#((but by that same token: 'oh god i have make sure he lives! i have to protect him by any means necessary'!))

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

Oh. I didn't think I'd get this far.

"Well, uh," Randall replied, briefly rubbing the back of his neck, briefly unsure of how to proceed (having fully anticipated her to turn him down in favor of other plans) before suggesting with a little shrug, "W-Well, like I said, the, uh, the little second-run theater is playing a double bill of Dracula A.D. 1972 and The Satanic Rites of Dracula this week...h-how does dinner and a movie sound?"

That sounded like a nice, casual get-together to him-dinner and a show! There was a nice little restaurant that made the best sandwiches and gumbo in the city (and for a very reasonable price, to boot!) that they could go to, and then they could go see the movies-he hadn't seen the second half of the double bill yet, and had been pleasantly surprised to see it was playing there when he checked the paper the other day. It'd be nice to have someone to go with him...

And even after that, maybe they could go for a walk afterwards-after catching a matinee, he liked to go walking through the park, taking the sort of long way home, so to speak, being a little more leisurely in his return, sometimes pausing to take in the beauty of the world around him, sometimes stopping to buy some flowers for the house too, if he had the extra change for it. It was always a pleasant way to end a day out, and he hoped she'd enjoy herself too, if they went that route.

[midnightarcheress]

another casino thingy with john price, bc why not?

cw: nsfw. masturbation, fingering, implicit exhibitionist price?, f!reader. idk shit about poker. 2 | more casino!141

you go to the casino again. not to gamble though.

at first, you were reluctant on showing up. it was nice of John to give you money for your services that night, and you couldn't deny the instant attraction lingering on your brain, but you didn't want to feel like a token, a four-leaved clover he picked out of the grass. also, you were convinced that your luck was a one-time thing, so why bother trying again? he surely found another charm to put in his pocket by now. 

however, those thoughts vanished from your mind when you heard a sharp knock on your door. 

you look through the peephole and immediately recognize the person standing in your hallway – mohawk guy. how did he...? your first instinct is to ignore him, but curiosity wins the fight against logic and you open the door.

"hello, bonnie." he smiles, "Price's waiting for ye," he blurts out before you can even ask anything. he's waiting?

for a minute, you don't think. your body moves on auto-pilot, scouring your closet for a decent outfit and smoothing down your hair to look at least presentable, as a stranger – Johnny, you learned – paces in your living room. 

the next thing you know, you're in the passenger seat of his car, one hand resting on your leg and thumb edging the hem of your skirt, driving downtown. you couldn't help but shudder at the tingling sensation of his fingers on your skin, and he just snorts at your reaction, amused. are they all this touchy?

thankfully for you, Johnny is a talker, so you don't have to do much work to pass the time. he tells you that John is actually the owner of the casino and that every friday night he hosts a poker game with some of his friends. that he and the boys – Simon and Kyle – help Price with the management and with making sure no one creates trouble, and that John hasn't stopped talking about you.

your eyes widen after his last words, earning a chuckle out of the scot and nearly making you forget the question that first popped into your head when you saw him at your door – how in the hell did he know where i live? but at this point, you're not sure you care. 

the light squeeze on your thigh alerts you that you've arrived, hopping out of the car and walking inside. the place is as packed as ever, but he leads you directly to the back, the same door as before. 

"there she is." John grins, already tapping his lap for you to sit, "now we can start." this time, you don't hesitate, happily obliging to his request even when a part of you cringes at your eagerness. you accept the glass of bourbon, neat, that Kyle hands you, and despite being too strong for your liking, you don't bother. probably tastes like John.

the first few rounds were tame, with low bets, but soon enough you see the flying 5000 chips landing on the table and hear the laughs getting louder, as he traces circles on your hip. you don't know if it's the alcohol coursing in your veins, the softness of his touch, or his hot breath on your ear, but warmth starts pooling in your stomach and your legs clump together to ease the tension.

John notices your squirms and devilishly smirks, enjoying your desperate attempts to forgo the desire building in you. "here, kiss it for good luck, Ace." Ace? his left-hand holds a chip up, as the right one sneaks between your thighs and pry them apart again, making you gasp. 

you timidly lean forward to press a quick kiss on the chip and instantly feel the heat creeping up your cheeks when his hand reaches your underwear. "you're so wet, Ace," he whispers, pulling your damp pants to the side. god, what is he... oh.

you try your best to be calm, not let the sensation of his fingers grazing your folds cloud your mind, but it's too much. your head tips back onto his shoulder, and any word that threatens to come out of your mouth and stop him gets caught in your throat. there's people around. everyone can see how much of a mess you are. and they... don't care?

his thumb gently rubs your clit as his middle finger toy with your entrance in an agonizingly slow manner, soft sighs escaping your mouth and eyes embarrassingly glossy focusing on the table. the game is still going, there's at least eight other men in this room, counting the players and the boys, fuck i'm– you bite back moans, gripping his forearm to keep him in place and to stop yourself from writhing in his lap. 

"easy, love," he murmurs, finally pumping his digit inside you, "such a greedy cunt." his tone is low, syrupy, dripping like honey over you and nearly making you cum at the sound of his voice. you nuzzle your face on his neck, muffling your whimpers and drowning in the scent of his cologne. "what's keepin' me from throwin' you on top of this table and takin' you right now, hm?"

"John–" you breathe out, coil on your belly tightening when he inserts another finger, hitting the spongy spot you were never quite able to reach, making you mewl with pleasure. his beard brushes on your neck and his warm lips trace your jaw, leaving an underlying burning on your skin that drops straight to your core. 

through half-lidded eyes you see the dealer finishing distributing the cards and the subtle twitch in John's mouth when he glances at his hand. your mind is too far gone by the point when they place the bets, too lost in the feeling of his frantic thrusts, velvety walls instinctively clenching around him to enhance the bliss.

the knot inside of you snaps and you cry out, limbs trembling in his hold and pure electricity travelling under your surface; it's intense, ripples through your core, heavenly overstimulating every corner of your body and sending your mind to outer space. 

you float back to earth and taste the metallic flavor in your mouth, bottom lip sore from biting too hard to prevent your screams. John nudges you back to reality with a kiss on your temple, "such a good girl, love." he flaunts his cards in front of your eyes, and after a few attempts to refocus your vision, he gloats, wide smile and lustful eyes directed only at you, "just won me thirty grand, Ace."

i'd love to write more of this casino universe but i'm very much lacking in the ideas department lol

[codenamesazanka]

What do you fear the most that mhas epilogue will do and make sure to list your other fears too

Oh god.

I think my biggest fear is Deku going to visit Spinner, and Spinner will validate his ignorant, arrogant, unheroic ass. Whether it's 'Thank you for trying to save Shigaraki' or 'Sorry Tenko stayed being Shigaraki for me and the League instead of giving in to you' or 'Wow, you really are the true hero Stain saw' or 'I see that Shigaraki has entrusted his will on you, so I will cheer you on from now on'.

Of course, a Spinner who validates Deku and essentially surrenders to the Heroes' way of doing things is only a symptom of a much bigger problem that is "Silly League of Villains, Heroes were right all along, save for some tiny mistakes, and now it's time to repent and assimilate" - an overall epilogue where nothing actually changes except some people learn to feel pity and vows to be nicer. So I guess that's my true, core fear. But it's manifesting in Spinner turning into a Deku groupie. Yeah, why not befriend the guy who killed your actual friend and believe in his way of doing things that got your friend killed.

-

Another Spinner fear I have is actually Spinner becoming a 'true' spokesman for the Heteromorphs - less because he doesn't deserve it, more because it's likely that it means his 'stance' has gone to Shouji level and he's telling everyone to not be like him and instead work harder to brave being sprayed by pesticides and endure bullying. So, fear of Spinner being tokenized (again) and becoming a Shoji-like kind of Heteromorph advocate.

Like, I've always thought Spinner's 'fix' was that he should be allowed to be entirely mediocre and be treated right. Put another way, he's not obligated to be exceptional in order to deserve basic decency/proper treatment. Even the worst, most selfish, resentful, weak-quirk, intelligence D, League of Legends gamer loser you know shouldn't be subjected to fantasy racism, because no one should. If he's an advocate, he's an advocate for the losers of the heteromorphs - the weaklings, the delinquents, the criminals? But that's not a very inspiring message! Instead, Heteromorphs should shine bright - and that's the message the manga and Shouji is giving.

Also like, there's no way the new powers that be will let him near a microphone without being declawed - last time he did so, he literally started a riot. There's no way they let him talk about his true feelings - that he was empty; that with the hundreds of Heroes on TV, none gave him hope for change; that it took a most outcasts-of-outcasts Villain team for him to ever feel accepted.

Spinner being an 'advocate' I think would be more him being a cautionary tale - "don't be like me, I'm a Villain and I'm stuck in Tartarus 2.0 for life; you can fight for your rights but not like I did!" He deserves better than that. Heteromorphs deserve better than that.

My other fears

Shigaraki stays dead

Shigaraki comes back but as five-year-old Tenko, so that Heroes can 'raise him properly' to be a Hero

We learn Toga died

We learn Dabi died but Endeavor lived

We never see the MLA ever again

We don't get more Compress backstory

Moonfish gets executed

Gran Torino doesn't die

Hawks being relevant

Hawks still facing no satisfying consequences for killing Twice

Twice being remembered by no one except his killer who's still vaguely mournful about his death but it was for the greater good, he really did think Bubaigawara was a decent guy

HPSC revived

No mention of anything being done about the HATE CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN in the countryside. Shoji's 'let's shine bright' was it.

Quirk Counseling not completely revised

Aizawa and Mic still basically cursing out Shigaraki for stealing Shirakumo from them and not realizing Kurogiri/Shirakumo genuinely cared about the kid

No one bringing up how fucked up Iron Maidens and Tartarus is.

Tartarus 2.0 is back and everything is exactly the same but the wardens are nicer because they went through sensitivity training

That ending where the manga fast toward 12 years and everyone is in extremely heterosexual marriages with children. Part of this means teenaged Kouta and Eri are hinted to be crushing on each other or something. god.

[baldursgrave69]

Now We’re Even

Rating: NSFW - MATURE, MDNI

Pairing: Astarion x fem!durge (named)

Word count: 1.2k

Tags: MDNI, afab!durge, feelings, oral sex, public oral

While writing this I was listening to: Mine by Sleep Token

Find me on Ao3 here

Happy Valentine’s Day :’)

Also I’m sorry Gale

Agnes stood on the rooftop of the Elfsong Tavern, her eyes closed as she breathed in the cool evening air.

Something about watching the city as it slept felt familiar, it was the closest she got to feeling at home in Baldur’s Gate. Her long, black hair was down from her usual tight braid, it cascaded down her back and nearly reached past her backside. The rest of her party was taking a well deserved break in the tavern. She had slipped away, hopefully unnoticed, to spend some time beneath the stars.

While she didn’t really miss slumming it in the Wilds, Agnes did miss their old camps. It was nice to sleep in a bed for once, but nothing beat camping in the open, the crackling of the fire, the sounds of nature at night. Agnes let out a loud sigh, opening her eyes to look over the city.

“How did I know you’d be up here?” Astarion said from behind her, she hadn’t noticed him make his way up to the roof.

Agnes turned to him, a smile crossing her face. He came up to her, pressing a kiss to her lips as he wrapped his arms around her middle from behind. Agnes relaxed into his embrace, turning back to face the city.

“Something about being up here feels so familiar. I must have done this a lot. Before,” she said as he nuzzled his face into her neck.

