#WE'RE WINGING IT. WHOLEHEARTEDLY

[milkteamoon]

Haunt

First of hopefully several ficlets in an October prompt challenge?? I haven’t done one of these before, but we’re going to try our best!

1k words, s2 spoilers (read on ao3)

—

“So......you believe in them?”

Jon pauses his idle pen clicking, looking up from the statement that he’s been attempting to read for the past twenty minutes. He can’t seem to help his wandering mind as of late, and nothing about the tight-knit webbing handwriting is making deciphering the thing any easier.

“In what, specifically?”

“Oh, um. I-in ghosts?” Martin answers. He’s standing at the bookshelf on the opposite wall, a fresh box of files perched under one arm and the other wedged in the toppled heap of what was once the January-1950-to-December-1954 shelf. Jon doesn’t say it to his face — doesn’t want Martin getting a big head or anything — but he is grateful that there’s someone around here with a modicum of organizational skills, of which Martin seems to have retained at least the bare minimum of from his library days. Plus, it keeps Martin out of trouble, in his line of sight. Jon would be cleaning up his office himself, you know, if he didn’t have to juggle a newly added cane alongside everything else.

Martin continues, “I just......well, I know you said you do actually believe in these types of things, which there’s nothing wrong with—”

“I know there’s nothing wrong with it, Martin.”

“I-it’s just the ghost thing, I’m...having trouble seeing it, I guess?” He adjusts the box, lets out a huff of a laugh, and then adds, “Honestly, I’d probably believe it more if you’d have asked me if I were a vampire or something.”

Jon scowls, suppressing his sigh with his hand but being careful not to lean to heavily into the bandages still blotting across his face — along with the rest of him, mind you. It’s honestly a bit ridiculous how long he has to spend changing them each night. But they still bleed if he pulls at them, still ache if he pokes, so the past few weeks have been a lot of tiptoeing around his own mess of a body; he can’t afford to take more time off, but painkillers only get a man so far, and...well. He’s only man, sadly.

Jon picks up his now-cold mug, swirls it around. Where it’d lain sits a water-worn circle in the wood, but it’s been there much longer than his memory could supply. “It’s......complicated,” he answers, taking a sip and choosing, very kindly, to ignore the attack on his character.

“Complicated how, exactly?”

“Well, erm. I wouldn’t say I believe in them in.........the traditional sense. It’s more like, um...” Hm. How to put it. Jon’s eyes roam around his office, across the hole still yet to be patched, the broken shelf that started it all, the half-worm-eaten boxes of old files that had outlived his predecessor and would probably do the same for him, and then up to Martin. And then he snaps his fingers. “Quantum mechanics.”

Martin blinks, blankly.

“I’m sorry?”

“Q-quantum mechanics,” Jon repeats, the confidence slipping out under Martin’s blank stare, “It’s uh...it’s a physics theory.”

More silence. Martin only continues to stare.

“I-it deals with particle motion, but one of the key aspects of the theory is the concept of superpositions. The sum of its parts, to put it simply, but with waves and quantum states.”

"Um...okay......?" Martin says, but his face still continues to test all its muscles as he looks at Jon like he’s begun sprouting worms from his ears. Or a pair of extra eyes. Jon slots his mug back into its ring and slowly checks for both before sighing and picking up the statement he’d been glowering at.

“Look, take this,” he says, holding it up as an example. “Each page is its own object, capable of being read and understood — these are quantum states.” He then begins to lay them down upon the desk, one after the other into a neat stack. “But if we put them together, then we create the statement. The superposition — the sum of its parts, which while not required for us to understand, helps to assign more.....meaning to it, I guess.”

Jon looks up to find that Martin has placed his box on the ground and slowly shuffled closer. Jon pushes the statement forward so he can see — over a sharp line in the wood he hasn’t noticed before. Like a knife cut, his brain supplies, but deliberate, with no stray scrapes. No blood either, though he doesn’t know why there should be any.

Jon continues. “If we work with the assumption that time follows the same properties as particles, then we can think of it as an infinite wave, stretching out unknowably long across its axis. Each point would therefore be the superposition of the quantum states in space that make up said moment. Its layers all smushed together to make...this.”

“Like tea,” Martin inputs, “when you add the cream and sugar.”

“Sure,” Jon says, even if tea seems like the least appropriate analogy in this context. “W-well, we can only comprehend our own quantum state — our own point in time, if you will — even though we, technically speaking, are the sum of many points. And when the edges of our state begin to thin and we notice the sum of our superposition, we can’t......really understand it. So we try to rationalize them as manifestations. Supernatural events, o-or—”

“Ghosts.”

“...Right.”

Martin looks at him. Jon looks back. Jon feels like he’s been doing a lot of that, lately, looking at Martin — a lot more than he used to, at least. A lot more than he ever really wanted to, but now he feels like their lives keep bumping elbows with each other and there’s nothing he can really do to help it. He can’t help it. He can’t help the way he stares at Martin’s matching bandaged hands, or the hairline fracture along the left frame of his glasses. Something from Prentiss, perhaps, or maybe it’d been there longer. Like the rings in the finishing around Jon’s mug. Or the notch in the wood, which he runs his pinkie finger along.

“You know,” Martin begins, cracking a half smile, “I feel like it’s a lot simpler to just believe in the concept of souls upset with the afterlife.”

Jon only manages a huff as he rolls his eyes.

“So you...do believe in them then?” Martin repeats, but softer. More understanding.

Jon doesn’t meet Martin’s gaze, and instead picks up the statement in front of him once more. A short one, in retrospect; barely two pages of jumbled script, a clear contrast from the typed font at the header of the page. 1992. Hazel Rutter. Something about a house fire, which seems completely mundane and not at all supernatural. Probably just another crackpot rambling, if experience has taught him anything. Something Jon really doesn’t need with all the added work already.

He pushes his chair to the side of his desk, then drops the statement into his haphazard “discredited” pile for later.

“I don’t know, Martin,” Jon mumbles, rubbing his eyes, “maybe.”

[marauders-evans]

McGonagall: so today we're gonna talk about...

*an owl comes in*

McGonagall: well, looks like there's a letter for me

The letter: Hello Professor McGonagall. I will be a little late to class today. I am not sure how late, but I will be there. I have been trying to find a way out of my room for over 20 minutes. There is a very big bug between me and the door and when I move, it moves,and when it flies its wings make this awful whirring noise like some vassal of horror. We are locked in a stalemate and I am at every disadvantage, and 1 wholeheartedly believe the bug is aware of this. Respectfully, I am in tears, James Potter.

McGonagall: well, that's very james of him

[reveseke]

out of context can i talk about fugidove for a second. i love how we're introduced to a character that thinks they're a big bad villain, and instead are just unknown and he's kinda disappointed but still continues like he had actually done something bad. i also love how he's designed to be a literal bird and i wholeheartedly think he might be autistic and have a special interest in doves and pigeons in general and also with villains & criminals. he's using the coos as a vocal stim and the ""wing"" flapping as a stim to regulate himself bc the feathers are overstimulating him same with the mask sometimes and he knows enough about the villains in kryptarium to info dump to others. :3 (i also think he might get exploited at some point due to the info dumping whether that would be by other villains, the police or the ninja (possibly ronin as well?))

i also love how he has an unnamed brother who's supportive of him (at least what i gathered of the first interaction in prime empire when he got his screen time) and his life decisions literally quoting his coos to PIXAL and Zane lol. also going to Ronin they would make a hilarious duo (and do) and that's based on like three time interactions they had.

However i'm still quite curious over Fugidove's & his brother's backstory and what they're lives were like ebofrehand. i read that it was suspected he doesn't have a good relationship with his mother from the wiki? also he was originally supposed to be an owl which makes it hilarious to me that he ended up being a dove. (going from a powerful avian predators to a domesticated yet hate-loved swarming city birds that are both really really pretty birds.)

[fairielux]

here is another one:

bad omens - Like a villain mirrors xie lian ( xl) and jun wu's (jw) relationship throughout the story perfectly

a lyrical character analysis

⚠️this is your obligatory SPOILER warning⚠️

Look into my face, then look again/ We are not the same, we're different/ To tell your tales and fables, you couldn't wait - when we learn jun wu's true identity as the crown prince of wuyoung, we also learn that he specifically took interest in xie lian because he thought xl is the same as him. so jw paid close attention to xl, ascended him extremely early and sort of took him under his wing after, (telling his experiences and personal ideations to the young martial god)

You need a new clean slate without the dents/ A place to put your pain, your consequence/ When you look into the mirror, are you even there? - jw wiped his identity as the crown prince of wuyoung from existence with the previous heavenly dynasty. he needed to make sure no one was left alive who knew him as the failed young martial god. this way he could have complete control over all of heavens without living in the fear of being exposed. he also proceeded to escape from the long term consequences of his actions this way.

*I don't wanna know all your secrets 'cause I'll tell/ It's hard enough being alone with myself/ I don't know how long I'll be holding on - white no face pursuit of xie lian. wnf chose to be xl's living breathing tormentor when he was at his most vulnerable, while jw posed as a safe haven for xl, someone who swore to understand the young martial god. in reality jw was just playing with xl, attempting to find a grip on him to reshape him in jw's own image. he knew this was necessary, because if xl knew his true identity and his past he would have told heavens and humans alike

I know you tried your hardest, I know that you meant well/ But you pushed me to the edge and I slipped, and then I fell/ I don't know how long I'll be holding on - this bit is xl talking to jw after the confrontation. because he always sees the best in everyone, he wholeheartedly believes jw wanted to help him at first but cannot and will not forgive his tormentor for what hes done to him, for basically making people look down on him in those 800 years, for forcing his hands every step. its also a reflection of jw's effort to save his own kingdom, that has gone extremely wrong*

So write a brand-new page, then write again/ I know your act is staged yet you pretend /All while you're turning tables with missing legs - it was easy to see through all the scheming jw has done throught the time he's been sitting on the throne, he didnt cover his tracks as well as he thought he did. there were people alive who knew who he was and what he's done in his past after all.

