, because he’s not sure anyone would catch him if he did.

He’d spawned in on the edge of the group, and he scans the area in front of him to make sure that everyone who was supposed to be on hermitcraft is there — that no one had been left behind. He relaxes a little when he realizes everyone is accounted for. Bdubs and Tango are closest to him, standing a few yards away having some sort of playful argument, Etho standing nearby and watching. He catches Scar’s eye and shrugs a little, like what-can-you-do?

Scar cracks a little smile, and he wants to go over there. He wants to talk to someone. He wants to not be alone.

His feet don’t move. His heart crawls up his throat and curls into a tight ball. His voice wouldn’t work, if he tried to use it.

Farther away, Grian leaps at a disoriented Mumbo and hugs him. He looks like he’s mouthing apologies. Scar knows what Grian looks like when he’s apologizing. He knows what Grian looks like with bloody knuckles and sandy hair. He knows what Grian looks like when he has to kill a friend.

Impulse claps Mumbo on the back, smiling. A few hermits gather around Pearl, checking on her after her first time in the games.

Scar could go over there. He knows they wouldn’t kick him out, knows they would talk to him.

He can’t make himself move. He has grown too used to being alone. He doesn’t know what to do, now that he doesn’t have to be.

(Part of him blames them. None of them had offered companionship before, why should he offer it now?)

(There’s a louder part that blames himself. Maybe if he’d been different. If he’d tried harder. Maybe he had deserved to be lonely. Better alone than a burden.)

Fireworks go off in the distance as the other hermits come to greet them. There will probably be some type of celebration, to catch up and welcome them home. It’ll probably be fun.

Scar is at the edge of the crowd, and he slips away.

———

There are no lights on in the Swaggon when he gets there. Dust particles float lazily in the rays from the setting sun, and his hands are cold. His chest hurts. He’s not sure anymore if it’s residual respawn pain. He just wants someone to touch him, or hug him. He can’t ask.

The ladder creaks as he climbs it, and it’s loud in the suffocating silence. Normally, Scar would be filling it. He’s afraid to try to speak. Afraid of what will happen if he can’t.

His room is exactly how he’d left it. Messy bedsheets, half-pooled on the floor. Partially drawn blueprints on his desk. Top hat sitting on a shelf.

Jellie on the bed. She’s stretching, back arching and already purring. She makes her way to the end of the bed nearest to him, and she meows. Where have you been? I’ve been waiting.

Scar stumbles forward and falls to his knees next to the bed, reaching out. He’s not breathing. He can’t. Jellie gingerly sniffs his hand for a few seconds, and then she rubs against it, meowing again, purring louder.

Scar doesn’t realize he’s crying until a tear drips onto his hand, and then he laughs a little, quiet and sad. Jellie meows again, almost accusing.

“Sorry,” Scar says, and his voice cracks, barely above a whisper. He’s afraid he’ll break more than silence if he talks any louder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave.”

He pets her for a while, long enough that the sun goes down and the stars come out. Long enough that his tears dry on his face and his eyelids droop. It’s quiet. He can hear an owl hooting outside, distantly. He doesn’t really feel like he’s come home at all.

Eventually, he picks up his cat and gets into bed, letting her curl up top of him. Her purring eases the phantom pains in his chest, and he sighs shakily, tension bleeding out of his muscles. His hands are still cold. He falls asleep anyway.

#hi stiff we’ve never talked before but I love your art ALJSJDJ hi #thinking about adding a second part with comfort if anyone wants to see that #goodtimeswithscar #gtws #last life #last life smp #jay’s journal #j writes

[catmaidetho]

not really an etho question but related, do you have headcanons about redstone :? like, its toxicity, its effect on skin, maybe etho has some redstone related injuries or his skin is just fucked up cuz of it. or if you don't have your own headcanons, which ones do u like??

i got pinned in a discord server for very plainly saying, "all redstoners are insane because they have radiation poisoning." because redstone is absolutely radioactive. it's mostly stable, the way plutonium is, but if you power that shit? why do you think it glows? that's radioactivity, baby!!!

it won't kill you, and the average minecrafter probably won't experience any detrimental health effects, but people like etho who've made a career out of working with it are definitely at risk. the average, small redstone contraption has about as much radiation in it as an x-ray. larger contraptions you can definitely feel the heat radiating off of them if the wires aren't enclosed properly.

etho's definitely had a few close calls in the early days (grabbing live redstone wires when machines start going off the fritz and burning his hands, for example) but he's gotten better with time. both of his eyes used to be black, but while building the nexus it started raining and a redstone wire jumped and slapped him in the face. he still hates having to make sure all his redstone is entirely covered by blocks, but the other hermits are like "that's a safety hazard. please cover your redstone i dont want radiation poisoning from just flying past your base."

i also think redstone dust stains like nothing else. like how flamingos are pink from all the shrimp they eat, the tips of redstoners' fingers and their nails are permanently stained red from constant handling. impulse learned to wear gloves early on, and his fingertips have mostly healed back to a normal color. tango and etho are both in the camp of "if i cant physically feel the redstone on my fingers, i feel like i dont know what i'm doing" so they just suffer. doc is simply immune because creeper/robot logic.

(cw vomit) eating redstone makes you very, very ill. unless you're mumbo "killsalot" jumbo who for some reason is just immune. he's accidentally put redstone instead of sugar in his coffee more times than he can count and never gotten sick. etho, on the other hand! while very bored, he decided to eat a redstone torch like it was pocky and then was throwing up blood for three days. (he'd do it again, it doesnt even taste that bad. "etho you were throwing up so much blood we all thought you were going to die" "okay and? it tasted like sweettarts.")

#khaos.qna #sorry this got long. i have a lot of thoughts on how redstone works #i tihnk 'its just electricity 2' is kind of boring #yknow whats FUN and HIP? #RADIATION!!!!!!!!

[bluiex]

Remember when I said I had too many WIPs? Yeah, have Scar texting Grian bc I decided in order for them to meet more and to make their interactions organic, Scar became a catsitter. A total foolproof plan, by the way, so foolproof.

--

He took his coat from where he hung it, saluting everyone as he checked his phone for the first time this evening. Nothing much, just Cub asking if they wanted to get drinks after the council meeting, False confirming what exactly they needed to bring up during the meeting, and a missed call from an unknown number.

His eyes widened when he remembered his promise to the cat lover—Grian was his name—and he immediately texted the phone number Grian gave him, ignoring the missed call from the unknown number. If it was important, they were either gonna call again tomorrow or they would’ve left a message. 

He entered the bus when he finally sent that message and waited impatiently for an answer. It wasn’t too late, he could see the last rays of sun fading into a darker blue, and he hoped Grian didn’t have a strict bedtime. His leg bounced and he played with his phone case, putting it off and on. 

His phone buzzed with a reply when he was opening his apartment. He checked he didn’t forget anything at Tango’s, gave pets to Jellie, noticing his roommate wasn’t in his room, and slumped on the couch, opening the text. 

Grian :D (8:24 PM): i had a feeling you forgot

Grian :D (8:24 PM): i talked with my girlfriend and she suggested we meet our cats before arranging you as our catsitter

Scar’s eyes widened at the suggestion. He completely forgot cats could get very much territorial, especially his Jellie who had her space since forever. Hopefully his roommate wouldn’t mind two more cats for an undetermined amount of time. 

He propped his elbow to have an easier time to reply.

Scar (8:25 PM): That’s a great idea!

Scar (8:26 PM): When were you thinking of meeting up?

He would never thank the heavens enough for the gift of autocorrect. 

As he waited for a reply, he clicked on his roommate’s messages. 

Scar (8:26 PM): Do you mind having two more cats for a while?

Grian had already replied before he could answer Cub’s message.

Grian :D (8:27 PM): how about tomorrow

Grian :D (8:27 PM): i’ll bring pearl and maui to your place 

Scar (8:28 PM): Sounds good!

His roommate just sent him a thumbs up and Scar warned faer he’ll have a visitor tomorrow. 

He finally answered Cub’s and False’s messages (yes, he would love to get drinks with Cub; he doesn’t know, please email Bdubs about it) and, as he stared into nothingness, realized his headache was gone. Maybe the meds actually worked. 

