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anon-188 · 1 month ago

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mini series: wicked games 🥀 — pt. 2

pairing: AJ x f!reader

series summary: it was supposed to be simple. no feelings. no fallout. but when tempers flare and lines blur, simple turns dangerous fast. because AJ plays just as dirty outside the bedroom as he does in it—and you? you’re not afraid to match him move for move.

chapter warnings: explicit sexual content (18+), strong language, criminal activity, implied protected sex, semi-public sex, rough sex, oral sex (m!receiving), emotionally charged arguments, mean!AJ, dom!AJ undertones, verbal degradation, toxic dynamics, alcohol use, smoking (cigarette/cigar).

a/n: i barely proofread this, so if you see any typos... no you didn't ;) hope you guys like it! also—thank you so much for all the engagement!! it really means a lot that you guys are enjoying my writing ♡

⟢ wicked games 🥀: part 1 | part 3 | part 4 | epilogue

By now you and AJ had fallen into a routine.

Although, if you were being honest, routine was too soft a word. Habit came closer. Borderline addiction felt even more accurate. That first night on the rooftop? It didn’t come close to what had unfolded between you two since.

It started simple. If you could call it that. After jobs, when adrenaline still pulsed hot in your veins and your bodies were still wired from the chaos, it became a thing. You’d find him or he’d find you, and before either of you could talk it down, you were already on each other. Logical, right? Celebrate a successful heist with him buried inside you, fucking you like the job hadn’t even scratched the itch.

One night, it happened in the storage closet of Jake’s bar. The door barely clicked shut before he had you pinned against the shelves. He didn’t even bother to undress you, just shoved your skirt up and pulled you down onto him, your legs wrapped around his waist. Your moans were half-muffled by his hand, the other one gripping your thigh as he fucked you hard and fast, liquor bottles rattling with every thrust.

Time and place, you both said. Practicality, he’d called it, claiming it “just made sense.”

Apparently it also made sense when he dragged you out to his car after a job, ignoring the bar, ignoring the others, barely giving you a chance to breathe before his hands were on you. He didn’t want to be quiet that night. He wanted you wrecked. Wanted to hear how you fell apart for him when no one else was around.

He fucked you in the backseat with the door cracked open, your leg hanging over the seat, his voice low and so fucking filthy in your ear. Every thrust was deep, punishing. You came twice, too fast, too loud, and he didn’t stop until you were shaking, eyes glassy, lips parted with nothing left to say.

And then there was the week Gordon asked you both to run recon together. You got it done, of course you did. The job always came first—technically. But how it got done? That was another story.

Like how your knees pressed into the passenger seat as you leaned over the center console, mouth wet and full as AJ sat back with one hand white-knuckled on the steering wheel and the other twisted in your hair. The car was parked across the street from yet another target, a clean white bank with not enough security for their own good. AJ didn’t care. He cursed under his breath the entire time, panting your name when he came.

Afterwards, he’d just wiped his thumb across your lip like it was nothing.

Oh. And the time literally right after a job. You and AJ stuffed into the same getaway car. The plan was the same as always: split up, ditch the equipment, regroup and lay low.

Your plan though? Split up, ditch the equipment, and fuck AJ in the front seat, parked in some narrow alleyway between two nameless buildings. You were still halfway in your gear, adrenaline buzzing through your body. You climbed into his lap and rode him right there, moaning against his neck while the city moved around you.

By the time you regrouped with the others, your hair was a mess and your lips were swollen. AJ played it smooth, as always. Said he took the long way. That traffic was shit. No one batted an eye. Except Jesse. Jesse looked at you, then at him, gave a small smirk and shook his head. The kind that said we all know you two are fucking, but no one’s going to say anything.

And that’s how it went for the next few months. No labels, no expectations. Just you and AJ ruining each other so good, it almost felt wrong. Showing up at each other’s places without warning, without reason. Saying nothing and still getting exactly what you came for.

Still, even as you two hooked up, a part of you knew there was always something else underneath it. Something that showed up in the quiet—when you stayed the night even though you weren’t supposed to, or in the following mornings when he’d hand you coffee without saying much, just watching you over the rim of his own cup. It wasn’t talked about, never defined, but it lingered.

However, that all started to shift last week.

During the most recent heist, you broke formation. Just a slight detour—off-plan, but necessary. John had gotten pinned near the back exit and the timing was off. You doubled back around and gave him enough cover to slip out clean. Because of that call, the crew made it out with the full take and minimal chaos.

Gordon had praised you for it. The rest of the crew backed it too—fast thinking, solid instincts.

Except for AJ.

You knew he was pissed the second you got into the getaway car beside him. He didn’t raise his voice, didn’t even look at you for the first few blocks. Then he said it, his voice edged with something sharp—he called you reckless. Impulsive. Said you took a risk no one agreed to.

Sure. Maybe. But you made a call.

And more importantly, it worked.

He didn’t bring it up again, and neither did you.

The only conversation that mattered came later that night, low and rough in your ear after two drinks at the bar.

“Be upstairs in three minutes.”

And you were.

The rooftop door slammed behind you, but you didn’t make it far. AJ had you against it in seconds, mouth on yours, hands already under your dress. He hiked your leg up around his waist, pulled your panties aside, and slid into you hard.

You both moved fast, desperate, moaning into each other’s mouths between gritted teeth and shallow breaths. The door didn’t budge. Not even when he started fucking you deeper, using the full press of his weight to pin you in place. Neither of you said a word about being caught. Just hoped that anyone who tried to open it from the other side would think twice at the resistance.

You didn’t know it then, but that night marked the end of whatever rhythm you and AJ had managed to keep.

Just a few nights later—last night—you and AJ had walked back to your place from Jake’s bar. It was barely a fifteen-minute walk, but you both were drunk as hell, arms slung around each other, laughing at nothing. Gordon had made another toast to you that night, raising his glass to your quick thinking. John had joined in, thanking you again for saving his ass. After that, the drinks never stopped.

It explained the stumbling. The slurred words. The way his hand stayed low on your waist the entire walk. Everything felt easy. Light. Until you reached your door.

You were fishing for your keys, still half-laughing, when he said it quietly, just under his breath. Something about being too fucked up. How all those shots were pointless. That he didn’t get what everyone was celebrating.

It wasn’t just what he said. It was how he said it.

You thought he had let it go earlier. But when you questioned him, barely a few steps inside your apartment, it got messy, fast.

Drunken thoughts had hijacked any attempt at “normalcy” between you two. Whatever filter either of you had disappeared and before you knew it, there were shouts then the sound of your door slamming shut.

Tonight? He wouldn't even look at you.

You showed up at the bar, forcing yourself into routine even though nothing felt normal. AJ was there, of course, but he didn’t greet you. And when you slid behind the bar just to help Lili temporarily, he shifted to the other side of the room. When you passed by him, he leaned into a conversation that didn’t need him. Every time you caught his eye, he looked away like you weren’t even there.

You’d seen AJ mad before, obviously. That wasn’t new. But this? The quiet freeze out, the way he refused to acknowledge you at all—it was something else.

And it was complete bullshit.

You tried not to let it bother you at first. Poured drinks, smiled at the crew’s usual nonsense, let Lili distract you with her fast-talking stories. You even laughed, but your body still knew that something was off.

Later, you found yourself needing air. You snuck upstairs, not saying anything, hoping the rooftop would do what it always did—clear your head. But what you hadn’t expected was finding him already there.

AJ stood near the railing, back to you, smoke floating into the night air from the cigarette between his fingers. You hadn’t even noticed him slip away. Then again, you’d been trying hard not to notice him at all.

You thought about walking away. For a second, you even turned like you might. But another part of you—stubborn, fed up—wanted whatever the hell this was to be over already. So you walked to the railing and stood beside him.

He didn’t acknowledge you. Just took another drag, eyes fixed somewhere beyond the skyline, like you weren’t even there. That lit something in you. Now you were pissed too. Still, you swallowed your pride. You knew him well enough to know that pushing wouldn’t get you anywhere.

So you tried something small, casual. You mentioned how Jake and Lili had finally picked a date for their wedding, something Lili had told you earlier in the night.

“Yeah, I heard,” he said, voice dry like it had taken too much effort to even say that.

He took another hit from his cigarette.

Yet, you tried again, said something else—light, harmless. He didn’t respond.

Eventually, you gave in.

“AJ… what’s your deal?”

That got a reaction. His jaw flexed. Just once. But he still didn’t look at you.

“You’re really asking me that?” he said, low and tight, blowing smoke out as he spoke. “After everything?”

You blinked, caught off guard. “After what? That argument? We were both drunk—”

“Drunk or not, what you did was fucking stupid.” His words hit clean and hard, no pause between them. “You went off-script, made a call you had no business making. For what? John?” He turned toward you then, flicking the cigarette to the ground, putting it out with his shoe.

Your brows pulled together. Mouth slightly parted, ready to argue, but he didn’t give you the chance.

“Don’t play dumb. You don’t ditch protocol for just anyone. But he says thank you, buys you a few drinks, and suddenly you’re risking the whole crew?”

“What the fuck, AJ?” you snapped, your voice rising before you could stop it. “I covered him because no one else could. I was the closest one to him. And by the way, doing that saved the crew's asses. Yours included.”

He smiled at that. Not a kind smile—something wry, amused in the worst way.

“I saw the way you looked at John tonight. All fucking smiles. A look of yours that I know all too well—like you wanted to get on your knees right there.”

Your breath caught in your throat. The insult landed fast and hard—too sharp, too low.

“You’re pissed because I covered John’s blindside?” you fired back, disbelief cutting through your voice. “That’s what this is?”

Something flickered in his eyes then. Quick. Quiet. But there. Like you had just pressed on something he didn’t want to name.

AJ shook his head and let out a bitter laugh. “No,” he said, voice dry and loaded. “I’m pissed because you can’t tell the difference between being part of a crew and trying to fuck your way through one.”

You froze.

As much as you didn’t want it to, that one hurt. Stung in places you didn’t even want to acknowledge existed and not because it was true—because it wasn’t. And you knew he knew that.

You looked him dead in his eyes, expression shifting from disbelief to something closer to disgust. But the heat rising in your chest was pure anger. “You’re a piece of shit.”

