#and He doesn't give us dreams that He doesn't plan on bringing to pass

[atwas-meme-ing]

Chronophobia, as I understand it, is a cruel and crippling condition that causes one to obsess over the passage of time. It can lead to severe depression, and if coupled with a low sense of self-worth, can lead one to feel like they will never accomplish enough. The fear can cause one to swing violently between rushing around and trying to do everything at once, and throwing one's hands up and saying to heck with all of it. This condition can make it difficult or impossible to ever enjoy the moment, pushing a person to constantly check the clock and the calendar, causing a person to try to rush through things, and often keeping them from being able to enter that blissful "flow" state that allows most people to enjoy their activities, until they eventually just give up.

But... I guess... maybe there is a cure...

[sincerelyneo]

omg hello! i missed you so much!!! 💖 would you consider reposting arcade again?? it was legit the best thing i’ve ever read omg i was so sad when i couldnt find it anymore

its fine if you cant tho!! im glad youre backkkk💖💖💖

ofc i can, i’m glad you liked it <3

arcade | p.js

“i’m out of control, full power up”

💿now playing: arcade by nct dream

❯ summary: Jisung’s been nothing but busy lately, so when you hear he got the weekend of your anniversary off, you can’t help but plan something to spend time with him. Expect, the only thing jisung wants after his busy month is you — and he’s not gonna let your silly arcade date get in the way of that.

❯ pairings: jisung x fem!reader

❯ genre: established relationship, smut, fluffish.

❯ words: 3.5k

❯ tags: 18+ minors dni!, smut, fingering, exhibitionism, reader uses she/her pronouns, use of the name baby, jisung takes pictures whilst fingering reader in a photobooth idk???

"You brought us to an arcade for our three year anniversary?"

You look over to Jisung standing by your side as the pair of you stood in front of the arcade entryway with the giant neon sign above your heads.

"Yeah, surprise - who doesn't love a date night with pizza and an arcade?" You grin, trying to hide the look of nervousness fighting to show once you notice his frown.

“Baby,” he groans, whiny, “I thought we were gonna go home after the pizza.”

You may have lied to him about that.

When you told Jisung about tonight’s date, he originally objected. He wanted to have a chilled night in with just the two of you — alone. Something he hadn’t had for the past four weeks he’d been strung up at work. Yet, you insisted that the two of you celebrated your three year anniversary just like you had done for your first and second.

So instead, the two of you came up with a compromise: head to your favourite pizza place, then come home and watch a movie snuggled together on the couch. In Jisung’s mind ‘watch a movie’ was code for letting his hands roam all over your body whilst he watched you whither and squirm, but he figured it was best to not discuss the minute details.

But don’t get him wrong. Just because he wanted to have a quiet night in didn't mean he hasn’t missed you — because oh he has. He’s only bothered the rest of the dreamies with his annual ‘I miss her’ speech every other hour.

And whilst typically Jisung loved to spend every passing minute of the day with you; right now, all he could think about was how much he wanted to be balls deep in the cunt he’d missed so much — not spending his time in some arcade.

"I haven't been inside one of these since I was a little kid," you tell him. “Please Sungie, just for an hour.” You begin tugging on his hands.

“I don’t know, Y/N. Aren’t we a bit too old to be playing in the arcade?” he rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Pretty please!”

You hope the small flutter in your eyelashes is enough to win over the hesitant man. And you know it will because he’s told you several times not to give him those signature doe eyes, because he can’t ever bring himself to say no to them.

"Fine."

He grasps your hand, threading your fingers together as he starts to lead the two of you inside. You're instantly greeted with the loud electronic sound effects from the various games, along with the random music playing inside.

There's lights flashing everywhere, and you notice a bunch of people sitting at the bar and in booths near the front of the arcade, along with a bunch wandering around all of the games.

Jisung looks sideways before gesturing his head to the row of retro games, "what do you wanna play?" He asks.

“You can pick first, because I’m such a good girlfriend.”

He can’t help but smile at you — because he knows you're right.

“How about we play some pinball?

"I take it back," you say with a pointed look, "I’ve seen you play that with Chenle and I’m definitely gonna lose.”

“Too late, you’ve already given me the power,” he shrugs and pulls your arm over to where the game is situated.

“Ugh, Jisung. There’s no point, I already know I’m gonna lose,” you try to protest.

“Stop complaining,” he grasps your hips to turn you around to face the pinball machine then comes to stand behind you.

He takes your hands and places them on the buttons either side of the machine in front of you. You feel your cheeks flush when you feel Jisung’s chin rest on your shoulder, as he guides your fingers over the controls and silently coaches you through the game.

You don’t know how he always does it but even here, he's managing to create some form of sexual tension between the two of you at a pinball machine.

“Jisung..” you whisper as he places teasing kisses along your neck.

“Shhh, I’m just trying to help you out,” his lips brush against your neck as he continues hitting the buttons at a constant steady speed. “Besides, I think I’ve found my new favourite way to play pinball tonight."

Eventually, the ball shoots straight down between the two flippers, drawing the game to an end. He’d been doing so well that you wanted to turn around and kiss him but he pressed you harder against the machine, dipping into the crook of your neck to tease your ear.

"You've got no idea how badly I wish I could bend you over this and fuck you right here, right now."

It sent shivers down your whole body as you felt him grin against your skin when he noticed the sharp inhale of air you sucked in at his words.

Jisung knows you're shy, so he’s not surprised that you try to snake away from his grip at his crude remark.

"Look, we got a new high score," he says while he slips his hands from over yours and slides them up your arms. Pretending he didn't just whisper something that dirty. “We make a pretty good team.”

“Yeah ‘cause you did all the work,” you sulk.

You see the red digital writing flashing on the scoreboard, then his arms snake around to link across your lower stomach and pull you firmer against him. To anyone watching you look like a typical couple being affectionate, but the tension makes it feel the furthest thing from innocent.

"You know exactly what you're doing right now, Jisung Park," you huff, trying to control how flustered you feel, "We’re here to play games."

He presses a kiss to your cheek, before murmuring, "I am playing games. And so far I think I'm winning."

As he speaks he lets one of his hands slip down to graze over the front of your crotch, which he swears is an accident when you sternly say his name. But you can’t deny the way the touch made you jolt before he pulls away and steps back. You’d missed his touch — missed being with him like this.

But this was not the place. So you take his hand and turn the two of you to walk off like nothing happened.

The two of you continued to play a handful of arcade games. The classics, retro games, new games — Jisung had even managed to secure you a fluffy teddy bear from the claw game after you mentioned it being ‘impossible’.

You’d been taking it in turns to choose a game each, but when you mentioned the arcade photo booth, your boyfriend had started to get apprehensive.

After some of your amazing buttering up skills with puppy dog eyes, he agreed and he pulled the curtain back for you to get inside, then closes the door on the booth.

He sat down first on the small seat, and when you went to sit next to him he grabbed your waist and pulled you down onto his lap instead. He takes some coins from his pocket and starts putting them in the slot.

You try to get off his lap to sit beside him before the timer starts but he doesn’t let you.

“Just look at the camera and smile."

Once you hear the timer counting down the two of you start posing. But just before the last beep sounds, you get the idea to grab hold of Jisung’s face and let your lips mush against his cheek causing him to scrunch his nose up.

"That’s not fair," he says the second he hears the beeping start again.You stick your tongue out at him and his eyes narrow. “Fine, if that’s the game we’re playing.”

You both look back at the camera and offer smiles, kisses and peace signs. But at the last beep, Jisung gets the idea to move both of his hands to cup over your chest, groping your boobs.

Your mouth falls open as you gasp in shock while Jisung starts laughing.

You try to pull his hands away, "Okay fine, point taken mister grabby hands."

Jisung is practically giggling to himself, whilst you wait for the timer to start again.

“Alright alright, we'll take a serious one now.” He says, placing his chin on your shoulder, as you both look at the camera.

But once again, as the third beeping starts he quickly says, “Do you think people would notice if I made you cum while we're in here?"

Your body stiffens in shock as the picture is taken. Jisung is bursting with laughter and you're taken aback.

Jisung likes sex. He loves sex in fact — especially with you. But he never does this. Sure he teases you when you're out and about — how could he not when you’re so beautiful and perfect for him. But he’s never insinuated doing something so sexual in public like this before.

But here the two of you are. Waiting for the timer to start again, but this time you’re anticipating the shit he was going to pull when the final beep comes — and he does not disappoint. Because his hands slide up your legs, dipping into your inner thighs and squeezing them.

"Jisung," you warn him, "behave yourself."

The beeping starts again, but Jisung doesn't move his hands, and starts to massage his fingers higher.

When the last tick happens, he moves his face to press a kiss to your jaw, and you feel his breath hitting your skin from his nose.

He starts to inch your legs a bit further apart to let his thumbs graze over the crease where your thighs meet your pelvis.

“Ive missed you so fucking much baby,” he whines. “I need you so bad.”

“Jisung not here,” you sigh as his hands start working to warm up your skin.

“Why not? Wouldn’t you like the thought of me getting you off in here? Trying not to get caught?"

If his face wasn't so close to yours you wouldn't be able to hear him over the loud music in the arcade and how low his voice has gotten.

You give him a confused frown, thinking he surely can't be fucking serious but when you do he takes the opportunity to press his lips against you, kissing you while the camera snaps the last picture.

Your stomach is knotting along with your heart beating faster and you feel that familiar heat between your legs but you’d never tell him that — and he’d never tell you that he knows you keep it from him.

"Would you?" He asks again when he breaks the kiss.

You look at him like he's lost his mind. "You're joking right?" You can't be serious - Jisung people get their pictures taken in here, someone could walk in, you can't-"

He makes your words stop and your breath hitch in your throat as he moves his hand up under your skirt and cups his hand between your legs.

"That's not what I asked you," he says letting his eyes trace over your face, then leans closer, "Would you enjoy it?"

“Jisung, this is so unlike you, are you even hearing what you’re asking me?”

He moves his leg a bit and wedges his heel against the edge of the door so it can't be pulled open, "I know exactly what I’m asking you, so answer me."

"We’re supposed to be taking pictures, Sung,” you try changing the subject, and ignore the pressure of his hand pressed against you.

"Oh god we will," he says like it should be obvious.

And now you’re looking even more caught off guard.

“I'd fucking kill to have some pictures of you getting off. Have them to look at them whenever I’m needy and miss you.”

Jisung starts to massage the heel of his palm very slowly against you, adding more pressure over your underwear as you try to squeeze your legs closed but he holds them with his other hand to keep them apart.

"We can't-" it takes very fibre in your body to attempt to protest this, but you easily allow him to cut you off.

"Yes we fucking can," he has that sly look on his face, "But if you don't want to, we won't. It's up to you. Should I stop?"

You exhale a weak breath as he replaces the heel of his palm with his fingers dancing over your underwear, massaging slow circles that make your hips shift.

"Won’t people think it's weird if we're in here too long." you fumble over your words which makes Jisung smile while he bites on his lip.

"Don't worry I'll be quick," he says knowing you’re only making excuses instead of admitting what you really want.

Your eyes drift closed as you sigh, feeling his fingers move against you to create a friction that's only making the throb between your legs worsen. You have absolutely no common sense when it comes to this man and his fucking fingers.

"Should I stop?" He repeats in a low voice, moving his mouth to start to kiss along your jaw.

As usual with him, your functioning brain checks out while your subconscious takes over and you shake your head feeling your breathing start to go shallow.

