#ALSO THIS IS JUST. MY WAY TO DRAW MAROON BETTER

[aqqleshiqqing-archive]

MAROON AND JAIDE WITH THEIR SILLY KIDDOS ‼️‼️‼️(they're having a picnic)

maroon berry belongs to @beeholyshit aka uhmumhm um the REAL momma of red 💯‼️

gold is still found guilty for not saying sorry to maroon for dragging red away to train with him. (jaide had to apologize for him but she still thinks he has to own up to it)

[yoiisa]

It is possible to write with Blue Lock Bys (Yukimiya, Reo, Rin, Michael, Shidou and Isagi) with a s/o who has high libido. Please😫😈

of course darling hehe (⸝��> ᴗ•⸝⸝)

part 2 with sae, barou, nagi, and ness is here!

all characters aged up (20+)! Tags: pwp ( ˶ˆᗜˆ˵ ), dirty talk, unprotected sex, p in v, begging, thigh humping (yukimiya), lingerie kink (reo), fingering (rin), oral sex f! receiving (kaiser), car sex, slight degredation (shidou), and body worship (isagi), please proceed with caution as this is smutty!!

➜ yukimiya kenyu would be such a tease with you, but like, in a knowing way ➜ like he'd pretend to jump at the opportunity to sate your appetite, but actions speak louder than words, and he would tease you by continuously putting sex off until you're actually dying for it ➜ he wants you begging for it, because then he can finally take care of you fully, caring for your every need with intense diligence ➜ he's very particular about enjoying every little detail about you, so by teasing you and drawing out your need so much, he thinks it helps him experience everything more intensely ➜ and it most certainly ensures you feel everything more intensely

"Kenyu, please~" you whine as you sit on his lap. "Please..." "What is it baby? he coos softly. It's sarcastic, you know, but still the rumble of his voice is something, and you're so desperate right now you'll take something over nothing any day of the week. Your hips begin to rub against his thighs in an unconscious effort for friction. Your eyes close as you rest your head on his shoulder. A small sigh of relief escapes your lips as Yukimiya allows the ministrations, and a tiny smile pulls at your mouth. At least there's this. Something over nothing, remember that- "Baby, I told you, at the end of this chapter, I'll-" Yukimiya's hand moves to you ass, gripping it tightly, trying to still your hips. "Kenyu, you said that three chapters ago!" your voice is high pitched and almost manic as a particularly sharp sensation of pleasure echoes through your body. You fist his shirt and nuzzle into the crook of his neck. "Mmmmm- please Ken, I . . . I can't take this anymore~" With a sigh, he closes his book. He sets it off to the side and wraps his arms around you, pulling you tighter against him. You begin kissing at his neck and jaw, your tongue darting out to taste his skin. You feel like you're floating, everything about Yukimiya furthering how deep you spiral into a sweet needy mess for him. "Okay, come on," he says sweetly, kissing your temple. "I'll give you exactly what you need my sweet baby." You can only preen at the idea that you're finally getting what you want as he lifts you bridal style from the couch and kicks the bedroom door closed behind you two with his heel.

➜ oh reo mikage my king ➜ i think reo's favorite hobby when it comes to people he cares about is spoiling them rotten, so if you have a high drive, he's all for it, 100% ➜ if you come calling, he'll drop everything for you. ➜ also, bonus! in my mind, this man has a thing for lingerie, so you better fucking believe that this man has an entire section of your closet just dedicated to different sets. ➜ maroon, black, lavender, navy blue, gold, in silk, satin, lace, and whatever else your mind can conjure up. If you can think it, he has probably bought it and fucked you in it ➜ after all, he has the time and the resources, and he's nothing if not generous, so why not make the most of it?

Reo ran his hand over his face, then threading his fingers through his hair. The hour was wearing on him, he could feel the ache settling into his bones. He stands and walks to a chaise in his study, pouring a drink for himself and sipping it. However, he barely gets two sips down his throat before the glass is being forced away from his lips. His eyes widen and he looks down to see you, with your fingers gently pushing at the rim of his glass. You're dressed in a lavender silk robe, the fabric hanging loosely over a peak of lace hugging your skin. His pupils enlarge as he takes in the teasing glimpse and you laugh softly at his expression. "I . . . thought you might be stressed," you say, taking the glass from him and setting it on a table next to the chaise. "I wanted to come help." He's silent for a moment, before a smirk tugging at his lips. A soft blush paints his cheeks and he cups your face lovingly in his hands. "Is that the only reason?" You pout and wrap your arms around his neck, giggling softly. "Hmmm . . . no~" And that's how you end up on the chaise, your legs bent over his shoulder. Your panties are pulled to the side, and your bra is still on, but your robe has been tossed somewhere far behind the two of you. Reo hovers above you, dragging moans and cries of pleasure from your mouth with each deep thrust into you. He's intoxicating, and you can't seem to get enough of him. And as you stare deep into his eyes, you know he feels the same. As you reach your peak for the third time that night, your eyes flutter closed, your back arches, and he welcomes it with a sharp inhale of his own and a kiss pressed against the hollow of your throat.

➜ i feel like rin itoshi's drive isn't the highest thing in the world ➜ like, he enjoys sex and he with you he really enjoys it, but it's never been his priority in the relationship ➜ also I feel like between soccer practices and other responsibilities he gets tired pretty easily ➜ that being said, he does still want to help you out whenever you get needy, so when he's too spent to use his cock, he resorts to his next best thing ➜ or in my opinion, my fav thing about him: his fingers

"Rin!" you gasp, clinging to his body like a madman. His fingers delve deftly inside of you, curling at all the right angles, and sending sparks of pure bliss throughout your lower body. When your hips give a particularly harsh buck, he tsks and grabs your ass with his free hand. "Stop moving so much," he growls. The deep cadence of his voice sends another thrill of pleasure in you and you nuzzle your head deep into neck. "Sorry, 't just feels so good," you mewl. "I love it so much . . . ah~!" A smirk appears on Rin's face, but just as quickly as it comes it vanishes. He licks his lips as he stares down at your disheveled appearance. Your hair is disheveled, and your bare from the waist down. You're not wearing a bra, so he can see the outlines of your chest as it heaves beneath your shirt, which hangs loosely over your frame. When you pull back from his neck, the look in your eyes almost makes him finish right then and there. They glisten with tears of pleasure, and are lidded. He can see the pleasure you're feeling etched into every line of your iris, and love is mixed within that. He feels a tight pull in his chest and he can't help himself from leaning down and catching your lips in his. His tongue immediately delves into your mouth, exploring your mouth. You moan softly into his mouth and he sighs. His fingers don't let up at all, continuing to tease and prod and touch every crevice it can reach. You start to writhe in his arms, but he holds fast, keeping you still. You have no choice but to succumb to his assault on your core. Rin kisses you as you finish on his hand, groaning as you go all sweet and pliant in his hands. When he pulls back, you slump against him like a rag doll and he huffs out a hoarse laugh. As you regain your bearings, he lifts his fingers to his mouth and licks them clean.

➜ michael kaiser operates entirely on his own schedule, so to be honest, if he's not in the mood, you're kinda screwed ➜ but if he is in the mood, YOU are in for it ➜ all his want and desire make your neediness seem like nothing ➜ also, kaiser's got some good ass stamina, so if you set him off, you better pray your drive doesn't fizzle out because this man is getting his fill of you ➜ whether it's on his tongue or on his dick

You squeal as your boyfriend practically chucks you onto the bed. You look over your shoulder and your heart stops beating after you catch a glimpse of the sheer delight on his face. His smile is cocky and powerful and is so goddam sexy. You match his smile and flip onto your back, pushing yourself up on your forearms as Kaiser practically crawls on top of you. Kisses on your mouth turn to kisses on your neck, which turns into kisses along your chest, then your stomach, and before you know it, he's shirtless, you're naked, and his kissing the inside of your thighs. Your hands thread through his hair and he stares up at you, his blue eyes lidded and wanton. His tongue is gentle at first, testing the waters of your arousal, but soon he's lapping at you like a madman. His tongue works wonders on your core, leaving you fully satisfied but still achy for more at the same time. You know it doesn't make any sense, but the "Please" and the "More" still drip from your mouth even as he's delivering everything you've been craving since morning. And he is well aware of the effect he's having on you. You can feel his mouth twist into a smirk against you and it only drives you crazier. Your hands tug at his hair and he hisses, sending sweet vibrations through your core. Your whimpers and moans continue to build in pitch and volume, before finally, you're exploding on his tongue with a sharp call of his name. When Kaiser pulls back, he takes in your mussed appearance with a heat in his eyes and a smirk on his lips. His lips and chin glisten with your fluids. He licks his lips as he settles his hips in between your thighs and gives a sharp grind. "Don't give out on me just yet liebe," he coos. "I'm not done with you yet."

➜ shidou ryusei matches your freak the best on this whole list I think ➜ he will be down for whatever and whenever you want, but also . . . wherever you want ➜ shidou lives for the thrill of life, and chases the high of something new and exciting, so if you're high sex drive comes with promises of that, sign him the fuck up!

"Ryu!" you cry out as he yanks on your hair. The two of you have climbed into the backseat of the car. You're pressed up against the leather of the seats, with his chest flush against yours. You squeal and a slutty smile etches itself onto your face as he licks your neck. "Ryu~ ah . . . oh my god- slow down-ah." "Slow down, huh?" Shidou growls, his lips pulling into a smug smile. "Why~? You were just begging for it a few minutes ago." "I-I know, but- holy shit, you- ah!" You didn't even know it was possible for someone to fuck like this, but here he was. One hand perched on the roof of the car, the other holding the dip of your waist. His face moves from your neck to between the shoulder blades, and he litters kisses there, and sucks bruises down your spine. He travels back up to your shoulder and nips at the skin there, his hips never faltering once in their rhythm. "God I love this little body of yours so much," Shidou whispers hotly against the curve of your ear. "Every single time I see you, fuck, you don't even know how hard you make me." "Mmmmmm," your head tilts back, resting on his shoulder. "I think I do," you whine. "Yeah, can you feel it babygirl? It's all hard and deep inside of you isn't it?" he laughs, the sound sharp and hoarse in your ear. To anyone else, it might be grating, but all it's serving to do right is bridge you closer and closer to the edge. "Fuck! Ryuseiii, I'm gonna- uh! Wait- I, I-!" your eyes go cross and your body shakes with violent tremors. You bite down on your lip to try and keep quiet, but Shidou presses his hand to your lips, prying them open. "Come on now, lemme hear those sweet, sweet- fucking I'm gonna come too. Oh, fuck, fuck, yes. Fuck!" The two of you lean into one another, sweat slicking your bodies as you reach your peak together.

➜ my babygirl isagi yoichi is the easiest to get seduced by you ➜ i had this idea for a fic a long time ago where he comes home and your really needy and it was this whole ovulation type thing, but basically the point boils down to, if you want it isagi will give it ➜ in my mind, he's the most flexible to appeal to whatever type of sex you want, whether it be hard and rough or soft and loving ➜ as we all know he's super adaptable and that carries over during sex, so yay to anyone who's dating him!

Sunlight filters in through the window, the early morning glow giving everything a soft halo to it, including you. You and Isagi are laying on your sides, your chest pressed against his and your leg tossed across his hips. One of your arms are wrapped around his neck and the other trapped between your bodies, your hand intwined with his. A soft blush paints your cheeks and his, and you stare into Isagi's deep blue eyes through your lashes. His strokes are deep and send soft whimpers flowing from your lips. Each whisper of his name only sends Isagi down a path for more, more, more. "Pretty," you whisper, "you look so pretty like this Yoichi, mmm!" He huffs out a dry laugh and shakes his head. Compared to how you look right now- flushed cheeks, dilated eyes, plump lips ready for kissing- he can't imagine how he could even compare to your beauty. You clench down around him and he groans. "You feel so good," he sighs, closing his eyes. His hand squeezes yours and he leans in to nuzzle his nose against yours. "Even this early in the morning . . . how do you always feel so good?" You giggle softly, the sound dissolving into a moan. "Mmmm . . . Yoichi, I love you . . . I love you so much- mmph!" He cuts you off with a firm kiss. He can feel himself getting closer and closer to the end and an embarrassing threatens to escape his lips. For the sake of his dignity, this is the best move. His tongue brushes against yours, and your quick to return his kiss with just as much fervor. He finishes before you, but that's okay. As he says while your panting from the kiss, "It's still early. We have enough time for two- maybe three rounds. Are you okay to keep going?" All you can do is nod, and he continues earnestly, flipping you onto your back and ensuring this time you finish.

a/n: this was a beast to write, especially Shidou. Although I appreciate his freak, I fear I cannot match it as well as I would like lol, so I had to really brainstorm with his to make sure they all didn't just sound the same (˶˃⤙˂˶)

[roseykat]

What would be skz(separately) fav type of underwear on their gf? like what underwear/lingerie do they like to see their gf wear...? Maybe a mix of sfw and nsfw?

TITLE: Their favourite types of underwear/lingerie you wear.

WARNING: minors DNI with this post or my blog. I create NSFW SKZ related content and I know I won't be able to regulate/monitor every single potential interaction with these posts so please do not engage with my work and page whatsoever.

TAGS: mentions of lingerie and underwear, sex, oral sex - nothing too heavy.

A/N: I’ve actually never thought about this question until you raised it anon, so thank you. I hope I’ve done it some justice lmao x

BANG CHAN

Channie is the type to try and hide how much he’s affected by you walking around the house in such lacy lingerie. He’d actually get fully flustered and would stumble with his words if you tried to speak to him too.