His response came without hesitation. And somehow, it was worse.

“Yeah,” he said, voice flat but simmering. “Tried to tell you that the first night I had you bent over this railing.” His jaw locking as he finished the sentence.

He said it like it was your fault. Like you’d asked for all of this. You shook your head, mostly to yourself, trying to breathe through the fire in your throat. And that’s when it hit you—he wasn’t just lashing out.

He was playing dirty.

The tight jaw. The bullshit spilling out of his mouth. The way he could only look at you when he was being a dick. It wasn’t careless. It was on purpose. For whatever fucked up reason, AJ wanted this to hurt.

You scoffed at the realization and turned away from him, toward the rooftop door. You were done. Whatever this was, whatever twisted game he thought he was playing, he could keep it. You weren't in the mood to figure him out tonight.

Inside, you stepped into the upstairs lounge, and the scene hit you all at once. The guys were spread out around the low table, minus Jake, drinks in hand and cards on display. There was one other woman with them. Gorgeous, of course. Long legs, glossy smile, sitting comfortably right next to John.

It didn’t take long to piece it together—strip poker. The setup was obvious. You hadn’t played in a while, your own quiet gesture of respect toward AJ. A boundary you had set without being asked. One you almost regretted now.

You heard AJ come in behind you, his footsteps slow and steady from the hallway that led up to the rooftop. He didn’t pause. Just walked in like nothing had happened, like he hadn’t just gutted you with his words minutes ago.

John made some smart comment, joking about the time AJ had the worst hand every round and still somehow stayed in the game. AJ laughed, low and unbothered, as he dropped into one of the leather chairs. He grabbed a cigar off the table, bit the end, and lit it.

And something about it—the nonchalance, the arrogance, him—had the words flying out of your mouth before you could stop them.

“I want in.”

The guys got even louder in response, voices rising with energy now that you were playing. Jesse was already pouring you a shot just for joining. He handed it over with a grin, and without hesitating, you took it—tequila, of course. Always his go-to.

Then you moved to the leather couch, sliding into the open space on the other side of John—directly across from AJ.

You caught his eyes as he leaned forward, casual as ever, dropping his watch into the ante pile.

“Thought you didn’t play anymore,” he said. It wasn’t really a question. Not with the edge in his voice.

“So did I.” You shrugged, slipping off your bracelet and placing it in the pile.

You didn’t miss a beat. “Also, if I remember correctly, no doubles. Gordon already put his watch in, so it looks like you’ll have to pick something else.”

The table lit up. Laughter, teasing, curses thrown in your favor. Jesse whooped and passed you another shot for the hit, which you took with ease, eyes still on AJ.

“That’s how we’re playing?” AJ said, pulling his watch from the pile, his voice cutting through the noise, meant only for you.

“What? Dirty?” you shot back, your tone sharper now. “Isn’t that your favorite way to play?”

AJ didn’t take the bait. Not fully. He only nodded, lips curving around the cigar clamped between his teeth. But even as he leaned back in his chair, fingers moving to undo the buttons of his shirt, his eyes never left yours.

The game on the table might have been strip poker, but whatever you and AJ were playing?

That was something else entirely.

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#aj takers #hayden christensen x reader #aj takers x reader #aj takers smut #hayden christensen smut #hayden christensen #aj x reader #aj takers fanfiction #takers movie #takers 2010 #hayden christensen imagine #wickedgames🥀

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hevvxx2 · 22 days ago

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Title: Burnout- Part 4: Kindling

Characters: Bucky Barnes x reader

(Steve, Wanda, Natasha, Tony, Sam mentioned)

Warnings: Reader losing control of her abilities, Getting knocked out, Mini PTSD attack, Self loathing, little bit of smut..

summary: After closing herself off from everyone in the compound.. they need her for a mission. everything goes to well.. almost too smooth. Until she saw the mark on the wall..

Heres Part 1 2 and 3!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

The compound had become a ghost town in her eyes.

Even when people were there, bustling through training rooms, sparring, laughing in the kitchen — she couldn’t feel it. Couldn’t let herself. She stayed on the edges, barely speaking, fire flickering beneath her skin like a storm waiting for an excuse.

She hadn’t touched anyone in her life. And now, after hurting Bucky, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be near anyone again.

She remembered the way he fell to his knees after her flames flared. The pain in his eyes—not from the burns, but the betrayal. She’d promised she had it under control.

But she didn’t.

She never really had.

“Sorry to drag you into this." Steve’s voice echoed through the common room.

She stood near the windows, arms crossed, staring out into the night. The mission briefing had just ended. Hydra base. Alps. Data retrieval. Simple.

Until Wanda added, gently, “They have thermal shielding tech on-site. Your powers could give us the upper hand against their reinforced systems. We need you.”

Need.

It had been a long time since anyone said that to her without fear in their eyes.

After a pause, she said quietly, “Okay.”

The mission was smooth.

Too smooth.

Snow crunched under their boots as they infiltrated the old Hydra facility — all dark steel, underground corridors, and flickering red lights.

The team split up. Bucky and Natasha secured the perimeter. Steve and Sam cleared the server rooms.

She followed Wanda to the main console. Her job: overload the core once the drive was secure.

Her hands hovered over the panel, heat simmering through her gloves. The tech hissed beneath her.

It was going fine.

Until she saw the old Hydra insignia etched on the wall.

Everything froze.

Memories she’d buried surged to the surface — labs, needles, restraints, voices shouting behind thick glass.

Her breathing stuttered.

The panel blurred.

Wanda’s voice sounded distant. Muted. A ringing drowned everything out. Her ears throbbed. Her heartbeat pounded like war drums.

The fire under her skin began to swell.

“No—no, no, no—” she whispered, staggering back, clutching her temples.

The air warped around her.

Wanda stepped forward. “Breathe. You’re okay. Just focus on my voice—”

But it was too late.

She flared.

Flames burst from her body like a tidal wave. The metal around her groaned and melted. Lights exploded. The entire room pulsed with searing heat.

“GET BACK!” she screamed.

Wanda raised a shield, eyes wide. “Focus! Take a deep breath!”

“I CAN’T—”

The fire roared.

Her body was ablaze now, molten heat radiating like a star gone nova. Consoles liquefied. The walls cracked. The team tried to reach her, but she saw only one thing:

Fear.

They were scared of her. Again.

“STAY AWAY!” she shouted, stumbling back, hands burning through her gloves, through her own skin.

Then someone darted in from the smoke.

A black and gold metal arm.

A hand to her neck.

A sudden prick—

Darkness.

The moment her body crumpled to the ground, Bucky felt like the world had stopped spinning.

Steam still hissed off his vibranium arm, scorched from where he’d struck her. The heat from her power still crackled in the air, even though the corridor had mostly returned to stillness. Melted metal oozed down the walls. The lights flickered overhead.

He dropped to his knees beside her, chest heaving, heart pounding.

“C’mon, sweetheart. Breathe.” he muttered, brushing soot and sweat from her cheek with shaking fingers.

Wanda stepped closer, eyes wide. “Is she—?”

“She’s breathing.” Bucky said, voice tight. “Barely.”

Steve’s voice came through the comms. “Get her out of there now. The whole base is unstable—whatever she did fried the systems. We’ve got five minutes before this place goes nuclear.”

Bucky nodded grimly and scooped her up.

She was warm — always was — but not dangerously so now. Her body was limp in his arms, curls stuck to her forehead with sweat, her suit scorched and smoldering.

“Hang in there.” he whispered as alarms screamed around them. “I got you.”

On the Quinjet

Nat tore open the medpack, helping Bucky stabilize her as the jet took off, leaving behind the burning Hydra base.

The flight was quiet. Too quiet.

Wanda sat in the corner, eyes flickering with guilt. Steve hadn’t said a word since takeoff. Even Tony — patched in via hologram — looked unusually serious.

“She lost control.” Sam said finally, looking up. “She never loses control. Not like that"

“She’s been holding it in too long.." Wanda murmured. “The poor girl... She’s terrified of herself.”

Bucky looked down at her unconscious form, fingers brushing her knuckles. “She shouldn’t be.” he whispered. “We just… we didn’t see it coming.”

He hadn’t, anyway. He’d seen her pulling away, closing off, but he thought giving her space was what she needed.

He was wrong.

Medbay: Hours Later

She was stable.

But silent.

Bucky hadn’t moved from her bedside.

Tony stood nearby, reviewing data from her vitals, mouth pressed into a line. The screen flickered, showing readings no human should’ve survived.

“She almost vaporized the entire server wing.” he said quietly. “Would’ve taken Steve and Sam with her if you hadn’t acted.”

Bucky looked up at him sharply. “You saying she’s a liability?”

Tony’s gaze softened. “No. I’m saying she’s exhausted. Cornered. Running on fear and guilt.”

“She won’t talk to me.”

“She thinks she failed you.”

Bucky scoffed. “She saved us. And we left her to drown in it.”

Tony crossed his arms and sighed “I’m working on something. Something new. It’s not ready yet, but if I can calibrate the nanofiber tech we tested a few months to match her heat spikes, it might give her a way to breathe again. Not worry about hurting everyone with a single touch.”

Bucky nodded. “She needs something to believe in.”

“You mean someone.”

Their eyes met.

And for once, Bucky didn’t deflect.

Inside Her Mind..

She floated.

Weightless. Numb.

The world burned behind her eyelids — that Hydra hallway, Bucky’s expression when she lost control, the moment he raised his hand…

But he had to. She knew that.

Still, shame curled deep in her chest like smoke.

“I’m dangerous.”

“I’ll always be dangerous.”

Even asleep, she could feel the heat under her skin — that constant, cursed reminder of what she was.

She woke up in medbay…

Everything was white.

Cool.

Quiet.

Her body ached like she’d been hit by a truck, and in a way, she had — her own powers had turned on her.

Monitors beeped beside her. She turned her head.

Tony stood behind a screen, scanning her vitals, eyes narrowed.

Bucky sat in a chair at her bedside, arms folded, as if he hadn’t moved.

“Morning, firecracker.” Tony said without looking up.

She stared at him, silent.

Bucky leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “You’re okay.”

She blinked.