"You want me to make you cum, yeah? Is that right baby?" His words are slightly muffled as he moves his free hand from your inner thigh and brushes your hair back over your shoulder so he can move his mouth to your neck, "I need words baby."

You should be rational and tell him to stop. But you don't. You wouldn’t dare. You didn’t want him to. So instead you say what you do want, and breathe out a quiet "yes."

Jisung’s own breathing is getting heavier, and the tension in this small enclosed space feels like it's compressing both of you closer together. When he hears your approval, his hand between your legs bunches up the front of your skirt. When he slips it up he snakes his hand over your stomach to push down into your underwear.

A faint groan echoes in Jisung’s throat the second his fingers feel your bare skin, exploring around your underwear to feel the slickness there.

"You’ve made a mess. Missed me this much, huh?” his voice is low, while he drags his warm lips up your neck.

You only manage to nod your head, your brain focused on squirming your hips to find some kind of friction again. He finally rests the pads of his fingers against your throbbing clit, starting to tease circles that force a quiet whimper out of you. Your eyes are still closed as excitement and neediness flood your nerves.

For doing something that should be wrong, it feels so damn right, and it's all you can think of. Feeling him is all you can think about.

"You sure I can take some pictures?" He checks, keeping his movements steady as your hips start to circle against his hand,

You don't respond at first—you can’t—too caught up in how this is feeling, and when he dips his fingers down to your pussy to collect more arousal on his fingers before moving back to your clit and applying more pressure, your head falls forward as you pant out a strained, "You - fuck, yes, you can."

He chuckles hearing how fucked out you are for him, and he’s only just started. But it’s when you hold onto the thigh he’s been using to pry your legs open that his eyes darken with need.

He keeps his fingers moving while he manages to get some coins he had in his pocket, reaching forward to put them into the coin slot, then pressing the button to start the timer.

When he relaxes back he applies a firmer pressure, and starts to massage your clit in quicker circles; making your mouth drop open with a gasped moan. You can barely hear the beep for the picture anymore, everything around you turning blurry, and all you can hear is your heart beat mixed your heavy breathing.

"That's it baby," he coos, with a gravel to his voice from the tension in it, "God I wish I could fuck you right now. I’ve been dying for it.”

Your skin is burning up, and all you can manage in response is the pants from your open mouth, desperately trying to keep yourself quiet.

You start to grind yourself against him as his fingers work, and feel the hard bulge forming in his pants underneath your ass.

He wasn't kidding when he said he'd be quick, he's already building the pressure in your lower belly, making your stomach muscles tighten, while he moves his fingers in the exact way he knows you love it.

That knot in your lower half tightens, and your legs start to tremble as a louder moan you can't stop comes out of your mouth.

"Fuck—Jisung," you whimper, with your chest starting to heave with rapid uneven breaths.

He only quickens his fingers driving with determination and speed, making sure to keep repeating the same movements that are getting the best reactions from you and when your head falls back as you moan again; his free hand comes up to cover your mouth.

"Shhhh—quiet, remember?" He hushes against your ear, groaning at the feeling of you grinding against him, "I know you wanna cum baby, but there’s no way I’m letting anyone else hear how you sound for me.”

All you can manage is a muffled "mhm" against his hand as your eyes squeeze tighter. That familiar sensation starts to ripple from your centre down your legs and into the rest of your limbs.

The orgasm is speeding towards you, faster than anticipated causing your back to arch up as your hips writhe. Your mind is foggy only able to make out quiet whispers of encouragement coming from Jisung.

As the release ripples through your body and your moans are muted against his hand, Jisung groans again, feeling you shake on top of him. He can’t help but snap his hand away to grasp at your jaw to turn your face and kiss you hard while you ride through your climax.

The kiss is mostly open lips grazing against each other, or trying to connect in messy motions with both of your laboured breathing mixing together. His fingers only pause when you try to pull yourself away from them.

Once your eyes drift open to see Jisung’s, the look in them makes you want to squeeze your legs together again if you could move them currently.

Jisung brings his hand up, and grazes his pointer and middle finger he just used to send your body into a frenzy against your lower lip as a silent request for you to open your mouth. You don’t deny it, taking them into your mouth to taste yourself.

“Fucking hell,” his eyes dart back and forth from your eyes to your mouth. His head rolls back against the wall behind you and he whines in the quiet, "God fucking help me."

Your body is still buzzing, floating down dazed from the high it was on, and you watch Jisung bite down on his lower lip as his brows knit tight together, as his hips shift beneath you.

"Everything okay, Sungie?" It’s the only thing your mushed brain can think of saying as you look down at his strained pants.

"Fuck no," he mumbles, looking like he's trying to compose himself, "But it’s my own fault. I suggested we do this. I’ll deal with myself later.”

"Later?" You ask.

Jisung lifts his head back up, leaning forward to press a kiss to your cheek as he rubs his palm up and down your thigh, "Yeah, later. When we get home and we watch that movie you promised me.”

He thinks you don’t know that he uses the movie thing as a code to fuck you — but you do know — and that’s why you’ve never protested when he puts on another one of those Harry Potter movies he loves.

"You sure you'll be able to wait that long?"

Jisung’s lips lift up at the corners, "I’ve waited weeks for this, I’m sure I can manage a couple more hours.”

He hugs you against him with his arms around your stomach, and back against his firm chest.

"But then again,” he begins “Now I have the memory of how fucking hot watching you get off in here was. That makes waiting like some kind of sick torture to me."

You let out a weak laugh, feeling your cheeks flush more than they already were, "I still can't believe we just did this."

"I can, and there's pictures to prove it," he smiles, pulling the strip of three black and white photos from the dispenser.

[yawnderu]

My life is falling apart - could you write how Ghost might save reader from her emotionally abusive and toxic husband? I thank you, maybe one day I'll have someone like Simon.

Whoever you are, I'm here for you if you need to talk. Stay strong sweetheart, this too shall pass. 💖

CW: Emotional abuse, toxic relationships, hurt/comfort, protective Simon Riley.

Simon had sneaked his way into your life with the same stealth he uses on missions— a man who barely spent any time at his apartment and was always away for what he said was just ''work''. The same man who after a few conversations, started bringing you small gifts from his missions, always something different that he thought you'd like.

Simon isn't dumb— far from it, he's always aware of his surroundings and throughout the years, he knows how to read people well. That's why it breaks him to see the way your smiles now came accompanied with a nervous look in your eyes whenever your husband was home, despite you and Simon simply being friendly towards one another.

Whenever he was back at his apartment, he started listening more and more. Paying even more attention to you, ear pressed against the wall while he listened to your husband berate you for a plethora of reasons, all of them more absurd than the other, the truth heavy on his shoulders, weighting him down like Atlas holding the sky.

Oh, how he wanted nothing more than to go inside your house and ravage your husband the same way he does so casually in the battlefield— but he can't. Simon Riley is not Ghost. Simon has to lay low, to ensure both his safety and yours, so he starts planning. Planning how to approach the issue, how to get you out of the situation and understand you better. He'd never admit it, but he spent the entire night reading the experiences of other married women when it comes to abusive marriages, restless dreams full of ideas on how in the bloody hell he'll get you out of this.

He waits until the next day once your husband leaves for work, waiting out five minutes that feel eternal just to make sure he doesn't come back. Unmasked and with very faint stains of eye black that he never seems to be able to fully remove, he knocks on your door. You answer with teary eyes, sniffling softly as you try your best to give him a small smile, yet he can see the pain. The same pain he saw in his mother's eyes his entire life.

''Simon!'' You greet, moving aside so he can enter your house, closing the door behind you as you both go to the living room.

''Would you like a cuppa?'' You offer and it takes him a few seconds to decide, ultimately nodding his head. Maybe this will be easier if you're both having a nice, warm drink. You come back minutes later with a tray and some crumpets, something you started buying when he casually mentioned liking them.

''Thank you.'' He takes a sip of the perfectly made chamomile tea, done the way he loves it— with two teaspoons of honey and hot. You give him a happier smile, the warmth of his presence wrapping around you like a secure blanket, a far cry from your marriage.

''Love...'' He begins and your full attention goes to him, noticing his serious tone and pensive expression.

''There's no easy way to say this, but with this place having thin walls, I sometimes hear things I shouldn't.'' You immediately know what he's talking about, but before you can apologize on behalf of your husband, he keeps speaking.

''You deserve so much better.'' He puts his cup down, eyes looking down to his hands— the hands he keeps ungloved just for you, the hands that are protected by his skull gloves whenever he's out in missions, so he can come back to you free of sin. He sits down next to you, one of his arms wrapping around your back reassuringly.

''Why are you still with him?'' There's a hint of desperation in his tone, thin eyebrows furrowed as he looks at you. You want to look away, but his brown eyes are almost hypnotic. So expressive, so telling whenever words aren't enough.

''I... I don't know.'' You reply with honesty, tone strained as you hold back tears and try to dig into your brain for any reasons you're with the man, yet nothing comes up. ''I don't have anywhere else to go to.''

Your words hurt him as much as they hurt you, looking at the potential you have that is being wasted on some ungrateful wanker who berates you for the smallest things.

''Run away with me.'' He suggests in a spur of the moment and before he can even process his own words, a small giggle escapes your lips. He raises an eyebrow as he looks down at you, curious as to what's so funny. Your giggling stops when you notice the expression on his face.

''You're serious?'' You ask carefully, not wanting to make a fool of yourself despite knowing he'd never joke about something like that.

''I'm serious, love. We could go somewhere far away from here, safe. You can leave all of this behind, just say the word.''

''I...'' He can see your hesitancy, his warm hand rubbing circles on your back while the other one holds your hand, thumb rubbing the back of your hand reassuringly.

''What if he finds me?'' It's the first question that comes to mind, not wanting to deal with more of his abuse if you ever manage to get away.

''He won't, doll. I can promise you that. I'll get some of my mates to watch out for you when I'm busy at work, if it helps you.'' He knows it will, and he already has highly trusted friends from the 141 in mind to watch out for you whenever he goes on solo missions.

It took almost two hours of convincing before you agreed, and that's where you are now. He's helping you inform the police about your situation and why you're going away, just in case your husband tries to report you missing.

Most of your belongings were left at the house, but... it surprisingly doesn't bother you. It'll be a new beginning, the same furniture that has witnessed years of abuse is now left behind, only a few clothes inside his car while you both leave the police station. You take a deep breath, the warmth of the sun washing over your skin as you close your eyes, a sincere smile on your face for the first time in years.

''Thank you, Simon.'' My angel, my savior.

[redwolfxx]

if you died

(Gun x reader)

TW: angst, themes of death, mentions of religion

Summary: You die, how does he react

A/N: Sorry it's been a while, running low on inspiration. Was gonna add some others but wasn't sure on how they might react so I'll save it for another time. Lmk your thoughts!

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Gun

If it was of natural causes:

He would watch your body in the hospital bed with an eerie quiet. His features softer than normal but absent of emotion .

He'd examine your face ever peacefully sleeping in the silence of the room, no mechanical beeps from the machines, nothing. Just silence.

He'd eventually leave you and return back to his place for the night.

At first he had no plans of keeping any of you, he was, at Goo's advice, going to remove all fragments of you from his life, the clothes in his closet, the shoes by the door.

But he couldn't do that to you. So instead, he went to your apartment using the spare key you gave him a while back. He quietly rummages through your apartment, taking the ring you would always fiddle with, the stupid photos you took at every photo booth you passed, he took a few more items, before he was done.

