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snowflake-apocalypse · 3 years

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“English is a difficult language. It can be understood through tough thorough thought, though.”

“You need to stop.”

It’s been six months since the formation of Global Justice’s new aces, “Team Go-Possible”. Though, the rhyme and reason of it was wrong, Shego was actually enjoying the partnership with her former rivals. Dare she ever admit it out loud. The three grew to have a good dynamic, she thought. Between conversations about world events and the audacity of Club Banana creating a brach-off store, to the double-edged sarcasm they dished out to their adversaries in combat.

Team GP’s missions took them near and far around globe. This time, it was a nuclear power plant in the blustery Netherlands. Some madman claiming the greed of the world has grown to great. That he was the salvation it needed. His answer to said salvation? Implode the richest nuclear power plant in the world to prove his point.

This has got to be the seventh extremist kook we’ve taken on this month.. though the dude’s not wrong..

Kim and Shego are in route to the mountain side factory. Shego landing their sleek jet on an empty field with concentrated ease.“Okie dokie, let’s go get Mr. Doom Gloom before he turns the mountain side into a mushroom cloud-.” Shego powers their craft down, switching various instruments this way and that.

“-Don’t know about you, Kimmie but I’m looking forward to the bocca coffee. No stupid avalanche is going to ruin that.”

Double checking her equipment, Kim spares the woman a glance. “Heh, glad to know where your priorities are, Shego.-” Kim directs her attention to their mission control via comm link.

“-Hey, Wade you got a lock on our position?”

“Always do.” From GJ headquarters, the tech wiz of the team zooms his screen in on their target.

“That is the most creepy, heartwarming thing I’ve heard from you, Load.” Shego quips, donning her green and black cold weather apparel. When she accepted Betty’s offer, the one thing she swore is that she was keeping her colors.

“Uh..thanks? Anyway, I’ve scanned the interior of the facility, the reactor is located in the south side of the building.” Through the wrist-worn Kimmunictor, a holographic layout of the factory appears. Detailing the whereabouts of their target, only one heat signature appears on the layout. The reactor, they assume.

“Wade, this guy is working alone?” Kim quizzical asks, zooming in on the projection.

“From my latest update, yes. The building has been evacuated for safety. No other intel I’ve collected suggests multiple culprits.-“

Wade swipes through the limited file he has on their perp. He had an uneasy feeling about this caper, but couldn’t justify it from a hunch. “-But, please still be careful, you two.”

Shego, after getting one last solid look at the diagram, closes her hand on the blueprint. “Will do, dad. Thanks.”

——

Approaching the bolted door of the factory, Kim still voiced her concerns., “Y’know, I just wished we had more information on this guy.”

Shego directs a small concentration of searing plasma at the deadlock, freeing the door. “Yeah, well I wished they’d appear at GJ’s doorstep. Or just stayed home.”

Cautiously pushing the door open, Shego scans the left side of the interior, while Kim covers the right.

“Okay, Wade. It looks as empty as you said.- Wade? Wade.” Kim, only being met with silence, tries and fails to reach their partner. Somewhere along the trek, the so-called incorruptible signal was lost.

“Fan-freakin’-tastic. Guess the altitude is the weakness.” Rolling her eyes, Shego marches on. “Let’s just shut this joint down before we get any more surprises.” Despite her quiet tone, Shego’s voice echos throughout the vast building.

Creeping through the corridors, the women stay on alert. Passing abandoned offices, break rooms, only Kim’s quiet chatter fills the space. “Hey, about that coffee, you also want to stop at Portugal of the Little Ones?”

“Are you serious, Possible? You want to visit a tiny replica city in Portugal?” Shego raises an eyebrow in Kim’s direction.

“...Yeah.”

If you don’t stop making that damn face...

“..Okay, fine. Portugal.” Shego huffs in faux annoyance. The pair rounded the corner to the vast power center of the facility, the two spot the ticking time bomb.

“Bingo!” Shego exclaimed, running up to the reactor. Which had been armed with specialized munitions.

“This is new.. Newer. What the hell kind of explosive is this?” The younger agent puzzles.

The device, almost cybernetic, jet-black with a single blinking blue light. Upon closer examination, Shego makes out a faintly marked two-pronged arch on the surface. Gaping at the realization, she snaps of her shock.

“No.. No way...”

“What’s up? What is it?”

“This looks like a prototype product of Gemini’s splinter cell scientists. Before he broke off to W.E.E. It’s not on a timer, it’s remote detonation.”

“Gemini? Hold on, then how is some random guy get a his hands on-“

Before Kim could finish her statement, a man’s honeyed voice breaks through the atmosphere.

“Well, you always were the most observant of the team, Shego. Bravo.”

On the grated deck before them, stood a man. Medium build, piercing blue eyes, a mop of brown hair turning grey. All pulled together by a navy trench coat and tactical cargo slacks.

“Sorry, don’t think we’ve met. Unless I’ve taken you hostage or saved you from a flooding city before.” Shego deadpanned, hands resting on her hips.

Leisurely leaning on the rail of the balcony, a shiftiness displayed in his eyes. “Oh no, I didn’t expect you to be familiar with me. But I have been following the folly of Global Justice’s new dream team. I must say, you are quite the force to be reckoned with.”

“And we really don’t want you to find out why.” Kim interjects, conviction lacing her voice.

“-So if you could hand over the remote, shut down the detonation, then maybe we can reach an agreement.”

“Possible. Kim. Of all the people in the bloody world, I thought you would be one to know.. it’s never that simple.” Faster than her reflexes, the man draws a sleek laser-gun from his coat and fires upon the unsuspecting woman.

Center mass.

Direct hit.

“Gah!” With a cry, Kim covers the wound with her hand, bracing herself on her knees.

“Hey!” Shego booms. Hands ablaze, she charges their suspect... no, enemy now.

Kim, biting back the shock and pain, rises to her feet.

Damnit... Sloppy. Get up, Possible.

Kim averts her concentration back to the reactor. Without Wade, she scrambles to find a bypass way of disarming the bomb.

Firing scorching blast after blast, Shego dodges the rounds aimed at her. The room being filled with the leaden smell of burning metal, as the balcony gave way to the force of plasma.

“I swear, that god-forsaken organization is more concerned with the stock market and shiny toys than actual global security-and you! You radioactive madwoman, turn your back on your very profession! The Emerald Rage can’t even decide who’s side she’s on!” Anger and outrage boiling from the man the closer she got.

“Yeah.. y’know your twenties when you’re trying figure shit out... a lot of grey area and robberies in there.” Flipping onto the grate, Shego faces the man with a controlled fury.

“Oh, also I’m on my side and no one else’s. Which, coincidently is the side that doesn’t want a giant crater in the middle of the Netherlands!” Weaving between a few more shots, Shego disarms the man. She restrains him in a firm, plasma-fortified grip. Not enough juice for a second degree burn, but it sure wasn’t comfortable.

“Hello.” The welcome rolling off his tongue like an invitation.

Abruptly Shego is met with a viscous head-butt and a solid tungsten bracelet around her wrist.

“Grrr-! What the hell-!?” Collecting her wits, Shego paws at the metal. Kicking up the intensity of her powers in hopes of liquifying the substance.

Her foe stands back in smug satisfaction, watching her ferocity slowly turn to languid effort. Her flames spasmed, then doused like a candle in the wind.

Shego lightheaded and pale, collapses with heavy bang on the cold metal.

Crouching next fallen woman, he gingerly strokes her raven hair. Conceited grin never leaving his face. “Oh, my my. Did dear Mother Director not tell you about the adverse correlation between tungsten and the Aether comet? I don’t blame her. Must’ve been frightening for her to raise super-powered children, especially if she had no way of controlling them.”

The clamber drawing Kim away from her task, horror at watching the strongest person she knew hit the floor. “Shego!”

“No, no.” Motioning to the button on the detonator remote, he actives the explosives. Sending the entire right side of the structure up in blazing destruction.

Kim instinctively covers her head, in an effort to shield herself from the blast. Evading wooden beams and falling debris, Kim steels and drives on towards her ally.

Producing a small syringe from his coat, filled with a concentrated supply of the fatal alloy. He methodically pushed back the sleeve of Shego’s fleece, carefully injecting the liquid into her bloodstream.

“My father, Jeremiah Asbell had so much passion for his work. So much drive to create a better world. What did he receive for his endeavours? Scorn and betrayal by the very people he supported!-“

Jeremiah Absell.. Absell.. Dr. Absolute. Wait, he had a kid?

“-All to be handed back by some punk children who should’ve been left in a crater.”

As the tungsten courses through her system, melds with her mutated cells, Shego braces the pain gripping her body. She clenches her teeth, fighting for some kind of spark of her dwindling power.

Thanks, Betty. Chalk this up to another ‘I got your back, kid.’ move. Trust sure ran deep there.

With a flicker of ginger hair catching her attention behind a wall, Shego arduously motions her head to face Kim. Olive meets emerald eyes.

After all of the years they spent trading blows, like scorpions in a bottle, after the late night discussions they’d have when neither could sleep... they both knew that look. The look of unwavering determination meeting one of unabated stubbornness. With all of the unknown wild cards revealed, Shego couldn’t afford both of them being killed.

Mustering as much strength as she could, Shego discreetly raises her hand, stopping Kim in her tracks.

Don’t you dare.

#Kim Possible #Shego #Team Go-Possible #GJ Days #au #a softer world #global justice #Wade load #part one of.....

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fluffynin · 4 years

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Decided to try decorating my sketchbook cover... And glad I took a pic before putting vanish. My skin tones are chalk markers and did not like the varnish. So, orders some paint markers with skin tones so I can do more human illustrations... Mainly due to a plot bunny that created below.

I had a random thought that Naofumi's hoodie looks similar to Chara's sweater.. And it ballooned into this idea of Iwatani Naofumi is the grown up Frisk from a Flawed Pacifist Run and his family dragged him to Japan when he tried to help monster kind from the Surface after failing so many times.

Frisk couldn't Reset with heing dragged away from Mt.Ebott, but he did keep Save and Load... In a "glitchy way" as he puts it, so tries not to use it. Instead, he used his label of "otaku" to cover his research on magic and he even figured out how to use magic like the monsters... But it only makes him feel way deeper and more than the humanity around him. Especially with Chara constantly trying to help keep Frisk determined as a ghost narrator to his life. With being worn down by his regrets and tried to drown depression in light novels, he finds... Well, it almost knocks him out, but found the book "Records of the Four Holy Weapons." With reading of three of the four heroes... Frisk's Determination swells and he summons up the menu... And slams his fist onto the Reset button out of his own self-hatred and wanting one last chance to give the Underground its happy ending it deserves.

When everything goes yellow with light as the button shatters, Frisk hears a voice he vaguely remember of the dreams of pure darkness.

"Very... Interesting..."

"It is... not as planned..."

"But you might have... discovered a better solution."

"Heh... Stay determined... Little hero."

"You will need it... for this last run..."

Frisk wakes up at the base of Mt.Ebott in both his childhood clothing and his "Naofumi's" clothes. With believing he got a jump start, Frisk rushes through the woods to Ebott Village... Only to find the seaside and the destruction of a village... With the dead bodies that looks like monsters, yet human like Souls floated near these bodies and slowly fading.

When Frisk reaches for a Soul, he realizes a metal shield on his arm and remember the book he read.

There was four heroes and it seemed Frisk hadn't just Reset... He gotten dragged into the world of the book as its Shield Hero... With all of the Underground with him.

... And this turned into quite a dump. Gotta love when the brain likes being silly. Might work on this crossover idea while working on my Pastel AU on the backburner. Crossovers are easier than Tri-crossovers afterall.

#undertale #sketch #undertale au #undertaleau #sketchbook #fanart #sans #human sans #naofumi iwatani #rising of the shield hero #shield hero #naofumi #chara #adult frisk #undertale frisk #frisk #frisk the human

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kathyprior4200 · 5 years

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Hidden Hazbin Sins

NOT FOR KIDS! NO COPYRIGHT INTENDED.

For many of the residents in Hell, it was an average day of chaos, murder, sex, drugs, and drama. Poverty-stricken demons smuggled food from dumpsters while others snuck into darkened stores. More disturbingly, other demons even resorted to cannibalism on unlucky citizens who had been killed in gang fights, run over, or stabbed to death by Exterminator harpoons.

The Happy (Hazbin) Hotel seemed to be running fairly smoothly with the addition of the clean-freak cyclops demon Niffty and even the indifferent gambling alcoholic Husk. Charlie, the blond-haired demon princess, stood outside wearing a red bellhop uniform complete with gold buttons, gold threads hanging around the brim of her small red hat and a ruby apple necklace around her neck. Her face was white, eyes yellow, and red blushes were off to the sides of her face. She remembered a week ago when the hotel first opened, cutting a tied up red piece of ribbon with a large pair of scissors, the crowd clapping half-heartedly. Currently, she was holding the door for a line of demons waiting to get in.

“Welcome to the Happy Hotel!” said the princess cheerfully. Razzle and Dazzle were busy lifting up luggage and placing them on a rolling cart to go up into the elevator. Though many of the demons rolled their eyes and snarled at Charlie, she kept up her positive demeanor.

Inside, a banner hung over a front desk with several colorful balloons and streamers off to the sides.

“No more sin, share a big grin!” Charlie recited her motto. ��Vaggie will check you in and get you situated at the front desk.”

She mentioned to her moth demon friend, who saw her and blushed with a small smile, blowing her a quick kiss. Vaggie turned to a light blue dragon in the front.

“I have a reservation for a room with a balcony,” the dragon said, his wings folded. He showed her his cell phone in his claw which showed the order he had made online.

Vaggie looked it over and nodded. “Two nights here, room 666, with a cost of…”

Charlie looked over at Vaggie. “They don’t have to pay any souls. This place is free for the first one hundred customers!”

“What?!” Vaggie exclaimed in disbelief. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”

“Because I just came up with it today,” she explained. “If we are to encourage demons to come here to get better, why not make it free for them?”

“Your Dad won’t be happy about that.”

“I know. But it’s my hotel, and I might as well leave a friendly impression.”

“Move it, bitch,” scoffed a green snake-like demon with a pink dress and dark green hair who shoved Charlie aside with her hand. Charlie’s eyes glowed red for a second, but she took a deep breath. Vaggie pointed her harpoon weapon at the snake lady and glared. Heeding her warning, the snake huffed, flipped back her straggly green hair and moved on to her room.

Charlie shrugged, as she continued to hold the door. “It’s a start, right?”

Vaggie sighed and continued with her next customer, a werewolf. “Room 66 is currently occupied. 63 is available if you’d like to stay on that floor.”

Dazzle flew into the room, lifted down one of many old fashioned blood-stained key and placed it on the desk.

Vaggie handed the key to the brown furry demon. “The bar is over down the hall to your left. Charlie’s Fun and Games event will start at 7:00pm in the dance room. Ring your room bell and Niffty will fetch you breakfast in the morning. If you have any questions, just ask me or Charlie.”

“I have a question,” said a familiar sounding voice as the werewolf left for his room. The white spider demon Angel Dust strutted up to the desk, with his usual white and pink striped outfit on and pink gloves on four of his hands.

“One second,” Vaggie said. She turned to him. “What, Angel?” Vaggie deadpanned.

“Do you know where the drug vending machine is here? I want some Angel Dust and I’m getting tired of those purple popsies to be honest.”

“What’s in a name!” someone commented from in the line.

Vaggie crossed her arms. “No drugs are allowed here. It’s problematic enough that alcohol is being served here. We don’t need any more of your ideas. I’m busy here!”

Angel continued, “What we also need is a stage with new poles for dancing on. Italian electro music, and a secret strip club in the basement! Man, that’d be the shit!”

A black dinosaur-like demon growled at Angel. “Go fuck yourself, slut.”

Angel just grinned widely. “Only if you watch me, hot stuff.”

“Get out!” Vaggie bellowed, pointing toward the door.

“Oh well,” Angel shrugged. “Time to make some moves on Husk. It’s so easy to warm up to him when he’s drunk…”

Angel happily scurried away while Vaggie face-palmed. “Someone kill me a second time,” she muttered out loud.

“Can I do it?” asked the snake demon, who peered out of her room.

“No!” Charlie and Vaggie yelled at the same time, startling the snake who ducked back into her room. Charlie and Vaggie laughed from across the room. Almost losing hold of the door, Charlie grabbed onto the handle again, smiling back at the visitors.

