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the-bad-batch-baroness · 6 months

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Where's Mommy?

Wolffe x Lilith Sestri (OFC)

Part 8

Summary: Wolffe's wife suddenly dies, leaving him a single father in the middle of a war.

Pairing: Wolffe x Lilith Sestri (OFC)

Characters: Comet, Cara (child OFC)

Tags & Warnings: heavy angst, mention of death, off-screen death, spousal death, grief, hurt/comfort, family fluff

Word Count: 2.2k

Author's Note: After two consecutive heavy chapters of Wolffe angst, I figured it was time for something a bit lighter. So, you get more Comet and Cara! Honestly, I love their dynamic so much. It's cute and adorable, and it's my favorite. Cara doesn't view Comet as an uncle, but more like a big brother and that's how Comet feels too. Be forewarned, there are still sad undertones. I also really wanted to cut this chapter in half, but there was no good way to do it. As always, please enjoy 💚

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Before Comet made his way to Cara's room, he stopped by the kitchen to do what Wolffe asked him. It really was a mess, but at least they were able to make Wolffe think about something else for a couple of minutes. Comet couldn't even begin to imagine how difficult it was for Wolffe to go through this, but on the flip-side, it was incredibly difficult for any of them to watch, especially when they knew there was nothing they could do to alleviate Wolffe's or Cara's pain. It was such a tragedy.

While still in the kitchen, Comet caught a glimpse of a flower-patterned apron hanging on a bronze hook. He approached the garment and rubbed the fabric between his fingers with fondness, remembering when he first became part of the Wolfpack. He was just a shiny, hot off Kamino, and assigned to the most rugged of commanders serving alongside two veteran clones, and yet, they took him in like family. She took him in like family, too, and made him his first real meal.

Comet smiled at the memory. The Pack missed her too, even if they didn't say it out loud. With Wolffe still raw from her passing, it wasn't the time nor the place for them to air their own sorrows, but they still felt it. The hole she left behind and the vacuum it created in all of their lives. She was kind, gentle, loving, and could go toe-to-toe with Wolffe like no one he'd ever seen. He chuckled at a memory of Wolffe retreating with his tail between his legs after being scolded by her.

Realizing that he forgot about his other mission, Comet left the apron where it hung and made his way back to Cara's room. He'd have to remember to grab it before they left. Wolffe would want to take it with him. At least, he thought Wolffe would want to take it. If not, then he might grab it out of pure fondness. They were all aware that once they vacated the apartment, everything in it would be trashed, and the thought of that apron laying in a pile of trash somewhere made his skin prickle.

On his way to Cara's room, Comet grabbed the largest box he could find. Wolffe said one box, but he didn't say it had to be a certain size. He knew it was going to be an uphill battle to get Cara to pick and choose what she kept and left behind, so a bigger box would make it easier. She was four, and she'd grow out of most of her things in a couple of cycles, which meant he needed to guide the choosing. It might be difficult now, but she'd thank him one day when she was older. If he was even alive to see her get older.

As he approached her room, he didn't hear any noise, which made him suspicious of what she could be doing in there. Maybe all of that crying and screaming wore her out and she fell asleep. If that was the case, then this just became a lot more difficult. If there was one thing Comet had learned from spending time with children, it was to never wake them from a nap. Kids were mean when they were tired and they would make everyone around them feel every ounce of their displeasure at being woken up.

Reluctantly, Comet opened the door, and not-surprisingly the lights were still on. A quick inspection of the room showed no signs of life within the four corners, but there was a suspicious looking child-sized lump under a blanket in the middle of the bed. Comet sighed. Just what he was afraid of. When he stepped closer, the lump moved. He crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side, watching as the lump squirmed around. She wasn't asleep, she was hiding. Comet smirked and decided to play along.

"Oh, no," he said dramatically. "Whatever will I do? I seem to have lost Cara."

The lump giggled and Comet smiled.

"Wolffe is going to kill me," he continued while slowly creeping towards the bed.

The lump giggled louder and Comet snuck up real close, ready to pounce.

"I'll be decommissioned for sure," he joked, then grabbed the lump and hoisted it up into the air.

Cara squealed.

"Found you!" he exclaimed.

"No!" Cara squirmed in Comet's grasp. "Put me down!"

Comet plopped down onto Cara's bed, placed her on his lap, and uncovered her from the blanket. "Are you hiding from me, ad'ika?" he asked.

She wiggled her little body and tried to escape from him, but his grip was firm. "No," she pouted and stuck her tongue out at him.

Comet raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"I don't want to," she whined.

"Ad'ika," he sighed. "I don't want to either, but sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do."

"What's an add-ee-ka?" she asked.

Comet knew she was stalling, but it was an easy enough question to answer. "It means child, but in a more loving way." He wanted to use the word affectionate, but she might not understand that one yet.

"Why doesn't daddy call me that?" she asked.

Comet thought about it for a moment, because he too wondered why Wolffe didn't use Mando'a around Cara, and shrugged. "I don't really know why."

"Does daddy not love me?" she asked.

Comet's brain stalled. The mental leaps and bounds she just made caught him completely off guard. How could she think, even for a second, that Wolffe didn't love her? It baffled him. Wolffe talked about her all of the time, to anyone who would listen, and even to those who wouldn't. There was nothing Wolffe wouldn't do for his daughter, well, except leave the GAR. He knew Wolffe would if he could, in a heartbeat, but they'd track him down and decommission him without a second thought.

Comet shifted Cara on his lap so that she was facing him and gently brushed some of the curls out of her face. "Your dad loves you very much," he said. "So much so that he can't express all of it, even if he tries. He misses you all of the time when he's out on missions and it makes him very sad to be away from you."

"Oh," she said. "Does daddy love mommy?"

"Very much," he answered. "Almost as much as he loves you."

"Then why isn't daddy sad about mommy?" she asked.

"What makes you think he's not sad?" he asked in return.

"Daddy doesn't cry," she said. "I cry when I'm sad."

Comet's eyes softened and he wrapped his arms around her. "He does. Trust me, he does. But daddies are different from ad'ike. Daddies don't cry like you do when you're sad. They cry by themselves."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because," he began, then paused as he tried to figure out how to explain it. "He wants to be strong so he can take care of you."

"Oh," she said. Comet could tell she was still confused.

"You see," he explained further. "Love isn't stored in our words or even our actions. It's stored here." He placed a hand on his heart. "Inside our hearts, our ka'rta."

"Ka-ro-ta," she pronounced. "Sounds like carrot."

Comet snorted, then started laughing. "Yeah, I guess it does."

"So, daddy loves mommy in here?" she asked while pointing at her heart.

"Yes, exactly," he said, then tapped her nose. "And he loves you in there, too."

"I love daddy in here, too," she said. "And mommy."

"Good," he smiled. "You keep them in there forever, okay?"

Cara smiles. "I will."

Comet really didn't want to change the subject or ruin the mood, but time was running short and he still had a job to do. "You know," he began. "If we don't pack up this box, you won't be able to bring anything with you."

Cara's eyes widened and she scrambled off of Comet's lap to start filling the box. She might have been stalling, but he was glad she asked those questions. The last thing Wolffe needed was for his daughter to think he didn't love her. He would crumble into a pile of dust if he ever found that out. Wolffe might not be able to spend a lot of time with Cara because of the War, but he really did love her, and Comet hoped Wolffe would continue to show her that love every chance he got.

The packing process went pretty much as Comet expected. Cara grabbed a whole bunch of things and tossed them into the box without really thinking about it. While she rummaged through her shelves and closets, Comet stealthily removed certain things from the box. If she realized they were gone, then maybe she did want them, but if she didn't see them missing from the box, then she probably wouldn't miss them at all. It was a gamble, but one he was willing to take for her sake.

Comet made sure to grab a few of the things he knew she'd actually want and need, like Cloney, ducky, her favorite pajamas, other important pieces of clothing, a few bedtime stories, and the drawings she made of her family. The drawings were easy because they were flat and could lay flush against the side of the box, so he was able to fit them all in. He knew she was going to need them once they were deployed again and she was alone. Some of the toys were a bit harder to fit, since they were bulky or oddly shaped, but he managed.

When the box was nearly full, Cara grabbed the blanket off her bed and tried to stuff it in the box, but it was just too big and it spilled out all over the top and sides. She had that blanket since birth, so Comet knew there was no parting with it and he needed to find a way to fit it in somehow. He rearranged some of the items in the box, rolled the clothing instead of folding it, and adjusted the more angular things, but it still wouldn't fit. Cara was on the verge of tears and Comet needed a new plan.

"Ad'ika," Comet said. "Would it be okay if I made your blanket into something else?"

Cara looked at him with watery eyes, and nodded silently.

Comet smiled and scruffed her hair. "Don't worry. I'll fix this."

Besides learning how to cook delicious food, Comet picked up something else from Wolffe's wife: how to sew. It was an odd skill for a clone to have, sure, but she loved to do it and he was always mesmerized by what she could make with some scraps of fabric and a little imagination. He was definitely not a master seamstress like her, but he knew his way around a needle and thread enough to be dangerous. He left Cara's room and grabbed what he needed from the sewing closet: scissors, chalk, a needle, blue and black thread, two gray buttons, and some stuffing.

Comet returned to Cara's room and laid out the blanket flat on the floor. He marked out the pattern with some chalk, and with Cara standing back, he cut out the pattern. Placing that piece on more of the blanket, he cut out the second piece in the same shape. With the cutting done, he placed the scissors out of Cara's reach and sat on the floor to start sewing the pieces together. Cara leaned over his shoulder to watch, just like she did with her mom, and Comet smiled at her curiosity.

He took his time with the stitching, because it would be of no use to her if it fell apart while he was gone and wasn't there to fix it. When he was done stitching most of the outer edge, he sewed on the two button eyes, which proved to be difficult when Cara wrapped her arms around his neck, practically strangling him. He readjusted her so he could breathe, then finished sewing the buttons on. Lastly, he filled the opening with lots of stuffing, then closed the final stitches to finish the doll.

"Ta-da," he said, then handed the finished doll to her. "One tooka doll."

Cara's eyes lit up and she squeezed it against her chest. "I love it!"

Comet smiled. "It should fit in the box now."

Cara placed the doll in the box and smiled at Comet. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome," Comet said. "Ready to go find your dad?"

Cara nodded her head and ran out of the room.

Comet shook his head and got up off the floor. He picked the box up and grunted. It was a little heavier than he was expecting, but he did a good job of fitting everything in there. Cara would never be able to carry it, but he could. He'd carry anything for her. He'd carry her sadness if he could. He knew Wolffe would, too. Actually, there wasn't a member of the Wolfpack who wouldn't do anything for Cara. She was family, a part of the Pack, and now also motherless, just like them.

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starsstuddedsky · 8 months

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Doyoung as your brother's best friend...

(wc: 1.7k, non idol au, mentions of food, alcohol, reader has a mother/family, i really dont know what this is)

who you were always fond of because he was way nicer to you than your brother ever was growing up (a pretty low bar, but a win is a win)

he graduates before you and you see him only a couple times a year when your brother would hang out with him, which fizzles out and suddenly you realize you haven’t seen him in five years

you finish college and get a great job offer except it’s a city five hundred miles away from home and you don’t know anyone, until your mother mentions Doyoung moved there a year or so ago and says something like you should reach out

to which you think no thank you but you politely say you’ll see what he’s up to

and you don’t give it a second thought, you meet a few friendly people at work and try to call your old friends as much as you can but loneliness has a way of seeping into the empty corners of your room and the quietness of 9:56pm on a Tuesday

so you figure a hinge date or two isn’t the worst idea

hey, guess what’s the worst idea?

the first man you decide to go on a date with spends the first hour bragging about his job and how he’ll be able to retire by the time he’s 35 and simply does not stop talking about himself

you’re sure you’ve given help me eyes to every person that’s walked past but no one takes pity on you, until you’re looking into a familiar pair of eyes

Doyoung doesn’t hesitate to stride up to you, saying “I’ve been looking everywhere for you, why haven’t you been looking at your phone?” and “The doctor’s say he won’t make it much longer!”

it isn’t difficult to follow him out of the café and listen to him throw out fake medical terms until you’re around the corner

he slows after that and you realize he’s gotten even taller and let his hair grow out a little

before you can tease him about the hair, he asks if you’re busy and when you say no, he drags you to the coin laundry to watch his clothes spin around

sitting on the plastic chairs and sipping paper cups from the water dispenser, you trade stories, amazed at the Doyoung from your memory and the Doyoung that sits in front of you

he’s changed so much (he spends his free time painting and going to art museums) and not at all (still ducks his head when he’s feeling shy and smiles with his eyes just as much as his lips)

you try to pretend like you aren’t stealing looks at him. he isn’t nearly as successful.