“I like watching over the city, too,” he said. “Any time I had a free moment I would just stand in the moonlight and watch the city sleep,” he continued with a loud sigh.

“I wonder if we were ever looking at the city at the same time,” Agnes thought aloud.

Now that she knew who she was before, she wondered if they had ever crossed paths. Both she and Astarion stalked the city at night, looking for victims.

“Do you think we were ever in the same place?” Agnes asked, turning to face him.

Astarion’s expression dropped, his eyes darting to the ground. Agnes took a step back, studying his expression. He knew something.

“Astarion… what is it?” She asked cautiously as the vampire shifted under her gaze.

“Well,” he started, taking a step back. “Do you remember how, at the beginning, I could have sworn I knew you from somewhere?” He said, looking back up at her.

Agnes swallowed uncomfortably, she didn’t like where this was going.

“Oh, gods. Astarion what did you remember?” She said, watching him.

“There was a night at a tavern where I had been looking for victims for Cazador. I’d been watching this woman for an hour or so, trying to develop a strategy to lure her in,” Astarion stepped towards Agnes, extending his hand to hers.

She wavered for a moment before placing her hand in his.

“When I was ready, I walked over and sat by…” he trailed off, squeezing her hand.

“Oh no,” Agnes whispered, feeling sick to her stomach.

“I now know it was you. None of my usual flattery or flirtations worked on you, you were instantly combative,” he said with a chuckle.

Agnes looked at him with sad eyes, any interaction she had with him before the tadpole was surely not a good one.

“Did I hurt you” she asked, tears welling in her eyes.

“No, my dear. Though you did threaten to kill me,” he said, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. Agnes sighed, a half hearted chuckle escaping her lips.

“You held your dagger to my throat and told me if I moved you’d let me live,”

“That sounds right, honestly,” Agnes said.

“I refused to move. The way I saw it, you were giving me an out from centuries of torture,” he said, lacing his fingers with hers.

“Oh, Astarion,” Agnes said with a quiet gasp, leaning her forehead to his.

“You considered it, but then you pushed me out of the way. I don’t know what made you decide to spare me,” he said, pulling her closer

“I guess we’re even, then,” Agnes said, a grin on her face.

Astarion cocked his head to the side, unsure what she was talking about.

“I may not remember the first time we technically met, but I do remember the second time. And I remember you pulling me to the dirt and holding a dagger to my throat,” she said, her arms now wrapped around his neck.

“Hmm, while that is true, let’s not forget the night you spent tied up trying to slit my throat. Technically, you’ve threatened to kill me more times than I have you,” Astarion replied, his hands traveling down to her waist.

“How might we even it out, then?” Agnes asked, moving her face closer to his so their noses were touching.

“I could go for a little death. Figuratively speaking, of course, darling,” Astarion purred against her lips, pressing her body into his.

Agnes placed her hands on Astarion’s waist, spinning him around and pressing him against the railing of the balcony.

“That can be arranged,” she whispered, in his ear, her hand trailing down his waist to cup his half-hard cock.

Astarion moaned quietly as Agnes kissed his neck, palming his erection through his pants. His hands gripped the railing behind him as he let his head fall back. Agnes unlaced his trousers, wrenching them down to allow his length to spring free. She smiled, immediately sinking to her knees in from of him.

She looked up at Astarion, pumping his cock a few times with her hand before licking a stripe up the underside with a flat tongue. Astarion let out a groan as she took him into her mouth, her tongue swirling around his head. Agnes languidly bobbed her head on his cock, a hand trailing up under his shirt and rest on the taught muscles of his stomach. Astarion pulled the bottom of his shirt up, watching as Agnes swallowed around his length.

“Gods, you’re perfect,” growled, pushing his cock to the back of her throat. Agnes braced herself against his thighs, taking him as deep as she could.

“Shit, someone’s coming up,” Astarion hissed, hearing the latch to the rooftops entrance rattle.

Agnes quickly jumped up, turning her back to Astarion with his cock still in her hand

“Gods that door is heavy,” Gale grumbled, making his way up to the rooftop.

Astarion’s eyes widened as Agnes began pumping his length in her hand, slowly and languidly as Gale made his way towards them.

“Hi, Gale,” Agnes said with a smile as Astarion braced himself against the railing, trying to keep himself composed.

“Is everything alright? I noticed you two were missing from the festivities,” the wizard said, blissfully unaware of what he had just stumbled upon.

“Yes, of course. Everything’s fine, right Astarion?” Agnes said with a smirk, swiping her thumb over the head of his cock.

“Hah, yes we’re fine,” Astarion breathed, his knuckles white against the railing behind him.

“Very well then,” Gale said, narrowing his gaze at Astarion who was trying to stifle a moan.

“Goodbye, Gale,” Astarion said through gritted teeth, eyes widening at the wizard.

Gale looked at him in confusion for a moment before realization hit him.

“Aah, well I, uh, should be going then,” Gale said, quickly averting his gaze and scrambling down the hatch off of the rooftop.

Astarion wrapped a hand around Agnes’ middle, pulling her flush against him.

“Downstairs, now,” he growled against her neck.

[liminalpebble]

Stray: Part 7

Masterlist link

Stray: Part 7

His human came home that evening slightly late, but absolutely elated. Loki felt his heart swell to nearly bursting when he saw your smile. You breezed in and immediately lifted him and kissed him on the nose, then snuggled him close and kissed his velvety head.

“Oh, Loki. I've had such an amazing day!” you said flitting around, putting groceries away and kicking off your heels, nearly dancing with joy. “Mr. Mullen called me to his office and he's giving me a chance! He even apologized for being such an ass before.”

Good, Loki thought with a devious smirk. I guess he does value being in one piece.

He watched as you stroked the lovely purple cardigan then reluctantly took it off, placed it on a hanger, and smoothed out the delicate fabric with care.

Sweet mortal! Loki thought, You needn't be so careful with it. It's not some great treasure...just a token. I would get you hundreds of them, one for every day of the year, in every color. I would see that you never feel cold again.

But then he remembered the kind of creature you are, grateful for everything, expecting nothing, treating every good thing, person, and gift as something precious. He watched as you took a professional outfit out of a Mullen's Department Store bag and laid it out on the sofa. The crisp new fabric of the pencil skirt was a sharp contrast to the threadbare upholstery.

“Well Loki, what do you think? I've never had to buy office clothes before. I'm not sure about it but Tammy helped me pick it out.”

“Meow”. I approve! Very classy...but you'd look so much lovelier in an Asgardian court gown with a crown upon your head. That would be more befitting your beauty.

His human chuckled, and seemed to only understand his affirmation. “Thank you. I'm so glad you like it. I have a feeling you have great taste,” you said as you massaged between his ears until he purred with satisfaction. Sitting, you gathered him more closely into your arms, meeting his lovely, rare eyes and said, “You know...ever since I found you, everything has gotten better. I mean...not just the good luck of a promotion and meeting Henry. Just...you make every day better. I was so alone before. Thank you, little kitten. You're so important to me.”

You stroked his back and all he could do was purr as he floated on your praise. He had never felt such sheer pleasure from bringing joy to another being. Loki had also rarely ever been praised for anything either...mostly told to shut up or stop. He was ecstatic, bursting at the seams. He longed to reveal himself to you and finally ask you to spend your lives together on a grand adventure, but how could he? How would you believe him? How would you take it?

Come on, Loki ,he encouraged himself, you're the god of mischief. Scheming is what you do. Do it for a glorious purpose this time.

Patience was never his favorite thing, but he was determined to try it for his sweet human. The younger prince of Asgard felt an unusual pang of anxiety. Loki rarely faced anything in his long life that presented a true challenge or obstacle; but here it was before him. You were worth it, he decided. For you, and only you, he would find a way.

----

That weekend you didn't receive a call from Henry. You did, however receive a letter in your mailbox in that same lovely handwriting on green and gold paper.

Darling,

I know there is Fall Carnival is this weekend at that lovely orchard outside of town, and I have never attended such an event before. Would you be my date for the day? Meet me in front of your building at 3 pm on Saturday and we'll have a splendid day together.

Sincerely,

Henry

Reading the note, you couldn't help smiling so wide your cheeks hurt. What an odd man! Sending courtly letters instead of calling like a normal person. It was incredibly charming, though; idiosyncratic in a way that inclined you to trust him. You guessed he wasn't so perfectly confident after all, if phone calls scared him. You couldn't blame him though. They scared you too.

So on Saturday, just before 3 pm, you kissed the little cat goodbye, then swung out the door in the one nice pair of jeans you owned and a sturdy raincoat, excitement and anticipation crackling through your bloodstream.

----

Loki's irrepressible Cheshire cat grin unfurled across his face as he turned to see you hurrying toward your front door. You couldn't believe how handsome 'Henry' he looked; like an English country gentlemen, with his perfectly coordinated leather boots and coat. Evaluating your own ratty hiking boots and dated parka you felt like slinking away in embarrassment, but it was far too late for that.

Still, he kissed your hand like a princess and said, “Darling! Thank you for joining me today. You look absolutely lovely!”

“Henry...I look like I'm going hiking...and possibly like I'm living in a tent. I feel terribly under-dressed next to you.”

He looked genuinely concerned for a moment. “Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel self-conscious. I'm sure we'll be equally muddy by the end of the day, in any case,” he paused, looking deeply into your eyes, “and I'm sure you look lovely in anything at all.”

“You, sir, are dangerously charming,” you quipped, scrunching your nose in that adorable way you often did. You couldn't know how the little habit always made him fall to pieces.

---

At the orchard the carnival rides were in full frenzied swing. The hundreds of multi-color bulbs painted swaths of pulsing color around the makeshift amusement park and further into the fields beyond. The rusty omnipresent hue of old machinery blended into the natural coppery-colored remainders of autumn foliage. You walked through the crowd, each holding cups of warm cider and talking between languid steps and steamy sips.

“You know, in all the years I've lived here,” you said, “I've never come to this carnival. Thank you for giving me a nudge to do it.”

“My absolute pleasure,” he assured you. “I've never been here either.”

You just observed his lovely patrician face for a moment until he finally noticed and said, “What is it?”

You grinned and stopped in your tracks, “Uh...nothing...it's nothing...just. You seem like some kind of incredibly fairytale prince...the way you talk, and your fine clothes and gifts and...and leaving letters instead of calling. How did you know my address, by the way?”

“Ah...well...Janet helped me out with that one. She said it was very romantic and was happy to be in on it,” he said with a shy grin.

You chuckled knowingly, “Well it is, and you are incredibly disarming, but you already know that. And she's still so young. Her whole world revolves around romance. Life hasn't taken that from her yet. I hope it doesn't.”

You both continued walking but he tilted his head to observe you. Some unspoken sadness flickered across your face; some history of aching rejection he had yet to discern. It was a scar, and he wanted to kiss it.

“What? Don't you think romance makes life worth living?”

You scoffed at him, assuming he was being sarcastic, but his eyes were completely innocent and sincere. “Well...I don't know. I never counted on it or looked for it. There were always more practical concerns. I figured if I told myself I didn't want or need it, it wouldn't hurt so much to never have it.” You shrugged. “It just always seemed like something meant for other people, not me. So I looked for joy and meaning in everything else,” you said looking around thoughtfully, “...in kindness, in the things I get excited about learning, in the small beautiful parts of life. Even on the bad days I try not to take anything for granted.”

“Wow,” he said, “are you some kind of saint?”

You raised and eyebrow at him and said, “I assure you. I'm far from it.” And I'd like to show you personally how far from it I could be, you thought and then pushed it away just as quickly.

