#these two have been alive and active in my mind so it didn't seem like that long...

[glitter-stained]

Incredible how dc pushes the "Jason died because he was reckless" narrative to try and absolve Bruce of blame because, victim-blaming aside, that's worse, right? You understand how that's worse?

No matter how you interpret it, in Jason's post-crisis run, Bruce is gonna be partially responsible for Jason's death, because he was the one to offer him Robin in the first place in exchange for a good foster home (Batman 1940 #408), and because he had fucked up with Jason to the point he felt the need to run to a whole other continent in search for family (Batman 1940, a death in the family). Like, that part of responsibility, that remains no matter how you spin it, because regardless of why specifically Jason went in the warehouse, that's why he was in Ethiopia with the Robin suit in the first place.

But this aside, in canon? Jason goes in the warehouse because Sheila betrays him and he does what any hero, and many children, would do in his place: he wants to help Sheila, he listens to her, he trusts his mother. The people directly responsible for Jason's death, in canon, are Joker, Sheila, and crowd of goons that helped Joker and Sheila take Jason down in the warehouse. It's clear as day who the villains are in there and it doesn't add any stain on Bruce's ledger.

But according to that victim-blaming narrative that Alfred and Bruce (and others later on) spin in-story, and that dc spins in meta? Jason died because he was reckless. So it's Jason's fault right? Yes and no. I need to write a more detailed meta about the two types of recklessness and how confusing the two accidentally led to Starling writing a compelling narrative with Jason, but basically the important question here is why was Jason reckless. And Starlin answers us, in text, in a death in the family: Jason has been behaving abnormally recklessly recently, because he's suffering. Bruce tells us, straight up, that he suspects Jason to be suicidal. This isn't the first time Starlin's Batman says Jason is suicidal: even in Batman (1940) #416, Batman explains Jason's "reckless" behaviour to Dick as a symptom of being mentally unwell, and very clearly implies Jason already struggles with suicidal thoughts (which I maintain is the reason why Dick changed his mind on Jason so quickly and gave him his number with a "you can reach out to me, don't let a lack of communication become your achille heel" talk at the end of #416.)

And Bruce's POV mind be often biased, but we see, ourselves, Jason jump in front of bullets in aditf and it's like... As much as I'm not convinced with Bruce's random explanation for Jason's struggles in aditf, I do agree that he is being suicidal (and considering the stories that come right before this one, I completely understand why he would be.) So that's why Jason is reckless in aditf. It's not why he died, but if we listen to that victim-blaming narrative that claims his recklessness is indeed what killed him, doesn't that make Bruce more guilty? Because that means Bruce knew Jason was suicidal (literally jumping in front of bullets with apparently no consideration for his life) and left a fifteen years old active suicide risk alone in a completely foreign environment after having messed up very severely with him during the whole issue, and then he told him "do not go into that warehouse alone, there's a very dangerous guy who wants to kill you." In terms of responsibility, Bruce is actually very damn lucky Jason, like some impulsive suicidal teenagers his age would have, didn't think "oh well, I'll try my luck against the guy who wants to kill me alone and that way either I win and get reassured in my heroism and right to be alive, or I die and that saves me the trouble of buying rope and a step ladder!" Bruce took the Robin costume from Jason to protect him from this exact type of situation but didn't seem to realize the danger he was putting Jason in at that moment. And it's not just me saying that! I don't have the exact reference (I think it was in Gotham Knights?...to verify) Barbara, after finding out about Jason's death, literally tells Bruce that this is his fault and that she warned him Jason had issues.

Of course, all of this is moot point, because it's not why Jason went in the warehouse in the first place, but I can't help but feel baffled at the audacity of DC, who are so deep into their psychophobia, classism, general victim-blaming bullshit and ingrained stereotypical conception of the "troubled teen" that they don't realize that the revisionist interpretation of Jason's death they are defending is literally worse for Bruce. And I have to say, it certainly doesn't paint people trash-talking Jason and blaming him for his death to prop Tim up as "better" and "different" in a very good light either (especially since, if i'm not wrong, there's an arc in which Tim struggles with suicidal thoughts himself... especially since Tim's trauma happened after he became Robin and is, for the most part, a direct consequence of his heroism. Doesn't exactly paint the adults in Jason and Tim's life in a favourable light...)

Anyway, stop blaming Jason's death on his recklessness to absolve Bruce: you're only making it worse.

[lightnersdream-archive]

i've been thinking about exactly why people portraying one of the other crew members successfully killing Jimmy as a "for what you did to Anya" kind of thing rubs me the wrong way a bit and it's because like..... this is just another form of taking agency away from Anya, in a way. it's kind of framing her as some meek, shivery woman-thing who's entirely at the mercy of the men around her, either to hurt her or save her.

(i understand these are mostly for wish fulfillment on the audience's behalf because everyone would like to see Jimmy pay for his crimes. whether or not this is the intention of the person writing it isn't really relevant, characterization happens with or without intent. i feel like it misses the point by portraying it as an 'ideal ending'.)

because... Anya is a capable person. she takes things into her own hands when she can. it was partially(?) her idea to get into the cargo,

(before he interrupts her.. remember when she interrupted Curly in the dead pixel segment?)

it was her idea to get the code scanner from the cockpit,

it was her idea to get the medication from behind the foam.

(the chance to do these things herself is not given to her.)

she'd been keeping Curly alive for months in a critical state somehow, her psych evaluations at the start are only so useless because Jimmy refuses to take it/her seriously and Curly is obviously biased when he puts it into his own hands. he's known him a long time, like he said. "I'll just put good for that one."

there's not a lot of material to work with because of how the game is framed, but it's there. we are working with two very biased perspectives and neither one lends Anya what she deserves

there's significant changes in how she speaks post- and pre- crash, and depending on who she happens to be talking to. i recommend re-reading her dialogue, because the difference is drastic

she acts the way she does around Jimmy because he has tangibly done horrible things to her, is actively hostile, and physically could not escape him by any means. she can't take away Curly's agency herself, in my eyes. you have to remember that Especially in the post-crash segments of the game, it's entirely from Jimmy's POV, and he obviously does not (and has never) thought very highly of her or treated her with a shred of respect

i've seen a general idea that she can't bear to hurt other people for any reason, but that doesn't really track to me. this is the real point of the post by the way

it seems based on the parts where she says she struggles to give Curly medication. "It just hurts him so much, I can't stand the noise." "It makes me nauseous."

it's not really the same thing as, say, hurting someone in self defense

this sounds like she did want the gun itself. this never felt worded like someone who would refuse to, at very least, threaten Jimmy with a gun, with violence. if she had been given the agency to make that decision on her own. she wasn't though

she still tries to reclaim some of it even as she's denied it

by the end she's still trying to keep that gun out of his hands

i think some people overly soften her, for similar reasons the game itself is trying to comment on. she's not a tender victim who couldn't cause pain to another out of the softness of her soul, she's a person who's had every last bit of agency ripped from her repeatedly until she couldn't take it anymore. that's the point. that's why framing her that way, "needing" someone to save her, is odd to me

she didn't need Curly to save her, she needed him to take responsibility

she didn't want to escalate things, but she's not an idiot. self defense was absolutely on her mind

but who knows im just saying shit *smiles serenely*

[liedownquisition]

I've been working on my Lazarus Pit meta and it's partly what spawned my previous post but I've got a worse bit for you:

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #144-145 (The full 4-issue arc, The Demon Laughs, ran June-Sept 2001)

Now, I'm not going to say the writing in this was particularly good for Talia. She very clearly expressed disapproval for bringing Joker along for this whole venture and I'm pretty sure she was hoping he'd be killed for his insolence from the start, but her tendency to betray Ra's was tossed in the trash with a "And you will not betray me this time. Do you understand, Talia?" "I understand and obey, Father." as if those words would genuinely stop her from doing anything, EXCLUSIVELY so they can force this whole situation where Bruce needs to resurrect Joker in the Pit (That he even has to actively assemble the ingredients and prepare himself!!!)

And, for me, there's two things that make the whole situation worse (Well, three, but I'm trying really hard not to acknowledge the... sigh, "Pit Sanity" even if I'm going to make reluctant mention of it in the Lazarus post). First of all, this from #143:

:(

EDIT: I'm pretty sure she's referring to Joker: Devil's Advocate, where the Joker gets sentenced to the death penalty for a crime he (for once) didn’t do, here. That one, this one, and Joker: Last Laugh are all written by Chuck Dixon, who seems to have a hard-on obsession with forcing Bruce to save Joker for one reason or another. Last Laugh was even published (or started, at least) only three months after this one came out.

And, horrifically, this at the end of the plot:

How many times have you saved Joker's life, Bruce? I said "resurrected him more than once" because of this incident & the one where he resuscitated him after Dick killed him, but how many more times did he save the bastard? (Bruce does go on to implictly threaten that Ra's was probably going to try and kill Joker for HIS betrayal, and that Ra's has already demonstrated being perfectly capable of smoothly faking things so that they can get him out for whatever he wants, but lol. That's nowhere equivalent to the fact that you actively gave him back his life!!! the narrative necessity/justificationstill pisses me off regardless.)

Anyways, this is one of those storylines that like, in retrospect... If we're trying to reconcile the timeline a little, I'm pretty sure this would fall at some point after finding Jason in Gotham. This is pre-Hush (Dec 2002-Nov 2003), so bringing Jason back wasn't even a twinkle in Winick's mind, but if you try to fit it all in context...

Can you imagine, for her? Not only is this her "Beloved's" mortal enemy, this is the murderer of the child you took into your care. That at some point you started to care for. Now, comic timelines are a little finicky and while some things are explicitly before or after other arcs a lot of it you just kind of have to guess when things cover some stuff retroactively... but what if this was, say, right after putting Jason in the Pit?

Ra's has a reputation for forcing Talia to "prove" her loyalty to him by forcing her to go along with whatever plans or giving her cruel missions as punishment for any perceived betrayals. If there's that situation hanging over their heads and perhaps even an implicit threat about the whole situation about what he'd be doing if he wasn't working on this particular scheme...

Can you imagine, you shot this fucker eight times, center mass. And if Batman could review the damage and determine there was only one way to save him, so could Talia. She would know how thoroughly she'd done her job... and what Batman had to have done in turn. His son's murderer.

Can you imagine, later, when she's talking to Jason and he's clearly unhappy about Joker being alive? She doesn't try to justify it with the fact that she (almost) killed Joker once. What does it matter that it happened when he's still alive? It didn't last for any length of time and it didn't meaningfully change anything. It's no comfort for the boy who doesn't understand why his father didn't love him "enough" to never let it happen again.

Alternatively, if it was pre-Pit, there probably isn't that threat the same way, although there could be one of "We are doing this, and I am turning a blind eye to your past betrayals and your little pet project that isn't getting better." Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if knowing Bruce had used it on Joker wasn't some measure of a thought when she put Jason in one too. If Bruce can use it to give the murderer's life back, she can use it to give life back to the victim.

Of course, I wouldn't bet on any of this being intended when UtH/Lost Days was written, but the implications of all this if you try to put it into some kind of cohesive perspective...

[nsharks]

pls give us some blurb😔 I'm so sad today😔😔😔

Here is my revised preview for the next part!

B

"Hold him close to your chest, or he'll jump out of your arms. Here—like this."

Blue gently cradles the rabbit against her chest, then carefully tucks him into Ari's arms, guiding his hands to scoop under Grim's fluffy rear. She can't help but find it amusing that the boy who had taken her riding on such a large animal yesterday looks so wary holding a harmless bunny. A giggle bubbles up, and she bites her lip to keep it in.