you walk to his apartment, only a couple blocks away and it’s gotten so late that he insists you spend the night, saying that your mom would kill him if he let you walk alone this late and to just take the couch

to which you protest, because, honestly, what would his mother say not offering the bed? and he just rolls his eyes and gives you his best pillow

except he must have really never slept on the couch because it’s actually so uncomfortable that you can’t sleep. when Doyoung gets up for a middle-of-the-night bathroom break, he finds you watching a crime show

despite making fun of you for it, he sits beside you and it’s actually way more comfortable when you’re using his shoulder as a pillow and then it’s suddenly morning and you wake up fully in his arms, meeting his smug smile

he does not waste time making fun of you, saying “what was that about the couch being uncomfortable?” and “are you sure you didn’t just want to sleep with me?” and pretending he wasn’t just as flustered

even though it’s daylight, he still walks you home and you find you don’t mind it at all. in front of your door, neither of you can figure out how to say you want to keep seeing each other, especially since you aren’t sure if it’s in a flirty context or not and what any of that would entail

finally you tell him your apartment has laundry, if he doesn’t want to pay for it and he says somehow he thinks you’re going to cost way more than a laundromat but he’s smiling

Doyoung slowly becomes a fixture in your life and even when you truly befriend your coworkers and become particularly close with one of the baristas in the coffee shop next to your apartment, he’s always the first person you think of–when you get a commendation at work, when you have another fight with That One Coworker, when you stub your toe. and he tells you about his constant fight with the owner of a dog on his floor that thinks it’s okay to let their dog pee on Doyoung’s doormat, and you hear all about his friends before you finally meet them

there are countless “almost” moments–telling him about this guy at work who flirts with you more blatantly than Doyoung himself and when you pause after saying you told him you have someone, he doesn’t say anything so you just say it was a lie to get the guy off your back; holding your hand on your birthday (after cooking a five course meal for you) but letting go before you even reach your apartment; staying over at his apartment again and refusing to sleep on the bed but he builds a wall of pillows between you “so you don’t feel uncomfortable”; waiting for the bus after drinking with his friends under a flickering streetlight where you think for sure he’s going to kiss you but he ducks away before you can let the fantasy dip into reality

you know you have to talk to him about it directly (especially since all of your friends say that he’s as in love with you as you are with him) but every time you try to do it you freeze up and you can’t get the words out

but when the holidays come around, you go to visit family with him and realize Just How Much you’ve changed around him

you’ve completely forgotten how to be normal around him, how to look at him without hearts in your eyes, but you’ll die if your family asks you what’s going on and you don’t have an answer, so you steel yourself up for a Doyoung-less Christmas

it goes really well until Day 2 when your mother announces Doyoung and his family will be coming over for dinner. to make matters worse, your brother finally shows up and it becomes very clear 1) he and Doyoung still talk all the time and 2) Doyoung has not mentioned how close he’s become with you

you try your very best to pull stories out of everyone else, since you can’t seem to mention anything about your life that doesn't include Doyoung, which apparently is true for him, you discover as he tries his best to tell the story about the time he wound up halfway across the city with a dead phone and no way to get back without telling them you were right there with him (ultimately failing since you were the one who ran into a friend who let you into their apartment to charge your phones)

after dinner your brother and Doyoung disappear and maybe you’re being paranoid but you swear everyone is looking at you

so you go ahead and vanish into your childhood room, thinking about anything except your brother’s best friend who’s become your… (damn you really thought you’d have a word for him that time)

an hour or so later, your brother knocks at the door and asks to come in (already scary since he’s always just busts in and purposefully leaves the door wide open). he sits down and says he doesn’t care what happens between you and Doyoung but not to hide anything on his account and you’re like okay well there’s nothing to hide and he’s like if my dumbass can pick up on the vibes, there’s something to hide so go figure it out and you’re like wait what did Doyoung say and he rolls his eyes and mutters something like “I am not doing this” and tells you Doyoung is waiting for you outside

you did not sprint down the steps, no matter what anyone says. it was a controlled pace, one foot per step, hand gripping the railing to keep you upright

Doyoung waits for you like your brother said, sitting on the porch swing wearing his winter jacket with his hands stuffed into the pockets, and he perks up when you come out the door

you sit beside him, trying not to lean into him and letting the cold air warm from the tension between you. there’s a couple heartbeats of silence, your breath hanging in the air in front of you before you manage to get the words out.

“i like you”

silly words, immature words, not the right words for how you feel, but you can’t quite figure out what those might be.

“it’s like mixing paint,” he says and you think maybe there really aren’t any right words, but he keeps going. “at first you think ‘wow i used way too much blue and this will never look right’ but you keep mixing it together and even though it isn’t the color you wanted it to be, you’ve found a whole new color and it changes the painting completely but it makes it so much better.” he pauses before admitting, “maybe it isn’t the perfect analogy. my point is, i wasn’t expecting you at all, but you make my life so much better.” and another couple seconds for him to remember he’s got something else to say. “oh, and i like you, too. if it wasn’t obvious."

it’s stupidly like a movie when the snow starts to fall, but you’ve been waiting far too long to kiss him, so you won’t let the feeling that this is a bad hallmark movie stop you

what does stop you is hearing half your family cheering through the window when you scoot closer to him

(your first kiss happens a couple days later on a secluded hike in the woods)

(a few years later at the wedding, one of your cousins pulls up footage that can only be described as stalker-like)

and you never sleep on his crappy couch again (though you do stay over, even when it isn’t late), and he keeps doing laundry in your apartment until his lease is finally up and he moves into a bigger apartment that just so happens to have enough space for you

(oh, and it has in-unit laundry too)

a/n: i swear i have been writing i just haven't been finishing but i got 2/3 of sending this to bestie before i realized this is a writing format so yeah. idk this is very much my delusional stream of consciousness but tell me im wrong. go ahead. tell me.

#🌟 stars galaxy #nct 127 #nct #nct u #nct fanfic #nct x reader #nct 127 x reader #nct 127 fanfic #nct fluff #nct 127 fluff #doyoung #kim doyoung #doyoung x reader #kim doyoung x reader #doyoung fluff

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beanghostprincess · 8 months

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Transfem buggy anon-

I was listening to music on YouTube, like broke birches do, ya know? And Heather On The Hill played and I was hit with three fold ideas.

Roger had an accent. Like. A very cliché piratey accent, one who few if any others have on One Piece that we know of. And Buggy and Shanks were raised by this man. The likelihood of them not picking up some sort of accent or specific pronunciation of a word or phrase seems impossible to me.

Shanks and Buggy with very very VERY slight accents. They get thicker when they get highly emotional, tired or drunk.

As children, Buggy's was a bit more noticeable bc she ran on a cocktail of Rage, Greed, and Stolen Coffee, so she was always keyed up to about 11.

As adults, Shanks is tipsy more often than not, so his twang is a little more notable but difficult to place due to his general demeanor and timbre.

When the two are together, the first hour or so is fairly normal. Then it's like a switch flips and they feed off of each other until it's a completely different accent, word choice and slang is being thrown without thought. It leaves the rest a bit confused but also so happy that their captains feel safe.

Shanks sing Heather on The Hill for Buggy. It was her favorite song when Roger sang them to sleep after nightmares, it was the song she learned her first dance to, it was the song he learned specifically to ask her to be his - it has meaning to them both and it's a comfort song. ((Yes, it plays at the wedding))

Buggy uses it as a lullaby or a self soothing song ad well. She'll sing to the animals in the evenings as she helps look after them, when she feels a bit down, as a comfort to her friends and crew, etc.

Crocodile and Mihawk are a little embarrassed by how much they love how her accent thickens a bit during and after the song. They'll never admit it.

Just... aaaaaaaaaa them having pieces of Roger with them even decades after his death, adoring them and each other and absolutely being in love because That Person Is Theirs and they're just... so grateful

AAAAAA ♡♡♡

Well, your asks are getting better every day. This is beautiful. I absolutely adore it. Shanks and Buggy both carry that piece of Roger with them and are so comfortable and safe with each other that their accents are most noticeable when they're together,,, Shanks singing for Buggy,,, The thought of these two dancing together for the first time when they were teens makes me blush and giggle and kick my feet because they're the cutest thing on earth. Shanks is head over heels for her and he just loves listening to Buggy talking because whenever they're together, her accent is more obvious, and it brings back memories for both of them. And Buggy doesn't like that Shanks is tipsy most of the time but when they get drunk and have fun together? Listening to this guy's voice makes her heart do backflips. Embarrassingly so. Sometimes, when they've had too much to drink, they're the only ones who can understand each other and it doesn't even matter because they're in their own bubble of happiness anyway. Not to mention Mihawk and Crocodile, they're... They won't say it out loud but sometimes they make Buggy angry just to hear her accent slip. Sometimes they watch her sing only because they like her voice. At first, they don't even know why they do it, but it makes them want to stop making her life a living hell for a while and let her enjoy this.

It's just beautiful to see them having traits their captain had. I imagine Shanks using the same expressions or gestures. Attacks, too, of course. And Buggy is always rolling her eyes like "You wanna be him soooo bad" but she actually is fond of that. While Buggy actually does the same thing and she often eats the same food Roger liked or wears the same jewelry and listens to the same songs. Honestly, I think this happens with Rayleigh too and these two end up getting some of his traits also. And it would be so cute to see them reunite and see Rayleigh realizing how much of them these two have.

ALSO THE SONG IS PERFECT FOR THEM I AM SOBBING-

#THIS IS SO DAMN CUTE #crying and sobbing and shaking and-#this little family is always making me emotional #one piece #red haired shanks #buggy the clown #gol d. roger #cross guild #shuggy

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maaarshieee · 2 years

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⎯⎯ ୨ This Guy's In love With You Pare ୧ ⎯⎯

ੈ♡˳ Alhaitham x Male!Reader *ೃ༄

ੈ♡˳ 6.9k words ┊ Fluff + Crack + Hurt/comfort *ೃ༄

ੈ♡˳ Masterlist *ೃ༄

author's note ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

written as part of @yae-publishing-house's MODERN AU EVENT! yeah i made it into a school thing as well BUT THE SONG I BASED IT OFF WAS IN A SCHOOL SETTING... the song is the title, made by 'parokya ni edgar',,, we need more male reader content and this song came across my yt reccs once again so i HAD to write smth based off it,, have a good day/night!! ALSO THIS GOES TO MY FELLOW PINOYS,,, kausapin nyo naman ako tangina HAHAHA,, pare means bro/dude,, honestly i think this isn't good enough but huddsa,, long fic hehe (more in tags 💕)

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ cw: gay struggles, in denial of gay feelings AHAH, teens but same personalities, oblivious!reader, brief misunderstanding (reader is thought to be against gays), slight angst if you squint near the end, finding out your sexuality in the worst way possible /j, ooc alhaitham?, a whiplash of events and memories??? HAHAHAHA

"I'm telling you, that guy likes— loves you, dude."

Those words seemed to slow down time for you, the book in your hand long forgotten as your heart leaped up your throat. Heat spreads throughout your chest, creeping up your neck and to your cheek, and you aren't sure if it's from embarrassment from your friend's, Kaveh, assumption, or rage for such bullshit ideas he had started sprouting out of his good-for-nothing mouth. Blinking incredulously at Kaveh, who was, surprisingly, staring back at you with a rather serious expression, you shook your head in disagreement, glaring at the blonde beside you. When Kaveh said that you two needed to talk about something urgent, you should've known it was just one of his annoying antics, dragging you hurriedly all the way to the rooftop of your school for a silly joke.

With a soft sigh escaping your lips as your mind finally processed his nonsense, you threw a punch at Kaveh's unsuspecting arm, making him yelp in pain and glare back at you. "Hey! What the hell is that for!? I'm serious, you know!?" He hissed in pain, rubbing his aching shoulder as you proceeded to read once again, rolling your eyes. You couldn't believe you skipped lunch just for this, now you're hungry and distracted. Closing your book with a slam, you hit the hard cover against your forehead.

The burn on your cheeks hasn't left as your thoughts lingered on Kaveh's words. Alhaitham? Your long-time best friend? Love you? The thought seemed so absurd when Alhaitham acts like he could barely tolerate you. He was a student of high honors, always on top and taking the rightful title of Valedictorian. Alhaitham, without much effort, was impeccably famous all over school, both for his flawless marks and impressive looks, and his rather arrogant personality, mixed in with his logic-based mentality. Even if he wasn't well-liked across the school for his harsh comments and condescending impression of everyone, girls and boys alike couldn't help but swoon at his handsome but cold charms. And you? Well, you're just a normal student in the same school, with somewhat decent grades. One of the only reasons you haven't failed as much as you would've thought was because of Alhaitham. He told you one day that since he's your 'friend', he's obligated to at least ensure you won't drop out of school and have presentable grades for when you're bound to go to college. You weren't famous either, and there wasn't really anything about you that stands out, other than being Alhaitham's only friend, inside and outside of your school.

