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#also that one question that I don’t even think I answered fully I just kind of switched the topic when I didn’t know how to naturally conti
mrghostrat · 2 hours
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i’m not sure if someone already asked you this, but now that you posted flawless, you’ll finish atws? or you’ll start posting the editor au? so sorry if you answered this question before
yea i wanna focus on atws next because its been sitting there for too long. editor au is still in progress, much longer to go than flawless, and i might not even write it privately until i have the next chapter of atws done
but fuuuuck man, just to vent for a minute
i’m trying so hard and nothing is killing my motivation more than this fic. i can only ever write like 50 words at a time, and it’s pulling teeth for every letter. flow doesn’t exist. even after editing down this scene, or trying to skip past it and write the funner bits that come later. i think my inspiration is just dead for this world and it’s gonna take a playlist or multiple rereads or some other kind of external trigger to get me in the mood for it again.
i’m upset that i’m struggling with this world, but it’s also frustrating that of course it’s the one that’s everyone else’s favourite 🫠
i don’t think it’s demand avoidance because i’ve had so many days where i think about it and get myself amped up like yEAHH gonna write streamers today!! and then i open my doc, fully medicated and all, and everything dies on my fingers.
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ocdhuacheng · 2 years
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Breaking into a cold sweat at 3 am bc I remembered how I interrupted my interviewer before he even finished asking the question in order to answer the question because I have adhd and am stupid
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messylustt · 10 months
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౨ৎ ‧˚
𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨 (𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥) — 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬
miguel o’hara x fem!reader. 3.2k words
fic masterlist previous part pt seven next part
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angst but kinda fluffy? straight after; mention of past violence (minor) — you wanted to know what those spanish sentences miguel made you say meant, him having kept that to himself. and when you do, having scouted miles, you’re left…well…shocked. your friends are also left shocked wondering who asked you to say those things. when you go to question miguel about it you find him in a state you’ve never seen him in before.
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You had desperately wanted to translate the Spanish Miguel had chosen not to tell you. So much so, that you had began to scout HQ for a Spanish native speaker. You were too prideful to use your phone for translation, plus Miguel said nothing on not asking someone.
You remember Miles saying his mum was Hispanic. Even if his Spanish wasn’t top notch you’re sure he’ll understand at least a few words. Understand the sentences Miguel made you say.
You spot Pav talking with some other spider variants, using large hand gestures. "Pav!" You call, walking up to him.
He shifts his gaze to you, a smile soon following. “Y/n. How are you?”
You smile. “Good…yeah, no I’m good. I was just wondering if you knew where Miles was?”
“Oh.” He spins. “I swear I saw him over there.” He points in a random direction. “…now he’s gone. Maybe with Gwen.” He nudges you, raising his brows. You chuckle, understanding the meaning of those raised brows.
“Well, this will only take a moment. I just need translation for something.”
“Translation? To what language?” Pav asks.
“From Spanish to English. And I heard Miles knows a bit.”
“Ah…wait, but doesn’t Miguel fully speak it?” Pav pauses. “Yeah, he’d know a lot more than Miles.”
You nod. “He just won’t tell me.” You mutter under your breath.
“What was that?” Pav asks, brows furrowed.
You look back up. “Miguel’s just kind of busy right now.” You had no idea if he was or not. “And so I thought Miles might be free.”
“I see.” Pav nods. “Come on, I’ll help you find him.” Pav begins to head down one of the paths in the communal area where bunches of spider variants sat and stood talking.
“Miles!” Pav called out to nowhere in particular. “Miles!?”
“Is yelling his name really gonna help?” Your brows furrow.
“I like to think yelling will conjure up the whole ‘spider-sense’ thing.” Pav says, still gazing around. “Wait, maybe I need to sound more in distress.”
You chuckle, looking around. And that’s when you spot Miles and Gwen. “Miles!” You walk over with a smile. Pav is hot on your heels.
Miles turns, and copies your smile. “Y/n, hey.”
“Okay look, I’m sorry to ask this but can you translate something for me?” You ask, hopeful.
Miles tilts his head slightly. “Yeah, sure. As long as it isn’t French, or Dutch, or Russian. Or practically any language I don’t know.”
Your smile widens. “No, no. None of those. It’s just Spanish.”
“Oh.” Miles stands straighter. “I’ll warn you I don’t know a heck of amount. But I can give it go.”
“Thank you.” You grow more excited in way. All of last night you had been thinking about what you had said, really trying not to just roll over and grab your phone.
“Okay, so it’s two sentences.” You begin. Miles nods. “The first one is…’Me encantaría usar…tu cama para otras…cosas’.” You say it somewhat slowly, making sure you got it right.
When you look back to Miles, he’s staring at you blinking. You stare back. “What?” You ask.
“Um.” He scratches the back of his head. “I’m probably hearing it wrong.” He mutters to himself before he’s looking back to an expectant you.
“What was the second one?” He asks, a little more curious this time.
“Uh…’¿No crees que…me vería bonita atrapada entre…tus sábanas?’”
Now miles is staring at you. You eye him, brows furrowed. “What does it mean?”
He coughs. “Who said that to you?”
“Oh, no I said it to someone.” You answer. “Well, they asked me to say it…”
“You said it someone…” he drifts off, slightly gulping.
“What? Is it…bad?” Your brows are further furrowed. “Come on, Miles, please. I’ve been dying to know what it means all of last night.”
“Well, the first one…it means ‘I’d love to use your bed for other things’.” He mutters it out extremely quickly. That you think you don’t catch it right.
“What?”
“And the second one means ‘don’t you think I’d look pretty trapped in your sheets?’.” Miles’ has looked away, scratching the back of his neck again, clearly a fraction flustered.
This time you’re staring at him, or more so through him. Then you blink. “What?” You repeat stupidly. That can’t be right. Why did miguel ask you to say something about his bed…
Now you weren’t dumb you were just…in shock. Because how does that make sense. And as the words settle in your mind a little more, you begin to feel the familiar burn in your stomach.
Recently your skin had begun to feel hot. In specific scenarios, around a specific someone. Every moment that he had touched you in some way you had either been injured, or fainting, so you hadn’t realised the reactions in the moment. But now, having your mind clear and your body healthy enough your skin grows prickly.
Then there was the touches on your chin…
At first you thought that they were a form of showing his superiority. It seemed like something he’d do. But when you really thought about it, you realised that he wasn’t grabbing Peter’s face like that, he wasn’t leaning over a chair that Gwen was sitting at.
Now you’ve grown hot. And your cheeks are probably bright red, considering how Pav is eyeing you. “Um.” You nod. You don’t know why you’re nodding. You just need to do something that isn’t stare off into space.
“Who, um, asked you to say that?” Gwen asks.
You shift your gaze to her, still slightly stuck in your own head. You felt the urge to fan yourself, but realised how implicating that would seem. Miguel got you to say that stuff? That seemed to be a repeating question in your head.
“Oh, uh, nobody.” You didn’t really want to tell them that it was Miguel. You felt it would put pressure on something that you were sure wasn’t even something. It wasn’t…right?
But now as you quickly thank miles and skim past them, your mind is whirring. Did Miguel…? You press your lips together at the thought, unbuttoning the first button of your dress shirt. You were sure you were reading into it. Though…part of you was actually hoping the underlying meaning you were thinking of was the truth.
You were even slightly shocked at yourself at this revelation. It’s as if it had always been on the tip of your tongue. Not falling off because Miguel is well…Miguel.
;;
“What was that about?” Pav asks, watching your leaving form. Gwen watches you go as well, eyes narrowing in her own inspection.
Miles was still going over the sentences in his head, really double checking he got them right. “Yeah…nah, that’s right.” He mutters. “My translations right.”
“Who asked her—“
“Asked who what?” Hobie appeared, clearly just back from a mission, as he leaned against Miles, resting his arm on his shoulder.
“Y/n.” Gwen says. “She asked Miles to translate something for her.”
“See, I knew this guy would be helpful.” Hobie slightly shakes Miles’ shoulders.
“I think someone has a crush on y/n.” Pav says, making Hobie shift his gaze to him.
“Who?” Miles asks, suddenly interested in the small ordeal.
Pav shrugs, but Hobie shakes his head, scoffing. Pav hadn’t seen you and Miguel interact a hell of a lot. Gwen didn’t pay that much attention to people’s gazes, and Miles was well…new. So, maybe Hobie could give them a break, but he still couldn’t believe how oblivious they were.
Hobie began to figure out Miguel’s little crush on you when Miguel had called him in for a last minute mission that Miguel could have easily done himself. He hadn’t needed Hobie.
And when Miguel’s jaw clenched at the mention of how he was supposed to be hanging out with you, Hobie began to clock on.
“Come on, you lot.” Hobie says staring at them. “Tell me, who speaks Spanish here? Fluently?”
Gwen looks down, thinking. “Miguel.”
Hobie nods. “Uh huh.” He presses, seeing their slightly furrowed brows. “Oh bloody hell, you lot are thick.”
“Oh…” Pav mutters. “Oh!” He realises, and Hobie gestures to him, sighing in relief.
“Thank anarchy.” He mutters, thankful one person caught on.
“Miguel likes y/n?!” Pav practically exclaims, earning a few side glances from other spider variants.
“It’d seem so.” Hobie smirks.
;;
Later that evening, you stood, not meaning to feel as flushed as you were. Standing in front of Miguel's bedroom door, you felt hot, your breathing quickening. After having found out what he got you to say—and having gone through the stages of confusion, denial and then shock—you've arrived back to sweaty palms.
You take a breath, knocking, but instead of the solid feel of the door, your hand falls through, the door having been cracked open a fraction—your nervous state must have forced you not to notice. It swings wider and your breath hitches.
Miguel's room is a mess, and not just his bed this time. Things are smashed, and his chair is thrown, lying lifeless on the floor. You then shift your gaze up to a heaving Miguel. He finally notices your presence, meeting your wide eyes.
Miguel had always been someone who was controlled. Sure, he got agitated easy, and clearly had some anger issues to deal with, but 'messy' was never a word you associated with him. And here he was hair ruffled, wet from the outside rain, and covering part of his eyes. His chest heaved to a mismatched beat, as his nose twitched in a snarl, his fangs very visible in the dim light. He looked like the definition of ‘a mess’.
"What are you doing here?" His low tone breaks you from your silent stance, your lips coming closed to rub against each other in...thought? You weren't entirely sure.
You gulp. "Did something...happen?" You scan his body for injuries, but find none. You glance at his open window. "Did you go on a mission?"
"Did you need something?" Miguel doesn't mean for his tone to come out so harshly. And watching your face twitch a fraction made him grind his teeth in annoyance at himself.
"I was going to ask you something, but..." Now you weren't so sure that this moment was the right one.
Miguel gulps, turning slightly away from you. "If you have nothing to say…go."
Yes, Miguel was acting clip and rude with you. And yes...maybe he did turn away so he wouldn't see your expressions. But then he hears your steps slowly draw closer. He shifts his gaze back to you.
Right now was the worst time to see you, he didn't want you to see him, he wanted you to go.
"I thought you had nothing to say?" Miguel briskly asks, but you caught the slight crack in his harsh tone. A crack that displayed a mix of emotions—stress, anxiety,...fear?
Before you know it you're moving closer, your feet, the rain and his breathing filling the other wise silent room. "Now's not a good time." His tone cracked even more. This time with anger.
You stop, a decent distance away. And maybe you should leave, leave him to this. But what is this? You voice that. "What is this?" 'This' as in the mess. 'This' as in Miguel's body language. He looked like he was not even a minute away from exploding.
"Are you...okay?"
Part of Miguel's facade broke at that. "I'm perfectly fine. Do I not look it?" He spits this, fully turning to you. Some droplets of water, that had drenched his hair slides down his cheek.
You know not to be taken aback by Miguel's words. But you'd never seen the word 'crazed' written in his eyes before...'frantic'. "No...you don't look it." You say, eyeing him. "You look...you don't look like yourself."
Miguel mockingly nods, his tongue dragging across one of his fangs, and actually drawing blood. "Right." He forcibly chuckles. "I forgot, I'm supposed to look...what? Composed? On task? In control?" He's stepped closer to you, each word coming out like a snarl.
"Not everything stays the same." Miguel is saying. "Not everything goes the way we plan." He grits out 'plan' like he despises the word altogether.
And as you glance from his hair to the window, to then his too clean of a suit, you realise something. It wasn't a mission, but he had gone somewhere.
"Miguel, where did you go?"
"I didn't go anywhere." He scoffs out.
"Yes you did." You say, narrowing your eyes in thought. And maybe now would be a good time to leave, leave him be. But of course you wouldn't, 'worry' now tieing you up tight. Then you pause. "Why are talking about things that don't go to plan? What hasn't gone to plan?"
"You know, you can be real nosy sometimes." Miguel wanted to punch himself. Why did he say that? You had never been nosy, only observant. Maybe too much for your own good, but it was surely a talent of yours. And here he was shaming you.
But in this moment you weren't fazed. Something was wrong. "Miguel, you've clearly just come in here angry. You're hair's wet from the rain, so obviously recently. Your room is a mess. It's never a mess. You're...never a mess."
"Oh, plenty of things can become a mess, y/n."
"Yeah, but never you. Sure, you've gotten angry before, but you've never trashed a room. There's glass on the floor...you broke that mirror." You gesture to the one hanging on the wall, a prominent fist imbedded in the middle.
"Don't tell me you're gonna deduce where I've fucking been by the glass?!" He was yelling. Not at you. Never at you. At himself. But he's always been very good at projecting. Especially when you're around.
"No." You breathe. "I'm asking you." You say, letting a hint of your concern shine through. You were concerned. Very concerned. Maybe Miguel would have noticed your concern, if he wasn't slowly loosing it. If the messed up room wasn't enough of a tell, he's hit his peak.
"What happened?" You ask again, and this time you finally get a response.
"I fucked up, okay?!" He exclaims, his heart pounding a mile a minute. "I can't take it back. And I've tried. I've really tried. But you know what? Maybe this is meant to happen. Maybe I'm meant to screw everything up."
You stare at him. "What are you talking about?"
"I..." Miguel drifts off, fisting his already disheveled hair. "I let them take it..." Hs voice has softened. But not to a nice kind of softened—a broken one.
You step a fraction closer. "Who? And take what?"
You can visibly see Miguel's strength ebbing away. He looks exhausted, and all in all done. Done with everything. You didn't like that look, you didn't like the inclination of it. "Miguel." You say slowly.
But he's going farther and farther back into his mind, getting tangled up in thoughts you could tell had begun to haunt him. Screwed up? What had he supposedly screwed up?
Then before your mind could work on overdrive, millions of questions wanting to surface, and before Miguel could step further back from reality, you stepped much, much closer, reaching up on your tip toes. And then you wrapped your arms around his neck...hugging him.
Miguel is frozen. Entirely frozen. His mind stops trying to murder him and the drowning sounds in his ears fade away. Now he can hear your breathing, a nervous beat clear. He doesn’t know what to do. He doesn’t know if he should do what he’s thinking.
But then you’re slowly drawing back, arms leaving his body. And he can’t have that. He swiftly wraps his arms around your waist, pulling you back to him, as his hands clench around your shirt.
Your breathing hitches as Miguel’s breath hits your collarbone, his head choosing to rest in the crook of your neck, his lips grazing part of your skin.
No. He had told himself he wouldn’t think like that anymore. It was exhausting, and he was tired enough as is. His grip tightened around you. To all the doubtful voices in his head, he was using you to say ‘shut the hell up’.
You could feel Miguel’s entire body practically slump against yours. And though your cheeks were red hot, and your heart was screaming you wrapped your arms back around his neck, your wrists meeting together by his hair.
For once Miguel heard silence. He had always had too many voices in his head telling him this and that. And that ‘this was what has to be done’ and that ‘no, you can’t get distracted’.
Now he felt a much relieving calmness engulfing him. You. His breathing slightly shuddered against your neck, the open of his mouth leading his fangs to lightly brush across your skin.
You shivered at this, earning Miguel to lean his head back. But he didn’t let your waist go. You stopped those voices and he’d be damned if he let you step away from his body now.
Your breathes met, as did your gaze. You were close, the seeming millimetre making you seem even more so. You could feel Miguel’s fingers fiddle slowly with the back of your shirt, your front still pressed against his.
“I’m…” You gulp, your voice coming out much shakier than you intended. “Sorry…I probably shouldn’t have hugged you.” You could practically taste his breath.
“Yeah…you probably shouldn’t have.” His tone is breathy, sounding out of body, as his gaze flickers to your lips.
They’re dry—of course. And now at the close proximity licking them made you feel ten times hotter. You prayed he couldn’t see your blushing cheeks.
“I’m sorry that I just…sorta came in.” You felt you had to fill in the silence. Miguel didn’t seem to mind it though, cause it meant that he could listen to your voice. And replacing your voice with the one’s in his head is probably the smartest choice he could ever make.
Well maybe the second smartest choice… He stared at your freshly wet lips, breathing harder. His thoughts had changed from ‘how much more could he take’ to ‘how much more…more…more’. He wanted more. More of your closeness, this seemed to not be enough.
In response to his thoughts his hands glided up your back, making your body lean more against him. Chest to chest.
“A-and I probably shouldn’t have assumed all that stuff…” you breathe out, as Miguel tilts his head, looking down at you. It’s safe to say your were flustered.
“I think you did alright.” He partially whispered.
“Well…you’re not throwing a chair..so..” Stupid, stupid, stupid—you think to yourself. “I mean…”
And to your shock you notice his lips begin to curve up. And not just to stop at a certain point. No. His lips continued to widen until he was smiling. An actual, genuine smile, that oozed amusement, and it made him look…happy?
“Careful.” You say. “You look like you’re expressing a ‘sparkly emotion’.”
“Oh no.” His grin doesn’t fall, and it only makes your heart beat faster. “We wouldn’t want that…would we?”
You quickly shake your head, and Miguel presses his lips together with further amusement, his eyes darting. “…cute.”
You freeze. And Miguel seems to realise his small slip up, as his eyes grow a fraction wider. He had slipped up in English. Goddamn English. You understood.
But what he didn’t know was that you understood a lot more than just that word. And as the reason for your arrival to his room came back to you, the simple word ‘cute’ seemed to mean a whole lot, lot more.
