#like I'll write for a lot of different ships

[frankys-wife]

I'll Never Sail Without You

HAPPY (BELATED) ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, MY BELOVED FRANKY! (6/25/24)

Header art: art is my own!

Written by: writing is my own!

Words: 8.3k

Mimi had been a member of the Straw Hat Pirate crew for something like a year and a few months now, ever since she reunited with them on the island of Dressrosa, completely by chance as a result of her deployment on a mission by the Revolutionary Army. She had never imagined her life would take such a turn, much less becoming a pirate like the ones that rampaged her home island of Water Seven, but she considers herself lucky that it happened nonetheless.

In the time that she’d been travelling with them, Mimi knew she had found a second family. Everyone on the crew has been so warm to her, the kind of warmth that reminds her of the sun’s rays that kisses her pale skin on a summer afternoon. Especially her captain, Luffy, who has an affinity for attracting people with the radiant optimism that shines in him. Mimi is no different. Almost instantly after joining she was drawn to some members of the crew, either by sharing similar interests, such as Usopp’s knack for creativity or Robin’s love of history, or by simply being interested in the crew’s activities and observing their tight-knit relationships with each other. It helped a lot that Mimi shared their love of adventure, which seemed to be a commonality among her crewmates.

It helped even more, however, that she had known Franky since they were kids. 

Out of everyone on the crew, her bond with him is undeniably the strongest one. Ten years apart suddenly felt like nothing when everything she knew and loved about him came flooding back to her after their reunion on Dressrosa. The two of them had changed so much in that time, and yet, it feels as if time did not touch their love. Sure, the first month or so after joining the Straw Hats felt like uncharted waters for Mimi. However, being by Franky’s side once again felt like rediscovering a timeless treasure, one so precious that no amount of Beri could afford it. 

She doesn’t know what stroke of fate allowed her to reunite with the love of her life, but she’s grateful she could experience falling for him all over again. 

Mimi feels a large, comforting hand plant itself on her back. 

“Takin’ a breather?” Utters a familiar voice, the sound of it deep and gravelly with a warmth to it. Mimi opens her eyes, inhaling sharply as the smell of the crisp evening air graces her nostrils. The invigorating smell of the fresh, salty sea relaxes her shoulders, allowing her to catch a moment of respite from the crew’s dinnertime liveliness on the bow of the Thousand Sunny. She skims her eyes along the ocean in front of her, whose gentle waves appear to make the setting sunlight that shone on it dance against its surface. 

“I guess you could say that,” Mimi replies with a chuckle. A small smile creeps across her face, exhaling briskly. Leaning her elbows on the ship deck’s railing, she hunches forward, her silver hair tickling her face as she turns her head to meet Franky’s gaze. “It’s fun being with everybody, but a bit exhausting sometimes, to be honest.”

Franky chuckles low in his throat, shaking his head slightly. He places his opposite hand on the ship’s railing, leaning over Mimi as he gazes out at the captivating ocean alongside her. “Yeah, I hear ya. We’re a rowdy bunch, that’s for sure. We know how to have a good time.” He smirks. “But, you might wanna buckle in tonight, sweetheart. The night ain’t over, yet! I wouldn’t want you missin’ out.” Franky states in all his usual confidence, making no effort to hide the fact that he knows something. 

Mimi raises an eyebrow, intrigued by his statement. Her eyes widen as she studies Franky’s facial expression, recognizing his mischievous smirk all too well. Mimi squints, a smirk forming across her lips to match it. Mimi lets out a chortle.

“Now what are you up to?” She replies in a teasing tone, her shoulders shaking in response. She’s known Franky long enough to tell when he’s got a set plan in mind. The past few nights haven’t been particularly eventful since the crew has been traveling from one place to the next, so it’s been a lot of work aboard the ship aside from the crew’s usual shenanigans. 

Franky grins wider in response. “Ah, nothing. We’re just taking a small detour, Luffy’s orders.” Franky replies, firm but playful. His response does nothing but raise more questions for Mimi, her eyes widening in response. Learning about any sort of detour was certainly news to her, especially since any directional decisions are usually well-thought out in advance by Nami, the crew’s resident navigator.

“And where are we headed, exactly?” Mimi inquires. 

“Just a smaller island nearby for some supply runs. Need to stock up on some more cola for the Sunny’s Coup-de-Burst, and Sanji needs some more ingredients for meal prep. Should be there in an hour, so you should get your ass movin’ and get ready.” Franky pats her back gently, a pearly smile still plastered across his lips. 

Mimi purses her lips at his response. She takes a moment longer to narrow her eyes at him once more. It puzzles her why they’d be making a supply run at this time, but she decides not to push him for further answers despite her burning curiosity. “Alright, then.” She replies, with a bit of hesitation. Straightening her back, she takes one last deep breath of the fresh air before planting a kiss on Franky’s large, red metal shoulder. “I’ll be in our room if you need me.” Trailing her hand down Franky’s arm, Mimi turns and begins to make her way down towards the lower decks. 

Since the crew had expanded, both the men’s and women’s quarters became too crowded of a place for some of the other crewmates to sleep comfortably with their partners. Franky had taken it upon himself a while back to upgrade the layout of his beloved Thousand Sunny, making sure to add a few extra small rooms for the other members to sleep in, most notably Sanji and Moxie, as well as himself and Mimi. 

Mimi opens the door to hers and Franky’s bedroom, making sure to close the door behind her as she steps inside. Despite the sudden change in plans, she adores how considerate Franky is of her. Mimi despises rushing to go anywhere, so when she’s afforded time to prepare herself at a leisurely pace, she takes pleasure in it.

Taking her time, she allows her thoughts to run as she changes into a more comfortable outfit for going out.

Franky finds himself at the helm of the ship. For a moment, he allows himself to clear his head, paying attention to the seas ahead with a focused expression. He knew what was to come in the next couple hours, he’d planned this for a couple days now. And, with the crew’s permission, he’s docking the ship on a small island to set his plan in motion. 

His large chest heaves deeply, exhaling the salty air as he mentally runs through the plan step-by-step. Resting his head on his large hand, he rubs his brow in thought. 

Before he can get too lost in thought, Franky notices footsteps coming up the stairs behind him, accompanied by the faint smell of smoke. He shifts his eyes, taking notice of the ship’s well-dressed cook. 

“What brings you up here, brother? Kitchen’s on the first level.” Franky greets Sanji nonchalantly, his eyes remaining focused ahead with one hand on the helm. 

“I know.” Sanji replies, almost with a hint of annoyance. Franky catches the sound of Sanji clicking his lighter a couple of times, taking a cigarette between his teeth and lighting it before pushing the metal lid closed. “I was just wondering where Mimi ran off to. She only finished half her plate. I hope you didn’t gross her out, you pervert.”

A pleased grin wipes across Franky’s face, turning to face Sanji as he waves his free hand dismissively. “Easy with the compliments, bro!” He chuckles, not fazed by Sanji’s insult. “Besides, it’s nothin’ you need to worry about. She just needed some super air.” As Franky finishes, his expression becomes serious once again. “She knows we’re docking soon, so she’s gettin’ ready.” 

Sanji turns away swiftly, eager to end the interaction. “Great, I’ll bring the rest to her then.” Placing his hands in his pockets, he takes the first step down the stairs.

“I wouldn’t bother, Sanji. Give my girl some space. Luffy will eat her scraps.” Franky’s voice turns serious, a hint of hesitation in his phrasing, which is incredibly rare given Franky’s decisive nature. Sanji shifts his eyes to Franky, a knowing look glazing over his expression. He takes a deep sigh, puffing out some smoke from his cigarette. Without a word, Sanji crouches, taking a seat on the top stair, hunching forward slightly. “You better be doing the right thing, Franky. Mimi’s a good woman.” Sanji furrows his curly brow. “Beautiful, considerate, patient, and a good heart. A lady like her deserves nothing short of your best.”  

“Damn it, bro, I know already.” Franky groans, stating bluntly. He continues on, his voice low and serious. “Like I said earlier, it’s not a problem. I’m not a dumbass, rushing into things. I’ll make my bets, but she ain’t one of ‘em.” Franky rubs his brow, bothered by his thoughts but stubborn to admit it. 

A moment’s pause ensues, broken only by Sanji standing up once again. He nods, taking another puff of his cigarette. Keeping his head forward, he smiles slightly at Franky’s response. “Good. Proposing to a lady takes a certain finesse. If you rushed into it and scared her off I’d kick your ass.” Sanji looks over his shoulder, glancing at Franky, who is returning the gaze through the corner of his eye. He pauses again, his tone slightly more tender than before. “She really does love you, Franky. Show her that same love back.” 

Franky’s lips curl into a small pleased smirk at Sanji’s words. “Thanks, bro. I’m glad Moxie has a man like you.” He replies, giving Sanji an acknowledging nod, watching Sanji return the gesture. Franky watches as Sanji continues his way down the stairs towards the lawn deck, leaving Franky to his thoughts once again. 

A few minutes turn into an hour, and the crew finds the ship approaching the island’s shore. Ahead of them was a small, quaint island, decorated by a few rolling hills on either side and a quiet beach along the shoreline. The waves cascade in and out in a gentle rhythm, adding to the serenity of the atmosphere.

Perfect.

Franky steers the ship a good distance away from the island, close enough to travel on the Mini Merry, but far enough for his plan to work. 

___________________________________________________________________

Knock, knock, knock.

Mimi’s eyes, not leaving the reflection in her mirror, grits her teeth as she slides one last pin into her silver-haired bun, securing it in place. “Come in,” Mimi replies, fiddling with the shoulder strap of her short summer dress one last time, making sure it’s not too tight, lest it would be uncomfortable and dig into her shoulder. 

“It’s about time! Everyone’s already on the lawn deck. If you don’t hurry up we’re leaving without you!” A familiar young woman’s voice scolds. Before turning around to greet her, Mimi catches the glimpse of an orange-haired woman making her way inside the room, closing the door behind her. “Besides, Robin and I wanna make it to the markets before the stores close. I haven’t struck up a good bargain in a while.” 

Exhaling, Mimi examines herself in the mirror before turning over her shoulder to face her comrade. “I’m almost ready, Nami, I promise.” Mimi replies, taking one last good look at herself before walking back over to the closet. Pulling the wooden dresser open, she scans her eyes along her neatly lined-up shoe collection at the bottom of the dresser. Her eyes shifted between two pairs, a nice pair of brown sandals with colourful beads around the leather and a simple pair of red open-toe wedge heels. Watching Mimi shift her eyes, Nami almost swears she could see a bead of sweat running down Mimi’s forehead. She gives a sigh, walking over to the dresser. 

Nami tilts her head, her long orange hair falling to one side with a puzzled expression as she peers into the wooden dresser alongside Mimi. She gazes down at the collection of shoes in front of them, watching Mimi’s puzzled expression for a moment. Mimi bends down, picking up both pairs and holding them up before abruptly turning to Nami.

“Which pair should I go with?” She inquires, watching Nami’s expression carefully. Flicking her between the pairs of shoes and Mimi’s face, Nami raises her eyebrow decisively. 

“You’re really considering wearing heels with that? I’m all for a cute heel, but those sandals work better with the dress.” Nami answers, her eyes fixated on the shoes. 

Mimi nods slightly, looking at the heels in her hand before her eyes return to Nami’s expression. “It’s the bright red colour, isn’t it?” Mimi asks, her tone flat and decisive. “It distracts too much from my dress.” 

Nami nods slowly. “That, and the fact that we’re walking on the beach. Heels like that would be a hazard.” 

Nodding in agreement, Mimi sets the red pair of heels down in the closet, closing the doors not long after. She takes a few moments to seat herself on the bed, slipping her sandals on with haste and checking around the bedroom to make sure she didn’t forget anything important. Lipstick, money, sketchbook, emergency medication, her portable sewing kit- yup, all set. She grabs her small bag, meeting Nami at the doorway. 

__________________________________________________________________

The faint sound of lively banter picks up, increasing in volume as Franky cracks open the hatch from below deck. He’d figured that if he couldn’t put his mind to rest, he might as well make use of it and go check over the fireworks he and Usopp had created for the occasion. Boy, did Franky feel lucky to have a friend like Usopp, who would use his projectile knowledge and work with him to create a grand firework display with only a day’s notice. They stayed up almost all night working on it, knowing it had to be perfect. Inside the fireworks, Franky implanted small bombproof receptors that would allow the light from the explosions to take on specific shapes on command. 

The only thing in his whole plan that he’d put more thought and effort into than the fireworks was, of course, the ring. He’d spent a good many hours on it, taking extra care and attention to every detail. He was even lucky enough that Nami let him spare a couple small precious jewels from their most recent loot to add to it, and he was pretty proud of the result.  

Franky pushes the hatch open, pulling himself up onto the lawn deck to reconvene with the remainder of the crew to head to the island. He scans his eyes over almost everyone, save for Nami and Mimi, who he figures needs an extra few minutes as per usual. His eyes meet with Usopp, flashing a quick confident smile as he makes his way over to him. 

“Ready to make a show, bro? Just checked her over one last time. She should be ready to roll! Ow!” Exclaims Franky, his usual enthusiasm hiding his concerns.  

Usopp gives a confident grin, placing his fists on his hips and puffing his chest slightly. “Don’t worry, man! I’ve got it covered. Just say the word and Mimi will watch a fireworks show like she’s never seen before! I’ll make sure of it!” He grins. Franky grins wider. “Damn straight you will!” Franky chuckles, giving Usopp a brotherly pat on the back. “We just gotta make sure the timing’s right. Can’t have you setting ‘em off too early.” 

Usopp reaches into his pocket, going to pull a small device out of it. His fingers slip as he takes it out, scrambling to catch it with his other hand, only for it to bounce off his fingers. “Careful, bro! Don’t drop it!” Franky exclaims. Usopp grits his teeth, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead as he makes his attempt to catch the small device, his hands flying in a frenzy for a moment before finally catching it firmly in his left hand. 

He gives a hearty sigh of relief, finally holding the device up to Franky. “That’s why we made these, right? These transmitters should beep when it’s time for me to set them off!” A proud smile returns to Usopp’s face once again. 

“That’s right,” grins Franky, giving Usopp an approving thumbs up. “As long as you light ‘em in the right order, it’s no problem!” 

Usopp beats his chest proudly, giving a single understanding nod to Franky. “I swear on my life that I, the great Usopp, will not let you down! I’ll light those fireworks so well that it’ll be stuck in your memory for years to come!” Usopp exclaims, almost boastful. Franky grins once again, his gaze lingering on Usopp for a moment before the words “We’re ready” draw his attention away. 

To Franky’s delight, he’s greeted with the view of Nami and Mimi finally rejoining the rest of the crew on the lawn deck. He feels a familiar warmth in his cold metal chest, his heart jumping at the sight of her. Standing before him was his girlfriend Mimi, wearing a short white sundress adorned with a blue and green floral pattern. The dress hugged her body nicely, its neckline decorating her chest with small frills that ran all the way to the puffed sleeves that were just hanging off her shoulders. Her hair was pulled back behind her head into a curly bun, which was slightly different from her usual half-updo with the exception of the two strands of silver hair framing her face. 

He takes a moment to gaze at her, his expression softening for a moment. Franky knows that Mimi takes joy in dressing herself up, but something about seeing her now has made him realize that, yes, this is really happening. 

Franky picks up his slightly slack jaw, clearing his throat with a soft grin. 

“I’M GONNA BE FIRST TO THE MINI MERRY!” Luffy shouts. Waiting for no one, he grabs the hatch to the lower decks and swings it open with haste, practically jumping down the hatch towards the Soldier Dock system. 

“Right, then. You heard Luffy, everyone head down to the Mini Merry.” 

___________________________________________________________________

The waves roll against the shore, cascading slowly as everyone takes their first steps in the sand from the Mini Merry’s floor. Like usual, Luffy is one of the first out of the boat, basically slingshotting himself onto the beach with the help of his Devil Fruit powers and the closest tree within his stretchy arm’s reach. Mimi smiles a little as she watches the chaos unfold, Luffy running around in excitement, Nami and Sanji yelling at him to wait, and everyone else along for the ride. Minus Usopp, who willingly stayed back on the Sunny. 

Mimi hangs back for a moment, allowing the other crew members to step out of the boat before her. Her eyes dart around, taking notice of the rustling palm trees and the evening sky as the sunset glistens on the water. Allowing her thoughts to wander for only a moment, she is brought back to reality by her beloved Franky’s voice. 

