#and that nightmare is now your life to do with as you please... define as you will... structure as you want...

[knifearo]

being aromantic is like. hey btw you're going to live a life that is the culmination of most of society's worst nightmares. sorry lol ✌️ but then you turn around and take a really good hard look at it and it turns out that living in that nightmare is fucking awesome and you get to wake up every day and take that fear that other people have and laugh and hold it close until it's a great joy for you instead. and being happy is a radical act that you define instead of someone else. and you're sexy as fuck that's just a fact of life i don't make the rules on that one

[merbear25]

Heeeeeyyyy

So I discovered this blog through that breeding kink request with Katakuri, Crocodile and Mihawk and may I request the aftermath? Like I want pregnancy and baby stuff, I want the domestic bliss. Please

Oh, how cool that you found me through that! Thanks for sending in a request. I hope you enjoy this just as much as the other one.💜💜

CW: SFW, fem!reader, pregnancy and childbirth mentioned, fluff, a touch of angst, defined relationship 

His two loves (Katakuri, Crocodile, Mihawk)

Katakuri: Waking up in the middle of the night was becoming a common occurrence. Dreams that bordered on nightmares flooded his mind, refusing to allow him any peace as your due date approached. The worries of his family interfering, harming the hair on your or your precious child’s head were more often than not at the forefront. However, the dread of his potential incompetence at being the father he needed to be was that night’s perpetrator. 

Snippets of the not so distant future played in his mind, some of which came with a tinge of anxiety. Wrapped up in his arms, sleeping the early dawn away, you were glowing even in your sleep. With the remnants of the nightmare still fresh in his mind, he held you closer worrying that at any moment you’d wake up and make his greatest fear a reality. But, you didn’t and you wouldn’t. Deep down he knew you wouldn’t. 

You stirred in his embrace. The murmurs of discomfort tugged on his heartstrings. His long fingers stroked the side of your face, to which your huffs silenced and returned to gentle hums of slumber. The morning was creeping on the horizon, and despite being wide awake, he chose to stay next to you, not wanting to miss a moment.

The sun casted and set in the sky with the cycle of the days, each one pressed with preparations for the bundle you would soon be welcoming into the world. The room had already been completed due to his eagerness to have it be perfect in every way, so now the waiting game needed to be played.

He was sure to remain nearby, especially in your third trimester. Adamant in keeping you happy, he couldn’t deny you even the slightest of requests: rubbing your feet, adjusting your pillow, fetching you whatever would satisfy that week’s craving. The favors he did for you were repaid with a thank you and a peck on the cheek. How could they not be when he was doing everything in his power to keep you happy?

When the time came to finally meet your child, the world that had been swirling with nerves and fear began shifting. There was no more room for them anymore—replaced with the jittery elation of becoming a new father, new parents.

Long hours that felt as if there would be no end, until the cries of your little baby, your precious girl, put the grueling wait to a halt. She was placed on your chest, shivering and whimpering in the new world she found herself in. Your exhaustion could never overshadow the joy you shared in that moment. You cooed at her, whispers of affection that she couldn’t yet understand, so your tone carried the pure love you felt to her.

Hair clinging to your forehead with sweat, your face flushed from the physical toll you’d been put through, and the daze you were in from the whirlwind of emotions: even though you’d disagree, he saw you as a vision of beauty. As he placed his lips against your temple, a shaky sigh left you. The smile you held began quivering the longer you looked down at your child.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you.” Your voice cracked with emotion.

Hearing your words tremble shattered any anxiety that’d been harboring within him. He adored you, there was no denying that, and the child you just gave him only strengthened his love. The two loves of his life; neither of you would have the misfortune that plagued him growing up. He’d act as a shield if it came down to it. The burdens that came with being tied to his family, to his mother, to him: he vowed not to let them shatter this image of perfection.

He sat down beside you and wrapped you in his arms as carefully as he could, wanting to hold both of his beautiful girls at the same time.

Crocodile: Longer work hours that pushed into the late evenings were a distraction for the inevitable. Your due date was creeping up on him, enticing a nervous bug that hadn’t bitten him in a long time. Although you understood the reason for his absence, that didn’t stop the bed from feeling cold and rather lonely.

You nudged his office door open, peeking behind the wood to get a look at him working diligently behind the desk. He puffed at his cigar, allowing the thick smoke to cloud his workspace. When you inched closer, his eyes flickered to you. Your silhouette casted a shadow across the floor as you stepped in front of the fireplace. Putting out his cigar, he then waved his hand to clear the gray surrounding him.

“There aren’t many more nights you’ll be able to get a good night’s rest. You should take advantage of that.”

“I haven’t been able to sleep well the last few months because of the size of me,” you laughed in an airy, light-hearted way that never failed to fall on his ears just right. “And you know you’re in the same position as me. You’ll be up with the baby too, won’t you?” You couldn’t hide the slight tinge of sadness in your question. He was clearly having a difficult time adjusting to this change on an emotional level, even though he desperately wished that wasn’t the case.

“I wouldn’t trust anyone else to do it.” His eyes soaked in the sight of you: you were in your ninth month, hair tousled from sleep that couldn’t find you, and held a look of concern on your face. Looking back down at his paperwork, a glimmer of self-reflection reached him. He sighed before getting up from his office chair. “I suppose it’s time for me to turn in.” A gentle place of his hand on the small of your back led you to retire with him.

The howling wind made the windows rattle, making you shudder along with them. A slight pull of your body against his ceased them, though. His large frame offered you protection even over the most trivial things like the sounds at night. Nuzzling his face against the top of your head, his body soon found that fragment of peace it’d been after the past few months. The gentle hums of your breaths mingling, your soft skin against his, and your round belly carrying the most precious thing imaginable: there was a part of him that didn’t want these quiet moments to end. 

Having kept himself preoccupied with work to avoid the reality of fatherhood was now weighing on him. He cared about you, and it was true that he wanted this child. However, his role as the primary provider, the one who you and your child depended on for everything, had him going above and beyond to ensure both of your safety. Every deal, contract, employee, and everyone who came within spitting distance had to be dealt with, because if they weren’t and anything happened to either of you, he would only have himself to blame.

Time ticked forward to the delivery room when you performed a miracle, giving him a baby boy who was almost too perfect to touch. But, he wanted to hold him, both of you, and never let go. Holding him in his arms felt surreal; those soft yawns and grumbles were sounds he didn’t know he could adore so much. While you watched him cradling your bundle of everything that was right with your relationship, the hours of labor finally caught up with you.

As you drifted off to sleep, he kept his full attention on your little boy. His eyes memorized each detail, hoping that he wouldn’t lose such precious moments to time. Every vow he made would be kept, that much was certain. He would do everything in his power to make even the impossible possible.

Mihawk: As you lounged in the shade while reading your book, he caught himself glancing over at you more and more often. The swings of his swords weren’t striking the targets head-on anymore, instead merely nicking the sides in a sad attempt at training. It couldn’t be helped, though. You were stunning. The roundness of your belly and your hand resting on top of it, perhaps feeling the baby kick as you lost yourself in your book, was too much of a distraction.

He stood facing you for a good minute, his eyes never wavering from his typical stare. Those gentle breaths pairing with the rise and fall of your chest were simply too much for him to handle. His steps carried through the tall grass back to the castle.

“Where are you going?”

“I can’t focus here,” he called behind him. Despite the potential harshness of him just up and leaving, you knew better than to take it to heart. As he ventured back inside, you couldn’t help the tugs at the corners of your mouth.

Throwing blows to the training equipment set up inside couldn’t even help him regain his focus. Images if you through all the stages of your pregnancy flooded his mind, taking a toll on his performance. Sloppy swings, kicks, punches: he suddenly grabbed the punching bag. Firmly, he placed both hands on it, his eyes practically burning a hole in the fabric. 

The memories of your tender touches and soft smiles were accompanied with the hopes of what was to come—a family that he kept safe and happy. His fingers dug into the thick skin of the bag as he considered the threat that would undoubtedly take you two into consideration when hunting him down. It was a future which, although inevitable, was something he’d fight against until his last breath. The final punch he threw was for all of those who had already placed a target on his family.

You were in the kitchen when he made his way back around. The kettle was heating up over the stove top and teasing a whistle.

“You shouldn’t be around an open flame and should be resting.” He guided you away from the iron stove towards the sofa. 

“It’s just tea. I’ll be alright.”