“You knocked me out.” she said, voice hoarse.

“You were burning yourself alive.” he said quietly. “I had to.”

Her throat tightened.

“You should’ve let me burn...”

Tony sighed and finally turned around. “You didn’t ruin the mission. Sam got the drive. Facility’s toast. We’re all alive.”

She didn’t respond.

“Hey.” Bucky’s voice was soft now. “You didn’t hurt anyone.”

But all she could see was their faces in the firelight.

Fear. Panic. Wanda shielding herself. Steve shouting through the smoke. Bucky lunging for her.

She looked away and didn’t say another word.

Weeks passed.

She shut down again. Spoke to no one.

Even Tony stopped checking in daily.

Until one night, there was a knock at her door. Sharp. Insistent.

“Rise and shine, lava lamp.”

She opened the door to find Tony standing there with dark circles under his eyes and a manic glint of pride.

“I figured it out.” he said, shoving a dark case into her hands. “Reactor-mesh stabilization suit. Custom frequency tuning. It’s not perfect yet — I mean, I am perfect, but this tech’s about ninety-five percent — but this will give you control. Actual control. Real containment.”

She blinked.

“You’re saying… I can touch things? People?”

“Unless you have plans to become the world’s hottest space heater forever.” he said, “yes.”

She suited up in silence.

The material clung to her skin, whisper-thin but strong. She felt it hum, like it was listening to her, syncing with her core temperature, smoothing out the extremes.

And for the first time in her life…

She felt still.

The rooftop was empty.

She stood under the stars, letting the wind pass over her bare fingers.

Cool. No fire.

She could cry, but she didn’t.

Not yet.

Footsteps behind her.

She didn’t have to turn to know.

“You’re not hiding anymore..” Bucky said.

“Guess not.”

She turned.

He took a step closer, watching her carefully.

“You okay?”

She nodded slowly. “Tony figured it out. I can touch now. I think. I hope.”

He hesitated. “Can I?”

She nodded again.

Bucky reached out.

And for the first time — ever — someone’s hand closed over hers.

No fire. No pain.

Just warmth.

She exhaled a breath she’d been holding for years.

“I… I can feel you.. you’re so warm… I can finally feel you…”

“I’m here.. right here.. never left. Touch me sweetheart.. anywhere… I’m yours..”

He breathed out.. yearning, needing. He needed her.. he wanted her…

And when he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her, she didn’t flinch. She melted into it.

“I missed you.” she whispered.

“I never stopped.” he said.

And then they kissed.

This time, there was nothing between them. No heat shielding. No fear. Just lips, soft and desperate, and the weight of too many nights apart.

Their hands found each other with reckless hunger.

Bucky pressed her back against the wall, lips trailing to her neck. Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer.

“Touch me.” she breathed. “Please.”

Clothes came off piece by piece — the suit peeling from her body, his fingers reverent on every inch of skin. When she was finally bare, Bucky stepped back for just a moment, eyes dark with awe.

“You’re beautiful.” he said hoarsely.

Then he was on her again — mouth at her collarbone, fingers at her hips, guiding her down onto on the rooftop ground ever so gently. The stars above blurred as he entered her slowly, letting her adjust to every sensation.

For the first time, there was nothing to hold back.

No fear of hurting. No fear of being hurt.

Only heat — the kind that didn’t burn, but healed.

When she came, it was with his name on her lips and her body shaking under his.

When he followed, he buried his face in her neck, holding her like something precious.

And for the first time in her life, she let someone hold her.

Not just her power. Not her fear.

Her.

They lay there for a long time.

His fingers traced lazy patterns on her arm, her cheek pressed against his chest.

“You still scared?” he asked softly.

She nodded against his skin.

“But less now.” she whispered. “Much less.”

A/N: Hi guys! I hope you guys enjoyed part 4!

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky x you #bucky x reader #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barnes x you #marvel #bucky barnes angst #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes x reader smut

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skylarsblue · 9 months ago

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»zenless zone zero«

Details of Belle's room, because I like her a lot and she deserves more attention.

[Desc: Belle's wooden desk. Featuring an industrial style lamp, a metal lock box under a standard black file box. There's a pair of white headphones with green detailing, and a clear plus(+) and minus(-) symbol for volume. A pencil holder that looks a bit like film, though it has numbers & letters. It holds a pair of scissors, a graphite pencil, an exacto blade/box cutter, a marker, and a mechanical pencils/pen. There's a scrap/sketch book in the center, brown and seemingly leather. There's a latch and band to keep it closed and it's covered in stamps, most notably one with a four leaf clover. On the wall are two post it notes, both with little doodles. This hints that she's creative. Either collecting stamps and stickers, which would align with the stickers all over her room and her pension for memory keeping (see the memory board the player can edit), and that she at least does small doodles, if not draw as a hobby.]

[Desc: Beside her orange box tv; which is inspired by vintage 70s/80s tube televisions with knobs/dials; is a game console on top of a VHS player. It's seemingly inspired by the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, based on it's shape. There are three game cartridges, one in the machine. The one in the console is half visible, but what we can see has a blue smiley face. The second cartridge with a visible sticker seems to be either a horror or "biohazard" type shooter game. Though that's my interpretation.]

[Desc: Beside her desk is a wall with pipes. On the lower pipe there are more post it notes with more small doodles, stuck to the pipe with small magnets. One features a small yellow star and three big question marks. Two features a figure running with their hands over their head, carrying a heart. Three has some illegible writing and an emoticon face. On the pipe above this one are VHS tape boxes. Most are in kanji I cannot read, but the ones I can are- (1) The Silence of the Butterflies (2) I'M NOT A BANGBOO (3) The Sixteenth Split. I like to imagine the first movie is maybe a reference to Silence of the Lambs, based on the title alone. Which, if it is, might mean Belle likes horror/psychological horror movies.]

[Desc: On the table beside her mini fridge is a hybrid music player. It plays records via a slit in the front, almost like a CD player. And there's a space for walkman tapes above that. The volume knob is notably loud, there are tiny numbers and Belle's set it to the second-to-last setting. There's a box of records beside it with two semi visible packages. The first one is in kanji I, again, cannot read. But my guess, based on the art, is some kind of alt style music. The one behind it has a barely visible animal mascot with vibrant blues & greens, and the sharp art style makes me think of electric rock or pop. Behind this is her night stand. On the nightstand is a blue "GameBoy" and a yellow mug that says 'LENMAN', which is also seen on a soda can in her room. Lemon soda, I would guess.]

[Desc: The wall beside Belle's (unmade) bed. There are five posters. One features art of a woman's face above the movie title; 'REVERSAL'. There is some silhouette art that vaguely looks like some ethereal monsters, followed by the movie tag line underneathe - "Night of the Ethereal Reversal". Might be a Night of the Living Dead reference. Which further makes me believe Belle likes horror movies. The second poster is covered by One & Three, which makes it pretty hard to know what it shows. What I can see is an unfinished title - "---- Slayer". There's eyes on some of the visible artwork and it looks vaguely like a record with scenes on it. The third poster features various Bangboos climbing away from a large, glowing, orange, Bangboo that seems to be "exploding" with energy, exposing its skeleton & heart. There's kanji I can't read, but under the kanji title is the word "THUNDER". And the words "BANGBOO POWER" are behind the artwork at the top. The fourth poster is one also seen downstairs in the Random Play store. The title is 'Coffee Mate'. Based on the style & energy of the artwork, my personal guess is that it's a romantic, slow paced anime film. The fifth & last poster is titles Ports Peak. The art is blue with a red chainsaw blade shape cutting through the middle, in the blade shape is the vague image of a man's side profile. Based on the blood splatter pattern & the chainsaw, this is likely a horror movie. The art makes me think of Evil Dead & Texas Chainsaw Massacre, personally.]

{Desc: Beside Belle's leather couch is a red electric guitar & an orange amp. On the couch is also one of her console controllers...which has no joy sticks, only a d pad, buttons, and bumpers. Also, she has stickers on her leather couch, clearly showing she gives no fucks.]

[Desc: On the floor, in a divot in the wall beside the small stairs that go up to her bed's raised platform is a skateboard & a framed poster. The skateboard features a green dinosaur/monster with it's mouth open. The bottom says FATE, likely the brand. The framed poster features two smiling tigers on the top & bottom of a logo, on a red & black striped background. Since she also has snowboard goggles in her room, I'm guessing she uses the skateboard when the weather is too warm for snow.]

[Desc: Next to Eous's charging station is a yellow dresser. On top of it is a boombox radio that has two mixtape spots. There's a small display with random colors that currently displays a pause symbol. It also has an antenna, which means it could be used as a standard FM/AM radio. Beside the boombox is a rabbit statue that Belle is using to hold a pair of black, green & blue snowboarding goggles. Small note, on Eous' coat is the words "Random Play - Staff", and his scarf has their name in small text.]

[Desc: At the end of Belle's bed is a pair of red shelves, and a pair of industrial metal & wood shelves. On the red shelves are three record sleeves. The small text on the albums is gibberish, but they're all made by 5AM Studios. The first and top one is black with white graffiti-bubble letters that say "3Z". R'n'B maybe? I've seen art like this for some R'N'B albums. Below it, the second album features some art of a Bangboo riding a cat through a ring of fire. Above the art is the word ZENLESS. The font & style give me, personally, some rock vibes. What subgenre of rock, I'm not sure. The last album is a art of a spider on a black & red ombre background, contrasting the spider, which features the same gradient in the opposite direction. The spider seems to feature the name of the band or album, but I can't tell what it says. I do know that this shit has to be a metal album. I'm like, 90% sure. On the industrial style shelves are some VHS tapes & a box. These tapes look like the type you buy for your own recordings, rather than ones with movies. Underneath that level is a technicolor piece of artwork in a frame. There's an illegible signature in the right bottom corner, meaning it's an autograph.]

#zenless zone zero #zzzero #hoyoverse #hoyo games #belle #zenless zone zero belle #zzzero belle #zzz belle #zzz #zzz fanart #I really like Belle she's super cute #analysis #skylarspeaks

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c0zy-fluff · 1 year ago

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Do you have any headcanons for Starstudent? 💙💛💙💛

Oh, PLENTY.

