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#and focusing on One Thing instead of Thirty Things is probably the way to get One Thing done
halfdeadfriedrice · 8 months
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A variety of To Dos that, as a list, at least explain why when i go home i just fall over instead of doing anything. jesus. okay.
Cosplay:
Sew plushie!! :3
watch/read like 12 more armsock tutorials
find and read face paint tutorials and also bone tutorials
shopping list: tights (arms, legs), fingernails, toenails?, boxer shorts (x2), fabric markers, face paint, whatever you need to make bones ...
honestly though plushie first
find homestuck horn tutorial (or buy some) - this is how we can still win halloween. when you are not grey, do not explain intricacies of humanstuck roleswap to truly win.
set up sewing machine
practice and learn basics of sewing machine (here but relevant for other tasks)
Fun:
you might as well get in the spirit and put up the halloween decorations. time is passing and you have to mark it somehow. you don't have to sound excited but you will appreciate new things to look at
weekend prep: find your missing supplies and pack the weekend bag. message people if you want to organize something ahead of time. get cash. also RSVP.
ask pals to share their calendars because you don't remember what's on the various agendas.
obviously baldurs gate is on the agenda but should be supplemented with other items from this list, especially the free ones.
House:
reverse the directions of all the ceiling fans to see if that thing about running them and dispersing the warm air is true
unpack various suitcases. they do not belong in the kitchen.
would it be worth turning around the side table in the living room? you could put gaming supplies in it perhaps. also i would support you cleaning it out and doing something more useful with that space.
speaking of: clean out the stuff under the TV again.
clean garage. especially clean everywhere delphine sits and pees.
clean back room. stop hiding clothes, just donate/get rid of. hang jackets. haul shit out of closet and deal with it. put the stuff you are storing in more reasonable piles.
re-sort bookshelves. back room and bedroom. check behind books for missing stuff. put the bag o books under bed on shelves. donation donation donation.
find your missing kink supplies and repack your bag for the weekend
clean out linen closet. refold so it is neat. get some nice smelly stuff ?? try to figure out why everything in your closet smells bad and remedy. anything that sucks but is helpful to have should go in the attic.
attic: all bins must have lids. any lids without bins and vice versa should be got rid of.
gather all clothes that ought to be donated and do so (multi-stage process; try on clothes, get rid of things you haven't worn in a year. less unworn things taking up dresser space.
flop warm and cold weather wardrobe. do this before donation run.
hang blinds. purchase new battery for drill or rent drill from library. i know you would buy cooler, better cell-shade blinds that can go up and down but you can't afford them so stop whining and put up the new blinds.
clean windows (as much as possible, we are aware of the existence of spiders)
ALT TO BUYING NEW TABLE: rearrange kitchen so that sitting in the kitchen is viable and enjoyable. also like. spruce up the table.
get rid of shit. like. raze it. if you cannot bear to donate it then get some new boxes and put it in the attic. no more piles of artistic garbage.
get rid of all the fucking plastic bags.
hang the decor in the kitchen you bought
go to best buy to pick up thing
House (money):
new filter for the bigger return.
figure out how to repair split cushions on desk chair so that it is nice to sit in.
go spend like $100 on bins that match. container store??? bins with lids.
a new bedroom LAMP IMAGINE.
buy a new silverware set and get rid of all unmatching silverware, and also all shitty knives.
buy some firewood and more cinnamon brooms.
buy a new kitchen table (and chairs) - SMALL also honestly preferably VERY COOL, because the midcentury modern piece you have now is VERY COOL it's just also TOO BIG.
buy a mount (either for ceiling cross-beam or free-standing - more mobile if free standing) for hammock chair. sit in it and never move again.
SPEND MONEY TO BUY SEALANT TO WATERPROOF THE DECK. ASK FOR HELP IF YOU MUST. CLEAN THE DECK FIRST.
please please please sell garage furniture. if you do you can probably buy a new table with the proceeds, and put the old one in the garage.
buy new mirrored closet doors- optimize space and get a mirror.
when you do this you must have blinds in place.
buy a clothes chest for front of bed for clothes and also the cat to use as stairs
call a contractor to a) replace that one glass pane that broke when you were trying to open a window and b) unstick all your windows that the last contractors painted shut.
tbh we also need to get a termite contract in place it's just that it's $500
purchase curtains or purchase fabric to make curtains. inventory curtain rods and maybe purchase more of those.
honestly some bistro curtains in the kitchen would be super nice and a good place to start.
paint. living room. a wall at a time if you must. figure out the colors.
measure all hanging art and buy frames for it
measure and hang shelves in living room, but only after you paint??
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runa-falls · 11 months
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Hello Pornstar!Steven was so fucking good???
Thinking about Pornstar!Steven begging for your tongue just one time, promising he can last, and absolutely writhing under you when you finally press it flat against his cock, rolling it against his tip in a way that has his back arching in thirty seconds tops. He’s a mess, because of course he is, splayed out on the leather couch with his slacks around his thighs, one leg hanging off, one hand gripping the back of the couch for leverage, as if that will help him still the very obvious tells his body is giving you the closer he gets to cumming. His curls are unruly, more than a little tousled from all but throwing his head back into the plump pillows, lips glossy and a bit swollen from the way he’d been biting them in a pathetic attempt to keep quiet—hair and makeup was going to have your head when he finally stumbles onto set.
Thinking about all the things you’ve had to learn about Pornstar!Steven to properly do your job. You had been shyly informed by him when you first met that pain wasn’t really his thing—but you had learned, as did he, that it was a glaring exception when it came to hickies. Obviously you don’t get to leave them too often(it would probably ruin viewer immersion if he had a dozen bruises littered across his chest when his co-star finally got him out of his priest-wear), the first time had been a complete accident, if your being honest. He’d come in a bit pent up already, mouth slotting against yours desperately almost as soon as he stepped in the room—so you focused your attention on his thighs when you finally got settled, just close enough to where he really wanted your mouth, but far enough that there wouldn’t be any mishaps. When his mouth wasn’t busy, Steven always had a tendency to ramble, telling you how good you were making him feel, pleading for more, whatever he could get out of you… He really had no business sounding that good, looking that good. His hips had twitched up, a whine falling from his pretty lips—and you had bit down a little harder on the meat of his inner thigh than you intended to. You had realized your mistake a beat too late, lathed your tongue over the place to soothe the mark and pulled back to apologize, but were met with Steven’s dazed look instead. His pupils were blown, set on the red mark that was surely going to bruise, voice absolutely wrecked when he finally muttered, “Do that again, please- Please, darling? One more-”
You couldn’t, of course, but that didn’t stop him from begging for it the next time your mouth was on his neck. Or the time after that. It was a miracle you could refuse him anything, the entire crew had fallen victim to those big brown eyes one time or other, you were no exception.
Overall, obsessed with it❤️ thank you so much for that
FIRST OF ALL -- WHAT HAVE I DONE TO BE GRACED BY THIS??? 🫠 i freaking love my readers !
i saw this last night, but wanted to read through it carefully in the morning to get the full experience. this response is much longer than i intended [1.2k], but the ask was just too good not to analyze !!
cw: explicit smut (18+) (what did you expect lmao), dacryphilia, marking, and no-contact orgasm bc steven is needy and all that
let's talk:
"[he's] splayed out on the leather couch with his slacks around his thighs, one leg hanging off, one hand gripping the back of the couch for leverage" -- girl i can SEE it now oh my lordddd.
you're so right, steven is the type of guy to literally melt under you as you take him apart, piece by piece, letting you do whatever you want, too weak to even protest. he always attempts to hold his own as first, wanting to seem calm and collected, but as soon as you touch him, his whole facade dissipates.
"lips glossy and a bit swollen from the way he’d been biting them in a pathetic attempt to keep quiet" SCREAMING ?????
that's another thing, steven cannot keep quiet if it would save his life. at first you thought he was just a little more enthusiastic than his brothers, but he literally can't keep down those high pitched whines and moans when you're going down on him. Especially when you're going down on him.
it's adorable watching him try though. he often has to harshly grip onto a pillow or the couch, something tangible, to keep him grounded. keep him from grabbing onto you and potentially hurting you (though he's aware you wouldn't mind hehehe).
at home he can be loud. he can lose himself in you, blindly canting his hips as hot tears spill from his reddened eyes from how overwhelming perfect you fit around him.
he loves to nestle right into the crook of your neck while he's draped over you, panting broken words and hushed pleads right against your heat slicked skin. then he sobs, literally sobs, when he finishes in you, unable to fully comprehend the intensity of being with you. it's a feeling he had never known before meeting you, and he's addicted to it.
now, he makes several (shy) advances, even before shoots, craving your touch and that feeling of completely letting go in the comfort and security you provide. even with how boneless and exhaustingly serene he feels afterwards, he begs for it in the dressing room as you prep him.
you can only say "when we get home, baby."
but then he looks up at you with those pleading eyes glistening with adoration and need.
dammit, you almost give in. and you want to give in so bad, but luckily steven is a responsible sex-worker and nods understandingly.
"promise?"
"promise."
"You had been shyly informed by him when you first met that pain wasn’t really his thing—but you had learned, as did he, that it was a glaring exception when it came to hickies." ehehehe
first of all, him shyly saying: "um, i-i dunno if i could handle the whole...scratches and bites* thing." after waking up and seeing the marks you left on his brothers' chest and backs, is so cute 🥰 he really is just a wittle baby.
and you having to say "don't worry honey, i'll only do what you want." in return, bc i know those words would make him DIE inside (happily ofc).
*cross promo hehehe
AND THEN THE HICKIES AHHH
"you had bit down a little harder on the meat of his inner thigh than you intended to…His pupils were blown, set on the red mark that was surely going to bruise, voice absolutely wrecked when he finally muttered, “Do that again, please- Please, darling? One more-”
this is how you found out that hickies were not allowed when fluffing him:
the first time it happened was in one of your earlier sessions with him. you were still trying to figure out exactly what his limits and needs were (you were also going extra slow with steven as to not overwhelm him).
you're both still fully dressed, starting off with sweet kisses and cuddles -- it's safe, gentle, and slow -- your usual routine. you're straddling him as he modestly holds your hips to keep you close. he's throughly enjoying the kisses and you swear he'd spend the whole 20 minutes -- the whole day -- just making out with you if he could.
you break the kiss, ignoring his whine and attempts to recapture your lips, and move to his neck, dotting pecks and kitten licks on his sensitive skin, he practically vibrates under you, purring like a cat at your attention. at your hot mouth against his hot skin.
you've had an inkling that steven has something of an oral fixation, at least with you. even when you're simply hanging out, he stares hungrily at your mouth, half lidded eyes glazing over with obscene thoughts, thoughts he'd probably never voice.
to have your lips wrapped around his thumb, tongue laving against the pad of his finger, makes his knees weak. to have you engulfing his cock in your hot mouth, unbothered as he hits the back of your throat, ruins him. and you've seen it. that's why blowjobs are also on the blacklist.
well, pecks turn into kisses which eventually turn into light nips and suckling, but then you couldn't get enough. as your work on his throat intensifies so does the sounds he makes sighs to whimpers to shaky groans and desperate pleas overrun with voice cracks.
you can feel the faint outline of his clothed erection under you, throbbing and twitching whenever you suck him particularly harshly. so maybe he does like pain.
though you knew he had a call time soon, you kept going, completely going against professionalism, too fascinated by the immediate response you garnered from him. he flails helplessly under you, hips bucking against yours as you continue to paint his skin in red and purple blotches. you wish you could drink in those sounds, how intensely he needs you right now.
you're lost in your own world, tasting the sweetness of his skin, and don't even notice how his whole body suddenly stiffens against you until you hear that familiar cry.
your mouth tingles as you lean back from him, lips parted in shock. he looks equally as shocked, but infinitely more wrecked.
did he just...