“Let me make it for you. You’re the one who’s constantly complaining about swollen feet, remember?” He ignored the slight hmph from you, knowing full well that you’d be glad you took his advice.

Handing you the hot beverage, he then brought over foot rest. Patting it, he reminded you that it would be good for circulation. “You’re always looking out for me, aren’t you,” you sighed at him.

He wasn’t really sure what to say to that. Of course he was, why wouldn’t he be? With him sitting down next to you, you could feel his eyes on you with the same intensity as when you were outside. You winced slightly from the sudden kicks.

“I think our kid is ready to get out,” you laughed softly. “Would you like to feel them kick?” 

His hands gently laid on your belly, instantly feeling the little kicks from inside. His breaths shortened as a surge of emotion took him off guard. Leaning down, he placed a soft kiss where the baby was the most active. “I can’t wait to do that with you in my arms,” he whispered.

Caring gestures and loving support helped carry the both of you through the remainder of the ninth month. The cries of your new baby girl soon filled the room, painting everything outside of it as a mere backdrop. Once she was placed in his arms, he knew he could never love something as much as he loved that little girl. Nothing and no one would touch a hair on her head.

Watching him hold your child only solidified your love for him. A man who was stoic and seemingly immune to emotion was looking down at your baby girl with nothing but the soft love of a new father.

“She’s perfect, isn’t she?”

He nodded while gently stroking her little hand, “Yes, she most definitely is.”

[yourtypicalhuman09]

Hay it 🌞

God, I really love chapter two even when it's so short. I'm eating it whit this hands 🤌

It gives me the idea that the part of Y/N dream we see is just what she remembers in the dream. Because it happens a lot in dreams to me, i remember some parts and forget others. This nightmare is probably a memory but what about if it's not exactly the same as in real life?

It also makes me think. When you see from someone POV you see how they sees the others. For example if X thinks Y/N are dumb than most things about them will seem dumb for this person. Their face, their styles? Their speech and the way they carry themselve. It can also make X undermine Y/N's achievements and see them as easy. Because when you believe something your mind looks for signs to support that claim. If you hate someone you see them uglier then they are and if you love someone then the opposite happens. (Make me think of how the Batfamily sees Y/N 👀)

There's also something I keep thinking about. I'm not a DC fan but from what I found out is that in the comic they show us more of how paranoid Bruce is and how much effort he puts into not letting the world know his family's secret. For an example there's more than one time where he made Dick put on the Batman suit and show up at the same time and place as Bruce. He also has people who watch social media for him to see about how people see him and his family (rich people have that). I don't know if the public knows Y/N as the unwanted child they are but if they do then Bruce or at least this people working for him do.

**I also want to ask how do you prefer people askes and stuff? Do you mind them being long and stuff and what are the things you don't feel comfortable with so I don't end up crossing your boundaries.**

Thank you for reading this and happy (late?) Valentine!!!

Ahhhhh 🌞anon how are you always reading my mind😭✋ I love the unreliable narrator trope and the different POV in this chapter was me setting it up! I love playing with POVs since as you said people have different views on reality and that alters their truth, seeing that in writing is my absolute favorite thing to see so im super happy that you asked this! And about the thing with Bruce you’re totally right he’s a very paranoid man and im sorry if it wasn't clear when i wrote it but the reader does go to galas and puts on a facade to protect the reputation of the wayne family so thats why they get super anxious about it, because that was their assigned job and they are determined to see it through because to them it defines their worth. I plan on going into detail on other povs of the batfam and others like even a teacher of the reader. Sorry if the chapters are short now but they will get longer as the story goes deeper and i have more to write about story wise! As always thank you for reading and commenting, I’ll probably post rules for my asks so it’s official but overall i don’t mind any asks as long as they’re respectful and not cruel. Also i love your long asks so please don’t worry! Happy (late) valentines day!

[staarjeelly]

ik no one asked me, but i said i was going to do it regardless. so, behold:

more reasons why i think the httyd live action shouldn’t exist! 

first of all, the dragon designs. i don’t get them. i definitely don’t like them. they look like bland, generic dragons that have nothing to do with their animated counterparts. the dragons in the animated films are full of life, they look appealing, they catch your eye, because that is their purpose! to be appealing to the public! they are meant to look nice, their designs are supposed to have personality, which the live action remakes notably lack. they look bad, they’re ugly, even. and i don’t get it, because recently we’ve seen how easy it is to have good representation while still honouring the original design, with the universal epic universe. they did it how it was supposed to be done! toothless still looks like toothless, the guy who plays hiccup acts and talks like hiccup, stormfly looks like stormfly, and so do every other character and dragon. hookfang has nothing left of his intelligence, his agility, his charm. he’s a generic red dragon that holds nothing left of the grace a monstrous nightmare should have. he looks dumb, he looks soulless, he isn’t hookfang.

stormfly is a whole other thing. i just don’t like her. her design is bad, she looks atrocious. i don’t like what they’ve done to her head, to the way it’s distributed. she doesn’t look menacing, she looks dumb. she’s boring and stormfly shouldn’t be boring, and that’s one of the worst ways in which they’ve fucked up.

meatlug, i’m not even going to talk about her. she looks like a deformed hippo, and she’s probably my least favorite. she went from a charming dragon to a fat pug with breathing issues. and her color palette is just so, so bland. i hate her in the la.

barf and belch, meh. i do not like them, but i guess that’s because by the time they announced their design, i had already lost all hope. same as with hookfang, they lost their appeal. they are another generic two headed green dragon. they lost the sly look a zippleback should have, their playful look, everything. and i also hate they way their head is distributed. also, why don’t they have their zipple neck anymore??? what was the point of taking that away???? (tf is wrong w him in this pic😭)

terrible terror?? stupid. they took a chameleon and put wings on it. looks nothing like a terrible terror and has become a winged lizard. nothing more.

it’s just so amazing how they’ve managed to suck all the life out of the original desings and leave us with nothing more than poorly done cgi and horrible designs. the red death and the rumblehorn are just so bad i’m not even going to say anything about it. (she's so ugly, i can't)

define glowdown. i'll start:

now i wanted to dedicate another section of this post to talk about toothless. because he makes me genuinely mad. he is not a night fury. he is not the menacing dragon he’s supposed to be. he isn’t the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. he’s a bulky, drooling puppy who has nothing left of his original personality. i already talked about his design in my other post, but i wanted to point out that, aside from fucking up his design, they have made him as dumb as a rock. in all the scenes in which he’s supposed to look menacing. the downed dragon, where he should look like the most dangerous dragon hiccup has never encountered, he looks like a wet puppy. instead of “i’m going to kill you” it seems like he’s thinking “please, don’t kill me!” wth????

i also saw this and i have to add it because he looks awful

when they’re inside the nest, with the red death, instead of alert and threatening, ready to attack if anything bad happens, he’s looking around like “i'm not experiencing a single emotion right now”

doesn't look scared when fighting the red death, either??? stupid.

i hate it. i hate it with all my might. that’s not toothless. that’s not the night fury. that’s a newly tamed dragon, not a puppy! also, why does he have drogon type wings? why would they feel like they needed to change that??? 

last image to prove my point:

and i get that they wanted to make them look more realistic, but they should know that, in a live action, that’s basically impossible. which leads me to my next point. dragons don’t belong in reality. they’re fictional. that’s why the animation was such a nice way of representing them, because within the animation universe, anything is possible,. dragons, magic, anything. but when you take that into a live action, things don’t work out anymore. because dragons don’t belong in the real world. they look completely out of place. and that’s why i’ll never get tired of saying that we should stop treating animation as a lesser way to tell a story. animation is valid, animation is beautiful and animation gives you a lot more range to do whatever you want. anything can happen in animation. it is a valid way of portraying media and we’re basically ignoring it to favor shitty live actions that no one asked for. 

next, and i think last, are the scenes they changed. and not only the scenes, but the music. take test drive, for example (because i’ve already talked a lot about the downed dragon). all the tension is gone. everything that made it a good scene is gone. it’s an absurdity and the end???????? i’m actually so mad. they took out everything important about it.

the scene in which hiccup is testing out toothless’ prosthetic is also stupid. he just puts it on and the next second he’s flying. none of that doubt he shows in the original scene, none of the wondering he does, as if he’s thinking “wait, i can fly again”, he just knows. hate it. (why's his head so biggg😭)

next, the dragon nip. why the hell would they change the dragon nip to an allergy to dandelions? how stupid is that? and for what? what was the purpose? i don’t get it. it isn’t necessarily a bad change, but it is a stupid one. in the series, they state that blue oleanders are poisonous to dragons, but adding an allergy that every species of dragon shares is just dumb. at least to me.