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I’m sorry this one’s kinda short, and not too much is going on. but I wanted them to have a close moment like this before they…well…y’know.
at this point I’ve decided to do nine parts (it fits better) so next part…mhm…FINALLY we can get some closer HaPpIniNgS
plus next part im gonna go onto a deeper dive of where Miguel went and who the masked men are — i just needed a bit of tension filled fluff
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calummss · 6 months
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Sweet Ultraviolence | Klaus Mikaelson
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summary: it was no secret that klaus mikaelson felt for you, but you didn’t, maybe deep down but not enough. so how do you react when the nortorious serial killer gives you the most fucked up surprise?
pairing: fem! reader x klaus mikaelson
words: 4k
a/n: scene taken from the sexiest ahs scene ever. here’s a link !! probably my favourite klaus fic i have written. also smut!! i’ve written smut?? i’m not a smut writer so if it’s bad pretend it never happened….
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‘Just because I agreed to this doesn’t mean it means anything.’
‘This date?’
‘Don’t call this a date.’
‘Why?’ Klaus asked,grabbing his wine glass, his gaze sitting on your frame as he sipped the red liquor. ‘We’re at my house, eating a lovely dinner with a beautiful girl. By my definition it is a date.’
‘Please,’ you scoffed, rolling your eyes as you felt the warmth of the fireplace hit your bare skin, engulfing you in a hug. ‘You are fully aware of why I am here so let’s not read something into this.’
Sitting at a table with Klaus Mikaelson was not as romantic as it sounded. The dark walls pushing in on you, a dark gaze staring at you, darkness that made up the house. Even the plate of meat, potatoes and vegetables seemed less appetising as they normally would. Maybe it was the blood seeping out of the flesh that made you feel agitated, maybe it was the notorious vampire serial killer that so desperately wanted you to be his.
‘Still,’ he paused for a second, ‘you came.’
You yourself took a sip of the white wine you had mixed with sparkling water, the subtle bitterness biting your tongue, the warm fuzzy feeling of the alcohol leaving a familiar taste of comfort.
‘Klaus, sometimes I think you are so delusional, like how are you functioning?’
‘I function just fine, love.’
‘Get me another one of these,’ you held up your glass, lifting it to your red painted lips to drown the last drop of its contents. ‘And maybe I’ll continue to act like I am loving this dinner date from hell.’ You gave him a wide grin displaying your obvious sarcasm.
Klaus smirked, his twisted smile making your stomach churn. This would be a lot easier if he weren’t attractive but of course the maniac looks like he was carved by Lucifer himself.
‘That’s a tempting offer.’
He barely lifted his hand signalling the compelled boy that he wanted something. ‘Another white wine with sparkling water for my ravishing date, Taylor.’
‘Wow,’ you jested in fake astonishment, ‘so intimidating. Raising your hand, getting whatever you want…do you enjoy it? Getting everything with the snap of your fingers.’
‘Why wouldn’t I?’
‘You compel people to do stuff for you. Don’t you want people to do things because they want to? Care for you?’
‘No one cares about me, love.’ He chuckles, ‘I’m the monster, remember?’
You didn’t reply. You stayed silent, staring at him being the only communication amongst the quiet room, only the cracking of burning wood to be heard. ‘Why do you like me?’ You shoved the potato around your plate, using it to smear the watered down blood across the porcelain.
‘What’s not to like?’ Klaus shrugged his shoulders, leaning back into the chair, the definition of his abs to see seen through the thin material of his shirt.
You looked up from your plate. ‘Just answer the question, please.’
‘You’re like a ray of sunshine on a bad day. When I’m near you I feel you good nature rub off on me—makes me want to stay close. You’re kind even if not to me, you treat everyone the same and give chances to people that probably don’t deserve them. You help when help is needed and disregard yourself for others. You’re beautiful. You smell good, and the fact that I cannot have you makes me want you even more.’
‘I’m not something you can own, Klaus,’
‘I can’t own you love, but I can own your heart if you let me.’
Again you stayed quiet, scared that if you speak he could hear the smitteness in your tone, knowing that for a second he had gotten under your skin.
‘Admit that you are drawn to darkness, Y/n,’ his eyes stared into the most inner part of your soul, ‘even the purest of heart are drawn to it.’
‘I never said I’m not, Klaus,’ you took a sip of wine. ‘I like darkness. The unknown, the excitement…Just because I don’t like your darkness Klaus doesn’t mean I’m denying my thoughts or feelings.’
‘Keep telling yourself that.’
‘You aggravate me.’ You downed the rest of your drink again, setting it down with a loud thud.
‘Makes you more attractive.’
‘Taylor?’ You smiled over at the boy Klaus had compelled for tonight’s dinner, that what you had hoped anyway, ‘Do you by chance have any earplugs, sweetheart?’
Taylor’s eyes grew wide, pressing his lips together as he turned his head towards Klaus for further instructions. Klaus felt his stare but continued to stare at you with a grin.
‘What are you staring at, Taylor? Get the lady some earplugs.’
Taylor left soon after, leaving the two of you alone which made you chuckle at Klaus who didn’t deny your request.
‘What?’ He asked plainly.
‘Nothing.’ You cut a piece of the steak and let the blood coat your tongue, continuing to feel his eyes linger on your for the rest of the night.
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A week later and you were back at school. Vacation was over and reality hit. Thankfully you were seeing Mr. Saltzman today. A class you could pay a little less attention to since you sat in the back of the room, daydreaming away. You were too busy talking to friends that you didn’t realise a pair of eyes that stalked you from afar. Eyes watching your every move.
Finishing up the conversation you said your goodbyes to Dana and Heather and turned around to head towards the gym but when you took a step back you collided with a body making them stumble and spill their drink on the floor.
‘Oh my god, I am so sorry. Are you okay?’ You reach out to help Connor find his balance but he slapped away your arms, letting out a deep growl.
‘What is your fucking problem, bitch?!’
‘Excuse me?’ You drew your eyebrows together. It was clearly an accident. Why was he getting so worked up?
‘I said what is your problem?’ He came dangerously close.
‘Hey,’ his friend pulled him back, trying to reassure him that it was an honest accident.
‘You better apologise.’
‘I literally apologised, asshole. How about you pipe down on your ego and take a long second to reevaluate your life? Pathetic.’
Connor’s face turned red, his strength releasing him from his friends grip, his face too close to yours for your liking. ‘I’ve disliked you since I’ve known you, Y/n. Don’t give me more reasons to hate you.’
‘Get a life.’ You laughed out loud.
‘You better watch your back!’
‘Okay, Connor. Will do.’ You called after him as he left the scene,his head turning your way as you cleaned off the few drops of water that caught themselves on your fabric. Chuckling to yourself, you headed the way you were supposed to go and headed towards cheerleading practice, the anger giving you a surge of adrenaline that reassured you that you were going to nail the landing you had failed to complete for weeks.
Klaus had watched the scene from afar, his eyes trailing Connor as he walked past Klaus whose forehead creased, his eyes turning lifeless as he turned around and followed Connor to wherever it was he was heading to.
Practice was good and you were right; you managed to pull off the stunt earning you praise from the coach, letting you know that if you keep up the good work you will be the best cheerleader Mystic Falls ever had. You hated saying it but you lived off of praise. Was there a better feeling than being seen for your hard work and determination? Not really, but that was your opinion. You headed towards the locker room, your red cheer uniform starting to slowly take up some of the sweat from practice. It was late. Everyone went home instead of you. You wanted to perfect the new choreography and stayed long after practice ended. So when you entered the locker room it was dead silent. The squeaking of the locker made you flinch as you placed your water bottle into the side pocket of your bag. You were about to take out your bag to change when you heard the sound of droplets hitting the floor. Wet drops. Only then had you noticed that your feet were also wet. And it wasn’t sweat…it was too much for it to be just that… When you looked up to where the sound was coming from you froze. Staring up at the ceiling just above the lockers, the body of Connor hung from the wall. Broken arms and legs that were twisted inhumane. His intestines spilling from his torso, head hanging from his neck like it was about to fall off. His blood was dripping onto your locker, the smell of blood prominent and not something that could be ignored. As you stared up at him, taking in his lifeless body, a faint smile spread across your lips as you thought back on the scene earlier in the hallway.
‘You like my surprise?’ A voice sounded from behind you and you knew exactly who it was so you didn’t bother to turn around, too fascinated by the body hanging like a spider.
‘You did this?’
You heard his footsteps come closer, his heavy footsteps giving away his exact location whenever he moved, so much that after a few seconds you knew that he was standing right behind you, him too staring at the body.
‘I didn’t like how he talked to you or his lack of respect, his entitlement.’
You rubbed your lips against each other, turning around to slap Klaus across the face, feeling a painful sting across the palm of your hand, grabbing a handful of his shirt and getting up on the bench looking down at him. Vertical wrinkles appeared between his eyebrows, his eyes bigger than before. Fear. Fear that he had fucked up the last chance he had of being with you. Scared that you would never ever look at him again. Fear that he had lost you before he even had you.
You took your finger and slowly dragged it across his face, pulling down his bottom lips as you stared at him. ‘That is the most fucked up thing anyone has ever done for me,’ you stared into his eyes that were still wide, your lack of transparency making him feel sick. ‘That’s so hot.’ You dragged out, taking that fistful of his shirt and crashing your lips onto him, your hands roaming his hair, tugging as you felt him against you. His tongue running across your bottom lip, tasting what he had craved for so long. He continued to place wet kisses down your cleavage, continuing to kiss your legs, holding onto your ankle as he came face-to-face with the blood on your foot. Looking up through his lashes he saw you wipe away a single tear, inhaling the scent of blood before dragging his tongue across the top of your foot, licking the sweet taste of blood. Coming back up to kiss you again, you could feel his hot breath ricochet off your cheeks, his growling making your cunt ache from between your legs as he continued to kiss you.
‘I thought you hated violence.’ He breathed, allowing you to catch your breath.
‘I was wrong.’
‘Does that mean—‘
‘Shut up and kiss me.’
Klaus had never shut up so quickly, pressing his body against yours wanting to be one with you. Ripping off his shirt you felt him against your skin. His fingers curled around the hem of your panties, dragging them down your legs. You curled the finger around your top, ready to take it off but Klaus’ hands shot up to hold them still. ‘Don’t take it off. I want to fuck you in it.’
You suppress a moan as he lowered his head underneath your skirt, feeling his breath on the inside of your thighs, already making your legs tremble. You let out a quiet yelp as you felt his tongue licked your slit, closing his lips around your clit as he started to swirl his tongue around your cunt, sending vibrations through your stomach as you moaned. ‘Fuck,’ your hands grabbed his hair, trying to give yourself some stability. Klaus noticed your legs growing weaker. He picked you up with your legs over his shoulders and laid you down on the blood covered floor, feeling the blood go up your ass. Klaus continued to suck on your clit, concealed groans vibrating against your cunt, the knot in your stomach growing tighter as his tongue focused on your most sensitive spot. You could feel your thighs go numb from holding them up. Your breath becoming shorter the more Klaus dragged his tongue across your cunt, collecting your juices, making you realise you were about to come. You felt your muscles contract, your legs starting to shake as the knot tightened faster than it had ever before.
‘Fuck,’ you pressed air past your lips, ‘please don’t stop.’
Close to coming, Klaus gave one last suck before you felt your stomach explode, squirming underneath him as he continued to flick his tongue over your sensitive clit, making your body shudder with aftershocks.
‘Fuck Klaus, fuck fuck fuck.’
You felt Klaus press a kiss on your cunt before coming out from underneath your skirt, catching your lips so you could taste yoursef.
‘You like this don’t you?’
You nodded.
‘You like the way I touch you?’
You nodded again, feeling his hand make its way down to your cunt again.
‘Stop,’ you breathed, stopping his hand trailing down to your cunt that had craved his touch the moment he stared into your eyes. ‘Let me,’ You slowly dropped to your knees, blood staining them s you reached for his trousers, starting to unbuckle his belt, your fingers slipping off the buckle.
‘What are you doing?’ Klaus let out a suppressed smile, his head hanging low to see your hands undoing his belt, your lips caught between your teeth.
‘I want this.’
‘My cock?’
‘Yes.’ Another deep breath.
‘I thought you hadn't done this before?’
‘I haven’t.’ Having undone his buckle and strap, you grabbed his front pockets and pulled down the rough fabric, the bulge beneath his boxer meeting your eyes, a warm heat spreading through your legs. ‘But how do you know that?’
‘Watching you is my favourite pastime.’
‘You’re fucked up…’
‘So are you, love.’
Taking a gulp, you pulled down his boxers to release his cock that sprang against his stomach. Your breath caught your throat. It’s big. Klaus could feel his pre-cum pumping through him just thinking of your innocent lips tucked around the head of his tip. His chest swelled with air as he trailed his finger down to the base of his cock, twitching under his own touch. Your breath hitched, trying to get as much oxygen into your lungs, as you watched him come towards you, knowing that his size would make it hard to breathe. His hand stroked over his hardened shaft, collecting a small speck of pre-cum. You grabbed his thick pulsing length, a groan leaving his throat as your fingers wrapped around him. You leaned over, carefully licking his tip, slowly building your way to sucking on his head, spitting on it as you wet his pink cock.
‘Fuck,’ Klaus hissed, his dirty blond curls falling back as his hand tangled itself in your hair.
You gagged on his size, but you refused to let go of him, pushing his cock deeper into the back of your throat. Saliva filled your mouth as you focused, moaning against him as he gently started thrust in and out, not wanting to hurt you.
‘So, so eager for me, aren’t you?’ He groaned.
His hands found their way to your hair, pulling your head back, allowing him further access to your throat. A mixture of tears, saliva and cum dribbled from between your lips, but he didn’t seem to mind, deep groans continuing to escape his pink lips. The slight sound of you gagging letting his moans increase in sound.
‘Such a pretty face. Look at you.’ He glanced down, staring into your eyes. ‘You look so good taking my cock. Your first time having a cock down your throat and you’re doing so well.’
A pool of cum was now dripping below you. You couldn’t help it, you were so turned on. You needed him. You need him inside of you soon. Growling, he pushed the head of the shaft past your lips, hitting the back of your throat. Klaus tangled his fingers into your messy hair, eager to push in deeper. You swallowed around his throbbing length, earning a huffed moan. You continue stroking him, your hand gliding along his shaft, your own arousal starring to grow
‘You’re so fucking good at taking my cock,’ he thrusted in and out of my aching mouth. ‘Your first time and you already know how to send me over the edge.’
He pulled out his cock giving you time to breathe. You gasped out for air, before he slid back inside of you. Pre-cum was leaking from his tip, the salty taste mixing in with your own spit. You pulled in your lips around his cock, sucking harder, your tongue pressing up against the head and circling around it. Your lips and throat we’re starting to turn numb, every thrust releasing a tear, every salty tear mixing with the shaft.
‘Look at me,’
Your eyes shot up and stared into his.
‘Fuck, fuck, fuck.’ He moaned loudly before releasing into your mouth; hot jets hitting the back of your throat. ‘Be a doll and swallow.’ He worked hard to suppress a moan, jerking himself through his orgasm. Both of your chests were heavy—you had almost forgotten what breathing felt like. He huffed and dragged his fingers across your face, stroking your cheeks as he stared at you with sparks in his eyes. ‘You did so well, my love.’
Carefully grabbing you by your throat, Klaus pulled you up and swiftly turned you around, his hard cock pressing up against your firm ass as his hands glided over your tits, smearing the blood across your uniform and cleavage; drops of blood running down your chest as you placed your arms behind your head as Klaus started to place kisses again the thin skin on your neck, gently sucking on it, making the hairs on your body stand up.
‘God, you’re so fucking hot.’
You hummed in response, his mouth on your neck making it hard to concentrate.
Klaus brushed the tip of his cock against your slit, teasing you as his moved it along your cunt, adoring the way you whimpered at his slightest touch.
‘I thought you were a gentleman and wouldn’t fuck a girl so shortly after the first dinner.’
‘I’m not a gentleman tonight, my love. You make it hard to control myself,’ Klaus whispered in your ear, sending a chill down your spine that stopped before it reached your toes as he thrusted into your core making you shout out.
‘Oh my god, Klaus. Fuck you feel so fucking good.’
His cock stretched out the walls of your cunt that welcomed him, each thrust slowly adjusting to his size. His lips kept him busy at your neck and collar, leaving trails of dark marks. Hickeys or blood, it was hard to tell. You could feel the blood slowly dry out on your skin, but new blood spread across your body as Connor’s blood continued to seep out of him, letting you and Klaus be covered in his surprise. He began to pump his cock out of you with pace. Your hands grasped his wrist, nails digging into his skin, asking for more. Throwing your head back onto his chest as one hand wrapped around your throat, the other holding your waist.
‘Not satisfied darling?' He smirked against your skin, picking up pace as he pounded into you. Your tits moving with every thrust, the sound of skin filling the locker room.
‘You're so fucking tight.’ He grunted into your neck. 'It's like you were made to take my cock. Look at you, taking my cock like the good girl you are. Who would’ve thought you were so sick and twisted?’ You felt a new bundle tighten in your stomach. ‘Fucking in a school locker room covered in blood. God made me immortal because you are my match. Fuck, you feel so good.’
Those words felt like fireworks exploding inside of your gut.
‘Shit!’ You cried out in ecstasy, as he pulled you into a climax, sending your body over the edge. He kept on thrusting, overstimulating you, until moments later, he reached his high as well, and filled you up with his cum. Klaus stayed inside of you for a few seconds, breathing heavily as a sweat pearl rolled down his forehead, holding you tight in case your legs were to give in.
‘Your body was made for me.’ He huffed. Klaus slid his cock out of you, staring at you, slowly lowering you to the red messy floor, setting you down before laying down next to you, holding his head up with the palm of his hand.
You took a few seconds to breathe, catching your breath as your high started to fade, catching a glimpse of the body up high. ‘You can’t leave that there. I’ve got class at seven in the morning.’ You mused, gazing at Klaus who had blood spread across his chest. He looked so hot you could fuck him again.
‘Don’t worry, love,’ he reached for the bag behind him. ‘I know how to clean up messes. I’ve done this for over a thousand years.’ He placed a cigarette between lips, pulling out a lighter and taking a drag of the hot smoke. He truly was irresistible.