"He's so... squirmy."

Blue keeps her hand on Grim, reassuring both the rabbit and him. "He's just ready for his breakfast. Want to help me feed him?"

"Sure."

Blue leads Ari to the hutch where the other rabbits are. She explains her morning routine, showing him how to supply the rabbits with enough grass, leaves, and berries to keep them healthy and plump. Not long ago, she was explaining this to Twix—the very person she forgot to say good morning to in a rush to find Ari outside. This time around, she wonders if Ari is genuinely interested or just being polite. She finds herself stealing glances at his face, studying his expressions perhaps longer than she should. His almond-shaped eyes and dark pink lips catch her attention.

He's cute.

It's not the first time the thought has crossed her mind since these strangers appeared. Cute like the men in her magazines, though he's not quite a man. Not in the way Ghost is. But he's taller than her by a head and two years older, evident in the notch on his throat and the deeper timbre of his voice.

But it doesn't matter. They are only here for a few days.

Blue closes the hutch and rocks on the soles of her boots. "Well, that was probably boring, huh? We could, um, go hunting if you want. Or to the pond. It's fun to swim there. Or maybe—" She pauses, mentally sifting through the limited activities available, frustration creeping in as none of them seem particularly impressive.

"This wasn't boring," Ari says with a chuckle. "Now I know rabbits are just as friendly as horses."

"They are... except when Grim gets mad. Then he can be a bit of a jerk. Like if you accidentally step on his tail."

"I'd be pretty pissed if someone stepped on my tail, too."

"You don't have a tail."

"It's just a joke."

"Oh..." she fidgets with a strand of hair. "Right."

"The pond sounds good. It is fucking hot." Ari blows out a breath and swipes at the back of his neck.

"I know. So hot. Hot as balls."

Ari raises an amused brow. "Yeah, uh, hot as balls. Are you allowed to go by yourself, or do we need to ask your dad?"

"I get to do what I want," she lies easily with a shrug. "Buuuuut, we can ask Twix to go with us."

As long as Twix is with her, she suspects she can get away with not asking Ghost, who luckily is hunting with his old captain. It's not that he seems distrusting with these people as he did those first few months with Twix. Rather—she isn't thrilled about him knowing every little thing she does. She's never had anything just to herself. 

Twix is sitting on the porch, looking rather deep in thought as she skins a squirrel. Her hair is long, curtaining her face. When Blue asks if she wants to go to the pond, she agrees easily, claiming she has been meaning to cut her hair anyway with the encroaching warmth of summer. Nereida joins, too. 

The pond water is cool to the touch. Ari rips his shirt off and jumps in without even a second to waste. Blue usually swims in her underwear and shirt, but she hesitates with her thumb in the belt loops of her jeans. She didn't consider that he would see her in her underwear. 

A soft touch to her shoulder. It's Twix. "Want me to grab you shorts real quick?"

"Um... yes. Yes please."

She changes into the shorts behind a tree. There is an odd pit in her stomach when she gets in the water. She doesn't quite know what it is, but it's similar to how she feels when she's scared sometimes. Ghost always tells her fear is a useless thing. It doesn't keep you alive. So she ignores it, shoves it down deep, and swims over to Ari with a purposeful splash that even wets Twix, who sits at the edge sharpening her knife.

"Damn. That's gonna cost you."

A splash is given in return, and then they are playing. High noon bounces shimmering light off the water as she tries to keep up with him, but at one point he sneaks up on her and she ends up with a mouthful. Nereida spends her time picking at some bunches of rosemary and Twix cuts her hair. But Blue doesn't notice any of that too much. When the water stills and they pause to catch their breath, Ari climbs onto a rock and shakes out his wet curls. She is quick to find a perch beside him. Absentmindedly, she pinches the bottom of her wet shirt to keep it from sticking to her chest.

"It's nice to have some place to swim so close by. Back at our old camp, there was lake but it was a few miles away, so my mom rarely let me go."

"I'm sorry, you know. About your mom. Mine is dead, too."

He half-smiles. "Thanks. I don't think about it too much anymore. My uncle and I have always been close so it helped to have him there." He nudges her shoulder. "You're damn lucky to have such a cool dad, huh?"

"Ghost?"

"Yeah, that guy is a beast. My uncle says they called him Ghost because no one could ever see him coming before suddenly, they were dead." 

"Oh, yeah, he is super cool," she quickly agrees. "He has taught me a lot."

"Shit, really?"

Nibbling the inside of her cheek, she nods. "I know... I know how to throw knives pretty well."

"I gotta see that." His eyes flash behind her. "So what's up with his girlfriend?"

"Huh?" A divot forms between her brows before she follows his gaze, landing on Twix, whose hair is now just past her shoulders. She is wetting it, running her fingers through the newly cut strands. "Oh—Twix. That is not his girlfriend. She is my friend."

"You mean they don't sleep together?"

"Like in the same bed?"

"That's usually where people fuck, yeah."

He seems ready to laugh. She frowns, head tilting as confusion hums in her chest. "You mean like sex?"

He nods. "You know what that is, right?"

She quickly recovers. "Yeah, of course. Ghost told me all about it."

"You know they're probably doing it, right?"

"Ghost and Twix? No—no," she forces a laugh. "I mean, sometimes I catch him staring at her all weird. But I don't think—I mean, they hardly like each other and she is my friend, really, not his. He used to make me stay away from her, even. But I mean, they do spend a lot of time together now. It's usually to practice fighting and defense. Not to have...sex."

"Don't they share a room?"

"Just right now, because you guys are here."

Ari chuckles. "You really think they aren't doing it in there? She's really pretty. There's no way they aren't."

Blue looks back at Twix. She is pretty. And she has actual boobs. Blue's fingers curl into the soaked fabric of her top.

Her eyes flick back to him. "She would've told me if they were."

[bjornswoman]

One more

Author's Note: Hello folks! I've been away for too long and I'm so very sorry about this fact. This is my official comeback with this little fic that I found in my drafts. The question is though, is our fandom still alive and active? Have fun with this one and take care P.S. Requests and taglists are open.

Pairing: Ubbe x Reader.

Genre: Mini!au, smut, romance.

Summary: One more morning with Ubbe.

Warnings: Smut.

Strong hands pressed your body forcefully on the mattress. Hot – burning – lips were devouring the flesh of your neck. Hungry eyes were running up and down your body revealing that he had only dirty thoughts about you at that very moment.

You were trying to resist in his dangerous charm and his deadly touch, but your body was out of your control. It gave you away each time, because it was reacting to him – to his teasing touch – in all the ways you didn't want. Your hands tried to push him away by his muscular chest, but to no avail. The man was much stronger than you to make him stop by force.

"We should stop..." You suggested and made one more effort to stop him from going any further. However, your effort was dismissed as your previous one.

The prince's left palm forced your hands on the furs by your wrists and kept you still under him. The free hand of his was drawing imaginary paths on your torso. His touch was so soft that it almost felt innocent, but it was anything but it. Instead the right adjective to perfectly describe it was inviting. It was tempting you to give in to his insatiable desires.

"Ubbe." You said his name in an desperate way to distract him from going forward. However, it was pointless to try resisting him. It had already been a difficult task for you because you desired him almost as much as he did. But Ubbe made it even worse for you.

He had always been like this in a way that felt like he was trying so hard to blow your cover and let your spicy secret escape from the prying halls who kept it sealed.

His hand was getting closer to your thighs and as it was approaching, his movements were slower, but impatient – matching his temper. That stubbornness of his was able to get you in serious trouble, but the man didn't seem to care much about it. Unlike you who minded deeply about this whole situation.

"No." You told him and it was a warning for him not to continue on touching you. Ubbe was dangerously close to restart the actions of the previous night, when the first rays of the sun were making their appearance. A sign that you should have been far gone by now. You should have sneaked in your own room, under your own furs, pretending that you were sleeping all night instead of laying on the prince's bed.

The prince caressed your inner thighs and touched slightly your centre, in return you gasped trying to keep your breath steady and your voice stern. Before you could even try to voice your next protestation, two of his own skilled fingers found their way in your entrance and this time you weren't able to keep yourself from groaning.

"My prince, please not again." Your voice was breathy. The prince smiled when he heard you and placed a sloppy kiss on your bare chest.

In the meanwhile, your hands wrapped around his wrist and with some effort you placed his hand on your stomach and your own hands on his messy hair.

"You can take one more." Ubbe insisted and you tried to make him look at you, by moving your palms on his cheeks. When his darkened blue eyes met your face you could say that your face reddened.

You swallowed nervously as you were gathering your thoughts along with words, though this wasn't easy because he had inserted two of his fingers inside of you and he didn't move them at all. So you were trying not to move, as not to worsen your situation.

"Maybe, but we don't have any time left. Its almost dawn." You reasoned and he placed a finger above your lips preventing you from saying anything else.

His lips closed the distance between the two of you. Firstly, they just touched yours and caressed them in the most teasing way you had even felt. Afterwards, he kissed you passionately – hungrily. It felt like both of your lives were depending on this kiss.

That was the moment when his fingers started moving in the fast and hard pace of his that you were used to by now. Though each time with him it felt like a total different experience.

You moaned within the kiss and the prince bit your lip driving all of your senses on their peak.

[sssarrrra]

Dying to stay alive. Why does Fyodor Dostoevsky enjoy being killed on purpose? Bsd analysis

Why Dostoevsky looks so young despite living for centuries? I think it's because he often gets killed. He literally has no time to age.

His skin care routine is being murdered every year or so. Maybe, even more often.

Fyodor CAN age, he isn't immune to it. He isn't immortal. He's ability isn't about eternal youth. He can get gray hair and wrinkles. But he doesn't. Dostoevsky looks almost identical to how he's been when he's met Bram centuries ago (minus a scar and an outfit). So why is it?

Let's assume that the physical "age" Fyodor naturally gains can be transferred to the new body he enters. And the only things that get "erased" are traces of harm left by someone else (bruises, cuts, scars, etc.)

Let's pretend that we know Fyodor's "biological" age. And it's 20. (That's just an assumption for this example!)

It would go like this: Fyodor's biologically 20. He lives until his 22, than gets killed. His "new" body will have the age of 22. Then he lives until he's 26 and dies unnaturally. He's biological age in the new body is gonna be 26.

And so on and so on. It means both his appearance and physic will gradually change. But we see NONE OF THAT. Present Fyodor is almost a twin copy of Fyodor from the past.

It means that Dostoevsky has never lived longer than a couple of years max without dying and respawning into a new body. He probably dies quit often and can't even get old enough because he simply doesn't have time.

Maybe, he has some mark on his calendar: "Need to die every year to keep my body young and relative healthy". And it's a strategy and nothing else. But I feel like there is more to that.

Dostoevsky probably enjoys the thrill of death (or near death) experience for various reasons.

People sometimes describe Dazai as a "suicide-addict", but THIS is a new level of it. These two share a hobby of trying to die often. But Dostoevsky not just tries. He dies. Fyodor's way of getting a rid of his stress is being brutally murdered by someone else. I wounder, if Dazai knew it how it would make him feel? To find out that Fyodor is drawn to death in the same way that he is? We'll find out eventually.

Dostoevsky meticulously got himself killed probably more than 300+ times or so. And, yes, sometimes it was work related incidents due to his plans. But he didn't HAVE to die so often, did he?

It honestly seems, that for Fyodor "dying" is just an extracurricular activity he does to pass the time. Some ppl go their friend's house to play video games. And Fyodor goes to someone's place -> dies there.

Maybe, Dostoy tries to connect with people by "dying" by their hands? When he transfers his mind into a new body, it makes him feel less lonely, somehow?