I think you've overstayed your welcome in/ So go the fuck away, don't come again/ I'll see your face in the fire and burn it out - his punishment has come, and i think this is the closest we get to xl being truly and really angry. though i feel like it has more to do with him grieving the person he thought jw was, the time he never got to have because of jw (and wnf) and the loss of his loved ones and people.

**

Like a villain, I couldn't be/ I didn't need it, it needed me/ Like a villain, I couldn't be/ I didn't need it, it needed me

I didn't need it, it needed me

- i think jw and xl are polar opposites. jw is the villain that xl never turned into, jw is the wrath and pain xl never allowed to act with, jw is the embodiment of grief for xl. because in the end, xl never truly needed jw, but jw needed xl so badly that he turned xl into the catalyst of his downfall.

**

I didn't need it, it needed me

i know a lot of ppl (including me) say, that if one character deserved the chance to be a villain, to have his revenge for all the pain and trauma he's been put through it's xie lian. the fact that he never went down that road and wouldnt let the pain inflicted on him change him at his core is truly admirable. i adore him as a person, as a god, and as a character because he is undoubtedly the hope of humanity in his own world, and an example to learn from in ours.

[callmeana2310]

Old friends pt. 3?

Old Friends (Pt. 3/?) - College!Nick Nelson x female!Reader

Parts : Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 |

Pairing: College!Nick Nelson x female!Reader

Warnings: light cussing, LGBTQAI+, alcohol, cigarettes, non-native in English! (Lemme know any mistakes, especially if anything is offensive in the slightest ways!!!)

Topics: friendship, crush, old friends meet again, college, bisexuals, music, soft, young adults, growing up, cute cuddly Nick Nelson

Summary: After years the reader meets Nick Nelson at college. They knew each other from Truham and Higgs and (Y/N) remembers her crush on him.

Word count: 2,115 

Note: This is for the 20+ gang who also loved Heartstopper. Nick is in his mid 20s and the reader in her early 20s!

Hi there! Thanks for your patience! I'm really busy, but I'm trying to write some more chapters, here is part 3 and 4 is almost done!

The next few days are stressful. I need to rearrange some courses, buy plenty of literature and materials for the courses and also get back into university life. I leave the office hour of my literature professor, walking across campus to get to my favourite coffee shop on campus. I order my typical, caramel latte with coconut milk. I sit down at one of the corner tables. I love this place because it has this beautiful dark academia charm. Everything is made of deep, rich red-brown coloured wood - probably walnut or cherry - which has been carefully oiled and polished over the years. The left wall is covered with bookshelves made of the same wood, stuffed with old and old-looking books. I've spent hours going through those books, borrowed dozens of them for private use, but also for my studies. I admire the books while sitting down. The whole coffee shop is always dark and gloomy. The warm light from the ancient chandeliers and the fake candles - fake to protect the books and the wood, still aiming to maintain the aesthetic - everywhere create a cosy and welcoming atmosphere. Behind the massive counter are: vintage coffee machines, huge glass containers with coffee beans and dark, heavy wooden lids, and three very kind and relaxed baristas who take and prepare orders. On every surface are some kind of plants growing and blooming, all very well and neatly groomed. The table I chose is one of the smaller ones, with enough space for two, if you're really trying four could fit, but very snug. I sink into the huge, dark green winged armchair and arrange the red fluffy pillow behind my back. I put my laptop on the table, looking around, taking in the musky smell of wood mixed with strong notes of coffee. The only thing I don't enjoy that much; is how packed this place can get. With that comes a lot of noise that can be very distracting. But today is one of the rather quiet days. I shake my head softly, start my laptop, open amazon to buy some novels and parallelly research for some poetry collections. "Y/N! Hi there!", I hear Darcy yell across the shop. I look up, wave and laugh, "Hi Darcy! Tara!" They order before coming to my table and sitting down. "How are you?", Tara asks. "Haven't seen you in a while!", Darcy exclaims. I shake my head in disbelief. "I can't believe it!", I say with disappointment in my voice. "Can't believe what? What happened?", Darcy panics a little. "We're here for two years and you forgot to tell me Nick studies here too?", I laugh. This time it's Darcy staring at me in disbelief. Tara laughs wholeheartedly, "Shit! Nick? Nick Nelson? We didn't? Well... Yeah! Of course, Nick studies here! Have you seen him? I haven't seen him in ages! He's too busy being a rugby lad I guess!" "Yeah! Finally! I met him at that LGBTQ Party before the semester started! I really didn't wanna go, but Emily and the other girls literally dragged me there!" "Well... Better later than never I guess?", Darcy laughs, "I could've sworn we told you when you first came here!" I check a few names with them just to make sure I didn't miss anyone else the last few semesters. Then one of the kind baristas brings us our orders and my earlier ambitions to get all the literature is quickly forgotten. Tara and Darcy have been away for the semester break so I haven't seen them in a while, they tell me about their road trip through Italy and we slip into a daydream about a joint road trip in the future. "Before we fall into an autumn depression lets plan something for the weekend! Y/N? Are you free on Saturday? We need a girl's night!", Tara suggests. I nod, "Yes! Totally! We could check out that new place at the centre?" "Cocktails at your place and then we head downtown?", Darcy checks her idea with us. "Girl's Night!", I confirm, raising my glass for a toast.

Saturday Afternoon

I come home from practice around 5pm. Just enough time to clean my apartment, hop in the shower and prepare some snacks. I drop my bag at the front door, kick off my shoes and go to the kitchen to check if I got everything for the snacks. I mentally pat my own shoulder after checking all the ingredients. I take a moment to connect my phone to my speaker and start some music. Taking in the vibrations from the bass of the first song, right before I take off to clean up. I literally run through the whole apartment, collecting clothes and similar items which belong in the washing machine. After collecting a reasonable amount I sort them into different piles and throw in the largest load possible. I. Hate. Laundry. And you can tell. I repeat the same route again and again picking up different items, and placing them where they belong. I fluff and rearrange my couch pillows and fold the blankets carefully, after that I quickly vacuum and mop the floor. While the floor dries I jump in the shower. My music is still blasting through the speaker and the time in the shower allows me to relax for a few minutes. And... Relaxation in the shower means screaming the tunes at the top of my lungs. After a thorough cleanse from head to toe I get out of the shower and wrap my hair and my body into a soft and fresh towel. I take care of my skin before heading back to the kitchen. I cut some vegetables, arrange them on some skewers, prepare a couple of different dips, and cut open some fresh bread I baked in the morning, I do the same with some fruits and prepare some chocolate to be molten as soon as Darcy and Tara arrive. Our girl's nights are always a feast, the girls bring snacks and drinks too and we have a blast before even going out. I take a look at my phone seeing it's almost 7 pm, sprinting to my bedroom to pick out an outfit. I sit there just in underwear for quite a while, standing up every now and then to try on some stuff but nothing looks the way I want it to. My door rings, I throw over a robe and open it for the girls. "Hi there Hun! Looks like an outfit disaster!", Tara chuckles while hugging me. "That obvious? Hi girlies!", I reply hugging both of them. "Very obvious. Who you wanna pick up today? Boys? Girls? Both? Non?", Darcy asks walking towards the kitchen. "I don't know", I try to pick an option, "I just wanna be comfy and look hot, because you guys always look hot!" Both of them break out in laughter, taking off their jackets; revealing BOMB outfits. "I hate you fesh lesbs", I groan only to make them laugh even more. "Give me a sec!", I shout going back to my bedroom. A white body, slightly see-through with a square cleavage, black flair pants and some simple, black, squared high heels. I walk into the living room presenting my outfit receiving some comments. "Hot but comfy! I would kill for your curves!", Darcy exclaims. That's all I wanted to hear. Lesbian approved! "You gotta do that dark brown sultry make-up! The one that makes your eyes pop!", Tara insists. I laugh, "That's the plan! But snacks and drinks first!" We gather in the kitchen, the girls carry the snacks to the couch table and I mix some of our favourite cocktails. We sit down together and toast to a great evening. As per usual we first catch up on stuff we missed the last few weeks, and then they show me some beautiful pictures from their Italy road trip, each one bearing a story. I style my hair and make-up while listening to all the great stories, missing Italy and travelling. We eat almost all of the snacks and drink almost all of the alcohol. I really missed this. 

