#this realization is the final nail in the coffin. i thought there might still be a chance that i'd dislike leander and have Ais as my fav

[redstrewn]

Ok so my fav character from wednesday was tyler galpin so i think i'll probably be able to handle leander just fine now that i think about it

He legit betrays wednesday and plays her and i was still a fan

Bitch literally mauls her friend and kills several people and i was still a fan

Also my fav character from chilling adventures of sabrina was nick scratch and he legit plays sabrina too iirc

Man i do love me them two faced charming bitches huh

Also how could I forget the Jareth the goblin king....mf is no good at all and I thirsted for that fucker so bad

#fuck. i have a pattern w my favs. how did i not fucking see it before. #i am not immune to gap moe #this realization is the final nail in the coffin. i thought there might still be a chance that i'd dislike leander and have Ais as my fav #but its over. its over. theres no crawling out of this leander pit. #redstrewn talks #who the FUCK was i kidding my tastes were never normal. how did i think my tastes were ever normal #well theyre normal in that theyre common #but theyre not normal in the way that theyre fucked up. at least tyler is. jareth is more grey. i dont remember nick to be not good overall #i couldnt finish amnesia but i was very happy to know toma cages MC and ukyo likes to kill her #i also couldnt get through saeran's deep route bc it was too time demanding but i liked saeran before deep route released #not his brainwashed “Unknown” identity though. i wanted him to be healed and happy

[hxney-lemcn]

Best Friend — Idia Shroud x gn! reader

summery: Idia realizes that you might be closer than he thought.

tw: uhhh none I think.

a/n: idk if this is bad, I think I got Idia's personality right. This is kinda more platonic, but could be read as romantic.

wc: 0.6k

Master List

The more Idia got to know you, the more he realized you might’ve been less of a normie than he originally thought. Of course you were nowhere near Idia’s status of loser otaku, but you still surprised him. It started with you complaining about something called vocaloid? Idia hadn’t heard of vocaloid before, but when you explained the concept he realized it was your world's version of synthaloid. That was the first time he started to question his view of you. As you complained about not being able to listen to vocaloid anymore, he introduced you to some synthaloid songs. He watched as your eyes lit up, head bobbing to the songs as you scanned the lyrics. 

He hadn’t heard of normies liking synthaloid, but you were still too extroverted. I mean you had how many friends in how many dorms? Total normie activities. Yet you shocked him once again when you then started complaining about missing this one video game you used to play. Apparently it was really chill but competitive. When you mentioned it was called AFK Journey Idia froze, he played a game with an uncannily similar name. So he introduced you to AFK Adventure, and found his heart jumping as you gushed passionately, comparing all the similarities and differences. AFK Adventure was still growing, and the fact that you played your version only months after it was released…he once again questioned if you really were a normie. 

The final nail in the coffin was when you complained about how exhausted you were. The main reason why he classified you as normie was because you were social, you had friends, you barely had a phone! (That wasn’t your fault, you had no money after all). So when you complained that you were tired from all the socializing, that you found refuge in his room because you felt like you could truly relax by just playing video games…well he was a bit flustered to say the least. You found him comforting? You found his messy, gross room relaxing (Ortho tried his best to clean it before you arrived)? You enjoyed playing video games with him even if he would tend to blow up if someone annoyed him? 

Idia found himself sharing more with you. It seemed like everywhere he looked (online) he’d find something about you to connect it with. You’d really like this anime, it seemed similar to one you described from your world. You liked chill games right? Well there's this mobile digital pet game you’d like, you just have to friend him. Oh, fanart of your fav character…he’d send it to you if he had the courage. He had also set you up with a pc, laptop, and upgraded your phone without a second thought. It was only to encourage you to go on games to give him rewards…totally. 

And not to mention, when you first joined AFK Adventure, Idia kicked out a member from his guild to let you join. His other guild members were highly confused he let in a noob join since it was a whale only guild (don’t worry, you weren’t a noob for long…thank Idia’s credit card). 

One night, when you both were playing a video game together, you had fallen asleep on his bed. The laptop he had given you was still running, but it was pushed to your side. Idia couldn’t help but feel his face heat up, you looked so peaceful in his space. That’s when he realized he wasn’t truly alone anymore, even if he stayed holed up in his room, you managed to wiggle your way to join him. You would rant about nerdy things to him only, a special privilege you hadn’t bestowed to any of your other friends. He had come to a conclusion that somewhat scared him.

Idia Shroud had a close friend, he wasn’t alone anymore.

#idia shroud x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #twst x reader #twst wonderland x reader #idia shroud #twst #twisted wonderland #twst wonderland #x reader

[luimagines]

You Realize You Like Him Part 3

Masterlist

Part 1 Part 2

Part 3 will include Legend, Sky and Four.

Content under the cut!

Legend

“And then I told him that he could fly from the top of Hyrule Castle for all I cared, I wasn’t going to buy something that only have a 40% success rate.” Legend finished his story.

You nodded along. You understood a solid...5% of what he was saying. But that’s ok. You like to hear him talk. He was nice enough and you liked his company. 

There was this energy that drew you to him. You’re not sure what it was. Sure he was cute but that couldn’t have been it.

Then again, he always had something to help save the day. He was fast on his feet and incredibly clever. He had enough experience under his belt to put most of the group to shame. There seemed that there wasn’t anything that he couldn’t do.

You respected him greatly.

Legend snorted and patted your shoulder. “I’m telling you, I know the ins and outs of most, if not, all sleezy merchants. If you want the best deal, you come with me and I’ll find it for you.”

You smiled. “Thanks Link. I might have to take you up on that.”

Legend faltered for a moment and blushed. “Hey... It’s not much. It doesn’t cost my anything.”

You chuckled at his reaction, feeling those little butterflies in your tummy. You smiled wider and felt yourself fluster a little. This was it. This is what caught you off guard time and time again. When he got soft or shy, you simply... followed suit.

It was infuriating to say the least. You wanted him to think you were cool, collected, suave. Hell, you would accept gravitas if you could reach it. 

For you to also lose your cool just because Legend was adorable was not the move for you. And Yet!

Someone called Legend for his opinion from the front of the group and Legend smiled at you again, soft and sweet and winked. He ran to catch up and ask what they needed.

It was the final nail in the coffin.

You bite your lip, feeling your blush grow over your face. Well this was hardly fair at all. You felt almost giddy with some unnamed excitement. Was this weird? Were you being weird?

You could almost feel the exact moment where your eyes turned into hearts- all the more thankful that he was no where near you at this point to see your descent. You liked him. You already knew that.

But to think you would feel like losing it over his stupid little wink and grin!! UGH!! This cannot be!! And yet!!! Here you are!!!

You covered your face with your hands, quickly putting your hood over yourself before anyone can get the impression that you were actually losing your mind. Which you were. 

You took a deep breath, then another, then another. That’s it. Breathe in. Breathe out.

So what if he was handsome and charming and smart and clever and cool? It doesn’t mean anything!

It meant everything.

Sky

Arguably, it didn’t take you long to realize that you were starting to fall for him.

You were only traveling with the group for a few months when you found yourself getting butterflies in your tummy whenever he would walk next to you or when you were staring. Period. You were staring. That should have been a dead giveaway.

But no, you were still trying to hold onto denial.

You were trying to keep pleasant but polite conversation with the young man. For some reason, you found unable to hold eye contact and you couldn’t seem to stop from blushing despite the fact that literally nothing was happening.

Still, you were giggly and happy and overall overjoyed so spend the time with him, even though you would have thought that he would have gotten annoyed with you at this point for being so out of it as you were.

That being said, when he put his hand on your shoulder, you had to bite the inside of your cheek to keep it together.

You couldn’t deny it any longer. That’s not a normal reaction. You were at least crushing on him. You had to admit at least that much.

He said some more things that you could no longer focus on before he patted your shoulder as a sign of good will before he walked on, no doubt going to talk to someone else of the group.

Once he was out of sight and hopefully out of earshot, you slowly sunk down and squealed to yourself. It was going to be a one time thing, you would have allowed yourself his much. Then you would get a grip and pretend it never happened and never do it again.

Somehow, the universe had other plans for you.

You had entered a new town and had to do some quick shopping to restock the supplies of the group. Which was all fine and dandy to be honest.

Until you ran into Sky.

Now you were blushing and flustered and giggling like a fool- even if he wasn’t even saying anything funny. The butterflies were back tenfold and they refused to leave.

Sky decided to stay by your side for the remainder of the day and help you out with the of the shopping. He even carried the bags for you. 

Your mind wanted to romanticize the entire thing and make it seem like it was a date when the more rational part of your brain wanted it to remain strictly business.

You had left for a moment to buy some things from the tailor shop for Legend and returned to Sky, who was holding onto some roasted food on a stick. He smiled, dare you say, bashfully. “I thought you’d be hungry.”

Your jaw dropped but you took the food anyway. “How did you know?”

“Because given the amount of things you’ve already bought and the fact that you started the second we split up, I was beginning to doubt that you had even bothered to feed yourself.” He answered quietly, scratching the back of his neck. “Is it good?”

You take a bite. “Delicious!”

“Good.” Sky smiles and takes the new bag from your hand. “Let’s continue then.”

The words suddenly sits on the edge of your tongue and you swallow it down with the next bite before it can escape. Could you love him? Could you plan to fall?

He certainly doesn’t make it difficult to do so.

Four

Honestly, you can say without a shadow of a doubt that Four was one of your favorite people ever.

He was so smart. And kind. And the best kind of sarcastic.

You loved to go toe to toe with his wit and he never failed to make you laugh no matter how stupid the joke was or how low hanging the fruit was.

...He would hit you if he heard you say that that one.

There’s was just something effortless about hanging out with him. Conversation flowed easy and there never seemed to be anything you couldn’t talk about. Even when you weren’t talking, the silence wasn’t awkward and there no need to try and one up one another. It was just casual and pleasant coexistence.

But then you started noticing... the little you did. At first, as usual, it wasn’t something that you paid attention to much because you had already established that you cared about each other and cared about each other’s opinions and the relationship between you had.

But you wanted... more of his attention. You wanted more of his time and his energy. You found yourself looking over at him more often and wanting to get his opinion on everything even if it was next to nothing.

It wasn’t until Zelda invited you and the group to a royal ball of sorts where you realized that you were subconsciously dressing up for Four instead of just trying to look your best for the princess’s sake.

You were thinking if he’d like the color, the cut, the jewelry they gave you to wear with your outfit. You had a passing thought that Four could make something better than this if they ever gave him the chance.

It wasn’t until you nearly blurted the question out loud to yourself that you caught on to your thoughts.

It realization hit you like a charging horse.

Just why did you care so much about what Four thought about this outfit? About you? About if he would think you looked good or not? It’s not like he’s the type of person to judge you for your fashion choices. If you wanted that, you’d ask Legend of Wild for their opinion.