For example, Fyodor didn't have to break into Bram's castle and chat him up about demons. He didn't have to put his life on a line just to see how Bram would react to his musings about world-politics. He knew he would die, obviously. But he went anyway. Just to "catch a glimpse" of Bram (in his own words). And then, of course to get murdered. Did he hope that Bram would be the one to deliver a final blow? Did Fyodor secretly want to "posses" Bram's body from that long, long time ago?

You know how ppl joked about Fyodor's hobby being captured on purpose? Add "dying" to this list, asap.

He's reasons for overusing his ability to "reincarnate" are probably complicated.

A part of it is a need to escape/ease his guilt. Dostoy wants to feel like a martyr that has a right to commit sin. Maybe, it's his own self-punishment, a form of self-harm. He believes these short or long moments of agony "erase" the harm he does to others or, at least, balance it out.

On the other hand, Fyodor is still a human who wants to belong. But he spent decades in paranoia and isolation that affected him immensely. So now the only "true" connection Dostoevsky can create with someone is when he inserts his consciousness into their body. The flow of new feelings/goals keeps him distracted from himself and his bleak view of the reality. So he does it over and over.

Or is it just a boredom thing? Like living is such a drug he can't help but try to die?

Dostoy is too afraid/guilty to go to heaven right away so he passes time by adding bits of different personalities to himself. He has this semi-free subscription to people's agendas, he only has to die to access them. It keeps him entertained. Like a Netflix but he has to die to watch a "movie" from someone's POV, with their goals/emotions intact still.

Dostoy wants to pick up a new passion/hobby? No problem. He just needs to find someone who likes that particular interest, and than get murdered by that person. Then Fyodor can gain their insights into the topic (possibly).

I wish I could see the way Dostoevsky envisions humanity. It seems like he's both enmeshed with it to the point of losing himself and at the same time he's discarded by humanity and isolated from it.

It's such a mixed-up experience. No wounder Fyodor's mind is so… Bizarre.

[miraculous-floconfettis]

Something i've been wondering about Emilie for a while

I have often wondered if Adrien suddenly wanting to go to school and sneaking out right after his mother disappeared had something to do with the fact that one of the two people who wore his amok wasn't there to control him anymore (especially since Emilie was the one who used the peacock Miraculous and thus, "created" Adrien).

Don't get me wrong, Emilie seemed to be a very kind and lively person. She definitely was a lot nicer to Adrien than Gabriel ever was, and Adrien always speaks very highly of her.

The Werepapas episode showed us a glimpse of what his life was before his mother disappeared and they definitely had a strong and sweet bond. They must have shared a lot of amazing and loving moments that will be forever engraved in Adrien's heart.

But nothing is ever black and white, especially in the show.

We've often assumed at the beginning of the show that Adrien growing up isolated from the world was Gabriel's doing, but we tended to forget that his mother was here when he was younger and he still wasn't allowed to go to school or have friends (let alone a birthday party). Emilie must have had a say in the way they raised Adrien and maybe she might have been against sheltering him, but she did nothing in the end, and Adrien was raised in a gilded cage till she disappeared.

We've only been shown crumbs of the person Emilie was when she was still alive and even though her light seemed dimmed in the videos Nathalie watched or in the Werepapas episode (because she was obviously sick), Emilie seemed to have a strong personality: Gabriel described Adrien as "emotional" and and also said things like "I have to apologize for my son, he’s like his mom, he’s way too overly dramatic" and "Quite a temper, you remind me of someone" before turning to his wife's painting in Simon Says.

What i'm reading between those lines is that Emilie wasn't an "overly dramatic" person, but seemed to be someone who stood her ground and didn't back off in front of her husband or anyone else, and wanted her opinions and wishes to be heard and fulfilled.

And even though i don't like the idea of her using Adrien's amok against him, it still was in the wedding ring she was wearing all the time.

Another thing is that Adrien is really fond of his mother so she definitely must not have been evil and she loved her son a lot and took good care of him. But as he lost her quite young, he also must have an idolized image of her.

The best example i can compare that situation with is Harry Potter: he grew up without parents so he created this perfect image of them in his head to compensate for his loss. Harry even defended his dad against Severus Snape when he accused James Potter of being "exceedingly arrogant". But in the later books, Harry came to face the hard truth that his father wasn't exactly the perfect person he thought he was (I'm not saying that Severus Snape was an angel, but he was actively bullied by James Potter and his gang so he has every right to loathe him). The only thing that differs in Harry's situation is that he was a lot younger than Adrien when he lost his parents. Harry never knew them, unlike Adrien who spent at least 13 years with his mom.

This is why i think that, even though Emilie was kind and loved her son more than anything, the only thing that Adrien remembers of his mom are the good times. The human mind often tends to choose to forget the bad times to compensate for the loss, and Adrien must have forgotten the bad memories like any person who lost a parent they loved would do (because there must have been bad times, any family as perfect as they want to be cannot be perfect all the time). 

[harmonyneverends]

Okay, I need to talk about this.

I actually can't connect the dots. In my mind, it still doesn't make sense that Inho played Squid Game because of his wife's surgery. It will make sense if Junho didn't experience kidney failure and didn't need a kidney transplant.

But Junho actually had a kidney transplant. Which it is clear he had it before Inho's wife got sick. The question is, how did Inho get the money for Junho's transplant?

When I watched S1, I thought Inho went to play SG in 2015 because he needed money for Junho's transplant. I was confused when S2 suddenly told us that Inho went to play SG because his wife got sick.

It's like they forgot the real plot in S1.

At first, I always thought that Junho had kidney failure when he was on a mission and had an accident that made him undergo a kidney transplant. If that happened, the plot where Inho's wife needed a heart transplant and Inho joined SG for her surgery would make sense.

Why? Because Junho's kidney transplant would be paid by the Police Government Insurance. Because he got into an accident WHILE he was on an active mission from the Police Government.

But someone reminded me that Junho was still at the university when Inho played SG in 2015. So, that thoughts vanished instantly.

To be honest, I was surprised when S2 told us that Inho had a wife and he played SG because of her. Because for me, personally, it didn't make sense with the plot in S1. And then in Inho's file in S1, they DIDN'T STATE that Inho was married either. I guess the director and the scriptwriter totally forgot about this little detail.

It doesn't make sense to me that Inho could afford Junho's kidney transplant. The Hwang family didn't seem to come from a rich family. Kidney transplant was so expensive. Where did he get the money?

If Junho was still in the university when Inho's wife got sick..

When did Junho get a kidney transplant? It must be before Inho's wife got sick because from the conversation between Junho and his mother described that Inho couldn't sell one of his kidneys to pay for his wife's surgery because he had already given one to Junho.

And again, the question is HOW DID INHO PAY FOR JUNHO'S KIDNEY TRANSPLANT? 😭😭😭

If there were no wife at all, it makes sense that Inho played SG to pay for Junho's surgery. Here is what I think :

Junho was sick and had kidney failure. He needed a kidney transplant as soon as possible. Inho had been tested, and he was a match for Junho's kidney. And then, he was thinking of giving his kidney to Junho, but he was confused about the bills. The bills were very expensive. And he had to get the money to help Junho. He was depressed, and then he was offered to play SG. So he played with his heart out, thinking he had to win to keep Junho alive.

He won.

He rushed to the hospital and told the doctor to remove one of his kidneys and plant it in Junho's body. The surgery succeeds. And he paid all the bills with the money he had won in SG.

(Why didn't I say that Inho gave his kidney first and then played SG to pay the hospital bills?? IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO THAT. Because the donor had to have medication after donating their kidney to others. So Inho would have to rest too, at least a week to two weeks in the hospital. And he couldn't do too many physical activities either because he had just gotten surgery, which was impossible. After all, in SG there were so many games that using physical activities).

OR

If Inho could pay for Junho's transplant, the Hwang family might have come from a not-rich family, but they weren't poor either, and then they fell into poverty because of Junho's transplant. Inho used all the family's savings and sold everything they had before to pay for Junho's transplant. Inho succeeded in paying for Junho's transplant, and Junho was saved. And then, a few years later, when Inho got married, his wife got sick, he didn't have any money for her surgery because he had already used all of his and the family's money for Junho, and their family had already fallen into poverty. That's why he had no choice but to go to play SG to get the money for his wife.

I think that's the closest backstory that made sense for the plot.

Notes: I know there is a thing called insurance. I have talked about that too in one of my posts before. And I still think the plot in S2 doesn't make sense. At least for me. I hope they will give the Hwang brothers' backstory in S3, so at least we know what really happened between them before Inho became the Frontman.

[skipper19]

Imagine this...

Those bastards.

They had no right insulting me like that. Like they are better than I am. Why? Because I am a woman?

How dare they call me a whore. A witch.

All I do is care and be kind to them, and yet these people betray me! They are cruel and prejudice. That's all they are!

"Why can't they accept me? I have never done anything wrong to them..." You mumbled to yourself as you stomped your way through the forest.

It had been the umpteenth time they had done this, and yet you found yourself surprised. You were walking through town, a basket of freshly caught fish on your hip, before older men threw insults at you. "What man caught those for you?" "A whore like you could get a man to catch you fish?" One shout after another met your ears. You were used to them by now.

It doesn't mean it doesn't upset you.

It has, and will continue to upset you. Why should you have to deal with this? And from such a young age as well. You are a woman now. You should defend yourself and stand tall. But you just couldn't..

"The very same people who shamed my family..the same people who wouldn't adpot me or help me after my family passed away." You angrily rambled.

You had made it to the edge of the forest by now. The sun was setting, and the moon lit up the shore in front of you. It was a beautiful sight, the water shimmered under the light as it softly crashed onto shore. There was no need to remove your shoes as you strolled up to the sharp rock bay nearby, seeing as you didn't own a pair.

Those prudes can shove their malice and hate up their ass!

You just couldn't shake the anger swelling inside you. But you couldn't ignore the sadness. What have you ever done to these people?

You plopped yourself on one of the smoother rocks that hung over the water and placed your basket next to you. Your feet graced into the water, cooling down the raw skin after walking on them all day. They were calloused and rough without shoes, something the other women of your village would be ashamed about.

"I ought to walk back into town and dump these fish right into their garment hampers!" You huffed. Two hands suddenly slipped around your soaking calves. "I think that wouldn't be beneficial for the either of us," a smooth voice spoke from below. You sighed and puffed out your cheeks.

"You would probably be burned for your activities, and I would miss my meal." That same voice teased. Although you were used to his teasing, you found yourself getting anxious. "I'm sorry, Satoru..." You whispered tiredly.

His crystal blue eyes softened, and he hoisted himself up slightly so he could wrap his arms around your waist, pulling your face into his neck. It must have been uncomfortable for him, but he didn't seem to mind. And you really needed a good hug. Your arms wrapped around his muscular build and you relaxed in his hold.

"We're they being mean again, sweetheart?" His velvety voice asked. You nodded and sniffed. You didn't mean to cry. You should be used to them by now, but you just didn't understand. "Why are they so mean 'toru?" Your muffled voice asked into his skin. He cooed at you and smoothed his pale fingers through your hair.

Gojo Satoru, or Satoru, as you simply called him, was a merman. He was a beautiful creature you had discovered at a young age. When your parents were still alive. You had found the poor creature washed up on shore, and he couldn't get himself back into the ocean. He looked panicked and defensive. You were both young back then. And naive.

So you approached the myth, and he allowed you to help. Your parents were amazed that a merman would trust a human, and they simply knew from then that you both had a special bond. He was there for you, through it all, when your parents were killed, and when boys made fun of your loss, when the elders would dismiss you. He was there.