now, the fight that hiccup and stoick have when he tells his father about the nest. why the fuck would they feel the need to add valka to that scene???? valka isn’t mentioned by name in the original film, she’s almost never mentioned. and now they felt like having stoick say: “why would your mother think about you?” was a good idea. and it isn’t because we know that valka is the same as hiccup. she sees dragons as more than vicious beasts, and that makes the fight, or at least that line delivery,  stupid (thanks to @bdragonspam on insta for the info, she has a nice reel pinned on her page that explains how she lived the live action, go check her out!). now, someone tell me if this is true because i have no idea, but is it true that now they have made astrid to have a conflict with the society she lives in?? like, a feminist issue? (because i think i saw someone saying something like that but i’m not sure) this leads me to my next point, the scene in which the red death starts suctioning air to try and trap stormfly and astrid, WHY WOULD THEY MAKE ASTRID JUMP OUT OF HER DRAGON.

like, girlie pop, not even stormfly is able to fight against the red death and suddenly you’re inside her mouth fighting her teeth?????? make that make sense, please. plot armor, i suppose, but stupid nevertheless. i guess they made it so that she doesn’t need to depend on hiccup but again, WHY????? (also, please someone confirm if she truly wants to become chief in the movies?)because that is dumb. astrid has never shown interest in becoming chief in the original movies. i don’t get why they have to add things like this to her character, this coming from nothing issue that she never had in the og films, more so issues she didn’t need. because, and this is just my personal opinion, astrid isn’t a character i enjoy. this is just a personal bias, but if i have something good to say about her character is that she has always been a strong woman, who did what she wanted. she didn’t ask for permission, she just did it. and she was great representation of a strong character, who could also be thoughtful (at times). what they’ve turned her into is just stupid. they’ve taken away her power and her strength and turned her into a feminist plot device just to add more social issues within the film. (in case this is true, but honestly, i can believe it is, knowing what they've done to the rest of the movie) 

i think that’s all i had to say just about the film itself. i am mad about this whole thing. i am truly mad. i don’t like that they’re destroying the original films just for money. because if they were made out of affection towards the originals, they would have put a lot more thought into it. a lot more care. and i overall hate how it’s the people that have never watched the originals saying that it is “the best live action they’ve ever seen” because it is objectively not. it’s the casual fans, the influencers the ones that are ruining this for the people that truly like the films. and they don’t care, because they don’t care about the franchise. they just care about the brand deals and their five minutes of fame. and i really hope it pays off for them. because for the people that enjoy these films as more of an entertainment, the people that have grown with these films, this is just a monstrosity. 

anyways, so so sorry for the long post and i hope everyone that doesn’t like the live action has a great day!!!

and to the live action fans that commented on my last post, if you like it, good for you. you're not going to change my mind, and to me, you're the one in the wrong. you're giving them more reasons to keep ruining a franchise that yeah, maybe wasn't perfect, but it was good. people enjoyed it the way it was. and please, please, if you are going to see it in theaters, if you're going to give them the money they're so desperately wanting, do not interact with my page. this is obviously not for you. this is for the people that care about this franchise. and you're clearly not one of them.

to the rest, thanks for reading, and i hope this isn't too long or too boring.

[fluffroom]

"Only When You Died" - Lee Know

Imaginary Friend AU | 2k Words | Angst, Romance and Bittersweet| Minho x Reader

TW: mentions of a near-death experience, memory loss, emotional themes (abandonment, longing), and bittersweet tone. please read with caution.

Summary: When a near-death experience pulls you into a world between life and dreams, someone from your past is waiting- older, real, and heartbreakingly familiar. But how do you hold onto someone you forgot...and who never stopped waiting?

You don't remember the crash.

You remember the feeling, though. The freefall. The silence. The cold bloom of air swallowing you whole.

And then-

"You're awake."

You gasp as if you haven't breathed in years. Your eyes sting. Your throat burns. Your head throbs like it's been cracked open and taped back together. You reach for something - someone - and your hand collides with warm fingers.

Familiar fingers.

You blink, vision watery, adjusting to the strange light above. The person in front of you shifts, stepping out of the shadow.

No.

Not possible.

"...Minho?"

He smiles- soft and sad. "Took you long enough."

You try and sit up, but your limbs are lead. "You're not real," you whisper, even though your fingers are still laced with his.

"I wasn't," he replies, voice calm. "Not until you died."

. . .

When you were six, Minho appeared.

He wasn't flashy. Not like the glowing-winged companions other kids claimed to see. He didn't wear armor or sparkle or arrive on a unicorn.

He showed up in your closet, curled into a blanket fort, and said, "You looked lonely."

And you were. Your parents argued most nights. You had maybe two friends. But Minho always made room for you in the blankets.

For five years, he was your best friend. He knew your favorite color changed every two weeks. He remembered which teachers made you cry and which ones handed out gummy bears. He'd hum lullabies to you when you couldn't sleep and gently shake you awake from nightmares.

You never told anyone about him.

You didn't want to share.

Then, on your eleventh birthday, he didn't show up. Not that night. Not the next. Not ever again.

You waited. You cried. You yelled into your empty closet of blankets like a fool.

But he never came back.

You told yourself he was just imaginary. That maybe you'd made him up, a crutch, a coping mechanism. You told yourself to forget.

And you did.

Mostly.

. . .

Now he sits beside you, older.

Not just taller, more defined. Sharper jaw. Leaner dream. Same warm eyes. The same hands that once held yours as you crossed imaginary lava rivers.

"You look the same," you murmur.

"You don't," he says, a touch of something unreadable in his voice. "You grew up without me."

You looked down. "You left."

He flinches. "I didn't want to."

You stare at him, feeling the weight of all those empty years settle in your chest. "Why did you disappear?"

Minho exhales and stands. He walks to the window- if it can even be called that. Outside is a strange violet sky, starlit but soft. "You stopped believing," he says finally.

"I was eleven."

"I know." He turns to you, hands in his pockets. "But belief is the only thing that keeps us...us."

You frown. "Us?"

"Imaginaries." He shrugs. "Made from memory, from emotion, from longing. When you stopped believing in me...I faded."

"So why are you here now?"

He looks at you, and the ache in his eyes guts you.

"You died."

. . .

You're not dead, not fully.

Minho explains it while pouring you a cup of something warm and golden. He says this place- the starlit in-between - only touches those whose souls teeter on the edge.

"I was only ever imaginary," he says, quietly. "But the moment your heart stopped, I became real."

"That's not fair."

"I know."

"You weren't real when I needed you."

"I was there," he says, voice cracking. "You just couldn't see me anymore."

Silence. Heavy and full of things neither of you wants to admit.

"I missed you," you whisper.

He closes his eyes like it hurts. "Don't say that."

"Why?"

"Because I never stopped missing you."

. . .

Days pass- or something like them.

There's no time here, not like the world you left. But every hour with Minho feels like unraveling an old favorite song. You remember his crooked smirk when you say something dumb. The way he frowns when he's thinking. The softness behind his sarcasm.

You catch him watching you sometimes, when he thinks you're not looking. You pretend not to notice how close he always sits, how often he reaches out like he might touch you, then pulls back.

Finally, one night, you ask:

"What happens if I wake up?"

His eyes don't leave the stars. "You forget me again."

Your chest twists. "Completely?"

He nods.

"And if I don't?"

His throat bobs. "Then you stay."

You look at him, really look. "Would you want me to?"

His voice is barely a whisper. "More than anything."

. . .

He kisses you on the fourth night.

It's hesitant. Soft. Almost afraid.

You feel lit in your bones - how long he's wanted this. How long you've needed it.

You kiss him back, and the world around you glows brighter.

"I don't want to forget this," you breathe against his lips.

"You won't," he promises, forehead pressed to yours. "Even if you forget me."

. . .

But dreams always end.

The world begins to shake.

Light pours in like floodwater.

Minho grabs your hand. "No. Not yet."

You're crying. "Minho -!"

"You have to go."

"I don't want to!"

"If you stay, you die." His grip is tight, shaking. "And I'd rather you forget me again than lose you forever."

"But I love you," you sob. "Doesn't that matter?"

He kisses your knuckles, tears slipping down his face. "It's the only thing that ever did."