‘Have you killed a lot of people?’
‘Yes.’
You grabbed a knife that laid behind your back, the knife Klaus probably used to cut certain parts of Connor. ‘Would you kill me?’
Klaus took another drag over the cigarette, the smoke making his voice sound deeper than it was. ‘No.’ He shook his head.
‘Would you kill for me?’
Klaus stared up at Connor pointing at him, ‘You have to ask?’
‘There’s this guy, Dean Gabriel. He took away the only person I ever loved.’ You said, staring at the knife, feeling Klaus prop himself up. ‘He violated my sister. Made her feel disgusted, defiled her without her consent. She took her own life because that man ruined her life in twenty minutes. And whilst she is no longer here, he gets to roam around like nothing happened…’
Klaus leaned forward, his voice sounding huskier, ‘Just tell me where he is and he won’t see any more sunrises after I find him.’
Gazing at the knife, you swung your leg over Klaus to straddle him.
‘Promise me he’ll suffer.’ A tear fell down the apple of your cheeks, ‘I want it to be painful.’
‘I promise.’
You lowered yourself to kiss him, your tears mixing with the blood on your face as your heart was finally lighter than it had been for a while. All because of a surprise you enjoyed more than he had anticipated.
1K notes · View notes
sister-lucifer · 3 months
Text
A Bullet in the Chamber
Proxies (Hoodie, Masky, Toby) x Gender Neutral Reader
Genre: Horror/Dark Angst 
Summary: They want you to prove your love, to prove that you truly believe you’re meant to be together…with the help of Tim’s revolver, of course.
Content/Warnings: God, where do I start…obviously massive use of a gun, they play russian roulette, descriptions of gore, the proxies are super manipulative and emotionally abusive to reader, just a super obsessive not healthy relationship, this is NOT a feel good fic, it’s implied reader is being held captive 
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Not fully proofread! Let me know if you see any errors!
“We just wanna…play a little game with you, that’s all,” Tim drawls, his voice deep and lazy as he looks at you from behind his mask. 
You’re nervous suddenly. Unbearably nervous. A cold chill runs throughout your body and makes your stomach convulse in an agonizing manner, and you don’t know if you’re going to vomit or pass out first. You don’t know why. He’s only just started speaking. Maybe it’s the way he drew out the last part of that sentence, or the way he immediately tried to soothe you before you’ve even fully understood what’s going on, or just that look in his eyes that says ‘I want to fucking gut you.’ 
There’s a reason you learned to keep your guard up around these three.
Suddenly the little circle you’re all sitting in on the floor feels much, much tighter than is comfortable, and it doesn’t help that Toby slides in closer, bumping your shoulder with his and flashing you a knowing smirk. What exactly he knows, though, is a horrific enigma to you.
Brian is on your other side, and although he doesn’t move, for a split second he glances at you out of the corner of his eye before his gaze returns to Tim. He’s managing to hold a straight face, but you can see the corners of his mouth just barely twitching as he internally fights to keep the emotion bubbling beneath the surface at bay.
There’s silence for a few moments, you’re not sure how long, but you don’t realize they’re waiting for you to speak until Toby nudges you.
“I, uh…what, um— what kind of game…?” You stammer, immediately regretting your question despite the curiosity that’s gnawing at you like a starving animal. You shudder when Toby giggles, clearly trying to stifle the sound as he bumps your shoulder again. 
Tim thinks over his answer for a moment, scratching at his stubble in a manner that is far too casual. You think he’s going to speak, you’re expecting it, but he doesn’t say anything at first beyond a tired sounding sigh. Your eyes are locked onto his hand as it reaches behind him, and when it emerges once more it’s holding onto the grip of Tim’s revolver. 
“There’s one bullet in the chamber.” 
The world is spinning suddenly as you watch him place the weapon on the ground, and the sound of it sliding across the floor to you makes you sick. You bite back a gag as it slows to a stop in front of you. Your mouth hangs open uselessly as you struggle for words, desperate to pull out some sort of protest to what you know he wants but no sound comes. 
They watch you grapple with yourself for a few moments before Brian places a hand on your knee. It’s supposed to be a comforting gesture, and normally it would be, but now it feels like a threat. 
“Hey, don’t freak out so soon,” He says, lips curled into a subtle smirk, “We did this all the time when we were younger, it’s practically a rite of passage.”
Unsurprisingly, this does little to quell your fears. You’re shaking now, unable to wrap your mind around how they could be acting so nonchalant about putting your lives on the line like this.
“Listen,” Tim huffs, “I’m gonna be straight with ya, kid. We know how you’ve been feeling recently.” 
That hardly narrows it down. You’ve been feeling a lot of things recently, none of it good and all of it confusing. That’s just the sort of conflict born from this kind of captivity. You shrug, unsure what to say. 
“We know you w-wanna leave,” Toby clarifies, “I saw you staring out t-the window the other day…you just s-sat there for hours.” 
That…made you feel a bit guilty. You shouldn’t, but you do. You could’ve at least made it less obvious. 
“We trust you, hon,” Brian adds with a nod, “But we also think we could all use a little…what did you call it?”
He turns to Tim, who yawns before answering. 
“…Group bonding.” 
You shudder at the phrase. Disgusting. 
“I…I don’t think this is the best way to…t-to do that,” You murmur, but your words hold no weight when you can’t even look them in the eyes. You’d never take the risk of making any sort of real fuss anyways.
Tim shrugs, seeming to consider your words. 
“How would you do it, then?” 
You…don’t have an answer for that. Why don’t you have an answer for that? 
“I-I don’t know, I mean…can’t we just have awkward group sex like other, uh…groups, or whatever?” You ask, hesitating to call your dynamic any sort of relationship.
You make sure to tack on a nervous laugh at the end to make it seem lighthearted, but no one is amused. Toby giggles, but he’s laughing at you, and it’s painfully obvious. 
“Don’t stress about it,” Tim says, “Just think of it as a…a test, you know?” 
He sighs when you shake your head no.
“Ya know, like…a way of proving yourself. I mean, you trust us, right?” 
You hesitate to answer that, but nod quickly when Tim narrows his eyes at you. 
“Good. Well, think of it this way: if we all survive this, it’s a sign that we’re…meant to be together.”
“There has to be a better way—“ You blurt out before you can stop yourself, and Brian instantly takes to calming you. 
He wraps an arm around your waist and pulls you into his side. His other hand comes up to your face, holding your head against his shoulder.
“Calm down, baby,” He says softly, “Don’t jump ship so fast. I told you, we’ve all done this before. We’ll even go first to show you there’s nothing to be afraid of, alright?”
He’s not really giving you a choice. 
You nod.
Maybe you’ll be able to just get this over with. If you sit here for much longer, you’re gonna be sick. 
Toby reaches out to grab the gun first. That doesn’t surprise you at all. He’s never been one for forethought, or common sense in general. One day his hubris will get him killed, you think, but for once you’re hoping it won’t be today. 
Not today. 
Not here.
Not right in front of you. 
Brian doesn’t let you go, continuing to hold you against him as Toby makes a show of spinning the chamber, letting it run until it stops on its own. He giggles with deranged amusement as he presses the end of the barrel to the bottom of his chin, looking back at Tim with a crooked grin. 
There’s silent for a few moments, and you can’t look away from him until you follow his gaze to Tim, who is staring back with furrowed brows.
He’s still for a beat, and then he nods. 
A signal. 
Go. 
You have a split second to process Toby preparing to pull the trigger before you bury your face in Brian’s hoodie and he, in turn, covers your face with his hand and squeezes you tight. It’s hardly comforting, but it’s better than nothing. 
The soft click of the trigger seems to echo endlessly in the silence that follows. 
Silence. 
You quickly look back up and are immediately met with Toby’s hazel eyes looking back at you, their corners crinkled with the wide smile that’s spread across his pale face. 
“Lookie there,” He drawls with a laugh, “This h-handsome face is still in tact.” 
“Hardly the better outcome,” Tim mutters with a roll of his eyes.
This prompts Toby to slide the gun to him next, crossing his arms in feigned hurt. 
“You go n-next then, wise guy. If you blow y-your brains out, at least we’ll know you h-had one.” 
“Shut up,” Tim hisses back as he, too, brings his hand up to spin the chamber of the revolver. You’re still trying to catch your breath. You didn’t think they’d be so eager. 
You’re gripping onto Brian’s hoodie so tightly your knuckles burn as you watch Tim press the barrel of the gun to his jaw, angling it upwards toward the dome of his skull.
He’s not nearly as giddy as Toby. He’s straight faced and silent, which isn’t odd, but something in his eyes is darker than you ever remember it being. You can only see his eyes with his mask on, yet you know his expression exactly. He’s staring right at you, and you’re imagining his brains dashed against the wall behind him, his face and any identifying features that once made him human reduced to a splatter of viscera that barely resembles the pieces of a person. 
And when it’s all over, you think, you’ll surely be the one left to clean the mess of what used to be Tim. You’ll be left to scrub the red stains from the floorboards while the others continue on as if nothing has happened, and suddenly you can’t breathe.
The world stills as once more the trigger is pulled with a click.
Then relief hits you like a shockwave when that click is followed by silence.
Silence.
Your lungs fill faster than you were ready for, and you cough and sputter as your chest heaves with newfound breath. Brian rubs your shoulder gently, his other hand reaching out to grab the revolver as Tim slides it to him. The gun is exchanged without a word, only piercing eye contact as Brian lifts the weapon and spins the chamber, just as his companions had done before him. 
It seems so natural for all of them. In the half a second it takes for Brian to lift the gun you wonder how many times they’ve done this, if you’re the first  person to witness this ritual, and if not, what happened to those who came before you. 
You don’t find any hope of getting answers, though, as you watch Brian press the barrel to the side of his head. He gives you a squeeze, and you can’t tell if he’s assuring you or saying goodbye just in case. 
You still haven’t released his hoodie despite the throbbing pain in your fingers. You’re barely a thread away from tearing out a patch, but you can’t let go. You don’t look at him this time, unable to pull your head away from where it rests on his shoulder. You wrap your arms around him and squeeze like you’re trying to crush him, but he only lets out a breathy chuckle and ruffles your hair in response as if he’s amused by your terror. You’re a scared kid to him, a foolish little child running from an imaginary monster despite the very real threat. 
You can hear his hoodie shifting as he adjusts the position of the gun. You can hear the slight scratching against his hair as the barrel moves against his head. You can hear him suck in a quick breath as he readies himself to pull the trigger. 
You hear the click. 
And then silence. 
Silence.
You’ve never been so grateful for silence. 
You nearly jump out of your skin when Toby claps and laughs loudly, practically howling with wildly misplaced celebration. He shakes you in his excitement, unable to get any intelligible words out through his giggling. 
“Shhh,” Brian says with a finger to his lips, “We’re not done yet.”
He’s right. Goddamnit, he’s right. Not everyone has played yet. You were hoping that maybe just this once the higher being that trapped you in this hell would have this minuscule mercy on you, but you were met with a resounding no. 
Brian places the gun on the floor in front of you. You can’t hear the sound of the metal gently knocking against the wood floor, but it makes you feel ice cold. Your world is rapidly going dark as you struggle to make yourself breathe. 
You can feel the others’ eyes on you, three pairs of eyes staring right at you and boring a hole through your skull that’ll surely be identical to the one the bullet will leave. Maybe they’re imagining it, too. 
It seems you’re not moving fast enough for them.
Toby reaches out and grabs your wrist a bit too roughly, forcefully placing your hand on the gun. You wince like you expect it to burn, but you’re left with only the cruel sensation of metal on your palm. 
You weakly curl your fingers around the grip of the gun. It feels impossibly heavy as you lift it, trembling like a leaf in the wind. You force your other hand up, placing two fingers on the chamber of the revolver as you prepare to spin it.
You press the pads of your fingers against the metal, pushing down in an attempt to spin, but the gun slips from your shaking hands and clatters to the floor. You yelp in surprise and clamp your hands over your mouth, tears suddenly forming in your eyes but refusing to flow over. 
Brian sighs. You can’t tell if he’s annoyed or just disappointed. He picks up the gun, and you think that maybe, just maybe he’s going to let you out, grant you some small reprieve and tell you you don’t have to do this. 
Instead he wraps an arm around your waist and holds you close, and his other hand presses the barrel of the gun right to your head. 
“I’ll do it for you,” He says, as if it’s nothing serious. Like he’s just grabbing a box off a high shelf to be nice. 
You feel like he’s strangling you. He might as well be. It would be a more humane death. 
He’s going to kill you, you think, you’re going to die in this godforsaken house with these bastards, you’re going to die in isolation with no one to honor your body. 
They’ve sentenced you to death. 
You think back to that question of how many have come before you. Is this what they thought about, too? Is this the first, third or twentieth time someone like you has been here? How many unfortunate circumstances have stained the floorboards red over the years this cabin has stood? 
It doesn’t matter. 
None of that matters. 
You’re going to be the next. 
That’s all there is for you to be now. 
A stain of red on the old wood floors will be your only legacy. 
You can hear your heartbeat in your ears as you look up at Brian. His expression doesn’t move an inch. There’s no trace of the humor he always seems to have, not even a hint of feigned compassion or sympathy for your position. He’s not letting you out of this. None of them are. 
You reach down and grab Brian’s hand where it rests in your hip, your nails digging into his knuckles. He doesn’t react. He doesn’t even move beyond adjusting his finger to pull the trigger. 
Each second seems to go on for an eternity, yet at the same time everything is moving far too fast. You can’t process what’s happening but you just want it over with, that’s your only choice. 
He’s lifting his finger, preparing to bring it down on the trigger. 
He’s pressing the barrel of the gun into your skin just a bit harder as he readies himself for whatever happens next. 
This is it. 
This is it. 
This is it this is it this is it this is it this is it this is it this is…
The trigger clicks. 
Then there’s silence. 
…it.
Silence.
And then Toby erupts with animalistic, ecstatic laughter. It rings in your ears and echoes around your skull in an almost painful manner. You can’t stand the sound. 
You’re alive. 
The game is over. 
All at once relief floods your body in such an overwhelming manner your vision goes dark. You can’t speak a word before you’ve gone limp in Brian’s arms, and he barely has time to put the revolver down and catch you. He holds you in his arms and makes a half hearted attempt to wake you, but when you don’t respond he looks up at Tim with a smirk. 
“Out like a light.” 
Tim can’t help but chuckle, and for a moment it’s even a full on laugh. This only encourages Toby, who’s flopped over onto his back as his body writhes with mirth. 
Brian groans as he stands, pulling your body up with him. He throws you over his shoulder and nods to the others. 
“I’m taking this one up stairs, gonna put ‘em to bed. I’m sure they’ll be whiny when they wake up, and you two better deal with it.”
Tim and Toby nod and wave him away. Toby’s finally stopped laughing enough to pull himself off the floor as Tim picks up the revolver. He shoves it into Toby’s chest, nearly pushing him over. 
“Go put it up,” Tim orders. 
“Or what?” Toby teases as he takes the gun, “You g-gonna get mad ‘cause I won’t clean up y-your toys?” 
“Just do it,” Tim demands with a growl, clearly not amused. Toby rolls his eyes and huffs like a defiant child, but nods. 
Tim starts to walk away, headed upstairs to his own room, but he pauses on the first step and turns to Toby. 
“Oh, and don’t forget to load it,” He adds, “If it’s empty the next time I need it, I’m gonna kill you.” 
438 notes · View notes
bitchy-craft · 7 months
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What Kind Of Beauty You Possess | Pick A Pile
Hello and welcome to this Pick A Pile! In here you'll find out what kind of beauty you possess. I hope you guys enjoy and find this useful. Do make sure to leave comments down below on your experience! I do want to remind you all that this is a General Pick A Pile which means this is for a lot of people: therefore keep what resonates and leave what doesn't.
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Pile 1:
You have the beauty of visuals. Your face is perfectly balanced and makes everyone want to take a look at you. If you sit down with confidence, you’ll be the most endearing of all.  You have a hard time getting close to people and being able to trust people. This could give you a sense of insecurity and hide your natural beauty.
Because you are insecure or don’t have the need to stand out like that your beauty can be seen as a mysterious one, a one that is looked over. Which can be something you can enjoy as well, a mysterious form of beauty can be something one would want, if that’s the case; keep it like that, just leave that insecurity behind. You are beautiful and have a humble personality. Of course, becoming confident in your own self and finding yourself beautiful can be difficult, it’s a hard task and journey to go on, but you’re able to do it.
You have the mind and calmness to do it, the potential to grow and love yourself. Try it out, look in the mirror and find little things you find beautiful, what you like about your face and body, you’ll find more and more beautiful things the longer you are busy with this journey of self-love.
Pile 2:
You have beautiful legs and a classical form of beauty, a classical energy that is around you. All the little things about you are beautiful and attractive, they make people want to go to you and talk to you, even if they can’t fully place why. Your energy in itself is endearing and gets people to come to you and want to be with you.
Your personality may come over as feisty or direct which can get people to stay away a bit, but the awe they feel when they see you doesn’t leave. The energy around you is immaculate and there’s a possibility that you love this silent attention and the idea of people thinking good things on you, you love the silent praise and that confidence you gain from that makes you even more desirable.
You know how lovely you are, how pretty you are, but you’re still aware of the fact that you are able to grow as a person, learn new things, that you aren’t perfect and that there are still flaws when it comes to you. You’re aware that some people might not love your personality, but you’re completely okay with that. Not everyone can love everyone, and that’s completely fine.
Pile 3:
You possess the beauty of intelligence and creativity. You can think of so many ideas with such depth it’s art on it’s own. You could be an amazing and successful writer or inventor. You can be passionate about things to an amazing degree, something people look up to once they realise you have this characteristic trait.
You can make decisions with much thought yet find the answer quick. Your brain goes really fast, and that can be very chaotic, but also amazing when you get in situations where you need to think and act quickly. You are able to explain things to other people in great detail and understanding. You are good at comparing other ideas to your own and see which one is more defined, and are able to explain why you believe so.
You are open to sharing your knowledge, ideas and intelligence with other people, and love to see people you care about succeed around you. You see potential in people, you are able to be serious but there’s also a playful side to you that you’ll show when you’re comfortable enough, when you feel like you can. You are a beautiful person.