Even now, you supplied the fish you knew he favored, and he simply graced you with his presence. His tail was long and beautiful, and the pattern of blue and green adorned his appendage, while wet slick back white locks graced his scalp. He was truly a beautiful creature, and age definitely did him well.

As he held you close this night, you found yourself able to cry and forget about the townspeople. Maybe just for now. But it was peace. He was always able to provide you with comfort and happiness.

"Are you better now, pretty girl?" He pulled back and cupped your cheek in his hand as his other hand helped him stay up on the rock. You nodded your head and gave a soft smile. His dry fingers wiped away your tears, and a soft kiss was placed on your forhead. "Thank you 'toru." You whispered shyly.

He gave a confident smirk and shrugged his shoulder. "What can I say? I know how to make my girl happy." His reply caused a smile to tug on your lips, and his own smirk widened at the sight. "Enough of the tears and yada yada, where's my fish, hm?"

-------------------------------------------------♤

It had been a week since that intimate night with Satoru, and the snickers and sneers were getting worse. You didn't know why, but an unsettling feeling washed over you every time you stepped foot into town. You simply couldn't ignore these people any longer. Their words and hateful glares only fueled your sadness and discomfort.

You remembered Satorus offer from so long ago.

If you ever want to leave this place, you can escape with me.

And you decided it was finally time to do something for yourself for a change. The moon was bright in the sky, but your determination burned brighter. You packed your bag and hurriedly snuck through the quiet town. You took one last look into the place that you loved yet despised. It's such a beautiful place to call home if only the residents were just as beautiful.

The pidder padder of your feet began fading as you entered the woods, crunching and snapping, replacing the sound of soft cobble. It wasn't long until the shore made its way into your vision. Excitement and nervousness bubbled inside your stomach, pushing its way forward until a smile crossed your lips.

Your world soon titled as you were shoved into the grass beneath you. You yelped and braced your fall with your palms open. A loud snap reverberated in your arm, causing a loud scream of pain to erupt from your throat. You rolled on to your side and cradled your hand close to your chest. Tears immediately pricked into the corners of your eyes.

"Where are you going, little witch?" The boy standing above you taunted. He was another boy from your village who just loved bullying you. "I think she was going for a swim." The other raven haired boy pointed out.

Your eyes shot between the two boys, panick and fear evident on your face. Your heart throbbed in your chest, and you couldn't feel the pain from your wrist as adrenaline coursed through you. Multiple different thoughts passed through your head as you stared up at these two men. You would have thought they would have matured by now. They would bully you as children as well, yet now they were both men.

"What do you say we help her out?" The raven haired boy smirked. A glimmer of mischief sparked in their eyes, and bile swelled up in your throat. Before you could scream for help, both of the boys hooked their hands under your armpits and yanked you onto your feet. The pain in your wrist and the pain in your feet from being dragged slipped your mind, and only panic encased your veins.

You screamed and cried, thrashed in their hold as you tried to get away, but they were stronger. Your bag was discarded on the ground, alongside the marks left behind as your heels dragged into the dirt. "Stop struggling!" One of them grunted. This only made you struggle more.

As they approached the rocks lining the shore, you felt your breath leave your lungs. You never learned how to swim. When would you have ever had the opportunity to learn how to? Did they know this? Are they willingly trying to kill you?

They approached the rock bay you would normally call a safe place, and you screamed and placed for them to just leave you alone. A slight thought passed your mind. Maybe Satoru could come save you. If you just screamed loud enough.. but the hope of being saved at this point was long forgotten.

Their arms retreat from you as they throw you into the water, and the cold waves consume your very being. You made the mistake of screaming, inviting the salty fluid into your lungs, and allowing you to choke. It was too dark, even with the moon, to be able to see through the water. Your eyes and throat burned, your lungs were on fire, and you couldn't grasp your surroundings. Your arms wave sporadically as you attempted to reach the surface, but it only felt like you were sinking deeper.

Dark blotches appeared before your eyes, your head throbbed, and your heart pounded in your ears. Your hands fell away from above you and began floating near your head. It almost felt peacful. You truly wouldn't mind if the ocean took your life. If this were your last moments alive. You always had a love for the ocean and the aquatic life. Maybe this is where you belong. Where you are accepted.

Two hands wrapped around your waist, and you opened your eyes. You were met with bright blue orbs, slitted pupils, a pale face, and the snow-white hair you had grown to adore. Maybe this was your angel. To come and finally give you peace. Yeah. That wasn't such a bad thought.

You let your eyelids fall shut, and your head float down to rest on Satorus pale chest. You weren't conscious long enough to watch Satoru swim with you back to the surface. You didn't watch as he desperately moved you onto the sand of the shore, his tail barely in the water. His hands were numb to you as he clung to you and cradled your pale face. His tears mixed with the salt of the ocean adorning your soaked figure as he sobbed your name.

Lips met your blue ones, desperate to breathe life into you. To bring you back to him, where you belonged. He swore he would slaughter the village. He would burn the world just for you to be back with him. Why didn't he do more to convince you to be with him? Why didn't he do more? He could have saved you. He could have saved his mate.

"God, pretty, please." He whispered against your lips. His shaky hands scrunched your shirt in his hands, right above your heart. "Wake up. Open your eyes for me." He begged. "Please!" He shouted.

"What the fuck is that thing?" A strangers voice called from above. Satorus eyes snapped up to the two humans responsible for your death. Satoru felt a white hot rage course through him. Satoru, with the best of his ability, reached forward and grasped an ankle of each boy, and he used his tail to launch himself into the dark waters behind him. Screams and curses filled the night air, but they were left unheard.

It was a scary thing to admit, Satoru was always one of the most docile mermans of his society, but he was having fun with this. He was having fun playing with his prey.

As they breached the surface, strong hands would pull them right back under. Satoru felt pleasure in his heart as he watched the two terrified humans swim away from him, back to shore where they would be safe. Although they never got far. Satoru would always drag them back.

He would mock them and shoot sinister smiles at them as they wailed in despair, just like they had done to you. He ignored their please and cries for him to just let them go. They were sorry. But he dragged them deep under the abyss he called home. When Satoru noticed one boy had started to black out, he bit the boys foot clean off. The other boy, raven haired Satoru could make out, screamed at the scene. It encouraged him to swim away faster. But Satoru wouldn't let that happen. He was fed up with this game. So he grabbed the already disabled man and tied him down to some coral to drown. Satoru then made his way to the other little meat bag and tore him to shreds. Though, he does prefer the fish you would bring him. Satoru then gasped.

You were still left on shore.

With speed, he didn't know he had, Satoru blazed to the surface and launched himself back onto shore. You didn't look any better than when he left you. Damnit. He let his anger get the best of him. He should have stayed here with you. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart." He sniffled and gently held your face. "I promised I would protect you.." He choked on a sob. He failed to protect you. He held his cold, lifeless mate in his arms because he wasn't strong enough to protect you.

He should have tried harder. He should have just taken you with him to his home. He knew you would be safer. He wouldn't have to worry about if you would come to the rocks that day because you would have been safe with him. His mate, by his side, as he showcased you to his friends and community. He would have been able to have a future with you. Pups and a large bonding ceremony. It was thrown down the drain.

The most beautiful being in the world, the kindest creature of them all, you didn't deserve this. He could have prevented this from happening. If he had just tried. Harder.

"God, pretty mate, I'm so sorry.." He mumbled into your limp chest. "I'm sorry!" He wailed into the midnight air. The moon didn't do any good tonight. It only showed too much of what Satoru couldn't bear. Satoru sobbed into your cold skin and held you close. His heart felt empty, his chest concaved as he cradled you close to him. A loud splash was heard behind him, but he didn't care. He knew who it was. He could smell her from miles away.

"Oh, Satoru.." Shoko whispered. He ignored her, he had to, or he would lash out. He didn't need her pity or her comfort. He just needed you back.

"Satoru.." She called. He exhaled a shaky breath and tried to keep his voice level. He didn't have any true malice towards her. He hated the world right now. But he knew it wasn't anyone's fault but his own. "What." He mumbled as he caressed your head. She sighed and looked down to the sand below her. "I can bring her back." She admitted with a shrug.

Satorus eyes shot to her from over his shoulder. He cradled your head to his chest. "What?" He snapped quietly. She simply nodded. "Then do it." Satoru simply said. "It comes with a price." Shoko tried to warn. "I don't care. Do it." "Satoru -" "I SAID DO IT GODDAMMIT!" His voice boombed. She stayed silent as she stared at his back in shock. His shoulders were shaking, and tears fell from his crystal blue eyes. "Please.. I will do anything, Sho.." He pleaded to her. "Just bring my love back to me." Shoko solemnly nodded her head.

"I need your help, though." She stated. Satoru didn't hesitate. "Anything." A breath was taken. "Okay, bring her into the water." Gentle arms guided your cold body into the ocean, where you belonged. Shoko worked quickly. Leading Satoru to her home, where she usually healed her own kind. "Let her float here." She ordered her mourning friend, pointing to the middle of her study. He hesitated this time but retracted his hands from you. Even now, pale and sickly, you looked beautiful to the white headed merman.

He didn't know what Skoko was doing, or half of what she was chanting from her odd book, but you began to glow. And Satoru began to grow anxious. Maybe he should have listened to Shokos warnings, but he just wanted you back. He would do anything to have his mate back. Even..turn you into one of them.

Satoru watched as your legs morphed and cracked until they were one appendage and scales rooted from your skin. A beautiful color they were, one he knew you would adore. Your neck slitted on either side, allowing gills to occupy the space. It was fascinating to watch you turn into one of them. You truly were one of the most beautiful creatures out there, and soon you would be back in his arms. Your blue parted lips lightened until they were pink once again, and your skin returned with color. Your nails grew sharper, and if Satoru were to squint, he could see two adorable fangs peeking out from behind your lips. He would bet that you even had slitted pupils like him.

Shoko took a breath and shut her book. "It is complete. All you have to do is wait. I'll give you a moment." Shoko said quietly and let her book float down to the mossy table before exiting her healing room. Satoru didn't waste a second to approach your reformed figure, although you were still smaller than him, and so he drew you close to his chest. "Pretty? Wake up.." He whispered. "Please." He said into your ear.

You gasped and gripped your neck, causing you to cough and curl in on yourself. Satoru gasped and rubbed your back as you shook and inhaled the salt water. Only this time, you didn't feel your chest tighten or burn from the fluid. "You're fine, you're okay, sweetheart." He reassured you. You were disoriented and looked around the strange place wildly. Everything looked so dark yet vivid. You felt different. Your feet didn't seem to work.

What was going on?

"Look at me, take in a breath." He coaxed you. You looked into Satorus familiar eyes and took time to slow your breathing. You finally felt your heart slow in your chest, and your hands had stopped shaking. Oddly enough, your hands felt light. Almost weightless, as they gripped Satorus shoulders. You shot your eyes and exhaled one last breath before finally taking your time to look around. This strange abode was stocked to the cement ceiling with all kinds of books and jared fluids. You looked back to Satoru and took him in.

He was holding you tight, almost suffocating you. But something was wrong. You were floating in his arms. You were underwater. In his arms. Breathing just fine.

Okay, what the hell was going on?

"Dont freak out, pretty mate, but we had to do this. I couldn't live without you." He soothed you. Your eyebrows scrunched in confusion, and you looked down to yourself. Oh, God's. Oh fuck. Where were your feet? Why do you have a tail?

...