In saying that, he does have a secret favourite set that he loves seeing you wear which is a black, dainty, slightly see through bra and panties with cute small coloured flowers scattered over the fabric. He loves it because it’s a sexy meets cute style that makes him wonder if he wants to dominate or be dominated.

-

MINHO

Now look, there’s almost no point in wearing lingerie around this man because it’s coming off either way. In my mind, Minho has a high sex drive, so easy access is important. Clothing on you is a barrier to him. That being said, Minho can appreciate a good set of lingerie preferably in either black, a deep maroon, or white. With or without, he thinks you look stunning regardless.

However, there’s a specific set of panties that are almost see through and have intricate patterns on which he likes to trace over with his tongue as he eases into fully going down on you which, can drive you insane. It’s a classic Minho movement to try and establish that he’s in charge and that you wearing such sexy pieces of lingerie aren’t going to affect him (when it really does).

-

CHANGBIN

Honestly, I feel like Changbin enjoys seeing you in just plain, simple, cotton underwear. It sounds so basic, but it’s so effective on him? Like when he comes home from work or the gym and just sees you in a t-shirt and underwear - even better, one of his jerseys and plain underwear. That would throw him off.

But there’s also a domestic feel to it for him. He knows that you’re comfortable enough to just stride around in the house wearing next to nothing. Even sleeping in underwear too which most people do, including Changbin himself majority of the time.

-

HYUNJIN

Hyunjin is the type of man who would see you in anything and fall in love all over again. At the same time, he has an eclectic and refined taste for seeing you in lingerie. A staple black set is gold to him. It’s so sleek, elegant, and sexy at the same time, and even though this sounds cliche, it makes Hyunjin want to take photos of you wearing it or draw you in real time.

On the NSFW side, Hyunjin will be the type of guy to push your panties to the side and fuck you. But he’s also the type to pull out last minute and decorate the material on your body with white strings of his own cum. He always follows up with the promise of buying you another new set, which he always stays true to his word.

-

JISUNG

He honestly thinks you look stunning in lingerie that it makes him want to wear it sometimes. In saying that, he has a similar taste to Changbin in the sense that he likes seeing you in plain underwear. In fact, he’ll wear his own around the house with you too. But again, there’s that domestic aspect to it.

At the same time, if you do happen to be wearing a nice set of lingerie, Jisung is a goner. For some reason he switches right back into a sub and just wants to be absolutely dominated. He’d want his hands tied behind his back and to use his teeth to pull garters from down your thigh. You don’t know how that affect could possibly occur, but you don’t ever complain about it.

-

FELIX

Felix is all for you wearing lingerie. He won’t only help you pick out what he thinks would look nice on you, but he also buys sets for you if he sees one when he’s out. Some of his favourite colours are more on the pastel side and likes the ones with delicate frills over the fabric on your hips. However, Felix will lean towards seeing you in darker sets and maybe a set of white because it makes you look angelic.

Similar to others, it is an aesthetic aspect with the way in which you suit it so well. Felix enjoys watching you walk around the house in nothing but a bra and cute panties that he bought for you. It shows your level of appreciation for his gestures.

-

SEUNGMIN

Seungmin is also another person who has a high appreciation for you in lingerie. He likes it when you wear them for scenes in the bedroom. You would be wearing a nice set that he might have picked out earlier on, something that compliments your body well because he’s also going to be accentuating it even more through the methods of shibari.

He thinks it looks clean cut, eye-pleasing, and photo worthy - something that should be presented in a kink museum. Sometimes he’ll opt for you to wear a black, silk yet sturdy bra and lacy black panties then will accommodate that with some red rope when he starts tying you up. Otherwise it's the opposite - red lingerie set and black rope. At times, he’ll also suggest you wear thigh high lace stockings that pairs well with your bra and panties.

-

JEONGIN

Jeongin would actually make the perfect boyfriend and we all know that, but he knows how to throw an outfit together - and for you in particular, Jeongin also takes the aesthetic of lingerie into his consideration. Whenever you’re both going out somewhere nice for food, Jeongin will help match your undergarments to your clothes.

If you’re wearing a top that exposes a bit of the bra underneath, he would help find the right colour for it. So in short, it really just depends and that’s the beauty of it because no set of lingerie he puts you in will be the same.

[mcacomulada]

The trolls as insects (i might draw them later)

Aradia Megido - Maroon Ghost Moth (Elhamma australasiae)

Moths have been repeatedly portrayed as a sign of death. Also, their fluffiness matches the one of Aradia's hair XD. When I read this one's name it was inevitable (ghost???, maroon??, literally her oh my gooood).

Tavros Nitram - Question Mark Butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis)

Mostly based off of the Summoner and Rufioh having wings, I didn't want to make it a monarch butterfly because Tavros is in no way royalty.

Sollux Captor - Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

Pretty self explanatory, Sollux always had a connection (and obsession) with bees. They also sting, which is kind of a metaphor for the psionics.

Karkat Vantas - Seven Spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata)

Ladybirds are always seen as special, even though this instance is not a mutation per se, it's special and red. Also, ladybirds are commonplace pests (which is kind of what Karkat is to HIC).

Nepeta Leijon - Pale Green Assassin Bug (Zelus luridus)

I looked up some good bug hunters and I got assassin bugs, nepeta is the mightiest of huntresses, so it fits.

Kanaya Maryam - Green Headed Ant (Rhytidoponera metallica)

I was doubting wether to make Kanaya an ant or a silk moth, but ultimately, moths are a better representation of Aradia, and ants mimic jade-blood's function in troll society better. A part from being green, this species of ant apparently has a nice bite, which is representative of Kanaya's fierceness.

Terezi Pyrope - Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata)

I am aware that the dragonfly pictured is male, just ignore that lol, headcanon the trolls as hermaphroditic (i will post about their biological cycle hehe). Dragonflies are said to be insect's best predators, Terezi is also a vicious and precise hunter, if not of other trolls literally, of outcomes and possibilities (she is intelligent, and a Seer of Mind).

Vriska Serket - Peacock Tarantula (Poecilotheria metallica)

Also pretty self explanatory, it's a blue spider, therefore Vriska Serket. Spiders in general are already a good representation of how she is percieved (with fear lol). Yea, simple explanation.

Equius Zahhak - "Pure Blue" Giant Flower Beetle (Mecynorhina torquata)

The strongest of bugs are beetles (among some types of ants, who are better described as proportionally strongest). This particular one is also pretty big and strong, and coincidentally presents this type of coloration.

Gamzee Makara - Purple-Winged Grasshopper (Titanacris albipes)

Originally was going to be a praying mantis, but the orchid mantis was just too perfect for Feferi. Locusts also have ties to religion and mythology, which was my main focus for finding Gamzee's insect (they have been, fittingly, a symbol of destruction for eons).

Eridan Ampora - Canopy Mosquito (Sabethes cyaneus)

Tbh, I based most of this decision off of the fact that Eridan is annoying (I don't hate him, it's just his personality, unfortunately). Also, mosquitos breed in water (at least that's what my parents always told me) which matches the aquatic theme.

Feferi Peixes - Orchid Mantis (Hymenopus coronatus)

Feferi is the troll I had the most trouble with. Originally I tried keeping up with the aquatic theme and had found Ranatra linearis, a stickbug that looks like a mantis and hunts little fish. I discarded the option because even though it was aquatic, the connections with Feferi kind of ended there.

I then tried to search for a bug that had "empress" in the name, and had chosen Megapomponia imperatoria, a giant as fuck cicada. It didn't convince me either though.

I chose the orchid mantis because, mantises are cutthroat, good hunters and pink as fuck. If that's not a description of the tyrian blood caste I don't know what is.

I wanted to make one of these drawing comparisons to different species of ants. There exist some cool af ants out there, I might do it.

[captainx-camino]

I'm taking Viktor to the Ball at a convention we're attending in January and, naturally, I needed a Ball outfit for that, so...

It's almost done! I'm gonna be putting the hammer symbol that Jayce has on his white coat on the back of this one and a few random cogs on the exposed breast of the coat before it's all said and done but WOO! Nearly there.

Which means, it's time for an outfit breakdown! (And a mental one. I only have a few more days until I have to pack and I still have to finish a different Jayce outfit.)

But, anyway!

I wanted to go with a princely look and I honestly think I just about nailed it.

-The coat and vest were purchased as to save myself time, since I decided to do this very last minute. I did take up the sleeves and fix the fit though so... *Shrugs* The corset vest is part of my outfit for my wedding next year to my own, actual lovely partner (who is also my Viktor). So, I already had that. Yippee.

-The shirt was just one I had in my closet that I had to take in since I've lost weight. So, already had and more fitting there.

-I did add the epaulettes to the coat, which I made by hand out of craft foam, fancy trim, and ribbon. (I layered a red ribbon over the gold trim for an extra pop of color).

-The tie was made by above mentioned partner, who made us matching ones for both our outfits. I made the little gear tie pin though out of an adjustable ring base and a couple random jewelry gears from a multi pack we have (that will also be used to decorate the breast).

-The capelette is based off The Blanket™️ and has red lining, just like said blanket does. I sewed in curtain ropes and decorative closures for some added pizzazz both where it's sewn into the capelette and where it clips around the body. The capelette also has a shoulder seam, as well as a lapel. Which was a pain in the ass. I do not recommend having to do either lmao

-The pants were also purchased, and have a double closer on the front in a very steampunk way (I wasn't about to attempt to make that in a crunch I'm already struggling lol) I will also probably be folding them so they're cuffed at the bottom, but we'll see how that works out in my final fitting.

-The shoes were thrifted and were all black when I got them. I used leather paint to paint them with the red panels, added gold trim, painted the outside of the soles gold, and there is a little hex crystal shape on the bottom of the soles that I painted blue. I also switched out black laces for maroon because they fit better with the look.

-The gloves are the same gloves I got for Jayce's black outfit and are getting a little clip added later, but otherwise nothing fancy or crazy has been done with those.

-And finally, the wristband is from Willow Creative and literally my favorite thing I have ever bought ever. I highly recommend them if you're looking for a good Jayce bracelet! Absolutely gorgeous.

For those curious, this is what's being cut out and added to the back of the coat (sorry it's a bad drawing I just needed to see what it would all look like together)

I have a couple different gold fabrics for the main body of the hammer and some nice brown filigreed damask for the brown. (White boarder will probably just be foam so it's easier to attach to the back.)

That will be added as soon as I have it completed, hopefully later today.

But yey! Jayce Talis Ball outfit!

I am so looking forward to dancing with my Viktor.

[ordinary-barbie]

is it new year's yet?

summary: you absolutely adore christmas. unfortunately for you, your boyfriend Billy despises the holiday. can you get him to look on the merry and bright side of life? modern-day au.

tags: billy x fem! reader, swearing, some suggestive content but no actual smut, reader and Billy are in their mid-20s and live in California, mention of Neil being an abusive pos, some angst but mostly fluff

title from the song by Sabrina Carpenter!

note: enjoy this belated christmas present, haha! It's definitely cheesy but maybe a little cheese is good sometimes, ya know? also this is my first time dipping my toes into ST fanfic so be gentle!

Billy hated Christmas.

Well, it wasn't always this way. Back when he was a kid - when his mom was still around - Christmas was a magical time. His mom adored Christmas and always found a way to make it special. But after she left, the magic of the holiday faded. Neil certainly wasn't going to make it merry and bright. When he married Susan, Neil managed to put up some sort of effort for her and Max, but didn't do shit for Billy (unless you count the black eye Neil gave him a few years ago after he forgot to buy Max a gift. Happy fuckin' holidays).

These days, everything about the holiday seemed to irritate him. The garish decorations hanging everywhere. The songs that were so goddamn overplayed. The whole "holly jolly, merry and bright" vibes made him sick.

And yet, somehow, he ended up with someone who wholeheartedly embraced everything about this corny-ass holiday: you.

Billy honestly didn't know how he managed to land you. Where he was all sharp edges and harsh words, you seemed to radiate light and kindness - though that didn't mean you took any shit, from Billy or anyone. He'd had his walls built up for so long, and he'd finally found someone who was willing to chip away at his exterior and love him truly and deeply.

When Billy first admitted to you that he wasn't a fan of Christmas, he wasn't sure how you were going to react. He knew how much you adored the holiday and was terrified that this was going to be the breaking point, the thing that finally convinced you that you deserved better and you should leave him.

Instead, you giggled. Fuck, Billy wanted to bottle up that sound so he could listen to it whenever he wanted. "Wow, I had no idea I was dating the Grinch," you teasingly replied.

Billy snorted, though he was secretly filled with relief. "The Grinch had a point, all right? This shit gets annoying."

You softly smiled at him. “The Grinch also discovered the magic of Christmas and his heart grew three sizes,” you countered in response.

Billy rolled his eyes but couldn’t stay mad at you long. "Yeah yeah. But that's not gonna be me."

🎄🎄🎄

Billy sighed, tugging at the ugly Christmas sweater you'd bought for him - a green sweater emblazoned with a drawing of the Grinch and the words "Bah Humbug!" across the chest. ("It suits you!" you'd teasingly told him.) "I cannot believe you talked me into this," he grumbled.

Susan and Max (who was on winter break from her psychology graduate program at UC Irvine) had invited the two of you over for Christmas Eve dinner, requesting that you wear "your merriest Christmas sweaters!" Though Susan had divorced Neil years ago, she still held a soft spot for Billy, and she'd quickly taken a liking to you as well.

Billy was reluctant to go, not because he hated Susan and Max or anything (honestly, one of the only good things Neil ended up doing was introducing the two of them into Billy's life) but because of the whole...Christmas of it all. But you'd really wanted to go, and Billy found it really difficult to say no to you.

Yeah, he was totally whipped.