But you still wanted him to pay attention to you like this.

You bit your lip harshly.

It... can’t be that? Right? 

No.

No, no, no- that would be silly.

You run your hands down your clothes and look back at the mirror. You think for a moment about your thought and break down in an instant. You’re a flustered blushing mess.

You think that Four would look very dapper tonight in his clothes for the party. And the thought gets your heart racing.

Would he want to dance with you?

Would you talk the night away?

...Would he even want to hang out with you tonight? He’s entitled to be around his other friends, of course. You don’t feel as if you have any right to demand anything of him.

...But you want it. You want it really badly. But why?

Are you crushing?

For a moment you  think you hear someone knocking at the door and you got to open it. It’s Four- looking just as dapper as you thought he would. You grin.

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be!”

He’s so handsome!

....wait...

#linked universe #linkeduniverse #linked universe x reader #lu x reader

[tobi-smp]

absolutely nobody wants to see me rant about the end of the dream smp for one millionth time in october 2023, but the anniversary has people talking on my dash so now I'm infected with one of the same 4 thoughts I always have about the dream smp

obviously there is a Very Very large number of reasons that people have a complicated relationship with the dream smp, both in universe and out. and the worst for me are the Obvious out of universe reasons that don't need to be repeated here.

but the cake for In Universe reasons is definitely still the crimeboys ending. it was the final nail in the coffin for me back when I hadn't realized that the coffin had any more nails it could take in the first place, and it's a big part of why the parts of the series that I Do very much so enjoy are very often painful to look back on.

and this isn't because wilbur is a bad writer or a bad actor (or tommy for that matter), even at the time I had Really enjoyed the lead up to the end, even and Especially in that final stream sending wilbur off.

I had my issues of course, I haven't exactly been quiet about that, but in retrospect I Understand the circumstances much better and respect wilbur's choice to get out of there as cleanly as possible.

we still don't know Exactly what was happening behind the scenes, including and Especially with dream, but we Do know full well that dream stopped interacting with the entire rest of the server leaving countless story lines (that he'd Intentionally made himself integral to) left to dry with no way to move forwards while they waited for interaction that would never ever come.

wilbur's choice to move forwards with his send off of his character on his own terms, even with and especially Because of the clear scheduling issues, was the smartest decision he could have made considering the circumstances. I would very much so argue that his character is the Only One that got sent off with any amount of dignity largely Because he stopped playing dream's little game. and I do have to wonder if wilbur escaping the narrative wasn't inspired more by the real life circumstances at the time.

but no matter how satisfying I find it, no matter how much Good I see in it, no matter how much I respect and agree with the choice to do it, I cannot think about wilbur's ending without a Deep ache.

and it is for one single reason

he left tommy behind on purpose, this time fully with the knowledge of the situation he was leaving him behind In.

the abandonment that characters like tommy, niki, and fundy felt after the 16th are ultimately understandable ways of dealing with grief, but weren't Fair to truly hold against wilbur. wilbur didn't Leave, he didn't make the decision to allow the people important to him to be hurt in his absence. he committed suicide because he was sad.

wilbur getting on that boat, truly Knowing what dream did to tommy in a way that only tommy and dream knew, and leaving tommy alone on that beach affected me in ways that nothing else on the server ever has. and that truly is not a good thing.

now, I Think that what was likely supposed to happen is that dream was Supposed to interact with tommy regularly after the prison escape, and that that was supposed to build up to Some natural conclusion. we don't know what that conclusion would have been, but it was certainly nothing like what we got. and meanwhile wilbur's final arc was supposed to progress along side it, building Up To the logsted stream and his full understanding of the abuse dream had done and the affect it had on tommy.

we Know that at one point tommy had spoken about having a soft ending with wilbur. and After wilbur's ending actually did happen he'd mentioned that he might cameo on the server from time to time. that sounds like a soft ending to me.

it makes thematic sense, it makes sense with the pieces we got leading up to the final stream, it makes sense with the characters. and it couldn't happen, because dream refused to move any plot forwards and tommy of all characters couldn't move on without dream. again, both Thematically and because of what was happening behind the scenes.

and this is. frustrating beyond reason. that the snot genuinely poisoned one of the best aspects of the entire server because he was actively killing it but still didn't want to let go.

you can call it speculation, and it is, but this is what I believe and will continue to believe until tommy or wilbur say otherwise.

and on paper I just want to be able to say that the things that I don't like about the ending are bad because dream forced them to be bad and therefore I can just pretend like they never happened and substitute canon's reality with my own (or at the very least excuse it for being the way that it is).

and I have tried to do that ! both in chewing on the ending on its own terms And in imagining many Many ways that it could have gone differently (an activity I'm quite fond of regardless of circumstance).

but it just !

in a completely biased and nevertheless Extremely Honest word, hurt my feelings.

I cannot stop thinking about how they Intentionally set up wilbur finding out about dream abusing tommy, Made Sure to cover every base so the audience Knows that wilbur knows that it was physical, mental, and emotional abuse, Knows that wilbur is fully aware that tommy almost committed suicide, and Knows that wilbur was Deeply Emotionally Affected By This Fact.

and then had him leave. had him Plan Possibly Months Ahead Of Time. had him try to sneak off, only telling tommy the truth when he caught him by surprise and forced it out of him.

tommy opened up to somebody about exile in real honest terms for the very first time, to one of the people that he trusted the most, and that person Chose to leave him trapped with that very abuser out to get him Even Though he understood the danger and cared about him very deeply.

he knew that tommy was in danger, he knew Why tommy was in danger, and him leaving tommy behind was pre-meditated.

and it's Painful not just because of what it implies about their relationship As A Whole (because it's impossible to accept this as true without it affecting how we look back on what came before), but because those same implications makes it Impossible to imagine their relationship having a future.

people tried to play it off like a Soft Ending, like wilbur was just going to get therapy and then come back and they were just gonna hug it out and have a nice healthy relationship. and to be fair to those people, none of us could have predicted that tommy was going to be bombed and then reincarnated with none of his memories. that was Not in my predictions for the next phase of his character arc.

but, shitty sequel bait ending that everyone who cares has disavowed aside (way aside, into a deep pit to never be seen again), if I were tommy I would feel unimaginably betrayed.

where they left off is Not a place to reconnect with a healthy relationship when they're ready, because This Was A Traumatizing Event In And Of Itself.

I don't have to prove this, c!tommy proved this himself when started holing up in his house and abusing potions of invisibility both because he feels completely and totally Unsafe walking anywhere on the server when people can see him And as a relapse back into potion addiction reminiscent of his addiction post-exile.

he was at his absolute lowest point, his abuser and murderer escaped from prison ready to torment him and everyone he cares about for Literally forever. he was Desperately trying to find any form of stability, Desperately trying to reach out to for anyone he could trust, and he Intentionally opened up to someone he Did trust completely once. someone who made him feel safe, someone he trusted with his entire life.

he opened up Because he wanted that relationship, Because he wanted wilbur in his life, Because wilbur had wanted Him in His life. he wanted to cross that gap between them. he was making himself vulnerable to Extend that trust To wilbur.

and wilbur stopped talking to him for months and then left.

that's not going to do good things to his mental health or stability. tommy was Already displayed active suicidal tendencies BEFORE dream broke out of prison.

if he'd managed to kill dream for good and the characters went about their lives tommy would have to let wilbur go. rationalizing what happened, justifying wilbur's decision, would not be healthy.

he can accept that wilbur made the right decision for Himself. he can accept that Wilbur needed to leave, that Wilbur needed time to himself.

but tommy clinging on to wilbur's memory, justifying that he was left for dead with his abuser On Purpose, would not be healthy.

tommy would Need to realize that what happened wasn't okay. there Is no going back to having a relationship with wilbur. wilbur was Allowed to make the choice he did, but it Was a choice.

I can't bare to think of the alternative. where tommy is abandoned, deeply damaged by that abandonment, has to face his abuser and murderer Without someone he'd once considered a brother, and then turn around and just answer wilbur's call the moment Wilbur decides he's ready to have a relationship again.

that would just. be sad. genuinely awful.

and I can't let that go. the decisions they made were Sensible, I can see how it was necessary for wilbur to Have a proper send off when he did. there's no Satisfying way to re-imagine this series of events without it not Being the end.

but it tried to depict itself As a soft ending, As the characters having a future together, when it simply is not. if wilbur escaped the narrative then he left the people he cared about to be victims of the narrative Knowingly.

and it's frustrating Because I can see how it'd happen by accident. How the implications would be both meticulously set up and gone completely unseen.

but for my money, if I were to fix it on its own terms. with no additional screen time after, no change in the streams leading up to the end, and the understanding that tommy's story could not end at this point by necessity (the same restrictions that they had at the time)

I would have wilbur ask tommy to come with him. I'd have the reveal be that wilbur wanted to take tommy with him The Entire Time but knew that tommy was stubborn and attached to the server. but the moment he understood Exactly How Bad It Was he knew he needed to get them out of there Now.

so he did his best to hold dream off for now, and Immediately went to work setting up their escape (we don't need to understand How the portal to utah works, just that it took some time to set up).

it would recontextualize some of their earlier interactions, it would recontextualize his absence after the logsted stream, and it would recontextualize why wilbur didn't tell him until now.

and of course, because tommy has to stay (and because tommy is tommy) he refuses. he refuses not because he doesn't Want to go with wilbur (he wants to be with him more than anything, he wants to feel safe more than anything). but because he can't abandon the people on the server, because he can't let go until he knows dream is gone, because he will never ever feel safe until dream is dead.

and it can be a big dramatic blow out that Ends with that quiet awkward understanding, not with the characters being emotionally in sync but Knowing that this is how this moment has to play out. that same melancholy, that same understand that a choice is being made that can't go back, But It's Mutual.

It's Mutual And Born From Love.

because wilbur Wanted to save tommy, because tommy Wanted wilbur to stay, because they both understand why things aren't happening that way.

and they'll still be Hurt after. their relationship will still be impacted. this will still be something to Work Through rather than the magic soft fix that will make their relationship healthy and fluffy again.

but it's Fixable. if tommy survives there's a relationship still in tact to build on. there's a future where they both trust each other again one day, to find comfort and stability in each other. to put in the Work to build a life once the horror finally ends.

of course, if I had a say a lot more than this would've been changed. but it's a thought that plagues me because of how plausibly it Could have been what we'd gotten. because it would have worked without changing anything and it still would have hurt me at the time but it would have been the Good hurt. not a goodbye forever but goodbye until I can see you again. Goodbye And I Love You.