. . .

You wake up in a hospital bed.

The machines beep. The light is harsh. You're alive.

But your heart is breaking, and you don't know why.

. . .

You find the drawing three weeks into recovery.

Tucked in an old sketchbook from your childhood - pages yellowed, spine cracked.

It's him.

Minho.

He's not labeled. Not dated. Just sitting under a paper star sky, wearing that same bittersweet smile.

You trace the lines with your fingers, heart pounding.

You still don't remember his name.

But somehow, somehow, you still remember how it felt to love him.

THE END

A/N: With a little bit of help from an AI generator, I create my short stories, tweak them a bit to feel more human, and share them here with people I know will enjoy them. If you'd like a continuation of any of my stories, please leave me a private ask with the title and what you'd like to see. If you want to request a certain plot as well, please do the same.

Thank you again!

[sciderman]

sci i had no idea about your donald duck hyperfixation and now i am SO curious how did it come to be, what do you like about him, etc etc please rant to us

oh man! it was pretty simple - i, as you may have noticed, really like comics. buuut i was sick of marvel during my notorious hiatus of 2017 - i was hating pretty much everything they were putting out, and was in a sour mood over sm:h, just - i was sick to death of marvel.

but. buuut... i really like comics. and actually, i kind of already just had a bit of a baseline interest in ducks. i travel around europe a lot, and i always see duck comics stocking the shelves - one time i went to a second hand book market in berlin and found loads of worn-out issues of the ducks, and they cost like, pennies, so i picked them up because i just - i adore the art. it's so appealing and just - it makes me happy.

i just think they're neat!!!

so i started this habit of buying duck books in different languages from all the european countries i travel to. i have books in french, in german, in danish – i just really like ducks. i always looked for them in english but - really, they're kind of difficult to find in london. they're not popular in the uk. i remember a frustrating few years of my life, any time i'd enter a comic book shop in london i'd ask "you have any duck?" and no. they never had any duck. i wasn't ever committed enough to look online or anything, but for years and years and years i'd always wanted to read the duck comics. and i was determined that ONCE i found a book in english, in an english book shop, i finally would start.

eventually - finally! i happened upon a copy of don rosa's the life and times of scrooge mcduck - in english!! at a comic store in soho and i snapped it up immediately. i ate through the whole thing in one sitting and just - fell in love. i adore scrooge - his defining trait is that he's stingy but - otherwise he's fearless and adventurous and - well, tougher than the toughies, smarter than the smarties. donald too, his defining trait is his anger but - he's so good-hearted and family-centric and - ruagh. i love both of them - both of them having defining traits that are typically negative but - redeemed by all of their other wonderful traits that make them endearing and loveable. it's surprisingly complex, i think - and it makes for a really entertaining read in that - they're imperfect little guys. and you adore them anyway.

it filled the void in my heart and - i found that i just enjoyed the duck comics much more than i ever did the marvel comics - just - i don't know, they're whimsical and cheerful and - so easy to read, from the way they're panelled. they're designed to be accessible for everyone. marvel comics can be a nightmare, but the duck comics are just a delight. the ducks were my detox from the hell that was marvel, and they kept my love for comics alive!

i've gotten lucky in being able to find a lot more comics printed in english but - never in london, no sir. i get lucky and sometimes find english prints in other european countries so - a lot of my european friends know, when i come to visit them, there will have to be a Duck Detour at some point. i don't come home without duck.

[sapphire-samurai]

Ninjago Fanfic Masterlist

Here is a centralized list of my Ninjago fanfiction. I am open to requests, so feel free to ask me about it and see this list grow! :)

(Note: Please DO NOT re-post, use, or otherwise steal my works or original ideas, characters, etc. If you would like to create a work based on mine, please ask me first. Fanart is welcome without asking permission, but I'd love to see it, so please share it with me! Thank you!)

Always a Need for a Ninja | oneshot

After the events of the final battle between the Overlord and the Golden Ninja, Garmadon contemplates his past wrongs and whether or not he is both truly changed and forgiven.

Brontide Tidings | Jay x Nya | oneshot

Nya would rather face any kind of storm than the nightmares, but sometimes both are too intertwined.

The Choice is Yours | Movie!verse | 2-chapter

Lloyd attempts to get along with his father, and the two bond over a shared taste in food.

The Coldest Moment | ficlet

Jay loses too much after the team loses Zane, then loses hope when cold reality sets in.

Easy, Breezy | Morro x Reader | oneshot, POV 2nd person

You encounter a strange individual in the dead of night, and learn a little about letting go of the past and breathing easy.

Fissures | oneshot

Cole grieves the loss of his mother and eventually leaves a now broken home. When he challenges himself to climb a nearby mountain, he meets a stranger atop a cliff who changes the course of his life.

Gold to Rust | oneshot

When searching for more scraps and goods to display in his store, Ronin acquires a piece of merchandise that can’t be anything but one of a kind… or can it?

In Remembrance | drabble collection, ongoing

A collection of Ninjago drabbles.

In the Presence of Greatness | ficlet, POV 1st person

Char expresses his extreme devotion to Aspheera, and learns what defines true greatness along the way.

Mistle-foe | holiday | oneshot

Kai decides to make an exciting change to the festive decor, and gets a taste of a new holiday tradition himself.

Never Say Never | Akita x Lloyd | oneshot

Two years have passed in the land known as the Never-Realm, and Akita of the formlings still awaits the return of a dear friend.

Novaturience of a Ninja | multichapter

After Wu’s disappearance, the ninja struggle to readjust as they all continue to grow and fulfill their own destinies. The team find themselves in a state of novaturience—desiring changes or alterations, to their lives and situations—and decide to seek out what change each of them needs.

Power of the Puffy Potstickers | oneshot

Skylor stays up late waiting for some special visitors to the noodle house, but gets a more unique visit than she could have expected. Dareth makes the mistake of stepping away at a crucial moment, and returns to discover the cost of choosing one duty over another...

A silly story about Ninjago's most iconic food.

The Samurai Code | Pixal x Zane | multichapter, ongoing

After an old legend of an honorable samurai is uncovered, the new Samurai X seeks to learn more about the legacy she has taken on. When the ancient scroll containing the story suddenly shifts to tell a new tale, Master Wu leaves to find answers, only to disappear from the face of Ninjago. Determined to ensure that the ninja will not have to face losing their master once again, Pixal turns her back on her previous mission for the sake of protecting those she cares for.

[[[ Currently working on editing and reposting completed chapters, then will begin to add new ones for the rest of the story. ]]]

Totally Called It | oneshot

After the reveal of the new Samurai X, Jay surprises the others with a secret he’s kept carefully hidden: the mysterious warrior’s identity. At the same time, he plans to ask an important question of his own, one that’s been on his heart for a long time.

[withered--ivy]

Welcome to my blog 🩵🪽

📬 requests and asks are open! i love talking about characters, ideas, and bard problems 🪽

🌷 Who am i?

Hi hi~ I don't really go by any particular name or pronouns

But you can call me Ivy~ 🩵🩵🍀

🌸 soft on the outside, screaming inside

🪶 baby writer & artist

🍃 main hyperfixation: genshin impact, esp mondstadt, attack on Titan, bungo stray dogs + many more ✨

🎨 i post fics, art, character thoughts, maybe some head-canons and unhinged rambles

🌿 expect: found family, lore spirals, emotional boys, and way too many venti braincells

I love the wind, the wine, and whatever the ragbros have going on ✨

Ao3 🔗: Withered Ivy

🌼 mondstadt supremacy

💙 venti is my little bird nightmare

🩶 kaeya and diluc are my emotional support disasters

🌸 i draw and cry about lore

💭 sometimes i talk about non-genshin things too (rare but soft)

☁️ vibes?

🌷 comedy until it hurts

🩵 tragedy that smells like flowers

💐 mondstadt in my heart

🌸 i’m just here to love loudly and post the things i make

📑Some tags I use?

