#5 phantom notifs

[bunnyboy-juice]

btw anyone who tries sending me anon hate please know i dont answer publicly not bc u scare me or whatever but bc every time i get anon hate i take a screenshot, send it to my wife and best friend, and then we clown on you for being losers < 3

[mothandpidgeon]

Embers Undying (Pero Tovar x wife!reader)

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pairing: Pero Tovar x wife!reader

rating: T

summary: Pero returns from the Great Wall with a dazzling gift for you.

contents: fluff, soft!Pero, yearning, kissing, allusions to masturbation and sex moth never uses y/n.

wc: 1.5k

a/n: In my Pero Tovar brain rot era. I wish I'd thought of this idea before the fourth of July. I did about 5 minutes of research into early Chinese fireworks so if you see any historical inaccuracies, no you didn't. Thank you to @lowlights and @ezrasbirdie for beta.

Someone’s coming. Hooves fall hard and fast in the night, their sound growing closer. Your heart stutters in your chest. You’re alone and your little cottage is quite out of the way. If this is trouble, no one will hear you scream. 

You reach for the scabbard that rests beside the front door. You’re not confident with a weapon but your husband refused to leave you by yourself for so many months without protection. The presence of a sword alone may be enough to deter an unsavory character. 

A shadowy figure on horseback nears and you unsheath the blade. 

“Who is there?” you ask into the darkness. 

He slows, the weak candle light from the cottage catching his silhouette and you nearly fall to your knees. You’d recognize those features anywhere though it’s been countless months since you saw them last. 

“Such a warm welcome, mi esposa,” Pero says with a grin. 

The sword slips from your grip, clattering on the ground, but you’re already racing towards him. He jumps out of the saddle just in time to catch you in a tight embrace. Big arms lock around you, squeezing you to his chest.  His heartbeat pounds so furiously you can practically feel it through his leather armor. His scent surrounds you and you breathe it in deeply. Beneath the smell of horse and sweat is a familiar musk that immediately makes you feel at home though you never left. It hasn’t been home without him. 

You pull back to look at him, your eyes brimming with joyful tears. He is unchanged— still rugged and beautiful, still scarred and square— and he looks at you with the same eager delight. His dark eyes flit between your own, a rough thumb brushing over your cheek. You stare at each other, as if making up for all of the hours you wished you could see one another during his absence. 

Finally, you can’t hold back any longer. You kiss him and kiss him, your lips eager to be reunited with his. He’s been gone such a long time, you’re afraid this might be a dream, but the bite of his stubble against your face and the grip of his fingers on your upper arms tells you that this is no phantom. 

His kiss is always commanding, insistent. He cradles your face in his hands, tongue pressing into your mouth. You tangle your fingers into his hair and it grounds you. He’s here again. Finally. 

When you come up for air, your lips swollen from his mustache and the rake of his teeth, you’re staring at him again. You break away just far enough that you can admire him, his features nearly out of focus as you hold him close. 

“I didn’t know when you would return,” you say, breathless. 

His eyes don’t match his gruff exterior. They’re warm and twinkling like melting stars as he watches his thumb trace your bottom lip. He smiles lazily, enjoying the details of you. 

“It would’ve been sooner but I stopped at an inn last night to clean myself up. I wanted to be presentable to you,” he admits. 

“You know I wouldn’t care”, you say. 

“You would not have recognized me. I might’ve met the sharp side of that sword,” he chuckles. 

You playfully swat his chest and he’s kissing you again, the tremble of his laughter on his lips. He guides your hands up to his neck again. His mouth travels to your ear, tracing the shell and nipping at your lobe. Shivers of pleasure burn across your skin, a familiar throbbing between your legs doubling in his presence. 

You moan. You’ve lost track of how long you’ve ached for him, imagining his tongue stroking you instead of your fingers. Dreaming about those nights when you were both so young— sneaking away to meet him, your back pressed against a barn, skirts hoisted around your waist. 

He pulls your hips into him and desire overwhelms you. You feel his muscular thigh through the thin fabric of your night dress and a  whimper escapes you. 

“I missed that sound, querida,” he growls, his mouth on your neck. 

“Take me to bed and I’ll make it again,” you pant. 

He hums hungrily but says, “Soon, hermosa. You must wait.”

“I cannot. Wait. Even a second. Longer,” you say between kisses. 

He smiles against your lips. 

“I have a gift for you,” he says. 

“It can wait until morning,” you say but he’s already stepping away.

At least, he tries to. You refuse to let go of his hand as he retrieves something from behind his saddle. There’s nothing in the world you could want more than him right now. Especially not a cylinder made of paper, marked with symbols you don’t understand.

“Mi amor,” you complain. 

“Needy,” he teases with another kiss. “You missed me, eh?”

You huff. 

“Wait right here,” he says and he goes deep into the garden, taking your strange gift with him. 

Usually when he returns from his travels, Pero is the one tearing at your clothing. He’ll delay a meal to slake his lust. He’s been on the other side of the world and now just a few yards between you feels unbearable. 

He kneels in the field, setting the thing upright. 

“This is a gift from the Chinos,” he explains as he unspools a long string across the distance between you and the tube. “For our heroism. We saw some action.”

You gasp. 

“You worried about me, querida?” he asks. 

“Of course.”

The amusement playing on his features quickly melts into affection. All these years and he’s still touched when he’s reminded you love him. 

He quickly recovers himself. 

“Fetch me a candle,” he urges. 

“Pero,” you groan. 

“Rápida, hermosa.” He taps at your behind. 

You’ve missed your husband but not his stubborn nature. Once you’ve done as you’re told, cupping your hand around the flickering flame, Pero crouches down. 

“Ready?” he asks. 

Before you can answer, he’s touching the fire to the cord and it lights with a hiss. You yelp with delight as a small flame begins to travel down the length of the fuse. Pero laughs and pulls you into him, this time his big palms cover your ears. 

“What are you doing?” you ask. 

“Watch,” he says, his eyes glimmering with the reflection of fire. 

The noise it makes might be the loudest you’ve ever heard, a boom like the thunder of a hundred storm clouds. You scream and bury your face into Pero’s front, heart pounding like a frightened rabbit. 

“No. Look,” he urges, turning you back around. “You’ll miss it.” His voice is all exhilaration. 

You peek up to see something unlike anything before it. 

It’s dazzling, exploding in the sky above you like the sparks off a blacksmith’s anvil. They glow against the darkness and then shimmer towards the earth. Falling, almost floating like snowflakes made of fire. Each ember twinkles out somewhere over your head. 

Your breath catches. What you’re witnessing is nothing short of magic. It’s beautiful, like bottled stars raining above you. What other fantastical things Pero saw in that far away place, you can’t begin to imagine, but you doubt anything could be as astounding as this. 

You turn to Pero and find that he’s not looking at this miracle. His gaze is fixed on you, enjoying the wonder on your face. The warm glow illuminates his features, the strong line of his nose and the tanned cords of his neck. This handsome man, obstinate yet attentive, protective, all yours. 

You’re overcome with a sense of gratitude— thankful that he’s returned home time and again. There were so many nights when you had no idea whether he was alive or dead and how would you even hear if the worst had happened? How would you go on without him? But he’s here and he’s safe. 

And this time he’s brought you a true rarity, something, perhaps no one in the world you know has ever seen. He could have sold it to a king for a wagon full of gold but, instead, it’s just for you to share.  

You want to thank him but you can’t find the words to say it all. The warm look on his face tells you there's no need, that he’s just as grateful you waited. You’re both so lucky to be in this moment. Reunited. He slips his hands around your waist, drawing you close. 

“Now, hermosa, let me show you how I’ve missed you,” he purrs. 

--

thanks for reading! comments and reblogs always appreciated!

[lexirosewrites]

Phantom of the Opera AU!!!! My very favorite Andrew Lloyd Webber creation!! Especially the 25th anniversary performance at Royal Albert Hall!!!!! There's a free upload on YouTube but the person has their very annoying notification sounds going off every 5 seconds, so I personally bought the video YouTube offers😅

O!Steve is a shy but talented soprano, he's been training with the Loch Nora Opera House since he was all but dumped there by his rich father following his mother's death, his mother often spoke of an Angel of Music in her final days

A!Eddie who is a wealthy Viscount within the Hawkins nobility, he was childhood friends with Steve before Steve fully presented as an omega & he as an alpha, the Harrington family were savvy business owners who had the Munson noble family as one of their investors, he learned violin from Steve's mother

A!Henry/Vecna/One who is the possessive & obsessive Phantom who took particular interest in Steve a year after he came to the Opera House & trained him as a singer while grooming him using the delusion tht he's the Angel of Music his dead mother spoke about

Idea for an excerpt:

An auction takes place quietly within the theater of a dilapidated opera house. A music box in the shape of a pipe organ with a figurine of a demonic faceless dog is auctioned off as Lot 665 to an old man resting in a wheelchair, attended to by a man servant.