(at least until tommy got exploded with a bomb and forgot that wilbur existed. yippie)

#discourse #neg #been ages since I've used that #dream smp #dsmp #wilbur soot #tommyinnit #I'm not tagging the snot because I hate him

[fluffypotatey]

If wukong told (lied) to macaque that he never cared about him, do you think that would make macaque even more aggresive or like shut down/be the final straw that finally makes macaque let go of wukong

so, just like my answer for whether macky would willingly erase swk from his life, I think this answer also depends on when in the show swk told macky this, and what better way to explain this than by going through each outcome per season :)

UNO

looking at s1, we meet a Macaroni who is very hellbent on killing (or at the very least, heavily damaging) SWK because he feels like the guy never truly gave a shit about him (<- my interpretation). thus, it is safe to assume that if Wukong were to laugh off Marnolo's hurt and anger and tell the guy that he never cared, Mac&cheese will only feel that his current assumptions of SWK are correct and that the guy only cares about himself and his image.

would he feel hurt about it? oh absolutely. maybe punch a wall, destroy the "dojo" he allegedly lives in in an outburst of power and anger. maybe scream and cry but be mad at his own tears (begin to wipe them away but is too hash so he scars himself and then can't stop bc he's very self-destructive)

DOS

technically, Wukong is MIA so this would never happen. BUT! have you considered!!! Wukong telling MK that Macdonalds was just some guy from his past, nobody super important, basically a nobody he wronged in his long list of enemies. which MK might possibly parrot back to Macadoo in 2x07

heavens above Marconi would be pissed.

forget trying to be a dick to MK and "teaching" him that his path of emulating Wukong has already made him forget his friends (untrue, but this is what i assume was Macky's interpretation of MK's actions since the guy didn't actively search for his missing friends, who MK thought left him on purpose).

nah, Macky is hunting SWK down. he is out for blood because "did i serious mean so little to you? were our nights under that tree sharing secrets, dreams, peaches fucking nothing to you?" (and idk....maybe after the air clears out, possibly, macky would realize SWK's true reason for being MIA and....help out???? mayhaps???....yeah, yeah, i know only in my dreams T^T)

TRES

ok, so we could technically say this sort of happened in ep1 when Sun Wukong said, "i thought it was someone important," and, "so what, you're her puppet now? i mean, makes sense. you always did have a sidekick kind of vibe."

and that is basically Wukong implying that he viewed his relationship with Macaque as one where he didn't consider Macky to be important to him, or someone he saw as a close friend. however, this is also a tactic Wukong uses against nearly every villain he interacts with, simply to get a rise out of them. so, pin that down as Wukong being observant enough to know which words to use to hurt.

AND Macky's reaction to it is him jumping out of his cool-ass looking jet and body-slamming the monkey king to the floor. so, uh, it is safe to assume that Macky was pissed off at Wukong's comment.

THUS! with that in mind, we can say that in this context, Macackle will be upset enough to fight him; however, if we were to consider the end of s3 (like Samadhi Fire ritual to the end) i would go with the option of Mackarell shutting down and feeling like that comment is the nail in the coffin for their relationship.

CUATRO

in s4? absolutely not. he would be dragging Wukong by the ear, demanding that he repeat what he said, ordering Wukong to try and convince himself that their past meant nothing while Macky still lives and breathes. and especially after the s4 special.

you could argue that Macky could shut down in the beginning of s4, but i think he'd probably laugh it off because he knows now that Wukong is lying. he's being his old deflective self and probably doesn't know where to place Macanoli in his head now that they're technically on better terms with LBD done with.

but after all the drama of going through SWK's memories? nuh uh, Wukong can't get out of this, nope. you handed iMac a chocolate peach popsicle. it is too late for you turn back and lie about your feelings. you can dig your grave and lie about it, but he's just gonna hit you right back with your own medicine and make you understand that if y'all truly want to reconcile, you cannot continue lying to yourself that you don't care.

not anymore.

so, anyway, i hope this answers your question, anon! i had a lot of fun running this question around in me braincage :3

#lmk #lmk six eared macaque #lmk sun wukong #shadowpeach #bc i cannot help myself but talk about them in the context of shadowpeach #literally could have said 'i think if swk told macky this now compared to previous episodes' he would know it was bullshit (since he & MK #went through swk's memories and got to SEE swk's side of their relationship) and would've called the idiot out on it bc nuh uh are they #going to go through the same motions as before and fuck up their communication like last time you take that fucking back you bitch' #but (of course) i wanted back up for this answer and this show occupies all the nooks and crannies of my mind :) #for the sake of this mini essay (she says typing out her tags before finishing this post) imma capitalize only the names #for the bit #also mispell macky's name #for the bit....as well #no i am not counting macky out for being self-destructive #he has BEEN self-destructive to himself and his health until the end of s3 #nobody can convince me otherwise #this man was on the path of destroying himself to either destroy wukong or free himself from lbd (whom i might add WAS SOMEONE #HE WILLINGLY CONSIDERED IT WA BETTER TO BATHE IN THE FIRES OF SAMADHI TO BE FREE FROM HER CONTRACT! YOU #KNOW....THE VERY SAME FLAMES THAT CAN BURN REALITIES??? THAT FIRE!!!) #*sighs* why must my answers about shadowpeach and almost everything lmk related be long T^T #not mad just confused on that fact that i have been in a writer's traffic jam for weeks but get asked this and SUDDENLY???? #all my energy comes back???? #rude af brain >:( #asks #anonymous

[cherrycola27]

Last Hurrah

Warnings: GUYS this is a heavy fic. I'm serious Minors DNI, 18+. Language, drinking. Mentions of head injury. Trigger Warning! Suicidal thoughts and actions

Pairing Rooster x Reader (Call Sign Juliet)

...................................................................................................

Part 1: In fair Fightertown where we lay our scene

For most people, when their life comes crashing down, they never saw it coming. They are the lucky ones. But for me, the whole thing played out infront of me in a series of scenes straight out a Shakespearean tragedy. How ironic really.

The first act came when watched my fiancée Rooster Bradshaw eject from his plane before it crashed into the side of a mountain.

The second came with the news that he had a head injury.

And the third, the final nail in my coffin, the dagger through the heart, was that when he woke up, he had no memory of who I was or our relationship over the past eighteen months. How very Nicholas Sparks.

All that happened six months and seventeen days ago. And for those six months and seventeen days, I, as well as every other member of the Dagger Squad family had been desperately trying to get him to remember me, to remember us, to remember the love we had, but nothing worked.

About a month ago I realized that there was little chance of Rooster ever remembering who I was, so I started making calls.

Do you know what it's like to have to explain to a baker, a venue owner, a photographer, a wedding coordinator, as well as sixty of you closest friends and family that you had to cancel your wedding because partner doesn't remember who you are? Because I do, and let me tell you, it sucks.

What might be worse is that for the past six months and seventeen days I have spent every night, crying myself to sleep, alone in the bed that we once shared.

For the past half a year I've felt as if I'm watching my life go by in slow motion. The world is moving forward without me. Rooster has gotten better for the most part, but he still doesn't know who I am. It kills me to see him happy, smiling, laughing, living without me.

And every time I see a girl flirt with him, the knife pushes futher into my chest. It isn't fair. I should be happy for him, happy that he is alive. But I'm not. Maybe it's horrible of me to think that way, but it's cruel that he is living carefree and smiling, while I'm a shell of the woman I once was.

Everyone has tried to help, but they know it's useless. Rooster and I are... friends... at best. But how can you be just friends with the person who six months ago promised you forever.

He is the one who almost died, yet I'm the one who did.

I'm not really living anymore, I'm just going through the motions. I get up, go to work, fly my plane, get a drink at the Hard Deck, go home, cry myself to sleep, and do it all again the next day.

It wasn't supposed to go like this. Rooster was the Romeo to my Juliet... a running joke with my call sign after we started dating.

Maybe it's karma for having Juliet as a call sign or maybe God has a sick sense of humor. Either way... I'm starting to think she was right... if you can't have the person you love in your life, is it really worth living?

"Hi there." A male voice snaps me out of my spiral. "You're Juliet right? I'm Dodger. I've seen you here a couple times, and I noticed you're glass is empty. Can I get you another drink?" He asks. I look him over. Dodger, I've seen him a few times. He is a bit younger than me and I probably out rank him. He is bad to look at, but he isn't Rooster. He hasn't been around long enough to know our history, and it's not like I wore your engagement ring anymore.

It felt wrong having a man give you attention, but Rooster got plenty from the girls...

I spent about an hour talking to Dodger. He flirted with me relentlessly, and honestly it felt good to have someone pay me attention, then before I even realized it, I had invited him home.

I made it as far as the couch before I stopped him. It felt wrong to let another man touch me, kiss me, let alone try to fuck me on the very couch Rooster had taken meu many times.

I mentally kicked myself that night after he left. I wasn't doing anything wrong— or was I? Everything seemed so unclear. I hadn't slept with anyone since Rooster's accident, I wondered if he had.

As the days drug on you found yourself slipping away more. You were short, angry, mean, bitter to those around you. You spent your days going through the motions and your nights crying or drinking away the pain.

And then, one Wednesday morning for no reason in particular the perfect plan hit you. That morning, you were asked to come in Friday night for some test flights. And that's when the realization hit you.

You were much happier the rest of the day. Thursday you smiled for the first time in ages, and we Friday came around, you were more than excited to go out.

Everyone commented how you seemed like your old self again.

You had a couple drinks at the Hard Deck but not too many because you did have to fly later that evening. You sang karaoke with Phoenix, danced without a care in the world, and even beat Hangman in a game of darts.

After a while you got hot and decided to step out on the deck for some air. You smiled knowing your friends would have a happy moment to remember you by.

You must have been out there longer than you thought because Jake came to check on you.

"Hey Jules, you okay?" He asked.

"I'm great Jake. You know I've been so lucky to have had you and everyone as friends. Rooster has been too. Make sure you watch out for him for me." You smiled as you hugged him.

"Well, I'm off to do a test flight. Goodbye Jake." You smiled with a tear in your eye.

You said your goodbyes to everyone else, save for Rooster. It hurt too much. Then you made your way to your car. You looked back at the Hard Deck one final time before putting it in gear and driving away.

You were gone for maybe five minutes before the wheels turned in Jake's head. He quickly found Phoenix. "Nat, I know I sound crazy but I think Juliet is going to hurt herself." He told her.

"What do you mean? She was fine when she left." Nat looked confused.

"That's the thing. She was a mess two days ago then all of a sudden she flips. They say that happens a lot when people decide to— and when were on deck she said she was lucky to have had us as friends and she asked me to watch out for Rooster for her. I know I sound crazy but Nat, I'm worried about her... she's supposed to do some test flying tonight... what if she..." Jake trailed off.

"You don't think she would? Do you?" Phoenix asked stunned.

"Phoenix her whole life fell apart. The person she is in love with doesn't know who she is. That's enough go make even the most sane person do something crazy." Jake said.

"Oh my God we have to do something." Phoenix said.

She and Jake quickly gathered everyone and explained the situation. Jake desperately tried to literally smack the memories back into Rooster with no success. Leaving them no other options the crew piled into the Bronco and Coyote's Jeep and raced to the air field.