🖋️ #Ivy writes

🎨 #Ivy arts

🦜 #Ivy rambles

📚 𝒇𝒊𝒄 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕: (AO3)

🩵 The Last Song of the First Gods

pre-canon | archon war | found family but divine

💫 emotional, nonlinear, god-bonding chaos

💔 tragedy wearing a funny hat

✨ status: ongoing

🩷As the Winds Rise Again

canon-era | Series | Archon Venti

🍷 Venti reclaiming his authority as an Archon

🔥❄️ The Ragbros are Ragbroing

🍃Jean is tired

🪽 mondstadt is loud tonight

💬 status: On going [One completed Arc, on break for now]

🗻📜Guizhong's Quite Observations (Tumblr)

🗻📜Guizhong's Quite Observations II (Tumblr)

🗻📜Guizhong's Quite Observations III (Tumblr)

🗻📜Guizhong's Quite Observations IV (Tumblr)

Continue for request guidelines

📌 REQUEST GUIDELINES 💌

🧃 Fandoms I Write For:

Genshin Impact 🍃 | Stranger Things 🚲 | Attack on Titan 🔥 | Bungo Stray Dogs 🐺 | + a few other animes ✨

☁️ These will be posted on both Tumblr & AO3! ☁️

✅ I WILL WRITE:

✨ Drabbles

Lil bite-sized scenes, usually 3–4 paragraphs. Quick hits of fluff, angst, or chaos 💥

✨ Oneshots

Longer stories! These may take me more time, and I’ll only take requests if I’m feeling ✨inspired✨.

✨ Headcanons

PLEASE send these I love them so much 🫶 You can ask for random ones, specific prompts, or even send me your own ideas to expand on!

✨ Ships

Character x Character 💞 and Character x Reader 💌 are both welcome! Polyships are fine too — I’m open, but I may gently decline if something doesn’t vibe with me 💫

✨ Fluff & Romance

The soft stuff. Holding hands. Cozy naps. Mutual pining. YES.

✨ Angst

Yes. YES. Let them suffer. Prompts like “how they’d react if someone died” are very welcome. I love making these poor bbs emotionally combust 💔🕯️

✨ Angst with Comfort

Because I do have a heart 😌💗 I’m okay with heavier topics like self-harm or trauma, as long as there’s comfort involved. These fics will always have content warnings and be handled with care 🫂

✨ Platonic Relationships

Sibling dynamics, besties, grumpy & sunshine duos — love writing these!! 💕✨

🚫 I WON’T WRITE:

❌ Proships or age-inappropriate content

No:

• Minor x Adult

• Teacher x Student

• Anyone that looks or acts like a kid x adult

Just… no. 🚫🚫🚫

❌ Smut

Not because I hate it, but because I will die of cringe. 😭 I have a skill issue. Maybe one day. Today is not that day.

❌ “Dark Romance”

If it glorifies abuse, rape, manipulation, etc — I don’t want it anywhere near my inbox. 🚷

❌ Ageplay

Nope. Nope. Nope. ❌

❌ Harem Tropes

I love respectful polyships 💖 but harem-style writing tends to feel icky and fanservice-y. Not my thing!

❌ Just... weird stuff

Hard to define but easy to sense. If something gives me ✨bad vibes✨ I’ll politely pass. Please be normal <3

🦋✨ Final Notes:

🕊️ Requests are open only when tagged open!

💫 Be kind, be cool, and let’s make some chaos together!

🍓 Thanks for reading, now go hydrate and romanticize your life 💕

[lunalosers2]

Hi, that's the first time I post something here so there goes a little introduction. English is not my first language so you're invited to let me know if I wrote something wrong. I have some old stories on Wattpad too if you're interested.

Half of You Is Not Enough

by Luna

Synopsis:

After ending a love defined by late nights and sudden goodbyes, she never expected Dean Winchester to return—bloody, broken, and needing her again. But this time, she won’t settle for just half of him.

Warnings: Just a bunch of fluffy and a little angst

It was around three in the morning when I heard someone knocking on my door. I got out of bed, a little hesitant—clearly, this couldn’t be good news. When someone shows up that late, it usually means one of two things: someone you love is in trouble, or a killer is about to break in and try to murder you.

I figured a killer probably wouldn’t knock, but I still grabbed the first object I could find for protection—just in case.

I finally opened the door, cautiously. And there he was. The last person I ever expected to see.

Dean Winchester.

He’s somehow managed to be both my sweetest dream and worst nightmare. But the reason his presence shocked me was that he’s now my ex—well, something like that.

Dean and I had a thing. It lasted two years and was always the same cycle: he'd show up, we'd spend time together, talk about life, have mind-blowing sex, and then by morning, he’d vanish with some excuse about an emergency. Then silence. No calls, no texts. Weeks, sometimes months. Until he showed up again. And again, I let him in.

But not anymore. The last time he came, two months ago, I told him I couldn’t do it anymore. I ended whatever it was we had. And he walked away.

And yet here he was—standing at my door, covered in blood and bruises, those familiar eyes begging me to let him in.

—Come inside, Dean. You’re gonna freeze out there.

—Thanks. I’ll try not to mess up the rug.

He walked in, wincing, and sat down on the couch.

—What the hell happened to you?

—Well, you know. Work.

—Right. I sometimes forget you almost die three times a week.

I grabbed my first aid kit from the cabinet.

—Is Sam okay?

—Yeah. He’s fine. I told him to wait for me at the hotel.

—You know, you could’ve gone to a hospital.

—I knew you weren’t on call tonight.

—I’m not the only doctor who can stitch a wound, Dean.

I set everything on the coffee table and approached him.

—I need you to take off your shirt.

—That fast? Thought you didn’t want anything to do with me anymore.

—Shut up and do as I say.

He laughed—probably at my reaction, or maybe the blush that hit my cheeks—but he obeyed.

I sat beside him, cleaning his wounds to see which needed stitches.

—You look beautiful when you’re focused — he whispered.

—Dean. Please.

—Okay. Sorry. It’s just hard seeing you like this, pretending you barely know me. I was trying to break the ice.

—I’m not pretending anything. You came here because you need a doctor. I’m being professional.

—I came here because I miss you. Sam could’ve stitched me up. But I was nearby, and I needed to see you. It felt like the perfect excuse.

—I’m not letting you do this again — I said, trying to hold back the anger rising in my chest.

—Do what?

—Come here. Act like I matter. Then disappear again.

His face shifted.

—You do matter. You're one of the most important people in my life. That’s why I leave. I’m selfish enough to come here because I can’t stand being away from you—but not enough to drag you into my world.

—Look... I’m going to stitch you up. And then I want you to leave. And don’t come back.

I barely held the tears. But I’d suffered enough. I wasn’t going to settle for half of someone anymore.

He stayed silent. I took the chance to start working. I stitched what I could and bandaged the rest. It took about thirty minutes. Finally, everything was done.

—I never wanted to hurt you — he said quietly.

—I know. But you did. A lot. I spent sleepless nights wondering if you were alive, if I’d ever see you again. And when you showed up, I couldn’t resist. I tried to make every second count because... because I love you. And all the pain seemed worth it when you were here.

—You... what?

—Dean, you should go.

—No. Did you say you love me?

—It doesn’t matter anymore.

—Yes, it does. You said you love me.

—Fine, Dean. I love you. I do. But I can’t keep doing this. I can’t love just half of you.

He swallowed hard.

—I love you too. But I know you wouldn’t like the whole me. I’m a mess. My life is violent and chaotic. I don’t want you tangled in that.

—That should be my decision.

—I can’t put you at risk just because I want you.

—Dean, do you know how rare it is to find real love? That once-in-a-lifetime kind of love that makes time stand still. People spend their lives searching and die without finding it. But we found it. And you're willing to throw it away because you're scared?

—I’m just afraid of losing you.

—You will lose me if you don’t make the right choice.

Silence. Heavy and suffocating.

I reached out, cupped his face, and kissed him softly. Just a touch. But it was enough to bring him back to the moment.

—Dean, I know you want to protect me. God knows I wish you weren’t in the line of fire either, but you are. We can’t always keep the people we love safe. It’s not just monsters and demons that kill. I could be hit by a car tomorrow on my way to work. We can’t rob ourselves of today just because we’re afraid of tomorrow.

—You really think this is worth it? Stepping into the mess?

—Oh, Dean Winchester, you underestimate yourself. I’d go to hell for you.

He laughed, but I saw the sincerity in his eyes.

—You’re absolutely crazy. But I think we can try.

A smile spread across my face. Being away from him had been a nightmare. But now... now, I could finally call him mine.

—I love you, idiot.

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

Hey thanks for reading don't forget to let your update. XO

[gleamingtempest]

DRDT - Final Murderer Predictions

Please share your final murderer prediction on this post. : ) Feel free to share theories as well. Below will be a list of potential murder motive for every remaining student. There are spoilers.