The servant retrieves the music box at the old mans request. The man holds the music box carefully, examining it. Then he speaks, as if to himself.

"A collectors piece indeed, every detail exactly as he said. He often spoke of you, my friend. Your velvet lining, and your figurine of lead. Will you still play when the rest of us are dead?"

END EXCERPT IDEA

Blah blah blah the reader travels back in time to many decades ago when the opera house was dazzling & noisy with rehearsals & full of life

Scott Clarke the owner of the Opera leads an interested Owens & Hopper through the audience up to the stage where the cast of the current production were rehearsing, Clarke reveals he's sold the opera to the two gentlemen & promptly leaves upon a suspicious noise followed by a back drop falling.

Something something something

Steve replaces the prima soprano as she refuses to work under the tyranny of the phantom. He gives an astounding standing ovation of a performance tht Eddie happened to b watching.

He reunites w Eddie upon retiring to his dressing room, they share a tender moment, & Eddie invites Steve to come w him & his companions to dinner. Steve tries to object but is persuaded & Eddie leaves exuberant. Then the Phantom speaks, disapproving of this bold suitor & his advances upon his student. Steve apologizes & begs the Phantom to forgive his moment of weakness where he forgot abt his duty as a singer for the Angel of Music. Henry/Vecna/One brings Steve to his domain beneath the opera house & indeed beneath the capital of Hawkins entirely. While Eddie rushes to open the door at the sound of an unfamiliar voice in Steve's room, but it is too late.

Steve is gone w his Angel.

Steve awakes in the Phantoms lair & somehow sees the face beneath the mask, horrified he tries to run, but Henry/Vecna/One catches him & extolls abt his ugliness while deluding himself with talk of Steve growing to love him. Then abruptly he brings Steve back to the theater.

Something or other

Steve reunites w Eddie & begs to never return to the Opera while also fearing for the safety of those still in the opera. The two affirm their love for the other, and Eddie promises to keep Steve safe. Of course the Phantom hears all of this, and begins plotting.

Some time later...

A masquerade is being thrown in the opera house with every cast member & benefactor in attendance. Steve is nervous & Eddie reassures him. Then suddenly the Phantom is there! Interrupting the masquerade! He demands his opera be put on, tht Steve play the prima soprano, & tht his box be left empty. He's already killed the worker in charge of the ropes as proof of his ire.

Steve goes to the graveyard where his mother is buried. He sings a song his mother taught him, and then there is the Phantom! Ready to grab Steve & steal him back to his lair! Eddie charges onto the scene just missing the chance to apprehend the offending Phantom & contents himself w comforting his soon to be wife.

The rest of the plot happens, & while in the end Steve & Eddie r safe, able to leave, & more in love than before...

the Phantom of the Opera seems to have disappeared into the night with no evidence of his death or survival

oooh Phantom is one of my favorite musicals! I lowkey thought Eddie was gonna be the phantom at first, but a happy ending is nice too I guess😂

[wolfjackle-creates]

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AO3, 24k words, rated T

An Evening In: Human AU. Aziraphale has a bad day and Crowley promises to make it better. PWP

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God chooses Her favorite and the First Family is left to pick up the pieces as best they can.

AO3, M rating (Prequel to The Demon Piper)

DP x DC Fics:

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Jason was away for several months on a mission with the Outlaws. When he finally returns home, he is surprised to find dozens of messages from an unknown number begging a Danny to tell her he's okay. Looks like there's not going to be a break between missions this time around.

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The Two Ghost Motel: Danny is tired.

Endless ghost fights with too many responsibilities and too little time; he barely passed sophomore year. When Ember visits town for a bit of fun, she mentions the Two Ghost Motel, a place of peace and refuge for restless ghosts who aren't ready to cross over.

“I’m fine, Ember.”

Danny’s got a home and friends. He’s fine, really.

But when his parents begin experimenting with electricity to destabilize ghosts, it’s too much for Danny. Unfortunately, neither Sam nor Tucker can host him for the night and he’s left wandering in the night, alone. Then he sees it: The Two Ghost Motel.

He checks in.

“Welcome.”

AO3

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Want to Hold on and Feel I Belong: Danny is finally settling into his new life with the Waynes and loves them. But then he finds out their secret identities. The Justice League works with the US Government. And the US Government funds the GIW. He won't go back to them. He won't.

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School Nurse!Danny: Danny gets a job as the nurse at Tim's school. He recognizes the type of injuries Tim comes in with almost immediately but doesn't say anything, happy to patch him up in the office or let him take a nap when needed. Until Red Robin decides to go out in costume the day after Tim was in his office with a broken arm. Looks like he has to call a parent-nurse meeting.

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Memes!!!

Kidnap Buddies: Tim and Danny are both kidnapped in Gotham when the goons couldn't figure out which black haired, blue eyed boy was Tim Drake. They bond as they're locked up and Danny uses is powers to help them escape.

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No Place Left to Hide: Danny is on the run. He wants nothing more than to see his family, but they're out of his reach at the moment.

Then he sees a magazine article and accompanying photo of Damian Wayne. His long-lost twin brother.

Maybe he does have some family he can check on. Just to spy from a distance, of course. Getting too close would only make his situation worse. But when he gets caught in the halls of Gotham Academy, he might not have a choice in the matter.

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Solved with a Touch: Danny and Damian Twin AU. Danny seeks out refuge with his birth father after he is forced to leave Amity. But he and Damian just cannot get along. So much time has passed and both of them have changed so much that they just cannot figure out how to reconnect. Until Dick forces them to go to a carnival together and they get hit with Poison Ivy's cuddle pollen.

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Johnny and Kitty overshadow Batman and Superman: What it says on the tin. Danny thinks the Justice League is expecting him to take care of the ghost problem in Amity alone. But when he goes to Gotham apologizing profusely for letting Kitty and Johnny get past him, the heroes have no idea who he is. Or why he was left to deal with a problem so severe on his own. As a teenager.

Half filled prompt, opening scene with Danny rushing to Gotham. Then it skips ahead to the heroes discovering the state of the Fenton household in Amity.

Attack on Sight: Demon Twin AU. Danny is in Gotham with his parents and Jazz when he sees Damian. League instincts kick in and the two are at each other's throats before Jazz or Dick can intervene.

Tumblr only, 1.1k, G/T rating

Constantine Bingo: Danny is being introduced to the Wayne's as Jason's boyfriend. During dinner, he gets notice that he won that round of Constantine Bingo.

Tumblr prompt fill, 873 words, G rating

Stalker Danny: Jason is being stalked and threatened by some sort of pit demon. Danny hopes the new halfa he just came across will accept his courting gifts.

Tumblr prompt fill, 764 words

Justice League Mechanic!Danny: When Danny applied for his position as civilian engineer with the JL, he filled out the demographic information stating he was a half ghost. Apparently, a number of the heroes didn't get the message and are freaked out when his heart stops beating or he puts a pause on the whole breathing thing.

1,060 words, T rating

DC Only

Obligatory Truth Serum Fic: Tim Drake gets captured and injected by a truth serum. Now he has to escape both the up-and-coming villain and his family before he can be asked any questions he doesn't want to answer.

2k, G rating

[rewcana]

do you spend many of your waking hours on social media? do you feel like it's a problem? in this world of late stage capitalism, your time and attention is actively being harvested by big corporations. it's.. not good. it also just makes you feel bad!

here are some tips that have really helped me reduce the amount of time i give to these apps & get in control of my social media addiction:

1. IDENTIFY PROBLEM APPS

you probably know which apps you spend the most time on. however, looking at real data about usage is very helpful because time spent on social media is very deceiving. keep in mind which apps you spend the most time looking at and interacting with for the rest of this list.

2. TURN OFF NOTIFICATIONS

this is probably the easiest thing to do and it makes an immense difference. it's up to your discretion which notifications you want to keep on (turning on messaging notifications but turning off algorithm and interaction notifs for example) but, the most effective way to stay off problem apps is to turn off ALL notifications.

3. TURN OFF NOTIFICATION SOUNDS

i always keep my phone on silent. i understand that not all people have that privilege but, if you're able to i would highly highly recommend. it has helped me a lot with anxieties regarding waiting for notifications. i used to experienced the phantom vibrate and check my phone obsessively when nothing would happen. you can also just turn off notification sounds and vibrations for any non necessity apps if you don't want to jump to turning off all notifications.