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fleetwoodbigmacs · 8 months
Note
How does it feel? I know you've answered this question to death, but it is just so fascinating. A few years ago you were a svelte young man. No one would have even thought to call you fat. Now here you are, tits bigger than most women, a belly that won't let you keep your legs together while sitting, a fat pig rump that has outgrown all your underwear and even new one, and in general just obese. Does thin you feel like a different person? Does pig you feel like the true you? Does the fat feel like something you can't escape or something beckoning you and you keep giving in?
It’s really hard to fully explain how it *feels*, because it’s a mass of contradictions.
I still find myself surprised by my weight when I try and get out of a chair and I’m reminded that such a task now requires a good deal more momentum than I used to need. I still sometimes forget that I’m a lot slower than I used to be now that this waddle has really started to set in.
But I also feel like I’ve forgotten what it feels like to just eat in moderation and keep to a modest 1500 calories a day. I’ve forgotten what it feels like to go any real amount of time without eating and not feel that kind of hunger as if I’ve not eaten in days. I’ve forgotten being able to just look down in the shower and see my own dick, lmao.
And overall I think I’ve just managed to really settle into an especially sedentary and lazy lifestyle lately that feels so natural and right for the kind of fat person I’ve becoming (and the kind of bona fide superchub it will make out of me).
So I guess like… I chose this path but I kind of know now that there’s not a huge chance anymore that I could go back even if I wanted to. I could probably diet and all but you all know how that ends, and also, I don’t want to. So… onwards and upwards.
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aakeysmash · 1 month
Text
Roommate or boss?
Pairing: f!reader x Katsuki Bakugou.
Warnings: cursing, cutesy stuff.
Word count: 3.6k.
Previous part: part 5
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And what's your definition of love?
You can't seem to stop thinking about the way Katsuki looked at you with somewhat of a soft gaze, body relaxed and on your shared couch. You noticed he tends to be tense a lot, like something is always bothering him, and it's rare to see him for what he hides to be. He acts like being soft is a weakness, almost as if being vulnerable in the past has caused him a scar that is not fully healed yet.
Also, if he asked me that without even blinking, he must have hella bitches, you think. What kind of guy talks so freely about love with a girl?
"What should I do Saturday? What's something you like to do, Y/N? Thinkkk" you whine to yourself. Blaming your own brain for lack of ideas is very therapeutic.
For you, love is easier with words. You could probably write a book about love if you really wanted to, but you don’t think you’re that good with actions. It’s not like you don’t try, it’s more like a lack of experience: you’re not used to thinking about expressing love, you just do it depending on who you’re facing. You are a pretty habitual person, so you might be shy when you first meet someone, but when you start knowing them you never fail to show what you truly are. You’ve never liked to hide your personality to make friends: it’s better to have a couple of real friends instead of a multitude of fake ones. You like expressing how much you care about someone with words, but you and this someone have to be close. You love loving, and you probably would be nowhere without it, but showing your rude and cold roommate something so important to you is difficult, maybe because if you don’t make a good impression you’re going to cry. Joking!
Unbeknownst to you, Katsuki is freaking out. He regretted asking you that stupid ass question the second he went to bed that day, and he regretted making that stupid ass deal with you even more. It's not because he doesn't want to know the answer, he's really damn curious about what you think, but he doesn't know how to answer it. He doesn’t know how to act in friendships, let alone in loving relationships. You just looked so soft, so cute, so trustable in that moment, that his brain shortcircuited and became smooth. "I'm a fucking idiot", he grunts while putting his pillow on his face.
He knows what love means to him. Love is the way his mother still calls him to check on how he's doing even if he doesn't put enough effort into keeping the relationship strong; it's the way his father smiles at their antics when they get together for the holidays even if he hates how loud they can get; it's the way Kirishima gets him hot chocolate every hard day at work without Katsuki asking; it's the way you care about Ochaco enough to call her even when you're exhausted from your own day at work, bags under your eyes and hand soothing your back that hurts from how much you've been at your desk studying. It's in the way the people around him want to see him happy, and in the way his heart beats a little more affectionately when he sees how naturally they seem to do things for his own happiness.
He sees love reflected in the actions of those who are close to him, but expressing it himself? He doesn't even know how the few people around him can tolerate him.
He decides to call Kirishima and ask him about frienships. Out of his male friends he’s probably the only one who can answer properly, and there’s no way he’s talking about it with the girls.
"Oi."
"Hey, Bakubro, everything alright?" his right hand answers.
"Listen, we're friends, right?" Katsuki bursts out.
"Uhm, yes, of course. Why are you asking me this? It's weird coming from you" the redhead suspiciously tells him.
The blonde ignores the comment and continues with his questions. "Why?"
"What do you mean why?" Kirishima says, more confused than before. Katsuki sighs, because he knows his friend will have to know all the details about it or he won't shut up about it, ever.
"Made a deal with my roommate, I have to show her what love means to me" he explains.
"That sounds pretty intimate, to be honest. You barely talk about her and suddenly you talk about love with her? Is there something more between you two? And what does that have to do with me anyway?" he rambles on.
"Shitty hair, stop asking questions, fuck. We were talking about friendships after she made me watch a dumb ass film and now I don't fucking know how to tell her what I think about love. She said to think about love inside of friendships. You're supposed to tell me why you're my friend. Also, we're not fucking intimate or some bullshit. As I said, we made a deal" he replies, annoyed. 
"Sure, every roommate makes a deal about love nowadays" Kirishima mumbles.
"SO?" Katsuki is starting to get pissed. "Just answer the damn question."
His friend sighs, before starting to answer. "You're not good at telling people how you feel about them, but you know how to make them feel safe. And I'm not talking about physical safety, even if I bet if I asked Mina she would say you scare the creepy guys away, I'm talking about safe friendship. It's nice to know you're always there if I need you, you know? You help me without being asked to most of the time, and you don't even realise it. Remember that time half of the class fell sick and you spent a day going to the store to take medicines for every specific illness we had? Or remember when me and Mina almost broke up because of that stupid broken plate and you talked me out of it saying something like "If you really want to break up with her go on, but I'm breaking your nose because this is a really stupid fucking reason to break up with the girl of your dreams"? That's stuff that touches people. Yeah, your love can't be defined as kind, but it's real. Everyone needs to have a friend that will straight up tell them when they're wrong and that doesn't sugarcoat things. You're that guy, man. I’m glad I have you as a friend."
Katsuki is stunned into silence. He didn’t think Kirishima would be this specific.
“Hello? Are you still there?” His friend asks, thinking the line has fallen. Katsuki clears his throat before answering “Yeah. I didn’t expect all of this. Thanks, Eijirou, I appreciate it.”
His friend chuckles. “No worries, bro. Also, what’s going on with this roommate of yours? And don’t tell me that it’s just a deal, we both know it’s a lie. What type of person is she?”
Katsuki groans. He is currently in his feelings though, so he shares a bit of what’s on his mind lately.
“She’s cool, I guess. She knows how to deal with my mood swings in a way that… you-know-who didn’t do. She’s funny when she wants to be and she stands her ground with me, but she’s also pretty kind from what I’ve seen. Sometimes too much. It annoys me,” he says almost whispering. He feels like if he raises his voice even a little bit then he won’t be able to not think about you for the rest of the day. Almost as if the raw things he’s feeling right now will come back to haunt him.
Kirishima hums. He knows he won’t get more than his friend already said. It’s a miracle he even talked about something so personal.
“I’m glad you found a good roommate, man. You know how they say, calm at home equals calm at work” he says.
“And who says that?” responds Katsuki, raising both his voice and one eyebrow.
“Me” Kirishima proudly says.
“This was some of the corniest shit you ever said, Kiri. And I saw you propose to Mina” Katsuki barks.
His friend bursts out laughing. “Yeah, and you’re still my best man at the wedding.”
“Yeah yeah, whatever. I’m gonna work out now, see you at work” he says rolling his eyes.
“Sure, man. See ya,” and he hangs up.
Katsuki gets up from his bed and goes straight toward your bedroom door. He makes sure to knock before opening it, then crosses his arms and leans on the side of it. You look up at him from your desk and stretch. You’ve been writing for hours.
“How’s your vitamin D intake?” he asks you. You look confused. Is this a dirty joke?
“Why?”
“Because. Answer the question,” he says.
“Are you talking about dick or the literal sun?” You respond.
“Both. I do think you need to get laid. It could make you less insufferable” he answers, smirking.
“Fuck off, Katsuki” you roll your eyes. “By the way, I could use a walk if you want to go out. Do we need groceries or something?” You stand up, going next to him. Up close your height difference is even more noticeable.
“Nah. I was thinking about Saturday” he says looking down at you. Damn. If she comes a little closer I could strangle her without exerting too much effort. I’d just have to straighten my arms and get her neck and-
“Why are you looking at me like that? You’re freaking me out. Please cover your eyes and get out of my way, I need to pee” you tell him scowling, bumping his shoulder and getting out of your room. “Also, I did say that you can choose to go out, so if you show love by taking someone to the Bahamas, I have nothing to object to.”
You hear him humming before entering the bathroom door.
“I can’t take you to the Bahamas, ‘cause if I see that ass in a bikini, you’re getting both of your vitamins D” he mumbles, just having finished staring at your backside and knowing you can’t hear him. He shakes his head to make the voices disappear, then prepares himself to work out. A run will do.
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It’s finally Saturday. For this deal both you and Katsuki took the day off at work, so it’s basically a small vacation. You wake up at 9 am, which isn’t even that bad, but when you get out of your room with sleep still on your features you see your roommate super busy in the kitchen. He’s so focused that you think he hasn’t noticed you, so you stare at him for a bit. He’s such a housewife. Let me take a picture, you think.
When he hears the click of your phone’s camera he snaps his head towards you. “Delete that shit,” he says with a deep voice.
“On my dead body, Mr. Bakugou,” you reply.
He growls, then throws you a mean look. “I’m poisoning your food, brat.”
“Oh! You’re cooking for me? How nice of you” you say genuinely, getting closer to him and observing what he’s doing.
“Don’t look. It’s for later. We’re having a picnic” he roughly responds.
“Is this what you planned on doing for today?” You ask, smiling up at him.
“Yeah” he says hesitantly. He didn’t think you’d be excited, and seeing you smile for something so little makes him pause. He composes himself, remaining neutral. “I'ma need your help though, we’re baking cookies. Is that easy enough for you, dumbass?” He continues, smirking.
“Hey!” You pout, throwing a punch at his arm. He chuckles. You’re surprised, because you’re not used to hearing his laugh, but you go with the flow and laugh with him. His laugh is a bit rough, just like him: you like it though, because it shows a little of that particular side he doesn’t show often. You’re a sucker for it, your need to always know every detail being quelled a little and making you feel light. Being in Katsuki’s presence is like being exposed to the bright and hot July sun for a whole day and finally finding a bottle of fresh water. You still don’t know if he’s the sun or the water, you just know that it makes you happy.
You start mixing the ingredients according to the recipe he reads you and he occasionally screams that you’re not doing it the right way, taking over. After a while he frustrates you so much that you take a bit of flour, put it on your hand and then slap it on his chest. He’s flabbergasted, your white handprint on his black tee super visible. He doesn’t say anything for 5 minutes, just staring at you and at his shirt, while you’re on the floor crying from how much you’re laughing from his expression.
“You bitch” he seethes, scowling. “If you want me to show you how I hate people, you’re on the right fucking path”. Then he takes some cookie batter and smears it on your forehead. You try fighting him but he gets both of your wrists in one of his hands in a matter of seconds, and you can’t escape.
He gets on your eye level and with mirth in his eyes tells you “Y’can’t win at this. Keep on cooking or you’re not gonna taste what I prepared for you”. You poke out your tongue with laughter still in your irises. He rolls his eyes, trying to appear mad. At that moment, you realise that- He’s having fun. He's happy.
"If you're going to boss me around I'm at least going to have the music privilege," you tell him, wriggling out of his grasp. He whines, saying how your music always gives him a headache, but he's lying. You caught him singing along more than he would want to know.
You keep on cooking and singing all morning. You laugh, you scream while running around your living room making fun of each other (well, you laugh, he scowls), you truly enjoy your free time for the first time in what feels like ages. Katsuki doesn't try to hide that he's enjoying himself and how he gets annoyed when you're not on tune, and you beam at the fact he feels comfortable enough to show you some of his true colors. Your chocolate chip cookies turn out to be pretty amazing, and Katsuki says that it's only because he made the recipe himself.
"Don't get too ahead of yourself, Y/N" he smirks, looking at you breaking one cookie in half. You're both sitting down, having just finished taking them out of the oven.
"You know, you never call me by my name. Is that because you're rude or do you have problems with showing affection? How's your relationship with your mother?" you mock him while munching.
He flicks your forehead and blows on your face, making you scowl. He smells like the cookie he just finished eating plus a little bit of the coffee you made for the both of you. You offer him the bigger half of the cookie you broke in two, and he stares at you for a bit before taking it.
"You could've given me the smaller part. It's not like we don't have enough of them" he mumbles. You just shrug.
"Just take it. It came as a natural gesture, don't worry, it's not like I like you enough as a person to plan something like that" you reply, flipping him off while standing up and dusting yourself.
"Go prepare yourself. We're going out in 30 minutes," he tells you ignoring your middle finger right in his face and looking at his watch. If you didn't think about it it's even worse, dumbass , he thinks.
"30 minutes?! But I want to be cute! Ugh! You could've told me sooner!" you scream while running toward your door, and you hear him scoffing. You turn around and look at him, still basking in the sun that comes from the window in front of the kitchen counter. He seems more peaceful than he's ever looked, with flour on his clothes and his hair ruffled up from how much his hands were in it when you were doing something wrong baking.
"Kats?"
"Yeah, Y/N?"
"This was cute. We should do this again sometimes. You're a great cook" you say, giving him one of your most genuine smiles. He nods, then tells you to hurry up. When he's alone in the kitchen he brings one of his hands on his chest and hears how fast his heart is beating. He groans. You're going to give him a heart disease. Was this day a good idea?
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You get out of the house and he has to force himself to not look at your legs. You wore one of those flowy summer dresses that compliments your skin so well he feels like he'll have a nosebleed at the end of the day. Fuck Katsuki, get a hold of yourself. You sound like a horny teenager, he scolds himself.
You lay your blanket on the green grass of one of the parks near your apartment, and he gets out different tupperwears with different things in them. He even gets out two bentos filled to the brim with food. You're shocked.
"Just how early did you get up to do all of this?! There's so much food!" you excitedly say, looking at the pearly whites of his teeth when he flashes you a shy smile for a fraction of a second, before returning to his usual impassible face.
"Early enough to see you still sleeping like the lazy ass you are. Don't flatter me too much, dumbass: dig in, you're gonna taste the best fucking food you'll ever eat. I'm never doing all of this again, but I'm gonna win this fucking deal no matter what" he says.
"You mean I just had to make a bet with you to make you a decent human being for a day? I'm writing it down" you joke. He rolls his eyes, scowl ever present on his features.
"Oh! By the way, I thought about doing something too. We're going to play a bunch of different games and whoever wins the majority of them is going to clean the house alone for two weeks. Are you in? Or are you scared to lose?" you ask him, pointing your fork at him and looking mischievous.
"You're talking to a master here. You're gonna be so sorry for yourself at the end of the day" he responds, looking ready to annihilate you.
You spend the rest of the afternoon eating and playing with each other. You're both really competitive, so most games finish as ties, but you have fun. When the sun starts setting, you get your things and start going toward your apartment.
"By the way, I won the flag quiz. That's so much better than winning fucking monopoly" he says frowning.
"Yeah yeah, whatever you say, loser," you tell him.
"We're gonna have a rematch. I'm gonna get your ass so bad you'll cry" he barks, glaring at your laughing form.
You open your door and mimick a parrot with your hand, like you're saying he's all talk and no smoke. He slaps the back of your head receiving an ouch from you, then puts the containers he used to prepare lunch in the sink. You sit on the kitchen counter while he's washing them.
"So, you're big on acts of service? That's how you show love, right?" you ask him, swinging your legs and looking at his back.
"Yeah, basically. I like it when people enjoy the things I do for them, I guess" he answers, not turning his face toward you. "Instead, your love language is quality time, right?" he continues.
You hum. "I like physical contact too, but it depends on the person I'm receiving it from, you know? It makes me super uncomfortable if someone forces it on me" you explain, shrugging. He nods, drying his hands and turning around.
"I noticed," he says.
"How?"
"I'm good at details. That's why I'm good at everything I do," he responds, seriously.
"Woah, your ego just blinded me," you tell him, a bit disgusted.
"Whatever. Hot choco then we order out?" he offers.
"Yeah, I'm pretty tired. What about you make it?" you whine, and he scoffs.
"You ain't no princess, get your ass up," he says, putting one of his hands on your thigh and shaking it. He's positioned in a way where he maintains some distance, but if he were to take two steps he'd be between your legs. She's not uncomfortable now, he thinks. You huff, then hop off the kitchen counter.
"You should call me princess, since you look like the assassin the rival king hired to kill me" you mumble, getting a pan out.
"Oh, I'd kill you just right, princess" he whispers in your ear, making you shiver. He sounded kind of serious, too.
You push him away, calling him an idiot, and he chuckles before ordering pizza for the both of you.
Well, today was nice, you tell yourself, a little smile on your lips. I'd even like his pomeranian-looking ass if he wasn't so rude, you remark.
Meanwhile, as he's looking at you singing to yourself, he thinks that if he doesn't distance himself a bit from your big eyes and pretty smile, your story will be an "enemies to lovers" instead of a runaway princess and her assassin.
Tag list:
@perfectsukii @sleepykittycx @what-the-jams @bakunianadecorazon @vensunzy @eyesforbkg @bffrrufr @imas1mpp @cold-deep-water @peonies-and-teacakes @berryvioo @opticesmeray @one-piece-frvr7 @youngststark @kahelis
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witchthewriter · 10 months
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𝐇𝐨𝐠𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝
Like I did with the moral alignments, I thought I would make a post about why and how I sort characters into Hogwarts Houses! There are also quizzes so you can figure it out for yourself as well. I go into detail about each House, what they represent, their background and what it means to be sorted into a certain House. 
I hope you enjoy!