“C’mon, babe, hurry up!” Franky exclaims, offering his large red hand to Mimi. “Don’t tell me you’re planning on sittin’ there the whole night!” Franky tilts his sunglasses down a little with his free hand, smirking at her. Mimi turns her head, her vibrant eyes meeting Franky’s dark ones. Her shoulders shake in amusement, a small playful smile pulling at her lips. “I only considered it for just a moment…” She jokes. She takes Franky’s hand, standing up in the boat. She uses Franky’s strong support to stabilize herself before stepping onto the golden sands carefully.

“Nope.” Franky chuckles. “Even if you tried, I wouldn’t let ya. There’s no getting out of this one!” 

Mimi grins. “Hey, you know I’d never pass up an opportunity to go shopping.” She chuckles, swinging her small leather bag strap over her shoulder. “Besides, I’ve been needing some new fabrics for my sewing projects. A few yards of some nice material, at least.” 

With his hand grasping hers, a smaller, silvery metal hand extends from the palm of his larger red ones. His smaller hand carefully grasps Mimi’s, interlocking his fingers with hers. Franky raises Mimi’s knuckles up to his lips, bending down slightly to reach them as he presses a firm kiss to the back of her hand, smiling slightly as he does so. “Now that’s the spirit!” He grins, looking down at his comparatively smaller  girlfriend with a pleased expression. 

“Hello?! Let’s get moving!” Nami calls out from farther ahead. 

Mimi takes her eyes off Franky for a moment to take notice of the ladies across the beach near a tree clearing, Robin waiting patiently for Mimi, and Nami slightly less so. She brings her eyes back to Franky. “I guess that’s my cue… are you coming?” Inquires Mimi, taking a few steps towards her crewmates before pausing and turning back to her boyfriend. 

“Nah, you ladies have fun. Chopper wants to find some medicinal herbs, and Luffy’s been going on about tryin’ to catch some weird bug.”

Mimi snickers, her shoulders shaking as she imagines Luffy’s enthusiasm. “You really just want to go bug catching with him, huh?” She teases. Franky grins widely, raising an eyebrow. He lifts up his sunglasses, looking down at her with a teasing smile. “I’ve been needin’ some more scrap wood for quick ship repairs, so I was gonna tag along to keep an eye on ‘em. But…” Franky pauses, “...if I find any bugs on that scrap wood, no promises it won’t land on your pillow.” 

Mimi’s jaw goes slack, giving Franky’s arm a light, playful shove. “Franky, don’t you dare!” She exclaims with a smirk, a hint of a laugh in her voice. 

A deep chortle resonates in Franky’s throat as he leans downward. “I’m only messin’ with ‘ya, sweetheart.” He clarifies, placing a kiss to Mimi’s forehead. Her expression softens, closing her eyes as he kisses her. “Now stop messing around and get goin’. Nami’s about to blow a fuse.” Franky says. Mimi nods, placing both her hands gently over the soft blue sideburns running down the sides of his cheeks. She stands on her toes, pulling him in closer as she places a quick peck on his lips. 

“Okay. I love you.” Mimi smiles, looking into his eyes as she pulls away hesitantly. Removing her hands from his cheeks, she continues over to the other side of the beach towards the clearing where Nami and Robin were waiting for her. Franky watches her make her way over, a warm expression forming on his face as he does so. He waits patiently for Mimi to be out of earshot before turning towards the remaining crew members. 

“Alright, let’s get moving.”

___________________________________________________________________

The serenity of the small surrounding town resonates through its streets, the white teak wood buildings patterned on either side. The sunset rests just below the clouds, its last daylight reflecting the faces of passersby as Mimi, Nami and Robin make their way down the shopping district. Scanning her bright teal eyes over the windows of the surrounding shops, Mimi’s eyes widen at some of the lovely garments on display in the shop bay windows. Her eyes land on three mannequins, each with three stunning casual clothing designs. Each of them had uniquely intricate embroidery in certain areas, complementing the differing materials, almost as if each garment was repurposed and put back together in a tasteful manner.  

“Robin, Nami, look at those outfits!” Mimi exclaims, stopping in her tracks to admire them for a moment. Nami stops and raises an eyebrow before her eyes open so wide you could see stars in them. Following Mimi’s voice, Robin turns to the window as well, a small smile warming her face as her eyes land on the mannequins. 

“They certainly are lovely, aren’t they?” Robin responds with her usual warm tone. “They are quite eye-catching. It reminds me of your work, Mimi.” 

“Oh, that skirt is so cute!” Nami squeals as she admires a short brown faux leather skirt. She examines the beautiful gold detailing on the sides of the skirt, which complemented the skirt’s black leather pockets nicely.  

Without another thought, Mimi grabs the handle to the door, holding the door for her friends behind her as the three of them step inside the shop. Racks on racks of unique, one-of-a-kind garments lined the beige walls of the store, the yellow overhead lighting giving the shop a cozy, trendy atmosphere. The three ladies immediately spread out across the small interior, sifting through the well-crafted clothing on the shelves and racks. 

Skimming the rack with her hand, Mimi catches onto the stiff material of a short denim vest. Taking it off the rack, she immediately notices the inside of the vest, which was lined with a nice floral fabric. The back panel of the dark vest was decorated with old embroidered floral patches, an element she really admired about it. “Amazing…” She mutters to herself. She continues to admire the vest, holding it up before the price tag swipes in front of her eyes. 

“225 Beri” the tag reads. Mimi’s face drops. 

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” Nami exclaims. “300 Beri for a SKIRT?! Who the hell would pay that?!” 

“It’s hand-crafted…” A woman’s voice chimes in. Mimi looks up from the vest  in her hands, her eyes meeting the face of a stern middle-aged woman glaring at the three of them. “...and it’s one-of-a-kind, made with upcycled genuine material. You’ll only find it here.” The shop owner continues, attempting to further prove her point. A starstruck expression crosses Mimi’s face. Simple clothing is easy to find a bargain for, but in her eyes, true art and craftsmanship is deserving of the price. Mimi’s face contorts slightly, her furrowed brow and pained grimace an indicator for her indecisiveness. 

She wanted this vest. Badly. But she knew she couldn’t justify spending a chunk of her Beri allowance on it, or Nami would have her head for her poor spending decision alone. Sighing, she places the vest back on the rack reluctantly. 

Facing a rack of short dresses, Robin hears a small familiar “puru puru puru puru” sound. She reaches into her jacket, pulling out her small transponder snail and answering the call. 

Ka-lick.

“Robin, how’s it holdin’ up on your end?” A familiar, gravelly voice pipes up on the other end of the line, a slight energy to his tone. 

“Franky. Mimi’s preoccupied with browsing designer clothing with Nami. A particularly good distraction for her, too. One of the denim vests seems to have caught her eye.” Robin chuckles softly into the phone, her tone quieter so as to not alert Mimi, though Mimi’s attention seemed elsewhere. 

“Sounds super!” Franky lets out in relief, his tone upbeat and hopeful. “The crew and I are close to getting ‘er done. If you and Nami can get out of there before Mimi’s done her stuff, we’ll swap places and I’ll pick Mimi up SUPER style while you ladies make some tweaks to the arrangements back at the beach!” He continues, recounting the next steps of his plan. “And make sure to pick out some nice flowers, ya hear?”

Robin gives a small, tender smile. “I’m glad you’re putting in so much effort for her, Franky. Just make sure that the ring is properly fitted to her finger when you propose so it doesn’t cut off blood flow to her finger and make it fall off.” She says, still smiling as she amuses herself with her own dark humor.

Franky audibly shudders at Robin’s comment over the transponder snail. “DAMMIT, ROBIN, DON’T STRESS ME OUT MORE!” He exclaims, off-put by her out of pocket comment. “Just make sure you and Nami get outta there without Mimi seeing’ ya!” 

With that, Robin gives a slight understanding nod before hanging up the transponder snail with a ka-lick. 

——————————————————————————————————

Shhhhhhh.

The island birds chirp in tune with the rustling palm trees, which fanned out over the heads of the remaining crew. Some shade from the leaves above felt calming, cooling down the beads of sweat that were rolling down the foreheads of the remaining crew as they traversed the forest ground, carrying fresh cut wooden planks and a variety of foraged items. 

A sigh of relief escapes Franky’s lips. He knew that Robin and Nami were well aware of his plans, and it’s times like these that make him feel thankful for his trustworthy crew mates. He hangs up the transponder snail, refocusing his attention to the rest of the crew, who were scattered about as they foraged for materials in the wooded area not far from the beach they set foot on when they arrived on the island. He readjusts his shoulders, balancing the wooden planks over them as his eyes scan the remaining crew. 

“WHOAAAAA, LOOK!” Luffy’s eyes light up in excitement.

Immediately, Chopper’s attention is caught by the energy in Luffy’s voice, his sweet, round reindeer eyes widening with curiosity. Luffy gestures excitedly to a large mushroom, his eyes fixated on a plump Hercules beetle perched atop the fungi. “IT’S A HERCULES BEETLE ON A MUSHROOM! THEY’RE THE STRONGEST BEETLES EVER!” Luffy exclaims, taking the beetle in his hands and showing it off to Chopper with pride. Chopper’s eyes sparkle with wonder and awe at Luffy’s find, his mouth agape as he admires the beetle. 

“REALLY?! You mean it?! It’s so strong it could carry another beetle!?” Chopper asks, his voice riddled with excitement. 

“UH HUH! So strong it could fight another beetle and win!” Luffy grins, his smile stretching from ear to ear in childlike glee. 

“Can you two stay focused?” Sanji snaps. “You’re supposed to be looking for flowers to use as decorations for Franky’s beach setup for Mimi! A lady like her needs flowers, not bugs!” 

Luffy’s face drops in disappointment. “Aww, fine” he bellows, stuffing the beetle in his pocket for later. Without thinking, he tosses the mushroom in the air, popping it in his mouth, followed by Sanji and Chopper turning to him in a panic. 

“LUFFY!!! DON’T EAT THAT, IDIOT!!!” 

Franky grins, watching as Sanji and Chopper attempt to wrestle Luffy to spit the mushroom out, shaking his head slightly. He turns his gaze, taking notice of Brook staring at a peculiar flower bush. 

“I believe these hibiscus might be suitable for Miss Mimi, Franky.” Brook pipes up. He reaches a skeletal finger out, stroking one of the flower petals gently, admiring it’s beauty. 

“Finally, you found something actually useful!” Franky exclaims in relief. The past hour or so had proven mostly unsuccessful in terms of finding decorations for the arch Franky planned to whip together on the beach before Mimi arrives. And, for the record, Franky was getting a bit tired of all the useless leaves and pebbles being brought to him by Luffy at random, despite Luffy’s best intentions. He sets the planks of wood down next to him before pushing back the branches of the flower bush, grasping the stem with his large metal hands. 

With one strong yank, he uproots the bush, leaving the rest of the crew stunned for a moment. Brook’s bony jaw drops, Chopper and Sanji mirroring his expression. Luffy, however, laughs gleefully at the sight of Franky uprooting a hibiscus bush with his bare hands. 

And Zoro, of course, is nowhere to be seen, having last been seen with the crew circa an hour ago. 

_____________________________________________________________

It’s not long now until the crew’s efforts come to fruition. After gathering a few more materials, and making the group effort to lead Zoro back to the beach they first set foot on, the last few steps of Franky’s plan were being carried out.

With each passing minute, Franky’s heartbeat grew louder and louder. Of course, there were still a few things to prepare before Robin and Nami arrive, before he sets out to pick Mimi up from the shop, but even trying to use those to get his mind off his worries was proving unsuccessful. Regardless, he hid it well behind his confident persona. 

He takes one good look at the beautiful arch he built on a whim, but planned well ahead of time. The rustic wooden planks Zoro had helped him cut, nailed together and set upright in the sand formed a perfect heart shape, which faced the ocean and framed the sunset like a painting. He takes it all in for a moment, before turning his attention to the hibiscus bush from earlier. 

Footprints trail behind him in the sand as he makes his way to the bush before grabbing handfuls of the bright coral flowers. 

It wasn’t until he looked up that he noticed two slender figures approaching in the distance across the beach. 

“It’s about time you got here. I bet the shop owner kicked you out.” Zoro called out to Nami. 

“Oh, SHUT UP. You’re one to talk!” Nami retorted, well aware of Zoro’s poor navigational habits. Robin, on the other hand, takes immediate notice of the lovely hibiscus flowers Brook had pointed out to Franky.

“Think ya can manage with these? We were almost hard outta luck until Brook saw ‘em.” Franky scratched his head a little. Without a word, Robin crosses her arms, setting her focus on the heart-shaped arch. The crew watched as a line of slender hands sprouted along the sand from the bush to the heart-shaped arch, passing along individual hibiscus flowers from one hand to the next as Robin’s hands placed the flowers neatly along the arch. Having a Devil Fruit like hers is useful when her friends need a helping hand. 

Nami looks at the near-completed arch, her eyebrows raising in a pleasant surprise. “Wow, this actually turned out well! I expected less, but this isn’t half bad!” She says, giving a nod of approval. 

“Aw, c’mon, Nami. Don’t do me like that.” Franky chuckles deep in his chest, recognizing her joking backhanded compliment. “It’s the most super proposal arch you’ve seen and you know it. Besides, I’ll always burn some midnight oil if it’s for my girl.” 

Puru-puru-puru-puru. Robin’s transponder snail rings once again. 

Oh shit. 

——————————————————————

After a few unsuccessful try-ons, Mimi steps out of the changeroom in the shop. She’s amassed quite the pile of clothes. She couldn’t help it, having an eye for clothing styles and a heart for artistry, being a fellow artist and seamstress herself. Even more so with Nami having handed her more than a few things by recommendation, thinking they would look cute. So, naturally, Mimi had taken her time.

Just long enough to give Robin and Nami ample time to leave the shop and get back to the beach without Mimi noticing. 

“Nami? Robin?” Mimi raises her volume, hoping one of them would hear. She waits a few moments, her calls falling on deaf ears as she receives no response. She sighs. “Are you kidding me? Where did they go?” Mimi mutters under her breath. Slightly miffed, she pulls out her miniature transponder snail from her bag. 

Puru-puru-puru-puru. The transponder snail rings. Puru-puru-puru-puru. 

Ka-lick.

Putting on her most pleasant voice, Mimi speaks. “Robin, where are you? Did you and Nami go to the next store over without me?” 

On the other end of the line, Robin answers. “Ah, Mimi.” Robin pauses momentarily, carefully considering her answer. “We did, the crew ran into a group of murderous wild apes on the beach. We had no choice but to run to their rescue.” Robin smirks slightly, unbeknownst to Mimi. 

“Oh, okay.” Mimi replies, without second thought. An air of awkward silence goes by, and Mimi remembers Robin’s sense of humor, especially in serious situations. Her eyes widen. “WAIT, NO, ROBIN. BE SERIOUS.” Mimi pipes up again, her voice louder. 

On the other end of the line, Franky overhears Mimi’s response. “She didn’t seriously just buy Robin’s joke as an actual answer!” He exclaims, thankfully out of earshot of Mimi over the transponder snail.

 Robin chuckles slightly. “Regardless, wait outside the shop for a few minutes.” She answers cryptically, before hanging up the transponder snail with a ka-lick. 

Mimi gives a puzzled look, hanging up the transponder snail before placing it back in her bag. Picking up the pile of clothes she’d tried on, she quickly plops it on the return counter next to the changeroom before heading out the door without a word. 

Sitting on a bench just outside the shop, she feels the evening air make her hair dance gently as she waits, as instructed by Robin. Her feet shuffle beneath her impatiently, her eyes shifting around as she watches the setting sun, the bright ball of fire concealing itself behind a cloud every so often. 

The peaceful evening air was cool and quiet… until a faint sound of a revving engine came within earshot. Mimi catches a glimpse of a large, red, three wheeled motorcycle with a yellow star on each back wheel, as well as a driver with wild blue hair. The last sunlight of the evening reflects off the front of the motorcycle, revealing the letters “FR-U” printed in black on the front. 

And she recognized him immediately. 

She has not the slightest clue how Franky managed to get his FR-U Black Rhino motorcycle from the Thousand Sunny to shore, but the sight of him zooming into the town in his bike practically ran over any worries she had previously. And nearly a few townspeople as well, but that was of little concern to Franky. 