4. CHANGE THE PLACEMENT OF PROBLEM APPS

i actually learned this trick from facebook when they changed the UI slightly so you had to be more intentional in interacting with the app. changing the layout of the apps on your phone really helps you catch yourself when you are automatically opening up apps that cost you time and attention. instead of keeping social media apps on the homescreen, keep it on a different screen, in a folder, & if possible out of the preview window for the folder.

if you want to expand on this more, you could keep a log in a notes app of every time you reached for an app that has since moved. you can even put the notes app in its place!

5. UTILIZE APP TIMERS

my experience is based on samsung app timers so i'm not sure how it differs in different makes. i really dont like my phone telling me i can't do something so i've set my tumblr timer to the highest end of my usage data (2hrs 10 minutes). another mindfulness thing that i like about using the timers is that when i'm switching between apps, my phone tells me how much time left i have (it's currently 1 hour 21 minutes, most of the 49 minutes i've spent writing this lol). i'm just a slut for data so i really like this aspect of the samsung app timer function and it's very useful besides this point.

6. DELETE APPS

okay, i know this seems drastic. but it doesn't NEED to be depending on your habitual problem apps. apps like youtube, instagram, facebook, and tumblr (to a lesser extent ime) (and probably others these are just the ones i have experience with) can pretty easily be transferred to being used exclusively on a web browser. if you use firefox it will even get rid of ads which is very important for overall sanity and for safe web browsing. one of the biggest plusses to moving from an app to a web browser is that it won't automatically play your platform's version of tiktoks. it also makes it more difficult to upload items which is a plus because it will hinder you from doing so and cut back on the loop of expecting validation from recently posted content.

opening instagram without immediately being enthralled by their endless stream of reels has made it SO much easier to control my time on the site. there are tons of plusses to transferring from app browsing to web browsing.

so on the more drastic side, if you are addicted to tiktok you maybe should just delete it. tiktok is intentionally designed so you can't use it in a web browser and can only use it in the app. i will talk more about tiktok and how evil it is later in this post.

7. MOVE DMS TO MESSAGING APPS

if a hesitation to turning off notifactions or deleting apps is from not wanting to miss conversations from online friends, i understand your pain. but, if you are serious about cutting down screen time on apps that are absolutely draining your attention, talk to your friends about switching to a different messaging app. i would suggest signal personally.

your friends may be experiencing similar problems with phone addiction and even if they aren't, if they care about you, they will make this accommodation to help you in this process. i get that this is very scary but i believe in you.

8. USE TIME ON YOUR PHONE FOR OTHER THINGS

depending on your goals for how you spend your time, there are plenty of alternatives to social media / other problem apps you may have. personally i have downloaded a bunch of books on my reading list and will divert attention from dopamine pumping social media to reading. you can find tons of free pdfs of books online and if you are used to reading on your phone, it won't be a difficult transition to read longer form narratives from short text posts.

there are free art apps, language learning apps, self care / journaling apps, meditation apps, etc. that you can use when on your phone. this may seem counterintuitive, getting more apps to battle certain app addictions. but, simply weakening the habit that brings you to the apps that you spend so much time on should help. but watch out for apps that claim they are to teach or better you but have social media built into them / other tricks that keep you glued to your screen. everyone is trying to mine your attention so be wary of all apps and the methods they use to keep you engaged.

9. DON’T BE AFRAID TO PUT YOUR PHONE BACK DOWN AFTER PICKING IT UP

idk if this is a weird one or not but, you know the feeling of going into a room to do something but you forget what so you putter around trying to remember? i feel like going on your phone when you have a phone addiction is often a state of that except the majority of the time you DON’T have a purpose to go on it. so even though it may feel silly, opening your phone only to close it right after is PERFECTLY FINE.

IN CONCLUSION, phone usage is pretty inevitable in this day and age. i've considered getting rid of my phone entirely but, between the expectation to be constantly reachable from employers to QR code menus at restaurants, it just doesn't seem reasonable to get rid of my phone completely. and i will readily admit its convenience and functionality is life changing and wonderful.

however in late stage capitalism, technology doesn't only work for you but it harvests you -- your data, your habits, your time, your attention, your wants, your needs, your thoughts. even leftist spaces with good intentions can trap you (doom scrolling). when i was becoming radicalized during the beginning of the pandemic i spent sooo much time online reading about all these horrible truths of imperialism, colonization, and capitalism, and i felt it was my duty to share these horrors with other people to radicalize them. but it was so unhealthy, especially when shit hit the fan (which it was like constantly doing) because everyone was posting about the horrors and it felt utterly inescapable.

after following some of these steps (which i did in stages over the course of a few years), my relationship with social media has improved greatly and my mental health is actually significantly better. all of this is based on personal experience and observation and this post is specifically for people who want to cut down on phone usage, it's not supposed to be a preachy post that's telling people they spend too much time on their phone.

it's also nowhere near complete. it doesn't tackle addictions to games on phones nor the notorious tiktok. i said i would talk about it later and here it is. i have a chalkboard in my kitchen and all it has written on it is "tiktok is the devil". i have never seen such a commonly used app that has such a degrading effect on all of its users. and it set a precedent to all other social media apps for autoplaying videos that demand user engagement. i was on tiktok for a little less than a year and the way that it would sap anywhere from 20 minutes to over 3 hours of my time when i told myself i'd only watch a few videos was insane. as an aspiring creator i felt that i needed to hop on it to get recognition but now, i don't see it as anything more than a tarpit to trap as many people as possible in its dopamine rich algorithm. but whatever, that's just my little rant. as a social experiment i think it's fascinating lol and i for the creators it's benefited im very happy for them.

anywayy, i hope this helps someone if it gets any attention at all lol. remember no one can make the decision of how you spend your time on or offline but you. not some stranger on the internet, not corporations, no one. you are in control of your time (well besides the whole having to work most of your waking hours to survive but that's what communism is for yayy).

[cagandante-communistoide]

i get more phantom notifications than real notifications, like i'll see 27 in my activity tab and then open it and only 5 actual things? is tumblr bugging tf out or is it something else

[thotpuppy]

im staring at all the very sweet very kind ask box pass it on games sitting in my inbox and i am weeping at all of them because yall are so sweet and so kind but every time i get a tumblr notif for an ask i think "oh! i'll check that when i get home/when im not busy" and EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. almost without fail. i forget.

and then i dont reply and i dont pass it on and the days tick by and i see something and look at my inbox and go "oh" it has been WEEKS since that came in and i only just remembered and then i feel bad

but i dont have time to sit down and send it to 5 more or 12 more or 10 blogs so i put it off again

and then i forget until i see everyone doing wip wednesday ask box games and think thatd be so cool and then... i see the phantoms of my past.... lmao

[redwinterroses]

Random tumblr hacks and info:

if you are on mobile, you can fast queue or fast reblog by holding down the queue or reblog button and then swiping up to the little icon of your blog (if you have sideblogs, they'll show up as options.)

if you're on desktop, you can fast queue by holding down W and clicking the reblog button (it should turn pink when you press W) or fast reblog by holding down E and clicking reblog (should turn blue.)

you can edit tags now on desktop -- not on mobile yet, but if you make a typo in a tag on desktop, you can click into the tag and edit it directly instead of having to retype the whole thing

similarly, on desktop you can rearrange tags before posting by grabbing the # and dragging the tag into place. Can't do this on mobile. Yet.

You can blacklist both tags AND post content. In your settings, you can block any post that has, say #tarantulas in the tags, but if you REALLY don't want to see any of that you can add "tarantula" and "tarantulas" to your blocked content list as well.

op's tags are persistent. So if the original poster tagged it with #tw blood, you don't have to worry about tagging it before you reblog. It'll carry through. However it has to be OP, not the secondary person you reblogged from, and this doesn't apply to tags on reblogs. Those are just for you and your followers.

Only the first ~5 tags on your post are searchable on the site. Anything after that is fair game for subvocalizing, adding your own commentary, or screeching over lovely art.

The search function is garbage. But you can go to your blog and add "/tagged/tarantulas" to the end of the URL to (in theory) show (most of) the posts that have that.

A great way to edit tags (or find posts with specific tags when tumblr fails you) is tags.circumfluo.us/. This site is invaluable. You can search any tag you've used and replace it -- or click the hyperlink to go straight to the post. Did you just realize you've been tagging Martyn Inthelittlewood as Martin this whole time? That's your salvation right there.