Later on that evening, the bar was packed full of demons scattered around in every direction. A group of dragons were sitting together, enjoying flaming spirits of liquor that Husk had brought to them. A family of red imps were playing cards over by a booth. Only a group of doll demons seemed to enjoy the rainbow decorated karaoke section that Charlie had set up. They sang at the top of their lungs and danced in a circle.

“See? They’re getting it!” Charlie smiled, sitting next to Vaggie. Vaggie let out a small smile. “Well, I’m impressed, Charlie. Maybe your idea will be successful in the long run.”

Charlie brushed Vaggie’s long white hair from her light gray face, careful not to touch the pink X over her friend’s eye. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Angel Dust giggled under his breath nearby and began to do a slutty dance on a table.

“Anyone have a lampshade I could use?”

A random one hit him in the face. “Thanks, dick!” he called putting it over his head.

“Wow, he remembered my name,” smiled a blushing Dick, an orange-faced demon with an elongated forehead shaped like…

“Will you cut that out?” Husk hissed as he glanced at Angel shaking his butt as the demons laughed and jeered.

“You like that?” he asked, hearing Husk’s voice. “I figured you would, deep down.”

“Son of a crackhead,” Husk muttered.

“Heard that, cat in the hat! Sadly, it’s true, though.”

The two girlfriends relaxed as the demons chatted (and fought) among themselves. Husk drank more booze behind the counter in several gulps. Niffty scurried to dust off cobwebs, mop the floors, and carry any remaining luggage to the room or outside.

Charlie stared at the nearby stage, the microphone vacant.

“Say…has anyone seen Alastor?”

“Nope, not me,” replied Angel, still dancing with the lampshade on his head. “Then again, I can’t see much of anything.”

“Take that damn thing off!” said Vaggie. “It’s unprofessional!”

“Sorry, tots, can’t hear you over the sound of how sexy I am!” he replied.

“Not me,” Vaggie said.

“Nor me,” said Husk. “Thank Lucifer. That radio punk was getting on my last nerves. Glad I don’t have to hear any more dad jokes tonight.”

“But he always comes on Fridays and the weekend,” Charlie says. “And it’s a new moon on Earth, I think. He always comes up with new tricks to share with us during that time.”

“When’d you get into that stuff?” Husk asked.

“Human studies,” Charlie replied. “Oh what it could mean to be a human for the first time…”

“It’s a shithole if you ask me,” Husk replied. “Lost chances, war, depression, the whole nine yards.”

“Or life can be good,” said Vaggie, “Until, you get…assaulted by a bunch of masculine pigs.”

An old pig demon oinked at her in anger and slurped up a mud smoothie.

“Heh, no offence?”

“It’s alright, Vaggie,” said Charlie. “Perhaps when we go to Heaven, we’ll learn more about all kinds of people.”

“I can’t hear you,” Vaggie mentioned.

Charlie snapped her fingers and the noise in the bar dulled own to a fading hum. The spell would last for several minutes. For now, it was just Vaggie and Charlie talking in the crowded room, no one else noticing.

“You’re the daughter of the devil and a seducing being,” Vaggie pointed out. “You may not ever get redeemed.”

“But how do we know?” Charlie asked. “Think about it. My dad got sent down from Heaven for going to the dark side. There has to be a way for demons to rise up from Hell! There’s like two sides of a large coin.”

“You’re forgetting Earth and tons of other places,” Vaggie said. “Even if that would be the case, how good would we have to be to get sent to Heaven or even back to Earth?”

“Perhaps by showing more…humanity.” Charlie said, wistfully.

“Ugh, not this again.” Vaggie leaned closer and spoke in a low voice. “Look. I’m willing to be open minded about the possibility of Heaven existing. It’s something I learned about in my life, after all. But to think these demons have some connection to humans…”

Charlie cut her off, lowing her hands sideways slightly in a downward motion to make her point. “They not only used to be souls…they are still souls! Deep down, as long as they’re somewhat alive, they retain some amount of their human characteristics from their past lives!”

“Not fuckin’ buying it.”

“Vaggie, it only makes sense. I’ve seen it for myself when my family showed me the Purge. They briefly showed their human forms before they were killed. This proves that they aren’t true monsters. They need help. They need love, just like everyone else. Dad and Mom don’t want to believe it, but…I have a feeling they also know it to be true.”

Charlie continued, changing the topic into something more light-hearted. “Perhaps Heaven has animal-like bipedal creatures as well, but nicer and fluffier! Maybe with angel wings. Humans and animals are everywhere, within many angels and demons!”

Vaggie held on firmly to Charlie’s shoulders, and stared her straight in the eye, raising her voice slightly more toward a normal tone. “Charlie, listen to me. I, too, have…seen things. Earth, Heaven, Hell…they’re all different. From what I heard, angels belong in Heaven and demons belong in Hell. The evil humans come down here, already dead. Living humans belong on Earth. That’s just the way it works.”

Something in Vaggie’s eyes told Charlie that her friend wasn’t entirely convinced of her own spoken words.

“Swear on your afterlife…for your own safety and sanity, you will not tell anyone else about this.”

Charlie looked around, eyes wide. “Do you think…some demons will want to take advantage of me and…my position as heir?”

“Finally out of your childhood comfort zone,” Vaggie mentioned with a solemn nod. “Please, Charlie. I will do whatever I can to help you redeem these sinners. But, promise me, you will be smart and always watch your back. You can’t trust everyone.” Vaggie stared at her scarred chest and put a hand up to her eye. “I learned that lesson the hard way.”

Charlie’s soundproof spell had ended, and the noise of the bar came back in full force.

“Ya girls done?” Angel asked, white hair frazzled from dancing and wearing the lampshade.

“Yep,” said Charlie. “Anything you need?”

“Other than a whiff of coke and a thrill of a fight, I’m good.” He picked up a cherry from a drink and sucked on it.

“Time to go see Cherri Bomb. She’s making actual cherry bombs for our next turf attack! Catch you guys later!” He winked and swaggered out of the room.

“Why did you bring him here, again?” Vaggie asked with a sigh.

Charlie answered. “He was clean for two weeks, and now…well, I’m going to give him another chance. It’s the only thing to do.”

“Whatever you say,” Vaggie answered. She held on gently to Charlie’s hand and the princess squeezed back affectionately.

“But seriously, though…where is Alastor?” Charlie asked, more to herself, looking back at the stage. “He was a big help to starting the hotel and it was fun dancing with him.”

“I swear I’ll gut him if he ever makes a move on you again,” Vaggie seethed. “Let’s forget about that cocky bastard and enjoy ourselves.”

“Sounds like a good plan to me,” Charlie smiled. “But I have faith that he’ll change for the better. You’ll see.”

The red neon Pentagram symbol in the sky was the only thing that lit up the time that was considered night time. Though the sky was constantly red, the demons still kept track of time in their afterlives, despite the fact that such a concept may not exist outside of Earth. The one thing that died harder than any sinner was old human habits.

Two small imp-like demons by the names of Tee and Vee wondered around in the shadows, Tee holding a small black cell phone. Tee was short, fat and dark purple in color, while Vee was thin and red. Both had horns, clawed feet and hands as well as small pointed tails. Both were wearing black suits with blue Wi-Fi logos on them. They were mini mercenaries and spies hired by none other than Vox, the TV demon. On this night, they were sent on another one of their missions.

They spoke in New York accents or perhaps Australian accents. It was hard to tell because they talked so fast.

“Another night, another dollar,” Tee said. He reached for a small arrow and threw it at an unsuspecting ogre. The beast roared as the arrow exploded against his foot. The ogre fell to the ground and Tee jumped up toward his face. In one swift motion, mid jump, he got out a spear from his utility belt and stabbed it right though the ogre’s large yellow right eye. Vee stepped in to finish the job, finally ending the monster’s agonized yells.

The duo had their gruesome eye kabab snack on a spear as they walked along.

“Need at least 66 kills tonight,” said Tee. “That should be doable.”

“But remember what Vox really wants,” Vee reminded him. “A chance to overthrow his rival overlords. Just think, we’ll be internet stars after we help Vox conjure Hell!”

Tee elbowed him sharply. “He will get all the credit, jackass, not us. We’re just doing this ‘cause we have no choice.”

“Oh, don’t be so glum, bum,” Vee said. “Though yours is quite big.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You heard me. Anyway, we’ll still be recognized in some form. Perhaps he’ll be especially pleased with us and beckon us over to his bedroom…”

Tee shook his head, clenching his purple fists. “All Vox does is take selfies with Velvet and talk dirty to Valentino on the phone. He gets the good life, while we’re out here doing his dirty work.”

“Makes it easier on him,” Vee said. “He’s busy making plans, after all. You know about the New World Order? Project Mech Tech? Several secret plans of his involving keeping everyone glued to their screens. Brainwashing, propaganda, convincing ads. It’s already just as powerful as it is in the human world. ‘Xept down here, Vox can bend others to his will.”

“Like…us?”

“Those who are either sheep or foolhardy enough to stand up to him.”

“But they’re demons, not sheep.”

“Tee, you retarded, ass!” He punched his college in the face and the two demons rolled down the street in a snowball spiraling brawl.

They yelled and grabbed onto each other’s tails, biting and screeching insults.

“Tee, pee!”

“Bum, scum!”

“Gas ass!”

“Slut, mutt!”

Nearby, a smoking female hellhound barked in disapproval.

“Butt…what?”

Vee stopped and stared straight ahead.

“Coward, what’s your pro…” Tee began, before noticing the direction the orange demon was looking toward.

“…blem?”

They stood up and saw a long black alleyway in front of them. The ground was littered with broken glass, cigarette butts, and the occasional skull here and there. Graffiti was spray-painted on the brick walls in various colors of red, blue, yellow, and green. They were mostly expletive words, nude women, and crying demon stick figures surrounded by flames. Further up above, someone had spray painted a rainbow with sun rays coming out from it. A foul scent of garbage and rotten flesh permeated the space.

Vee peered into the darkness and heard the faint sound of footsteps and humming. A distinct feel of…electricity? ... hiding among the shadows.

Tee shuddered, holding up his clawed hands. “No, no, no, no, I ain’t goin’ in there.”

“I sense a powerful presence,” Vee stated. “If we don’t take a risk, who will? Besides, if we don’t show up with some special report this time, Vox will have our heads.”

“He…wouldn’t…right?”

Vee grabbed onto Tee’s plump arm. “Just come on!”

“Okay…whoa, slow down,” he called as he was dragged along.

They slowed their pace as they reached the cracked dead end. The path turned off to the left, ending in another wider dead end further away. The walls were on either side of both paths with no windows or doors. Well…save for an old wooden door that was behind a pair of old curtains made from circus tent flaps.

A silhouette of a demon stood in front of the door, drawing a pentagram symbol in the air. A little golden keyhole appeared to the right and a matching old-fashioned key was pulled out from a pocket. The key went in and the door opened with a slow creek.

“Let’s go,” Vee whispered. They followed the figure not too far behind from the door.

They continued walking, occasionally glancing up at the red sky above them. The eerie silence was soon replaced with humming from the demon in front of them. It sounded distinctly male and appeared to be a jolly tune. Vee couldn’t quite name the song the man was singing, but it made him feel strangely at ease. It reminded him of those songs he heard at the circus or at musicals he attended with his parents. Not that it mattered now, since his parents were dead due to the so called “angels.” Tee on the other hand, was quivering, his legs itching to race right out of there.

“Come on, man,” Tee whispered. “Let’s kill this demon and leave.”

Vee let out a silent gasp and tapped Tee on the shoulder. “Look.”

They both stopped as the figure’s footsteps ceased further ahead.

For a moment, all was dark and quiet.

A snap of fingers was heard and five white candles were lit up at the same time. They were at the end of the alleyway, this time surrounded by circular concrete walls. The man was standing in the center of a crimson pentagram surrounded by a red circle that was drawn on the ground, taking up most of the space. The white candles glowed with yellow light at the ends of the five points.

“Whoa, is that who I think it is?” whispered Tee, so low that he could barely be heard. He held up his phone and started to record.

The figure was revealed in the candlelight: a slender man wearing a tattered pinstriped red dress coat, trailing along slightly behind him. Dark shoes with red deer hoof-prints on the bottom soles. Red and black fur upon his head with large furry deer-like ears with black tips. Small dark antlers sticking out from between his ears. Thin neck and slander arms and legs. A vintage microphone staff stood in his right hand.

“Yes,” Vee said in a hushed tone. “The Radio Demon.”

Alastor walked over to a large deer skull stained with blood, antlers still intact. The trophy was attached to the wall via an old wooden plaque. He walked over and slowly knocked on the bone forehead seven times. It was a “shave and a haircut” sounding knock.

The Radio Demon stepped back as the skull’s slanted eyes glowed red. A scroll dropped out from its mouth but with a wave of his hand, it vanished. A spiral symbol in the center of the pentagram lit up: a universal symbol for a portal. The demon hummed some more.

With Tee still recording, Vee excitedly reached for his phone. He had to alert Vox. At last, the duo would be getting their big break…and a hefty sum of souls for their night’s work.

He began to rapidly text, his phone set to silent, the brightness of the screen turned as low as possible:

Vee: “Lord Vox, it’s V, T of 19:29. Radio Demon’s hideout found. Located at west end of…”

“A-CHOO!”

Tee sneezed out loud into his arm, phone in his other hand. The Radio Demon’s ears twitched at the noise. The humming stopped. The candles went out.

Tee and Vee rammed their backs against the nearest wall, not daring to move or even breathe. They heard the shuffling of feet, and the subtle sound of the microphone staff moving slightly side to side.

For an entire minute, nobody made a sound. Vee turned to Tee and both of them moved their eyes toward the other direction. Vee held up three fingers then mimicked tiptoeing side-ways. Getting the message, Tee followed Vee, shuffling three quiet steps to the right. After ten seconds, they moved again. Tee still recorded with a shaky hand in the dark, while Vee was careful not to drop his phone.

Vee pointed toward the exit and Tee nodded. Vee began to tip-toe from the wall, inch by inch making his way toward the open wooden door.

A slow creaking sound made then briefly freeze. For some reason, the door wasn’t moving.

A chilling sensation crept to the backs of the demon’s necks. Both of them turned back to look through the darkness.

But the only lights they saw in the distance were the glowing red radio dials in the Radio Demon’s two eyes. The creaking sound was, in fact, the demon’s head slowly turning backward to stare right at the terrified faces of Tee and Vee.

SLAM!

The wooden door whammed shut, causing Tee and Vee to jump and yelp.

The world turned into a psychedelic mess of vibrant colors. Reds, blues, and greens morphed together in the sky and along the walls. Shadows of deer heads dripping blood danced along a red-lit wall like shadow puppets.

“Open the door!” Vee cried, punching against the wood, which was now colored a strange yellow.

“There’s no handle!” Tee replied, kicking at it in vain.

“Ack! I’m blue!” said Vee, staring at his light blue body in the strange light.

“I think you’re seeing red!” Tee replied, failing to notice his fat crimson body.

Vee grabbed daggers and bomb arrows and threw them rapidly in front of him. The Radio Demon dodged them all and merged into the shadowy ground.

“He’s…gone?” Tee asked, looking through his phone camera.

Vee held on tight his phone and glanced back at the texts, finger hovering over the “send” button.

The red dial-eyes emerged right in front of their faces, rows of sharp yellow teeth appearing below. Though the sudden loud radio static that filled their ears, Tee and Vee screamed. A voodoo spirit shaped like a black lizard with white eyes snatched the phone from Vee’s hand, dropping it by Alastor’s left foot before scurrying off. He brought down his pointed shoe and crushed the device to pieces, sparks flying, screen cracked. The remainder of the pieces burst into flames and vanished.

Before Vee could blink, two black tentacles sprouted rapidly from holes in the ground and latched themselves onto the demon’s arms, pinning them back. He struggled to escape, but they were wrapped too tightly.

Tee was running as fast as his little legs could carry him, the camera phone shaking with every step. He put the phone in his pocket, ran up to the wall, jumped, and grabbed onto a small branch sticking out from a hole in the worn down concrete. Knowing the branch could break at any moment, he frantically searched around for another handhold.

A-ha!