The bike half circles on the brick road in front of Mimi, allowing for a half donut before the bike comes to an abrupt stop. Franky looks over his shoulder, flipping up his sunglasses as his gaze meets Mimi’s smiling eyes. 

“What’s a super pretty lady like you doin’ here by herself?” Franky smirks. “Need a lift?” 

A bright, closed-mouth smile graces Mimi’s lips. “Did you even need to ask?” She stands up, grabbing her bag and sauntering over to the bike, swaying her hips in a playful imitation of a model catwalk to play along with her boyfriend’s obvious flirt. The bike had no steps up, so Franky lifts Mimi onto his lap with ease since he, unfortunately, only built one real seat into the motorcycle. Mimi gets comfortable, laying back into Franky’s chest as he once again reaches for the handlebars of his motorcycle. 

And before Mimi could blink, Franky stepped on the gas. 

——————————————————————

“That was a smooth stop. You’ve gotten good at that.” Mimi smiles, pulling her silver hair out of her face as the bike comes to a rolling stop, the same rowdy half-donut Franky picked her up with. She looks over the side and takes notice of a small clearing of a forest pathway. 

“Good?!” Franky says, in mock offense. “That was better than good. That was super!” 

Mimi chuckles and shakes her head. “Okay, fine, that was super.” She glances at him for a moment, looking up at his towering frame above her with a genuine warmth in her eyes for just a moment, just enough to make his heart jump. 

Just enough to remind him that this is who he wants to spend his life with. 

Mimi goes to slide off Franky’s lap and off the bike, but is quickly caught off guard by Franky’s hand stopping her. 

“Oi, where do you think you’re going? You’re not gonna tip your handsome driver?” He says. Mimi looks up at him once more briefly, her teal eyes meeting his in curiosity. She finds Franky looking down at her, eyebrow raised in his usual teasing banter she’s so used to from him. 

Her smirk matches his, picking up his cue. Instead of kissing him, she reaches her hand up towards his shiny metal nose, pressing and holding it down for three seconds. “Boop” she states, a slight laugh in her voice as she watches her cyborg boyfriend’s hair flatten itself into a stylish, slicked-back hairstyle reminiscent of one that he wore during the crew’s adventures in Zou. 

It was then, and only then, that she stretched upward and placed a kiss to his three-pointed chin, before finally sliding off his lap and onto the ground. 

“Heh. Alright.” Franky smirks, his shoulders shaking slightly before hopping off his bike, leading Mimi into the forest path entrance. 

The minutes it took to walk the forest path leading up to the beach had Franky watching Mimi’s facial expressions closely, as if waiting to see the moment of surprise on her face. The uncertainty of his thoughts had mostly subsided, especially since there’s no use worrying about it now that every other part of his plan had been executed. 

All that was left now was to watch the pure, unadulterated joy that would cross Mimi’s face when she sees the surprise he and the crew had waiting for her. 

And joyful it was. 

The way Mimi’s eyes lit up shone brighter than any precious metal he’d ever seen. She’d completely lost any words she had on her tongue, breathless as she processed the beautiful scene laid before her. Her eyes danced around the scenery: the rustic wooden planks in the perfect shape of a heart, nailed together and decorated by various bright orange and pink hibiscus flowers. The setting sun, which fit into the heart-shaped planks like a perfect picturesque photograph. The Thousand Sunny, rocking gently on the ocean in the distance. Her pirate family, all present save for Usopp, who gave her a wave from the Sunny in the distance.

And, most importantly, Franky. Her best friend and the love of her life, at her side as he gave her his signature, comforting ear-to-ear grin. 

A smile creeps its way onto her face before words can escape her. 

“W-what is this?” Mimi asked, her voice riddled with joy and sentimentality. A question she already had a feeling she knew the answer to, if it wasn’t glaringly obvious. 

“Just a lil’ something we whipped up.” Franky responds nonchalantly, with all his usual confidence. Mimi takes another look around, meeting the eyes of almost all her crew mates as they smile knowingly back at her. 

“Is this why you’ve all been acting so cryptic to me these past couple nights?” Mimi smiles, half laughing. Her question is met with silence, but the warmth from their expressions never faltered. Franky gives a small nod to Brook, who gave a small nod back, before picking up his violin and playing a small melody. 

He turns his head towards the ocean, watching the sun begin to dip behind the Thousand Sunny, illuminating their impressive ship. 

“Ya know how my dream’s always been to build a ship strong enough to sail the world?” Franky starts, his voice warm but serious. Mimi turns her attention to Franky, her eyes following his gaze outwards. 

Mimi gives a small nod. “Yeah?” 

“There’s a second part to it, not sure if I ever told ya that.” Franky inhales sharply. “I wanted to sail that ship with you on it. Just like old times, or somethin’ like that.” 

Mimi’s breath catches in her throat. She feels her smile widen even more at the thought, the butterflies in her stomach dancing as she stares at the painterly sky. “Just like back home when you’d build your Battle Franky ships and take me on them to kill Sea Kings?” 

Franky gives a shallow laugh, one that resonates in his chest. “You got it.” He pauses, his smile fading slightly. “I really thought that part of the dream got lost when you left, ya know. Scared me real good for the better part of a decade.” Franky says, his voice slightly shaky. Mimi turns her gaze to Franky once more, her eyes soft with slight concern as she watches his eyes begin to well up with tears, his bottom lip in a pout.

She reaches out her hand, placing her hand on his large, boxy blue forearm reassuringly. She’s not going anywhere without him ever again, and she wanted to show him that, even just a little. 

After a deep breath, Franky regains his composure. Still teary-eyed, but enough to continue on. 

“I’ve done so damn much in those ten years. I don’t got a clue what I could’ve done to deserve something so super, but you came back to me, Mimi. I didn’t think you would, but you’re here.” Franky continues, his voice still shaky. He brings his large hand up towards his face, wiping a tear away from his eye. 

“I’m bored. Just say it already, Franky!” Luffy blurts out. Franky and Mimi turn their heads. 

“LUFFY!” Nami and Sanji yell in tandem, calling him out. 

Franky smirks slightly at Luffy’s response. He turns back to Mimi, his feet dragging slightly in the soft sand as he turns to come face to face with her. “I guess I’m just trying to say, you’re the cola that fuels my heart. It doesn’t feel right to live my dreams without you bein’ a part of ‘em.” His tone warms up a little more, leading up to his next words. 

“So, I just got one more thing to tell ya, Mimi.” Franky smiles, this time softer. Without breaking eye contact, he holds his giant fist in the air, forming a thumbs up large enough to catch Usopp’s eye from the Thousand Sunny. 

Scrambling, Usopp makes his way down to the lawn deck of the ship, lighting a match and setting a fuse. He sets the first firework off, almost confident that it was the correct firework… until he looked at the word written on the firework.  He looks at the label again, his eyes widening with panic as the realization sets in. Despite his best efforts to stamp the fuse out or blow it out, it was too late. 

He gazes across the water towards the beach in defeat. 

From the beach, Mimi hears a loud popping noise, beckoning her to turn her head towards the ocean and sky once again. The sea breeze catches her long strands of silver hair as one-by-one, the fireworks explode from the deck of the Thousand Sunny. 

The evening sky glows with many colours as the fireworks take the shape of an almost familiar phrase.

“MARRY.” “ME.” “WILL.” “YOU?”

Mimi watches in awe, chortling slightly at the incorrect order. Franky glances at the fireworks for a moment, chuckling slightly. 

“Aw man. Dammit, Usopp!” He sighs. Franky flips his sunglasses down over his eyes, waiting for Mimi to turn her attention back to him. Mimi shifts her eyes back to Franky in surprise, finding him grinning back at her through his sunglasses. 

Lowering himself, Franky gets down on one knee, now meeting her eye level given his huge stature compared to her. Mimi’s heart jumps, almost in disbelief that this is happening. Like, really happening, as if it wasn’t already years in the making. She can feel the tenderness in his gaze as she watches him reach into his speedo, pulling out a small, wooden, cube shaped box. 

“REALLY? IN YOUR UNDERWEAR, YOU PERV?” Sanji exclaims, horrified by Franky’s ring box storing tactics. 

Franky clicks his teeth in a charming smile. “Hey, gotta make sure it’s super secure!” Mimi holds back a laugh, rubbing her forehead slightly. Franky refocuses his attention back to her. 

Opening up the box, he reveals a beautifully crafted gold ring, adorned with a few small precious jewels. In the middle, it had some tiny gears, which connected to the teeth of a top and bottom band, allowing for the ring to rotate by moving one of the bands. Upon glancing at it, Mimi could tell it was Franky’s handiwork, the hours he must have spent to make it. The thought that went into it. 

It was at this moment that it made sense to her, the nights Franky kept coming to bed later than usual after spending time in the workshop late at night. Mimi covers her mouth, her fingertips touching as if she’s saying a prayer of sorts. She had been holding back her emotions since they stepped foot on this beach minutes ago, but this time she couldn’t contain herself as tears of joy streamed down her face like the canals of their home, Water 7. 

“So, whaddaya say, beautiful? Will you marry me?” 

Mimi pauses, her eyes wide and filled with emotion. Her breath hitches in her throat. There was never any doubt in her mind her answer, yet the air is still as everyone awaits her response. Without warning, she wraps her arms around Franky. Mimi buries her face in the shoulder of Franky’s green blazer, sobbing loudly. 

Slightly confused, Franky holds her gently. 

“Baby! S-so, is that a yes or no?” He asks. 

Mimi pulls away slightly, a smile evident on her face through the tears. 

“That’s a yes, dummy.” She smiles softly. “I love you.” 

THANK YOU FOR READING!! This has been a project for MONTHS so I'm happy you read and/or enjoyed it!!

Tag list: (ask to be added or removed!)

@100shark ✯ @avatarduck ✯ @brahms-and-lances-wife ✯ @brutally-loving ✯ @fictodreamer ✯ @jpeg-indulgence ✯ @kissingarthurclaus ✯ @lawismyhusband ✯ @literally-just-there ✯ @moxanji-real ✯ @r0tten-hav3n ✯ @starshakez ✯ @strawbeaniie ✯ @strawhatwife ✯ @solsunships ✯ @vergils-beloved ✯ @wiggogsy ✯ @zoroscanonhusband

[drinksglue]

does anyone else have those ships that you don't really ship but you still feel a fond appreciation for?? like. no I don't ship that but I still like seeing it show up on my feed. and seeing other people be made happy by that ship is very nice. just me????????

[mbirnsings-71]

*sips my drink* God I love being a multishipper sometimes.

[greenerteacups]

What do you think as Hermione's career would be post battle of Hogwarts? To me her being minister for magic really doesn't make sense. She does not have patience or tact to wade through murky waters of politics 😭😭

So hard to say! The Trio are so, so young when we leave them, I find it almost impossible to project their futures farther than a few years out. The job that suited me at 17 would be radically unsuited to me now. That's why of all the Trio, Ron's ending strikes me as the most realistic — he jumps straight into the save-the-world business again, burns out, realizes he's actually Done The Fuck Enough, Thanks, and pivots into a low-stress career where he gets to see his family a lot. Feels accurate! The others are weirder to me because they do seem to just... pick a lane and stay there.

With Hermione, you could spin her a couple ways. You could say that she leans into her bookish side and does research or teaching, which is not my preference for a couple reasons (namely, I don't think Hermione would like academia as a profession; she finds her classwork interesting and enjoys intellectual validation, but she'd be stifled and wasted in a DPhil program, and she'd be infuriated by the administrative politicking of your average higher-ed faculty). You could say that she gets disaffected with politics and ends up as a barrister or a lobbyist of some kind, but if anything that requires more political finesse, because you don't actually have institutional power, you're just handling the people who make decisions and trying to persuade them of your goals. This is not Hermione's preferred method of influence. She's not even particularly good at persuasion, she just happens to be smart enough (and right often enough) that people take her ideas seriously.

Or you could say her brashness fades with the years into a softened flavor of tell-you-like-it-is honesty, which some politicians actually do successfully trade on; as we see in British politics today, you don't have to be all that charming or clever to get ahead, you just need to be really driven and well-connected (which Hermione completely is; she fought shoulder-to-shoulder with the first postwar Minister and her bestie, the Literal Messiah, runs the Auror Office.) But I don't know if Hermione especially wants to be Minister, after the war. She's just watched years of horrendous bureaucratic incompetence plunge the country into a violent civil conflict. She's had not one, but two Ministers of Magic try to bully or shame her friends into complicity with fascism. Her view of government is... likely extremely dark.

But Hermione also isn't the kind of person who sees her life as a quest for happiness. Babygirl has a savior complex that makes Harry look selfish. (She basically kills her parents — yeah, obliviating is a form of murder, #changemymind — "for their own good," and justifies every batshit, vindictive, mean-spirited move she ever pulls on the grounds that it "helps" one of her friends.) She is a mean, lean, dragon-slaying machine, and she needs a dragon. After Voldemort, the Ministry is the no. 1 threat to muggle-borns and non-wizarding Beings. As a war heroine with basically infinite political capital, I'd be surprised if she didn't try to do something there. That said, Hermione is so vivacious and dynamic that she could potentially grow in a hundred different directions; it's possible that all of this, while true of her at 18, becomes completely inaccurate by 22. That's why I'm not too fussed about any particular fanon interpretation.

[beastsovrevelation]

I realized in all my Good Omens WIPs, the pairing of my Antichrist and War is just... Already established.

I mean...

She's on the verge of proposing in one scene, and it's Ch1 (like, do it, Maxine). *Insert me complaining about still being in skeleton dialogue phase with this - it's a long chapter, though*

It's kind of unusual, but, all the stories are set in timelines where they're already established. I don't mind, exactly... I might be interested in exploring the beginning at some point, but that would be set during Max's time in the military, as they met when she was in the military.

I suppose, Max might just be a character whose arcs aren't primarily focused on romance. There is romance, and it's a part of her, but not the essence of her. I shouldn't be surprised, I didn't create her just to be shipped. Especially not in solely Good Omens universe.

Oh, by the way, in case you (the soul who stumbled upon this somehow) didn't know, Enyo's ( Ἐνυώ, ha) a spirit of war from Greek mythology. I thought, I'll make it War's real name, I'm such a fan of it.

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

Since you've mentioned Scarlet Lady in one of your posts, what's your opinion on it?

I've mentioned before that I'm a big Scarlet Lady fan, which is the only reason that I'm comfortable answering asks like this one. I don't publicly criticize the content of hobby creators. That's wildly inappropriate! Punch up, not down.

The linked post was a general discussion of the adaptation process and how @zoe-oneesama did a fantastic job, so for this one, I'm just going to do some general gushing because I do actually like praising and enjoying things!

Scarlet Lady's chosen format (comic) allows it to have this wonderful conversation with canon where it can rely on the framework of canon to tell it's own story while also using canon for jokes and meta commentary. This means that Scarlet Lady is about as close as fan content can get to a direct reboot because it's able to have moments like this one from the comic's first post:

[Image description: Adrien standing in his room after transforming into Chat Noir for the first time. He is beaming and his eyes are shining with excitement as he exclaims, "This is gonna be awesome!"]

A single picture that communicates everything we need to know about Adrien getting his miraculous. When I've done this same thing in fanfic, I had to write out the full scene because that's how novels work. You have to give the full picture. With a comic, you can just quickly acknowledge this thing that we all already know and then move on to the new stuff. A picture really is worth a thousand words! (Or, in my case, more like two thousand...)

This allows Zoe to keep the same akumas that we get in canon without her story feeling like a boring rehash because she can focus on what's different in her version. A novelization of the same content would have to show both the stuff that stays the same and the stuff that changes for it to be coherent. That's a lot less fun to read and write. It's why I basically never revisit canon akumas in my own stuff. It's just too derivative for the written word.

This is one of the big reasons that I loved Scarlet Lady. Because it was able to have that more directly conversation with canon, it was able to take canon and say, "hey, why don't we embrace the tone that you established in season one and retell the story with that vibe?" That's something that I desperately wanted to see, but that is totally unsuited to my chosen artistic form. It couldn't be a novel. It had to be a comic.

If you want to know what a true formula show version of Miraculous would look like, Scarlet Lady is it. It does everything that Miraculous should have done:

Sticks to a lighthearted tone where nothing is ever super serious

Keeps Gabriel entirely unsympathetic

Has slow character development and background hints at a bigger plot as the only serial elements, allowing the individual episodes to be their own story while never feeling incomplete or rushed

Allows characters other than Marinette to shine while keeping Marinette as the clear main character

Makes Adrien narratively important

MAKES THE LOVE SQUARE CUTE SO I CAN ACTUALLY SHIP IT

Understands that Lila and Chloe can't coexist as antagonists

Reverses the love square, which is the best way to tell their story. Yes, I will die on my "love diamond" hill. It's a good hill. Come join me. I'll bring cookies.