You can make your posts unrebloggable and/or un-reply-to-able in the settings when you make the post (little gear menu at the top) and you can edit them to change those factors after posting.

Don't bother to edit a post once enough people have reblogged it: the one they reblog will remain as it was when they reblogged it, and anyone who reblogs from them will get that copy. You can change the original, but there's not much point as once it's out the gate there's no getting that horse back to fix a typo. (however, this can be used for jokes and bits. just don't bother doing it to actually FIX something lol)

save your brain and turn off infinite scrolling

Also turn off "recommended for you," "in your circles," and any other recommended posts, as well as setting your dashboard to reverse-chronological.

blocking means nothing. no one will be offended. do it liberally, it's freeing and very good for your mental health.

Your blog is your bedroom. Decorate it and make it nice. There's a million themes out there, but a good place to start is @theme-hunter -- this site still lets you directly edit the code of your theme, so go nuts.

You can turn off notification/message sounds in the settings. Do it. Save your sanity.

If you go to a blog's ask page, messages are limited to 500 characters. If you hover over their username in your dash, click the little meatball menu, and click "Ask" there is no character limit.

if you use the tag #tumblr, you'll get a phantom like on your post XD

There's no way to turn off notifications for something after you've posted it. Sadly. So if you have something blowing up your notes and you want to keep it but you DON'T want the notifications, reblog it once at a quiet time so not too many people reblog it from you again... and then delete the original post. Everyone who reblogged it still has it, it's just not sending you mail anymore.

There's a few more but this post is getting long so I'm just going to link the official tumblr "Lesser-Known Features" article

[fairlylocalcryptid]

my tumblr grievances:

1. poll ending notifs don't show up in the app so if you miss them you have to find them manually

2. unfair treatment of trans women

3. i have a phantom notif on mobile for a defunct sideblog that cannot be cleared

4. unfair treatment of trans women

5. unfair treatment of trans women

[yijunnan]

Decided to make this list for all of u to find cards or other things faster

⚠️Notification⚠️

·none, for now

GHOST

Cards Latest News About the Print

era 4/5 ghouls:

aether

aurora

cirrus

cumulus

dewdrop/sodo

mountain

phantom

rain

sunshine

swiss

era1/2/3 ghouls (on the way…)

CYBERPUNK2077

…

STARDEW VALLEY

…

ABOUT ME

self introduction

question box

my account on…

MY OCS

The band Adhesive

Business guys (working on the transition)

The story of Blenford (working on the translation)

Children of the mountains (planning)

7 pieces of god(planning)

[haztobegood]

✨ Twenty Questions for Fic Writers ✨

Thank you @reminiscingintherain for tagging me!

1. How many works do you have on ao3?

67, soon to be 68 with the Trick or Treat Fest ficlet I've written!

2. What's your total ao3 word count?

359,280

3. What fandoms do you write for?

One Direction. I've written some 1d rare pairs which adds BBC Radio 1, Music, Fashion Model, and Actor RPF to my fandoms list in ao3.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Nailed By Louis, Not Another Lonely Christmas, All That You Need, The Prince and The YouTuber, Take on Me

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Not right away but I do respond. I read them as soon as I see the email notification, but I wait to respond until I need a boost. It's so nice to reread every comment in my inbox as I respond.

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Surprisingly not the one that ends with MCD! My angstiest ending is a 500 word girl direction ficlet The Phantom Heart.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I love happy endings so it's tough to pick! I'm going to go with We're Getting Better With Time because it's about second chances, so the ending feels like a new beginning for their love.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

The closest thing I've gotten to hate was a tweet about Premier Fantasies where someone was appalled by the Harry Styles/Ted Lasso pairing. It wasn't aimed at my writing, just the choice in pairing, so I took it as a compliment that I could write something that shocked people.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I do write it, but not as much as I used to. When I started writing I felt so much pressure to add smut into every fic because it gets better engagement, more hits, etc. But the more I've written, the less I care about the numbers.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I've written a couple of crossovers! Premier Fantasies is Harry Styles in the Ted Lasso universe, which was crazy just because of the pairing. I had a lot of fun writing dialogue for Ted in this one. The craziest plot-wise is Love and Other Antidotes, which is a One Direction take on Emperor's New Groove, and features Kronk, Disney style hijinks, and Harry as a little cow!

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of. I think short fics and rare pairs tend to be stolen less often, so so far I've been safe.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I don't allow translations, but someone did post a translation of one without asking. I have mixed feelings about translations.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I have not. I feel like as a capricorn I would want to have too much control over the story for it to be a good idea.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

I read and write Larry fics the most, but I also love Niall/Greg James as a pairing and think their dynamic is so underrated.

15. What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

My very first fic. It's a werewolf pack fic I started plotting in 2017. I didn't get very far before hitting some major plot holes that I was too inexperienced as a writer to be able to fill. I have grown so much as a writer since then that it wouldn't be the same fic with the same purpose as when I started writing it.

16. What are your writing strengths?

My biggest strength is that I write for myself. I love writing short oneshots even though long fics are get more kudos. I adore the humor of crack fics, even though angsty fics get more hits. I will tackle any new rare pair I want, even if I'm the only person that will read it.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I am a creature of habit and my habits have been disturbed. I'd worked hard to develop a habit of writing a couple of times a week, and it was going so well. But after moving and other life changes in the last year, it's been difficult to find the time or energy to write. I wish I could flip on the motivation like a switch.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

There are a couple of books I remember because of the author's use of code switching throughout the dialogue, and I think it can be really powerful for some stories. But since English is my native language, I would only use it for my own writing if it added to the story, and if had the time to properly research and get it reviewed.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

The phandom in 2016 but I didn't post it back then. One Direction was the first fandom where I shared my fic.

20. Favourite fic you've written?

I'm going to do this by category because I can't choose only one:

Larry fic: We're Getting Better With Time Girl Direction fic: Close Our Eyes (Pretend We're Miles Away) Rare Pair fic: Now All The Clouds Been Lifted Ficlet: Through the Static

~~~~~

Tagging: @allwaswell16 @hazzabeeforlou @beelou @evilovesyou @uhoh-but-yeah-alright @kingsofeverything @banaanipoika9 @justanothershadeofblue @disgruntledkittenface @zanniscaramouche

[jellyfishnervoussystem]

Chapter 5 is here! Please enjoy!

Link to the first chapter: X

~~~

“Jazz, he just texted me.” Danny said moving the phone down to read the notification on his phone.

“What did he say?” Jazz asked, he could picture her sitting up straight wanting to hear more.

“He said ‘this is Jason. Do you want to meet up tonight? We have a lot to talk about’.” Danny read, “Why does this sound like he’s about to interrogate me?”

“Maybe because you dropped a bomb on him, talked about just the Guys in White, and gave him nothing on how this all affects him physically?” Jazz said sarcastically, “I don’t envy this man. Trying to get clear answers out of you is like trying to get water out of a rock.”

“Hey!”

“Hey nothing. You are awful at explaining things.” Jazz sighed, “Look, I have to get to class. I’ll text you details of when I’ll be in Gotham for spring break. Talk to Jason and be as clear and concise as possible. Love you.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll try. Be safe Jazz.” Danny said hanging up with Jazz.

Danny sighed and looked at the half eaten bowl of cereal that sat on the coffee table. Just thinking about answering more questions about ghosts knocked all productivity out of him. If Jason did any sort of research on the anti ecto acts or even ghosts, Danny would have his hands full with dismantling all the misinformation that was out there. Luckily he got a head start with explaining that ghosts were sapient and that not all of them were evil. Explaining ghost biology was going to be a pain as well. Danny wasn’t the most knowledgeable about normal ghost biology and his own physiology confused him on a good day.

Danny shook his head. He just needed to explain the bare basics. Hopefully that would get them to the point where Frostbite could pick up on the slack.

‘See Jazz, I can be optimistic.’ Danny thought.

Rising to his feet, he took the abandoned breakfast and tossed it out. He still needed to take the trash out and text Jason back. As well as edit his old notes to exclude Phantom. It was shaping up to be another long day.

[coldgoldlazarus]

.

5:30 PM: Friend sends me a discord message asking for my help with an idea.

6:30 PM: I see the message after getting back from something, respond with: "Oooh?" (IE, "yeah I'm down to help, what's up?") Friend replies to say they're currently busy and we can talk about it sometime later, and I agree.

6:55 PM: Sudden-onset tiredness, I decide to lie down for a ten-minute nap.