Up off slightly to the right, was a crack large enough for him to dig his claws into. Tee took a deep breath, preparing himself. If he could push off with his legs, swing toward the crack, get ready to let go…

The branch snapped off as he was forcibly brought down with a hard tug coming from near his legs. He phone fell out of his pocket, landing sideways on the ground. The camera showed two more black tentacles wrapping around Tee’s stubby legs, dragging him toward Alastor as he screamed. Even digging into the ground with his claws did no good.

Another tentacle gently lifted up the phone and brought it back as well.

Alastor cocked his head to the side, his mouth in an ever-present smile. Vee was lifted up to Alastor’s level and held close to the wall.

Vee laughed nervously. “Oh, hey, Alastor. Heh heh. Great seeing you this f-fine night. I-I wasn’t gonna do anything, I swear.”

The reply was a dark chuckle mixed with static.

Vee felt Alastor’s four-fingered hands grip his head.

“I…I won’t say anything! Way too young to die again. Please…”

Vee’s head crashed against the wall with a loud thud. He let out a high pitched scream.

“Owww! No! Tee, get outta…AUUUGH!”

Vee gagged as his skull cracked against the concrete. Bile filled the demon’s mouth and dark red stained the wall. He gasped for air, black spots across his vision. After his head was slammed against the wall a third time, Vee’s eyes rolled back and his thin body limped downward, relaxed. Shards of skull and bits of brain spilled to the ground. Alastor reached down toward the utility belt, and pulled out a dagger. He severed the demon’s head, clean off. The lifeless head fell to the ground, rolling until stopping near a restrained Tee.

Tee reeled back as far as he could, yelling through a tendril that was covering his mouth. Alastor smiled down at him, red dials moving, antlers expanding from his head. He held out his palm and flames appeared along with faint symbols hovering around them.

For several minutes, all Tee knew was a searing hot pain consuming his body, the smell of smoke, and the reeking smell of burning flesh around them. He inhaled the smoke and heard the radio static buzzing in his ears. All Tee could do was close his eyes and wait out the agony. Hoping that the heat and noise would soon…

Fade away…

Slipping into…black…

…constant…

…peace.

With that, the Radio Demon tossed the phone into the flames, the camera and screen revealing his demonic face before the device exploded into electric sparks.

The colors returned to normal and the flames went out. The only sound was the sound of static, slowly fading back into the vintage microphone. His eyes returned to their normal full red color and his antlers shrunk until they were small sticks on his head once again.

He snapped his fingers and the white candles lit up again. The skull’s eyes glowed red.

Clearing his throat, Alastor spoke the password in the Creole language:

“Ou pa janm konplètman abiye

San yon souri!”

(You’re never fully dressed without a smile)

The eyes glowed green and the ground below him vanished. Flames rose from the circle surrounding the pentagram. The inner circle was now a portal to a “basement” of Hell.

Several shadowy spirits rushed out of the hole, ecstatic to be free and to roam wild. Though the ground had disappeared below him, he stood perfectly still where he was.

More tendrils rose from the ground and wove together to form stairs starting at the top near Alastor’s feet. He walked merrily down as the portal slowly closed.

He reached the bottom of the stairs and made his way forward.

“My cozy lair, how much I’ve missed you.”

The lair was a sort of mashup between a haunted house and a middle class home from the early 1920’s.

Black walls stood on either side, blending in so well, it looked like the black ether outside. Red metal columns lined the sides and supporting the high black ceiling above. The black floor stopped at an area and wooden floorboards filled the rest of the ground. It gave the appearance of a floor torn up by an earthquake on the edge.

The first room was the living room. An elegant fireplace contained red flames that were constantly burning. A black leather couch faced a red wall that was decorated with various deer head trophies of many sizes. Some were stuffed versions of real brown deer. Others were the rotten partially furry heads of deer monsters from Hell. A fair amount were deer skulls with arching antlers. A resting rifle was displayed on the top of the fireplace, the same one he used as a human long ago. A red rug lay below the couch and took up much of the living room. The walls had borders with antler designs all in a row.

Attached to the living room was the kitchen. The wood floor met black and white checkered tile, a green line separating the different kinds. There was a high wooden countertop with a couple of bar stools facing the living room. Several appliances included an old fashioned stove, wooden cabinets, a metal sink and a mustard yellow fridge with an icebox.

Alastor opened the fridge door and gasped out loud.

“Oh my Satan!”

Among the eggs, food, and drinks was a severed purple demon head, with one eye missing.

He reached in with his hand…and pulled out an empty cartoon.

“Curses, I’m out of milk!” he exclaimed. “How am I supposed to have cereal tomorrow?”

He shut the door and sighed. “Oh well. I can always have a snack, instead.”

There were fans in every room (no air conditioning in Hell). To the left of the kitchen, a darkened path led to the bathroom and two bedrooms. There was also an extra room where Alastor kept all his radio equipment ready: a small microphone, headphones, a control panel of buttons, and even a sign that would lit up and read “on the air” in bold letters.

The bathroom consisted of a toilet, and a vanity with a mirror and a sink with two separate faucets for hot and cold water. Taking up much of the space was a black clawed bathtub in the shape of a cauldron. Alastor turned one of the knobs and a stream of dark red blood jetted out of the large faucet. He turned another knob and streams of red liquid sprayed out from the dish-sized shower head overhead. He tightened the knobs and the blood ceased flowing.

“Good, it still works,” Alastor said, relieved.

He made his way past the guest bedroom to his own room.

A twin-size bed had red satin sheets and a quilt made of soft deer fur neatly folded on the top of the bed toward the edge. The two pillows were neatly fluffed up and propped against the wooden headboard.

Closer to the doorway stood an old fashioned small screen TV with two large antennae jutting out from the top. It was light tan in color, complete with knobs on the front and to the sides. When he pushed the power button on the remote, a black and white show slowly appeared on screen. Unlike many old TV’s and remotes, Alastor had upgraded his with magic, allowing him to go to multiple channels. He watched some picture shows for a while on his bed, then turned the TV off.

He peered out a window, watching the outside world…or lack thereof.

This was a void world, a dimension where the Loas and shadow spirits resided and where the black tentacles originated…from mythical monsters in dark pits. Alastor’s lair hovered in place among the blackness. The demon grinned as he spotted rogue demons being chased, and sometimes mauled on by voodoo shadow creatures. A wrecked blaster from Sir Pentious’ blimp floated in the space. Here was were all the items and victims went when Alastor pulled them into the parallel place. Sometimes Alastor would send unlucky individuals here for entertainment and substance for the Loas. In return, they allowed him easy control of his powers. (Sure he was powerful enough already on his own, but even he knew that dark magic was dangerous for everyone.)

Alastor stepped down and opened his closet doors, revealing an array of suits, pants and shoes, mostly in dark reds and blacks.

But nestled behind the line of clothing was something extra peculiar.

In a large rosewood cabinet was a collection of hand-crafted Voodoo dolls.

Large ones made of cloth and straw with round button eyes and stitched mouths. Miniature ones made of wood. Several of them had pins with rounded ends stuck in various places.

But the ones on the widest middle shelf were the most noticeable. They were small dolls made in the likeness of Charlie, Vaggie, Angel Dust, Niffty, Husk, and even an Alastor one. All the heads seemed to be bigger than the bodies.

How ironic that hands who had performed countless killings, were also so gentle and precise when it came to voodoo doll making.

“I’ll start with mine, as usual,” he said. He picked up the figure representing himself, complete with tuffs of his own red hair on its head, red clothing made of cloth over the body and red buttons for the eyes. The arms and legs were black stitched material, no designs on them. Branded on the back of the doll was a voodoo symbol of protection, ensuring that no one else could use the doll against him.

“At least I can always count on myself.”

Grinning, he put the doll back onto the miniature stage. He examined the Husk one sitting by the crafted bar.

“You really are a grumpy cat,” Alastor mentioned. “But, I’ll admit, you were still fun to make.”

The doll had a white face with black fluffy ends, red eyebrows, black buttons for eyes and a red bowtie. He had a slight frown on his face. The ears were made of cotton balls and a black hat sat on his head. Red wings had been sewn onto the back.

“Don’t get into too much trouble. I want you to be the puurfect person for that Hazbin Hotel.” He laughed and paced him back at the cardboard bar.

“Cute little darling Niffty,” he continued, examining the miniature doll with bright magenta hair and an attached fake yellow eyeball. The white shirt and pink skirt were there as well (though Alastor had left out the poodle design on the skirt).

“Keep being handy and we’ll get along dandy,” he said in a sing song voice before putting her back beside the cardboard chimney.

“Oh Angel Dust,” he said with a roll of his eyes. He picked up the white doll, which had a small version of the white and pink outfit that Angel wore. He had a black bowtie, a head a little bit too football shaped, stitched smiling mouth and blue eye buttons.

“You get on my nerves, even in the process of making you,” he said. “I can’t even tell what those pink dots under your eyes are for. And your extra arms…they get all tangled everywhere. Well, at least you’re entertaining much of the time. You’ll have your purpose…and not of any sexual kind, good sir.”

He placed the Angel Dust doll on a web made of black string.

“Hello, naggy Vaggie,” Alastor commented as he observed the gray doll with long white string hair and a pink bow on the top. The white tank-top with the leggings were fastened onto the doll. One button was yellow while the other spot was painted with a pink x.

“Charlie’s best friend, yet different as night and day. No one likes a pessimist around, even in Hell. You got used to Hell, you can get used to anything. Even if it’s something unexpected in the future, perhaps?”

He placed her in her spot by a small paper lantern.

“Your pride is conssstricting isn’t it, Sir Pentious?”

He glanced up at a Sir Pentious doll wrapped up in black string upside down.

“You killjoys will fall again in the trench,” Alastor joked as he looked at a Katie Killjoy and Tom Trench doll stuffed into a hole in the wood.

“Cherri, you’re the bomb,” added Alastor to a doll with strawberry pink string hair and drawings of cherries on her clothes and fake eye. “Just try to control any explosive tempers you may have.”

Finally, up on another shelf, he came to his favorite group of people: Charlie, Rosie, Mimzy, and of course, his dear mother. (Made with deer characteristics like his). The Charlie doll had blond strings for hair, and her face was painted white with the red blushes. From the black bowtie to the white shirt, leggings and shoes, this figure was almost like the real thing. Another Alastor figure was placed in the middle of the three women. Off to the side, a black deer figure representing his father had pins sticking through his chest, head, and crotch.

“Charlie, my charming demon belle, how will you fare in running your hotel?”

Charlie was placed in front of his figure.

“Darling Mimzy, lover of jazz, who are you behind the glamor and pizazz?”

The white-haired, pink-eyed Mimzy figure was to his left.

“A rose by any name is still a rose. We shall see how our collaboration goes.”

The tall Rosie figure with black eyes, and a pink hat and dress was off to the right.

And right behind the Alastor figure was the doll that resembled his mother.

Version one resembled her human form: light brown skin, thick hair, wearing a beautiful dress and holding a bowl of jambalaya in her hands. The second version was her with Alastor’s grayish skin, red hair, red eyes, and antlers, wearing a black dress with skulls and symbols embroidered on it.

“Ma mere…” (my mom)…

“Tu me manques beaucoup.” (I miss you very much.)

His mother’s words came back to him: “Al, my darling, always remember to smile. Keep your head up, leave any doubts and weakness behind.”

Still wearing his grin, he wiped away a stray tear of sadness.

“You’re right mom. I can’t feel insecure now. You sinned in your life…just so you could see me again…still can’t believe it. I won’t let you done and I won’t let myself down…”

He opened up a final section of the cabinet, this one revealing the dolls dressed like overlords. Vox with a pin through his TV head, Valentino with two pins through his straw chest, Velvet restrained in velvet cloth. Most noticeable of all was a cardboard throne standing up straight, but with a visible tear down the center. Lucifer and Lilith wearing white, sitting on the ground covered in necklace chains. A paper apple staff with the apple part detached and the long black part torn in half.

Alastor grinned at a third doll of him positioned on a throne made of antlers and bone.

“…Especially when I have grand plans set in motion. Hahahahahaha!”

#hazbin hotel #alastor #angel dust #vaggie #charlie #husk #niffty

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cravingcrazewriting · 5 years

Text

Secret admirers seemed too cliche to actually be a thing. Or at least, that’s what Evan used to think.

It was the typical formula of High School romances in dumb, romance films trying to be hip or cool. It was just too good to be true in real life.

Or well, so Evan thought.

Because he had a note sticking outside his locker, which just said “Dear E, You look really cute today.”

And it was February, ironically, which was the most romantic month of the year, or at least Evan thought. He was a hopeless romantic who just wanted some affection.

But not like this. He would’ve preferred to just be told upfront, because he would take what he could get at this rate, especially after realizing his fixation with being with Zoe was just loving the idea of someone like her, and not actually her, so he was still hurt by that, despite the fact that she didn’t even do anything to him. He thought he wouldn’t ever have a chance at romance again,

Well, until that little note.

Evan felt a twinge of doubt reside deep inside himself, and he tried to convince himself that it was meant for him, because he didn’t know anyone that had a locker by his with the initial E. For once, he just wanted to take something like this and enjoy it, instead of freaking out, having a panic attack for no reason whatsoever, or letting his insecurities get the best of him.

So, he tucked the little note in his pocket, and decided to let it be, despite his mind screaming that it wasn’t meant for him, and left for his next class.

~*~

It really shouldn’t have surprised him to see another letter fly out of his locker.

Evan hoped he was mentally prepared for it, but no, he wasn’t, because he had to fumble around for the half sheet of paper, while Jared treaded closer and closer to him, so that was inconvenient, because he wanted to read the little note, but nope, it had to be Jared, and his fucking car insurance, just like usual.

“Hansen!” Jared called, and Evan hated how harshly he crumpled the letter into his palm, and down inside his back pocket. “What’s up? We haven’t talked in a while.”

Really? Did he have to do this now? “Oh, I-I’ve been fine. Normal, boring life, you know?”

Jared gave him a look that said “Are we really going to do this?”. “I saw that letter in your locker. Spill.”

Of course he did. That was just his luck. “I don’t know, Jared, I just got it.”

“I can’t believe it! Someone’s writing to you, Evan Hansen! Aren’t you like, most likely to be forgotten?” Jared barked out a laugh.

He tried not to let that comment hurt because he’d heard it a thousand times before, but it still did. He looked away, choosing to ignore it. “I’m… going to class.”

“Buzzkill,” he joked, but made no effort to stop him. “Hey, tell your mom I was nice to you so my parents will pay my car insurance, alright?”

Evan didn’t answer him, knowing it would’ve been preferred.

~*~

It was different every day.

“You hunch in on yourself to try and hide. Don’t. I see you. You’re beautiful.”

“I don’t understand how a stutter is cute, but yours is. Sorry, that’s probably annoying to hear.”

“I hate seeing you cry. Reminds me of how ugly the world is (not saying you’re ugly).”

It was nice. Too nice, so where as it was hard for Evan to believe it was all meant for him. How was it all meant for him? Who could dedicate all this time into just him?

So, feeling a need to do something in return for them, he left a small thank you letter, saying how he appreciated all the stuff they said about him, and that they really brightened his day.

But Evan really hadn’t anticipated a response.

“Dear E,

I’m glad my letters make you happy. It’s nice to know I’m doing one good thing in life. I won’t tell you who I am, but if you’re as lonely as you say you are in your letter, text me sometime? (xxx)-xxx-xxxx”

Normally Evan wouldn’t accept things like this, but curiosity be damned, he wanted to try and get closer to Secret Admirer, and hopefully figure out who they were.

Evan: Since you’re not going to tell me who you are, can you tell me what to call you?

Unknown: call me… C?

Evan made a mental note to change the contact to that.

Evan: I c you

C: ha

C: leave the puns to the professional.

Evan: ):<

Evan: Rude.

Evan: Why don’t you use my name in your letters?

C: it felt impersonal. I know you, but I don’t know you, like in real life.

C: if that makes sense.

Evan: Ah. That makes sense.

Evan: Well now you can use my name. Since we’re talking now.

C: suppose you’ve got a point there lol

And they sort of just kept going on from there. C didn’t like to talk about his home life, and was persistent in learning more about him in general. He seemed thrilled with every new little thing he learnt about him, and would tell non specific stories around every topic.

C: did you ever go to autumn smiles apple orchard??? The had THE BEST apples

C: me and my sis would roll down the hills there. They were super big.

C: and one time my dad brought a remote controlled plane. He accidentally sunk it into the lake there though

Evan: Aw that sucks. Did he apologize?