*just because I’m talking about Harry Potter doesn’t mean I align with the transphobic views of J.K. Rowling. There is no room for transphobia on my page, and I support the trans and LGBTQIA+ community*
Figuring out which Hogwarts House you belong to has been around since the HP series came out. But I think there’s more to it than simply choosing to be in ‘the brave house’ or ‘the smart house.’ I think it reveals a lot about a person - or rather, a large aspect. 
Here are a few tests for you to try, comment below what you got!
Test 1 (the ‘official’ Wizarding World quiz)
Test 2 (from IDRlabs, they have other personality quizzes as well!)
Test 3 (Here’s the full Pottermore quiz. The 1st quiz will only have a few questions, so that’s why I don’t think it’s fully accurate to take)
Test 4 (A really good one from Quotev, the questions/answers aren’t obvious)
Gryffindor: Do what is right. Hufflepuff: Do what is kind.  Ravenclaw: Do what is wise. Slytherin: Do what is necessary.
𝐆𝐑𝐘𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐑
“ Where dwell the brave at heart, their daring, nerve and chivalry set Gryffindors apart “
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𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡: Fire
𝐹𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦: ‘Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor’, Godric Gryffindor. 
Dwelled at Godric’s Hollow
Was an accomplished dueller
A fair man, he believed that any child who displayed magical abilities before their 11th birthday should be able to attend Hogwarts.
Gryffindor was the original owner of the Sorting Hat
Gryffindor also had a sword made, which would present itself to any true Gryffindor in a moment of need.
He was allegedly the best friend of Slytherin before he left Hogwarts
Godric will always be known for his accomplished skills in battle, and his fight against Muggle discrimination in the wizarding world.
𝐸𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠𝘩𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑡𝑠:
Courage
Bravery
Standing up for what you believe in - even if your voice shakes. 
Caring about the greater good 
Daring/Bold 
Having a deep need to do the right thing 
Standing out from the crowd
𝐶𝘩𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑡𝘩𝑎𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝘩𝑖𝑠 𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑒:
Lucy Pevensie
Thor
Mulan
Katniss Everdeen
Merida
Batman/Bruce Wayne
Buffy Summers
Chandler Bing
𝐇𝐔𝐅𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐏𝐔𝐅𝐅
“ You might belong in Hufflepuff, Where they are just and loyal. Those patient Hufflepuffs are true. And unafraid of toil. “
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𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡: Earth
𝐹𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦: ‘From valley broad,’ Helga Hufflepuff
A kind and warm woman who believed in loyalty, patience and hard-work as the best abilities a person can possess
Was a brilliant cook and had remarkable skills for preparing food. Her recipes are still used in Hogwarts to this day.
She brought the house-elves to Hogwarts
Owner of Hufflepuff’s Cup
She was the best friend of Rowena Ravenclaw
𝐸𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠𝘩𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑡𝑠:
Loyalty
A need for justice. A lot of the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor traits are intertwined, but the difference is that Gryffindors don’t need to know a person to feel the need to look out for them. 
Patient 
Believe in fairness and equality (Helga Hufflepuff was the only founder who believed everyone should have a fair chance in being taught)
Accepting
Thinks about other people more than themselves
Would do anything at all, for family 
𝐶𝘩𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑡𝘩𝑎𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝘩𝑖𝑠 𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑒:
Edmund Pevensie
Antman
Jay Gatsby
Okoye
Samwise Gamgee
Michael Scott
Alfred Pennyworth
Joey Tribbiani
Phoebe Buffay
𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐖
“ Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, If you’ve a ready mind, Where those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind. “
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𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡: Air
𝐹𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦: ‘From Glen,’ Rowena Ravenclaw
A sharp and intelligent woman
She wanted to make Hogwarts the finest wizarding school in the world, teaching only those with the highest intelligence 
Rowena wore a diadem that was said to grant wisdom to the wearer, however, Rowena’s own daughter grew jealous of her mother’s incredible intelligence. Helena Ravenclaw stole her mother’s diadem and ran away, a fact that Rowena kept hidden from her fellow founders even when she fell ill.
Wanting to see Helena before she died, Rowena sent a man to bring Helena home. Unfortunately, that man was the Bloody Baron, who was in love with Helena, and stabbed her in a rage when she refused to come home.
 After Helena was tragically killed, legend tells us that Rowena Ravenclaw died of a broken heart. 
She was the best friend of Helga Hufflepuff
𝐸𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠𝘩𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑡𝑠:
Intelligence
Wisdom
Witty
Open-minded - don’t mix well with traditional, close-minded people. Ravenclaws see the big picture, they think about what things could be, rather than what things are. 
They think outside of the box, they don’t like being confined by rules or traditions. 
Unique 
Individualistic/Original
Actually very intuitive
𝐶𝘩𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑡𝘩𝑎𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝘩𝑖𝑠 𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑒:
Susan Pevensie
Sherlock Holmes
Bruce Banner
James Bond
Annabeth Chase
Mary Poppins
Gandalf
Monica Geller
Ross Geller
𝐒𝐋𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍
“ Or perhaps in Slytherin, You’ll make your real friends. These cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends. “
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𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡: Water
𝐹𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦: ‘From Fen’, Salazar Slytherin
He believed strongly that only wizards of pure blood 
This belief caused a big rift between the founders, especially Gryffindor, which led to the depature of Salazar 
Despite his flaws, Salazar was a talented wizard, skilled in Legilemency and Parseltongue
Before he left, however, he created the Chamber of Secrets
𝐸𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠𝘩𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑡𝑠:
Ambition
Determination
Cunning
Traditional
Strategic
Willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals; even using others for their gain. 
Not all Slytherins use these traits for personal gain, however, because the founder was evil - doesn’t mean every Slytherin is. 
Resourceful
Cleverness
Family means a lot to them
Desires respect
𝐶𝘩𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑡𝘩𝑎𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝘩𝑖𝑠 𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑒:
Peter Pevensie
Natasha Romanoff
Daenerys Targaryen
Lady MacBeth
Wednesday Addams
Selina Kyle/Catwoman 
Rachel Green
Harley Quinn
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why4anne · 6 months
Text
Racing Hearts
Part: 1
Pairing: Jack Hughes x Reader
Word-count: 2k
Summary: F1 prodigy Y/N L/N finds herself with an unexpected crush on NHL sensation Jack Hughes.
Face claim: Madison Beer + others
Masterlist
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“Do I have to do this interview?” I asked my media manager. I had just arrived at my hotel in Canada and apparently I had been scheduled for an Interview in an hour. “Yes, Y/N, you have to do this interview. The other guest has already flown out early to do this interview before the race-weekend starts and it will look really bad if you don’t show up” Sarah has been my media manager since I moved to F1 at the age of 19, which was 3 years ago and she was more than used to my antics by now.
“What is it even about?” I asked as I switched my attention from my phone to fully look at her.
“It’s something about 2 stars at the age of 22 or something. The other guest is Jack Hughes, a hockey player in the NHL” Sarah looked at her notes as she said this.
“Hockey player?” I asked, exasperated.”Sarah, I know nothing about hockey! What are we even going to talk about?” 
“Don’t worry, the interviewer will make sure everything goes smoothly. You just have to sit there, smile and answer the questions.” It was obvious that she was fed up with my whining at this point so I decided to shut my mouth.
An hour and a half later I found myself in a white room with three mics standing on a table. I greeted a guy named Evan who was the host of the podcast that the interview was for and sat down in my seat, waiting for this other guy to show up. 
Five minutes later I was making small talk with the host as the door opened and a man with light brown hair walked in and fuck was he hot. I found myself staring at him as he shook hands with Evan. I could clearly see his biceps under his white t-shirt and I would be lying if I said that they were small. But, before I could look for longer I found him in front of me with his hand outstretched. I quickly pulled myself out of my daydream and stood up to greet him.
“What’s up, I’m Jack” He introduced himself, his mannerisms and way of talking all screamed cool boy, which was very different from the pampered rich boys who were the majority of the people in racing.
“I’m Y/N, nice to meet you” I answered with a polite smile and shook his hand, locking eyes with him as I did so. I noticed how blue they were.
“Alright, if you both feel up for it I think we should get going” Evan interrupted our moment. 
“Sounds good” Jack agreed and we both took our seats.
“Welcome back to the Sport podcast, today we are joined by not one, but two special guests. We have hockey superstar Jack Hughes, a 22 year old center of the New Jersey Devils. He was drafted first overall in 2019 and has just come off a career high season with 99 points and a playoff run.” Evan introduced Jack to the podcast and I couldn’t help but be impressed with his stats. My knowledge in hockey may be limited but the way that Evan was describing him made him sound like a really good player
“Hey” Jack said into the mic. I couldn’t help but smile at his awkwardness .
“And we also have F1 protege Y/N L/N. She is currently the youngest driver on the grid but don’t be fooled, she’d been tearing up the grid for 3 years now and is currently looking like she might become the youngest World Champion in Formula 1 history, bringing the championship back to Ferrari for the first time since 2007.” Evan moved on to me.
“Ah, Evan, don’t jinx it” I smiled, all of my media training on the forefront of my mind and after years of this I would say that I’m quite skilled at the media game. 
“Just keeping it real,” Evan chuckled. “Now, how much do you guys know about each other?” 
Both me and Jack looked at each other, seeing who was going to answer first.
“Well, to be completely honest, I don’t know a lot about hockey so I’m kind of going into this interview completely blind, sorry” I admitted, feeling kind of bad for my lack of knowledge.
“No worries, I bet that you’re busy, " Jack reassured me. “I would say I’m a casual F1 fan, like I know the top teams and drivers”
"That's fair," I replied with a friendly smile. "I'm sure we can still have an interesting conversation, even if we're not experts in each other's fields."
Evan nodded in agreement and continued, "Absolutely, it's all about getting to know each other better and sharing some insights from your respective worlds. So, Jack, tell us, what's it like being a professional hockey player in the NHL?"
Jack leaned forward, his easygoing smile making him even more charming. "Being in the NHL has been a dream come true for me. It's intense, the competition is fierce, and the fans are incredibly passionate. There's nothing quite like stepping onto the ice in front of a packed arena. You feel the energy and the pressure, but that's what makes it all so exciting."
I listened to Jack's response with genuine interest, even though I had limited knowledge about hockey. He spoke with such passion and enthusiasm that it was easy to understand why he had such a successful career in the sport.
Evan then turned to me and asked, "Y/N, can you share with us what it's like being an F1 driver, especially at such a young age?"
I took a moment to gather my thoughts before responding, "Well, Formula 1 is an incredibly challenging and fast-paced sport with high pressure on the drivers and teams. As a driver, you have to be physically and mentally prepared for each race and you have to put up the results if you want to stay. I mean, there are only 20 seats in the entire world and if you’re not performing there is always another driver who will. I think going into it so young was both a blessing and a curse. It definitely put more attention on me as a driver, but at the same time I kind of got a head start.”
Jack nodded in understanding as I spoke. "Yeah, I can imagine the pressure, especially at such a young age. I mean, you're literally racing against some of the best drivers in the world. It must be quite the experience."
I appreciated his understanding, and I was starting to feel more at ease with the conversation. "Absolutely, and it's a constant learning process. But it's also incredibly rewarding when you have those moments of success and achieve your goals."
Evan jumped in, keeping the conversation flowing smoothly. "It's clear that both of you have a deep passion for your respective sports. What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced in your careers so far?"
Jack took a moment to reflect before answering, "One of the biggest challenges in my career has been dealing with injuries. Hockey can be a rough sport, and I've had my fair share of injuries that required a lot of rehab and patience. But it's part of the game, and it's made me stronger both physically and mentally."
I nodded in agreement, "In F1, the physical and mental demands are also immense. The travel schedule, the constant competition, and the pressure to perform can take a toll. Plus, adapting to different tracks and conditions is a unique challenge in itself. And, of course, there's the challenge of dealing with the media and public expectations."
Evan acknowledged our responses, "It's clear that both of your careers come with their own set of challenges, and yet you've managed to rise to the top of your respective sports. What advice would you give to young athletes aspiring to reach the level of success that you've achieved?"
Jack leaned in and said, "I'd say that dedication and hard work are essential. You have to be willing to put in the hours, stay committed to your training, and never give up, no matter how tough it gets. Surround yourself with a supportive team and use setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow."
I added, "I completely agree with Jack. In addition, I'd say it's important to keep a clear vision of your goals and stay focused. Stay true to your passion and love for the sport because that's what will drive you to overcome the challenges. And never forget that setbacks are part of the journey; they make the successes even more rewarding."
Jack nodded in agreement with my response. "That's some great advice, Y/N. Having a clear vision and staying passionate about what you do is crucial in any career, especially in sports."
Evan smiled and continued, "Thank you both for sharing your insights and experiences. It's clear that you're both dedicated and passionate individuals in your respective fields, and your advice is valuable for anyone striving for success. Now, before we wrap up, let's have a little fun. How about a rapid-fire round of questions for each of you?"
Jack and I exchanged amused glances, ready for the challenge. Evan fired off a series of questions, alternating between us.
"Favorite pre-game ritual?"
Jack answered first, "Listening to music that gets me pumped up."
I followed, "Visualizing the entire race, corner by corner, in my mind."
"Favorite post-game or post-race meal?"
Jack grinned, "Pizza, no doubt."
I chuckled, "A plate of pasta."
"Most memorable career moment so far?"
Jack's eyes lit up, "Scoring my first NHL goal. It was a dream come true."
I shared, "Winning my first F1 race. It was an unforgettable feeling."
As the rapid-fire questions continued, Jack and I found ourselves sharing more personal insights and even some lighthearted stories. We learned about our favorite travel destinations, hobbies outside of our respective sports, and our sources of inspiration.
The interview had transitioned from a professional exchange to a more relaxed and friendly conversation. Jack's charismatic and easygoing personality made it easy to connect, and I found myself genuinely enjoying our interaction. We even exchanged a few friendly jokes along the way, creating a comfortable atmosphere in the studio.
Evan, our host, couldn't help but smile as he witnessed the chemistry between us. "It's clear that you two are getting along great."
Jack nodded with a playful grin, "Yeah! Maybe we'll see Y/N at a hockey game one day."
I laughed, "Well, my media manager told me you’re attending the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend. Maybe I will see you in the Ferrari garage."
Jack chuckled, "I'll be sure to swing by the Ferrari garage and show some support. Maybe you can give me a crash course in F1"
I grinned at the idea. "Deal! And I'll make sure to catch a New Jersey Devils game when the opportunity arises. Maybe you can teach me a thing or two about hockey."
The interview wrapped up and Jack and I exchanged one last friendly smile.
"It was a pleasure, Jack. I’ll see you at the Grand Prix this weekend, I’ll be the one in red" I joked as we said goodbye.
Jack chuckled, "I'm looking forward to it. And if you ever want to catch a hockey game, just give me a call."
I chuckled, "I might just take you up on that offer. Best of luck with your season, Jack."
Jack flashed a warm smile as he nodded. "You too, Y/N. Good luck this weekend."
We both exchanged contact information and made plans to meet up during the Grand Prix this weekend. It was unexpected, but I had enjoyed our conversation, and I was genuinely looking forward to seeing Jack again. 
yourusername
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liked by pierregasly, jackhughes and 1 242 635 others
yourusername: I had a blast on @/Sports_People today. Go check out their latest episode "Two stars under 22", where @/jackhughes and I delve into our experiences in sports.
view comments:
Sports_People: Such a great episode, thanks for joining us!
liked by yourusername
jackhughes: I had a great time! See you this weekend
- yourusername: I'll be the one in red!😜
holly_hockey: My two faves together? Yes please!
ferrarimorris: I'll be at the race on Sunday, hope you win! Forza Ferrari!
jackhugheswifeyyy: Of course she's pretty aswell, my chances are getting slimmer by the minute🤧
- caufieldsonfire: she's a brunette, don't worry
curiousgeorge: Move to McLaren please! We need youuuu!!🙏💀
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Note
what is G/t
G/t is, in its simplest form, the size difference trope. Think of those episodes in shows where the characters shrink or grow. It’s one of those tropes that can be slapped onto literally any media. It’s one of the most common tropes tv shows would use, alongside things like time travel, alternate dimensions, gender swap, just space, and more! G/t stands for Giant / tiny, which is usually the main focus for most people. There are many different things you can find in g/t from soft and cute scenarios to more angst and horror-like scenarios. It just depends on the person. G/t is usually very safe for work with some getting close to the edge of nsfw but never fully crossing it. On tumblr there is a very clear difference from the sfw and nsfw stuff (With g/t being the safe stuff and micro/macro being nsfw, usually)
Now the main thing about g/t is the size difference. With characters interacting with differently sized items or people. The G is the giant which is typically used for whoever the bigger (literally) person is. So it’s not always gonna be a giant and will sometimes be a human. The t on the other hand is the tiny person, which just like the G, can include a human sized person. As long as the size difference is great enough (each person has their own thoughts on when size difference becomes g/t or is simply tall person with slightly shorter person) then it is consider g/t. Now a tiny or giant doesn’t necessarily need to interact with their counter part, it could be something simple like a tiny fairy exploring an abandoned house, or a giant roaming the country side. If the person doesn’t “fit” in the environment it can count. (Which is probably why a lot of us use it as a coping mechanism. Cause like you don’t fit in and it’s easier to imagine literally not fitting in)
There are many kinds of character in g/t too! Tinies and giants can range from “That’s a human who is big/small” to “that’s a person who is big/small, but they have some extra features (like wings or horns, etc) to “that’s a creature/alien…a big/small one…oooohhhh” Most people in the community usually vibe with one of the sides. Most people are tinies, some a giants, and then there’s people like me who couldn’t decided and liked both sizes for different reasons and said “SCREW IT! Sizeshifter time”
There’s a lot to g/t and it’s kinda hard to describe and yet so simple to describe too. Each person into it, loves it for so many different reasons. It’s basically the trope that me and many others really love to many unique degrees. It’s literally about new perspectives and seeing our world from them, in a very literal sense sometimes. When you know about g/t you start seeing it everywhere, commercials, movies, tv shows, games, etc. The stories may have the same trope but each delivers it in such a unique way that, it always feels brand new and like an amazing adventure!
If you have any more question, or if anyone else has questions about other g/t things I can try my best to answer them (I’m very bad at answering asks, sorry about that) I may not be the best at explaining things, but I can sure try my best to!