10:45 PM: Wake up from what was significantly more than just a ten minute nap. See that two messages were sent by that friend in my notifs, though when I click on the DM they're gone again, deleted. (This is a common but frustrating occurence with this person, and these "phantom pings" have been the subject of many arguments in the past.) I initially send a message apologizing for missing stuff, on account of the unexpected and unexpectedly long nap, and asking what was in the deleted messages. After remembering they really hate when I do that, I remove that last part. Then spend a little while waking up, chatting with another friend.

11:05: That other conversation wraps up, so I pop back over to this friend's DM; they are online, but there's no other responses. Figuring they don't wanna be bugged about the phantom pings, I instead redirect back to the thing they wanted help with, asking if now is a good time to talk about that instead. And send a meme. Still no response, so I go on my merry way with other stuff, checking back in every so often (I have audio notifications disabled) but not really expecting anything immediate.

11:45 PM: Big wall of text haranguing me for missing the earlier messages and not telling them about my nap, and also another incident a few days ago where I was unavailable due to hyperfocus on something. I respond to defend myself, but was kinda hangry so it turned into an argument. TLDR: I'm frustrated by the expectation of responding to stuff instantly even when I have other stuff going on, and the demand to tell them about whenever I wake up or sleep; they're pissed that I don't instantly respond to stuff, and pester them about stuff they deleted later because I didn't see it right away. I realize I'm too pissy to be having this conversation right now, and so try to back off, telling them I'll come back later when I've eaten and am calmer to respond to what they send in the interim time. They send some all-caps messages pissed at me for backing off, and then block me.

[weloveakechi]

As Dreamers Do Chapter 3

Hello everyone! Here’s chapter three of As Dreamers Do! I’m excited to share this one with you since it’s the first time we’ll be getting some of Akira’s POV in addition to Goro’s. I hope you enjoy it!

I’m trying something new with posting my chapter this time, rather than having the big AO3 box I’m just going to drop the full contents here and provide some links.

Chapters: 3/? Fandom: Persona 5 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences  Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply  Relationships: Akechi Goro & Kurusu Akira  Characters: Akechi Goro, Persona 5 Protagonist, Kurusu Akira, Sakamoto Ryuji, Takamaki Ann, Morgana (Persona Series), Shido Masayoshi, Sakura Sojiro, Niijima Sae, Niijima Makoto, Kitagawa Yusuke, Okumura Haru  Additional Tags: New Game +, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Akechi Goro-centric, POV Akechi Goro, POV Kurusu Akira, Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, the boys are gonna go through it, Time travel AU with unreliable narrators, Reset the timeline he said fix your mistakes he said no one said anything about this, More tags to be added as the fic progresses, goro akechi has a velvet room, Akechi Goro Has Social Links | Confidants  Summary: 

“I wonder why we couldn’t have met a few years earlier.” Akira remembers, those words so clearly. They had been Akechi’s wish standing there, facing the Phantom Thieves, his plans in ruins, soul rent, desires so torn he’d manifested two personas all on his own, with no help from anyone.

The stars press into his palm, sharp enough to leave indents prickled across his skin. Two years. He’d wished to arrive two years earlier. Not a day. What good does a day make when Akechi has already spent so many years alone?

First Chapter | AO3 Link

~

Goro: Did your boss actually kill you?

The message releases with a pleasant swishing sound as Goro holds one handle on the train. It’s late enough in the morning Kurusu should be in class, so he doesn’t expect a quick response. He’s not even sure why he bothers reaching out. He should let things lie for a bit, hope Kurusu passes the whole Metaverse adventure off as a bad dream, or those drugs he’d mentioned. 

He’s on his way to see the doctor, arm still bothering him. He’d told himself he was going to message Kurusu about the doctor’s name if he couldn’t figure it out on his own, but a quick internet search on the train showed only one who fit the bill: Dr. Takemi. So that left him with nothing important to message the boy about. Perhaps it’s that he’s bored. Standing here on the train, waiting out the time between one stop and the other. 

Kurusu: How do you have my number? Better yet, how do I have yours??

He buries a chuckle behind his hand at the response. 

Goro: I added myself when I was looking at the navigation app yesterday. 

Goro: You need more friends. Your contact list was deplorable.

The response comes hot on the heels of Goro’s message: 

Kurusu: I have plenty of friends.

Goro’s fingers are quick as he types:

Goro: Oh yes, the ones who end up bleeding all the time. I retract my statement in favor of a new one: You need better friends.  

That has notification dots appearing quickly on his screen as Kurusu scrambles to respond. Goro lets his little smile widen into a proper grin. It's a nice tiny bit of payback for ruining his plans yesterday. It’s not a mauling, but it will do. 

“Yongen-Jaya.” The announcement pings as the train pulls to a gentle stop.

Goro tucks his phone into a pocket, ignoring the buzz that presses against his palm. He’ll let Kurusu stew for a bit. He has a doctor to find, after all. 

He slips out of the station, and onto the surprisingly populated street going over what he knows about Dr. Takemi. Kurusu had been right, rumors surrounded her practice, making all sorts of wild claims about her from how she robs graves to her development of a super drug that cures death. 

What has Goro most curious about her isn’t any of the rumors. It’s Kurusu knowing her. Despite claiming he'd only just moved here he seemed to know her well, if his tone had been anything to go by. Sure he could simply have had a single rather memorable experience at her clinic, or known her from a visit to his small town, but Goro knows it’s more than that. He can feel it. Kurusu’s whole reaction about it all set off Goro’s detective instincts and he’s not going to let this go. 

What’s even odder about it all, is how Goro wants to believe both statements are true. Simultaneously Kurusu is new to the area, and knows the doctor well. It’s a strange feeling. When he considers it for a long time it makes his head hurt, thoughts fogging up a bit like he’s missing something vital he can’t quite grasp it yet. 

The clinic is out of the way, tucked away up some stairs and not marked clearly. All that tells Goro he’s on the right track is a small unassuming sign. It’s clear she wants to stay under the radar. Goro intends to keep it that way as well. 

“Hello,” he calls, stepping inside, “I’m looking for Dr. Takemi?”

The woman behind the counter glances up, “That’s me.” 

Goro smiles and approaches her, taking in her appearance as he does. She’s well dressed, if a little gothic in nature. Her open lab coat reveals a dark shirt, whose logo Goro can’t make out as it’s cut off beneath the counter. A series of bracelets jingle on her wrist as she waves him over, studs flashing in the light. He can see why people might gossip, but the woman owns her own practice and can dress however she wishes. 

“I apologize, I don’t have an appointment. However, you come highly recommended.” 

She doesn’t bother hiding a snort at that, but gestures at him, “What can I help you with?” 

“I was told you could help me with a rather dicey injury?”

Her eyes flash over him, taking in the school uniform before lingering on his face. His smile stays locked in place, as unassuming and pleasant as ever. Every interaction, a lie he sells with perfection and polish. 

She leans back, “You’re pretty young to be hiding something like that from your parents.” 

“Ah, you see I’m here on my own. I moved for school.” Goro keeps his tone breezy, there’s no tragedy behind his words for her to find. No lie to catch him in. Everything he’s said is the truth. He’s left it just open enough so she’ll believe he’s a student living in the dorms, not an orphan emancipated far too early who’d struck a deal with the devil to earn a semblance of freedom. 

“If you call living under his thumb freedom.” Loki jabs. 

Goro wants to snap at him to shut up. He keeps his face neutral instead. 

“Hmm.” She considers, before her gaze sharpens, “You look familiar.” 

He chuckles, shifting another piece on the board as he plays this game of familiarity he’s growing accustomed to. Fame provides its own drawbacks and rewards. One is that people tend to trust him more than they really should. 

“You’ve probably seen me in one of my recent interviews. Goro Akechi, at your service.” He gives a little flourish with a hand, not quite bowing, more presenting himself to her. 

She jerks up, chair rattling as she straightens, “I haven’t done anything to be under investigation, you know. Those rumors are just that, everything here is above board and all my licenses are up to date.” 

Well that wasn’t the reaction he was expecting. He makes a mental note to take a much closer look at her. If she is being harassed, he could use helping her to his advantage. The longer he stands here, the more he began to realize just what a boon it was that Kurusu had sent him here. 

Ever since signing on with Shido, Goro’s privacy and freedom have been limited. He goes to Shido’s doctors. Drops everything to follow Shido’s beck and call. Even his agent is one of Shido’s men. His money is at least his own, made from his work and what he has found in Palaces and Mementos. He's never breathed a word of that particular windfall to Shido or his men. Some secrets are best kept close, tight to his chest. 