"i-i...s-sorry. i didn't mean to! i just, couldn't help it." steven rambles, face flushed in embarrassment. his lips are plump and red, eyes glassy, a product of his attempts to hold back. he didn't even stand a chance. he couldn't even warn you.
he looks down dejectedly between your bodies and you follow his line of sight. a dark pool stains his jeans, illustrating just how much he enjoyed it despite his humiliation.
his neck is covered.
you could draw constellations on his neck with how many hickies you left on his skin. you smoothed your finger over one of the larger bruises and he shivers against your hold. you meet his eyes, sad and ashamed. god, he's so pretty.
"let's get out of here."
"wait what about the--"
"just...come home with me steven."
"o-ok."
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none of this was proof read bc i wrote it in a hurry!
thank you SO much for sending these wonderful ideas in nonnie <3
p.s if you're a writer pls send me ur blog so i (and the rest of my followers) can devour your content
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cryptidofthekeys · 16 days
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A Tiny Star is Born - Mr. Puzzles x Tiny!Reader
Alrighty, finally done with this one! It isn't super long- I mean longer than I expected, but here y'all go, G/T time with Mr. Puzzles! You get a lot more special privileges than anyone else, even members of his crew lmao- he'd just slap them away instead of doing what he's doing with you-
Only trigger warning for this one is that the reader nearly has a panic attack!
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You were sitting there on the couch, you had needed a self care day today as many things have been stressing you out as of recently, and so here you are, with your favorite drinks, snacks, and a weighted blanket to help keep you comfortable, you had seen your favorite streaming service Puzzlevision has uploaded a new episode, you had always loved that streaming service.
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It had a lot of good content, in fact, you were probably the number one fan as not many others watched it for whatever reason and even those who did, didn’t give it high regard, you would also always give the episodes five star ratings.
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It was like a comfort series for you, but either way, you sat there for most of the night, binging some of the previous episodes while eating your snacks, it was cozy and comfortable, and you could feel yourself beginning to relax as you focused on the TV, you could feel your stress melting away already, watching the silly antics going on, you smiled and giggled occasionally.
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You really needed this, this self care day …er, well night was exactly what you needed, as you watched a few episodes, at episode three, you could’ve sworn you seen something on the screen flicker.
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But at first you ignored it, thinking maybe it was just a weird glitch in the program, about halfway into that episode, you could’ve sworn you saw a glimpse of someone standing in the background that you KNEW hadn’t been there before as you’ve watched these episodes already, you shuddered a little, maybe your television was just messing up, or maybe some programming malfunction, it was so brief and so fast whenever it happened and then for the next few episodes, it was normal, you relaxed a bit more now, figuring it was just some glitches.
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You tried not to worry too much about it and continued watching the episodes until you were finally on the new one, excited, you sit up a bit more, still keeping yourself wrapped up in the weighted blanket, you cut the volume up and became fully focused, like you usually had when a new episode dropped.
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And well, it was pretty long, about thirty minutes or more, this episode involved a circus of sorts with all sorts of interesting colorful characters, they were going on wacky wild adventures which entertained you pretty well.
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You finished some of your snacks and the drink you had and for now you sat there and watched, thoroughly enjoying this episode, technically it had been out for a few days now as you hadn’t had time to sit down until you pretty much forced yourself, the episode was pretty sad with the end though, with one character disappearing into nothingness, which broke your heart a little, but even then, you enjoyed this episode a lot!
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You had looked at the ratings of it and frowned, it had even lower ratings than the last one from what the overall public says, it had 3.2 which made you sigh, you didn’t understand why others didn’t like this but oh well, it didn’t matter, what mattered was you liked it.
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You rated it five stars, and as you did, after you rated it and backed out of the website, it came right back up, you tried to close it, it did it again, you raised a brow, what was… Going on with the technology tonight?! You sighed in frustration as at some point your phone shut itself off and you sat it down on the table, and that’s when you noticed, the lights around your house were flickering and when you looked back at your television, you jumped slightly…
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Okay, you DEFINITELY saw a face for a split second there, you saw that one message you’ve seen when they were doing maintenance on the network, it said ‘PUZZLEVISION, PLEASE STAND BY’ and had the logo in the middle, you blinked in confusion but shrugged, maybe there was some kind of power surge going on, and then you yelped and jumped as some of the lights seemed to blow in the house.
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And you were nearly left in pitch black darkness except for the light of the television screen, you hear it beginning to static, the static growing progressively louder with each passing moment, and then those color bars appeared along with a beep that honestly made your ears ring.
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You were completely confused and beginning to grow frightened, this wasn’t… Normal… This wasn’t just a glitch… And then your suspicions were confirmed, as suddenly a face popped up on the television screen, a colorbar shaped into a smile, white eyes, two funky shaped eyebrows, and well you screamed in horror which made the face change into one of shock before you heard a voice speak...
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“Ah…! There you are! I’ve been waiting for you to log back on to Puzzlevision’s streaming service! C’mere” And then before you knew it, you heard a squelching sound and then saw a huge hand reaching for you from the TV.
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You naturally panicked and freaked out, immediately dropping the weighted blanket and trying to run, you had managed to get to the front door and you had gotten it open before you screamed as you were grabbed by the massive hand, it was a gentle grasp but you were completely engulfed and then before you knew it, you felt yourself being pulled back and into the television.
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You screamed and struggled, trying to fight off whatever the hell has grabbed a hold of you, you heard something that sounded like someone snapping their fingers and then you heard your front door close and lock.
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And then suddenly, you heard a bubbling sound and then… It was completely silent, you were encased in the giant hand, it was completely dark, and you were breathing heavily, and panicking, trying to squirm free, and then you heard a bunch of television static, and then suddenly, you felt the hand uncurling from you but gripping around your waist to ensure you didn’t go anywhere.
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You gasped and immediately looked around frantically, you saw some sort of weird television themed dimension, it was weird, and hard to focus fully on, but you could see TV sets floating around this strange space looking dimension.
------------------------------------------------------- You were shaking and breathing heavily and about to have a panic attack but then you heard a voice “Hey, hey! My dear…! Relax, just look at me, all eyes on me~!” The voice cheerfully spoke, and then you slowly looked to where you heard that voice and your eyes went wide, you looked up, and saw a… Giant television in front of you, it was that same face you had seen on your own TV set just a few moments ago.
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You could see the television was gray, had some dials and buttons, clearly an old model of television, he wore a black bowler hat, and had two antennas atop it, one shaped like a lightning bolt, he was also dressed very fancy in mostly gray, black, and white.
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Your mouth fell agape in shock, your panic somewhat dying down as you realized just who you were staring at, as it finally struck you…
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And well, the TV humanoid’s screen changed to show a more smug face “Ah, you recognize my handsome face now, my dear little star?” You were shocked as your struggles died down to some degree even though you were still nervous “...Y-You… You’re… M-M-M-M…” And then the TV headed humanoid’s face flickered to some annoyance by you being too shocked to speak clearly before his screen showed that smug look again.
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“Yes, yes, that’s right… The common denominator…! The most handsomest, and amazing host of ALL your favorite shows… MR. PUZZLES!” His face flickered to a grin that honestly looked a little unsettling.
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You were completely surprised by this, not only were you meeting the man behind Puzzlevision itself but also the man responsible for creating your favorite television shows and movies, you were meeting an… Idol essentially, but the thing that was the most shocking was just how huge this dude was, he was LITERALLY a giant, in fact he had to be 90 to a 100ft tall, he was holding you a gloved palm like you were weightless.
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It was… Scary… He brought you closer to the screen “My my, absolutely flabbergasted by my presence are we? I know, I know~ I’m quite wonderful, but, aside from that…! I want you to relax, I am not here to harm you or anything vile like that!”
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“No no, in fact, YOU my dear… You are the one who's been rating my shows with a PERFECT five stars, have you not?” And before you could speak, he chuckled, his face flickering to a happy smile “Of course you are! Well, I’m here to personally thank you! I do… Apologize for frightening you so, I er…” And then his face shifted to an annoyed and potentially embarrassed look.
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“...I’ll be honest, I do sometimes forget just how horrifying it could be to see a giant hand emerging from your television screen and then… Snatching you up, my intentions really were NOT to frighten you! In fact, I have a proposal of sorts for you in mind!”
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And then you were about to ask but once again, Mr. Puzzles spoke, he seemed to have realized something “Oh, where are my manners though, I’ve told you my name, which you obviously knew, but I’m afraid I don’t know your name, so what is it my little star?” You took a moment, squinting your eyes as you expected to be interrupted but Mr. Puzzles gestures for you to go on, his face going back to that smug look and so you spoke, still a bit shaky from the whole ordeal as you rested on Mr. Puzzles’ palm.
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“M-My name is… (Y/N)” And this made him snicker a bit “Ah, I see, this is a reader insert fanfiction where you can enter your own name…” You blinked a few times “. . .What?” And then he shook his head, his face going back to a smile.
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“Oh never you mind that, my little star! Just talking to myself… Anyways! It’s truly a pleasure to meet you, (Y/N), you’re QUITE a big fan of my show, and I must say I am honored by that…” And then Mr. Puzzles snapped his fingers and the television sets around all changed to the website, to show your ratings specifically, showing all those five stars you’ve given.
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“You’ve given me five stars on every episode so far, and even though the overall audience would… Disagree” His face flickered to show annoyance before flickering back “Your opinions of my show have NOT gone unnoticed!”
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Mr. Puzzles then leans in closer to get a better look at your tiny form, he seems to be pondering something, he seems to get a good idea but he doesn’t say much, waiting for you to speak now.
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You take a moment to recompose yourself, you take some deep breaths and then finally you speak “I- Um… Well, I’m… Glad I could at least help, with my ratings but… …What does that… Have to do with anything? Why did you take me? And also, you… H-How are you so gigantic?”
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Mr. Puzzles pauses for a moment before chuckling “Well now, aren’t we full of questions, naturally so, either way, I’ll answer the simple one first, how I’m so gigantic, it’s simple really, I can grow my body or shrink it to whatever size I please” . . . That… Really didn’t make sense to you but then you looked around at the weird dimension you were in and looked at the being responsible for your favorite shows.
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…Eh, maybe some things didn’t need to be questioned too much… And then Mr. Puzzles’ screen flickered, showing that wide colorbar grin that unsettled you a little, he leaned even closer, his huge screen nearly touching you, the light from it was… Bright and warm, it was… Somewhat comforting “You wanna know why I chose you…? It’s very simple, my little star… Seeing how you're such a big fan of mine and how many times you’ve watched all those episodes”
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And just like that, the television sets around you flickered to show you, to show you on your couch or in other areas watching those shows and okay that was… Creepy.
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“I figured I would make you a little proposition… So, (Y/N)... How would you like to star… In your very own show?!” Mr. Puzzles spoke excitedly, he saw your surprise, and waited for a response, you thought about it, but were a bit unsure “...I-I don’t know… I-” And then Mr. Puzzles cut you off, a smug look on his face “Think about it…! You could be a star, aligned to my vision of course, we could create something PERFECT here!”
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And then you took a few moments to think about it further, and well… It’s not like you had anything better to do, you just hoped it wouldn’t stress you out too much, on the positive side, you’d get to be working with the creator of Puzzlevision himself “...Y’know what …Sure…”
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Mr. Puzzles’ had a grin on his face, but it wasn’t that unsettling one, he seemed completely delighted “Fantastic! Then… A Tiny Star is Born!” And then he chuckled, muttering something under his breath “…Also funnily enough the title to this story…” Before you could question it, he held you carefully in his gloved hands and spun around happily with you.
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“My dear, you and I will create something wonderful together! Come, come, let’s get started!” You smiled a little, while he could be a bit… Eccentric and honestly a little unsettling looking at times, Mr. Puzzles seemed genuinely nice enough.