You beamed up at Billy, looking adorable in your maroon sweater covered in white snowflakes. "It's gonna be fun, I promise! And we don't have to stay super long if you're not feeling it. We can just pop in, give Susan and Max their gifts, and then skedaddle out of there."

Billy had never been more in love with you. "You're definitely getting eaten out when we get back home."

"BILLY!" You yelped, burying your face into the side of your boyfriend's neck in embarrassment. Still, when Billy chuckled, you couldn't help but grin a little. Slowly but surely, your Grinch was becoming less, well...Grinchy.

🎄🎄🎄

Christmas Eve with the Mayfields went well. At first, Billy was hesitant to partake in the festivities, but his exterior melted away and he enjoyed laughing, drinking, and having fun with his former stepmom and stepsister.

He'd even cried at the end of It's a Wonderful Life, fully debunking the boastful claims he'd made that he never cried at movies. (Later, when both of you were alone, he explained that it was his mother's favorite movie, and your heart nearly burst.)

Before you and Billy left for the evening, Susan privately pulled you to the side for a chat. "Thanks for convincing him to come visit," she said, looking at you with kind eyes. "I know Christmas hasn't brought up the best memories for him, but it was so nice to see him happy. And I think you have a great deal to do with that."

Susan's words made a warmth grow in your chest. Billy wasn't the easiest guy to get to know, but you'd tried your best to break down his walls. To see him so happy, and to see that other people noticed the change, made you overcome with emotion.

The words you'd wanted to tell Susan wouldn't come out - thank you for your kind heart, for never giving up on Billy - so you just enveloped her into a hug. Max and Billy, who'd been yapping to each other about hockey, made their way over, curious about the random display of affection.

"Can I have my girlfriend back now?" Billy jokingly asked, smiling fondly at you and Susan.

Susan laughed. "All right, you kids get going now."

"Yeah, please go suck each others' faces off outside of our home," Max quipped. Billy ruffled Max's hair, causing the redhead to playfully scowl at him.

You and Billy said your goodbyes to Susan and Max, promising to visit again soon. When you'd climbed into Billy's truck, you couldn't help but feel a bit smug, happy that things had worked out the way you thought they would.

"What's got you grinning like that, huh?" Billy asked as he backed out of Susan's driveway.

You shot Billy a coy smile. "Oh, nothing. Just basking in the fact that I was right about you coming around on Christmas."

Billy scoffed. "This doesn't mean I love Christmas. I just don't hate it anymore, all right?"

You chuckled softly, content with this small victory. Maybe Billy would never be enraptured with the holiday festivities like you were, and that's okay. But you were happy that he was willing to indulge you anyway, and enjoy himself in the process, even if he wouldn't openly admit it.

🎄🎄🎄

"I think you're forgetting something, babe," Billy informed you as you kicked off your shoes and prepared to go into your shared kitchen for a snack. "Look up."

You scrunched your nose at your boyfriend, confused, before noticing the sprig of mistletoe that hung from a light fixture in the hallway. "Mistletoe? Billy Hargrove, you little minx."

Billy smirked, pulling you into a deep, searing kiss. Hey, maybe some of those goofy Christmas traditions weren't so bad. Especially if he got to partake in them with you.

[maddiedott]

Logan Howlett x GN!Reader where the reader is a somewhat introverted person that has a passion for drawing, and when Logan asks to see one of their drawings, the reader shows them a drawing of a Wolverine (the animal :3)??

This is so precious, wolverines are so cool, I did a little bit of research for this story so I learned a lot lol. Thank you so much for my very first request! I tweaked it just a tad, but I hope I did this story justice.

Also did you know they eat artic foxes? :(

Sketches

Warnings: Omnivert!Gn! Reader, fluff, Logan teasing, established relationship, not proofread, I did a lot of research on wolverines

You weren’t entirely sure what sparked this inspiration this time. Perhaps it was the interest on what a wolverine actually was, or perhaps it was the man who had named himself after one. Either way, it was the only thing that filled up the pages of your sketchbook, breaking it in with graphite and charcoal sketches of the fluffy and ferocious mammals. It’s where you find yourself now.

The day was nice, just a small breeze but not one enough to disrupt the page of the sketchbook in your hands. The students were either inside or out but a few yards away so their screaming and laughing weren’t bothersome. Storm, Logan, and Scott were out on a mission, they had left a few days ago and would be assumed to return early tomorrow or the next day. So, with Logan’s absence, it gave you a lot more time to draw. You missed him, of course, but you were thankful for the solace in the sound of the pencil against paper.

Settled under a shady tree, blanket settled underneath your thighs and protecting yourself from the itchy grass that hurts your skin if you sit on it for too long, the blanket acts as a barrier from that. Your sketchbook opened, the leather bound cover resting against your thighs as your feet were planted comfortably against the blanket which had your knees bent in order to comfortably assume the drawing position you had a habit of falling into. It caused you to slouch and your back to ache for the rest of the day, but you couldn’t draw any other way.

At first when you started drawing these creatures, you needed a reference and opted for the textbook you had read on them, but now you have the memorized and only needed to refer to the book for movement reference. 

“What are you drawin’, Sweetheart?” Logan’s voice sounded, heavy thuds of his boots headed your way.

Your head whipped upwards at the sound, unexpected but pleased nonetheless. Despite the lack of social interaction at certain points throughout the day, Logan’s was always welcomed. Often there were times where you both would simply just exist in your own bubbles when you were feeling a little more introverted. He could read you better than you would imagine that you could read yourself,

“Nothing special.” You replied, sketchbook shutting and sitting up straighter and changing sitting position where your knees were pointed outwards and your feet laid under them. “You’re back early.”

It’s then that you notice his attire. He wasn’t in his black x-men uniform that they wore out on missions. He was adorned in his casual clothes, a beater under a maroon cotton button up, worn jeans and that silly large buckled belt, and his worse-for-wear biker boots. He had been back for a while.

“Cyke wanted a shower.” He explained as he settled down beside you, half his body on the blanket and half on the spiked grass.

You slowly nod in response, not wanting to imagine what the mission entailed for Scott to rush home and shower. You set your sketchbook off to the side of you, small smile on your lips at his presence. 

“So, what are you always drawin’ in that book of yours?” He asks, looking at you curiously.

What were you supposed to say? Certainly not the truth. How were you to explain that you had become hyper fixated on drawing the animal that he had named himself after? It was silly when you thought about it and you were sure he would laugh, maybe not at you but definitely at the subject of your drawings. 

“Like I said, nothing special.” You repeat, shrugging in indifference but your fingers slightly push at the spine of the book to tuck it out of sight.

It didn’t work. He had much faster reflexes than you, so when he reached behind you with what seemed like an inhumane speed, you had little time to retaliate or guard your precious secret. With his body turned slightly and hands already flipping through the pages, you had little else to do than sit in shock beside him and feeling all the warmth from your face and body.

“What the hell are these? Badgers?” He queries, confusion evident on his face as his brows bunched together.

“No… they’re uh, wolverines.” You answer, eyes finding a group of students running around and kicking a soccer ball around as if it was the most interesting game ever.

“Wolverines? It’s an animal?” He questions incredulously. Surely he didn’t think he had just made that name up. He didn’t remember why that was engraved in his dog tags but… really?

“I mean, yeah? They’re really cool, they have a reputation for their ferocious nature and strength. They’re also pretty solitary animals too. They’re actually really similar to you.” You ramble, brows furrowed in concentration. 

“Yeah?” He flips through the sketches, eyes lingering on each drawing.

“Mhm! They also eat animals that are often much bigger than they are…”

You had quickly delved into a long research essay of facts that you had learned about wolverines, and Logan was more than content to just sit beside you and listen to your rambling knowledge.

[spookberry]

Shadow High series 3 my new beloved

I didnt even like most of em until i saw them in person, but the knowledge that they'll probably never be in the show has my brain in a "well its free realestate" kinda mood

Random list of information cuz ive been plotting out friend dynamics and background lore

-i like to pretend Rainbow High/Shadow High are actually Rainbow University/Shadow University cuz im in art college Right Now and i think it makes more sense with the whole dorm room situation. And also major makes more sense than focus IMO

-I changed Pinkie's major from film to just undeclared. I think she eventually does land on Film. She just has a lot of interests! Her dream has always been to one day direct films, and I think she comes to love them even more while developing ideas her with the group as she winds up in a Director/Producer position for most of them. BUT also every time she takes a class in a different program she cant help but fall in love with that way of making art too. So she has a hard time picking for a while and changed her major a couple times before landing on Film.

-Pinkie and Berrie bond a lot over a shared interest in vocal synths (tho Berrie knows more about them than her).

-The two made Pinkie's vtuber model together!

-the fandom wiki says PJ is from germany?? Idk how canon that is tbh but ive decided to embrace it i guess

-Rooney's canon name is Scarlet Rose, but i thought it was kinda lame especially when Rosie Redwood is also in this line sooo I renamed her! Stuck to the color name puns tho. Mar Rooney. Maroon. Haha

-Speaking on her though i love that shes from texas and likes writing scifi mystery type stuff and that being said i just Know deep in my bones that she was a Voltron Legendary Defender fan and Keith was/is 100% her favorite. She has a continued fondness for mothman specifically cuz of this.

-PJ and Rooney actually talk about fandom and shows/movies ALL the time. They dont have a ton of overlapping interests, but where they do? The two literally never shut up.

-Rosie is such a random character, like outside of her design she feels very poorly considered. So I scrapped the cosmetology thing and made her an illustrator instead! I think it works better with her love of making art in nature. I can see her being really into illustrated guide books. I think shes a bit snooty when it comes to art too. It takes being friends with other artists to become more open minded.

-I like the idea that Rosie is mainly friends with Rooney and Berrie ontop of that. The three of them often tag team storylines and how theyd interpret them into different mediums. Rosie will draw up a bunch of concept stuff while Rooney writes up a pitch bible and Berrie will start making shit move and throwing in her own ideas on camera angles and character designs.

-as an animation major Berrie was required to take a sound design class early on, which is where she met Oliver! Hes very laid back, and likes to go with the flow, but functions a little like the "mom" of the group. Often reminding the girls to take breaks, drink water, stop looking at their screens lest they get eye strain etc. He's multi-talented tbh but Music is his one true passion and he likes how the girls are always giving him collaboration opportunities.

-Oliver and Rosie like to talk sports a lot, both having played a bunch when they were younger and throughout high school.

-Lavender Lynn is Oliver's number one "person who needs constant reminders to settle down" she is in a constant buzz of trying to get the best shots and is utterly obsessed with the process of artistic documentation. Everything must be documented.

-the whole school loves her for this actually, she has a whole side gig where other students hire her to help photograph their projects. She saves everything she earns from this for her future dream plans to visit paris. She has it set really, many of the artists who she helps photograph now will remain steadfast clients of hers forever onward.

-PJ and Lynn actually took a print media class together at one point. Which didnt at the time spark an everlasting friendship. But it did give PJ an easier in to ask for Lynn's help documenting a project the group was working on. One of Lynn's first times photographing them work happened to fall on a day where Rosie had planned to trick everyone into going on a nature walk sans devices... Lynn wound up really appreciating this outing and decided to continue hanging around the group even after that project had ended.

[smiling-stel]

Speaking ab the cover art from a Design pov *aside frm the comments that Cale looks out of character in the lore standpoint of vol. 2 art

(spoiler free, dw)

◇ TLDR; vol. 2 cover is beautiful, but it couldve had better color synergy. I can see why the artists did what they did, its just not my fav.

. man I'm just happy to have an official English print lmao, ill take what I can get

---

At first I didn't like the red shirt cause it was too much the same color as his hair. (Like if it was a darker or desaturated maroon, I feel it would've looked better, at least so he isn't matching with his own hair-)

. But now taking a step back n looking at vol. 2 again, zoomed out, I actually think his Face is the most jarring part [more on that later ◇]

◇ . The bright red of the shirt being lit by a yellower light, altho matching w his hair, actually isn't so jarring to me anymore cause I noticed two things

◇ 1) his pants are also tinted red (if my eyes aren't deceiving me) meaning compared to the background and the other two characters, Cale *in his entirety* is a red-toned silhouette -> this is a illustrative design strategy where the artist assigns a group of colors to a specific subject n *Restrictvely* uses the Hue Differences to their advantage. In my opinion, its a good choice in making him contrast and stand out. You can definitely Tell he's the main character with just the cover art.

. BUT it can also give off an Outlandish or alien feeling because (in this case) Cale is the ONLY red in the scene. Theres no balancing of red tones from his character to the background At All (e.g. the artists doesnt add Any red to the surroundings so his character can "fit in" with the scene- like as if you photoshopped a guy in sunny lighting into a dark room, the lighting differences is jarring n you can tell the guy is just slapped on top [not saying the artist did that at all, but the way they painted Cale to stand out feels jarring in that sense). While this does an insanely good job at putting him in the spotlight, it perhaps does Too great of a job, making him feel isolated or strange compared to the rest of the piece.

. (Then again, you can justify that that was the goal. To isolate Cale n show hes alien from a lore standpoint as he's "not from this world" as an isekai story)

◇ 2) but we're forgetting this is a COVER art. It's not Just an illustration to be pretty. To break my earlier point, altho Cale IS the only red in the *Illustration,* this art piece is - fundamentally - a Cover Art. It has the Title thats a part of its design <-<-<- And if we looksey at the title, what do we see? Red and warm tones. Like what other thing thats only reds? Cale Henituse himself!