Plus, the only reason you and Alhaitham have stuck together for this long is that you've been friends since childhood, your parents being very close with one another and so the connection you've created ever since was difficult to sever now. Not like neither of you wants to part anyways, so you've grown fond of each other over the years, even if Alhaitham wasn't very expressive of it, so it would leave others to wonder if the two of you are truly friends or not. Both of you would always bicker, with Alhaitham scolding you for not taking your studies seriously and you remarking about him studying too much. Being with him only felt natural, being by his side a majority of the time you spent at school and home, letting him study at the seat next to you while you did anything you wanted to. Study sessions always included him, as well as lunch breaks, the end of school, holidays, and summer.

"You're thinking about him right now, are you?" Kaveh's voice snapped you back to reality, jerking your head away from the cover of your book as your eyes narrowed at the smug expression he wore on his face, arms crossed. "Don't tell me you love him too?"

Like a ticking time bomb, you could hear your heart pound against your ribcage in your ears, faint ringing in the distance, before your brain suddenly exploded at his accusation, your mouth forming into a snarl. "What!? Are you crazy!? We're both guys, Kaveh!" Although you were scowling at your friend that sat beside you, fuming at his nonsense blabbering, the heat on your face only intensified, and Kaveh was quick to take notice, teasing you even more. There was no way you'd like Alhaitham! Sure, he's been part of your life for so long that being without him feels utterly wrong, that you'd seek his company and would choose him over everyone else, doesn't mean you have romantic affections towards your best friend! That was just it, best friends, completely platonic and only favoring him more due to the time you've spent together, and knowing each other better than anyone else. And you're (somewhat) certain Alhaitham shares the same sentiment.

Kaveh was just being ridiculous, and you've had enough of it. You're going to prove to him that your best friend doesn't harbor feelings for you in that way, only seeing you as a trustworthy companion worthy of his time and friendship. With a scoff, you stood up from where sat, leaving Kaveh sputtering curses under his breath from your punches.

Sunlight peeked through the curtains of your room, dust and particles dancing from the light it brought as the cool wind made the plants sitting on your window sill bob and flutter. Right outside your door, you could hear the faint chattering of your family all across the living room, watching a comedy movie together, without you. Usually, you'd never miss out on the chance to be with your family to bond with them... But the past few days have left you in a daze and chaotic realization. You couldn't believe that you were saying this but... Kaveh may be actually right. Standing motionlessly in your bathroom, facing the mirror inches away from your face whilst your hands gripped the edges of the marble sink, your brows furrowed and eyes unfocused as you thought about your observations on Alhaitham, cold water dripping down your face.

At school, you've begun paying much more on everything Alhaitham does. From the way he talks, looks at people, reactions when others try talking to him, and certain things you do to get a rise from him. And to your horror, you've found out that Alhaitham does favor you over others, just not in the way you originally thought of.

Alhaitham has always looked at other people with this layer of frostiness no matter who they are, though he still does regard teachers and elders with a minute sense of respect, his eyes were still sharp as ever, calculating and impassive. But when he turns to look at you, you've taken note of how his eyes ever-so-slightly softened at the sight of you, the ice that would freeze strangers with a mere glance would melt, and instead of gazing at you with simple familiarity, you could sense a sort of fondness in his eyes as a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. What surprised you the most was when you often caught him staring at you— more specifically; your lips, when he had thought your attention was somewhere else, and not on him. Sometimes, he'd even subtly glance at your lips whilst you spoke to him, then return, maintaining eye contact with you, as if he was hinting at something he desired to do with them...

Alhaitham would typically avoid any sort of physical touch from others, and neither does engage in it. Why should he when he barely knew them, nor the fact that it was completely unnecessary? But when you wrap your arms around his shoulders as you walk down the halls together, nudge him with your elbow or lean against his body, he never spares you a glance, nor pushes you away. He never does, in fact, he seemed to rather indulge himself with your touch, relishing the warmth your hands bring and sometimes even initiating these touches himself. From wiping away messy crumbs from your lips, gently but firmly grabbing your wrist to lead you to the library where he always is, and pinching your cheek to wake you from your slumber to prevent you from getting caught by the teacher. You also noticed that he'd grow a tad bolder on some days, his touches lingering on your body, but would quickly return his hand to himself, flipping a page of the book he was reading. But you could tell, it was written all over his face, that he longed to touch you for longer periods, perhaps even hold you in his arms... Though, he didn't, not wanting to risk being the cause of making you uncomfortable.

You knew Alhaitham was very aware of how others would only come toward him to attain knowledge and assistance from one of the most brilliant students of the academy, hoping that if they managed to befriend him, their grades would exponentially increase! One thing they never took into consideration, though, is if they were up to Alhaitham's standards. But what are Alhaitham's standards? Does a person have to be sophisticated and at his level of smartness to befriend him? No, of course not, he could care less about who's smart or not, but no one will ever reach up to his very specific standards because, simply put, his standard is you. If Kaveh hadn't opened your eyes to this perspective of your dear best friend, you would've mistaken everything he has done for you as simple things friends do for each other. How come you haven't noticed it before? Were you so oblivious to this fact that you never caught wind of the double meaning of his actions that he only seemed to do for you? Using the excuse that you've never dated anyone yet was even too foolish! You hadn't realized that to everyone, it was fairly obvious and that it was only you who hadn't recognized that his feelings were more than platonic.

Hell, even your parents knew and they didn't even tell you! Cruel, you felt utterly betrayed by everyone you knew. But you were ultimately more upset at yourself. Seriously, who would buy you something that you had offhandedly mentioned a few years back, something that even you had forgotten, and give it to you on your recent birthday? Who else would buy you your favorite treats and snacks whenever he passes by a convenience store on the way to your house? Alhaitham would only ever agree if you were the one to ask him to help you with your studies— everyone else will be ignored and rejected. Alhaitham would only ever hear out criticism if it's from you. Alhaitham would always let things you did that didn't bide with the rules of the academy slide, pretending that you totally didn't accidentally break one of the bathroom doors with a click of his tongue and a brief scolding to be more careful, before pacing away from the crime scene.

You, you, you— it's always been you. Your belief that Alhaitham would never fancy a girl because his taste was too refined was a swing and a whole fucking miss from the actual truth, hitting you with the force of an oncoming truck. He wasn't interested in girls, not because the girls in the academy never aligned with his type, no, it was because he was fucking gay!

And you should've known better than to convey to Kaveh every single realization you've gathered throughout the span of a whole week, taking pleasure in watching you have an internal crisis at your conundrum. "I told you, and you didn't believe me!" Kaveh had a smug smirk on his lips that you longed to smack off his face. "Alhaitham is really fucking gay for you, bro." He relished your exasperated reactions, both hands on your face as he laughs out loud, slapping his knee. You buried your face further into your hands the more Kaveh teased you, face practically on flames on how hot it burned. A thought struck you, and you pulled your hands away from your face, eyes meeting the swaying leaves of potted plants that were littered across the rooftop of the academy (courtesy to Tighnari), the impending summer heat prickling the skin of your face, blinking away the brightness of your surroundings.

"Why hasn't he confessed to me then?" You asked no one in particular, eyes trailing back to your hands. Kaveh, who was stuffing his face with his lunch that he had brought up to the rooftop, without missing a beat, replied; "Because you're stupid enough to not see he's head over heels on you so he thinks you're straight." Frowning, you turned your head toward him with a raised brow, confused. "Think? But I am straight." Kaveh paused for a brief moment, before letting out a humored snort and shaking his head in disbelief. "Yeah right." That was his only comment and this earned another angered punch on his arm.

"Agh! Stop punching me when I'm only stating facts!" Kaveh huffed, rubbing his bruising arm once more, before smirking at you again, pointing a finger at you. "But with how much you're paying attention to him and acting weirdly, he'd confess to you sooner or later."

What he said made your heart race, because you had your own growing suspicions, as much as you'd hate to admit it. The moment Alhaitham detected your growing awareness of his affections toward you and hadn't distanced yourself from him upon revelation, he was becoming more audacious. Just a few minutes ago, before you ran off with Kaveh up the stairs, Alhaitham's managed to caress your cheek with the bullshit excuse that there was something on your face, and you knew that he wasn't hiding his true intentions either anymore, enjoying seeing you at a loss of words when his hand rested on the small of your back to lead you somewhere instead of typically grabbing your wrist, or compliment you out of the blue, even if you didn't do anything particularly outstanding.

It was so natural for Alhaitham, to let his actions speak so loudly what he truly felt without a trace of shame in his handsome features (wait, since when did you start thinking he's handsome?), with a confident poise, honeyed words that were a huge contrast to his stone cold character would roll off his tongue so smoothly that you'd find yourself drowning in his intense emotions. It throws you off, catches you off guard, makes your head all fuzzy, and then suddenly, you're hyper-aware of everything he does. Just for how long was he waiting for you to notice, so he could proceed without such excessive caution? He's been hanging out in your house every day, after every school, doing nothing in particular together. Since when has Alhaitham undoubtedly fallen for you? Understanding the only possible truth that Alhaitham had never spoken to you of his true feelings was because he was, what, afraid to risk a friendship that has lasted since you were children? It still baffles you to this day.

Despite Alhaitham's actions, you find yourself... yearning for more. How come? Well, you're certainly not gay. Perhaps you just enjoyed the attention he gave you? (He's with you every day, and doesn't pay mind to others. All of his attention has always been on you.) Perhaps you were just reassured that Alhaitham truly did like you and didn't think of you as a horrible person that he's stuck with? (Wait, since when, were you insecure—?) Whatever, it was, it isn't because you're gay! You don't reciprocate those romantic feelings on your best friend (how can you be so sure?)!

After a long, unbearable silence, you leaned back against the wall and ran your hand through your hair, heaving a deep sigh. This was all Kaveh's fault. Ever since he said those not-so-bullshit words to you, you've never been so conflicted about what you think of Alhaitham, and, unfortunately, of yourself. You weren't even sure if you were straight or not because you'd never had a crush on a girl because Alhaitham was the one hogging most of your attention.

"Yeah, I know."

Tonight is the night you will die.

And it is all your parents' fault.

They just had to ask Alhaitham over for dinner, and your mother had to suggest that he should sleep over for the night. Right after you told them that you had finally realized his feelings for you too! They mean well, that's for sure, but holy hell, you're about to lose your mind with how nervous you are. It wasn't the first time Alhaitham would be sleeping over at your house, but it was his first time sleeping over with both of you aware of one's feelings for the other. The urge to scream and run off by jumping out of your window has never been stronger. But you stayed, already taking out the extra mattress your family bought for Alhaitham's use whenever he stayed over, his pillows and blankets, placing them right on the floor, next to your bed. Tidying up your bedroom distracts you, straightening your sheets and comforter, and watering your plants. By the time you finished, your mother called you down for dinner and to open the door for your best friend.

Though you were originally anxious about Alhaitham's sleepover, you knew you could trust Alhaitham not to step over the line and make you feel uncomfortable. You were certain that it was the opposite of what Alhaitham would want, and that even if he does harbor romantic feelings for you, he would never force it upon you in a way that would leave you to tears. So you pretended it was as if you were unaware once again, acting how you'd normally do when Alhaitham would come over; excited and already dragging him inside your home to greet your parents (he calls your parents 'auntie' and uncle' and it was the last nail of your coffin filled with ever-so-late awareness).

And dinner was the same as always, filled with happy chattering and laughter, all of you not minding Alhaitham's bluntness nor his ramblings once one of your parents brought up a topic that piques his interest. They've known Alhaitham for as long as you have, growing fond of the boy as if he was their own. And you can tell that he shares the view, given how he was softly smiling the whole time you had dinner. After that, the two of you went straight to your bedroom when your mother rejected both of your offers to help in the kitchen and began talking about anything that comes to mind; be it school, plans for the next few days, a hobby, interesting facts or your annoying friend, Kaveh. At this point and time, the unspoken feelings he has for you completely slipped from your mind as the comfortable presence of your best friend settles beside you, listening to you rant about a new video game that was going to be released in summer, beaming in excitement, soliciting a quiet chuckle from Alhaitham.