- They'd have multiple tropes: the oblivious x obvious (or boyfailure) trope, (obviously) the dumbass x smartass trope, mutual feelings (but neither of them see it, except for everyone else around them), etc.

- When given affection by the other, Bubba's ears would flap and his tail would wag from side to side cuz he's flustered (y'all can thank @skelexguts for that one- ...and a couple of others-)

- They'd be a sassy duo in public, but really wholesome n cute when alone together (Like they'd both give off slightly sassy remarks towards others, as a joke ofc, but would later be all cuddly and comfy together)

- (I've already said this one in another post, but I'll say it again) When Bubba's stressed, he'd huddle himself into a ball and his ears would mostly cover his face, while Kickin will give him unconditional support and love

- When Kickin's stressed/frustrated w/ smth (or maybe even himself), Bubba would calmly attempt to get Kickin's attention away from his slight breakdown. Once he does, Kickin is basically left breathing heavily for a split moment due to his breakdown, while staring at Bubba. After a few moments, he immediately hugs Bubba tightly (but not enough to actually hurt him) while Bubba would console him and softly whisper to Kickin saying stuff like "It's okay", "You're safe", "Nothing can hurt you here" and also wipe any tears he sees off Kickin's face

- After either one of them calm down from their mini panic attacks, the other would tell them to give a genuine, happy smile, then the other would compliment on how adorable they look when they smile and then they'd laugh about how they know they both love each other very much <33

- Bubba is definitely the big spoon (and Kickin would always feels so safe, comfy, and protected by da elephant's cuddles)

- They'd joke around w/ each other and crack lil jokes from time to time while playing some video games

- Hoppy teasing Kickin for his crush on Bubba when she first notices Kickin staring at Bubba would be a complete understatement. She would absolutely tease him for making goo-goo eyes at Bubba and Kickin would either be too proud to admit he likes Bubba or be too embarrassed by how Hoppy's teasing him

- When receiving affection from the other, such as smol kisses, one of them would get butterflies and start giggling, which leaves the other to stare at them lovingly while thinking "Wow... He has the most adorable laugh I've ever heard..."

- They'd definitely have a dynamic where one info dumps about stuff they like while the other listens lovingly to them

- Sometimes if one of them starts to slowly fall asleep on the other (on their shoulder, head, lap, etc.), the other would find it absolutely adorable to look at them sleeping so soundly

Welp- That's all from me! ...For now. :]

(yeah, i came up w/ some of these hcs w/ the help of @skelexguts , go check them out! Cuz they pretty cool :P)

#smiling critters #bubba bubbaphant #kickinchicken #bubba bubbaphant x kickinchicken #bubba bubbaphant x kickinchickin #kickinchicken x bubba bubbaphant #starstudent

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sirowsky-stories · 5 months ago

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Rocky Roads

Right, well this is one of two short stories I wrote the week after Halloween, obviously intending to post them around that time, only the post office in my brain lost the dang memo, so here we are.

Description: This is not a Pedro character story, just a little horror story about a woman who finds a strange rock. It's pretty much the classic "Thing" sort of vibe, just less gooey.

Warnings: This is a mini alien horror story, so you know, expect the usual horrific things.

Word Count: 925 Author's Masterlist Divider by @saradika-graphics

It looked no different than every other amethyst she’d ever picked up, except that it was unusually big. The cave system was just half a mile from her little cabin at the edge of the desert where she usually worked, turning seemingly dull rocks into pieces of art. But this one proved to be a challenge, which should probably have been a clue, since her equipment had never struggled to simply split a rock open before.

Nevertheless, the stubbornness of the thing only managed to make her redouble her efforts, but when all else had failed, she finally decided to simply crush it with her hydraulic press. It wouldn’t earn her as much if she had to sell it in smaller pieces or turn them into jewellery, but at that point, she’d settle for anything. Happily, the press worked.

But her joy was short-lived when the first crack resulted in the entire room being flooded with bright blue light, so intense that even though she closed her eyes, it still stung them to the point where she turned away and put her hands over her face. The press ground to a halt a moment later, automatically rising to its starting position, and then everything went quiet and still.

She opened her eyes while still facing away from it, just in case, but since the room was only normally lit by then, she spun around to find out what had happened, only to instantly regret it. Because between the two metal disks of the press, something was moving, trying to get out of the cracked stone.

She stood frozen to the spot while she watched as something which had to be alien, or if not, then at least previously undiscovered, crawled out of the press and disappeared behind it. And although she didn’t get a good look at it, she could see that it was black, and not even like a raven’s feathers or a block of coal. No, it was as dark as Vantablack, the blackest black in the world, and she counted at least eight legs.

One minute later, she was in her jeep and leaving the driveway, driving way too fast on the narrow gravel road under the moonless night sky, hoping that by the time she decided to go back out there, the thing would’ve left on its own. She turned onto the interstate ten minutes later, gunned the engine as the tires finally had some good grip, and reached for her purse, which she’d thrown into the front passenger seat before setting off, to grab her phone.

The purse was leather, so she was expecting the familiar smoothness of the material to greet her fingers, when instead, something dry and texturally similar to really fine flour except in a fixed shape, met her touch. Unwilling to even entertain the possibility that the fucking thing had followed her into the car, she convinced herself that she’d imagined it and turned her head to look at the seat.

The moment her eyes landed on it, registering that it was about the size of a corgi and that there were no eyes looking back at her, the thing suddenly moved, heading across the center console and directly towards her. Panic set in like an instant fever, removing all thoughts of vehicle safety and every danger associated with uncontrolled driving, as she let go of the steering wheel and started trying to punch the thing away from herself, waving so manically that she managed to hit the wheel several times, sending the car off the road at a hundred miles an hour.

It wasn’t long before another driver noticed that there was something in the ditch, over a hundred yards from the road, with a trail of broken plastic and pieces of metal littering the chaotic scene, so he decided to investigate, stopping his car so that the headlights were aimed directly at the wreck. The jeep had rolled but it had landed upright, so when he reached the driver’s side, he could see the woman in the front seat.

She was quite clearly dead, but he had to make sure, so he reached through the broken window to try and find the pulse point on her neck. But the moment his hand passed into the car, something crawled up from the inside of the driver’s door, and then continued up his arm. Waving and thrashing to try and get rid of whatever it was yielded no result, and in no time at all, it was crawling onto the back of his head, spreading its legs around the sides and over his face, and even though he tried to pull it off, he couldn’t seem to get a grip on the fucking thing.

Screaming, since there was nothing else he could do, the last thing he felt was how something warm and slightly moist seemed to connect to his brain, inside of his skull, although he felt no pain, and then everything just sort of... seized. Everything he was, his memories, his thoughts, it all just stopped and vanished, leaving him an empty shell, prepared to be filled with something new.

From his car still on the hard shoulder of the interstate, the man’s five-year old daughter watched as her father climbed back into the car. And even though he looked exactly the same, she knew it wasn’t him. Eons of evolution told her so. But before she could do anything, the unknown man put the car in motion, and she was trapped.

THE END

#january horror story #halloween writing #halloween fic #alien creature #horror stories #sirowsky stories

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utps-askordare · 2 days ago

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Dare #2

💜 - For a whole day?

*Michelle crossed her arms and looked at the sleeping toys lying their heads on pillows and covered with blankets with a hum.*

💜 - I’ve got a bad feeling about this, but I’ll do the dare…

*Michelle realized something and looked around.*

💜 - Hang on, are there any vents in this place?

*Michelle looked up and spotted an air vent with three screws undone near the couch.*

💜 - Well, ain’t that convenient?

*Michelle aimed her left arm before the blue hand shot from her wrist and grabbed the bottom part of the vent. Michelle pulled herself toward the vent before she climbed into it. Michelle looked at the opening and backed away.*

💜 - (whisper) And now I play the waiting game…

*Michelle looked at Doey as he slept.*

💜 - (whisper) I just hope Kevin doesn’t do anything crazy…

Ten Hours Later

*Michelle stared at the group with her arms crossed on the vent.*

💜 - (whisper) They’ve been asleep for a while...

*Michelle moved forward a bit and glanced at her bag next to the TV table before laying her head against her arms.*

💜 - (whisper) I guess this area is giving them more comfort than Safe Haven did...

*When Michelle glanced at the toys, she noticed a few of the larger ones stir a bit, which made her sit up and move back a bit.*

💜 - (whisper) Time for the chaos to begin...

*Doey sat up and stretched his arms while yawning, his red teeth showing. As Doey looked around the area, he noticed something before standing up and looking around, concerned.*

🩵 - Misha?

*As Doey walked around, Katelynn sat up and yawned, her blue teeth showing. Katelynn turned her head to Doey.*

💖 - Is something wrong?

*Doey turned ot Katelynn.*

🩵 - I can’t find Misha anywhere; have you seen her?

*Katelynn frowned and shook her head.*

💖 - No... I thought she was sleeping beside you...

*Doey started panicking.*

🩵 - This isn’t good…

*Doey looked at the other toys as they started waking up.*

🩵 - Everyone! We have an emergency?!

*The other toys looked at Doey.*

🩵 - Misha has gone missing?!

*The larger toys were shocked and looked around in a panic. The mini Smiling Critters were in tears and started crying, which made Doey look at them; Matthew split from him before quickly approaching them.*

🧡 - H-Hey now, there’s no need to cry. W-We’ll find her; I’m sure of it...

*Poppy approached Matthew.*

🟥 - She couldn’t have gotten far; this place doesn’t have many areas to go around...

*Matthew nodded before looking at the other toys.*

🧡 - I need a few volunteers to help me calm the smaller toys down; the rest of you find her.

*Bobby BearHug, CraftyCorn, PickyPiggy, Kissy Missy, Miss Delight, Poppy, and Bunzo Bunny were consoling the smaller toys while the rest split up. Michelle observed the outside.*

💜 - (in head) At least I know what they’ll do whenever I disappear...

Several Hours Later

*The search party returned while they tried catching their breath; Matthew looked at them.*

🧡 - Anything?

*The search party looked down.*

☀️ - Unfortunately, we couldn’t find her anywhere...

*Matthew frowned a bit.*

🧡 - This is bad; where could she have gone?