. The Title IS the balance I said was missing in point 1). My theory is thats Also why the artist tinted the lighting on Cale to be warmer n more yellow, so as to use the yellow orange in the title (and the contrast of cools n warms from the focal points to the rest of the art) to their advantage. It helps add reds to the lower half of of the piece where the only warm tones are Choi Han's hand (the other character) and the fleeting window curtain; both of those details being at the edges of the piece and Both very small so they hardly have an influence on the overall design.

. So the title, taking up the majority of the lower half of the piece, draws the warmth down n assists in balancing the overall cover design.

So the reds have now been explained, but why are the whites so white now?--

◇ . Earlier I had said Cale's face was the most jarring part of the cover. And I still fully stand by that sentiment. Its the same idea where the reds do Too great a job isolating Cale; the whites do Too great a job contrasting w the background n the two other characters - who are black n cool tones - to the point where it Heavily draws the eye, practically in a violent manner.

. The extreme paleness is quite lore accurate for Cale's character, who hes isekaied as, but the extreme lighting Highlighting just his face compared to Choi Han's face is an extremely bold design decision (again, not a bad thing as he IS the main focal point, but adding onto the Isolating Spotlight trait going on)

◇ Ok then, but why's his jacket also so freakishly bright white? I heard from a fellow lcf fan (love discussing w you dawg <3) that they think the jacket is the worst part of his cover design.

N I agree. The reds standing out can be justified as a design strat, his face is the focal point so thats why that stands out, but why the jacket??

. Here i am on my artist apologist era <3

◇ . The jacket being blindly white is (probably) to Dampen the Harshness of his face being so bright.

. Altho the guy looks great in white ☆°• with how extreme the lighting is in this cover art, I think the artist wanted to balance the laser beam that is Cale's face paleness by spreading it out to his jacket, specifically that left collar fold ( i think that's called the lapel?)

. Basically by making the jacket's collar also intensely white, the artist gives their best attempt at trying to make Cale's skin less jarring so as to not make it so ridgedly highlighted. Like black ink spilt onto fresh paper, they tried to spread it out so its not so condensed in high contrast. ...But that only made the jacket join in on the uncanniness- TTvTT

---

(Posting the pic again so yall don't gotta scroll far o7)

Other notes I've noticed n wanted to just point out while I'm here looking through the Design Lense ☆°•

☆ The red of Cale's hair and the red of his shirt n neck scarf sandwiches his face, making it stand out even More. Ealier I said the contrast of the vibrant red to the paleness makes his face draw the eye, but thats also thanks to the *position* of the colors! Not just the colors themselves B) isn't that so cool (tell me yes even if you have to lie-)

☆ The lighting on Choi Han's cape, chest, to face -> the window arch -> to Cale's entire person being lit up + how he's wearing a long white jacket

. It all creates this general arch of light tones and highlighted features which surrounds and hugs the title! The artists really knows how to use their darks and lights !!

☆ Choi Han's entire person, Cale's pants, and our lovely Roan Miru (the dragon) are the only deepest dark black tones in the entire piece! The privilege of being the subjects <3

☆ cale looks crossed eyed lel

. Im glad I'm not the only one who struggles with eyes still

. Or maybe this artist did it right n I just don't know how to draw eyes- (very plausible tbh)

Man I love artists

---

All in all, Im not a fan of vol. 2 cover art but I can see why the artists did what they did

◇ . One of the most important things of commercial art is that its visually pleasing, regardless of design, lore, or even logic. The design choices are golden but putting them all together couldve been done better. Not that the art is ugly in any way. Its still gorgeous af, there just couldve been more balance or overall color synergy.

This is just my opinion anyways :D! No hate anywhere <33

[dame-zoom-a-lot]

Prompt: Crack Fic Treated Seriously | Word Count: 5293 | Rating: E | POV: Eddie | Relationships: Eddie / Steve | CW: N/A | Tags: Weird biology, literal cars having sex, upside down, car AU, crack treated seriously, fluff, light angst with a happy ending

This is an entry for @corrodedcoffinfest's May Mayhem Bingo.

So once upon a time, I got a prompt for car sex from my Steddie Bingo board, and I figured I should ask for a new prompt because I already wrote a car sex fic I quite liked, and I didn't have much more to say about car sex. Then I talked to @fkinkindagauche about it because they're the best and fantastic at drawing out my unhinged side. And that got us thinking.... What is sex? What would sex look like if the parties aren't human? Like, salmons reproduce by fertilizing eggs outside the body. Isn't that sex? Don't they yearn? Does that mean anything with the potential for babies is sex? The Pixar film, Cars, has child cars. This implies that Cars fuck. How do they fuck? How do they give birth? How do they grow? So anyway, here's the result!

I don't think I could have written this fic if I hadn't read @oralmisery's Brick by Brick and Horny for Horsepower. Please go check them out.

ao3 link

Baby Mine

They make an odd pair -- a busted up 70s Chevrolet van and a mid-80s maroon BMW.

Anyone who looks closer would see the matching scrapes and dents along their body, and maybe understand. But it's more than that.

It's the way Steve's learned to position himself to compensate for Eddie's missing side mirrors. It's the way Eddie's learned to repeat what other people say, a little louder, so Steve's busted sonar receptors can pick them up. It's the way they can stand in silence, content, both doors open and intertwined, their soft innards exposed, as they strum soft harmonies through their radio.

They're hanging out by the lake, headlights on low to avoid disturbing the little drone flies that flit along the lake surface. Their lights mix together and sparkle along the lake surface, melding with the starlight to create their own constellation. Steve's sound system is smooth and syrupy. Eddie's is rough and staticky. They hum together and it works.

"Eddie?" Steve asks when they pause.

"Yeah?"

"I... want a baby," Steve says hesitantly.

"What?! A baby?!"

"If... if you also want," Steve falters, his voice small.

"No, I, Steve..." Eddie rocks back and forth on his wheels so hard his back bumper jiggles. "The Upside Down's been abandoned for years since we killed Creel. We have no idea what it's going to be like, or if the baby parts will still be around even..."

"Yeah, sorry," Steve mutters, looking down. "It was stupid idea. Forget I said anything."

Eddie feels a sharp pang. He remembers that conversation Steve had with Nancy, when he thought they were alone, about the babies he wanted to make once Creel was brought down once and for all. Babies made outside the Creel factory lines. Babies without purposefully shoddily built engines that needed constant maintenance. Babies that wouldn't need a subscription to keep their thermo-regulaters running. Babies with honestly scavenged parts lovingly assembled by the parents, no matter how much clumsier they might have been compared to Creel's "professionals".

Then they killed Creel and locked up the Upside Down and people just... stopped having babies. He's been ignoring the way Steve's eyes mist over when he sees the empty training ranges. The way Steve's been starting a sentence then thinking better of it.

"I'm not totally opposed by the way," Eddie lies cautiously. "But can I ask why?"

"I just..." Steve sighs, "I know it's dangerous. I've read how many people used to die in the past before Creel took over."

"But?"

"I want..." Steve whispers, more to himself. Eddie rolls a little closer, straining to hear, "I want a kid who's made of parts we picked out for them. Not because it'll be shiny or impressive, but because I thought it would work well. I want a kid who's not going to be told, every day, how much their parents paid for what part, and why he should live this perfectly plotted out life that perfectly matches with the apparently perfect parts they picked out. I want a kid who's knows, unequivocally, that it's allowed to do whatever it wants," Steve continues, looking at Eddie, "and I want that kid with you, who took one look at all of the freaks and losers in town and decided you've got to love them all. Who's been keeping himself together through sheer genius and resolve."

"I think you mean spite," Eddie says shyly. His high beam flickers with joy and embarrassment. The drone flies buzz angrily at the disturbance before settling.

"Shut up," Steve says, playfully tapping Eddie's side with his door. "But you're right," he admits, "you nearly died last time. It'd be stupid to go back when I have something perfect already."

"Oh really? What is this perfect thing you have? You ever planned to let me in on it?" Eddie teases.

"Never mind," Steve groans, lightly bumping into Eddie's front right wheel. "You're the worst."

--------------

"Munson!" Gareth's windshield wiper bounces off his head. He has another one vibrating, poised, ready to throw. "You just missed the solo you insisted on adding."

"Shit, yep, yep, sorry." Eddie stammers, lining up his speakers to get started on his solo.

"Man that is a weak ass riff," Jeff comments before he's even halfway through.

"Hey!"

"Did you practice at all?" Doug asks.

"Uh... no?" Eddie admits.

"Munson," Jeff sighs out. He always tries to be the voice of reason within the group. It's a tough gig. "Why would you not practice the solo you insisted on adding when we have battle of the bands in three weeks?"

"Err... because," Eddie stammers.

Because he's been thinking about babies, specifically, the making, and the assembling. Because he's been digging through the archives devouring all records he could find on how babies used to be made before Creel took over the process. Because he kind of really wants to give it a try and he's too ashamed and nervous to tell Steve he changed his mind.

But he's not going to tell his boys that he has baby fever. He's got a reputation to uphold.

"Err... because... I'm being a little shit?" Eddie finishes lamely.

"Did Harrington dump you?" Gareth demands.

"What? No?! Why would you think that?!"

"Because you got really drunk on motor oil and wouldn't shut up about how his high beams and back trunk are the stuff of dreams, your muse, your reason for living?" Doug recounts with a sly smile, "so if he dumped you--"

"If Harrington dumped Eddie, he wouldn't even be at practice right now," Jeff cuts in. "But I'm guessing it does have something to do with Harrington. Doesn't it? Eddie?"

"You know I'm in cahoots with some scary government goons and the chief of police right?" Eddie protests weakly.

Gareth looks at him with wilting disappointment.

"Yep, sorry, very unmetal of me," Eddie course-corrects, "I should be banished to the normie realm for a thousand years. I am unworthy of my sweetheart, and I must embark upon a quest to--"

"Eddie," Jeff says.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up," Jeff finishes.

Eddie clams up with a huff. Gareth tries out a few drum beats to fill the awkward silence before he finally speaks.

"Hey," Gareth starts. "You know I owe you right?"

"What?" Eddie asks back, extremely confused. "Why the fuck would you owe me?"

Gareth sighs so heavily his exhaust pipe vibrates. "Look, if I hadn't told Carver and his goons that Henderson was looking for you..."

"Then Chrissy's chip still would have malfunctioned in my garage. She still would have twisted herself into a steaming heap of metal and very much dead body. And the whole town would have come after me anyway," Eddie says, "and none of that would have mattered because I still would have been getting eaten alive by demobats then towed back to the land of the living by my beloved."

"Still a shit thing I did," Gareth growls.

"He was going to break your windshield!" Eddie protests.

"And I should have let him!" Gareth yells back. "You did the same for us! You gave up your front bumper and your right side mirror to keep this podunk town safe! So I'm telling you! If you don't fucking tell me what's going on, I will run you over myself!"

"Gare..." Eddie starts then stops. He's not sure what to say without risking tears.

"Same here," Jeff says. "I'm a fucking mustang. I should have been able to rev free of them."

"And I'm a truck," Doug says. His headlights swivel onto Eddie, traces along all the dents, the missing bumper, the missing side mirror. Eddie would normally rankle at being observed so closely. He still feels like a freak with all his missing parts, and not in a metal way. Doug's gaze feels like an absolution.

"So let us help," Jeff says, "for us. If nothing else."

"Alright," Eddie sighs out, "I want a baby."

"What?!" Doug gasps.

"Ok, so I know it's stupid dangerous. But..."

Eddie goes into everything. The way Steve wilted when Eddie wasn't immediately onboard with trying to make a baby. The research he'd done. The old accounts of epic baby making parties bravely descending into hell to gather parts...

He falters a little when he starts describing what it apparently felt like to assemble the baby parts. No one's assembled their own babies in years, so he couldn't really get... reliable sources. Just some niche fetish zines and one very old biology textbook. But it sounded euphoric. So good it made the whole hunt for parts worth it. The boys listen intently without judgment.

"Ok," Jeff says when Eddie finishes, "so we've got the ranger," he flicks his high beams at Gareth, "and two muscles," he says, pointing at himself and Doug. "Eddie, how much control do you still have over your speakers?"

"It's the only thing those fucking bats didn't eat, so a lot," Eddie muses. "Wait. You're serious?"

"I mean, we've got to start figuring this out or we're going to go extinct," Gareth points out.

"Right, but why is that your problem?" Eddie sputters.

"Because we can't sell our music if all cars go extinct you idiot," Gareth snarls.

"And because we love you," Doug says with a long-suffering sigh.

Eddie recoils, engines roiling with too much emotions to stay still. They don't... do this. They knock into each other and joke around and play music. They don't look at each other with affection and listen with no judgment. They don't say 'I love you's.

But apparently they do now.

Gareth looks over Eddie with a slight smirk. "I love you man," he says with unbearable sincerity.

"Yeah Eddie. Did you know we love you and want you to be happy and will happily descend into hell to--" Jeff starts.

"Uncle! Uncle! I'll do it! I'll let you help!" Eddie sputters, cutting Jeff off before he can do something embarrassing like cry.

----------------------

A vine slithers towards Gareth, trying to trip him up. Doug rushes over and crunches it into submission, using all of his truck weight to keep the vine in place. Gareth shoots down one of the demobats in the swarm that descends upon Doug's truck bed. Jeff turns his high beams on to the rest of the swarm, blinding them.

They flutter in panic. Eddie mimics the bats' screeching then directs the sound about fifty feet to the right of them. The bats hesitate, then flit off to follow the fake bat calls.

Robin is waiting with the flame thrower Nancy and Dustin designed for her. She gleefully douses the bats, cackling when they fall to the ground. A demodog chooses that moment to pounce on her, but Steve easily rams into it from the side.

"Nancy! You see any bodies?!" Eddie yells. His tank is running low. They've been lucky so far. Jeff got his right headlight smashed in, and Steve has a big crack on his windshield, but no one has any major injuries.