But Alhaitham had to bring you back to reality once the both of you were tucked in comfortably in your own beds, ready to finally call it a day and just fall asleep. His words, though soft and low, his soothing voice turned into unpleasant ringing in your ears with the words he spoke. "Hey, are you still awake?" It was a simple question, but it made you stiff on your bed, squeezing your eyes shut to hide the fact that you were still awake, biting on your bottom lip. "I have something to confess to you." The pits of your stomach twisted as your heartbeat quickened as you had a sliver of hunch about what was about to transpire. Then, like a bucket of cold water was thrown all over your body, the grip you had on your sheets tightened when you heard the hushed shifting of his clothes, his presence nearing your form, your back facing him. "I like you more than you could ever imagine." He whispered against your ear, his hot breath hitting your skin, shivering upon the contact. Your breath hitched at his confession, your head spinning at how hot your cheeks burned, but you kept your eyes closed, not giving a single care anymore even if he knew that you were still awake. For a while, the both of you stayed like that, waiting for something to happen, for one of you to make a move with bated breaths... Before Alhaitham eventually pulled away from your 'sleeping' form, a small sigh left his lips. "C'mon, wake up." Alhaitham persisted, "Stop pretending to be asleep." He poked your side, and your body twitched, now scowling in annoyance and further embarrassment at your ticklishness. He tried a few more times, but you continued to ignore him, trying your best to fall asleep.

Fine then, Alhaitham huffed through his nose. He could deal with you tomorrow morning, after all. So he went back to his bed, lay down, and fell asleep with a smile on his lips. What Alhaitham didn't expect was for you to fully ignore him for the next few days. Upon waking up, he was surprised to hear from your father that you had woken up quite early before he could and managed to silently prepare yourself for school without waking him up. When Alhaitham got to school, he spent his classes all alone in his seat, your assigned chair that was always beside him always empty in every class the two of you shared. You've skipped classes beforehand, but he never thought you'd skip classes you had together. And while you'd often hang out with Kaveh on the rooftop to eat lunch, he was surprised to see Kaveh at their usual table without you, with Kaveh not knowing where you were because he had not seen you for the whole day. It's been like that ever since his verbal confession, with you skipping classes, exchanging seats with other students just to be far away from Alhaitham, and even not going to school at all. It may not show, but he was extremely worried.

It really wasn't your intention to avoid Alhaitham. You genuinely wanted to talk to him after what happened in your little sleepover, but being near Alhaitham would send your heart into a fucking frenzy and you'd be too lightheaded to properly speak to him. For the sake of your own survival, you had to avoid him until you've maintained a clear head around him. You didn't mean to worry him, and you definitely didn't mean to give him the wrong signals. After every school, he'd stop by your house, asking if you were home or if you were okay, and your parents would continuously deny him from entering your home as per your wishes. You kept leaving his messages on read too, the guilt slowly accumulating in your heart until it was about to burst. Messages from Kaveh told you that Alhaitham hasn't notably been doing well, lunches spent worrying about you or studying even more, and bags forming under his eyes as he thought of the possibilities as to why you were avoiding him.

Honestly? It sucked. You don't even remember the reason why you're avoiding him anymore in the first place, but the butterflies that filled up your stomach keep fluttering at the mere thought of Alhaitham, your heart beating so fast you believe you were about to die from a heart attack. Just why were you feeling like this? It was as if you were some lovesick girl that couldn't approach her crush— you dropped the glass of water you were holding in your hand, and the sound of shattering glass was akin to how your view of your entire life has shattered right before your eyes.

Was that it? The reason why your thoughts would race when you see him? The reason why your heart pounds so hard when he sends a smile your way, only for your eyes to see? Why you intrinsically stick by his side when you find him in the midst of a crowd? Why you feel much more relaxed with him than being in a room with a girl who was hinting that she liked you? Is that the reason why your mind has always been infested with the thought of your best friend? That when you go out with others, you'd be thinking wistfully of Alhaitham because he wasn't there with you? The constant longing, the envy you feel when girls stare for far too long, the absolute pride you feel when he wins at international academic contests. You felt goosebumps form on your forearms as you gripped the edge of the kitchen counter. Holy fuck... You were...

"Sweetie?" The sweet, gentle voice of your mother entered the premises of the kitchen with a small gasp escaping her lips when she caught sight of the shattered glass littered across the floor, rushing towards your paling form. "Are you okay? What happened? You look like you've seen a ghost!" She queried worriedly, wiping away the cold sweat that formed on your forehead as you wrapped your arms around your mother, bathing in her loving presence and burying your face onto your shoulder. "Dear me, you're shaking! Just what happened?" Taking in a deep, shuddering breath, you finally found your voice to speak.

"I think... I'm gay..."

Silence...

Then you heard your mother hold back a snort, and your heart broke to a million pieces at this utter betrayal. But she wasn't making fun of you, the hug she was giving you says that much, but she was quite amused that it took you this long to figure it out. Caressing the back of your head with her hand and a tender kiss on your temple, she cooed lovingly as she felt your tears wet her shoulders, reassuring as much as she can that she accepts you wholeheartedly, you were her son after all, nothing could ever change that fact. Just as your breathing was beginning to sync with hers, gradually calming down on your own terms in your mother's arms, she suddenly whispered; "We've known since you were little."

You choked on your spit, startled at her as-a-matter-of-fact tone of voice, pulling away from the hug as you stared at her with wide, unbelieving eyes.

"What do you mean by that!?"

For the first time that week, you finally met Alhaitham outside of school.

You were on your way to the grocery store to buy some ingredients before tonight's dinner, not paying much attention to your surroundings as your head was lost in the clouds. The skies were painted with warm orange, red and yellow hues as the sun began its descent, the moon peeking around the corner for its rise. Kids across the street were beginning to retreat back into their homes, waving their goodbyes and promising to play with each other once again the next day. It made you feel nostalgic, it felt like it was just yesterday when you were as carefree as the children in your neighborhood, playing with friends. Well, if you count running across the grass fields while Alhaitham read a book from afar as 'playing with friends'. A small smile tugged at the corners of your lips, though it was quickly wiped off when a hand suddenly gripped your wrist with such force you thought that they were going to break it. A sense of urgency washed through your body as the peace and tranquility of your walk were ruined by the unexpected perpetrator who grabbed you, but before you could land a punch on their face, you were swift to stop yourself from doing so upon recognizing who it was.

"Alhaitham, what the hell— hey! Let go, man!"

You wriggled in his grasp when he started dragging you away from the direction of the grocery store, lightly hitting his back when his grip only tightened on your wrist, panic rising in your mind. You had no intention of dragging your avoidance on Alhaitham any longer, deciding that you'd come face to face with him once you start attending classes completely to make up for your absences and skipping, but you hadn't anticipated that you'd meet him on your way to buy some ingredients, much less drag you to the park. Eventually, you gave up on trying to escape confrontation with Alhaitham, the guilt that you'd been ignoring for the past week gnawed on your insides as you followed him on the familiar path. You recognized this part of the park, at the edge of the forest where your parents would chastise you for always trying to cross the rickety fence that separates the park and the forest. Being the rowdier child, you'd always try to climb the fence only to be slapped in the face by Alhaitham's small hand. His steps finally came to an end in front of the lone tree that the fence had to swerve around to not chop it down. It was a tree you were fond of, climbing up its branches just to shake off leaves onto Alhaitham since he liked to read under its shade, giggling at his angered yells.

Letting go of your wrist, Alhaitham crossed his arms and turned to face you with a very cold look on his face, a type of expression he has never directed at you before, sending shivers up your spine. You couldn't help but give him a sheepish smile that wavered under his suffocating gaze, rubbing the back of your neck. "Haha... Hey..."

"You have a minute to give sufficient reasons, not excuses, as to why you've been avoiding me for the whole week; so much so that you're willing to risk your academic records for the sake of not coming eye to eye with me," Alhaitham demanded, not asked, of you, his eyes narrowing at your anxious fidgeting. Swallowing the shame that rose up to your throat, you opened your mouth to try and explain yourself, but the only thing you could make out was a small meek noise, before shutting your mouth once more, eyes boring onto the grass that flowed with the wind. A minute has passed and neither of you has said a single word, Alhaitham's stare slowly intensifies with every passing second, and you shrink down on yourself as the impulse to run away, to avoid him again grows more and more tempting. Just as you were about to open your mouth to attempt to speak, Alhaitham let out a long, drawn-out sigh, his expression once filled with seriousness morphing into a much somber one, averting his gaze from you. Caught off guard by the sudden change of mood, the words on the tip of your tongue were blown off by the wind at what he said in a low, gentle tone as he took a step toward you. "I... Apologize if I made you extremely uncomfortable with my confession..."

Darkness was slowly engulfing the skies as the stars began to twinkle down on you, faint chirping of crickets can be heard all around you as fireflies, one by one began lighting up on the spot where you stood. Ah, you remember now. During your childhood, you'd throw rocks at Alhaitham's window, in the dead of night, to sneak him out to the park, to the spot you'd always hang out at the edge of the forest to watch the fireflies light up the night sky, dancing and fluttering around the tree where you shared a lot of memories together. You'd force Alhaitham to catch fireflies with you, and every time he'd begrudgingly agree, you'd be graced with the image of a usual stoic boy turn into a carefree, fun-loving boy that laughed as much as you did, running around to catch more fireflies that you then roll onto the grass as he trips. Your heart clenched at those memories, your eyes now staring deeply into his teal eyes that glinted with indefinite shades of maroon, the sincerity sinking deep into your skin as he continued to speak, the yellow lighting highlighting his pretty face, filled with regret and a forlorn frown etched on his lips. "I just want you to know that you needn't return my affections for you and that I would never force them onto you. After all, I've known you forever and... I would love to keep the friendship we've made..." If it wasn't for fireflies lighting up your darkening surroundings, you wouldn't have seen how his eyes began to glisten, the way his hands lightly trembled as he forced himself to stop it.

"You still have a friend in me that you can depend on." Bowing down his head, his bangs completely covering his eyes, hands both clenched into fists at his sides. "So, please, if you could just forget everything I said and..." Everything after that part became muffled in your eyes, your emotions fluctuating inside your mind. But you know for certain that you weren't about to reject Alhaitham, no, not when your heart thrummed at the thought of his touch, not when the tips of your ears burned at the sight of him after so long. The years you've spent with Alhaitham were only filled with meaningful experiences with one another, and not short of joy. There were times of disagreements, of days where the days were filled with rain as the two of you loathed one another with such intensity, in the end, you would make up and fix what needed to be fixed, learning from past mistakes and understanding each other on a whole different level. You don't spend much time apart, and when you do, both of you long for each other, as if a piece from a puzzle has been torn off, and once that piece was put back to its rightful place, it will cling onto each other for as long as they could, basking with the other's presence and filling the void of loneliness that drilled into your hearts.

Without a doubt, you love Alhaitham, you've always had, and you regrettably only learned only now, letting him go through years of yearning and then heartbreak for your cowardice. So, in the heat of the moment, with the light that's faintly emitting from each firefly that danced around like stars in the night blurring into the background as you took a step forward, inching your faces close to each other until you could feel his breath against your lips. Alhaitham's breath caught in his throat, about to recoil from your proximity, only to be stopped by your hands holding onto his broad shoulders. After a brief moment of hesitance, you closed your eyes and closed the gap between you, your arms slowly wrapped around his neck as you pressed your body against his. He went frigid under your touch, eyes blown wide at the sensation of your lips pressed against his, clearly inexperienced, but eager to express that you had struggled to show him in simple actions and through words. When you were about to retract from the kiss, suddenly becoming insecure at his lack of reciprocation, Alhaitham's hands firmly gripped your hips, tilting his head to the side to deepen the kiss that you had initiated, by your own free will, and guided your lips to properly kiss until the fuzziness on your lips traveled all the way up to your head, growing weak on your knees.

Once you've finally parted to breathe some air, you buried your face onto his neck, your lips trembling at how good he was at kissing. Geez, what the hell? You could barely think straight after that. Maybe it was the sudden spike in adrenaline flowing through your veins when Alhaitham had dragged you back into this old spot of your childhood, now came crashing down after the kiss full of bliss as you lean your weight against Alhaitham's body for support, his arms wrapping around your torso. Letting out a shaky breath, you murmured against his skin, "'M sorry for avoiding you... I hadn't meant it— I just grew afraid for no reason when you suddenly confessed, even if I knew you had romantic feelings for me for quite some time..." The grip you had on his clothes tightened as your voice grew more and more silent, barely above a whisper at this point, and yet Alhaitham heard you loud and clear, amidst the loud chirping of crickets and the sounds of leaves swaying along the wind,

"I drowned in so many emotions, I was so overwhelmed just at catching a glimpse of you... Then I realized that, yeah, I'm fucking gay too." He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in, his embrace tightening around you reassuringly, encouraging you to go on. Choking back a sob, you shamefully tried to stop your tears from falling, heart painfully pounding against your chest, "And it fucking upsets me for not realizing that I've loved you from the start, that in my whole life, I thought I was straight when in actuality, I was just oblivious with how I felt towards you... I'm so sorry, Alhaitham..."