I could keep going, but you hopefully get my point. While Scarlet Lady is certainly not the only way to do a formula version of canon, it's proof that a formula version does work! You don't have to go the serious route for Miraculous to be successful.

I want to take some time to gush about the ending, but I don't want to spoil it, so I'll put that gushing under a "read more" in case anyone hasn't seen it. I'll finish out this less spoilerish section with this:

I feel like some people are surprised when they learn that I love Scarlet Lady because - as some of you have probably picked up - it is quite different from my ideal version of canon. I'm not sure why that would stop me from enjoying a thing, though. It's important to remember that our personal ideals are not the only way to tell a good story. There are lots of ways to take what canon gave us and make something wonderful! It's part of the reason that I enjoy being in a fandom.

If I only wanted to see my ideal take on canon, then I'd stick to writing/imagining my own stories. But I don't want that! I like seeing alternate takes, too. Scarlet Lady is one of my personal favorites. It's completely different from anything that I'd ever think to write and that's why I'm so glad that it exists! I like being entertained just as much as I like creating my own entertainment and I don't want to only read stories that look like something I'd write. That's boring!

Spoilers below:

I've mentioned before that there are many, many ways to properly handle Chloe's character and Zoe did such a good job with her take on that! Chloe isn't absolved of all the things she did wrong, but she's also treated as a young woman with the ability to change.

While the comic bares the name of Chloe's alter ego, she was the never the main character. She never went on a journey. The story kept her to her shallow season-one self: a petty brat who just wanted attention. It did this because that's who Chloe was in canon and who Chloe needed to be for the comic to work.

The first time we see any complexity from Chloe is in the comic's final few episodes, which was absolutely the right call for Zoe to make! In a recent post, I talked about how the end of a formula show is the only time when you can break the formula in catastrophic ways and that's what Zoe did. She kept Chloe static until it was time to end the story and that's when the formula breaks. That's when Chloe gets depth because, once she has depth, the formula doesn't work.

That depth is not used to redeem Chloe, but to show us that there's hope for Chloe. That this petty brat who we've been dealing with has some serious issues and needs help. Help that she's going to get far away from the people that she's hurt because her issues aren't an excuse for what she's done. They don't erase the harm that she caused. At the same time, understanding her issues makes us hope that she can be better now and Scarlet Lady took a moment to give us that hope. To show us the START of Chloe's true story.

That is the kind of ending that I have wanted to see in so many properties!!! It was so wonderful to finally get one that did this right. A story that understood that full redemption to the team and damnation to death/suffering are extremes on a scale of possibilities. You don't have to go to extremes! You can fall in the middle and the middle is a perfect, natural place for Chloe to land in this kind of story. Fully redeeming or even fully damning Chloe simply doesn't work in lighthearted formula content. It's too big a lift as canon has already demonstrated.

I also loved Zoe's take on Emilie. I've mentioned that I don't like evil Emilie in part because it makes her revival feel like the start of a new story. She's back and she'd bad, so we have to take her down now! But I don't want that. I want the story to end when Gabriel is stopped. Zoe does this by giving us an Emilie that is another perfect middle ground. She matches canon's uncomfortable implications without feeling like a true villain who is a threat to society.

[cookies-after-dark]

ok but imagine pv smilk and reader having something going, relationship going steady, freak is on™, people kinda get the hint that this is a committed poly relationship

but! some poor soul makes a pass on the reader (thinking that the relationship is open and they're up for grabs)

you cannot tell me these two mfkers aren't the most possessive ass bitches (pv undercover) when it comes to each other and their partner (i'm hinting at possessive sex bro it would be so good)

pv 🤝 smilk

"that's my boyfriend and my partner and if u look too much im gonna bite."

they live in my mind rent free i need to write an eviction notice- i am so so sorry if this is nonsensical

(additional tags: possessiveness, unhealthy dynamics, beast x ancient

ships: Pure Vanilla Cookie x gender neutral!reader x Shadow Milk Cookie)

Okay so this ask resonated within my soul. I've wanted to write about just how willing Pure Vanilla and Shadow Milk are willing to share the one that holds their affections, across many different dynamics (yandere suitors sharing vs. normal poly relationship between three mostly stable individuals, etc.)

But I really, really like the thought of the two of them just closing the relationship after they include you in it. Because I love to see Shadow Milk when he's a snarling, spitting animal and PV needs to be possessive over his belongings friends and family more because I said so and it brings me joy.

I think they both would handle it quite differently, their jealousy. Shadow Milk Cookie is all external force, his hackles raise when he sees another cookie rub their hands over your back when they hug you. Shadow Milk Cookie is insecure desperate and clingy enough to shoot first ask questions later if he feels you're drifting away from him.

You're not, you tell him that when he's curled around you like some type of hissing weasel.

He believes you, but he just wouldn't feel better if he didn't teach that other cookie a little lesson! One should know better than to enroach on his territory.

Shadow Milk Cookie feels nonthreatened only when it's Pure Vanilla Cookie (and his other Beast friends, as he has expressed to the two of you eagerly). He doesn't mind it, loves it even when he finds their scent on you as he wraps himself around you. It's quite comforting.

But a stranger's touch on you feels wrong, like a sin. Shadow Milk Cookie actually gets very antsy until he's at least sniffed out this foolish doughbrain and assure himself that this won't happen twice.

You and Pure Vanilla Cookie have helped a lot on this regard; Shadow Milk's wrath used to mean something serious. Well, relentlessly stalking a cookie and pulling meanspirited "pranks" on them still is quite serious. Baby steps, everyone!

Needless to say, but I'll say it anyway, Pure Vanilla Cookie is not nearly as unhinged and unstable as his Beast partner is. In fact, I think it would take a much bigger push to feel like Pure Vanilla had to step in. He's patient, kind, and understanding.

But Pure Vanilla also feels jealousy, like any other cookie.

Pure Vanilla Cookie doesn't puff out his chest and start strutting around like a peacock when someone flirts with you. Actually, he thinks it's quite flattering that his partner is attractive enough for such a positive response!

(But if I just left it at that and didn't find some way to make Pure Vanilla Cookie's hackles rise then we wouldn't be here right now.)

I think the thing that gets Pure Vanilla's eyes to snap open is when someone persists with you. Fair enough, anyone with a partner would feel the need to smile a bit more tightly and wander over to put a comforting hand on yltheir shoulder while making subtle eye contact with the pursuer, it's totally normal!

Just a little sign, y'know? A quick nuzzle to your cheek will do the trick.

Unbeknownst to you - there's the faintest reflection of alitted pupils in Pure Vanilla's eyes when his gaze flits towards your increasingly unwelcome guest. Shadow Milk Cookie has been a really good influence, huh?

I think PV would process this internally, more than anything else. You notice he kind of anxiously prowls around you a little bit more, but he goes back to acting like his merry self a day or two later.

Although, his insecurities ring like a bell through his souljam, which Shadow Milk Cookie can feel. They're both watching you much more often than you would think.

And isn't that so sweet? So romantic? You have not one, but two ultra powerful cookies with stable emotions watching your every move, making extra sure that you're safe and sound in their arms, and their arms only! You're in good hands, here.

[bunni-v1]

College au Ifa is the type to take you at a house party and make sure people see the hickey on ur neck in class the next day

Marking Your Territory

🍓I'm gonna kill Pinkie for this one that's all I'll say on that. I lost actual sleep writing this, and instead of napping I finished and edited it. Do not tell me I don't love you guys or Ifa because I am nothing if not dedicated to my gay little craft. Anyway, enjoy or this will be the last thing I ever post. If this flops it's on your hands that I disappear.

TW: NSFW; Drugs (mentioned); Alcohol use; slight dub-con (both are lightly buzzed); marking (lots of it); sex at a party (yippie!); grammar errors (edited but I'm one guy and this is seven thousand words)

Info: College AU; Ifa x Reader (main); Venti x Reader; Kazuha x Reader; Navia x Reader; Wriothesley x Reader; Alhaitham x Reader; Kaveh x Reader (all background ships)

Word Count: 7.6k Words

MDNI

You weren't the biggest fan of house parties, not for lack of trying. Navia had dragged you to a million places since you arrived at Sumeru Academia, always knowing 'a good place' to go to let loose. Venti too, once he finally got you out of your shell. They both insisted you were a fun drunk, the total life of the party once you let loose. Still, when you had a choice, you avoided them altogether. It was just too much. Too many smells, too many sounds, too many people. They made you feel like you were suffocating, regardless of whatever drug you were putting in your body to numb the anxiety.

You'd managed to masterfully avoid any house parties thanks to classes picking up, the perfect excuse to hide away at Puspa Cafe with your tentative boyfriend Ifa. He'd managed to convince you to go on more than a few dates with him now, and while nothing was made official, you were pretty sure he was inching in that direction. Regardless of whatever your relationship was right now, he always greeted you with the brightest smile when you walked through those cafe doors. As usual, he'd made space for you already, and your favorite cup of coffee was sitting in your spot, luring you to his side like a deadly trap.

"Evenin'," He greets with his regular low drawl, scootching his chair just a little closer to yours, enough to wrap his arm around you in a side hug.

You lean into the touch automatically, stress leaving you all at once, "Evening, Ifa. Studying working out for you today?"

He sighs, heavy and tired. He was reviewing the same thing he had been all week, and it was starting to wear on his seemingly unending patience. Instead of complaining about it, which you know he wants to do more than anything, he just kisses your temple. Pushing the book back a little as if dismissing it in favor of paying attention to you.

"Big test comin' up," he hums, "lets not talk about that, though. You busy this weekend?"

You quirk an eyebrow at him, and he smiles innocently. Weekend outings with him had become normal now, despite Navia's complaints about feeling 'abandoned' by you. You knew she wouldn't end up lonely by the time morning came, so it was easy to brush off her guilt-tripping. Besides, Ifa was always fun to be around, taking you to so many different places to do so many new things. He knew Sumeru better than you did, having been here for so long, so you always got a little giddy when he asked for your weekend plans.

You shake your head, bringing your coffee mug to your lips, "Nothing much, just gotta peer review something for Venti for that god-awful poetry class, but I can do that anytime. Why're you asking?"

"Playing dumb is cute," he snorts, ruffling your hair playfully, "I wanted to take you somewhere."

"Hmmm... alright, I guess I can spare you some of my precious free time," you reply haughtily.

An annoyed sigh with no real malice behind it, "A friend of mine is throwing a party on Saturday, and I was thinking it would be a good way to... introduce you. They've been bothering me about it since our first date, and I don't think it's fair to hold off on it any longer."

Your heart skips a beat, both at the idea of having to go to a party with a ton of strangers and at the fact that he wants you to meet his friends. On one hand, it's incredibly sweet that he not only talks about you to his friends but he's been talking about you since your first date. You're at least important enough that the people he's close to know about you enough to ask. On the other hand, if you go to a party and Navia finds out, she's gonna be undeniably pouty. Not to mention parties really weren't your thing.

Ifa seems to sense your inner conflict as soon as it pops up into your mind, a hand coming across the table to gently squeeze your own. He gives you a little reassuring smile, warm as the summer sun and gentle as a breeze. He never fails to worry about you or account for your discomfort. You know all you have to say is no, and he'll find some other way for you to meet his friends on your own terms. Yet, you can't find it in yourself to deny him when he looks at you like that. So much love and care behind his pretty teal eyes.

"Sounds like fun," You smile, squeezing his hand back, "I'll tell you now, though, I'm not the biggest fan of parties..."

He smirks, leaning his head on his hands, "Never could've guessed. You actually seem like quite the party animal."

"Oh, shut it," You scold, going for another sip of your coffee to hide the grin growing on your face.

∘•···············•∘ʚ ♡ ɞ∘•················•∘

You turn your body from left to right in the mirror, trying to decide if the skirt you were wearing was too risky or not. It hid everything it needed to, but all it would take was a light breeze and you'd flash the whole of Sumeru with your lacy panties. Navia stands behind you proudly, despite this, completely satisfied with her work.

You couldn't keep it from her if you tried, so you folded and asked her for help. While she was huffy and pissy for the first little while, the second you asked her for advice on what to wear, she was excitedly leaping at the chance to strip you down and dress you up like a doll. Your laciest underwear, your (her) tiniest skirt, and a cute top with platforms to match. You looked hot, but... maybe it was too much? You didn't want to give Ifa's friends the wrong impression of you, or throw Ifa off too much with how different you look now.

Navia's cheeky squeeze to your butt immediately washes all your thoughts down the drain, squealing into a giggle fit. She wraps her arms around your shoulders, sliding her gaze up and down your body in the mirror. She looked positively satisfied with her work, and she did an amazing job. Despite how upset she was initially, she still came through for you where it mattered. She was still your best friend, and you wouldn't ever dream of asking for a new one.

"You look so sexy," She hums, squeezing you tightly.

You smile, "I do. Thank you, Navia. I'd be lost without you."

"I know!" She hums, "I'm still upset you won't let me go to this special 'invite-only' party, but I guess I'll have to settle for dressing you up now."

You roll your eyes, "Ifa asked me to go, not you, I don't think he'd enjoy you barging in on our date."

She scowls, biting your shoulder hard enough you have to push her away. As you do, your phone buzzes, undoubtedly a notification from him. You smile at his message, typing a quick response before tossing it back in your bag thoughtlessly. If you were gonna be out all night, you would need to use it as little as possible, so into the bag it would be forgotten until you absolutely needed it.

"He's here," You hum, and Navia only seems to sour more.

She still finds it in herself to give you a quick smack as you walk out the door, "Be safe. Use protection!"

You scoff, "Shut up! I'll text you when I'm coming back, okay?"

"IF you're coming back."

"Goodnight, Navia."

She sticks her tongue out at you as you round the corner to the stairs, carefully making your way down to the back exit of the dorm. You see Ifa through the window before he does you, a loose-fitted t-shirt, a leather jacket, and a pair of very flattering jeans. He's ditched his usual cowboy hat for wild and free hair that frames his face nicely, highlighting those sleepy eyes of his you've come to love. He's as cool as he always is, hands stuffed in his pockets as he breathes in the night air. Right up until he sees you that is.

There's a visible shift in him, straightening and eyebrows raising near his hairline. Navia did exactly what she set out to do. A lazy smirk crawls up his face, hands immediately reaching out to take your waist in his hands. They fit there perfectly, warming you in spite of the cool evening air. It's easier to kiss him on these platforms, lips sliding against yours like they were meant to be there. There's an underlying heat to the way he kisses you, but he doesn't push for any more than he's given right now.

"You look good," Is the first thing that leaves his mouth, breathless.

You fluster, "Navia helped me out."

"She did a good job," he hums, pressing another warm kiss to your cheek, then another to your jaw before he catches himself.

He pulls back, giving you another heated once-over before interlocking your fingers in tugging you along with him. The car ride to his friend's house is full of tension that neither of you wants to acknowledge just yet. But his hand rests a little too high up on your thigh as he drives, and it squeezes a little too tight at every stop light. Like he's reminding himself to behave.

It wasn't as though you hadn't already tried things with him. He was pretty straightforward about everything in the relationship, including his own needs, but he'd never let it go past heavy petting. The tension wasn't unfamiliar, but it was different. Thicker. More... unruly, somehow.

Still, he doesn't jump your bones in the car, nor does he when he finally parks down the block from the party. He's the picture-perfect gentleman as he helps you out of the car, leading you down the street with a hand on your lower back. The music from the party blares loudly down the street, thrumming in your veins already. You nearly ask to turn back there, you know he would too. You're sure he'd take any chance to be alone with you right now, but an excited voice shouts from the sidewalk in front of you, followed by rapid footsteps.

A cute girl with white hair and the brightest smile you've ever seen stops dead in her tracks in front of you. Just short of plowing both of you down as she pants to catch her breath. Given how red her cheeks are, she's already had a few, but she seems more worried about greeting the two of you than her own well-being. She takes both of your hands in hers, bouncing up and down excitedly.

"ARE YOU THE GIRL IFA'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT?" She shouts, far too loud for her proximity.

You flinch slightly, pulling back, and that gets her to back down a little. She frowns, apologetic as she backs away, still holding your hands in hers.