“I have sad and weak and angry days. I have days where I want to scream and jump out of my fucking window. I often feel alone and...different. I wonder what's wrong with me that I don't let anyone get too close.”

He considered this. “ You are different, and it's wonderful.” He realize he was staring. It was making you uncomfortable, so he changed tact slightly, reorganizing his thoughts. “Well, it's no great mystery, right? You've dealt with being hurt and disregarded by the people who were supposed to love you. That's a deep wound, and now your impulse is to survive...but maybe...just maybe, you could thrive while you're at it?”

You gave him a cautious grin, “That's a lovely thought...here's to hoping. I haven't felt hope for awhile, but it's making an appearance lately,” you said, toasting his your little paper cup with his and downing the last sips of your hot cider. When you both drained your cups, you were surprised to see Henry suddenly crumple his cup, throw it to the ground, and shout “Another!”. He quickly realized from the startled faces around him that his Asgardian gesture of appreciation must not be a universal one. “Oh,” he said with a chuckle, picking up the little cup; throwing it and yours into the garbage can. “I'm terribly sorry! Force of habit...it's a Scandinavian thing.”

You giggled a musical irrepressible laugh, and he felt himself go weak under its spell. He wanted to hear you laugh like that as often as possible. You pointed a finger against his firm chest stepped slightly closer, so the icy clouds of your breath mingled in the crisp air, “You are a delightfully odd man, Henry. I like you. I...I really like you,” you said, making eye contact. He met your gaze so intensely that you forgot to breathe. His hand curled around yours resting it against the soft leather of his coat. “I like you too, darling. So...so much. I know it's cliché and makes me sound utterly insane but I feel so comfortable with you...like I was meant to know you my whole life.”

You were stunned for a moment; partially because you felt entirely the same way, and partially because that did sound utterly insane. While your mind struggled to wrap around what he had just said, he massaged your hand gently and exclaimed, “My god! Darling, you're absolutely frozen. I should get you some gloves next time.” He untied his large wine-red scarf from his own neck and wrapped it around yours, then bundled your hands carefully in the draping ends.

Loki longed to kiss you in that moment. He wanted to kiss you so badly it ached within him every moment he didn't, but he found he couldn't, which puzzled him. He had never had any hesitation with kissing anyone before. Loki had never known the experience of nervousness or self-consciousness in romance...until now.

Why! He shouted within his mind You idiot, why aren't you kissing her right now?

Then a smaller voice within his mind piped up; an uncertain voice of his younger more insecure self, Because, what if I don't deserve her?

You were disappointed. He could see it clearly in your eyes. You wanted it just as much as he did, and the liminal silent tension was wearing on your both.

You couldn't bring yourself to initiate a kiss he might not want, so instead you wrapped your arms around his lanky waist and snuggled into his chest affectionately, whispering a simple “thank you”. Loki paused for a moment, stunned by the gesture, amazed to have you in his arms. Suddenly he gripped you very tightly, as if afraid you might drift away like a perfect dream upon waking. He felt a tear roll down his cheek in the icy air, first warm and then cool against his skin as he enjoyed the weight of you against him, close to him.

@averagetmblrusser @primrosesposts @fruityfucker @arunabrak @mischief2sarawr @ladyofthestayingpower @acidcasualties @unlucky-number-13 @goblingirlsarah @gigglingtiggerv2 @lokihiddleston @chokeanddagger @lokischambermaid @lokisgoodgirl @marcotheflychair @smolvenger @alexakeyloveloki @littlespaceyelf @little-wormwood @loopsisloops @joyful-enchantress @eleniblue @loz-3 @the-haven-of-fiction @sweetsigyn @muddyorbs @icytrickster17 @holdmytesseract @thenerdyoldersister @thedistractedagglomeration @sailorholly @coldnique @sarahscribbles @peaches1958 @infinitystoner @peachyjinx @mischiefmaker615 @jennyggggrrr @tripleyeeet @itsybitchylittlewitchy @mochie85 @huntress-artemiss @madi0987 @buttercupcookies-blog @annoyingsweetsstranger

[twoidiotwriters1]

Almighty (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: Great end of chapter if I do say so myself -Danny Words: 2,167 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Listen to: 'Trouble' -by Imagine Dragons

II: No! Not My Irrepressible Thoughts of Death!

"She really named her place Hebe Jeebies?"

"Afraid so."

"And how did you know about this place?"

"They have great licorice ropes," Grover explains. "You can't pass by without smelling them!"

"It's a candy store, then?" Annabeth frowns.

"No, more like... Actually, it's easier to show you."

Ara groans, the first noise she's made since they got there. "Are we going to regret this?"

"Probably. But then again, you love your job," Percy grabs her by the shoulders and pushes her in. "C'mon, quest junkie..."

The place looks like the craziest family restaurant Ara's ever seen, though to be fair, she hasn't been to many. Her family prefers ordering a pizza and playing video games until their thumbs are sore, but she can sense the magic bouncing off the walls like an annoying buzzing in her ear.

"I get it now," Annabeth makes a face. "This place does give me the heebie-jeebies."

"You feel that too?" Ara mumbles.

"Feel what?" Percy asks.

"Like the Lotus casino," she responds. "Time feels wrong."

"I've been here a few times," Grover replies eerily. "I've never found the other end of the place."

"Okay," Percy steps back. "I agree with Birdy. I'm getting strong Lotus Casino vibes in here... like low-rent Lotus Casino, but still..."

"Nothing low-rent about this," Ara steps forward.

"It's not a trap," Grover tries to ease them. "At least, I've never had any trouble leaving. These families... they come and go. They don't seem to be stuck in time."

"Then... what's the catch?" Annabeth frowns. "There's always a catch."

"I don't know," Grover says awkwardly. "I usually just get licorice and leave. I keep a low profile."

"Hebe runs this place, right?" Ara shrugs. "Perhaps she eats little kids."

"Shut up," Percy groans. "Are we even sure she's here?"

"No, but..." Grover shrugs. "You know that feeling you get when there's a god around and you can't see them, but you kind of feel like there's a swarm of dung beetles on the back of your neck?"

"Not exactly..." Percy mumbles.

"I feel it almost every day," Ara's had enough encounters with gods to differentiate a normal state of anxiety from actual power breathing down her neck. "It itches."

"Dung beetles is oddly specific, though," Annabeth points out.

"I've got that feeling now," Grover insists. "We could ask the staff if Hebe's around. If we can find someone."

"Oh, my gods," Annabeth perks up. "Stackers. I haven't played that since..."

Ara points at another game. "It's the same we have in camp! Leo..." Her smile falters, losing her train of thought for a moment. "Uh... rigged it so we could mess with the characters—he called it idiot mode."

"It's a nostalgia trap," Percy says cleverly. "The place is selling people their own childhoods."

Annabeth hums. "That makes sense, but a lot of places sell nostalgia. It's not necessarily a bad thing..."

"Nostalgia's addictive," Ara responds promptly. "Maybe Hebe doesn't need magic to keep people here, miserable folk love wasting their lives in this sort of crap." She lets out a dry chuckle. "I know what I'll be doing after school..."

Percy places a hand on her shoulder. "Keep walking."

"Excuse me, miss?" Annabeth stops an employee.

"What?" The girl—can't be older than ten—pauses and calms down. "Sorry. The token machine is broken again, and I gotta get these tickets to... Anyway, how can I help?"

"We're looking for Hebe?" Percy says.

"If this is about a refund for a defective game—" 

"It's not."

"Or the pizza being moldy—"

"It's not. Also, yuck."

"Depends on the mold," Grover mumbles.

"We just need to speak to the goddess in charge," Annabeth explains. "It's kind of urgent."

The young girl eyes them with a frown but shrugs. "Past the diving cliff; left at the henhouse."

"Diving cliff?"

"Henhouse?"

"She'll be in the karaoke bar," Sparky—that's the name in her tag—makes a face. "Don't worry. You'll hear it."

When the girl leaves, Percy turns to his friends. "Are we really going to search out a karaoke bar... like, on purpose?"

"I love karaoke," Ara frowns. "It's fun!"

"You can duet with me on 'Shallow,'" Annabeth teases the boy.

"You don't want that," he grins.

"Oh, I don't know." Annabeth gives him a playful pinch. "Might be romantic."

Their soul lights glow and Ara gawks playfully. Grover nudges her arm. "We're just going to keep walking," he says, pulling her along.

"Hey, water," Ara points out. "If there's an emergency we can use that, Nemo."

"Gross, but yeah," he looks at the greenish water with repugnance. "Let's hope we don't have to."

"Aaand that's the henhouse," Ara scowls. "This can't be sanitary."

"Why?" Percy asks, but not in response to her comment, more like, Why would anyone put this here?

"Hebe's sacred animal," Annabeth explains to them. "Maybe we should move along."

"Those are not friendly pollos," Ara mutters, noticing the way the animals are ogling at them with dead stares. 

Hebe is easy to identify, she's the only person in there dressed like a 60's go-go girl. Everything that could go wrong goes wrong within the next thirty minutes of sitting there talking to her. She rambles about how Percy was stupid for rejecting immortality and eternal youth, scans Ara up and down, making the girl self-conscious, and when Ganymede gets mentioned, that only worsens things.

"Heroes accusing me of theft! The only thing I've ever stolen is time from the Fates so mortals could enjoy longer lives! I care nothing for that... that usurper's cup! Do you think I would want my old job back, waiting tables on Mount Olympus, when I have my own establishment right here with all the pizza, karaoke, and bumper cars I could ever desire?"

"You're right," Percy says promptly. "Of course that's silly. But maybe you know someone else who could've stolen it? Or if you'd let us look around so we can report back that it definitely isn't here—"

"ENOUGH!" Hebe starts glowing. "What did you say earlier, Percy Jackson? Getting older is part of life? Well, perhaps you should start that process over again. Maybe you'll do it right this time and learn some manners!"

It can get chaotic real fast when a goddess decides to turn everyone in your friend group into eight-year-olds. 

There's lots of clumsiness and tons of emotional immaturity. Ara starts weeping the moment she's stripped of her power. She's an anxious, weak child—and impatient as well. She's tugging Percy's hand screaming about this being all his fault, demanding to be taken back to her mommy and daddy, and it only gets worse when Sparky releases the killer chickens. 

Fifteen-year-old Ara is hard to intimidate, but baby Ara? The moment those beasts show up, she lets out a high-pitched scream and tries to scramble out of there. Annabeth and Percy have to drag her through every obstacle, and at the back of her mind she knows she should help, but Hebe took her to a time when she had no training, no blessings, and no control over her ADHD.

Ara overhears her friends talking about kidnapping chicks, but the only time they pay any attention to her is when they lock themselves inside the karaoke and Percy shoves a mic into her small hand. He squeaks out in his little boy's voice. "You're the singer—Sing!"

Ara hiccups through the song, but she manages to stay calm now that Grover and Annabeth are keeping the cabin sealed shut. The music helps her ease her nerves and soon enough Percy and Annabeth join her. "You're terrible singers," she says in a stuffy voice.

Percy and Annabeth trap her in a hug as they sway and sing louder. Ara lets out a giggle that makes her friends smile more, they hadn't heard that girlish noise in ages. It's hard to notice when someone's voice changes if you spend every day listening to them, just like it's crazy how they're all the same height and age right now. 

Ara always wondered if their relationships would've been any different had she been the same age as them, if they would've trusted her, and perhaps even supported her wish to become a daughter of Olympus. Now that they are, she realizes that no, they would've still tried to stop her, because it was never about the age. Ara was simply too much of a coward.