Jellie hopped on the couch, joining him and asking for pets. He chuckled fondly as he started to pet her, feeling his eyelids getting heavy. He couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

-- bloop anon (yes i decided that larry the snail was scar's roommate and use fae/faer pronouns bc magic snail)

OMG I LOVE LARRY THE SNAIL ALREADY

BEAUTIFUL. I'm glad we get a little more from this AU x3 it's so good.. Still wanting to know about the whole gf thing!! *rattles the bars of my cage*

#bluie gets an ask poggers

[strawhatsoraya]

Hey! Could I request Levi smut with Opposites Attract AU and A spare outfit July prompt please?

I'm so sorry for how long it takes me to write these! Thank you for requesting from my little event.

A Fire

LEVI X FEM READER / NO PRONOUNS BUT READER HAS BREAST AND VAGINA SO / NSFW

WORD COUNT: 1.2k

CONTENT WARNINGS: nudity--duh, nipple play, there is a fire and they are dangerously close to it while doing the horizontal tango so i guess that should be a warning, please don't try it at home, fingering, and vaginal penetration

Cool, calm and collected.

Bright, excitable, and  loud.

A friendship didn’t even make sense between you two, yet something blossomed; a flower on a rocky cliff. He was the dark cloud trying to obfuscate your sunshine. You battled him with bright rays, scattering his gloom to the netherlands.

He hated it once. Now, he just expected it.

You were both coming back from a mission, exhaustion weighing down your hardened bodies. While the horses helped cut on your travel time, it did not protect you from the taciturn moods of the weather. Rain had poured from the sky, quickly soaking through your clothes. 

You both take refuge in an abandoned building of a village, leaving your horses under a dilapidated awning. You hoped it would be enough to keep them from the worst of it. It was getting cold and your biggest worry was making a fire at the moment.

“I have a spare outfit,” you tell him as you make it in, leaving puddles of water wherever you stand for too long. Levi grunts, not liking your blasé attitude. He keeps his back to you, trying to hold back from going on a long nagging rant. You take his silence as acceptance and shrug a shoulder. “It might be too small though!” you sing out the words, trying to gauge his response.

You see him tense up, his shoulders rising and freezing only to softly loosen again. You giggle at the observation. Who knew what was going through his mind. After all your time spent together, you still couldn’t figure out what went on between those two oddly small ears. 

He manages to get a fire going by the time you pull out a spare change of clothes from your knapsack. You walk up to him, arm extended, trying not to stare at the way the white fabric of his shirt clings to his back; the way it moves fluidly with his muscles as he turns to look at you. The orange glow from the fire casts shadows on the sharp planes of his face. You swallow thickly, feeling a blush creep up your chest and neck.

“Your face is red,” he comments with a frown and before you can stutter an excuse and stop him, he is standing up close. He lifts a hand and presses it against your forehead.

His skin feels cold against yours and while you’re aware you’re not ill you think, maybe you are feverish after all. A dumb excuse forms in the back of your throat but before you could push it to the forefront, his mouth is against yours, slotting his lips for a gentle kiss.

It was preposterous the way it took your breath away. His fingers are in your wet hair, tangling in your locks. He pulls at them in an attempt to bring you closer, to seal your mouth entirely against his. Something between a protest and a moan wafts from your breath to his and he muffles it with his tongue, brushing his against yours before suckling.

Inhibitions scatter when he kisses up your jawline. Your fingers reach out for him, grasping wet fabric clinging to his back. It isn’t long before he lowers you to the ground, a fire blazing next to you. It warms your skin, and so does his tongue against the column of your throat.

He sucks on the hollow of your neck, as he undoes the buttons of your shirt. The air feels cool against your heated skin. Goosebumps run over your skin wherever he drops open mouthed kisses. You reach out for his face when he kisses down your chest. Levi captures your hand in his, turns his head to lick up the center of your palm.

“Don’t fight it,” he says, lids heavy with lust. “Let me take charge for now.”

Even if you wanted to, you wouldn’t be able to. His hands slip under your bra, palming your breasts. Your nipples which had been erect due to the chill, now respond to the heat of his hands. His pinching fingers send jolts of electricity throughout your body. Your back is lifting off the ground before you can help it, a sharp gasp flying from your mouth. You feel him smile against your skin, where he is kissing the top of one breast. 

He uses his nose to nudge your bra to the side, craftily circling a nipple with his tongue. You moan, tangling your fingers in his hair. Your breathing quickens when you feel his hands move over your thighs, to the waistband of your trousers. It is frightening at the rapid pace he has you half undressed, fingers pushing aside the elastic of your panties to gently caress your wet folds.

Your slickness beckons him, and he moves his fingers inside you, searching out that spongy secret that he knows will make your toes curl. He doesn’t let go of your nipple, instead increasing the force of his sucking, especially when you start moving your hips against his hand. He presses his palm flat against your clit, rubbing furiously the more you moan and whimper. 

“Captain!” you breathe out, sharp as you pull on his hair. The heat in your center is blazing, tightening and tightening, a coil ready to snap. His fingers moved inside you at a delicious pace. He groaned when he felt you clamping around his fingers. “I’m gonna cum!”

Levi laughs, as if he needed you to tell him. He was well aware.

“Then come,” he orders you, fingers picking up the pace. “What are you waiting for?”

You shut your eyes tightly, as if that would stave off the feeling of euphoria. You cry out, and clamp a hand over your mouth quickly. Your body shakes, your orgasm causing little tremors everywhere. As you try to gather your senses, try to make sense of what was happening, you feel Levi moving between your legs.

His face is buried on your neck, and you think you hear him say something–perhaps a warning, before you feel the tip of his hardened cock around your entrance. You gasp, fingers digging into the flesh of his shoulders. He doesn’t wait any longer before entering you, a soft moan wafting from his puffy lips the moment he is buried inside you.

His hips start moving, surprisingly gentle at first. You wrap your legs around him, hold his face in your hands as you kiss him. He returns your kiss with fervor, moaning against your tongue.

Just like your friendship had blossomed, just like the easy way he laughed at your jokes, this was unprecedented. But you couldn’t deny the way the fluttering in your chest when he looked down at you, wet hair like a curtain around his face. You couldn’t help the small whimper in the back of your throat at the feel of his cock moving inside you, or the way you thought the air in your lungs catches fire when he brushes his nose against yours.

You don’t want to question it, at least not tonight, you think as you wrap your arms around his neck. Tonight, you just wanted to be his, for as long as the fire roared next to you.

#fic request #levi ackerman #levi x y/n #aot: levi x reader #levi x reader #levi x you #levi smut #aot x reader #aot x you #aot smut #aot fanfiction

[defectivegembrain]

Community characters as Crazy Ex Girlfriend songs

Yep I'm doing this because of course I am. Partially inspired by this post, but also I do this a lot at least in my head with a lot of different media.

Jeff: Let's Have Intercourse, Settle For Me, Don't Be A Lawyer, I Could If I Wanted To, Greg's Jeff's Drinking Song, I'm the Villain in My Own Story, End of the Movie (to Abed), Feelin' Kinda Naughty (about Rich), Get Your Ass Out of My House (to Chang), The Moment Is Me

Jeff and Troy: Sports Analogies, Fit Hot Guys Have Problems Too

Jeff and Britta: We Should Definitely Not Have Sex Right Now, Horny Angry Tango, Nothing Is Ever Anyone's Fault, We'll Never Have Problems Again

Jeff and Craig: Gratuitous Karaoke Moment

Britta: I'm a Good Person, Without Love You Can Save The World, This Is My Movement, You Stupid Bitch, What'll It Be, A Fuckton Of Cats, This Session Is Gonna Be Different (when she tries to "therapize" Abed), Oh My God I Think I Like You (about Jeff), The Darkness, I'm Not Sad You're Sad, Love Kernels (about pretty much every guy she dates tbh, yes even Actual Ray of Sunshine Troy Barnes)

Troy: I Have Friends (in high school), Thought Bubbles, A Boy Band Made Up Of Four Joshes Troys (in early Annie's head), Trapped in a Car With Someone You Don't Wanna Be Trapped in a Car With (driving everyone home on his birthday)