Oh my God! You died! You finally remembered what had happened. But, you died. "How is this possible?" You softly questioned, your eyes never leaving your shimmering tail. "I died.." You mumbled in disbelief. "You did. You were dead for almost 1 hour. But my friend saved your life. You're one of us now." Satoru sort of explained. But you were still so flabbergasted. "I'll explain everything to you later, sweetheart. For now, just let me hold you." He whispered hoarsly as he firmly planted you into his warm chest. He had always felt so cold before, but now he's warm? You were so confused.

All of your questions were put on hold when you felt Satorus chest shaking against your head. He was crying. Sobbing, even. You hugged him back to the best of your ability and soothed him. Your voice was soft as you reassured him that everything was alright now. You had died, but he saved you. You were alive now, back in his arms. Where you belonged. Questions could wait until later, your beautiful merman needed you. He must have been so scared when he lay your lifeless body on shore. You could only imagine what he felt in that moment. The devastation and heartache he experienced. You would let him hold you for as long as he needed to. For now, he was the only thing that mattered to you.

[majesty-z]

First draft of my fic that I don't want to delete. This is the second chapter but in Ace's POV. Originally, it was in the first chapter but. Kept making me laugh. So I switched POVs to try and combat it and it worked!

(<1k btw.)

-~•~-

Ace gave Luffy a faint, reassuring smile. It didn't seem to have worked though, as Luffy's face scrunched up and he turned to frown at the man.

Ace glanced at him and had to do a double take. The blank look from earlier was gone. Now, he looked heartbroken as if seeing ghosts. Was he...?

“Who the hell are you?” Luffy yelled out. Glaring, he walked closer to Ace so they stood side by side.

“Luffy!” Ace couldn't help the reprimand leaving his lips.

The man just smiled and shook his head. “It's alright.” His voice was different from before. Strained and soft. “Please, don't fight. It's the first time I'm seeing you like this, you know?” It didn't resemble Sabo's but voices changed. It has also been a decade since Ace's even seen or heard his brother.

What was he thinking? His brother? Him?

The sight of that man was quickly making his blood boil. “Come on,” he said to Luffy, “let's go.” The blond was confusing him. There weren't any talks of ghosts or paranormal activities on this island.

That man looked like Sabo, had years old scars that could explain a possible survival, and wielded a pipe. And yet he acted strange.

Ace was sure they hadn't consumed any weird stuff but hallucinations weren't off the table yet. He had never seen a grown up Sabo before. It hurt to see what could've been. Over the years, the ghost of his brother stopped haunting him and Luffy, but Ace never forgot.

How high were the chances of meeting like this?

Not-Sabo smiled tiredly. “It was good seeing you. Ace, Luffy,” he said their names in farewell.

His heart sank.

“Sabo?” It was spoken breathlessly. Ace felt unsteady as if the earth could crumble underneath his feet. No, no. Everyone knew their names, it didn't mean anything. Luffy stood confused next to him.

“Yes?”

His eyes burned. His heart which had been unstable this whole encounter picked up the pace. He could hear it loud in his ears, as his blood rushed.

Luffy, on the other hand, bristled. “You're not Sabo.” It was like a bucket of cold water which left Ace breathless. It made Ace's head spin. He needed to get a hold of himself.

Not-Sabo exhaled amusedly. His smile has gained a teasing edge (just like how their Sabo's used to).

“Of course, I am.” His grin was bright and full. No gap. “Who else would I be? Don't you recognise me? I guess I have changed a lot.” His gaze downcast as he raised a hand to his face. Ace flinched.

“Sabo is dead.”

Not-Sabo blinked. “So are you guys.”

Ah.

A beat, then two, then many more. They didn't dare speak. Ace's mind went blank as he stared at Possibly-Sabo.

Shit, had they died unknowingly and this was Sabo's ghost, adult edition? (Did he take over the afterlife or something? Who the hell was he talking to before?)

“Um... No?” Ace tried nonetheless. He was ninety percent sure they weren't dead.

“Um... Yes?” Possibly-Sabo repeated in that same mocky tone he used to take when they were brats. He hated it so much. The percentage dropped considerably.

They were at an impasse.

Obviously, the only thing to do was take Sabo with them and deal with it after dinner. The Sunny should still be there and if Luffy's crew also were, then that meant everyone was alive and Sabo was a fucked up hallucination. Or a ghost able to interact with the living. Luffy swiped at him and it didn't phase through so.

Speaking of his brother, he was still skeptical. What a fun reversal of personalities. Ghost-Sabo was all joys and whimsy, while Luffy stayed cynical and suspicious. What that made him, Ace didn't know.

Either way, they continued on their return to the Thousand Sunny, with a kidnapped blond in tow.

(He came willingly though he claimed needing to leave before sundown. Busy secret work, he said. Busy secret take over of the hereafter, he meant.

Ace was still suspicious. He had no problems imagining a ten year old Sabo on Hell's throne with a spiky crown and fire surrounding him as he cackled maniacally.

This grown up version of him definitely looked evil enough for it.)

Or they would've, but Luffy got antagonistic very quick. Someone using their brother's name really pissed him off. Who knew?

It didn't take long for Ghostbo to spill all his secrets to get Luffy to believe him. Ace himself wasn't sure how to feel. Ghostbo was definitely Sabo. He proved it with intricate knowledge of things long past. Ace just wasn't sure they hadn't conjured him up with their minds.

Luffy hit Ghostbo again after he voiced that out.

He sniffed soon after, and his lips wobbled and his eyes started to water — and he was crying.

Luffy had fully latched onto Sabo, limbs wrapped around his body tightly. He was still not phasing through. Sabo looked horrified, eyes wild as his arms waved about uncertainly. He sent Ace a pleading look.

Ace walked over, and hugged him.

Solid. Alive.

Oh.

Sabo was alive.

-~•~-

[eventinelysplayground]

It's day 10 of the Ikemen Advent event hosted by @candied-boys and @queengiuliettafirstlady. Today's prompt is tradition and I also paired it with the prompt building a snowman from @writingwhimsey naughty or nice event. I wanted this to be better but it is what it is, I didn't want to play with it anymore than I already had. Just some fluff WC approx 1380.

Smokey the Snowman?

It was late in the morning and Jude sat at the dining room table reading his paper and having a smoke. The peace and quiet was just what he needed before what he knew was about to come and he smirked as he ashed his cigarette.

Birds predictable if nothin’ else.

Just as that thought had crossed his mind he heard soft footfalls.

“Good mor-”

“No.”

“Oh come on I haven't even said anything yet!”

“You don't gotta say anything, it's still no.”

“How can you say no when I-”

“You think I don't know what you've been up to the last few days? You got all the others takin' part in your Christmas nonsense and now yer after me, well you can save your breath cause it ain't happening.”

“Why do you have to be so against it without even trying? You may actually have fun, you know!”

Jude let out a loud laugh and put his paper down.

“Will never happen, Princess.”

“It could! Everyone else has had fun so far, Liam and William enjoyed singing carols, Victor loved baking cookies and Roger really enjoyed making eggnog with me, even if he did add way too much brandy…”

Just why the hell does me enjoying Christmas mean so much to her?

“Listen I ain't-”

“Oh good, just the two people I was looking for!”

Victor's cheery voice cut off the conversation. He had a mission for the two of you tonight and he quickly ran through the details of it. As far as missions went it wasn't anything big or overly dangerous but Jude figured it would be a great distraction from all this Christmas activity nonsense.

Jude couldn't figure out what exactly was going on in that head of yours but that was nothing new. He had fully expected you to run as far the hell away as you could as soon as your month was up but instead they were all told you had decided to stay on as fairytale keeper. He thought you were nuts for stayin’ in a place like this, somebody as pure and innocent as you were, you'd be eaten alive in no time.

To his surprise though you hadn't been yet and he had to give you credit for it. Hell you were actually trying to make the place into a proper seeming home and everyone into a big happy family. Victor was thrilled with that especially since it was working with everyone, everyone but him. He didn't want to be part of some big happy pretend family and he sure as hell wasn't gonna do it just to make you happy, or see that sweet smile on your face.

“Well that certainly was boring.”

“I don't know, I kind of like that nothing major happened for once.”

“Ahhh but something major happening is where all the fun lies.”

“I think you and I have very different definitions of the word ‘fun’.”

“Will you two quit your yappin'.”

Jude shot you and Alfons a glare and your face fell.

She looks like a chastised puppy.

“Well aren't we in a bad mood.”

“Course I'm in a bad mood. I don't like wastin’ my time.”

“The nights still young, the three of us could always go have some fun together.”

“I ain't doin nothin with you.”

“Too bad, well little miss robin looks like it's just you and me then.”

Jude spun about just as Alfons had wrapped his arm around your shoulder, his ungloved hand dangerously close to your neck.

Just what the hell does he think he's doing?

Jude reached out and grabbed you by the elbow before he'd even finished his thought.

“My aren't we protective tonight.”

Oh go fu-

“Victor put me in charge of keepin’ her safe and I don't want to deal with his attitude if I go back without her.”

I ain't doing this for any other reason.

“Thank you for the offer but I really just want to go back to the castle.”

“Hmm another time then, goodnight you two.”

Alfons turned and headed off into the night giving you a cheery wave as he disappeared around a corner.

“Don't let him get so damn close to you like that, unless you want him to play with you like a toy?”

“No, of course I don't!”

“Ya, well then pay better attention princess.”

“Okay.”

Jude started walking again with you a step behind him. He wasn't mad at you, not really anyway.

She's gotta start being more careful around em, she already forgotten were all villains or something? Letting them touch her everywhere and being all close to them…

Jude was so lost in his thoughts it took a few blocks for him to realize you hadn't said a word since you'd started walking again. He turned around to see your head down looking at ground, like a scolded puppy again.

Aww hell…

Jude let out a sigh, this wasn't the type of miserable he wanted to see you as. As he was wondering how to cheer you up he noticed an empty snow covered lot down the street across from you.

“Hey.”

“Hmm?”

“Come on.”

Jude inclined his head in the direction of the open lot and started walking.

“Where are we going?”

“Not far.”

When the two of you arrived at the lot Jude turned around and poked your forehead.

“Oww, what was that for?”

“You ain't to breathe a word of this to anyone else.”

“Breathe a word of what?”

“You wanted to do a Christmas activity with me right? Well there ain't nobody around here and there's enough snow to build a snowman so-whoa!”

Jude caught his balance as you flung yourself at him and your arms wrapped around his neck.

“Yay! Thank you so much Jude! I promise you'll have so much fun and-”

“Alright already!”

Jude pushed you off him and turned his back on you.

“Let's get started before I change my mind.”

“Okay!”

It didn't take long for the two of you to build a decent looking snowman but Jude couldn't take his eyes off you the whole time. You were wearing one of the brightest, and most beautiful, smiles he'd ever seen on you.

“It's too bad we don't have any carrots or other stuff for his face…oh I know!”

Jude watched as you dig your fingers in making little eye, nose and mouth holes in the snowman's head.

“There!”

“They don't look much like a face.”

Jude took out a smoke and just as he was about to light it you snatched it from his lips burning your fingers slightly in the process.

“Ouch.”

“Did ya forget fire burns!?”

Jude clicked his tongue and sighed as he watched you put the cigarette you stole from him into the snowman's mouth.

“Now he looks like you!”

Jude glared at you but you were too busy smiling and staring at the snowman to notice.

“Hey.”

“Hmm?”

“Why were ya so insistent on doing something with all of us for Christmas.”

You went quiet and Jude noticed your face fall ever so slightly as he waited for your answer.

“I guess…well it's been awhile since I've had so many people to celebrate with and so I thought making some new traditions would be nice. My family had a lot of them but we'll, they're not as fun to do when you're alone.”

Jude felt his chest tighten and he felt guilty for pushing you off all this time.