Juliet took her time with her preflight checks, if it was going to be her last, she wanted to savor it.

Once she deemed everything perfect she placed her helmet on her head and climbed in the cockpit ready for take off.

"Mav you have to stop the training Juliet is going to hurt herself or worse!" Bob screamed into the phone while Jake drove. Phoenix was still trying to explain to Rooster what was going on but he was clueless.

There is no telling how many traffic laws Jake broke as he drove, but he didn't care.

Without warning, he hit a pot whole and a photo fell from the visor into Rooster's lap, and like lightning, every came back to him.

"Jake, where's Juliet, and why are you driving my car?" He asked.

"You know who Juliet is?" Phoenix asked leaning forward.

"Yes why wouldn't I?" Rooster asked. There was a collective sigh of relief, but then panic set in. Phoenix and Bob explained to him what happened and Rooster was in a panic.

Minutes later they pulled into base and jumped from the car, running to range control.

Mav had informed them that he couldn't get ahold of them. It was a race against the clock.

Juliet took a deep breath as she flew, she admired the sunset over the mountain peaks.

She took in the beautiful colors all around her, up here her problems seemed so small. She looked on her dash at the photo of her and Rooster. She grabbed her chain that held her dog tags and her engagement ring. She gripped them tight in her hand as she pulled the nose of her plane into a steep climb. Her goal was to send herself into GLOC so she wouldn't feel any pain.

She ignored the calls of the range control officers telling her to level out. She didn't hear the sounds of her friends bursting in the room yelling for her.

She tried to keep her breath even as she felt the g-forces pressing on her body, and then right before the blackness took over, she heard Rooster's voice calling out to her.

"JULIET!" He screamed over the comms. "Juliet, it's me Rooster, it's Bradley, please come in." He and the other range officers desperately tried to reach her, but there was no response.

The group looked out the tower window to see if the could spot her in the fleeting evening light.

They looked out just in time to see the ball of fire erupt from her plane as it collided with the side of the mountain.

Tag List: @dreamingathighaltitude @shanimallina87 @luckyladycreator2 @mak-32 @katieshook02 @samhapner6 @rosiahills22 @thedroneranger @roosterforme

Let me know if you want to be tagged in any other parts

#top gun maverick #top gun #bradley rooster bradshaw #rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw #rooster top gun #lt. bradley bradshaw #top gun rooster #tgm fanfiction #tgm #tgm fic #rooster x reader #bradley bradshaw x reader

[mongoose-croft-main]

Cycle of hurt no one asked for:

(It gets better at the end I promise)

Steve likes Eddie and only talks to Robin about it.

Robin likes Nancy but Nancy is always hanging out with Eddie ever since her and Johnathan officially split.

Eddie likes Steve but thinks Steve is straight, he thinks/knows Robin is queer too but she's Steve's best friend so he feels like he can't talk to her.

Nancy notices that something is weighing on Eddie and patiently needles him into opening up to her until he admits he has feelings for Steve.

Nancy wants to tell him to go to Steve but she's not sure if her desire to push Steve and Eddie together is optimistic or selfish because while she knows she wants to see Steve happy she's not sure if that's because she still cares about him or because she still feels guilty over breaking his heart. And another deeper part of her wonders if she's hoping Steve is queer because she wants Eddie to have a shot, she does want good things for Eddie even if they haven't been friends for long, or if she's hoping that if Steve is queer and he and Robin are so close than maybe that means Robin could be queer too? and maybe that would mean Nancy had a shot with Robin? But even if they are both queer that doesn't mean that they aren't involved with each other, in which case would Nancy just be using Eddie to try and force a wedge between Steve and Robin? That wouldn't be fair to Eddie. In the end Nancy usually just ends up sitting with Eddie's head in her lap slowly stroking his hair while he sobs.

Robin is pretty sure Eddie is gay, and she wants to tell Steve but it's not her place to spread secrets that aren't hers and she doesn't actually know it for a fact so if she told Steve and it turned out she was wrong than she would blame herself for his disappointment after the fact. She wants to be optimistic and tell Steve to go after what he wants, but she also feels guilty because she likes Nancy (her best friends ex girlfriend for goodness sake!) and she's afraid that she might just be trying to get Steve to go after somebody else for fear of Nancy deciding that she wants him back now that they're both available.

Eddie feels awful for breaking and admitting his feelings for Steve to Nancy because she's the last person who should have to hear about how desirable Steve Harrington is, especially after they tried to start things up again and it (as far as he can tell) made her dump her boyfriend from Cali just for circumstances to ruin her and Steve's chance at being happy together for the second time around. But with Robin out of the question there's few to no people he can talk to about his crush on the seemingly straightest guy in Hawkins, and he needs some means of venting his feelings because every time he sees Steve gently chastise one of their kids (who have taken to referring to Steve and him as 'mom and dad') only to ruffle their hair with a smile before turning to lean against Robin like they've been married for ten years, Eddie feels like all of the oxygen is being sucked out of his lungs.

Steve thinks that Eddie and Nancy are dating now and that kinda makes sense, Jonathan had kind of a loner-who-only-wears-dark-clothes thing going too, so maybe Nancy has a type. A type that is distinctly not-steve in its characterization, but whatever. He had reached out for and clung onto Nancy during this most recent bout with the upside down and for a minute they both thought they might get back together, only for them both to realize as the adrenaline wore off that neither of them really wanted it. It was familiar and comforting in a difficult time and that time was past. Steve had wondered if Nancy and Johnathan would have broken up at all if he hadn't made any advances on Nancy. She insisted that the writing had been on the wall for them for a while by then but Steve still felt guilty that his actions might have been the final nail in that coffin. And now here he was crushing on Nancy's new boyfriend, or at least a guy she seemed to like, as if he weren't already personally responsible for her last 2-2 1/2 failed relationships (if he counts himself twice). So he keeps his feelings to himself even throughout Robins gentle insinuations that 'if Steve is Bi then why can't Eddie be?' Because he can't get near another relationship of Nancy's under any circumstances. Even if watching Eddie fight for his life in the hospital had made Steve feel like he would die if Eddie didn't make it.

The truth is Nancy and Steve really did reach the mutual conclusion that they weren't right for each other and that Nancy broke it off with Johnathan both because long distance was killing them and because she realized she was ready to be single and by herself for awhile. She didn't realize until later that the fact that she couldn't get the image of Robin throwing molotov cocktails out of her head was something more than a 'girl-crush'.

Robin eventually decides to find out for herself if Eddie is gay in the only way she can think of that won't either out Steve or just put Eddie on the defensive. She walks up to Eddie and informs him that 'she is a lesbian and she hopes he's okay with that because it looks like he's going to be a member of the Party for a long time.'

Eddie is torn between being elated that the only other gay person in Hawkins is opening up to him and guilt that he wants to cling to her and spill all his secrets, because she's Steve's confidant and not his. But, one grand gesture of trust demands another, so Eddie reciprocates and tells Robin he's gay.

Robin nearly collapsed in on herself with the relief of it. She tries to tell herself it's because this means she's not the only person like her in the whole town (even though she already knows Steve is bi) but she can't deny that Steve's insistence that Eddie and Nancy were an item had been getting into her head and it was nice to hear that wasn't the case.

"So, you and Nancy, that's not romantic? Or are you bisexual?"

"Oh, nonono, Wheeler's a good listener and all, but I don't go for chicks"

"Oh, okay, that's cool"

Eddie lifts a brow at the way Robin stares at the ground while she says it.

"What about you and Harrington?"

"Oh God NO, I love Steve but, he's like my brother."

"Oh okay, good"

"Good?"

"Um, yeah, I mean, you deserve a good support system. It's good to hear you two are so close"

"Right." Robin looks unconvinced

"Strange to think though, Steve Harrington being such close friends with a member of the opposite sex, tell me why does he think it is that you're immune to his charms?"

"You think Steve is charming?"

Eddie turns and starts to walk away without another word and Robin has to chase him down to continue the conversation

"Kidding jeez, Steve knows. He was actually the first person that I told"

"Wow, bold move Buckley. Wouldn't have been my first choice straight out of the gate, but glad to hear it worked out"

"Yeah, he's actually really cool, if you ever wanted to talk to him about it"

"Why would I want to do that, between you and Nance I think I'm set"

Robin's eyes widen

"So, Nancy knows? About you?"

"Oh, Nancy knows everything, that poor woman is thoroughly versed in every thought that passes through my head, she's basically my conscience and at least 45% of my self control"

Robin laughed and so did Eddie, then in a movement that neither is certain who initiated or why, the they end up hugging each other tightly for at least a minute and possibly several.

They're both sniffling and swiping at their eyes when they finally break apart. They awkwardly look at the ground and play with their rings and oversized sleeves respectively until one of them finally breaks the silence

"So, he was really cool with it? Just like that?"

Eddie tries to keep his tone even.

"He was, I really think you should talk to him, I mean, it couldn't hurt to have one more friend in your corner right?"

"I guess not. Though in that case you should probably talk to Wheeler too"

"Yeah, I guess I should"

Eddie confides in Steve nearly a week later, after literally holding Robins hand as she confessed to Nancy and after the two of them spent several days talking Eddie down from the various worst case scenarios that he threw out each time they suggested that he and the other man should talk. Eddie comes to the video store on a day when Robin is working so she can provide moral support/stare him down if he starts to chicken out. His concerns turn out to have been unwarranted when Steve's eyes go wide and he almost immediately fires back with the fact that he's bisexual.

Steve asks Eddie on a date less than a week later.

Nancy's sexuality crisis is short lived and prosessed in enough time that she asks Robin out on nearly the same day.

*I don't have time or drive to write this in any more depth so feel free to run with this or any ideas there in if you like*

#steddie #the fruity four #I'm sorry #ronance #eddie munson x steve harrington #robin buckley x nancy wheeler #nancy and eddie #as besties #robin and eddie #dynamic saves the day #robin and steve #are codependent

[midnightbrightside]

Look here’s part of my interpretation of Krisnix

Particularly Phoenix’s feelings towards towards him

My headcanon is the timeline goes a bit like this

Year 1: I don’t know how I got disbarred but Kris is the only one who believes in me so I like him, I’m gonna cling to them for support

Year 2: Ok Kris is looking kind of sus but I’m just gonna ignore that since Edgeworth still hasn’t had time to visit me. Sure there’s something else I’m missing

Year 3: Ok the signs are pointing to Kris but if I just zeno my thinking some other factors/excuses will materialize

Year 4: ok no all the signs are saying he did it out of spite but if I just huff enough copium the facts will change and the only person who’s been able to support me in person and not through time zone screwed phone calls and e-mails won’t be the one who ruined my life

Year 5: Ok so the facts haven’t changed and he’s an asshole but I’ll fix him like I fixed Edgeworth. He says he cares about me so it must be true (after all wanting something to be true really badly makes it true right?) I’ll fix him!