He stood in your foyer, looking around your apartment, it was quiet, and lifeless. Your apartment was always the opposite, your cat attacking him whenever she saw him, your plants everywhere blocking walkways, your gaudy framed artwork livening up the place.

But it was empty and painfully quiet. Your plants given away to trusting friends, your cat given to your sister, and your artwork given to friends and family.

He almost felt his heartache, but that's not an emotion reserved for him. He didn't deserve to feel emotions such as that, for he was a monster, a criminal, void of such emotions.

No linger willing to withstand this feeling, he left your apartment without looking back, with the mementos he took in his passenger seat, where you should've been. He drives back to his place and places your memories around his place. Next to that plant that you gave him that won't die. Next to your brightly colored IKEA drawers you put next to his dark mahogany one.

He isn't ready to lock you in a drawer, to leave you out back. Anger swirls inside him, because how could they take you from him, you have done nothing wrong in your life, you still had so much more to give this world and they took you away.

Why was it not him, he wonders, and he will never stop wondering. He never moves on, not celibate because he's not a eunuch, but he remains loveless, his heart reserved for you and only you.

If anyone brings you up in a less than honorable way, he rips their throats out. Nobody will taint your name, not even his, so he doesn't speak your name in public, to keep your memory pure and bright.

But in the dark hours of the night, as the clock ticks and the silence of the night is all to be heard. He whispers your name. Hoping it will bring you back to him. Even if in a dream.

However, if you were killed:

As he watched your body, lifeless. He feels his fists close, and his heart burn with fury. You had died alone, and likely frightened and he was not able to protect you.

His anger grows and his face morphs into one of pure unbridled fury.

Your killer had fled the scene, he did not know their motive, but he assumed it likely had to do with revenge against Gun himself.

He doesn't sleep, doesn't rest, not until he has the one who did it in his grasp. And as they beg for mercy, he reminds him he is the Shiro Oni, and since when was he known for mercy? With that, he burns their house to the ground, he makes sure that watch as he destroys everything they've worked for, watches as everyone leaves and they are all alone in this world.

Gun was never a man of mercy. He does everything in his power to make they're life one of pain and anguish. And only once Gun is satusfied does he let them die in the gutters of the world. In an alley on a cold rainy night, alone.

Once Gun has his peace he goes to your resting site. And prays to whatever God he can that you come back to him, or even to switch places with him. He could not live knowing you had died for him in a way, all alone, waiting for him to come save you, which he never did.

He almost cries reading your name, engraved into the stone, he almost yells into the night, cursing the world. But he doesn't. He carefully gets up, leaving your favorite flowers by your stone and he leaves.

He returns to his place where a box is on his doorstep. It's in your handwriting. He carefully brings it inside and places it on a table.

He stares at the box, curious and hesitant. He doesn't open the box for a long time for fear of what might be in it. Always looking at it as he passed it, but never opening it, nor moving it.

Eventually Goo threatens to open it if he doesn't and Gun pushes him out and locks the door behind him (Not that that will actually keep him out, but it's more of a symbolic gesture).

On a late night when he misses you more than other nights, he goes to the box and opens it.

At the top lies a letter to him, a handwritten letter explaining that this was to be sent to him should something happen and a letter expressing your love for him and your hopes for him to move on. Which he won't ever.

The contents of the box are composed of photos you've taken over the time you've spent together. Some of him, some of you, some of that bastard Goo (you definitely did that to mess with him). But there was also your most treasured ring which you never took off, your favorite plants with a sheet of care instructions next to it and a threat to have him killed should it die. There were also smaller knickknacks and mementos from your escapades together.

He carefully moved them around his apartment, plant here, random gaudy I ❤️ NY sign here, etc.

Once he reorganized his place with your items intertwined it felt like home once more. It felt like the home you always talked about late at night when you told him about your dreams and hopes for your future.

He would never move on, you were the only one he could ever imagine being with and nothing would change that.

Every night he would pray to whoever in hopes for your revival and return to him. His prayers would go unanswered, but life would move on.

He would move a few times, taking all of your memories with him to the new place, asking you if you like your new home, which always went unanswered.

He would die alone, as you had, but in spirit and memory you never left his side.

[cupidriki]

SHAMELESS. - K.SN

pairing . situationship! sunoo x fem reader, warnings . fighting, mentions of blood, suggestive ending, cursing, sunoo is a tiny teeny bit toxic. word count. 658 | music playing - shameless by camila cabello. | authors note . very different from my usual writing but i hope you like it!

“Sunoo! What the fuck is wrong with you?!” As you approach the scene, you see the man lying on the floor with his nose bleeding, apparently knocked out. Without hesitation, you grab Sunoo and quickly bring him inside the nearest bathroom, making sure to close the door behind you.

After spending a long and tiring week at work, you were looking forward to spending some quality time with your sweet and caring situationship, Sunoo. You planned to have a fun and exciting evening together, filled with laughter and joy. However, things didn't go as planned, and the night took a turn for the worse. You're not sure what went wrong, but everything started going downhill, and the happy atmosphere quickly turned into a tense and uncomfortable one.

You were at a bar, feeling parched and in need of a refreshing drink. While ordering your drink, you noticed a strange man approaching you with a creepy smirk on his features.

“Hey beautiful, you wanna come to my place.?”

As you stood there, you suddenly felt a hand on your waist, causing you to feel uncomfortable. Without hesitation, you pushed his hand away, making it clear that you did not appreciate the unwanted contact.

“I’m not interested. Please don't touch me”

“Ay, don't be so difficult. I know you want this.”

Before you could react, you saw him thrown on the ground while your situationship was punching him in the face over and over again.

“Sunoo! Stop!”

As Sunoo doesn't stop despite your words, you take his hand and lead him towards the nearest bathroom. You guide him through the crowd, gently pushing aside anyone in your path, until you finally reach the bathroom door. Once inside, you make sure to lock the door behind you and check that the room is empty. You then turn to Sunoo and scold him.

“Sunoo! What the fuck is wrong with you?!” yelling at him.

“He was touching you. What do you expect me to do?! Just stand there?” his tongue poking through his cheek.

“Yeah! But not punch him to death?!”

Sunoo was feeling a surge of anger and frustration. He had been putting on a facade of being sweet and caring towards you all this time, but the moment he let his guard down and showed his true emotions, you reacted with anger. He couldn't help but feel like his efforts to be kind to you were being taken for granted, and that his true self was not being accepted.

So many mornings he woke up confused with full of dreams of you and you’re treating him like this?

As Sunoo leaned in closer to you, you couldn't help but feel a sense of intimidation wash over you. Despite his usually sweet and gentle gaze, his eyes now appeared sharp and piercing. It was as though his entire demeanor had shifted, leaving you feeling uneasy and unsure of what to expect next. The intensity of his stare was palpable, and with each passing moment, you found yourself growing more and more anxious in his presence.

The music blasting in the background you felt the intensity of the lyrics.

“Distance, inches in between us.”

“I want you to give in, I want you to give in.”

“Weakness, tension in between us.”

“I just wanna give in.”

“Cat got your tongue? I’ll show you what the fuck I'm doing.”

As you walk alongside Sunoo, you notice him looking at the strap of your short dress. He reaches out and gently takes hold of it. Looking up at you, he mumbles a quiet "May I?" making you nod hesitantly.

Though you felt a bit intimidated, you desperately needed him.

You became acutely aware of your own breathing as you felt a sudden hitch in it. Simultaneously, you noticed that the strap of your dress was gradually slipping down, exposing your shoulder and threatening to unveil more.

maybe you didn’t mind this side of him.

tl

@cholexc

[triluvial]

Imagine being a freman captured by feyd and just as you’re on the cusp of stockholm syndrome he spits on you. To him he’s just degrading you but you see it as an honor he’s giving you his water…

oh I love this. I feel like to fall into this the Reader has to be primed for it.

Like the Fremen seem to live in fairly small groups (aside from the deep south) so if Reader came from a bigger family then their romantic options may be severely limited. Reader, feeling lonely and longing to leave their small settlement just to find romance would be a great start for this AU.

Then when Feyd captures her, she knows he's probably going to be tortured and killed or turned into a slave. She may have read books and heard stories of dark lovers being soft for their one true love but she's not an idiot, she's under no illusions this will happen to her.

But then the first few weeks pass and Reader is unharmed. She's not tortured or raped and doesn't even see the face of any person other than Feyd.

Feyd is likely thinking he'll keep Reader like an exotic pet - the last of her kind once he razes Arrakis to dust - as he torments her with news of Fremen death. (Paul's rebellion is taking way longer ig)

Unintentionally, he's training Reader bit by bit to be totally dependant on him. He brings her food and water when he visits every second day so the relief of hunger and thirst becomes inescapably entwined with Feyd's presence. As he is literally the only other person she sees, he becomes the only thing she can think about, the only thing she ever dreams about.

This is when the spitting scene occurs. It's a declaration of love. Reader's thrilled. She swallows. Feyd begins to spend more and more of his time just thinking about Reader because no one ever reacted that positively to him just behaving however he wanted (this would probably work best if the Harpies weren't allowed to come with him, were killed right after he arrived on Dune or never existed in the first place).

Childish dreams of an Out-Worlder sweeping Reader off her feet and away from her inescapable family and into a life of dramatic romance begin to be mapped onto Feyd's face as Reader spends most of her time alone in the darkness of her cell.

Until I'm thinking Gurney and some Fremen scouts break into the Arrakeen palace for an assassination attempt and while they're there, they free Reader against Paul's orders (Hey, she has a big family at least two of them are on the team). She's ok with leaving until she learns they want to assassinate Feyd. The Harkonnen tactics advanced so much upon his arrival they think they can win if they take him out. Reader knocks them out from behind. This is how Feyd find her. Surrounded by the unconscious bodies of her would-be rescuers.

I couldn't pick an ending here so here's both:

Feyd tests Reader by "accidentally" letting her take one of his swords. She uses it to kill the scouting team to protect him. He proposes with the idea of stringing her along and seeing what else he could make her do for him before locking her up again. However, the horror that his fiancée evokes in the Bene Gesserit makes him so happy he decides to drag it out longer. Then, she tells him about the deep-south holdouts and stops him from relaxing when all the northern Fremen are seemingly dead he has to keep her on his arm a little longer. Then she wins a sparring match against him so he has to keep her around until he can soundly beat her, take everything she can teach him and turn it against her. Before he knows it they've been engaged for a year and there's legitimate wedding planning happening. He still wouldn't call it love but it might be as close as he gets. Reader still loves it when he spits on her.

Feyd gets Reader to fake a break-out and helps her move the unconscious rescuers out a secret escape. When they wake up she claims Feyd found them but she killed him and dragged them all to freedom. She's his spy on the inside and with the confidence of Feyd's supposed assassination Paul and the other Fremen will be overconfident. This would probably culminate in Feyd winning the knife fight against Paul and then saying, "You did perfectly, sweetheart." And Reader bolting like an Olympian into his still bloody arms.

[antvmnos]

karasu

bi-han x female character x kuai liang 

summary: In another era, a powerful elder god with bravery to command and win battles, but  devised a cruel plan by Shinnok motivated by his cruel intentions, she was betrayed and killed for not accepting his deal. Now, returned by the dead and with a new perspective to start following Lord Liu Kang, she was trying to begin again and forget the painful past but her heart had other plans. 

1K WORDS. elder goddess, female gender, afab — mild language, violence, slow burn, mentions of death/blood, injuries. 