Damn it…

“Then how about we make a deal?”

“What sort of deal?”

“I'll build a snowman with you once every December.”

“Really!?”

“Ya but in return you can't let the others touch you for the whole month.”

“That's what you want?”

“Ya.”

“Why?”

“Cause.”

“Cause isn't really an answer.”

“Cause I don't like it when they touch you all right!”

Jude hadn't meant to say it out loud but the words were coming out before he knew it. He expected you to get all indigent or something at him but instead you were quiet and blushing like mad.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

Jude took the hand you offered him and shook it still looking at the way you were blushing.

“Then it’s a deal."

Tag list: @floydsteeth @nani-nani-nani @nightghoul381.

[jillsandwhichs]

Our Future Days

Joel Miller x Reader series, Chapter 10, Convincing

Masterlist

Pairing: F!Reader x Joel Miller

Summary: Joel lets you stay at his house for the night. The next morning, he convinces Maria to let you have a place in Jackson

WC: 4.2k

Type: SFW

A/n: Hi! Hope you all enjoy. Please check out my masterlist, there's a lot of stuff there. You can get to know me, you can see the rules of my blog and then you can see all of my fanfictions. You'll be able to find the previous chapters to this fic and upcoming ones. You'll also be able to find my Wattpad & AO3. Comments, reblogs & likes are appreciated. Thank you

Entering back into Joel's home, you removed your jacket and he took it from you, hanging it up on the post in the hallway. His house felt warm, as if it were heated and still standing as though this outbreak never happened. It's very impressive how the people of Jackson have come together and worked their asses off to make this place feel like a real and progressive town-which it basically is.

It's much later in the day now. You and Joel grabbed a bite together and walked around the town, simply discussing life and how crazy it's been for the two of you. It felt really good. You got so much off of your chest and you could tell he did as well. Joel was never one to open up according to Tommy but here he is, doing just that with you. You have a feeling it's because of Ellie. That young girl really must've done a number on him and you're grateful for that.

Joel turned around as the two of you entered his kitchen, he was now facing you and leaning against the counter. You took a seat at one of the chairs aligned with the counter. "Would you like some tea? I got some through a trade the other day." "Sure, sounds nice, thank you." Joel gave you a nod and began to prepare a cup for you and for him. As he did that, you decided to ask him a question you've been (In all honesty) avoiding.

"Can I ask you something possibly sensitive?" Joel didn't reply immediately but breathed in deeply and nodded. "Ask me anything darlin'." Goodness it felt good to hear him call you such a name. It felt heart warming. "You don't have to answer, it's just that I've been analyzing the way you talk of her and I'm curious... Do you see Sarah in Ellie? Is that why you've grown to be so attached to the kid?" You hope your question isn't too far.

You watched as Joel set two tea bags in the hot mugs and chuckled. He didn't find your question to be insensitive but rather inquisitive. "I do, admittedly. They both have that hipster side to them along with their similar humor and love for certain things-like dinosaurs and being active. Warms my heart knowin' that Sarah and Ellie woulda been close friends." That warms your heart up too.

You gave him a sincere smile and nodded, completely understanding where he is coming from. "That's a really positive way of looking at it. I'm glad you met Ellie, she seems like a catch from what you've been telling me." "She sure is, she's funny and has a lotta spunk to her. Scares me sometimes knowing that as she gets older, she'll be a sassy one." You laughed. "Oh, I bet. All girls go through their sassy, edgy phase. I sure did and so did my sister Hannah."

Thinking about Hannah upsets you. You can't believe you just randomly brought her up. You miss her so much. Where could she possibly be? If you have to think realistically, she's dead and she has been for a long time. You haven't heard anything about her and it's worrisome. At the same time though, she could be alive. Maybe she escaped and found a group or has lived on her own just as you have. There are many possibilities as to where she could be and that gives you hope, even if it isn't a lot of it.

Joel tilted his head at you and had slightly pouted lips. "What's on your mind?" Joel questioned you and dipped the tea bags around in the cups. You sighed softly and said it plainly. "I just hate talking about my sister, that's all. I miss her, my parents too." Joel nodded. Oh, he very much understands. Loss ought to be his middle name. "Trust me, I understand. Not havin' Sarah around and thinkin' about those I've lost kills me on the inside. It's just best to try and not think too much 'bout it." He's right.

The sound of thunder was heard throughout the house and you quickly looked out the window. It must've started raining only seconds ago because it wasn't whilst you and Joel were out. Rain in November isn't that common, especially somewhere such as Wyoming. Joel breathed in deeply and blew out quietly. "Rain. That's good for us." He stated with a hushed down as he glanced back down at the mugs with lemon flavored tea inside of them.

"Tea is almost done, if you want, we can drink it out in the livin' room." "Fine by me." You stood up and grabbed the mug he got out for you. His had an owl engraved into it, it appeared homemade and it actually looked good. You followed behind him and sat down beside him on the cozy, comfy couch. You gazed out the window in front of you. It's dark outside, but some of the houses and establishments light up the roads that are visible in the view. It's also evident that stars are out considering you are able to see a few just from where you are sitting.

Joel grunted as he kicked his boots off and sipped his citrusy tea. You did the same and you were surprised by the fresh and vibrant taste of the drink. It tastes as though it came out of a brand new package. It's delicious. Joel glanced at you and smiled. You noticed and a faint blush was caught on your cheeks but you tried your best to play it off as if you hadn't noticed, despite you clearly noticing. "Shit, sorry." Joel snickered and looked down, focusing on his tea. You giggled. "Don't apologize."

You just feel... Gosh... Words cannot describe how you feel. This is all so new and you honestly feel more alive, more alive than you ever have. Being with Joel feels just as it did twenty years ago. He's still the same man you fell in love with. You're unsure if whether or not those feelings remain as they did then but either way, you're glad to be with him again. Plus, with all this time you have, you'll be able to figure out how you truly feel for him.

"You can stay here tonight, by the way." Joel said out of no where and somehow so casually. You turned your head to look at him. He seemed a little too normal about all of this. Did he just expect you to believe that he'd say that? Funny, because you didn't. You thought you'd have to sleep outside as always or in a guest house of sorts. "Are you sure? I don't mind leaving Jackson for the night, I can always come back tomorrow." "Quit that, this couch pulls out, you can use it for the night 'til we figure out what's goin' on tomorrow."

How sweet and thoughtful of him. That will be nice. You can't even recall the last time you slept on a real bed. Maybe back in Maine once or twice, but you've been either on the ground or in a cheap, torn up sleeping back ever since this fuckery of an apocalypse arupted. "Thanks Joel, that's kind of you. I appreciate that." "Anytime sugar." Joel murmured before sipping the last bit of his tea. Sugar? That's a new one. He's so damn Southern.

"I'll be right back, I gotta change, then I'll get ya set up for bed. Sound good?" "Take your time." You said with a friendly smile. Joel gave you a nod and trailed off to the upstairs part of his home to where you assume is his bedroom. You are all alone now, alone with your thoughts. You don't even know what to think. This is honestly a dream come true. You're with Joel after all these years and it feels as if the world has stopped and it's only you and him. You wish it were truly that way.

In a way, you feel like no time has passed. Your guy's relationship has stayed the same. He still treats you as he did all those years ago and God, it feels amazing. You didn't expect this, no, not one bit. You thought there was a chance he'd forget you or simply want nothing to do with you. You're glad those pestering & reoccurring thoughts were incorrect. Being with Joel again, especially like this, is such a blessing.

You stood up off of the couch and set your glass of tea down. It was almost gone and you'd be sure not to waste it. You aren't hungry nor very thirsty so you're able to savour it. Joel got you and him some early dinner earlier. The two of you had steak sandwiches and God, having real food was heavenly. It tasted golden. You hope soon enough you can have another real meal such as that one.

You heard the sound of stairs creaking and groaning as Joel stumbled down them. You looked down, noticing he had no shirt on. He was wearing plaid red pants that were quite baggy on him. These must be his night wear. In his hand, he was holding a water colored green shirt that looked as if it'd be huge on you. Funny enough, he brought it down for you. "Figured you might wanna sleep in somethin' that's actually comfortable. Fine with this?" He asked you. You nodded.

Joel tossed you the shirt and crossed his arms. "You can go change in the bathroom just over there, I'll get the bed out for ya." "Ok. Thank you, Joel." You leered and jogged over to the wooden, western door he pointed towards. You opened it and closed it behind you and as you did, you pressed your forehead against it. This is insane. It's almost too much. His shirt and now he's making your bed? You feel weird but in a good way. You feel adrenaline and pure excitement and it's coursing through you madly.

You stripped out of the gnarly clothes you've been wearing and threw on his T shirt which was big on you. It reminded you of when you were a little girl-your dad's shirts were your main sleeping wear. Your dad had so many and you remember loving the smell of them and just wanting to sleep in one every night. This is truly reminiscent of those times. You weren't wearing any pants, not that it mattered anyways considering the shirt goes down to your upper thighs. His T shirt and panties it is.

Exiting the bathroom, you left the door open just a bit before trotting back to the living room in which you'd be resting in for the night. Joel looked over at you and smirked but evidently attempted to hide it. "I uh, made your bed." Joel cleared his throat and stepped away. It looks very warm. There's a singular pillow with a sheet covering the not so thick mattress but it's way better than the hard ground. As for a blanket, there's a fluffy black one coating half of the bed that'll surely engulf your body whilst you sleep.

"Thank you Joel, truly. You didn't have to do any of this, I hope you know that." "I do... To be honest with ya, it's my guilty conscience and the fact I care so damn much about you." He spoke with console as he sat on the edge of the mattress. You slowly stepped over to him and took a seat right beside him. You got a whiff of his masculine scent and it made your body stiffen for a moment. The musk of this man will forever get you intoxicated.

You bit your lower lip before ultimately figuring out what to say to him. "I care about you too, a lot. I appreciate your hospitality." You smiled at him. Joel nodded and took your hand in his. The size difference was humorous even. You sighed softly as his thumb caressed your palm. "I hope you know darlin', I have always felt guilty for how I left you back in Texas." Oh. He does now? "I coulda taken you with us but I was so fuckin' worried about Sarah and my head wasn't thinkin' clearly that night... I am sorry."

You truly never cared about that because you understand. Sarah is Joel's daughter, she comes first and it was only logical to get her to safety and worry for her above anyone else, even Tommy. In reality, it did hurt you. You wish you could've stuck with him but then again, you've learned so much from being on your own and honestly, you wouldn't change how your experience has been for anyone or anything-it has been an eye opener like no other.

"Oh Joel," You spoke with solum. "I truly never held that against you, okay? I understand from the moment it happened. Sarah comes first always, okay? Even now that she's gone, she's still first." You stated. You heard Joel have a shaky breath before easing it. "You've always been empathetic." He chuckled and stood up, your hand slipping out of it. Your head went upwards to look at him. You could tell he was becoming emotional but trying hard to supress it.

Joel gandered down at you then back at the bed. "How 'bout you try and get some sleep, hmm?" Joel muttered, yawning himself which caused you to yawn too. You giggled and nodded. "Guess I should." You agreed. Joel looked outside the large paneled living room windows and saw it's still raining out. "At least it won't be completely silent." He whispered. Yeah, that's good. You hate utter silence when you're trying to sleep.

"I'll see you in the mornin', yeah?" Joel said quietly. "Sure thing." "Goodnight." "Night Joel." You waved and he gave you a soft, genuine smile before treading up the staircase to go to bed himself.

