#I need to bring Kip to life

[punkrock-bottom]

What are you hoping to get commissioned? 👀

I have a fursona OC I’ve been thinking about for so long I just don’t have the talent to get them on paper :(

[ewanmitchellcrumbs]

Let the Light In

Pairing: Tom Bennett (World on Fire) x f!reader Warnings: Fingering, male masturbation, smut. Word count: ~1.6k

Summary: Having stumbled back too late from the pub, Tom finds Lois and Douglas have locked him out for the night. Thankfully, the girl across the road takes pity on him.

Author's note: Day ten of the Smuffmas prompts - "bed sharing and accidental stimulation". No tag list. Follow @fics-by-ewanmitchellcrumbs and turn on post notifications.

“Lois! Lois! Come on, let me up, don’t be tight!”

The shouting filters through to her subconscious, and she grumbles, slowly blinking her eyes open, mind foggy with sleep.

“Lois! It’s freezing out here!”

She flicks on the lamp on the bedside table, lifting her watch to look at the time.

Almost 1am. Bloody pillock.

She has lived opposite the Bennett family her entire life, and though she doesn’t know them well, they’re neighbourly, exchanging polite “hellos” when they pass in the street. Though Tom’s is usually accompanied by a wink that makes her skin feel too hot.

Over the last year or so, she’s grown used to being woken up by Tom stumbling back home at some ungodly hour, waking her up as he shouts for his sister, Lois, to open the window and let him up into their shared bedroom. He knows he’ll cop an earful from their dad, Douglas, if he comes in through the front door. It’s usually double locked anyway, so his key wouldn’t work even if he were to try.

Lois has never left him out on the street for this long though, but she can’t blame her, she’s probably sick of it by now.

“Lois!”

Fuck’s sake.

There’s no point in leaving him out there, his shouting will wake up half the street. She considers it a good job that her own dad works nights, and that her mum has taken to wearing earplugs to bed so that he doesn’t wake her when he returns in the early hours of the morning.

She sighs, throwing off the duvet and stepping out of bed. She parts the curtains, lifting the sash window and shivers as the coldness of the air outside chills her skin through her nightdress as she leans out.

Tom stands outside of his house, leaning back with a lit cigarette between his lips as he stares up at his bedroom window. He’s about to shout again, when she interrupts.

“You’re gonna wake the whole bloody street if you keep on!” She hisses.

He turns, plucking the cigarette from his mouth and exhales a tight line of smoke through pursed lips.

“She won’t let me up,” he calls back. “don’t s’pose there’s any room at your inn? It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow, after all.”

“It’s Christmas Eve right now. Have you got any idea what the time is?!”

“Tomorrow doesn’t start ‘til I wake up, sweetheart.”

He flashes a lopsided grin up at her, and she has to fight the urge to smile back as she feels familiar flutters in her stomach.

Cheeky git.

“Wait there,” she sighs, sliding the window closed.

She wraps herself in her dressing gown, picking her way carefully down the stairs, before switching on the hallway light and opening the front door.

Tom is there already, leaning against the doorframe, the crushed butt of his cigarette inches away from his feet.

“You’re a star. Shall I take the sofa then?” He asks, crowding the small space in which her family hangs their coats as she closes the door behind him.

“Absolutely not. Last thing I need is dad coming back from work and seeing you sprawled out in the living room, he’ll throw a fit. Shoes off.”

Tom bends down, unlacing and kicking off his shoes. “Where you putting me?”

“You can kip in my room. Bring those with you.”

“Oh,” he smirks, “if you insist.”

She rolls her eyes, making her way back upstairs, with Tom following close behind.

“You can sleep on the floor,” she tells him, chucking him the knitted blanket from the end of her bed, and the extra pillow she sleeps with.

“Thanks,” he sounds almost disappointed as he catches them, setting them down and busying himself with shrugging out of his jacket and leaving it on a heap on the floor with his shoes.

She had expected him to sleep fully clothed, so she is shocked when she hears the metallic clink of him opening his belt as he lowers his trousers. Feeling her skin prickle with heat, and her heartbeat begin to race, she quickly turns away, shedding her dressing gown and climbing into bed.

She pulls the duvet up around herself, remaining facing away as she listens to the rustle of clothing as he pulls off his jumper, and arranges his bedding.

When it finally grows quiet, she leans over to turn the lamp off and lays back down.

“Night then,” Tom says quietly.

“Night.”

She lays there in the darkness, eyes closed, willing herself to fall asleep and yet it won’t seem to pull her under. It isn’t helped by the relentless shifting around and sighing she can hear coming from the floor beside the bed.

After five minutes of listening to Tom toss and turn, and grumble to himself, she groans and finally switches the lamp back on, leaning down to look at him.

“Can you not just go to sleep?!” She whispers in frustration.

He pulls himself to sit up, scrubbing a hand over his face. “It’s uncomfortable down here. And I’m cold.”

She presses her lips into a tight line, before exhaling loudly through her nose. “Fine. Come on then.”

Shuffling to the far side of the mattress, she throws the duvet back for Tom and he climbs in eagerly.

“Smashing,” he says with a wink, before turning the lamp off.

They lay back to back and, in her tiny single bed, the angle pushes both of them to the far edges of the mattress, neither one of them comfortably having enough space to stretch out and go to sleep.

“This is awful,” she complains quietly.

“Mmm,” he agrees. “Let me just…”

Tom rolls over and her breath catches in her throat as she feels his chest press against her back, his body slotting itself against hers.

Admittedly, it’s comfier like this, they both have more room, and yet she is certain she won’t sleep a wink with the heat of his body so close to hers. He must be able to feel the way her heart thuds in her ribcage.

He shifts slightly and she feels the press of a bulge against her backside, she knows precisely what it is, and it sets her pulse racing. Instinctively, without thinking, she presses back and his breath shudders hotly against the shell of her ear, his nose pressed into her hair.

Tentatively, his fingertips spread out over her hip, pulling her back against him as he rolls his hips forward, and she feels sticky heat pool between her legs as he hardens against her.

She’s not entirely sure why she’s allowing this, just knows that it feels good and she doesn’t want it to stop as they move rhythmically together, both chasing a friction that neither can quite achieve.

“Have…have you ever…” he whispers, trailing off.

She swallows thickly, afraid to disappoint him, but wanting to be honest. “No.”

“Can I touch you?” 

His hand tightens on her hip and she nods. “Yes.”

Slowly, his fingers trail down her thigh, until he reaches the hem of her nightgown. His hand travels the same path again, only this time upwards and against her bare skin.

She whimpers as he cups her mound through the cotton of her knickers, the pads of his fingers pressing against the dampness of the gusset.

“Christ, you’re soaked,” he breathes shakily.

“Sorry,” she whispers back, feeling her cheeks grow warm.

“Not a bad thing, darlin’,” she can hear the smile in his voice, “nothin’ to be sorry for at all.”

His hand slides upwards, pressing flat against her lower abdomen, and then slides down again, creeping beneath the waistband of her underwear.

“Fuck,” Tom grits out, as his index finger slides between her folds, gathering her wetness before circling her pearl.

She buries her face into the pillow, to stifle the moan that leaves her. She has touched herself before, but it has always been hesitant, secretive, just enough to feel nice. This makes her feel as though her body is on fire.

Tom shuffles behind her, and for a moment she wonders what he is up to, until she feels the brush of his knuckles against her back. She doesn’t need to look to know that he’s pulled his cock out and is stroking himself. The idea makes her throat run dry.

His breaths come in hot puffs, the slick sound of him pleasuring himself, coupled with the squelch of his fingers as they slide and circle against her is lewd, and she knows she ought to feel ashamed, but she is desperate to fall from the edge that he’s eagerly pushing her towards.

She screws her eyes shut when his digit slides inside of her, her walls clenching around him as he curls his finger upwards, dragging against her and making her thighs shake.

“So tight,” he groans, before withdrawing, circling faster against her sensitive bundle of nerves with newly applied arousal.

She whines, arching against him and she feels the movement of the hand he has on himself speed up, as quiet grunts escape him.

“You’re close, aren’t ya?”

“Please…”

“Let go. Come for me.”

She bites down on the pillow, muffling the squeal that bursts out of her as her thighs clamp around Tom’s wrist, and her entire body shudders with the force of her peak. She feels like a bottle of pop that someone has shaken too hard, every part of her body coming apart in tiny bubbles.

Tom presses his face harder into her hair, his nose touching her scalp as he groans low in relief, his hips stuttering against hers as he finds his own release.

Slowly she turns to face him. His blue eyes shine in the moonlight, his full lips slightly parted as he breathes raggedly. He leans in, brushing his lips against hers, but not quite kissing her as they lay there together in blissful, tired silence.

“You’ll let me in next time, won’t you?” He rasps.

The double meaning is not lost on her, and yet it does nothing to affect her answer.

“Yes.”

[wings-of-ink]

What is going on, did some out concentrated sad in the water, all the asks are so angsty lately 😭

We need some fluff as an antidote!

What's something the ROs could do to win Kip and Dov over? (And I want to say "would they do it" but I fear that might be veering back towards trouble for some of them 😑)

I feel that, Anon. I don't mind them in doses, they're good ways to show the depths of feelings, but golly some of those were a little rough, lol.

This is a super cute question, my dear!

Oswin:  Kip is already won over. He adores how weird and awkward he is, but worries about him. Papa likes him too, but finds him a bit fickle. Seeing him make a gesture of affection to MC in front of them would warm their hearts and Oswin definitely would - he'd turn bright red, but he'd do it.

Zahn:  Kip is pretty warm towards the sweet and playful sort already but he'd like to see Zahn settle in comfortably - get to a point where they feel completely safe and happy with them. Papa though would like to see them take some responsibility. Being playful is fine - he loves his husband for it - but he wants to know that Zahn will be there with MC for the mundane and hard things life brings too.