Year 6-7: ok being around him is very weird and I’m upset he disbarred me but I need to figure out what his tragic background is so I can fix him, then I can reform the court system and he can be like Edgeworth except he doesn’t leave me for Europe 😤

*Kris commits murder*

Phoenix: … so I guess I can’t fix him :/

I genuinely think for a least a while Nick had to have some kind of fix it mindset with him

I mean Edgybaby was said to have forged evidence and Nick didn’t really care. I really think murder was the final nail in the coffin

Thoughts? Is this a valid timeline? I know some people like it where Nick realizes what happened immediately and just hated Kris internally all 7 years but to me that’s boring

I have even more complicated thought of Kris’ thoughts of Nick so look out

this is so real and also mostly how i see phoenix' s thoight process tbh!! especially the years of ignoring red flags only to then try and "fix him", he'll drag out the denial as long as possible. besides hes dealt w corrupt guys before, he was willing to give edgeworth for a lot, and its very possible he didnt know kristoph was capable of murder until turnabout trump.

and fuck how DEVASTATING must that be? to spend years knowing someone intimately and being willing to overlook all of the signs because the support and companionship they offer is more reliable and consistent than anything youve had before? only to end up feeling like you dont know them at all (might be working on a little drawing about that atm actually 👁👁 work is hell tho and slowing me down so much)

#ask #oreocookiezzz

[steddieassheg0es]

Steve is used to being appreciated for superficial details. The things that have nothing to do with him really.

He doesn’t think he’s ever been liked for anything that makes him him. Even Nancy, for all that they care for each other now, had only really wanted to rebel in the way that only cool, well off kids can. She wanted the hot boyfriend who she could drink with and have sex with and feel a little less like the girl from the cul-de-sac. Steve was just the body attached to that goal.

Tommy just wanted his status. The right hand man to the King. Never mind that none of the people who fawned over him knew the first thing about him. All that mattered was Tommy was cool by association.

His father…well his father wanted Steven Harrington III. The trust fund kid, Stanford legacy, heir to his prestigious business. The man who would marry the perfect trophy wife and have the perfect life. When that all went up in flames, he wanted Steve to shut up and stay out of the way. Try not to be an even bigger disgrace to the family name.

His mother was too drunk to remember he existed half the time. He preferred that to the cold indifference when she was sober.

The kids might actually like him by now. He’s not really sure. He knows he loves them all dearly. He’d give his life for any of them, nearly has a few times. But mostly to them he feels like a human shield. Good to take the hits and keep on taking them. Maybe a bit of comedic relief. You can always count on Steve to say something dumb and lighten the mood. 

(When he’s being less self pitying, he knows that’s not exactly fair. He remembers the surprisingly heartfelt “If you die, I die” from Dustin in the Russian elevator. Though he also remembers the unintentionally overheard “No one is around. Why do you think I’m with Steve Harrington?” from the same kid just the year before. So maybe they do like him now, but being freshly graduated from highschool and entering the adult world to have the only people who even remotely like you as a person be a group of children is a bit depressing. The thought that they’ll grow up and learn better, move on and leave him behind…)

It’s not until Robin that he feels really seen. It’s an unexpected friendship born from a silly little crush. Though when he really thinks back he’s not sure he ever actually had a crush on her. The truth is far more pathetic. He just hadn’t realized friendship could be like this. The only love he’d known before was romantic or almost fatherly and protective. A grown man who didn’t know friends could actually care for each other.

He’ll forever be thankful to have Robin, treasures their platonic love more than he can say. He knows deep down though that once she graduates she’ll move on to bigger and better things.

No one stays around for Steve Harrington. No one loves Steve Harrington. Steve Harrington is bullshit.

Even more pathetically, Steve is still a romantic at heart. Desperately needy. He longs to be loved, to be desired for more than his body.

Not that he doesn’t like sex. It’s just that he’s had enough shallow flings to last two life times. A few moments of pleasure followed by days of feeling hollow. Women who want to see if the rumors of his skills in bed are true, who want to claim a night with King Steve, who want to be seen with someone sexy on their arm. Want to tick him off their checklist and never look back.

They don’t listen to him. They couldn’t care less about his likes or dislikes, his dreams, his fears. Mostly they chat about themselves or if they’re a bit more polite they might ask him about his former glory days. Spend enough time in public to be sure they’ve been seen with him then take him home. Rinse and repeat.

So he gives up. He’s tired of shallow and can’t seem to find anything else, so what’s the point?

When the world doesn’t end for the 4th and 5th time Steve figures it’s the final nail in that coffin. How can he ever hope to find someone who will look past the noose-like scar around his neck or the chunks of flesh missing from his abdomen? It’s not like he can tell anyone. NDA’s aside, who would believe him?

At least his circle of age appropriate friends has grown. It’s not how he’d have liked to meet Eddie or Argyle, or get closer to Nancy and Jonathan, but he’ll take what he can get for as long as he can get it.

There was a moment where he thought maybe Nancy finally did love him. But once the adrenaline faded, so did the hope. Both because he could see she was only reaching out to him as something safe and comfortable, but also because he was doing the same. He’ll always have a deep love for her, but there’s truly no romantic feelings left there.

Nor are there between her and Jonathan it seems. Which becomes a weird bond for the two men, their once love for Nancy Wheeler. They understand each other better now, and adding in Argyle and his zen like energy and never ending weed supply they provide the most laid back company he’s ever had.

Eddie…he’s not sure what to think of Eddie Munson at first. He's known of him by reputation for a while (and he flinches at the thought that that goes both ways), but gossip does him little justice.

Eddie is vibrant. Steve never really understood when people would say someone could light up a room until now, because Eddie does. He’s so kind despite everything this town has done that by all rights should have snuffed that out. He’s funny, incredibly smart, and beautiful. Not just physically, though he is, but he has the most beautiful soul.

So really, it’s no surprise that Steve falls head over heels for him.

—

The day Eddie kisses him, his heart breaks.

He’s too needy to say no to this, to anything Eddie’s willing to give him. It just hurts to know that Steve’s done it again somehow, lured someone in close with his looks. Like the light of an angler fish, shiny and pretty and distracting from the grotesque thing behind it all.

He’d thought maybe they could be real friends. No one loves Steve but maybe Eddie could like him.

“Stevie?”

He blinks back into reality. “Hm?”

“You wanna say something? I just kissed you and you haven’t said or done anything and I’m kind of freaking out here.”

“Oh. Uh…right. Sorry. You just caught me off guard.” He smiles, because he’s desperate enough to soak up any bit of affection he can get, even if it’s empty. “You should try that again, I’ll get it right this time.”

His smile widens, more genuine, at the sound of Eddie’s laughter as he does what he’s told. Feels it against his grinning mouth. Wonders if he can swallow that sound, keep it with him forever. Something to hold onto when Eddie inevitably grows bored with him.

He waits for the escalation…and waits…and waits. But while Eddie does pull Steve into his lap, his grip stays firm and still on his waist. Never pulling Steve into motion, never wandering to touch. He gently sweeps his tongue across Steve’s lips, waits for permission to enter, then seems content to continue making out.

Not that Steve’s complaining. Actually there’s nothing that he loves more than kissing. He’s just…confused. Everyone he’s ever been with has always seemed to view kissing as a necessary part of dating or the unavoidable first step to a hookup. Never something to enjoy just for the sake of it. They always pull away first.

He considers moving things along himself, but hesitates. If he thinks about it, it’s possible this is Eddie’s first kiss. Small town Indiana probably doesn’t provide much opportunity for gay hookups. Maybe he’s just not quite ready yet. It’s not like Steve wants to rush things along. The sooner Eddie gets it out of his system, the sooner he moves on. And the last thing Steve wants to do is push him. Steve can wait. He’s very good at being patient. And if he’s Eddie’s first, well, he wants to make it special. 

He refuses to let himself think too hard about that. His first time was hardly anything noteworthy, he hardly remembers the girl. Eddie’s more cautious than he was, especially with being gay, but that just means he trusts Steve to keep a secret. It doesn’t mean he’s special.

No one loves Steve Harrington.

—

Steve just gets more confused as time goes on.

Things have changed between them, just not in the way he was expecting. Eddie is unbearably sweet to him. Not that he wasn’t before, but it’s different now. He calls him “sweetheart” and “baby” and “angel”. Holds his hand any time they’re alone. His kisses, while they do occasionally have some heat behind them, are most often soft and gentle. When they watch movies on his couch he pulls Steve against his chest, sometimes lays them down and curls himself around Steve, always holds him close.

He doesn’t even pull away when his uncle walks in the door, tightens his grip when Steve tries to the first time. Mr. Munson (‘It’s Wayne, boy. Mr. Munson was my father an’ he was a mean son of a bitch.’) just smiles at them fondly. Like he’s happy to see his nephew wrapped around another boy, wrapped around Steve.

More confusing than anything is that after weeks, he still hasn’t pushed for more than kissing. Steve’s felt him hard against his thigh when they’re pressed in close, but Eddie just politely shifts his hips away. Says nothing, does nothing about it.

Doubt begins to swirl in Steve’s mind, poisonous. If sex is the one thing he’s good for and Eddie doesn’t want it, what does that mean?

Is Eddie just too nice to tell him the truth?

He wouldn’t be surprised. Steve may not be anything special, but that wouldn’t matter to Eddie. Eddie is good, and kind, and wonderful. He would hate to hurt anyone.

The question is, is Steve deplorable enough to take advantage of that? To take and take until even Eddie has nothing left to give?

He’s really not sure.

—

The day it all comes to a head is really nothing more worthy.

It started like most days this summer have. The Party is gathered at his house, most of them enjoying the pool. Only he and Nancy refuse to go in, choosing instead to watch from their lounge chairs side-by-side. Nancy seems to be watching Robin in particular, which is interesting.

Steve of course only has eyes for Eddie. Who seems pleased by it, preening under the attention and showing off.

Eventually he drags himself up out the pool (and if Steve appreciates the flex of his arms and chest that is his business), and he surprises Steve by flopping down in front of him, Steve’s legs bracketing Eddie’s.

Steve laughs and shoves him, complaining about getting wet, but his mind is racing. They haven’t exactly told anyone besides Wayne about whatever it is they’re doing. All intimate touching behind closed doors. Eddie’s a tactile guy though, and no one bats an eye at him sprawled across Steve while he chats with Nancy.

He’s so lost in thought he doesn’t notice when Nancy leaves to sit by the pool and dip her legs in while she flirts with Robin. Doesn’t notice Eddie looking over his shoulder observing him. Stays unfocused until Eddie shifts, pressing his back to Steve’s chest and resting his head on his shoulder.

“Penny for your thoughts pretty boy? You look so serious.”

“Hm? Oh, no it’s nothing. You know me, not much going on in my head.”

Eddie frowns instead of joining in his laughter like he expected. Like everyone else does.