C: old man never was good with words. He just said “sorry kids, we’ll get a new one”. Like, that was my favorite toy?? You fucker??

Evan: Are you… still holding a grudge?

C: one does not simply forgive their dad after he fucks up so badly.

C was incredibly passionate about protecting rights and nature, and would send Evan long paragraphs at random, most often in the middle of the night.

Was it possible to be crushing on someone Evan didn’t know? Actually, scratch that, he did know C, just not in real life. Like an online relationship, just without the distance.

C: hey, Valentine’s Day is coming up. Wanna be my valentine?

Evan didn’t think he was serious at first, because he was a secret admirer, and his identity was going to remain a secret no matter what, but what would it hurt? Maybe C would leave him a lollipop or something.

Evan: Sure! You’re probably the only person who’d ask heh.

But on that Friday, Valentines Day, he wasn’t expecting to see Connor Murphy waiting beside his locker, a white teddy bear in his arms, as he wore a dark purple sweater with his usual skinny jeans and combat boots. For once, he seemed to put effort into his appearance, because his hair seemed to be detangled and fluffed, showing off a nose piercing, along with a few others on his ears.

Evan hadn’t overdressed that day. He just wanted to wear a light pink short sleeved button up he’d been saving for a special occasion, with loose ended jeans, and his uggs that clashed horribly with the outfit all together. It was a complete disaster, Evan was painfully aware of this, but there wasn’t much he could do about it now.

“Hey Ev, it’s me…” Connor smiled at him, fiddling with the teddy bear. “Now you can finally ‘C’ me,” he joked lamely.

Evan couldn’t stop the smile forming on his lips. Connor’s was too infectious. “Is that— a c-callback to when we first met?”

“Obviously,” the latter chuckled, handing over the teddy bear. Apron further inspection, it was holding a little heart that said “You’re too much to bear!”.

“Can I— can I hug you?” Evan asked sheepishly, holding the stuffed animal close.

Connor opened his arms up, seemingly all too willingly. “Come on in.”

As Evan wrapped his arms around him, he briefly thought about all the rumors that were spread about this guy. He threw a printer at his teacher, Mrs. G, in second grade, he was bullied, he supposedly did drugs and got kicked out of a private school, and he showed up to school high. Then again, Connor showed a completely different persona from behind the letters and texts he received up until that very day. He had a sneaking suspicion that his classmates were wrong about him.

“Can I walk you to class?” Connor asked softly. “And take you to The Orchard tonight?”

“One thousand percent yes,” Evan whispered back, holding onto him tonight.

Once the two separated, Evan gently set the little bear inside his locker, and let Connor walk him to his first class period of the day. They ate lunch together, held hands, and talked. He wasn’t sure what they were, but that didn’t matter.

So what if secret admirers were cliche? Evan’s made him more happy than ever.

#deh #dear evan hansen #connor murphy #treebros #evan hansen #connor #evan

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saintheartwing · 4 years

Text

Invader Zim: Dib is Happy

"You got in trouble again, didn't you?"

Dib sighed as he closed the book and looked up from his desk as his son entered the room, the black-haired, glasses-wearing professor of scientific studies tilting his head as his son entered the room, biting his lip, his antannae hung low over his back. The half-Irken, half-Human child cringed a bit as he poked his head further into the study, pictures of various galaxies and nebulae on the walls as the purple-eyed Irken smeet gulped.

"Uh...well..."

"Let me guess. The kids in school made fun of you again?" Dib asked once more, adjusting the glasses he wore as his son slowly inched into the study, wearing an old, familiar t-shirt. "You can't be like your aunt."

His son slowly sat down in a nearby chair, clasping his hands together as he hung his head, Dib's voice now much older, a little bit wiser, the years far kinder on HIM than on Zim, who's head was currently hanging over the desk against the wall, not too far away from Dib's massive bookshelf. Indeed, Zim's head might need some new stuffing, Dib thought to himself.

"When I was your age, I got into fights all the time too. And I wanted to lash back." Dib said, laying his hands in his lap as he hung his head, speaking softly and quietly as his son looked up, tilting his head slightly to the side. He waited. Waiting for Dib to speak, but then Dib lifted his head, his amber/brown eyes staring firmly into his son's.

"...well?"

"You thought I was going to say something else, didn't you? Thought I was gonna say "But I didn't lash back". Well, I can't say that, kiddo." Dib insisted as he shook his head, sighing as he held his head in one hand and cringing. "When I FINALLY managed to beat Zim, I was riding high. And I told Torque I wasn't gonna take any more of his s-t and he better apologize for all the times he stuck my head in a toilet. He struck me square in the face, broke my glasses. So I...well, now you know why everyone calls him "Gums"." Dib said with a slight smile. "Was PRETTY satisfying knowing he'd never eat solid food again."

"YOU did that?" His son asked, eyes widening in awe as they practically sparkled, clasping his hands together and beaming as Dib rose up and patted his son on the shoulder.

"Yep. But you have to be better than I did. Until you turn 16, then you can beat up whoever I want."

"Really?"

"No. But you can tell them they should be nice to you, because your tax dollars will be paying for their prison cell." Dib said with a smirk.

"Actually, I already did. It's why they kicked me in the crotch and I tried to scratch their eyes out." His son confessed nervously, Dib blinking in surprise.

"Oh! Who was it?"

"Samantha's son, Sammy."

"UGH. Samantha. She's still as stupid as she is pretty." Dib said, cringing as he shook his head back and forth as he led his son out of the study, down the long mahogany hallways of his mansion as they reached the living room, Tak the Irken waiting for them, looking up from the couch as he grinned. "But she's nowhere near as pretty as my wife." He chuckled, Tak pausing "The Scary Monkey Show" and sauntering over to him, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him deeply.

"You're watchin' the Scary Monkey Show?" His son asked, blinking in surprise. "Oooh! What episode is it?"

"You can watch it if you want. Your father and I are just gonna be here in the living room, talking about how much we WUB each other." Tak said with a sly smile, their son going "BLECHH" as he exited the room, heading up the spiral stairway in the center of the living room, up to his own room as Tak gave Dib a playful lick over the cheek. "Heh. Always works."

"It's our anniversary, and I got you a little something I want to show you." Dib said as he gave her a grin. "...I can't RETURN it." He added as he and she laid down on the couch, Dib stroking her curled antannae, enjoying the soft feel of the antannae in his hands, the feel of her purring from their touch as she softly inhaled at each stroke.

"Ohhhh...oh, yes, yessss..." She whispered. "Reminds me of our first date."

Indeed. Dib remembered it well. The soft smell of freshly roasting meat. A lovely barbeque as the moon hung high in the sky, stars twinkling overhead as the wind blew against their skin. Dib strummed away on a guitar, smiling seductively at Tak as they laid together in chairs on the private beach.

"See? It's the perfect kinda night for this sort of thing." Dib had said with a smile. "Want me to play something?"

"I don't know too many songs." Tak confessed. "Well, I do know ONE Earth song." She added. "That variation on Joy to the World?"

"Ahhh, well, in that case..." Dib nodded before he began to play upon the guitar, fingers flying over the strings as the lovely roast continued to twirl about. "Joooooy to the woooorld! Our rival's deaaaaad! Let's baaaarbequuuue his heaaaad!"

"WHY NOT?! YOU'RE ALREADY ROASTING THE REST OF ME!" Zim screeched out, his naked form still tied to the stick as he was slowly tuned over the bonfire over and over as Gaz kept cheerily twisting him around and around, humming happily to herself as she held it with one hand, the other nonchalantly playing a new Game Slave cartridge Dib had bought in exchange for her help.

"Pssshhh. Whiner." Gaz remarked.

"Yes. Only without Zim's tremendous screaming." Dib remarked. "God, I miss the screamin'." He sighed sadly, shaking his head back and forth. "But still...we've got a special night, just the two of us." He said, leaning in, kissing her tenderly as she began to undo his pants.

"I'm just so glad I stayed with you." Tak admitted quietly. "I've never been happier."

"Yeah. Me..." Dib smiled softly. "Me too."

He sighed.

"Okay...turn it off."

Tak blinked. "Wh...what?"

"Turn it off. I know it's not real. Get it over with."

And just like that, Dib was now getting pulled out of a strange, VR-helmet-esque device, GIR taking off the black device from Dib's large head. Something Dib didn't even object to! He just sighed as he looked at the little blue-eyed robot as it stared up at him, holding the odd, helmet-esque thing as the silver robot blinked stupidly.

"Really, GIR? Another one of Zim's plans?" Dib groaned, taking off his glasses and cleaning them as he shook his head back and forth.

"GIIIIIIIIIIIIR!" Zim's voice rang out from down the hall of the laboratory, Dib blinking as he saw the angry Irken storm in, ruby-maroon eyes glowering darkly at GIR. "GIR! Why in Irk's name were you testing out my new Delusionator on the Dib?! I wanted to test it out on the stupid happy child first!"

"So...you didn't plan this?" Dib asked of Zim as GIR shook his head.

"I wanted to do this for you, big head boy." GIR said gently, smiling softly at the kid, Dib somehow STILL not even caring about that comment.

"Why?" Dib asked, frowning a bit, his face full of confusion.

"You always seem so...unhappy." GIR said, frowning a bit as he shook his little head back and forth. "Every time you and Zim fight, you tend to win so much, yet...the next day when we see you, you're always frowning and looking sad. Beating mastah never seems to bring you joy. I thought you were probably the saddest person I've ever met, so...so I just wanted to see you happy for once." The little robot confessed, tapping his tiny fingers together, biting his metal lip as he hung his head.

"Frankly, Zim is amazed you learned it was all fake!" Zim said wtih a frown, folding his arms over his chest as he harrumphed. "How did you see through the ingenious nature of the Delusionator!? Zim designed it to be flawless! How did you learn it wasn't real?"

Dib hesitated, and then...

"I knew it wasn't real because I was...happy. That's how I knew it wasn't my life. I could never really be that happy." Dib said softly, Zim blinking stupidly in surprise, GIR's face falling as Dib quietly rose up, heading down the hall and going towards the elevator at the far end, entering it and pressing the button for the first floor, intent on heading out to Zim's house and to go back home, his final words ringing through the laboratory, heavy, quiet and sad. "I've known I'm not meant to be happy...for a very long time now."

Author’s Note: This was just a sort of random idea I had. Sometimes you just want to read a sad thing.

#Fanfic #fanfiction #Dib #Invader Zim #Zim #Gaz #Tak #sad #sadfic #drama #comedy #dramedy

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the-strawzish-clownfish · 4 years

Note

Oh, you wanted me to hit you with some? Bet. Do all of them Strawberry

YOBI I LEGIT JUST ASKED SOMEONE THE SAME THING

YOU’RE OMNISCIENT I SWEAR

1. Do you ever doubt the existence of others than you?

I have never considered that before now but thanks for that

2. On a scale of 1-5, how afraid of the dark are you?

3 probably, I’m not really scared of the dark most of the time (unless it’s literally pitch black), but every once in a while i get really unnerved bc i get rlly paranoid

3. The person you would never want to meet?

Satan

4. What is your favorite word?

“faith” bc my faith and bc synesthesia

5. If you were a type of tree, what would you be?

uhhh flowering cherry bc at my old house my brothers and I each had a tree that my dad planted for us when we were each born and mine was a flowering cherry

6. When you looked in the mirror this morning what was the first thing you thought?

I looked in the mirror this morning?

7. What shirt are you wearing?

coral pink bubba gump shrimp co. t shirt

8. What do you label yourself as?

child of God, daughter of Sappho

9. Bright room or dark room?

bright if we’re talking natural light being let in through my windows, dark if we’re talking just normally bc rlly bright lights mess w my sensory issues

10. What were you doing at midnight last night?

talking to you yobi

11. Favorite age you’ve been so far?

this age, I’m a firm believer in that things will always get better, even if only one small thing does improve, when i think back on past years i get anxious and nostalgia isn’t good for me

12. Who told you they loved you last?

@toomanyfanfics that one

13. Your worst enemy?

my mental health tbh

14. What is your current desktop picture?

15. Do you like someone?

never experienced romantic attraction, i used to have a plush (qp crush) on one of my best irl friends tho (@ blob have fun with this fact)

16. The last song you listened to?

I am listening to Echosmith’s Cool Kids as I am writing this, before that I was listening to Girls by Marina and the Diamonds, which is a hilarious song i 11/10 recommend

17. You can press a button that will make any one person explode. Who would you blow up?

myself, I’m not s*icidal but I’m not killing someone else

18. Who would you really like to just punch in the face?

whoever the person who decided Teen Vogue should endorse child pornography was

19. If anyone could be your slave for a day, who would it be and what would they have to do?

me, I would make myself do actual work for once

20. What is your best physical attribute?

my eyes, i just like them. fun fact this one kid i used to be kinda good friends with was talking with me on snapchat once (bc we did that a lot, back when i had snapchat) and i don’t remember how we got into this but he ended up describing my eyes really weirdly? it was really deep and got kinda strange? it was like a movie scene but via text message and then in the middle of it he was like “wtf am i doing” and i will always remember that (dude if you are for some reason reading this then idek what to say man. sorry). anyone who knows me irl (@ you blob) can take a guess as to who this is

21. If you were the opposite sex for one day, what would you look like and what would you do?

idk the answer to either of those questions tbh

22. Do you have a secret talent? If yes, what is it?

idek man sorry

23. What is one unique thing you’re afraid of?

weed, like i’m genuinely terrified of being in its presence (never been in its presence before), i’ve had nightmares about it

24. You can only have one kind of sandwich. Every sandwich ingredient known to humankind is at your disposal.

EVERY TIME I GO TO SUBWAY I GET THE SAME THING. BUFFALO CHICKEN, RANCH, AND CHEESE ON ITALIAN HERBS AND CHEESE TOASTED. I WOULD REPLICATE THAT

25. You just found $100! How are you going to spend it?

go to Atlanta and find a homeless person and buy them some clothes and food and some blankets

26. You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere in the world, but you have to leave immediately. Where are you going to go?

CANADA

27. An angel appears out of Heaven and offers you a lifetime supply of the alcoholic beverage of your choice. “Be brand-specific” it says. Man! What are you gonna say about that? Even if you don’t drink booze there’s something you can figure out… so what’s it gonna be?

first of all why is an angel giving me unlimited alcohol that’s just kinda strange second of all i am a MINOR i am not legally ALLOWED however i will probably just take whatever and give it to some people, someone will like it

28. You discover a beautiful island upon which you may build your own society. You make the rules. What is the first rule you put into place?

be kind and do good where you can and if someone wrongs you forgive them

29. What is your favorite expletive?

as;ldkfjasdkgaj;lsdf

30. Your house is on fire, holy shit! You have just enough time to run in there and grab ONE inanimate object. Don’t worry, your loved ones and pets have already made it out safely. So what’s the one thing you’re going to save from that blazing inferno?

my cactus!! she is v important to me

31. You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?

the first thing that comes to mind was really traumatic for me, but it’s what brought me as close as i am to God now so idk that i would get rid of it. idrk man, it really sucked but i’m glad that I’m so much closer to God now

32. You got kicked out of the country for being a [redacted bc even though this is a hypothetical i absolutely would never do this and refuse to acknowledge it even in a hypothetical situation]. But check out this cool shit… you can move to anywhere else in the world!

….Canada?

33. The Celestial Gates Of Beyond have opened, much to your surprise because you didn’t think such a thing existed. Death appears. As it turns out, Death is actually a pretty cool entity, and happens to be in a fantastic mood. Death offers to return the friend/family-member/person/etc. of your choice to the living world. Who will you bring back?

idk, peeps are in heaven now and i don’t really wanna take that away from them

34. What was your last dream about?

ask God not me

35. Are you a good….[insert anything you’d like here]?

36. Have you ever been admitted to the hospital?

not really, however i have had several surgeries (all on my mouth) so i was in the hospital for those

37. Have you ever built a snowman?

I have built a real, genuine snowman once in my life, and the only proof is a picture i have bc i was so little i can’t even remember it. it doesn’t snow in georgia

38. What is the color of your socks?

ain’t wearing em, however most of mine are gray with some colorful bits

39. What type of music do you like?

I have an eclectic mix of favorites.