"Sorry, I'm just so excited to meet you! He doesn't shut up about how amazing you are-"

"Alright, Mualani, we get it," Ifa interrupts, holding you a little closer now, "cool it, yeah, bro?"

You smile warmly at her, squeezing her hands back, "It's nice to meet you, uhm, Mualani."

Another set of footsteps comes from behind the bright girl, and a man with black hair comes jogging over. He looks tired, faces expressionless as he carefully peels Mualani off you. A deep sigh tumbles past his lips, giving Ifa what could almost be considered an apologetic look, though his face doesn't shift too much. Ifa nods regardless, so you nod at him too.

"She was adamant she had to be the first person to greet you," The young man sighs again, "I'm sorry for the trouble she might've caused. It is nice to meet you, though."

You smile a little, "Nice to meet you too, um..."

"Kinich," Ifa answers for you, "let's get going to the party already, yeah? I'm gettin' cold."

Kinich nods, and the four of you make your way to the actual party. Mualani excitedly chats your ear off, pressing her shoulder into yours and swinging her arms around animatedly. She reminded you a lot of Navia, if she was a bit more carefree. She was easy to talk to and more than eager to help you get around the party - she even mentioned setting aside a room for you if you got too overwhelmed. 'Comfort comes first!' she sang out.

You nearly take her up on the offer the second you step through the door. The heat of the bodies hits you immediately after the sound does, and you can smell the weed in the air. It's intense enough to make you lightheaded, but Ifa squeezes you close to his side, and it all melts away. It's not so bad, because Ifa is right here, excusing both of you to a more secluded corner and making sure you're okay. Always worrying about you.

"You sure you wanna do this," he asks, crowding your space, "all you have to do is say the word, bro."

"I know, bro. I want to, I just need a second to adjust... and... maybe a drink." You hum.

He smirks, "A drink I can do, too. Stay there lookin' pretty, I'll be right back."

You appreciate the sight of him walking away with a contented smile. From your little hidey-hole, you can see all the people. Some of them chatted, others dancing on each other, some playing drinking games, and a few a little too close to fucking each other raw over poor Mualani's couch. It's nice to have this vantage point, it allows you to take it all in instead of getting overstimulated like when Venti or Navia push you into everything at once. A drink in a quiet corner with Ifa was all you needed to warm up a little.

You feel your nerves melting away just from standing there, knowing he would be coming back. Knowing you would have a drink to steel your nerves soon. A light sigh leaves your lips, contentment sinking into your bones. You could drink, dance, and really let loose tonight with Ifa. That's just what you plan on doing, slutty little outfit giving you more confidence than you might normally have.

A low whistle near you seems to agree, turning your head to find none other than Venti. He looks tickled by your tiny skirt if the way his eyes stick to your legs says anything. He prances up to you with his usual grace, a cheeky grin lighting up his face.

"Didn't expect to see you here, Windblume," He chirps, taking Ifa's previous spot next to you.

The closeness is something you're all to used to with Venti, so you don't bat an eye when he presses his shoulder into yours. Nor when he takes a strand of your hair to twirl it between his fingers. His flirtiness was a part of his natural charm, after all, there wasn't anything to question with him. So you smile shyly at him.

"Me either, honestly." You admit.

He hums, "Thought you were too busy to party with me."

"I am busy," you defed.

"And sober," he jabs an elbow into your side, leaning in close, "want me to get something for ya. I know a real good combination that'll have you giggling in no time."

"Already got it covered," the very dry voice of Ifa responds for you.

He slides his arm around your shoulder, effectively walling Venti away from your face. He doesn't seem to take it too hard, shrugging and dipping around to keep his eyes on you. You roll your eyes at his antics, taking the red solo cup from Ifa who affixes an unfriendly look over your head on Venti.

"Ooo, who's this? Got yourself a little boyfriend now?" Venti teases lightly.

You fluster, feeling a little humiliated by the teasing, especially in front of Ifa. It strikes you now that Ifa really hasn't seen the way you interact with anyone other than himself and Ororon - occasionally Navia when he's lucky. Venti's flirty banter could come off the wrong way, and you don't want Ifa to get the wrong idea. It doesn't seem to matter though, because he quickly responds.

"Sure does. That a problem for you, dude?" He's more dry than usual, and it's lacking in humor.

Venti takes it in stride, "No! Of course not! Weird though, she hasn't mentioned you to me before."

Ifa scoffs, pressing you closer to his side, "She only sees you what, once or twice a week right? Not much you can say in so little time to someone who doesn't shut up."

You can feel the tension between them building way too fast for you to keep up with, so you swallow down whatever fruity concoction Ifa got for you quickly. Feeling more confident with the alcohol in your veins, you pop back into their conversation somewhere about responsibility and taking things seriously.

"Hey, y'know, I went to read your poem last night and there was nothing on the document," you suddenly voice, tearing through the tension, "I think it might've been deleted."

"Are you serious?" Venti asks, suddenly a little more serious.

You nod, "Yeah. It was totally blank when I looked."

"Shit." He spits out, "I gotta go check on it... it was nice to see you. I'll talk to you later?"

You nod adamantly, "I hope nothing happened, see you later!"

He nods, waving at you as he slowly melds into the sea of people toward the front door. You feel Ifa relax as he finally walks away, tossing back the rest of his drink with a sigh. You peer up at him and find he's already smiling knowingly down at you. He caught on fast.

"Are all your friends that insufferable," He asks, humor back in his tone like it never left.

You smile, "Nope. Venti's just good at getting under your skin. He's really nice, I promise."

"Oh, he wanted to get under something, alright..." He mumbles under his breath.

You tilt your head curiously, "What was that?"

"Nothin' darlin'," he sighs, "why don't we go find something fun to do. I'm aching to let loose, dance."

You nod excitedly, the buzz from your drink giving you the confidence you need as he tugs you out of the corner and to the dance floor. It's bodies on top of bodies, brushing against each other, heat emanating from every direction. Yet, all you can focus on is Ifa as he smiles at you like you're the only thing worth looking at. His hands keep themselves at your waist, despite how they twitch to be anywhere else.

He does a good job of it too, holding you with the respect that any young man should. It doesn't last long though, not when the song shifts to a much more upbeat one. An 'ass throwing' song, as Navia likes to say, and you can't help but agree with her now. Turning around to throw it back on Ifa, laughing when you see him visibly short-circuiting over your shoulder.

You're not sure what's going through his mind in the few seconds he's stun-locked, but when he starts reciprocating, grinding back into you you can get an idea. His hands slide up your sides and over your stomach, keeping you pressed tight into him. He's rock hard against you, and you can feel how soaked your panties have gotten. The skirt leaves little untouched by him, and you can tell he wants it all to be untouched by the way his fingers dance along the bottom of it, the other hand cusping your breast.

You feel electricity pressed up against him, feeling sinfully sexy with how he's all over you. When he leaned down to press his face into your neck, you knew the two of you were done for. It was just you and Ifa right now, and you're sure if he was more than tipsy he'd probably take you on the floor with all these people watching. You don't dare admit how much that turns you on.

Instead, he whispers in your ear, "Wanna go check out that room Mualani was talkin' 'bout?"

You don't respond, just turning and pushing him. He guides you around the house like second nature, pulling you up a flight of stairs and to a quiet corner of the house no one seems to bother visiting right now. The door to the bedroom creaks open, and he takes a second to make sure it's empty, before pulling you in.

His lips are on yours again so fast you nearly stumble to the floor, but he catches you by the small of your back and leverages that to deepen the kiss. You shove at his jacket frantically, sighing as his tongue presses into your mouth. It rolls along yours, playfully coaxing you to join in, only to fight when you finally do.

He doesn't break it until he's tugging your shirt off, then his. Only for a moment before he's back on you with a fury, determined to swallow you whole it seems. Your bra follows after this, and then his belt and jeans fall with a dull thud. As soon as they do, he's hauling you up into his arms, grasping your thighs like a lifeline as he carries you to the bed. You bounce a few times when he tosses you on it, looking down at you with unrestrained excitement.

You're not any different, swallowing up the contours of his abs happily. He looked like some kind of god like this, making your head spin from more than just the buzz you had. He seems to have a moment of clarity, leaning down to press his forehead against yours.

"You wanna do this? All you gotta say is-"

"Yes. God, please, you've been eye fucking me all night and I can't stand it anymore." you groan out.

He laughs, "Guilty as charged. Can you blame me though? This little skirt doesn't leave much to the imagination."

"That's the point, yeah." You snark back, earning you a warning squeeze on your thigh.

"Don't be nasty now, bro."

"Call me bro one more time and you're not getting any ever."

He nods, "Noted. Now... let's see what's goin' on down here..."

He crawls down your body with his lips, hands spreading you out like you were a delicious buffet made just for him. He smirks at the lacy panties, and more specifically at the very obvious wet spot staining the middle of them. You realize he hasn't taken your skirt off, staring at him like this, and go to do so, but he stops you. Eyes moving up to yours like a warning.

"That stays on. Got it, sweetness?" he warns lowly, and the words rush right to your aching pussy, clenching around nothing.

You nod stupidly, and he hums satisfied. Returning to the object of his interests. He thinks about it for a moment, eyes looking to yours, and then with a smirk, he leans down and licks a long stripe up your clothed entrance. Eyes locked on yours, making sure you're watching him like he wants. It draws a long whine out of you, and his smirk widens.

He leans down, mouth clasping around you and allowing his tongue to roll over your clothed folds. It's an oddly pleasant feeling, the wet lace pressing into you, leaving an imprint of it against you. He groans at the taste of you, vibrating through you to your core. It's not enough for either of you, which is why he quickly tugs your panties down your legs and delves right in again. He immediately searches for your clit, finding it with little effort and absolutely abusing the hell out of the little nub.

It's shockwave of pleasure after shockwave of pleasure, and it's only made worse when his sneaky fingers are suddenly pressing inside. Stretching you out for the main event. He moves them at a languid pace, pumping in and out of you with ease from how damn wet you'd become. Each pump is followed by a roll of his tongue, surrounding you with nothing but him and the pleasure he gave you. You were lightheaded in minutes, ready to fall apart at just a single word.

Yet, he pulled away right before he got to the good part, leaving you breathless and worked up. You whine at him, and he grins apologetically, though he doesn't seem that way.

"Sorry darlin', I wanna feel that when I'm inside you for real. You can understand that, can't you?" He purrs, annoyingly convincing for his cause.

He moves across the room, digging in his pants for something, sighing when he finds it. The little package glints in the light, and you realize it's a condom as he settles himself between your legs with his boxers gone. Why did he bring condoms with him, unless he planned to fuck you tonight, which was honestly kind of hot.

"You just carry condoms around with you," You ask.

He chuckles, "I do, yeah. I may not need 'em... usually... but my friends are some freaks. Gotta make sure they're not havin' kids at these parties, y'know."

You smirk, "You sure you weren't just planning on sleeping with me?"

"Well..." He hums, "I won't say I wasn't hoping for it."

"Got your wish then," you answer.

He smirks, "Damn right I did. You ready?"

He leans down over you, lacing your fingers together and pressing his forehead to yours. It's incredibly sweet the way he looks at you, gentle and loving, despite the fact he was about to fuck you. You nod, reciprocating the gestures.

"Squeeze my hand three times if you need me to stop, okay pretty?" He hums, and you nod again.

His other hand comes down to help ease himself into your sopping entrance. It's a stretch even with his earlier help, but that can't be stopped you suppose. Besides, he goes so slow and gives you all the time you need to adjust, so it's not so bad. It takes a bit before he is fully sheathed inside, but once he is, it's like you're in heaven. He fills you up so good, stuffed full and ready to have your world rocked by him with the pounding of the party music behind you.

One last check, a little squeeze of your fingers, and he finally moves. Small and shallow thrusts first, testing the waters, but they make you squirm nonetheless. When he is certain you are taking him well, his movements get deeper, and more meaningful in the way he moves against you. The brush of his cock inside your walls is dizzying, dragging along them at an easy pace making your head spin.

His fingers tighten around your hand, his other hand tapping along your hip like he's trying to distract himself. His usually lidded eyes have fallen impossibly lower, each breath looking like an impossible task for him. It's got you biting your lip, fingers tightening in his grip. He glances up at you, catching your shameless staring, and gives you a breathtaking smile.

"Enjoying the view?" He pants out, still keeping that same pace.

You nod, unable to focus on one part of his face, eyes darting from one to the other, then his lips down his chest and back again. Too much brain power to focus on one part of him when all of them look so good right now. It gets him to coo at you, hand sliding up your side in a slow and easy crawl until it cradles your jaw.

"Can't even focus, am I really that good?" He asks though you're in no state to answer and he knows it.

He leans down to kiss you before you can try and mumble something half-coherent out, swallowing the sounds as they die on your tongue. It dips in and out at the same pace he does, slow and deep, reaching further and further as if trying to imprint himself inside you. His free hand slides back down your body, giving your breast a playful squeeze on its way, and slides around your thigh. With no effort on his part, he lifts it up to wrap your leg around his waist. The new angle deepened his thrusts even more, pressing up against your sensitive walls relentlessly. Steady and firm and unshaken.

You keep yourself level by following the movements of his tongue, pressing against yours, encouraging you to keep up with him. He tastes like the fruity drink from earlier, with the slightest hint of something savory underneath. The alcohol was nothing against him, practically blackout on his taste alone. You might never drink again if this was the replacement. You bring your free hand up to his hair, running your fingers through his curly locks. They curl around your fingers, sinking you into him even further, temping you to get lost in him.

Each draw of his hips sent fire through your bones and every time they collided with yours you swear lightning struck your body. The pounding music only aids in making your head fuzzy, encouraging you to be as loud as you like against his lips. You moan and sigh and whine, just like he wants you to, eating up each sound with another swipe of his tongue. You think you might suffocate against his lips, but you don't mind that at all. It would be an honor to die smothered in his devotion, so much so that you whine when he begins to trail his lips away from yours.

Open-mouthed kisses tumble down your cheek, along your jawline, and right to the side of your throat. He nips at you playfully when you clench around him, having to take a second to groan against your skin when you clench even harder at the feeling. You're not sure how many marks he leaves in the heat of the moment, but it feels as though he means to leave no room to question what exactly you'd done tonight. What he'd done. What he was going to do.

He readjusted the hand he was holding, placing it around his neck and tapping three times as a reminder. Then it falls down in between the two of you, squeezing the fat of your thigh tightly. Leveraging himself up into a sitting position with its help, tugging you flush against him as soon as he's adjusted. The room is much cooler with him off of you, your nipples pebble along with your skin. You don't think when your hands come up to play with them, pulling and tweaking the sensitive buds to warm yourself up again. The effect it has on Ifa is a different story, eyes blown wide and watching you with nothing short of hunger.

"Shit, dude- fuck. I meant- goddamn... you're gonna kill me here, darlin'," He flusters for the second time that night.

You just roll your hips in response, unable to think of any clever comeback right now. All you want is for him to fuck you, and that's what you'll get, one way or another. He reciprocates with ease, once again using your thighs as leverage to fuck himself into you. The pace he sets is much more aggressive now, urgent like he couldn't wait much longer either.

His fingers sink into the plush of your thighs like dough, molding your mind and body with his dick. The heat from earlier is back with a vengeance, running through your whole body and pouring into your core like molten lava. The heat keeps rising and rising with every thrust, and deeper and deeper you fall into madness. The only thing on your mind is him, and it tumbles out of your lips like a mantra. Like a benevolent god, he listens and keeps giving you all you pray for. Pounding deeply within your core until the heat boils over, and you sob his name as the white-hot pleasure sends you tumbling into madness.

He follows after you, bending over you to suck one last purple hickey between your neck and your jaw, and then moans your name. Low and deep, rumbling between the two of you. He comes down first, pressing soft kisses into your neck as you float from your high, lightweight as a feather. You bask in the affection he gives you, sighing into the air, still thrumming from the party below you.

"Feel good?" He asks.

You nod, "I think I needed that."

He smirks into your skin, taking a second before responding, "I think I needed it too."

It takes a few moments for either of you to get up, basking in the warm glow of after-sex. Yet, the party still roars beneath you, reminding you that you are not at home and that to relax you would have to get home. However, with Navia there, it wouldn't be very relaxing - especially after she sees what you did to her skirt.