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And then you heard him snap his fingers and suddenly, the setting around you changed, it looked like a dressing room of sorts, Mr. Puzzles finally sets you down in the chair, giving your head a little pat with his finger “Now darling~! It’s time to tell you what you’re going to be doing” And then he snapped his fingers again and suddenly, a script appeared in your lap.
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“This is going to be a tale of action… Adventure! Comedy! …Maybe some tragedy… And who knows, maybe even… Romance~!” And he winked when he said that which made you blush a little before you opened the script and began to read it.
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Judging from what the script says, it’s about you getting imprisoned in a cage of sorts by an evil giant, and you have to escape from there, and then your adventure will unfold once free.
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Mr. Puzzles then smiled, clasping his hands together as he looked down at your tiny form, he bent down “Just read over your script and rehearse for as long as you need to, mkay? After all, you can’t just rush perfection~ And when you’re done, some of my assistants will help you with your costume! Good luck, my little star!” And then with a snap of his fingers, Mr. Puzzles disappeared...
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Leaving you alone to catch your breath and take a bit to fully process what was happening, you had essentially been kidnapped by not only a giant TV headed humanoid, but also the man who just happens to be the one behind Puzzlevision itself and he had just essentially hired you as an actor.
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And yet here you were, sitting in the chair, looking at yourself in the mirror, which, you noticed while the room was giant sized, a lot of the objects were perfectly sized for you, everything seemed to have been customized to fit your size, you weren’t complaining though, at least Mr. Puzzles was considerate enough …Either way, you looked down at the script and sighed, smiling a little, this couldn’t be all bad, after all.
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You had met your idol and you were going to be working with him! This gave you determination, excitement, and so you began to read through the entire script, reading the idea, fixating on it much like you did with those shows, you would also rehearse your lines over and over again until they were memorized.
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During this time because well, nobody could just memorize all that in a day, Mr. Puzzles would pop in and check up on your progress and offer you some supporting words, and also obviously giving you something to eat and drink as well as even offering you breaks from time to time, during these breaks, you two would actually get to know more about each other, Mr. Puzzles would let you sit in his palm, you’d talk about yourself.
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And he’d talk about himself …A LOT, although, you noticed despite his egotistical nature that he seemed to genuinely listen to you, in fact, you noticed with any other crew, he’d listen to you more so instead of constantly interrupting and talking over.
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What seemed to stun everyone the most is the fact that Mr. Puzzles listened to YOUR ideas and actually liked them or implemented them into the show they were planning, because according to the crew, he NEVER listened to anyone aside from himself, he’d barely even listen to his own audience, you took notice that you got… Some special privileges, and then finally, after a while of rehearsing, some tweaking of the script, costume design, and all that.
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It was time… Mr. Puzzles appeared, hands clasped together and a smug look on his face “Alright, my dear little star! It’s time for your big debut! It’s time for you to shine!” You smiled and nodded, all dressed up as the man picked you up, holding you gently in his gloved palms, his face flickered back to a smile.
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You knew how badly Mr. Puzzles wanted to hit a full five star rating on his show, and you knew he could be… VERY much a perfectionist but he seemed to lighten up with you around “Yeah, maybe you’ll get the five stars this time, I uh, I’ll definitely do my best to help you, Mr. Puzzles” And the TV headed humanoid paused momentarily before smiling with his head tilted to the side.
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He pats your head affectionately “D’aww… Aren’t you sweet? You’ll do fantastic! After all, a face like yours was made for television, if I do say so myself~” And you blushed a bit at that and then… It was time…
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Mr. Puzzles heard a crew announce that and then he sets you down gently, he ushers you along with some big fingers “Now go on my dear! You can do this, you’ll look fantastic!” Mr. Puzzles praises which gives you some confidence and you nod, and then you were heading out there, it was… A bit nerve wracking, you were worried deep down of failing, disappointing or worse, upsetting Mr. Puzzles as well.
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You had seen how the man could be, sure his anger nor disappointment had NEVER been directed at you so far but seeing that one face… Those realistic eyes and lips, it was… Horrifying to say the least.
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You just tried to do your best, once the cameras were rolling, you played your part, an innocent tiny human who had been captured by a giant, taken to a castle, and shoved into a cage, well, you supposed he was handsome to you as Mr. Puzzles tended to star in his own shows a lot, you acted out your part, the other gigantic being acting out theirs, you had no idea where they even came from but you didn’t question it.
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Then came the scene of the giant about to grab you from your cage before, they had fallen over as if knocked out, and well, sure enough, here comes Mr. Puzzles, playing the hero, a hand extends to you, which you had been told to act fearful of at first to the script.
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…It was… Hard to truly be fearful when you trusted him as much as you did, and then Mr. Puzzles spoke, his voice dramatic …Well, more dramatic than usual “No no, my dear…! Don’t be frightened, I am here to save you from this monstrous creature…! Climb onto my hand, and I shall free you from your gruesome fate…!” You acted hesitantly like you had rehearsed, acting hesitantly as you walked over to the massive palm splayed out in front of you.
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And then you slowly climbed onto it and you were lifted up to see the face …Well, the screen of your savior, you saw the smug smile on his screen and well, you genuinely blushed, you couldn’t help it, and you had even seen some blush on his screen as well, it wasn’t… A part of the script but it added to the scene.
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And then, Mr. Puzzles was about to take you away from there before the giant began to wake up, and then a battle ensued, Mr. Puzzles had set you down, standing in front of you protectively, it took you every fiber of your being not to roll your eyes at how dramatic he was when speaking “Don’t worry my dear! I’ll keep you safe! You have nothing to fear!” Mr. Puzzles and the giant fought.
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A clash of titans if you would… You of course went and hid behind one of the containers on the shelf as that’s what was scripted, the fight lasted for about twenty minutes or so before Mr. Puzzles came out on top, he stood over the fallen giant victoriously.
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And then Mr. Puzzles walked back over to you, breathing heavily for the effect, he then extended a huge palm down to the table “Come now, my dear, let me get you out of here” And then you stepped out, and began walking toward the palm, looking up at him, you climbed onto it and then he began to walk out of the castle, walking and taking one last look back on the fallen giant, after walking out, that ended the scene.
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And another version of him sitting in a chair yelled “CUT!” You honestly didn’t know how he could do what he did, but then again, magic was already a pretty nonsensical thing, you had stopped questioning things upon first meeting him to be honest.
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That copy had disappeared in dramatic fashion after that and the real Mr. Puzzles holding you currently held you up and began to swing you around carefully and gently “My dear little star! You have such talent! I just KNEW I picked the perfect actor for my shows!” You smiled, your face slightly reddened at those words, you had hoped this would help Mr. Puzzles get to five stars as you knew how badly he had wanted it.
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In fact, during the time you two had spent together, he had confided in you just how badly he wanted to hit that five star rating, he had even mentioned something that if he hit those five stars then nothing would ever be the same again.
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You really hoped you could help him achieve this dream of his and then Mr. Puzzles set you down, his screen flickering to that happy grin of his, it was the less unsettling one, you noticed how his eyes seemed to move about during it, it was a cute expression …Although you definitely had your favorite expression of his, you wouldn’t say that out loud though, and then he set you down on the ground “Alrighty! Why don’t you go and take a breather, (Y/N)? After all, I’m sure you’re exhausted after that wonderful performance!"
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You nodded, he was right, you were exhausted after all that, especially from all the nervousness you felt deep down, you headed off to your own little room that Mr. Puzzles had designed specifically for you.
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You did wonder if he planned to keep you here forever or something, after all, you did have a home to go back to, you maybe needed to talk to him about that… …For now, you sat in your room that was perfectly customized to your size, you sighed and took some deep breaths, you decided to grab yourself something to snack on and drink and then you sat down on the couch, you needed some stress relief, so you decided to read a book.
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After all, usually after shows were filmed, Mr. Puzzles would be gone for a bit, you assumed he was keeping up with the ratings and well making sure everything was in order, he seemed to be on top of everything that goes on here, he seemed to be in control of everything here judging from the looks of it.
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You read your book for a bit before moving onto playing some video games, you did that for a little bit, and then finally, you listened to some music, all of these activities easing your stress, although, there was a lingering fear deep down in the back of your head, worrying that you hadn’t done a good job, that Mr. Puzzles would be angry with you if he didn’t hit those five stars...
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Even if he had never shown any signs of anger to you, you definitely had a lot more special privileges compared to the other crew members and actors, in fact, you were the one Mr. Puzzles hung out with a lot, he rarely ever hung out with the others, if he did, it was mostly for appearance’ sake.
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He could be egotistical a LOT, he was a perfectionist, he had a lot of… Questionable traits in all fairness but as you sat there listening to music, you kept thinking of the TV headed humanoid, you had been here already for… Well, a long time, Mr. Puzzles had said you had been here for about a week when you asked, which on one hand you REALLY needed to get back to your home because you just know you had some cleaning to do amongst other things.
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But on the other you didn’t… Necessarily want to leave here either, the reason is because even during the week you had spent here, you had saw Mr. Puzzles less as an idol, but more so… As a crush, you were developing feelings for him.
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You thought back to just a few moments ago, when the two of you had blushed at one another, you thought about that damn face, that damn smug look he oh so loved to wear all the time… Even now, when you were alone, just thinking about it made your face blush, you groaned as you plopped down on the couch, laying down and placing your hands over your face.
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You were falling in love with the TV headed humanoid and you felt silly for it, after all, hell, you doubted he felt anything like THAT toward you, sure, he liked you and gave you special privileges and… . . . Wait… Did he also have feelings for you? You shot up from the couch, thinking about that now.
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And the more you thought about that the more you began to realize that maybe he did have a thing for you, you wouldn’t assume obviously, but it would make plausible sense, before you could question it further though, suddenly, you had been teleported out of your room and grabbed up by a giant gloved hand like usual, you yelped and panicked just a little bit from the suddenness of it and before you could even try to speak or protest...
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Mr. Puzzles was spinning around with you again, and okay, this time it was making you pretty dizzy, the TV headed humanoid wasted no time in telling you what the deal was “My dear little star! Look!” He pointed at his own television screen, and it flickered.
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This time, not showing a face but he showed the episode that had just dropped with you in it, and your eyes widened, you looked shocked, the episode had a full five stars, everyone, even some of those executives that had criticized the show so harshly were stunned with their reviews of it, they had even given it a five stars, the overall opinion of the public was that this show was very good, and this meant you had helped him.
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You had helped Mr. Puzzles achieve his dream, and that made you ecstatic, now you understood why he was spinning you around “H-Hah…! We did it!” You were happy, finally, the streaming service and the shows you had such a passion and love for, now people seemed to understand.
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Mr. Puzzles’ faces flickered between each one except the scary and annoyed expression, he seemed like he was going to overload with happiness unless he calmed down, he tried to calm down and recompose himself, his face going back to a regular smile “Yes! I finally got my five stars, and it’s thanks to you, my dear! I just knew I made the right decision by taking you with me, with you by my side, we’ll be unstoppable! The whole WORLD will tune into Puzzlevision to watch our shows!”
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It was not often, if at all that Mr. Puzzles would give anyone else aside from himself the spotlight, the credit, but he seemed to be ecstatic by the thought of sharing the fame if it meant sharing it with you.
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You were happy, and you hadn’t realized there were some tears forming in your eyes, because well, knowing you had helped him succeed, that took a lotta nervousness off that you had been feeling, Mr. Puzzles quickly noticed this, and his face flickered to an expression you hadn’t seen before, a face of genuine concern and worry “(Y/N)? My favorite little actor… What’s wrong? Have I been holding you too tightly? Did the swaying scare you?”
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You were quick to shake your head “N-No, I just… I’m just… Really glad I helped you, I-I uh, I won’t lie to you, Mr. Puzzles… I-I was… Kinda nervous, anxious about…” And you paused, unsure whether you should admit this.