Also, if you want to check it g/t out more but are a little scared to explore websites, I made a YouTube playlist (that I randomly update whoops) that has a bunch of g/t stuff in it. If you want to get a vibe of what it is. It’s organized (kinda) so you can check out the movies, games, animations, etc. I suggest watching the movies first because they tend to just be fun to watch even if you aren’t into g/t. And no worries, it’s a pretty clean content wise.
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thealtoduck · 1 year
Text
NXDE
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Peter Parker x Male Black Cat!Reader
Warnings: Reader has a leaked sex tape with his ex, reader’s nudes have been leaked, bullying, crappy guys, crying, mentions of wanting to die, feelings of shame, angst.
Peter Parker x Male Black Cat!Reader: Masterlist
Summary: Peter finds out why you have the reputation as ”the school slut”.
———
Peter was changing back to his normal clothes after P.E class. As he finished changing he saw that a couple of guys were grouped up watching something on one’s phone. ”Yo, Parker, you know Y/n Hardy, Right?” One of the asked.
”Yeah, why?” Peter asked the guy just said ”You gotta see this” and waved Peter over. Peter curiously walked over to see what the guys were looking at. He looked on the screen where he saw a video of Y/n.
Y/n was laying fully naked on his back in bed, legs lifted as the guy filming was plowing in and out of him with his cock. Peter heard Y/n’s moans from the video playing in front of him. He then watched as Y/n came all over himself and the unknown camera man unloaded deep in Y/n.
He looked at the guys and asked shocked ”How did you get that video?”. The guys shrugged and one said ”It’s all been circulating for a few months, i think i heard it came from some chat room but i’m not sure”.
”Wait? All? There’s more?” Peter asked. ”Yeah, there’s some videos and pictures, i think” the guy said. ”Does Y/n know?” Peter questioned. ”I don’t know, maybe?” the guy said. Peter the got all his stuff and left the locker room. He decided to try to find Y/n after school to talk to him about it.
He saw Y/n at his locker and walked up to him, ”Hey Y/n” Peter said. ”Hey” you answered casually. ”So i wanted to talk to you about something important, wanna come to my place?” Peter suggested. ”Yeah sure” you answered.
The two of then made your way to Peter’s apartment, May wasn’t home so you had it to yourself. You and Peter sat down on the couch in the living room and you asked him ”So what did you wanna talk about?”.
”Well… i was in the changing rooms and a couple of guys were watching a video… of you and another guy… well…” Peter tried to break it to you. He didn’t even need to finish he could tell you knew what he was talking about. You sat in silence for a short while.
You just uttered a simple ”Oh… Yeah”. ”I really know how to pick them, right?” You said uncomfortably with a small dry laugh staring down at the ground. ”Well it’s not your fault, the guys you dated were shitheads who would leak that kind of stuff” Peter stated.
You let out another dry laugh and explained ”It started with just fun videos and pictures where i happened to not be wearing a shirt, then some of them started bringing out there phone while i was changing, then when we were having sex” and Peter noticed your voice tremble.
”Then one started sharing those pictures and videos to his friends and the other ones also did sooner or later” you said. ”Then they started spreading around the school and i became the school’s slut, man-whore, fuckboy…” you said and Peter noticed you had started tearing up.
”And when i found out i wanted to fucking die, cause everyone could see videos of me… and i- and i-” you started but broke down in tears. Peter instinctivley threw his arms around you and pulled you closer as you cried. The two of you sat in silence and Peter just let you cry it out.
You then pulled away slowly and looked at Peter with teary eyes. ”Are you ashamed of me?” you asked. Peter took one of your hands and said ”Never” he then planted a small kiss on your knuckle, giving you small smile.
”Can we watch a movie?” you then asked Peter. ”Which ever one you want?” he answered. ”I wanna watch ”Return of the Jedi” so i can laugh when Leia kills Jabba the hutt” you said casually. ”Okay, i’ll get the dvd” Peter said and got off the couch.
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nolita-fairytale · 1 year
Text
make my heart surrender | carmy berzatto x fem!reader | chapter three: thursday
pairing: carmen berzatto x fem!reader
warnings: lots of swearing, angst, use of she/her pronouns, allusions to sex, eventual smut, no use of y/n, second person pov, mentions of death/mikey's suicide
word count: 3.4k
summary: you and carmy finally find some time to catch up and carmy begins to realize that you're more similar than he thinks.
a/n: thank you to all who are reading, reblogging, and commenting omg. i'm so grateful that someone wanted to read this story. i wrote it in a week because i couldn't get these two out of my head. they were begging to be put on the page. i also have a companion playlist that i'll release when the story is done because i don't want to spoil anything! comment below if you'd like to be added to this story's taglist. i did presumptuously add a few of you i've interacted with, so please let me know if you'd also like to be taken off of it.
read: part two | masterlist
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Thursday
You’re grateful that by day three, you’d been able to smooth over some of the tension between you and Carmy. You even looked forward to catching up with him, if the two of you can swing it. Instead of going home early, you had jumped on the line this evening. Ebra was out for the night and Marcus had asked to fly solo on prep so that you could give him some feedback before lunch service tomorrow morning. 
It was an easy decision, to fill in and jump on the line. After all, you had checked your bag on the plane so that you could bring your knife roll with you, just in case. There was something about this kitchen – the energy and the people – that you wanted to stick around for. And it didn’t hurt that you got to spend a little extra time with Carmy. When he was in his element, expediting and leading this kitchen… he was… breathtaking. 
“Damn, nice knife, Jeff” Tina comments, checking out the santoku you’re running through some parsley. She can hear the crisp, clean cuts you're making, which is what caught her attention in the first place.
“Jeff?” you question, shooting her a look. 
“Long story, but trust me. It’s a term of endearment,” Sydney interjects, from her side of the prep station. 
You chuckle, “She’s a beauty alright. My first fully Japanese knife. Though the steel is a bitch to take care of. That’s for sure.”
“What do you mean?” Tina questions further. 
“Well, it’s just a kind of metal alloy that’s super prone to-,” you start, completing your sentence at the same time as Sydney chimes in.
“Rusting,” you both say in unison, sharing a look. 
“Huh,” Tina sounds, suddenly losing interest. “I don’t get it. It’s more work to take care of? Our shit’s part-plastic and does the job just fine.”
“Oh but she’s so smooth,” you playfully swoon, referring to how beautifully the knife performs for you. 
“It’s all about the performance, T,” Sydney adds. 
Tina hums in response, still unconvinced by you and Sydney’s admiration for the fancy tools. 
“So you and Carmy. How’d you meet Jeff?” Tina inquires further geturing her knife towards Carmy’s expediting station, and eliciting another laugh from you and Sydney.
“Uhhhh… we both worked at the same restaurant in New York. I came in to stage and the competitive jerk tried to smoke me. Thought he could show me it was his territory.”
“Like a little bitch,” Tina teases, the shade evident in her voice.
“And you kicked his ass obviously,” Sydney suggests, hopefully. 
“Mhm,” Tina adds in agreement.
“Oh absolutely,” you answer, deviously. “I walked out with a job that night. Carmy and I are the classic kitchen staff case of… enemies turned good friends.” 
You look up from your station, noticing an exchanged look between Sydney and Tina. 
It’s the kind of look that says, Just friends, huh?
“Alright, alright. Enough with the girl talk, gossip girls. News flash: no one gives a shit about fuckin’ Tom Colicchio and Padma Whatserface over here,” Richie interrupts, referring to the you and Carmy, as he passes by with a few empty storage containers on the way to the dishwashing station. 
“Asshole / Fuck off, Richie,” Sydney and Tina shout back at the same time. 
“Hey! Listen up, everyone! Fire two spaghettis, two short ribs, one chicken,” Carmy calls out to the kitchen. You listen attentively, hearing the chorus of the entire kitchen repeat the order back to him, punctuating the order with a ‘heard.’ 
You smile to yourself, as you enjoy the feeling of falling into such a familiar rhythm. 
You’ve missed working in the kitchen, and you’ve missed working in the kitchen with Carmy. This was so different than any of the bullshit you’ve been through together – even when he is arguing or yelling at someone. It’s not some sterile environment that looks more like a science lab or an operation room than it does a kitchen.
No, this place has soul. 
Between the crass kitchen banter, the less than flattering nicknames, and its wild cast of characters, it’s only day three and you feel right at home. Dinner service flies by and you’re eager to check in with Marcus by the end of the shift. Before taking your apron off, you head over to his corner of the kitchen. 
“Hey, how’s everything going, chef?” you ask, curiously. 
“Good, chef,” he answers proudly. “I got the brioche covered and ready to rise overnight and I prepped the cake donuts so we’re ready to roll tomorrow morning. I went with a blueberry cake donut this time around.” 
“Sounds great. I can’t wait to try it, chef,” you reply. “Need anything from me before I head out for the night?”
“Oh no, uh, I’m almost done here,” Marcus answers, inspiring confidence in his ability. “Just workin’ on a curd for the filling, chef. Just like you taught me.”
“Alright,” you chuckle, tickled by how excited he is. “Have a good night, chef.” You pause, wondering if your words will be totally lost on him. “And make sure you get some rest tonight, okay?” 
He responds with a nod, as you leave his station.
You make your way to the locker area, hanging your apron up, and slipping off your kitchen sneakers, before taking a seat on the bench. It looks like most of the kitchen staff got a head start on you and have already left, or are out of their kitchen clothes and ready to head home. There’s a strange feeling in your heart. You haven’t felt this kind of… community… in a professional kitchen in a long time and you try your best to name what it is you’ve felt was missing. 
“Hey,” you hear a voice say, pulling you from your thoughts. 
“Hey,” you say to Carmy. 
He removes his apron, folding it over his forearm. It sits further down his arm, right near his tattooed hand, you notice, as he leans his side against the lockers. 
“Thanks for jumpin’ in… you know… on the line tonight,” he starts his gaze practically piercing through your soul. 
“Yeah, it’s uh, no problem,” you reply, placing your knife roll and kitchen shoes back into your locker. “I had fun.”
“You uh, you still want to go for that drink?” he asks, shyly. 
You smile. 
“Yeah.”
*
“It’s fucked up,” Carmy shakes his head in disbelief. 
“Oh please. What?” you groan, shooting him a look.
“You’ve been in my city for… what three days now and you already have a hookup at one of the hardest to get into bars here,” Carmy replies, eliciting a laugh from you. 
“Oh my god,” you sigh with a playful eye roll. “I’m a New Yorker, asshole. You know that’s how we do it.” 
He shakes his head again, before locking eyes with you, “You were always better at it than me.” 
“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you, Carmen Berzatto, finally admitting that I’m better at something than you? Can you say it again, and I’m just going to-.” you tease, playfully, pulling out your phone as if you’re going to film him saying it. 
“Oh shut up…” he shoots back, gently pushing your phone away from his face. 
“I mean, you could always make friends with anyone. The bodega guy downstairs. The fuckin’ bodega cat. Our favorite butcher? ‘S why we always got the good cuts of meat when we cooked together on our days off.” 
“Which is exactly why I do it,” you point out. 
You had always been so magnetic to him. It’s something that he’s always admired about you – something that always reminded him of Mikey. 
“No, I-, I used to be a regular at this bar when I was working at Gramercy Tavern – actually, I think it closed right before you came to New York. Anyways, found out my favorite bartender moved to Chicago and I sent him a message letting him know I’d be in town. Said he’d get us in even if they were booked up, and,” you gesture towards where the two of you are sitting together, “Et voila!” 
Carmy takes a look around. He hasn’t been in a fine dining establishment since he left New York. It’s as if all the fancy awards and all the dues he’s paid cooking in the best restaurants in the entire world don’t matter anymore. He feels so out of place: the people, the over-the-top cocktails, the overpriced bowls of food called something fancy to justify the high price point. 
“From the kitchen” your bartender had said curtly, a mere few minutes ago. He had placed a few plates in front of the two of you to share that you most certainly didn’t order.
You both had thanked the bartender, before digging into the large bowl of soup, stracciatella, and focaccia bread on the plate. You rip off pieces of bread, dipping them into the salty broth, popping them into your mouth. Carmy’s much more of a gentleman about it, using his spoon to try the soup first. You had only planned on drinking here, but your friend at The Aviary had really come through. You’re sure it doesn’t hurt that you’re here with Carmy, and that these guys definitely know who Carmy is. 
“So…” you start, taking a sip of whatever fizzy strawberry gin thing you’d ordered earlier. “I feel like there are a lot of long stories I’d like to hear.” 
Carmy makes a sound in agreement before taking a sip of his drink. It’s just bourbon on the rocks, and you wonder when he started drinking bourbon like this.
“I mean… we could start here. How the hell are ya?” you ask. 
“I…” he starts, before trailing off. He buries his face in his hands, dragging his fingertips across his forehead. “It’s uh, it’s been a long couple of months. Christ. The restaurant was a goddamn mess, everyone hated my fuckin’ guts. And then Syd showed up and, well, she’s been a big help.” 
You wait a beat before saying, “As much as I want to hear about the restaurant, Carm, I mean how are you doing?”
Your words stop him, and he looks up at you with those baby blue eyes. He takes his time thinking about it, shrugging before muttering something along the lines of, “I’m okay, I guess.”
He’s searching for the right words to explain how the hell he’s even supposed to answer that question.
“I don’t know. Guess I thought if I fixed the restaurant, if I could fix it-. Maybe I could fix him,” he drags out. 
He waits a few beats before finally admitting:
“I miss him. Mikey. And I found out all kinds of shit about him that I-, well, shit I didn’t know. I think-, I think it’s why he kept me away. Why he shut me out.”
You listen as he begins to fill you in: about Mikey, the drugs, the debt he inherited that he now owes to Cicero, how hard it was to win over the kitchen staff that, come hell or high water, weren’t interested in changing their ways. And then he tells you about the meetings he's been going to -- the al-anon meetings. And you begin to understand. While he’s the same old Carmy, this isn’t the exact same Carmy that you knew in New York. The Carmy you knew in New York never would’ve gone to those meetings. He would’ve brushed it off and pretended there wasn’t a problem and taken as much punishment as he could in the kitchen instead of dealing with what he was feeling.
Mikey’s death, and coming home, and this restaurant, it’s all changed him. 
And maybe, just maybe, it’s part of the reason why, after months of no contact, he reached out to you now, but he’s not sure if he should tell you that yet.
You’ve got to give it to him. If anything, he’s exceptionally talented at cutting people out of his life. It’s his M.O – the only thing that’s been consistent in his life – even when those people didn’t deserve it. It’s what he knows to do. It’s something he’s learned… from Mikey, from his dad… 
But this… what he’s telling you, these are stories of connection and community. 
“And Syd’s really helped me pull this shit together. She's kinda like... the glue, y'know? I- I don’t know where we’d be without her,” Carmy concludes.
You agree. Syd is brilliant. You can see just from having been in that kitchen that she’s been the biggest catalyst for the changes — even his.
“I know you only asked me to come for pastry but I’m glad you let me jump in on the line tonight,” you say. “It’s cool to see what you’re doing now and… I don’t know. I know it was a rocky start, but you’ve got something here. Something that could be really, really good, Carm. You’re making real fucking food. Like your mom’s chicken. I haven’t forgotten about that.” 
“How can you remember that?” Carmy asks, a little surprised, his eyes lighting up. He’d almost forgotten that he’d once made it for you while you were both still in New York.
You nod, “Best chicken piccata I’ve had in my life.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Hands down.”
“You know,” you start, a mischievous tone in your voice. “If I recall correctly, you made me some pretty bomb meals back in New York. And didn’t I say something along the lines of you really shining when-?”
“Oh no,” he groans. “Not this again.”
“I’m just saying!” you justify, innocently. “When you cook the food you grew up with, Carm, you’re at your very best. And don’t get me wrong. You’re an exceptional chef, regardless of what you do but-.”
“So what? You’re gonna say ‘I told you so?’” he questions, shooting you a look. 
You shrug, playfully, “I can’t help it if I’m right all the time,” earning an eye roll from him. 
“Especially when it comes to you.”
He’s quiet for a moment, because you do know him. You’ve seen sides of him he’s barely let anyone else see. It feels good and terrifying all at once to be seen this clearly.
“Yeah, well, you always were a little more Mozza than French Laundry, huh?” he shoots back, referencing your difference in preference. While Mozza was more family style, The French Laundry, a restaurant Carmy had worked at once upon a time, was anything but. 
“Yeah. Who knew one day we’d switch places?” you reply, a sadness in your voice. Were you… envious of what Carmy had? Was this what you were looking for?
“So uh, you gonna tell me what the hell happened with the restaurant?” Carmy asked, changing the subject – changing the subject to you. 
You sigh, you raise your drink to your lips, finishing the rest of what’s in the glass in one go. 
“That bad, huh?”
“No!” you’re quick to reply. “Well, yes. But no. But yeah….” 
Carmy flags the bartender down, ordering another round for the two of you. 
You’re not even sure where to begin in regards to the existential crisis of sorts that you’ve been having, so you just tell him what happened. 
“I was juicing blood oranges one day. And-, you know we were going to take the juice and do all that fancy gastronomy shit with it… turn it into like, the same consistency of ‘dew in the early morning’…” you began to explain, quoting what your head pastry chef had said that day.  
“And I’m sitting there thinking… what the hell am I doing? I mean, who eats food like this?! Who wants to eat a drop of blood orange juice that’s been turned into the consistency of dew in the early mornings? Like, why the fuck can’t I just make the best blood orange olive oil cake anyone’s ever had, and that be enough, you know?”
“And. I don’t know. It got me thinking a lot about the kind of food I want to make, and what that would mean, and what does any of this shit even mean? Fast forward to a week later, and I don’t feel like I have a fuckin’ clue about what I want to do with my life and I’m quitting the restaurant.”
You pause, noticing that he’s just been listening attentively this whole time.
“I’m tired, Carm,” you admit. “I mean. I’m burnt the hell out. I just. I don’t want to work this hard for something that- something that I’m not even sure I believe in anymore.”
Another beat. 
“I know it sounds totally insane but-.”
“No! No, it doesn’t,” Carmy interrupts, quick to reassure you, as he reaches for your hand. Your eyes flicker from his hand on yours, the small tattoo above his wrist, then back to him, feeling the loss of body heat as he pulls his hand back only a moment later. 