Yet.

They're nearly done. They've got a good engine, extra jumper cables, actual matching wheels, some windshield wipers that a demo creature bit through, but in a way that looks metal and intentional. Everyone's trunks are nearly full with baby parts. But they're still missing the most important thing -- the main shell.

"Err, yeah! I'm looking!" Nancy squeaks guiltily.

"Nance! We've got to hurry!" Eddie squawks. "Put that notebook away!"

"I know. I know. But I didn't expect their behaviors to change this much compared to the last time," Nancy says, "I'm looking now! Hard!"

"It's the biggest part. How is it this fucking hard to find?!" Steve exclaims.

"I'm running low on fuel," Doug says regretfully, "sorry. My efficiency is shit."

"No, no," Steve says, "I'm running low too."

"You think we need to give up for today? Come back?" Robin asks regretfully.

"Shit," Gareth mutters as he drives over a vine on purpose.

"Yeah," Eddie says regretfully, "I think we'll need to come back."

"Still, we didn't do too bad right?" Jeff says, trying to stay upbeat, "we even got all our replacement parts."

"Yeah, and we'll be better prepared the next time we--"

A giant vine erupts from below ground, curling around Eddie in a vice grip. Eddie doesn't even have time to draw a breath before the vine speeds away with him in its grasp.

"Eddie!" He hears Steve scream behind them.

"Steve. Steve!" Robin drives into him. Steve grunts in surprise and inhales. He realizes he was screaming the entire time.

"Eddie's--" Steve stammers.

"We're going to get him," Jeff says resolutely.

"We're almost out of fuel," Steve says miserably. There are deep gashes in the ground in the vine's wake. It should be straightforward to follow, as long as the vine doesn't...

This was a stupid idea. He should never have mentioned it. He'll never forgive himself if he lost Eddie because he wanted something more. Because he couldn't be satisfied with the only good thing in his life.

"Steve," Robin says, bumping into him again, "quit it."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Steve breathes out. "Quitting it."

"It's not too late," Doug growls. "We're going to get him."

"How though?" Steve asks tearfully.

"We'll pool our fuel," Jeff says quickly, "enough to get two or three of us to Eddie. And leave just enough for the rest of us to go get help."

It's a great idea. But when they gather together to assess their fuel situation, they realize they only have enough fuel between them for one car.

"I'll go," Steve says.

"No. That's suicide," Nancy sputters, "it would have been barely doable with three. Let alone one--"

"I'm going to follow anyway," Steve says, talking loudly over her, "so you can either help me get there with enough fuel, or just watch me speed away, knowing I'm going to run out and freeze in the middle of the upside down."

There's silence from the group.

"So which one is it going to be?" Steve demands.

-------------------------

The vine is moving so fast it creates a cool soothing breeze across his body. The ground beneath him is a blur. Purple clouds undulate above him.

Honestly, this would be kind of cool if he weren't probably minutes away from getting crushed into a metal pancake. Eddie's engine's always been utter shit. It started bad to begin with when Al Munson wasted his 'make baby Eddie' money on fuck knows what, forcing his mom to settle for the cheapest parts available. Then it got worse when Al Munson refused to pay for the bare minimum, absolutely essential subscriptions to keep the shitty engine running as properly as it could. For as long as he could remember, Eddie's always had to worry about the very real possibility that his engine would just stop working in the middle of something.

And now, moments before death, he finally gets to feel what it's like to just.. drive. Feel the breeze on his face. Effortless. Beautiful.

It's not the worst way to go.

It's not the worst way to go, he lies to himself again when the vine suddenly stops. Eddie looks up at the purple sky, determined to make the oddly beautiful sea of clouds the last thing he sees. But the vine lowers him down gently instead of crushing him into a mangled mess of metal and felt

"What--" Eddie breathes out. The vine sways above him expectantly. Eddie looks around. It's not... a comforting sight. Car shells in varying degrees of completeness are scattered around him. Cosmic irony, really, that he's going to die surrounded by the very thing he was looking for.

But the vine doesn't seem all that eager to kill him. Maybe it's waiting to starve him out so his empty husk could join the other shells in this graveyard. Regardless, Eddie's never been great at just sitting around, so he takes a gander. There's a beatle that's a little too cute. A station wagon that reminds him too much of Nancy (he's just about forgiven her for the way she metaphorically yanked Steve's valves out and stomped on it, but he doesn't want a kid that looks exactly like her). That one's too fancy. This one's more scrap than car. And...

Then he sees it.

A beautiful blue truck shell. A little dented around where the wheels would go, but with a neat white swoosh down the middle. The truck bed is nice and solid. The shell has a nice nose to it, sloped down, so it'd be able to see any little critter that might skitter across the roads. Eddie never thought he'd go for a big baby. Al had complained endlessly about how much space Eddie took up. But something tells him that this is it. This is his baby. Right here.

Shame he'll never get to put it together.

Eddie shudders out a sigh and wheels over to the shell.

"Hey, 'm sorry I was such a fuck up," he murmurs to the child, who'll never get to live, "if we'd come better prepared... more fuel. More cars. Maybe we would have made it." He clears his throat. "At least we met, yeah?"

The shell doesn't reply. Because it's a shell.

So Eddie plays his radio and hopes that something here might hear him and take some comfort

--------------------

The vine's trail stops at the edge of a cliff.

When Steve strains his sonar detectors, he can kind of hear something that sounds a lot like Eddie's voice. Staticky. Rumbly. Perfect for screaming both on and off the stage.

But he must be hearing things. The cliff is so deep he can't see the bottom even with his high beams. Steve sags back and contemplates jumping off. He'd never. Robin would kill him. The brats would never get over it. But he...

He had some hope. Enough to weigh himself down with all the baby parts they had collected just in case Eddie was alive, just mangled and in dire need of emergency repairs.

That stupid vine pokes its head out of the cliffs. Then it rises, standing taller and taller until it's swaying in front of him. Steve stares at it. He probably has enough fuel to run it over, burn it, do what he needs. But the vine isn't directly attacking him right now. It's just... standing there. Looming.

Eddie's radio continues to play.

"You want me to...?" Steve whispers.

The vine creeps around to his side, slowly enough for him to jerk away.

There are many many smarter things he could do. He could jerk away, drive over this vine, douse it with the oil he has left and set it on fire. But. But he's pretty sure that it is Eddie's radio playing in the bottom of the cliff. And that means there's the tiny chance that the vine might gently lower him down to where Eddie is, presumably, alive enough to be singing.

So he stays in place and lets the vine wrap around him.

-------------------------

There's a disturbance above him. Eddie stops singing to the shell that could have been a baby and looks up.

The vine has another victim.

Steve.

"Steve?!" Eddie screeches.

"Eddie! I found you!" Steve yells back, so giddy his wheels spin around involuntarily.

Eddie holds his breath as the vine gets lower and lower to the ground. Fortunately, it lets Steve down with a gentle thump. Steve hurries over, headlights scanning every inch of Eddie's body.

"Hey, hey, big boy," Eddie says, driving up to Steve and giving him a light bump, "I'm ok."

"I thought..." Steve doesn't get to finish that sentence before a huge sob bursts out of him. Eddie leans against Steve while he shakes, standing in silence while he gets his feelings out. It almost feels like back home. This is exactly what they'd do when one of them woke up from a nightmare. The only thing that's missing is some good kerosene fumes and salted motor oil.

"Well, I'm not dead, or even hurt really," Eddie says gently. "And look! I found a shell!"

Steve mutters something about how Eddie could be thinking about babies right now. But he lets out an impressed whistle when he does get around to seeing the truck shell Eddie picked out.

"Shit, how are we going to get it up the cliff?" Steve muses.

"How are we going to get up the cliff?" Eddie asks, "wait. Shit. Are the boys ok? Nancy? Robin?"

"Yeah, yeah they're fine. They've just gone to get help," Steve says, "shit. You're right though. This is a deep fucking hole."

"Eh, Nancy and Robin will figure something out," Eddie says, trying to feign confidence that he doesn't feel.

"Yeah, you're right," Steve sighs and looks around a little. Eddie watches him fondly as he pokes around the deep hole, moving out the jitters with the cutest little frown on his face. He looks a little more relaxed when he trudges back, though his gas tank is running dangerously low.

"So... do you want to take a nap or something?" Steve asks, looking up at the impossibly high sky. Dozens of vines weave above them, criss-crossing like some sicko's idea of a curtain. Eddie vaguely worries about how their friends are going to lift them up through these tangled plant matter, but that's a problem for future Eddie.

"We could take a nap," Eddie starts. "Or..."

"Or?"

"Ok, so how much of the assembly zines have you read?" Eddie asks.

Steve honks in shock and embarrassment then clears his throat. "Err... some," he says cautiously.

"And then well, you know, we're already here. Our friends are going to take a while to get to us, and even longer to figure out how to get us out. So I was thinking," Eddie leans in and flickers his blinkers suggestively, "we go for it."

"Right here? With all these vines looming?" Steve sputters.

"Aww c'mon," Eddie wheedles, "they're plants. They don't know. And it might spare our friends from seeing us all, like, you know, indisposed."

Steve makes that adorable groaning whine he makes when Eddie proposes something absolutely ludicrous yet unbearably compelling.

"Ok," Steve says after a long pause.

"Ok?"

"Ok."

Eddie grins and wiggles halfway out of his shell, careful not to let his engine thunk too far out of place. The cool Upside Down breeze feels amazing on his unprotected soft innards. He realizes a bit too late that he should have positioned himself better before sneaking out of his shell. He gingerly slides a few inches towards his baby shells before Steve stops him with a giggle. Eddie watches fondly while Steve gets behind the truck shell and pushes.

Steve makes sure that the baby shell is in a good position before he pokes out of his own shell. Eddie has to take a deep breath to calm himself when the golden slime of Steve's true body pokes out. They've been dating for a while, but this is still the first time Eddie's seen what Steve's innards look like. He's... breathtaking. His slime glistens even under the weird light of the upside down. He's littered in little pockmarks and folds that Eddie longs to explore with his own soft nubbins. For a minute, he's worried that Steve would find his duller, more drab colors off-putting in comparison. But Steve looks at him like he hung the moon like always.

"Uh, so, let me just..." Steve clears his trunk and gently lays out all the baby parts they had collected. The windshield wipers Jeff found. The windshield from Gareth. The matching wheels from Robin. The engine from Doug... Eddie blinks away his grateful tears. He can cry when he's back in his friends' arms. Steve gets to work, lifting up the parts and arranging them. Eddie joins in. It takes them both an embarrassingly long amount of time to figure out where some of the springs go, even with Creel's assembly instructions Nancy dug out of the destroyed office for them.

But after a lot of jamming and huffing and accidentally squishing each other's little nubs, they find their rhythm...

Eddie spreads his slime over the parts, slowly, methodically, so it would all be greased and wet. Steve picks them up with his little nubbins, then slots the wet pieces into place with a satisfying swish and click. They were both so worried that since they're amateurs, since they only had books to go on, since they didn't have the platonic ideal of a baby in mind, that they might have chosen bad parts that wouldn't go together. But this... this baby was meant to exist, and Eddie's heart soars with each satisfying click, as he views bigger parts neatly slide into another, pefectly-sized little nesting dolls. The vines stay above them, swaying gently, like a canopy over their wedding garage.

And with a last loud grunt and a push, the innards are ready. Eddie takes a deep breath and leaves his shell entirely. Steve retreats into his shell and brandishes his windshield wiper, ready to drive into anything dumb enough to try to get to Eddie in his vulnerable state. Eddie crawls on top of the neatly assembled parts and tries to let himself flow free. The baby was going to need a huge influx of slime from both him and Steve. And to do that, he'd have to... actually relax. Let his fluids flow free.

"Hey, everything ok?" Steve whispers when Eddie spends an embarrassingly long time straining to relax.

"Yeah, yeah, 'm fine," Eddie mutters, "I just, I just," am a disaster who's never taken a fully deep breath in his life.

Steve turns on his radio to play some sort of a gentle barely-rock song. Then he leaves his shell.

"Steve. What?" Eddie whispers, "dude what if something comes?"

"We'll be fast," Steve says, crawling over as fast as he can on his cut little nubbin legs. Eddie stifles a giggle as he watches Steve move towards him, literally at snails pace. Steve catches the tiny shift in his mood in a blink, as usual. He grins and makes a big show of it, grunting and flexing and wiggling, as he makes his way towards Eddie.

What they're doing is very very stupid. It's bad enough for one of them to be totally exposed, let alone two. When Creel's men did this, they did the assembly in fully enclosed factories with armed guards.

And Eddie feels kind of bad for them now. That they had to take off their shells under the cold gaze of strangers, that they had to give up their slime for a baby they'd never get to meet, that they had to pump and pump and pump out slime because the goal was more babies.

Steve gets to him, all his nubbins stretched out wide. Eddie leans into him. Smarter cars would have hurried, would have tried to figure something out to get themselves to relax and drop fluids faster so they could hurry back into the safety of their shells. Eddie and Steve sway under the vines, tangled up in each other like they have all the time in the world. And for the first time in his life, Eddie doesn't have to worry about his engine suddenly giving out. He doesn't have to worry about getting busted for the illegal diesel he's been selling to Hawkins' finest young minds. He doesn't have to worry about never graduating, about the sneering glances of the townfolks as they judge the literal duck tape around his decrepit bumper. So he melts. Right along with Steve.

More slime than Eddie thought he could produce bursts out of him, mixes with Steve's, then oozes into their baby to fill out all the gaps. They eventually pull apart and crawl back to their shells with massive regret. But Eddie's pretty sure that this won't be the last time they'd do this. Maybe he should try sneaking into Steve's shell sometimes. He didn't know that's something anyone could do. But if anyone can do it, it'd be them.