Snacked up, snatched up and proper tipsy we head to town to a new, super modern and hip bar that just opened up. Getting there our girl's night is already kinda over because we meet shared friends we can't just leave sitting there. I say hi to the group when a glimpse of red hair catches my eye. He is here too? I should have known. Before I could finish that thought Nick turns around. "Hi!", he exclaims, looking me up and down. "Hi!", I reply before he pulls me in for a hug. "Wow! I've never seen you like that! You look beautiful! I mean you always do but... That make-up... Your eyes are... Just.. Very blue!", he laughs slightly nervous. I laugh, "Thanks! You look awesome too!" "Thanks!" He does. Black pants and a dark blue, well-fitted long-sleeve henley with the top buttons unbuttoned. Very simple, very powerful. Someone pushes me from behind, pushing me towards him, making me grab his upper arm and stand very close to him. He supports me by gently holding me by my waist. He looks down at me for a moment. Was that a smirk? "You good?", he asks. I can smell he already had some drinks. I nod, "Yeah, sorry! Ahm... Nice to see you again!" Suddenly someone properly grabs me from behind, pushing me aside. I am confused for a moment until I see Darcy walking past me, hugging Nick. "You know, we haven't seen him in a while either", Tara explains, shrugging her shoulders and joining the hug. Before I can react to that some other friends grab my attention and we get separated for a while. Eventually, the three of us meet a the bar again. "Girls' night was fun until it lasted!", Tara shouts, raising her glass for a toast. Darcy and I agree, joining in with our glasses and laughing. "Yes! Next time we stay at home! You guys can still crash on my couch!", I scream over the music. We try to talk, but the music is really loud at the bar so we decide to go dancing. And we dance, and drink, and dance, and drink, and dance until I really need a break. "I'm outside for a smoke!", I yell into Tara's ear, letting her know where I am going. On the way out I grab my jacket from the chair. 

Standing outside, taking another drag from my smoke I hear someone clicking their tongue behind me, but I don't bother turning around. "Y/N, Y/N, Y/N! Does your brother know you're smoking?" I automatically roll my eyes at that statement, but also involuntary smile. "Yeah! He does and he hates it!", I reply looking to my right where the redhead appears, lighting himself a cigarette. I laugh loudly. "Does Sarah know?" This time he rolls his eyes. "She nearly killed me!", he hisses. We both laugh, casually standing next to each other, smoking our cigarettes. Our laughter slowly falls silent. "How's your mom?", I ask softly, looking down at my feet. "She's fine, misses us being around... The usual.", a brief moment of silence before he continues, "How's your fam?" I shrug my shoulders "The usual, not happy, not miserable enough to change anything". I throw away my butt into an ashtray. The conversation is clearly over, but I insist on waiting for him. "I'll need another. It's way too crowded and loud inside!", he explains, holding out his pack, offering me another. "True! Thanks!", I say grabbing another smoke from his pack. We fall into lighter small talk while smoking, both avoiding heavy topics from the past. At some point, I start shifting from one leg to the other. Nick notices, "Are you cold?" I shake my head. I'm not, probably nervous, maybe just in the mood for dancing. He holds up the side of his coat I'm standing next to, offering me warm shelter underneath it. Why not? Is all I think before making sure my cigarettes won't burn a hole into any clothes and then snuggling next to him. Under his coat, it's cosy and warm. My upper arm bumps into his side and I feel his body heat burn through the fabric of both of our clothes. There it is, that little smirk again, barely there, but very cute. Together with his body heat comes a mixture of cold smoke, alcohol and a men's perfume, a smell hypnotizing me more than I expected it to. I look up at him and we both chuckle. 

[eriecanal]

the thing about transphobia in sports is that cis people in general are a pretty transphobic bunch, they just don't have a reason to care about it really. in sports rn -- and by rn i mean the last few years, not just today -- we have this huge manufactured panic and story about trans women that is just false and ridiculous if you look into it at all or if you know anything about transness. but of course these players don't look into it and they know nothing about transness. and they're already predisposed to bigoted and right wing ideology because it's men's sports and that's the shit they've been living in their whole lives. and there is great and necessary work that is being done -- and not enough of that work either!! -- to make men's sports a less homophobic place, but i think that while we're seeing homophobia become just a little less rampant in men's sports rn (like, i think the majority of athletes at least imagine themselves to be fine with gay people? hopefully?) transphobia is just getting worse and worse and nothing is really being done about it to stop it in its tracks. like. i do genuinely believe we have whole leagues that believe increasingly crazy transphobic (and racist, and misogynistic, etc) misinformation wholeheartedly because the average person is wildly transphobic and doesn't really care! but now they have a (bad) reason to care! like not that i think men's athletes Weren't transphobic 15 years ago or whatever but i think transness is a lot more on their radar now. and it's on their radar as something to be Mad about! and i do think that besides specific people who are making an effort to look beyond that environment and seek information about trans people and lgbt people in general outside of it, they are pretty much all probably in a bigoted spiral stemming from internal bigotry and bias and the fact that they're probably getting pretty much exclusively awful information on the subject. it's bad!

[fruityuncleskeletor]

Did I mention how Season 2 of Reacher wrapped up and how it impacted me? I might have, but the search function is broken so- This was a heart breaking season. I have no idea how they are going to do a third because they simply killed off too many people from Reacher's life. Spoilers for season 2 of Reacher ahead.

It was all just heartbreak from the get go. I watched this season with someone and they theorised that Swan could be a traitor like O'D thought, or clean but a prisoner like Reacher thought, or like THEY thought, an eye and a finger in a formaldehyde jar. I thought they were right but I was hoping the writing would not go in that direction. I felt sorry for how easily those badass people from Reacher's found family were captured, tortured and executed. For what? For some money? And it wasn't even that much. I could burn 65 milli in a weekend in Paris. Langston was such a despicable villain and his death was so unsatisfying. Too short and too painless. He deserved to have suffered more for what he did. I enjoyed A.M.'s death. How this dude who was built up like this super effective assassin who could kill his way out of any situation was just executed by Reacher and the gang - and not even his eloquence and posh asshole accent could even stall his end. My favourite part was when Neaghley got to use the rocket launcher and when the congressman's people were caught by the other, actually clean good guys. When the team let the pilot and the programmer escape in the helicopter, I exchanged a look with my co-watcher and we were like: yeah they're gonna test Little Wing. This series got to me in a WAY. I absolutely loved Neaghley as a character, and I loved the space Reacher makes for her and the quiet acceptance between them. It's just... I miss this kind of entertainment. There's too little of the good shit out there, Western stuff is tired and doesn't bother anymore, and the BL stuff requires so much suspension of disbelief on my part that it throws me out again. So most of the year I'm here twiddling my thumbs and not having anything juicy to enjoy. And it beats me why the makers of Reacher the series looked at Lee Child's work and were like, yeah we're taking the first book and the second to last... makes no sense when you have 9 other books you could milk for story and ultimately, money. I recommend Reacher wholeheartedly. Its only flaw is that there are too few episodes (on Amazon Prime video).

[declanlikesmusic]

Personal Vent: The Internet Has Just Been Sadder Lately

A lot has been on my mind lately about the landscape of the internet in my view. A lot of it stems from me looking back at the past and how it contrasts with how I experience the internet today and if you know me for anything, it's that I fucking hate looking back at the past. My actions & inactions? Shit. Terrible. Fuck me as a young, stupid, naive human being. How other people have treated me? Varies completely across the range from some of the most kind-hearted & generous people I've ever met to people who know nothing more than complete spite, hatred & villainy. The overall landscape itself? I couldn't tell you the difference between wholeheartedly welcoming communities and people who are more than ready to shoot you down, dismiss you or think of you as lesser than them, outside of their superiority & elitist cliques.

I guess the reason why I title this post after the whole internet being sadder lately is sheerly & solely due to the fact that I am seeing it all now more than ever. I am looking back at over a decade of me exploring & investing myself in this overall online space and I am using the detriment of hindsight to realise just how toxic it all can be.

Some of y'all are too fucking good for the internet in its current state. Twitter is now a radioactive wasteland that everybody dreads being stuck in and finding no way out. Me and some of the people I know close to me are lucky enough as we are, but if you're looking for clean, spotless, perfect alternatives, then just give up now & settle for the fourth best thing. Not that one. No, not that one either, that's got cryptobros involved. No, that one's not secure either.

Oh my god, Twitter used to be such an okay place. There used to be these memes like "mutuals, like this post and I'll send an anonymous compliment" or "hey, look at this fun chart or joke I just made" or some bullshit like that; It was bullshit but it was fun! I used to have so many fun & insightful conversations in replies & direct messages that in hindsight were not all that fun or insightful at all and we were all just dumb & stupid. Now a third of those people are inactive or just gone from the face of the earth, another quarter are moving on to other platforms I don't even wanna be on, another third of them are still with me on the platforms I've moved on to and yet they are equally as drained of their enthusiasm & happiness as I am and the remaining twelfth, bless them all, they are still young, vibrant, happy & full of energy and I'm so happy to see them in my life, but they feel so much smaller altogether than they used to feel in the grand scheme of this fucking world wide web.

Then there's just the fact that the world itself is in a far worse state than it was exactly five years ago! In 2019, we did not have the coronavirus pandemic, we did not have wars mercilessly killing several thousand Ukranian or Palestinian civillians for no real fucking reason, we did not have billionaires being as loudly shitty as they have been lately, we sure had abhorrant & hateful right-wing influencers & political figures, but they're not swarming in droves like they have been lately and we're seeing more hatred, abuse, violence, negligence & dismissal worldwide in the public than ever before.

And now there's an extra layer to all of this that I really don't want to blame on fellow zoomers and the coming gen alpha, but I'm seeing a lot of people take in the communities they're joining at face value, seeing the toxic, negative energies & events they were known for in the past that were really powerful five years ago and that we're really trying to move past from today, and they're just getting ready to absorb that energy and unleash it onto others when even the slightest wrongdoing is noticeably committed. I have never felt this unsafe joining & frequenting other communities since either 2018 or 2020 and I've had to resort to making my own community / friend server multiple times even though it still makes me feel like I'm trapped in my own bubble these days. (Join LikesMusic, link in pinned post.)