Ah, so that's how it is. It wasn't sheer disgust of his feelings for you, nor he had made you extremely uncomfortable. It pains him that he had thought of the worst, jumping to conclusions without further proof to solidify his assumptions on how you felt. He had boasted that he thinks based on rationality and logic only, but when it comes to you? His mind becomes a jumbled mess of emotions, it was as if his heart took full reign of his mind and body. "Please don't apologize, I understand." He whispered softly, his hand caressing the back of your head and playing with the hem of your shirt. He could feel your heart beating against his, body shaking as you held on desperately to his clothes. "I apologize for confessing at such an unpleasant time, for making you go through such a rough actualization of your sexuality..." The rumble of his chest at each word he spoke was enough to reduce your cries into nothingness, sniffling and wiping your tears with your hands.

With a soft grunt, you laid your cheek against his shoulder, completely melting in his arms the both of you got down on the ground, Alhaitham leaning against the tree and you on his lap. "Okay, let's stop apologizing to one another... I think we're even now..." Alhaitham agreed with a nod, keeping you close to him as he watched the fireflies finally disappear into the night, the moon now high above the skies. Pulling your head away from his shoulder, you peered into Alhaitham's eyes, a curious glint in your eyes. "Where did you learn how to kiss like that?" You questioned him, knowing full well that he's never been in a relationship, both due to his personality and adoration towards you. "I read books." His response left you speechless, staring at him with pure disbelief. Alhaitham only raised a brow at you, the corners of his lips curling up into an amused smile. "What? It proved to be effective, right? You were shaking against me after we parted."

Heat blossomed all throughout your face and onto the tips of your ears as you glared daggers at Alhaitham, strongly flustered upon recalling your kiss. True, it did leave you quivering, but he didn't have to rub it in your face! "You fucking nerd..." You grumbled under your breath, slapping a hand on his arm. Stupidly enough, you felt butterflies annoyingly flutter inside your stomach when Alhaitham let out a wholehearted laugh at your reaction, something you haven't heard in ages suddenly emerging out of nowhere. Perhaps it was the influence of the nostalgia of his memorable spot you've revisited after all those years, it was a place where you remember most of his laughs, giggles, and bright smiles.

God, you hated love. It was so sappy and cliche and it makes you impeccably dumb. Ugh. You could feel yourself cringing at the words you were about to say. "Ah but... that was my first kiss, and you can really tell I'm not really good at it..." Alhaitham hummed in acknowledgment, signaling for you to go on. "Could you... teach me how to kiss? Perhaps give me a live demonstration too?" You suggest, your hand cupping his cheek as you adoringly caressed it. A smug smirk stretched his lips as he leaned his face close to yours once more, only inches apart. "Of course, I'll gladly lend my knowledge to such an eager learner."

And with that, Alhaitham pulled you into a slow, passionate, and loving kiss. Two missing pieces finally put together, languidly moving against each other, taking the other deeper to devour more. The faint vibrations of your phone in your pocket were ignored as the minutes went by. You'll apologize to your parents later on, knowing full well that they'd forgive you without a second thought if they knew you were making out with your childhood best friend in your secret spot in the park.

Well, they don't need to know about that part, but you honestly couldn't care less at the moment, too lost in the bliss of finally, through years of obliviousness, being together, as the world intended you to be.

If you want to be tagged in future works, fill out this form to be added to my taglist! Remember that usernames are only lowercase and have no spaces!

Taglist: @anniejourn, @dilucssiliconedildo, @achlysyo, @sunoo-bby, @iyagato, @randomidk-123, @kujobug, @louise-rosita-leroux, @eliciana, @gattahaveit1, @vvyeislazzy, @ehe-te-nandayou, @raideneiari, @kiwii-i, @mrscarolscaramoucheplease, @trannyctophiliac, @styxfly, @yourdailymemedelivery, @meisene, @rxd-iant

- ̥۪͙۪˚┊❛❛ If you like this a lot, consider reblogging! I'll appreciate it very very much! Don't repost and/or translate my work anywhere. ❜❜ ┊˚ ̥۪͙۪◌

#yaepublishinghouse #alhaitham x reader #alhaitham x male reader #genshin x reader #genshin x male reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact x male reader #:;marshie.writes #:;oneshots #:;event.writing #:;alhaitham #i want more gay panic fics like this #i think its #very nice to address this kind of coming to terms of your own sexuality #and while this was quick acceptance since its a crack fic #accepting that youre gay and that you're inlove with someone of the same gender can be tough #especially if you grew up in an environment that taught you that being gay would send you to hell #not everyone have the ability of acceptance as others #is just what i think tbh #maybe im just making shit up but thats how i fuckin felt when i realized after years of being transphobic and homophobic (grew up in-#a catholic country) that im transmasc and gay #horrible tbh but when u surround urself wtih ppl who accept for who u are #it gets easy :)#my fav trope in fil media is when a gay character comes out of the closet and everyone's like 'we know' HAHAAHHA #wrote reader like a bl mc...

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shaywrites-ifs · 3 months

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Can we get more info on MC and the dynamic with their family members before everything ? Is MCs mom still alive ?

Thank you for your interest in the story! Honestly, as I love family feels, I've absolutely thought too much about MC's family.

Duchess Mavar died when the Marked was the equivalent of a toddler. It was a difficult time for the entire family. As stated here, she did not grow up as a noble or within the courts. She grew up with parents that were present to parent her and her siblings, and while she knew that wasn't completely reasonable as the Duchess, she still tried as best she could to do that for her children. The twins do end up retaining some vague, fond memories of her, and the trauma of losing a parent as somebody so young.

Fabian, as a father, is not always the best. He can be emotional distant. He's not the type of father to hug his children, give kisses, and read bed time stories to them. He is the type of father to have high expectations of his children- which this is one of the sore points for MC. As they get older, they very much notice the difference between them and their siblings and it becomes one of their driving points. Still, he does care for his children. They are protected and have all the support to reach the goals he puts in front of them. Plus- he's the one that demanded MC live, and he stopped at nothing to make sure his baby made it.

The twins have an elder sibling. Think something like the twins being 7-10 years younger than him, but elf years. He transitions while the twins are kids (choosing the magical rite versus the surgical method, seeing as he had the privilege to have easy access to such). He is considered the Perfect Golden Child. He meets every goal set for him by Fabian, and exceeds in many. Still, he adores and dotes on the twins when he can- he ends up eventually being away quite a lot. He has an easier time dealing with Fabian, especially being older and growing up with Vanille as the mediator for him and Fabian, so he attempts to do the same for the twins. To subtly play the intermediary to ease tension in the house. He adores his siblings, but MC can have complicated feelings about him (which, as they get older, he'd have less patience for). Resentment and jealousy can be a heady brew. Best friends with the Empire's Heir, which maybe doesn't help those complications.

There is also the Marked's uncle. He is Fabian's younger brother. Jolly, in comparison, and much more unassuming. He took up position within the Temple, and rose ranks there. People tend to underestimate him, especially compared to Fabian, but he is just as ambitious as the rest of the Mavar's, and can be very manipulative. He ends up taking the Marked under his wing, as MC finds that they are limited in Court, but there is a path for their ambitions through the Temple (helps if MC is also religious, but that's up to the player). He is a good mentor, and cares for MC, but perhaps also enjoys that MC's success are his (until shit hits the fan).

World Information:

Theoretically, the Temple shouldn't be related to the politics. However, the Commandment, the head of the Temple and the Voice for the Neptunizal and His Spirits, is actually the one figure to actually have similar power as the Emperor. And while priests, bishops, and maidens, and the like are supposed to put their loyalty to the Temple first, many come from influential families and the lines have gotten very muddy. If push comes to shove, they have to choose the option of whatever puts the Temple first, but good players of the court know how to not get put in that position.

#all that lore #chara: marked #sweet anon #thank you!

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takami-takami · 10 months

Note

,,,, hombre it is presently //squints

8:03 in the PM

i should be HONESTLY working on other projects atm on my plate

but my brain refuses to let go of disgusting Fantasy!AU fluff that's been CLINGING TO MY BRAIN LIKE WINE STAINS ON A WHITE T-SHIRT AND I NEED TO LET THEM RUN RAMPANT!!!!

so!!! here's the quickie sales pitch bestie;

Keigo since boyhood has always been… on the unfortunate side when it came to the more tangible leisures of life. Income is something I’m sure plenty of families struggled with, his situation being no different. To alter that, he'd been enlisted in the Royal Knight's brigade since a very, very young age as a result. He's solely devoted the time and energy to keep his kinsman safe from whatever horrors lie beyond and within the city's walls, occasionally being fed a “thank you, brave knight!” from the passing kids running the streets being kept safe to see the light of the next dawn, feeding his drive and purpose even if it were a crumb’s worth of gratitude. That was “enough” for him. To his surprise, the noble family often needs a fine swordsman who is better than Keigo, revered an exemplary star student who caught the eye of His and Her Royal Majesty's eye when searching for a personal bodyguard to secure their precious child and next heir to the throne.

Keigo of course, just sees this as an ample opportunity to just overall better his quality of life for likely a higher risk per the reward. Graciously accepting the new role and the gilded uniform to boot.

He was completely baffled that the first day on the job was simply to escort the heir through a Flower Viewing Advent they'd been looking forward to for a while now!! The castle is very, very stuffy after all and I'm sure the heir's newly appointed Knight would appreciate the fresh air as well. This heir being so, so chatty and utterly keening to get to know Keigo and asks a million and one questions whilst covertly picking some idle wildflowers to keep their hands busy. Keigo was utterly baffled that their charge was just... so... endearing? Excitable? Would it be wrong to say/think that they're adorable to some extent? Is that disrespectful to refer to your charge as cute? That revelation gave him very mild panic, an unfamiliar concept to him.

He's just so not used to being taken interested in and asked about what he likes to do, what his favorite season or flower is, or if he has a favorite meal. What memories are most cherished to him, and a lot of which either were lukewarm (at best) or unanswered responses. Keigo had his tongue caught which, was also a foreign concept, given his silver tongue paired well with his blade in tandem. Swathing through his thoughts trying to muster even a false answer proved more difficult and the poignant silence was palpable at best. However noticing that his typical, automated charming maks were slipping and those catty responses died in his throat, he felt a tussling of his hair which finally dragged him out of his messy thoughts. His hands immediately lifted to his head only to be greeted with leaves and stems braided together… “A flower crown!” Compiled of Cornflowers, Honeysuckle, and Hyacinths. “Did you know that each flower has its own meaning and language, Lord Takami?” Almost caught off guard by the gesture itself, he stammers briefly before regaining that same approachable persona of his.

“I do not, Your Eminence. I’d be honored if you enlightened me perhaps what my crown means?” A gigantic smile grew on their face, pointing to each flower in order and relaying the meanings accordingly. Cornflowers being a mild-mannered plant, speaking of gentleness. “Be gentle with me,” Honeysuckle, soft and delicate. “Devoted affection,” and finally Hyacinths, expressing a delicate fondness, “Your loveliness charms me.”

Keigo could suddenly feel the outside feeling… a little uncomfortably warm, unbeknownst to him that a pink shade was tinting his face. “Y-You flatter me, truly…” Clearing his throat and turning his bashful expression away from the heir. Nothing but those playfully coy giggles ringing in his ear.

“It suits you,” They spoke, delicately navigating a loose golden lock from his flustered face to its intended place, “I’ve seen many flower gardens both wild and domesticated, and you are the most beautiful among this garden, Lord Takami.” A noticeable ‘Ba-dup’ resounds beneath the family crest… ironically set over his heart on his uniform. Oh dear… that hammering in his ribcage is going to be a problem, now isn’t it?

Fin.

THANK YOU FOR COMING TO MY SALES PITCH IM GOING TO SCREAM LIKE A USELESS HOPELESS ROMANTIC INTO A CORNER KAY BYEEEE 🖤🖤🖤 (P.S: I am not a professional Florist so my flower language could be abhorrently incorrect, I just ripped that from the local farmer's almanac I had on hand lmfao)

- Krow Anon ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

KROW IF YOU DON'T WRITE THIS FIC RIGHT NOW

#I WOULD EAT THIS UP EAT IT UP EAT #I LOVE THIS???? HELLO???????? KNIGHT KEIGO?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!???#begging #krow anon #💌 asks

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atopearth · 4 months

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Court of Darkness Part 13 - Lou Route

Lou should have the most interesting route (hopefully)! I love how he carried her to him with magic instead of waiting for her to run to him, it is definitely more efficient lol. Aww, it's sweet of Lou to pick the heroine up and take her to dinner, too bad he can't cook but at least he got all the ingredients for her. LMAO when he cheered for her saying "hurrah hurrah" because Haru said that's what he does when the heroine cooks🤣 I like how he agreed to ignore her crying as long as she cried as much as she liked. Honestly, every time we have to experience the heroine's loneliness of being stuck in a fantasy world by herself, it always makes me so sad for her. It's nice to see how relaxing it was for Lou to spend time having tea with her that he fell asleep whilst she was reading books about this world. I'm not sure what his intentions are, but it is true that he is providing the heroine comfort and reassurance in a place unknown to her. Honestly, it wasn't until Lou bought the heroine doughnuts that I realised the heroine legit has no money! She obviously can't work, has to stay at the academy blah blah, so she literally has no money at all! How insecure of a life is that... It's nice that not only did their little excursion outside allow the heroine to get a lot of gifts in terms of clothes and everything, but it also helped her understand that as long as she creates a wall between the people and her, she'll never be able to truly understand this place, their people and the magic that could possibly take her home. It's understandable that she would reject this world to protect her own identity though, since she feels like she'll lose herself if she assimilates into this fantasy world.