“Don’t do that, I hate that you let everyone joke about you like that. Because I think you genuinely believe it. You’re not stupid, Stevie. If you don’t wanna talk about whatever you’re thinking about that’s fine but don’t say that it’s nothing or that you’re dumb.”

“I am, though. It’s ok Eddie. I know I’m not…you don’t have to pity me so if that’s what this has all been about it’s not necessary.”

“Pity? I don’t…what what is all-“

Eddie’s cut off by Dustin excitedly bounding up to them, eager to share an idea he had for their next campaign. He gives Steve a significant look that tells him this conversation isn’t over before he indulges their favorite gremlin.

Steve wasn’t sure he wanted to pick this up later though. On the one hand he didn’t want to be the reason Eddie was miserable, feeling stuck with him. It’s just…he thought he had a little more time.

So he does his best to drag the day out as long as possible. With the kids being out of school it’s easier, he’s charmed all of their parents enough that they don’t have a curfew when they’re with him.

As the afternoon sun dips lower towards the horizon he wrangles them all out of the pool to eat. Dustin unwittingly kept Eddie engaged while he manned the grill so he didn’t get a chance to corner Steve while he was away from the group.

Now Eddie sits beside him, lets his hand rest on Steve’s knee as the kids thank him and dig in. He allows himself this moment of happiness. Everyone he loves together (almost, Joyce and Hop are taking advantage of some alone time), filling their bellies with food he’s prepared. The ever present protective anxiety in him settles.

He glances over to see Eddie watching him with the softest smile.

“What?”

“Nothing, just…you. Proud mama hen.”

He can feel his cheeks heat, which only makes Eddie’s smile widen. “Shut up.” 

Once everyone is stuffed to the gills they all change into their pjs and descend to the basement for a movie. They sprawl about on the couches and nest of blankets on the floor. Once Steve gets the movie set up and makes sure no one wants anything, Eddie shoves Mike to the floor and pats the seat next to him, ignoring the younger Wheeler’s protests.

As soon as he sits Eddie quickly tugs his legs into his own lap. When he tries to pull them back, Eddie holds him still by the ankles.

“Nuh-uh. You’re staying right there, big boy. You’ve been playing host all night, and you’ve done a wonderful job. But now you’re going to relax. If anyone needs anything they can help themselves.”

The kids all shush them as the movie starts so he just lays back and accepts it. Might as well soak up this last bit of affection while he can.

—

Of course, he can’t make the night last forever.

Eventually the movie ends and everyone starts filtering out. Nancy and Argyle divvy up the kids to chauffeur then everyone says their goodbyes.

Robin hesitates at the door, her gaze searching. He can feel Eddie’s presence behind him as he conspicuously lingers, clearly not intending on leaving with everyone else. Steve’s not sure what his face is doing but it’s enough for Robin to be concerned.

“You good, dingus? You want to do one of our parties tonight?”

He wants so badly to say yes. To use her as a shield to protect his heart. But he knows he can’t delay the inevitable much longer.

“Nah, I’m all good. You can go hit on my ex to your heart’s content.” He grins as she sputters before stomping off.

He takes a deep breath to steel himself before he turns to face the music.

“So…”

“What did you mean, earlier? When you said ‘if all of this is pity’?”

Well then, they’re jumping right into this it seems.

“Look, I…I get it, ok? I know I’m not the person people love. I’m the one night stand or maybe a fling. What I don’t understand is you apparently don’t even wanna fuck me. So just because everyone else is gonna leave me, you don’t have to stick around. It’s not your responsibility. I’ll be fine. I’m always fine.”

“Oh sweetheart…there’s so much to unpack about what you just said, I don’t even know where to start.” He looks like he’s in physical pain, Steve wants to reach out and soothe. Before he can, Eddie is invading his space, reaching out to hold his face. “Baby…how can you not know that I love you? Fuck. You’re everything.”

“You…what?”

“There aren’t enough words to describe how I feel about you. I could write a million songs and it would barely scratch the surface. And I’m not even close to the only person who loves you. Every person that just left this house adores you. Why would you ever think they don’t?”

“I’m not-I don’t…my own parents don’t love me. No one loves me. People always leave me behind.”

“Fuck your parents. Fuck every idiot you knew in high school. And I love her, truly, but fuck Nancy Wheeler. Listen to me, we all love you and none of us are ever going to leave you. Even if they move for college or jobs or whatever they’re not leaving you. And I’m not going anywhere without you. If you don’t love me…or if you stop wanting to be with me, you’re never getting rid of me. Understand?”

He doesn’t realize he’s crying until he feels Eddie’s thumbs stroking the wetness away.

“You really love me? You’re sure?”

“So fucking sure, sweet thing. God I’ve been infatuated with you since the day you verbally eviscerated Tommy Hagan in the cafeteria. But I was gone for you the moment I opened my eyes in the hospital and saw you there. I’d have told you right then but I didn’t want to scare you away. I couldn’t believe it when you kissed me back. Never thought I’d be so lucky, I just couldn’t hold it in anymore.”

Steve feels a sob tear out of his throat as he shoves himself into Eddie’s arms, burying his face in the curls against his neck.

“I love you, Eddie, so much. God I love you, I love you, I love you..”

Eddie shushes him, holding him close and stroking his back in big soothing circles. He cries like a summer storm, intense but brief, then sags once it’s all out of him. He’s suddenly exhausted. Somehow Eddie seems to sense it.

“C’mon princess, let’s get you to bed, hm?”

They make their way upstairs, both of them brushing their teeth and stripping down to their boxers. When they crawl into bed, Steve nestles himself into Eddie’s side and wraps himself around him. He can feel his doubts trying to claw their way to the surface but tries his best to shove them down. He may not understand it, but he trusts Eddie not to lie to him.

“You still awake baby?”

Barely. “Mhm.”

“There’s something else you said…about me not even wanting to fuck you?”

“Oh…it’s ok if you don’t. It’s just usually all people want from me so when you didn’t go for it...”

“Seriously, fuck those people. But that’s not…of course I want you, pretty boy. I just didn’t want to rush you. I know you’re not exactly inexperienced, but I’m pretty sure I’m the first guy? Even if I’m not…baby, I want you so bad it makes me dizzy, but I could spend the rest of my life kissing you and die happy.”

“Yeah? So if I said I never want to…”

“Then we never will. I’d never pressure you.”

“Well I do. Want to.” He hides his burning face in Eddie’s chest. “You’re so fucking hot, shit. You are the first guy though. Not the first I’ve ever noticed but I’ve never been interested enough to go for it. So taking it slow might be a good idea. And I…I really like kissing you.”

“I really like kissing you too, Stevie. Can’t get enough of that pretty pink mouth of yours.” His reply is cut off by a jaw cracking yawn. “Alright sweetheart, time for all the pretty boys to get their rest. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

Realistically he knows it’s going to take a long time for his insecurities to fade, but as he drifts off to sleep he lets those words sink in to his heart and for the first time in his life he feels loved.

Shout out to my beta reader @conversationswithamillennial ❤️❤️❤️ You’re amazing.

#steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #my fic #steddie fic #stranger things #stranger things fic #implied ronance #not actually unrequited love #negative self image #hurt/comfort #steve harrington needs a hug #eddie munson loves steve harrington #my writing

[nalyra-dreaming]

Rewatch thoughts episode 2

The groan is really prominent. And we must be past QotD for that art to be on the wall, like, I cannot see Armand hanging that prior to some kind of a reunion.

Also the music being Sybille‘s preferred one is interesting to say the least. (At least I think it is ?)

The guy bringing the AB negative… I wonder if that may be one of the vampires, too. The extra shot… David, maybe. (IF he hasn’t been introduced in Mayfair Witches episode 6 just now).

The spark being a reference to Memnoch is just such a nice touch.

The wine comparisons are very nice, considering how there’s always bottles/alcohol in their home (especially when laying low later).

Louis wanting to go for that guy had to seem to Lestat as if his… inclinations were closer to his re fun and sex imho. He probably should‘ve let him…

Sam had lost the nail on the right middle finger. Cannot unsee now 🙈

The broadcasting is very deliberately shot.

Lestat totally enjoyed being thrown around the room. And he also relished a lot getting to carry Louis. I wonder how often he might have done that… the carrying bridal style I mean. If Louis let that happen after. (I can totally see it in their good times).

You can be on top. Mh hmmmm. All the ash and blood in Lestat’s coffin? Did he scrub the lining after? ;))

The fact that Louis had nightmares is so… did Lestat hold him then? They are obviously discussing it. Did they continue to sleep together later for that reason, too? And when they didn’t anymore… that probably didn’t help either.

The almost sharp retort and challenge to peel back on Louis… lol.

And the bitching between Lestat and Mama Du Lac is still hilarious.

Grace calling Louis better you… 😭 So heartbreaking that it had to go wrong at some point.

The slight smile when Louis recalls the unfortunate incident with the business man… lol. You can still see the edges of that anger even in modern Dubai.

Also, on that - Lestat’s library of confusion is so on point (as is their whole argument) bc Lestat just doesn’t get that. I‘ve said it before it’s not willful imho, but… he just doesn’t get it.

And that broadcasting once more when realizing he cannot say no… (despite his better judgement).

A cigar is a cigar is a cigar… or not. 😈 (Them almost cracking up makes me crack up lol).

I still doubt he ate the baby, they would have come after them if he had. BUT I like the moral question posed. Also, knowing Lestat did in Notre Dame and NOLA while recuperating … maybe a parallel to season 2 later. I‘d love that.

The brute in Madagascar. WHO TF is that supposed to be.

Lestat telling Louis of the rite of passage (and generally being rather aware) is often overlooked for the further developments imho. Because we’re still well within a mortal lifetime… that rite of passage coincides with what is happening later.

The opera scene is still baffling to me - to know this was their first scene. The… feeling there already.

The way Louis softens to the tuxedos…. and the factual intimacy of the tenor’s death. I know he says something different, but the way they supposedly drain the man for hours?! It’s easier if you can say it’s because are under someone’s thrall. Because he just before called himself a pupil for the last 6 years… he doesn’t tell anything else about those 6 years, apart from the mountain of money. Quite the skip. But Lestat calls it finally submitting to his nature… there must have been a lot more problems in regards to… eating.

The thing with Alice‘s brow always being dyed back to brown is indeed quite interesting. It’s too prominent for this show, especially given the location of eating that dessert in Paris.

#interview with the vampire #iwtv #lestat de lioncourt #louis de pointe du lac #just some thoughts

[cartoonslovers]

My Earthspark season two predictions so far:

1: The new Terrans are going to get vehicle mode, either in the same episode or in different episodes along with their characters getting more flesh out and getting more screen time.

2: Ratchet and Grimlock appearing in the the second season and possibly playing a large role in it.