You are surrounded by this decrepit place. Limbo seemed less worse in the legends you used to hear, until the day you were confined to remain there and could see it with your own eyes. Time does not seem to pass as it should, always returning to a repetitive starting point from his ancestry to his cruel death. You are forced to watch these events beyond your control over and over again, until you remember every detail, every line, every action, finally coming to terms, long ago, that it's not Raiden's fault — he was protecting the plans, just like You would do it too, you would give up your own life if it meant peace on the earthrealm.

Just as he also abdicated yours… right?

He wouldn't make it in time.

If he had been there, could things have been different?

He couldn't. Cause you deserve to die.

It is these questions that force her to resent her unfair punishment, fueled by this feeling of hatred. Indeed, there are fates worse than death. And you are aware of this by being here.

"I can help you free yourself from this place." A distant voice speaks to you. You are scared at first, but somehow it brings you comfort.

"I know what I did."

"It was never your fault. Shinnok's vile intentions doomed you, I saw."

"Yes it was. If I had fought him, I could have avoided all of this, I was foolish and ignorant to believe that Shinnok could simply… change."

He doesn't respond or agree with what you said. The male figure materializes in front of you, and in all your existence as a goddess you have never seen him before. But he couldn't be just any deity, he wouldn't be able to get to this place if he were.

If you could blush, you certainly would have.

"If you follow me I can't rid you of your memories, but I can give you a new purpose to move forward."

At first, you looked at him with palpable disbelief, deeply intrigued. You were afraid. Fear of everything happening again, of being used, of returning to this damned place. However, something remained there. He didn't seem to be bluffing or lying.

He didn't look like Shinnok who in every measly word spat out a variety of lies to usurp power.

Something inside you tells you to believe him.

You look around you, there is no life beyond this. You were alone. Each deity, when he died, acquired the punishment he deserved inherent to his actions.

"If I accept your proposal, will I have the peace I seek?"

"Maybe… much more than that. You must walk the path for the answers you want."

He extends his hand towards her, offering a tender look that moves her, for the first time, in centuries or decades, perhaps? You don't know how to discern how much time has passed since your death. Hesitantly, you touched his hand and that place you had been confined in for so long dissolved into a distant mist.

A misty memory of a dream.

You shield your eyes from the brightness as you are greeted by the gentle wind of a morning, somewhere whose location is unknown. The world you once walked in prostrates itself before you again, this time a little different from that period but somehow familiar and welcoming. The birds chirp in a happy and infectious song while the soft sunlight touches their face warmly. You closed your eyes to taste the liberating taste of the usurped life, and for a brief moment you feel immeasurable relief at the sight of the vast rice fields and the village.

This world has changed during his absence, but at the same time, he feels that there is still a certain grace in it. Mortals have always captivated their attention in the little things, their appreciation for that land and its skills both in combat and its uniqueness.

 Your walk continues for a while longer, he takes you to an establishment. At the time of his entry, it was empty with just a few workers organizing the place. You don't understand at first his motivations for being here, but a middle-aged lady, upon noticing you, heads towards you.

"Liu Kang!" She greets excitedly. "I haven't seen him in a long time!"

He respectfully bows to her. You imitate the gesture, not wanting to appear rude.

"It's always a pleasure to see you again, Mistress Bo."

"So what brings you here?"

"Sorry to ask for one more favor out of the many I've already asked, but my guest needs to spend some time with you, if it's not inconvenient."

Her gaze flicks to you momentarily, looking you up and down, you flinch. Your clothes were not in the best condition, the kimono that once carried grace and subtlety was full of tears and blood marks, you immediately remember that infamous moment when your life was taken — the deep cut that marks your stomach. Instinctively, you bring your hand to the scar that extends from your lower back.

She was cauterized.

"Oh no, you know it doesn't bother her, on the contrary I will be very happy to help her. Gods, what happened to her? Poor thing, she looks horrible, covered in dirt and that is... Blood?"

"She… went through some difficult situations. I also hope to share your description."

You watch him without understanding why reality is blatantly omitted, he just shrugs and offers you a look as a silent request not to utter a single word.

Your thoughts are interrupted when your stomach makes a noise, as if a dark beast is living inside it.

The lady laughs.

You blush embarrassed.

"Don't worry Liu Kang, she is in good hands. Come young lady, let's prepare a nice bath and something for you to eat."

Without many options, you follow the woman into her affectionate grip. Turning to say goodbye, the god offers you a soft smile before disappearing.

[notmyprey]

Story idea I've been obsessed with (aka Belly of a Beast on Masterlist):

Tw: I swear sometimes out of habit, im tired, so there's probably something there I didn't catch. Sorry. Also- panic attack mention. Not too much detail on that tho, and it doesn't actually happen, only crying. Also, vore, lol.

(Note: remember that Jay and Lilly are my go-to names. This is not referring to any character I've ever posted about. This is referring to new OCs, or new to you all at least)

Everything was dark, the endless night bringing a comfort for Lilly, even in her half asleep state. She kept her eyes closed, continuing to take in the feelings produced from the dream tugging at her mind. Calm, steady waves moved around her, almost like the ocean itself was trying to reach for a hug. She reaches out to press her hand into the water, preparing for the liquid to give way and welcome her hand into it. The water did not seem to have this same plan, and as she reached out to touch it, its surface formed a soft shell, blocking her hand from breaching the surface.

The abrupt disruption jolted her awake. Around her, the moving sensation continued. A light red wall of flesh sat in front of Lilly, curling underneath her to form the cradle that gently swayed her back and forth.

Lilly's breath hitched at the sight. This, she thought, could not possibly be happening. But the pressure on her hands and body, the nausea, it was all too real.

Pressing into the ever moving ground, she got up, moving to examine what was behind her.

The walls and floor reached, melding together so often that it was hard to find where one started and the other ends. If she were to lay back down, the chamber would fit almost 2 and a half of her from front to back. This did not help how often this place contradicted itself. It's so endless, yet so constricting.

Not even a few feet away laid her 3 sleeping friends. No one but her had woken up yet, but with the situation they faced, she was sure they would understand the rude awakening.

"Hey!" She raised her voice, creating a sea of mixed reactions from her companions, ranging from startled to annoyed. She ignored this, figuring its better that than they stayed asleep.

"What... I dont even know...", her voice slowly died, the weight of what was happening slowly seeping further and further into her brain.

She watched as slowly, each of her friends came to the same realization she had come to, terror showing itself on all of their faces.

It was quiet, each individual taking in their surroundings at their own pace. Lilly didnt know how long it was, but finally, someone spoke.

"Does... does anyone know where we are..." Ash breathed, visibility shuddering as the place that surrounded them slowed briefly before returning to its previous vigor.

A series of shaking heads and solemn looks came from the group, none having any more clue than the next as to whats happening.

"Well..." Her other friend, Jay, started, "it looks like... maybe a creature of somesort?"

"I," Lilly chimed in hesitantly, "it almost looks like a... stomach." The word stomach coming out more like a question rather than an observation.

Again, the group went silent.

"But... theres no, like acid. Or anything." Cass had now gotten over his shock, returning into the talkitive and logistical individual they all knew him to be. He continued listing his observations, "And there also doesn't seem to be any saliva, and there's light... but I dont know where it's coming from. But like, on the other side of that... you can see the... creature... breathing... around us, and you can... feel... it too."

As if the same thought passed through all of their minds simultaneously, they all stretched their necks upwards, observing the constriction and relaxation of the organ surrounding them. Perhaps it was just the faint sounds coming from her friends, but Lilly swore she could almost hear it breathing.

It was mesmerizing, the way the stomach shifted and moved. The way each breath only furthered the movements of the churning organ. Again, her friends started to discuss where perhaps they could be, a strange insane asylum, a lab, and anything else they could cling to. But she knew better, from the moment the idea had come to light, that they were now, quite literally, in the belly of a beast.

The chattering continued, slowly dying down into a somber plea for any other answer than the reality they faced. As the group grew quiet, a small cough was heard briefly before the walls of the stomach collapsed towards her and her friends. Just as quickly, the pressure released, no one was hurt, but Lilly could still feel her heart race in her ears.

At this point, the long stretches of silence were normal to the group. Every once in a while, someone would sniffle or clear their throat. Jay, she noticed, seemed to have it worse than the rest of them. They looked pale, almost sick. Jay had always had a rough time in stressful situations, and it seemed like now was no different.

Though, for how stressful this situation was, to her, it started to actually feel sort of boring. It must have been a shared feeling, as Ash, seemingly reading her mind, started to yawn. That was the beginning of the yawning outbreak. Lilly was first to give in, yawning and holding her breath for a moment to take it all in. Next was Cass, then finally Jay.

As soon as Jay opened their mouth, Lilly noticed the organ surrounding them's breathing broke its normal pattern, stopping suddenly to take a deep breath in. Then, after a few moments, she heard Jay exhale, and the stomach did as well.

This is when gears in Lilly's head start to turn. She carefully crawls over to Jay, trying to get close enough that she can whisper in their ear.

"Hey," she starts, keeping her voice low and as calm as she could in this moment, "can you do me a favor real quick?"

While confused, Jay nodded, "Ya, what do you need?"

"Can you hold your breath for a moment?"

"Uhm, sure?" Jay took a deep breath. Sure enough, Lilly watched as the stomach around them threw away its normal pattern in exchange for holding itself in place, save for its ever chruning walls. Then, as it had before, once Jay exhaled, so did the chamber release its tension.

No matter how she herself did not believe this, everything she understood, everything that has happened now started to make sense. They, somehow, were inside Jay's stomach. This creature, this thing they have been inside of, feeling it breath and live, has been Jay.

Her face fell into immense shock. She couldn't help but look down at the ruffled sweater that covered Jay's abdomen. Under all that cloth, skin, muscle, and fat were her, along with everyone else in here. She raised her hand, instinctively wanting to reach out, to push at the area, hoping to feel themselves under Jay's skin. She stopped, bringing her hand back to her lap after realizing that would not only be weird, but also a violation of Jay's personal space.

"Uh... Lilly?" Jay's voice brought her back to reality.

"Sorry, um... Jay, are you... feeling alright?" She knew saying outright, 'Hey! Funny thing, were actually inside your stomach!' Was a good way to send her friend into a full-blown panic attack. Wanting to stay away from that, she opted for trying to have Jay come to the realization on their own.

"No, actually. I've been feeling quite sick, like I ate something I wasn't supposed to."

If only Jay knew how right they were, Lilly thought with a laugh. "Oh, Im sorry..." She looked away again, trying to think of any hints she could give to Jay that they are, in fact, the reason for said stomach ache. This proved increasingly difficult, each new idea proving to be something that would panic or hurt Jay in some way.

Finally, Lilly hit her breaking point. She wanted to be patient, but she was never the 'sit down and be quiet' type. She stood up and sent a swift punch to the stomach wall closest to her. Though she did not use her full strength, she did punch hard enough to produce a shocked yelp from Jay. Looking back down at her friend, Jay was now hunched over, their arms crossed and pressing into their abdomen.

"What the hell was that?" Ash was now standing as well, a look of annoyance at what Lilly did coming to light.

Lilly ignored her, keeping her eyes locked on her crumpled up friend, "Jay, did you feel that?"

"Yea..." their voice was weak. She could hear the tears that were forming just from how Jay spoke.

This broke her heart. She hated to be the cause of grief in her friend, but she couldn't be the only one to figure this out. She needed everyone on the same page. "Right... I- does everyone understand what that means?" She turned her head towards Ash and Cass, though finding it hard to keep her gaze away from Jay.

Ash's look of annoyance turned to that of shock, but soon both her and Lilly's heart seemed to sink in unison, whipping their heads towards the sudden burst of sobbing coming from Jay.