The idea of simply having anyone in his life unconnected with the man is refreshing. Even if he doesn’t end up making frequent use of the resource. 

“I assure you, I have no ill intentions towards you.” He raises both hands in his defense, wincing at how his wound pulls at the movement, “I am genuinely here for your assistance. Kurusu-kun sent me.” 

“Don’t know him.” Dr. Takemi’s response is instant, after a moment her eyes soften, “That, however, does look like it needs some work.”

One glance at his arm tells Goro he’s managed to irritate the wound again during his trip here. Despite the bleeding having stopped overnight it seems it's started again, red can be seen gently pooling, seeping out like an ink stain across his jacket. 

“As I said. I am in need of some discreet help. I can pay whatever you charge, please don’t worry about that.” 

Dr. Takemi’s chair makes a gentle scraping sound as she stands, “I’m sure you can, Mr. Detective. Come on back to the exam room and I’ll take a look.”

“Thank you.”

The decision to stay silent as she examines him is an easy one. Goro has little desire to answer more questions than is necessary. At the same time, he doesn’t want to disrupt her work. So he sits on the medical cot as she takes his arm gently and examines the deep scratches there. 

Her lips press together in a not quite hidden look of concern, made more obvious by the furtive glance she gives his school uniform. 

“The casualty of a case.“ Goro supplies, at last, “An ongoing one.” 

She hums a reply as she works, needle in hand to start numbing the skin around the injury. It’s pink and puffy, obviously irritated from Goro’s walk over, but to his eyes free from signs of infection. 

“You’re going to need quite a few stitches.” She tells him, “This is not going to be fun, I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. They aren’t my first.”

The moment he says the words he knows they are the wrong sentiment to share. Takemi’s mouth presses into a thinner line, almost disappearing. 

At last she asks, “Do the police not have doctors?”

Goro wants to shrug, but thinks better of it with his arm is semi immobilized, a needle hovering above it. He’d rather not add getting stabbed to the week’s events. Even an accidental one. 

“They do.” 

She shoots him a glance that says: So? Explain. 

Goro goes for the truth, or as close to it as he can, “As an independent detective I don’t always work with them.” 

“What have you done in the past when you were hurt then?” 

The question comes as she begins the stitches and despite himself, Goro has to bite back a wince. It’s not a painful feeling per say, but neither is it pleasant. 

“To be honest, this is the first time I’ve sustained such an injury on one of my own investigations. They are normally less dangerous.” His gaze drifts over to a sign hanging on the wall that lists the symptoms of a heart attack while he speaks, unwilling to look her directly in the eyes, “I was not expecting this one to go as poorly as it did either.” 

Takemi doesn’t comment further as she works, and Goro lets it drop as well. His eyes turn back to her, or rather his arm, tracking the movement of the needle as it dips up and down, in and out of his skin. Quite a few stitches indeed. 

One thing still bothers him, “You really don’t know Kurusu-kun?” 

“I’ll admit, I wasn’t paying close attention earlier. Describe him?”

“Messy hair, glasses that cover most of his face, fairly nondescript aside from this air he has about him, like he’s ready to—” Ruin all your hard work, dash your plans, and have fun doing it, “Like he’s hiding something.”

“Kid, I get a lot like that here. You fit the hiding something description pretty well yourself.” 

Goro coughs, surprise rattling him, “I told you—”

“Mmhm, investigation. Yep.” She finishes the stitches and deftly wraps his arm. 

There is something about her posture and tone that sets off tiny alarm bells in Goro’s head, but he can’t pin it down. Even as she leans back, considering him. 

“You know–”

Goro’s not sure he likes where this is going. 

“You’re young, healthy, strong, and apparently don’t have a set school schedule.”

Now he has to defend himself, “While the school allows me much time off for my work, and various appearances, I am still required to attend and complete coursework.” 

“All the better for me then.” 

“Just what does that mean?” He’s now more than a little concerned. 

She leans towards him, elbows on her thighs, chin cupped in a palm, “I’d like you to become my guinea pig.”

Goro blinks at her, genuinely surprised, “Pardon me, but what do you mean by that?” 

Just what kind of person is this doctor Kurusu recommended? 

Her grin is sharp, but not unkind, “I need some help with a drug I’m developing. It’s totally safe but needs some work to get it where I want it. What do you say? I can sweeten the pot with some painkillers and specialized medicine, if your line of work continues down the dangerous path it’s suddenly taken.”

Participating in an unsanctioned clinical trial is not exactly what Goro has planned to do with his incredibly limited free time, but…it could give him a real connection with her. Hadn’t he just decided that he could benefit from that kind of relationship?

Still, it won’t hurt to make sure she’s legitimate first, before diving into anything too deeply. So far she has shown herself to be competent, however he’ll feel more comfortable after doing a deep dive into her history. 

“Would you give me a few days to consider your offer?” He asks. 

She raises her other hand, flicking her wrist nonchalantly, bracelets clicking together merrily, “That’s fine. It’ll take time to get things set up anyway. No matter what you decide, make sure to come in when you need medical help in the future. I’d hate to see you seriously hurt because you’re trying to avoid getting fired or kicked out of school.” 

He nodded, “Of course. Thank you.” 

“And be sure to keep that clean. I’m going to give you an ointment to help prevent infection. The stitches should disintegrate on their own, but if you have trouble come back and I’ll do a follow up.” 

A feeling of satisfaction washes over Goro as he exits the clinic. He’s looped the small bag of medicine she gave him over his good wrist, along with his soiled jacket. He’ll need to get it cleaned sooner rather than later so the stain doesn’t set. 

An email ping reminds him of his phone. Takemi didn’t totally deny knowing Kurusu the second time he asked, only slid around the question. 

Kurusu’s message from earlier still sits unread on his phone. The words take a second to make sense and Goro flicks back up to his earlier text. He’d told Kurusu he needed better friends. The response makes him blink.

Kurusu: Good thing I’ve got you now.

What the hell is that supposed to mean? Friends? They’ve known each other less than a day. That is not friendship. Not that he wants or needs friends. Kurusu is simply a curiosity. Just a Metaverse user who hasn’t awakened to his power yet and should be kept close so he won't accidentally interrupt Goro’s plans. 

He has no reasonable response for that, so he chooses to shift the tone of the conversation. Calling Kurusu’s lie. 

Goro: The doctor says she doesn’t know you. 

The reply doesn’t take long. 

Kurusu: I didn’t say she did. Only that I knew of her. 

Goro rolls his eyes, glancing up long enough to check where he’s going as he walks down the street. If he remembers right, Sae-san’s favorite hole-in-the-wall coffee place is somewhere around here. He’s got some time before his meeting with her, and a good cup of coffee sounds like heaven right now. 

Goro: You spoke like you knew her well.

The faint scent of coffee and something spicy draws him down a street. At last he sees it, plants surrounding the outside, a red sign above the door that reads: Leblanc. The name rings familiar and he’s pretty sure Sae-san’s shop of choice. The little sign outside the door tells him they serve not only coffee, but curry as well, answering the question of the spice in the air. What an odd combination, odd enough Goro knows he has to try it. 

Before he can even reach for the handle, his phone rings. Goro fishes it from his pocket and scowls as Shido’s name lights up the screen. He takes a step back from the door to get out of the way. After another breath, he schools his features, knowing that even visible dislike can find its way into his voice, and takes the call. 

“I’ve just received notice that Minato Takashi reported major structural issues with the rails for the subway, by both providing evidence and turning himself in for taking bribes to keep quiet about it.” Shido’s tone is cold, questioning. 

Goro can’t help it, his eyes go wide. Such a change in attitude is a surprise to say the least. His actions in the Metaverse have always impacted people’s cognition, this is true. But to have such a turnaround from a conversation? He’s never considered it before, though it makes sense. If he can drive a person temporarily mad with Call of Chaos, or even make them shut down by killing their Shadow Self, talking one down doesn’t seem so strange. 

It’s something Shido would never consider himself. He has always seen the Metaverse as a tool for manipulation of the worst kind. It is his own private shadow realm where he can threaten, coerce, and kill those who might get in his way. He would never dream of using it to convince someone they were doing something wrong.

It makes him wonder... 

“Well that answers the question of why I couldn’t locate him yesterday.” Goro says, dropping in just enough surprise and frustration into his tone to make Shido believe he’s as in the dark by this as everyone else. 

“It’s rare you miss a target.” There is something dangerous in his tone, prodding for the real reason things failed this time.