Troy's dad: Get Your Ass Out of My House

Troy and Abed: Having A Few People Over (housewarming party), You Go First (pillow war)

Abed: A Diagnosis, Gettin' Bi (yeah yeah not canon whatever, let me have this it's so cool in my head), Dream Ghost (to Jeff)

Gobi Nadir to Abed: I've Always Never Believed in You (I'm so very very sorry), Forget It

Annie: The Darkness, Love Kernels (about Jeff), Dear Joshua Felix Chan Troy (does he have a middle name?) Barnes, Romantic Moments, How to Clean Up (to Troy and Abed probably at some point), I'm Just A Girl In Love, You Do/Don't Wanna Be Crazy, Meet Rebecca Annie (Other Annie is the version in Jeff's head he imagines being married to)

Annie Kim: I'm So Good At Yoga Model UN

Evil Annie to Evil Jeff (unfortunately): Strip Away My Conscience

Annie's mom about rehab: Forget It

Abed and Annie to Troy: What U Missed While U Were Popular

Annie and Jeff in response to the ACB (Jeff is Paula being unenthusiastic): Back in Action

Shirley: I'm a Good Person, I've Got My Head In The Clouds, Maybe This Dream

Pierce: My Sperm Is Healthy (I'm so sorry, but if I had to think it you have to read it)

Britta, Annie, Shirley, and also Abed I guess? That time they encouraged him to insult other women they didn't like: Women Gotta Stick Together

Jeff, Britta, Annie, Troy, Abed sometimes I guess: The Math of Love Triangles Quadrangles Whatever the Fuck Kinda Shape That Makes

Craig: I'm Just A Boy in Love

Rachel and Anthony when Abed and Annie were trying to decide who would live with them: I Feel Like This Isn't About Me

The Fives in Meow Meow Beans: Friendtopia

Jerry trying to convince Troy to do plumbing: Flooded With Justice

The group when they try to get Abed to flirt with that girl, Jeff and Britta trying to convince Troy to like Annie, Annie setting up Troy and Britta: The Group Mind Has Decided You're in Love

Rich to Jeff: Research Me Obsessively

Nicolas Cage to Abed: Research Me Obsessively

Everyone except Abed about Frankie: Who's The New Guy

Frankie: I Feel Like This Isn't About Me

The group in Basic RV Repair and Palmistry: Trapped in a Car Van With Someone You Don't Wanna Be Trapped in a Car Van With

#community show #crazy ex girlfriend #just gonna leave this here

[strawwritesfic]

Roxas x Female!Reader: Run

Summary: Maybe friendships can come in more varieties than Roxas first thought.

Rating/Tags: All (set during 358/2 Days (but exactly when isn’t very clear); Twilight Town; Twilight Town citizen!Reader; referenced Axel & Roxes & Xion; Seifer & Fuu & Rai & Reader; grumpy!Roxas; Organization XIII!Roxas; Sea Salt Ice Cream; meet-cute)

Challenge: “160 Collective Drabbles” challenge by BobaPop on Lunaescence Archives.

Tag List: @imaginesfire​

Run

Once upon a time, Roxas had found something comforting about Twilight Town. The sunsets there stained the pavement red, and the smell of sea salt always filled the air. This stirred something inside him that he did not understand–or at least, it used to. Everything had changed now. He wondered if anything would stir him ever again, least of all sunsets and the promise of popsicles after a long day of work. But he had plenty to think about before that hour came: heartless to destroy and information to gather and mission after mission after mission.

“What’s the point?” Roxas muttered as he flexed his empty hand. 

The keyblade ought to have shone into being, but he simply didn’t care to exert the effort to put it there. Sure, he’d finish his job here, but then what? Another lonely day at the castle with Demyx begging him to take on his work. As if whether or not the work was done even mattered…

Roxas knew he had to get around to to going “home” eventually. Saïx would have something to say if he didn’t. But his desire to put that eventuality off grew and grew, until at last Roxas found himself just standing there, as though he was waiting for the sun to finish setting. Maybe darkness would soothe his restlessness a little, but he doubted it. 

One foot lifted in preparation for his walk when he heard the sound of voices coming toward him. He froze.

Heading his direction on a higher level of the street was a gaggle of teenagers, all chattering excitedly. Two were boys, one thin with a thick cap covering his head, the other thick and dark-headed. The other two were girls, one reedy and purple, the other laughing at something one of the others had said. The last glanced his way and her smile faded, leaving her blinking at him for the split second before he darted behind the nearest wall. 

As bad of a mood as Roxas was in, he still didn’t want to be caught during a stealth mission. A lecture from Saïx really would be the cherry on top of this lousy sundae.

“Hold on, guys. No–No, go on. I’ll catch up with you, okay? Just go,” he heard one of the girls call.

Roxas huddled down behind his wall. None of those guys had seen him, surely. Maybe that last girl had looked straight at him, but why would she care to investigate him further. No one in Twilight Town ever cared. It was like they didn’t even see the creatures he and his friends spent their time sniping from the dark. Poison Plants and Detonators and Scarlet Tangos all went unnoticed. Surely he would, too.

“There you are!”

Roxas nearly jumped out of his skin, or his coat at the very least. Standing behind him was the girl from before, the one that had been laughing. You were laughing now, too, a wide smile on your face as you rocked back and forth on the balls of your feet.

“Where’s your friend?” you asked after a moment of silence, during which Roxas’s nonexistent heart attempted to burst free of his chest. Apparently you took his shocked silence as confusion, because you soon went on: “You know, the one with the crazy red hair?” You mimed pulling out a long spike of hair as you spoke.

“Axel,” Roxas said without thinking.

“That his name? I see the two of you around here all the time. Wondered what you were doing all alone today.

“You…see us?”

“Yep. All the time,” you said again. “Sneaking around in those coats of yours. Where do you get those? I’ve been looking all over town for one them, and I can’t–”

“I’ve got to go,” Roxas said, abruptly turning in the direction he’d been trying to go before you interrupted. Unfortunately, you did so again by putting a hand on his shoulder and shouting:

“Wait!”

“Huh?”

When he turned once more, he saw your smile for a third time. It made an odd, uncomfortable feeling start up in his stomach, like his intestines were trying to flip around inside him. The reverse spell, maybe? But you looked so mundane, so ordinary, and Roxas could still move whichever way he intended to.

You were moving on before he could work things out: “You can’t go without your buddy, right? Well, I’ll be your buddy!”

Roxas could only stare dumbly at you for several seconds. “I don’t need a buddy,” he said at last. What in the world were you doing, sticking around? Couldn’t you tell that he wanted to be alone? For once, he could be, but here you were ruining that.

“Then why do you always have Axel around?” You stuck your hands on your hips.

“He’s assigned to me,” Roxas said nervously. 

All these questions coming every which way, all these observations coming from someone obviously not a member of the Organization–Saïx was going to kill him. Well, that might not be too bad, really. 

“It doesn't matter,” he said. “I don’t need him along, and I don’t need you.”

“Fine.”

This distinct groan, Roxas felt, was a good end to the conversation. If he hurried, he could probably still have ice cream on the clock tower alone. Not one block passed before he realized that his footsteps had a distinct echo. Sighing, he came to a stop. So did the second set of footsteps.

“You’re following me, aren’t you?” he asked.

“I don’t have anything better to do,” you said.

“What about your friends?”

“They’ll wait up for me.”

Roxas’s eyes widened. If this was how people with hearts treated their friends, then the idea that anyone in the Organization wanted to obtain a heart was utterly baffling. He would hate to treat Xion–or even Axel–as callously as you treated the three he’d seen you walking with.

“What?” you asked at the look on his face. “All Seifer wants to do is hang around the Sandlot and wait for people to show up so he can challenge them to fights. It gets a little old after a while.”

"I know what that’s like. Heh.” 

Roxas hadn’t meant to make that noise; the laugh had simply slipped out. To his surprise, he found that he was smiling as he talked to you. You! Not Axel or Xion or–on some bizarre world–Saïx. Just some random girl with a nice smile and an even better laugh. Maybe you wouldn’t mind going for ice cream when he was done?