I love how forthright the heroine was when she told the S Ranks her boundaries and how she won't tolerate random kissing and touching without her consent. I completely forgot that she hasn't talked to them at all since their first meeting in this route haha! But yeah, I really liked how she stated her thoughts clearly and succinctly and didn't let them step over her. So proud of the heroine that she was able to show how capable she is in magic now thanks to Lou. Lunas is quite cute but I wonder who he is. Lmao at Lou having his own fanclub as well and they're not toxic! They sincerely hope for his happiness! Best fanclub🥹 Lou really casually just holds her hand haha, but I guess the way he so casually does it makes it feel like it's not anything romantic but that of reassurance and care. One thing I always find saddening is that the heroine always thinks it might be better to stay in this world not because she's found people she wants to stay for but because there's no one left in her world that she thinks is willing to go back for.

Lou is the spirit of Vanum and the heroine is the incarnation of Vane? I didn't think Lou didn't actually have these memories, it always felt like he knew everything. Honestly though, I feel like this makes it as if the reason why Lou likes her because she was Vane and he was Vanum rather than because he likes her for who she is. Like it's nice that the past them are able to reunite in this way but Lou at least seems mainly smitten because of who she once was, I'm sure he's interested in the current her at least but not enough to consider it romantic so it's kinda disappointing that the romance is being handled like this. Lmao at how casually Lou tells all the guys he's Vanum and the heroine was Vane and then asks for tips on how to have a successful first date🤣 I have to admit though, their date was pretty sweet and fun haha. I'm glad it's being addressed whether Lou really loves the heroine for who she is or if it's because she's Vanum because I think it's the latter and have never really felt Lou's love for the heroine herself even though I do think he's fond of her. It was nice to know that Lou found it difficult to tell the heroine that he loves her even if she wasn't Vane because it's undeniable that she is and regardless of what they do or think, she will always be her and resemble her so he can't confidently say he loves her for just her now and I think that's understandable. It made me respect him a bit more at least haha. Lunas was Lou's valet back in the day?! I was really happy with Lou's confession. Despite my actual thoughts on their romance, I think his confession was beautiful in the fact that you could see how genuine he was and how much he noticed all the little things unique to the heroine and his love specifically for her rather than Vane. I guess it was worth the wait haha! The truly strong one is the heroine though! This girl was ready to fight and get him to love her in this life as well if he said he loved Vane rather than her.

Overall, I'm not a fan of Lou's route and I have to say it was quite boring and made me quit the game for a bit lol (real life also got busy). I think it was nice to see them spend time together and simple stuff like that, but I think the Vane and Vanum thing made it difficult for me to believe Lou really loved the heroine for who she was in this life. But, I do admit that I really loved his confession and all the words he said, it made me believe in his love in that moment even if I don't think he loves her as much as he says. Heroine was definitely the highlight of this route because of how headstrong and sweet she is but yeah, sadly not a romance I could really feel in this relationship.

#court of darkness

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eilinelsghost · 9 months

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Writing Year Wrapped

As someone who struggles to name things in my own writing that I enjoy (thanks, childhood of being repeatedly told that anything but self-derision was arrogance), I thought it might be nice to have an excuse in case anyone else needs a reason to talk about things they're proud of.

So for the year end, let's get this going!

3 Favorite Fics You've Written This Year

Atanatárissë || My 2023 TRSB fic written to accompany @anerea-lantiria's absolutely incredible art. It was an unexpected delight to get to push into the Atani mythology and this one will always be really close to my heart.

A Heady Fragrance of Honey || Finrod's moment of Balan-epiphany and my chance to delve into a bit of his background in Valinor.

And Still the Light Returns || One of the things that has always made me flinch about the Finrod/Bëor dynamic is how Bëor pretty much abandons his kids. Getting to wrangle with that (and make Balan wrangle with that too) was good for my heart. Also have I mentioned that I adore Belen? I adore Belen.

3 Fics That Stretched You the Most

In These Holy Waters || I hated this one with an absolute passion when I posted it. It was like pulling teeth trying to get words on the page. I've now come to terms with it and find I have a fond spot for it after all.

A Harmony Refracted || Honestly either of the anon smuts would count here, but this one is the better of the two so it's the one I'll list. Never thought I'd write smut, but it was weirdly freeing to try it after a very shame-centric upbringing.

Many a Dreadful Path || Writing Beren has been one of the hardest things in the entire Atandil series so far. I just cannot find that guy's voice for the life of me. This continues to be a struggle as the series continues, but I wrangled a lot with him on this one and was fairly pleased with where it landed.

3 Favorite Lines You've Written As always, I'm going to stretch the definition bit on what "a line" is because I need these to make sense.

"He could see all the way to the shore, the crags where he had perched only a few minutes before shining crisp and vivid through the water. And there to his right—Nóm dazzling in the midst of it. A cloud of gold, his hair floating about him; his body suspended as though caught in glass with the shimmering light cascading along its facets." —In These Holy Waters, Atandil 14

"So it was to be reborn, Finrod mused as he moved ever nearer his brother, the essence of your fëa lingering and binding you to your place in the world, to the memory of your vessel, but you knew the unmaking yet within every fiber. Each sinew held too the memory of that. You walked through the world, more permeable than before, light and pain both spilling more easily from its cracks." —Little Lords of the Brine

"Yet my reticence faltered once and in that brief moment she rose beside me—a balm and not a sharp thing of shearing edges. And she has remained there ever since, steady through the tempests, my first love gone before me as I go now before those who remain, a loss abated not deeper delved. Do not flee memory for fear of heightening pain, for it is the physic that soothes the long ache and that which binds the wound together. Remind Nóm of it as well, for he will forget it." —Atanatárissë, Chapter 5

3 Characters You Enjoyed Writing (that surprised you)

Belen || My dearest lil guy, my baby hedgehog, my adorable nerd. He has a single reference in the intro notes of the Athrabeth and has turned into one of my absolute favorite characters in the entire series.

Estreth || She showed up as an accident and ended up a damn delight.

Hiril || She was in a list of people I thought it would make sense to explore in my TRSB fic and she surprised me by ending up one of the easiest voices to find, when I expected her to be one of the more difficult.

3 Unexpected Inspirations

A joke about whether Nargothrond just had some random Lembas Lady resulted in one of my new favorite characters in Atandil: Meril, besain of Nargothrond who was born in Cuiviénen and is one of Finrod's chief counselors.

The Father Duck story from And Still the Light Returns is based on a story from my childhood. We lived on a lake and a duck got caught in the ice in the middle of our bay. My mom and our neighbor dragged a canoe down and chopped their way through the ice to get the duck. It lived in our neighbor's bathtub for a bit until the local vet was open and could help get it to a wildlife center to recover and be set loose.

My 4 year old blowing a penny whistle as hard as he could for an unbelievably long time gave us Belen and his carved flute in A Shuddering in the Air.

3 WIPs You're Excited About in the Upcoming Year

Darkly the Sundering Flood || Mostly listing this because I'm *hoping* that putting it on here jinxes me and makes it a fic from this year still. It's Atandil 15. It's a beast. It has been murdering me for 2 months.

The Reckoning of Souls || Still Atandil. The gang is in Tol-in-gaurhoth. Everybody's having a terrible time. We discuss souls and Orcs and making people complicit in their own breaking.

A Broken Reflection (working title) || The boys finally get together.

3 People Tagged to Share Theirs

Tagging with zero pressure:

@thelordofgifs

@sallysavestheday

@polutrope

#writing year wrapped #tumblr games #finrod #bëor #my fic #the silmarillion

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nyelung · 9 months

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Fic author interview! Let's see what that sets rolling in my head. Maybe even some words for fic? Thank you @lynne-monstr <3

No-pressure tagging: @narina-vhey @dragonpyre @theloneliestshipper

How many works do you have on AO3?

Currently 26 after I went on a bit of an orphaning (and deletion) spree last year.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

397,281. Also a victim of last year, I guess, but I'm getting back there. I kinda hope to find the time to raise that to 500k and feel good with what I've written but we'll see.

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Hence begins the journey (part 4 of the vampire Percy series I'm writing) - 598

The Ferryman (potc) - 474

Negotiator's Garden (star wars OS) - 414

Of New Beginnings (part 1 of the vampire Percy series I'm writing) - 344

Far Dawn (part 3 of the vampire Percy... well, you can guess it) - 307

Well, I'm seeing a pattern here is all I'm saying. I'm also wistfully staring at the Ferryman because, well, that's no longer my baby because it's too old for that but that fic has been with me for a while and looking at it now I really want to get around to officially finishing it someday. It's also hilarious to see that Star Wars oneshot up there but I guess vaguely fae Obi-Wan is a fun premise. Fond memories writing that one.

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

I do. There are a few comments in my inbox that are a bit of a pile of shame right now but generally I respond to comments because I love talking about the fic I share. Like that one post so eloquently put it: I write for myself, I share for a feeling of community. Or something like that.

5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Ooof, that's a tough question because I don't like angsty endings with a few rare exceptions. I think the closest I got online can aspire to vaguely ominous (as in hinting at Order 66) but that's not much, is it?

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Another tough question because I don't go darker than bittersweet for endings I write so, in a way, they're all more or less happy endings? Hmm, I would say maybe No Doubt In Us (TKA canon divergence) bc a) it's actually finished and b) the characters worked hard for their ending and got it.

7. Do you write crossovers?

Not as often as I'd like to and somehow I never get around to finishing them.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

One or two unhappy comments when I wrote Obi-Wan as bisexual (I mean, come on, look at the guy. He's supposed to be straight?) because how dare I write him like that but that's about it.

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

Rarely and somehow usually as a gift for one person or another. Curious.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not apart from those mass-stealing incidents where lots of fic got copied to other sites and all that. At least not that I know of.

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I think ten years ago or so someone wanted to translate one of my fics into russian but I honestly can't remember what came of that.

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

Yes, actually, with the wonderful @theloneliestshipper and with @narina-vhey but overall I prefer to write on my own because I got my own approach, time limitations and all in all it just became too stressful.

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

I don't have one. On further thought, I don't think I'd be happy having an all-time favourite. I prefer that to stay in constant flux.

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

Oh, that's difficult. Stuff from the pile of shame, probably, so i'll pass on this answer^^

15. What are your writing strengths?

I am told that I manage to keep the characters in character but I think my favourite thing that one person pointed out was that I am good at building connections between canon tidbits to make up new canon divergences and headcanons.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

Since my favourite topic is canon divergence, most of my plotbunnies have a tendency to turn into longfic which, as we all know, is not that easy to finish.

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I could read this question in two ways but I think it means writing dialogue in a different language than the general narration and, no, just no. I don't automatically pass on a fic for that if it's using phrases from a conlang in moderation but usually it's just far more confusing than enriching the experience for me.

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Oh, hmm. I'm not sure. The first fandom stuff I did online was for Yu-Gi-Oh and Detective Conan, I think. First fanfic was probably some OC for some high fantasy novel or other.

19. What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet but want to?

Polymachina (I'm getting there) and zjl/xby/szp for King's Avatar.

20. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written

I can't choose but the whole vampire Percy series has some of my favourite moments I've written, so I'll go with that one.

#personal talk #does this count as an askmeme?