"You ready for the last step?" Steve stutters out, still breathing heavily.

"Yes," Eddie says with a grin, "let's jolt this baby."

They both pop their trunk and pull out their jumper cables. Steve puts a metal tip on the ooze and gestures for Eddie to join. And Eddie can't help but intertwine his cable (completely unnecessarily) with Steve's before he jabs his own metal tip into their combined glop.

"Sap," Steve says with a grin.

"Oh I think I have steep competition," Eddie retorts. "On count of three?"

"Yep," Steve says, determined.

"We're going to have a baby," Eddie confirms, "no turning back now."

"And it'll never doubt for a day that it's enough," Steve says intensely.

Eddie nods. "One."

"Two."

"Three!" They both force all the power in their battery into the connection, jolting the primordial baby soup into life. The timing on this can get tricky and they won't have a lot of attempts with their depleted fuel tank (gotta drive to recharge those batteries).

Eddie and Steve back up, cables still intertwined, and hold their breath.

The soup shudders.

Eddie lets out his breath.

The soup shudders some more then begins to spasm. Wails. The two of the stand back. Eddie itches to drive up, to help the child find its way into its shell. But this is the most important part, and the baby has to be able to do it alone. So Eddie plays his most motivating (screamy and loud) music. Fortunately, the baby seems to dig that. Its wails grow quieter and it bobs a bit to the vocals as it starts to ooze towards its shell. Steve yells out disgustingly jock things like "you got it chief!" "you can do this!" "yeah! show that ground who's boss!" which somehow melds amazingly with Eddie's music to create one glorious wall of noise.

And the baby schlicks its way successfully into its truck shell and rolls a few tentative inches. Steve and Eddie continue to scream-sing and shout encouragingly on either side of it, guiding its way until...

It zips ahead and starts doing donuts. That's a bad idea. The baby is running only on the jolt of electricity Steve and Eddie supplied for the birth, but it's so delighted that Eddie can't help but grin. It's not like they're getting out of this hole anyway, not for a while.

Or that's what he thought...

The vines, which had all been very politely swaying at least fifty feet above them all come slithering down. Steve and Eddie position themselves in front of their newborn, windshield wipers poised and ready to throw. They have basically nothing in the tank, but Eddie at least is going to fight to his dying breath. He knows Steve would too. But the vines plunge into the ground instead of puncturing their metal exteriors. The ground vibrates. Then they're getting pushed, up, up, and up, to the sky. Eddie and Steve clutch each other and their newborn tight until they're placed gently at the cliff's entrance. The vines wave lazily then plunge back into the hole.

"What...the fuck...was that?" Eddie pants.

"Language," Steve says playfully.

"You're not... you're not gonna question all that?!" Eddie screeches. Their baby sits and giggles and pops their trunk open and shut.

"I probably should," Steve concedes, "but also, you're alive, our little Teddie Munson here is doing just fine, and the entire cavalry is on their way."

Steve leans in close to Eddie so he can give his remaining front bumper a little boop. Eddie grins and responds with his own before settling back to admire little Teddie Munson.

[agent-toast]

is it too early for an art redraw?

original:

a lot of text below \/

so things have changed since i first got into the ieytd fandom in late september/early october, my phoenix went from he/she/they (which was what i meant by 'any' pronouns cause at that time i wasn't aware of neopronouns sorry :>) to he/they with sometimes she/her. this has nothing to do with the '>:(( fem phoenix is bad' thing, all phoenixes are equally awesome.

i think i mostly used she/her as one of phoenix' pronouns because i'm afab and it'd feel easier rping them that way. but idk now i feel like my phoenix is more bigender/multigender using he/they? it's just what i'm comfortable with now. and it fits with the way i draw them androgynous but also fem but ALSO masc haeha

why am i gender questioning my favourite fictional characters now sjskd

anyway art stuff in the past i used more of a red-orange colour but now it's reddish maroon because that's cool >:)

and maybe it's just me but i think the proportions are slightly better? idk leave ur thoughts in the tags/comments

also i switched the sandwich and the lighter hehe

[dollie-disaster-darling]

Life is getting harder and I think I'm getting worse so why did I draw fem skk?

When I don't even know how to draw hands or shoes or poses or anything. And on valentine's too instead of interacting with fellow humans.

Skk is one of those classic ships in the fandom hall of fame that I didn't get into (and still don't really go crazy for), but I still felt its power and weight when drawing them. It felt like someone was telling me to show some respect or else.

It's kind of funny seeing the differences in how I see them in canon and how they're seen and drawn as in tumblr. Like Chuuya having muscles Vs Chuuya being drawn really skinny. Dazai being called a slob and greasy when he's often drawn the most... conventionally attractive and in fits that I see on put-together and charming Japanese men. Chuuya being described as having a good sense in fashion when lots of his fits in official art are... (Or maybe that one doesn't count since art that isn't from the manga doesn't feel very accurate sometimes. Like what do you mean Kouyou is often dressed in blue? What? Why???)

I get why though and kind of subscribe to those concepts too. Chuuya *would* have muscles from all the boom baam ka-chow beatings he gives out. Him being drawn skinny and muscle-less in canon is probably for artistic aesthetics and the preferences for kind of skinny guys in manga.

Dazai having bad hygiene habits and being sloppy makes his mental issues feel all the more...real I guess? Or hammers it down is a better way to say it. Shows that even though he feels he's not human, he still is and the not as captivating effects of not taking care of himself will affect them the same way it affects other humans.

When I kept hearing Chuuya was more fashionable than the rest, I immediately accepted it. After all, his base outfit and like for hats? He's not just drawn handsome, he's drawn *stylish*. So when I saw the fits and expressions he's wearing in official arts. I. Felt unreasonably betrayed. I remember seeing him in one purple hoodie and it's one of those images you don't want to think about it but pops in your head anyways.

And his smiles in some of them. See, I don't mind not-so-smiley characters smiling but I kind of don't trust it when it's from official art that isn't from the source source because it often feels obvious that the character wasn't thought of that well because what do you mean that the guy the rarely smiles or smirks more than smiles is smiling sweetly to the camera????

Having this complaint makes me feel guilty too because I don't mind seeing characters smile, but I just want it to feel in character. Have them smile in a way they actually would. Atsushi smiling sweetly at the camera? He would because he's prone to smiling and is nice. Dazai smiling? He also would because he's prone to smiling and theatric. Chuuya smiling? He would smirk. Or smile slyly. If not, I honestly think he'd be kind of more blank-faced when having pictures taken of him.

Gender-bending characters is fun. I honestly like most interpretations of fem skk even if some don't look all that canon-fitting.

My interpretation or personal way of thinking of them even if it's not all that true or sensible is--

Chuuya would be the girl that girls call their 'goddess' friend. Striking eyes, striking hair, striking clothes, striking voice-- she makes heads turn. Her personality wouldn't change much from how she is as a boy because his personality in general is...unashamedly him. He has feminine traits in canon and if he was a girl, she'd have masculine traits. She wouldn't change in personality, demeanor, and values.

She dressed like a tomboy when she was younger because clothes made for boys is cheaper and easier to move in. Now that she's older and richer, she dresses a little more out there and more stylish than the average gal. She rocks both feminine and masculine looks. Wears lots of red and maroons and goes for gold over silver. Probably would have chokers and hats as a staple in lots of her outfits. Would have the reputation of being out of people's leagues.

Dazai is one of those girls that have conventionally attractive looks but it's raised to the point that she's more 'model-esque' than 'basic'. Dark hair, brown eyes, tall and skinny. Not to mention her personality that can go from annoying and to charming and charismatic. She wouldn't be a tumblr girlblogger, but she'd have similar behaviours. Probably rots in bed, psycho-analyses her life and life in general, and has the whole duality of being desired and feeling inhuman.

At 15, she'd have long and uncombed hair, looking like the quintessential creepy teen girl. During dark era, she'd have it cut real short like the way it is in canon. Makes the shift between her at 15 and 18 more obvious. Not sure what would cause it though. At ADA, she'd have it mid-length, the most 'average' length. She's not lost anymore or whatever she had going on at 18-- she's trying to be a good person, a normal one with plain hair. Not that haircuts dictate the character of a character, but it's making sense in my head. Maybe I just sound incoherent.

She'd either be still shamelessly into women and want to die with one or she'd be shamelessly trying (and failing) to rake in a handsome man that'll die with her. Anyways. She'd have the reputation of being fun but a red flag.

I'm not sure why I have more to say about and think Dazai would change more as a girl. Maybe it's because I see Chuuya as instinctively more out there while I see Dazai is more conforming. In some ways or maybe just in gender. Ironic considering their positions and lore. Maybe it's because Dazai's more performative while Chuuya doesn't really bother with theatrics.

Sigh. I love them, but I can't draw them right. Or describe them properly. Props to all Chuuya fans, the hair was so so so so 💥💥💥. I can't believe that so much fanart of him looks that good when his hair is kind of that complicated (at least for me) I can't do Dazai's hair either, but at least the swooshy anime curls/fluff/waves are kind of easier to do. I don't understand Chuuya's hair. At all.

I swear I had a point to this. I just don't know if I already wrote it down or if it just evaporated. Oh well.

[adobe-outdesign]

Review Kyrri? My first neopet.

Kyrii are vaguely weasel-like, but that's probably not what you remember them for. If you're like me, you remember them for A) having extremely luxurious manes, and B) being smug and vaguely conniving. The design itself is fine albeit somewhat plain, but it's those additional traits that help them stand out a bit. (They're also allergic to apples—not the only species with an allergy to a certain food, but I feel like they get it played up the most.)

Visually, Kyrii have a standard bipedal pose with a complimentary lighter tint of the main color used for the underbelly, including the jaw, and the inside of their ears, which have a nice teardrop shape to them. The mane, arguably the driving concept behind the species, is also very pretty, having lots of curves and swishes to it that really give it that full, rich look. I also like how the tail and the mane are one unit, so the tail looks like the hair and vice versa.

In terms of customization, Kyrii got the short of the stick. They're not the worst by a long shot, but the big problem here is the face. It's too short, too wide, a little too round, and it doesn't taper the way it should. Technically speaking it's a subtle difference, but it really does majorly change the way the species looks, and not in a good way. They also lost that vaguely smug look, possibly due to having the head turned upwards more.

On top of the face, the body also got a bit screwed up, as both the stomach and forearms became too bulky, whereas originally the Kyrii was a pretty lanky species. Other odd decisions including running the underbelly up onto the jaw, which kind of affects the way the mouth reads even if it has a nice shape to it, and reducing the amount of shine in the mane. On the plus side, the mane itself at least looks better—it's much fuller than it was originally and the really janky shape of the fur on top of the head has been majorly improved.

Favorite Colours:

Royal: Royal Kyrii are a good example of how badly customization messed up the species, as they went from being quite beautiful to incredibly awkward, in part due to their faces being too wide and round and in part due to some weird decisions on the clothing (such as the Royal Boy loosing his cape and large sleeves and the Royal Girl loosing the entire back of her dress in addition to her hair braids no longer wrapping around the back of her head).

However, the original designs are fantastic! Both versions are good and have their own unique flavor (something royal pets sometimes struggle with). The Royal Girl has a lovely elegant look with a long muzzle, pretty dress, and a very nice turquoise and white color palette. The Royal Boy has a primarily maroon palette with an extra over-the-top mane and a vaguely swordsman-like outfit.

The poses are also full of personality, especially with the long-defunct battledome art bring us these gems:

10/10 no notes.

Pastel: Pastel pets are usually just taking a pet and applying pastel colors to the design as-is, so the pastel Kyrii really stands out by having the addition of stripes added to its mane. This gives it a very distinct look and adds a fun rainbow aspect to the design. The palette itself is also nice, juggling five colors at once without it feeling overwhelming or too busy. Just really nice!

Water: Water is a very hit-or-miss colour and it depends entirely on how good the art is, but thankfully they really nailed it with the water Kyrii. The white-foam mane draws attention to the most important part of the design and has a good amount of depth, especially int he darker areas at the base, while the body has a nice subtle gradient, highlights, bubbles, and ripples to give it that water-y feeling.

[ant1quar1an]

It’s a me, Story Anon (as you nicknamed me /pos)! I’m back on my bs again so you get worldbuilding about how spite works in my hcs

Spite souls are not a natural part of a trait. Spite appears as a dark maroon/red- a mix between determination’s red and perseverance’s purple- and fills in cracks (or makes them) on the soul’s surface. It doesn’t mix with other traits’ colors, unlike every other trait. Monsters deem it very unnerving to look at.

A soul that is full spite is never a healthy one. It’s not really a sign of a bad person, but more of a bad environment or significant trauma- what the hell would someone have to go through for their soul to be mangled in such a way?

If someone has enough spite in their soul, they’ll actually damage monsters on contact with their intent (even if they don’t mean to). In, say, a pacifist run where humans and monsters are in the same area (but not everything is perfect esp the human government), spite souls are required to wear intent-blocking gloves so they don’t unintentionally hurt someone. I’d think they’d have to have “spite soul” somewhere on their legal docs too.

Of course, this doesn’t actually fix anything. And being shunned for a part of you- a part of your soul, no matter how “corrupted”- probably just makes these people want to cling to their spite even more. Because fuck you, actually, I’m not a goddamn dog to be muzzled. It would feel really unfair, I think, and only add fuel to the fire.

Spite souls would also be incredibly hard to heal. Their soul actively fights against it, along with healing others. Full spite souls are constantly stuck with a little less than full HP because their soul is damaging and repairing itself ad nauseum. They’re literally any healer’s worst nightmare.