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But, Mr. Puzzles looked like he wanted to know what you were about to say, in fact, he wasn’t interrupting you, and well, you couldn’t lie to him or hide that forever, so you sighed and decided to open up just a bit “...I-I just, I was worried… That i-if I didn’t, um, get you to five stars, that you’d… Get angry with me” And Mr. Puzzles gasps, his face flickering to one of surprise but he understood why you’d think that, and then he brought you closer to his screen.
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A warm smile on his face as he held you in his giant gloved palm “Oh my dear little star… My sincerest, I… Know I must have put a LOT of stress on you during those times, and while, true, I do get angry with some of my staff…”
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Mr. Puzzles begins to gently stroke your head with his other hand, using a finger since he didn’t want to accidentally squish your tiny form “I would never take my anger out on you…! You… …Well, as cliché as it may sound, you are… Special to me, not just my favorite actor obviously, I…” And then he paused, seemingly trying to find the words, his screen flickered, and well, he awkwardly stuttered which is rare for someone as confident as him.
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And his screen had pink where his cheeks would be “...W-Well I… Erm, I… I value… You…” His words sound a bit robotic before a flicker of annoyance crosses his face and he sighs before finally speaking properly “I… I really do value your company, you make this space feel… LESS lonely”
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You looked up at Mr. Puzzles, processing his words, you felt his finger reach up to wipe your tears gently away and that made you smile and blush slightly yourself, you reached out to hold his finger, your hand could just barely fit around the gloved appendage because of your small stature, while you did need to address the fact that you also needed to go home …At least every once in a while.
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You could do that later, as it seems Mr. Puzzles had an idea, as he pulled his free hand back “Here, I know just the way to make it up to you” And with a snap of his fingers, the space around you two changed, into a much cozier setting.
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It was your home but, big enough to accommodate Mr. Puzzles’ huge height, a place where you felt at your most comfortable and safe, he snapped his fingers again and a weighted blanket formed around you, wrapping securely around you, some of your comfort foods and drinks appeared if you wanted, Mr. Puzzles then holds you close to his chest, and well.
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You can hear a heartbeat, it makes you wonder about Mr. Puzzles anatomy, just how did the man work exactly…? He was a TV headed humanoid, did he have a real heart or was he just imitating a heartbeat to give you comfort? Either way, it was a very nice gesture.
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Mr. Puzzles looked down at you with a warm smile and a blush on his face “Let’s just enjoy some quiet time together my dear little star” You nodded at that, feeling utterly relieved to have the pressure taken off and to just be able to relax, you sat there in the palm of the TV headed humanoid’s hand, he gently stroked your hair in an affectionate manner.
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You hadn’t had much time to think about it since you had been working for the last week or so with Mr. Puzzles but, now you were paying attention to just how tiny you were in the palm of his hands, you fit perfectly in them, you felt… Comfortable and safe, despite how unhinged the man could be.
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You have seen some of his more… Unhinged moments play out as the week had unfolded obviously, and well, he could definitely be intense but he never seemed like that to you…
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You watched as Mr. Puzzles looked down at you, even the way he looked at you compared to others was different, he had a soft, gentle expression on his face, he did give you that smug look sometimes but that just made your heart swoon whenever he did, and you had a feeling he knew that because he loved to pull that face on you more often.
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In fact, his screen flickered to that face as if he had read your mind, he didn’t speak but he was smugly staring down at you, he adored attention and oh boy, did he love your attention on him like this.
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You felt the warmth of Mr. Puzzles screen bearing down on you, it wasn’t overwhelming or super hot, just a pleasant warmth that made you feel comforted, you knew your parents had once told you not to sit too close to the TV many times but, well, considering how things are now, you wouldn’t mind sitting close to THIS television, it’s something you could get used to.
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You snuggled a bit closer in the giant TV headed humanoid’s palm and you saw his screen flicker for a split second, he seemed surprised that you were so comfortable, so trusting around him but then he had a genuine smile and a pink blush on his screen.
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You two didn’t speak, but you didn’t have to, the looks on your faces, the atmosphere of the room spoke for itself, Mr. Puzzles gently reached his free hand down, stroking your cheek with a huge finger, you allowed this to happen, even nuzzling slightly into the touch, it felt… Nice, you felt completely safe and trusting in these giant hands.
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You reached out to gently pat his finger, as a silent thank you, pausing slightly when you looked at your own hand just compared to one of his fingers alone, you were pretty fascinated by the size difference, even though Mr. Puzzles had said he could shrink or grow whenever he felt like it.
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You had questioned to yourself at some point why he stayed this height, in fact at some point during the week you had asked why he stayed that height and he gave you a strange answer, yet another weird thing of mentioning a story of sorts, he had said something along the lines of ‘Oh, that’s because this story wouldn’t exactly be an x Tiny!Reader if I wasn’t giant’ . . . You REALLY needed to ask him to explain what he meant by all that because it had just confused you completely.
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But for now, you were beginning to grow sleepy, you yawned and Mr. Puzzles seemed to catch on to it, and well his screen flickered for a moment before going back to his smile, and then, soft, relaxing music began to play.
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You smiled, appreciative of that as you lay down on the palm of his hands, he continued to stroke your head gently, keeping you held securely to his chest, the steady rhythm of a heartbeat that you didn’t know was real or synthetic but either way, the steady rhythm helped further relax you, you snuggled into both his palm and the weighted blanket, you began to close your eyes, you felt the warm glow and light of his screen on you.
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You could tell he was looking at you, and well, Mr. Puzzles wouldn’t deny, to him, you looked absolutely adorable like this, he was… Awkward with admitting any feelings he may have, hell, he had been awkward trying to tell you that you mattered to him in general.
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You then spoke finally, your soft sleepy voice echoing out “...Goodnight, Mr. Puzzles…” And then Mr. Puzzles chuckled softly, patting your head “...Goodnight, my dear little star… Sleep well…” And then you finally fell asleep, safe and sound in the palm of his hands.
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(Woo boy gfjdhgdfsk be glad y'all get the fluff- bc oh man I have a lotta angsty ideas for this sadistic tv headed freak /vpos but legit I do have a lot of fun writing g/t stuff, a part of me misses doing that for characters but genuinely I hope y'all enjoy!)
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hopelesslyromanticgay · 11 months
Text
An Americano, Please? Part 2
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Word Count: 757 A/N: italicized text within quotation marks means that the person speaking is using Romanian instead of English
Y/N's POV:
I haven't seen Jenna for five days, so she was probably just a tourist. It's not uncommon for a tourist to pop by the shop asking for a coffee but not being able to speak Romanian, so I have no idea why I'm so sad that she's not coming back. 
I thought the idea of a "hallway crush," (someone you've interacted with once or twice for a short or professional amount of time, but are attracted to nonetheless), only lasted through high school. I guess I was wrong.
Friday morning, the shop is quiet because of how early it is. I shovel some coffee beans into the grinder. Despite the annoyingly loud noise it makes, I find it an oddly satisfying process.
I yawn, getting out of bed at four thirty for a five AM shift is nobody's idea of a good start to a day.
Once the coffee's all ground up, I put some in the drip coffee brewer and the rest next to the espresso machine.
In the back, I can smell my coworkers taking today's baked goods out of the oven.
"Hey, L/N, want a cinnamon bun? It's a little 'burnt', so we can't sell it," my coworker and friend Nessa asks. Every Friday is the same, Nessa and I are two of the only people around the shop this early, so we'll sneak a pastry and say it was burnt if anyone asks.
"Sure, Thanks!" I reply, taking the warm pastry from her. Taking a bite, a smile creeps across my face, "did you guys change the recipe? This is even better than last week's!"
"Yeah, boss asked if we could add a few more spices to the dough," she explains, "I'm a pretty big fan of the new recipe if I do say so myself."
It's not long before the cafe starts to smell like cinnamon and coffee, a perfectly inviting scent in the gloomy fall weather.
Five twenty and it's time to open up the shop. Of course, no one actually arrives until six, usually. Nevertheless the owner says being open early is best for business.
As I wait for the first customers to arrive, I zone out. There's not much to do except for sitting alone with my thoughts.
I'm so lost in thought that I'm thoroughly shocked when I hear the bell on the door ring, indicating that someone has entered the shop. I look up to see who it is. Then it dawns on me. She's a little paler than last time, but it's still her.
"Jenna?" I ask incredulously, I thought for sure she was gone.
"You remember me?" she raises an eyebrow.
"I remember most people who can't speak Romanian," I lie.
"Sure," she giggles.
"What can I get for ya today?" I ask.
"You know, I think I'll take your joke from the other day seriously," she replies with a faint smirk, "I'll have an Americano with oat milk please."
"Alright, an Americano for the American," I laugh, mixing the drink, "so, what brings you to Romania?"
"Could you please repeat that?" she asks, "sorry, I've been having trouble focusing lately."
"Well, you're clearly not a tourist, because most tourists don't stick around for more than three days. So I'm just wondering, what brings you to Romania?" I repeat.
"Oh, uh, I'm filming a TV show," she explains.
"You act?" I ask. I don't know why I'm surprised. She certainly has the looks and charisma for Hollywood.
"Yeah," she smiles, "this is definitely one of the bigger things I've done though."
"Congrats on that! What are you filming? Are you allowed to tell people?"
"It's a show about the Addams family," she tells me.
"Oh I love that franchise!" I exclaim, "Are you playing one of the family members?"
"Yeah, I'm Wednesday, which is both exciting and nerve wracking." 
Okay, so I'm literally talking to a celebrity. 
"Woah... That- that sounds like an awesome job," I smile, "good for you. So you'll be in the area for a while?"
"What's it to you?" she smirks flirtatiously, "you wanna take me out on a date or something?" I feel a blush start to creep it's way to my cheeks.
"That depends, you gonna be in town for a while?"
"At least six more months."
"In that case, how about I show you around town sometime?"
"I'd like that," she smiles. As much as I would love to keep up this banter, there's too many people in the store now.
I hand her the receipt, my number neatly scribbled down on the blank side, "reach out when you're available," I wink.
She heads out and I watch as she leaves.
On with the day. Only four hours left of this shift.
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cielooci · 7 days
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Hey! If it’s okay, can I request George Karin dating headcanons? Reader also works for Lockwood and co
what would it be like.. [hc]
to date george casper karim? (as his co-worker)
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PAIRING ⊱ g. karim × reader WARNINGS ⊱ written in second person's pov, l&co headcanons, just pure innocent fluff <3 proofread once NOTES ⊱ of course anon! hopefully i did your request some justice, althooooough i may have focused more on how he treats you as a partner in general. nevertheless, i did include some bits that feature you and him on cases, so i hope they make up for it!
© cielooci does not consent to their work being copied, translated, altered, or used by ai in any way possible
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for starters, george is the type of guy to express his affection quietly.
you wouldn't catch him saying "HEY BABE!" out loud and kissing you all over, nor suddenly showing up with the largest boquet of roses and dropping down one one knee.
instead, you'd catch him silently pass you little notes asking how you are, if you're doing okay, and all that fluffy stuff!
lets you relax against on his shoulder (or head, if you're taller) when you get too tired in the archives, smiling to himself as he tucks a strand behind your ear to admire you better.
he always glances back to make sure you're still following behind him: whether on a case or a simple stroll outside, he'd reach out his hand for yours and clutch it tight.
george thinks flowers are too cliché, so he brings you your favorite sweets, midnight snack, book, or a new disk for you to play on your record player.
if you picked the book, it's totally a poetry novel! he'd tell you to read a page every night, with a little handwritten note on the bottom in case you needed cheering up.
and if you're feeling particularly shaken about a case, he'd offer to let you sleep beside him or sit down beside you, words quieter than a whisper when he asks you if you're okay.
still feeling jumpy? no problem, you're spending the day at the archives with him researching.
or spend the day with him trying to teach you how to cook; at the end of the day the kichen is just one big mess of scattered ingredients (same thing if you know how to cook— the two of you probably got into a fun food fight).
oh, and his kisses would be soft, very gentle! cups your face and holds you as if you were the most delicate thing in the world.
george is also the type of guy to bring your knuckle to his face and press his lips on it, eyes filled with the purest adoration and love <3
even though he'd rather stay in the comforts of the sofa or his bedroom, he willingly goes with you for extra training with your rapier whenever you felt a little rusty.
during movie night on the weekend, the two of you would squabble for a good thirty minutes or so on who's picking the movie by who has better taste, though you just end up choosing the "pick for me" button or settling on an animated movie instead like caspee the friendly ghost.