3: Mandroid is still alive and his backstory going to involved a love one dying during the great war along with his past with Alex(I doubt that's he dead since there's still a lot we as the audience don't know about him and I doubt that Mandroid just hate transformers because he lost his arm to them, I think there may be deeper pain to his hated and the reason why he see himself as the hero)

4: there going to be at least one aubobot that still want to go back to Cyberton and been trying for years to build a new space bridge back home since I doubt that not every aubobot have accept that earth is their new home and whoever this aubobot is could be a good parallel to Robby who wanted to go back to his original home back in episode one. (Plus it would be a really cute imagining a scene where the aubobot and Robby are talking about their lives in their original homes)

5: Nemesis Prime going to make a appearance, I actually have some evidence from the show that may be foreshadowing him like Roddy's Nightmare, Acee's lesson about speaking up when you feel like something is wrong which I feel like it's foreshadowing Robby, Moe and the Terrans (possibly Megarton too?) eventually having to speak up to Optimus when he's acting strange and finally the nail to the coffin is this scene right here:

When the kids saw this shadow figure of Optimus. They were immediately scared and thought it was a threat and it not until the glass dome was lifted is when they realize it just Optimus.

In fact this episode is the main reason why think Optimus may be a antagonist or at least a anti villain in season two since there are moments in this series that make me give Optimus a suspicious look ( starting with me wondering where the heck was he during moovving while Bumblebee struggle to be a teacher towards the Terrains ) and and I suspect that this Optimus going to be more than the noble leader that we are all used to but I might talk about that in a different post.

Now for things that I want to happen in season two

Nightshade get super into musicals and classical literature.

A Christmas special where the Terrans get to see snow for the frist time along with their very frist Christmas. (If there isn't at least one holiday special where the Terrans celebrate their frist ever holiday or a episode where the Terrans see snow for the first time I would actually be a bit disappointed)

For Skyfire/Jetfire to appear and for relationship that he have with Starscream in gen one to be explore more and to add more depth to their friendship.

For Sentinel to appear in this series and for him to have the same personally as animated with the only difference being is that he actually get character development and improve as person as the series go on ( look the chances of Sentinel appearing in Earthspark are very low especially with his TFA personality and it more likely that Ultra Magnus or Jazz would appear in this series but I am still holding out for hope since I feel like Sentinel would be very fun in his series)

#tf earthspark #predictions #tfa sentinel prime #tf nightshade #tf ratchet #tf grimlock #earthspark mandroid #earthspark optimus #earthspark robby #mo malto #earthspark arcee #not tagging everyone i mentioned because i'm lazy

[nikibogwater]

I honestly think that LucasFilm wanted to make the Mando and Grogu movie due to realizing how much they kinda screwed up the setup for the characters after the S2 finale, especially having the two reunite in a show not many people checked out or really knew about, not even doing a "previously on" or really quick recap for the beginning of S3 for people who weren't caught up in the loop, cause i thought that was pretty weird.

And then the entirety of S3 happened. After that, it seemed like they put a nail in the coffin that they couldn't pry out, but are now trying to pull it out with a another nail that's as dull as the previous one.

Yeah, I'm fairly certain this movie was only greenlit out of financial desperation. Truth be told, I'm actually quite fascinated by the levels of incompetence and tone-deafness on display over at Lucasfilm. It's not like they don't have anyone there who knows what they're doing--it's just that the people capable of making good stories have all their creative control ripped away from them as soon as the executives realize their ideas might actually get people's money. And naturally, as soon as the storytelling is taken away from actual storytellers, the movies and shows become trash. But what is most amazing to me is the fact that Lucasfilm execs just....don't learn anything from it. People didn't like how we treated Luke Skywalker in the sequel trilogy? Great! Let's do the exact same thing to Indiana Jones! Oh fiddlesticks, looks like we just lost a few hundred million dollars on that, huh? That's okay, we still have Bo Katan to replace Din as the main character in The Mandalorian. What's that? Season 3 lost 60% of its audience within the first week? Well that just doesn't make any sense. I know! Let's try making a movie all about Rey! Y'know! The single most divisive and disliked character in the entire franchise! Somehow the saga of unwise decisions just keeps going on and on, even though it really should have ended with The Last Jedi. But they must be aware that they're not making enough money to sustain the company like this, because otherwise why return to Din and Grogu after making it abundantly clear that they don't really care about these characters anymore? The only question is whether or not the corporate side will take a step back to let Favreau and Filoni do their thing. I think that's the only way a Mando & Grogu movie would even have a chance of succeeding, after all the shenanigans the studio's pulled. But that seems pretty unlikely at this point.

Oh well. On the bright side, my spite for the current overall state of the media industry has been excellent fuel for my own creative endeavors. I never write more than when I'm angry, haha. Thanks so much for the message, Non! ✨

#niki answers #star wars #the mandalorian

[elvesofnoldor]

i was so confused when i read the plot of "Tale of Body Thief" cause i was like, i thought louis was ready to get back together with lestat??? so how come he just rejected lestat again, like what the fuck was that all about. Now that I read IWTV and finally understand its plot, i don't even have to read the tale of body thief to know exactly what happened. Everybody makes fun of Lestat for making the dumbass decision of swapping body with a mortal rando just to be human again. This dude wanted to embrace true death and you all are laughing. Unlike Louis, Lestat is actually interested in being a good person, not looking like a good person. But I do think Lestat got the right idea when he decided to become mortal again, he already died, if he wants to be good again he has to unfortunately embrace true death and become someone else. But of course!! Louis tried to take this opportunity of Actually Being Good away from Lestat. He still doesn't actually love Lestat!! He has always just desired Lestat, he wanted to fuck Lestat but he never loved Lestat. His weak fucking love for Lestat only extends to Lestat's physical attraction. This death-obsessed little sick fuck (louis) was only into Lestat cause he was 1. dead and 2. looks like his little brother, who was, btw only 15 when he died. He hated Lestat and acted cold towards Lestat from the get-go cause Lestat is just too alive for Louis to project his gross death fetish on. And lol, you thought this bitch might have changed when he said he could love Lestat at the end of Queen of the Damned, he probably only think he can actually love Lestat this time around cause Lestat looks hot and sexy again. He found Lestat years ago (Armand said that he looked through the window of the house Lestat was in), and he saw Lestat at his lowest point and just fucking bounced. of course it makes 100% sense why he didn't stay and help Lestat! Lestat looks ugly at that point and Louis did not care for it lol! In the body of body thief, Lestat went to Louis and ask to be with him looking like a different person, of course Fucking Louis rejected him. It's never Lestat he loved, only his body that Louis wanted. I think that was probably the final nail in the coffin, Lestat probably fell into such a despair at the end of the tale of body thief because he realized the only person who could love him was probably never capable of doing that. Imagine being in love with someone who only wanted you for your body, smh, and you all wonder why Lestat is so fucked up. It's honestly kinda sad that despite how fucked-up Armand is, he cares for Lestat more than Louis. At least he genuinely tried to offer Lestat help.

#mae overshares

[herohikara-wol]

FFXIV Write 2k23 - Day 15

Portentous - Emperor AU

“That sentimental old fool is supposed to be keeping you too busy to interfere.” Lahabrea snarled moments before Thordan’s betrayal. Hero didn’t know who he meant, but it hadn’t been the first nor the last time he’d heard of someone who was supposed to be tugging at his strings.

Before Lahabrea had been Titus, who’s attempted assassination wasn’t exactly unexpected. Titus, like Varis, was supposed to be one of Solus’ heirs. Where Varis chose to become his supporter and give him the full might of the military, Titus tried to undermine trust in his position. Titus was the voice of the nobility, who saw Hero as a commoner, an outsider, and a child with no concept of how to rule. Worse yet, Titus openly considered him a usurper, despite Hero never having asked for his role.

It was little surprise Titus chose to duel him in public, claiming he’d been given a boon that could bring Hero low and make him a footnote in Garlemald’s history. Titus forced Hero’s hand, refusing to let the young Viera show mercy or kindness to his rival. Considering it a grave insult that Hero wanted to let him live, he instead forced Hero to kill him, and dubbed him the prince-slayer with his final words.

Varis spit on his coffin when none but Hero and Regula were around to see it; but Hero offered his apologies to Titus’ only son, Nerva, in private. Nerva mentioned that his father had been chasing a crown that was never promised to him in the first place, and that he’d witnessed his father allowing a black-robed man with a red mask over his face into his office a week before the challenge.

At the time Hero thought it was a normal overlord, but then they caught Illberd on the wall several moons after Lahabrea’s death. He failed in his summoning attempt, yes, Varis stopped him before he could sacrifice himself and finish the ritual. His words were chilling though. “I got the eyes from your predecessor, so you could learn what happens to those who betray their kith and kin for an imperial collar. Your gilded cage won’t protect you from him.” Varis blanched, and Regula reflexively raised a blade to silence the man, but Hero stayed deathly calm. 

The Emperor before him was an Ascian. 

Worse, he was an overlord. 

The empire was created by Ascians.

Those thoughts swirled in his head as he tried to comprehend what he could possibly do about this. What control did he really have? How could he face this threat knowing that at any moment the old Emperor could return from his grave and strip away all the changes he’d made for the good of the people. Hero was dedicated to making the Empire work for the people who lived in it, instead of using the people to enrich himself, and little by little he was making changes to do that. If that was running counter to the plots of the Paragons- they’d make removing him a priority.

What was this summoning attempt on his soil supposed to be, except a message? 

Hero took a deep breath as he poured the second glass of wine and set it across from his seat, then waited. “You know, you could have just talked to me. I may belong to Hydaelyn but I like to pretend I’m not the stab-first-talk-later kind of man.”

A hand reached from the void to delicately take the glass, followed by the rest of the man as he stepped forward to put it to his lips. The spitting image of a young Solus zos Galvus, based on the portraits of him still around the palace. “Mmm, disappointing. A good vintage, yes, but not even a hint of poison.”

Hero chuckled a bit and tapped the bottle with one of his long, near-clawed nails, “I didn’t think the Paragons were susceptible to poison.”

“We aren’t.” Solus sneered at the Viera before him, “however, I came to recognize the taste during my tenure as Emperor, and relished the face of my would-be assassins when they realized their plot had failed.”

“Ah, well I’ll remember that for next time then. I don’t like it much myself, the aftertaste ruined apple cider for me for weeks after the attempt on my life in Ishgard. All it gave me was a bad hangover and a forced echo flashback though.”

“Clearly Ishgard has the inferior poisons then, the ones here you’d barely notice at all. Odds are you’ve ingested several already and shrugged them off as merely feeling under the weather. You’re not as popular in the capital as you’d think, Hero.”

“Oh I know I’m not popular in the capital, that’s why Varis keeps getting upset I refuse a food-tester. He doesn’t understand why I’m willing to risk my life just to protect a hypothetical man from a hypothetical toxin.” His eyes moved from the sneer of the ascian to the room around him. “I don’t belong here, but I’m doing my best.”