In the time Goro has been working for Shido he’s missed only four targets, with Takashi ticking that number up to five. They don’t have a formal contract between them, but what they have has worked so far. Goro follows Shido’s orders without fail, and in return receives status and power. It’s Shido’s agent that’s helped Goro find fame, and Shido’s influence that let him break free from the foster system at last. Any failure strips his usefulness away, and threatens to take him out of Shido’s orbit. 

“It won’t happen again.” Goro promises, like he can even make such a promise. But he has to. He cannot fail again. 

He has done too much and worked too hard to fall from grace now. Not when he can see the light at last. Shido’s laid out his plan to ascension clearly before Goro and all of the pieces are in place at last. They need only work the plan for the next few months and then, well. Then Goro’s own plans will come to fruition as well. 

“See that it doesn’t.” Is all that Shido says before the line cuts dead. 

His jaw works, teeth grinding together as Goro struggles to pull himself together. He hates how after all this time Shido’s disappointment still stings. No one else in the world makes him feel so small with so few words, or so happy with just as few. 

He’s pathetic . Like a dog trampling after his master, begging for a little praise. Clinging to his words like they’re golden honey. 

It makes him sick. 

The door to the café opens, and an older couple walk out, voices filling the air about little nothings, coffee and how sweet the “new boy” is. The sound grounds Goro back in the present, reminds him why he’s here. He needs that coffee now more than ever. 

Consciously, he lets his jaw loosen, and takes in a long slow breath. He holds the air in his lungs, so much of it there he might burst, and just feels the pressure for a long moment. Then just as slowly he lets it out, and the relief is palpable. It’s a simple technique that doesn’t always work, but blended with the familiar scent of coffee it does the trick today. 

Just a little longer, he only has to put up with Shido a little longer and then it’ll be him hanging on Goro’s words. His life in Goro’s hands. Loki smiles at that thought too, humming with anticipation of the day they’ll finally see their revenge made real. 

He rolls his shoulders and smooths his features. With his public mask firmly back in place he takes the time to make sure nothing incriminating is showing on his phone. Not that there ever is. Shido makes it a point not to put his orders in writing. They do their business face to face or over the phone. 

A little notification lingers on his chat app, a reply from Kurusu. 

Kurusu: You know, it’s not nice to act so suspicious after receiving help.  

He snorts at that and chooses to leave his response for a little later, after he’s seated. He’s lingered in front of this building long enough. 

The bell rings pleasantly behind him as he steps in and surveys the café. The ambience is perfect. The exact kind of place that Goro loves: small and cozy, covered in colors that are warm and dark. It has that kind of out of the way look that says the owner has little desire to allow trends to bend their aesthetic. Best of all, the whole place is permeated with the scent of coffee, all kinds of roasts mixing together in a divine blend that comforts rather than assaults. The scent of curry blends nicely with it, complex and mouthwatering even this early in the day. Goro is sure that by the time he leaves, the scent will have sunk into him like a second skin.

It’s quiet, no music plays to distract or draw attention. Instead there is a television that is running the news, the voices turned down so one might have to strain to hear them. Goro has a feeling there are rarely more than two customers here at a time. Especially since at this hour any café in Kichijoji or Shibuya would be at least half full. Right now, he’s the only customer. 

A man works behind the counter, facing away from him as he replaces a jar on the shelf filled end to end with coffee beans. 

“Welcome in.” the man says, “I’ll be with you in just a minute.” 

While he waits, Goro slides onto one of the stools, draping his coat across the back of it, and hooking his bag on the end. He’s left his briefcase at home today, the item is too bulky to carry with an injured arm and still navigate the few places he has to go before returning home. 

The man shifts to cleaning up dishes, left over by the previous customers Goro guesses. He doesn’t mind, he’s not in a hurry, plus this gives him a little time to respond to Kurusu. 

Goro: You must admit, yesterday was rather strange. I think I’m owed a little suspicion. 

Goro sends off the message with little thought to getting a response right away. It’s give and take right now as they say nothing and try to see who might bend first. A moment later, a phone pings to his left. Surprise makes him lift his eyes to see the origin of the coincidence. 

Standing just at the edge of a staircase, phone in hand, mouth agape, is Akira Kurusu. 

‘Crap.’ Akira thinks. ‘Crap, crap, double crap with a slice of cheese.’

Akechi is not supposed to be in Leblanc right now. He is not supposed to be in Leblanc for another few days at least, according to his plan. His carefully plotted, well formed, not totally slapped together last minute plan. The plan he is trying to follow to a T because if he messes it up then that will be it for him and Akechi and the whole stupid plan . 

What good is going back in time to solve problems if no one bothers to be in the right places for those problems to be solved around them? Honestly, it’s like Akira is the only one in the bunch who actually knows the plan. The plan he’d had all of last night to come up with because apparently that’s what making a deal with Jose gives him. 

Still, if he could, he’d shake Jose for being so taciturn about it all. Oh so yeah, Akira has the chance to right his mistakes this way. But dropping him practically right in Akechi’s lap with no warning had been uncalled for. Give a guy at least ten minutes to plan a thing. 

Oh and tell him exactly what point in space and time he’s going to find himself in. That’d be really helpful too. 

The last thing Akira needs is Akechi poking his nose into things when he shouldn’t be. Sure yes, he had screwed up by being so familiar and open about the whole Dr. Takemi thing before immediately claiming he’d just moved there. That was stupid, he’s a big enough man to admit that. 

But is Akechi really so suspicious that a slip like that might make him decide to take a closer look at him already? Of course he is. Akechi is nothing but suspicion and lies wrapped up in a pretty smile and false niceties. Any mistake on Akira’s part is sure to set off all of his alarm bells.

If the universe was kind to either of them, Akira never would have needed to go back in time. He and Akechi could have met earlier. 

He knows they could be great friends with a little more time. Being rivals is a given, but given a real chance, Akira knows he can pierce through Akechi’s shell and find not just a rival or an ally, but a friend hiding underneath. 

He wonders if meeting him the day of his arrival in Tokyo is early enough. If he’d had his way, his wish , it would have been years. Before either of them even knew what the Metaverse is. But the universe has never really been truly kind to either of them. 

Jose has always been kind to him though and Akira thinks perhaps he is something a little universe like. 

The short time he’s been given will simply have to be enough. It’s the only second chance he’s going to get. 

“Akechi, what are you doing here?” 

He steps out of the alcove and over to where Akechi is seated. It’s shocking seeing him here, in the same chair he has always picked, looking at him with the same kind of amusement he’d frequently show well into their friendship. It makes Akira want to be just as familiar with him, to lean into jokes and confidences they haven’t created yet. To talk with an Akechi still waiting in the wings. 

He’s already slipped up though, as Akechi’s eyes go just a little wide at Akira’s casual address for him. Never one to let on too much, that look is all Akira gets to let him know he’s probably moving too fast.

The thing is, he can’t help it. It’s so good to see Akechi again. When he’d come flying out in Mementos, Persona in the air, Akira had almost stopped breathing. He hadn’t expected it. Hadn’t expected him so soon. But there he had been, Black Mask and all, six seconds away from scruffing him like a cat. 

He’d almost flung himself at him. It had taken everything in him not to, his mind screaming wait, don’t fuck this up idiot. Don’t scare him off. Don’t get him killed again. 

It doesn’t stop his skin from itching, his hands feeling empty, his heart being an aching, excited mess that still can’t quite believe any of it is real. Because he’s alive. He’s here in Leblanc sitting in his usual seat, looking at Akira like he wants to pick him apart under a microscope to see what makes him tick. And alive. 

Akira will do everything in his power to make sure he stays that way. 

Akehi raises his arm, the sleeve is rolled up and a bandage has been expertly wrapped around it, neater than Akira has ever been able to manage. 

“I took your advice and went to visit Takami-san.” He raises an eyebrow at him, “Or have you already forgotten our conversation about her not knowing you?”

The phone in his palm buzzes again, reminding him of Akechi’s unread message. At the sound, the other boy smirks. What an ass. 

He'd missed him so much.  

Akira needs five minutes to put himself together but instead he’s faced with Akechi looking deeply amused at the predicament he’s in right now. He shoves the phone in his back pocket, and prays it doesn’t fall out. No need to reply when Akechi is right here. 

“Right!” He pastes on a smile they both know is forced, and rubs the back of his neck, “I’m sorry I’m just so surprised to see you here, it’s a school day.”

To his ears, he sounds like he’s panicking. He wonders if Akechi can hear the same thing. Though Akira doesn’t know what he’d even think if that were the case. The last thing Akechi could suspect him of is being a time traveler…right?