WHICH BY THE WAY, you always love to tease him about, finding it funny that his parents named his middle name after it. he grumbles, throwing a pillow at you that escalates into a pillow fight.
the movie was forgotten.
lastly, he's still snarky and sarcastic even when you're around, although that earns him a smack on the head with a rolled up piece of paper or a push on the shoulder. oof.
it's just so plain in his eyes that he loves you, the look mirroring on yours. how could you not? especially with that small sweet smile that he reserves for when you enter the room, or the laughter that escapes him when you shoot a funny remark or do something incredibly stupid.
he was george. your george.
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POST NOTES ⊱ finally out of my writer's block! it's been a while, hello fellow writers <3 planning to cook up more fics soon, so please keep the requests going!
wanna be the first to know when a fic drops? go here!
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱ the taglist: @eeechooo
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drinkmoarwater · 1 year
Text
I’m finally done with school so I can participate in Dannymay for the first time :)
Day 17: Temper (ik I’m late but shhhhhh)
Jazz had three options, none of which she liked. She could leave, consider this conversation over, and pummel the punching bag at the gym until she passed out or the employees kicked her out again. She could stay and talk until she came to peaceful resolution with Principal Ishiyama, maybe talk her into a corner to admit that requiring Danny and her to pass a ectoplasm screening before being allowed back in school was a mistake. Principal Ishiyama liked her, it wouldn’t be hard to manipulate her rapport for the benefit of her baby brother. It would take a while, but Jazz could do it.
Or.
Jazz could smile, agree, and then burn the building to the ground on her way out. She had a lipstick blaster in her purse. The classrooms had plenty of flammable material. Books, paper, wooden desks, posters. It wouldn’t take much more than a few seconds of a focused blast and whoosh, a fire. Tucker would erase the camera footage before the police got access to it, if the tapes survived the blaze that is. Jazz wouldn’t even need to call in a favor for it, he’d probably laugh and say he owed her for getting him out of ap world history.
As Ishiyama explained the PTA’s petition to document all student’s ectoplasm exposure to her in slow syllables, Jazz noted that Ishiyama’s desk looked really breakable. One solid kick and Jazz would snap it half. The paper weights might hurt her ankle if they collided, but the desk was made of plastic made to look like wood. She could throw the thing over her head if she wanted, right out the window. Maybe that would be more satisfying, to be forced to use both her hands and hearing the crash. It would at least avoid breaking a heel.
Maybe Jazz should play this smart. Ask for the signatures on that petition. Write down their addresses. Take her time the next time a ghost attack wanders down their street. Shoot their mailboxes and say she has terrible aim. Steal their dogs and raise them as her own. Maybe that one’s a step too far.
Instead, Jazz bites the inside of her cheek. Option two was worth a try. “And why isn’t every student required to take a physical examination?”
Ishiyama sighed. “Not every student has been so thoroughly exposed to ectoplasm as those that have passed through your house. It’s a safety issue, one that I’m sure you understand, Jazz.”
“I don’t understand. Explain it to me again.”
“It’s a simple screening. It’s noninvasive, just a swab and a stroll through the ectoplasm detectors your parents invented. You’ll be fine. Your brother will be fine. What is it you don’t understand?”
Jazz pushed her toes into the soles of her shoes hard enough for it to be uncomfortable but unnoticeable. “An ectoplasm screening is not standard school policy. We live in the most haunted city in the country, don’t you think every student has some ectoplasm exposure?”
“If they do, it’s not enough to become a problem.” Ishiyama pulled out a file and flipped through its pages. “Thirty-six broken beakers, forty-two detentions, nine unexcused absences, and a letter of concern from one of your brother’s teachers. His grades aren’t pretty and he’s said to fall asleep in class more often than not.” Ishiyama took breaks from her reading out the files to make hard eye contact. “You have five unexcused absences, a significant jump from someone who had perfect attendance for three years straight, and three of your teachers have reached out to me about your jumpiness and sudden lack of participation.”
“Your point? These are behavioral issues, not physiological ones.”
“My point is that the petition mentioned the two of you by name, and your files give me good reason to listen.”
Taking a deep breath, Jazz let the silence hang for a moment. She put on her best I’m-thinking-very-hard face, an exaggerated pout with scrunched eyebrows. She bounced her leg, a false tell. She didn’t mention that it was wrong, manipulative even to have this conversation without her brother or parents in the room. She didn’t ask what would be done with their information if they submitted to the screening, or what they were expected to do if they didn’t pass, or which staff members signed. She didn’t take Ishiyama’s school district issued pen and blind her with it. Jazz didn’t do a lot of things that she could have, or maybe should have.
She half listened to Ishiyama’s justifications, comparing the screening to vaccinations and flu shots. She stayed quiet, nodding when expected and making unflinching eye contact. Ishiyama had one tell, to her credit. She hesitated over the flowery language of the petition, like she wanted to say “ghost” instead of “ectoplasmic entities and substances.” Jazz daydreamed about keying Ishiyama’s bright blue volkswagen in her assigned parking spot, carving a cartoonish ghost into the paint.
Jazz left the meeting with her shoulders back and her chin tilted downward. She was making a plan. She had many more options than what she first thought.
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puddle-nerd · 8 months
Text
Menace (Part 1)
Summary: Jake’s tail likes to get him into trouble because it has a mind of its own. (Jake x Reader)
Part 2
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Prompt 4 (Spanking) for my submission for LunasKinktober2023
Na’vi Translation: Olo’eyktan — clan leader Paskalin — honey (term of endearment) Unilpay – alcoholic drink like moonshine (non-canon) Story Tags: No use of y/n, Female Reader, Spanking, Friends to Lovers, Neytiri Married Tsu’tey because we don't do cheating in this house, Brief Mention of Past Cheating by Someone Else, Miscommunication, Mild Dub-Con-ish if you squint, Use of “baby girl” and “good girl”, Proper communication, color system, Fingering, Idiots, They’re both idiots! Idiots in Love
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Jake Sully was an unabashed flirt. Jake Sully was an absolute menace. He had been a bit of a menace when he’d been human and wheelchair bound but after the final transfer through the eye of Eywa? Honestly, it had more than likely been an issue probably even before then but he’d only been in his Avat for a handful of hours before he’d been away learning how to be one of The People. The issue had been and still was that his tail always seemed to have a mind of its own.
You could tell a lot about what a Na’vi or an Avatar was thinking or feeling by learning the movements their tails and the way Jake’s twitched around you (although with those expressive ears, those lasciviously teasing smiles, and the tone he delivered certain words and phrases…); he was without a doubt an unrepentantly horrible flirt. He’d been that way back on Earth, too. Tommy, because you’d met the younger Sully first through university and induction into the Avatar program and he’d eventually introduced you to his older twin after the incident in Venezuela that left Jake in a chair, had quickly become embarrassed beyond belief whenever Jake turned his flirty behavior your way. And you shouldn’t have fed into him. You really shouldn’t have but if your ex hadn’t cheated… well Jake’s flirting had made the sting of your ex two-timing you for your uni class enemy all the more bearable.
And now, being only one of thirteen women and one of thirty-five remaining humans staying on Pandora after the near destruction of HomeTree, his flirty behavior was still welcome, most of the time, because he was the only one showing interest in you it seemed.
Most of the scientists were more focusing all of their attention upon the flora, the fauna, The People than making romantic gestures towards others, though there had been a few new relationships crop up. The techs and the pilots usually stuck more together, while the scientists devoted themselves more to their work than to fornicating with each other. Accidentally finding Trudy straddling Norm’s lap of all things one day had been a laugh around the labs for a solid month but the two of them surprisingly worked well together. And they had been the ones who had taken charge of raising Paz Socorro’s orphaned baby whom they had decided to use his middle name ‘Ethan’ instead of what the birth certificate labeled his first name as: Miles. The last Miles that had been on Pandora – well, Neytiri had killed the bastard and with good cause, too. You all just wished you knew who Ethan’s father had been as that space had been left blank.
One of Pandora’s great mysteries, you supposed.
“Jake, get control of your tail or I’m gonna cut it off!”
Menace.
You had been trying to structure the DNA strands of one of the flowers that Mo’at had once told you was great for healing until Jake’s tail had knocked over a glass tray of tubes behind you, wagging away like an overexcited puppy. At least he had the decency to look sheepish at the dirty look you shot him. “Sorry, Paskalin,” he called out, backing away from the mess. His Avatar body was too large now to successfully grab a human-sized broom and sweep up the shards leaving you to do it. You went to crouch over the pile you’d made a few minutes later only to feel that menace of a tail swat your backside. You looked up but he was studiously looking away from you, the corner of his mouth curled up.
“Go bother Neytiri or something,” you snapped, taking the pan of dirt and now useless glass and carrying it to the closest bin.
Jake’s good mood plummeted. He grumbled low in the back of his throat like a displeased feline. Your words had been a low blow, honestly, and you’re not sure why you’d chosen that to say to him. After the death of her father and her intended had been made Olo’eyktan, Neytiri and Tsu’tey had gone ahead with their official mating after most of the Sky People had been chased off planet despite her having been seemingly interested in Jake before. There had been a huge ceremony a week ago, Jake had begrudgingly recalled to you as you had not been invited. Lots of paints and new necklaces and intricately designed loincloths woven together specifically for their union. And he’d been introduced to the moonshine-like drink The People referred to as unilpay.
You tried not to shiver at the memories of that night. A drunken Jake had stumbled his huge blue body through your bedroom door at the witching hour after Neytiri and Tsu’tey’s wedding ceremony and nearly scared the absolute shit out of you. In vindictive retribution, you recalled he’d ended up knocking his large head against both your doorframe and your ceiling light fixture, mumbling incoherently in a broken hybrid of the Na’vi language and English before slumping heavily over your bed, nearly squishing you in the process. And that damn tail of his had wrapped itself possessively around your upper thigh, the dark tuft flicking lazily against the very thinly covered juncture of your thighs. At least you had had panties on to begin with. Not having expected Jake’s sudden appearance, you had taken care of your own needs earlier that night and hadn’t thought to air out your room. You (later that night) had also had a pretty fantastic dream that Jake had woken you in the middle of the night and fingered you to completion with two of his large, blue fingers, stretching you wider than your ex could have dreamed.
When Jake had woken that next morning, he had buried his head into the crook of your neck, moaning about how good you smelled, hand digging into the softness of your belly. His tail had tightened around your leg and flicked against the front of your panties some more until you pinched the tip of his ear so you could escape and avoid how aroused he had been making you. The Avatar had quickly let you go after that, letting you escape with an unreadable frown upon his features. He’d been swinging by the lab nearly daily after that and making even more of a menace of himself every time.
“I’m sorry, Jake,” you said, seeing the unhappy look upon his face at the sting your words had caused.
“S’fine,” he mumbled, looking anywhere but you. “I’m gonna head out now.” He hardly ever cut his time short like this but you understood he was smarting at basically getting reminded that he’d been dumped and was now dealing with your shitty attitude and he needed to, metaphorically, lick his wounds. He turned to head out of the lab and his menace of a tail got in the final words, swatting your backside once more, this time a little harder, the sting in your backside causing your quim to tingle.