"Stop it! Stop it, already!" Hebe shows up again, stomping her feet to silence them.

"Oh great and extremely young Hebe!" Percy starts. "We are so sorry—"

"Especially Percy," Annabeth adds.

"I am ninety percent of the sorry!" He concedes. "Please forgive us!"

"If that song was supposed to be an apology, you should direct it to John Lennon."

"He was a jerk," Ara blurts out, then Annabeth elbows her. "But you seem to like the 60s, and we want nothing more than to appeal to you!"

"Please, grant us sanctuary from your wrathful hens!" Grover presses.

"And please return us to our proper ages!" Annabeth adds.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Hebe makes a time-out sign. "First you desecrate my karaoke machine, then you barrage me with requests? Why should I return you to your former ages?"

"Because... Because you are generous and good, and also super young," Percy tries clumsily.

"We are petitioners at your altar," Annabeth replies.

"Your holiest of holy karaoke stages! Most sacred of disco boogie venues!" Silence. "Too much?" Grover sighs. "All we want is to leave here in peace, at our normal ages—so we can spread the word about the wonders and terrors of Hebe Jeebies!"

"And with a little information about the chalice of the gods, please," Percy says sweetly.

Hebe scowls at him. "There it is again. That insolence. That slander. Perhaps I did not send you far enough back into your childhood."

"Forgive him!" Annabeth squeaks. "We would never try to run out the clock on you!"

"It's true!" Percy pipes in. "Clocks are bad!"

"I don't know how to read a clock," Ara pipes in.

"You are spouting nonsense," the goddess frowns.

"Exactly, they do that a lot!" Annabeth says. "That's why you must forgive them!"

"What did I do?" Ara pouts. "I didn't get us in this trouble!"

"You matured too fast," Hebe glares at her. "What is a youthful body to a soul that can't enjoy it?"

"That's true, you're growing too fast," Percy nods in agreement.

And whose fault is that? Ara scowls. She doesn't think she's a troublemaker nowadays, the only reason she's stuck as a child is precisely because she's doing exactly what the gods ask of her. "Shut up."

"You shut up!"

Hebe stomps her tiny feet to silence them, she seems to be getting younger. "You are all so—so yucky!" She's getting even smaller than Ara. "What is happening? I don't like it!"

Ara and Percy share a confused look, then he looks at the booth behind them. "Lil' Killer!" He says. 

"A chick?" Ara crawls under the booth.

"Don't look at me like that!" Hebe squeals at the way Annabeth stares at her as if waiting for something. "You're a big dummy!"

Ara holds the chick in her small hands, squirming a little because the animal keeps trying to bite her fingers. They wait until Hebe turns into a full newborn. "What just happened?" Grover mutters.

Annabeth picks up the baby and coos. "Li'l Killer pulled juniority on Hebe. But you are so adorable!" Hebe threatens to hit Annabeth, but it's not strong enough. "Now hold on, I know you're fussy, but I'm sure you're not making an age-based complaint, are you? The chickens wouldn't like that."

Baby Hebe shuts up instantly. Ara giggles and pats the chick she's holding with her index finger.

"Great," Annabeth hums. "Then here's what I suggest. We agree that some young ages are just too young. Then we remove Li'l Killer from the room so you can age yourself back up to at least elementary school. Then you accept our apology, put us back to our normal ages, tell us whatever you know about the chalice of the gods, and we all go our separate ways. Gurgle once for yes. Poop yourself for no."

Hebe gurgles.

"Grover," the girl turns to her friend, "would you ask Li'l Killer to return to her pen, please?" Grover talks to the chick in Ara's hands and the little animal squeaks in response. Ara kisses its tiny head and then pushes it gently through the door. 

Hebe wastes no time turning back into a teenager. "You four..." she growls.

"We apologize, Great Hebe," Annabeth repeats. "And ask for sanctuary."

"And information," Percy reminds her. Annabeth nudges his side. "Please."

"You're lucky I like John Lennon," Hebe snaps her fingers and turns them back to normal. "Sit, and I will tell you what I know. But you aren't going to like it."

Ara sits and stares at her hands: supple, slim, and slightly shaky. In comparison to a few seconds ago, she feels how different she truly is from who she used to be when she was a little girl. Everything in her body is stronger and well-tuned... but what is a perfect body to a polluted soul? At the very core, Ara is still small and insecure, nothing will ever satiate the void in her chest. Nothing will change.

"You okay?" Grover nudges her shoulder. "Did Lil's killer poop on you?"

Ara looks at him, trying to brush off her thoughts. "Just checking for wrinkles."

Next Chapter –>

Taglist.

@siriuslysirius1107 @ask-giggles1303 @im-planning-something-look @bandshirts-andbooks @coolninjapaper @thewaterlily @whenisthefall @1randomcomic @you-bloody-shank @sunflowergraves @owlalex44 @taylordaughter @typicalsolangelolover @writingmia @espressopatronum454 @slytherinnqueen @orbitingpolaris @obxstiles @ellipsisspelled @thepixiechicksh @ebony-reine-vibes

[wri0thesley]

Okay, had this spicy thought and wanted to share: Venti has a massive bar tab racked up at the Angel's Share. He can't pay it off and Diluc is almost out of patience. Venti, however, knows a little secret: Diluc is infatuated with one of the sisters at his church, though the repressed redhead would never say anything. Maybe... an arrangement could be made? You'd do anything for your God, after all.

oh my hodododod....

venti hears everyone's prayers; and though diluc does not often pray to him now he knows who he truly is, venti still remembers a time when diluc did - and he has always had a fascination with you. whenever the two of you crossed paths in town, diluc could not help but notice the shape of you beneath your clerical garb; could not help but notice your soft smile, the colour of your eyes, the way you always had a moment for anyone. he thinks you are a perfect example of what devotion ought to be; helping those who need it, open-hearted and lovely and warm . . . and he knows he should not desire it and should not want to possess it for his own, but he cannot help it. he has seen how life tramples on people like you, and he knows he could keep you safe.

it won't happen. you are far too devoted to barbatos; so diluc admires you from afar, makes larger donations to the church, finds excuses to be near you whenever he can. and you smile at him, too - the same way you smile at all, though diluc convinces himself there's something softer in your eyes when you look at him. something just as wanting. it is the only way that he can justify it to himself when he wraps his hand around his cock at night and buries his face in his pillow and pants out your name, groaning and moaning and whimpering and wishing that the grip of his palm was the tight embrace of you. if sometimes a whimper of 'archons, barbatos, fuck--' has passed his heated lips, too . . . well, all that does is make sure venti knows for certain that you are desired by the winery owner.

so the next time diluc brings up his tab, venti grins at the redhead and rests his chin on his hand. 'well, master diluc', he says, his voice musical like the whispering of the wind. 'i have a suggestion for settling this without mora.'

venti does not think this an abuse of power. you will have the freedom to refuse, of course - but you are so devout, he highly doubts a request from your archon would ever be refuted. you want to please barbatos most of all, and the wiping out of venti's debts would please him immensely. diluc makes a token attempt to argue against the bard's suggestion, but the spark of flame that has lived in his belly as long as he has lived curls over and over itself, roaring, needy. he acquiesces so quickly that he would almost be ashamed of himself, if delicious thoughts of your body and your lips and your mouth were not all pressing in on his mind.

so venti makes a visit, in the garb of the archon for once; a vision, for his favourite and most devoted of sisters. you look up at him all wide-eyed and gasping, your mouth pleasingly soft, your eyes blown and adoring. venti almost breaks; almost takes you for himself. but he does not. he tells you what he, your archon, desires you do. when your brow knits and you ask him why, he reminds you of the dawn winery's place in mondstadt and how so many rely on it - and tells you that there will be a horse and cart waiting for you, tomorrow, outside the city gates. to wear something simple to take off.

you will always be devout, he tells you. but now he requires your devotion somewhere else. master diluc will not ruin you. master diluc will take care of you. barbatos has seen to it that you will be provided for--

the next night, as master diluc lays you down upon his bed and sighs in reverence as he undoes your clothes, as he slips a ring on your finger, as his touch slips between your thighs - you cry out barbatos's name when you come.

[the-inbetween-sp]

Tweek: Craig …. Please tell me it’s a prank … Craig: … I don’t think that’s a prank Tweek: oh god oh Jesus Craig: … I- I don’t know what we should do … our friend is...Dead Stan: aww be for real guys no one is dead Eric: yeah that’s a prank night guys it’s fucking obvious Tweek: ha- common Craig they’re right … Craig: they’re not … check yourself … he’s dead … there’s nothing we can do

Tweek: AHMM Craig: you actually did it are you insane !!!!???? Stan: wow… I think he is really insane Craig: shut up I’m the only one who calls him that Stan: whatever it’s not like Clyde is dead or somethin-

Tweek: GHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH——- HE’S DEAD HE’S DEADDDD AND IT’S ALL OUR FUALT WHAAA- Craig: TWEEK HONEY CALM D- Tweek: WHAAA- why is this happening I can’t I-

Craig: shhhh- Tweek just try not to make any noises if anyone heard us we’re doomed Tweek: muffling: b-but what about Clyde-??? Craig: it’s alright I- I- guess we can figure this out just k-keep calm and try not to scream or raise your voice ok ? Tweek: I-I’ll try ….oh god Stan: s-so Clyde is actually dead ?!!!! Jimmy: w-when Tweek screams like this we should make sure it’s not a joke anymore Kyle: oh god ….

Kyle: y-you said there’s is a way we can get out of this Craig …h-how ?! I mean he’s already d-dead what are we gonna do Eric: what we will just run away like nothing happened Kyle: of course not you fatass Stan: what are we gonna join some demon-ish cult to wake him from the dead Craig ! Craig: n-no !!! Of course no .. but I- I was thinking … and I came up with a conclusion Tweek: w-what is it ughhh-?!

Craig: have you guys heard of the dimensional theory ? Kyle: the name is similar to me but can you tell us what’s that Eric: it’s probably about his nerdy space stuff Craig: it would be much easier if you knew it but I’ll try to explain it in the most simple way possible… alright let’s say we live in a dimension it’s the 3rd dimension and there’s other dimensions like the second dimension or the first or the forth it can go to as long as you imagine dimensions never end but entering them is almost impossible it’s like entering another world wait dimensions are different worlds that’s why they’re pointed out as a theory

But and out of this theory there is another theory and it makes sense a lot… It says that probably in every dimension there’s another version of yourself and every version is literally different it could have another personality a different life but it’s you !!

Stan: and what the fuck this have to do with Clyde’s death !!?

Craig: just wait this is what I came with …

Eric: what the fuck is that Craig no one can understand your drawing !!! Craig: uhh it’s easy let me tell you today when I was in the bus I saw a weird purple radiation in the forest nearby and when I saw Clyde’s body I knew it was the same thing that I saw killed him it’s the same thing ..! So I figured this out: if what I saw today was a gate to another DIMENSION and things form that dimension is killing people around ! Stan: that’s the dumbest thing ever Kyle: no he’s right Token: yeh that makes sense Craig: so I figured out that if we go to this place maybe we can find some kind of magic that can make Clyde alive again

Jimmy: maybe we find and maybe we w-w-won’t

Tweek: t-the only way we can find out is to go there ughhh-

Craig: then let’s go

A FEW MINUTES LATER

Craig: I- I can’t believe my eyes Tweek: there was actually a gate aughh ! Stan: wow I can’t believe this is real Kyle: I wonder what’s behind it Jimmy: should we go inside i-it ? Craig: let’s wish for more miracles to happened Tweek: are you going ?! Craig: of course I’m going Tweek: nghh are you sure what it kills you or something aghh-! Craig: don’t worry if it’s safe I’ll tell you to come in

Craig: wow what is that place it’s completely a different world… and it’s beautiful ! …. shouts guys it’s safe !!! Tweek: it is ??! Token: let’s go guys ! Tweek: this place is amazing I’m relived sighs

Tweek: so I-is that another dimension ?! Craig: uhh T-Tweek !! ???: hey there … Tweek: ghaaaaaaaaah- whatttttt??!!?