The eyebrow seemingly arches higher, “It seems neither of us are where we are supposed to be then.” 

Sojiro saves him by turning around at last, taking notice of both boys. Akira tries not to give him a panicked look, and thinks he succeeds. Unfortunately for him, this Sojiro hardly knows him and still thinks he’s trouble packaged in messy hair and glasses. Arriving late his first day had done nothing to help mitigate that little issue either. 

Sojiro puts a hand on his hip and in a disappointed tone Akira hasn’t heard in almost two years says, “I told you not to bother my customers.” 

If Akechi keeps upping the smugness of his look he’s afraid the other boy’s eyebrow might just pop off and take off towards outer space.

“Is this your boss?” He asks, tone infuriatingly even. 

“Boss?” Sojiro barks out a laugh, “Sure, with the amount of cleaning he’s done since he got here it’s a fair enough title.” He holds a hand out to Akechi,  “Sojiro Sakura, I take it you’re one of his friends?” 

“Indeed. We became acquainted yesterday in fact.” 

He’s forgotten how perfectly polished Akechi is when wearing his Detective Prince mask. Akira’s too used to the Akechi who’d warmed up to him, and the one who freely threw barbs and insults at him like endearments. This Akechi is like a doll, face just so, voice pitched perfectly pleasant, smile devoid of life. Akira’s stomach rolls. 

“Makes sense, this guy only just got here.”

Akira could kiss Sojiro, he’d probably hate that, but that doesn’t stop him wanting to express his undying gratitude. No way can Akechi still think he’s been lying about moving recently with that unprompted statement. 

He shoots his own smug look at Akechi, giving him his best “told ‘ya” grin. It does little to squash the amusement glittering behind Akechi’s eyes. He’s having fun playing with Akira, and piecing together this new element in his life. Akira has little intention of letting him know everything about himself just yet. Mystery is how he caught him in the first place. 

“I see.” Akechi flashes Sojiro a smile, his expression pulling into something like a predator, eager and plotting, or at least that’s what Akira reads in the tone and sharpening of his eyes. Everyone else sees the pleasant boy he's worked so hard to polish, especially when he says, “Still, Kurusu is someone I can see myself becoming close friends with.” 

Liar . Akira knows full well that all Akechi is worried about right now is just how much trouble this other Metaverse user will be to him. Every second and word between them is a calculation to determine just how much of a stumbling block Akira might be to his plans. And boy, what a stumbling block Akira plans to be. If he can pull this off Akechi’s plans are going to go off the rails far earlier than he could ever imagine. And maybe, just maybe, he’ll have a real shot at redemption this time. 

Sojiro grunts, the sound almost amused, “Well, what’ll it be? Might as well get you both a cup and let you talk.” 

After a brief glance up at the menu Akira answers, “Blue Mountain.” He shoots a surprised look at Akechi as he hears his words doubled, the other boy having answered the same thing at the same time. 

Sojiro only shakes his head, and starts working on the coffee.

Silence settles between them until both cups rest steaming in front of them. Akira has taken the seat by Akechi, since it would be silly to stand in such circumstances. Sojiro tries not to make a show of watching both of them try their coffee, wiping up a nonexistent drop off the counter while surreptitiously eyeing them. Sojiro has never been very good at hiding how much he cares for very long, whether that’s about coffee or the kids in his life. 

Akira doesn’t have to pretend to enjoy the drink. He’s been dying for a cup of this for weeks now. Only his Sojiro was waiting on a shipment, and he couldn’t very well ask for a cup after slinking in late on his first day under this one’s care. 

So he smiles into the cup, breathing deeply, and savors the familiar scent. Akira loves making coffee, but his will never taste exactly like Sojiro’s just like Sojiro’s will never taste like his. It is a treat when his adopted father makes him a mug.

“This is incredible, Sakura-San.” It’s the first genuinely honest thing Akira’s heard from Akechi in this timeline, the words said with real enjoyment as his eyes light up, “Far better than anything I’ve had before. Sae-san was right about this place.”

“Sae-san? As in Sae Niijima?” Sojiro frowns. 

“Yes.” Akechi’s tone is pleasant, “We work together on cases sometimes.”

“On cases?” Sojiro askes, frowning at Akechi, “I thought you looked kind of familiar. You’re that detective kid who's on tv sometimes.” His gaze turns on Akira, and something mischievous comes over his features, “Quite the find for a first friend here.”

Quite the find indeed. Almost as if fate had thrown Akira directly into his path. Thank goodness it hadn’t literally dropped him on Akechi, or made him materialize in front of him or something so painfully direct. That would have been impossible to explain. 

“Just lucky like that.” Akira shrugs between sips of blessedly good coffee, “Maybe Akechi will even introduce me to Niijima-san soon.” He turns to smile at his friend, but Akechi’s not paying attention to him, his gaze instead on his phone.

“Akechi?” Akira asks. 

He jerks his head up, blinking, “I apologize. It seems I misremembered the time for a meeting.” 

He scoops the required yen for his coffee from his pocket and sets it on the counter. The next second, he’s on his feet, tossing his jacket over his shoulder and giving the coffee a forlorn look. He’s hardly had any time at all to drink it.

Without really thinking, Akira stands too and steps behind the counter. He moves automatically, years of practice guiding his hands as he scoops a to-go cup from Sojiro’s secret stash and starts pouring Akechi’s coffee into it. Sojiro doesn’t do takeout, claiming it’s far too much trouble. However, on occasion he’ll give a longtime customer a cup on the way out. He’ll start carrying more now that Akira’s here, and Akira will be able to track his growing affection by how gently he’s handed the cup as he finishes his curry in the mornings. 

Sojiro either doesn’t notice or care that Akira’s made himself at home in the café after less than 24 hours living there. Instead, he’s taken Akechi’s money over to the register. Dimly Akira hears them discussing a receipt. 

Akira adds the extra from the carafe when he notices the cup isn’t full enough, and adds in a little sugar and cream, to balance it out the way Akechi likes this blend, before giving it a quick stir. He pops the lid on top and slides it over to him with a grin.

“Since you liked it so much.” he explains. 

Akechi’s lips twist into an odd kind of frown, like he’s not sure how to react to this display of barista prowess Akria’s just put on. But he takes the cup, holding it carefully in the hand not currently carrying a small bag and his jacket. 

He takes a step away from the bar and stops, turning his gaze directly on Akira, “Thank you. I am sorry to have to leave so quickly, I had wanted to discuss yesterday further with you.”

Akira waves him off, “Tomorrow, after school.” 

[phantomoftheorpheum]

Game: add 10 gifs from your favorite shows and tag 10 people.

Tagged: yeah, no one tagged me in this, I just keep getting notifs that people are embedding my gifs for this & I thought it looked fun.

The Expanse - It's just my favorite show ever. Probably my favorite overall group of characters ever, too.

2. Dark - An actual masterpiece.

3. Gilmore Girls - A nostalgic fall favorite that didn't age great in a lot of ways, but means a lot to me. (we don't talk about the revival).

4. Skins - An incredibly formative show for my teen years, like I wanted to be Effy so badly.

5. Game of Thrones - Despite a nosedive in quality as it progressed, season 3 alone is so absurdly good that it still wins a spot.

6. Arcane - Absolutely gorgeous to look at, and then it's actually a good show, too?? I really hope season 2 sticks the landing.

7. The Bear - I knew when the first trailer dropped that this show would be for me. I always end up crying for Tina.

8. Taskmaster - A much needed pick me up, a different genre from everything else on the list, and absolutely my happy place.

9. Julie and the Phantoms - It just inspires pure, childlike joy? And it arrived in my life at a really difficult time & reminded me to just enjoy things.

10. Shameless (US) - When it was good, it was really good. Another show with another 3rd season I adore.

This was really hard, actually! There are several shows that just missed the list. This definitely reminded me how many shows have an absolutely incredible 1-3 season run, then start losing the plot a bit. But the game is "favorite" not "best," so I decided to go with some shows that had very high highs for me, despite their low lows. There are also a few shows that I think could eventually end up top 10 for me, but they're too new for me to be sure if they stand my personal test of time.

Tagging: Anybody who sees this and wants to do it! (also tag me if you do, I'd love to see what your favorites are)!

[haveamagicalday]

If you get this, answer with 5 random facts about yourself and then send it to the last 7 blogs in your notifications. Let's get to know the people behind the blogs! No pressure though, have a great day.

I do not have a sense of smell (not covid related, I just never had one)

I have worked at Disney World

I had to have my gallbladder removed

I have a tuxedo cat named Phantom

My favorite snack is Cheetos