“Menace!” You called after his retreating back.
Shit.
You were going to need a cold shower.
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Jake hadn’t come back for two days, which was unusual, but not unheard of. So, again, you hadn’t expected to see him so late that night and had been enjoying the solitary of your private bunk, lights off, headphones in, naked and sweating upon your rumpled bed as you watched the pornographic video upon your tablet, fingers stuffed up into your dripping pussy.
The acting was as terrible as any fuck film usually was but what made it one of your favorites was the fact that, if you squinted, the main male and female characters kinda looked like you and a human Jake with his Na’vi size since the male pornstar was so much bigger than the female he was spanking away. It was a kink of yours, wanting to feel that burn of a hand striking your plush, naked bottom until the skin was red and raw, his other hand pressed firmly between your shoulder blades. (You hated it when the male grabbed their co-star’s hair in a tight fist and yanked their head back painfully. How was that supposed to be pleasurable? It always looked like he was about to rip chunks out of her scalp or snap her spine.) Then, with a sore bottom, when the female pornstar either got fingered to completion or fucked, ohhh, the orgasm that ripped through you was always a satisfying one.
Again… you hadn’t expected Jake to show up.
Legs spread wide, two fingers deep with your thumb circling your hardened clit, the sudden blue hand lifting your tablet from where you had it propped up to watch your fuck film caused you to shriek — and not in pleasure.
The sharp brightness of the video on Jake’s sapphire colored face was… weird. His eyes glowed with the light refracting out of them, much like a feline on Earth. You yanked your earbuds from your ear, the sound of skin slapping together fading from your hearing. You scrambled back, trying to locate your bedsheet to preserve whatever modesty you might have had left, screeching, “What the fuck, Jake?!” Your heart was galloping away in your breast, and you could feel the stickiness of your arousal on your one hand clutching the cotton to your chin. You could also feel it seep out of you as your cunt clenched on nothing, seeing him standing there.
“Well damn, baby girl,” the Avatar chuckled huskily. “If this is what you’re into, I could accommodate you. Unless you’re still embarrassed from the other night?” Golden eyes flashed as he turned towards you, a challenging brow raised.
Trying to restabilize yourself, you demanded, “What are you talking about, you menace?”
He smirked, hearing the familiar nickname. “The night I came by and got you off,” he replied, as if reminding you of something you should totally know about. You stared at him blankly. The grin began to fade. “After Neytiri’s wedding…?” You gaped at him. “Come on,” he groaned. “Don’t be embarrassed, baby girl.” Your cunt clenched again, hearing him call you that. “I’ve wanted to fuck you since I met you and I came by a week or so ago and I got you off and we fell asleep and then you ran away the next morning even though I could smell you getting hot for me again.”
He thought…
Oh… that changed things. Maybe…
“Jake… I…” you floundered, still. It had been a dream though… right? He hadn’t actually gotten you off, right? You had felt a bit more stretched out and sated that usual but that was because of the wet dream… right?
A considering look crossed his features. “I could take your choice away…” Your eyes bugged slightly as you stared up at him, still gaping away like an idiot or a fish or an idiot fish, heart kicking up speed in your chest, body trembling. A whole body shiver traveled through you. Jake scented the air and his golden gaze darkened, a predatory smirk crossing his features. “You like that, baby girl,” he stated. “You just got hotter for it. I can smell it. C’mere. Let D—let’s play.”
Jake suddenly yanked your top bedsheet away from you, uncovering your body and taking in your nudity eagerly. “Jake!” You protested but even to your own ears, it felt weak. He just smirked and grabbed your ankle, yanking you towards him. Oh, fuck. That had to be one of the hottest moves on the planet and the heat in your lower belly kicked back up. His nose wriggled and you hadn’t thought he could look even more smug. Before you could make sense of it all, Jake scooped you up, sat down on the end of your bed and then deposited your naked body across his bare thighs. You let out an ‘omph’ as you felt something else firm and hot digging into your hanging breasts and it took a second to realize; he’d taken his loincloth off. He was as naked as you were.
Looking down, you couldn’t see Jake’s cock but if you were judging off by what you felt, he was hung. And aroused.
You whimpered slightly.
“I gotcha, baby girl,” Jake assured you, one of his hands trailing his fingertips down your spine to the swell of your ass before dipping into the copious amounts of slick you had naturally produced. “Fuck, baby, bet I could get at least one finger in here no problem.” There was amusement and wonder in the ex-Marine’s voice. “But let me spank you, first. You like that, yeah?” You swallowed, nodding, bracing yourself on his thigh. “Use your words.”
You nodded again, saying, “Y–yeah, I… I like… getting s–spanked. Just… don’t pull my hair…?” Your voice trailed off.
“No hair pulling,” Jake repeated back. “Want me to brace your back instead, baby girl?”
You nodded, adding, “Yes, please,” before he could remind you.
“Good girl,” the Avatar grinned. “Color system work for you?” You verbally agreed. He prompted, “What’s your color, baby?”
“Green, definitely green,” you admitted, embarrassed at being displayed so but you couldn’t deny your arousal and you were both consenting adults.
Jake experimentally dropped his hand against your backside. It didn’t feel like much. “Like this, baby girl?”
You decided to be a brat and retorted, “A toddler could hit harder, Jake.” The next slap was much more appealing and you let out a quiet ‘oooph’. “Much better, Sully.” You peeked up at him to see him shooting you an eye roll. He spanked you again, earning another quiet moan. Then again and again and again. “Oh fuck,” you moaned, writhing over his knees as the sting in your ass and upper part of your thighs built enticingly with each strike. You nearly screamed when his next blow landed on your engorged cunt, nails biting into his thigh. He held you down harder and struck you there again, your squirming rubbing over the length of his hard cock. “Fuck, don’t stop, Jake. Don’t stop.”
A couple of more spanks to your ass, your upper thighs and your pussy and you felt the coil in your body preparing to spring. “Gonna cum?” Jake hissed through clenched teeth, delivering two more spanks. “Be a good girl and cum for me. Cum for daddy!”
The Avatar smacked your pussy directly eight more times, fingers spreading the sting between your cunt and your clit, before you did as you were told with a wail, slick flowing steadily all over his hand. He chuckled darkly, sinking his index finger into your fluttering walls and stroking a spot inside that prolonged the bliss and had you sobbing as you writhed over his knees, cumming harder than you can ever recall cumming before in your life. He eased you through it and when you started to calm, slid you up and off his legs, readjusting you to lie against his chest.
“You good, baby?” Jake asked softly. “Not gonna fall asleep on me again, are you?”
You hummed. “Not yet,” you admitted. You propped your head up onto your hand, bending your arm at the elbow. “Thank you for taking care of me, daddy.” Jake rubbed a hand over his face in embarrassment. “Hey, hey, I was just teasing,” you said softly, sitting up. “I have a spanking kink. You have a daddy kink. It’s cool. I’ll call you daddy if you spank me like that some more.”
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Originally Posted: 04 October 2023 Word Count: 2,590
AO3
@pandoraslxna, @eyweveng
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marcsnuffy · 9 days
Text
Categorizing Blue Lock videos on YouTube because I'm bored
1. Manga chapter recaps.
Usually over 2 minutes, under 10 minutes. They will usually include the word "analysis" in the title even if they're just summaries with casual commentary. More often than not, the thumbnails include a brightly colored manga panel with a lot of eye strain-y VFX.
The titles usually include an attention-grabbing phrase, such as: "[character] AWAKENS?!" (or "ENTERS FLOW STATE?!"), "[character, usually Isagi] DESTROYS [character]", or "[character, recently it's been Kaiser] IS A FRAUD?!"
2. Blue Lock as a source for life lessons
Basically, someone takes a philosophy from the story and applies it to real life. More often than not, they're related to the mere concept of egoism and how to use it to improve your life.
It's usually people who say they used to be in a situation in which they slowly let themselves get carried away by what others asked/wanted from them or by their fears, instead of doing what they really want to do until they watched Blue Lock. Which isn't that bad, however sometimes they say things in such a way that I worry that they're taking Ego's monologues a little bit too seriously.
Some videos focus on the lesson they got from the series in general, some focus on a specific character. The ones I've seen around are Isagi, Bachira, Barou and Noa focused, but there are way more. There's a Nagi one and I can't wait to watch that one because it's probably from an anime only who has No Idea what's happening to him now.
These have summaries in them too, but the commentary has more thought put into it at least. There's some motivational music in the background. The thumbnails include a character, text and maaaybe a graph or something. The titles are stuff like "How [character] does [whatever it is they do] and how you can do too" or "Becoming an Egoist Blue Lock Style"
3. People reacting to bllk for the first time
Around ten to almost thirty minutes. Half of them involve people who either love or hate football, the former usually find it (bllk) weird and point out the unrealistic bits and the latter will usually find it hype. The thumbnails will include the people reacting with surprised/shocked/appalled faces with some anime visual beside them.
The other half are people reacting to how unrealistic/corny/gay it is. The thumbnail will either include an anime picture of a character, usually Isagi. If it's about the manga 9/10 times Shidou (or something he said) will be on the thumbnail. The title is either something like "I read Blue lock and..." or a toned down version of "wtf is going on on blue lock". There are also summaries/recaps in these videos but they're done in a comedic way.
4. Powerscaling/shonenhead content
Rankings, values, hypothetical 1v1s, potential team combinantions, panels that look cool, building something using a filter that randomizes a character, the best trio/duo/goal/team/character/etc. Dramatically colored manga panels. Short, usually in the form of a youtube short. There's usually phonk music in the background. You'll know it when you see it.
5. Misc.
Compilations, be it dub compilations (must include the "THIS GUY IS BUILT DIFFERENT!" line) or character compilations OR gay moments compilations. Fun fact videos. Gacha Life videos. Those videos where Rin's english line is edited funny. Blue Lock with realistic timing (videos last less than a minute). Blue Lock tricks IRL (these are fun). Insane theories. and
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heylittleriotact · 24 days
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I read the rules AFTER replying to the post. The title that most intrigues me is Senna Origins, because yeah, Senna. I might be a lil obsessed.
For you, anything! Thank you, friend 🥰
This is a portion from Senna’s backstory, which mostly focused on their upbringing and youth in the Feywild, and their activities within the Seelie Court as a young adult. I actually have yet to finish this because in the campaign that Senna exists in, they’re 472 years old and have spent around two centuries in the Material Plane and having to account for almost 500 years of being alive is… well it’s a lot.
I was picking them off one by one, pulling away pieces of a war machine that was driven by greed, privilege, and hubris. Lillian was becoming more and more powerful, her ideas were holding more sway, and I was becoming far too big for my britches: It was no longer enough for me to control the ebb and flow of the Seelie Court with my humble influence. I decided it was time to bless the Unseelie Court with my unique knack for taking out the trash as well.
(It’s vital to understand that the following decisions resulted in me ultimately drinking for roughly a decade straight in the Material Plane, and then sleeping for another 24 years to nurse away the cumulative hangover.)
Back when we had our silly little pissing contest with the Unseelie Court and Lillian and I were put on the front lines for a short time, the biggest battle we fought was against a monster named Baron of the Withering Spiritual Resilience - We called him Bows’r - He was big. He was mean. He was a graceless oaf (but really probably a lot more graceful than you know… un-Fey standards), and he led a battalion of four thousand to near victory against our own force. He was high ranking in the Unseelie Court, and I figured if I’d defused the powderkeg that was my own court, I may as well balance it out on the other side too.
I approached this differently though. There was a lot of sneaking, a lot of cloak and dagger, a lot more cloak, and a lot of being really, really careful that this didn’t get back to Lillian, or the rest of the Seelie Court, who still at best barely tolerated me.