Duri:  Since Kip will have the hardest time with Duri, spending time together would be the main thing. Kip needs to see that Duri isn't bad just because they're half god. If they develop a friendship, Kip can realize that they're just a person and aren't going to hurt MC just because they're powerful. Papa will be warm towards Duri, but again letting him see them as more human than god will make Duri feel more accessible.

Rune:  Kip would like to see Rune allow themselves to emote and relax. He wants to see them chill out and have some fun, and let go of the pressures they grew up with. Papa is nervous about mages because he feels that mere humans are more dangerous wielding magic without the gods around to control everything. If Rune can show him the beautiful side, the gentle side of their magic, it would soften Papa up considerably.

???:  Depends on what they know about him, really. Though if Papa and Da see him being affectionate with MC, say even in a moment where ??? doesn't know anyone is watching, that would really score some points.

Thank you for the ask, Anon! ^_^

[mostlyincorrectdipandpip]

Writing Phan Fiction About Ourselves Stories

I literally just listened to the video, typed as fast as I could, then edited the red squiggles and formatted it to look nice. Let me know what edits need to be made!

Story 1 - The Dragon Prince by Dan Howell

Once upon a time, there was a boy named Dan, from House Fire, whose motto was, "The fire in our ass will never die" and from Phil, the House Amazing, the Kingdom of Squatting. They were sworn enemies whose houses had been at war ever since The Great Lamp Licking incident. One day, Dan was bathing his fiery drake, Kamala Harris, when he saw a glint in the refection of his gauntlet. It was a surprise attack from that scally wag, Phil. He mounted his dragon and yelled his signature war cry, "ZING!"

Phil looked down on the Fire Kingdom. "More like squishy kingdom!" But before he knew it, Dan was on his tail. He was so close he was practically on his toe. Their beasts, Kamala Harris and Markiplier, realeased flames at the same time, like a torrent of lethal piss. Double KO, they fell to the ground and loss consciousness. Dan awoke to find Phil's brain stuck in Dan's eye. He shouted, "Wow, this is a moist situation." Phil roused, gayly. "You saved me," he said.

They locked eyes and knew in that moment how futile their feud was. They saved each other, did they have to slay each other? In that moment, Phil felt something skipping down his hips. He swam as hard as he could and suddenly, he felt it. Phil had birthed a beautiful purple egg. Dan scoffed, "the prophecy is true! It's our child!"

"The legendary worm, and we shall name him Gary," said Phil.

THE END

Story 2 - The Princes by Phil Lester

Once upon a castle, in the Kingdom of Evony, there were two princes belonging to warring families. Tonight was the last time they would meet before the great battle. Danielo awoke, sword in hand as he heard a shuffle at the door. Philipus walked into hid bedroom wearing a panty.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, but I thought I'd tell you that my father is bringing a dragon into the battle, and also a large enchanted hippo." Danielo cried a single tear.

"I don't want to die for this stupid family. I just want to be a knight with you and help old ladies cross the street."

"Why must we spill blood?" Danielo smirked. "Glory and amazon coins."

Philipus says, "Since it's our final night together, I thought we could do our favorite activity, twerking together. It might make up a bit sweaty, but it makes me constipated."

As the sun rose, the two knights had fallen asleep in a hay field using rabbit shit as bedding. This was the morning of the battle, they would be rivaling sides, leading the charge against each other. Danielo few into battle on his dragon, Jeff, scanning lines for his prince, Philipus. Philipus raised his sword into the sky as he was silhouetted by the beast. This was not a fair fight. The war had begun, thousands were being killed. Philipus has a secret weapon, a medieval salami.

His best friend flew down from his dragon and approached him. They crossed swords.

"I can't do this, Philipus" screamed Danielo. "I want to move to North Korea and start our jobs as OnlyPhans' models."

Philipus tried to reason with him, but suddenly Danielo's dragon, Jeff, started to breath fire at them both. It was so hot that Danielo was on fire. He had one final word for Philipus.

"Yeee," as both knights burned to death. They were then eaten by the dragon as a toasty BBQ snack. They tasted like Takis Fuego. The dragon went on to kill all soldiers and both kings. It ruled the castle in a happy gay life with his dragon boyfriend, Alessandra and laid a dragon egg they called Kip. They never saw a human again. The Princes were always remembered as the tastiest snacks in the Kingdom.

Story 3 - The Big Sword by Phan Howlter

They stared at the intimidating shape, thinking, "damn, that is one crusty shaft". Two lowly village boys had found a cave filled with sour cream and onion pringles. One of us must grip this with our teeth. They know one of them would gain the power of hamster flicking.

"I believe its you!" Mr. Phil, the wet pauper, exclaimed.

"Thank you. I got this for you. It's my favorite Party Hat."

"We will never know which on of us is truly the chosen one," uttered Dan, sexily. "We'll have to do it together."

And so the boys stood wearing sports bras, daring to survive the cyclone threatening to bare down on the. They interlocked hands on the shaft as they thought of their favorite food, egg.

"Either we both become heroes, or we might as well become trump supporters."

They yanked it with the might of a thousand anteaters and it burst from the ground, but in that moment, a glint of greed in each boys eye. They wanted the greatness for themselves and all of the steak knives waiting for them in the village. So they tumbled as the blade ripped open their jockstraps and with boing, they knew it was over and they were both impaled on the sword. Gravity was pulling them closer, like a toilet lid. As their noses pressed together, the blood poured out of them like a hydro pump.

"I always knew it would end like this," says Dan.

"You mean scared and throbbing?"

"I wouldn't rather do this with anyone else."

Then they died. Then forever, their petrified bodies stood as a warning to all who sought glory, if you dare to thrust, you will get put on the naughty step.

(respectfully, this was like.... a hard launch right? Like this is the hardest lauch I have ever seen??)

[starkraivennemad]

Convince Me Tomorrow

By all accounts it had been vicious for the past weeks in Mycroft Holmes’ life. It genuinely felt as though the classic Mr. Murphy and ALL his laws were out to get him.

Completely wiped out, he ordered an equally exhausted Anthea home. That she only gave trace argument against leaving until he was also ready to leave spoke volumes. Too drained to make it to his vehicle, he decided to kip for a moment on the sofa.

Mycroft removed his suit blazer and rolled up his cuffs.

But first, a much-needed snifter of brandy.

“Mr. Holmes. Detective Inspector Gregory Lestrade is on the premises.”

Ah, Gregory. Always the perfect elixir to what ails me!

“Thank you, please send him up.”

He chuckled to himself remembering time early days of knowing Gregory when he loathed the man. Stubborn, but respectful in a sneering way that showed how he felt, Gregory simply did not kowtow to him. Highly intelligent and intuitive, Lestrade a rare thing in Mycroft’s world - an honest man. The fact that all of it came in a very pleasing to the eye package that was unfortunately married then. Even as he slowly grew to respect and admire the man, he spent years being the cold unapproachable man. Being Iceman. Antarctica. The above such trite things as sentiment. The one who regularly touted ‘caring is not an advantage’.  

But that was then.

Now respect and admiration had grown to full on love. And though Greg was now divorced - alas, only Mycroft himself knew of that love. After years of holding himself away, he had no idea how to get close to the man.

Thus, it was a Mycroft Holmes who was more than a snifter or two of brandy in, that cheered when Gregory entered.

“Greetings! It’s been a minute as the youth say. Join me a drink?” Mycroft stilled his snifter in time to keep it contents from sloshing over the rim – barely. 

Oh, he’s wearing one of his better suits! It does not look he’s worn it all day. He must have gone home and changed. He looks good. Why does he look so good?

He frowned as Gregory quickly closed his gaped mouth. “What?”

“I um…” Greg scratched at his head. “…In all the years we’ve known each other – I cannot claim to have ever seen you this… relaxed… in appearance or temperament.”

Mycroft looked at himself.

Granted on any other man, being jacketless, waist-coated, with perfectly folded sleeves would be an elegant casual look. But for the normally, impeccably dressed, three-piece bespoke suited Mycroft? -it was down-right slovenly in his mind, and he was horrified!

“Oh! Do I offend? I - I – I did not mean to -” Mycroft immediately stood and put down the glass to unfold his sleeves.

“No don’t!” Gregory practically yelled as he darted to his side, placing his hand atop Mycroft’s to stop him. “It was not censure, Mycroft! Please relax. I am happy to see you—this much of you… I – I mean see that you can sit back and relax a moment.”

Both men were transfixed by Gregory’s fingers that gently grazed along the fine hairs above his wrist…

He’s… He’s touching me! He’s TOUCHING me! He’s touching ME!

…but then Gregory he realized what he was doing and quickly moved his hand.

Mycroft was admittedly inebriated, but the shock of Gregory’s warm touch fired off several cranial pistons into action.

Oh, stopped, but he did not apologize. What does that mean?  

Greg lifted the near empty decanter. “Uh, are we having a celebration of sorts?”

“Oh dear, wasn’t that full an hour ago?” Mycroft said sheepishly. “Wait. What brings you here?”

“And on that note – I think we need to get you to your driver.” Gregory put down the brandy decanter.

“What? Why? You’ve just arrived!”

Too upset at the thought of being parted from Greg so soon, he be more horrified to know he whined.

“I’m here because you invited me. And perhaps to ensure a pod person has not taken you over?”

“What are you talking about?”

Greg showed Mycroft his phone.

TEXT–1744: It’s sad but true. How I think about you. It rhymed! Ooh! – MH

TEXT–1745: Drinks. You and Me. Now. Diogenes. It rhymed again, see? – MH

Mycroft looked at his pocket watch and then checked his own phone in horror.

Yes, I sent those over an hour ago. Oh, I was, and am, well into my cups.

“Oh…” Mycroft blushed deep to his roots.

I texted – in rhyme dear god – and he got dressed and came. But he’s in A SUIT - for me?

“Oh…” Gregory echoed, and promptly lost his battle to remain stoic.  “You look so incredibly gobsmacked right know, Mycroft, were you not drunk, I could kiss you.”