Hero didn’t see the Ascian’s face soften, his lip quiver, or his eyes cloud from the memory of a boy with a kind heart and open mind. A black mask on his face as he looked around an office both too big and too small to contain his light. “You were chosen for a reason.” The words came out soft and gentle and kind before the Ascian remembered himself, and that he was not talking to his son from twelve-thousand summers ago, but his shade.

Hero laughed lightly and turned back to him with his trademark grin, “I know I was chosen for a reason, but only you can elaborate on it. You did choose me after all. I can guess why though, it keeps me isolated from the scions. From my friends. You put me in a place where I have to rely on people who ought to want me dead to survive, and I’ve been thriving just enough to become a problem, haven’t I? Illberd was a message, telling me to learn my place and behave.”

“Well if you have it all figured out, why do you need me here? You know what you have to do.”

“I needed to tell you, to your face, that I heard your message loud and clear. However, I am choosing to ignore it. I refuse to be a useless figurehead, I am the Warrior of Light and I will do my duty.” The conviction in his voice reminded the ascian again of another, Elidibus. Then again, Elidibus too was so much like his long lost son in little ways. The pair would debate, and discuss, and fight, and occasionally be found in the Convocation hall closet with hair and robes far too messy to have been innocent. Just alike enough that summoning Zodiark broke them apart forever.

Instead of telling Hero that just looking at him broke the old man’s heart in a million different ways, the ghost of Solus turned his back on Hero. “Then I’m afraid I’ll have to work harder to keep you struggling to hold onto your crown, until either you break, or the world does. The Empire has been so good at invoking calamities to aid the rejoinings, I’d hate to lose a good tool just because a child can’t be taught to utilize it correctly.” The portal opened and the Ascian left, dropping the wine glass to the ground behind him.

“Fuck.” Hero leaned back into his chair and drained his glass, closing his eyes as he let the weight of the exchange settle on his shoulders.

#ffxiv fanfiction #ffxivwrite2023 #emperor au #Yes I write Hero's ancient self as Emet-Selch's son #and Elidibus' boyfriend #Eros was an interesting Azem

[clumsiestgiantess]

Day 27: Awaken

(This short’s fairly gory, just a heads up)

Nearly five years into friendship with the alien being she found in the woods, Kat started to realize something was off.  She usually found the creature, who called herself Lani, sauntering around the woods somewhere, or even darting in from the sky.  Today she found her pacing back and forth across the entrance to her home, like an animal waiting to be released from a cage.  The moment she spotted Kat, her ears perked up and she bounded toward her like nothing had happened, but she could practically feel the anxiety rippling off her.  Every so often she’d catch Lani looking around nervously, or just staring her down from afar when she thought she was distracted.

The final nail in the coffin was when Lani asked her to come in the middle of the night.  “Why then?” Kat asked, already suspicious.  “I’m sleeping then.”  She hadn’t been afraid of the strange creature in a while — not since she’d first met her — but things were starting to get weird between them.  Lani would repeatedly try to convince Kat to stay longer and longer in the woods, and had even started bringing her strange little gifts.  Kat wasn’t sure what to think about it besides the fact that Lani wasn’t acting like herself anymore.

“You must come at night,” she insisted again, “There is.. something I want to show you that can only be seen then.”  Ominous, but it also might just be another gift.  “A- Alright.  I’ll come.  As long as I’m home before I’m supposed to be up.”  Lani nodded eagerly.  So, the following night, Kat showed up in the forest.  Alone.  She nearly had a heart attack when her alien friend slid behind her to scoop her up and sit her on her wing.  They always did that, so why did it seem so nerve-wrenching that time?  When they arrived at the entrance to Lani’s cavern home, Kat stiffened.  There were bones laying on the rocks, stripped clean and even washed.  They were human bones.  Only a select few of them.

“L-Lani?” Kat asked, voice weakening.  She slid off the creature’s wing before she could reach for her.  “What is this?  Why did you want me here?”  Lani turned to her, still nothing but kindness in her eyes.  “Dear Kat, I have known you for a time.  It has been some of my best years of life on this planet.  I enjoy your company immensely, and I’ve seen you enjoy mine as well.”  

There were many days when Kat did enjoy the company of the alien being.  She’d taken her places and shown her things she never would have guessed were real.  They were nearly inseparable their first summer together.  Kat had been through Lani’s woods so many times that she knew the entire forest by heart.  It was an almost unreal experience — the kind you read about in fantasy books where some kid finds a magical creature that takes them to a whole new world.  Kat loved spending time with Lani, until the last few weeks when something shifted.  Now Kat was staring at her standing cheerily in front of human remains.

“I- I know human lives are very short,” Lani continued, “and I don’t know if I could stand to stay in a place without you.”  “Ok, that’s.. very sweet of you Lani, but why-”  Why are there pieces of a human skeleton behind you?  “Why did you ask me to come here?”  

Lani bowed her head, smiling gently at her with her ears tucked back.  “I am going to make sure you will not die,” she told her happily, “I am going to give you a life as long as mine!  Then we can always have eachother!”  Kat didn’t know how to respond to that.  “That’s.. impossible,” she murmured, “What do you mean you’re going to give me more life?”  “Oh you will love it!” Lani gasped, “You will not even feel pain anymore, and you can be anywhere, even space, without dying!”  Her taloned fingers suddenly reached for Kat, but the human dodged away at the last second.

“Lani, you’re not making any sense!  What does that mean?!”  Her smile gleamed brightly, giddy excitement making her ears twitch happily.  “I’m going to make you like them!” Lani replied, gesturing behind Kat.  “I want you to meet my little entourage.  They have followed me from all over — many places, many times — but you are going to be the first human!”  Kat’s jaw dropped and an involuntary whimper escaped her throat.  From the forest stepped amalgamations of bone.  They looked like animals — deer, squirrel, fox, bear — but mashed up in weird ways.  The fox had another head where its tail should be.  The deer had a neck the length of its leg, with sprawling antlers made from torn-open ribcages.  The squirrel moved in and out like an accordion, and the bear was reconstructed to look partially humanoid.  

“What-?” stammered Kat, “What the hell are those things?!”  “My lovely little helpers,” Lani said, reaching out and taking Kat’s arm to guide her horrified stare back towards herself.  “But you will not be used to serve me like them; I will leave you free.”  “What?  What?!  No!” Kat tore out of her grasp.  “Lani, I don’t like this!  Whatever you want from me, we can figure it out!”  In a split second, her grip was back on Kat; Lani’s fingers coiled around her waist, hoisting her up into the air.  “It’ll be alright,” she cooed softly.  Kat panicked, writhing in Lani’s grip.  “Please!  Lani, we’re friends!  Don’t do this to me!  Don’t kill me, I’m begging you!”  “Aww, I am not killing you.  It will only hurt while I take you apart, but then you will live again for eons!”  A shriek tore out of Kat’s throat as she desperately kicked Lani’s wrists.

“Please don’t struggle,” Lani said worriedly, “I don’t want to break your bones; I need them.”  Kat could only sob as she was carried off to the river.  Hot tears blinded her vision just as much as the dark did.  “L-Lani.  We’re.. friends.  I don’t want to die.”  At this, the being paused, leaning back to stand so she could hold her up at her face to inspect the sad little human.  “Sweet human, I know you do not understand, but you will thank me for this.”  Moments later, she had Kat pinned down on top of a large rock jutting out of the river.  Its surface was dry every day except during rains when it flooded.  It was supposed to rain tomorrow.

With precise, delicate strokes of her taloned fingers, the alien, Tselani, began her work.  A long oozing line was traced down the front of the human as she sobbed and shrieked.  It wasn’t long before her cries were muffled by the blood rising up her throat, though.  Soon Kat would suffocate to death in her own bile and gore.  Tselani kept steadily on with her work — cutting bone out of muscle and skin.  She’d seen that reaction to her work so many times before, that she’d learned to simply tune it out.  The human would recognize what a wonderful gift it would be when she woke up with such a long life ahead of her.  

Tselani would have to add pieces of other creatures to Kat’s new form to keep it alive, though.  As she scooped out a bunch of mush from the human’s interior, she debated whether she should give her a chest plate of human jawbones from a hiking group that had been dragged away by a pack of wolves, or an extra pair of arms that she’d scavenged off a mountain climber whose legs had been crushed beneath a small boulder.  Tselani snickered as she carefully removed Kat’s skull from her face and eyes, realizing she could easily do both things.  Just as the promised rains came to wash away the withering flesh of the human’s remains, Tselani lovingly packed up each bone and returned home.  She had a lot of work to do.

#g/t #giant tiny #dnaliens universe #horror #tw gore #tw death

[ilkkawhat]

MK’s Favorite Post-Grave Danger Things for @letswaitforme​​ Part Five: Flashback (my commentary below)

so fun fact, 6x12 is one of my least favorite episodes. call me selfish for not wanting the grave danger storyline to end, and I swear to you I remember reading an interview or article or something where george mentioned he just didn’t want nick to be hung up and crying about it forever (paraphrasing, I can’t seem to find that anymore so I wonder if it ever existed? I do remember seeing an interview before season 6 even aired where george said how he’d like to see a burn out storyline for Nick after this) which like, yeah, sure, nick is a very strong character and we see him go through hell and keep going BUT...something just didn’t sit right with me, like that scene he has with gris was leading to something more, just like his scene with cath in season 11 over the therapy

all that being said, this scene right here is the best thing about that episode.

1) watching nick kinda re-live the tape, getting actual flashbacks and he doesn’t think about screaming, he thinks about whimpering which I think speaks to the panic he might also be feeling in this moment, hearing this ghost’s words

2) watching his reaction, specifically, to “put your gun in your mouth, and pull the trigger.” it’s an underrated detail that I feel I use a lot in fics, how this specific line sat with him. how he almost did it, which I think outweighs all the praise he might get from the other characters that he survived. so it’s nice to see that it still gets to him--and it had gotten to archie and grissom too, when they listened to the tape. 

3) I know this is less about post grave danger and more of during, but that bit at the end, the “okay...” I always like to think that nick parrots that when he calms down from his panic attack after the first light switch cause that cemented the reality of his situation to him, and until this moment where he learns of the accomplice, i wonder if he thought that gordon was trying to tell him to just...accept what’s happening. accept he’s going to die--which he already did, but that word is just that final nail in the coffin for him, and as I type this out I just realized he also says it way back in overload when he took a deep breath and confided about his past trauma to catherine

#csiedit #csi cbs #nick stokes #george eads #grave danger #csi 6x12 #csi 5x24 #mk.op #mk.edit #mk.gifs #sorry i like to see you suffer nick #finally got this one done #i was struggling since i did kinda gif this scene before side by side with the tape scene in GD #so i was kinda at a loss as to what to do but #i figured it out #on the tail end of what has been a pretty creatively productive day #which of course always happens on the last day of a long weekend lol