Just then he remembered that there was no way he’d get away with that sort of thing without someone finding out about it. He could just see Demyx using it as a way to get him to do his work for him, or Xigbar lording it over his head, or Saïx towering over him as he tried to explain that no, you were just someone nice to talk to. 

Oblivious to his tumultuous thoughts, you prattled on. Roxas opened his mouth to interrupt and–

The familiar sound of something ripping through the darkness to a brand new world interrupted him instead. 

Roxas only had to glance behind his shoulder to find a Watcher right behind him. Before he could think, before the heartless could take aim, he lunged forward, snatched your wrist, and yanked you after him. Only once this was done did he think to shout, “Run!”

All he heard in response was a yelp as the Watcher sent a blast right where you had been a second before. Roxas turned his head just to make sure that you hadn’t been hurt too badly. 

You hadn’t. In fact, you beamed as you pelted after him. Too late, Roxas realized that he was holding your hand rather than your wrist in a vice grip. There was no time to change things now. There were heartless appearing every which way as the two of you raced through the corridor of empty shops in the middle of the town.

He didn’t want to summon the keyblade, not here, not in front of you. For the time being, he preferred to pretend that he hadn’t given himself away and that what was waiting for him back at the castle was not the worst punishment that Saïx could think of. Besides, as you and Roxas rushed hand in hand toward the train station, he thought that he might actually somehow be having fun.

A Shadow appeared at your ankles, and you shrieked. As you stumbled after Roxas, the shriek turned into laughter. Soon the tiny Shadow was left in the dust with all the rest, with spells ricocheting off the walls and exploding in the air around you and Roxas like fireworks. 

Roxas’s cheeks hurt; with a start, he realized he was smiling. That certainly wasn’t what he had expected out of this day. The station reared into view just as he had started laughing along with you–and just as a Neoshadow pulled itself up from the dark, dripping pool on the cement.

He gasped and slowed to a stop. The hand in his contracted around his palm. Roxas saw, now, how stupid it had been to run up here where there was nothing but a dead end. The Neoshadow blocked his way inside–as though a train could take him far enough away to flee these monsters, or the ones back home. Turning back was impossible, too. He couldn't drag you again through that mess you'd left behind.

“What’s–” you began.

Too late. The Neoshadow lurched forward, razor sharp claws headed straight for your heart. 

Roxas screwed his eyes up and the next second heard a satisfying clang. When he opened his eyes, the keyblade gleamed in his hand. Just short of it shook the heartless’s claws. Its yellow eyes widened near-imperceptibly. He waited for it to strike again. Instead, it disappeared into the pavement. 

He held his breath. Was it leaving? 

No. The circle of darkness moved until was right underneath your feet. You looked down curiously and bent, fingers outstretched.

“Get away!”

He shoved out of the way you just in time. The Neoshadow erupted from its puddle right where you had stood seconds before. Roxas had no time to see where you had tripped off to. He was already battling the heartless, keyblade ringing as it crashed against the dark body again and again. 

Roxas ducked, looped, swung, dodged. It was over as soon as the Neoshadow dissolved underneath his final slash, leaving nothing behind but a swiftly fading golden heart. Scowling, breathing heavily, he threw his gaze back and forth across the station landing, willing any heartless foolish enough to come at him then. He was angry and tired and fed up up with–

“Huh?”

The sound of rapid applause broke through Roxas’s rage. Further still did the cry of, “Bravo! Encore! Encore!” that followed. 

He turned on the spot and found you sitting on the steps where you had fallen, clapping your hands. Much to his surprise, you didn’t look at all angry. You only looked exhilarated. This expression did not stop when you got easily to your feet to march over to him.

“You have got to let me hang out with you again soon,” you announced, and went on before Roxas could inform you of how terrible an idea that was: “Let me take a few swings at it, right?” You held up your fists and punched at the air a few times before grinning at him. “Especially if Axel isn’t around to help out.”

Roxas knew he ought to tell you that that was impossible. He wasn’t ever going to see you again, let alone get you into this sort of danger. Then he thought: Why not? If you thought you could take care of yourself, and so long as he still brought home plenty of hearts, there was no reason for Saïx or anyone else to find out what he had been up to in Twilight Town. He smiled back.

“Yeah. I think I’d like that,” he said.

Your grin widened as you stuck out a hand. “Nice to meet you…”

It took him a few moments to realize what you were doing. Once he did, he quickly grabbed your hand and gave it a firm shake. “Roxas,” he finished for you.

“Nice to meet you, Roxas. I’m [Name].”

“Nice to meet you, too.”

Releasing him, you began to walk backward toward the slope leading to the rest of the town. “I’ll see you around, then. Fuu’s probably furious I left her all alone with Rai and Seifer.”

With that, you turned and headed back to your friends, the friends you had despite running off to have adventures with strangers in dark cloaks. Roxas’s lips turned quickly into a frown. He had no such people to return to once his work was done. Maybe…

“Hey, [Name]!” he shouted, running to the end of the station front. Though you were almost around the corner, he saw you pause. “When I’m done with work, do you want to go get some ice cream with me?”

“Love to! You know where to find me!”

That he did. The smile returned to Roxas’s face as he watched you wave and disappear down a ramp to some lower part of Twilight Town. It was about time for him to do his job anyway. 

The sun was low and the bricks beneath his feet were red. From somewhere beyond the wall drifted the smell of the ocean. Twilight Town really was beautiful–and so full of nice people. To think that earlier that day he had been prepared to dismiss it as a world altogether.

#fan fic #straw writes #reader insert #kingdom hearts #358/2 Days #kh #kingdom hearts 358/2 Days #request #one shot #challenge fic #roxas #roxas x reader #roxas x you #roxas x y/n #kingdom hearts x reader #kingdom hearts x you #kingdom hearts x y/n #kh x reader #kh x you #kh x y/n #358/2 Days x reader #358/2 Days x you #358/2 Days x y/n #kingom hearts reader insert #roxas reader insert

[thoresnine]

Somewhere, Bury the Shaking

Ao3 link

The warden was unlike anything Etho had ever seen.

Frame as tall as an enderman, twice as wide. Large antlers perfectly adapted to detect sound frequencies within a large range. A powerful melee attack that kills most in one strike.

It’s shriek was the worst part though. Sure the melee attack hurt (badly) but at least you could respawn within an instant. Its ranged attack though… not so much. A deafening sonic boom that you could feel in every atom in your body, that left your ears ringing and your heart thumping and your eyes stinging. Louder than the wither’s thunderous storm, the dragon's sorrowful death cry, or any man-made explosion. And more painful than all three.

People always said it was a good thing the warden killed you in one hit.

Etho had woken up the same as any other day recently. A big stretch, a quick shower, a hot chocolate infused with various potions heated above the furnace. They tasted too odd to regularly stomach on their own.

He buckled his last section of his iron armour before grabbing his tools, saying goodbye to Prickles, and then heading towards the entrance. Oh. It’s already past noon. He was currently residing in Bdubs’s basement, which was cheap and easy, sure, but his time keeping was even worse than usual.

Shrugging to himself, he continued out of the tower and down the path towards Scar’s nether portal. Starting on the server so late, he tried to maximise every day on catching up, gathering as varied a collection of blocks as he possibly could. Today, that meant the nether woods, sandstone, and terracotta if he got lucky.

His day was going rather well until he popped home to empty his inventory.

6 steps in.

Down the stairs.

Shulkers of goods placed on the floor.

And then

He was enveloped in darkness.

Panic flooded his veins with a burst as he wildly spun around, looking for the cause, or the way out. Finding neither.

He ran towards where he thought his staircase was, where he hoped it- Crash! He tripped over a shulker box, sending its items flying - and Etho with it.

Etho grunted, scrambling for a ledge to pull himself up. He got to his feet and he knew what was coming a second before it did. He’d just made a lot of noise, and there’s only one thing on this world that could cause this blindness.

An obstreperous screech blasted through the walls and struck him. His breath failed to escape his throat as his body seized in pain.

What lasted just a few seconds felt like a lifetime.

Etho’s entire body shook. He could feel his organs independently vibrating. Worst, his heart, trembling with a thousand palpitations.

Pain and sweat and fear.

People always said it was a good thing the warden killed you in one hit.

As the earthquake in his body finally subsided, he collapsed to his knees with a trembling exhale. Limbs shaking uncontrollably. A desperate hand clawing on the bannister.