40. Do you prefer sunrises or sunsets?

sunrises all the way, the afternoon and evening make me anxious but nighttime and dawn and early morning are the best times

41. What is your favorite milkshake flavor?

vanilla bitch

42. What football team do you support? (I will answer in terms of American football as well as soccer)

UGA i guess bc it’s ga and that’s a safe answer, i don’t really follow sports (i watch baseball sometimes though)

43. Do you have any scars?

oh i’m covered in tiny ones, the most notable being one on my thigh that was on my knee when i first noticed it. to this day i do not know how i got it

44. What do you want to be when you graduate?

gay

45. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

i wanna be better about lying

46. Are you reliable?

heh depends, when it comes to knowing random things or being stupid, yes, but when it comes to remembering things, such as dates and times and things? absolutely not

47. If you could ask your future self one question, what would it be?

Has it gotten easier?

48. Do you hold grudges?

yes and no

49. If you could breed two animals together to defy the laws of nature, what new animal would you create?

a whelk and a quetzalcoatlus, no i do not accept constructive criticism

50. What is the most unusual conversation you’ve ever had?

i once spent hours talking to myself about if it is possible for a perfectly fair coin to exist outside of theory

51. Are you a good liar?

I like to think so

52. How long could you go without talking?

Oh I could go a looooooooooooooong time, however i do have my chatterbox days and i am known for not shutting up so it’s really a tossup on that one

53. What has been you worst haircut/style?

when i was 3 my mom put blonde highlights in my hair and it was absolutely absurd

54. Have you ever baked your own cake?

i cannot bake to save my life, however i have made my father cheesecakes for his birthday and they turned out okay so idk

55. Can you do any accents other than your own?

sco-ish

56. What do you like on your toast?

a crap ton of butter

57. What is the last thing you drew a picture of?

dude in a graduation cap

58. What would be you dream car?

idk whatever’s cheap and works

59. Do you sing in the shower? Or do anything unusual in the shower? Explain.

uhhh not really no

60. Do you believe in aliens?

i mean i don’t think we’re the only life in the entire universe, so yeah (and also they’ve found traces of ancient bacteria on Mars so if you don’t believe then who are you kidding)

61. Do you often read your horoscope?

occasionally, i don’t believe in astrology but it’s at least somewhat accurate a lot of the time and i like to freak myself out

62. What is your favorite letter of the alphabet?

you’d think i’d have an answer for this, however i have never thought about this before. so e ig

63. Which is cooler: dinosaurs or dragons?

if your answer to this is dinosaurs then get out of my house

64. What do you think about babies?

they’re good at shrieking, and for that i admire them

65. Freebie! Ask anything interesting you can think of.

i am not interesting

#are you pleased with yourself yobi #sorry this took so long #strawzy answers #fucking yobi #tw swearing #cw swearing #strawzy cleans out dus inbox

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notbigondoors · 5 years

Note

How do you generally write your replies to asks or threads or rp stuff? On the Tumblr app or on your computer? I'm thinking about making myself two or three rp tumblr blogs (I'd like one for Stephen King's Carrie, another one for Marvel's Morbius and maybe a third one for Wonder Woman) but I don't have a computer atm and I wonder how comfortable it would be to rp using the phone app only/how good it would look. This is an amazing Vision blog btw!

{out of equations} I actually do a healthy balance of both. At night when I’m relaxing at home and watching TV or whatever, I vastly prefer the computer. I type faster when on the computer and it’s just physically easier. But then when I’m out and about, sitting in a restaurant or a doctor’s office or somewhere where I’m just waiting for a while not doing much, I’ll whip out my phone and work on replies there. As far as the actual writing, aside from it being easier for me to type on a computer vs. a phone, it’s really not better or worse to do either. But as far as the Tumblr site is concerned, there are honestly good and bad aspects to both ways of using it.

The app is really a pain as far as formatting. Now, sure, you can do things like adding colored text a lot easier on the phone and without requiring actual coding, but you can’t use a blog theme or really complex text formatting because it just simplifies everything. There are a lot of bugs on the Tumblr app that make using the phone completely obnoxious to me. For example, if you place a title on your text post on the computer, it will remain at the top no matter how many times the thread is reblogged or the reblogs are deleted from it. But if you so it on the phone, for whatever reason it will downgrade the title to a heading that will then disappear when you inevitably trim the reblogs off the thread. I have no idea if there even is a way to make titles that actually function as titles on the phone, but maybe there is?

Another annoying thing about using the phone (and this is more recent, so maybe it’s an actual bug that’ll be fixed as opposed to just a stupid update) is that when I tell the phone to delete all reblogs from a thread, it will appear to have done that, but the it will leave the first reblog that was there at the top. So this results in the reblog having like... a post you don’t want randomly still up there and then your reblog? Which... makes things really confusing if you’re trying to keep track of the thread’s story? I don’t know how to fix that one either.

Also... when switching from Tumblr app/mobile to the Tumblr site on a computer, I still sometimes am unable to edit or even open my posts because it will say “Oops! This appears to have been edited in the mobile version. Please use the app.” Or something like that. Such a pain.

The other thing is... they appear to have taken away the ability to save an ask answer for later on the Tumblr mobile app? I used to be able to start answering and then just save my response in my drafts if I have to close the app and I’m not done yet. Now there’s no option to do that. I really hate that, it came in handy. You can do it on the computer while holding down Ctrl +Alt while actively in an ask text window and replying to it. If you hold down those keys, the options to either “Safe as Draft” or “Queue” will appear at the bottom right as buttons. So yeah, a definite advantage over mobile.

Also, in the case of “read more” links, those breaks in the post where writers can cut off their super long mega posts with a link to the full version so that people don’t have to scroll through a wall of text on their dash? Yeah, those don’t work on mobile, heh. Well okay, no, they work.... but you don’t have the option of using them on mobile. So if someone has set one up on the computer, it will function in mobile, but people who are mobile only don’t have the option of using “read more” links.

The biggest problem with mobile is that people with complex themes for their blogs or even ones like mine that are Tumblr simple, haha, can have info pages set up as links you can click to go to more information, and those don’t even show up on mobile. Even if people send you the urls, when you click on them they will only go to their main blog and not to the pages. So that means you won’t be able to view any muse or mun info or any rules pages set up that way. That doesn’t mean you can’t ask someone to kindly post or send you the information, but that makes it kinda hard for blogs with passwords or muns that won’t even talk to you until you’ve read their stuff.

However... not everything on the Tumblr app is worse than on the computer. On the computer... there are various forms of gif files that function as gifs on other sites and in graphic editing programs, but will not open on Tumblr. For example, I’ve noticed that gifs saved as text map or .txt files and gifs with urls ending in .gifv instead of .gif will not open on Tumblr. Whether you cut and paste the url or you open it from a file on your computer, they just won’t work. The gif will blip away and an “error loading gif” error message will appear. I’ve gotten around this somewhat but simply editing the file extension back to .gif, but that only works sometimes, and I have not found a way to open gifs saved in text map formats. So this makes it really annoying when trying to add reaction gifs. On the app, though...... I seem to be able to post just about any gif I want. So that is a definite plus.

Also, if you want colored text on the computer, you have to code for it, and honestly, I’ve forgotten how to do any of that, haha. Even if you set it up on your phone and then open the post on a computer, the computer version will wipe out all formatting and coloring that you did. Super annoying.

There are also a lot of bugs on the website that are not present in mobile, such as links not going where they should (how many times have I clicked on my blog’s activity feed only to be sent to my dash, ugh), and random spaces being added in the middle of my text posts that I didn’t place there? o_O

So... I guess I would say that functionally speaking I prefer the computer version, but there is a lot to be said for the portability of the phone and being able to work on stuff whenever you have five minutes. I should also mention that I have the Android version of the Tumblr app, so... I don’t know if maybe the iPhone version is different or better or worse. But I do know people who are 100% on the computer version, 100% on some kind of mobile version, or people like me who switch back and forth, and we all seem to be finding our ways just fine, so I think whatever version you choose, you’ll acclimate to that and adjust your style and habits accordingly.

I hope this was helpful! (^-^)/ (Also thank you so much, I’m glad you like this blog! Vision is such a sweetie, isn’t he? XD)

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switchjasper · 5 years

Text

we could steal time..

WHO: Jasper Davis and Daya Ray @dayaray

WHAT: feelings and figuring things out

WHEN: 9/27, late evening in The Garden

Jasper:

This was probably the worst plan of all time, and he definitely wasn't going to listen to Roxy's advice about it. There was just too much surrounding them so far. But.. a phone call. Friendly. Nice. While she was in The Garden with her friend? That wouldn't hurt too much, would it? Pulling out his cell, he hovered over her contact information before finally pressing call. His own apartment was small, but he could pace back and forth easily, Avery in the kitchenette heating up some leftover takeout for them, and Owen mashing buttons on his controller, he retreated towards his bed area--- it wasn't quieter, but maybe they'd respect his privacy.

Daya:

Daya didn't usually get phone calls unless they were from Jakob or the kids' schools. Most of her friends texted, and clients would sometimes call but.. that was her other phone. This was her personal phone, the one that friends and family used to get a hold of her. When the device vibrated on the bed she shared with Hanna, she looked down at it in confusion before reading the name. Jasper. Her heart jumped a little and she reached for it, hesitating slightly before hitting the answer button. "Hi," she murmured quietly, a small smile on her face. "How are you?"

Jasper:

He absolutely did not expect her to answer, and a strangled noise caught in his throat at her voice. Owen said something in the background, followed by laughter, but he was intensely focused on.. her. "Oh. Hey. Hi-- Hi, I don't know why I thought you'd be busy, that's.. stupid, you're still recovering. Uhm. I'm fine. I.. I'm about to.. eat." He finished the sentence lamely, his leg shaking.

Daya:

The smile on her face grew wider at the sound that Jasper made, and she turned, trying to find even the smallest modicum of privacy in her shared room. Her siblings were all in the living room, watching a movie with Lex while she rested. The downside of living with a doctor was that she made sure Daya didn't aggravate her injuries too much, which meant more bedrest than she cared for. "Eating is good," she replied. "I'm just resting. But I'm glad to hear from you. You can rescue me from my boredom."

Jasper:

Jasper shifted from his hunched sitting position to lounging against the wall that his bed was up against, eyes closed to try and will himself out of his nerves. "Yeah, yeah. Uhm. Just some leftover takeout from this mongolian place. It's better reheated, so we always load up on payday." There was a brief pause as he shifted again, and cleared his throat. "You're bored? What are the.. others up to? I have no idea who you're with, heh. How can I help?"

Daya:

Daya's stomach rumbled slightly at the mention of food. The others had already eaten and there were probably leftovers, but she had slept through the dinner hour because of her pain pills. "That sounds pretty good. And smart." There was still that awkwardness between them that Daya wished she could wipe away. Knowing that maybe she had ruined this, the only thing that might have been good for her, it hurt far more than she wanted to admit. "They're outside watching a movie. I was sleeping a little while ago because of my meds. I'm.. I'm with my siblings, and Lex is out there with them. She's been a huge help, but I still feel like... I don't know, I feel like I'm imposing. She didn't ask for this." She trailed off before returning her focus back to him. "Did anything interesting happen today at the store?"

Jasper:

"You should try it some time- I could bring you some or.. yeah." He rubbed at his face, trying to will himself to be less nervous about this. It's just a phone call with someone he knows. And cares about. Nothing ridiculous, at all. Taking in a slow breath and letting it out, he tried not to think about what she might look like disheveled and sleepy, and his stomach flipped at his inability to do so. "Oh, Lex, the doctor person. I've seen her around some. She doesn't seem to mind too much, though, yeah? If she's watching your siblings while you're resting. Oh! No, not really. It's usually pretty boring in the day to day and the best part are the visitors. Today was pretty slow other than Roxy.”

Daya:

"I'd like that," she said, probably a little too quickly. Maybe she was laying things on a little too thick but Daya felt like everything in her life was slipping through her fingers, like grains of rice. Jasper was one of those things. She knew he didn't believe her, but the quiet moments she had in his bookstore, they were some of her fondest memories. It made her feel like a normal girl with a crush, not someone with all of these secrets. Jasper was pure and light and had an air of innocence around him, and she hadn't wanted to taint him. But now, that's exactly what she was doing. "Yeah, she's a surgeon. I don't.. I just don't want to be a burden." That was the crux of all of her issues. Daya didn't want to shift her burden to anyone else, even if they were willing and able to help. Even as she staggered under the weight of it, she couldn't seem to let it go. "Freddie's pretty attached to her, and Hanna likes her girlfriend a lot. It's hard to say no to a couple nine year olds." Her teeth worried at her lip and she turned onto her side, phone still nestled against her ear. "No interesting visitors at all? What about that old guy with the hat?"

Jasper:

The quick answer made him smile against his hand, and he was suddenly imagining showing up to this doctor's apartment with a bowl of leftovers and sneaking off to just.. sit, talk, be themselves. "Yeah?" It came out a bit breathless, "Cool. I'll.. come by sometime when everyone's out and you need company, if that's okay. Bring some lunch and stuff."

"I'm sure you're not a burden, though. She's a friend, yeah? Then I'm sure she's just doing it because she cares about you and that's that. No need to worry about all the extra." What else could he do or say to help ease that ache that was so obviously there? Nothing.. really. He was just, his face twisted in a slight bit of emotional pain, just.. a blip on her radar. Compared to what everyone else could do for her. What did he have to offer?

"Saying no to kids sounds like a skill and a half. But yeah, nobody really too interesting. The old guy came by two days ago to get his fill of switch erotica, so you know. Won't see him again in a bit."

Daya:

Daya could imagine it in her head, Jasper nervously showing up at the apartment building with a bag of food. Like what normal people did. She wanted it desperately, to be that girl again but it felt like it was so fake, and she promised Jasper she wouldn't lie to him anymore. Was she even allowed to invite people over? This wasn't her home and while Lex might care about her, that didn't mean that she wanted random Switches to show up at her apartment. "I'm hoping to find a place soon. Maybe we can do it then, so we'll have actual privacy. And you wouldn't have to come so far?"

She let out a slow breath and shrugged, even though Jasper couldn't see it over the phone. "Just because people care doesn't mean they want to take on all of my issues," she said softly. She had spent so long struggling through this alone that the idea of people surrounding her and lifting her up was still unfathomable. "My parents just dumped them on me and left." But she shook her head. This was no different, and she was only making excuses while dumping things onto Jasper. It was a perverted merry go round that never seemed to end.

"You'd think he would have gotten through all of it by now," she joked. A change of subject was better. Easier. Safer. "I can't imagine there's that much of it and he comes by so much."

Jasper:

It felt like being shot down again so much that he squirmed in his bed, and almost started to curl in on himself before he realized it would be uncomfortable to do that and talk on the phone. It wasn't, though. It was a maybe later. He had to hold onto that. "Uhm. Yeah. I can wait. Sure." But it still came out stilted and hurt. "Or whenever you're able to come by here. Whichever." He was trying to seem nonchalant, trying so hard to show her he was okay, that it was obvious he was doing so.

"No.. guess not, but it can still mean they're willing to try for you and.. everything." His frown deepened. "Kind of a common theme for us. Dumped, left, et cetera."

But he couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up in his throat. "You'd think, but maybe he likes to savor it. Soak it all up, filthy word by filthy word. We don't have a huge amount, but sometimes he buys others. The more mainstream stuff."

Daya:

She fucked it up again. She could hear it in his voice, and she trembled. Why couldn't she ever do anything right? She was a mess with so much baggage and apparently she had gotten so good at lying that no one could see it. It was probably a blessing that Aidan had died before anything actually happened between them. Once she learned, who knows what would have happened. She was police. Maybe she would've ended up just like Covington. The insidious little voice in her head told her that Jasper deserved better than her. That it would be better for him if he just moved on. She was damaged, far beyond anyone's fixing, and she would only ruin anyone who tried.

"Maybe they should stop." The words fell out before she could stop them and Daya flinched. It was too raw, too close to what she was feeling. "I mean.. just..." She didn't want to seem ungrateful. All of her friends had done so much for her and here she was, acting like a spoiled brat. "I don't think I'm worth trying over. There's a reason that people leave me." No more secrets, even if the truth made her choke.

"As long as he's happy, I suppose. It's nice that he can find it in this world."

Jasper:

He didn't have the words for this. Didn't have the way to make her feel better-- but the bite in hers had left him speechless. It clawed at his own throat, her hurt and he wished he could take it away from her. All he knew to say was something he'd already said. That they cared. But.. she continued on and that hurt settled in his chest and threatened to suffocate him.