See, my goal wasn’t to take down just Bows’r. My goal was to take down Bows’r, by goading him into an attempt on Oberon himself (actually knowing full well that I didn’t really have any kind of personal issue with Oberon, aside from the fact that he was one of them, and back then that was enough. Yes. I was an idiot, thanks.)
It would have worked spectacularly if I hadn’t suffered a betrayal within my own ranks which tipped Bows’r off, led him straight to Lillian instead of Oberon, and ultimately squared things such that the might of both Bows’r and Oberon were unjustly laid upon Lillian.
This was not just a matter of mistaken identity, a few bruises, and a socially awkward situation. The world of the fey is not so droll. No. This treachery meant that Lillian was implicated in the plot that was mine, and for the fact that Oberon’s name was even mildly associated, the perceived challenge was answered with the swift, practical retribution of The Hunter.
My love was taken away. Pierced by thirty-seven golden arrows even as I sought to buy her freedom with whatever means I could.
I watched it happen, I saw her face - content, relaxed - safe. I saw it fall to fear and surprise as the Green Lord appeared and took his prize, as triumphant and gleaming as any god would be in a tale told to you by someone else. I saw her curl, stretch, curl, shudder, and succumb on her feet to the wounds inflicted on her.
There was no time to explain, you see. Between my fatal error, Lillian’s false implication, and her blood on the mossy ground, less than a few hours had passed. There was no room to talk my way out, no way to talk her out, no army at our back, and nowhere else to go but… anywhere. And if you know even the loosest concept of anywhere, you know it means little to Oberon.
All I could do was watch as the Green Lord stooped and shouldered the body of a woman much larger than he, and all I could think of was the image of a hardened hunter hauling off a well-earned kill. Her blood trailed down his green shoulders and arms as he looked at me, without words.
“Release her,” I managed, from my broken and pitiful position on my knees. The hot tears that carved down my cheeks felt foreign and terrible. I felt, for the first time in my life, that I might be sick for the fear and grief that ruled my body now. I was no longer an instrument to the music: I had been swept up mercilessly in its unyielding fury.
The Green Lord’s cheek curled in a wry smile. “Set a trap, spring the line, and request from me that which is mine?” Lillian’s form was shifted up higher on the shoulder, and I swallowed back the gag that forced its way into my throat when I heard a bit of blood drip out of her own onto the forest floor. I forced myself to my feet, horribly aware of the soil and plant-life wedged deeply under my fingernails, horribly aware of the dryness of my own mouth and the wetness of my pants as I ignored the quaking in my knees and the sharp metallic flavour of fear on the back of my tongue warning me that my life was in very severe danger. I breathed in as deeply as I could - a shallow and sad attempt at best - but I forced my head high, forced my expression blank, and willed my forsaken knees still. There was music in this nightmare too. There had to be. I just needed to listen.
I looked Oberon in the face. In the eyes. And I said (as if it mattered, which around the Feywild, it very may well):
“Let her go, please.”
And he laughed in my face and disappeared from the forest in I don’t know… a fucking raincloud or something probably.
And he took Lillian with him. He took Lillian. My love, my queen, my hero. My best friend. My only real friend.
The problem - the real problem aside from him murdering my lover in front of my eyes for a crime that was not hers - was that he also took my child. My child that Lillian had only told me about moments before Oberon’s intrusion.
My beloved, and my future: Gone in the time it takes a leaf to fall from a tree.
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fandsart · 1 year
Text
Wishing for Roses
I didn’t expect to write anything for Valentine’s Day, but I got this idea at work in the middle of the day, so it’s a bit late in the day now
1983. Some girl comes into class and starts passing out roses for the school telegram program. Eddie hates Valentine's Day for the obvious consumer problem of it all, but it's also always just been a bit of a bummer to be left out of all kinds of festivities every year. With the roll of the eyes, he returns back to his worksheet, doodling in the free spaces.
He's working on some kind of sea demon and is debating on giving it a trident or something when a plop on his desk startles him from his focus. He looks up at the girl handing out the telegrams, waiting for her to 'whoops, I dropped this.' Instead she moves on. Eddie looks around the class, waiting for the snickers to start up. He checks the tag, finding that his name is actually printed on the paper; no message though. Obviously this is some kind of prank, in which case, whoever set it up would be ready to point out the absurdity to the rest of the class. But everyone else is either too focused on their own roses, or their disappointment, or anticipation as the girl works her way over to their tables. Instead of looking at the broad overlay of the room, Eddie decides to think of who is the most likely in the class to pull this kind of prank and hone in on their reaction.
Steve Harrington sits across the classroom and a row behind him. He is, in fact, the only one in the room who isn't following the crowd of the room. He's looking out the window, away from Eddie. The rose girl hasn't reached him yet, and Eddie feels like he knows how this is going to go down, how Harrington has probably scripted this out. He's going to get however many roses he's about to get. Popular jock he is will probably get a fucking dozen at least. Then he'll reveal that he sent Eddie's as a prank and his own stack of roses will certainly help with the statement of the whole thing. Harrington gets more than he needs of everything constantly and the only thing Eddie will ever get is a joke.
But the girl passes Steve's table, dropping nothing, and he doesn't even react. Ok, maybe Steve isn't the one who sent Eddie's rose.  Maybe he bribed someone to get his early. Honestly it doesn't matter, because now Eddie has a real mystery on his hands. He doesn't want to rule out that this could be a prank, but everyone knew the telegrams would be delivered during second period and why would someone send a prank when they couldn't even fulfill the thing. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but it actually seemed like he'd gotten a genuine telegram from someone. And well, it's not exactly like much will likely come of it, Eddie being gay and all, but it's a nice thought that he's not universally hated by everyone outside of his friend group.
He brings it up to the rest of the Hellfire Club later at lunch. He figures it's super possible that one of them decided to send it as an act of friendship or something. Seems a bit more of an actively affectionate act than his friends tend to participate in, but that's his best guess. But no, none of them sent it. The idea that it was a prank does come up, but Eddie sights all his reasons against it.
"It's still possible though," Gareth says cautiously.
"Yeah, I'm aware of that," Eddie says. "But I figure it's gotta be like a twenty percent chance at this point. And I'd still like to know who sent it. Besides, what kind of prank is it to not draw attention to?"
"The kind that makes you lose your mind in your own bafflement?" Nate asks. "Ok, sure. Thirty percent chance it's  a prank."
"Still, wouldn't you rather just let it go," Jeff suggests. "Either it's a prank or you're just going to draw attention to yourself trying to figure it out, and the big dogs around here are going to think you're doing the whole 'fake girlfriend' thing."
"I'm always drawing attention to myself at risk of social perspective. I don't think this is going to make people think any less of me."
"Well it's good you think that," Gareth says, "because you've been waving that rose around this whole time and Hagan and Harrington is coming this way. Heads up."
"Gift that to yourself, Munson?"
"Well, I was hoping it would still have thorns on it so I could slice your face open and say it was the school's fault for giving it to me," he snarks. "Oh well, se la vie."
"Do you know who gave it to you?" Steve asks.
"Bet she's 'from a different school,'" Hagan cackles with his baby hyena laugh.
"People from other schools can't send telegrams," Steve tells him.
"Yes! Exactly!"
"We don't know who sent it," Gareth interrupts.
"Well doesn't that just figure. So either she's fake, or there's some secret girl freak around here."
"Hey, Carol's here." Steve nods towards the entrance of the cafeteria where Carol Perkins strolls in.
"Hey, Carol!" Tommy calls. "Guess who got-"
"God, Tommy," Steve interrupts. "You can tell her when we sit down to eat. Yes, there's gotta be something seriously wrong with whoever sent that, but can we just go eat. I missed breakfast."
"Fine, fine." They turn to leave. "She's gonna flip though," Eddie hears him say as they get further away.
The rose doesn't make it home. Doesn't even make it outside the cafeteria room before it gets in the trash. Even in the small chance that it was serious, he feels less guilty getting rid of it when he sees a few other roses already in the bin.
He doesn't really think about it until the next Valentine's day when he gets another. He's even more prepared for this to be a prank than last time, given it got around that he sent himself one last year. But nothing comes. He makes sure to not carry it around with him this time. It comes home with him this year, 1984. It's not until he gets home this time that he realizes there's a message on the tag this time.
Sorry about the trouble from last year. Sorry I can't sign this off as "secret admirer." I don't have a crush on you or anything, but I think you're cool.
Ok, so this is some kind of weird platonic telegram. Except the only times he's ever seen that happening is between people who are already friends. He can only hope that this is some kind of gay boy in denial, but it's entirely possible that it's a straight girl in denial about her taste in men. 'He can only hope?' No. No no no no no. He's not going to start hoping that something comes of this. First of all, Eddie is a senior, a super senior at that. He's already ready to leave Hawkins and if it is the case that this is a gay denial case, then he can't really expect that they'll get over it in time for Eddie to graduate in like 4 months. Especially when whoever it is had been fixated on him for a year and still hasn't come to.
Most likely it's a girl, and if not, it's not worth dwelling on. Besides, if his first one came last year, whoever it was must have been a freshman and he was still a senior last year so that just feels like it would be a bit creepy.
It was probably just some underclassman who admired Eddie's self assuredness and open expression so sent one once, then felt embarrassed for Eddie when it got out of hand and just wanted to put through an apology. It's not a big deal.
=0=
Apparently it is a big deal though, because apparently it wasn't just an admiring underclassman who sent them, it was Steve fucking Harrington.
=0=
"I guess I couldn't accept the fact that Steve Harrington was actually... a good dude... and fuck I mean, I can't even believe I'm saying that after how you were in high school."
Steve snorts. "Yeah? You have a crush on Tammy too, or is this about my old friendship with Tommy."
"I don't really know what Tammy has to do with this, but I was mostly thinking about how there would 'have to be something seriously wrong with someone to like men's as you apparently thought."
Steve stops in his tracks. "Right. That whole thing."
"I'm surprised you remember. I mean, I get how that conversation would seem less impactful to you than me. Less memorable"
"I never said there would have to be something wrong with someone for liking you."
"Pretty sure that's exactly what you said. Again, I'm sure I remember it better than you."
"That might have been more memorable to me than you might think. I didn't say that. I said there must have been wrong with whoever sent the telegram."
"That's the same thing in that context."
"Not when you know who sent it."
Eddie sighs. "So it was a prank. Gotta admit, sending a second rose was a clever coverup."
"It wasn't a prank," Steve groans. "Why would someone try to coverup a prank anyway? That defeats the entire point."
"Ok, so if it wasn't a prank then we're just talking in circles. You think there's something wrong with someone because they sent me a rose. Are you going to tell me who it is by the way, or are you sworn to secrecy?"
"I sent you the fucking rose! Ok?"
It takes Eddie a moment to process that and he has to catch up with Steve who is storming ahead now. "But not as a prank?"
"No, man. I don't prank people."
"So... why?"
"I don't know, man. First time was on a whim. Second time I couldn't stop thinking about the previous year and how embarrassing that whole situation was. Figured I owed you an apology."
"You sent it... on a whim?"
"Yeah, man, kinda."
"'Kinda?' So you did have reasoning."
Steve groans. "Ok, yes. It's not like I drew the decision out of a hat. It's just... I thought you were cool, man. And I also knew you never got any and I never did either, so I just... I don't know. It was stupid."
"There's... so much to unpack here. First of all, that's... really sweet actually. Not stupid. Wait, what do you mean you never got any? Everyone fucking loves you."
"Literally name one person."
"Nancy."
Steve actually scoffs at the suggestion. "I liked her and opened her mind to the idea after an honestly embarrassing amount of time trying to woo her. The only people who actually chase after me don't want to get cute with me. They want what I'm capable of. No one's sending me fucking-" he let's out a broken laugh. "Yeah, I mean sure, if I bring someone's attention to it I guess. I've had Valentine's dates before, but I'm always the one to ask. I'm just not... associated with it I guess. And that's fine, you know. But that's why I sent them, you know? I felt bad because you probably don't even get to have that problem."