*Michelle looked at Matthew with a slight frown.*

💜 - (in head) I wish I could come out right now, but I think I have about an hour left...

*Doey looked down and was starting to hyperventilate a bit. Katelynn looked at Doey, concerned.*

💖 - Big Brother?

*The group heard humming, which surprised them. The group turned their heads to the source and saw Author humming while floating around. Doey stared at Author before Kevin split from Jack. As Author looked at Kevin, he glared at them as his body boiled while growling with his fangs showing and his claws sharpening.*

❤️ - You... You did something, didn’t you...?

*Author panicked.*

🌟 - H-Hang on, I don’t—

❤️ - I’ll kill you!?!

*Kevin sprinted toward Author, which made them panic. Author quickly moved out of the way before Kevin hit him. Kevin kept slashing at Author while they dodged.*

❤️ - You better bring her back right now?!

*Author looked at Kevin.*

🌟 - I have no idea what you’re talking about?!

*When Author was against the wall, Kevin made the claws on his right hand into a sharp point before lunging forward. Author quickly moved out of the way, which caused Kevin to stab the wall. Author looked at Kevin as he pulled his hand out of the wall.*

🌟 - Trying to kill me is a bad idea?!

*Kevin glared at Author as he readied the claws on his right hand.*

❤️ - Then you better bring her back now?!

*Author looked at Kevin.*

🌟 - And I’ve told you I don’t know what you’re talking about?!

*Kevin growled as he raised his right hand.*

❤️ - Wrong choice.

*As Kevin shot his right hand toward Author, the group heard a voice.*

💜 - Wait?!

*Kevin froze and stopped his right hand when it was close to Author; the group looked up and saw Michelle’s head poking out of the vent; the mini Smiling Critters smiled.*

🌈 - Misha!!

*Michelle moved forward.*

💜 - Don’t hurt them; they didn’t do anything wrong!

*When Michelle was partially out of the vent, her hand slipped, which made her panic and fall onto the couch on her stomach.*

💜 - Ow...

*As Michelle sat up, the group brought her into a group hug.*

💖 - We’re so glad you’re alright, Big Sister.

*Michelle smiled a bit until a dough arm wrapped around her, and Kevin pulled her close. Kevin sternly looked at Michelle.*

❤️ - Explain, now...

*Michelle sighed.*

💜 - It was a dare; I had to hide in the vents for a whole day.

*Kevin took a deep breath and annoyingly sighed as he rubbed his eyes.*

❤️ - Of course it was the dare; why wouldn’t it be?

*Michelle smiled a bit.*

💜 - If it makes you feel any better, I was flattered that you guys made a search party for me.

*Kevin deadpanned Michelle.*

❤️ - I’m too exhausted to even make a snarky comment on that...

*Kevin approached the lounge area.*

💜 - Well then, you rest up while I—

*Before Michelle could finish, Kevin wrapped his arms around her, which made her flinch and blush. Michelle turned her head to Kevin.*

💜 - Uh... Kevin?

*When Kevin was in the lounge area, he sat on the ground.*

❤️ - You’re not going anywhere...

*Soon after, the couple lay on the ground on their side.*

💜 - You’re not seriously gonna keep hold of me while sleeping, right?

*When Michelle looked at Kevin, he was fast asleep, which baffled her.*

💜 - He actually did...

*Poppy yawned a bit.*

🟥 - Honestly, he has the right idea; today has been exhausting.

*Michelle looked at the other toys as they went to their sleeping spots.*

💜 - You can’t leave me here like this...

*Katelynn smiled at Michelle.*

💖 - Dare or not, consider this your punishment for making us worry.

*As Katelynn lay on the ground and turned away, Michelle blushed and looked down.*

💜 - This is so embarrassing...

*Michelle glanced at Kevin as he slept before sighing.*

💜 - I guess it can’t be helped... at least it’s in a safe area.

*Michelle closed her eyes before she fell asleep.*

#poppy playtime #dogday #doey the doughman #kevin barnes #matthew hallard #my ocs #michelle oc #katelynn oc #ask or dare blog #quotev #ao3 fanfic #ao3fic #wattpad

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miiv12 · 2 months ago

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Basically a story idea anyone can use but i am also up to rp if anyone is interested

As Riley grows older and life becomes more complicated and stressful, Anxiety finds herself overworked and torn in too many directions at once. There's just too much for one Emotion to worry over. It eventually becomes too much, and just as the others are prepared to help settle a panic attack, instead of turning into a storm, Anxiety splits into parts. Seeing 7, Envy sized Anxieties in place of just the one sends Headquarters into a state of confusion and panic, which in turn freaks the mini Xieties out. Joy takes charge despite being freaked out herself, and once everyone is calmer, they take stock of the situation. The mini Anxieties are very much like their combined self, yet different from her and each other, acting more similar to children than the grown and developed Emotion they're used to. Separation Anxiety is clingy, wanting to be held as much as possible and sticks close to whoever she seems to be preferring at the moment. Mutism Anxiety talks little and has trouble communicating, not all the time but stressful situations make her go completely silent and it takes some time for her to be able to speak again. Social Anxiety sticks to the sidelines, not interacting with the other Emotions much and trying to draw as little attention to herself as possible, getting uneasy and unsure of herself whenever talking with someone. Health Anxiety avoids touch and things the others use much, even touching the console is difficult for her to do as she fears contamination and illness of any sort. Compulsive Anxiety keeps a routine and has a dozen habits she does in an attempt to calm herself when she gets overwhelmed, they usually work but she gets stressed easily and those habits can get in the way of her or others. Phobia Anxiety keeps away from the other Emotions the most almost like she's afraid of them, usually hiding somewhere she can see them but can't be seen by them in an attempt to keep herself safe. Panic Anxiety is constantly on edge, afraid of an incoming panic attack she tries to anticipate and prepare for, the continued stress she's under makes her sick and tired. Headquarters is a mess as the Emotions try to adjust and help the mini Xieties the best they can and in the progress end up learning more about their orange colleague and just how extensive her role really is, all the while trying to figure out how to get Anxiety back to her full, complete self.

#inside out 2 #inside out fandom #inside out anxiety #inside out 2 anxiety #inside out #rp #roleplay #inside out rp #inside out fanfiction #inside out 2 rp #fanfiction #fanfic

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321spongebolt · 4 months ago

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What if there was a "T.U.F.F. Puppy" video game in the early 2010s?

While THQ was going through tough times during the 2010s, I don't know who would've published this game. Let alone which video game developer would've made this, but here's a concept I had for there was ever a "T.U.F.F. Puppy" video game released on home consoles. Specifically the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii. Or if it was made around 2013, which was also the year the show ended, we would've also seen a Wii U port where the Wii U gamepad would've been utilized.

And like the show itself, the game could've used cel-shaded graphics to capture the art style of the show similarly to how Blitz Games made "The Fairly OddParents!: Breakin' Da Rules" (without the life limit of course) and "The Fairly OddParents!: Shadow Showdown".

ESRB RATING

Probably E10+

GAMEPLAY

While I don't have an idea for a storyline, I do have an idea as far as the gameplay is concerned. My thought was if this "T.U.F.F. Puppy" video game played similarly to the "Sly Cooper" sequels, "Sly 2: Band of Thieves", "Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves", and "Sly 4: Thieves in Time". But unlike the "Sly" series, you're not a thief, but a secret agent. However, there would've been some similarities with the "Sly" games if this was real.

For example, there can be multiple hub worlds to visit, but you can still play around T.U.F.F. HQ to either sharpen your skills or test out the gadgets you've unlocked. In each hub world you go to, you start off at some safe house where you can choose to play as Dudley Puppy, Kitty Katswell, or Keswick. But next to Keswick is a laptop useful for purchasing packs and tools for either combat or traversal (ex. jetpacks that grant the characters flight mode, allowing Dudley, Kitty, and Keswick to fly anywhere without limits, making it easier to fly to a distant location in. But it would likely be the most expensive gadget to purchase in-game.). Certain gadgets have an energy meter (with the exception of the jetpack of course) depending on which gadget you have at your disposal, but like the "Ratchet and Clank" series, they can be upgraded depending on how many times you use a certain gadget.

Dudley's gameplay could work similarly to Murray (I believe) where he can pick up enemies and pickpocket any evidence and currency they've got on them by shaking them (assuming Dudley is super strong).

Kitty's gameplay could be a combination of Sly Cooper and Carmelita Fox put together. By tapping the Circle button (as an example with the PS3 button layout) and then pressing X, Kitty can mega jump like Sly can with the mega jump ability in "Sly 2: Band of Thieves" (which is your reward for 100% completion) as well as in the "Cops and Robbers" mini-game from "Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves". It would be like a combination of Sly and Carmelita's mega jump abilities combined as one.

For Keswick's gameplay, try to imagine how Bentley's gameplay was done in "Sly 2: Band of Thieves" before he lost his ability to walk. Keswick would of course be the brains of each mission, but can also hack into computers and invent new gadgets for gameplay.

Unlike the story mode of each "Sly" game, this "T.U.F.F. Puppy" game would've supported 2-player split screen co-op, allowing the second player to freely explore the hub areas and do missions with the first player to progress the stories of each hub world.

BOSS BATTLES

It wouldn't be a "T.U.F.F. Puppy" video game without using the show's villains such as Snaptrap, The Chameleon, Birdbrain, and whoever else played a prominent villain role in the show. Some of the villains could even be tied to the stories of each hub world too.

OTHER FEATURES

For cosmetic purposes, Keswick's laptop can also be used for purchasing costumes and customizing how you want Dudley, Kitty, or Keswick to look during gameplay and in-game cutscenes (but it won't have any effect on the FMV cutscenes). Some of these costumes would be based on the ones worn by Dudley, Kitty, and Keswick from episodes of the show.

There could also be a 2-player battle mode for competitive and cooperative multiplayer. Like the aforementioned "Cops and Robbers" mini-game from "Sly 3" used under a different light or even a hacking mini-game reminiscent of the hacking sections from the "Sly" sequels where the left control stick would move the tank and the right control stick fires multiple laser beams.