He was.. once again, useless. "O-oh.." Was all that came out when he tried to break the silence, even the joke he'd tried to make had fallen flat and now they were in this again, with Jasper wondering if this is how it was always destined to go for him. He tried again, this time his voice much, much quieter. "Do you want me to leave you, too?"

Daya:

She could feel tears pooling in her eyes and her breath hitched. She knew that Jasper would be able to hear it, what with the awkward silence stretching between them like a chasm. She knew the answer that he was expecting, and she wanted to give it. To set him free so he could find someone who was better for him. Who could accept his love and would be able to give it in return. Someone who wasn't broken.

"No." But she was selfish. She was so selfish, and it permeated everything that she did. Keeping her siblings just because she was too afraid to be alone. Forcing them through a life of poverty and shame, when they shouldn't have had to hide any of that. They should have been warm and safe and fed, like they are here, with Lex. But she couldn't let them go, and she hurt them more than she could ever forgive herself for, even if no one wanted to admit it. "That's the last thing I want."

Jasper:

More silence stretched between them and the pure, unadulterated yearning that Jasper felt.. He wanted to hold her, to tell her it was okay, but they weren't there. Wouldn't ever be there, it seemed. He just wanted Daya to be okay. To laugh, to smile, to.. sing. Licking his lips, he nodded, though he knew she couldn't see it.

"Then I won't." The words were confident, and he'd keep that 'promise' for as long as he could. "Uhm. I just.. I don't want to ask if I can say this, so I'm just.. gonna do it."

Another slight pause, "I don't wanna stop caring about you, and I don't wanna leave. It's.. stupid, and it's selfish, but I dunno.. this crush I've had on you.. it obviously isn't going anywhere. I still.. I was so nervous before I called, I thought I was going to shake right out of my skin, and then.. when you picked up, I.. for some reason, just figured you were busy which, again, is really stupid, but.. I don't know, I still got butterflies when you said hi."

"If you weren't worth trying over, then no one would. Self worth is hard to deal with, cause we just take all the bad stuff that's happened to us or said to us and we focus on that, and forget about the good. I'm pretty bad at that, too. But the truth is.. really, you are. I am. When you look at it objectively and try and.. focus on all the parts, instead of just a piece of the pie, you know? If you weren't worth it, then you wouldn't be staying at a doctor's house, and you wouldn't have a ton of candy and flowers at the hospital. If I wasn't, then I wouldn't have my moms or Owen or Avery. It's.. you gotta look at the good, too. Okay?"

Daya:

God, he was so stubborn. Daya both loved and hated that about him. It would be so much easier if he just accepted what she knew to be true and found a way to move on. To have the kind of fairytale love that he wanted. Daya was never going to be the girl in the tower. She was the scullery maid, the harlot on the street. She didn't get a happy ending. She didn't deserve one.

As his words spilled out, Daya clung to every word. She knew that he truly believed everything he said. That he had this image of her in his head that was just false. That was the girl he had a crush on. Not this terrible, broken, selfish mess of a girl. But she could imagine it, the way that he was probably hunched over, voice shaking but still so much braver than she was. Than she could ever be. She wanted to be the one to reassure him, to make him less sad but where would she even start when she couldn't even make herself happy? When she hadn't ever known what true happiness was?

But damn it if he didn't make her want to try. To let her walls down so he could step inside, to believe what he said so earnestly. There would come a day when her siblings would eventually leave her, as baby birds tend to do, and she felt so hollow knowing that when that day came, she would have nothing. Everything she had done only delayed the inevitable. But his voice was begging her to listen, to believe.

"I..." She grappled with the words, trying to find ones that wouldn't break them any further. "I don't know how. But..." Another long exhale. "Maybe we can try together?"

Jasper:

One of his roommates moved into the bedroom area to let him know food was ready, and all he could do was nod, knowing the look on his face was a mix of anxiety and pain and hopefulness. Owen, as harsh as he could be, let his teasing words filter away and only nodded, letting him know food was ready when he had a chance. And to talk to him about it later. Jasper just nodded, knowing that Daya could hear the muffled tones and didn't want to call attention to it.

But it was good, that it filled the silence on the other end of the line, made it not seem so damn heavy. "Honestly? I don't know how, either." He reassured, hoping that it would ease whatever nerves she was feeling, hoping that he could be the one to help when all he felt like was a burden.

"But I'd like that." Another long stretch of silence and he glanced at the clock. "..are you sure I can't come see you?"

Daya:

There were muffled voices on the other end, probably one of his roommates, and she squirmed as she waited for him to come back. To hear what he had to say. It felt like an eternity, though it was probably only a few minutes at most.

Daya huffed a soggy sounding laugh and nodded. "Then I think we make a good pair. We can.. help each other," she said softly. A give and take. Both giving and taking equal amounts, which was something that Daya didn't really know how to do, but was willing to try.

"I..." She bit her lip again. "I don't know if Lex is okay with me inviting people over randomly but... there's a park, not far from here. I can meet you there? And we can just... sit and talk?" She tried to temper the hope in her voice, but she hoped that Jasper said yes. "I kinda just want this to be us for a little while. Not because I want to hide you but..." When she thought about it, it sounded stupid but she forced herself to say it anyways. "I've never had anything that was just mine before. I kind of want to make it last. Is that weird?"

Jasper:

He laughed, too, easily, feeling like a weight lifted off of his shoulders. "Yeah. Exactly. Messed up and struggling, but helping each other." The tears sounded so prevalent in her voice, but he hoped that he was helping ease the pain of whatever it was she was struggling with. That's all he ever wanted.

"..Are you okay to move that much? Cause if not, that's okay-- I can wait til you get better, but.. I really want to." But she went on and he breathed out, slowly, weighing his options. "Just us is good. I like just us. It's not weird-- it's easy, easier to be ourselves." Another pause and, "Text me the address? I'll catch a train over. And bring you some leftovers, too."

Daya:

There were still doubts swirling in her head, but Jasper seemed to chase them away for the time being. She closed her eyes and listened to him laugh, to his voice and tried to commit it to memory. "Sounds like the standard Switch lifestyle," she chuckled.

"I'm okay, I promise," she said, playful exasperation in her voice. "I really want to see you too." Her ribs would probably be sore tomorrow but it was worth it to be able to see his smile. "I'll text you, and let me know when you're about five minutes away and I can meet you. And... only if you share them with me. I don't want to steal your dinner."

Jasper:

"Yeah, of course! I was gonna bring a little extra cause.. we loaded up." He grinned it out, playfulness easing through to his tone, excitement just on the edge. He said he'd meet her there as soon as possible and nearly tripped over himself getting ready to head out. A light jacket thrown over his shoulders and a tubberware full of leftover mongolian food and he was on his way.

True to his word, he texted her when he was almost there and just sat down at the nearest bench he saw, legs shaking with the nerves he didn't want to admit he was struggling with.

Daya:

The smile on her face didn't go away even after Jasper hung up, his excitement palpable over the phone. She slipped into jeans and a ratty hoodie, hair tied up and out of the way. Freddie and Hanna were sprawled over Jakob and Lex, completely passed out, and it looked like the former might do the same soon. She told them that she was going to meet a friend, and didn't miss the way that they both shifted in alarm. But she reassured them, explaining the situation, and while Jakob was still on edge, he didn't say anything further.

It took a little longer than she had anticipated to get to the park and Daya felt bad when she saw Jasper waiting. Her ribs ached slightly but she pushed that out of the way as she sat down next to him. "Hi," she murmured shyly. "Thanks for meeting me."

Jasper:

Jasper shifted immediately when he saw her, smile widening even as he took in her appearance. She did look tired, a little sore, but he didn't mind. She still looked good to him. When she sat down, he twisted to face her, their knees touching, and he put the tubberware container between them and dug in his pocket for some packaged sporks that he and his roommates tucked away from various containers.

"It's not a problem. Kinda chilly tonight, though." His grin was crooked and happy, hoping she didn't read too much into that hope laced through his words. "How's your ribs? You okay?"

Daya:

The way he looked at her, like she hung the moon, it made something in her chest warm. It made her ache for a time when things could be simple, and it reminded her of soft blue eyes. Blinking away that thought, Daya looked down at the container of food and accepted the plastic spork that was handed to her.

"I actually prefer the cold," she admitted, even with her hands tucked into her pockets. "Heat is just... ugh, you get all sweaty and it just takes away all your energy." Her nose wrinkled but she smiled to soften the words. "They're.. getting there. Nothing much you can do with them other than let them heal. But I'm okay, yeah. You? No one bothered you on your way here, right?"

Jasper:

He caught something in her features, but it disappeared quickly, so he didn't call attention to it, and instead focused on what she was saying and opening the container for her. It was thankfully still a little warm, but he dug in immediately, his hunger never sated.

"I really do, too. Better for, y'know, cuddling and stuff, in theory. Plus you can always put more clothes on when you're cold." His eyebrows raised at her words, a bit of worry quirking in them, "If you need to rest or lean on me or something, you can. I don't wanna make you hurt worse. But no, no one bothered me at all. I'm pretty good at keeping my head down, even if I look like a bum."

Daya:

The way he dug in voraciously reminded her of Jakob and it made her smile. His floppy hair and grinning eyes. She hoped her siblings liked him. "You don't look like a bum," she argued. "I think you look cute." A fierce blush overtook her features then but she didn't take back the words.

"But I might take you up on that offer afterwards," she said. Still red in the face, she scooped up a bite of the food and took a bite, nodding in approval. "You're right, this is pretty good. I don't think I've ever had it before. Is the place you go to in Bayview?"

Jasper:

He ducked his head, blushing himself at the compliment, shuffling his feet a little. "You do, too." It felt right to say it, to give her a little something back. "I think you probably look better all.. uhm, disheveled, I think, than.. the other. Some people just do. Look prettier that way." He wasn't trying to say she didn't look put together, and his eyes screwed tight, hoping he hadn't overstepped.

Instead, he just focused on eating more, taking slow bite after slow bite. "Yeah? It's our favorite. The peanuts get all chewy instead of crunchy. It's great. Oh, no, it's uh.. somewhere in Sunset Ridge. That's where Owen, one of my roommates, goes all the time to see his boyfriend. So."

Daya:

She paused at his reply, but didn't take offense. Her brain pointed out all the times she looked disheveled (which was her normal state of being), but most often it was while she worked. And that seemed like a dangerous like of thinking to go down so she focused back on the present. "Well that's good because I'm usually so busy that I.. I just throw my hair up. Or.. I used to." Her hair was still too short to do much with other than brush it out of her face out of annoyance.

Daya continued taking small bites, still used to letting others take more so they would have enough even if that wasn't a concern for her at the moment. "It's good. Nice, that you guys have a routine. Will you tell me more about them? Your roommates I mean. I know that you said they're like your siblings. Did your moms take them in too?"

Jasper:

"Yeah! Yeah, that's what I mean.. it's just-- you look effortlessly pretty." His cheeks were burning the more he spoke, and he shook his head. "Sorry. I just.. exude awkward."

Another mouthful of food shut him up, and his leg started shaking again, his mind already working in overdrive to try and come up with excuses for his behavior or overanalyzing the way she looked at him. It was better to just look down at the bowl and pretend he didn't say anything stupid.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, yeah, they did. We're all Switches. Some come and go, some stay for a bit, then leave. But we kinda just hit it off and were around about the same time, so.. we just decided to stay and help. Take care of them and who they take in. Owen's kind of punkish, rebellious, doesn't like to keep his mouth shut even when it'll get him in trouble. Avery's more quiet, and likes to let her fists do the talking more often than not. I've had to pick her up from holding a lot. But she's really protective of me."

Daya:

She ducked her head and brushed her hair behind her ear. No one had ever said that about her, at least not with that much earnestness and honesty. "You don't. You're sweet. People don't normally.. say that about me. It's nice."

Daya listened intently as he talked about them, and it was clear that he cared deeply for the both of them. He must, if he chose to live with them and stay with them like this. "Your moms are pretty great," she said softly. "Not a lot of people would do what they do." She wondered what they knew about her, whether Jasper had told them who she was... and the way that she had hurt him. "They sound.. like you all fit together. Different personalities but it works."

Jasper:

Jasper had to pause, to watch her for a moment, to see if he could decipher what was going through her mind. He couldn't, of course he couldn't, but he also couldn't fight the sweet, soft smile that played on his lips at her reaction. "It's true, and more people should." His voice was soft with the words and.. he set his utensil down to reach out and put two fingers under her chin, to hopefully get her to look up at him instead of hiding. His hands were shaking as he did so, and his voice seemed to match the nerves he was obviously displaying. "You are, okay? And I know that.. uhm, looks aren't everything-- they're not the only things that are important. Cause I.. didn't start to really like you until we talked more. But I always thought you were beautiful."

That was all of the bravery he had, and he tucked his hands between his legs, still kind of curling in on himself to fight the shaking nerves wracking his body. But he was smiling, happy despite it. "They are, yeah. And we all love each other in our own way. It's just.. different."

Daya:

She didn't expect him to tilt her chin up, and it took her a moment to muster the courage to meet his gaze. Daya ignored the way that his hand trembled and instead focused on the serious, sincere look on his face. "Thank you, Jasper," she whispered. It was hard to be vulnerable like this, but with him, it didn't feel like she was giving up a part of herself. Her clients liked to see her open and innocent, to fulfill whatever fantasy they had. But Jasper looked like he actually saw her, cracks and all, and it made her heart feel full. No one had done that before, not really. Not in a way that made her believe.

Too soon, his hands slipped away and she fought the disappointed look that threatened to cross her face. Instead, she shifted, moving the container of food onto her lap so she could nestle against him. She did it quickly, without asking, before she lost her nerve. The warmth from his body sank into her bones and she sighed comfortably. "There's nothing wrong with different. Love is love. And family... family is more than just who we're related to biologically."

Jasper:

His heart thumped in his throat at the look on her face, and too quickly for him to even protest, Daya was tucking against him. It was so quick that he sucked in a sharp breath and tensed up-- but quickly relaxed at her soft sigh. For a moment, Jasper had no idea what he was doing, but instead let instincts take over and wrapped an arm over her shoulders. His free hand rested on her knee.

"Yeah, that's exactly how I feel, too. The Davis' are more my family than the Rovigattis ever were." He turned his head to nestle his nose into the top of her head. "Uhm. You know I kissed your forehead at the hospital. I was.. I waited til you were asleep, cause I was nervous. But I just.. wanted you to know I did it. I don't know why. Just.. had the urge."

Daya:

She wondered briefly if she had read it all wrong, that Jasper actually wasn't okay with her doing this, but his arm carefully fell over her shoulders, and for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was safe. While her friends had done an admirable job of caring for her and her siblings, there always seemed to be a lingering hesitance there. It wasn't fair to them, when all Daya had to do was believe in their good intentions, but so many of her instincts were warning her that it wasn't okay.

But with Jasper? She took a deep breath, comforted by the smell of whatever body wash he used and a faint hint of cigarette smoke. "I know what you mean. My parents... if I can even really call them that, they don't feel like family. I have my siblings of course, and Bobbi and Lex and Kat and Liv and somehow this entire tribe that I inherited? And you..." She looked up at his confession with soft eyes and a gentle smile. She leaned in a pressed a kiss to his cheek, chaste but lingering. "Now we're even."

Jasper:

All he could do was blink as her lips pressed against his cheek. He felt warm all over, happy, but there was that yearning in him that just wanted more. But he'd never take it unless she offered it. Shifting a little to make it more comfortable for the both of them, he closed his eyes and took in a deep, slow breath. Something to calm his nerves, and breathe her in.

"You have a big family, then." He murmured against her hair, sighing lightly. "And that's good. You can let them take the weight off of you sometimes. Not always, cause I know you're independent and you wanna be on your own.. but sometimes. You can." He swallowed hard against the lump in his throat, still so nervous to be so close to her.

"Daya." He said her name softly, with a reverence. "What if.. I, you said I should try again.. ask again-- but what if we just, didn't try and follow their world rules. Just our rules. A date can be.. whatever we want it to be. It doesn't have to be formal or .. I don't want to ask again. I'm afraid to, still, even knowing. But I'd rather just.. fall together."

Daya:

The kiss changed things. She could tell, but she wasn't sure if it was for better or worse. But he settled, pulling her closer and they just existed in the same space. Things didn't have to feel so hard for once, and she wanted so desperately to trust his words. To let them help her. To let him help her.