After writing all of that, I just don't have a hopeful conclusion here. I am very well aware that it always gets worse before it gets better, but everything has just been much worse & worse & worse the more time passes on and the littlest betterments are thankfully present, but I'm still waiting for a point where we all just begin to soar and learn from how bad all of this has gotten and how we can just be fucking good again. I hope that one day, I can just walk into a community, immediately feel welcome & unintimidated and just grow into it organically like I used to almost a decade ago. I am hopeful for all of that, but I don't have that much hope at this current point in time. (Not to mention my body has been feeling like shit the past several weeks.)

[wibblewubble]

SBI x Spider Hybrid Reader (Final Part)

Warnings: Emotional hurt/comfort, crying

Technoblade moves across the room fluidly and gently puts his hand on Y/N's shoulder, wanting to lead them away from the distressing scene, but the hybrid shakes their head and moves towards Phil and Wilbur.

As they go over they see the male's body shuddering and sobbing in Phil's arms, his head low and facial expressions invisible. Y/N sits down on the couch next to Wilbur and brings a hand up and over Phil's arm to gently rub the nape of his neck. The male flinches, before glancing up when he realises that the hand is too small to be any of his family's.

His sobbing eases, hiccoughs convulsing his form as Wilbur covers their hand with his, closing his eyes and trying to ground himself with their touch. Phil looks at the spider hybrid with astonishment, blue eyes wide as he feels his son start to calm down.

"No-one hates you Wilbur," Y/N says quietly as they give the bird hybrid a small smile. They add to the embrace of Wilbur as well, Wilbur resting his head near theirs.

"Tommy just made a mistake, so don't blame him. And didn't we already have this conversation that clarified I don't hate you for what you couldn't control?"

The upset male huffs out a laugh, rubbing his eyes and nodding. The spider hybrid smiles, reaching up to gently squish his cheeks.

"Silly Wilbur!" They say in a voice as if they were cooing at a puppy, causing Phil next to them to wheeze with laughter in surprise. Wilbur looks up and scowls at his father, flushing red. He then glares at Tommy and Techno, who try to hide their laughter and fail miserably.

"Fuck off..." He grumbles, looking towards Y/N before smiling crookedly.

Y/N grins innocently at him. "Better?" He bobs his head in affirmation like a pigeon before rubbing his face in exhaustion, his other hand traveling down to rest over his sore hip. Phil sees this and puts a hand over his, large wings lifting and wrapping around his son. "We're very happy you're okay now Will," He says kindly, ruffling his hair affectionately.

"We missed you mate."

Wilbur closes his eyes, sinking into the touch tiredly, leaning into his father's chest.

"Can we talk properly tomorrow Dad? 'M so tired." The bird hybrid nods, helping him move back into a comfortable position, turning him on his good side as Wilbur settles into the couch. Y/N hops off the couch and pats the male on the head comfortingly before going over to Tommy and looking up at him, smiling. He looks down, amused.

"What do you want?" They reach up to him. "Can I have a hug please? You give good hugs." The teen grins smugly, before nodding. He picks them up and cackles at the happy chittering Y/N makes. Phil stands up, pulling a blanket over Wilbur before looking at the others as Technoblade stands next to Tommy and grins at Y/N.

An idea comes to him, the winged man instantly latching onto it and agreeing wholeheartedly with the thought.

"Y/N."

The others look at the older curiously. Y/N sees the warm glint in his eyes and perks up in Tommy's arms, eyes widening. "I just had a thought," Phil says nonchalantly, wings stretching out before relaxing. "Since we've grown close with you, I want to ask you something. Do you have a home to go to? Or a family?" The spider hybrid feels hope spark in their chest, hoping that their thoughts were drifting in the right direction.

"No Phil," They respond, twisting their body to face him. "Spider hybrids are generally pretty separate. Sure, I see others, but we don't have close knit groups."

"Then how about we become your family?"

Y/N's jaw drops, as does Wilbur, Tommy and Techno's, before the spider hybrid feels tears brim in their eyes. Phil smiles warmly and walks to them as they burst into happy tears, nodding frantically. Tommy hugs them tighter, concerned at their sudden crying before he realises that they're very happy. "Y-YES, YES PLEASE PHIL!" The young hybrid cries. Their spider legs start spinning something out of their silk unintentionally, until there's four hearts made of strong web mesh dangling from the ends of their legs. Techno gently unhooks one, marveling at its sturdiness.

"Oh little one, these are pretty. Very pretty." Y/N smiles tearily as Phil gently takes them out of Tommy's arms, much to his protest, and engulfs them in a hug.

A hug only a father could give his child.

"Welcome to our little clan then, Y/N."

Thanks so much for reading this, I really appreciate it. If you have any comments or tips for me about my writing or the fic just let me know ☺️

I don't have a proper schedule with this, but I am planning on posting more fics I've written, some of which may be NSFW, as well as different SBI AU profiles so look forward to those! Once again, thanks for reading! 💜💜💜

-Wibble 💜

[vexifeye]

Intro!!!

Hello hello! I've used Tumblr literally once before, so I'm sure I'll learn how to use the app eventually, but for right now I don't know what I'm doing :3

I came from insta after the whole "we're gonna take your art and train ai so haha fuck you" situation and I'm really done with that app! Please, and I mean this wholeheartedly, suck my big fat dick Instagram.

Now that my aggression is cleared (yay!!) I am an artist!! I draw all sorts of things really, but my main interests right now lie with a universe me and my friends created, "Knock-off Marvel Studios", or KoMS LMAO. Essentially, it is a superhero type world with silly little guys :) I will be posting them a lot here as I plan to kinda just repost a lot of my older art and maybe ramble about their stories!!

I'm also in quite a few fandoms! For the longest time, I was into Wings of Fire (seasoned dragon artist here) and have like a gazillion ocs, so I'll probably post them as well. But I also really enjoy Baldur's Gate 3, COD, Jerma985 (does... does this count), Cult of the Lamb, The Mandalorian, MLP, Adventure Time, TAWOG, Pokemon, Avatar (blue cat people), Smiling Friends, TWD, The Office, The Stanley Parable, and FNAF. A really odd mixed bag 🌘〰️🌒 Not totally sure if those all have their own fandoms, but I'm pretty sure they do LOL

I also am a huge cat, amphibian, and dinosaur enjoyer :3 I doodle cats all over my very important college work (I want to explode my homework with my mind).

Hope my characters and stuff interest people!! If not, that's okay too :] it'll be like Mt own personal gallery for my sillies...

See you around!<3

[mcrcki]

Was that [KAITLYN DEVER]? Oh no no, that was just [VIOLET SORRENGAIL], a [CANON CHARACTER] from [FOURTH WING]. They are [TWENTY] years old, use [SHE/HER], and [ARE] aware that they are not actually from Washington DC. Too bad they can’t stray from this city for long.

how long has your character been here

we're closing in on 4 months (as of 12.12.23) !

where in your fandom is your character pulled from

she's pulled from the end of iron flame !! so violet is fully caught up to all of the known canon atm !

has the magic affected your character

the way she absolutely wishes it took her memories rn .... but no her mind is completely intact. she did die back during the halloween maze, but it didn't affect her memories!

what is your character’s job

she's in the air force! like low ranking but it's fine , nepotism will save her. that is actually her worst fear she is making her own name for herself , yes her mom is like the highest ranking general, and her bf is also a general but she's here for herself

and any other information you might find useful for us and the other members to know!!

putting this out here now , do NOT READ MORE if you haven't finished iron flame, and care about spoilers. the cliffnotes, nonspoiler version will be in the first bullet point , other than that, don't read beyond!! but please understand that this is one of my favorite characters, i understand she is flawed and messy and doesn't make the best decisions for her relationships but she is so real and i just want to wrap her up in a hug forever and ever bc jfc does she need it.

ok welcome to the love of my life, violet sorrengail : chronically ill, disabled, dragon rider who is just trying to prove that she is more than her last name and also that she is not as weak as her appearance makes her out to be. she is strong willed and cunning, stubborn as hell and loyal to a fault but she loves so wholeheartedly once she lets you past her shields.

now here is where spoilers come in ,,,, im so for real it's gonna be for both fourth wing and iron flame, if care at all about spoilers don't read !!!

violet was raised to be a scribe , to record history instead of actively being a part of it, mainly because she has ehlers danlos syndrome, so she's always been seen as the lesser sibling, considering mira and brennan were some of the best riders. violet ended up being dad's kid more than anything. though, when she turned twenty she was still sent to the riders quadrant of basgiath, as all sorrengails are riders. tbh violet thought she was gonna die like, right off the bat but she survived thanks to her sister mira's advice and help.

though that advice did also include 'stay away from xaden riorson' and she met him before she even crossed the parapet and immediately wanted to climb that tree so

i promise she's a good listener otherwise

she's not but.. ya know

anyways , i won't go into every detail bc yall should read this book it is truly so fun -- but violet bonds to two dragons, the first in recorded history to do so, them being tairn (the 2nd largest on the continent) and andrana (an actual baby), my girl is going through life shattering expectations of her left and right and i'm so very proud of her for that

like i said i'm not gonna go into all the details, but i'm happy to explain more in plotting if people have questions. but for now , the only other big plot points for fourth wing is that she ends up with xaden , through some enemies to lovers tropeiness, she ends up being a lightning wielder (another super rare signet) and as they head into the war games near the end of the year, xaden's group ends up being sent on a mission that sends them to the like outskirts of navarre's territory.

it's a trap set up by colonel aetos, to prove that xaden has been helping a rebellion and is a traitor to the country just like his father

shit happens, trauma happens, and i still WANT TO CRY OVER WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE BATTLE

but anyways, violet nearly dies, she is poisoned by venin and in an attempt to save her, xaden brings her to the only mender they can reach. HER NOT SO DEAD BROTHER. @ brennan buddy , the fam is still annoyed about it

imma be so real, i am not going to go into details for iron flame bc i don't wanna spoil but i also don't want this to end up in the main fandom tags and spoil it for some random either but just know she is pulled from the end of iron flame and jfc is she TIRED. girl has been through enough for 17 lifetimes and just wants a break

she is so positive if her friends and family don't start remembering her she's going to actually go insane. @ the fourth wing crew please start remembering your girl before she implodes

anyways that's like cliffnotes for my girl ummmm please love her she is a little unhinged but very much that ride or die friend that everyone needs in their life

CONNECTIONS :

✩ co-workers

violet is in the air force so if anyone else is as well, they can absolutely be friends !! she loves having a close connection with the people she works with every day!!