This is all I've got, but I wanted to upload this as a reminder for "T.U.F.F. Puppy" turning 15 this October. Hopefully you've enjoyed reading my concept for what could've been done at the time.

#321SPONGEBOLT's Ideas #ideas that could've happened at the time #what could have been #what could've been #T.U.F.F. Puppy #TUFF Puppy #video game concept #thoughts #my thoughts #idea blog

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splitminiusa · 2 years ago

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Do Mini Splits Bring in Fresh Air from Outside?

Mini splits enhance your home in various ways, from providing a more eco-friendly heating and cooling method to maximizing comfort levels. Their myriad of benefits makes them some of the most popular HVAC systems to invest in and install. They work for your home and a range of spaces spanning from apartments and office buildings to storage units and RVs. However, can mini split systems bring fresh air into your home?

Do Air Conditioners Bring in Fresh Air From Outside?

As the weather outside starts to heat up, you’re thinking about all the fun summer activities. If you’re like most people, a necessary part of summer is having a nice, cool air-conditioned home. While you may know how to turn on your air conditioner, there may be many questions that you have about how it works.

A common question that people have about air conditioners is if they take in fresh air from outside. The simple answer is that they don’t. You do have outside components to your air conditioning system. But, there is no direct opening for air from the outside to enter your home. The air that you feel coming out of the vents inside of your home is air that was already inside of your home. That existing air has recirculated throughout your AC system.

How Mini Splits Improve Air Quality?

So if mini splits aren’t ventilating fresh air, how do they improve your indoor air quality? All mini splits contain a filer in the AC unit. The AC’s filters trap any impurities in the air collected as the system takes in the room’s heat energy and releases the hot or cold air back into the room. On top of using filters, adding additional air purifiers like UV disinfection further improves and refines your air quality.

How To Get Fresh Air Into Your Home

Breathing in fresh air provides many benefits, especially to your mental well-being, such as improved mental clarity and stimulated positive emotions. Opening your doors and windows allows the outdoor air to circulate through your space, providing you with some of the perks of spending time outdoors. However, keep in mind that fresh air can also bring in pollen, pollutants, and other irritants.

Although mini split systems can’t bring fresh air into your home, they still provide you with cleaner and improved air quality on top of their long list of other advantages. Whether you install a classic wall mount or ductless air conditioning roof mount, equipping your space with a mini split system ensures you receive maximum comfort. You get ideal room temperatures and minimal allergens and toxins in the air. The natural fresh air comes from outside, and the mini splits provide indoor comfort and temperature control.

#ceiling cassette mini split #ducted mini split #floor mini split #console mini split #diy mini split #slim ducted mini split

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disabled-battlekukku · 11 months ago

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If you were given the chance to write for a new Sonic, featuring the return of the kuku empire, what would you write? Where would you add world building and who of the main cast, and others, would you feature in it?

SLAMS TABLE. BIG BREATH.

(Biiiiiig thread comin' ahead!)

First of all, if Sega had ever had the balls to bring the Kukku Empire back, it would probably be a Mania-inspired game. And if it did, I think it would have the same, if not very similar plot points and ideas to it.

Old and new stages, with the old ones being from Game Gear and Master System games (y'know, Tails' home console!). Instead of focusing on speed, it would be much more on the exploration aspect, as that was also a great aspect of those. Maybe focus more on the "high flying" aspect. It would be interesting to see how more grounded characters like Sonic and Mighty would deal in this sort of environment.

If we REALLY pushed our buttons farther, the Witchcarters would be there as well, although probably as mini-bosses. Sega seems to favor them anyway. Limit a little of Eggman's appearance, though. Maybe let him cameo at an ending cutscene.

For story? I don't think the Kukkus would be that interested in pursuing the Chaos Emeralds after that, erm, first attempt, hehe. Maybe the Warp Topaz to keep the "modern-trinket-goes-to-classic-world" gimmick they did with the Phantom Ruby. If not, then either the Chaos Rings or Time Stones! Keep the same old shit of Speedy as the "Metal Sonic" of the game and Great Battle Kukku as the typical final boss.

If I was in COMPLETE charge?

I probably wouldn't take it. I can't code a game, hehe.

In all seriousness, I'd probably try some things that the fans wouldn't like it all that much. After all, I love it when Sega tries to experiment and go a bit off the rails with Sonic gameplay (Tails Adventure and Knuckles' Chaotix are my favorite games, after all!)

Sticking to what I said earlier, exploration is kind of an important aspect of Tails Adventure, and I'd proooobably bring back some classic trinket or thingamajig, like the previously mentioned Chaos Rings.

One thing that CERTAINLY wouldn't make the fans happy, judging that I was a massive Pokemon gen 5 fan, is that I'd probably limit gameplay to only Tails and Speedy. Make it a godamn Sonic Adventure 2/Riders split story thingie! And since Sonic Frontiers happens to have Tails implying to be going on an adventure of his own, maybe the game would happen right after that!

For a setting, I don't really know what I would put it. Probably an entirely new setting, as Flicky's Island was already taken by the Witchcarters in the IDW comics! A new place that the Kukkus decided to conquer, but their luck is just used to attract foxes, huh.

While I said that I'd limit main gameplay to Tails and Speedy, there could be a Sonic 06 thing and find others of Tails' buddies to play as. I'd prefer the child characters like Cream, Charmy, and maaaybe Ray since they all seem to focus on flight anyway. For Speedy? Fuck it we ball, introduce new characters! Give my mans some friends, godamnit!

I'd pull a Rush Adventure, where we would be focused on finding resources and building things to maneauver through the place, kind of replacing the need for a shop like most modern overworld Sonic games have.

Honestly, if I had to say everything I'd think for a Sonic game (or a Tails game, as it seems to be getting like here), we would be here for HOURS!

#sth #tails adventure #miles tails prower #battle kukku xvi #speedy the bird #speedy posting #text post

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things-about-cars-in-posts · 2 years ago

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I have a Mini Cooper Clubman (2013 base model, if you're curious), and I've been dying to know your thoughts on them (especially as they just discontinued the line!)

As you can see from my wagon post, I love the original - and while it took quite a while, I gradually warmed up to the first and second generations of its BMW era too.

And yeah, I like the Clubman! I love how the designers went "You know what's weird? That rotary Mazda with the suicide rear doors that can only be opened after the front ones.

How can we make it weirder? Oh, I know! We put only one of them!

And we also keep the original Clubman's split trunk! And we make the body around the lights open with them! But not the lights themselves! And do that on the front too!"

I love how it's a wagon that retains the coupe's agility and driving fun and arguably has even more character! Sure, that comes at the expense of still not being that big of a car, but I feel that's also faithful to the original! And indeed that's something I like about the first BMW-era Minis, which the current one completely squandered: they retained many of the Mini quirks while still having a distinct visual identity.

You especially see it in the interior: for comparison, here is a Beetle, a Super Beetle, and the New Beetle.

You know how you know it's the New Beetle and not any other 2000s VW? Because you trust me. And now look here:

Look at how distinct the new Mini looks and how much of the original is sprinkled around - the little toggles on the center console, the double lines that make up the dashboard, the elliptical cluster shape reintroduced in the mirrors and pedals, the cluster's original layout recreated with the huge tach completely outside of the line of sight, now so gigantic it contains the radio (I don't like when cars don't have standard radio slots but if you're gonna do something custom at least let it be for the sake of actually doing something creatIS THAT A FUCKING SIDE SUN VISOR?????

I also dig the Mini logo-shaped AC controls - which probably work because of the rest of the design: if the rest of the interior was a New Beetle sort of deal they'd probably feel like a desperate reminder it was meant to be a Mini. Didn't expect such complex opinions on AC controls getting into this, eh.

So yeah. I like it. And also it's great to own one, because if you own it you'll never have to sit in the back and that seems like a very good thing. People complain that its '00s BMW underpinnings will mean it'll break sooner than later and parts will cost BMW prices, but those strike me as words of people who've not considered the original was British. There's an old joke about Lucas, the electronics supplier most British cars of yore used, that goes "Why do Brits drink warm beer? Because Lucas made refrigerators."

Oh also, public plead: stop putting big rims on Minis, people. Chonky sidewalls or bust.

Links in blue are posts of mine explaining the words in question - if you liked this post, you might like those!

#that was not a bit btw #i actually noticed the side sun visor as I was looking at the picture in the post editor and said pretty much that #mini clubman #volkswagen new beetle

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postgamecontent · 8 months ago

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R-Type (TG-16 Mini)

In March of 1988, the PC Engine found its true calling. Did people know it at the time? Maybe not. But the release of R-Type on the platform was a real statement. It was the first home console port of a certified arcade hit, and a relatively recent one at that. Indeed, there would be no Famicom port of R-Type at all. It's a stunning conversion, too. Perhaps more than anything before it, R-Type laid bare exactly what the increased power of the PC Engine could offer versus the Famicom. We can spot the shortcomings easily today, but at the time this was practically like having the arcade machine at home. Well, half of it anyway. More on that in a bit. Perhaps most importantly of all, this is the first shoot 'em up on the PC Engine.

The console would come to be known as the home of shooters in that generation, and as opening salvos go, R-Type is big. Even today, R-Type is considered one of the best games in the genre. From the look and sound of it to the wild boss battles to the varied stage designs, this is a game that positively cooks from start to finish. It's a very tough game, but also a fair one. The versatile Force Pod gives the player a lot of choice in how they want to deal with the numerous creatures that fill the screen, and there are even a number of other fun power-ups to get. Even the basic beam can be used with small rapid shots or charged up for a big blast. You've got every tool you need in order to win.

Another nice thing is that unlike with many of its contemporaries, you're rarely put in an unwinnable position if you die. It might be hard, but you can usually survive long enough to get back on your feet. A Force Pod power-up is typically placed not far after each checkpoint, and you can go pretty far with just one Force Pod in R-Type. I'll be very clear here: I love this game. And I love this port of the game, too. It's terrific. It would be nearly a decade before a better version showed up at home.

The version included in this mini-console is actually the North American release, and for good reason. Due to the size limitations of HuCards at the time, the original Japanese release came in two parts. R-Type I arrived in March with the first four stages, and R-Type II came in August with the remaining four. You could use a password to carry your progress from the first to the second, or just play each as a standalone.