“That implies you could kiss me when I’m sober.” Mycroft said carefully. “I may be drunk and thus emboldened -that is true, but you know I remember everything. If I ask to see you tomorrow - would you?”

“See you tomorrow? Or… kiss you?”

“Yes.”

“If you ask to see me tomorrow?” Gregory gave a shy, but burgeoning smile of hope. “Tomorrow… I’ll kiss your whole face—don’t try me.”

“Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeps…” Mycroft mixed quotes as he began to roll his sleeves down, then retrieved his jacket and briefcase. “Good night till it be morrow…”

Gregory reached for his hand when they reached Mycroft’s sedan.

“I know you’ve noticed I dressed in this suit for you.”

“I… have…”

“Then remember this: I was hoping to convince you to get me out of it.” Gregory took Mycroft’s hand in his and kissed it. “It is a hope that I have had for quite a while now.”

“I hope you can convince me then.” Mycroft returned the gesture and climbed in the sedan.

----    ----

TEXT–2359: Will you see me tomorrow? – MH

TEXT–0000: It is tomorrow. – GL

TEXT–0001: I know. – MH

A grinning Greg, who clearly had been expecting this, opened the door to his flat to see Mycroft standing there. “A promise is a promise, Gregory.”

“I know.”

“And you’re still in your suit.”

“I still hope to be convincing, Mycroft.”

Gregory kept his promise.

And was very convincing indeed.

--------------------------------------------- Comment on AO3

@mystradepromptsandscenarios

Mystrade Monday Prompt #99

[sincerely-sofie]

Hey! Was hoping to ask, do you have any ideas what tarot cards might represent some of the main cast? (If you dont know anything about them, thats fine, you can just Google it probably)

Oh man. Definitely gonna have to use Google for this— it's been a while since I last read up on the Major Arcana. Hoping that I can find legitimate descriptions of the cards. I’ll include summaries that I yoink from various sources.

Twig: Judgement. “The Judgement Tarot card symbolizes spiritual awakening, transformation and absolution. It encourages self-reflection and evaluation to make life-altering decisions. In readings it is a reminder of the importance of honesty, communication and intuition in achieving personal growth.”

Ark: The Moon. “You need to be aware of the situations that are causing fear and anxiety in your mind, whether it is now or in the future. It alerts you not to allow inner disturbances and self-deception to take the best of you. These deep memories and fears must be let go, and the negative energies must be released and turned into something constructive… Another reading of the Moon card is the existence of illusion. Some hidden truth must be discovered, for what you are seeing now may just be a trick of the light. You must search for the hidden forces that must be unraveled.”

Opal: The Magician. “When the Magician appears in a spread, it points to the talents, capabilities and resources at the querent's disposal to succeed. The message is to tap into one's full potential rather than holding back, especially when there is a need to transform something.”

Spindle: The Devil (specifically reversed). “You are being called to your highest potential, but first, you must let go of any unhealthy attachments or limiting beliefs that may hold you back. Often, when you are called to something ‘more’, you must deal with your shadows before you can step into this new version of yourself. It may be an addiction, unhealthy relationships, or a disengaging career. Let go of fear and release any self-imposed limiting beliefs standing in the way of your growth. It is easier than you realize.”

Kip: Strength. “The Strength Tarot card is the Major Arcana card of inner strength. It represents mastering raw emotions in order to bring calm to yourself or a situation. It is similar to the Chariot in that it represents overcoming challenges. However, the Strength card usually refers to inner challenges. Overcoming the obstacles we face in relation to our own doubts, fears and anxieties. In a general context this card indicates that you are learning to master your fears and anxieties, to be courageous and daring. You have all the skills you need to be successful, the focus now is to conquer your inner worries and believe in yourself.”

Sen: Death. “The Death card is probably the most feared and misunderstood of all the cards in the Tarot deck. Just mention the card’s name and most people freak out, worried they will suddenly keel over and die as soon as this card appears… The Death card symbolizes the end of a major phase or aspect of your life that you realize is no longer serving you, opening up the possibility of something far more valuable and essential. You must close one door to open another. You need to put the past behind you and part ways, ready to embrace new opportunities and possibilities. It may be difficult to let go of the past, but you will soon see its importance and the promise of renewal and transformation. If you resist these necessary endings, you may experience pain, both emotionally and physically, but if you exercise your imagination and visualize a new possibility, you allow more constructive patterns to emerge.”

Lucky: The Star. “As The Star follows The Tower card in Tarot, it comes as a welcome reprieve after a period of destruction and turmoil. You have endured many challenges and stripped yourself bare of any limiting beliefs that have previously held you back. You are realizing your core essence, who you are beneath all the layers. No matter what life throws your way, you know that you are always connected to the Divine and pure loving energy. You hold a new sense of self, a new appreciation for the core of your Being.”

Celebi: The Empress. “As the Mother Earth archetype, The Empress urges you to venture out into nature to ground your energy and be in flow with the earth. Take a trip to your favorite natural setting, be it a forest, beach, mountain or lake, and sit for a couple of minutes, hours or even days to breathe in the energy that surrounds you while marveling in the beauty of your surroundings. Allow yourself the time and the space to enter a different frame of mind and receive the grounding spirit of nature into your heart and consciousness. When you do this, you can reach higher planes of consciousness.”

Dusknoir: Justice (specifically reversed— though upright fits as well). “Justice Reversed can suggest that internally, you know you’ve done something that isn’t morally right… (Y)ou will need to live with the consequences on your conscience, so go with what feels right for you… When Justice is reversed, it can indicate your inner critic is in full effect. You may be evaluating your every move and coming down hard on yourself when you misstep. If this resonates, start from a place of forgiveness and self-acceptance. Show yourself a bit of kindness and compassion, knowing we all make mistakes. Thank your inner critic for bringing this private judgement to your conscious awareness, and trust you can now clear it away.”

Grovyle: The Emperor. “As the father figure of the Tarot deck, The Emperor suggests that you are adopting this fatherly role (regardless of whether you are male or female), providing for your family, and protecting and defending your loved ones. You may be the breadwinner or the ‘rock’ for those who rely on your stability and security… You have a clear vision of what you want to create, and you organize those around you to manifest your goal.”

Bud: The Tower. “When The Tower card appears in a Tarot reading, expect the unexpected – massive change, upheaval, destruction and chaos… There’s no escaping it… Your world may come crashing down before you, in ways you could never have imagined as you realize that you have been building your life on unstable foundations – false assumptions, mistruths, illusions, blatant lies, and so on. Everything you thought to be true has turned on its head. You are now questioning what is real and what is not; what you can rely upon and what you cannot trust. This can be very confusing and disorienting, especially when your core belief systems are challenged. But over time, you will come to see that your original beliefs were built on a false understanding, and your new belief systems are more representative of reality.”

Cresselia: The High Priestess (specifically reversed). “It is time to get quiet and withdraw yourself from the external world to observe what your inner guidance is sharing with you now… Ask yourself: Do I struggle to trust my intuition fully? Perhaps you doubt yourself or feel silly or guilty for listening to your intuition, and as a result, you deny your ability to tune in and receive this potent information. You may also keep your intuitive capabilities hidden from others, fearful of their judgements or opinions. If this resonates, know that your intuition is your superpower, here to guide you and help you. Have faith in the Universe and allow yourself to be in flow with its energies. Surrender and let go.”

[celestedoesarttm]

hihihihi omg i heard abt u from @kip-has-fleas it said we'd get along well so hi here i am now please tell me everything about red sun omg i NEED to hear about it /lh (i'll be able to see and respond to stuff on here when i'm home alone so probably... next wednesday (unless u happen to have Sky: CotL or fortnite :3 /nf)

anyways yeah hi u can call me vio btw

i have tumblr (obviously lol /silly) and pinterest although u might have to get an invite link from me for that also i'm cloud_of_corvids on duolingo i think so do what you will with that lol /silly sooooooo yeah :3

Hello Vio!! I’ve heard some lovely things about you as well, and if there’s one thing I love it’s talking about my OCs for extended periods of time! I’ll try to keep basic Red Sun synopsis rather short, though.

Red Sun is set on a planet covered in a vast desert and lit overhead by a burning hot crimson star. There’s a City set up in a valley, a City so large that hundreds of millions of people mill about in some hundreds of thousands of levels every day. And outside of the City is the Wastes—the desert where nobody wise lives and anybody who wants to get away from civilization goes. Our protagonist, Gunhilde, is neither particularly wise nor particularly in love with her fellow man.

That’s why she and her newlywed wife, Annie, settle down in a cabin in the Wastes. And life is good and happy and lovely until their money runs out, and they can’t exactly just plant something lush and tasty in the desert. Gunhilde’s far from a stranger to her sixgun, of course, so she starts taking trips into the City every so often to do odd jobs that stray too close to the wrong side of the law for Annie’s liking.

The tension between them silently grows until, one day, Annie decides that damn it, she’s had enough. She steals Gunhile’s sixgun secretly and announces to her wife that she’s leaving, picks up her packed bag and her banjo case, and heads out the door. Gunhilde follows, protesting and pleading with her. Annie pulls out the gun to make Gunhilde leave her alone. Shock makes the sudden pain in Gunhilde’s right shoulder dull, but she doesn’t quite know if it’s shock from her body or shock at her wife—ex-wife, now, she supposes.

Gunhilde spends a sad few days alone in the house with a hurting shoulder before she decides to follow Annie into the City to find her. She stops at a sleazy bar at the very edge of the City, where she meets an interesting figure by name of Ivain Ray. Ivain’s rather interested in Gunhilde’s sorry tale, and they decide to stick with her and help her in her search. They bring her to their, ah, business partner Eloise Deorwine, the matriarch of one of the richest families in the entire City. Eloise offers Gunhilde money and resources for her search, as well as a place to stay and friendship. The cowgirl stays there for a couple of months, befriending Eilos (Eloise’s younger brother) and going to Eloise’s elaborate balls in between searching for her lover with Ivain.