“I feel like I’ve been thinkin’ about a lot of the same shit,” he admits, empathizing with you. 
“I just feel… kind of lost,” you say, and it’s the first time you’ve said it out loud. “I do. I-, I’ve been feeling really lost lately.”
In all the time he’s known you, never could he have expected you to feel lost. He wondered if he’d just put you on a pedestal. You had always been this stunningly charismatic, charming person that could walk into any room and in minutes, have everyone wrapped around your finger. For so long he denied any feelings for you because he knew you were unattainable – that someone like you could ever want someone like him felt impossible. Wouldn’t you be better off with one of those Wall Street assholes that came into the restaurant all the time – wining and dining their clients with their expensive wristwatches and fancy town cars?
But hearing you say it – that you feel lost – it reminds him that you’re only human too. 
He waits another beat, guilt filling up his throat, before he speaks again. 
“I should’ve been there for you. I’m sorry.”
There’s an earnestness in his voice that makes you want to trust him. Sure, it seems like he’s been apologizing to you for three days straight, but you want to listen. 
You take another sip of your drink. 
“I started volunteering at a Brooklyn community garden so I could like, pull my head out of my ass,” you share with him. 
“Did it help?”
You shrug, “Yeah, a little bit.”
It helped, but it hadn’t fixed anything. You feel like you can confide in him, especially since he told you that he was going to meetings.
“My therapist actually encouraged me to come here,” you confess, gauging his reaction as the words flow from your mouth. “Get out of dodge. Get a change of scenery… give myself some time to think.”
“We both know you do a little too much of that,” he teases gently, and you chuckle. 
Between Carmy’s avoidance, and your neuroses, you’re quite the pairing. 
“Yeah.”
Carmy pauses, not sure if he has the words to give you the explanation you deserve, but he’s going to try. 
“I had… a lot goin’ on. When I got back. And I didn’t know….” He pauses before continuing. “I didn’t know how to do it all at once. How to handle, you know… everything at the same time.”
And it’s just easier to avoid everything – to avoid you, to avoid the way I feel about you, he thinks to himself.
And it’s exactly what he did, he pushed you away, and pushed any and all feelings or thoughts about you into a dark hole, never to be acknowledged ever again. 
Until you quit your job. Until his phone call with Tim. Until his phone call with you. 
“I know, Carm. I know you’re sorry and I appreciate the apology,” you start, taking a breath. “It’s just that-.  I need you to know...” 
You pause, suddenly feeling like you’re in the middle of an anxiety dream where you realize you’re not wearing any pants.
“I need you to know that it hurt. It… it really hurt. Not hearing from you. Being cut out like that.”
“I know,” he admits, remorsefully. “I’m gonna be better. At least I’m trying to be.” 
“I really want to believe that,” you say, softly. 
But I don’t want to get hurt again, you think to yourself.
He looks at you, a soft, shy smile on his face, and it makes you want to take a chance on him. 
Who are you kidding? You’d jump off of a bridge with him if he asked, even if it meant getting hurt all over again.
“Okay?” he asks, hopefully. 
You’re not sure if he’s asking if it’s okay, if you’re okay, if everything is okay between the two of you, and you wonder if he means all three.
“Okay,” you answer, quietly. 
“Okay.”
read: part four
taglist: @lazypeachsoul @bookwormvoyageuse @allthefandomstogether
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burnednotburied · 14 days
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Chapter One
AO3 Link | Chapter Two Link
Pairing: Abby Anderson x fem!reader
Fic Synopsis: Abby goes looking for Owen and ends up on the wrong end of your knife.
Tags/CWs: angst; slow burn; enemies to friends to lovers; animosity between WLF and Seraphites; blood/injury; cutting (not to self, but still); religious/cult-like ideas
Note: So the idea for this started as a prequel to my first fic (linked here), but ended up turning into much more. It basically follows the plot of Abby’s Seattle Day 1, diverging from canon where necessary and using dialogue from the game wherever possible. I split this part into two chapters because it’s so long.
This is a lot of build-up (important to the story and hopefully enjoyable to read), but I promise romance is on the horizon!
Also, the idea of deadnaming or misgendering Lev—even in the flashback part where they’re little kids and wouldn’t have known otherwise—physically pains me, so we’re going to pretend that reader has been calling Lev “L” as a nickname for forever.
Hope you enjoy! :)
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April 2038
Abby knew as much about the Scars as any of her fellow WLF members.
She knew that the group was founded by a woman who claimed to have a vision after the initial outbreak of Cordyceps brain infection in 2013, and then started spouting some bullshit about how it was all just a punishment for the sins of humanity. Said that the way to move forward was to go back to the basics. Live off the land. Reject technology and progress and pretty much all the good things in life.
She knew that they live on the island but they wouldn’t fucking stay on it, and that there was once a truce but they broke it, forcing the WLF into an endless war.
She knew that they fought hard and killed brutally, without hesitation or remorse.
She knew that, especially now that Joel was taken care of, killing Scars was pretty much her life’s purpose.
And she knew that the woman who started all of this became known as The Prophet. And that Isaac gave the order to have her killed ten years ago.
It was for that reason that Abby thought Isaac must have misspoken when he opened with:
“The Prophet is on the move.”
He was standing over the large map of Seattle in the center of the room, hands braced on the table, head down in thought.
She didn’t know what to make of that. Or how to respond. A quick glance over at Manny confirmed that she wasn’t the only one who was confused.
One of them had to ask. It seemed Isaac wasn’t going to fill in the gaps unprompted.
“The Prophet?” Manny questioned hesitantly. “Sir… respectfully… She’s been dead for years. Died before we even joined.”
“Don’t you think I know that? I’m the one who killed her.” Isaac was always calm and measured, almost always spoke quietly. But sometimes there was something beneath his words, just below the surface. Something seething and kind of terrifying, although Abby would never admit that out loud. This was one of those times.
“My unwilling informants downstairs,” he said, referring to the captive Scars being held and interrogated on the building’s lower levels, “tell me that they have a new Prophet. One their Elders have been quietly grooming for the role for the last decade, maybe even longer.”
“Okay so… What does that mean?” Abby asked, finding her voice. This was not the conversation she was expecting to have when she heard that Isaac wanted to talk to them. She had hoped to get some answers about what was going on with Owen.
“There’s a reason why they’ve been more resilient lately. Bolder. Even more bat-shit than normal.” He clenched his fists on the table. “This… Neo-Prophet,” Isaac almost laughed, the words coated in venom, “is about to fully step into her role. She is of age now. Or so I’ve been told.”
Abby stared at Isaac, still waiting for him to tell her what all of this meant. And what exactly he wanted her to do about it.
Manny jumped in. “What? So the Scars are… celebrating? You’re saying that’s why they’ve been ballsier? Killing more of us. Pushing further inland.”
Abby let out a short laugh. “If this is what it looks like when they’re happy, I don’t want to see what happens when they’re mad.”
Isaac remained stoic. “They have a renewed sense of purpose. When we killed their first Prophet, the Scars were enraged. They fought hard for vengeance. But people will only fight on behalf of a dead woman for so long. Passion for the cause wanes without something tangible to fight for. They need that higher authority to look to. They need someone to honor and defend. Their Elders were smart enough to know that their people need a unifying symbol. A living one.”
“Right, and you said that unifying symbol was on the move so…” Abby said. “Want us to hunt her down? See what they’ll do when we take away their new favorite toy?”
“No,” Isaac said quickly. “She’s not our target. We’ll get to her in due time.”
“Then wha—”
He cut her off. “The Prophet will be leaving the island soon, for the first time. In fact, it’s possible she’s already here. One of our captives tells me there will be some sort of initiation for her. I don’t know what that entails, but I’m sure it will involve attempting to kill some of ours. I’ll spend some more time with our friends downstairs and see if I can’t get any more information on that. We’ll try to prevent it if we can, but that’s not our main focus right now.” Abby opened her mouth to protest, only to be cut off once again. “With the Prophet away and many of their best soldiers traveling with her, the island will be more vulnerable than ever.”
Manny gestured to the map, reinserting himself into the conversation. “Sir, we’ve tried attacking their island and—”
“Not like this,” Isaac said. “Not with everyone. There’s a big storm a few days out. We’re going to use it to mask our approach. And you two are going to lead the first wave. Pick your squads. Start prepping.”
“And the Prophet?” Abby asked.
“One battle at a time, Abby.”
“Are we sure it would be a battle?” she pressed. “Isaac, she’s just one girl.”
“You would be foolish to underestimate this unknown enemy. Besides the likelihood that the best of the Scars will be at her side, I don’t doubt that she will be a very skilled fighter in her own right.” Abby huffed. Isaac continued, “And if she’s anything like her predecessor, the greatest threat is in her words. Not her actions. I watched some of my most loyal soldiers abandon our cause for theirs after just one conversation with the one who came before her.”
At this, Abby raised her eyebrows, ready to argue. A look from Manny shut her up.
“We’ve only got one shot at this… And this is bigger than any of us.” Isaac pushed off the table, walking over to Abby and placing a hand on her arm. “I need you, Abby.”
She shifted uncomfortably before relenting, giving a curt nod. “Yeah, I get it.”
“Good.” He pulled away, heading toward the door. “Look over the plans and go through your rosters.”
“I want Owen,” she said. Abby thought Isaac could at least give her that.
When he denied her permission to go look for Owen, Abby went anyway.
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March 2030 (8 Years Earlier)
The day of your scarring had been the first time Haven saw the sun in weeks.
Your mother said it was a sign. But your mother thought everything was a sign.
She told you that, no matter what, you were not to cry. That you, her only child, would not disgrace her by shedding tears during your ceremony.
You were to be brave. And strong.
The Prophet herself had ordained the act of scarring for all of her followers. A symbol of the innate imperfection of mankind. And so her people would never forget their own failings, even in the midst of their unending efforts towards perfection.
No one was meant to question the Prophet’s teachings, or the Elders who had taken on the responsibility of interpreting those teachings and carrying out Her will since Her death two years prior.
You could feel your mother’s breath against the back of your head as she huffed and decided that she was once again unsatisfied with your hair, roughly taking it down and beginning again for the fourth time.
While she worked, you sat still on the wooden stool in front of her and stared at yourself in the mirror, trying to memorize your features as they were now.
This was the last time you would see the face you knew. Next time you looked in the mirror, you would be different. Would you feel different?
You tried to picture yourself scarred, with two thin lines running from each of your ears to the corners of your mouth. Your eyes stung, tears threatening to fall at the thought.
But there will be no crying today.
Instead, you let your eyes wander to your mother’s reflection, hovering just behind and above yours in the mirror. You examined her face. Of course, you had never seen her without her scars, but you’d always thought your mother was beautiful.
Maybe the change in your appearance would not be so drastic. Maybe it was vain to care.
You were not supposed to be vain.
Once your mother was satisfied with the look of the braided crown of your hair, she gently placed her hands on your shoulders, meeting you gaze in the mirror.
“We are imperfect beings,” she recited. You joined your voice with hers for the second part, “And thus we make ourselves imperfect in Her eyes.”
She smiled softly, squeezing your arms lightly. “Good girl. I’m proud of you. I know you will do wonderfully today.” You tried to return her smile. “Now. Get dressed. I laid your clothes out on the bed.”
She turned to leave you, pausing in the doorway. “Remember what I said, child. No tears today. Do you understand?”
You nodded quickly. Obediently.
She seemed pleased as she left the room.
You changed quickly, wondering if she had been able to tell that you’d spent the whole night before crying. You hadn’t gotten a minute of sleep.
The stool squeaked as you sat back down, not sure what to do with yourself while you waited. You met your own eyes in the mirror once more, this time immediately averting your gaze. You felt sick. And close to tears. And so very scared.
On the other side of the door, you could hear Yara and her mom greeting your mother. The eight-year-old asked if she could come inside to see you. After just a moment of hesitation, your mother allowed it, and you could hear the slight creak of the door as she came in.
Yara said your name quietly, standing just inside the door. You turned to look at her. She smiled, happy to see you, just as always.
“Happy birthday!” she whispered excitedly, closing the distance between you and wrapping her arms around you tightly. You squeezed her back, holding her close for longer than usual. Yara, never one to be the first to break a hug, lingered for as long as you wanted her there.
You were neighbors, and your mothers had grown up together and always been close. And although Yara was four years younger than you, the two of you were close too. She and five-year-old baby L were your siblings, as far as you were concerned.
Yara was mature for her age, even more so than most of your other friends. You knew you could trust her, so with her you were honest.
“I’m really scared,” you said quietly into her hair, still not releasing her from the embrace.
“I know,” she whispered back, squeezing you even tighter. “You’re the bravest person ever though. I know you can do this.”
You finally let go, retreating back to your stool, but Yara stayed close by, rubbing your shoulder comfortingly with one hand.
“She will be with you through this, and for all the days of your life,” she said, earnest. “Our pain is Her pain, and Her pain is ours.”
You couldn’t help but make a mental note of the fact that the Prophet actually did not receive the same scars as all of her followers, so perhaps this one specific pain is one that was not, in fact, shared between to two of you.
But Yara’s comment was made with a level of sincerity that you couldn’t help but admire—and borderline envied—so you chose to keep your thoughts to yourself.
Her presence was always a comfort, so you allowed yourself to relish in it for a quiet minute before your mother reentered the room.
“It’s time to leave,” she said simply. Firmly.
Behind her, just outside the door, you could see Yara’s mom standing there, holding a quiet but curious little L’s hand. They would all be walking over with you to witness the ceremony.
You forced yourself to stand, brushed your hands down your thighs as if to clear some nonexistent dust and smooth the phantom wrinkles. For a moment, you considered taking one last look in the mirror, but ultimately deciding against it. It would feel strange to do so, now that everyone was watching you and waiting.
For the briefest moment, you thought about making a run for it. Stealing a boat or even attempting to make the swim to the mainland. You could survive on your own, or maybe even join the Wolves. You weren’t scarred yet. You could lie about where you came from, and they would probably take you in…
The hiss of your name from your mother’s mouth ripped you back into reality, along with a gentle nudge from Yara.
You took a deep breath and started walking.
Once the home of the Prophet herself, Sanctuary was one of your people’s primary places of worship, second only to Martyr’s Gate on the mainland. (You had never seen it – You’d never left the island – so Sanctuary was where you most often prayed.)
Scarring ceremonies were held there, always on a child’s twelfth birthday.
You had witnessed many friends receive their scars. It was customary to attend the ceremonies of those close to you. Family, friends.  
The process was always the same.
Elder Constance would lead all those gathered in a prayer, holding the ceremonial blade. You would recite a version of the Prophet’s Prayer. The blade would be blessed. Then Elder Duncan would make the incisions before welcoming you as an official member, a child of the Prophet.
It never took very long. Everyone had work to get back to, tasks to fulfill.
You would soon come to find that your ceremony would not be like any of those others.
The first indication of this was the sheer number of people who were gathered at Sanctuary. You had never seen this many people gathered in one place at one time, many of the faces you did not recognize.
As you approached the dais, the crowd silently parted for you, all eyes examining you carefully as if looking for something unseen. You couldn’t begin guess what it was.
You wanted to go home. You wanted to cry. To hold your mother’s hand. You wanted to not be here at all. Ever. For this to be a horrible nightmare.
Why were there so many people here?
Your eyes met Elder Constance’s. She was stiff and serious, as always, but there was a brightness in her eyes that you were not accustomed to seeing. A quick glance at Elder Duncan revealed a similar expression on his face.
The other five Elders also stood on the stage. Another thing that was unusual for a simple scarring ceremony.
Had you done something wrong? Were you in trouble?
You looked ahead, and your legs continued to carry you forward, despite your internal protestations.
When your feet were nearly touching the first step up, you stopped. And although your mind went blank, your body remembered what to do.
You bowed your head to each of the Elders, silently waiting to be greeted and invited onto the dais.
“Welcome, child, on this most joyous day!” Elder Constance’s voice boomed, carrying enough for everyone gathered to hear. “Come. Join us.”
You fought the urge to turn around and find your mother. You wanted to look at her face, to see if she knew what was happening.
But you knew that any moves you made in this moment other than exactly what was expected of you would be seen as hesitation, and therefore disgraceful. And you didn’t want your mother to be angry.
So you did as Elder Constance said, and you climbed the steps.
Your vision blurred. You tried to focus on your breathing.
“Two years ago, the ignoble Wolves took our beloved Prophet from us,” she began once you were standing center-stage. The reaction from the audience was instantaneous, full of outrage and despair. Elder Constance allowed this to continue for several moments before holding up her hand; and the noise stopped just a quickly as it began.
“But She is not dead! For the Prophet’s spirit cannot be killed by the evils of mankind.” The crowd hung on her every word as she continued, “She lives in all of us. In our actions and in our virtues. In Her teachings.”
“Here before you are all of your Elders, appointed to this honorable position by our Prophet, most wonderful and wise. She speaks to us, and it is our duty—our privilege—to share her words with you.”
“But today, She does not have words for us.” Elder Constance paused, the audience hushed, waiting for the reveal. “It is Her heavenly desire to give us a new source of hope. An advocate. A champion… A new Prophet.”
Elder Constance’s hands landed on your shoulders.
“Today, She has chosen Her successor.”
The crowd erupted in celebration.
You went completely numb and tuned them all out.
The Elders continued to speak, and the people continued to celebrate. All the while, your mind was reeling and your face was blank.
A new Prophet?
There can’t be a new Prophet.
What does that even mean?
There have never been any prophets except for THE Prophet.
And if there does need to be a new Prophet, why would it be you?
Why you?
Why you?
Why you?
It can’t be you.
If any of your questions were answered, you didn’t hear it above the ringing in your head.
Your attention was drawn to the blade that was now in Elder Constance’s hands, and you forced yourself to again begin to listen.
“…The Neo-Prophet will take on her full responsibilities when the time is right. But until then…” She continued on with familiar words, ones used in a typical scarring ceremony to bless the blade before it was used.
The knife was then passed down the line of Elders, each of them lifting it above their head and reciting the same words.
Your legs suddenly feel very weak.
Elder Duncan blessed the blade last and stepped forward, positioning himself just a couple feet away from you. You turned to him just as you knew you were supposed to.