CW: Suicide, Derealization

It is an equal failing to trust everybody, and to trust no one at all.

Distrust is Teruko's folly. Teruko killed to protect herself from danger.

If you forgot it, then it probably wasn’t important to begin with. None of those memories should ever be kept, anyway.

Charles forgot. Charles killed so that he could learn the truth behind his secret & the trauma of the event caused him to forget the truth.

You can’t go back, no matter how hard you try.

Regret. Eden clings to a regret she has in the outside world, so tightly that she seeks release from the pressure of the Killing Game. She killed out of desperation.

Why should I own up for the mistakes that someone else made?

Nico hated the victim. Their resentment boiled over and they compulsively organized a murder for the victim.

I don’t know what to do with myself anymore.

Ace was terrified of dying so he killed in order to escape. Having seen his life flash before his eyes, he now clings to life more desperately than before.

I want to pay for what I’ve done. But even then, I still want to live.

Hu killed for the sake of living itself. A desperation to cling to something which has been fleeting for her entire life. She was given a reason to live by the killing game itself and she won't let go of it now that she finally has it.

Once something is broken, it can never be pieced together in quite the same way again. The same goes for people.

Veronika was bored. The killing game wasn't up to her entertainment standards, so she wanted to spice things up.

In the end, the only thing I can do is watch my wretched life go on.

Rose was exhausted. Her nightmares, memories, the present and the future all blended into one and Rose lost her sense of reality. Without even realizing what she was doing, Rose killed the victim.

Please don’t call me your daughter ever again.

J killed the victim for the sake of vengeance. This group threw & disregarded her problems, so why should she give a crap about them? She clearly doesn't matter to them.

You hated them, but even that doesn’t justify what you did.

Arturo killed the victim for personal vengeance. The victim slighted him so he wanted them to pay for what they'd done. That day should never have been remembered.

I always believed that a person is defined by their actions alone. But maybe that’s just a poor excuse for my heartlessness.

Levi killed for self preservation. Not bothered by the result one way or another, Levi saw killing to escape as the most practical solution to the Killing Game scenario. It was nothing personal.

We tend to idolize the dead.

Whit killed the victim. (???)

I hate you, I hate you, I hate you. I wish you could just die.

David killed the victim for his ideal. There's something which matters more than all of your lives; now - die for it.

[jainydoe]

OK i wanted to draw smth for every prompt of the song list that @aldisobey tagged me in but maybe down the line here we go i'm running with isha

Event that defines your character's past: i am the body beautiful, salt-n-pepa spotify | youtube -

yeah i mean what more is there to say, i think in his "youth" he was a scamp who spent his days being a nepo baby and playing dress up

How your character sees themselves: reignbreaker, djerv spotify | youtube

ok ok so for starters i'm obsessed with this song and more to the point obsessed with djerv she's maybe my favorite modern artist and the way her music sounds is how I want my work to be ingested it's like gravelly and aggressive and neon and white hot ugh i'm in love with her anyway this song is exactly how isha feels about himself like he's some robin hood hero of the seas taking from the rich and giving to his crew if he watched game of thrones he'd be like Ok so I am Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of the Meereen, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and the Mother of Dragons and Isabela would be like Yeah for sure

it'd probably look smth like this:

How others view them: verbatim, mother mother spotify | youtube

and it's mainly because he does, in fact, wear women's underwear. They also see him as a loose cannon, no pun intended, in all aspects. There's a certain untouchability to his blatant, like, palpability? Dangerously languid? Am I making sense?

Their closest relationship (platonic or romantic): twilight, boa spotify | youtube

you know what, I've been mulling over this a lot, and I wanna say it'd be bellara but the truth is it'd be claudia (idc i'm blending the multiverse) and I think he'd watch her relationship unfold with emmrich and really not know how to feel about it. But I also don't think it's something he'd ever unpack. He'd probably just grit his teeth and be like wow I'm so Happy for you both Hahaha and only really complain about her settling down and not being around to join the crew on expeditions, meanwhile he's like unable to sleep because he keeps having nightmares of her in the water luring him overboard and he wants to save her but something keeps dragging her under and when he jumps in after her he starts drowning and that's when he wakes up it probably means nothing

A major fight scene: svarteboka, gate/djerv spotify | youtube

yeah so what I'm putting two djerv songs because this shit is Swashbuckling

End credits song: find yourself, jacco gardner spotify | youtube

this is what I think it sounds like after the events of veilguard for him. To me, this song sounds like growing up but that child part of you clinging on for dear life. I think Isha's someone who's been playing a part for everyone in his life since he can remember and now he just wants to be alone for a while and figure out who the fuck he is sans the ship

this was my favorite ask to do omg I had so much fun @caffeinatedmunchkin @thepalehorsevictoria @volkoss @emmg + anyone who wants to!! please tag me I wanna learn about ur ocs!!

[weirdestbooks]

Father and Son (Wattpad | Ao3)

Bonus Oneshot for the Consequence of Loyalty

America had been worried and the slightest bit guilty when he saw Hawaii again. While martial law hadn't been his idea, America wouldn't lie and say that he hadn't taken advantage of it to make sure Hawaii stayed behind.

Oftentimes, he wasn't sure why he had done that.

But…Hawaii had quickly ended the conversation, and America knew then it was going to be a lot more time before they would be able to talk normally about what had happened.

So when Hawaii called Kentucky into the room, America set the conversation aside and prepared to see his son again.

America was more excited to see his son than he was to have that conversation anyway.

"I hope he was okay. Torture…" Lydia trailed off, and America fought to keep his hands from curling into fists.

Receiving that news had been one of the worst moments of his life. America…hadn't been that angry in a long time.

James hadn't been either. They had known it couldn't have been good when they learned he was staying behind instead of evacuating, when they learned he was captured, when they learned of the Japanese propaganda that featured him.

But there was a difference between knowing that it had to be bad and learning how horrible it really was.

Kentucky walked in, still on crutches, and America locked eyes with his son, scanning his face for pain as he smiled.

Kentucky smiled back.

"Hi, Pa," Kentucky said, his voice breaking. The pang of relief that went through America was overwhelming, and he almost began to cry.

"He's really safe," James muttered, as if this was the confirmation that he needed to really believe that it was true, that it was real, that Kentucky really was there in front of them, that this wasn't another dream or nightmare.

"He looks—" Mabel began, before she cut herself off with a small gasp. Leaving the others to their own reactions, America focused on his son.

"Oh, Kenny," America said softly, eyes only for his son, who had tears in the corner of his eyes. "It's so good to see you again. I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too," Kentucky said, tears actually starting to flow down his face as he walked closer.

Then, America finally saw it as he began to scan his son for injuries.

Kentucky's leg was gone.

Had he lost it in the battle? In the prison? During…during…

"At least he seems to be in good spirits," Lydia commented, as if she were trying to keep the mood light.

"Penn had seemed in good spirits, too," Mabel added darkly.

"Not the time. Later. Ken needs his dad, and we don't need to make him think his father is upset with him," James ordered, and while the two of them quieted, their conversation didn't end.

America tried to ignore it, bringing his focus to his son.

"Oh, Ken, your leg," America said, his voice full of the angry sadness he was experiencing. "How—"

"I was…hurt badly when I came here. My leg couldn't be saved," Kentucky said quickly, his voice becoming quiet. "Please don't make me talk about it."

He sounded so scared and it made America so angry that his son had been hurt like that, but he could do nothing, that his son had been made to suffer, and nothing could have been done, and that his leg had almost been saved, but then, at the last minute, something had gone wrong.

"Leg or no, he was never going to come back the same. I��we need to make sure that he is okay before we fixate on the amputation. We…we may have had that mistake with the others. This can't define him," James said.

"None of his experiences should," Lydia said, before getting ever so close to America.

"Okay," America said, his voice quiet and worried, before Lydia got close enough to take some control, forcing a grin back on their face.

"Now, come give us a hug," Lydia said, and America let her, because he wanted to hug his son as well.

Kentucky gave a small grin, although there was still something haunted hiding behind his eyes, and slowly came, leaning over to hug them.

They pulled him closer, and relishing in the feeling of Kentucky, living and breathing and safe, even if hurt, and didn't protest as Kentucky squeezed them back.

Tears were rolling down Kentucky's face, and they could feel them soaking into the thin fabric of the hospital gown.