"I don't know how to do that either," she whispered. There was so much about life that she was just fumbling through and hoping for the best. She wanted to learn though. She wanted to do better, be better, and be the person that her friends seemed to believe she was.

She turned her head slightly so she could look up at him, but he wasn't looking at her. But his words, they flowed through like warm apple cider in front of a fire, sinking all the way to her toes. "I would like that a lot." The image was beautiful and she had no doubt that he could be a successful writer one day if he was lucky. He had a way with words that left her feeling breathless. "I want to fall with you. I'm afraid but..." She reached around to take his hand and squeeze it. "I don't want to live my life being afraid."

Jasper:

It sucked, being a writer and being at a loss for words. He'd said it before, but it was so much easier on paper. But he kept his eyes closed and envisioned what he might say to her if he were writing it down away from prying eyes. It was easier, and he relaxed into her. "That's okay. Learning is a part of life." He murmured and pulled back just to look at her, not too far, still enjoying being wrapped around her far too much for his own good.

Looking into her eyes made it harder, but he could push through the nerves and the tingling in his fingers and just.. pretend he was writing a beautiful letter. Not that he could ever get the words out smoothly if he were to speak them, but he channeled that part of himself that he knew could be confident if given the chance. Reaching up, he brushed some of her hair back with his free hand, a little smile on his lips. "I'm afraid, too. I've never done this before. I've never liked someone as much as I like you, and it sounds silly, because it was definitely just me watching you from afar for a while. And dreaming about it." His cheeks colored, hoping that that hadn't sounded too much like an innuendo.

"Leaping into things is.. difficult. But falling is easy.. you just let go. And it's okay to be afraid, letting go of stability and embracing the unknown below? That's terrifying. I just want to be the one to catch you. I want you to catch me." He licked his lips, and leaned his forehead against hers, eyes closed again. Jasper was never the type to push for things, just accepting the cards life dealt him, and he wasn't going to start now. "I think I'm ready to let go of the safe choices."

Daya:

She met his eyes and it was like staring into a moment, a choice where she had to choose between what she wanted and what was safe. "I don't think I've ever had much time to live," she confessed, her voice soft in the silence. His hand reached up to brush her hair out of her eyes, and his words slipped past yet another wall that she hadn't even known was there. He liked her. He dreamed about her. He wrote about her. She wasn't as eloquent as he was, nor did she always have the right words to say. Compared to him, it always felt like it wasn't enough. But she still tried.

"Falling is terrifying." But she understood what he was trying to say. She could feel herself losing her grip, needing only one more push to let herself go. He leaned forward, his head pressed against hers and Daya swore that he would be able to hear the way her heart was thundering in her chest. How could her words ever measure up? He spoke like someone who knew love and life and it made her self-conscious again. He was clearly so smart and she had no skills whatsoever. What would she contribute?

But his breath ghosted over her lips and Daya was familiar with this territory. She might not be intelligent when it came to books and culture, but she knew people. So she decided to go with her strengths, and she closed the gap between them, lips pressing softly against his. It was fumbled and not at all like the movies made it seem, but that made it all the more real and less like some dirty fantasy.

Jasper:

All of her words fell away, lost into the ether the moment her lips met his. And the kiss was clumsy, Jasper being caught off guard and shocked by the sudden shift. He'd kissed others before. He knew how. But their lips slid together in a way that wasn't practiced or perfected, and to him? It was everything he hoped for.

Pulling back slightly to readjust, he focused on kissing her right, kissing her well. Still awkward, still nervous, but his lips on hers with shaking breaths, and shaking hands against her cheeks. But he was.. so completely enamored and hungry for her that all thoughts of doing it perfectly were gone the moment he recaptured her lips with his.

This time when he pulled back he nuzzled into her cheek and pressing more kisses to the bit of skin he could reach, the corner of her mouth, her cheek, her nose. He whispered her name, breathless and wanting, wishing they weren't sitting in a park and could wrap up better in each other, but he was getting ahead of himself.

"My heart is beating so fast."

Daya:

It wasn't perfect and for that very reason, Daya loved it even more. It was so purely them, awkward and hesitant and daring in small doses. He pulled back for a brief moment only to lean in once more, and- oh. This is what people meant. His hands cupped her face and kept her close, not that she wanted to be anywhere but here.

Even as he pulled away a second time, he stayed close and he touched her like she might disappear. It felt like a dream, but the cold bite of the wind, the soft cotton of his shirt, it was all real. "Me too," she giggled breathlessly. Even as fear and anxiety threatened to take over, she pressed closer, breathing him in so she might not ever forget this moment.

"I trust you to catch me."

Jasper:

Jasper's laugh matched hers, and they were kind of wrapped up in each other, but that's all that mattered, didn't it? "I really don't wanna go back home." He murmured again, still nuzzling against her cheek and savoring the moment for what it was worth. But he nodded, "I'll catch you. I might stumble a little cause I'm not super strong, but I'll try my best."

After a few moments of just.. soaking each other up, he pulled back to look at her better and traced the bridge of her nose with the back of his finger. Gentle, and loving, in a way. "When do you have to head back?"

Daya:

She gripped his shirt tighter as he mentioned going home. Daya didn't want him to leave either, but he had to. They were still so far off from there and things were still new. Lex and Jakob might start to worry, and so might Jasper's moms and roommates. "You are strong. And it's okay, because all I ask for is your best. Perfection is impossible. But perfect can stay over there. I don't want him."

Her eyes fluttered shut as his finger touched her face gently, as though he was mapping it out. "Probably soon," she said, a regretful tinge to her tone. "I don't want to make Lex stay up too late, and I'm starting to get a little tired." She tried to stifle a yawn, only part of it escaping with a small sigh.

Jasper:

"Perfection is gross, we are stupidly imperfect and having fun over here in weirdo-land." He chuckled, but pouted a little at the mention of having to part, to leave her so soon when they finally figured something out. "That's okay, though. It's probably for the best. Don't wanna catch a cold and I don't want your ribs to hurt too much in the morning."

He ghosted a hand over said ribs, but didn't press or linger. "One more kiss, then, and I'll text you when I get home?"

Daya:

Daya laughed slightly at his words and nodded. "I agree. I think I'm having a pretty good time in weirdo-land," she smiled at him. She wanted to kiss away the pout that was on his lips, but he conceded before she could. She sucked in a breath as a warm hand brushed against her ribs and she sighed. "One more kiss," she murmured as she pressed her lips against his once more. It was a promise and a tease and a safety net all in one gesture.

"Get home safely. And definitely text," she nodded. "Be safe please."

#thread #thread: daya ray #yes this is from elephant love medley

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perispinel · 5 years

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OK K.O. New Episodes Review!

I’m gonna review the new episodes that have been released on the app, everything from All in the Villainy to GarQuest! Spoilers, of course! All in the Villainy: Okay, first of all: Voxman canon anyone? Their fake sitcom is literally The Voxy Bunch and they act exactly like a married couple trying to get their step children to get along! And all in all, this episode was adorable, I couldn’t get enough of it! 10/10! Sidekick Scouts: Heh this episode is golden pretty fast- we all thought that Combo Breaker was gonna be this suave hero who wanted to steal K.O.’s girl, but it turns out it’s the polar opposite, and they’re just a hyperactive cyborg who is really idolizing K.O. to the max. Honestly, it’s pretty adorable, and a big contrast to what we expected from this character- plus, he’s basically just what K.O. used to be like, with an extra dash of Looney Tunes and AstroBoy! 10/10 for this one too! Whacky Jaxxyz: This episode starts out strong, with what is essentially K.O. and Dendy having a Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh Card Battle with Pow Cards, which makes as a subtle reference to their function in the games. And wow, I didn’t think K.O. calling Dendy “Dend” would be that cute, and they are just so cute together~ I like how they totally subvert the “friends have falling out due to diferent interests” trope and have Dendy be totally chill with K.O. having fun with a new random game (until he comes to his senses and comes back to play with her again). And the introduction of Johnny (voiced by the impecable @prozdvoices) excels this episode to like, 12/10 for me honestly. And Jack Whacky is even better, a total anime villain even though he technically isn’t one. I love that joke where he apparently calls everyone ____ Boy (even Nanini) just as a reference to Yu-Gi-Oh, it’s just perfect.

Project Ray Way: I guess they answered our prayers with a Raymond-centric episode, and what a perfect topic for one: fashion! Also, they broke the ‘never show Raymond from the front’ rule, but honestly I don’t care. I just love how jealous Rad is of Raymond just because he’s getting more attention- so much fuel for the Radmond people! I think this episode really nails the cliches of clothing commercials, like how they try and tell you “you’re so unique, and unique people buy our clothes~” This episode has a pretty obvious moral about big businesses stealing from smaller independent ones, but honestly it’s worth the fun of Raymond getting a solo role. Also, don’t try and tell me they AREN’T teasing Radmond, Raymond literally looked at Rad in Bishi Vision, and Rad blushed and started sweating because of how hot he was! 10/10 for this episode and just literally saying “This is capitalism and you’re all complicit!” I Am Jethro: Did not expect a Jethro centric episode, especially since the last episode he starred in was last season ago, but honestly this is a blast already with Jethro’s new voice! Love this recurring pattern where every time one of their siblings is even slightly better, Darrell and Shannon are just not having it. It’s just adorable seeing Jethro form such an odd friendship with K.O., not really caring much at all about fighting! Who would’ve expected that Jethro’s solo episode would be about him throwing a revolt against Lord Boxman Darrell-style? I expected this to end with a reset button and the rebellious Jethro to just be destroyed, but it seems pretty open-ended to the point where I wouldn’t be surprised if he came back somewhere down the line for a new story arc. Well, 10/10 for this one! Am I being too nice? Yes, I am!

GarQuest: I love parallel titles, this with CarolQuest! Must not be a coincidence I’m assuming~? The idea that Gar lives in a cloud house above the Plaza is so great because it means every time he randomly appears out of the sky it isn’t just him falling out of nowhere, he’s just watching the battle unfold from his cloud porch. I’m glad K.O. is going the polar opposite direction of Steven and just asking questions any child with curiosity would ask, by the way! FLASHBACK TIME PLEASE SHOW ME RIPPY ROOOO YES THANK YOU! I didn’t expect so much emotion already not even half way through, but hey, I love emotion! this is not the kind of boss I expected, but it’s not like that’s a bad thing. Well they just did the secret mission, surely the episode doesn’t have nearly four minutes left huh? Okay, so he’s telling the rest of his story and the President of the Universe showed up, that sure is something- and wow, it turns out that he built the plaza after being told about the Lakewood Tree, cool! So all in all this was a good backstory/character-building episode, my only complaint (which really doesn’t matter) is that I wish we had gotten more info about what happened to Rippy Roo, but still, 10/10~

#ok ko #ok ko lets be heroes #ok ko spoilers #garquest #all in the villainy #i am jethro #project ray way #whacky jaxxys #sidekick scouts

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mirika · 6 years

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I went to Dutch Comic Con once again. On Saturday I went as Ladybug from Miraculous Ladybug, but as I spotted an Angewomon who told me she’d be there the next day too, I went as Mimi from Digimon on Sunday.

Besides, the whole point of not having blue hair anymore was so that I can wear both cosplay whenever I want.

Day one!

Downside of this year is that I did not have my annual friend with me - I always visit Dutch Comic Con (March edition) with one friend in particular. This meant that Saturday I was by myself. The plus side was that I could do everything at my pace(!), but the problem with being by myself was everything else. I took only one photo with another cosplay and that was when a friend of mine tagged along for a little while.

It’s me with a bunch of androids from Detroit: Become Human, heh. I was holding my bag and everything, so it was awkward too!

I saw many more androids who looked amazing, but I lost my friend and therefore could not take any other photos. There was one Connor & Hank in particular that I was very fond of, and I made sure Hank knew how much I appreciated the dedication to the beard they applied to their face. I was really amazed by it as beards are hard to achieve.

I also saw an amazing Sylvanas (World of Warcraft) cosplay, when I saw her I actually said “wow” (or more specifically “wauw”) out loud and I told her she looked good or something like that. She really did. On Sunday I also saw a blood elf character, but I am not familiar with all NPC’s, so...

As I said before, I also saw Angewomon and I really wanted to take a photo with her. She seemed in a rush though, told her I will go as Mimi tomorrow as she said she’ll be there tomorrow again and therefore left it as it is.

I also visited two Q&As that day. Felt nice to visit Q&As without having to make friends wander alone.

The first one right at 12:00 was Katherine McNamara, she is known as the main character Clary from Shadowhunters, a show that is a bit of a guilty pleasure. I loved her excitement and her love for the franchise and other characters, and she had to keep herself from telling any spoilers, but she is really excited for the first upcoming episode.

The second Q&A at 16:00 was Jennifer Morrison, known as the main character Emma Swan from Once Upon A Time. I know she has a role in Arrow too, but I don’t watch it. Because of Katherine’s excitement during her Q&A, Jennifer really made a huge contrast in that regard. Not that she wasn’t happy, it was just different. I slightly feel bad about all the Once-related questions because you could kinda tell she’s done, and she deflected a Swan Queen question by just answering she is an actress portraying a character who is written the way they are, so I liked that; no fuss about shipping. Shipping is what made the Once fandom so destructive, after all. She solved it very well, probably put a lot of thought into it.

Other than that I bought a bunch of merchandise. I actually only bought stuff from the artist alley; none of the official merch pulled me in. The artist alley is great, because it has such a variety in fandoms. My only issue is that I am limited to buttons, stickers and charms, because I would not know what to do with prints.

Two random animal stickers of a cat and a bat because the artist was kind and it looked cool. The bottom two are magnets from the video game Journey, and few of my friends know I’ve been very involved with a Journey community lately.

Three buttons of Connor from Detroit: Become Human. I am actually really sad that no one sold Kara or Markus because I love all three main characters nearly equally. Some did sell Hank and Sumo, but yeah... would’ve loved some Kara and Markus. That is why I was glad I saw some Kara cosplay around, compared to Connor the other two appear so underappreciated when they are all such lovely characters. I love Connor most too, but the difference for me is rather minor.

And a bunch of stickers! Illidan Stormrage from World of Warcraft (he looks so adorable and the vendor was so nice), Spider-man in his homemade suit, and a sticker set from Miraculous Ladybug.

I kinda wish I did not have to say that this sums up Saturday already, but here we are.

I found a couple of artists I want to commission from, but many are way above my budget. Complicated. I also took 1,5 hours to hunt Pokemon in Pokemon GO because there was a special day going on and inside the building the GPS was crazy, but because I could visit at my own pace, I made sure I saw all the shops already. I get really nasty about not having seen everything, my brains just can’t comprehend the idea of not seeing everything (or at least having tried).

Either way!

Day two!

On Sunday my bestie tagged along, but ironically now I didn’t really find any cosplay I wanted to take a photo with, hah. The entire day we visited I tried to find Angewomon, and by the time we were close to leaving (last hour at the con), we found her in line for food!!!

I found her Instagram so you can see her with her wings on, but yeah, she didn’t have them today (heavy). It’s the same as how I did not bring Palmon. We weren’t allowed any bags bigger than 12 x 18 cm OR they had to be transparent, so I had nothing to carry Palmon in (it’s for safety reasons due to recent shooting in the same city). Either way, I was so happy to have found her! We shared the mutual feeling of never seeing other Digimon cosplay, so we were both just really happy. Another stranger saw us together and wanted to take a photo as he’d never expect to see two Digimon cosplay together, and guess what, neither did we!

So she was easily the highlight of my day, haha! I saw she also did Garurumon on her page, which is really cool too!

I do want to say that I was pleasantly surprised with seeing The Umbrella Academy cosplay around as well by the way, even if it was 90% Klaus and 10% Five. Considering the show being new I thought it was amazing and for some reason it never occurred to me I could see cosplay from that show until I saw them. The Five cosplayers that were around were actually rather young-looking and short, so that was fantastic, and the Five who was together with towel-Klaus were very in-character together as Klaus was teasing them and Five wasn’t having it. I loved it.

Because I did not find any new merch I wanted to get, I ended up buying mysterious Japanese snacks. I meant to buy one box of panda cookies and one box of regular cookies, but the vendor talked me into this.

The cookies were alright, not too amazing, but I loved the panda cookies too much to even share sorry bestie. All of these are gone already, by the way. I uh... liked my pricey Japanese mystery food. Much better than mochi (yikes) or pocky (meh), but those are opinions!

I think that sums it up. I hope I get the photo Angewomon took of us on her phone, because that was a selfie.