Those lovely months filled with anticipation come to an end when, one day, Ivain and Gunhilde walk through an alley by one of Ivain’s bars as a shortcut and stumble upon the dead body of Ivain’s little sister, Ialde ‘Moray’ Ray.

Ivain is absolutely heartbroken, but once Eloise urges them to resume their life and stay away from drink, their grief turns into a wild desire for vengeance for whomever decided it was a great idea to shoot their sister. They start their own search alongside Gunhilde’s, and eventually their research reveals that a certain group killed Moray (on accident, it seems. At the very least she wasn’t a purposeful target) and that Gunhilde has previously worked for that group in the past, back when she was doing odd jobs for money. And apparently she’s still got quite a pretty little bounty on her head. And Ivain has lots of debts to pay.

Ivain takes Gunhilde out on a walk through the City, disguising it as another research trip. The moment they’re alone together, they pulls a gun on her and turn her in to the police for a hefty profit. (When they return home, Eloise greets them sweetly, then asks where Gunhilde is. They promptly break into tears.)

And so Gunhilde spends about a year in jail with an bullet wound to her shoulder that never quite received the proper medical care it deserved. That’s how, when Eloise finally ordered Ivain to go back and bail her out, Ivain found her with a badly amputated arm and a look of loathing in her eyes. They paid her bail and then paid an additional large number on getting her a new arm. (She tested it out by beating the shit out of Ivain. Since the arm was made of steel, it worked quite well.)

That’s currently where the story leaves off—Gunhilde staying with the Deorwines again, still looking for her ex-wife and adjusting to a new arm and new strained relationships; Ivain making deals with Eloise, being dismissive of Eilos, and avoiding Gunhilde; Eloise running the place, dealing with her vampirism, and keeping Ivain in check; and Eilos still struggling with his mental state, ripping up his paintings, and trying to remain good friends with Gunhilde. And, of course, somewhere deep in the heart of the City, you can still hear Annie singing and playing her banjo, the sound drifting out among the streets and looking for a couple of dollars.

And if some of the stuff I mentioned in that last paragraph seemed a bit out of left field, that’s because this is the HEAVILY ABRIDGED version. I’ve had to breeze past some set dressing details, Ye Miserable Bastards, the finer points of the Deorwines, the Rays’ backstory, and I’ve completely dodged the whole sorry tale of Azalai Belle and the Circus. (In my defense, that one happened a good twenty years or so before the story began.) but yeah!!

(Two last bits of promotion: Red Sun has a WIP website that I’m currently trying (and failing) to make! I also have a youtube channel where I’ve posted several animatics and songs related to Red Sun. They’re in a playlist on my channel, and the links to both my YT channel and my Neocities Red Sun website are in my bio.)

Thank you for sending in this ask, again, I love talking about my little guys and the stage show that’s dancing through my mind, so thank you for giving met he opportunity to do so. If you (or anyone else 👁 👁) have any questions, feel free to shoot me an ask and I’ll elaborate!!! :D

[the-kipsabian]

Kip Sabian.

Please go off.

anon i respect you so much for this but i hope you know what you have just done LMAO

tl;dr - hes absolutely perfect in every way possible. love of my life

hes just.. so innovative. his character work is absolutely fucking masterful, no matter which one it is. all of them are so delightfully different from one another but you can still see the same man behind all of them and thats just talking about the range of the character work and the clear work and effort he puts into everything he does, be it just the characters themselves, the promos, in-ring work, anything. he always goes all out, hes creative as hell with them (name me one other person that gets over with a box on their head i dare you) and it truly shows how loving and passionate he is about this whole wrestling thing and that he just absolutely gets it. also he just has fun with it and it shows. anything from cocky indie superbad to coward best husband superbad to boxman to whatever the cringe failure era was lmao and now the sex idol. he just does it all and he does it flawlessly and i will throw hands with tk if he doesnt capitalize on this man soon i sWEAR TO GODDAMN

his in-ring work is incredibly good. watch literally any sequence hes ever had with orange cassidy and you see what i mean. hes improved from that too (since the last one of those was a quite long while ago now), he can hang with pretty much anyone. i like it the way he says it himself, he can literally make anyone look good and no one has ever complained about having to work with him in the ring. which says a lot about how good and talented he is imo. he can do it all, be it more grounded moves or recently hes been doing a lot more jumps and top rope moves which! exciting!! cause it just adds to his arsenal and shows off that flexibility even more and its just so insanely good. like fuck man if you can get someone who can hang one-on-one with someone like vikingo like he did a few weeks back, thats a fucking keeper. dont you dare forget that

im not gonna take this moment to talk about his promo stuff cause i will literally be here forever. watch this and get back to me later about why im right that hes incredible at this shit with the tone and again character work and just overall presentation. even if its now a bit more comedic with the sex idol, its still an absolute delight. also i could listen to him talk forever, he has my favorite voice in the entire world and his accent is delicious and good fucking lord

PRESENTATION. hes just really fucking hot okay. i thought he was cute before but my god. the hair, no matter the version, on point. the eyeliner, gorgeous. nail polish, good lord (he needs to bring it back tbh its been a while). the outfits, holy shit i cant say words. i have done an extensive gear study to show how truly insane he makes me about his looks, not to mention the goddamn casual fits/suit game. jesus take the wheel. his smile is fucking out of his world and the laugh lines he gets are maybe my favorite feature on any human ever. hes fucking delicious and what of it

also arms. i dont think i need to say anything more i have also turned into a back admirer girlie (gn) because of him so like. uuuuuh

AND THEN. hes just a fucking delightful human being in general. is he stupid and cringey? yes, but arent we all. it just shows how human he is. just like us. ive so many times wondered how if we lived on slightly different timelines, we might have genuinely been friends cause he reminds me so much of guys of the same age that i know and im friends with. like we would have meshed pretty well together if circumstances were different lmao. that just shows me how genuine he is tbh. hes just fucking nice, hes very supportive, tries his best to be a good ally (i have both seen this and have first hand experience on it so dont @ me saying im wrong or its performative, i have way too many cases to prove that hes fr fr) and.. yeah. ive never heard anyone that actually knows him say anything bad about him. he has his flaws, obviously, cause nobodys perfect, but he makes up for it with what ridiculously good he has in him. this is a man with so much potential and love to give to the world both in his personal and professional lives and hes just needs his chance to shine so fucking badly, in all areas of life

im gonna stop now before i get too emotional but. yeah. he means fucking everything to me 💜💜

[multiplicity-positivity]

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to separate from their source? I've got a headmate who is very much struggling with/unhappy with his source and I'd like to help/give him some advice if y'all have any to pass along

hello, cecil is cofronting and right now so we do feel confident enough to try and offer some advice.

source separation can be tricky, and may be a process best undertaken in therapy. if you have a therapist, it may be wise to bring this up with them to discuss possible solutions. additionally, the process of source separation may vary from system to system and even headmate to headmate. so what has been working for cecil may not work for your system.

some of the best advice we can give you is to branch out and try new things. it seems like many introjects try to adhere strictly to their source as much as possible, trying to maintain the same hobbies as their source, act the same, and basically live their source’s life as a headmate in a system. in order for source separation to happen, this has to stop.

it may help for your headmate to remind himself that he is his own person. introjects are not their sources, even if they feel the same or incredibly similar. his source is not living life as a headmate in your system (unless he happens to be an introject of another headmate!). his source is not experiencing life in the same way that he is, is not making the same decisions or interacting with the world in exactly the same way. these ideas helped put cecil’s mind at ease - maybe they’ll help your headmate too.

if your headmate is a fictive or a factive of a content creator/celebrity, it may be helpful for your whole system to try and avoid his source for your headmate’s comfort and well-being. i know this can be hard, especially if his source is a beloved piece of media, special interest, or hyperfixation. but distancing your system from content related to this headmate’s source could really help him start to find himself and flesh out his own identity. we know for cecil, there was always this unspoken expectation hanging over him that as long as we were playing disco elysium, he would have to witness his source and (consciously or unconsciously) try and behave similarly. the whole system taking a break from the game has helped cecil’s mental health immensely. we value the feelings and needs of our headmates more than games or media we enjoy.

we’d encourage your headmate to experiment with all sorts of things. he can question his gender and sexuality, try out different names and pronouns, research otherkin or therianthropy. he could learn about different fields of science or humanities, learn to craft, bake, code, knit, or play disc golf. he could seek out a favorite color or aesthetic, and experiment with his sense of fashion and style. learning not to let his source govern the decisions he makes day to day will greatly benefit his process of source separation.

finally, getting support from loved ones (even within the system) may help this transition be smoother for him. so diligently using his new name (if he chooses one), encouraging him to keep branching out with his choices, and having his back when he does could all help. defending him when others shame or look down on him for separating from his source would be excellent. showing interest in his new interests, and generally just acknowledging his changes and still caring for him through it all could be incredibly beneficial.

remember source separation is a process - it doesn’t happen overnight. so some patience and determination will be necessary. it truly can happen though, even if it seems hopeless at first.

we’re wishing you, this headmate, and your whole system the very best. we hope something written here will be of use to you. thank you for reaching out.

🐢 kip and 🖋 cecil

[katiedido2]

Star Watching

So I seem to be inspired to write after I read anything by @willow-salix. I hope you enjoy this snippet of life on Tracy Island with smol kiddos.