✩ gym friends

vi does try to train every day when she has the time, she doesn't want to worry about losing the strength that she's gained from constantly being in a war college so find her at the gym a lot

✩ magic friends

her biggest training however is still in getting a grip on her lightning wielding so if you wanna participate in watching her completely catch the city on fire training, then by all means :)))

✩ an old roommate

she has since moved in with xaden, but she was here for like a few months before that, so absolutely would love even a former roommate connection!

✩ unrelated non spoiler thing definitely

if you know anything about fixing someone being fucking cursed or transformed pls hit her up

[obeythebutler]

Yoo. Yooo. Could you do hc's for the bros where Mc is like. Later for dinner or something but before the bois can go and see what's up, Mc sends them a text that's like

"Yea I'm gonna be late for dinner. Not sure how late, but I'll be there. I've been trynna find a way out of my room for like 20 minutes, but there's this very big bug between me and the door, and every time I move, it moves. When it flies its wings make this whirring noise akin to some vassal horror. We're locked at a stalemate, I'm at every disadvandage, and I wholeheartedly believe the bug is aware of this."

And like the bug is legit like the size of their palm. Is no joke, it is, in fact, quite terrifying

A BUG IN MC'S ROOM AND THEY CAN'T MOVE

This request is *chefs kiss*

Twenty minutes.

It has been twenty minutes since dinner was laid out on the table, and MC isn't there.Belphegor is having trouble restraining a drooling Beel, who is trying very,very hard to not eat the delicious hell hog roast in front of him.

" MC isn't here yet." Satan spoke while drumming his fingers against the wood, " even more late than Levi."

" Hey! " Leviathan protested as he absentmindedly sipped on some water. " They're probably taking a bath." Asmodeus sultirily replied while fixing his hair with his fingers.

" I'll go and check! " Mammon sprung from the chair, and a screeching noise was heard which made everyone grimace. Just as Mammon turned around, Lucifer grabbed his jacket. " Wait." He spoke in a low tone, and his stern look made Mammon sulkily slink into his chair.

Just them, everyone's DDD pinged. Leviathan was the first one to open his chat, followed by the others.

" Whose going to help them?!"

~

MC: I am going to be late for dinner. Don't know how late, but I'll be there. I have been trying to leave my room since the last twenty minutes but there's this bug between me and the door. When I move, it moves. When it flies its wings make this noise akin similar to some sort of vassal horror. We're locked at a stalemate, and I'm at every disadvantage, and I believe the bug is fully aware of this.

~

LUCIFER

From their description,it looks like the Black Cicada from the northern Devildom. They are like normal human cicadas, but are big in size, the size of an average human's palm. Black in colour, with large wings that make a buzzing sound irritating to humans.

Poor MC.

Lucifer immediately grabs a net from the closet in the laundry room, and marches off to MC room. When he opens the door, he sees a giant Cicada lying menacingly on the floor, with its wings making a buzzing sound. MC is holding a Devildom history book in hand, ready to throw it at the insect if it moves.

Lucifer quietly approaches, and traps the bug with the net. After the insect has been released , he turns around to find MC hugging him, and he blushes a deep red , while the brothers watch on with envy.

Do you know the reason Lucifer caught the bug easily? Ans: His symbolic animal is the peacock. Peacocks are not picky eaters. Although I may have put a cursed image in your mind now....Don't worry, he never ate it..

MAMMON

Holy mother of crows, what does he do? He can't back off now, he enthusiastically offerred to be MC's knight in shining armour and Lucifer told him to go on with a smirk..the audacity....

He can't back off now. The Great Mammon's reputation is on line. So he takes along his most loyal crows with the promise of a meal, and with shaky hands opens MC's door, to find them wearing a literal helmet, baseball bat in hand. The offending insect is calmly perched on the windowsill, and it's SO big.

He turns back to find out his crows have made a beeline for Asmodeus's open door...Mammon will have them share their finds with him later...

But to the present....he grabs MC's hand and throws a shoe at the insect, and after pushing MC along, closes the door.

" We are safe now...u-gh, aren't we?" Mammon huffs, trying to catch his breath. MC doesn't reply, but stare at his shoulder. " H-human?"

" It is on your shoulder....." MC slowly steps back in horror....

" AAAAAAAAAAAHH!!"

LEVIATHAN

What to do, Henry????

Leviathan panicks but seeing his brothers rush to rescue MC fills him with envy, and with a particular look in his eyes he announces that he will go. His brothers are shocked at his confidence but agree, nonetheless.

Outside of their room, Leviathan is panicking. From their description, it looks like the antagonist of some horror game. He doesn't have a gun or a sword right now? Does he?

Leviathan opens the door immediately after hearing MC whimper, and sees the bug in question on the bed, with its beady little eyes staring at MC. He is tempted to summon Lotan and flood the house right now...

But then, the insect starts flying...

Leviathan screams.

Well, at least, the insect is gone, but the house needs to be drained of the water....

SATAN

The logical one who asks them to send a photo of the bug and concludes it is a Black Cicada.

Removing it from MC's room is fairly easy.Black Cicadas love poison apples. So, filled with glee he marches to MC's room with a sliced poison apple and opens the door.

MC is in a corner of the room, huddled under the covers while in a staring contest with the Cicada, who is lounging on the desk.

Satan smirks and places the apple on the desk, and watches as it flies to the fruit. And then he grabs MC and leads them out of the room.

His brothers may have shot him jealous looks, but the hugs and kisses he got that day were worth it.

ASMODEUS

Uh-oh.Bugs and stress are not good for the skin.Nope, he is not going! On second thought, he can ways ask MC a kiss as payback....

So, with a minute long pep-talk, he gets up from the table, and prepares himself.

Asmo gleefully walks to MC's room, and opens the door. But, what he sees has him gagging. The insect is as big as his foot, and ugly. Asmo does not like ugly things.

Charming the insect is out of question. He will never charm such a thing!

MC, please get someone else to assist you.. Asmodeus is out of commission for the time being...

BEELZEBUB

No worries, he will go!

This sweetheart immediately gets up from the table while chewing on the bone of the hell hog, and invites himself to MC's room.

When he opens the door he sees MC crouched on the floor while trying to not move. Beel finishes the bone, and upon making eye contact with the Cicada, nods once or twice.

The Cicada goes away through the window! Beel immediately closes it and turns behind to see MC clinging to his waist like a koala.

He grabs MC and leads them to the dining room. This has made him hungry.

It is a good thing his symbolic animal is a fly..

BELPHEGOR

An insect, huh?

Belphegor lazily drags himself to MC's room, and opens the door to find MC with a flip-flop in hand, ready to strike at the Cicada perched on the windowsill.

The damn thing won't leave, no matter how much they try...

Belphegor grumbles and turns into his demon form. With a swish of his tail, the Cicada is thrown out of the window, and Belphegor closes it while yawning.

He turns back into his human form and immediately falls on the bed, taking MC along with him.

This is payment for his work, MC....

[pixelated-pogues]

Sorrowful Endings (fezco)

Summary: You're moving away for college and choose to say goodbye. Pairing: Fezco x reader Prompt: “Don’t call me, I don’t want any contact with you. Warnings: Angst, cursing Gif Creds: @lola-lola

"I'm leaving in a few days," I murmur through the quiet of the living room, lifting myself off of his chest so that I can straighten up next to him and look him in the eye. Fez's eyes study me, a solemn look displays itself on his face while he puts the last of his blunt out on the small tray on the coffee table before mirroring my actions.

"Yeah," he hums, shooting one of his heart-melting smiles my way. "College baby, that's a big deal. I'm proud of you, always knew that you'd do something great with your life once you finished here."

"Thanks baby," he's met with my own melancholy smile as my hand brushes against his cheek to support my gratitude. "It is a big deal. It's just a little further away from you than I'd really like for it to be."

"I know ma, but we can make it work, right? I mean, I can take trips to see you on weekends that Ash is confident he can cover business back here. I'm sure it'll work out, ya know?" His confidence only makes the sadness in my heart grow. I want it to work, and I know the man would do everything in his power to work things out, but there's something in my gut telling me that a completely clean slate is the best way to successfully jump into my new beginning. As selfish as it feels to admit it.