You climbed up onto the couch bed and rested your head against the puffy pillow. Your neck instantly relaxed and your back seemingly rejoiced in the feeling of comfort. You sighed softly and nestled into the position you felt the most warmth and joy in. Having an actual bed feels exotic, especially nowadays. The people of Jackson are lucky. To have a literal house plus a bed with a comforter set is a luxury during these times.

Your eyes were heavy and you could hardly keep them open. As you started to drift off into a slumber, the only thing that clouded your mind was Joel and the past day the two of you have had together.

-

The next morning was peaceful. You had woken up before Joel and got dressed in the clothes you were wearing yesterday. You made sure to bundle up considering it rained last night and it is now most likely colder outside. You made that observation when noticing the trickling frost trailing down the large white windows centered in his living room.

For once, you slept good. The comfort of the pullout bed was refreshing and you really needed it. You even dreamt for once and that was surprising. The dream had Becker in it-oh how you miss the little guy. You miss his cuddles and how annoying it would get with his repeated barking. Despite the fact that traveling with a dog made living more difficult, you would've never left him behind and you put the feller before yourself. You miss him so much.

You were quite surprised Joel hadn't awakened yet. You've been on his porch for a good ten minutes or so and you've been up half an hour. Fresh air does you good. It is chilly out. Off in the distance you can see children playing near the grass patches, running around and screaming their lungs out. It's adorable. You haven't seen children much throughout the past two decades but it's nice when you do. It gives you hope.

You haven't seen Tommy or Maria since yesterday. Maria told you she is often busy but when she has the time off, Joel said he'll discuss getting you a spot here at Jackson. You feel like you're intruding in a way but Joel insists he at least tries. If Maria decides you can't stay, you completely understand. You'll most likely leave back to the city area and find a place there, despite it's dangers.

From behind you, you heard the sound of Joel's white, wooden door opening and he was standing there, tall as ever and his face presented exhaustion. You smiled and looked him up and down. Same pants he slept in but he must've thrown a shirt on before opening the front door. "Why are you out here? It's fuckin' cold." Joel chuckled and looked around outside, admiring the view of civilization. "You're right. I just needed some fresh air." You got off of the railing and entered his house.

Joel closed the door and took your jacket off, hanging it back up. "I'll try and get you some more clothes here soon. When Ellie and I officially started stayin' here, my brother hooked us up with some stuff so I'll make sure you do too." Joel stated as he plopped down onto his couch (You made sure to put the bed away). You sat down right beside him and exhaled with a quiver. "Okay then." You nodded. That was perfectly okay with you. New clothes would be great.

"How 'bout you go get some food up at one of them diners and I'll get around to talkin' with Maria?" You nodded. Sounds like a plan to you. "I can do that." You smiled and stood up. Joel nodded back at you and retied his boots and you glanced down at him. "Maria should be at her and Tommy's place, I'll talk with her there. I'll meet you back here in an hour or so, yeah?" "Okay." Joel stood up and smirked at you. "Go fill that belly and get back to me soon, alright?" "Alright." You chuckled.

-

You are sitting all alone. A wave of awkwardness and misplacement washes over you. You don't feel as though you fit in here. You know nobody yet. For food however, you managed to get some sort of stew. Not a lot considering you showed up to the diner later than usual but they managed to pull through and get you fed-which you are grateful for. Joel is probably at Maria's by now and you're hoping for a positive response from her.

If Maria sends you on your way, fair, they've helped you enough. It's just that it won't feel right. Seeing Joel after all of this time just to leave a day later feels out of place and simply wrong. You want to see him daily, just as you used to. Jackson seems to be a tight knit community though, so maybe there's a chance they'll accept you in as theirs. That's be lovely.

You took another bite of your stew. The flavours your tounge encaptured were carrot and beef so if you had to guess, it's a beef stew. It's delicious. You have a lot on your mind. Of course, Joel is the main thing. You can't stop thinking about him. This is all so surreal. Last night felt like a dream and when you woke up, you punched yourself and double-checked to make sure it was all real, and it is. You just feel so shocked, extremely shocked.

Overall though, you don't plan to hold your breath. If Maria says no, fine. If she says yes, that's amazing! You'll hope for the best but your doubts are high. For now, you just need to finish up your stew so you can make way back to Joel's place, which will hopefully be soon.

-

On your way back to Joel's house, you spotted both him and Maria ambling side by side with each other. The conversation the two of them were having appeared deep and honest. You have absolutely no intentions of interrupting considering they could be discussing your living situation, so you plan to just get inside of his house. You glanced out of the corner of your eye at Maria and she was eyeing you down. You then realized her and Joel were prowling up to his place.

You stood on the porch and leaned against the wooden railing as they stepped up it as well. "Hi Joel. Hey Maria." You said with a kind voice as they both looked at you. They're both taller than you, so you have to tilt your head in order to even maintain eye contact. "Let's get into Joel's place so we can talk a bit more comfortably, hm?" "Sure thing!" You followed Maria and Joel into his house. You closed the door behind you and Maria sat on Joel's couch beside him-you stayed standing up.

"I don't mind you residing here." Maria began with a gentle voice. "We have free houses available, quite a few actually." She went on. "Issue is however, you're one person and often, we have families flooding in, in need for a home and if one person is taking a house up, it's a bit much." Maria explained. That's understandable. An entire family deserves a home over you, that's just obvious. "Listen, with all due respect, we just can't let one person take up an entire home." Maria said quietly.

You get it. In a way, you knew this would happen. It hurts and it sucks, sure, but it's a valid reasoning on her end.

"If I knew someone who would be willing to let you house with them, I'd allow that but I can't think of any-" "Me." Joel interjected. You quickly turned your head to face him. House? With Joel? Really? This doesn't feel real, even more-so now. "Oh, that settles it then." Maria stood up with a smile. "Housing with Joel isn't half bad, if you can handle an old guy who can't do his own laundry!" Maria snickered. "Ha-ha." Joel said sarcastically and gazed down at you.

"Joel, I really don't mind leaving, it was great to see you and all but I don't want to be an intrusion." "Hun, you ain't an intrusion. I offered. Now, your job is to accept this offer." Joel crossed his arms. You laughed out a breathless laugh and glanced at Maria. She shrugged, she doesn't mind either way but so far, she'd prefer if you stayed. You seem like a great girl in her eyes and her eyes don't decieve. "I... Okay, I'll stay here then." "Perfect." Joel got off of the couch.

Maria clapped her hands together and nodded. "Officially settled. Welcome to Jackson." She said softly and put her hand on your shoulder. "I'll make sure to set up your patrol schedule and what primary job you'll be set to here soon, okay?" "Great." You nodded with happiness. Maria gleed and slowly stepped backwards. "I better get my husband, he's starving and I made him lunch. See you two around... Oh and, Joel told me you need some clothes, stop by my place later and I'll give ya some!" Maria finished up before leaving Joel's place to head over to Tommy.

You bit your lip and crossed your arms. You feel a bit nervous. It's finalized, you're living with Joel now. This feels like a dream and a nightmare combined. A dream because you'll be with Joel and you now have a place to call home but a nightmare because you're living with him. Yes, it's amazing and all but he'll see you in your most vulnerable moments and there's a saying that when you're with someone too much (Potentially someone you live with) resentment will grow. You don't want that.

Joel tilted his head and placed his fingers on your chin, tilting your head up which snapped you out of your daze. "Everything alright with you?" He asked you, seeming concerned. "Of course! I'm just a bit starstruck, that's all." "I understand. I hope me sayin' you could stay here was too much. I wasn't really thinkin' but I truly don't mind." Joel cleared the air and let go of your face. Your blush disappeared and you nodded. "That's okay, I was just a bit caught off guard but your offer has been accepted and I am grateful, really." "Good."

"Glad we figured things out then." Joel stated. "Me too, Joel." You gleamed and uncrossed your arms, your anxiety dissipating. "I'm gonna head up to my room for a bit, figure some things out. We'll get you set up later, alright?" "Alright." "Ok. If you need me, just knock on my door, yeah?" "Sure thing." You nodded and sat down on the couch. Joel then left to go to his room. You're assuming he's going to process all of this and rightfully so, it's very new.

Very, very new.

[thequietkid-moonie]

Finding a human waking up from cryogenic sleep

[ PLATONIC HEADCANONS ] [ 9S & 2B ]

[ NieR Automata ]

⚠️ This contain heavy spoilers

Can you do me a favor and read this while hearing NieR Automata Soundtrack? I recomend City Ruins

Some time ago I read a fic that raised this idea but did not delve into it, and it had been in my mind for a long time so i decided to do it myself!!I loved how it ended so i hope you enjoy it as much as I did!! 🖤

A long time ago an strange plague scourged humanity and triggered a deadly disease, a big group of humans started the Gestalt Project in hopes to preserve humanity, putting humans soul in another container (that doesn't went too well). A part from the humans didn't completely trusted in the Gestalt Project so those humans started another projects with their lasts hopes, and as the last resource they put the people that wasn't infected yet in cryogenic sleep waiting for a better time where the threat of this disease no longer exist

However, this side project was almost completely forgotten and when the rumors of the humans who had survived were in the moon began to spread the one of the other humans in cryogenic sleep started to spread too, however this humans were taken just as a mere rumor and were leave there since the creators of YoRHa didn't had evidence of this project

It isn't too weird to think that you will be found some day, and that days seem to finally happen thanks to the YoRHa unit 9S, a scanner type that has been wandering around to collect information. Is probably that he is already with 2B, since the two of them had different missions around the land, and suspicious facilities of which they have no registration is something that is necesary to investigate

While they were trying to decipher what is the purpose of all of that they accidentally active the system of one of cryogenic chambers, starting the protocol of reactivation, imediatly getting themselfs on guard, ready to fight in case they need it, watching carefuly as the chamber open slowly only to reveal that inside of it was a human, you

As you slowly start to incorporate, with slow movements and trying to sit down 9S is the first one to react, guarding his sword and quickly going to your side, gently helping you sit down but still unable to say something, 2B doesn't waste more time before approaching to you too but still in shock. Non of them know what to do or what to say, even when the whole purpose of the androids is to protect humans, to fight to bring them a better future they had never actually met a human, an inmense curiosity and still a protective instinct immediatly fills both

If you react by being afraid of them they understand, both immediatly take an step back and quickly introduced themselfs, 9S is the one explaining the situation while 2B just comfirm the information, promising that the last thing they will do is to harm you. In the other hand if you are more comfortable with them or even excited to meet them 9S quickly match you energy, as well they don't waste much time to introduce themselfs but 9S is almost imediatly asking about you (just like an excited child receiving a new toy), while 2B try to calm both not wanting to overwhelm you or go against the protocol if there is even one

Once you are comfortable and ready 9S helps you get out or the cryogenic chamber while 2B contact the commander to ask what to do, however even the commander was surprised, in all the information she has about humans there isn't anything about some being in cryogenic sleep (or at least nothing that was for certain) and yet you could be the only human still alive, the commander can't take any risks when it comes to you, so while she investigate all she can about it and come up with a plan she ordered to both to take care of you and protect you at all cost (she prefers to don't tell anyone about this for now, but at some point she will tell the news to everyone to boost the androids morale)

You will be scorted to the resistence camp and stay there, where Anemone imediatly accept you without ask and give you an own room for you. Everyone will be really curious about you and will want to approach to you but 2B and 9S, along with Anemone, are trying to don't overwhelm you, and, at the end, is Anemone, Devola and Popola who is mostly taking care of you when 2B and 9S aren't around

As well you will be able to meet Pascal and the complete village, but not without making sure you will be comfortable in there before hand (and until 2B and 9S finally trust them, what Pascal completely understand), in the resistence everyone has similar appearance to yours so is little risk for you to freak out, but with Pascal everyone are machines so they first need to make sure you know that and you are comfortable (even so 2B will be paying close attention to everyone)