Their head is now touching the floor of the stomach, and Jay's arms grip tightens around their middle. "No no no no..." they whisper, their voice sounding ever so helpless and small.

The stomach shakes and collapses in again as Jay instinctively heaves. It swiftly releases its grip, showing Jay still on the floor, legs under themselves, though now having had to brace themselves with their arms planted into the fleshy floor under them.

"Im sorry, I- Oh god." Jay chokes out before returning to their previous dread filled state.

It was horrible, watching Jay go through such grief, such guilt, neither of which she would ever believe were because of something Jay did, at least on purpose. Even though Lilly knew they were in Jay's stomach, she also knew that Jay was not the kind of person to put anyone in any position that housed any potential for harming them. That is how she knew Jay was not the cause of this.

She kneeled down, so close to Jay this time that the right side of her body from her sholder to her hip was pressed against Jay. She wrapped her arm around them, moving her hand up and down in an attempt to console their shivering, absolutely miserable friend.

Minutes passed, with Lilly, Ash, Cass, and Jay, all in silence once more. After Jay had finished their crying, no one knew what to say, so they didn't speak. All they could do was sit and watch as their friends body moved around them subconsciously.

Lilly couldn't help but think about how much Jay and their stomach were true opposites. Jay, though Lilly knew that they loved physical affection, never sought it out due to their constant fear of being too much. Jay's stomach, on the other hand, seemed to almost reach out for it, calling for Lilly, for any of them, to hug and rub at it. It was an offer too cute to pass up.

Without thinking, Lilly rested her hand on the soft flesh beneath her. It was nice and plush, much like sinking into a pillow. She gripped at it, fidgeting and kneeding at her friends stomach. That was, until she happened to glance at a very red-faced Jay, whose eyes didn't break from her hand that now was mindlessly moving up and down in a sort of petting motion.

Lilly flushed a bit, stopping the movement of her hand but keeping it pressing down. "Jay... uhm." She didn't know what to say. She couldn't quite understand why, but somehow she felt calm, like she knew everything would be ok. She wanted Jay to feel like that as well. She could see how they folded in on themselves in shame. She didn't understand why, but it made her sad that they did.

"Are you feeling better?" She finally managed to get out.

Jay made a motion to speak, their mouth opening and closing without a word to fall out. A small nod is all they can muster up, before once again hanging their head low.

"Whats it feel like?" The words slipped out of her mouth before she could even process them, shocking everyone in the room, including herself. The red on Jay's face intensified as they sheepishly raised their head to look at her.

"What?" Jay knew what Lilly had meant, but the shock of the question took all the words from Jay, all except for that one.

"Um. You know, having us... in here and stuff." It was hard to meet Jay's eyes, and she knew they were also averting their gaze as well.

"I..." Jay paused, seconds seemed like minutes as she waited to hear their response. Finally, they spoke again. "It's... strange. I feel... sick. And I can feel every movement," Jay locks eyes with Lilly a brief moment before darting away to continue, "you guys make. I thought. I thought it was just... me being ill, before, but it was... you all."

"Huh." Cass spoke abruptly. It was a bit out of turn, but Lilly knew it was in an effort to let Jay know he was still listening.

Jay's voice shrunk once more, "Im sorry." This barely came out as a whisper, but without anything else to hear, save for Jay's organs working away, it was easy enough to make out what they said.

"It's ok... I know," Lilly sighed, resting herself once again against Jay, "you didn't do this on purpose. You wouldn't."

"I didn't, no. I would never -" Jays lip started to trimble once more.

She was so close to Jay, yet she wished she could get closer. She wanted to wrap Jay up and hold them, tell them it was alright. But for now, she would have to settle for being the weight on their side and the little weight in their stomach.

[for-all-time-imagines]

Hello! May I have a Yellow Tulip for the Lovebrush boys? Thank you for the food! 🙏

Plant Ask Prompt List

🌻yellow tulips: if their s/o is sad, what would they do to make them smile again?

Alkaid

Alkaid's words are gentle and comforting as he reassures you that things will eventually turn out alright. It's not as if he is ignoring the reality of the situation, or the reason behind your sadness, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to wait until you see the light at the end of the tunnel before you truly learn that the hardships will come to pass. He also makes it a point to remind you that you're more than welcome to talk to him anytime no matter how busy he is, or how tired he is, as he will not hesitate to drop everything to lend you an ear. You wouldn't dream of abusing his kindness but the mental image of him literally dropping his things is so out of place in your conversation that you laugh. It's not exactly the way he envisioned how he is going to uplift your mood, but as long as you finally found comfort he's alright with it.

Ayn

When Ayn notices you're down, lifting your spirits is the furthest thing from his mind. Tough love is what he is most comfortable with and while he can read your moods pretty well, it takes some time getting used to pulling his punches. He's aware that his words can come off as harsh as he tells you to get it together but at the same time he doesn't want you to think he is trying to hurt your feelings; if he didn't believe that you can get back on your feet he never would've bothered to be this honest with you. He does know there's a time and place for everything, so when you're genuinely sad he quietly keeps you company in hopes his presence can give you a peace of mind, or at the very least he stays within your vicinity if you want to be alone for a moment.

Cael

Cael is not exactly the most proficient in the emotional department so when he sees you sad, the thought of putting a smile on your face doesn't occur to him. It's obvious that he still has a lot to learn when it comes to sympathizing with you on the days you feel down, but that doesn't mean he is incapable of noticing the slightest shift in your moods. Somehow he is so in tune with your emotions that he knows exactly what you need in the moment even if you don't say anything out loud. There are times when you don't know what you really wanted but somehow he always has a solution that will get you out of your funk. His unprompted thoughtfulness makes you smile without realizing, and seeing that expression plastered on your face makes him relieved that he managed to alleviate a load off your shoulders, even just for a little bit.

Clarence

Clarence's first instinct is to find the root of the problem. What made you feel this way, is it something beyond your control, can it be fixed? And then he asks you what would make you feel better right now: do you need space? Is there anything he can do to help you out? Do you need words of comfort? Encouragement? Or maybe a reality check would suffice? A small part of him is wondering if he is coming off as nosy or naggy with the constant questions especially if the problem is something you don't want to divulge, but that won't stop him from asking because at the end of the day he is not a mind reader; getting straight to the point is a reliable way for him to know how to help you. Once he has figured it all out, he promises to assist you to the best of his ability, and knowing that you can rely on him brings a smile to your face.

Lars

Even though your sadness is so incredibly obvious, Lars somehow never points it out, much less show any indication that he noticed it at all. To make matters worse he springs up on you about how he cleared up his schedule for the next day along with a spontaneous plan that he has never told you beforehand. If you didn't know him any better his actions may seem insensitive but you've learned to go with his flow since all his actions are never without reason. Somewhere along the way you get so caught up with your time with him that he suddenly points out how it's the first time you've smiled that day, throwing in a remark that you've been too into your head as of late and he's not about to let you forget how to have fun.

[tired-biscuit]

Imagine giving General Kiba a handjob during an important meeting- 👀👀

18+ fem!reader / cw: mentions of alcohol and risk of getting caught. royalty AU. there's tension between kiba and shino in this one!!

series masterlist

mead tastes better than you thought it would.

absent-mindedly staring at the dancing flames of the fireplace that's situated right across the great table you currently sit at, you consume the honeyed drink from your glass in small sips.

fine ladies such as yourself usually don't drink alcohol in order to obtain their graceful poise and elegant speech, you know this, however ever since your father had married - sold - you off to a war general instead of a duke, or at least a nobleman who'd know how to dance and use his utensils properly, you've since abandoned that particular idea.

so you sit there; in your 'i carry my own knife strapped to my belt like some heathen, instead of using normal silverware' husband's study. the study, which he lets you in only as of late, and which you've just realized looks absolutely divine, even if its visual does come off a tad bit blurry around the edges of your sight whenever you blink.

readjusting in your chair, you drag your gaze from one end to the other. the walls are decorated with tasteful art which he definitely did not pick or hang. the furniture, made out of wood that you suspect is surely walnut, pleasantly compliments the suave style of the entire space. incense burns in one corner, smelling prominently of sandalwood. it fills your lungs with warm hints of amber and worn leather.

it's all very male, the atmosphere, and as the minutes pass, the heaviness of it turns you somewhat dozy. truth be told, you could fall asleep right then and there, with your cheek laying flat against the table, dreams riddling your thoughts in no time. especially when you'd have thickly sweet mead warming your veins throughout the entire night, and you'd already managed to slip off your shoes just a moment prior.

wiggling your toes deeper into the carpet, you let out an appreciative sigh at how the rich material brushing against your bare soles feels astoundingly more intense than usual. being tipsy is great, you discover, and the carpet is thick and in the colour of a deep maroon red; its purpose only meant to add further to the already overly-sophisticated ambience of the room that doesn't suit the wildish personality of the general at all. you suppose that it's because he hasn't been using the study for long enough yet, but who knows?

still, you don't pay much mind to the thought as the feverish shade plays with your drunken brain the moment you dip your chin down to inspect it more closely. toes tightly curling, it's like your feet are touching molten steel from how warm and soft they've suddenly gotten, and it doesn't take you long to realize that you have no way of cooling them down.

the heat sits not on your skin; it instead brings your blood to a simmer.

your husband doesn't address the weight of your foot when you rest it on top of his boot underneath the table. with his nose nearly buried in copious stacks of maps and documents all representing your thriving nation that's ruled by the iron fist of your father, kiba has been ignoring you completely for the last three hours or so in order to strategize and prepare for his next campaign.

the war is over, he's won it - that is why you're here, after all - and yet he still works and plans ahead of time to foresee the next challenge that could possibly be thrown his way. it's a trait you catch yourself feeling slightly surprised by, perhaps even fond over; one that you wouldn't necessarily appoint to a careless brute like him.

he's all different kinds of clever than what you're normally used to, you realize. when he focuses, it's rather on anticipating attacks and finding ways to efficiently counter their assisting blows, than on poetry and music and the arts and just plain literature.

you've never seen him read a book, even if there are plenty in the library downstairs and inside this study alone. much less encountered him drawing something other than charts to place his platoons and battalions of soldiers on, and the childish-looking rabbits he sometimes scribbles for you to make you smile. philosophy is almost surely a foreign term to him, all he cares about is the bite of the fight.

so perhaps that, along with all the scheming and planning he does with his stoic advisor now, proves to be the reason as to why he hadn't fussed at all and had merely brushed you off with a quick wave of his hand when you'd whispered to him that you intend to pour yourself a drink. and a second. and later, a third.

either that, or he's slowly getting used to you actually having a mind of your own, and is letting you do whatever you please with it just so that you'd let him do his job in return.

but alas, your mind is bored. terribly so.

and standing next to your chair, with his arms spread out firmly on the table and his broad shoulders slumped, he looks mighty appealing as well.

applying further pressure to his boot, you watch as the bridge of his nose scrunches slightly at the contact. he doesn't say or do anything besides knitting his brows together, but by the time you repeat the action for a second time, way more persistently at that, he finally lifts his gaze from the group of small figurines he's been obsessively rearranging all across the map, and turns to look at you instead.

the moment your husband's attention moves onto you, his military advisor clamps his mouth shut; finally ceasing his seemingly-endless assessment of the area they've chosen to put the phantom-soldiers on, and that you've been forced to listen to for the last aeon or so.

well, not exactly forced, per se. you're in here by your own decision; because you've nagged kiba about wanting to see what his line of work looks like.

so whilst you're still trying to get used to the sudden silence to fall upon the room, you give a fleeting glance to the soldier that stands across from you, now. he's tall, fair-skinned and lean. handsome but guarded, as far as you can tell, since he doesn't even look at you, much less acknowledges your presence despite that you're of noble blood.

privilege doesn't seem to matter to military men. to him, you're just another woman amongst many. a mere breeding mare, as disgusting as that sounds.

your husband used to be just like that.