His body felt locked up, laden with rust. Every part of him was screaming. Pain. Pain. Pain. But he still found the stairs, scrambled up them on all fours, and sprinted out the doorway.

Up, around the corner. Out the entrance which was fortunately still unlocked. Down the path.

He stopped to breathe. Sweat dripped from his forehead. Adrenaline faded. The birds were tweeting in the rustling trees, a cool breeze combed through his hair. He half-purposefully fell to the floor, rolling over to face the sky and control his breathing. He slung an arm over his scrunched eyes.

Why was there a Warden in his base? 

How did someone even get it there?

Most importantly, how did he not die?

“You okay down there, friend?”

A spiky Tango-like silhouette blocked out the sky. An ender chest was strapped to his back - looked like he was on his way to the shopping district.

“Yeah, yeah.” He gulped, pulling his mask up a small amount so he could maybe catch his breath easier. “Just catching some rays. Yknow… basement.”

He gestured to the monolith. Tango raised an eyebrow. “You need a potion?”

“Please,”

Tango disappeared for a moment, and then a swirling glass vial was held in front of his face. Etho could feel the cold from the glass without even touching it.

“Can you get up?”

Etho thought about it, but the idea seemed worse than running into a pack of charged creepers. He was, in a word, exhausted.

He grasped the bottle with his free hand. “Not yet.”

Tango gave a nonchalant shrug before practically diving onto the grass next to Etho.

The pair just laid there, one taking shaky breaths between tentative sips of strength, and the other keeping him company, watching the clouds lazily float by. The sun buried her head in her grey blanket.

Etho watched the broken canopy above tremble as a new wind stirred. It looked like it might storm soon.

Once he felt he could reasonably move again, he pushed himself to sit upright with a grimace and downed the rest of the potion.

Tango propped himself up on his elbow, frowning. “Weird, that potion should have helped more.”

His arms were still shaking slightly.

“Panic attack or something else?”

Etho took a moment to respond. He stared down the mouth of the bottle to the slightly stained glass that warped the colours below.

“There’s a warden in my base, it got me.”

Red eyes widened. “Wait, what!” He squeaked, jumping up. “How are you not dead?”

Etho, finding fleeting amusement from Tango’s expression, glanced over to the door of the monolith. He could see Tango in his peripherals scurrying from one shulker box to another then back to Etho in an odd paternal panic. All the sounds around them seemed to fade away as he looked back into the darkness beyond the door.

“I don’t know…”

#my writing #hermitcraft #tangotek #ethoslab #requests open

[cobble-stone]

Left your hometown for somewhere new (Don't be surprised now it's leaving you)- Chapter 1

Parent pick up from off the train,

How did he even get here, really. He didn’t belong in this shitty apartment, with the paint chipping off the walls and a leaky AC so loud that it had to be turned off at night in order for the two to sleep. A little under a month ago he had a comfortable job, a comfortable place that held more than a mattress and scattered clothes, he had a normal. The shorter man who clung to his chest was nobody to him three weeks ago.

How did he even get here, clinging so tightly to someone who may as well be a stranger.

//

A multi-chapter Team Rancher fic based around intertwined paths with bad timing, and losing what was once home.

ao3 link | beta-read by @bug-crimes

Flecks of sunrise danced over the walls and linoleum floors of the vacant studio apartment, glancing across the scattered boxes and his own hand as Jimmy held it up to the light to watch it filter through his fingers. It caught on the dust in some spots of the room, almost sparkling.

The whole scene was achingly peaceful, the world silent with the exceptions of the hum of traffic he’s grown used to tuning out, and the gentle breathing of the man who clung to his chest. His hair flickered with flames that didn’t burn—only left a strange warmth on his chest. 

This was all so strange to him. How did he even get here, really? He didn’t belong in this shitty apartment, with the paint chipping off the walls and a leaky AC so loud that it had to be turned off at night in order for the two to sleep. A little under a month ago he had a comfortable job, a comfortable place that held more than a mattress and scattered clothes, he had something to call normal. The shorter man who clung to his chest was nobody to him three weeks ago.

He let out a sigh, letting his hand come back down, draping it slightly across Tango. How did he even get here, clinging so tightly to someone who may as well be a stranger?

“Mornin’, Jimmy,” came a sleepy voice, as a familiar face blinked open his bright red eyes, “Want me to get some breakfast action goin’ or just wanna lay here for a bit?” 

No, Tango wasn’t a stranger. He was Tango. The Tango who got sentimental over jackets and arcade buildings, who set the stove on fire one too many times, the blazeborn who became the biggest ray of sunshine in Jimmy’s life in a long time. Tango wasn’t a stranger.

“Nah, wanna stay. I’m tired, we can get McDonalds or somethin’ later,” Jimmy mumbled, the words quiet but still bouncing off the empty walls of the apartment.

Tango flopped right back down, closing his eyes and readjusting the blanket. “Sweet. We’re out of eggs anyway, and I did not feel like running to the store.” He could feel the other man shuffle a little closer as he laid back down.

Jimmy huffed in amusement. It wasn’t as if the two of them ever stocked up on food. They had nothing in this apartment.

He thought of offering to run to the store later that day, grabbing eggs, cereal, maybe more snacks so the two could stop living off ramen. Maybe he’d grab a pizza, one of the cheap frozen ones- or the two of them could even go the extra mile and head out for lunch together, maybe to that one pizza place he used to go to every Friday in middle school with his friends. Make a day out of it. Jimmy still wanted to show Tango his favorite spot on the beach, and they could come home after, play games together. And they’d end up right where they started the day, cuddled close on the twin-sized mattress Tango dragged in from the side of the road, trying to fall asleep in the sweltering summer heat.

Right . That wouldn’t work. That pizza place went bankrupt and closed down a couple years ago.

And Jimmy was leaving today.

His suitcase caught his eye, visible just over the flames of Tango’s hair. It held together all he could fit from his old place—mainly clothes, but some photos and keepsakes too. The old, beat-up blue suitcase was thrown open and only half-packed, the rest of his belongings in a messy pile on the floor nearby. The thought of finishing packing made his stomach churn. Like it would solidify his fate.

It was only then he realized how much he didn’t want to leave. 

The shitty apartment, Tango’s arm’s, the town he grew up in, he didn’t want to leave behind any of it. His old normal was dead, but knowing that he was leaving Dexuity felt like cementing the headstone on the grave.

Moving away was supposed to be a fresh start. A chance for Jimmy to build up a new life, for him to make a new normal. This wasn’t supposed to be so difficult.

He rolled back over to watch the specks of dust float through the empty studio-apartment. It left him wondering if he laid there for long enough, if the dust would settle and solidify into stone to keep him there, let a statue of him stay home a little longer. 

This wasn’t supposed to be his home.

How did he even get here?

///

Jimmy sat waiting for the bus, turning a small slip of paper over and over in his hands absentmindedly. He always told himself he’d have to be at the lowest of his lows to trust one of the psychics whose advertisements were always bombarding him every time he tried listening to music, but in all fairness, after the nightmare that the past week had been, he definitely felt close to rock bottom.

Twenty bucks poorer all for a slip of paper with some words scribbled onto it. Nothing even concrete for him, like “Here’s the winning lottery tickets so you can make your life okay again!” or even “Here’s a cheap apartment about to go up for rent so you don’t have to sneak into your friend’s house and violate his trust just to have a roof over your head!” No, just some gibberish prophecy about fire or something.

He unfolded the paper to double-check exactly what it said. 

The warmth you seek is near, but be wary, the fire burns brighter than you expect. Being without it is colder than you know.

What the hell it meant, Jimmy could only wonder. He knew these prophecies were vague half the time, and the other half of the time they were scarily literal. He was hoping for the former—having something burn down and him ending up freezing to death is definitely not what he needs right now, and was probably the only way this situation could get worse.

He slid the paper back into his pocket, and went back to people watching. He normally would just play some badly designed mobile game to pass the time, but his phone was nearly dead. The city streets were emptier than he expected, but granted, it was a Saturday morning.Not many people were likely willingly being productive. He didn’t come to this part of town much, so at least there was something new to look at, even if that something new was a billboard advertising flight lessons to young avians instead of the one that used to be displaying a law firm right across from his old apartment.