By the time the North American TurboGrafx-16 launched, Hudson was able to fit the full game on one card. Despite the game being split into two halves, R-Type's PC Engine port had a big impact in Japan. It's easy to see why. Even going off just the first four stages of the game, this would have been the best release on the system so far. Once that second part hit, you would have had some proper bragging rights as a PC Engine owner. There's a reason Konami usually tries to license R-Type from Irem whenever it decides to do PC Engine stuff. It's one of the early icons of the console in Japan.

Normally I would conclude by talking about why the game is on the mini-console or what role it serves to the line-up, but R-Type doesn't need any of that. It speaks for itself.

#retro gaming #turbografx 16 #pc engine #r type

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h0llywoodsbleeding · 5 days ago

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chapter thirty eight

It had been a couple of days since Austin left for Utah, and while Mair would never admit it out loud, everything felt quieter without him. She missed the background hum of his voice, the way he'd rest a hand on her belly like it was second nature, the way he'd laugh when she got hormonal and snapped at a cereal box like it had personally wronged her.

But she wasn't letting herself dwell too much. Not today.

Her best friend from college, Caroline, was coming in from Minnesota for a few days. She was the one who'd been with her through dorm room meltdowns, finals week cry-fests, and the heartbreak of long-distance. They'd splurged on a hotel downtown instead of staying at her parents' place in the suburbs. A mini girls' staycation before Mair's life became bottles and onesies.

Mair parked in the pickup lane outside Union Station in her new G-Wagon, the engine humming low beneath her. She still hadn't fully adjusted to how high up she sat in the thing or how people stared like she was someone important. She wasn't, she reminded herself that she was just a very pregnant girl with a rapper boyfriend—or whatever he was to her right now and a stubborn streak. But damn if the car wasn't nice.

She spotted Caroline through the windshield with a bright red tote bag slung over one shoulder, hair in a ponytail, face lighting up like Christmas when she saw Mair behind the wheel. Caroline yanked open the door, threw her bag in the back, and slid into the passenger seat with a dramatic gasp.

"Oh my God, you got a G-Wagon?" she said, looking around like she'd just stepped into a music video.

Mair grinned sheepishly. "Yeah. It's...pretty sick, honestly."

Caroline didn't even hesitate as she leaned over the center console and hugged her tight, her arms wrapping awkwardly around the bump. "Look at you. It's totally different seeing you in person. You're glowing. And you're huge—in like, a beautiful, you're-making-a-whole-person kind of way."

Mair laughed, pulling back and putting the car into drive. "God, I'm so happy to see you. I didn't realize how much I needed this."

They pulled away from the curb and into traffic, the G-Wagon drawing more than a few side-eyes and double takes.

"So," Caroline said, kicking her feet up on the dash like she always did when they used to drive around campus. "Where are we staying again?"

Caroline blinked. "What is that?"

"It's just a hotel," Mair replied quickly, but her tone gave her away. "But I did have to have Austin call to get the reservation."

Caroline's laugh filled the car. "Thank you, baby daddy! Okay, so it's fancy-fancy"

Mair rolled her eyes with a grin. "It's close to everything! And they have good food and a spa and—"

"—robes, probably," Caroline added. "And pillows so fluffy you forget your own name."

"Exactly," Mair laughed.

Caroline grinned. "And how are you feeling, Mama?"

Mair let out a breath, turning onto Wacker Drive as the river glimmered beside them.

"Tired. Like, a weird kind of tired. But good. Emotional. I cry at Subaru commercials and then immediately crave hot dogs."

"Ah, the classics," Caroline nodded. "But you look great. Seriously. It's been way too long."

They both fell quiet for a moment as they cruised through downtown, the city buzzing around them.

"You've got a whole new life now," Caroline finally said. "New car, new baby on the way, sort-of-still-boyfriend with face tattoos. I can't believe we used to split bagels and cry about midterms, and now you're about to be someone's mom."

Mair smiled, a little wistfully. "Yeah...me neither."

Caroline reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. "You're still you, though. Just with better a skincare routine ."

Mair snorted. "And some intense pelvic pressure."

They both cracked up just as Mair pulled into the circular drive of The Langham, valets already rushing forward.

"You're gonna kill it, you know," Caroline said as they gathered their bags.

Mair gave her a look. "As a mom or parking this tank?"

"Both," Caroline grinned. "But mostly the mom part."

The revolving doors at The Langham spun open with a soft whoosh as the doorman stepped forward and gave them a warm nod. Caroline clutched the handle of her luggage like it might roll away on its own, already wide-eyed as they stepped into the quiet luxury of the marble-floored lobby. It smelled faintly of citrus, and the ceilings stretched high above their heads, draped in soft golden light.

"Okay," Caroline whispered, elbowing Mair gently, "this is not just a hotel. This is a vibe."

They approached the front desk, where a man in a tailored black suit greeted them with a polished smile. "Welcome to The Langham. Checking in?"

Mair stepped forward, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Uh, yeah. The reservation should be under—Post. Austin Post."

The man's fingers danced across his keyboard. "Yes, of course. We have you in the River View One-Bedroom Suite for two nights. You're all set."

Caroline glanced at Mair with a subtle raise of her eyebrows. River view.

"Here are your keys," the man continued, sliding two elegant, gold-trimmed cards across the counter. "The elevators are just to the left of the lounge. Please let us know if you need anything at all."

"Thanks," Mair said, her voice a little higher than usual. She wasn't used to places like this alone. Austin was, sure. But her? This felt like slipping into someone else's life for the weekend.

Once in the elevator, Caroline leaned against the mirrored wall and let out a quiet "holy shit."

Mair just laughed. The elevator opened to a quiet, carpeted hallway with soft lighting and a view of the river out the end window. They found their room, and Mair tapped the key card against the reader until it clicked open.

The moment they walked in, Caroline let out a breathless gasp. "Okay. What the actual—Mair."

The suite was stunning. Floor-to-ceiling windows gave them a panoramic view of the river and skyline. The beds were framed in velvet and warm neutral tones, and a deep soaking tub sat under a window in the marble bathroom. There was even a tray with sparkling water and chocolate truffles on the counter.

"This is one hell of a babymoon," Caroline said, dropping her duffel and spinning around to take it all in.

Mair rolled her eyes, laughing as she kicked off her sneakers. "God, don't say that. That word makes me itchy."

Caroline flopped dramatically onto the bed. "What? I'm honored you invited me. Most people take their husbands on babymoons."

Mair grabbed a pillow and lobbed it at her. "I don't have a husband. I have you."

Caroline caught it and hugged it to her chest. "Lucky me."

They both lay there for a second, just soaking in the stillness, the view, and the feeling of being in the same place again after so long.

Mair closed her eyes and exhaled. "This is exactly what I needed."

They freshened up and changed, nothing too fancy, just something more put together than their travel clothes. Mair tugged on a pair of loose jeans and an oversized oatmeal sweater, slipping her feet into her pink adidas sneakers. Caroline changed into high-waisted jeans, a striped long sleeve, and a cropped puffer.

Mair smoothed her hair into a low clip and dabbed on a bit of tinted moisturizer while Caroline reapplied mascara at the bathroom mirror.

"I figured we could go to the Art Institute first," Mair said, adjusting the strap on her crossbody bag. "Then walk through Millennium Park, see the Bean—because obviously."

"Tourist checklist," Caroline grinned. "I love it."

"Exactly." Mair checked her phone. "Then I thought we could go shopping on Michigan Avenue. Just a few stores—maybe Zara, Aritzia, those kind of things."

"Oh hell yeah," Caroline said, grabbing her coat. "Retail therapy."

"And then I made a dinner reservations at The Albert," Mair added casually.

Caroline stopped short in the middle of shrugging on her jacket. "Fancy girl."

"It's not that fancy," Mair laughed. "But it's close by, and I figured it would be fun. They've got good mocktails and really good fries."

"You had me at fries," Caroline said, nudging her with a grin. "God, you planned the perfect day. You're kind of killing it as a baby mama right now."

Mair rolled her eyes, blushing as they headed out the hotel room door. "Don't say that. I just wanted to do something fun. This has been a lot lately."

Caroline looped her arm through hers. "And you're doing amazing. Also, I fully expect to pretend we're Real Housewives for the next forty-eight hours."

Mair smirked as they reached the elevator. "Deal. But only if I get to be the one who storms out of dinner dramatically."

The elevator dinged open, and the city waited.

They stopped to take pictures at the Bean, laughing and dodging tourists like they weren't tourists themselves. Caroline insisted on taking some of just Mair, hyping her up like she was on a maternity magazine shoot.

"Okay wait stand right there. No, tilt your head a little, yes, perfect," Caroline said, crouching with dramatic focus. "You look so good. The bump is poppin'. You're like effortlessly chic. It's disgusting."

Mair rolled her eyes but posed anyway, hands on her belly, hair loose and windblown. When Caroline handed her the phone, she actually liked them. Her bump looked real, round, like a fact of life. Not hidden. Not styled. Just there.

She picked one where she was laughing, sent it to Austin without a caption. He texted back almost immediately.

Austin: That baby's already a city kid. Hope you and Care have the best time. Be safe.

Mair smiled, her heart pinching a little in the way it did whenever he surprised her with his softness. She locked her phone and nodded for them to keep going. "Let's cut through the garden."

Inside, the hush of the museum hit instantly, like stepping into another world. Mair breathed it in. This was her favorite place in the city. She used to come here alone during school breaks just to walk the galleries and clear her head.

They passed the crowd clustered around Monet's water lilies, then dipped into one of the quieter rooms off to the side. That's when Mair saw it, Mother and Child by Mary Cassatt.

The painting stopped her in her tracks. A woman sat in a wooden armchair, her child curled against her body, nestled under one arm. The light was soft, the colors warm, but the brushstrokes had weight to them, there was a gravity in the way the mother's hands curved around the baby, protective and tired all at once.

Mair didn't move.

Caroline caught her pause. "What's that one?"

"Cassatt," Mair said quietly. "She painted a lot of mothers."

She didn't say anything else for a moment, eyes tracing the woman's face. She didn't look blissful. She looked worn, like she had given so much of herself already and would keep doing it anyway. Not because she was expected to. Because she wanted to.