The only time 2B and 9S leave you alone is when they have a mision and they know that there is the risk to find ostile machines and that you could be in danger, so in those moment they leave you in the resistence. However is more likely that at some point you will want to explore the world too and you will be able to convice them to let you do it, 2B will be hesitant to do so and my even try to ask for permission to the commander while 9S is a little more willing to do it since they will be by your side (and he understand your curiosity), and is better if you just talk to them about your wish than trying to sneak out of the resistance camp because if they came and you aren't there for them will be like the end of the world, wasting no time and imediatly rush out to try to find you (what won't really take them much time), even when they aren't mad at you they are worried sick and will scold you for it

Whenever you go with them is more likely that 9S is the one leading and talking with you because 2B is too worried watching her surroundings, wanting to be ready for anything that could happen, however if you try to talk to her and include her in your little excursion she will start to be more talktive too

As much as they know about their habilities and that they are completely capable of protecting you they can't help but feel anxious whenever you walk for somewhat unstable places or near machines, even the docile ones, also the more adventurous you are the more anxious and protective they are, if you are running and jumping around they try to stop you or at least to follow you as close as they can, every time you trip and fall they tent to overreact a little, even if you didn't hurt yourself

It may seem like they are overreacting but for them is just fair, they are androids, they have backups not only of their bodies but also of their minds and memories, and even with that they try to be careful and don't be impulsive, but you are unique, if something happens to you there is no way to bring you back, they can't put your mind in a backup and continue with their duty, and even if they manage to wake up other humans they won't be you

2B is the more worring and protective over you of the two of them, is just that she knows more than anyone else how important you are and your only existance represent a big hope for her about not having to do the true job she was created for, you give her hopes about not having to do what she hated the most and she wants to cling to that little hope as much as posible

At some point the news of the human that is traveling with the androids reach A2, and as much as she hates YoRHa and don't want to have anything with them in her programation is still the feeling of needing to protect humans, so she probably will try to sneak and meet you without the intervention of them, and since she isn't against you she will try to at least warn you about not trusting in YoRHa before having to go away

[brainjvice]

So…I just binged reading your ryusaekai posts (love the stuffs) and its gotten me thinking about ryukai , although ryukai have around 11 ff on AO3 but not a single one on here aka tumblr is making me kind sad😞

I'm so so sorry it took me this much time to reply to your ask! It's been sitting in my drafts for a month because I wanted to give you a proper reply and fill it with ryukai hc but Life Life-d and Here we are. Still, I'm super sorry. I loved this ask, and I'm glad you enjoyed my ryusaekai posts, they're very dear to me!

So. Premise: to me ryusaekai is strictly a V poly relationship: i find Shidou and Kaiser fundamentally incompatible. At the same time they would be SO HOT together and, aesthetically speaking, they match way too well (this is so ironic, considering how bad their personalities match).

chara analysis under cut (it's. a bit long. oops)

To me it would be so Hard to make them work in canon, but at the same time we still lack Shidou's backstory so tbh maybe after it will be revealed I may reconsider their compatibility. Alas, for now... putting someone who easily resorts to violence with someone with Kaiser's trauma... doesn't seem like a good idea.

Kaiser also looks pretty touch repulsed unless he's the one doing the touching. On the contrary, Shidou is very much ok with physical touch and affection expressed via physical contact.

Also... their life philosophies may crash too. Shidou seems to have an optimistic approach to life and has a strong sense fo who he is and what he is doing Here and Now. He looks very in tune with his body in its whole. Also sees football as a way to express himself, a way to feel free, to "explode". He Loves playing football and looks like he's actively chosen it as a sport.

Kaiser, on the contrary, lives in regret. He barely feels alive and it seems he lives his life at 50cm of distance from his body. He is very disconnected from himself and his identity and crafted one by scratch just to be able to mask better in front of people. To him, football is a way to survive. To not go back. Does he like it? Yes, he seems to enjoy football from an early age. But the way he was put in the industry it didn't give him more choices about what he actually wanted to be. It was that, or death.

They do have their similarities, though. They are both eccentric as fuck and do not like to conform nor want to. They also have a weird relationship with the concept of impossibility, although they have a different approach to it (Kaiser wants to embody the impossible, Shidou, on the other hand, denies its existence "who decides whats impossible?").

They also both have antisocial tendencies and but while Shidou looks genuinely amazed by people and what they can do, Kaiser has probably an inferiority complex towards "humans" which he constantly tries to compensate for.

Anyway, as you can imagine, making these two assholes interact can be hard. But there's ways they can bond. Maybe Shidou can pspspsp hard enough to make Kaiser actually get closer to him. To me it's easier if there's someone else inbetween them to "mediate". Not that Sae is the embodiement of the perfect mediator, but his presence may deter both shidou and kaiser to be too asshole-ish towards each other.

.....Another personal hc I have of them is that Shidou enables Kaiser's hidden antisocial traits. A scenario I have in mind is Shidou challenging Kaiser to steal Sae's wallet. That's because to me Shidou would SMELL Kaiser is a tad fucked up without Kaiser having to opening up at all. Unfortunately, Shidou is extremely good at reading people and would use his ability to sliiightly mess up with Kaiser, trying to make him drop the mask.

Also. Imagining them having beef over who manages to steal Sae-chan's wallet first and without him noticing is HILARIOUS to me. That and the three of them being in a situation where they need to open up a door without having a key. So you see Kaiser and Shidou discussing the best ways to break in without causing too much damage to the door. Kaiser would use a credit card, Shidou propose to use one of his hairpins to help. Sae looks at them slightly worried about how both of his boyfriends apparently knows how to break open a door.

So yeah. All the scenarios I have in mind for ryukai is them bonding over Illicit activities. They should smoke weed together as well and just chill. Maybe Shidou makes a dark humour joke about his own childhood and Kaiser snorts (tries to cover it up via coughing) but doesn't reply. Maybe they can reach a mutual understanding of each other, which doesn't necessarily mean mutual respect but, hey, it's *something*.

Hope you liked this analisys and comparision! :>

[savebylou]

Now that it's been two weeks, I think enough time has passed for me to say what's been on my mind about the whole situation.

Zayn Malik has absolutely no right to act like he's "devastated" or "heartbroken" over the loss of Liam Payne. They were not good friends, and it was mostly because of Zayn's behaviour.

He has no right to act like he lost a brother when for years they hardly spoke. Now he feels sorry? I don't buy it, sounds like he's just saying that to look better in the media. He doesn't actually care.

Same way he didn't care when Liam was alive and the same way he doesn't care about the remaining 3 that are still alive.

I roll my eyes whenever that post comes back on my timeline of a source close to him saying "they aren't leaving him alone at this time." "He's in bits over this loss"

Hi anon. I don't know if you are sending me this so I can share my thoughts about your pov or if you are hoping that I agree with you. I disagree with you but I'm hoping that maybe sharing my thoughts can make you see other perspective.

I think when it comes to the boys there is one thing that is very clear to me: we don't know nothing of what happens behind the scenes. We know their public interactions but we don't know how much they have been in contact over the years and what happen between them. We really don't know how much in contact was Zayn with Liam after the hiatus and I don't want to speculate about it because of what I mention before.

I think anyone has the right to grief the loss of a person, especially if that person you know them for a period of time, doesn't matter how close or far apart your relationship became, the memories, bond and frienship still existed and the person impact your life.

All the boys had share how they are the only ones that know what they went through and how they have this bond for life. They live so many good and bad experiences, they know how much pain they went through, they so each other grow and struggle, they achieve so many wonderful things etc.

The friendship between Liam and Zayn during 1D was very obvious and they seem to be very close to each other. Liam look like Zayn's best friend to my eyes. I think that regardless of what happen after, he totally has the right to grief this loss. I do think he is suffering this loss as much as the other boys, they all are grieving more that we can imagine and all of them in a different way because everyone had a different relationship with Liam and grieving is a different experience for each person.

This was nothing that anyone expected. This is a huge loss for all of them, because when you think of One Direction you think of 5 members and regardless of how they talk or not now, I think eventually they were planing to find each other maybe just in private or in public we will never know, but now that future of the 5 of them being together again is vanish. The future of talking, find each other, grow old together, collab or visit each other is gone and that is a lot to process and grief.

About looking good in the media I personally think that Zayn has show over the years that he doesn't care about the press and do his own thing. He have the option to no post and grief in private, but he wanted to share a part of his grief with the public and honoring Liam.

I don't know if the media sources are legit or not but I do believe what Zayn share. About Zayn and the other boys we really don't know how is their relationship before what happen with Liam and after. Niall comment in 2023 that the group chat was active, but we don't know if Zayn was in there, we don't know if the boys have talk in private over the years, so we really can't be sure of anything unless they comment about it.

I do think is a possibility that maybe they all see each other again to say goodbye to Liam which is something so devastating to think about. Regardless I hope they are talking all of them and finding the support that they need in each other because this grief and bond only them will understand it.

I hope that my answer makes you see another perspective. I think is better to approach this grief with kidness, the world lost an incredible person, we need more love and understanding in this world to keep processing this grief.

Sorry if this is not the answer that you were looking for. I hope you have a lovely day/afternoon/night.

[insufferableprotagonistpoll]

Round 1

Propaganda why Elena Gilbert is insufferable:

"I wouldn't have such a problem with her if she didn't get others involved. Liking two people at once isn't a problem. Stringing them along is a problem. Constantly hanging around people that she knows is actively trying to kill her/want her dead or their relatives is so stupid like don't do that maybe. Having people stop what they are doing and dropping everything(especially if it's important) because she is in danger/trouble. Making people have to make tough decisions, sometimes affecting other people, and then not even offering up an apology about it(looking at you season 3)"

"The first 3 seasons made her so bad!! I understand the trauma but stringing along 2 brothers was ridiculous. Like, make up your mind and stop toying with their emotions. And then everything was about her! Every time she was in trouble, everything had to be put on hold to find her and help her and sometimes she wasn't even grateful about it and would end up in stupid situations again and again and again. Lowkey, she's the reason why Bonnie has been through the wringer, especially in the 3rd season. But as the seasons progressed, she did start to warm up my cold little heart"

"have you seen the show? she has little to no common sense, no standards, makes the most boring choices for every scenario, and isn't a good person. the show acts like she's a golden child when she's really just a boring child. dating adult men. who stalk her. and her biggest personality trait is saying "Stefan!" and "Damon!" when she experiences any emotion. idk man Nina Dobrev did NOT get the role for her acting skills (or lack thereof) that's for sure"

"Her biggest problem seems to be choosing between Nice Guy™️ and Bad Boy™️?? Meanwhile her best friend Bonnie is cleaning up everyone's shit. Elena is what happens when adults write teenagers without ever having interacted with a teenager."

Propaganda why Nesta Archeron is insufferable:

"Cruel and abrasive to everyone she meets, even the people who have done absolutely nothing to her. Verbally and emotionally abusive to her sister who was keeping the whole family alive, then initially refuses to help the same sister in a life or death situation later. Threatens to kill the same sister for asking for her help in a massive war affecting everyone on their continent. Blames everyone else for her problems and acts like no one else has ever suffered because they hide it better than her. Most insufferably, she pushes everyone away on purpose by bringing up their insecurities, then is sad when they don't want to be around her and don't like her."

"She is full of herself and spends the start of the book being a drunk bitch who refuses to get off her ass because the world fucking hates her despite the fact that there is a ton of characters willing to help. And then you need to root for her because no she got molested and abused and whatever the fuck else"