This was the part in the ceremony when you would usually say a version of The Prophet’s Prayer. You weren’t sure if you were still meant to do that, given the circumstances, but you were operating solely on instincts now, so you began, “The world is not in balance, but I will do my part to right it.”
You weren’t speaking nearly as loud as the Elders had. You hoped you were loud enough. You hoped you were doing it right.
The pleased look on Elder Duncan’s face indicated that you had done well, but before you could go on with the next line, all of the Elders continued the prayer together:
“You will lead us through the storm May the current be calm May You guide us home.”
Their words had been slightly altered from the classic prayer, different than you would’ve said it if you had been given the chance. The strangest part was that they were speaking to you.
Almost like they were praying to you…
Elder Duncan took another step forward, gripping the knife.
You expected him to use his other hand to lift your face, to hold it at the best angle for the scarring. You’d seen him do the same to others many times before.
This was the part that you knew was coming. You had been at least attempting to prepare for it. You could handle it.
But you were thrown off once again when instead, he took your right wrist in his free hand and gently pressed your fingers down, making you form a fist. He then lifted your hand until it was by your ear, knuckles facing down, arm bent at the elbow. His own hand gripped your elbow, holding your arm in place.
You were frozen, with no choice but to watch as the knife met the outside of your forearm and sank in. A slow, straight line was carved from the top of your wrist all the way to your elbow.
You didn’t look away. You didn’t cry. You did as you were told.
You wanted to go home.
“We are imperfect beings. And thus, we make ourselves imperfect in Your eyes.” Elder Duncan said, meeting your gaze. “It is for this reason that we proudly wear our scars on our faces.”
When his work was done, he released your right elbow and moved on to the left, lifting that arm into the same position. “But the Prophet, in Her kindness, bears the weight of our imperfections, carrying all of us in her arms. This is why You will wear your scars here.”
“Remember that You are part of us, but set apart.” The blade pierced the skin of your left forearm, and a twin incision was formed. “We look to You, Prophet. May She guide you. May She protect you.” With that, he took a step back, lowering the knife.
You slowly lowered your arms to your sides and turned back to face the enraptured crowd.
Finally, you found your mother among them.
And she was crying.
“My friends,” Elder Constance declared, gesticulating dramatically, “Your Prophet!”
The cheers were deafening.
As you scanned the masses, you felt the blood ooze down your arms and curl around your fingers, pooling on the ground by your feet.
You found Yara, who was somehow clapping and cheering more enthusiastically than anyone else. And then you saw L, held up on their mother’s hip, face concerned, eyes wide and wary.
At least someone was as skeptical as you were.
You wondered if you would get to go home now.
But Elder Constance placed her hands on your shoulders again, this time turning you and leading you in the opposite direction, into the Prophet’s grand house. Into Sanctuary.
There, servants’ gentle hands carefully cleaned your stinging wounds, took down and brushed out your hair, and helped you change into a new white dress.
You would never live in your mother’s house again.
And it would be eight years before anyone addressed you by your name.
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rorywritesjunk · 5 months
Text
No longer locked upon the land but free on the rolling waves
You and Buggy come face to face with himself from the past, and while you’re fully accepting that this is your husband as a child, Buggy doesn’t want to accept it.
Rating: PG-13ish, but just due to some swearing.
Warning: Upset kid, upset husband. Reader is way too nice, doesn’t necessarily take husband’s feelings into account as well.
A/N: A combined request. I did a few versions of this story before feeling like it hit the marks I was wanting to hit. Also, I’m just trying to vibe off what I’ve seen of Kid Buggy. I’m no expert. I’d protect that kid with my life. He’s so adorable. I also like the trope of “Meeting your self from another time” and “gets turned back into kid-self”. This is the former, and I know shit about time travel but I just kind of made something up. This story has also been a lot of fun to work on and the reaction from people has been lovely, thank you! There's at least one more chapter (unless I get a surge and suddenly write way more), but I may write a few one shots about Buggy and his wife because I've come to adore her a lot. Title comes from "Sailing Song" by S.J. Tucker.
Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 + Chapter 3 + Chapter 4 + Chapter 5 + Chapter 6/Epilogue
TAGLIST: @lostfirefly @misadventures0fdes @sylum @valen-yamyam16 @dohkyu @fluffybunnyu @skyofsteel @lavalampskyy @gingernut1314 @ane5e
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Chapter Four
“Is he mad at me?” Buggy asked when the two of you were in the kitchen together. He was helping you make dinner; you gave him the task of cutting up carrots while you cut up onions and celery to throw in a large pot. Neither of you saw Buggy ever since the kid asked him about Shanks, and that was a few hours ago. He thought maybe he was in trouble, that the captain was mad at him for asking those questions. 
“No, he isn’t.” You assured him as you wiped your knife on your apron. “Shanks is… a sensitive subject for him. I don’t even know what happened, but don’t worry, okay?” You smiled and took one of the pieces of carrot, popping it into your mouth. “I know the captain enjoyed showing the place off to you, y’know.”
“I liked seeing everything, especially those Buggy Balls!” Buggy grinned. “Can we fire one out of a cannon?”
“Oh uh, maybe?” You munched on the carrot as you took what he cut up so far, dumping them into the pot. “We’ll ask the captain next time we see him.”
Buggy nodded, watching the veggies get stirred in the pot for a bit before looking back up at you. “How long do I get to stay with you?”
That was a question you were waiting for but didn’t want to hear asked because you weren’t sure how to answer it. You didn’t know how long he would be with you, but what would get him home? Maybe tomorrow you could head back into town with him, see if anything can trigger his return, but part of you wanted to keep him around. Admittedly, that was a selfish want. He needed to return home because he had his own timeline to live through, and if he stayed here could it mess something up. 
You smiled at him and shrugged. “I dunno, but maybe tomorrow we head into town where we met and see if anything happens. I bet you wanna head home.”
“Yea…” He trailed off, looking back down at the veggies. “But if I could stay… I think I would.”
That was a knife to the heart again, because you would let him stay if you could. You’d give him the love and attention you knew he deserved, support his dreams and endeavors, everything. 
But he couldn’t stay. He needed to return home and that broke your heart. You just smiled at him and tossed some salt and pepper into the pot before pouring in some water.
“If you could, I know you would, and I’d be fine with that, Buggy.” You replied as you gave the pot a good stir before putting the lid on. “But… you have to go home at some point, because I don’t… know what could happen if you stay.” Turning to face him, you suddenly pulled him into your arms and hugged him. “I have loved having you around, you know. You’re a wonderful kid.”
He allowed the hug for a moment before pulling away, crossing his arms as he turned red. You chose not to say anything, instead just smiling and standing back up. He eyed you before bolting out of the kitchen all of a sudden, catching you off guard. What just happened? Did you upset him? 
Your husband entered the kitchen at that moment, looking in the direction the kid ran off too. “What just happened?”
“I don’t know.” You said with a frown. “I hugged him and called him wonderful, then he took off.”
“Huh.” Adult Buggy shrugged and went over to the stove to see what was being made for dinner. As he lifted the lid off, seeing the soup starting to slowly simmer, the kid came rushing back in with something in his hand. Buggy frowned at his younger self. “What’s going on?”
The kid looked him up and down before turning to you, holding something in his hands. He looked smug as he grabbed your hand and placed the item into it. You were confused for a moment, and when he pulled his hand back and you saw what it was, you almost dropped it. You had completely forgotten about the pendant and this was the first time you really got to see it up close and you nearly dropped it in surprise. 
“Consider this my proposal for when we meet again.” He said, looking quite proud of himself as he crossed his arms. Your husband’s jaw dropped and he raised the lid up, looking like he was going to throw it at him. You intervened and pocketed the pendant, kneeling down in front of the kid once more. It was hard not to laugh because the look of pride on the kid’s face was the same one you saw on a certain pirate captain when he asked you to marry him years ago, except you were given a bouquet of flowers with no petals (having been destroyed after he stole them and ran off with them) and a ring with a rock the size of his nose (also stolen). 
“Thank you, it’s lovely.” You told him; your husband grumbled and put the lid back. He wouldn’t risk hitting you with it by accident. You leaned over and gave the kid a kiss on the cheek, choosing not to comment further when his face turned bright red. Instead, you stood up and patted him on the head. “I’ll treasure it, Buggy.”
The kid side-eyed the husband, smirking at him despite blushing brightly. The little shit, he should have at least kept it until he met you later on. It didn’t make sense to give it to you now while you were already married to his adult self, but Adult Buggy didn’t say anything after you gave him that look that told him to keep his mouth shut or there would be consequences since he would likely say something stupid. Grumbling, he decided to take a seat at the table instead, the kid taking the seat across from him. He glared at the kid and the kid just smirked. To you, this was just hilarious but you were doing your best not to start laughing. 
~
You allowed them to fire one Buggy Ball out to the water after dinner and that was it. There was to be no town destroying during this trip and the identical grumpy looks from the two of them was amusing, but you put your foot down. You even stood by, watching to make sure it was just one, and the look of excitement on the kid’s face almost made you cave to allow a second one, but you remained strong. You didn’t cave, even when the two of them gave you doe eyes after your husband asked if they could. 
And you decided to allow it after reminding the captain that it was wasting ammo, and that a demonstration was one thing, but now it was just a waste. He hated it when you pointed those things out. Reluctantly, he decided not to fire off a second one, much to his and the kid’s disappointment.
As it grew later into the evening, you decided it was time to settle in for the night. The kid was easier to get ready for bed than your own husband, but you knew the captain also needed to make sure the crew had taken care of the ship for the night as well. 
The pendant was still in your pocket from the kid’s little proposal, the weight of it a reminder from a moment in your own past. You got the kid ready for bed but you didn’t change into your own sleep clothes, which he noticed and frowned at.
“You’re not ready for bed.” He pointed out as you tucked him under the covers. He reached out and grabbed your arm. “Are you leaving?”
“What? No, no.” You shook your head as you sat down on the edge of the bed. “I promise I’m not leaving the ship tonight, Buggy.” You reached over and touched his cheek softly with your free hand and he let go of you. “I need to go talk to my husband about something, but I won’t leave the room until you fall asleep, okay?”
Buggy wasn’t sure about that. You were constantly around, but now you were going to leave him alone in your room? You saw the hesitation on his face and sighed softly. “Promise I’ll be here when you wake up in the morning, but if you wake up after I leave the room tonight, you can come find me. I’ll just be out on deck with the captain, okay? I won’t be mad if you need me, Buggy.”
That seemed to help. The kid just nodded and settled down under the covers, pulling them up to his nose. You leaned down and kissed him on the forehead before straightening back up. “How about you tell me another story about your time on the Oro Jackson?”
He beamed and nodded, launching into a story about some mischief him and Shanks got into. He yawned a few times while telling it, and it wasn’t too long before his eyes closed and he fell asleep. You made sure he was comfortable, watching him for a few minutes while he slept before getting up and heading to the doorway. You looked back once more, making sure he was asleep before you left the room to go find your husband.
The captain was on deck, arms crossed as several crewmen lingered about, no doubt on the night watch shift. He glanced back at you when he heard you approach, holding his arm out to you to pull you close to him. He shrugged his captain’s coat off, draping it over you as you reached into your pocket and pulled the pendant out, holding it up to him. He frowned as he looked down at it. 
It was an oval shape, cut from a piece of moss agate that when you held it up to the light, it was as though you were looking up at the sun through a thick forest of tall trees. You remember watching your father cut down and smooth the stone out to the shape it was while your mother fastened a chain to it, creating a lovely necklace for anyone who desired it. You remember it being on the table at their booth along with other pieces, but after a group walked past the table, it was missing. You remember being mad that it happened but your parents just shrugged it off, not bothered by the missing piece.
Now you had it in your hand over twenty five years later. 
“What’s this?” Your husband asked as he took it out of your hand, frowning as he looked at it. He studied it for a moment, eyes widening slowly as he started to remember what it was. “This-”
“Mhm, my parents had it on the edge of their table, making it a prime target for anyone with sticky fingers to steal it.” You told him as you took it out of his hand and stuck it back into your pocket. “Didn’t think my husband was the one who stole it.”
“I-I-”
“Buggy, it’s okay.” You chuckled at the look of panic on his face. Did he think you were going to divorce him over something petty he did to your family as a kid? “I wanted to show it to you, but… I wanted to ask you something.”
“Anything.” He blurted out, trying to mask the concern on his face after seeing that pendant. “Whatever you want, babe, just don’t… ask for a divorce, please.”
“No, I’m not asking for a divorce.” You assured him, wrapping your arms around him. “But… I’m just curious what happened to you as a kid. Do you… remember any of this happening?” 
He stared down at you and you tightened your arms around him, thinking he would bolt from you. Minutes went by before he finally shook his head and you frowned. He didn’t remember any of this, really?
“What… do you remember?” 
He hesitated for a moment, checking his surroundings for a moment to make sure no one else was listening. The crewmen paid you no mind, knowing better than to stare or make any comments about the two of you when there was any sort of display of affection between the two of you. After what felt like an eternity, your husband sighed and just shrugged.
“I remember snatching the pendant off the table when we walked past, and I was a few steps ahead of everyone.” He reached up and rubbed his face while you continued watching him, resting your chin against his chest as you listened to him talk. “There was some kind of light and… I walked into it, but there was just a moment of darkness, like I blinked or something, and then I was back and nowhere near the crew without the pendant. They said they lost sight of me for about fifteen or twenty minutes, but they weren’t worried.”
“They weren’t worried?” You repeated with a frown. “A kid under their watch disappears for that long and they weren’t worried?”
“We’re pirates, it didn’t matter-”
“It matters to me.” You said firmly. “Pirates or not, you were a kid who got lost and ended up somewhere new and scary, Buggy. I can’t… I can’t even imagine what that would have been like.” You huffed, releasing your hold on him just a bit. “Were… you scared of the kid because of what had happened to you back then? About not remembering what happened?”
He nodded slowly. You reached up and put your hands on his cheeks, bringing his head down to kiss him. You were trying not to lose your head at that moment because the love you had for him was a lot. You’d level a city to get to him, burn down a town, and if you had the chance you’d go back with the kid and give that crew a talking to about how to handle a missing kid. It wasn’t right, fair, anything and your heart hurt knowing this. Every kid deserved love, to feel safe and protected, and here your husband just told you that the adults he knew just shrugged off the fact that he had been missing for just a few minutes, while the kid in your care had been with you almost three days. 
You really wondered if you could sneak back in the timeline with the kid and give them a piece of your mind.
Your husband pulled back from the kiss first, a grin on his face as one of his hands went to your back, pulling your body closer to his. 
“It’s fine now, babe, I’m fine.” He insisted as his hand slid down your back. “Seeing the kid was just… startling.”
“You threw him overboard.” You reminded him as his hand stopped at the base of your spine.
He rolled his eyes. “Stop bringing that up.” 
“Don’t attempt to grab my ass when I’m being serious with you.” You shot back. 
“Now hang on-”
“What’re you two arguing about?” 
The two of you turned and saw the kid glaring sleepily in your direction. You pulled away from your husband and went over to him, lifting him up into your arms as he wrapped himself around you. With one arm you held him while the other pulled the coat off and draped it over him, wanting to make sure he was warm.
“Are you okay?” You asked him as you hugged him. He let his head drop onto your shoulder, nodding sleepily. “Come on, let’s go back to bed. I’m tired too.”
Your husband wanted to protest, he wanted more time with you, but the kid locked eyes with him and smirked. Oh, that little shit. Buggy huffed angrily, he would not be competing with a kid for your attention, but he was also very clingy of his wife, just like the kid was in this moment, and he would very much be ready to compete for your attention if needed.
“Buggy, come on, time for bed.” You called to him with a smile as you headed to the bedroom. The kid stuck his tongue out at the captain and he bristled angrily, ready to throw the kid overboard again if he needed to. Grumbling something about bratty kids, Buggy followed after you, wondering if he could throw the kid overboard without you noticing. 
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kdinjenzen · 3 months
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On the whole SE thing, I have a question because I agree with you fully about the AI crap, but I have been full hyperfixation excited for Rebirth, which is saying a lot because life has been soul sucking shit and mustering enthusiasm for anything has been an uphill battle. Where is the line for supporting a cause you firmly believe in, and self indulgence that contradicts that for the sake of personal pleasure? It feels like I either stick to the fight and let something positive to me go or ignore it for myself, which just feels selfish and wrong. This has been eating at me since that news dropped and I don't know if there is a right answer or if any of this even makes sense outside of my own mad rambling. Any input?
13,000+ people were laid off just within the video game industry last year. All the big corps who did those layoffs said “no, Ai won’t replace anyone” and then announced heavy dealings with Ai generated writing, art, animation, etc.
Over 13,000 people… and that’s just in video games.
That’s not counting other branches of the entertainment industry which have also said “no, Ai won’t replace anyone” and then also announced they’d be dipping into Ai generated writing, art, animation, etc after doing massive layoffs.
And if you’re thinking “Ai isn’t that far along” - Disney used Ai generated content for the intro to one of its Marvel Disney+ series last year, SE already has Ai artwork in their games and in their promotional materials, and Valve now allows generative Ai (artwork, animations, assets, voices, etc) developed games on their platform.
The only thing businesses, corporations, CEOs/Owners, etc understand is money. If you talk big talk on social media and can’t back that talk up by not buying a thing, they’ll just use the money you gave them to prove you wrong.
The generative Ai companies have already shown their whole ass by having massive lists leaked of artists, animators, voice actors, musicians, etc that they’ve stolen from. You can’t even pretend “well maybe it’s actually ethical and they asked permission” when there are lawsuits from artists of all kinds, bug and small, trying to take these generative Ai companies down for outright stealing their work to train their Ai program.
There’s a whole world of games, movies, books, etc out there to enjoy that don’t steal people’s works and cut people’s jobs to make “quick and easy content for cheap” - find something different to enjoy.
But, quite frankly, anytime I speak my piece about ethical treatment of workers I’m either ignored or harassed so it honestly feels like it doesn’t matter what I say despite dealing with shit like this from multiple sides of the industry and from people for 17 years.
So you do what you wanna do, you’re a whole person yourself and can make your own choices and draw your own line in the sand.
However, not only was I one of those affected TWICE by layoffs because of this, but countless of my friends and colleagues were also let go in favor of building cheaper things with Ai.
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