After a few minutes the bus finally showed up; Jimmy paid the driver and sat down in a seat as an automated woman’s voice read out “Next stop: Dexuity Airport, five minutes.”

He leaned back in his seat, wings tucked in to not take up too much space, and he watched the reflection of the bus dance across store windows, distorted. Jimmy kept an eye out for familiar street names, though even familiar ones wouldn’t help; he couldn’t for the life of him remember where Fwhip’s apartment was. 

There may have been a 15 in the address? Maybe a 12? Or maybe a 21. In any other scenario he’d give in and text Fwhip for the apartment address, but that wasn’t exactly an option. Not because his phone was almost dead, he didn’t really care too much about that. More so because he didn’t exactly get Fwhip’s permission to stay in the apartment.

This is a stupid idea, Jim, part of him still thought, If Fwhip finds out he’s gonna be pissed.

On the other hand, what choice did he have? He couldn’t afford his current place alone anymore, hotels also weren’t exactly cheap, and staying with Grian, well… He wasn’t going to do that. No way. He knows how Grian is, there’d be some way for Grian to spin it around to mock him. Normally it didn't bug Jimmy, but there’s something about straws and camel’s backs that Jimmy really didn’t want to have to deal with right now.

Plus, this is temporary! It’s just until I can get a job again, and a cheaper place. Another roommate too, since Scott left. He won’t even know I’ve been there.

It wasn’t an ideal solution. Really, a questionable and probably not fully legal one at best, but it was a temporary solution, and that’s all Jimmy needed for now. Something temporary.

The bus halted to a stop, slightly tossing him to the side, as passengers departed and arrived in a flurry of movement. Most empty seats started to fill in, including the one next to Jimmy, taken by an exhausted-looking man with fiery hair and two suitcases in tow. He bit his tongue, considering asking where the man was traveling from, but figured that the guy looked too tired to have an interest in casual conversation.

Though he still wondered where the guy was from, where he was going.

Jimmy glanced down at the stranger’s suitcases before realizing-

Oh god dammit.

He forgot his suitcase back at his and Scott’s— no, just his now— no, not even his anymore. The old apartment, it was just the old apartment now. How he forgot it, he had no clue; he spent all night picking out what clothes to bring and what to just donate instead, all day trying to find any sort of valuable keepsakes to hold onto.

Y’know what. This was all the master plan. I’m just coming here to make sure my spare key still works, and maybe take Koda and Nova for a walk, Jimmy thought to himself. See? I’m even doing Fwhip a favor, he won’t have to pay a dogsitter. I’m watching them instead. He should thank me if anything.

That made him feel better. Slightly.

He felt a slight weight on his shoulder dragging him away from his thoughts, like someone’s hand or something, trying to get his attention. Jimmy hummed in question, and turned slightly to face whoever it was.

But instead of someone asking a question, he saw the face of a smaller man collapsed into his shoulder, red-tinted glasses crooked on his nose, and flaming hair providing a slightly uncomfortable, but bearable, warmth on his shoulder.

“Uhh, hey man? You good?” He asked, looking down to see if the other guy would respond, but to no avail. Nothing.

Man, as bad as things were for him, at least he wasn’t in the falling-asleep-on-bus-strangers stage of things being bad. That was something to be happy about.

He sighed, repositioning to get comfortable but trying to be somewhat courteous of the other guy. He wasn’t gonna wake him up for no good reason, that would just be downright rude. He shuffled his small yellow wing around, to try to get it so it wasn’t completely pinned by the fireborn.

He sat like this for a while, trying his best to keep an eye out for familiar streets and places, so he could have some semblance of direction. Jimmy’s efforts were to not much avail though. Everything he passed by, even the things he’s sworn he’s seen before, never quite looked familiar enough.

#double life smp #tangotek #solidaritygaming #team rancher #the fall of home AU #<- that's the fic tag #soldiaritek #dlsmp #dlsmp fic #jimmy solidarity #trafficshipping #<- the fic is ambiguous but just in case

[vallygirl285]

Seal Team Season 6, Episode 1

If you haven’t watched it don’t forget about the watch party today.

If you have watched it OMG what an episode!!!

Spoiler below:

Wow we picked up at the ambush and I think that was probably one of the most intense battle scenes this show has ever done to date.

Okay first thing first Clay is alive but is seriously injured and man Max was so good in this sequence. Honestly I had to turn away when he was tending to his leg.

Jason as always puts himself in danger to give his brothers a fighting chance and there was no way Bravo would have made it out of there if he hadn’t gone up to the ridge, take out those 3 tangos and got his hands on the rocket launcher as well as guiding where they remote bombing to hit the incoming tangos.

Finally their ride gets there and they’re able to get the Hell out of there and the drama really begins. They bring Bravo to the same hospital in Germany where they operate on Clay and he begins his personal battle.

Lisa is sent to tell Stella and man this is where the show really shines. I love that they give the love ones strong scenes like this. Stella has grown so much since season one.

I like how when Lisa asks if she wants to go to Clay her first reaction is yes and then she takes a breath and knows that as much as Clay may need her their child needs her just as much and that his brothers will be with Clay and her place is with Brian.

Hmmm interesting about the doctor who originally diagnosed Jason. Then Jason guilt about not disclosing his brain injury and maybe Bravo not spinning up.

I also loved the scenes between Clay and Jason. It made sense to that Sonny stayed with Clay too and their scene was so good.

I love seeing the families being there to rally around Stella and Brian. Poor Jason and the guilt he’s feeling that he can’t even take have Stella introduce Brian to him. So nice to see Mandy and Jason together and yup she’s the voice of reason he needs.

Man the scene when Stella is talking to Sonny and Clay is crashing and then Sonny breaking down while talking to Jason 😭😭😭!!

Okay the big spoiler…not too shocking really when you saw his leg that Clay lost his leg. The show hasn’t shy away from the horror of war. Losing team members (sniffle Full Metal you’re still sorely missed). Dealing with long term brain injuries. Ray’s PTSD. What vets deal with at the vet hospitals, suicide. Now we get to see how Clay will deal with losing his leg and finding his way.

This was a roller coaster season premiere and can’t wait until next week!!!

#seal team we have your 6 #seal team #seal team paramount plus #seal team 6x1 #david borneaz #max thieriot #neil brown jr. #aj buckley #justin melnick #toni trucks #judd lormand #alona tal #parisa fakhi #jessica paré #mike wade

[allinmycorner]

It was a celebration of everything Taylor Swift in the ballroom as the stars danced to her songs in hopes of making it into the semifinals. Our show opened with a performance of "Love Story" featuring most of our pros. Several later did a routine to a slowed down version of "Style" to promote the Dancing With the Stars tour. I did not see Peta during the show so I hope she's doing alright. Barry, though, was there to cheer everyone on.

Mandy Moore (no, that that one), who has choreographed for the show before and choreographer Taylor's Eras tour, joined the panel as a guest judge. Alfonso also confirmed that bandleader Ray Chew is a Swiftie and has also worked with her before. And all the disco balls were turned to hearts for the evening's celebration. Taylor even sent another video wishing everyone the best before the competition began.

Who made sparks fly and who had their castles crumble? Let's take a look!

Harry and Rylee: I think this was the right outcome. While Harry has made some improvement, I don't think he was ready for the semifinals. However, I think he should be applauded for all the hard work he did to get to the quarterfinals. I'm glad Rylee put a lot more content in their rumba to "August" after Billy Porter's comment about Harry being a tree for Rylee to dance around after the dance off in the last show. He handled it well and maybe if the show had a few more weeks, he might've been almost as good as some of the others but it was just too little too late.

Jason and Daniella: Jason took stock of his position in the competition and decided to fight his way back to the top of the leaderboard. And he succeeded. His Argentine tango with Daniella to "Don't Blame Me" was fierce and sexy. It also included a lot of leg work that he executed impeccably. I also loved his little wink to the camera toward the end. Definitely one of the best routines of the season. I still think he's a lock for the finale, especially as he's now the only man left in the competition.