Craig: wow … looks like the theories was actually right Kyle: you mean this is Clyde in a another dimension Craig: he is ! ???: did I interrupt your conversation ? Stan: man that’s creepy what should we say … Jimmy: let Craig h-handle t-this Craig: me ?!.. fine ???: can you even here me ??

Craig: uhh hey there my name is Craig these are my friends we’re from the 3rd dimension ???: 3rd dimension wow I have never seen people from there … what a coincidence that you all are another version of my friends Craig: so you m-must be Clyde right ? Clyde: yes ! Craig: w-what dimension are we in Clyde: you don’t know ? Craig: how would we know Clyde: we are in the inBetween it’s the dimension that connects every dimension you can imagine… it’s like a bridge to every dimension Craig: wow.. I never heard such a thing Clyde: you can go to every dimension here… but not all of them are safe … so you can actually here find anything you can imagine… kinda Tweek: anything we imagine ? Can we bring a dead person back to life ?

Clyde: There is a way but… believe you don’t want to get involve with this stuff

Craig: I’ll do anything to see Clyde alive again ! Tweek: me to Eric: me to Craig: even Eric agreed with us guys Eric: will of course, I don’t want to get in trouble ! Craig: whatever… just tell us what we should do and we will do it Clyde: alright… I’ll explain how to works. So if you want to get any one dead back to live we have to make a deal So there is something called a curse Craig: curse? Clyde: a curse can be good but it can also be very bad in the same time let me explain if we made the deal you will all get cursed but there is 3 kind of curses you can get : 1: a good curse will give you some kind of natural connection into different things that will give you some kind of powers no one can have 2: a bad curse if you get that you will probably die in a few minutes or live for eternity but you’re curse might take control over your body and you’ll probably have to deal with stuff you don’t wanna know about Craig: Wh-what do you mean ?! Clyde: I-it’s hard to explain how it works unless you’re cursed with it but it’s something like having two personalities and every side want to take control of the other since except that it’s in a more cursed way Tweek: ghaaa- this is awful Clyde: I know … I know someone who have this curse and I don’t like dealing with him at all Stan: but what about the third curse !? Clyde: it’s good and bad actually if you get that curse it will be like the first curse except that it will have side effects after using you power like massive headache or other painful effects so like you won’t be the luckiest if you get it Craig: I see… Clyde: so anyone is one the deal..? Tweek: I-if someone makes the deal they will be the only one to get infected? Clyde: no one makes the deal and everyone gets cursed Eric: wow … I’m not risking my ass Stan: me neither Jimmy: if I make t-the deal and give everyone a bad c-c-curse everyone is gonna hate me forever Clyde: I see no one is on I guess I’ll just leave if t- Craig: I’m on it Everyone: gasps

Tweek: Craig !!? Are you insane are you sure you wanna do that !? Craig: oh come on babe I’m sure I’m lucky enough Tweek: but this is so risky Craig: it’s alright honey I’m sure everything is gonna work out just how we wanted Tweek: I-if you say s

Clyde: are you ready .. Craig: let’s get this over with

Clyde:We have our self a deal

Clyde: w-where am I ?! Token: you guys … Clyde he is back ! Craig: oh my god Clyde ! Clyde: I sure have slept a lot … I-it’s so bright in here Tweek: oh- thank god Clyde is alive but… what about the curse every thing seems a-alright ! Craig: how do we know what curse we got ?! Im..worried a little Clyde: well I guess y’all are lucky enough… you didn’t get any bad curses if you did the signs will immediately will show up Tweek: t-thank god everything worked out just like how we wanted … I’m so relieved Cartmen: I was ready to kick Craig’s ass any moment Craig: shut up man Jimmy: g-guys… I think we should head back to the cam-p-p Stan: yeah Jimmy is right what if the teachers are looking for us or something Craig: then let’s explain to Clyde what happened to us on the wa

AFTER ARRIVING AT THE CAMP THE TEACHERS HAD TO CANCEL THE CAMPING TRIP AND RETUN THE KIDS HOME BECAUSE SOME OF THE OTHER STUDENTS COMPLAINED SEEING “WEIRD THINGS” IN THE FOREST

Tweek: thanks for walking with me Craig: I wouldn’t let you walk alone this late Tweek: will… see you tomorrow Craig: alright !.. don’t forget don’t tell any living soul about what happened we’re pretending like nothing happened Tweek: alright alright … Craig: alight see you tomorrow goodnight honey …

Tweek: mom dad I’m back Richard: oh- son we were dead worried about you we heard from the teachers something happened in the forests is everything alright Tweek: everything is fine teachers just overreact Helen: we thought we will lose you Richard: you know that without you life can’t be easy you know you’re important to the coffee shop son ! Tweek: Can you for once talk to me without bringing up the shop ! You wouldn't care if I died in the forest you will only care about your stupid little shop you guys never loved me because I’m me you only care about me because I help you with the shop … I hate this i hate this !! Richard: Tweek we didn’t say we don’t like you but you but you know how important this place is to us Tweek: more important then your only son … Richard: you seem stressed how about you have some coffee before you sleep son… Tweek: no thanks I’ll be fine I just want to be alone for sometime… I’ll be up in my room Helen: alright goodnight son Tweek: ..goodnight!

Tweek: I wish they can care about me for once …

[raayllum]

Rayllum-y lyrics from Midnights:

And I wake with your memory over me / That's a real fucking legacy, legacy (it was maroon)

I would've stayed on my knees / And I damn sure never would've danced with the devil / At nineteen / And the God's honest truth is that the pain was heaven / And now that I'm grown, I'm scared of ghosts / Memories feel like weapons

When my depression works the graveyard shift / All of the people I've ghosted stand there in the room

All the love we unravel / And the life I gave away / 'Cause he was sunshine / I was midnight rain / He wanted it comfortable / I wanted that pain

Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye / You were bigger than the whole sky / You were more than just a short time / And I've got a lot to pine about / I've got a lot to live without

Summer went away, still, the yearning stays

One night, a few moons ago / I saw flecks of what could've been lights / But it might just have been you / Passing by unbeknownst to me

I didn't choose this town, I dream of getting out / There's just one who could make me stay / All my days

Can I ask you a question? / Did you ever have someone kiss you in a crowded room / And every single one of your friends was makin' fun of you / But fifteen seconds later, thеy were clappin' too? / Then what did you do? / Did you lеave her house in the middle of the night? Oh / Did you wish you'd put up more of a fight, oh / When she said it was too much? / Do you wish you could still touch her? / It's just a question

Lock broken, slur spoken / Wound open, game token

My knuckles were bruised like violets / Sucker punching walls, cursed you as I sleep-talked / Spineless in my tomb of silence / Tore your banners down, took the battle underground

I can't let this go / I fight with you in my sleep / The wound won't close / I keep on waiting for a sign

When the silence came, we were shaking blind and hazy / How the hell did we lose sight of us again? / Sobbin' with your head in your hands / Ain't that the way shit always ends?

They said the end is comin' / Everyone's up to somethin' / I find myself runnin' home to your sweet nothings

My friends from home don't know what to say / I looked around in a blood-soaked gown / And I saw something they can't take away / 'Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned / Everything you lose is a step you take

Tale as old as time / I wake up screaming from dreaming / One day I'll watch as you're leaving / And life will lose all its meaning / For the last time

If clarity's in death, then why won't this die? / Years of tearing down our banners, you and I / Living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts

Good girl, sad boy / Big city, wrong choices / We had one thing goin' on / I swear that it was somethin' / 'Cause I don't remember who I was / Before you painted all my nights / A colour I've searched for since

You’re on your own kid, you always have been

"It only hurts this much right now" / Was what I was thinkin' the whole time / Breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep, breathe out / I'll be gettin' over you my whole life

All you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing

Once upon a time, the planets and the fates / And all the stars aligned / You and I ended up in the same room / At the same time

My hand was the one you reached for / All throughout the Great War / Always remember / Uh-huh, tears on the lеtter / I vowed not to cry anymore

You know there's many different ways that you can kill the one you love / The slowest way is never loving them enough

If you never touched me, I would've / Gone along with the righteous / If I never blushed, then they could've / Never whispered about this / And if you never saved me from boredom / I could've gone on as I was / But, Lord, you made me feel important / And then you tried to erase us / Oh, oh / You're a crisis of my faith / Would've, could've, should've / If I'd only played it safe

And the touch of a hand lit the fuse / Of a chain reaction of countermoves / To assess the equation of you / Checkmate, I couldn't lose

[docholligay]

Madrid Preparty: Vocal Highs and Lows (part one apparently there is a video limit)

First of all, because I know I’m gonna put someone in here that people are gonna fight me about: This is (mostly) about the vocal delivery. Because I care. I actually don’t think how well they can sing is going to affect all but a few of the semi qualifiers.

People who pay the money to vote in semis go INTO Eurovision knowing who they like, and much to my chagrin, they often vote for who they liked before, not who performed on the night. This is why Cyprus, who warbled off key all stage (She was in my top ten last year, I also loved the song right up until I saw her do it) would have qualified last year. Any of these fan favorites that have, uh, vocal issues? They are still going to qualify. Am I annoyed by this? Yeah, of course. I think how the night goes should be the determiner. And there ARE people like me, but there are far more that vote for the song they intended to vote for before the semi even started. But this is the backhand of non-jury semis, which I am in favor of. Nothing in life is perfect. So if I point out issues with your fan fave, know that it probably won’t matter to the qualification.

SECONDLY, let’s all acknowledge that there were some fairly huge issues with sound in Madrid. Some people kicked ass in spite of it and some folks, like Loreen (Sweden), just kept going because it’s whatever man, I can sing this all day, but it really did throw some people off. Poor Parsha Parfeni (Moldova) had no mic for a good chunk of his song. He still brought it, but it was not great for him.

This is why I generally take the AVERAGE of preparty performances, and encourage others to do that same. Everyone can have an off night, and by the same token, everyone can have a stellar night for no reason.

OKAY

High: Armenia

I fucking hate this song, but my god can she deliver it. I would have said there’s no way she could sound like the studio version but, I GUESS. She’ll qualify even from a terrible position, I think, being in the easy semi.

Low: United Kingdom

Oh Mae. I love you, as a person, so much. I love your GCSE 5 Spanish* intro here, I love your energy, I love the fact that when you actually do this song onstage you sound a LOT more like you fucking talk instead of the accent level(l)ing of the studio version.

But this is not it. She’s out of breath (Stop trying to sing and dance!!! It’s hard!! THIS IS WHY IT’S IMPRESSIVE WHEN IT’S DONE) and off and I think it is saying something that the top comment on this is someone (In spanish) saying, “It’s a preparty, it’s for fun, not for competition” and you know when that’s the top comment, what you’re getting. A few other comments taken from the top ten.

Middling translation to colloquial American English by me: They gotta think of something for Eurovision, because this is a mess.

 * I actually don’t know how difficult the GCSE Spanish exam is. Or even if there is one. Anyway, pretend I said she got a C in Spanish if you’re American.