John saw Selene having fun with a nephew and wanted his turn.

~~~

The little boy made his way into the lounge on silent, socked feet. He spied his uncle and aunt comfortably snuggled on one of the sofas. He smiled. Daddy had told him it was a clear night and the stars would be easily seen from the lounge's balcony. He looked back to see if either of his parents had noticed he wasn’t asleep. He didn’t see them and, listening intently, didn’t hear them either. Likely, they were involved in getting his older brothers ready for bed. Good. He wanted to stargaze with his uncle by himself. Kip was too restless to sit still, and Alex insisted on bringing paper and crayons to draw with and then bemoaning it was too dark to see the paper. He shook his small head. He loved his brothers fiercely, but sometimes he needed quiet time to just stare at the night sky and think. He knew he’d be able to do that with his Uncle John.

Selene was the first to become aware of the small boy’s presence in the room. She nudged John and whispered, “Ginger, three o’clock.”

John glanced at his wife and subtly peeked over the tip of his tablet. A small, red-headed five-year-old stood huddled next to the side table at the edge of the room. “Three o’clock is the balcony, my love. The ginger is at eleven o’clock.” Selene rolled her eyes.

“Should we acknowledge him?”

John thought for a second. “No. Let’s see what he does.” She nodded, and they returned to their reading, though John kept half an eye on his nephew.

Virgil and Rebecca had three boys. Their eldest, Kip, with his curly black hair and soulful brown eyes, was his father in miniature. Great-grandma Sally gleefully produced baby and childhood photos to confirm it. Alex had been born with his mother’s blond hair and blue eyes. However, by his third birthday, his hair darkened and his resemblance to his Uncle Scott was uncanny. But the resemblance to father and uncle, respectively, was only physical. Kip had inherited his uncle’s Yolo adventurousness and Alex, his father’s cautious, methodical, compassionate soul. They couldn’t have been more different, yet they were inseparable, with Kip dreaming up grand adventures and Alex working out the logistics to make them happen. One was off in the clouds, and the other was calmly grounded. Their mother called them Earth and Sky. Their little brother, however, was of a reserved disposition. 

Virgil’s youngest was a quiet child who enjoyed his own company. A precocious child, he had learned to read at three and proved to be a piano prodigy, like his mother. But space fascinated him, and he loved looking at the night sky. He eagerly absorbed Granpa Jeff’s and his astronaut uncles’ stories about the stars, the solar system and their adventures in space. The ginger hair had been a surprise at first, but since she seemed to be replicating Jeff’s sons, Rebecca had chuckled and said the baby should be called John. Virgil had immediately agreed but asked if they could call him Jack. And Jack Tracy he was.

(When later asked by an eager great-grandmother if there would be more babies, Rebecca had kindly and firmly said no. Since she had reproduced Scott, Virgil and John, then next would surely be a Gordon, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to be the one to unleash another Loki-like ray of sunshine on the world. She would leave that honour to Scott or Gordon. Thus far, the two men - and their wives - had produced smart, happy boys who had taken after their mothers.)

Now that he was aware of the small boy’s presence, John was hyper-aware of his movements. He heard small feet quietly, carefully pad down the steps into the sunken lounge and was not surprised to find bright turquoise eyes looking intently at him when he glanced up from his tablet a moment later.

“Hello, Jack.”

“Hi, Uncle Jay.” Jack looked very serious. John hid a smile.

“How may I help you?”

Small ginger eyebrows rose. “Star watch?”

It was Selene’s turn to hide a smile. Jack was as obsessed with space and the night sky as Kip was with flying and Thunderbird One. John smiled at his namesake, set aside his tablet and rose, taking a small hand in his.

“Okay. But do your parents know you’re here?” Jack shook his head. “Well, we’ll have to let them know before we go outside.”

Small shoulders slumped. “They’ll say no.”

“How do you know?”

“Mummy said no, 'cause it was my bedtime.” A pout was added to his downcast expression. John’s lips twitched.

“I’ll ask, and maybe she’ll say yes. Okay?” Jack looked dubious but nodded his head in agreement.

John touched his comms. “Rebecca?”

“Yes, John?” Rebecca’s normally crisp British accent sounded worn and tired. He could hear Virgil talking to the twins in the background.

“It’s a beautifully clear night, and I was thinking of taking Jack outside to star watch.”

“I’m sorry, John, but Jack’s sleep.”

John looked at his nephew. “No, he’s here with me.”

“He’s what?!” Jack huddled closer to his uncle. John could almost see Rebecca’s eyebrows raised in surprise. To the surprise of both gingers, she chuckled. Sighing, she said, “Okay. But only for a half hour, Jack. You’re so cranky if you don’t get enough rest.”

Jack nodded as if his mother could see him. “K, mummy.”

“You two have fun.”

“Thanks, Becca. We will.” John smiled at Jack, scooped him up in his arms and spun him around, the boy's giggle tickling his soul. Smiling, the two headed outside. Selene dimmed the room’s lights and went to the kitchen to make cocoa for the stargazers.

John set Jack on his feet. “Crisscross applesauce?” John nodded and sat with his legs crossed. He patted his thigh, and the little boy settled into what he called his ‘Uncle Jay chair’, reclining against John’s chest, his head neatly tucked under John’s chin.

“What do you recognise from the last time?”

Small fingers pointed to tiny pricks of light in the night sky, confidently naming the stars his uncle had taught him. “That’s Altair…and Vega…and Deneb. They’re the Summer Triangle.”

“Very good.” John pressed a kiss on the little boy’s head, momentarily overwhelmed by how much he loved this small person.

When Virgil and Rebecca learned that it would be unlikely for John and Selene to have children following her accident, they had, in unison, asked the couple to be Jack’s godparents. Since they weren’t a religious family, John had asked what role they were meant to play as godparents. “Love him,” had been Virgil’s response. “Love and care for him if we’re unable to.” And John did. That surprised him the most - how much he loved this child. And his logical mind couldn’t find a reason to help him understand why he loved Jack as much as he did. Why he loved him more than his other nephews. Was it their shared love of the stars and space? Was it because they were both third-born? Was it because they were both quiet and preferred solitary activities? Was it because they were gingers? Was it the way he seemed to trust John implicitly?

John had discussed it with Selene, and she had suggested that he was overthinking it. “There doesn’t have to be a single reason you love Jack. You love him because he’s him.”

“But why do I love him more than the others?”

“Maybe he fills that part of you that longed for a child of our own?”

“Sele-”

“We opened our hearts to the possibility of a child, and it was taken from us.” She wrapped her arms around him. “We’ve accepted we’re a family of two, but that doesn’t mean your heart has completely healed.” She shrugged and looked at him. “Maybe Jack fills the space that was left? ”

“Maybe.” John had kissed his wife, grateful as always that they had found each other.

“Uncle Jay?” The small voice brought him back to the present.

“Yes, Jack?”

“Should I show you the others I remember?”

John hugged the small boy. “Yes, show me what you remember.”

As if sensing his uncle’s disquiet, Jack twisted in John’s lap and kissed him on the cheek. He resettled himself, and clutching one hand in his small one, he pointed out the other stars he remembered. Wrapping an arm around the boy in his lap, John kissed the top of his head as tears filled his eyes. He swallowed, trying to keep them from falling. Selene approached and sat next to him. She set a tray with three cups of cocoa on the ground and looked at her husband.

“Are you okay?”

John nodded, feeling silly for being so emotional. He shifted a little to wrap an arm around his wife. He held both of them close to him.

“John?”

“Uncle Jay?”

John sniffled, kissed Selene and kissed Jack’s temple. “I’m good. I’m better than good. I’m perfect.” Selene wiped away a rogue tear on his cheek. “Jack, do you see that winking star over there?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s named after your grandmother. Let me tell you all about it.”

-fin-

[wings-of-ink]

Hello

I'm the anon who made an ask some time ago about an MC who likes to take care of others. And also the one who rambled about the name I gave to my MC (Winfred, if you remember).

Well, I was thinking about what would Winfred do, after the adventure has ended and they are cured (hopefully). And I imagine that he would like to have a house nearby his parents, if not live there still, but making some room additions. See, I know Winfred would basically adopt the gang after everything is over. So, while he would marry Oswin, I see him inviting Zahn, Duri, Rune and ??? to live with them, or to visit constantly. Always having a warm bed and meal prepared for them. And making sure they are being taking care of.

I imagine Oswin would be conflicted by this. Mostly because it does in line with Winfred's caring and gentle personality. But also because Oswin always has some level of conflict with the others. But Winfred probably will end up seeing the rest as his sons in a way. Which is very funny when it comes to Duri, Rune and ???, since I don't see them expecting that coming. Yet, the way I see things, the relationship would evolve to this stage so slowly that one day they would wake up in shock realizing what happened.

The more I think about it, I don't see Winfred living far from Kip and Dov. I simply can't. I know he would want to take care of them when they get to old age. If not earlier. He already does in a way. Since he always comforts them when the choice is available after something terrible happened. And he decided to spare the problems he faced on the letter, so they remain hopeful instead of worrying.

I also see Winfred helping Lakota and family. He already loves children, especially those of his friend, so I imagine Winfred would prefer to stay close so he can help raising them. And be there in case of need as all his loved ones have been for him during his life.

I do wonder what the cast (the RO's, since everyone is too much) would think about the whole development of Winfred basically adopting them? Well, adopting them all but Oswin, who gets to be the beloved husband. I do think is a funny situation especially for Duri, since he basically began the relationship with a lot of heavy sexual innuendo flirting. So ending up in such a position must be puzzling.

Hello again, my dear Anon!

I'm loving the picture you're painting for your MC and their found family. They all really really need that, especially at this stage of each of their lives. Oswin will have some tension for a while, mostly with Zahn, Duri, and eventually ???. Rune will be the easiest for him to get along with. Once the series of events play out and the team has gone through some rough stuff together, Oswin will start seeing them as friends. So if Winfred wanted to invite his friends to live close as a family, Oswin would be supportive (he needs some good friends too). Now, he'd maybe gripe a little and feel a bit uncertain at first, but he just needs time to adjust.

Kip and Dove would be thrilled that not only does their kid want to stay close, but he brings all these people whom he cares for to surround himself with. Lakota as well, though he might get just a teensy bit jealous just at first. He's accustomed to having the MC mostly to himself. But, he's a sweety and loves people and it will not take long for him care deeply for them as well.