Kentucky's breathing was shaky and shallow, but as the hug continued, it calmed, and they—America—was glad to know that they being there was helping Kentucky feel safer, even if it wasn't by much.

Then, Kentucky pulled away, stumbling slightly as he did so, readjusting his crutches.

"I'm so glad to see you safe," America said, "We worried for you every day, especially as news came out about that death march and how other prisoners were treated."

America neglected to mention the propaganda broadcast. Kentucky could be a very proud man, and would hate to be reminded of a weakness like that.

"I…" Kentucky's eyes grew a little distant, and his hands tightened, and America knew he had made a mistake.

"You shouldn't drag up memories of what the J-ps did to him. We can get the information out of Japan ourselves when we make her pay for this," Mabel said, her voice full of an anger America hadn't heard before.

"I missed you," Kentucky then said, his voice small, as if he were a child again. America smiled, feeling so tired, maybe from the medicine, maybe from his age, maybe from the war.

"I missed you too," America said, before smiling fondly at his son—and at Hawaiʻi, who was sneaking out and leaving them to their privacy. "How have you been?"

"Okay," Kentucky said, quiet, almost cagey with his response, "Philippines hadn't been freed from the puppet state or martial law."

It wasn't an accusation or a request, but America could hear the undertones in it all the same.

"Both martial law and a puppet state must be agony. You should talk to someone about that. He's under our protection, our ward," Mabel said. America nodded, both to Mabel and to his son.

"I'll see what I can do," America said. Some of the weight on Kentucky's shoulder and the darkness in his eyes lifted at that, and America smiled.

America wouldn't pretend to understand whatever Hell both of them had gone through.

But he would try to ensure their recovery was safe and happy.

"If one can even recover from something like this," James commented, voice heavy with the weight of one who cared so much.

"Thank you," Kentucky said, his voice quiet, before silence, as if he were unsure of what to say. America felt the same way. After so long of waiting to speak to his son, of wanting to know what he had been through…it was hard to find something to speak about that wouldn't be a reminder of the pain.

And…America was so very tired, the pain medicine numbing his leg, numbing his mind as well. Kentucky seemed to see it as well, and America knew further conversation would happen when they were both in a better place for it.

Even as he wanted to catch up with his son now…the memories and their wounds were fresh, that was clear as day.

Kentucky leaned down and pressed a kiss to America's forehead, as if he were a mother trying to send them off to sleep. America smiled up at him as he pulled away.

"Try to sleep, Pa. You need it," Kentucky said, before leaving, slightly rushed, as if he were panicked.

"Maybe he is," James suggested.

But America, so tired of thinking of the ways his son could be in pain, decided to take his son's advice, closing his eyes and letting sleep take him.

[raysources]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌  𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄  𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒     —     a collection of one - liners taken from will wood's 2020 album, the normal album.   slightly edited for clarity.   change pronouns as necessary.   tw. death, mental illness / ableism, suicide, drugs, gender dysphoria.

trick or treat, merry christmas.

buy now or die!

the lights are on, but no one's home.

it takes a village to fake a whole culture.

home is where the heart is.

home is where the heart is, you're not homeless, but you're heartless.

i can tell that you know where paradise is.

a snowflake only matters in a blizzard.

why apologize for being blue and cold?

culture's not your friend.

well, lot, he had his lot in life, job his job, and i guess you too, will die.

hey, you're only mortal!

the devil made me do it, but i also kind of wanted to.

forget bored stiff, i got rigor mortis.

meaning can be such a pretty thing to keep.

i got facts and i'm not afraid to use 'em.

if sick is defined by what's different, then pull the plug out and let me die.

who i am i choose through all the things i do.

i hate poetry.

well that was fun, goodbye.

have you ever died in a nightmare?

could you take a look at me?

am i really that bad?

if you were in my shoes, you'd walk the same damn miles i do.

with my head up in the clouds, i can see so much ground.

it doesn't take a killer to murder, it only takes a reason to kill.

somebody help me!

the only ones in need of love are those who don't receive enough.

the only ones in need of love are those who don't receive enough, so evil ones should get a little more.

if the shoe fits would you walk that mile?

am i pretty now?

for some reason i find myself lost in what you think of me.

i wish i could be a girl.

i wish i could be a girl, and that way you'd wish i could be your girlfriend.

am i pretty enough to lie to?

i get dressed up in shadows one leg at a time.

i love how you're on my side when i cross that line.

say my name like a slur, but i've been called worse.

i am quantum physics, my witness brings me into existence.

am i pretty enough to love back?

am i pretty enough?

am i pretty enough to fucking die?

my daughter's growing up.

i don't wanna be at all like me.

stranger things than death can happen.

everybody's in on everybody's business.

i know mistletoe when i see it.

could you tell me how i'm right for you?

if they could see the future back when times were simple, would they kiss your cheek or yank the bandage off?

if everybody's different, how could anybody match?

everybody's all up in my god damn business.

this isn't my first kiss.

it's better to be lost than loved, now, isn't it?

this isn't my first anything.

i know exactly how i should finish it.

what's so wrong about what's wrong with me?

i'm just trying to do what's right by you.

you people make me sick.

who'd want to be human anyway?

why'd you come into this world or come out that way?

well, not "haha" funny, but y'know, funny.

i doubt that you would even if you could change.

you think it makes you special, but it makes you strange.

the things that make you special are the things that make you strange.

who'd want to belong to anyone?

five more minutes please? you wouldn't believe the dream i just had.

if it was going to kill you, it would have by now.

there's no more looking back, it's looking up or looking down.

you think ideas spread because they're good? no, they spread because people like them.

i guess it's just something people do.

you've lost your mind and almost lost your life before, so you'll be fine.

it's no good looking back, so try to look forward now.

how many years have you been on that couch?

lately you've been focusing too much on yourself.

back in my day we didn't need no feel - good pills and no psychiatrists.

what's a symptom, what's a flaw, can it be both?

they discovered a cure for the symptom of being alive.

lately i've been worried that you're losing yourself.

don't you make me waste my breath.

you're not your thoughts.

i live deliberately.

i'm a quitter.

won't follow my dreams, 'cause they all got me waking up screaming.

i'd rather be normal.

i suggest we keep this informal.

a normal human being wouldn't need to pretend to be normal.

love me normally.

i don't wanna get old.

i love you exactly the way that everybody else is.

i was nothing before, so i couldn't have asked to be born.

you better have one hell of a plan.

one day you're going to die.

what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, but something will eventually!

at most a couple generations will remember the ways in which your life never mattered, so who cares if it's a waste?

your legacy's not yours to see.

you'll never know what it all means.

everything and everyone goes with the passage of time.

try not to think about it.

there's probably nothing after.

you only have one chance.

if you only have one chance, you oughta try your best to live as you like.

[bite-the-bloody-hand]

6 SONG SOUNDTRACK (Part 1 - DISCO FUNK)

@chaosteddybear tagged me in the following game and the autism won. I decided to make an extra challenge for myself: a themed playlist with 1 'outsider' or anachronistic track that still fits the overall vibe. We begin... with Disco Funk.

PREPARE YOUR BUTTS

Rules: If you're tagged, make a new post with links to music and/or lyrics describing the following: 1. An event that defines your character's past 2. How your character sees themselves 3. How others view them 4. Their closest relationship (platonic or romantic) 5. A major fight scene 6. End Credits song

Spotify Youtube Music

1. AFRO CUBAN BAND* - Something's Gotta Give -

Dreams have done their share of dying love cries out but no one hears - oh, Something Something's got to give We can't, We can't go on like this

Is it a little on the nose? Sure. But a midnight revelation that he simply couldn't continue his life as it was going put Zell on the road to discovering his own path. He aches for the hurting, broken world he was brought into; he may not have the answer for fixing things, but he has to try something. Even if he's unsure of himself, even if he's convinced of his own fragility, he can fake strength if he can get out. He can't do anything while locked away in a Hellknight compound in Lepistadt, so he goes. And so it goes...

2. ARTIE SHAW - Nightmare - (Instrumental)

The problem with having an unclear sense of purpose and underdeveloped, poor self-esteem is that it can lead one down a path of introspection that keeps one in a spiral. Zell is an outsider when he isn't a rebel, never fitting with any authority and rarely synchronizing with any group; uncomfortable in his own body even when he's done everything he can to feel like himself. He desperately wants to solve the conundrum of connection - even when he's successful he has doubts that haunt him, especially in the lonely hours in the night.