High: Australia

I am INCENSED about how much I love Australia’s entry this year. These guys are an established band who know what the fuck they are doing, and it’s so GODDAMN COHESIVE and TOGETHER, and it’s amazing watching how he knows how to carry a crowd. A few vocally shaky moments, because apparently he lost his in-ear (Not the first or last one) but altogether a fucking TRIUMPH. They will qualify, and I need them to.

Low: France

PLEASE KNOW THIS GRIEVES ME. She was another one that lost her in-ear (You can see her frantically signaling), but unlike Voyager above, she couldn’t make it happen. It threw her for the whole performance, I’m not sure she even ever got it back, but she sure as shit did not recover. It is a TRAINWRECK of a vocal performance. It’s a shame, I’ve heard her sing this live before I have faith she actually can, but if this were the only time I’d seen her live I would be sweating it. It’s no good, folks.

High: Sweden

Anyone who says that this song will only so well because it’s Loreen or because of her staging is really, I think, doing her a disservice. She’s fucking incredible. She was one of the last performers, it was extremely late, she’;s jumping up and down at the end and you can barely tell vocally. Absolutely fair not to like the song, but she’s an exceptional fucking talent.

[chinahatbeach]

Thoughts for Today

Aloha Friday! It looks to be a rainy/showery day ahead with a weekend about the same. Oh well, Spring outdoor chores will wait until a better day. It’s chilly enough that I do not want to work in the garage on an assortment of chores. I shall use my sewing machine to create! I shall look forward to trying a new recipe. I shall live in the moment in my space. Don’t look at what you can’t do, look at what you can do.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV).

This past week there has been sad happenings. When I get upset, I either cook or clean. This brought back a memory of past neighbors. Tracy and Trish. Tracy would create things and Trish would cook things when either of them were upset over something. I would be here cleaning my house. Trish would make homemade mac n’ cheese and Tracy would make something beautiful. It was how we three dealt with life. How do you cope when upset or troubled? Some people stress eat. Yes, that some people is me. When I cook whatever, I make sure it goes out the door so I am not tempted to eat it. Yesterday, it was cinnamon rolls with homemade cream cheese frosting. My bread dough came out perfect for those rolls. I made sure those cinnamon rolls left the house. I did leave three of them for the roommate and he did enjoy them. I took the other two pans to family and to a friend.

The reason I was upset is that a very wonderful guy died this week. He left behind broken hearts, hurt in sadness of his passing. And when someone dies, you try to help the people hurting with tokens of heartfelt food offerings. One must make sure that the people left behind eat and have food that they do not prepare themselves. They are in grief and do not think about food. So, I baked. Another friend made lasagna and I bet more people will make a dish or buy food to keep the grieving fed. And this brought back a flood of memories……….

It brought back memories of when Dennis died. It opened that wound. That wound gets healed over and then, boom, the bandage gets ripped open and once again, it is there. It’s not a bad thing in fact. It is a point where you can help others who are now dealing with the grief process. You have survived it and you are there to help others thru it. It’s not a pretty thing but I find it part of the human factor of life. You need to use all parts of life to help others, good or bad.

And one way I do not help people in grief is giving them casseroles. I still have haunting memories of hot dishes that I wondered what in the heck is that food? Yes, many of those casseroles got fed to the chickens. And chickens will eat almost anything……… all most. I didn’t keep track of who’s casseroles didn’t make the grade with the birds. No birds were harmed in this experiment.

And yes, I find that you must keep humor as part of life, even in the times that are so sad. How to cope in times of trials……. find the good………find the humor………find all parts that make it a whole. Show people you love them in good times and bad. Give encouragement in all forms, food or just a hug.

We can live with great hope. No matter how bleak the week, the future is as bright as the promises of God. Encourage each other with hope-infused words. Maybe you’re not sure what to say or who to say it to. Take a moment to send a text, note or call with an encouraging word. A kind word can be a reminder that things won’t always be so bleak.

Dear God, thank You for all Your precious promises. Place on my heart the person you want me to encourage today. Give me the words to say. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

And that’s the way it is………

[kamoegoi]

my pioneer rcq tournament report

tl;dr 31 player turnout for 5 rounds. my final record is 2-2 drop details beneath the cut

god what an upsetting day. i am writing this just so frustated and embarassed of myself but im hoping writing and sharing will make me feel better idk.

the day starst with me waiting for my friend at the store. he said he would print off our deck lists using their printers because he works there and im sitting there knowing he lives jsut around the corner so he is going to show up at the last minute, so i sohuldnt sweat it but i am getting anxious the closer we get to the beginning of round 1. 10 minutes before the round start, my friend texts me to say that he fell off ladder and cant use his arm, so he is going to stay home and said i can ask his boss to print my list off. it happens without a hitch but still, im me, im rattled, but whatever. round 1 starts and i recognize the opponents name. we’ve played commander a few times at this store!

round 1 - vs obosh red wedding

reader, my opponent, who ive never seen play anytihng but commander, sits across from me, we shoot the shit a bit as we set up, and then we both reveal obosh. oh hell yeah!!! more oboshs running around is awesome. opponent plays an inspiring vantage and im like “oh hell yea!!!!” he’s playing the cool version. idk if his version is better than mine in in the mirror admittedly. game 1, i think i am? their mana base is really painful and they also dont get to run the same utility lands as i do, so i feel better if we get to the late game, but if we get to the late game we are both struggling. games 2 and 3, wedding invitation is sort of impossible to play through, though, so i think as long as i take game 1 (which i did) then ive got a shot because in game 3 that means i get to go first which matters a lot in this matchup.

god was game 3 mortifying though. i channle my sokenzan and attack with 2 tokens and my obosh. opponent raises an eyebrow, blocks, and i pass. as my opponent is taking his turn, i realize i couldve brought back my phoenix chick and im like “well alright, i still have enough mana to activate den of the bugbear which gives me 3 attackers anyways.” as my opponent passes the turn back to me, the judge comes over just as i activate the den, swing, and then bring back the phoenix chick. the judge immediately says “hey you cant do that” and i am immediately horrified, and i actually reply “oh it says whenever on it doesnt it?” because i realize my mistake as soon as it was pointed out. judge picks up the card to read it again to be sure and confirms my mistake, but in the end it doesnt matter, opponent had the last burn spell in hand to kill me anyways. the judge was an older boy i knew in high school, so it was doubly awful when he said “sorry [my name], i have to give you a warning for this.”

so for those of you playing at home, i made a mistake that cost me 8 points of damage (!!!!) when my opponent only had 9 health left (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), tunnel visioned on correcting it on my next turn, and cheated because i no longer met the requirements for phoenix chick and received a warning from the cooler older boy i knew from high school against the opponent who always invites me to join his table when i see him during casual night. my whole day is going to be about this. record is 0-1

round 2 - izzet phoenix

oh hell yeah i was literally hoping i would get this matchup because it is so fun imo. game 1 was tough, but i burn my way through a ledger with a full-price skewer the critics and racing a flipped thing in the ice(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) that bounced 3 of my guys. game 2............. i resolve obosh. opponent asks to read it to clarify and after they do, they say “okay” and put it back down. I take that to mean it resolves, and with my last untapped red mana and my opponen on 4 life, i cast play with fire targetting my opponent for lethal. opponent says “oh sorry, it resolves, but i meant to cast this when it comes down” and he shows me the lightning axe. because i didnt pass priority back, opponent never would have had the chance to kill my obosh before i get to cast own spell, but because i cast my spell first, that actually gives opponent the opportunity to respond, letting them kill my obosh before my own spell resolves and saving them from the double damage effect. i am not getting a second warning, so i call the judge over to explain it again to make sure ive got it right and the judge looks at me puzzled and confirms that i have indeed fucked myself by playing too fast and play proceeds with my opponent untapping and killing me. i do win the game 3, but god. to go from 1 mistake into a cheating warning in round 1, to a game losing fast play mistake in round 2? i didnt feel like i won. opponent was the sweetest boy about it. we ende dup just talking about the mtg storyline and what draft formats he liked. he also explained flesh and blood to me a bit, which was cool, because that game does sound neat. still, i am more and more frustrated with myself. record is 1-1

round 3 - velomachus neoform

i was so confused yall. i totally forgot this deck existed. opponent shocks himself turn 1 to duress (!!!!) me, then turn 2 shocks himself again to taigames scheming (????????). it clicks for me when the last card he puts into the graveyard away is a a karn’s temporal sundering (????????????????) and a neoform (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and i immediately start sweating going “oh fuck is griselbrand in this format i have no idea” and i make the conscious note to get him down to less than 7 life so he cant draw a new hand if he manages to connect the combo. i throw a bunch of burn on him and get him down to 3 life so if i topdeck skewer the critics or another creature with haste, they will die, but i pass the turn and oh boy. opponent untaps, neoforms their blocker into velomachus lorehold and then swings, revealing a karns temporal sundering. he bounces one of my creatures which means i now can only win with skewer the critics, but i know what velocmachus does, so i get the impression im not going to get another turn period. opponent swings and finds another temporal sundering, bouncing my last creature, swings again and opponent starts sweating. opponent pulls the top 7 off the top of the deck and reveals part the water veil with a sigh of relief. opponent tells me he had actually scry’d two of his extra turn spells to the bottom, so after seeing 3 extra turns before that he said he was less than 5% to find the last extra turn spell to kill me. honestly the raddest shit i had ever seen. game 2 i burn him down, and opponent tries to go for infinte turns but comes up 1 turn short to kill me. i untap, play out my hand, and kill him. opponent explained that he could have neoform’d for a dragonlord atarka to wipe out my board, but because his life was so low, and because my light up the stage revealed another creature with haste and a ramanup ruins, that if he didnt try to win that turn, i would kill him in 2 turns and he wouldve only killed me in 3. tight. game 3 we both mulligan down to five, but opponent gets stuck on two non-blue producing lands, and i play 1 haste creature on turn 1 and two ahste creatures on turn 2 and then i draw nothing but burn after that. a bummer of an ending, but those first two games were cool as hell. record is 2-1

round 4 -abzan greasefang

so if i win this and go 3-1, i have a shot at making top 8. top 8 makes their tournament entry back, plus gets a cool thing in the ice promo, but top 4 get the big money and the invite to the big show. but then opponent shuffles up and plays turn 1 stitchers supplier and my gut drops out. this is a nightmare match up. game 1 opponent cant find a parahelion, but they do manage a sky sovereign and i burn him down to 5 life. if i can just find one more burn spell to go with the stomp in my hand, we got him, even though my board has been emptied by his skysovereign. reader, i dont find it. game 2, i bring in everything i can, but my opponent really does jsut have it. he finds parahelion on the last card of his girsly salvage and he resolves a greasefang. what can you do. record is 2-2

at this point, there will be at least 6 people with 2-2 record and the top 4 with 3-1 records would all take an intentional draw in the rounds going forward, so with my opponent that means there are 5 people with 3-1 which means only 3 people with 2-2 records can snag those last 3 top 8 spots. with my oppnents including an 0-2 phoenix, a 1-2 velocmachus, and my obosh opponent who ended up going 2-2 (hell yeah) i decided to drop assuming my breakers wouldnt be good enoguh for those last 3 spots and to give my round 4 opponent the best breakers possible in case i messed up the standings. i genuinely have no idea how tie breakers really work, but i know that even if i win, i had next to no chance to make top 8, and if i lose, i basically consign all of my opponents to not making top 8 either, so after the lact rcq where my friend missed top 8 because of my bad tiebreakers, i dropped and went home. before i left, i shot the shit with some of my friends who were either working or just hanging out at the store, comiserated about our records, but honestly i am just gutted. i was so excited for this weekend, and while i thought top 8 was a longshot for obosh, i never expected me to make so many game losing mistakes. im just so frustrated with myself. in a hundred different ways, i shouldve known better. im probably going to be upset about this for the rest of the day.

my takeaway? honestly, i have to reowrk the sideboard. i think it is simply a miserable matchup for all versions of mono red no matter what, but having my top 8 run stuffed both times by it is just such a bummer. instead of resigning to losing to black/red, devotion, AND greasefang, i should pick at least one of them to pick a fight with and i think the answer is devotion because its the closest match of the big decks in the format i think. im thinking:

- 3 rending flames

- 2 ferocidons

+ 4 burning hands

+ 1 rending volley

burning hands to ensure i can stuff whatever turn 2 roadblock devotion throws in front of me if they get to stick their turrn 1 elf and snuff out the cavalier if they i just need to sneak one more attacker in. i didnt see ANY sacrifice in the room, so i think cutting one more ferocidon to finish my set of rending volelys can help cement the win against izzet and gives me one more shot at killing greasefang. if sacrifice continues to not be a very present deck, cutting the last two ferocidons for 2 unlicensed hearse? obosh doesnt really help go over the top of greasfang and hearse being able to constantly eat away at the graveyard messes with both phoenix and greasefang way better than just lanterns do. i also didnt see any gruul vehicle decks, but i think kari zevs expertise would help both that matchup and devotion, so thats another angle.

something to think about. yknow besides the “play slower, call the judge before you make the mistake, not after” lesson. god damn it.