"yes, princess?" the man in question asks, putting your train of thought to an abrupt halt. when you whip your head to the side so that you can look up at him, you're able to tell that he's tired almost straight away. you can hear it in the prominent drawl of his voice and see it in his eyes. he's fed-up even if he loves to work, and it makes your brow furrow with concern.

"i-i... uhm," your tongue stumbles and you fall silent for a moment as heat steadily begins to creep up your neck. if it's because of the alcohol or the sudden racing that the sugary pet name invokes in your heart, you do not know. still, you swallow hard and calm your pulse down just enough to say, "i'm sorry, i just wanted to suggest if we'd call it a night...? you seem tired and it's getting quite late anyway, and-"

your voice fades into nothing for a second time around when he chooses to move. he's slow but everlastingly robust as he sighs and plops down onto the chair that's right on your left. his body slumps against the finely-carved details in the backrest and you try to pretend that you don't notice the visible cord that pushes against his neck when he moves to stretch it from side to side. try to play ignorant at how he spreads his legs underneath the edge of the table and sits as if he comandeers the entire room.

it's probably because he does.

he rubs at his eye now, all sleepy and laggard, and uses the other one to look at you. "let me just figure out if the terrain we chose is passable, and then i promise you that we'll head straight to bed." he blinks, then. fights back a yawn because he hasn't been sleeping well for nearly a week straight. "does that sound all right?"

a blush sears your face at his words, its warmth making your cheeks feel like they're tingling as you turn away and indulge in your sudden bashfulness. he might be a smooth talker or maybe you're just drunk, but goddammit; the fact that he's actually willing to put in the effort to settle on an agreement almost regularly now, lights your entire body on fire.

you're changing him for the better day by day and your lips keep tugging upward at the corners because of it, especially when you say, "yes, that's fine by me."

"good," he mumbles, taking note of the beam before he turns his attention back towards his aloof-looking subordinate. "now, where were we, shino?"

shino, as you've just learned is the advisor's name, quirks a dark, inquisitive brow at the exchange he's just witnessed. the man before you doesn't remember his general ever acting this considerate around anyone, much less a woman.

it makes his eyes dance between you as he clears his throat. "if i may suggest," his gaze goes back and forth again, "that if the lady wishes to retire for the evening, she should be free to do so? we've still got a lot of material to go through, and disturbances like these aren't of any help when it comes to making a decision, i'm sure."

disturbances.

your heart drops right down to the pit of your stomach. the fact that the word affects you is hard to hide; embarrassment makes your face burn once more, because now you've got your husband's thigh firmly pressing against the side of yours underneath the table. his knee bounces in a quick rhythm that doesn't help calming you down, but one bump to your leg reminds you to keep your spine ramrod straight and your chin held high.

when you look at him from the corner of your eye, there's a small smile playing on his lips. and yet, his voice sounds like it's being grit out through clenched teeth as he says, "i don't know what kind of wife you've got back at home, but mine sure isn't a disturbance; as you've so kindly put it."

"i understand that, sir," shino says, his voice remaining perfectly flat, "but she-"

"the lady suggested that we should perhaps put a halt on this thing, because she can tell that i'm fed up and fucking tired," the other man cuts in, pinching the bridge of his nose with his scarred fingers. "and as far as i can tell, that's not a disturbance; it's rather affection coming from a caring spouse. besides, she has a point. what fruitful decision had ever been made by an exhausted general?"

the advisor's eyes narrow as your own shoot wide open. your heart insists on fluttering back up towards its rightful place, even as shino says, "i don't seem to recall you ever being this careful during the planning of a campaign before... usually you're more than eager to run headfirst into battle and i have to be the one stopping you."

"well, i've got more important things to consider and worry about now. much larger things are at stake," the general replies, brushing him off with a simple gesture of his hand. "now, go fetch me that book you were talking about earlier; i think i saw it in the bookcase over there by the window. after we skim it, we can call it a night so that we're all happy."

he makes it sound like an order, not a request. and sure enough, his advisor is still a soldier, so he quietly obeys as he pushes away from the table and turns his back towards you both whilst heading towards the bookcase at the other side of the room. you don't miss the subtle albeit frustrated tick in his jaw as he does so. it makes you muse.

meanwhile, kiba uses the chance to press a hasty kiss to your still-warm cheek. the sudden affection nearly makes you audibly gasp, but you're fast to stifle it down even if the mead in your belly tells you not to.

instead, you place your hand on his thigh and don't dare look into his big brown eyes as you mutter a meek, "i'm sorry."

"eh? what on earth are you sorry for, princess? you were just looking out for me, were you not?" he rasps, his voice no longer sharp, but playful. "besides, shino should be the one apologizing for acting like a stuck-up cunt towards my goddamn wife."

"oh, you can't just-" a small giggle bubbles up your throat at his blatant cursing. you're quick to cover your mouth with your other palm, but a fraction of it still manages to slip out. he can't deny it anymore; the sound jumpstarts kiba's very heart.

he doesn't tell you this, but he's growing more fond of you with each passing day. you bring sunshine and warmth into his existence by merely existing yourself. slowly figuring out a functioning dynamic that works well between you, sharing a bed and sometimes a bath, having someone to talk to late at night, receiving little signs of affection; it all makes him feel like life is worth living. like he's worth living for.

so it's no wonder why his hand cups your chin and he whispers, "so... could i perhaps get a little kiss? as a reward for being such a good husband?"

you're clearly flustered, because now you're looking at him from underneath your lashes as you mumble, "now?"

"mhmm," he purrs, draping his free arm over the backrest of your chair. "right now."

"but what if your advisor-"

"you know that book i mentioned earlier?" he interrupts, leaning in even closer. he smells like a forest; deep and rich, earthy. it titillates your senses.

"mm," is all you offer in answer. god, you're so drunk that the heat between your legs is pulsating in his presence. it's becoming almost unbearable, you feel like a whore despite that he's your husband.

he glances towards the other man in the room, whose back is still turned towards you as he keeps searching the bookshelves. "...well, i might have forgotten to mention that it's up in my bedroom because i'd been reading it just last night."

you blink, clearly surprised. "you read?"

"only when i have to." he glances across the room again before he licks his lips and says, "but the point i'm trying to make is that he's gonna be searching for it for a long while, so i think it's safe to say that a kiss would go entirely unnoticed."

you sigh at this, but succumb rather quickly. it might be because of the alcohol that's still coursing your system or because of his coaxing and urging, but by the time your lips press against his own softly, aiming for a simple peck, he's quick to immediately turn it into something deeper.

he just likes you so much. and can you blame him that he wants a little bit of loving from the person he admires, after the tough, absolutely draining week he's had? he's just so needy.

and he's also a messy kisser. your whimper is silenced when he pushes his tongue inside your mouth and licks your teeth with the swift arrogance of an assured male. he angles your head by pressing his thumb underneath your chin and sucks on your bottom lip until it starts to feel awfully tender and bruised. you can feel the slight grazing of his unnaturally sharp incisor every once in a while as he continues to taste you. it's enough to drive a woman completely mad.

especially because you can feel him hardening just underneath your palm, now. it seems that your treacherous hand had decided to act upon its own selfish desires whilst you were too busy handling his tongue in your mouth, and had inched higher up his leg until it'd finally settled on the now-prominent bulge that resides in his pants.

by the time you pull apart for air, his cock is already pushing against the buttons and there's a string of saliva connecting your panting mouths. his cheeks are flushed, brown eyes glazed as he releases his hold on your chin and swipes his thumb across your lip to get rid of the spit there.

"we shouldn't-" you start, but he silences you by wedging his thumb between your plush lips and pushing it into your mouth, right to the knuckle. you can see his pupils dilate when your first instinct is to suck on it.

"fuck, you've got such a good-lookin' mouth; but i can't... just..." he mumbles somewhat dazedly now, his voice hoarse in that appealing way that tells you he's horny out of his fucking mind, and so quick, too. he inhales a sharp breath, shaking his head as if he's trying to gather his thoughts before he focuses on you again and rasps, "just stroke it. over my pants."

when you give his advisor a sidelong glance, you're relieved to find out that he's still stubbornly searching for the book in hopes of not disappointing his superior. but unfortunately for you, your husband isn't pleased with you directing your attention on another man at a crucial time like this.

"hey... look at me, princess," he taps his fingers against your cheekbone and presses his thumb onto the flat of your tongue, making you wince in surprise when your throat tightens in answer. "i need you to stroke my cock, all right?"

all you do is grunt in response. the sound comes out muffled.

"it'll just look like we're whispering to each other. you know, as a married couple does from time to time," he inches closer, his way of speaking urgent. "i promise he won't notice a thing."

he's gotten so desperate now that he's even wrapped his hand around your own and started moving it up and down his length. when your grip tightens around his clothed cock, you watch in awe as he bites his lip to suppress a groan.

his arm is still resting on your chair's backrest when he pushes forward again and nearly covers your body from sight with his own. hunching his back, he tries to hide the way his ribcage expands whenever he sucks in breaths that grow deeper by the second. you can feel the film of sweat on his forehead when he rests it against your own.

"sir? i can't seem to find the book," shino starts. your heart nearly gives out at the sound of his voice, it's like lightning flashes throughout your every cell.

"keep lookin', i'm sure it's in there somewhere," kiba bites out immediately. all polite talk has ceased to exist.

"but-"

"that's an order, soldier."

you push his thumb out of your mouth with the help of your tongue to chide, "that doesn't seem really convincing! if he turns around, it'll-"

"look like we're gossiping," kiba persists. you nearly squeak when his fingers dig into your gown and rest on your thigh. "like a married couple; just like i've said."

"h-hey-"

"just keep going," he hisses. his eyes are so dark that it makes you fear they'll swallow you whole, and as if he can sense your growing anxiety, he forces his gaze to soften a bit before he adds, "please. you're doing such a good job and i really want this."

you're scared of getting caught because you're supposed to be representing the image of innocence, but truth be told; you're also impeccably thrilled at the same time. he feels big in your hand; fat and heavy and warm between your fingers even over the layer of fabric. every time you squeeze him over his pants, he twitches and bucks his hips right into your touch just to gain more friction.

"fuck yes, princess." every breath is ragged. "that's it... gonna make me cum so fast."

"shh! keep quiet."

it's kind of sweet, how evidently he needs you. but it's also lewd.

the things this man's libido makes him do is unbelievable. it's only been a couple of days since he's last made love to you, and here he is; with his sanity nearly crumbling down to its pillars whilst teaching you how to give him a not at all subtle, under-the-table handjob even if there's an audience nearby. you can't believe he's willing to risk his rank or fall subject to despicable rumours for just a mere touch of your hand.

either he's absolutely delirious, or he's a fool in love. but nevertheless, by the time shino at long last admits defeat and confesses he's unable to find the book; he's also sated.

and as for you; well, let's just say it's hard not to laugh at the knowledge that your husband's pants are sticky with cum when you excuse yourself from the table and he's stuck in the study, rearranging his little toy soldiers.

[thewebcomicsreview]

Hamsteak!