"Fez, I just don't know how we're going to make this work. I mean, I'm moving four states over for school and you're going to stay just as busy with everything you have going on here. I don't want to give up on us, but I also can't stand the thought of being with you without physically being able to be with you. There's also just part of me that thinks I shouldn't go into this new season holding onto all of the things that make me feel insanely safe and content. I've got to be okay with letting go so I can grow. You know what I'm saying," I explain, picking at a loose strand on the old sweater he'd gifted to me several months back. We've tiptoed around the conversation for nearly eight months, ever since my acceptance letter came in the mail. Since then, I've been counting down the days until my life is uprooted and my new life begins. We're three days away from the big day and the conversation absolutely cannot wait any longer, though it's clearly the last thing either of us want to talk about as we spend our last few days together before everything changes.

"I think I know what you're sayin, ma," he nods, exhaling deeply. He glances at the floor before looking back at me. "You want to be able to grow without feeling like there are things pinning you to the floor, right? I get it."

"I don't want you to think that I feel like you'd be holding me back, because I don't," I promise, hooking my fingers under his chin so that he'll take in the sincerity etched across my face. "I just want to be able to wholeheartedly focus on what's in front of me, and I know I'm going to struggle to do that when my heart is four states away. I don't mean that I want it to end forever, hell, I don't want it to end at all. Just for a short while at least, long enough for me to spread my wings a little. For both of us to take our own time to grow and maybe somewhere in that process we'll be brought back together to reevaluate."

"Okay, so how do you want to do this," he questions, holding himself together while I fight to not fall apart. "I'm here to do whatever you need, but I need you to call the shots. I support you, ma, but I can't be the one deciding how this is gon' go because if it were up to me, I'd follow you over there."

"Maybe, don't call me, I don't want any contact with you," I state, allowing myself to wear my emotions on my sleeve so that he can physically see what this is doing to me. The tears rolling down my cheeks contradict the confidence in my tone as the words evaporate into thin air, leaving Fez's jaw slack while we wait for the next move. My statement was all I needed to say in order for me to walk out the door, but my feet remain planted to the store floor. I'm not entirely sure what I'm waiting for. No amount of words he could say will make me revoke that statement. Yet, I can't move as we're stuck in a chilling silence, just waiting. "At least not for a long while. It's gotta feel real and it won't feel real if we're still reaching out."

"That's what you want," it was more of a statement than a question, seemingly a playback of my statement in order for both of us to register the weight it truly holds. "Are you sure? This ain't just shit that you can say now and then come knockin on my door tryin to take back tomorrow, Y/n. So I need you to decide right now if that's what you really want n I'll let it be."

Time slows for a few seconds, the reality that my time with Fez is coming to a crashing, and rather tragic, end as we speak makes my heart shatter right here. Yet, I subtly straighten my shoulders, remembering all of the times that he told me to "own my shit and walk in confidence, always."

"I'm done," I confirm, my heart skipping a beat in my chest. The flow of tears is steady now, but I remain calm. This fucking hurts like hell, but it's what's right. "We're done, Fez. I mean it, please don't contact me. Letting go is hurting me enough as it is, if we're going to do this, we have to do it right. I can't have any sliver of what's over to cling to if I'm trying to move forward. It has to be a clean break-"

"Cold turkey," he finishes for me, sporting a lighthearted but tearful smile at my choice of words. It's a phrase I'd stolen from him awhile back. I can count the amount of times I've witnessed Fez crying in the past three years on one hand, so the steady flow of tears pouring down his own cheeks both breaks my heart and takes me by surprise. "I get it, Y/n/n."

"Cold turkey," I repeat, feeling my own saddened tears glide down my cheeks. We stay there in silence for several moments, basking in the moment, in our newfound end. "Hey, just because it's over now, doesn't mean it wasn't good. It's been fucking beautiful and I'm always going to cherish every moment of it, of us. I've never had anything bad to say about you, and that doesn't change here. I still love you more than you'll ever fully know. This is just one of the beautiful things we've gotta let go."

"Word," he repeats, wiping his eyes with a lighthearted smile before pulling me into his chest. "I'll always love you, Y/n. Whether our paths meet after this or not, you hear me? I hate that we've gotta let go, but I'm so proud of you for chasing the dreams you've always talked about. It'd be selfish of me to try to keep you to myself when you've got so much to offer the world out there."

Just like that, the conversation was over and so were we. It ended in us smushed together in the comfort of his couch, clinging onto one another until we both fell asleep, just gripping onto the last moments of us before I have to leave.

------------

A/n: I'm sorry, I'd choose this man over leaving for college any day. I'm not sure why this is the route my brain wanted to go, but we're here soooo I hope someone else enjoys the brief moment of a sad ending with a beautiful human. Requests are welcome aaaand tag lists can always be added to so just say the word <3

Taglist: @milkiane @glodessa @goldenroutledge @curlyolly @styxiasstuff

[btsxmalereaders]

Valentine's Special Prompt Game

Prompt: Blind date / Set up by friends.

Pairing: Jeon Jungkook x Male Reader

Word Count: 1,2k

Genre: Fluff

Masterlist

"I promise he's really nice!"

"Of course he is." You sarcastically say after rolling your eyes. "I've been told that tons of times before. I won't fall for your promises this time."

Jimin groans and takes a seat in front of you, bending over a little, wanting your attention on him as he starts to speak again.

"I know you've had bad dates befo-"

"Bad dates?!" You gasp, finally daring to look at him in the eye. "Do I have to remind you how the last guy I went out with spent the whole night crying over his ex boyfriend?"

Jimin inevitably chuckles at the remembrance of how you came back earlier to the apartment with a infuriating expression on your face, swearing you would never agree again to go on a blind date; especially a one set up by him.

"Okay, I take the whole responsibility of that. I should have know that! I thought he changed, though."

"Whatever. I'm not going on another date."

Jimin lifts his hands up in surrender, "Okay, but could you please hear about him? He's the nicest guy I've met, and he's willing to have a date after being single for a long time."

You think about it for a moment before nodding, making your friend smile. "Great! So, his name is Jeon Jungkook, he's 2 years younger than us, and I think you've seen him before. Remember when you came to the dance studio to pick me up to grab lunch? Last month."

"Oh, the tall guy with tattoos?" There's a hint of interest in your tone that makes Jimin giggle. He nods as an answer. "Okay... keep talking."

Convincing you to make you go on that date was easier than Jimin thought it'd be.

"Are you sure you gave me the right adress?"

"Yeah, I did. You're already there?" Jimin speaks on the other line.

"It's a thrift store."

"I know, don't you think it's a great idea for a first date?"

"I don't know if you are fooling around but right now it isn't the time to do so!"

Jimin wholeheartedly laughs, "Trust me. You'll love it."

"I see him coming. If it ends up being terrible I'll physically hurt you."

"Sure thing. Have fun!" And he ends the call.

Jungkook introduces himself with a shy smile on his face. You're finally able to look at him with detail; the black ink decorating his skin of his arms and hands, his big sparkling doe eyes, his marvelous smile and pink tinted cheeks. Jimin was right, he is really charming.

"By the look in your eyes I'm guessing Jimin didn't tell you what is all this about, right?"

"I don't! So, mind telling me what are we going to do?"

Jungkook smiles softly at you, "He has told me you're very competitive, is that right?"

"Oh my god, please tell me he didn't tell you about the chicken wings incident."

"No, but now I'm interested on that." He lets out a laugh, which makes you feel instantly flustered. "Actually, I am very competitive myself, too. And I can see you too have a great sense of fashion, so... We're making outfits for each other today! The winner gets to choose the place we're having dinner after this."

"I love it, but how do we know who's the winner?"

"Jimin, of course."

"Right, I should have know."

Jungkook extends his hand for you to grab it. "Shall we go inside, then?"

You gladly take it, first taking a look in all the hallways of the store before starting to pick clothes.

As you do it, you start a simple and carefree conversation about yourselves and your interests. Turns out you two have a lot in common and that makes you wonder how come Jimin never told you about him. So far you think he is really nice and easygoing.

You get to try some of the clothes you keep gathering, sharing your thoughts about it and complimenting each other, which keeps you two smiling the whole time. After some jokes, laughter and pictures taken together,  you are on your final looks and decide to send the pics to Jimin, who deliberates that Jungkook is the winner.

"Not gonna lie, I love what you chose for me. I am definitely gonna experiment with this style from now on." Jungkook admits as you two exit the store, still wearing the outfit you end up buying.

"I am glad you like it, it suits you! And you just made me look thousands times more stylish. My closet and I are forever grateful."

Jungkook chuckles and grabs your hand again and starts walking on an unknown direction. "I know a great place over here."

"Awesome, I don't think I've been here before. You live near here?"

"No, but with the dance crew we used to hang out nearby really often."

That leads to another chill conversation in which you get to know each other a little bit more. He was right about the place, since you think it's really nice and casual, which makes the atmosphere comfortable for you two.

The night goes perfectly, and you really think that Jungkook is someone you would definitely have a second date with. Maybe, if things work out, have something more formal.

When's time to leave, Jungkook offers to pay for you, to which you immediately reject.

"Oh no, let me pay for it!"

"I insist, I'll pay for you!"

You laugh at his stubbornness and the way he wrinkles his nose, but that gives you an idea; the perfect excuse: "How about this, we split the bill and you pay on the second date."

Jungkook blushes and nods. "Only if you pay on the third one, though."

With a big smile you answer, "Gladly."

Later you are in front of your apartment, staring at each other with nervous smiles and fidgeting fingers.

"I had so much fun today," He starts. "Actually, this has been the best date I've ever had. For real."