[gothfoxx]

I’ve had a Pokémon OC named Grey for years that had gray hair and silver eyes and seeing Ingo and Emmet constantly has only made me want to expand my lore.

She’s always been half human and half Pokémon, Giratina being her Pokémon patent. A Gengar named Kol is basically her big brother and she adopts a bunch of ghost Pokémon to live with her at the edge of town. She works for the leaders of the GO teams, making deliveries between their HQs and Professor Willow(who legally is her guardian).

The only Pokémon on her “team” that I for sure know how she got them are Kol, a phastump named Penelope that was the spirit of a lonely girl, and a mymiku she got as a gift from Willow on her first “birthday” I forget it’s name right now. but she also has a yamask, jeliphant, and rotom. The yamask is a bit of a crybaby but the other two are less thought out.

Team Galactic want to use her for their new world so eventually she has to flee, leaving her ghost family behind and building a whole new team (I forget what she ends up with but I think snorunt was one and a houndoom).

But then Arceus happened and the whole popular theory that Ingo was brought there via the distortion world finally gives me a great way to explain how Grey came to be! If Giratina chose Ingo to go into the past then Grey could have been made in his image but being part genderless Eldrich ghost-dragon god made her slightly different. She already had his eyes, hair and mouth, but instead of only having the hair knives as her pokeform aka that side helmet armor that Giratina have she also gets it in human form. She’s also a shiny (with slight albino traits) with the silver and blue main aesthetics.

And then I thought, hey she just woke up in a flower patch in the original lore so why not have it so her egg arrives in Hisui the same time as her “dad”? And of course she hatched and wonders around as a Pokémon before seeing humans and thinking, oh I wanna, sand naturally shifting to her human body.

-Personally I think Diamond Clan finding her and assuming (kinda correctly) that she is the new amnesiac Warden’s kid. Doesn’t help that she only speaks Pokémon and Ingo almost seems to do as well with how he can connect with them. So she gets shipped to Pearl Clan as a token of good will or w/e. But having a Pearl Clan member find her and thinking that poor Ingo and his young family must have been a very bad attack that left him a amnesiac and separated from his child who can barely walk is also a very good way to go. I mean Diamond just is better for clan relations and my fave Legends ship.

But anyway she gets to spend her early days with her daddy and mama Sneasler, when his role is over they both get sent back but where Ingo gets his memory back Grey loses hers and ends up in the wrong region. So when she’s on the run from Team Galactic she ends up in Ninaba riding the subway to lay low but everyone is staring at her and it’s freaking her out until a figure shields her from view. Looking up she sees a familiar face, like the one she sees in the mirror every day. She wonders if he is also a Giratina but he smiles and that’s the wrong smile, the wrong coat, the wrong voice. But what’s right? Big misunderstanding of her being a descendant of the child Ingo “left” and not the mostly grown child herself.

Then after that would be the next bit of old lore. She ends up at the cave that can go to the distortion world but with team Galactic using her as a weird sacrifice in exchange for their new world with their old leader. Her Father just ends up possessing her and destroying them and trying to declare war on humans. But people she’s come to love got wind of this and do the “power of love” thing to bring her back and make her Father leave. It half works, she’s not possessed but he in on the human world still and in a sorta human shape.

Now we can have Ingo find her again and help her remember, maybe have the dads fall in love? Or just co-parent like a divorced couple lol idk. But he get to meet her teams and friends and introduce her to her uncle Emmet “the wrong smile!?” And aunts (I can’t remember how names spelling but the ⚡️&🪶 leaders) Chandelure is a great ghost mom! And Penelope and the other baby mons are like “grandpa?” It’s great! Queue up the happy family montage or w/e

Ok I’m sleepy bye

[vaguely-concerned]

a snippet from a Lupin III fic I doubt I’ll ever finish writing but thought I’d salvage some pieces from!

Lupin idly observes: “If you ask me, the god of thieves should be Prometheus.”

Knowing a Lupin set-up line when he hears one, Jigen obliges. “Yeah? How so?”

“He stole only one thing,” Lupin says, and something in his eyes burns brighter than that first flame, however wrought by the hands of gods, ever could have. “But that one thing set the entire world alight. Who else can say they did that?”

Understanding, as always, the plight of the moth, Jigen moves a little closer to him on the bed, thinking not for the first time that the sun has got nothing on whatever’s gone wrong inside this guy somewhere along the way.  

“You do know how that story ends, right?” Jigen asks anyway, as if in a token gesture towards defending the honor of sanity. “Chains, rock, eternity, eagle gets an unlimited supply of Prometheus liver tartare? This ringin’ any bells?”

Lupin shrugs an unworried shoulder. “But don’t you think it would be worth it, looking down at the earth every night while you were waiting for the eagle and seeing the fires being lit all around the world?” 

With a deep sigh Jigen wraps an arm around him and presses his lips to Lupin’s throat, then again, small pecks soft as snowflakes landing all along the course of his carotid artery, like the simple act might put down wards there, make some invisible armor under the skin that would keep out all harm. Lupin shivers appreciatively and tilts his head to the side to bare more of his neck, fingers playing idly with Jigen’s hair. There’s a bit of lipstick on his collar, the same color Fujiko’s been favoring lately. After trailing the kisses all the way up to the edge of Lupin’s jaw, Jigen murmurs: “See, it’s ‘cause you keep saying shit like that I can’t let you go anywhere on your own. I let you out of my sight for five minutes and bam, you’re plotting to piss off the gods themselves.”

“Oh, don’t even pretend to grumble, you love it,” Lupin coos. 

Jigen brushes the tip of his nose back and forth over the soft patch of skin right below Lupin’s ear and smiles. “Eh, I live with it.”

He lives with it, he lives by it; it’s the first thing that’s ever given him the certainty that to live could be preferable to the alternative. Hell, he does love it. He’s loved nothing and no one more in his entire tattered  sorry scotch-soaked excuse for an existence, and he can only hope he never will, because he’s pretty sure that would destroy him.

“Well, I guess it’s not the same thing anyway, at the end of the day, so I shouldn’t worry about it,” Jigen says.

“Yeah? How so?” There’s a grin in his voice. Lupin plays ball too sometimes, when it suits him.

Jigen grunts. “Prometheus never had a partner. I’d shoot that goddamn eagle clean out of the sky before it even got its first beakful of liver, and Goemon could do the whole slice and dice routine with the chains, and then we’d be out of there before anyone was any the wiser.” 

Lupin is quiet for a while — long enough that Jigen pauses in kissing his way along his throat and pulls back to get a look at his face. 

and that’s where it stops, I’m afraid, but it ends in

“Hey, Jigen?” he says finally. 

“Hm?” 

“I love you so fucking much.”

some odds and ends from the same wip that still make me smile under the cut

“Who would you want to be in that particular pantheon?”

“Dionysus.”

“Damn, that was quick.” 

“Free drinks, man.” 

Lupin snickers. “Hey, good point.”  

. . .

“Fujiko would be Aphrodite, obviously,��� Lupin says, piously. “The goddess of love, and the most beautiful woman who ever lived.” 

Jigen gives a derisive huff. “As if. She’d be that bitch who threw the apple of disaster or whatever it was.”

Lupin snickers. “That’d be Eris with the Apple of Discord. And I’m so telling Fujiko you said that next time we see her.” 

“Go right ahead. I’ll tell her myself.”

(I have no idea who Goemon could be in this thought experiment; I feel like he’s Too Japanese For This lol. Zenigata is the eagle, obviously.)

[jojotichakorn]

hi archer!

you said about ep10 that you're certain they are setting wai x korn up (even if it will only be a background thing) and i wanted to ask you about that. the bi korn signals are very strong, and some of pat and pran's behaviour could be explained with them knowing he likes wai, but from wai i'm only getting heterosexual vibes. pa's reaction to his advances, ink murdering him with her eyes, and even the way pran talked about him; it's textbook "token staright who's on thin ice" for me. (thin fucking ice. like oh my god how is there still ice there. how is he still standing. (the answer is: bc pran's mother really fucked up in her parenting. but i digress.)) do you think it's at all possible that even if wai is confirmed to be the one korn likes, the two of them still don't become a thing? i think it's a realistic scenario (i have had small crushes in the past on straight guys who had a pretty face or were charismatic, but sucked as people. oh and were only into girls) but this isn't real life, it's a bl drama. so i've come to ask your opinion on this, because you have seen a lot more bls than i have and you are familiar with the screenwriters and the director's previous works too. what do you think?

hope you have a nice day/night, and thank you for being the editor of my favourite newspaper (you know bc of your blog title) 🪐

ok, so i think it's time to explain my (very unfortunate) waikorn agenda. as usual, i preface this with the fact that i ALSO don't want it to happen, but i don't typically live in denial either, so let me explain first and foremost why i think it is happening (in whatever way).

the first thing that set my alarms off was this scene in episode 7:

korn did not need to be there. the arc of wai's crush on pa is already done with, and korn did not participate in it in any way, so it wasn't for him to tell pat wai has a crush on pa or whatever else in connection with it for sure. so why was he just randomly there? you could argue that it might have been for that one small moment where korn and pa greet each other, but not only is it not particularly necessary to establish that pa and korn know each other because - considering how close korn and pat are - it would be a fair assumption to make and it, therefore, wouldn't be weird to see them in some future scene together, being clearly familiar with each other, but the moment of greeting itself is also very quick, and the focus of the second part of that scene clearly lingers on wai and korn (while pa is long gone).

then, in episode 9, we have this scene:

why in the world is it korn, of all people, who defuses the situation between wai and the opposite team? it would make sense for it to be literally anyone else if there is nothing more going on. louis or safe, who were established as being there and who are his actual friends, pran, as another attempt to reconcile and help wai. even pat, in a similar fashion to what he will later do at the cafe. so why korn? you know why.