"She looks like you," Caroline said softly.

Mair shook her head, but not fully. "She looks like someone who didn't think this was how her life was going to go. But she's doing it anyway."

Caroline reached out and took her hand gently. "I think that's brave as hell."

After a beat, she exhaled and turned toward the next gallery.

"Come on, go look at the Monets now."

Caroline grinned. "Back to the pretty pastels. Got it."

She looped her arm through Mair's as they wandered forward with the echo of footsteps on marble behind them. Mair glanced back at the painting one last time.

That woman. That stillness. That quiet strength. It didn't feel like a mirror, exactly, but it felt like a message.

After the museum, Mair felt lighter. Calmer. Something about the quiet halls and familiar paintings had relaxed her. She and Caroline stepped out into the sun, ready to take on the rest of the afternoon in the city.

They made their way toward Michigan Avenue, weaving through the weekend crowds, half-talking, half-laughing, catching up on everything and nothing.

They wandered into Anthropologie with no real plan, just letting themselves get pulled in by the warm lighting and cozy smells of the store. Caroline immediately made a beeline for the racks of printed blouses, flipping through them with her usual speed and commentary.

"This one's cute. This one's too prairie. This one looks like something our freshman year roommate would've worn to class hungover."

Mair, meanwhile, had drifted straight to the home section like a magnet, stopping in front of a display of plush throw blankets and hand-poured candles in glass jars. She picked one up and turned it over in her hand, sniffing the lid with a soft sigh.

Caroline turned around and spotted her, arms already full of a blanket and two candle tins. "You're nesting."

Mair glanced up, unimpressed. "I don't even get that. What does that mean, nesting?"

Caroline raised an eyebrow. "You're preparing your cozy lil den for your baby bird. Obviously."

Mair rolled her eyes but didn't put the blanket down. "Okay. I just like soft things and nice smells. And I will be buying them. This has nothing to do with the baby. This is a personality trait."

"That's what all the moms say," Caroline teased, walking over with a blouse draped over her arm. "Next thing you know you'll be rearranging furniture at midnight and panic-ordering storage bins."

"I already did that last week," Mair deadpanned.

Caroline cracked up. "Oh my god. You're so deep in it."

Mair grabbed a pale cream ceramic candle with a simple design and held it up. "Tell me this doesn't belong on my nightstand."

"Honestly? It does."

They kept wandering, Mair trailing her fingers over velvet pillows and folding napkins, Caroline pulling her along whenever she lingered too long over a set of embroidered dish towels.

At one point, Mair paused at a small baby section with tiny knit booties and swaddles mixed in with the rest of the store's boho charm. She didn't say anything, but Caroline noticed the way her hand hovered over a pair of booties.

"Get those," she said gently. "You'll be glad you did."

Caroline grinned as she held up a soft, ribbed onesie with tiny daisies embroidered on the front. "Look at this," she said, practically bouncing on her heels with excitement. "It's like a tiny little summer dress but for a baby! Baby shopping is way too fun."

Mair looked at the onesie, the delicate petals and soft fabric tugging at her heart. "Okay, I need that too," she said, already reaching for it before Caroline could offer it up. She held it up to her stomach, imagining how cute their baby girl would look in it.

Caroline laughed, nodding in agreement. "Oh, baby girl will look absolutely adorable in this. You're going to be the cutest family."

They moved down the aisle, now focused on baby clothes, with Mair browsing through the soft fabrics and pastel colors. Caroline, on the other hand, was going full steam ahead, piling little dresses and sweaters on her arm, checking the sizes and pulling them from the racks with unbridled enthusiasm.

"This one's cute, and this one—and this one! Look, it's tiny," Caroline said, holding up a light pink cardigan with tiny bear ears on the hood.

Mair chuckled, watching Caroline become the ultimate baby clothes enthusiast. "How do you know so much about baby clothes?"

Caroline shrugged, unfazed. "I've been doing my research for when I'm the fun aunt who buys all the good stuff. No shame."

They weaved away from the baby section and into the racks of adult clothes, soft knits, flowy blouses, structured coats in muted spring colors. Caroline was already on the hunt, flipping through hangers like she was on a mission. She grabbed a silky button-down and a pair of wide-leg pants, holding them up to herself.

"I need these," she said with zero hesitation. "I don't even have a reason, I just need them. I've decided I'm entering my chic woman era."

Mair grinned, resting her hand on the curve of her belly as she trailed behind. "You're thriving," she said, watching her friend pile more clothes over her arm. "Seriously, I miss shopping like this."

Mair exhaled, half laughing. "God, I can't wait until I can wear normal clothes again. I miss zippers."

Caroline glanced over her shoulder. "Soon," she promised. Caroline turned and looked her up and down, smirking. "You look great though. Like glowing mom energy. And hot."

Mair gave her a look. "Hot mom in a stretchy waistband. Thanks."

Caroline held up a pair of jeans. "Manifesting this for you in six months."

Mair smiled, a little wistfully. "Deal. You just have to come back so we can do this again."

Caroline held out her pinky. "Promise. I'm not missing your post-baby fashion renaissance."

They walked out of Anthropologie with big paper shopping bags swinging from their arms, the handles digging a little into their shoulders but neither of them caring. The cold air hit them as they stepped back onto Michigan Avenue, cheeks flushed, grinning like they'd just gotten away with something.

"God, we're dangerous together," Caroline laughed, adjusting her scarf as they crossed the street. "It's like we black out and suddenly own six new candles and a baby sweater."

"And a wool blanket I didn't need," Mair added, giving her bag a little shake. "But will absolutely be using tonight."

They ducked into a nearby coffee shop, a cozy place with exposed brick and gold accents. Caroline ordered her go-to iced latte while Mair opted for a sparkling water and a buttery almond croissant.

"You and that baby need a little treat," Caroline said, nudging her as they waited.

"She's been busy today," Mair said, placing a hand on her belly. "She liked the museum. Kicked the whole time."

Caroline pulled out her phone and held it up. "Okay, wait, stand there. I'm taking a cute pic of you with your little pastry and sparkling water like a mom influencer."

Mair rolled her eyes, but posed anyway, laughing softly. "This is ridiculous."

"Yeah, but it's gonna be cute," Caroline said, snapping a few shots.

And it was cute. The lighting was soft, Mair looked glowy in her big sweater and knit scarf, her bump prominent but comfortable. She looked like herself.

Caroline looked over her shoulder. "Okay now us," she said, turning the camera for a selfie. They took a few laughing, one where they both tried to look serious and model-like but broke out mid-photo.

Mair looked at them afterward and smiled. "I'm really glad we're doing this."

"Me too," Caroline said.

Their next stop was Sephora. As soon as they walked in, Caroline made a beeline to the hair section. "Okay, this is my holy grail. You need it. Trust me."

Mair held the tiny glass bottle in her hand and blinked at the price. "This costs more than the baby sweater."

"Worth it," Caroline said, tossing it into Mair's basket. "New mom self-care. We're budgeting for vibes now."

"I'm not gonna fight you," Mair laughed. "I'm in too deep today."

They wandered into Alice & Wonder, a small boutique tucked between two other shops, the warm lighting and welcoming atmosphere immediately pulling them in. Mair felt a sense of comfort settle in her chest, this was the kind of place she loved. Soft music played in the background, and everything was neatly arranged but still felt cozy.

They made their way past racks of cute knitwear, perfect for the still-chilly Chicago weather, but it was the hat wall that caught their attention. There were shelves stacked with simple baseball caps and then there was a section of patches: little designs, phrases, and images meant to be customized onto the hats.

"I've never seen anything like this," Caroline said, her voice filled with excitement. "I need one."

"You're just saying that because we're in here, and you know I'll go along with whatever you suggest," Mair said, grinning.

Caroline threw her hands up in mock surrender. "What can I say? I'm a good influence."

They both walked closer to the wall of hats, exchanging glances as they started pulling out different ones. Eventually, they settled on matching sage-green baseball caps, both embroidered with "Chicago" in a cursive script that screamed local pride. It felt right. It felt fun.

"I'm doing it," Caroline declared, holding up the hat as if it were an award. "We're getting these, right?"

Mair laughed. "Of course we are. I can't resist a good matching moment."

Caroline's eyes narrowed in on a tiny matching baby version of the hat, tucked off to the side on a small display. Her fingers instantly reached for it, pulling it out with a grin. "Look! Baby version!"

Mair's heart skipped a beat. "I'm getting that."

She grabbed the little green hat, holding it up next to her own. "Now the baby will match her Auntie. She's gonna be so cute in this."

They laughed together, but neither of them could deny how adorable the mini hat was. The thought of the baby, wearing something so simple and sweet, made Mair's chest feel full in a way she hadn't expected.

They moved over to the patch station, where Mair picked out a small, shiny patch in the shape of the Bean. Caroline grabbed a smiley face patch, and they both held them up together, their excitement growing.

"Okay, no joke," Caroline said, as she examined their selections, "this is the best thing ever."

"I'm telling you, this is genius," Mair agreed, grinning. "We're gonna look like the cutest tourist duo, but better."

They couldn't stop laughing as they picked out a couple more patches, debating between all the patches, and finally agreeing on a little patch in the shape of the Bean and a smiley face they originally saw. After a few minutes of giddy decision-making, they had a full set of patches, all ready to be stitched on. As they checked out, the cashier gave them a knowing smile, clearly used to the energy they were bringing to the store.

"This is literally the best," Caroline said, hugging her bag to her chest as they stepped out of the store. "I feel like we're about to launch a new fashion trend or something."

Mair grinned, adjusting her own hat on her head. "If we're not, we're at least having fun. This day is perfect."

They continued to walk down the street, popping into a few more shops, still chatting, laughing, and enjoying the simplicity of being together. The city felt alive around them, but it was their company, their shared moments, that made the whole day feel like something they'd remember forever. Mair couldn't help but feel grateful for this time with Caroline, just the two of them, carefree, before everything changed.

#austin #austin post #fanfic #post malone x oc #post malone x reader #post malone #post malone fanfic #music #love #oneshot #rockstar au #singer #angst with a happy ending #high school sweethearts

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