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fortunegambled · 2 years

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this list of luxord's thoughts (and feelings, if we dare to be so bold) of his fellow members of organization xiii is not in a rigid order. generally, i do have those he likes more towards the top (with the four memorialized in the gambler nobodies at the very top, of course) and those he likes least towards the bottom — although there are some complicated situations and this is not a wholly linear list.

larxene - xii - the hanged man : what a remarkable woman, isn't she? while luxord often (and vocally) does not support her constant and open antagonizing of some of the other members and has been known to intervene to at least put a hold on whatever is happening, he's also been known to hang out and bitch with her. he can't help but admire her spark and wit, and he'll say as much. there is a fair share of platonic flirting from him in her direction.

marluxia - xi - justice : similar to larxene, luxord finds marluxia fun to be around. they tend to enable each other when it comes to using words that make others have to think about what they're saying, and they can usually exist on a fairly similar wavelength. that said, they never got to know each other well, with marluxia's time in the organization being so short-lived.

vexen - iv - the emperor : it's difficult for luxord to see eye-to-eye with vexen in some regards, as very basic aspects of their personalities clash... and yet he's fond of vexen and the banter those differences necessitate. he's challenging, and luxord does enjoy a challenge. there is some flirting in vexen's direction, although it isn't as obvious as it could be.

lexaeus - v - the hierophant : these two exist on a similar wavelength, but in the opposite direction of luxord's camaraderie with marluxia; these two can simply exist around each other in a very calm way, with only minimal chatter... and it doesn't get awkward. they simply are.

xigbar - ii - the high priestess : xigbar... is a complicated one. on one hand, xigbar is one of luxord's favorites to be around for a myriad of reasons. on the other hand, he doesn't trust xigbar — which is something partly due to his status as number ii, and partly due to something about him setting luxord on-edge at times. that said, xigbar is the other one luxord will flirt with. such is life.

demyx - ix - the hermit : i hesitate to say that he likes demyx beyond finding him to be amusing at times, but he does defend demyx nonetheless. there is definitely more solidarity once they're the only "new members" of no import left behind once the castle oblivion crew fails to return.

roxas - xiii - death : as he says, he envies the children. that said... his interactions with roxas leave something to be desired. he's a rather dense child, and that's something luxord finds difficult to deal with. his own difficulty engaging aside, he sincerely wants the best for roxas.

xion - xiv - temperance : oh, xion... he never gets to spend much time with her, so most of his feelings (forgetting aside) are like those of roxas. but know that he would like her more than him in the present if they all hung out.

axel - viii - strength : luxord calls axel a grifter till the end, and it's delivered with a fond tone, but it isn't a fond word — and that dichotomy perfectly summarizes his feelings on axel. he finds him fun to be around, and he'll gladly spend casual time with him... but he does not trust axel, and that lack of trust only becomes more apparent when axel is the sole survivor of castle oblivion.

zexion - vi - the lovers : he does not trust zexion, but he also pities him. luxord's smart enough to do the math and knows that zexion was young when this all started, and something about that doesn't settle right. but there's also nothing he can do about it, so all he can do is sit back and mind his distance.

saïx - vii - the chariot : similar to zexion, honestly, but a bit more begrudging. this is particularly ironic due to the plot of khiii, but luxord is unaware of that entire scheme. as it stands in his awareness, saïx is not someone to trust due to his tendency to curry favor of xemnas.

xemnas - i - the magician : xemnas is the biggest question mark to luxord. he lacks the reverence and fear most other members have for the superior, but that does not make them friendly. xemnas is his boss, nothing more — and not a boss he particularly cares for, at that.

xaldin - iii - the empress : something about xaldin... they just do not click, but not in a fun way. xaldin's incredibly divorced energy just does something to luxord that isn't particularly pleasant, and add that to the way that xaldin seems to lean into nobodies not existing as a hard rule in speech like metaphors and wordplay do not exist...

#headcanons. ☓#phew. ok.#i hope this is coherent #me sprinkling in vague mention of my two fave luxord ships obvs

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double-detonation · 6 months

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Double Detonation Chapter 2

It has been about four months since we started preschool. Honestly, it has been better than I thought it would. The work is barely work, and I can use it the rest of the time to sleep or do whatever I want. The teachers also have been praising me for my so-called intelligence, even if it was just my past memories. They made sure to point it out to my mother when she picked us up. For doing so well, Mom would sometimes take me out for dessert. I think she saw it as a Mother-Daughter bonding session of how she was always excited for them, and I wasn’t going to say no to some free ice cream. Though, Katsuki seemed a little peeved by not being allowed to go on these outings and started seeing it as a competition. He would rub it in my face if he got a higher score than me, which only happened when we were learning Japanese. Learning a whole new language was a bit difficult for me. Perhaps I should have watched anime Sub rather than Dub. After a while, I was getting annoyed by the taunting and just asked Mom if we could bring him along, which seemed to upset her slightly but she agreed without much thought. It made Katsuki happy, so that was fine by me.

Currently, we are having recess, so I’m just relaxing on my favorite bean bag chair. This thing is a lot more comfortable than the ones I had in America. I swear, just jumping into those things felt like landing in a pile of rocks. I thought to myself as I snuggled further into the seat. I closed my eyes and was about to fall asleep. That was, before someone jumped into the chair next to me, launching me in the air a few feet, making my eyes widen.

“What the heck!” I screeched, landing back on the cushion, and hearing a familiar laugh from my brother. “You should have seen your face!” He continued to laugh, grinning at me.

“Oi…do you have to be so loud,” I grumbled, trying to push him off. He wasn’t having any of that though, grabbing my hand and dragging me onto my feet. Ugh gross, why are his hands so sweaty? I cringed inside, I hated the feeling of being sweaty or sticky. “You sleep too much, come on I wanna show you something!” I groan as I let myself be drug outside, Katsuki pulling me to his group of friends. I don’t know his friends too well. I do recognize them though as his lackeys from the show, so I already wasn’t too fond of them when he first introduced me to them.

“You gotta see this Kazu!” Katsuki sounded excited as he stood in front of the boys with his signature smirk, raising his hands. He then punched his hands together, a small explosion bursts from the palm of his hand. My eyes widened slightly at the sight. Has his quirk manifested already? No wonder why his hands were so fucking sweatier than normal. Hearing a couple of gasps around the playground, kids start to form a group around us.

“Wow, you got your quirk already!” One commented. “That is such a cool quirk!” They were endlessly praising my brother and he was soaking it all in, a bit too well. His hands were on his hips and his head was raised a little higher with pride. “I know right? I got the best quirk here!”

I rolled my eyes at his remark. Great, his ego train has just left the station. Noticing the green blob known as Midoriya poking his way through the crowd, the boy beams at Katsuki.

“Waah, you’re so cool Kaachan! I hope to get a quirk just as cool as yours!”

Katsuki and his friends looked at him, then scoffed. “Yeah right Midoriya, in your dreams! No one will get a quirk as cool as mine.” He said as he glanced at me, I frowned. “Well, maybe besides my sister, but definitely not you!” His lackeys laugh and they walk off with some of the other kids to play with their new quirks. I looked over at Midoriya, seeing him holding the bottom of his shirt tightly with quivering lips. God damn it Katsuki. I sighed, walking closer to him.

“Ignore my brother Izuku, I’m sure you’ll get an amazing quirk too,” I said to him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, making him flinch slightly. He looks up at me with uncertainty in his eyes.

“I-If you say so Kazuchan…”

It’s been a few weeks since Katsuki got his quirk. Mom and Dad couldn’t be prouder of him as he continued to learn how to use his powers. Mom kept an eye on me more recently though, unsure of the reason why but who cares? Katsuki and I did find out that Midoriya was diagnosed as quirkless the other day. Was Mom worried I’d turn out quirkless as well? Did I even want a quirk? I’ve lived my previous life without one just fine, but then again it was normal there. I groan as the beam of sunlight hits my face. I sluggishly got up from the bed and dragged myself into the bathroom. I pushed the stepping stool in front of the sink and climbed on top of it. Ugh, it was really hot last night, I hated it so much. I feel all sweaty… I grumbled as I turned the faucet on, running my hands under the cool water. Closing my eyes, I splashed some water onto my face. Reaching for one of the towels. Before I could grab one, I lost my footing on the stool and slipped.

“AAH!” stretching my arms out in front of me to break my fall before a small explosion emerged from my hands, propelling me back onto my feet for a second before I fell back down again from the shock. My eyes widen in fear as I stare at the scorch marks on the floor. The bathroom door bursts open with Mom rushes toward me. “Kazumi!” She shouts, sliding on the ground to sit in front of me. “Are you okay baby, what happened!?” I started up at her, slightly shaking. Not long after, Dad and Katsuki came in as well with concern in their eyes. Katsuki frowns as he follows my gaze. Seeing the singe marks, the worry on his face melts into pure happiness.

“Mom I think Kazu just got her quirk!” He says happily, running to sit next to me, pointing at the burnt floor behind her. Mitsuki looks at it before turning back to me, cupping my hands with her bigger ones. “Is that true, did you hurt yourself at all, sweetie?” She says softly, opening her hands to look at mine, and rubbing her thumbs against them. I look up at her, then back at Katsuki.

“N-No I’m not hurt…I fell and I was gonna hit the floor but my hands exploded, pushing me back.” I shuddered, still shaken by what happened. My hands feel numb right now. Is this normal when you use your quirk? Mom sighs in relief. “That's good, I’m glad you are not hurt. It looks like Katsuki is right, seems like your quirk has come in dear.” She smiles at me. Dad chuckles and walks over to us, kneeling down as well.

“I told you, you didn’t have anything to worry about dear. She’s got an amazing quirk, just like her brother. Mitsuki sighs. “I know, and I’m glad for her.” So they were worried about the possibility of me being quirkless. I stared at the floor and then back at Dad. “Sorry that I ruined the floor…”

“Don’t worry about it kiddo, accidents happen.”

Going back to school was hell now that I had a quirk. Kids were starting to pay attention to me more after Katsuki declared us the Explosion Twins or something stupid like that when he told everyone I got the same quirk as him. Maannnn, I miss my quiet time. I sighed as I pushed away from another group of loud kids who wanted me to play with them. I also HATE the fact that our quirk makes me sweat so much. I feel like I’m constantly running to the bathroom to wash up. I literally just cleaned myself and I can already feel the nitroglycerin-like sweat building up on my skin. I continue walking around the playground, with my hands stuffed inside my pockets, until I pass by the sandbox. Noticing my brother and his friend were surrounding a rather beaten-up Izuku sitting next to some scorched sand. I growled as I walked up to them, hearing their annoying laughter. “You’re such a useless Deku!” I heard Katsuki bark out as he raised one of his hands.

“That is enough Katsuki!” I yelled as I moved myself in front of Izuku. My brother’s eyes widen slightly in disbelief seeing me blocking one of his hits making him and his cronies back up a bit.

“What are you doing Kazu, why are you always defending Deku from me? You should be on my side!” Izuku whimpers and hugs his knees, scooting a bit away from us, not wanting to get into any more trouble. I look back at the frightened green bean, then back at my brother, my vermillion red eyes burning into his own.

“I have always been on your side ‘Suki, but I can’t watch from the sidelines while you bully Izuku with your quirk!” Katsuki growls, glaring at me, then to Midoriya. “Fine, whatever, I don’t see why you protect that nerd anyway…” He grumbles and walks away with his friends.

I look at Midoriya, frowning as I watch him tremble in his spot. I walk over, step into the sandbox, and sit next to him, Izuku flinches as I do so. He glances at me and starts to cry. I sigh, pulling him into a quick and gentle hug. I stay with him for a while, rubbing his back gently until he starts to calm down. I hear him sniffle and feel him move his head slightly. I remove my arm from him and look at him. “You okay Izuku?”

Midoriya looks at me, sniffling again as he rubs his cheek to clear his tears. “I-I’m okay…W-Why did you help me.” He mutters quietly. “H-He’s your brother, you shouldn’t be fighting with him because of me.” I stared at him.

“I did that because you are my friend Izuku, and…that is what heroes do.”

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c7thetumbler · 9 months

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Quick Game reviews: 2023 (Part 2!)

Continuing on! These were ones I played closer to the end of the year, but also as I remember them throughout. Other than that, order doesn't matter

Let's keep this ball rollin!

Kirby's Dreamland 2 (Switch online)

The only Kirby's dreamland I never played! I enjoyed it quite a lot, though of course it's a pretty easy Kirby game. Back in the day this would've been a lot of fun, and still is as a quickly little romp through a classic Kirby game. Nowadays it doesn't really hold up vs SuperStar DX and Planet Robobot, so not an essential playthrough by any means

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This next section's going to be about playing and 100% every Super Mario Advance game! How incredibly pointless interesting!

To put an age on myself, GBA was my late kid/early teen years and I have a long history with these games. Since they all got added as part of NSO+ or whatever I'm mooching off of Keewy's subscription (love you so much bud), I figured it'd be fun to go back and 100% all of them. Mixed results, but let's get into it.

Super Mario Advance (Switch Online, GBA)

This one was the original Mario Advanced, and more first into into SMB2 (Doki Doki Panic). Since it was fresh to me I didn't realize at the time that it was just a remaster, and thought it was difficult but a lot of fun. The addition of the findable Yoshi eggs adds some replay-ability, but mostly in the form of a tedious hide and seek.