Ifa pulls himself up first, easing you into a sitting position as sweetly as he can. Quietly he dresses himself, collects your clothes, and helps you do the same. As best as he can, that is. He takes about three seconds to look at your panties before stuffing them in the pocket of his jeans. Your bra he does manage to get on, clipping the clasp together with little struggle thanks to his steady hands. Instead of bothering with your top, he simply zips you up in his jacket and shoves the thin piece of fabric into his other pocket. It's all an incredibly endearing show, ending when he pulls you up and tugs your skirt back down over your ass. Not that it matters when his jacket is longer than it was in the first place.

He knows the way out of the house, navigating the two of you through the crowd with ease, making sure he is positioned right behind you. Just in case. Certainly not to get another feel as he pushes you through the bodies. You almost feel bad for leaving without saying goodbye or having properly met his friends, but you know you'll get another chance to do so. Hopefully in a more calming setting.

He's quiet as he leads you back to his car, eyes focused on something off in the distance that you couldn't see. The quiet night air keeps you company instead, and the cool breeze cools your still-heated skin with kindness. It's sobering, hitting you all at once with the realization you just did the most cliche college act in the book, and it was amazing. Maybe not the best idea- scratch that, it was a really good idea, but maybe Ifa didn't agree? You couldn't tell with the way he was acting.

Quietly sitting down in his car, making sure you didn't ruin his seats as he drove you home. He still kisses your forehead before he takes off like all is well, but his grip is knuckle white on the steering wheel. He swallows hard every few minutes like whatever he's thinking about is difficult for him. Did he regret sleeping with you? It didn't seem like it while it was happening, but maybe being outside sobered him up and he realized what a huge mistake he made?

You shake your head, mentally scolding yourself for wallowing in self-pity. With a warm smile, you rest your hand on his arm, startling him out of his thoughts. He blinks a few times, seemingly shaking off whatever is on his mind, and smiles at you like the luckiest man alive.

"You alright... you seem... distracted?" You ask quietly.

He takes a moment to compose himself again, fingers tapping along the steering wheel as a distraction. He's holding himself back again, an unidentifiable tension that you weren't aware of standing between you and him. A moment of internal debate, before his shoulders finally relax and his hand comes to slip into yours like it was meant to.

"I have been dreaming of having sex with you since our first kiss," he admits brazenly, glancing at you a few times to gauge your reaction.

Reasonably, you're flustered at the admission, but you can't shame him. You'd had similar feelings for a while, but admitting them out loud was harder than it seemed. You admired that he could do it so easily, though. Finding his boldness charming more than startling.

You squeeze his hand, "Well... you're not alone in that."

He snorts, "Yeah, well, now that I've gotten a taste I dunno if I can stop. You've got me addicted from one taste."

You bite your lip, emboldened by his confidence, and slide his hand up your thigh. Resting it just below where his jacket ends, message more than obvious.

"No one said you had to stop," you hum, relishing in how his hand squeezes you so tightly, "it's healthy to treat yourself sometimes. You told me that, remember."

"I did, didn't I?" He hums, fingers crawling under your skirt once more, "I hope you don't mind my indulging just a little longer?"

You send him a suspicious look, “How much longer?”

"How about until someone gives us a noise complaint, hm?" he purrs.

Your eyebrows shoot up, he wanted to keeping going in his dorm?

"What about Ororon? Won't he-"

"Visiting his granny," he dismisses, "and don't worry about Cacucu, I sent him off with Ororon this weekend. Figured I'd be busy."

You can't believe how shameless he was, but you can't find it in yourself to be anything other than happy.

"Well then, I hope your neighbors don't mind missing a few hours of sleep tonight."

He hums, fingers finally right where they need to be, "They're really understanding, so don't worry too much about them."

∘•···············•∘ʚ ♡ ɞ∘•················•∘

You had to go to great lengths to hide all the hickeys Ifa very intentionally left all over the most visible parts of your neck. His punishment was running to the drug store to buy you all the cheap color-correcting makeup you needed, but he didn't seem to be bothered by it. Not when he sighed so dreamily as he watched you struggle to cover up all his doing. Luckily, he got the cumstains out of Navia's skirt, so you could forgive him for that at least. You're not sure she'd even want it back anyway.

After nearly an hour of painstaking work, you've finally covered all the hickies you could see. Which was most of your neck, of course. You tie your messy hair up in a bun, not wanting to handle it any longer. He'd left you quite a mess, and you only had enough energy left to fix one of the several. Still, when he came up behind you to kiss you farewell before his 8am, you couldn't stay mad.

"You're gonna come to Puspa tonight, right? Mualani was thinking of stopping by with Kinich and some of our other friends," he asks, pressing his face against yours from behind.

You smile at him through the mirror, pressing your cheek closer to his, "Yeah, I can come. I still feel bad leaving like we did."

"Trust me, bro, they're not upset," he pulls back with that, leaning down to press one last kiss to the back of your neck, "stop by the library before lunch, too, Ororon wants to see you."

"I will," you call to him as he waltzes out the door.

From there, you go about your day as usual. Your first few classes are peaceful and quiet, with no one bothering you about anything. Monday is the only day Navia has no morning classes with you, so it's all nice and easy without her pestering for details every five minutes. It's not until you bump into Kazuha that things seem a little off. He has an uneasy smile on his face when he taps your shoulder from behind, but still wraps you in a hug like always when you do.

"Hey, it's my boyfriend!" You hum playfully.

He hums back, "I've missed you, my darling girlfriend. I heard you went to a party this weekend, did you have fun?"

There's a hidden question in his tone, and you know what it is, but you dismiss it. There's no way he of all people would know what you and Ifa did... all weekend unless Venti somehow found out, but you doubt it. He was really serious about the poem that you may or may not have lied about.

"Yeah! It was super fun, I met some cool new people and... and I really got to unwind!" You dance around the subject easily.

He doesn't push it, thank goodness, "That's great. You really push yourself too far sometimes, a good rest is what you deserve."

"Thanks, Kazuha." You're genuinely appreciative of it too. It's nice to hear him talk so positively of you, "I gotta get to my meeting with Kaveh, but take care, yeah!"

He smiles, waving you off, end with a, "Remember if you ever feel the need to unwind again, just call me next time!"

A little weird on the phrasing, especially considering what 'unwinding' meant to you, but... surely not. There's just no way! You dismiss it quickly as it comes, not wanting to relish on the thought and ruin your perfectly good day.

But then, Kaveh and Alhaitham are acting a bit... odd. You don't usually study with them, but Eula was busy this evening, and using study room five without her felt sacrilegious. So, you managed to convince Kaveh to do so during his free period, Alhaitham promising to stop by later once his class was out. Kaveh had been tense since you set your bag down, unable to really focus on his paper.

When Alhaitham comes in the behavior only gets odder, the older of the two immediately scolding him when he goes to ask you a question. They bicker back and forth about it for a moment, before Alhaitham drops it with a sigh. Weird, given how stubborn he was all the time. But he kept glancing at your neck, making you feel a little self-conscious. Had the makeup rubbed off? You told Ifa to get the good expensive stuff so it shouldn't have so easily.

You finally get your answer when Wriothesley and Navia come across you as you're heading to the library to meet with Ifa and Ororon. You hear Navia before you see her, gasping loudly like she'd seen something horribly scandalous. When you turn to them, you are surprised to find Wirothesley scowling at you. Or, more at your neck. Self consciously you place a hand at the back of your neck.

"Ohh, honey," Navia coos, rushing to your side, "why didn't you come and see me, I would've made sure you got all of them!"

Wriothesley, on the other hand, is as dry as ever, "Do I need to take care of someone for you, cause I most certainly can. Might cost you though."

"No, you don't... yet," you sigh, "is it bad."

Wriothesley nods, "Like someone tried to eat you."

"Well, at least I know why you didn't come home this weekend," Navia mumbles, "goodness, it really does look like he tried to eat you. Lemme help you cover it up."

You wave a hand at her, "No, no. I'll just hide it with my hair. Besides, I'm already late to meeting Ifa, and Childe's gonna throw a fit if I'm not at our regular table in fifteen."

She pouts as you brush past her, but doesn't push you any further. She had all night to do that anyway, so you'd get your scolding from her later.

Wriothesley sends you a smirk as you walk away, "Just say the word!"

"I'll let you know!" You call back, practically storming your way to the library.

Ifa smiles when he sees you, then frowns when he sees your hair. That bastard. You nearly rip him a new one, if not for the fact Ororon greets you before you can get to it. He is blissfully unaware of what his roommate had done on both sides of the room this weekend, and you think it's best kept that way. It does not stop you from glaring over at Ifa when Ororon isn't paying attention, though.

When he offers to walk you to the cafeteria, you take it as your opportunity to scold him like a mother would a child.

"Why didn't you tell me? I walked around like that all day. People probably think I'm a cheap whore," you whine.

He smirks, "You're a very pretty cheap whore."

"Ifa."

He holds his hands up, "I'm kidding, bro, I'm kidding. You're not a whore, you're the opposite actually."

"You're so insufferable," you roll your eyes, but you're not angry much anymore, "I don't get why you had to leave all these marks. It's like you like getting in trouble."

"Only with you," he remarks cheekily, quickly moving on to, "Besides, I gotta 'stake my claim on you' somehow."

You level a flat look on him, wholly unimpressed with his animal kingdom language, "That's the stupidest shit I've ever heard.

He smiles at you like he always does, wrapping an arm around your shoulder, "It's true though! You've always got a million eyes on you, if I don't leave my mark they'll think it's okay to take what's mine."

You raise an eyebrow, though your heart flutters in your chest, "What's yours?"

"That's what you are, right?" He leans in close, "You're mine, aren't you?"

You have to turn away to save face, tucking your hair behind your ear nervously. God he was so attractive, it wasn't fair.

"Guess I am," you answer simply.

"Good, just how I like it."

[felassan]

Some Bluesky posts by David Gaider:

David Gaider: "So prepare yourself for another series of threads (easy to ignore that way, if you're not so inclined) where I discuss the journey - from leaving BioWare and then Beamdog, to doing what seemed impossible and starting the studio, to now!" [x]

DG: "The Road to Summerfall - Part 2 I guess the best place to start is with leaving BioWare. Right off the bat, I'll say I enjoyed working there - a lot. Until I didn't. I started in 1999 with BG2 and ended in 2016, 2 years after shipping DAI and after spending a year on the game which became Anthem." [x]

Rest of post is under a cut due to length.

"Things at Bio felt like they were at their height when the Doctors (Ray & Greg, the founders) were still there. We made RPG's, full stop. We made them well. Sure, there were some shitty parts... some which I didn't realize HOW shitty they were until after I left, but I'd never worked anywhere else." [x] "To me, things like the bone-numbing crunch and the mis-management were simply how things were done. I was insulated from a lot of it, too, I think. On the DA team, I had my writers (and we were a crack unit) and I had managers who supported and empowered me. Or indulged me. I'm not sure which, tbh." [x] "It's funny that Mike Laidlaw becoming Creative Director was one of the best working experiences I had there, as initially it was one of the Shitty Things. You see, when Brent Knowles left in 2009, I felt like I was ready to replace him. This was kinda MY project, after all, and who else was there?" [x]

"Well, it turned out this coincided with the Jade Empire 2 team being shut down, and their staff was being shuffled to the other teams. Mike had already been tapped to replace Brent... Mike, a writer. Who I'd helped train. There wasn't even a conversation. When I complained, the reaction? Surprise." [x] "It was the first indication that Bio's upper management just didn't think of me in That Way. That Lead Writer was as far as I was ever getting in that company, and there was a way of Doing Things which involved buddy politics that... I guess I just never quite keyed into. I was bitter, I admit it." [x] "But, like I said, this turned out well. Mike WAS the right pick, damn it. He had charisma and drive, and he even won me over. We worked together well, and I think DA benefited for it. I think I'd still be at Bio, or have stayed a lot longer, but then I made my first big mistake: leaving Dragon Age." [x]

"See, we'd finished DAI in 2014 and I was beginning to feel the burn out coming on. DAI had been a grueling project, and I really felt like there was only so long I could keep writing stories about demons and elves and mages before it started to become rote for me and thus a detriment to the project." [x] "Plus, for the first time I had in Trick Weekes someone with the experience and willingness they could replace me. So I told Mike I thought it was time I moved onto something else... and he sadly let me go. So, for a time, the question became which of the other two BioWare teams I'd move onto." [x] "Both needed a Lead Writer. Mass Effect Andromeda was just gearing up, and while I liked everyone out in Montreal I didn't really want to move. So I joined the new project that the former Mass Effect team in Edmonton was cooking up - the one that became Anthem but, at the time, was code-named Dylan." [x]

"That was a mistake. You see, the thing you need to know about BioWare is that for a long time it was basically two teams under one roof: the Dragon Age team and the Mass Effect team. Run differently, very different cultures, may as well have been two separate studios. And they didn't get along." [x] "The company was aware of the friction and attempts to fix it had been ongoing for years, mainly by shuffling staff between the teams more often. Yet this didn't really solve things, and I had no idea until I got to the Dylan team. The team didn't want me there. At all." [x] "Worse, until this point Dylan had been concepted as kind of a "beer & cigarettes" hard sci-fi setting (a la Aliens), and I'd been given instructions to turn it into something more science fantasy (a la Star Wars). Yet I don't think anyone told the team this. So they thought this change was MY doing." [x]

"I kept getting feedback about how it was "too Dragon Age" and how everything I wrote or planned was "too Dragon Age"... the implication being that *anything* like Dragon Age was bad. And yet this was a team where I was required to accept and act on all feedback, so I ended up iterating CONSTANTLY." [x] "I won't go into detail about the problems except to say it became clear this was a team that didn't want to make an RPG. Were very anti-RPG, in fact. Yet they wanted me to wave my magic writing wand and create a BioWare quality story without giving me any of the tools I'd need to actually do that." [x] "I saw the writing on the wall. This wasn't going to work. So I called up my boss and said that I'd stick it out and try my best, but only if there was SOMETHING waiting on the other side, where I could have more say as Creative Director. I wanted to move up. I was turned down flat, no hesitation." [x]

"That... said a lot. Even more when I was told that, while I could leave the company if I wanted to, I wouldn't have any success outside of BioWare. But in blunter words. So I quit." [x] "Was it easy? Hell no. I thought I'd end up buried under a cornerstone at Bio, honestly. I LIKE security. Sure, I'd dreamed of maybe starting my own studio, but that was a scary idea and I'd never pursued it. I had no idea where I was going to go or what I was going to do, but I wanted OUT." [x] "Which led to me at home after my last day, literally having a nervous breakdown, wondering what kind of idiot gives up a "good job". How was a writer, of all things, with no real interest in business supposed to start his own studio? It felt apocalyptic. Within a year, however, I was on my way." [x]

[original thread, following thread]

Follow-up Q&A Bluesky posts:

User: "Were David Gaider still at Bioware, I am certain you would have showed us exactly how Mythal was transferred to Morrigan. You would have paid off on all those years of growth since DAO" David Gaider: "You can be certain I would have *wanted* to, for sure. Whether I'd have been able to is something not even I can be certain of. During my time at BioWare, I had to settle for less-than-ideal results lots of times - that's just how it goes, when it comes to making games." [x]

User: "jesus fuck that is a revolting way to treat any employee" DG: "The thing that got to me most was the apparent assumption that I needed "success". That this was the most important thing to me, to work on projects that sold millions of copies. I like that, sure, who wouldn't? But he obviously didn't know me at all." [x]

User: "Could you elaborate on the anti-RPG sentiment? Was it like the team didn't want narrative choices or game mechanics that affected dialogue? Did they even want dialogue choices?" DG: "There has always been an element within Bio that quietly resented the idea we could never quite get away from being a studio that "just" made RPG's and that our writing was more celebrated than our action. So, yes: more action, less story, less cinematics, and less dialogue all around." [x]

User: "I mean, that's the team (Ship of Theseus!) that made ME2, right? ME2, which was like ME1 if you added more loyalty quests, more romance options, and made the good ending more dependent on doing the loyalty quests?" DG: "When I say an "element within BioWare", I don't mean the entire team... we're talking about a group of devs, many of which worked on ME2 yes, who gained traction because their views likely aligned with what EA also wanted. Speculation on my part, largely, because I wasn't on that team until Dylan." [x]

User: "Gods that is some really shitty corporate culture to say 'You'll ammount to nothing outside of Bioware!'." DG: "From some perspectives, I haven't. I make indie games that sell thousands of copies, and from a triple-A perspective that's... basically nothing. But I'm happy, I enjoy what I'm doing, and I feel creatively fulfilled. Not everyone thinks those things equate with success, though." [x]