(It's called Depression but they haven't invented therapy in Golarion yet)

Why this is the Anachronistic Outsider - Zell himself is a man out of time... even he doesn't know how old he is or how long he spent in Areelu Vorlesh's "care."

3. DEODATO - Also Sprach Zarathustra (instrumental)

I'm being a little bit of a shit with this; historically the misinterpretation of Nietzsche's Zarathustra have been that the title character is a teacher of doctrine/great leader/himself the 'Übermensch' he urges humanity to become. The actions of someone who wishes not to speak to the masses but instead live his own life of contemplation - and if he ever leads, to do it by example - often get twisted into fanatic parasocialization... if that isn't the life of the Knight Commander I don't know what is. Plus, this is just a bop.

4. EVELYN "CHAMPAGNE" KING - Shame

Ooh-ooh, it's a, oh-oh, it's a shame (Shame) oh-oh, it's a (Shame) mama** just don't understand Oh, how I love my man (shame) It's a, oh, it's a (shame)

Falling for someone when you already don't like yourself a whole lot can be hard, but it's much harder when nobody else likes the someone you love. Sometimes you just have to whip around and be assertive: the real shame would be abandoning what you have. Especially when it's this good.

5. C.J. & CO - Devil's Gun***

Get a new direction Well, well, well another resurrection Well now don't wait hesitate Or it's gonna be too late Flames are getting higher Got to jump out of the fire

I felt this fit as a big combat piece for Azata path especially; deeply anti-authoritarian theme about bringing together the community and avoiding the Devil (literal, figurative, and so on) and rebuilding? Yes please.

6. FRANCO MICALIZZI - Stridulum Theme (Instrumental)****

I wanted to close us out with something that felt a little magical and strange; this is a longtime favorite that really fit the bill.

TAGGING~ @Rlainarin @thedosianexplorer @arendaes I'm pretty sure two of you have already been tagged so feel no obligation, naturally.

*Had to transcribe the lyrics here myself so I'm not 100% sure I got them on the mark. Frustratingly I think this group only did one other track, which was the b-side for Something's Gotta Give. Real bummer, I love what I've found.

**Mama in this context is 100% Irabeth. She does NOT approve of this obviously farcical union. She's watching Arendae like a HAWK .

***YES, OF COURSE I played this during the Mephistopheles fight, who do you think I am?! TBH it was a real close call between this and Stayin' Alive but Devil's Gun won out for thematic reasons.

****I've had this track on Zell's playlist for a long time simply because I love the sound. It's the theme to a truly bizarre 70s Italian horror flick called The Visitor / Stridulum that's worth catching if you're curious. Free on youtube via the link.

[casanovawrites]

random sentence prompts  ━ from various tv shows, part 4

surviving is a choice. make yours.

you can’t be afraid to kill. you understand?

i’m not afraid to kill. i’m just… afraid.

i was trying to save lives. i had to try. somebody had to.

if they slaughtered everyone once, what the hell makes this any different?

this sounds like a suicide mission.

we did terrible things in its name.

my honest advice would be that if you’re that miserable, you should break up with them and be with me instead.

you are remarkably resistant. it must be exhausting. 

how is it possible that this is the most scared i’ve been all day?

you don’t have to like what i did. i don’t. but just accept it.

we’ve all done the worst kinds of things just to stay alive. but we can still come back, we’re not too far gone.

this is why i like you. you just want to hold my hand.

when are you two going to make out already?

have you ever had to work for anything? 

bad things happened because i was scared. they didn’t need to. i didn’t need to be afraid.

i don’t have to be tough. i can run. i’m good at that.

my mom used to say, “everything works out the way it’s supposed to.”

have you been in love with me this whole time?

you start breathing, i’ll start you a shower, and we’ll go from there.

maybe we could catch our breath here for a while.

life isn’t a race. you taught me that. 

the whole world’s haunted now. there’s no getting out of that - not until we’re dead.

we’re supposed to be working together. 

this year would have been painful without you.

you were so self-obsessed, you never noticed your best friend needed you.

i don’t feel challenged. 

if this is where you want to be, then stay.

i need to know if you mean what i think you mean. do you still love me?

i’m with you. ’til the world explodes. 

if we’re going to do this, you need to be all in.

it’s funny how you don’t even notice the time go by. horrible shit just stacks up day after day.

you are not safe, no matter how many people are around.

we’re strong enough that we can still help people.

this is the nightmare, but nightmares end.

we ain’t dead. whatever happened, happened. let’s start over.

there’s nothing left in the world that isn’t hidden.

we’re friends. we have each other’s backs, that’s it. that’s how it works.

growing up is getting used to the world.

we do what we need to do, and then we get to live.

we don’t have to be friends. it just doesn’t have to be quiet.

people always die. you know that.

you don’t know yourself. that’s the big ah-ha for me here. i get you more than you get you.

i know that i love you, and i need you, and maybe you could love me too. and that’s okay.

all you do is hurt me.

oh, please, like you haven’t been waiting for me to screw up.

you’re no sheep. you’re a wolf. 

i actually thought you wanted to be my friend.

asshole, i don’t go to the gym every day. 

so, you’re leaving to fight ghosts? that’s the plan?

i don’t think any one place can be someone’s everything.

all i have is pain.

there are very few people in this world that make me feel the way you do.

can we just forget this ever happened, please?

you’re doing great. i promise.

it’s you and me against the world, okay?

friendship doesn’t matter. love doesn’t matter.

i’m superhuman, right? made of steel.

people will say almost anything to save their own life.

what if i hadn’t come home in time?

they think we’re guilty, so we are.

i’m grieving the loss of what we could have made this place.

tonight, even though we are in hell, i feel like i have another chance with you.

you and me are the way out.

i won’t let anything pull us apart again. you hear me?

i should've just skipped class, partied, had sex, have fun.

you smell like shit.

we need to get the fuck out of here now.

you are not defined by what happened to you. you are what you do.

fuck it. i’m dying tonight one way or another.

maybe you’re right. maybe shit is doomed. 

the reality is, i’m dying. i am dying. you have to face that. 

what happened to “me and you against the world, you’re all i need”?

stop crying where everyone can see you. it’s embarrassing.

all my days are bad.

tonight’s been the first time i’ve felt like myself in months. it’s been so long. i forgot what that felt like. 

you make me feel like… me.

you drive me crazy sometimes but we're in this together. you're not alone.

[queenofcats17]

The Ink Demonth 16

This day's theme was Erase.

So, enjoy a meditation on healing and growth.

================================================

Joey knew the things he'd done could never be erased.

His actions had hurt a lot of people and left scars that would likely never truly heal. And for a long time, he thought that those actions would define him for the rest of his life. That he would never be able to move past the pain he'd caused.

He'd been wrong.

Near the beginning of his stay with Esther, she'd sat him down and given him a talk about not wallowing in his own self-pity.

"You can't change what you did. And, yes, there are a lot of people who are probably never going to forgive you. But, again, you can't change that. Wallowing in your owl self-pity isn't going to help you or anyone. So, please, for my sake and yours, don't torment yourself. The only thing you can do is try to be better than you were. "

And, for a bit, he didn't want to follow her advice. He just kept replaying in his mind all the things he'd done wrong. All the people he'd hurt. How was he supposed to move on from that? How was he supposed to get better? He'd isolated himself from his family, refusing to interact with them no matter how many times they held a hand out to him.

But then, one day, he'd woken up and realized that the life he was living was no different from the one he'd had while trapped in the ink. After that, he'd started taking his family up on their invitations. He went to synagogue with the family on Saturdays, went out to museums with them, played board games with them at night, and helped with the cooking.

And he found himself... Actually happy.

He still had nightmares about his time in the ink sometimes, but they were growing fewer and farther between. He no longer feared the rising of the morning sun, nor being alone with his thoughts at night. He started drawing again, even taking painting lessons at a local community center. Although his work wasn't very good, it didn't bother him. He was just happy to be doing it. No matter how messy and clumsy his paintings were, he felt a sense of pride and accomplishment upon completing them.

He started spending time with Audrey, trying to build a relationship with her. It wasn't exactly the standard father-daughter relationship, but he didn't care. He was just happy to be around her. He knew he could never make up for abandoning her the way he did, and he wasn't going to ask her to forgive him, but he wanted to be a part of her life now. Something Audrey reluctantly accepted.

He was never going to erase what he'd done. He knew that now. But he could be better than he was before. That was one promise he was going to fulfill.