same episode, another scene:

i think we can all agree that korn definitely has a crush on a guy from architecture. he said that he was joking, but this line makes absolutely zero sense unless he wasn't. "but archer" i hear you say "why can't it be someone else from architecture?". well, my dear, who is it likely to be: safe, louis, the guy from the play, someone else entirely - the characters korn had zero interactions with, or wai - the character he keeps having all these little, seemingly out of place moments with?

finally, this entire scene in episode 10:

honestly, everything about it just screams "this is here for a reason". and like, what's the point of reconciling wai and korn specifically? you are telling me we haven't seen much of a conversation between pran and wai about what happened, wai is now chill with pat and this entire progression almost fully took place off-screen, we haven't seen both louis and safe from pran's friend group and chang and mo from pat's, even though they also very much participated in the rivalry and need reconciliation, but we decided to focus specifically on wai and korn?

in addition to that, in terms of framing, i want to point out that when the guys start talking about pa, there is not a single time korn is out of frame when they are showing wai. pat and pran are shown from different angles: alone, with the two of them, with the entire table, but every time they show us wai's reactions, they show us korn's as well. why even? he isn't really a part of the conversation, pa is his best friend's sister at best. and yet they are making sure we see the way he is acting and what he is feeling during the entire conversation.

i also want to remind everyone that my mans drake is a fantastic fucking actor, and him looking at wai this way is not an accidental choice:

now, my last point is the novel. despite the fact or perhaps because of the fact that there are a lot of changes the writers made between the source material and their script, they love throwing in small little nods to the novel. and what could be a better nod than gently and ever so slightly inserting the secondary couple from the source material?

now that i have made my case, let's get to the specifics, which you were asking about, dearest anon!

i think that with the two episodes we have left - one of which is most likely not going to have any major characters but pat and pran in it - korn's crush on wai will be at least potentially reciprocated. it might be something akin to mil and phukong in 2gether, where mil had a crush on someone else but was rejected, and their arc ended with phukong asking mil to give him a chance. or it might be something more concrete.

the reasons why i don't think it could be entirely unreciprocated is because 1) it doesn't fit into the general narrative and 2) we don't have time to deal with it, even if it did. for the first point, bad buddy is an entirely character-driven story - we see everything from pat and pran's perspectives, with the exception of inkpa scenes, which are there for a very specific reason, and korn having unreciprocated feelings for someone is not a storyline that makes sense for us to get into, because some scenes would then have to be korn-centric, which i can't imagine happening. with waikorn, im imagining something like them talking about it in some big final scene (once again, like mil and phukong) or them just glancing at each other in a particular way, nothing too big. for the second point, there'd have to be some reason for this storyline - possibly, showing this kind of an experience - but that would need to manifest in at least two conversations between korn and someone else on the subject, and i just don't think it fits into what's going to happen in our last two episodes (or likely just the finale, considering how patpran-centric episode 11 will be).

hopefully, this clears everything up! we'll see if i'm right in less than two weeks.

[luimagines]

He Accidentally Hurt You Pt. 1

Masterlist

Takes place while in the group, written as a platonic relationship.

this one got away from me entirely, so I had to split it up

Warrior

“I’m telling you, we need to head west!”

“And head straight into enemy territory? I don’t think so!”

“Wild’s right, Warrior. We can’t just sit around here and wait for them to come to us or the people of the town. We’re the only ones who can do something about it.” 

“Need I remind the both of you that we’re all tired as hell as well? We have no potions or healing items, our weapons haven’t been tended to in over a week because of the constant fighting and everyone has an injury in one way or another. We can’t afford to keep going at this rate. We’re lucky enough to have enough food as it is.”

You glanced at the W Trio. Wild, Wind and Warrior.

They’ve been going over the map and strategies for the past hour and it’s getting tiring. That normally would have fallen to Time and Twilight to talk to Warrior about it but they went ahead as the currently strongest of all to secure the perimeter.

It hasn’t been going great.

You sighed and stood up, making your way over to where they were.

Warrior was getting worked up and his gestures became more agitated and pronounced.

They needed to stop.

“Ok, guys, take five and a breather.” You started before your head snapped backwards.

The arguing stopped instantly.

“Oh for Din’s sake! Are you ok?.” Hands covered your own as you felt your face trying to pry them off to get a read on the damage done. “Oh course this has to happen.”

You took a step back and plugged your nose for good measure.

Wild and Wind both look tense and looked between the two of you, expecting something to blow up in their faces.

“Well that was unnecessary.” You spoke after a tense beat.

Warrior bit his lip, warring within himself to both step forward to comfort you and too afraid of pushing your boundaries more than he already has. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there. Does it hurt?”

“I’ll live if that’s what you’re asking me.” You raised an eyebrow. “I was going to say that you should all take a break and leave it for a while. Maybe take a nap and come back to it once Twilight and the Old Man can have a say. Because yeah, we’re all tired as hell. I don’t think you liked the idea though.”

Warrior had the decency to look ashamed. “That was unintentional.”

“Regardless, I think I’m bleeding.” You smirk. “You’ve got quite the arm Captain. Last time I checked, a backhanded slap was usually reserved for-”

“Please don’t make this any worse.”

You laughed.

Wind

“Wind! Get down from there!” You called up the tree.

Mr. Sticky Fingers had taken something important from you, not that he knew what it was and you didn’t plan on telling him it’s importance since it was mostly sentimental value but the kid turned it into a game instead.

“I’m not going to climb after you Pirate!”

“I guess it’s mine then!” He taunted back.

You glared at his smirking face and snapped your head to the group. “Excuse me Wild Child, care to lend a hand? You’re the best tree climber among us and I’d really like to get my item back.”

Wild looked up and spotted Wind in the tree. He shrugged and stood up, making his way over. “I can make that climb. Sure.”

“Uh oh.” Wind huddled into himself on the nearest branch before making a mad dash through the tree.

Wild followed closely and you stepped under the tree to get a better view of the chase. The multitude of branches and leave and twigs made it hard to see through and you didn’t see make the executive decision to jump down.

And it seemed as if he didn’t see you either. 

You both landed on the ground, a sickening crack following shortly. Your cry of surprise quickly turning into one of pain.

Wind jumped off of you as if you burned him but stayed close, handing your item back as if that would fix the problem.

The boys crowded you instantly. Hyrule led the charged followed by Twilight and Time. Warrior pulled Wind aside to give them room, Wild jumped down from the tree and Legend chose to stand closer to Hyrule to get a look over his shoulder. Four and Sky held back, concerned faces mirroring each other.

“I think you broke my arm.” You gritted through your teeth.

“I didn’t.... I didn’t mean-” Wind spoke up but bit his lip, cutting himself off. He knew there was no saving him.

“What on earth was so important that it had to come to this?” Time glared at the both of you. You would have felt a little more embarrassed because it was easily avoidable but at the same time, it was your dominant arm and now you struggled to sit up.

“Wind took an item of mine and refused to give it back. To keep me from getting it back, he climbed up a tree and I asked wild to help me out. The kid jumped on me and this happened. End of story.” Hyrule looked up at you questionably before snapping the bones back into place. A scream tore through your throat before you could stop it. “‘RULE! A little warning next time?!”

He grinned sheepishly. “Sorry. It’s better if you aren’t expecting it.”

“What’s so special about that item anyway, if you don’t mind me asking?” Sky came a little closer to rub comforting circles on your back. Hyrule took that as his cue to begin healing the injury properly. “Is it magic?”

Pain clouded your judgment slightly. “No, not exactly.”

“What is it then? It doesn’t look like anything special.” Legend gripped the tip of it and you pulled it closer to your chest, away from the others. “It’s defiantly not magic.”

“Not in the traditional sense.” You agreed. The pain was slowly fading away now, but with the quickening of the healing process, it looked worse than it did before. You turned your eyes away from the black and blue mess.

“It’s... the last gift my mother ever gave to me.” You admitted. “It’s a special kind of magic that only means something to me.”

“The sentimental kind.” Four smiled sadly.

You nodded in agreement. “But it’s not like it does anything. It’s only a token really. However... I’d rather die then let anything happen to it.”

The group stood around you silently, taking in the information.

“I’m sorry.” Wind stood before you. “I didn’t-”

You held your good hand up. “It’s not broken, I knew you would never try that and I got it back. I’m not even mad, just don’t do it again.”

He looked worse after your words, as if it was the worse news you could have told him. You knew the feeling. You felt like maybe it would help him feel better to get yelled at or something equivalent of a punishment but it wasn’t in your nature.

Once that mess was cleared up, he stayed to close to you but was unusually quiet.

You made it a point to make sure that he knew you were still on good terms by the end of the day.

Wild

“I wonder if theses are ok to eat.” You mutter to yourself. Poking at a berry bush that was near your camp, you heard (and felt) your stomach rumble. “Wild would probably know. Hyrule might know as well but....”

THWIP

Something was imbedded in your leg.

“OH MERCY ME!” You fell over, narrowly avoiding the berry thorn bush and looked down. “FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY-  WHAT IN THE WORLD-!”

An arrow.

An arrow was just... sticking out of your leg.

Rustling came from the bushes beyond and out popped a twig and leaf covered head of hair. A scarred face came next that expressed confusion to immediate concern and shock. Wild jumped over the bush and made a mad dash to your side.

“Oh my god I’m so sorry, I thought you were an animal.” He crouched down by your side and hovered his hands around the offending object.

“Why on earth did you think I was an animal?” You nearly cursed him then and there. 

It hurt. It hurt and hurt and he wasn’t doing anything!

“I heard a growl.” He admitted, a bright blush on his face.

“No, that was me and my stomach. I’m hungry man! I was just checking if those berries were edible.” You growled and tried to move over but your leg wouldn’t cooperate without sending bouts of burning static up to your hip.

“That was a crap shot anyway. It wouldn’t have taken the animal down regardless.” Wild muttered to himself.

“Excuse you but I’m the one who was shot. Take it out!”

“Ok, ok, ok, hold on.” He placed a bracing hand on your leg and grip the arrow in the other. “Deep breath. Ready? One. Two.”

“OUCH! YOU SICK, TWISTED, SON OF A-”

“Here.” Wild handed you a potion. You recognized it as a healing item of his, even if the bottle was wrong and uncorked it, gulping it down with vigor.

“You owe me Champion.” You crossed your arms when you finished, handing the bottle back to him. 

“I’ll cook you something. Anything you want.” He nervously scratched the back of his head. “Those berries aren’t edible anyway.”

You blinked at him and the berries, not pouting at all. Your glare hardened at the plant. “I blame you.”

“The plant?”

“I just wanted to eat something!”

Legend

You couldn’t believe it.

There he was, sleeping in your bedroll.

You were tired as it was and didn’t have the energy to put up with it. Instead of anger though...It was mostly confusion.

Why was Legend asleep in your bed roll?

Was he really that tired that he just didn’t care? Probably. The nightmares were bad the night before and he was working nonstop the whole day.

You couldn’t fully blame him. He probably didn’t even notice.

Still.

You were exhausted as well and you refused to take his spot.

You walked over and shook his shoulder.

BAM

You stumbled backwards and eventually fell over, your hands covering your face. 

Legend sat up blearily and blinked for a solid minute before realizing his fist was still raised. 

“Legend!” You yelled at him. “What the heck man? You can’t punch to save your life!”

“What?”

“That’s my bedroll, dumb bell. I would like to sleep please.” You crossed your arms and stared him down. “Also, I’m telling Twilight you can’t punch for crap.”

Legend pushed himself up and looked beneath him. “Oh. Sorry. Wait. What about my punching?”

”You suck at it.”

He glared at you for a moment before taking a swing in your direction.

You dodged it easily and grinned. “Your form definitely needs work.”

“Shut up!”

Part 2