"Me too! Honestly, I didn't know how much I needed to do this. I am so glad it turned out this way." You agree. "It's so nice to meet someone so easygoing and nice like you."

You two exchange phone numbers and share a hug, in which Jungkook takes the opportunity to leave a kiss on your cheek, making you blush.

"See you soon?" He shyly asks.

"Of course," You reply and wave your hand. "Goodnight, Jungkook."

Once you get to your floor and enter the apartment, Jimin is already waiting anxiously for you, looking at you with curiosity.

"So?! How did it go?!"

You plop down on the sofa right next to him and give him a tight hug, "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

Jimin laughs, "I told you. Aren't I the best friend you've ever had?"

"An angel sent from above."

After you tell him all about your date and get ready to go to bed, your phone buzzes a couple of times. You unlock it to see the messages are from Jungkook.

I really had a great time today, and I actually didn't thank you for it

So thank you!

I am really looking forward meeting you again

Goodnight, _____ :)

He attached some of the pictures he took of you and the ones you took in front of the big mirror on that thrift store, and you couldn't believe your luck.

Agreeing on going to this date was the best decision you've ever made.

[aviculor]

It's Morbing Time.

Right off the bat, vampire bats are claimed to be voracious predators who can kill an animal 10 times their size and an entire cave of them loses their shit in hunger when Jared Leto cuts his hand.

"Like the original Spartans, we are the few against the many"

"It took a team of scientists to build that machine, and you fixed it with a ballpoint pen?"

"His development of artificial blood has saved more lives than Penicillin"

"I can't believe you dissed the King of Sweden"

I AM TEN FUCKING MINUTES INTO THIS THING

It's a fucking dramatic secret that Morbius is trying to splice human and vampire bat DNA but he has a big fucking diagram on his monitor of half a human skeleton and half a bat skeleton superimposed together. In addition to the "fishtank for flying mammals" that's 'hidden' in the middle of the room that is Morbius' personal mad science laboratory but also inside the hospital, easily accessible from the patient wing, which anyone can enter at any time.

Oh cool, the Eleventh Doctor is here.

"Let's go for a walk". Cut to Morbius and Milo, both of whom need mobility aids, going down an incredibly busy street.

Okay, so injecting a serum of stable hybrid cells gave him super powers. Yeah, it's a comic book movie. That much is expected. But he's not just drinking blood and showing off the standard superhuman physical enhancements- he's flying around in a cloud of smoke. This isn't even like a Jojo's Bizarre Adventure thing where there's a pseudoscientific explanation for vampire powers, we're talking just straight up supernatural shit. Because of gene therapy.

THIRTEEN MILES OFF THE COAST OF LONG ISLAND!?

"How's your pain? On a one-to-ten?" "Eleven. 😏" HA HA YOU GET IT??? BECAUSE MATT SMITH WAS DOCTOR WHO??? AND HE WAS THE ELEVENTH ONE??? YOU GET IT???

"I have the constitution of an Olympic athlete. Increased strength and speed that can only be described as..." Morbificent, I know.

These detectives were incredibly quick to conclude and wholeheartedly believe that a vampire was responsible for the cargo ship massacre.

SO NONE OF THE GUARDS NOTICE OR CARE THAT THIS MAN LEFT ITEMS IN THE HOLDING CELL AND WALKED AWAY WITHOUT THE PHYSICAL IMPEDIMENT HE CAME IN WITH

Okay, so the smoke effect is apparently supposed to be soundwaves or something, but it still looks awful and cheesy.

"Who the hell are you man?" "Me? I...am...Venom." Wow, I think it actually would have been less cringey if he said he was Morbius.

That climax and finale was just completely devoid of any actual drama or tension. It was not compelling whatsoever. Milo's motivation never went any deeper than he thought being a vampire kicked ass and he wanted Morbius to revel in it too. The heart-to-heart they had as Milo died went "You can't kill me! I'm me! You gave me my name, remember?" "I remember everything. *long pause* Lucien."

And the Eleventh Hour Superpower Morbius unlocked of bat-bending. Like, you know, maybe those bats were supernatural after all. I mean, they never need to eat or even stop flying. They were just a vortex in a tube like some sort of art installation.

...Adrian Toomes? As in the Spider-Man villain The Vulture? What does that have to do with anything? This is a movie about a scientist's experiment afflicting him with homicidal urges and a physical dependency on human blood!

Oh my fucking god there's another post-credit scene and Toomes has his goofy mecha bird suit (somehow) and he and Morbius are teaming up. I hate this. I'm so fucking done with this.

[itsbenedict]

Two-Faced Jewel: Session 12

Foolish Heroes of Barley

A half-elf conwoman (and the moth tasked with keeping her out of trouble) travel the Jewel in search of, uh, whatever a fashionable accessory is pointing them at. [Campaign log]

Last time, the party had returned to Barley to deal with a few loose ends. They've been staying in town for a while, waiting for their hired Deathseekers to deal with the dragon in the tower. This session, their stay comes to an end, and as you can see from the image here, they don't get into any trouble whatsoever.

A few other things happen before their fateful final night in town:

Kevin Softbreeze, the herbalist from the Deathseekers, visits town and sells Looseleaf some magic flowers that repel demons- though they're not very potent, and she'll need to stop by his garden in Cauterdale if she wants some seeds to try growing. Saelhen buys some potent knockout drops.

The villagers appear to still be arming themselves and preparing for battle with Wheat- since they didn't mention Arnie as the culprit at all, and tried to pin it on the dragon directly, Malath is still skeptical that they're totally safe from invasion, and defensive preparations continue.

Rumors spread that Chitch has gone missing, but no one can find the body. The party spreads rumors of their own- true ones- that Chitch went to go find his daughter after learning that the pain-wizard is dead.

On their fifth night in the village- somewhat earlier than expected- they notice something outside the window of their rooms in the inn. Lumiere's tower, previously unnoticeable, is suddenly aglow with some sort of yellow cylindrical magic barrier, made up of hexagonal panels.

Looseleaf rouses the rest of the party- the plan is to watch from a distance, and not interfere. A very loud roar is heard in the distance, which is suddenly cut off in the middle- it seems the Deathseekers have sprung their trap.

It's not too much longer after that when they begin to hear screams from around them in the village.

Saelhen's elf eyes spot... something rustling in the fields around the village. All of them. Quite a lot of somethings. Except despite the rustling, she can't make out anything but barley stalks. And the nothing- the hordes of nothing- is moving towards the tower.

The party leaps into action, heading downstairs with weapons drawn. On the ground floor, they see... something sort of familiar. Those Greed Echoes, the mud-and-grass monsters they fought on the road- one of them is forming itself out of broken bottles, dust, and wooden planks uprooted from the floor of the Harvester Inn. Cassie, the innkeeper, is watching in terror, knuckles white gripping a frying pan.

Congratulations! You're both right! The dragon is summoning an army of hateful Justice Echoes powered by the roused hatred of Wheat that's been stirred up in town!

Oyobi thinks fast, and oneshots the echo in the kitchen with an arrow, shattering a bottle that'd become its core. The screams outside continue, though, and the party exits the inn to find panicked villagers fleeing their homes. Justice Echoes made primarily from twisted stalks of barley have formed in their fields and homes, taking the weapons amassed for self-defense from their owners. They attack only those who resist, and make their way towards the tower.

Looseleaf: Let's just attack some hate-plague spirits and see if they decide to attack us instead. If they don't attack us at all, then we can just ignore them and run leisurely next to them and pick them off as we go. If they attack us, then it's a regular fight. "We're up to do some heroism this fine night, right, team?" Oyobi Yamatake: "Obviously!" Orluthe Chokorov: "Uh, I don't have that one prepared, do I? Uh..." Vayen: Saelhen du Fishercrown: "I am up to rub Mother K's face in the super obvious consequences of her actions while incidentally preventing pointless suffering." "Go team! Woo!"

Looseleaf starts us off by rending the spirit of the closest barley-monster, using her new Painspike ability to make the target Frightened of her.

However... these monsters have no purpose except to attack that which they fear, so rather than the normal effect of being Frightened, Looseleaf has now drawn aggro from this monster. Which is kind of what she wanted! So, that's a win! She now has a way to goad the enemy!

The party takes some swings at the monsters, knocking a couple out, but most of them seem to just be ignoring them, continuing to run through the fields towards the tower. They could become a problem for the Deathseekers if they're not dealt with- or for Wheat, for that matter.

Backup arrives in the form of Malath Kanthalga, who perceives these events as- what else?- an attack by Wheat. She's screaming, demanding to know who's responsible, and smashing echoes apart with her mace. Still, the echoes are mostly ignoring the village- they're grabbing anything they can find to use as a weapon, sort of ransacking the place, but most of them are just fleeing.

So Saelhen comes up with an extremely well-timed plan. It's a really good plan, I love it, and I'm excited to hit them with the consequences of her plan- until Looseleaf issues a timely bit of advice:

Saelhen du Fishercrown: Saelhen dashes (Cunning Action), steps forward, inhales a great gulp of breath... "FOOLISH HEROES OF BARLEY!" she bellows. "WHILE YOU FUTILELY WASTE YOURSELVES AGAINST WHEAT'S DEFENSES, I, THE SECRET SHADOW MAYOR OF WHEAT, WILL BE HERE BURNING YOUR HOMES!" "AND ALSO MENACING YOUR CITIZENS WITH MY PERMISSIVE IDEOLOGY!" She waves her hooded lantern, unlit, above her head, to drive the point home. "WHO AMONG YOU CAN STOP ME AND DELIVER JUSTICE? NO ONE, PROBABLY, I ASSUME!"