CALLIOPE: er, technically, the machine stabilizing The Plot Point. CALLIOPE: the actUal Point is that ominoUs looking bit in the middle!

Letting everyone spend two weeks speculating on why the plot point looks like the hiveswap portal only to reveal this is a great meta joke.

CALLIOPE: the reason we broUght yoU *here*, specifically, is becaUse The Plot Point over there corresponds to the singUlarity at the exact center of oUr aforementioned plot prison! CALLIOPE: important bit of info, that!

Noted, noted. The Plot Point is the singularity at the heart of the black hole. Also noted: They want to bring the whole of Earth-C with them. A lot of people have been assuming a SBURB game was going to happen as the human players sacrificed Candyland to save themselves/their kids. That's still on the table, but it's apparently not Roxy's plan.

VRISKA: It's time to kick off the training wheels and do what I do 8est: VRISKA: Figure shit out myself.

Vriska is bored of this exposition and is going to just hit the machine. That's our Vriska!

!

A flash! Or, well, an HTML5 animation in an iframe. Technology marches on! Also marching on: Vriska, who touches the singularity and gets immediately sucked into it. The music here is also very similar to the music that plays for the Hiveswap portal cutscene, but I'm not sure if it's literally the same song. I don't think it is? I was kind of expecting the first [S] to be a huge "We're back bitches!" thing designed to make Tumblr pop off, but I guess it's better to start small.

ROXY: callie CALLIOPE: yes dear? ROXY: is vriska right CALLIOPE: right aboUt what, dear? ROXY: about the fact that u dont actually know wtf we were supposed to be gettin up to here CALLIOPE: well... CALLIOPE: Um, more or less, yes. ROXY: bb are you srs

It doesn't reflect super well on Roxy that she apparently never figured this out herself.

ROXY: you said you were being compelled by like hella visions n premonishes n mysterious psychic spatiotemporal intuitions n i kinda figured that meant you had this shit all ttly comprehended!

This is one of those lines you're meant to maybe pass over without realizing how big it is. Someone is manipulating Callie here! Perhaps its related to the mysterious GavageCunctation, who I'm still calling as being the 5th Omega kid, to match the 5-letter names they all have.

CALLIOPE: yoU remember how we got so wrapped Up in the initial excitement of finding the singUlarity and the rUined jUjU arch, and sUbseqUently stabilizing it with oUr sUper cool cherUbic-lalondian tech... ROXY: its true our tech really is so fkn cool...

So the "Juju Arch" is the portal, which was previously called a "Skaian Artifact". Presumably put there by the same person giving Calliope the dreams. I'm guessing it's GC-related, but it could also be Skaia itself. Homestuck 1 kind of forgot about Skaia as an antagonistic force.

CALLIOPE: well, i sUppose i might have implied a more complete knowledge of the a to zed of all this then i actUally... possessed. CALLIOPE: and continUe to possess. JOHN: well, but you don't possess it.

John is such a pedantic shit at the most random times, it's great.

JOHN: feels kinda nice not being the one getting chastised, for a change! ROXY: john shut ur insensitive blabhole or im gonna chastise the shit out of u JOHN: jeez! JOHN: it was fun while it lasted, i guess.

People forget John has a personality, but it's true! He's kind of an asshole!

Al intervenes to show us-

Well that's the update. I like the shorter, more frequent updates, but it's kind of killing the liveblog idea when they come out a few pages at time.

[ninety-two-bees]

@jegulus-microfic | jan 13 — wet | words: 714

this is part two of yesterday’s microfic. here’s part one

The rain is coming down heavier than it has in weeks, and Regulus just missed the last bus back to the studio.

It’s probably for the best. His bus pass has been expired for weeks, and it’s only a matter of time before someone catches on. The smart thing to do would be call James. It would be so much easier than walking back in this downpour. He just…can’t bring himself to do it, so he starts walking.

They’ve been on a few dates now. James takes him to places he could never dream of affording, and he doesn’t put up a fight when James insists on paying. He makes up little lies—oh, my phone broke just this morning and all my fancy clothes are at the dry cleaners—and James insists on giving him the money to replace it all. Regulus’ plan is working perfectly.

So why does he feel so bad about it?

James is a decent guy. He doesn’t ask too-personal questions, he doesn't ask for more than Regulus is willing to give—by all accounts, he’s a gentleman. He has to know that Regulus is just using him for his money at this point, but it doesn’t seem to deter him from asking to spend more time together.

Maybe that’s the problem. Taking advantage of a creepy older rich guy is fine until he turns out to not be a creep. He seems to genuinely give a shit about Regulus, and that can’t be said for many other people. Maybe he should call things off before James gets too attached.

“Regulus?”

Fuck.

A familiar car pulls up next to him, and he knows he can’t just walk away. With a sigh, he braces himself and turns to see the driver. “Are you stalking me now, Potter?”

James rolls his eyes, but there’s a stupid affectionate grin on his face that makes Regulus’ stomach flip. “You know I can’t get enough of you,” he teases. “Is there a reason you’re out in the rain? You’re soaking wet.”

“Fancied a walk,” Regulus says dismissively. He tries to ignore the shiver that runs through his body as he’s forced to acknowledge how truly drenched his clothes are. Even his socks are wet. Gross.

“Get in the car, Reg. I’ll take you home,” James offers. Regulus is about to decline, but the car door swings open and he realises he has no choice.

James’ car is far too nice for him to be dripping rainwater on the seats. It seems like every surface is heated, and James still reaches into the backseat to produce a blanket for Regulus. It’s not fair. He’s too nice.

“Can you just take me back to the studio?” he asks as James starts the car.

“You should really go home, Reg. Dry off. I don’t want you getting sick,” James insists. “Let me know where you live and I’ll drive you there.”

“Just take me to the studio, James.” This is the moment Regulus has been dreading—the moment it all falls apart. James is going to put the pieces together and realise that Regulus has been lying to him this entire time. It shouldn’t be so terrifying. He was going to end things with James anyway. Maybe it wasn’t James getting attached that he needed to worry about.

But James doesn’t say anything. He just nods and begins the drive back to the dance studio. In the time it takes to get there, Regulus’ clothes have begun to dry, but the discomfort has found its way into his bones. This isn’t how he wanted his last moment with James to go.

Always a gentleman, James walks Regulus right up to the door of the studio. “Call me in a few hours and let me know that you’re still feeling okay, yeah?” James asks, and Regulus offers him a curt nod. If they were really dating, this is the moment they’d kiss goodbye, but they don’t. This has only ever been transactional for Regulus, and he thinks James might finally be figuring that out.

“Goodnight, Regulus. Take care of yourself,” he says, offering Regulus one last smile before making his way back to the car. Regulus watches him drive off, feeling a lot like he left his heart in the passenger’s seat.

[torhues]

kuroo tetsuro.

silence fills your kitchen, a wisp emerges from your coffee and vanishes into thin air. your fingers tip press a little harder around your cup; there's something wrong with kuroo today.

you notice the way he hasn't looked at you since you've sat at the table for breakfast, you've been noticing for a while; his actions— antics, watching him do things he usually doesn't, making decisions he generally wouldn't, say things he doesn't mean otherwise. you've been noticing for over a month, and it feels that the kuroo you knew has simply became a distant memory. the more you think about it, the further it drifts away, morphing into ancient history.

sometimes, you think you're dreaming.

"you friend from work called, inviting us to his farewell party," you break the silence, but your eyes are fixed on the ceramic plate in front of you. "i said we have other plans for the day, the highschool reunion,"

"i see," he nods, and those words mark the end of your small talk. frankly, you miss the days none of you would shut up, no matter what time of the day it was. it doesn't matter now, not really, kuroo talks when he wants, other times, it's just silence communicating with itself. "are you done shopping for the reunion?"

just like now.

for some reason, the empty plate in front of you seems more tempting than the question he asked. you remember winning the whole crockery set at a couple game around two years ago, or three, maybe. you're not sure, the timeline is getting blurry inside your mind. you leave his question unattended like the coffee in your cup, to see if he cares about a response.

a second passes, then another, one more, kuroo grabs the newspaper kept on the further right corner of the kitchen counter. it's as if the question doesn't mean anything— your response doesn't mean anything, perhaps, would be a better conclusion. you hope you're dreaming, because the kuroo sitting in front of you doesn't seem like the person you fell in love with.

"you know, i think we shouldn't attend the reunion either," you give in either way, putting your plate aside, leaning on the counter with a smile in an attempt to make yourself feel better.

kuroo looks up. "oh," but, he's looking somewhere else. your hair, shoulder, the paining behind you, anywhere, but your eyes. there's a certain look in his eyes, grief, guilt— remorse, and you want to ask him, what is it that turned you into someone so unfamiliar?

his eyes shift back to the newspaper. "suit yourself. i have a few meetings that day, either way,"

you wonder if he cares, you realise he doesn't.

and you can't take it anymore.

actually, there's a question you've been wearing on the tip of your tongue for days now, finding the right moment to ask him. it would be a lie if you said life didn't give you any opportunities, you just weren't able to bring yourself ask it. you aren't brave when it comes to such things, never were, never would be, talking about love scares you. you never know how the conversation would turn out. there are too many risks.

falling for him was the first one you took, confronting him would be probably be the last one with him.

"i think you don't love me anymore,"

a pause; you notice the hesitation laced in his expression, it doesn't faze you anymore.

kuroo nods faintly. his eyes don't leave the sight of the empty cup in front of him, as if it's staring back at him. his lips press into a thin line as the unsaid words intoxicate the silence spinning in the air. he sighs; the empty cup reminds him of something, of himself, his heart,

and so, kuroo finally musters up the courage to look into your eyes. "i know, i've noticed."

— inspired by vie's prompts ( 5th one )

[eldragon-x]

PMD: Gates to Infinity Timeline

Rescue Team

I wanted to document the in-universe timespan of the story of every PMD title in detail and originally make it all into one post, but decided to split it into four instead. Every PMD timeline post will have links to the other titles as I progress with this little project.

Know that I'll count vague timeskips to the best of my judgement, the one dungeon = one day rule doesn't strictly apply (yes, even with the V-Wave mechanic in gti), and I document every game up until the hero and partner reunite, though I might make additions for post-game story later on.

Introduction Arc

On day 1 the hero meets the partner after landing in the Pokemon world, and on day 2 you play through Gurdurr's arc to get him to build your house. The construction starts on the evening of day 2 and is said to last a few days. Not counting day 2's evening, I'll make it three days, making day 5 the day where the house is finished.

On day 6 you meet Dunsparce, Emolga, and Virizion who join your team by the end of the day. The team is officially established on day 7.

Gurdurr's store is established on day 8 and he asks you to bring him materials which you give to him on day 9. Gurdurr opens his store on day 10. Nothing happens on days 11-12 but on day 13 Victini arrives in Paradise and the hero has a dream the following night. Day 14 is uneventful, the fata morgana of the Great Glacier appears on day 15, and day 16 is uneventful again.

Umbreon and Espeon Arc

On the night before day 17, the hero has another dream and Umbreon is approaching Post Town. A warning about a dangerous Pokemon in the area goes out in the morning. The following night, Umbreon comes closer to the town and on day 18 Swadloon disappears to Inflora Forest where the team picks him up. Umbreon arrives in Post Town on day 19.

On day 20, Umbreon demonstrates the summoning of a Magnagate and the team takes off to rescue Espeon. Umbreon and Espeon join the team on day 21. Virizion and Dunsparce have a conversation on the hill the following night. The next morning, on day 22, Quagsire tells the team that one Pokemon has to stay in Paradise and can't go to the expedition.