They’re not really accepted, usually getting thrown both fearful and dirty looks every time someone sees their gloves. This leads to them feeling isolated, feeling angry and ashamed at their treatment, and consequently increasing their spite- it’s a cycle.

In addition, for full spite souls the usual “you are filled with _____” prompt says,

*YOU ARE FILLED WITH VITRIOL.

Vitriol because they’re literally living on poison (and I will never get over how fucking cool the word “vitriol” is istg). Kind of like how your body gets used to alcohol and shuts down without it. Reminder that this is full spite, though- a little spite filling in the cracks can even be beneficial for some, as long as you don’t let it take over your entire being.

…for a monster, especially one like Sans with so little HP, befriending a spite soul would feel like befriending a dragon. One that is fiercely loyal to those that have never wronged it. Its claws, razor sharp, never hurt him. They’re only there to protect, to pull him closer to the hard scales and only pleasantly warm fire, where he can be better protected. Closer to the dragon’s underbelly and heart, its most vital places, so no matter what draws near he will be safe.

(I’ve had that vivid imagery, of a dragon carefully pushing him back with a single paw to the small space between the underbelly and armored, scaly front legs for a long while. It’s such a pretty image in my head I wish I could astral project it into this ask lol)

uh yeah. spiteful characters, worldbuilding, and the word vitriol my beloved. hope y’all have a good day! time to return to my eons long slumber to incubate more ideas

-Story anon!

y e s .

that's my only response because. yes.

Also welcome back story anon!! Very awesome, intriguing, and complex lore and thoughts ough-

Your braincells- Your braincells I wish I had it-

That is a beautiful image, I think the brainwave has caught onto me

[elsa-rain-world-stuff]

PART 2 OF MY FIRST TIME IN RAINWORL

PART 1 HERE!!!!

I don't care if you didn't want it, i'm doing it anyway!

today we have more people in the dialog (probably), so:

Doc - person from the previous post

Lily - new person who was also struggling with rw

Me - me, Elsa Fogen

october 18, 2020

Me [21:43] : you crawl out AND THERE'S THAT THING SITTING

Lily [21:24] : ahhahha they're blind, but can hear very well Me [21:46] : that bitch sitting right where i need to go

Lily [21:24] : throw a rock, it'll be distracted and go away Me [21:58] : threw at it and it ate me :)

october 19, 2020, new chat

Me [19:15] : Which wai is better..........

Lily [19:25] : Hi everyone Can i scream here about stupid scavs Me [19:32] : Yes and i'm gonna scream about FUCKING OCTOPUSES AAAAAAAAAAAA DIE BITCH

Me [19:44] : alright FUCK i'm tired of this shit fucking longlegs Me [19:44] : i like them, BUT THEY PISS ME OFF SO MUCH WHILE PLAYING AWJMLALMOWAJA Me [20:17] : SO, actual question, which way is better? Me [20:25] : chill

Me [20:31] : fuck

Me [20:39] : what the fuck...

Me [23:07] : I THINK RAAAAAAAIN IS COMING

Me [23:09] : AH FINALLY

NEEEEEEST Lily [23:09] : how you managed to lose all your karma as monk? Me [23:11] : two words FUCKING LONGLEGS scary

Malevich's black square

Me [23:11] : minus fucking eyes

Me [23:40] : *FURIOUS SCREAM OF HATE*

Me [23:40] : why hello

Me [23:40] : you don't need a translation they said there's no dialog they said AND NOW I CAN'T UNDERSTAND SHIT

october 20, 2020

Me [00:02] : what happened????????????????????

Lily [00:03] : he will kill you if you keep coming back or stay after he told you to leave Me [00:04] : UM

Me [00:14] : um

what's with karma Lily [00:15] : Five Pebbles made you maximum karma Me [00:16] : alright then. where do i go next? i don't understand shit Lily [00:16] : go after orange Me [00:18] : ?? Lily [00:18] : Well. That thing that shows you the way Me [00:33] : HAHAHAH IT WAS FUCKING KILLED AND I HAVEN'T SEEN IT IN AGES Lily [00:34] : It comes back after If it didn't that means that you ate neuron from Moon Me [00:38] : i don't think so... i didn't eat anything from Moon and it was killed in citadel Lily [00:38] : you're glowing It means you ate white fly Me [00:40] : i didn't eat from Moon Lily [00:40] : Ok, then why are you glowing? :D Me [00:40] : i ate those flies only at five pebbles, BECAUSE THERE WERE NO OTHER FOOD Lily [00:40] : idk then ahhh by the way Five Pebbles tells you where to go Me [00:51] : ahkepadwaha fuck would be great if i understood him Me [01:08] : rip my thing, good thing it was

Me [01:08] : what the fuck

After that i used a passage and teleported to outskirts, and saw my overseer again. I can't find any messages about that but i remember that i didn't visit chimney and sky islands on my first time lol. also i got very poor translation for the game yeah

Me [22:18] : what are these things

Me [22:52] : AH SHIT THIS FUCKER TOOK MY EXPLOSIVE SPEAR THAT I CHANGED(( Me [22:52] : FUCKING ARSENAL HERE

Me [22:52] : THE FUN THING IS THAT I DIDN'T DO IT Lily [22:53] : WHATDOYOUMEAN who did then??? Me [22:52] : I DON'T KNOW SCAVENGERS PROBABLY WHY THO THEY HAVE STASH NEARBY BUT MY GAME STARTED LAGGING BECAUSE OF IT LOL

Also this conversation i think it's funny

october 21, 2020

Doc [0:30] : ELSA I'M GONNA EAT YOU NOW Me [00:32] : why :0 Doc [0:33] : I asked you many times who would you be in rw. Just to draw. Me [00:33] : ah. idk. a cat mb, i don't know anyone yet Doc [0:33] : Which? 🗿 white. yellow. red. green. dark-blue. almost black. light blue. another light blue. orange. maroon. Me [00:34] : speckled purple 🗿 Doc [0:34] : purple Me [00:34] : kidding ЪAWHWAZH AWHZWHWHAHW SINGLE BRAIN Doc [0:34] : IT EXISTS IT FUCKING EXISTS *sends picture of sleeping spearmaster* -------- Me [12:51] : by the way, i will have this glowing forever? Doc [12:51] : What? Me [12:52] : well that appeared after i ate flies at Five Pebbles Doc [12:52] : I think yes. Me [12:52] : Nice By the way, overseer showed up And was killed by fucking scavengers twice

october 22, 2020

Me [0:12] : FUCK HEAR ME OUT HEAR ME O U T there's one place, very deep well and there no pipes to climb up and there's shelter up there i fell in that well couldn't go further and long story short i'm like sitting there thinking what do i do i had an option to die but i didn't want to and so i decided to wait till the rain and go up with water AND IT WORKED Me [0:18] : my genius plan worked here

Lily [00:19] : AAAAAA NO WAY SO IT'S NOT AN EMPTY PLACE IT'S A PIT??? THANK YOU ELSA THANK YOU VERY MUCH SMOOCH SMOCH SMOOOOCH Me [0:19] : I'm just not afraid to take risk sometimes you can farm karma later anyway (but in some places you'll lose more while farming) Lily [00:20] : i just though it's gonna rain like in open place Me [0:21] : i believed and hoped that it's gonna be flooded and no rain Lily [00:22] : How did you HOW DID YOU EVEN GUESS THAT Damn You're my salvation Me [0:23] : i can't climb onto damn deers((((( they're slippery bitches Lily [00:24] : they also sit on you Me [0:25] : OR DON'T SIT AT ALL

and here you can see my internal explorer had beed awakened

Me [0:25] : h m what is this pipe and where it leads...

Me [0:25] : and He R E

Me [0:25] : standin

---- Me [17:52] : i'm trying to make good relationships with scavengers

october 23, 2020

Me [15:59] : WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS ORGY

Me [16:02] : FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK I'VE JUST NOW UNDERSTOOD HOW TO SIT ON THESE CREATURES

oh, the bird was sucked into the ground Me [16:03] : - so what's with the money? - what money - money that i invested in in stopping rains (it's a reference to an old meme...)

Me [16:03] : WELL FUCK IT THREW ME AWAY

Me [16:07] : DUDEEEEE

Me [16:11] : FINALLY YESYEEEEEESSS NEW SHELTER

WELL I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO MAKE PART 3 BECAUSE OF IMAGE LIMIT

LIKE AND REBLOG FOR NEXT PART OR WHATEVER

[writingonleaves]

like you were my closest friend - tyler seguin

pairing: tyler seguin x original female character

warnings: swearing, some angst, mostly fluff

word count: 4.1k

based on: "maroon" by taylor swift, title from that song as well

author's note: okay this isn't my favorite one because i think it's a bit rushed, but i thought i'd put it out anyways. would very much like to emphasize that this is fictional and i'm rooting for segs and his hot wife!! im a sucker for right person wrong time vibes and shit happening at weddings so here's a combo of that! also maroon is so seggy coded and you can't tell me otherwise

*****

Carmen Valez was 19 and stupid when she first met Tyler Seguin.

Working at a tattoo shop to make extra money while trying to put herself through college, she was cleaning up from her boss’s last scheduled appointment of the night when in came a group of rowdy guys. It wasn’t the first time a group of drunk guys came in looking for a tattoo. She had listened as her boss Ken came out and did his spiel and she heard laughter and some agreements so they couldn’t have been that drunk because her boss would’ve put up more of a fight.

When she first saw Tyler, she recognized him immediately. Growing up in Boston in a family of hockey lovers, how could she not recognize the rookie who had just won the Stanley Cup? As she turned the corner even more, she saw Brad Marchand and all she could think about was that she couldn't wait to tell her brothers and dad about this. 

Ken introduced her to the guys and asked her if she could set up some things. She waved in greeting and nodded, going in the back to gather the supplies needed. She tried to stifle a yawn as she re-sterilized the needles, but it didn’t work.

“Long night?”

She whipped around to see Tyler peeking in behind a curtain. “Are you looking for something?”

“The bathroom. But I think I found something much better.”

She couldn’t help but roll her eyes, “Go to the end of the hall and it’s on your right.”

“Thanks,” he tilted his head to the side. “Are you the one who drew those flower designs that are hanging up in the hall?”

“I am. Ken asked me to draw some things so the shop wasn’t only filled with his designs.”

“You tattoo as well?”

“Oh, no way. That’s all Ken.” She shrugged. “I’ve designed some, but never physically tattooed them on someone. My hands are too shaky.”

“They’re beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

He hummed and then went on his way to the bathroom as she finished gathering the supplies and went outside with them. 

Ken became the guy Tyler kept coming back to for his tattoos so she got to know him and despite his reputation as a partier and womanizer, she found him endearing, often making conversation with him during his longer sessions while Ken was working on him on the table and she was doing schoolwork or doodling in the front. 

It was a weird friendship because Tyler was rarely stationary in Boston and Carmen was attending Northeastern University and they really didn’t mix in any of the same circles but they kept coming back to each other. Their friendship developed to the point where he would come by on his nights off to her off-campus apartment with takeout and they would flick on a movie. He told her about his insecurities of having such a fantastic rookie year and then never amounting to anything else and she told him about her confusions of what she actually wanted to do with her communications degree. He talked about how hooking up with girls was easier than seeing if someone was only using him for his image and she talked about her view on relationships and how long distance never works. 

He would invite her to games and she’d come along sometimes, dragging her best friend along with her to TD Garden. She knew all about his lifestyle and how he’d hook up with girls left and right but when she was with him, she always only saw a 20 something year old boy who was thrust into stardom really quickly and who was fucking up like anybody else his age but being overly criticized for it because of his job. She didn’t really see him as anything more than a friend, truly. She could admit easily that he was objectively attractive and probably too charming for his own good, but she saw him as one of her dearest friends more than anything. 

(Even if she had the slightest feeling that she wanted to be more during those years, heart fluttering when he texted her to make sure she got home safe after late nights or winking at her and throwing her a puck at one of his games, causing her to grin like a middle school girl with a crush, she always pushed it away)

So when she was in the Cape celebrating the Fourth and news broke out that the Bruins had traded him to Dallas, she felt her heart drop. She ventured to a quieter area away from the celebrations and dialed his number. She wasn’t sure if he’d want to talk, but she couldn’t not call him to see if he was okay. 

From the sniffling on his end, despite what he said, she knew he wasn’t okay, and told him that when she was back in the city, she’d come around to his place with food, wine and hugs. 

The next week, when he opened the door, she dropped everything and just embraced him, holding him for several minutes as she tried to keep her tears in. She pulled away and just apologized for bringing some cheap rose that her roommate left at her apartment a couple of months ago instead of an actual nice bottle and he just laughed. She set up food from their favorite takeout place and they automatically went through all of these motions but with a sad feeling in the air. This night was going to be the last one of these, before he went back home the following weekend to Canada to spend the rest of his off season there and then head to Dallas. His apartment was already bare, having gotten started on moving out as soon as he had gotten the call.

She tried so, so hard not to cry as they put on Great British Bake Off and talked and somehow they started reflecting on numerous random moments and memories they had shared the last three years and they were both laughing as he complained about her almost spilling her wine like usual and she just threw her napkin at him. For the first time, he’s the one who splashed his wine on her t-shirt and he hiccuped and apologized and offered a shirt for her to change into and she waved him off, a blush on her cheeks either from the alcohol or from his proximity or both.

At one point, they ended up on the floor cuddling with his dogs and he asked how they even ended up there and she snorted, referencing the two bottles of rose they had downed and he had snorted and flashed her a stunning smile and her heart cracked a bit more. 