User: "Hold up. Jade Empire was gonna get a sequel? How did that not happen?" DG: "The team worked on it for quite a while. First it was Jade Empire 2, and then they rebooted it as a different game altogether which was kind of "modern Jade Empire but minus anything Asian"... and then they cancelled it. Happens a lot to projects as they spin up." [x]

User: "What do you think began the conflict between the Dragon Age and Mass Effect team?" DG: "I honestly have no idea. Competition for resources, I suppose? One team's plans were always being cut short because the other team suddenly needed all their team members for an upcoming release." [x] User: "That makes sense. I can't imagine how it must feel to have your project side lined or reduced because of another team. Do you think the ME team were more entitled because they perceived their franchise as having a bigger cultural impact?" DG: "I never got that sense, though I was never in the meetings where these things were hashed out. They tended to always get what they needed, however, because EA always expected that each ME game had way more *potential* for huge sales than DA did." [x]

User: "Wow.... this makes so much awful, shifty sense. It has seemed to me, from the outside, that there has been a preference for ME over DA. The launch of DATV and the residual layoffs seemed more of a hit job from inside than just a troll problem." DG: "While I was at BioWare, EA *always* preferred Mass Effect, straight up Their Marketing team liked it more. It was modern. It had action. They never quite knew what to do with DA, and whenever DA outperformed ME, ME got the excuses. If you ask me, it was always just shy of the axe since DA Origins." [x] User: "Can I ask a follow-up question ? Is them not knowing what to do with DA the reason why every DA game was different ? While I love all the games I've always wondered where that originated from" DG: "Maybe in part? I'd say the biggest reason was that, while I was there, the BioWare teams were bad at overreaction. They'd take the feedback/criticism to heart - both our own and the fans' - and generally fixed that but also overcorrected. And then there was EA's influence on top of that, yes." [x]

User: "Is that why DA games never got a remaster/remake?" DG: "There's a lot more that goes into such a question, I'd say, though I honestly have no idea. I can't imagine it helped." [x] User: "Do you feel EA will perhaps sell off DA to another developer like Larian (Baulders Gate) or Playground (Fable)? Considering the reception of Inquisition and Veilguard?" DG: "I suppose anything is possible, but to me it seems unlikely if EA thinks there's any chance they might just sit on the IP until they can reboot it later on." [x]

User: "I've always gotten that vibe from the games department, yet I also saw Dragon Age getting a LOT more attention than Mass Effect when it came to the peripheral material like books, comics, lore books, etc. Do you know why?" DG: "I don’t think that was ever true? ME was so much easier with logo branding, and the N7 hoodie was ACE. 😅" [x]

User: "Was there ever any pressure put on the DA team to move away from RPGs?" DG: "Not initially. Initially Ray & Greg said they were fine with having two different styles of RPGs. After they left, there was pressure to emulate ME more and more because, again, it was the “future”." [x]

User: "May I ask for timeframe? Did you work on Joplin at all, or did you move before it even entered planning stage?" DG: "Joplin wasn’t really being worked on while I was still there. The DA team was finishing the last of the DAI DLCs." [x]

User: "i don't think it was just EA, was it? i recall several instances of ray muzyka praising mass effect in interviews or open letters but i don't recall once him doing it for dragon age." DG: "I can’t say. Ray was a big fantasy fan, so I doubt it." [x]

DG: "In terms of the remasters, I suspect the major difference between the two wasn’t favouritism but rather the engine. All three ME games were made in Unreal." [x]

User: "If you stayed, would you be able to persuade BioWare/EA to push DA4 on the success of DAI or would it be cancelled/delayed like Veilguard did?" DG: "I was a sub-lead, not even a senior lead. I would have had as much influence as I did when I was there, which is to say very little." [x]

User: "Anytime I see ex-BioWare people talk about Anthem, I can’t help but wonder if that game should have been axed early on - it never felt much like a BioWare game, even in the marketing. Or would you say that the game itself could have been fine, but it was the management of the IP that was the issue?" DG: "The initial version I worked on still had some RPG in it, but you could see where the winds were blowing. I think the team leads just convinced themselves it was good and would all work out somehow. Through “BioWare magic”, I guess." [x]

User: "Every time I hear about this or see it, it always sounds like the ME team were just a-holes. No great way but to say it bluntly. Nothing to be done." DG: "I wouldn’t say that. Most of them were lovely. We were always competing for very finite resources, however." [x]

[original thread, following thread]

[grimmusings]

Given the recent resurgence in purity culture and anti-villain sentiment on Tumblr, this feels like a good time to talk about censorship and bullying. This is not a call-out post for anything that's happened recently, just some commentary on what, to me, is a disturbing trend and some general guidelines for how to conduct yourself in fandom spaces.

Essentially, it boils down to this: You have the right to not interact with anything you choose in a fandom. You don't have the right to make that choice for anyone else.

Do you know why AO3 doesn't have content bans? It stems from anti-censorship beliefs and First Amendment rights, and it also comes from a long history of watching things like this go down in fandom. The thing about banning one kind of content--or that kind of mindset--is that it hardly ever stops with one thing, until fandoms are so scrubbed from anything that has the potential to be problematic that they collapse under any perceived threat to their rigid moral standards. If you doubt that, consider how it's taken less than a month for this to jump from Marvel to include other groups of villains and fandoms. Guaranteed, it will not stop there. (And that's to say nothing of how, historically, censorship leads to silencing marginalized groups, but that's a different post.) Conservatism is insidious and takes a lot of forms, but censorship is ultimately a conservative, even a fascist, action.

The fact is that what you enjoy reading or writing is actually no reflection on what kind of person you are. There's even an argument to be made that exploring darkness in fiction a) makes you a more empathetic human and, b) makes you better-equipped to handle those topics in real life (but that's another post too). I don't care what you want to write on your own blog. I don't care how controversial your muse or your ship is or if you write the darkest of dark fic out there. I may not want to write it, engage with it, or even see it on my dash, but I'll defend your right to write it.

Writing fascist characters (HYDRA, Empire, Death Eaters, etc.) doesn't make someone a Nazi any more than writing Hannibal Lecter makes them a cannibal or writing the Punisher makes them an advocate for gun violence. Saying they are breaks one of the primary tenets of roleplay: that mun does not equal muse. It's widely accepted in the roleplaying community that we don't agree with our characters' views, and we would never in a million years condone the things they do in real life. That rule doesn't go away just because you personally don't like the character.

So let's talk about what to do when you come across writing you don't agree with.

What you have a right to do: Feel however you feel about it. Ask for tags and readmores (they have a right to refuse). Decline to explain or justify why it makes you uncomfortable. Decide not to associate with people who write that thing. Blacklist. Unfollow. Block. Add to your DNI list. Vent about it in a safe space with your friends. Take a step back from the internet. Remember that the people on the other side of the screen are real, actual humans, while characters are imaginary. Embrace the fact that engaging in fiction is optional, and you can choose to stop any time you want. Trust that grown adults have the basic media literacy to understand the difference between reality and fiction. Remind yourself of the first rule of fandom, the one AO3 is built on (Don't like; don't read). Recognize that it's perfectly valid to not want to engage with something, but that expecting other people not to write it at all isn't your call to make and can lead down a dangerous path.

What you don't have a right to do: Bully or doxx other writers. Shame them for their choices when they don't agree with you. Demand explanations or justifications from them. Gaslight them into thinking nobody else will write with them if they continue to write this thing. (You don't speak for the entire fandom. You are a very small minority making a lot of noise.) Create call-out posts. Participate in witch hunts. Send anon hate or death threats. Make people feel unsafe in their own spaces. Police other people's content.

If you descend to bullying someone because you don't like what they're writing, you don't have the moral high ground. I can't believe it needs to be said, but real bullies are worse than fictional antagonists. Bullying and censorship are far more alarming threats than people who enjoy exploring dark topics in their writing. Nobody's asking you to like it, agree with it, or even look at it. And if you don't? Now is the perfect time to say nothing about it, block, and move on. Rest assured, we don't want you on our blogs any more than you want us on yours.

[iguana-braces]

That sub!Jayce post really popped off, huh?

Ehehe okay here's my rambly thoughts about it (I'm literally sitting at work clocked out writing this instead of going home because THOUGHTS)

Building my theory off of this post:

And this one with all the examples of how Jayce's love language is clearly physical touch

*Disclaimer: there's a lot about season 2 that irked me in terms of plot and characterization so this is me retconning a little bit and picking and choosing what examples make the most cohesive argument. Like, in season one they're like "Jayce has this brotherly relationship with Caitlyn and him and Mel have this deep, meaningful relationship" and then season two was like "No more relationship building, it's time for trauma now" but, I digress*

First things first, he's a people pleaser. He does what he's told, clearly (against better judgment but like). And he's clearly committed to the people he cares about. HE BROUGHT VIKTOR BACK FROM THE DEAD (AND THEN KILLED HIM) AND THEN DIED WITH HIM AGAIN. You can't tell me that wouldn't translate to an "I'll do anything for you" attitude in the bedroom too.

I already did the bed gif but I also have to draw attention to the following:

Okay but season two, post-horrors!

Mr. Dopey Heart-Eyes McGee is NOT the one calling the shots here.

Season one Jayce? That man is whipped. One glance from his partner and he's on his knees like it's a religion. Whoever you ship him with! Mel, Viktor, both, a secret fourth option--

He spent an indeterminate amount of time alone, in the bottom of a pit. He's touch-starved but also! Traumatized!

Imagine, if you will, that he survives the astral plane. Imagine he goes to find Mel, or Viktor also survives, or imagine your own y/n, OC insert scenario here. Whatever floats your boat.

In such scenario, and in the aftermath of his self-awareness epiphany where he realizes that yeah, he's kinda been used (by everyone really), I think that in regards to any potential sexual relationship, he would have to become more dominant, more in control of the situation. Especially if it's with Mel, since he does pointedly blame her, or even Viktor, who has literally shaped the course of Jayce's entire life since he was a child. The man needs to set some boundaries with people and good for him.

So I think dominant, scruffy Jayce does have a time and a place.

However, I don't think he'd stay that way forever. It's kinda like him trying to be a politician-- it's a different role that he can pull off, but it doesn't fully scratch his itch.

BONUS HEADCANON: Wouldn't it be just so interesting if he survived the astral plane and goes back to whoever, and while he's looking for comfort and reassurance and all that physical contact he's been deprived of, he realizes that he really doesn't like people touching his head.

I hypothesize that in regards to canon relationships, Mel and/or Viktor, once they regain his trust and show that they're not trying to use him again, he's 100% going to be simping for them even worse than before. Like, that relationship would've gone through the fire and only come out stronger on the other side. You might even say it's been vulcanized.... 🤭

From the on, he can go back to letting his walls down around them and letting them be the dominant one because he knows there's solid trust and respect there now.

Feel free to agree or disagree 🤷‍♀️ also please feel free to tell me all your thots about this too!!!

He's got all this beautiful hair that needs to be tenderly pushed away from his eyes by a loving hand, but he's a little fucked up from the times Mannequin/Mage Viktor did that little murder mind meld.

Like, he put his head in Mel's lap TWICE, you know it would kill the man if he couldn't do that anymore because having someone's hands near his forehead is too reminiscent of... well, basically his death.

[howtofightwrite]

If someone is training to hunt monsters in a modern day setting (like an urban fantasy story), what might be a good starting point for learning how to use weapons? If they don't specialize in a specific type of entity, and it's one that can be brought down physically, what other things do you think it might be good for someone to be taught?

So, I've said this before as a bit, but monster hunting wouldn't really be about combat most of the time. There's probably some edge cases, like vampires, where you're fundamentally looking at a human with superpowers, but against the vast majority of critters, monster hunting would be more like, well, hunting, or pest control.

If the monster is exceedingly lethal, you don't want to be getting into fights with it. That means taking a more methodical approach to identify and exploit weaknesses, and then eliminating it like any other pest.

Ironically, while the book is a bit crude at times, one of the first examples that comes to mind is Vampire$ by John Steakley, (and the film adaptation by John Carpenter.) The priority there is to identify vampire nests during the day, then use specialized stake guns attached to winches to drag the vampires out into the sun, before collapsing the building entirely.

This means, you're probably better off looking at people with backgrounds in animal control, exterminators, park rangers, game wardens, and similar backgrounds, rather than military or law enforcement backgrounds. (Though, technically, rangers may fall under the header of LEOs.)

Effectively dealing with any animal (and most cryptids tend to fall into this category) involves learning about its behavior. Now, obviously, if you're dealing with some incredibly reclusive creature that's evaded detection by the modern world, it does strain credibility a bit when someone wanders in with a complete understanding of their behavior. (See: Every bigfoot expert ever.) But, the basic premise is foundational if your characters are going to go out hunting those creatures.

When you're dealing with more overtly supernatural foes, then the focus on information they'd need would change somewhat. But, in a lot of ways, the same template holds. It's critical for your hunters to understand the limits and favored behaviors of those creatures.

Now, obviously, you can have very different approaches. I was recently reminded of the old World of Darkness Demon Hunter X splat, where one of the groups detailed (in a modern urban fantasy setting) were using extensive cybernetic augmentations to directly fight monsters (with a very anime inspired aesthetic.) If you have the setup for it, you can go in really wild directions with your urban fantasy monster hunters, and the advice of a relatively low-power group that treat cryptids the same way you'd treat a rat infestation might not be applicable. Similarly, hunting vampires and werewolves may involved more conventional, military tactics, if that's what you're looking for.

It does depend on what your story calls for, and I'll readily admit, my main observation here has more to do with how modern horror writing tends to present these creatures, and then looking for a practical solution to the problem they pose. (Also the juxtaposition is funny. You start out expecting Blade, and instead get some random guys in jumpsuits with animal control poles, who are going to grab the horrific deathbeasts, stick them in crates, and ship them off to a preserve in Montana.

-Starke

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[piastri-fvx]

Name Drop. Lando Norris.

pairing: rapper! lando x singer! zayn malik's sister! reader, smau (none of the f1 drivers mentioned are f1 drivers in this story, they're all just lando's friends and that's lowkey how they're known lol)

summary: When Lando's new song goes viral not only because it's very good, but also because he mentioned a special someone.

face claim: sabrina carpenterrrrr & girls from pinterest!! (also use of pics of different singers & rappers for lando!!)

disclaimer/s: very brief mention of magui in a comment, mothing else, though!! (i'm a joão félix fan lmao)

A/N: I'M BACKKKKKKKK!! i was sick for 2 weeks straight but i'm better now, so i can get back to writing (finally ughhhh) ket me know if you want to be on my permanent tag list and feel free to comment!! enjoy, my loves <3333

masterlist.

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@lando_norris_updates

liked by user1, user2, user3, user4 and 382.846 others

lando_norris_updates how lando feels after mentioning y/n. fricking. malik.

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user1 zayn's not gonna be happy lmaooo

user2 let my boy cook

-> user3 the song is fire tho, he cooked with that

user4 i swear if they're dating, i'll be so pissed

-> user5 not you thinking they care about your opinion 💀

-> user6 who does bro think he is

user7 isn't she zayn's sister?

-> user8 yeah but she's kinda a lot younger, she's lando's age

-> user7 oooohhh okay thanks

user9 playing that song on repeat 😣

user10 okay but hear me out, their voices together would break the internet

-> user11 i feel like everyone would eat that up

-> user12 yeah but remember, we don't even know if they know each other soooo

user13 collab incoming????? (i'm delusional)

-> user14 gonna spam both of their dms, who's with me?

-> user15 @user14 i'm on it 😝

user16 say less is my new favorite song 😍

@lando

liked by y/n_malik, oscarpiastri, charles_leclerc, zayn and 1.384.947 others

lando tysm for this opportunity and for dealing with me laughing when we trying to film lolllll @y/n_malik everyone go watch my new music video featuring the amazing y/n

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zayn careful what you say buddy ♥︎ by author

-> lando yes sir (respecting my elders as i should)

-> user1 oh- uh, lando, i don't think that's-

y/n_malik EVERYONE GO STREAM LANDO'S NEW SONG!!! ♥︎ by author

-> lando YESSSSS LISTEN TO Y/N

-> user2 not them already being besties lmao

user3 guys!! i saw them together in london and they looked really cozy with each other

-> user4 dating announcement incoming???