Great Glacier Arc

I was debating on wether to apply the one dungeon = one day rule in this arc since technically we don't get any indication that a night passes during the expedition but I decided yes, both because its supposed to feel long and for another reason*.

That being said, day 23 marks the day the team make their way to the Great Glacier via a Magnagate dungeon. They arrive and make their way through the glacier on day 24 and take another Magnagate dungeon on day 25. Day 26 is the day they make it through the Glacier Palace for the first time and return home in the evening.

On day 27 Emolga uses the Frisms to mess with the team before telling them that during their absence, floating lights that could be seen from the hill appeared. The hero has another dream and on the morning of day 28, the partner asks the hero to promise them to stay in this world after fulfilling their duty. On day 29, one floating light can be seen from the hill. *If you talk to Ducklett, they'll say the lights first appeared about a week ago which adds up the best if you assume the expedition took four days.

Munna and Hydreigon Arc

Munna finally manages to make contact with the hero via their dreams. On the next day, day 30, the hero and partner take a Magnagate to Kilionea Road. They plan to sleep over the night outside the dungeon, but are alarmed by Munna, prompting them to make it through the Forest of Shadows at night. They get ambushed at Mount Kilionea afterwards but escape.

The hero makes it to Daybreak Ridge on day 31 where they're attacked by Toxicroak and saved by Hydreigon. When they wake up, Hydreigon says they've been out for a while, possibly making it day 32. Hydreigon and the hero team up and make it through Ochre Quarry and in the evening, Hydreigon explains the situation.

On day 33, the hero and Hydreigon make it through Withered Savanna where Purugly confronts them and tells them that they've got the Partner as a hostage. Presumably on day 34*, the duo makes their way to Holehills to rescue partner. On day 35* hero, partner, and Hydreigon make their way through the Scorching Desert. They're attacked by Kyurem in the evening and hero and partner are found and rescued by Emolga and Dunsparce.

*Withered Savanna, Holehills, and Scorching Desert could all be happening on one day but I decided to apply the 1d = 1d rule because otherwise it'd last as long as the glacier expedition and based on how long the arc feels, how the road takes up a chunk of the map, and how Emolga says they've been searching for hero and partner because they were gone for so long and started to get worried despite Mount Kilionea being established as a far away place, I think it makes sense that it lasts longer.

Finale Arc

The hero recovers from their injuries and wakes up on day 36 as the team decides their next course of action. They explain the situation to Post Town on day 37 just before Glacier Palace rises into the sky. Umbreon and Espeon make their way to Great Glacier that night and the team follows on day 38, on which they make it through the palace and destroy the Bittercold. The hero leaves the Pokemon world the next morning on day 39.

Worldcore Arc

A vague long timeskip happens, but if you look at the story summary by either exiting and entering the game or switching between Friend- and Hero Mode, it says months have passed, so we'll go with three months here.

On the evening of day 1 post-skip, Dunsparce and Emolga talk to Hydreigon in the Inn while Virizion and Keldeo have a conversation on the hill. Dunsparce approaches Hydreigon on day 2 and Hydreigon disappears the next day. He returns on day 4 to tell the team about the Worldcore where the partner manages to make a wish and be reunited with the hero.

Conclusion

The main story lasts 39 days while the post-game story lasts 4 days. Counting everything together with the time skip and assuming the timespan includes two 30-day and two 31-day months, the entire story of Gates to Infinity lasts 134 days or 4 months, 1 week and 5 days

[ghostlykeyes]

Hello! I absolutely LOVE your heartsteel Kayn headcanons, you capture his character so well. What kinds of headcanons would you have for Kayn going for a night out (esp. with the heartsteel boys)?

Ty!! <3

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GIF by thedemonlady

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HEARTSTEEL KAYN: NIGHT OUT HEADCANONS ♡ TW's: Alcohol usage ♡ SFW ♡ Thank you!!! This one's not for Kayn/reader, just single Kayn (if Kayn's in a relationship with u imagine this all as the exact same except he's calling you 3,000 times at random points during the excursions)

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KAYN

Kayn will often flake on plans if they're made in advance, so it's best to blindside him with a night out. He's much more likely to attend if someone texts him, "Party at 10, u in?" than if they let him know a week prior. That being said, he usually goes out with his bandmates either way. He's trying to be a team player, at least a little bit, and he knows that means he can't bail on guys' night out. (Plus, he has enough fun with Heartsteel to make it worth going—not that he'd ever admit he actually likes partying with them.)

Even though he pretends he 'woke up like this', Kayn spends waaaaay too much time in front of the mirror before a night out. Gotta make sure his nail polish isn't chipped and his hair's swept back in that perfect 'I don't give a fuck' type way, you know?

Kayn stashes extra jewelry in his pockets before heading out to a party—he knows he's probably about to lose a hand of rings and a bracelet within two hours. Best to keep stocked up so he can maintain his carefully-curated look.

Dressed to kill. Kayn likes to play with textures, silhouette, and bursts of neon color. His going-out fits lean towards techwear and the tamer side of cybergoth.

You already know Kayn pregames like a motherfucker. Expect him to be a few shots deep before the night even starts. And, once he's buzzed, he's not about to let himself get even halfway to sober. Doesn't matter what, he drinks whatever Ezreal puts in front of him. He also keeps a flask tucked in a side pocket, and he's surprisingly willing to pass it around. If they promise to buy him a drink at the next bar, he lets any of his bandmates take a generous gulp.

After getting a little tipsy, the guys like to scribble graffiti tags all over everything, so Kayn keeps a handful of paint markers on him in everyone's preferred colors. Of course, he won't hand them out for free. Often, Ezreal and Sett can be convinced to split Kayn's chores for the next two weeks in exchange for the Poscas.

Starting out at a bar or club is just fine but Kayn's surprisingly opposed to bar-hopping. There's way too many people in way too small of a space. A few hours in, Kayn prefers to duck out of the sweaty bodies and pounding music. At this point, he just wants to wander around and get in trouble with his boys. City streets, grocery stores, empty parking garages—anywhere is fine, though Kayn gets extremely annoyed (and slightly more inclined to property destruction) whenever they're asked to leave somewhere. For this reason K'sante and Yone try to make sure wherever they end up is relatively isolated. Less of a chance of getting kicked out that way. An abandoned building where they can bring a huge speaker and chill out is a prime place to close an evening out.

If you're a fan, this is probably the worst time to approach Kayn for an autograph. When he's trying to let loose the LAST thing he wants is to get bugged by groupies. He won't even give you a second look, scoffing: "I don't do autographs." If Sett notices him being mean, he'll offer to sign two things for you to make up for his friend's rudeness. It helps, of course, but still. Don't approach Kayn in public unless you want your dreams shattered.

Of the group Kayn's the most likely to break something. This ranges from everything like accidentally shattering a shot glass to absolutely intentionally wrecking one of those public-use electric scooters. (How was he supposed to know you're not supposed to do quint whips on those, he asks. He ignores Ezreal when he points out that crashing full speed into a dumpster has nothing to do with pulling off tricks.)

As everyone's winding down for the night, Kayn's been known to smoke a cigarette or two on the apartment stairs or balcony. He never smokes otherwise, but it's a bit of a ritual at this point. When Kayn ducks out for a smoke, then the rest of the guys know not to bother him anymore. He's done.

Kayn refuses to drink water or change into pajamas after returning from a night out. Best you're gonna get from him is him taking his clothes off before passing out. No teeth-brushing, no shower, nothing. All routines are abandoned and he falls straight into a thirteen hour coma.

It doesn't matter how much he did, or didn't drink, Kayn's an absolute zombie the morning after a night out. Don't expect him to leave his room until three pm, and even then, he's probably only getting up so he can go on a McDonald's run (his signature hangover order: two fish filets, fries, and a large Sprite).

[braininatankwithalaptop]

To celebrate the new year I want to talk about how I imagine a mother of learning fan game would go.

It's about 8 years after the end cyorian invasion and you're playing Kirielle's best friend, a girl with natural seer/divination abilities. She invited you over a holiday break to Knyazov Dveri, where her brother has the best spell forge in the area due to his friendship with the mayor: Zach Noveda.

When you enter the town you're overcome with a headache and pass out. When you wake up you find out that you've been taken to the guest room at Zorian's home to recover. You feel a bit strange but are otherwise fine, but Zorian is nowhere to be seen. Kirielle said he has an important experiment/project that he has to focus on for the next 3 days/week and you can't meet him. Well that's fine, you're here for Kirielle anyway. You enjoy the holidays, do some side quest equivalent stuff relevant for your character and generally learn the mechanics of the game (I imagine it being like an isometric rpg but whatever works best). But then on the last day of the time frame one of the major powers bordering Knyazov Dveri attacks and war breaks out. As you and Kirielle escape for shelter you see signs that Zach is pulling out the big guns with high level magic and is calling for more reinforcements.

After the invasion (either you die due to random artillery, saving Kirielle, or just go to sleep in an improv'd shelter) you wake up back in the guest room at the beginning of your visit (Sound familiar?). But this time Zorian is the one that greets you as you wake.

Zorian says that he's been having dreams that the worst war to ever happen on the continent will break out here and bring every country to near ruin in the devastation of the warfare, and it starts in the attack in Knyazov Dveri (basically like the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand). He says he had the idea for a divination experiment that would basically give someone the ability to have a vision of what would happen in the next [x] days, and then a vision of what they would do if they knew that, and so on. Basically making an artificial timeloop using divination within a person's mind. Zorian cast the spell to focus on the person in the town most attuned to it assuming it was him with his connection to the web. He wasn't expecting it to be you. Now mentally projecting himself into this vision he says that you have to fulfill his plan of finding out what is causing the attack, who wants the war to happen, who can be persuaded, and how to otherwise avoid the catastrophe. And thus you're playing a mini time loop countering an invasion like the ZZ duo. I imagine the game to be some crossover between the Forgotten City, Disco Elysium, and In Stars and Time. Plot is mostly mystery and political intrigue but with some rpg mechanics that you need to keep in mind for some solutions. Identify war profiteers, sympathizers to peace, and find out how to eliminate uncompromising threats and find the perfect solution. Unlike the Sovereign Gate time loop you can't increase magical power throughout the loops since it isn't happening in reality, just in your head, but you can learn new spells. And as Kirielle is an artist (I imagine projection and alterations specialist) you can carry over items from loop to loop by giving Kirielle the details to recreate (Maybe you have to trust Kirielle with the truth and details to unlock it for certain loops?).

And what I think would be interesting is that unlike other time loop games, you have to decide when you "wake up" from the time loop, disabling time travel and the ability to make a save and keep playing (you can still save, but automatically boots you to the main menu and when you start the save file deletes the "quick save," thereby stopping the ability to functionally time travel using the load function). Zorian can't help you in the loops (as he's maintaining the spell and doesn't trust you with an unaware version of himself) but promises to solve one problem in the real world that you can't fix (maybe to get the "true/best" ending you have to solve every problem in the loop yourself and use his promised help in a spontaneous problem in the real world that didn't come up in the loops?). Depending on your performance in the last loop (how much you reveal to Kirielle, what you sacrifice to compromise with adversaries and secure peace, how well you reveal your abilities in public, etc.) you get a "variable" to the ending.

I just like the idea of Zorian being the powerful benefactor to a new progression fantasy protag solving a mystery with political intrigue, but this time the power has a hard cap and resets, forcing players to come at the rpg elements more like a puzzle than something that you can grind to solve.