They were both dozing off on the couch — his arm thrown over her as she cuddled into his chest because they both had always been touchy when they were drunk — when he said something that would forever plague her memory. 

“I should’ve asked you to be mine.”

She blinked and shot up, looking down at him. “What?”

“I-I should’ve just asked you on a date. You could’ve been mine this whole time.”

“Tyler. You can’t say shit like that if you don’t mean it.”

“What makes you think I don’t mean it, Car?” He shot back, sitting up. “I know I’m drunk and I know I’m about to leave this city and maybe never see you again but of course I mean it.”

She squeezed her eyes shut as the tears fell. “Tyler.”

“I don’t regret a single moment of our friendship. I just regret that I never told you how I felt until it was too late.”

“You’re drunk. You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Stop trying to discount my words because I’m drunk,” he said sternly. “I love you as a friend, of course, but I-I love you as more too. For awhile now, I think. And it’s okay if you don’t feel the same and again, I’m the dumbest guy alive for bringing this up tonight of all nights but I just…I had to tell you before I left.”

She put her head in her heads and started crying softly. “I love you too,” she admitted through her tears. “I-I just never said anything because I didn’t think you were looking for more. Jesus, I literally know two of the girls you’ve hooked up with the past year. Do you know how annoying and gross it is to hear about your performance in bed while I’m trying to cram last minute for an exam?”

He chuckled and she looked at him again and saw that there were tears running down his cheeks as well. “We’re both stupid, aren’t we?”

“We are.”

He looked up at the ceiling with quivering lips. “I’m not going to ask you for more, no matter how much I want to.”

She nodded vehemently and cupped his face with both her hands, wanting so bad to kiss his lips and using every part of her strength not to. “You’re going to be amazing in Dallas.” She brushed a falling tear and tried to give him a reassuring smile as his top lip quivered. “You’re going to become a lover of the heat and look amazing in green and start liking country music and I’m going to make fun of you for all of it.”

“But you’re not gonna be there.”

She swallowed with a small shrug. “Who knows? Maybe a job in Dallas will open up after I graduate.”

“You wouldn’t take it. I wouldn’t let you. Your heart belongs to the Northeast.”

“You’re not the boss of me,” she weakly protested, slapping his arm and making him chuckle.

But he was right. And she hated that he was right.

She watched his eyes flit to her lips and she hoped that he was also fighting the urge as he placed a kiss on her forehead, which somehow was probably worse than if he had just kissed her. 

“I’m going to miss you so much.” He said, voice cracking at the edges. 

She squeezed her eyes shut, not being able to say it back because she didn’t want to completely break down. “Let’s get some sleep.”

That last night, they fell asleep on the couch like they had done numerous times before and he sent her off in the morning like he had done numerous times before, except this time she held onto him as tight as she could. Maybe if she kept hugging him, he wouldn’t have to go. 

But he had to. And he did. 

Carmen Valez was 22 when she saw Tyler Seguin again. 

After graduation, she had gotten a job in New York, and he was in town playing the Rangers. They had gone out to dinner and then to a bar for drinks and things fell back into place as they leaned in close to each other the whole night and she kissed him, bringing him back to her apartment. She woke up with marks on her collarbone and memories of his lips all over her body and cursed herself as she watched him peacefully sleep next to her because she was still in love with him. 

He had woken up with a soft but sad smile. “Has your view on long distance relationships changed?”

She bit her lip, shaking her head. “I’m sorry.”

He swallowed. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault you’re the easiest person to fall in love with. Can I ask one thing though?”

“Of course.”

“If your view does change, give me a call?”

“Tyler-”

“I’m serious. Whether it’s 10 days or 10 years from now, call me.”

A tear had slipped out from her eyes when he pulled her into his chest, placing a kiss on her forehead. 

Carmen Valez was 27 when she realized her view on long distance changed. And the first person she thought of was Tyler Seguin. 

They had kept in touch very sporadically throughout the years over text and had tried to meet up everytime he came to New York to play, but the contact became less and less as the years went on. She tried to pretend it didn’t hurt. She had no right to be hurt. He could live his life however he wanted.

She was going down to Dallas for one of her coworker’s weddings and was tempted to call Tyler to see if he was around — for the first time, she’d be where he was instead of the other way around — but she didn’t bother because it was the off season and she figured he was home in Canada. 

As she walked into the venue, she was shocked to see Tyler speaking to the bride’s grandma. She couldn’t help but smile at how gentle he was, soft smile on his face as he tucked the grandma’s hand into the crook of his elbow while leading her to her seat. He looked so handsome in his gray suit.

Gosh, he’s changed since they met in that tattoo parlor in Boston. They both have. But something about his smile makes her realize that almost nothing has changed at all.

When he sees her, she swears he lights up and her stomach flutters. She notices quickly that he’s a groomsman, if his matching suit with a couple of the other ushers indicates anything. He strolls up to her with his signature charming smile and she can’t help but roll her eyes. 

“Funny seeing you here.”

She scoffs, before stepping forward and hugging him tightly. “Hey Ty.”

“Hi Car.” He turns to her coworker with a stunning smile. “And hello Car’s friend. I’m Tyler. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too. I’m Samantha. How do you two know each other?”

She exchanges a look with him, because it’s a long story. But she settles with, “Ran into him when he played in Boston and I went to college there, and he didn’t leave me alone.” The three of them laugh. 

“I’m assuming you both are here for the bride?”

“We are.”

He offers an arm to the both of them. “Follow me, ladies.” Carmen can tell Samantha is charmed as she rolls her eyes but grabs the crook of his elbow anyways.

After he escorts them to their seats, he has to bolt and just bids them farewell with a kiss on Carmen’s cheek and a promise to save her a dance later before ducking out of the church, presumably to help out with some behind the scenes stuff. 

As soon as he’s out of earshot, Samantha gives her a skeptical look. “We’ve been working together for two years and you failed to tell me that you know Tyler Seguin? You know I grew up a Stars fan.”

“It’s never come up.”

“Fair.” She blinks, looking for something in her coworker’s face. “You love him, don’t you?”

“What? No, of course-”

“Nice try. If your heart eyes hadn’t given you away, it was your response just now. You’ve always been a bad liar. What’s the story between you two?”

She sighs, staring at the front of the church at nothing in particular. “We met when I worked at a tattoo parlor in college and he came in and we became really good friends. He got traded to Dallas and then told me loved me on his last night in the city. Knew I didn’t believe in long distance at the time so didn’t ask for more. We slept together around a year later. My stance on long distance hadn’t changed. We’ve seen each other sporadically when I’m free and he’s in New York for a game, but not much recently.”

Samantha whistles. “Sounds like a lot.”

Carmen just snorts. She has no idea. 

“So you still love him.” 

Carmen just sighs. 

“I think he still might love you too.”

Carmen snorts, smoothing down her dress. “How could you possibly know that? You met him for maybe two minutes.”

“Maybe it’s the fact that we’re at a wedding and this could be a scene from a Hallmark movie, but I’m also pretty sure he also had heart eyes when he saw you.”

Carmen just hums, and Samantha drops it, as they shift to other safer topics. 

The ceremony is stunning and the bride is gorgeous and the groom is beaming, yet besides when the bride walked down the aisle, she can’t tear her eyes away from Tyler, standing at the front with a constant happy look on his face. As he walked down with an accompanying bridesmaid on his arm, he caught her eye and shot her a sly wink and she knows she blushed and she didn’t even try to hide it. 

The next time she caught him was well into the reception, after dinner had been eaten and the dance floor was starting to open up. She had just finished her drink before she felt a tap on her shoulder, looking up to see Tyler with an outstretched hand. 

“Dance with me?”

Without giving a verbal answer, she takes his hand and lets him lead her to the dance floor. She wraps her arms around his neck as his hands settle on her waist.

“You didn’t reach out to tell me you were gonna be in town.”

“I figured you’d be in Canada for the off-season.”

He hums, but he doesn’t buy the excuse. To be fair, she doesn’t either. “It’s really good to see you, Car.” He says, and she might be imagining him pulling her closer. “You look beautiful.”

“So do you.” 

He smirks and she feels like she’s 19 again. “I look beautiful?”

She rolls her eyes. “You do.” She says softly. “How have you been?”

And then they start catching up, and it’s so damn easy, as the conversation flows from hockey to her advertising job to their memories in Boston to their mutual friends who just got married to their families and it feels like he’s still on the Bruins and she’s still at Northeastern. At some point, they migrate from the dance floor to the empty-ish open bar and they’re still talking and she realizes how much she’s missed having him in his life. 

When she voices that out loud, his beaming smile dims the slightest. “God, I’ve missed you so much. Is this what I’ve been missing out on?”

“Don’t even start, Seguin.”

“What?”

“Blaming yourself or whatever you’re about to do. If we’re gonna blame someone, it’s all on me.”

Their first seconds of silence fall between them. “How has that been, by the way? You got a lucky guy back in New York waiting for you?”

She snorts. “Absolutely not. You? I hope I didn’t steal you away from a date or something.”

“Nah. No one for me.”

“Not at all?”

“None who have meant as much to me as you.”

She feels like her heart’s been sucker punched. Typical Tyler Seguin. Always going in for the kill. 

She switches topics. “I-I watched your Stanley Cup playoff run. You played really well. I’m sorry it wasn’t the result you guys wanted.”

“You watch my games?”

She swallows. Busted. “I try to whenever I can, even though I still feel like I’m betraying my Bruins when I do.”

He laughs, still a bit shocked. “I’m sure they’d forgive you. I was a Bruin, after all.”

She downs her drink and asks the bartender for a water. “I missed you,” she says quietly once the bartender is out of earshot. “And I always loved watching you play. Figured it was the next best thing.”

“You could’ve called. Or texted. I would’ve answered.”

She shakes her head. “That would’ve been unfair to you, especially with how I left things off.”

He chuckles, albeit sadly. “Carmen. I’m kinda weak when it comes to you. Always have been.”

She squeezes her eyes shut, a tear falling as she feels Tyler place a warm hand on her thigh over her maroon dress. “You give me way too much power.”

“I don’t think I could ever give you what you deserve, no matter how hard I try.”

Carmen wipes the tear away with a small smile. She pokes his chest. “How do you come up with this shit?”

He laughs, taking a sip of his beer, before his face settles into a more serious expression. “Can I ask you two questions, though? No bullshit. Just the truth.”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Do you still love me?”

She nods at an embarrassingly fast pace.

He swallows. “Oh.”

She picks at her nails, suddenly unsure. “D-Do you still love me? It’s-it’s totally okay if you don’t. I mean, I wouldn’t expect you to. It’s been years and we don’t really see each other much anymore and-”

“Of course I still love you.” She whips her head up to stare at him in shock. He runs a hand through his hair with a huff. 

She puts her hand over his that’s still resting on his thigh and interlaces their fingers together. “What’s your second question?”

“Do you still not believe in long distance?”

“I’ve been thinking…I think I’m open to trying it.”

His eyes flash in surprise as his lips turn up into a hopeful smile. “Really? You’re not fucking with me?”

“Since when have I ever lied to you, Ty?”

“Can I have a third question? And maybe a fourth?”

She rolls her eyes fondly, squealing a bit as he brings her stool even closer to him. “Was that it?”

“Smartass.” She nods at him to ask. “Would you want to try? With me?”

She swallows. “Yes.” She thinks he physically lights up, like a lightbulb with a new battery, but she holds a hand up. “But Tyler, things have changed. We’ve changed. Is this…is this really what you want? Am I really who you want?”

“I left Boston eight years ago in love with you. Here I am, eight years later in Dallas, still in love with you. Probably more in love with you, actually, which I didn’t think was possible.” He grabs her hands and lifts them to his lips to kiss her knuckles. “When do you head back to New York?”

She blinks at the abrupt change of subject. “Um, I’m actually in Dallas for another week for a work conference. So not until next Sunday.”

He grins. “Stay at mine then. Please.”

“Tyler-”

“I’ll have to head back to Canada for a couple weeks for things I can’t reschedule, but then, if you let me, I’d love to come to New York and spend some time with you until I have to come back to Dallas for pre-season.”

“Tyler, that’s…how are you so confident and sure about all of this?”

“Because it’s you,” he says. “And I love you. I’m not wasting this chance that you’ve given me.”

She bites her lip, trying to take it all in. “I’m going to need to grab my stuff from the hotel tonight.”

“Deal. I’ve only had like, two beers in the last three hours anyways. I can drive you.”

“You know that I’m not just going to…drop everything to come to Dallas, right? My job and my life is all in New York.”

“I’d be a dumbass to expect that. Your heart belongs to the Northeast.”

She smiles, momentarily flashing back to the last time he said those exact same words and how similar and different they are now. She leans forward and kisses him sweetly, like he’s coming home from a game, like she’s in the middle of cooking dinner, like they’ve been doing this all their lives. She then pulls him up and drags him back to the dance floor. 

“Would you have called me?”

“I don’t know,” she whispers into his chest, immediately knowing what he’s referencing. Eight years later and she still remembers that night like it was yesterday. “What if you were in a relationship or something? That would’ve been unfair to everyone.”

“I wouldn’t have been.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do. Because I’ve always loved you. At this point, I’m pretty sure that I always will.”

“Thank you,” she whispers. And as he presses a loving kiss on her forehead, she hopes he understands what she’s trying to thank him for — for coming into that tattoo shop all those years ago, for all the nights and memories in Boston that involved takeout and Netflix and endless fits of laughter, for always believing in her, for waiting for her and being understanding even when she broke his heart. 

For loving her.

“By the way,” Tyler says as he twirls her around, hands immediately attaching to her waist once she’s facing him again. “I always loved you in maroon.”