Vayen, in a surprising show of, let's call it camaraderie, is very much in support of this plan for some reason! He takes a break from his busy schedule of doing absolutely nothing every turn in combat to cast a helpful illusion, to ensure as many monsters aggro Saelhen as possible!

A few more rounds of combat ensue, with a good chunk of the monsters- including a few very large building-sized hulks- immediately turning to kill Saelhen. The party gets some good hits in, and Saelhen gets a little roughed up. She... would like maybe fewer things to be attacking her, actually.

Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Their attention is on me, Mother Kanthalga, the secret mayor of Wheat this entire time, but you might be able to calm their anger! These creatures were born from this town's... collective mind, or something, they may listen to you if you order them to stand down!" Benedict I. (GM): Not with advantage, but a 22... "Wh... what? What are you saying? That's..." She hesitates, then speaks, in a booming voice she- well, you spent a few days here, you know she reserves it for sermons. "STAND DOWN! The time to strike against our foe has not yet come!" "We must be prudent! We must defend ourselves, not attack!" [DEFEND OURSELVES,] the echoes agree, continuing to bear down on Saelhen. Saelhen du Fishercrown: Worth a shot!

It doesn't seem like these things are hugely receptive to emotional appeals or logical argument- they have the one emotion, which they're made of, and they don't super do other ones.

In the following combat rounds, Saelhen... takes a few more hits, which she is not designed to do on account of being a rogue.

Saelhen du Fishercrown: WHY DID I NOT DECLARE ORLUTHE THE SECRET SHADOW MAYOR

More echoes emerge from the fields and attack, and Saelhen is starting to look really rough- and Vayen just keeps the illusion on her, not actually helping in any way. Until... one of them goes for Looseleaf, instead. When it starts looking like she might be in danger, he fires off a bolt of blue electricity, which begins to singe one of the monsters attacking her for damage every turn. He's... a higher-level spellcaster than anyone else in the party, apparently!

Looseleaf, with a little room to maneuver, unfolds her wings and takes to the air- up and out of reach of the smaller monsters, drawing their aggro and forcing them to waste turns. Meanwhile, Orluthe and Oyobi, backed up by Malath and a couple of villagers who've reclaimed their weapons, cut down a few more echoes as more surge forth from the fields to replace them.

Saelhen... keeps trying to persuade Malath to persuade the echoes to stop. She does very well at persuading Malath to try that! Malath tries that, wholeheartedly, once again to no effect! Eventually, Malath stops trying.

Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Would you consider coming to them as a trusted comrade, who trained them to protect them, rather than the one leading them off to war? Maybe?" Malath Kanthalga: "I am going to come to them as a very angry warrior with a mace," she growls. Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Okay! Okay, fair enough. Spiritual remedies off the table, understood."

Orluthe is getting really tired, and keeps whiffing his swings- it's touch-and-go for a while. But Saelhen and Looseleaf's frantic attempts to kite enemies out of range have been paying off, and they manage to down the remaining super-hulks juuuuust before anyone dies.

Benedict I. (GM): Y'know, it's possible that making the two squishiest members of the party draw aggro was not the number one best strategic move Saelhen du Fishercrown: IT MAYBE WASN'T, NO Looseleaf: eh, it's worked out so far!

The combat wraps up, and we transition to a bunch of Athletics rolls to chase down and terminate as many of the smaller echoes as possible. They build a firepit in the center of town, to dispose of defeated echoes in- just in case that's necessary, because who knows what kind of magic is animating these guys.

So after a wild night of chasing, taunting, fleeing, and burning justice echoes- well, it's not so much a wild night as a wild twenty minutes or so- there's a point at which the fields just suddenly fall silent. A pair of echoes chasing Saelhen fall to the ground, inert.

With a good roll...

Saelhen du Fishercrown: "...of course, you're free to dismiss this as the ramblings of a crazed outsider. But keep in mind, Mother Kanthalga, that the ones who fell upon your town, tore it apart in a frenzy of violence, and stabbed you repeatedly for your pains, endangering your people, your daughter and your livelihoods, were repeating the words you taught them." Benedict I. (GM): Malath winces. "That... I don't know why they..." Saelhen du Fishercrown: "...think on it. You're reasonable people, around here. You can come to your own conclusions." Benedict I. (GM): "I tell you, I did not make these things! If not for..." She's kind of lost for words. "...Apologies. I have much work to do," she says, and leaves.

After some work mending the village and cleaning up the aftermath, Looseleaf heads back into the inn to check on Vayen, who hasn't been helping at all and is instead drunk at the bar. He asks "Did she make it?"- and Looseleaf gets a nat 20 on Insight.

She's pretty sure that he was talking about Saelhen- and that he sounded almost hopeful. He was unusually jazzed about a plan that involved her being attacked by a horde of angry monsters- and he chose to shoot the echo that was attacking her, not the one bearing down on Saelhen with a bunch of its friends. When she informs him Saelhen survived, she's able to tell he's disappointed.

Saelhen du Fishercrown: so he doesn't hate us, as a group he hates saelhen specifically Looseleaf: But also weirdly- okay, what if: what if he actually has an ancestral quest involving that bracer and he's mad that saelhen beat him to the punch and furthermore used it as a shitty cover story Saelhen du Fishercrown: saelhen going THE DE LA SURPLUS ANCESTRAL QUEST IS REAL???

Looseleaf switches to talking to Vayen via her spirit-magic imitation of the Message spell.

Looseleaf: (Like, Vayen, everything you're doing is about Saelhen in some way or other. And I can't figure out why. You seem pretty much ambivalent towards all of us except for her. I don't get it. If you want Saelhen dead, why haven't you just killed her? I saw that lightning bolt- if you wanted, I bet you could take all of us, in a straight fight.) (You're sending real mixed signals. If you want her dead, why isn't she dead? Why do you want her to be dead via a hand other than your own?) Vayen: He locks up. And then sighs. Looseleaf: (And now you're sitting here sounding all tired and sad and I feel bad about that.) (I dunno, do you want to, uh, talk about it, with someone.) Vayen: "I don't... want her... to be dead," he says, clearly choosing his words carefully. "I have nothing against her." Looseleaf: (Then it's the- bracer??) Vayen: I'm letting that one Insight roll do a lot of work here, but he definitely reacts to that. "I- um, no," he says, lying. Looseleaf: (There is literally nothing significant about Saelhen other than her bracer, unless you plan on telling me that your deepest desire is to defeat the dance emperor of Kanzentokai in a danceoff and reclaim your ancestral throne of dancing glory.) (Which, granted, if that's the case, that'd be amazing.) Vayen: "I don't know what you're- that's not..." "It's all coincidence. Whatever you're thinking. I don't have- I don't have anything against- Saelhen? Noeru?" Looseleaf: (Look, I- okay, here's how I see things. I don't know how the bracer works, it's weird magic stuff, but the way I see it, there's two major ways the bracer could work.) (That is, you either want the bracer for yourself, because whatever it does or whatever you need it for, you need to be the one wearing it- OR, you just need anybody willing to use the bracer to do whatever it is the bracer's supposed to do.) Vayen: "...Can you not?" "I- I have a job." "I have an important job." "It's from the School of Restricted Arts." Looseleaf: "Well, tell us about the dang important job then! Maybe we can help you with it." "I don't get why you're preassuming that we'd never do anything you might want us to do." Vayen: "It's from the School of- are you listening?" "It's secret." "Look, it's- you don't need to worry about it, okay?" Looseleaf: "Hhhhhrlgkrkshxzshktkrrrzzzzktttttkzzz," Looseleaf says, reverting to her natural dialect in a brief moment of frustration. Vayen: "Sure, it's easier if- I mean, she- that was her idea, she wanted to..." "I just- I can just..." "As long as I can keep an eye on..." He groans. "I shouldn't be talking to you." "You're not in the School." Looseleaf: "Okay, just- hhhjkkkkkrkxxxxxtk." Vayen:"Are... you okay?" He's never asked a question like that before. Looseleaf: (I'm fine, that's just how we express frustration, our throats don't naturally conform to making sounds like 'hrrrrrgh', whenever I do that it's a performative thing that I do to adhere to human expectations- look, the big reason why I'm trying to, pound my way through your portcullis of secrecy with a twenty-foot battering ram of blunt communication,) (is because right now Saelhen is like, probably 80% convinced you're trying to poison her in your sleep.) (Seriously, this amount of in-party distrust is, like, way too Ccorde-damned much.) Vayen: "I wouldn't do that," he says. "If I were going to do that, I'd have done it already. Looseleaf: (If you'd express, in a credible way, that you're actually just trying to get Saelhen to do whatever it is she'd do anyways, she'd feel a lot better about it!) (And then she might even work with you to further your goals directly!) Vayen: He doesn't say anything for a little while. "...This is stupid." "This isn't even- it's wrong, even." "Maybe that's why." Man, that bottle he's holding is emptier than you thought it'd be. He's only been here less than half an hour. "Don't try to- guh, friends. He'll never- stupid. What's the point." He sort of collapses on the bar.

Vayen, it seems, can't hold his liquor. Looseleaf... carries him back up to his room.

Next time: the party finally leaves Barley, for good this time! And also a minor medical emergency happens, and also they kidnap a twelve-year-old, but like, it's fine. It'll be fine. Don't worry about it.