Zahn is probably the one to most readily accept Winfred's invitation. They have probably the most flexible living arrangement, so they don't really have much to consider there. They'd be so happy and excited for this new way of life. They are used to city-dwelling, so that would be an adjustment, but they'd find fun in it.

Duri would be a bit torn at first. To leave for an adventure is one thing, to leave their birthplace for a more permanent living situation is another. They love the pack, though without Duri, they would still thrive. They'd agree, but tentatively - probably wanting some of the pack to come with and dwell in the wood around the village. Duri would be more inclined to be an inside/outside friend too, lol. They need to run around and explore. Over time, Duri would do quite well in living close to humans and they'd love having a found-family (even if it's hard to admit).

Rune would need to think on it for a while, though they'd like the concept. As long as they can perform their music, Rune would find happiness. They'd probably still like to visit some other cities though. Rune may even establish a couple places to live, it just depends on what they get up to after the adventure.

??? is likely to hang around, but it would take him some time to really feel like he's found his home. He'd be inclined to suddenly wander off one day (maybe even without a word), stay out for a bit, and then make his way back. He's not one to part from those he cares for easily, so the odds of him accepting this arrangement are high - though he'd want his own little space - maybe even hang out with Duri in the woods (keep an eye on those two).

Thank you for the sweet ask, Nony! ^_^

[dreamlandgirlie]

the cleveland guardians (taylor’s version) aka specifically taylor swift lyrics that remind me of the boys (ty @lalaloobzy for the inspiration)

the last great american dynasty, but specifically the bridge: “they say she was seen on occasion, pacing the rocks, staring out on the midnight sea” - for some reason it just makes me think of that time when kip played for the cubs (i think?) and tipped his hat to the empty stands in cleveland during 2020 but also “and then it was bought by me” bc it implies a new era of chaotic energy (in the best way) within our organization

the great war: “there’s no morning glory, it was war it wasn’t fair” - this seems self explanatory

begin again: “i’ve been spending the last 8 months thinking all love ever does is break, and burn, and end. but on a wednesday, in a cafe, i watched it begin again” - this just makes me feel hopeful for the future? like when it’s a new season or we get new players, etc.

peace: “i’d give you my sunshine, give you my best, but the rain is always gonna come if you’re standing with me.” - aka we’re gonna try hard and have fun but we aren’t gonna win (for the most part)

long story short: “past me, i wanna tell you not to get lost in these petty things. your nemeses will defeat themselves before you get the chance to swing.” - this rly makes me think of like around 2022 alds time, it’s also something i wish i could go back and tell myself (especially as someone who is so ride or die for josh naylor, given the drama surrounding him at the time)

electric touch: “all i know is this could either break my heart, or bring it back to life.” - how i feel literally every game

change: literally the whole song but specifically “they might be bigger but we’re faster and never scared” - this also doesn’t need any explanation

the very first night: “we were built to fall apart. we broke the status quo, then we broke each other’s hearts” -we defy everyone’s expectations and then we lose right after

forever winter: “live my life scared to death, he’ll decide to leave instead” - josé ramírez, do i need to explain further than that? hoax: “you know i left a part of me back in new york. you knew the hero died so what’s the movie for? you knew it still hurts underneath my scars from when they pulled me apart.” - OUCHHH 2022 alds ☹️

dear reader *i couldn’t narrow it down to just one lyric for this so here are multiple*:

“you don’t have to answer just ‘cause they asked you”

“bend when you can, snap when you have to”

“you wouldn’t take my word for it if you knew who was talking”

“my friends found friends who care, no one sees when you lose when you’re playing solitaire.” - ALL of the above are josey and you cannot tell me im wrong

the archer: “who could ever leave me darling? but who could stay” and the entire “they see right through me, they see right through me” part - bc no fr…who COULD stay?

castles crumbling: “now they’re screaming at the palace front gates, used to chant my name, now they’re screaming that they hate me.” and “you don’t want to know me, i will just let you down” - ever since this came out it has literally played in my head every time one of the boys is expected to be the ‘hero’ in a precarious situation but ultimately fucks up/we don’t win/etc

look what you made me do: “honey i rose up from the dead, i do it all the time” and “all i think about is karma” - just waiting for karma to do its thing towards anyone who has wronged us 🤷‍♀️

[noarotic]

howdy ho neighbors it's ya boy kip here back with another muse. i have a whole lot of free time coming up and i thought i'd finally bring my boy i've been holding onto for the better half of a year so have my BIG ol' rich softie. you can find his profile and pinterest linked (it was so weird not making a kprofile) but please love him.

 —— welcome to infinite entertainment! it's CHO 'NOAH' SUNWOO, who is the MANAGER of SOLOIST 4. i’ve heard whispers that the 29 year old is pretty GOODHEARTED but lowkey SHALLOW. also, doesn’t he remind you of JUNG JAEHYUN?

pre-entertainment industry

noah was born into a wealth most can’t imagine. kind of sorta. while his grandparents on his fathers side: his grand father being  global tech conglomerate  and academic and his grandmother a socialite and chaebol having a pretty hefty family name (think the kennedys), were wealthy, his mother not so much. 

paulina han was from a long line of…street oriented people. her father was into some deep seedy nightlife. her mother was an exotic dancer and it didn’t take long for lina to follow suit. lina, princess in her fathers empire, met noah’s father in the same club her parents met on his graduation trip abroad.

paulina’s life was fast paced and exciting for hyunsik and it didn’t take long for his naivety to have him falling into the same lifestyle paulina was used to living. and the unsafe road she traveled on included her getting pregnant with their first son at 20. 

at first noah’s grandparents, though disapproving simply let hyunsik go off on his little “post grad” slender even when he brought it back to korea, until noah was born, and when their son refused to leave the depths of the street they took to the courts to bring the now young child away from their fuckery and raised by themselves

this proved quite beneficial to noah, as he began a life of nothing but luxury. going to the best schools and being pampered by his elding new guardians. and when they were ready for noah to branch out, instead of moving him to states on his own, they couple picked up and moved to new york state, starting their new chapter with their grandson.

growing up in upstate had noah falling into the easy niceties of the billionaire boys club. birthday parties at his grandparents estate, the best tutors the us could provide, yacht parties and stuffy private school uniforms. and access to these things were perfect for a closed off, intellectual prodigy like himself. 

noah excelled in school, math and reading being his strong points. he fell in love with literature, often hiding in his grandparents vast library, almost completing every book in its collection. and by graduation he was valedictorian, taking a full ride to columbia university even though they could have paid for his and many of his friends.

in university, noah began to branch out a bit more. he joined sigma chi a notorious fraternity and began a college career of exceptional grades and falling deeper into the crowd of young adults with more money than they could handle and zero responsibility. sure he worked hard in school, but not many places outside of that. all he felt he could offer was his intellect.

his grandparents began to notice too, and upon noah’s graduation from columbia he was sent back to korea and simply handed a job pack mulling around another family member's entertainment company.   

in the industry

at golden media noah was no more than an extra body…at first. he had a nice office that he spent most of his time neatly dressed in doing a lot of really nothing, unless his uncle or cousin were wanting him to fetch coffee or go pick something up for the idols. but as long as such a prestigious job was on payroll, no one batted an eye.

but his bliss as a paper weight was cut short when new management was needed for a boy group that was going through the ringer, and towards the end of their short lived career, noah was thrown into being a manager (see: glorified babysitter) for just one of their more promising members.

9/10s my boy probably wasnt involved with anything much while seok was "officially" in elixir? maybe he was around as his position in the company but thats just about it. as far as his spot as manager? maybe he was told to look after seok for the promotional period? and he didn't exactly do a bad job so they kind of made (see: forced him) to keep the gig full time? and noah being the good guy he is, he probably said yes after seeing how CRAZY a promotional period for an idol could be and didn't want him to keep doing that alone at least thats what he told himself but in reality he got attached fast watching this little lost boy just kind of get bullied into doing what he's told which is what he went through as a child.

when minseok’s solo career took off, noah spent the first year or so fumbling around. he was now in charge of an entire human, torn from their family and full of spontaneous energy. he had to keep his nose clean while making sure he was where he needed doing what he needed when he needed to be there

even now he still finds himself struggling to truly be the manger he thinks he has to be.

infinite entertainment and tour

while infinite was on tour, noah spent the majority of the first year keeping up with his client that he’d come to love like a son and navigating his first tour on this grand of a scale. 

he made a couple of connections and tried his best to get in some sort of grace with the other staff during it. 

it was around this time he began his foodie/cooking tik tok, starting it by reviewing little restaurants at each stop. his love of food and cooking began when he was around ten years old and he felt like he needed to do something with it.

when the first tour ended and the merger was initiated noah was offered a spot in another part of the company. it was back at a desk job doing nothing but having his name plastered in random spots while his cousin and uncle praised him for just showing up. it would have been a higher rank and higher pay, but he’d gotten so close to the soloist at this point that he hadn’t wanted to leave his spot as their manager. 

turning it down left a bit of a rift between him and the family involved but he decided he hadn’t minded it.

at first he was a little against the merger, but when told it would be better for the soloist he signed right on even though he was apprehensive.

post-tour

now that they're back in seoul, he began adding cooking to his tik toks. and we’ll all be honest it took off because he’s hot but he tells himself its because his dishes are great, and his original recipes were easy to follow.

he’s working on getting to know the rest of the company and trying to pull out of his shell a little bit. he’s constantly being asked to move up and put his intellect and mind to good use but he’s perfectly content being a pseudo dad to minseok and his cats