Xochitl and Val: Xochitl and Val danced a quickstep to "Paper Rings" and it was upbeat and as energetic as she is. We also got to meet her mother during their package, which was a nice treat. She's clearly Xochitl's number one fan. I also think Xochitl is a lock for the finals but she does have to be careful. Some of her kicks didn't look as clean as they could've been so she just has to watch out for her technique.

Charity and Artem: Charity hopes that winning the cha-cha dance off last week will help give her the spirit and energy to beat the others. She and Artem dance an Argentine tango to "Look What You Made Me Do." But I don't think she really absorbed Carrie Ann's comments from last week. She had flawless technique but there still didn't feel like there was much emotion behind them. I don't know if she's a lock for the finals. This was her third appearance in the bottom 3 in a row and I don't know if she could survive a fourth time.

Ariana and Pasha: Ariana feels the pressure now that Carrie Ann said she could win it all. And she delivered with her beautiful rumba to a slowed-down version of "Cruel Summer." She and Pasha continue to have great chemistry and she keeps mastering each move while putting emotion and intention behind it. I think she is a lock for the finals and still believe it could be a battle of husband and wife for the mirrorball - will Pasha or Daniella take it with their respective partner?

Alyson and Sasha: When this competition started, I thought Alyson would only make it a few weeks. I didn't peg her as the dark horse but she has proven herself to be. She has certainly come a long way since her first dance. I do agree with the judges that Sasha needs to let her dance more. It took them 30 seconds of a 90 second routine to finally get into the proper cha-cha. That needs to change. He needs to let her dance from the beginning and show off her moves and maybe they might make the finals. I think it will come down to a choice between her and Charity and either one could go home at this point.

After the individual dances, we had a dance relay. Our couples were paired up and each pairing was assigned a different dance style. One couple was selected to dance first and then the second couple danced. One judge was assigned per couple and they voted on who would get 3 extra points. So let's see how that went!

Ariana and Pasha vs. Xochitl and Val

Our first relay was between two of our best couples. Ariana and Pasha kicked things off and then Xochitl and Val took over. Both danced beautiful Viennese waltzes to "Lover" and it's amazing how different they felt. Ariana and Pasha's had a more classic and old-school feel, like I was watching a routine from a classic movie or Broadway show, while Xochitl and Val's felt more modern, like something you would see today. Carrie Ann had to make the decision and ultimately awarded the point to Xochitl and Val. It was a tough decision and I think either couple could've won.

Harry and Rylee vs. Alyson and Sasha

The second relay featured a jive to "Shakes It Off". The two couples at the bottom of the leaderboard competed in this one with Harry and Rylee going first and then Alyson and Sasha performing. Neither couple have danced a jive before so this was new for both. They seemed to do well enough but I do think Alyson was a bit better than Harry - her legs were more on point during her kicks than his. But both had plenty of content and showed off their dance abilities. However, I do think Bruno made the right decision to award the extra points to Alyson and Sasha.

Jason and Daniella vs. Charity and Artem

Our last relay featured our two "middle" couples, for lack of a better word. Jason and Daniella and Charity and Artem danced a cha-cha to "Lavender Haze", marking the second time in a row that Charity had to dance a cha-cha for extra points. She won last time and hoped history would repeat, even wearing the same style of pants as last time. But Jason brought a little more energy along with technique to his cha-cha, just inching out her excellent routine with Artem, and so Derek awarded Jason and Daniella the extra points.

So that was Taylor Swift week! Next time, we have the semifinals. Now, I have my sister's wedding this coming Saturday. I may not be able to post on time next week like I would usually. So my semifinals post may have to be combined with my finals post. I'll have to see but I wanted to give you a head's up.

I'll see you next time!

#dancing with the stars #abc #season 32 #harry jowsey #rylee arnold

[milady-pink]

Waitress AU

Warnings: Food/baking, domestic abuse, unplanned pregnancy, cheating

Summary: Working at a dead end job, waitress Christine soon finds herself with a new problem: an unplanned pregnancy. Life is all about trying to find the sweet spots and luckily this pie genius has a new (and pretty adorkably sexy) OBGYN, who isn’t too happy at home either.

TL;DR Quirky cute and sexy Erik as a doctor, lab coat and all.

Word Count: 1499 || Graphics: @firefly-graphics

"I Didn't Plan It "

Recipe Book

AO3

It was a chilly morning, the sun having just risen to warm the world with her glistening rays. Christine left home early this morning, a hungover Raoul still asleep as she shuffled around their room getting dressed. Currently walking the short walk from the bus stop to the diner, and a certain masked physician was occupying any and all thoughts of the waitress. It’s been about three weeks since their little rendezvous, but with his face, hands, and lips so vividly in her mind’s eye, it felt like yesterday. There was only one part of her brain that reserved any and all thoughts the many pie recipes that her little affair has inspired in her.

“I Wanna Play With My Gynecologist Pie”, filled with vanilla custard, drizzled with warm melted caramel. Nuts! Totally nuts, but what isn’t nowadays? On top, honey kissed whipped cream and a banana! Maybe hold the banana.

Oh, wake the hell up, Christine!

How about “I Can’t Have An Affair Because It’s Wrong and I Don’t Want Raoul To Kill Me Pie”. Add cold water to chocolate stirrups. NO! Syrup. Pour it into a super flakey crust, almost breaking. Do not overbake, could explode at any minute….

So occupied by her thoughts of her husband finding out about her more than friendly relationship with her doctor, Christine walked right through the doors of the diner. The little silver bell alerted a very different couple that they now had an audience back in the kitchen. As she continued walking, Christine got a front row seat to the tango of Carlotta and Piangi.

“Oh my god!” She screamed, turning around and making her way back out to the diner’s seating area. “I-I didn’t see anything, promise. I just gotta find somewhere to throw up.”

Emerging from the back kitchen, fully clothed, Carlotta approached the girl, ready to explain herself. “Christine, it just happened.” She told the younger waitress, no remorse in her tone.

“Bu—but Piangi?…. Piangi?”

The redhead shrugged, “He’s got these strong warm hands… I wasn’t goin’ around lookin’ for it, just an accident.”

“An accident? Droppin’ a plate is an accident, not an affair. Piangi didn’t just… trip into your hooha!” Christine practically shrieked, alarmed that her friend has seemingly no regrets about her infidelity.

Crossing her arms she answered her. “Oh c’mon, I’m just havin’ me a small adventure after years and years of livin’ stagnant. It started to get so empty down there, you coulda heard an echo.”

A girl has needs, Christine reasoned. “Bu-but what about your husband?”

The older woman huffs. “You mean my husband that wears diapers, curses every other word, and sleeps on the couch?”

“Then why don’t you just leave him, get a divorce?” Christine was trying hard, but she could not for the life of her see how anything makes cheating on your spouse okay.

“I love him, that’s why! Even if I have to change his diaper three times a day, that’s not a reason to leave someone. What kinda person would I be to do that?”

“What kind of person has an affair with Piangi, who happens to be married to Phyllis?”

“Piangi thinks she’s gay, haven’t slept together in 15 years.”

“Well… most married couples go years without sleeping together. But we know Phyllis she’s not—,” well, “maybe— but if he thinks she’s gay, why don’t they get a divorce?”

“Because he loves her! What kinda man leaves his wife cause she’s gay?” Even though she was making a point, an awkward silence fell over the two women.

“But she—“ Christine tried to say.

“Hey, aren’t you supposed to be my friend, not Phyllis?” Carlotta asked, sounding hurt that she would defend the other woman. “Besides, I didn’t say a word about your mornin’ visit to the doc and how you came back with your dress on inside out ‘cause you were preoccupied puttin’ the pap back in smear.”

Now it was Christine’s turn to defend her actions. “That was a one time thing, I wasn’t in my right mind. I put a stop to it.”

“Oh, of course you did.” Said Carlotta, not believing a word her friend says.

“What’s that mean?” Christine asked, offended by her sarcasm.

The older woman was a little fed up with her friend’s ’Holier Than Thou’ attitude towards cheating, telling her, “Just go into your pantry Christine— bake yourself a Bury The Bullshit Pie.”