Additionally, the playground rumor was if you got ALL of the Yoshi eggs, you can play as him! This is an outright lie. Ryan. You get nothing for finding them all other than the satisfaction of knowing you did it. As far as an experience goes, this is definitely one of the better ways to play SMB2 as long as you can get back the crunchy but frequent voice lines

Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World (Switch Online, GBA)

This one was one I spent COUNTLESS hours playing on my old GBA, and continued playing after the DS came out on my Micro. Easily my favorite 2D Mario game, no contest. This is the best way you can experience SMW officially, and I'd highly recommend it since it made some of the more high-score aspects like dragon coins collectibles instead.

Unlike The previous game, this game actually rewards you with some fun screens and congratulations when you finish everything too!

Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island (Switch Online, GBA)

Another incredibly solid title! Same as the original but with some minor tweaks and additional levels. This is the definitive version of the original Yoshi's Island, which if you haven't played, you absolutely should.

I Don't remember a reward past the "All Clear" congratulations you get, but still that's enough of an accomplishment because these levels can get tough.

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 e+ (Switch Online, GBA

This one and I have a funny history. I got on e-reader at the tail end of it's incredibly short lifespan in the states. While I have fond memories of scanning cards for NES games, Animal Crossing, and this game, I unfortunately was not able to find the packs to play all these e-reader levels. Now that this is re-released, I can finally play all them and see what the reward is for getting all the cards and collectibles in the levels (which involves playing each one at least twice!).

You get nothing! And the card levels vvary in quality, definitely with a very proto Mario Maker vibe to them. They were fun at the time, but honestly they should've just done a bonus world with all the levels already available after beating the game. Playing all this once-lost level content is interesting, but as far as this game goes it can get pretty grindy and overstay its welcome, especially in comparison to things done nowadays in 2D mario with Wonder and Mario Maker

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (Switch Online, GBA)

A classic masterpiece. Offers a big, beautiful, wacky world to explore without overstaying it's welcome with unique ways of traversing and interacting with the environment and an incredible battle system. Honestly? I'd suggest playing this over its 3DS remake; what that adds isn't worth missing out on this iconic art that defined a small generation of sprite-artists, and the QoL stuff added doesn't really do that much for this game since it was already incredible.

Will always recommend SuperStar Saga

... And that's all the Mario advanced games! Basically, play Superstar Saga, the rest is up to you but SMW is great as well.

BurgerTime Deluxe (Switch Online, GB)

Me and Burgertime Arcade go waaaaay back to the dentist office where they had a cabinet that I would play when I finished my cleanings but had to wait for half an hour afterwards. I had no idea this game existed!

Similar to Annalynn in the last post, this is a classic Arcade experience that in order to get really good at and beat without failure, you need to deeply understand how all its simple mechanics work. Since it's on NSO, I cheated a bit near the end. Still, This is a great portable expansion on Burgertime the arcade game, similar to how Donkey Kong GB blows the original DK arcade game out of the water! Would recommend you give it a try if only to get that classic arcade feeling.

Vampire Survivors (Steam)

I have a hard time recommending games like this. On the one hand, I did enjoy my time with it and it was pretty fun to slowly get better and find all the things, as well as learn different really cool combos for some crazy shenanigans. On the other hand, there's not really much gameplay here other than wandering in the right direction and a skinner box. It's kinda like cookie clicker to me; not something that I like the idea of fondly, but still some good fun for a little bit. The kind of thing I could easily hyperfixate on without actually enjoying myself, if I'm not careful.

Pikmin 1 (Switch)

So this surprised me. Was not expecting a Switch re-release, but it did make sense. As far as things go, this is a good way to experience the game (legally), and it does fix a number of issues with Wii Play Control versions, but at the end of the day I would've preferred a bit more; either some online high score comparison features or an actual HD remaster. Pikmin's a great time, but this entry shows it's age a bit; I'd recommend Pikmin 4 first.

Pikmin 3 also perfected the challenge mode, so going back to this version's classic mode with no changes or comparisons was just a little bleh.

Pikmin 2 (Switch)

I feel like I can recommend this one a bit more, however it falls into the same pitfalls that rereleasing 1 does. Pikmin 2 is a phenomenal game, but loses all of the stakes of a time limit in exchange for being much larger (and hilariously unfair at times). It's challenge mode is also certainly more engaging than 1, but again it fails in comparison to 3, and I would've liked to see a remaster instead. Especially since Pikmin 3's DLC and later Pikmin 4 confirmed that they had all the HD assets for it. Again, I love pikmin, but Pikmin 4 perfectly captured the Pikmin experience for me, so I'd recommend checking that out first.

Castle on the Coast (Steam)

A fun, easy, short 3D platformer whose mascot is based off of the mascot of a Children's Hospital! How cute.

It's a good time to just play through casually; the movement is a little strange but I was able to get used to it and it was a great time. Another game that feels of perfect length for what it's doing. It's pretty cheap on sale, I'd give this a god if you're aching for a classic 3D platformer game.

Grounded (Steam)

This one's hard to recommend; I had a lot of fun playing it with my good pally pals June and Keewy, but it definitely seemed like it was more fine-tuned as a single-player experience since the scaling for additional people made everything WAY harder. Admittedly I wasn'ty playing my best and I'd still like to try and beat it, but I found myself frustrated a lot. I've not delved to much into the crafting survival genre past Minecraft, and while this one has good visuals and a fun 90s story, I have trouble giving it a thumbs-up

Pikmin 4 (Switch)

After so many years...

It's fucking amazing, best entry in the series. The definitive Pikmin experience, if you've never played Pikmin start here and work backwards if you fall in love. Instant masterpiece, tons of content, but still found myself wanting more

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (Switch Online, GBA)

Finally got around to finishing one of these! It's a very fun 2D Zelda, but is in drastic need of some QoL and modernization. Constantly using the start button to swap items and check the map is as tedious as expected, but in terms of gameplay it's a lot of fun! I didn't play Seasons yet, which feels like it's mandatory for getting the full expeience, and there were a few moments where I found myself lost and frustrated, but past that a solid 2D Zelda entry.

Animal Crossing New Horizons: Happy Home Paradise (Switch DLC)

I had been playing AC to catch up and finally complete the museum, and was astonished by how little content there was in this DLC.

Then I learned that it doesn't Download automatically if you get it for free via NSO+ subscription. Oops.

It goes a long way in adding to New Horizon's experience, which after so many hours playing it can feel strippedof its charm as you repeat the same tasks with a limited number of personalities is refreshing. Is it worth $30? ehhh.

I've designed ~80 homes in it so far, and while it is fun to decorate around their guidelines and play with villagers you may have fond memories of from previous entries, it's very much a make your own goals kind of thing. You'll find yourself very easily bored of it if you don't engage with it seriously and only do the bare minimum to "progress", but it definitely allows AC's home designing experience to really shine.

Sonic Frontiers: The Final Horizon (Steam)

Wow, this was not good! Incredibly hard platforming levels and bosses scattered all around the world that only Sonic could deal with, with some incredibly janky mechanics for all 3 the new playable characters that don't really work well enough to design levels around (which is good, because they didn't). Boss fights and new challenges are super difficult and annoying as well. The only Positive is the endin g is better, but you can watch that on Youtube. Honestly, the best experience you can have withg a farily good game like this is to play with all DLC downloaded but not going through the portal to this content. It's got 3D Sonic jank, but in a way that's incredibly frustrating and not fun to navigate around.

F-Zero 99 (Switch Online)

I miss Super Mario Bros 35.

... This game's fine, and a fun re-imagining of classic F-Zero experience, but I was never really a fan of F-Zero and thought that the 2D ones were a bit too tough for me so I didn't play it much. If you like F-Zero though, you'll love this

Super Mario Wonder (Switch)

Another hit, highly recommend this one for it's charm alone! It's 2D Mario, you know if you want it or not.

I will say my experience with it is from the perspective of someone who has religiously played every Mario game, and I did actually very much enjoy the game so the rest of this review will be from that perspective.

Game length felt a bit... short to me. There are just as many levels and worlds as you would expect in a 2D Mario game, as well asa lot of things to collect and a bonus world with it's own secrets of course. But I still managed to beat in 100% in about a day, whcih is kinda surprising to me given how much time I spent on other games. 3D World comes to mind as one with just about the same amount of levels, but one I spent way more time playing and had more enjoyment with just because of the way 100% is done. I would've liked to see a bit more is all I'm saying, but it's defnitely a full game.

The online ghost helper features is a welcome addition to the game. It allows you to help or be helped by other players and having that extra bit of interactivity and silent community without getting in the way of playtime. Visually it's also a stunning style, and I hope in future they continue to stylize Mario Games and move away from the Gamecube era models and NSMB styling and get something with much more character like this.

Gameplay wise it's also very fun, though you can feel the traditional 2D Mario formula in every level which is something I wish I could un-know. Badges are neat, but can be a mixed bag. There's one really good badge and then some okay badges and then others you would never touch, which doesn't really encourage the variations in gameplay as much as they would've hoped it does, I think. Additionally while I understand the idea of all characters playing the same (sans Yoshi + Nabbit), I think I still would've preferred unique movement for each character over the badge system.

All in all, it's great, but I want more.

Knytt Underground (Steam)

So for those unfamiliar with Knytt, it was an atmospheric, simple, 2D indie platformer that allowed you to make your own levels and games and let other people play them. It was very popular amoung a certain group of early let's players that overlapped strongly with SMW Rom hacks. This is essentially a sequel/remaster of that style.

This game is just okay. It's very simple, involves a lot of backtracking and the story and characters aren't terribly engaging. It's not a bad time, but feels very much of its time so I can't really recommend this one.

Super Mario RPG (Switch)

A fantastic remake of a trend-setting classic! I had forgotten how short the original was, but this adds a number of features and improvements that make it worth it. I love that they kept the very strange character designs that we never got to see again, as well as how faithful they were to the original's quirks while also fixing the localization issues. $60 is still a lot, imo, to ask for a game that already existed, but like that's a pretty good game and remake so I'd say go for it.

twitch_clip

Lethal Company (Steam)

This one I was unsure if I would like or not because I'm a big baby when it comes to horror games. Playing this with friends though changes everything, and I had a wonderful time with it. It's definitely one of those games where the less you know about the enemies the better, as once you start getting "good" at it it feels like a different experience than wandering into the unknown, but I'm looking forward to future updates. I'd give this one a try if you have some friends to play it with!

Paper Mario (Switch Online, N64)

After finishing Super Mario RPG I had a terrible Mario RPG itch that I needed to scratch, and with TTYD remake announced and coming next year this seemed like a good move. I'm glad I did since I only played it once and didn't remember much of it. It's a fun, simple RPG, but the lack of depth to its mechanics and at this point pretty standard Mario story made it age less well than it's predecessor and sequel. I'm glad they're remaking TTYD and not this. It's by no means a bad time, but not one of the essential Mario RPGs over TTYD, Superstar Saga, and SMRPG.

Disney Dreamlight Valley: Eternity Isle Expansion (Switch)

This is one that I mostly watched my Sister play over Christmas but then had to pick up so she could get the rewards for a limited quest she unlocked. This adds an interesting area, a much more thought-out storyline and world, and is overall an improvement. However, the basic flaws are still there, including random crashes and softlocking, stuttering framerate, some very low-poly resources, and just all around tediousness and grindy nature of it. I'd recommend this if you're a huge disney/ Animal Crossing fan, and even then on PC instead. It still feels like an early access game and has some pretty intense monetization, so for the cost of the base game plus expansion I cannot ethically recommend it due to its quality and bad internal practices

... But like, it's not a bad game. It just needs a lot more work.

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BEST GAME I PLAYED THIS YEAR

Golly, lot of suspense in this one right? I raved about Tears of the Kingdom, but like a LOT of good stuff came out this year and I even enjoyed several incredible indies there.

I mean, you know what the answer is already, but I can pretend for a split second I wasn't going to say Pikmin 4 right?

It was Pikmin 4. Pikmin 4 is the best game I played this year, and nothing anyone says will convince me otherwise.

It was such a long wait and having come out as such a fun and packed experience, basically containing Pikmin 1 and 2 as sub games within it made it easily come out ahead. I just love it so much.

Tears of the Kingdom is 2nd place, and I didn't play Baldur's Gate so that's just not here.

...

Anywho, that's it! Hope everyone enjoyed gaming as much as I did this year, despite, well, you know. Motions vaguely towards entire planet

See ya!

#disney dreamlight valley #super mario advance #paper mario #lethal company #super mario rpg #Knytt #super mario wonder #Sonic Frontiers #Pikmin #Pikmin 4 #Animal Crossing #F-zero 99 #Castle on the Coast #Oracle of Ages #Vampire Survivors #Burgertime #Grounded

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