he’s entered some culinary classes to learn some more technical skill and i’m teetering on his long term goal of opening his own restaurant, the boy has such a knack for it and is good with numbers it might be a cute little cozy thing for him to do.

canons/personality tidbits & quirks

labrador boy/gentle giant

himbo qualities

has a lot of book smarts but it took a long time for that common sense to come around

has 2 cats and a pup a balinese named senku , a smoke grey korat named topanga and a silver sable german shepard puppy named daenerys

cho nari is his cousin on his dad's side

slightly cocky in the sense his grandparents raised him as a “you’re good at everything” so he is truly stunned when reality hits his rich ass some times

has a temper he’s good at controlling mostly in fear of it

9/10s would be a raven law huffle puff cusp but probably would kill for someone he loved with his bare hands.

def not a leader boy, likes to blend in the crowd and not be noticed unless he’s recognized for his talents

blushes at compliments but def has a words of affirmation as a love language as well as gift giving.

protective and jealous but trusting, has a “what’s mine is mine” complex including with people on his life but isn’t outwardly like insecure

has a secret love of ggs  

he likes a good routine but only because thats all he knows

has a knack for the finer things in life

goofy and truly kind hearted almost to a fault

really good at advice

when he’s passionate about your well being will get stern

gordan ramsey is his idol

is in an outdoors guy but in a hiking, snow boarding, ski trips to sweden, kayaking in the carribean type of outdoors guy.

☼ : taurus

☾ : cancer

↑ : libra

illnesses (if any): minor ptsd from the incident that led to him living with his grandparents

tattoos: his birthday in roman numerals on his ribcage, his mothers korean name in hangul down the side of his neck behind his ear, small ‘sigma’ and ‘chi’ on the back of his neck, usually covered by hair or collar.

over all he's a good boy with a good heart and food settled in the center of it. he's got a bit of an angry beast, that he keeps sedated with his positivity and optimism, inside of him. he can be on the shallow side which means he hardly thinks anyone around him want much more than what's on the surface. he operates that way, not thinking too deeply into peoples actions and words thinking everyone is as fake or as shallow as the world he grew up in. seriously lacks street smarts but is the best damned golden retriever you ever did meet. love him dearly he's a genius boy with a book as a comfort item.

interests: cooking, reading, poetry, going to museums, visiting cool libraries, binge watching cooking shows. 

aesthetic: an upstate estate, ravenclaw flags, circle rimmed glasses, black coffee, light academia, a little boy looking up at the stars, late night phone conversations, arm veins, early runs in the rain, museum dates, yacht dinners, polished loafers, cuffed dress shirts, greek statues

socials:

instagram: @noahscho

tik tok: noahscho94

wanted connections and plots

new york, new york: a comfort place beneath the burning lights of the city, bouncing between manhattan, upstate, the bronx, jersey however far the subway would take you. noah could shed the stuffy neck tie and pleated khakis and just live just a little bit. sure back then you were the reason he was constantly in trouble for curfew but the times together could never be replicated. (taken by song eden)

ol’ man river: of course in an idol company those who ventured out into stardom always seem to start young. teen stars and starlettes with their eyes shining and wide ready to show the world what they’re made of. but noah was late in the game and even more so not even on the stage side, and it’s hard for him to find a space next to bright eyes and bushy tails. you’re apart of the gentlemen’s club of his that are more refined with his….age and he likes that. he can find you comfortable, chatting about life and indulging in things that don’t make him feel so….old. (taken by choi haneul)

some enchanted evening: oops, kind of. there was too many reasons why it shouldn’t have happened, but the after effects proved that it wasn’t terrible. sure he can’t look you in the eye, and maaaaaybe the flash backs plague him everytime he sees you but that aside, the fact that your friendship has decayed with others close to him, leaves the recent enchanting evening together seeming a little too seedy for the light of day. (taken by : miywaki ren )

[sincerely-sofie]

What happens to kip after the story of the present is a gift? Honestly wish for more Kip posts too

Kip, after the events of the TPiaG fanfic, goes on a number of expeditions with his archaeological team and eventually encounters a young orphaned yamask whom he takes in during one expedition. On the expedition after that, he unearths and unintentionally reactivates a sigilyph construct who swears to protect him and his daughter as payment for the life debt she garnered. He continues his research and proposals based on the research he did on the latter archaeological expedition, and takes a special interest in humans as a topic of study, eventually spearheading a project that researched the ruins of a human bunker. He eventually garners an injury during one expedition that results in him having a permanent limp and occasionally needing to use a cane, decides to pivot his career once again from a researcher who goes on digs and expeditions to a professor who teaches history to young scholars and is available as an intellectual resource / consultant and infrequent expedition partner for his fellow archaeologists.

He misses going on expeditions, but teaching is a lot better of a fit for his preferred lifestyle. Lucky thrives with the consistency of their routine whenever they’re home in Treasure Town, and so does he. Plus, he loves all of his students and helping them learn about the wonders (and horrors) of the past. His old archaeologist team members visit him often, and they have a heck of a good time catching up whenever they do. Acai especially keeps in touch, and always sends mountains of letters between in-person visits. Spearow is less of a frequent letter-writer, but sends Kip a lot of questions seeking his thoughts and advice whenever she does. Igni sends excerpts of recipe books he likes, and Kip has a cookbook of his own made up from the copied-down pages of recipes Igni thinks he, Lucky, and Sen would like and mails to him.

Kip pays Twig and her household frequent visits, and absolutely loves Opal, Spindle, and Ruby. He gets along really great with Spindle in particular, and Twig is super grateful that he’s helped the kid explore possibilities for his future with enthusiasm instead of anxiety. Spindle is scared there’s no options out there for him and is scared to commit to the wrong choice, but Kip, all too familiar with the feeling, helps him understand that he can always change his mind later.

Kip is probably the hardest character to script content for in TPiaG beyond occasional gags— he’s well-adjusted and has recovered from his trauma very well, which doesn’t make for especially interesting writing. Living a quiet, simple life he’s very content with and brings him a lot of satisfaction is a bit dull from a narrative perspective, after all! Sure, he hates leaving Lucky home alone and is very aware of the painfully faded memory of the last night he saw his parents whenever he does so, but ultimately he doesn’t let that stop him from being a normal person who has to go attend meetings on his own every so often. I love this guy, but he’s tricky to make interesting! He’s boring in all the happiest ways possible :>

[navigatrixnarrations]

Sharpe’s Beacon, Chapter 10

I left it on a bit of a cliffhanger because it was getting long, and because it will force me to finish the next installment a lot more quickly than I did this one.

Word Count: 2043

The fire burnt down all the way down beneath the barest sliver of a moon. The night is clear and brilliant. Davy isn’t on watch tonight.  Sharpe ought to tell her to catch some kip, but he can’t quite bring himself to do so, not when the world is easier to face with her at his side. He hopes his presence makes her grief easier to bear. Sometime while they were sitting, without any conscious thought, Sharpe’s arm made its way ’round Day’s slender waist and he’d felt some of the tension go out of her whipcord-lean body. Still, her eyes occasionally dart to the hillsides, likely seeking any sign of the beacons used by the Frogs and traitor.

“I knew him, your Stevens. He made Sergeant before I did. He were a good man.”

Davy’s expression doesn’t change, but against his arm, her ribs expand with her inhale. He waits for her to respond, but she doesn’t, so he continues. “You wrote his mum a good letter. Why did you ball it up?”

“I thought I’d rather wait until I’ve caught the bastard who betrayed us to the Frogs, Sir. Let her know the traitor answered for killing her son.” She’s taken the same neutral tone she’d used when reporting to Nairn. There’s more to it, Sharpe knows there is, but he can’t press her to tell, not if he wants her to ever confide in him. And so he waits.

She stares at the worn toes of her boots. “And because, Sir, I was afraid of giving away too much. You knew immediately how I felt about him when you read it.”

“Only because I know you.” 

She lifts questioning eyes to meet his.

“She’s a grieving mother, Davy. She’ll be glad to know her son’s Lieutenant respected him and cared about him. Doubt she’d think there was more to it than that.”

“I’ll send it, then, when we’re back in camp.” She makes a wry face. “I’ll recopy it, first.” She tenses, all softness fleeing her face and body. In a single motion, Davy is on her feet, reaching for her rifle and pack. “Sir, a light, three hills over.” 

He follows her pointed finger. 

“There. It flickered a few times then was gone. I’ll go scout it out, Sir. I won’t engage, not unless I have to.”

“Davy, no!” Danger is an inescapable part of this life, but he’ll not send his Davy alone into a potential trap. 

Davy looks him in the eye. “Sir, I’m an exploring officer. Solo recon is my job.”

”No,” he growls. “You’re not going.” 

“But Sir…”

“I said no, and that’s an order.”

The muscle in her jaw clenches and her eyes narrow. “Yes, Sir.”

She’s a good soldier, she won’t disobey orders, won’t talk back, but she’s not happy about it. It’s a stark reminder that he needs to tread carefully with her lest she think he’s trying to use his rank to take advantage. He takes a gentler tone. “It’s the dead of night, Davy, barely a moon, and you would be walking into God only knows what. You’re no use to the mission if you get killed.”

“Wouldn’t be my first time scouting in the dark. Or my hundredth. Sir.” Her voice comes tight between gritted teeth. Sharpe’s heart twists at the anger that she is barely trying to conceal. 

She lost her man and her entire squad because of traitor scum, he reminds himself. She’s furious and she’s hurting and she feels guilty for not dying with them. “We’ll check the site come daylight. Get what info we can. We’ll catch the bastards, Davy, I give you my word. Not tonight, but we will.”

“We, Sir?” Unless he’s mistaken, he’s succeeded in allaying her anger at him.

“You. Me.” He takes her hand, slowly, still gauging her mood. “Us.” 

“Us,” she repeats. In his hand, her fingers intertwine with his, and his heart lightens. 

“Now go catch some kip. Hagman is on watch, and a better woodsman you’ll never find. If there are any more lights, he’ll spot them and report. You’ll sleep safe. Ready yourself for one of those early bloody mornings you’re so fond of.” 

“And you, Sir?”

“I hate early bloody mornings.”

Davy snorts. “I meant, don’t you want to get some sleep as well, Sir?” 