It was a successful weekend regardless.

The photo of Angewomon and I has surfaced!

DCC 2019 - Ladybug (Miraculous Ladybug) / Mimi (Digimon) DCC 2018 - Ladybug (Miraculous Ladybug) ACC 2018 - Ladybug (Miraculous Ladybug) DCC 2018 - Ladybug (Miraculous Ladybug) RCC 2018 - Mimi (Digimon) WDCC 2017 - Mimi (Digimon) ACC 2017 - Mimi (Digimon) DCC 2017 - Mimi (Digimon) RCC 2017 - Mimi (Digimon) ACC 2016 - Hook (Once Upon A Time) DCC 2016 - Ladybug (Miraculous Ladybug) DCC 2015 - Sunday - Hobbit (Lord of the Rings) DCC 2015 - Saturday - Ellie (The Last of Us)

I have been to Elfia in 2015, but I cannot find this post. I was Donna Noble and I actually had a really bad day, which is why I have never returned to Elfia.

#mirika #mirikalj

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sage-nebula · 5 years

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Would you reccomend Final Fantasy 12? How do you find the story and gameplay? I already know I probably won't super like Vaan lol but how have you found everything?

You have pretty good timing, anon; I’m actually playing Final Fantasy XII as we speak, haha.

Anyway, I would recommend it! I can’t speak from the standpoint of someone who has long been a fan of the Final Fantasy series, because I have not. Outside of very brief times spent with Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy IX, in which I did not come even close to finishing either of them, this has been the only main series Final Fantasy games I’ve played. All of the others that I’ve played (and completed)—Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions, Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core—have all been side games and spinoffs. So I can’t say whether you’d like XII if you’re a long-time fan of the Final Fantasy series, because I myself am not and, from what I’ve heard, it changes the formula quite a bit. (ETA: I forgot that I also played and enjoyed Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, although I couldn’t beat the final boss. I did play it up until that point, though, so it was basically completed even if I couldn’t go all the way with it.)

That said, I personally am enjoying it quite a bit, although I don’t think I’m too far into it yet. My Switch history says that I’ve put twenty hours into it so far (well, twenty or more), and I know that a chunk of those have been spent just exploring and doing some sidequests (which is actually what I’m doing right now, heh). I have all of the party members, though, and I’ve gotten into the plot a bit, at least enough to see that the plot itself is less focused on one specific character, and more focused on the politics in the world of Ivalice as they are the moment, which I actually really like.

I’ve mentioned it a few times on my blog before, but when it comes to Final Fantasy I am all about Ivalice. The only Ivalice game I started by didn’t finish was Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2: Grimoire of the Rift, and to be honest I’m not sure why I didn’t finish that one. I can’t remember disliking it, so it might have just been that I got caught up in other things. Either way, most of the Final Fantasy titles I’ve played have been Ivalice games, and I’ve loved them. Tactics Advance was my favorite game for a long while in childhood (and was the first Ivalice game I ever played), and Tactics: War of the Lions remains one of the best games I’ve ever played, period, and if it gets a Switch port I will die of happiness. (Hopefully said port comes with a way to issue birth control to your chocobos, though, because honestly … you go into battle with two chocobos, and you come out of battle with thirty of them, they bred that fast.) Final Fantasy XII feels like a mix of the two games. We have various races present, such as the viera and the bangaa, like we saw in Tactics Advance, but the plot is heavily based in political conflict and warfare, like we saw in War of the Lions. To that end, while we do have characters that have personality, backstory, et cetera, the story isn’t about them so much as it is about this war as a whole and what effect it has on them, which is again similar to War of the Lions, where although there were characters in that game who were important, what was more important than them and their individual conflicts was the role they had to play in this ongoing war and these historical events as they would be remembered years later. It’s a different track than a lot of JRPGs take, since JRPGs tend to be more focused on the individual characters, but it’s one I like because the world of Ivalice (and all its countries and historical events and so on) is interesting to me, and I like to see how it all connects and fits together.

The gameplay is fine as well, though there are some things that take getting used to. I’m playing on Switch, so I can’t say how it is on other consoles, but one thing that trips me up is you have to use the buttons on the left Joy-Con to navigate menus rather than the analog stick, and nothing tells you this. You also open your menu with X rather than the Plus button, which similarly trips me up, haha. The battle mechanic is a mechanic that pretends to be real-time action when it’s really still turn-based. You really just have to get within proximity of an enemy for your character’s attack bar to start up, and then they’ll automatically attack once it’s full, rather than engaging in real-time combat a la a Tales Series game. That said, you can choose whether to have your party members act autonomously or not through Gambits, and you still have to keep an eye on things like status changes and whatnot, so it’s not like all the challenge is gone from it, but quite a bit is. That said, though, it is nice not to have to deal with random encounters, since you can see enemies right there on the map with you.

As far as the characters are concerned, yeah, the game would be much better without Vaan (and by extension Penelo) in it, haha. Vaan’s pretty much the designated protagonist only in that he’s the first character you control and the one you use to run around cities and such, but (at least where I am in the game at the moment) he has no bearing whatsoever on the plot, and neither does Penelo (who is literally only there because Vaan is there). The story isn’t about any one character in specific, but the rest of the party members all have a reason to be there, all have ties to the plot in some way, and all have an idea of what’s going on and can therefore contribute. Vaan … doesn’t. And neither does Penelo. And it’s kind of annoying that they’re there when I literally could not care less about either of them, haha. But I don’t dislike them enough that it drags the whole game down, especially since the other characters get to do their fair share of speaking up and acting since they actually have an idea of what’s going on. (Balthier calls himself the leading man, and honestly? At this point in the game? It really feels like he is. Of course, he’ll always be the leading man in my heart regardless—he is My Mans™—but still, since he has more of an active role and idea of what’s going on, it honestly feels like he’s more important story-wise than Vaan, haha.)

I feel like I’ve rambled a lot in this response and I’m not sure if what I’ve said is helpful, but tl;dr I do recommend it. The gameplay is fine, even if it encourages the player to be passive; the story is good so far, though highly political and focused more on the world than the characters; and while Vaan and Penelo are annoying, they’re mostly easily ignored since the remaining party members all have a bigger role in the plot / more of an idea of what’s going on. I can’t say how it stacks up as a main series Final Fantasy game in specific, because this is the first one I’ve really sank my teeth into, but as a game on its own I’m enjoying it so far and am glad I got it.

#final fantasy xii #for those who have played - I'm on my way to the Garif Village south of Giza Plains for the first time #(at least I am once I stop faffing around and get back to it)#so no spoilers past that point please and thanks!#Anonymous

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rhapsodic-euphoria · 6 years

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Someone I Should Know?

↳Masterlist

↓Taeyong x reader

⇒Idol au

→Next

⇄A/N: I’m starting on a second part to this...TBH, this was supposed to be wayyyy more mature. Like to mature mature. But, I decided to take a ‘fluffier’ approach. *shrugs*Anyways, I haven’t actually been to a concert before. *cries in fangirl*But, one of friend has went to like a Katy Perry concert so I got some info about concerts from her. Enjoy and stay healthy!!~

You shivered, exhaling a shaky breath. You were dragged to the largest concert halls in Seoul, because of your ‘friend’. You were going to a NTC or an NCT concert, whatever the name was.

“I need to go to the bathroom.” You angrily mumbled.

“Go in the bushes.” Your friend nodded to the nearby shrubbery.

You looked at her disgusted. Your friend just shrugged.

“Just wait a few more minutes.” She said.

“You said that an hour ago.” You deadpanned.

“That’s because I was lying.” She shrugged. “See! We’re moving!” She suddenly exclaimed.

“Seriously?” I asked, and before you knew it, you were traveling slowly to the building at a snail’s pace.

But really, you did get inside after a few minutes of silently cursing.

After getting your wristband, you quickly waved at your friend, off to find a bathroom.

“Bathroom, bathroom.” You muttered as you quickly went through any sort of random door. Unsurprisingly, you got lost. You were in a hallway with several doors. There were people running hurriedly through the doors.

“Hey. You shouldn’t be here.” A guy pointed at you.

You widened your eyes. Ok, this was ridiculous, you just needed a bathroom, and you would be on your merry way, but no. Of course, not.

You quickly ran the other direction, and the man quickly followed after you.

You made a sharp left, huffing as you saw the open door in front of you.

When you looked inside of the open room, you locked eyes with a man. He was half-naked.

“Holy shit.” You whispered. He had an extremely toned body. Not too bulky, but not too skinny either. He had an intense gaze, that was trained on you.

You both heard the loud footsteps of the guy who was coming after you. “Where is she?” He said, footsteps quickening towards your direction.

Right before you got caught, the half-naked man pulled you into the room. Gently slamming you against the closed door.

The only thing you heard was your loud thumps, and the quiet breathing of the man pinning you.

The footsteps soon became distant, signaling the absence of the man who was trying to catch you.

You didn’t know you were holding your breath until you exhaled in relief.

But that was soon in vain. You immediately looked up, locking eyes with the man. Your breath got caught in your throat. He not only had an intense gaze, but one of the most handsome faces you’ve seen.

He slowly brought his face closer to yours, his eyes flickering between your eyes and your mouth. But, before he could meet your lips, he maneuvered his head next to yours.

“Hey.” He whispered, making a tingle go up your spine.

He pulled away, giving you a smirk. You, confused, just tilted your head.

“What?” You asked, partially to yourself.

The man was silently, observing you, as if your face had the answers to your confused state.

“Hey.” He said again, even giving a small wave this time.

Again, you gave a normal reaction.

“Hi?” You say questionably, really confused.

“Do you know me?” He deadpanned, putting his arms to his sides.

“Do you know me?” You asked him.

He just gave you a ‘seriously’, look.

“Do you know who’s concert you’re at?” He asks you.

“Umm. I think it was like NTC or NTC or something.” You shrugged.

You saw how the man frowned, but soon his face split into a large grin.

“I’m Lee Taeyong.” He introduced happily, giving out a hand.

“Hi.” You shook his hand, giving him your name.

“Wow, beautiful name.” He winked at you. You just rolled your eyes, not able to hide the small smile.

“Wait, Taeyong-ssi. Why are you...” You gestured to his naked torso.

“First of all, don’t be so formal with me.” He said, smiling. “And two, I was actually changing but you came in.”

“Ahh. Why here?” You asked again.

“It was the only open room..?” He said.

“So, are you a staff here?” You asked.

“Why do you ask?” He said.

“Because...I think you’d probably be the most handsome staff member I’ve seen.” You blatantly said.

“Heh.” He only chuckled in return.

“what?” You asked.

“Because this beautiful girl called me handsome.” He smiled at you.

Your mouth formed a thin line as you slapped his arm, making him start laughing.

“Hyung!” You heard a voice outside of the door.

“Uh. yeah?” Taeyong put a finger to his lips.

“We’re going to go out soon, are you ready yet?” The male voice sounded.

“Uh. Just give me a few.” He replied.

“Okay, don’t take too long though.” The voice said, and you both heard footsteps getting softer, signaling his leave.

“You’re going to leave?” You asked, a bit disappointed to see a new friend leave so soon.

“Yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck, grabbing a shirt behind him.

“But, I’ll meet you after the concert?” He asked hopefully, his head popping out of the shirt he put on.

“Okay.” You said, smiling at him. “Where?”

“Uh. How about the back entrance, 30 minutes after the concert ends?” He says, smiling back at you.

“Deal.” You say. “Oh. Do you know where the bathroom is?” You ask.

“Oh, there’s one if you make a left right when you exit.” He says. “Also if you just keep going straight in the hallway you were just in, you’ll get to the concert hall.”

“Thanks.” You say, glad that he noticed your bad sense of direction.

“Bye.” You waved at him, opening the door.

“Bye.” He walked up to you, giving a small peck on your head.

You chuckled when you noticed his whole face a red shade.

You quickly left and made your way to the bathroom, safely arriving there.

After doing your business, you followed Taeyong’s direction and found your friend who was about to die of your extended absence.

“I was going to die.” She sobbed.

“It’s okay.” You gently patted her head, comforting her.

“Anayways, let’s go to our seats.” She let you to your 2nd floor seats, suddenly happy and excited.

You and your friend could barely afford the expensive front row seats everyone dreamed of. You both would just have to do with the higher view on the second floor.

You honestly really enjoyed yourself much more at the concert than you believed. You promised yourself that you would check out more of NCT’s music when you got home.

Strangely, you found out that the leader of NCT looked a lot like Taeyong. You shrugged, many people in the world looked like others.

Before you knew it, the concert ended. You had to admit that you thought the long, cold wait outside was totally worth it.

Remembering Taeyong’s promise, you told your friend that you’d text her when you got home, and waved her off when she climbed on a taxi.

“Wasn’t the wait, worth it?” You friend giggled as she climbed on the taxi.

“See you.” You waved, ignoring her. She just laughed, as the taxi pulled off the curb, leaving you.

You stared at the taxi for a moment, until you decided to walk to the back entrance.

You saw that there was practically no one there, almost everyone had already left the hall in the front entrance.

You leaned on a nearby wall, taking out your phone to check out some NCT music.

Before you could even press the search button, a hand took your phone.

“What’s this?” You recognised the male voice.

“Taeyong.” You whined, not able to reach your phone because of his outstretched hand.

“Why are you looking at your phone?” He asked.

“Because I wanted to learn more about NCT.” You shrugged, as he gave your phone back. You turned it off, giving him your full attention.

Taeyong was wearing all black, with a black mask and snapback to match.

“Eh. They’re ok.” He shrugged. “You shouldn’t waste your time on them, though.”

“Then who should I waste my time on?” You raised an eyebrow.

“Me.” He said, pulling you closer to him in a back hug.

You giggled at his adorableness, patting his cheeks.

He frowned, not expecting the treatment you just gave him.

“Am I so cute to you?” He asked, his voice muffled because he put his head into your shoulder.

“So cute.” You said, laughing as Taeyong pouted.

“Do you like anyone in the group?” He suddenly asks.

“Hmm?”

“In NCT.” He corrected himself.

“Oh. I think maybe the leader.” You say, a bit embarrassed to tell a guy.

“Why?” He asks, rocking both your bodies slowly.

“I think because he looks like you.” You say.

He only hummed happily in response.

He lead you to a nearby park, both of you sitting down at a bench in the middle of the dark empty park.

“Can I consider this as a date?” You ask, suddenly.

“Only if you can consider me as a more than a friend.” He replied, gazing at you.

“Of course, I do.” You say. “I consider you a best friend.” You say jokingly.

Taeyong only frowned, only making you laugh.

“Obviously, I consider you boyfriend material, Taeyong.” You say, a smile on your face.

“I would probably blind, deaf, and stupid if I didn’t.” You continued, a smile on Taeyong’s face getting larger.

He suddenly lifted you up, twirling you in his arms. “So then, girlfriend?” He tested the word, satisfied.

“Yup.” You say happily, popping the ‘p’.

“Can I say something, though?” He said.

“Of course.” You reply, wondering what he was going to say.

“You would...like me no matter what, right?”

You gaped at his question, not expecting the conversation to run so deep, so suddenly.

“Yes.” You say immediately.

“Even if...” He doesn’t continue.

“No matter what. I love you for who you are, not what you do, or what you’ve done.” You say, proudly.

He stares at you. “Say it again.”

“No matter wh-” You start, being cut off by Taeyong.

“Not that.”

“I...love you?” You say, questionate.

He nods. “Say that again.”

“I love you, Lee Taeyong.” You say again, more confident.

“I love you.” He smiles, giving you one of the brightest smiles that ever faced the Earth.

“How do you not know me?” He asks.

“Whaddu mean?” You say into his chest.

“I think I would be someone you should know.” He says.

“Someone I should know?” You ask, feeling him nod.

“I do know you.” You smiled up at him.

His face turned into a smile, hugging you closer.

Taeyong POV

I know I shouldn’t lie to her like this, but I can’t help but not tell her. It’s been a breath of fresh air to be comfortable with someone ‘normal’, who doesn’t fangirl over me or worry over me constantly. And to love someone.

I hate myself for not having the courage to not tell her. I’m afraid that something bad will happen if I do.

I pat her head, admiring her soft hair.

I suppose then I’d have to be someone unknown as well. Someone she shouldn’t know.

#nct #nct fanfiction #nct fanfic #taeyong #lee taeyong #nct x reader #taeyong x reader #nct leader #idol au

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