-> user5 tbh they don't have to tell us anything

-> user6 yeah we should respect their privacy

-> user7 maybe they're just friends, ever thought of that?

user8 it's crazy to me how everyone immediately assumes that they're dating, boys and girls can be friends too...

user9 i think they might be dating but let's honestly just leave them alone 😭

-> user10 yeah imagine you're just trying to live your life and people start shipping you with your friend

maxfewtrell proud bsf over here ♥︎ by author

-> y/n_malik he's my bsf now, go away, max (respectfully) ☺️ ♥︎ by author

user11 this is so unexpected thoooo

user12 i'm a y/n fan and i only found out about lando's career because of her and i'm honestly so grateful because his voive is literally beautiful

-> user13 welcome to the fandom!!

user14 okay but have you guys actually watched the video? because the eye contact at 2:38 is insane

-> user15 i think if someone stared into my eyes like THAT for THAT look, i'd ask 'what are we'

-> user16 i don't mean to make false assumptions but his eyes were practically screaming 'i love this girl'

-> user17 i honestly agree

user18 anyone noticed how close to kissing they were at one point in the video??

-> user19 YES OMG!! i thought i was the only one 😣

@y/n_malik

liked by zayn, lando, pietra.pilao, alexandrasaintmleux and 2.384.294 others

y/n_malik SUPRISE!! a say less version feat. me out now!! 🥰

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user1 WAHT WHAT OMG RUNNING TO SPOTIFY RN ♥︎ by author

user2 YOU HAVE A FEATURE ON LANDO'S SONG????

-> user3 it's a new version and they changed the lyrics of a part to fit herrrr

user4 i thought the original version of the song was good but i think i died and went to heaven when i listened to the version with you 😭 ♥︎ by author

-> user5 same i literally had goosebumps

user6 their voices together sound so fricking majesctic ughhhhh ♥︎ by author

-> user7 in desperate need of a whole joint album

user8 can we talk about her HIGH NOTE????????? LIKE WHAT????? HOW IS THAT EVEN HUMANLY POSSIBLE Y/N. ♥︎ by author

-> y/n_malik TYSMMMMMM

pietra.pilao stunning picture, i feel like nobody's talking about it!! my new favorite song, btw 😌 ♥︎ by author

-> y/n_malik i'm literally gonna kiss you girl ily sm 🫶

-> maxfewtrell excuse me???

-> y/n_malik apology accepted 🙌

user9 MAX F AND Y/N BEEF????

user10 WHO'S THIS DIVAAAAA

-> user11 it's aisha (y/n) b**** 😝

user12 y/n looking like a goddess out here as always 💞

user13 y/n please never let lando in any way influence your style 🙏🙏🙏 ♥︎ by author

-> y/n_malik i would never lmao

-> lando ouch?

-> y/n_malik sorry lan ☺️

user14 "lan" okay i see you girl

user15 smash 😣😣😣

user16 isn't lando dating magui?

-> user17 no he isn't and he also wasn't

@lando

liked by niallhoran, zayn, liampayne, alexandrasaintmleux and 10.847.927 others

lando happy birthday y/n ❤️

@y/n_malik

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user1 she looks like a princess ❤️😭

user2 how old is she now?

-> user3 22, she's two years younger than lando

y/n_malik i don't know about you, but i'm feeling 22 🥰 ♥︎ by author

taylorswift 🤭

user4 lando feeding us y/n crumbs is what kerps me alive 🙏

niallhoran i remember when she was a little girl 🙂 ♥︎ by author

-> user5 niall being her 2nd big brother is the cutest thing ever

user6 my two worlds colliding (lando and 1d)

-> user7 it's so crazy to me how y/n also lowkey grew up in front of our eyes

-> user8 i remember when she was like 10 and doing a live stream with the boys and they were being all cute and acting like y/n wasn't only zayn's little sister but also the other guys's little sister ehdndbmxnxkxkf

zayn you'll always be my little sister, y/n ❤️

-> y/n_malik ❤️

-> user9 not the fact that lando was out here liking all of the comments except this one 💀

user10 bro's scared because zayn's lowkey overprotective lmaoooo

harrystyles absolutely adore that version ♥︎ by author

-> y/n_malik TYYYYYY ❤️❤️❤️

y/n_malik lan took those pics with an actual camera in case you were wondering 🤭 ♥︎ by author

user11 anyone else hoping that y/n's still friends with the 1d boys? i mean obviously she talks to her brother but the other four?

-> louist91 y/n's still our friend dw ☺️

-> user12 HI LOUISSSSS

user13 lando entering his photographer era for y/n lmao ♥︎ by author

-> user14 lando has to teach us and tell us the settings he took the pictures at and what camera because those poctures are beautiful

user15 CUTIESSSSSS

alexandrasaintmleux gorgeous gorgeous girl ♥︎ by author

-> y/n_malik i miss you and leo 😭

-> user16 so you're telling me y/n is already besties with lando's friends/their girlfriends????

user17 awwww that's cute *turns on mitski while crying*

-> user18 i feel like that too

@niallhoran

liked by y/n_malik, zayn, louist91, lando and 5.492.956 others

niallhoran finally met my little sister's boyfriend

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y/n_malik nialler, he's not my boyfriend

-> lando i'm not?

-> user1 EXCUSE ME WHAT-

user2 okay if they're not dating by now, i'd actually be shocked

liampayne tell her i said hi ❤️ ♥︎ by author

-> y/n_malik HIIIII PAYNOOOOOO

-> liampayne hi y/nnnnnn!!!!!!

-> user3 THIS IS SO CUTEEEEE

user4 lando's dating a painting?

user5 y/n, i promise whatever lando's offering you, i can give you more

-> user6 y/n give us a chance (or should i say chonce?)

tatemcrae PAUSE... did you get a boyfriend and not tell me?

-> y/n_malik check whatsapp girlyyyyyy

user7 chat we've lost her

user8 i literally have no one to talk to this about and i'm about to crash out

-> user9 join the twt side of this fandom and you'll have loads of people

tatemcrae you're a literal goddess y/n

-> y/n_malik and you're the love of my life

-> lando are you sure you're not forgetting someone???

-> user10 lando's out here fighting for his life lol

user11 me and who?

carlossainz55 you two sicken me

-> y/n_malik your hairline sickens me

-> carlossainz55 @lando dump her

-> lando never

-> user12 HOLD ON. IS THIS A COMFIRMATION THAT THEY'RE DATING????

user13 OH?????

@y/n_malik

liked by lando, liampayne, zayn, alexandrasaintmleux and 7.284.926 others

y/n_malik you are the best thing that's ever been mine

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lando and you're the love of my life ♥︎ by author

-> y/n_malik i love you, my love ❤️

-> lando i love you, baby 🥰 ♥︎ by author

user1 okay so that's lando.

user2 THE. MATCHING. PANTS.

-> user3 YESSSSS I'M GONNA DIEEEE

user4 okay but the pants are so pretty???? ♥︎ by author

user5 so obsessed with you guys

-> user6 best relationship fr

user7 hey siri play say less 🎧 ♥︎ by author

user8 say less is their anthem now

-> user9 yup that is THEIR song now

user10 please never break up

user11 if i was him, i would've written a song about her too

-> user12 real we can't exactly blame him yk

-> user13 i mean just look at her

user14 🥰🥰🥰

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A/N: hope u enjoyed ahhhhh!! i wrote this at 2 am so please excuse me if there are spelling mistakes lmao. also feel free to request because i need ideasssss <3333

tags!

@freyathehuntress

[acstation206]

I messed up. /j

Introducing...

THE AMAZING DIGITAL ARCADE PARTY!

Yeah, that's right, I caved in.

Basically the exact same show except its established lore and setting is more largely inspired by archive compilations of popular vintage arcade games of the 80s and 90s such as Pac-Man’s Arcade Party, as well as the different takes within the sci-fi / fantasy genre by the likes of Wreck-It Ralph, Tron: Legacy, and Infinity Train. 

==

= BACKGROUND (in a nutshell) 💿 =

In an attempt to save their dying business, C&A developed and manufactured the first hybrid arcade game of its own kind that combined other popular arcade games and home console games with virtual reality. However, just as the company’s luck was turning around, numerous lawsuits from game companies by the likes of Nintendo and families were filed against the company for their product, from apparently “ripping-off” Super Mario Bros. in its entirety to causing many children to either inexplicably fall unconscious or suffer from amnesia after the cabinet’s headset was put on. Just then, as C&A announced they’ll be temporarily recalling the product to fix its issues, a shocking discovery was already made by investigators that would soon bring the company to its demise: the game’s AI had gone rogue, and once a human mind dies from losing one of the games in any way, they are either permanently reincarnated as a personified cartoon character of themselves or just straight up die in real-life depending on the outcome.

==

= ART N’ STUFF 🎨 =

(might wanna make a separate masterpost for that in the future but oh well)

NES Ragatha

Pomni and Caine redesigns

==

= Q&As and BOUNDARIES (sort of) 🎙️ =

"Are there any plans to make a full webcomic out of this?" - Uhhhh, mayyybe? I'm not entirely sure, honestly. While there may be a few side comics and artwork from my head I want to get out sometime, I don't really have much plans for this AU that'll be worth telling a full story right now since I feel there is plenty of things that I've yet to figure out and develop in a matter of time, particularly the setting and characters (especially considering the OG show itself has only 2 episodes out as of writing and I only have mobile apps like ibisPaint X to make this all possible at the moment).

"Can I make fanfics and OCs for this AU?" - Of course! I've seen a lot of incredible things from the community, especially in regards to alternate universes, so you're absolutely more than welcome to share whatever's on your mind as long as your heart's in the right place. I can't really guarantee I'll see every bit of it since I do have some personal biz of mine to take care of at any moment, but I'll be happy to reblog them whenever I get the chance. Just tag me and we all good. :)

"Are there any canon ships in this AU?" - Yes. Yes, there are. Well, only BunnyDoll (Jax x Ragatha) to be specific. HOWEVER, you are free to ship whoever you want here! Showtime (Caine x Pomni), ButtonBlossom (Pomni x Ragatha), it's all okay. The choice is yours, a romantic buffet! (Plus, depending on the quality of my writing, I'm not even planning to dwell too much into it for now, aside from the side comics that will.)

==

That's all for right now. Enjoy! :)

[hellspawnmotel]

haha okay okay, I'll share my thoughts (this got long whoops. lots to cover)

first of all, just to clear I'm not saying that I think toby is trying to make the fanbase assume wholesomeness in EVERY relationship he writes, or even every lesbian relationship. I don't think he did that for alphyne, I think that is just a genuinely wholesome relationship for the most part. they have some stuff to work out (mostly based around alphys' lying and insecurities) but what couple doesnt? I did theorize that toby might have kept that in mind while writing suselle specifically though, given the surface-level similarities to alphyne (which essentially just boil down to 'tough girl x shy girl'). considering that toby's been developing noelle and susie since at least 2015 I doubt that's where he started out with the two of them, but I think it's plausible it influenced how he chose to frame their scenes in the final product.

I haven't seen whatever post you're talking about discussing alphyne vs RG01/RG02, and to be frank I don't remember seeing a lot of art of the knights that was overly sexual as opposed to just cute. I do believe that there's some level of it that I just haven't encountered but I don't know if it was the best example to illustrate this point. it IS true though that when it comes to shipping, there's a trend of viewing relationships between two men as inherently more sexual than relationships between two women, because misogyny and I can't get into why that happens in more specificity without going on a massive tangent and I trust you guys already know all that.

so let's just assume that we all understand these basic societal ideals, and the fact they get subconsciously drilled into our heads whether we like it or not: the default way to be a woman is to be a domestic caretaker. gentle, kind, pure, level-headed, someone who does all she can to avoid emotional conflict. or any conflict for that matter- a well-adjusted woman hates conflict, to avoid it she'll become submissive or run away or try to mediate or just faint into the arms of a man about it. men are the ones who initiate or confront conflict, who "make things happen".

then what happens when there are no men around? if a relationship is just two women in love, and the relationship is healthy, then there must be no conflict. all you're left with is sweet and pure domestic bliss. that's when it's "wholesome". therefore, if a relationship between two women DOES involve conflict, it must be unhealthy because it means something is "wrong" with one or both of them. so to that end I think it's much easier to conclude that a ship between two women is "toxic" than a ship between two men. or a ship between a man and a woman, for that matter. picture your average romcom centered around a heterosexual relationship, and ask yourself, if everything was exactly the same but it was two women instead, would it get called "toxic yuri"?

FTR, I understand that the phrase "toxic yuri" rose in popularity and prominence as backlash against this exact kind of thinking- we want lesbian relationships that involve conflict, and calling it "toxic" affectionately is in direct response to those who argue that any relationship between two women that isnt all sunshine and daisies is unhealthy and abusive. and there are PLENTY of girl/girl pairings that I would actually describe as "toxic" in sincerity and that's the appeal and what makes them interesting. but I think the (over)use of the word has gotten to a point where you gotta look at yourself and ask if that's what your ship really is, or if you just want to use a popular phrase- and more importantly, if mislabeling these relationships as "toxic" when conflict gets involved is just looping around and perpetuating the problem in a different way.

(remembering this was supposed to be about suselle) UMM. in conclusion I think if more people start to acknowledge the conflict or potential for conflict in susie and noelle's romantic storyline then we're gonna see it called "toxic yuri" even though nothing about it has changed. and I think that on the other side of that, those who exclusively want cute and lovey-dovey suselle are prone to ignoring any conflict or even denying it's there. not all the time! but it happens.

[vadedoesart]

OTP rough sketches, idk if I'll ever finish. I'm a multi-shipper. I'd just like to state that for the record. I love me some good Sonamy, Sonadow, Sonshadamy, Silvonic blah blah blah etc. Honestly, as long as it's not anything illegal or creepy, then I either like it or am indifferent towards it. But of course, I have my OTPs and my personal headcanons. I am aware that some people won't SHARE my headcanons, and that's FINE! Anyways besides Shadamy being my OTP, here are my two other favorite ships, and the dynamics I like for them. There's more for Metilver bc they're a rarepair... I crave to RP them or write a story for them or something someday... </3

Metilver:

My headcannon for Silver (He/Him) is that he's constantly being told to chill out or calm down, and he's one crash out from leveling an entire city with an uncontrolled telekinetic surge. Overall, he's outwardly optimistic and gentle, inwardly, however, he's repressing a LOT of emotions, which is rather unhealthy, and he has memory issues because of it sometimes. He's also like- 1/4th Komodo dragon, and his spit is venomous. He has a mouth and he wants to kiss, but cannot kiss... Metal is the exception to this because he isn't organic. He's Demisexual.

My Metal Sonic (He/They) is selectively mute. He doesn't speak to anyone but Ivo (father), Sage (sister), Orbot (cousin), Cubot (cousin), Amy, and Silver. He 100% believes that he is the REAL Sonic, but also feels as though he is completely different from the blue blur as well. He was obedient at first, but during one of his inactive stages when Tails was repairing him, Tails installed a virus in his hardware that gave him more free will before setting him free. He listens to Ivo out of his own volition, and is morally neutral evil at best. Metal is very much Demiaroace.

Relationship-wise, Silver believes he can fix Metal and make him better, while Metal thinks he can corrupt Silver and turn him evil. Together, they even each other out, and Metal in return never tells Silver to "chill out" or "calm down". Silver is a yapper, and Metal is a listener. Although Metal is a robot and therefore cannot "love" he's incredibly fond of Silver, and eventually becomes loyal to only him after Ivo inevitably passes. Using his Neo form, he eventually uses his bio scan to make himself a bit more... "Organic" and learns that he does in fact, love Silver.

Knuxouge:

Rouge (PROUD She/Her) is an ordinary vampire bat, and discreetly drinks blood. She's an ordinary Morphian by... my AU standards, but she doesn't believe in all the purist interpecies ableist bullshit. She's Shadow's best wingman and has a sort of older sister bond with the edgie hedgie. She's Bi.

Knuckles (He/Him) is considered an Evomut in my AU because of his odd coat color, but isn't harassed too much because he's a massive dude who would willingly punch a bigot. He's very much a feminist and has a big brother bond with Amy. He loves her to death (platonically) and is very much an advocate for her. He's the straightest motherfucker in the group, but he's 100% an ally.

Rouge "wears the pants" in the relationship. She's a huge flirt to Knuckles, and at first both of them are dancing round each other like a lovesick war. Eventually, when they do get together, Knuckles absolutely adores Rouge, and Rouge absolutely loves Knuckles. They take care of the master emerald together.