No, he thinks, I want to take you into the woods and shag you until the sun comes up. But he follows her back to the ashes of the Chosen Men’s campfire and settles himself beside her, among their sleeping fellows. 

Davy wakes shivering hours before dawn. The camp is quiet. Next to her, Sharpe is cocooned in his blanket. She gets up without disturbing him and goes for a piss and a change of rags. When she returns, he’s sitting up, his blond hair sticking out at all angles.

“Thought maybe you’d gone off looking for those lights, but you left your pack and blanket.” His voice is light; she doesn’t think he’s accusing her of disobeying his order, and so she sits beside him as close as she dares and drapes her blanket over her shoulders.

“I had to tend to myself, Sir.”

“You’re half frozen.” He starts to pass his blanket to her.

Davy lays a hand on his forearm, stopping him. “You’ll be cold, Sir.”

“I’m used to it.” 

“So am I, Sir.”

One of Sharpe’s wiry shoulders rises in a shrug inside his green jacket. Before she can catch herself, Davy smooths his hair with her fingers. An intimate gesture, touching a man’s hair is. She touched Stevens’s long dark hair every chance she got; she can hardly believe she’ll never get to run her fingers through it again. Never touched her bastard husband's hair once their entire marriage. No need to remember Sharpe touching her face earlier in the day, nor tucking a stray lock behind her ear a couple of nights before that. Of course she hasn’t been thinking of the way his hair felt while she bandaged his head moments after the Frogs massacred her squad. And now his keen marksman’s gaze is fixed on her and she needs to explain herself.

“Your hair was sticking up like a dandelion’s petals. Sir.” Blast, that was the opposite of helpful. She hopes Hagman, invisible in the shadows, didn’t see her petting her Major’s head as though he was a stray cat.

The corner of Sharpe’s mouth lifts in a cheeky half-grin. “Aye, that’s me, a delicate flower.” 

“A flower that can survive anywhere,” she counters.

When she was a girl, before the orphanage, her mum taught her to make wildflower crowns to sell. Dandelions were Davy’s favourites, even if nobody would buy them. She imagines lazing in a sunny peacetime field with Sharpe, making him a dandelion crown after shagging him senseless. Fanciful idiocy, she scolds herself. She’s got a traitor to catch, a war to fight. She can’t let her desires distract her from her duty. She can’t let her Major know the soppy thoughts she’s having about him. Surely he would lose all the respect he has for her if he knew. 

Sharpe snorts. “Is that my reputation, as you put it earlier?”

“Something like.”

“A dandelion.” He raises a teasing, sceptical brow.

“Yes, Sir. Your reputation is that you're a ruffian. Not a proper officer. Looked down on by snobs who haven’t got any of your skills and couldn’t survive any of the things you’ve been through.” 

He nods amiably and lays down on his back, drawing his blanket around him. “I am all those things, at that. And,” he adds with a pointed look, “you’re still shivering.”  He holds up the edge of his blanket so that she can get underneath, then covers them both with her blanket as well.

The men might talk if they saw, but Davy finds she doesn’t care. The night has turned bloody cold and soldiers often keep warm like this in the field. Indeed, Harris, Cooper, and Perkins are doing similar. Just because she’s a woman, it doesn’t mean anything untoward is happening.  She’s exhausted and Sharpe’s warmth next to her is lovely. She feels him give her hand a squeeze as she drifts off. It’s the second night in a row sleeping right beside him, her hand in his, and pox-arsed bother, she’s becoming accustomed to it, something she can ill afford when this assignment is by nature temporary. Still, this life has so few comforts. Even Nairn couldn’t blame her for taking advantage of this small bit of connection.

Sharpe wakes to find his arms full of Davy. In the night, they’d instinctively curled tight together, seeking each other's body heat. In her sleep, Davy melded herself to him, her leg resting on his thigh, her head nestled against his shoulder. The flat of his palm found the small of her back. One of her hands crept inside the collar of his shirt, coming to rest over his heart. Sharpe’s waking movements cause her to stir and grumble, burrowing closer against him still. As he suspected she would, she fits his breastbone as though she were born to. He stretches slightly, taking care not to jar her healing arm. He feels more than sees her awaken. She makes no effort to move away, and not merely, he hopes, because she’s enjoying this cosy little nest they’ve created beneath the frost-covered blankets. His heart pounds beneath her fingers. The movement of her hand from inside his shirt feels like a caress. In the pale light of a grey dawn, it would be all too easy to pretend that she’s his woman, driven into his arms by love or at the very least, by lust. It’s all too easy to imagine waking up with Davy every day, sharing their lives properly, and to ignore the many obstacles to such a thing.

From next to his shoulder, her voice, barely louder than a whisper, gravelly with sleep. “I thought you hated early bloody mornings, Sir.”

He turns his head just enough to murmur into her ear. “Depends on who I’m spending them with, Davy lass.”

She props herself up on her elbow and smiles at him, a smile that goes directly to the pit of his belly. “Sir, you’re a charming bastard.” She extricates herself from his arms, but lets her fingers trail off his hand until the last moment. 

No sooner has she disappeared into the undergrowth when Harper rises and builds up the fire. He clatters around with the tea things, and his verbal silence has a pointed quality to it. Sharpe ignores him.

“Two blankets, Sir.” Harper’s voice is conversational.

“Well, we can’t all be giants who don’t feel the cold.”

“And you kept your Davy lass snug and warm all through the night, did you, Sir?”

Bloody hell, of course he’d overheard Sharpe calling her that. “Not the way you’re thinking, Pat.” He hopes his Sergeant will drop it.

“Ah well, better luck next time, Sir.”

Sharpe glowers at him. Aye, he’d shagged Hélène while Harper were on watch, but that doesn’t mean he’d do the same with Davy. Davy isn’t shameless the way Hélène were; she’s reserved and she’s private and if such a thing were to happen between them, he wants it to be private. He wants it to be more than a quick fling. If she returns his feelings, which he can’t be certain of either. But she’d let him close and she’d held his hand and he doesn’t think he imagined the light in her eyes, the mischief in her smile, when she called him a charming bastard. 

When she returns from tending herself, she’s all business. Of course she wants to go see the site of those signal lights. They set off at a ground-eating trot, and he can see that she wants to run ahead. She’s holding herself back. They halt, a hillside over from their destination, and Sharpe looks through his spyglass at the blue-jacketed figure on horseback, making its way toward the summit. 

“Sir, may I?”

He passes Davy his spyglass. She looks though it and frowns. Under her breath, she mutters “Bloody hell, what can that bastard be doing here?” 

[the-kipsabian]

hiii! for the director's cut meme, i do have a part from "why we are us":

Somewhere in there, between all the good and the bad, the laughs in the day and confused, fearful tears cried in the night, his heart had decided that Cassidy was feeling more than just the need to help Kip to overcome this huge obstacle.

Cassidy felt extremely lucky to know that Kip shared those feelings with him though, he couldn’t even bring himself to think how things would be if he didn’t.

Feeling a lump forming on his throat the thought, Cassidy closed his eyes, inhaling deeply in hopes of calming himself down. Today had been such a tiring, hectic day it was no wonder him being this tired and having his thoughts running so rampant that it was making him emotional, but at the same time he didn’t want to cry and risk waking Kip up because of it. Cassidy was supposed to be the calm and collected one, he was always the stoic one, he wasn’t the one that was supposed to cry.

And yet, the tears were inevitable.

besides just getting a general director's cut thing about this part, i did have a question that popped up while reading this. with immortal fears being set up to have kip confess to oc, what would happen if oc had to be the one to confess? or would he even try to? would orangekip only be possible in this AU if kip confessed?

this got unnecessarily long so im putting it under a cut but hey i have a lot of thoughts about these two in this au ough

so the thing with oc in this au is that he never meant to develop feelings, he never expected that to happen. his whole deal is that he knows how much help he needed to get out of the dark place losing the title put him into, and seeing how kip is alone at the time, oc knows hes going to need all the help he can get. despite what happened up to that point between the two of them (kip basically making his life hell, seperating him from his friends and just generally unpleasantly mentally tormenting him), oc is still a compassionate human being; he knows what happens with this belt and its curse, and he doesnt want to watch it happen to another person, especially since he doesnt know what could possibly happen to kip if he doesnt get the help hes going to need

and oc caring for him wasnt supposed to be a lasting thing either, like he was just going to do it until kip got back up on his feet and was able to function somewhat normally again; but again, since kip was alone oc just kind of.. grew worried of him over it. seeing how much him being there helped kip and everything, he couldnt just walk away when the initial thought of "my work here is done" happened. and at that point im pretty sure the underlying feelings of something more than just "im here to help him to get better from all of this" had already started bubbling. like its very hard at this point in time to pin point exactly where and when oc started developing those feelings and realized them, but for sure by the time kip confesses to him, hes already well down that road

as for oc being the one confessing, i feel like if this carried on for long enough, he eventually would have. the thing with him is, oc struggles a lot trying to figure it out if this is a legitimate crush (or him falling in love with kip) to begin with, or if its just him being very happy seeing kips improvement over time, knowing that it was specifically oc who helped him get there (spoilers, its absolutely the crush, hes just an idiot when it comes to feelings). however, its insanely difficult for him to tell that to kip first, considering that oc doesnt know fully himself what he is feeling, and this is a very emotionally and mentally unstable kip we are talking about here - oc has NO idea how he would take such news. even on the good days, so it gets pushed back and back and back until eventually in the au canon its kip taking that first step when his own feelings get unbearable

im not saying that oc wouldnt have eventually confessed, tbh i think if he was given enough time and a stable enough kip, he would have. but that would have taken a looooong time, for both these reasons and cause oc would have wanted to be sure this was actually what he was feeling. and by that time, its highly possible kip would have given up or moved on. if oc confessed early enough, it would most likely have resulted in kip not believing him and blowing most of this thing up, setting them back (both in this potential relationship and with their individual recoveries) and just making it more difficult to carry on with this. and honestly oc would have probably given up on trying to tell him in the future if the feelings persisted, making kip even more confused about his own so... yeah

idk if this responds to like anything lmao