Crossing her arms in defense, she fought back with harsh words of her own. “Well, don’t you have me all figured out. You always do, the world according to Carlotta—“

“God Christine, don’tchya get it?” She let out, incredibly frustrated with how this conversation has turned them against each other. “You’re no better than me now. You’re still ridin’ your high horse, not admitting to yourself that you're cheating just like me. We’ve both made mistakes that we'll have to deal with, but you still don’t get why? Christine, if I had the perfect life, or at least one where I got laid every once in a while, then I would say the same things as you. But now, knowing my life isn’t gonna get any better anytime soon, I had to find somethin’ to enjoy; we all do.”

“But, how can you find somethin’ else with another man? If you love your husband, why not stay loyal?” She regretted the word the minute it flew out of her mouth, even more so when she saw Carlotta bristle.

“I didn’t plan on any of this. On havin’ a husband who wouldn’t be able to satisfy parts of me I thought I was fine without; turns out I need some lovin’ every now and again. I love my husband, but I’m not satisfied with certain aspects of our relationship. For starters, I feel more like a caretaker to him than a wife. Secondly, I wanted someone to come along and take care of me for once, not the other way around. It could have been any guy, but it turned out to be Piangi. And ya wanna know why?” She didn’t wait for Christine to answer. “Because he’s missin’ out in his marriage too. Yeah its the sex, but its deeper than that. We found somethin’ within each other that our spouses couldn’t give, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love everything else they give us.”

 “Carlotta, I can’t go there.”

“Honey, you already are. Everyone is lookin’ for somethin’ to keep themselves from going crazy in this life, it comes in different forms. Drugs, alcohol, sex, you name it. I don’t regret a thing because I know damn well that if my husband, or Phyllis for that matter, was in the same position they’d do the same thing.” She paused, wondering if she’s about to ask the right questions.

“Tell me somethin’, why did you do it with your doc, huh? Something in you was dyin’ to get out, somethin’ Raoul doesn’t give you. Was it his words, his smile? Or maybe you needed somethin’ to remind yourself that you're alive, too used to the borin’ and mundane life you’ve got.” Christine, starting to realize the allure, looked down at her worn shoes. “I won’t speak for anyone but myself, but if this life isn’t gonna offer me anything else, I’ll find my pleasure elsewhere.”

A moment of silence came over the diner, Christine realizing her mistake. “Carlotta, I’m sorry. I always thought people were either black or white, that those who claimed to be grey where lyin’. I didn’t know havin’ an affair was such a hard thing to come to terms with, until I had one of my own. It’s always easier to judge other people than be honest with yourself.” She let out a humorless laugh. “I took out a lot of the guilt I’m feelin’ for myself against you, turning it into judgement.”

The curvy waitress went over and hugged her pregnant friend, telling her she accepted the apology. As they parted, an arms length away, Christine told her, “But I am not gonna sleep with him again, that is certain.”

Giving her a knowing look, Carlotta had to give her friend one last piece of advice. “You might not think so right nor, hun, but even if you do remember: you gotta find the sweet parts of this shit pie we call life.”

That caused both girls to laugh, happy to have an ally in this desolate town again. 

Christine went into the, thankfully, empty pantry and began to gather the supplies needed for the day’s pies. As she baked, she couldn’t help but remember how two large warm hands enveloped her body, nor the thin pink lips that left gentle kisses over her naked body. Opening her eyes, she noticed her dough was starting to look rather phallic.

She didn’t want to, but she had to put a stop to their affair before it got messy. And from the flour on her hands, Christine knew messy. 

#phantom of the opera #christine daae #raoul de chagny #erik destler #musical fanfic #waitress #sara bareilles #pies

[dwtsfun]

Dancing with the Stars Season 4 Week 3 Rewatch

Shandi and Brian- Jive (Judges' Score=21, My Score=7)- This was my favorite dance from Shandi and Brian so far. They cleaned up a lot of her technical issues and Shandi looked a lot more confident. Her free arm was all over the place and her feet were not as precise as they could've been. Tall people have a difficult time with the jive as we have more leg that we have to work with than most others. I'm sad they couldn't use this dance as a springboard to improve, but it was nice to see them go out on a positive note.

John and Edyta- Tango (Judges' Score=20, My Score=6)- John is a performer. I can never take that away from him. The man can put on a good show. Now, his feet were a bit flat footed and his frame needed work as it was super loose. I also saw a mistake when they changed directions. He got a little tied up. But it was still a decent dance, even with the problems.

Clyde and Elena- Jive (Judges' Score=16, My Score=5)- As I said with Shandi, tall people have a rough time with the jive. The feet were not pointed. His arms were kinda just placed wherever. It was low energy. But I saw better performance quality from him and it wasn't terrible as he was on time for the entire dance.

Laila and Maks- Tango (Judges' Score=21, My Score=8)- Before I even hear the judges, I know they're gonna get spanked for breaking hold as long as they did. Also, this was the first time we saw Val on the show. Hey Val! He was so young. Anyway, I thought this was a strong dance. Given everything they had to contend with this week, I thought the finished product was actually really really good. Her hold was nice. She is such a gorgeous mover. It was really good. I agree with her needing to fix her pancake hands, but it was really good. Wish Maks had kept her in hold, but maybe that was too tall of an order for this week.

Apolo and Julianne- Jive (Judges' Score=23, My Score=7)- I thought this was cute. Apolo struggled with his legs and feet. It was a bit sloppy. I have to agree with CAI on that. But it does not take away from what they did otherwise.

Joey and Kym- Tango (Judges' Score=24, My Score=8)- This is definitely the best dance so far and I don't think it will be topped. It was super entertaining and his technique was pretty good. Joey was hunched over, his shoulders were at his ears and his butt was sticking out. It was pretty fun and very well rehearsed otherwise.

Ian and Cheryl- Jive (Judges' Score=24, My Score=7)- It was good. But like most everyone else tonight, I can tell they had less time for the dance this week. Now, Ian looks way more comfortable. And I do see that his technique has improved a ton. Was it 9 worthy? No. But 8s work for this dance.

Leeza and Tony- Tango (Judges' Score=24, My Score=8)- I'm giving Leeza an 8 because nothing was wrong with at all with what she did. There were no mistakes and everything was very clean and precise. I want Tony to challenge Leeza a little bit more as I think she can handle it. And I want her to push just a bit more.

Heather and Jonathan- Jive (Judges' Score=24, My Score=7)- I can tell this dance was more of a challenge for Heather. Her musicality is pretty good. And everything looked good. It was a bit more messy, but I definitely understand what the limitations were there. Still a good dance, but I just thought her mambo was much better.

Billy Ray and Karina- Tango (Judges' Score=21, My Score=6)- I'm noticing that the judges are finding it hard to truly critique the couples this week. Billy Ray wasn't terrible and there were moments that were actually pretty nice. But there were also some really big struggly moments where it looked like his body and mind were fighting each other and Karina was just kinda caught in the middle of the internal brawl lol.

My Rankings and Scores Out of 30:

1 Joey and Kym- 24 = Leeza and Tony- 24 3 Apolo and Julianne- 23 = Ian and Cheryl- 23 5 Laila and Maks- 22 6 Shandi and Brian- 21 = Heather and Jonathan- 21 8 John and Edyta- 20 9 Billy Ray and Karina- 18 10 Clyde and Elena- 16

This was a lackluster week. I could tell that the majority of the couples had a lot of problems due to the short rehearsal time that they are not used to. Luckily this is one off week in a mostly strong season. Also, I see the judges are starting to not judge and it's yielding unpopular results for them. Shandi and Leeza were the bottom 2 and while I don't think either one deserved to be there, I at least understood why Shandi was there and was ultimately sent home. And of the two, I do think she was probably the best person to leave. Still don't really understand how Leeza ended up there unless Heather is taking up a lion's share of the votes that she would've gotten. Anyway, let me know your thoughts and I will talk to you all soon!

#dancing with the stars #dwts #billy ray cyrus #heather mills #leeza gibbons #ian ziering #joey fatone #apolo anton ohno #laila ali #clyde drexler #john ratzenberger #shandi finnessey #brian fortuna #edyta sliwinska #elena grinenko #maksim chmerkovskiy #julianne hough #kym johnson #cheryl burke #tony dovolani #jonathan roberts #karina smirnoff #jive #tango #season 4 #rewatch