"I don't need your pity."
"Yeah, whatever. Sorry. I was just trying to be nice. Always fucking that up, huh?"
"No, just... for future reference ok? Don't go beating yourself up over it." Then an earthquake hit again.
Part 2>>
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wakebymoonsleepbysun · 9 months
Text
Another snippet from my Reader x MM fic, tentatively called Cymbal Crash Bar. Figured I'd throw this up in case anyone's curious about why I keep calling him Music instead of Music Man. (Though I did make a post kinda talking about it, figured I could share the actual snippet.)
You let out a heavy sigh, dropping the envelopes in your hand back onto the desk pile. It’s as good a place for them as any in this chaos. There’s no way you’re going to sort through all this alone tonight.
Your gaze lifts to Music Man. Maybe you don’t have to do it entirely alone. Sure, Music Man’s an animatronic--not exactly “company” in the human sense, but he does seem to know some things about how the place was run, despite being just a glorified jukebox.
“Hey Music?” you ask, crouching to at least get the envelopes into an organized pile so you don’t step on them.
He seems startled, his smile faltering for a brief moment. “Hm? What…What did you call me?” he asks, too confused for his usual pompous tone to show through.
You stand up, a bunch of envelopes tucked under your arm, blowing a puff of air upwards to try to get a stray lock of hair out of your eyes. “Music? Isn’t that your name? First name Music, last name Man?”
Music Man tilts his head, a bemused smile on his face, one hand on his hip while the other taps his chin in thought. “You know, I never thought of it like that,” he says, intrigued. “I’ve never been called anything but Music Man.” He smirks, rolling his eyes slightly. Or at least tilting his head as if he had--with his dark eyes it’s hard to see something like an eye roll. “At least nothing I’d care to repeat!” he laughs.
You frown a bit at that, wondering if he’s just making a joke or if he’s actually alluding to being insulted at some point. Then again, he’s worked at a bar for nearly thirty years…he’s probably been called some unflattering things at some point. But he seems to be taking it in stride, so you decide to stay focused on the matter at hand.
“Well, I can call you Music Man if you prefer,” you say easily, tapping the edges of the envelopes against the desk to try to straighten the pile.
“Oh, nono!” he says quickly, waving his hands. “I think being called Music will be…rather refreshing. So please,” he says, gesturing to you in a “go ahead” motion.
“Alright then, Music,” you say, too focused on stacking the envelopes to notice the happy little bounce he does at the new nickname. “I don’t suppose you know where Wyatt keeps the employee contact information?”
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stray-kaz · 1 year
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Reparations : a Bucky Barnes x reader FF : Four
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Bit of 18 and up, y’all.
Bucky was gone, away for days. You killed time by spending it with Natasha, and even Yelena some days, although her unique disposition and outlook on life occasionally stressed you out and made you want to jump off a bridge. 
You had heard from Sam, although not from Bucky again, but Sam assured you that he was all right, just stressing over what you wanted to talk to him about. He confided in you that Bucky had informed him of what transpired between the two of you, tentatively including that you had cried after waking in Bucky’s bed. You had blushed upon hearing that, remembering vividly the pure trauma in Bucky’s eyes when he had woken to find you curled in on yourself and sobbing.
You could still hear Sam’s voice in your head.
“He thinks he did something wrong.”
Bucky had done nothing wrong since you met him. He was, for all intents and purposes, perfect. And you had told him so. And the last few days of agonising over the next time you would get to see him had told you another thing: you were madly in love with him. Which you had not told him.
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“Do you have the words yet?” Sam asked, snapping you out of you concentration as he sat down next to you in the S.H.I.E.L.D café you frequented with Bucky.
He raised his eyebrows at the notebook you had been scrawling in, trying to create and memorise the best way to tell Bucky you were crazy about him. Your face heated and you flipped the cover shut and glowered half heartedly at him. Sam merely shook his head at you, smiling ruefully.
“Not a chance of scaring me with that face, kid” he said. “The old man is far scarier than you, even on an off day.”
“Kid” you repeated huffily. “Old man. Is that really how you see us? I’m thirty, Sam. Hardly a child.”
He shrugged, bumping your shoulder with his.
“And Bucky is about a hundred” he reminded you. “Hardly a spring chicken.”
“But he lives in the body of a thirty five year old.”
Sam arched his eyebrows at you, taking in the flush of your cheeks and your fidgeting fingers.
“You’ve noticed that, have you, huh?”
You looked away, hair falling over your forehead.
“Hard not to.”
He chuckled and patted your shoulder gently.
“The bionic man is whipped” he said firmly. “He used to be so hyper focused on the mission, no matter what it was, but now he just thinks about you all the time. He hasn’t come close to being seriously hurt, but he takes more punches than the old days before he knew you.”
You bit your lip and looked up into Sam’s eyes; they were honest and calm, and you trusted him completely.
“Are you sure?” you asked, just to be safe.
Sam nodded and leaned over to kiss your forehead.
“Yeah, kid. I’m surer than sure.”
Still chewing on your bottom lip, you stood up and rested a hand on Sam’s leather clad shoulder.
“Do you know where he’s at right now?”
Sam shrugged.
“Probably at home, waiting for you. He loves you, kid. Go get him.”
You smiled, feeling a little giddy and a lot of butterflies.
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You arrived at Bucky’s doorstep and paced. Instead of pushing the doorbell and confronting him like you needed to do, you wore a flat path across his Go Away mat with the soles of your boots.
And then there was the sound of steady footsteps coming up behind you and a familiar voice calling a familiar name, creating a familiar burn in your stomach.
“You okay, doll?” Bucky asked, coming to a stop in front of you and looking concerned.
You could hardly think of anything to say back.
“Sam told me you’d be here” you attempted, finally.
Bucky stepped closer, the toes of his boots touching yours as he eyed you curiously, one dark eyebrow raised.
“Yeah...” he drew out slowly. “And? Is this the talk you wanted to have?”
Fire filled your chest and warmed your cheeks, settled in your stomach. A work roughened hand touched the side of your face and you looked up into a pain roughened gaze.
“My doll, hmm? What’s wrong? You sounded anxious on the phone.”
Instinctively, you leaned into his palm. You closed your eyes and a moment later, Bucky was kissing you and your eyes flew open then fluttered shut again as his vibranium hand came up so he was bracketing your face. His lips whispered against yours, gentle, just the hint of his stubble scraping your skin.
You stumbled back into his door and he reached around you blindly to press his key into the lock, opening it behind your back. You tripped inside, caught only by his hands around your waist as he slammed the door behind him with his foot and dropped the key on the inside mat.
You moaned a quiet whimper against his mouth. Suddenly, he was gone, standing back, a wild, worried look on his face.
“I’m sorry, doll. You didn’t ask for that. What was it you came to talk to me about?” he asked, wide eyed. “Are you okay?”
You reached for him and pushed faintly shaking hands into his hair.
“James, just kiss me. Please. Don’t stop.”
A barely audible groan sounded in his throat and he bent to grab onto your thighs and squeezed. You half jumped, he half lifted you up to wrap your legs around his waist, squeezing him tightly.
Words pulsed in your throat, aching to be said, but you could barely breathe, your heartbeat rising as Bucky carefully clasped your throat and tilted your head back so he could kiss you deeper, the tip of his tongue pushing past the seam of your lips.
Your hips bolted and Bucky fell back on the couch, his legs splayed wide open for you to fit perfectly on top of his lap. You pulled on his hair and rocked your hips inexpertly; it had been a long time, but the sensations came naturally, the rush of pleasure between your legs flooring you and sending you into a shaking collapse on Bucky’s chest.
His roughened hands pored gently over your back, stroked your hair. He murmured quiet assurances in your ear, his own body trembling slightly beneath you.
“Hey, doll, it’s okay. This doesn’t have to happen. We can go back to being just friends, I promise.”
You sat back and gazed into his crystal eyes, seeing as clear as day that it was a promise he couldn’t keep. A promise he didn’t want to keep.
You shook your head and the breath punched out of him, his chest deflating.
“What?”
His voice was patchy, half broken.
“James Buchanan Barnes, I love you.”
His blue eyes widened again.
“But - “
“I love you. I love every version of you. I love how you are with me, I love your hands, your scars, all your puzzle pieces. I love you, James.”
The doubt in his chest dissipated and he kissed your cheek, grazing the corner of your mouth.
“Oh, my doll, you have no idea. No idea how long I’ve waited for you to say that. I... I love you, too.”
He watched the smile unfurl across your face, flaglike and bright. You shifted a little, and gasped when the hardness in his jeans arched between your legs.
“But I might not be ready for that just yet” you said, glancing down.
Bucky huffed out a soft laugh, nodding.
“I get that” he murmured. “It’s fine, doll.”
You swung your leg over him and stood on the carpet, smoothing down the front of your shirt.
“I - I have some work to do, but I’ll see you tomorrow?” you asked, backing up to the door.
Bucky nodded, stood and followed you. He pressed a firm kiss to your cheek and held the door open with one hand.
“Bye, doll” he said gently.
You smiled again and he closed the door slowly, not so willing to stop seeing your face.
You turned away from the door and then back again, biting your lip and shaking your hands out by your sides. You paced just like you did earlier, and then took in one deep, long breath, mind made up. You knocked again.
Bucky swung the door open and reeled you in, light in his eyes as he found your mouth again with his.
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Tagging: @hoodedbirdie​
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willowbird · 1 year
Note
For the AFTG prompt game, Based off a fairytale, Trope-6 and location is a mysterious lair with far too many chandeliers for andriel.
Love me some idiots in love 💜
____
It was the sixth time that Andrew was choosing to do The Stupid rather than wisely staying on shore.
(The Stupid: free diving into a ravine and taking a series of tunnels to an underwater cave system. The tunnels were too narrow for him to bring a tank, and it would be woefully easy for him to drown or be crushed or be eaten or a number of other pretty horrific ways to die.)
He told himself that this would be the last time and pointedly ignored the bitch in the back of his mind that snidely reminded him he'd said that the last three times, too, and look where he was now. Instead, he focused on where he was going. Andrew could hold his breath for a very long time, but he was still only human. He could chide himself later, once he'd made it to the caves.
Really, it was a relatively quick journey. Hazardous, sure - but quick if you knew where you were going. Andrew could probably get there with his eyes closed at this point, he was so familiar with the push and pull of the current as it was redirected by the stone and sea. He knew where to resist it and where to let it give him a bit of a push. He knew by touch which tunnel would take him to his destination - the shapes of the walls unique as fingerprints to the identity of the cave.
So okay, yes, it was stupid. But it was also familiar, and the route always filled him with this incredible anticipation that Andrew pretended to attribute to the deep water and the risk. It was the same jump of adrenaline he got when he faced ocean-dark water, the endlessness below him and the night sky too far above for the meager moonlight to guide him. It just made more sense - that the danger of the caves activated that sense of living inside him with its own kind of fear. More sense than the alternative, anyway... that the cause of his fluttering pulse and tight chest has less to do about his carefully rationed oxygen and the godless behemoth of the ocean and more to do with the singular peculiarity that awaited him in the cavern he journied to.
Or at least, that'd what he was usually able to convince himself of right up to the point where he surfaced in the central cave. Then, when he pulled off his diving mask, he had no choice but to acknowledge, at least for the barest of instants, that what pulled him down here again and again and again was the same thing that caused his heart to trip and his lungs to stutter.
The sixth time was no different than the fifth or the third or the first. Andrew broke the surface and refilled his lungs, treading water over to the edge of the pool where he could pull himself up and out of the water. The main room of the cave was large and oblong, and lighted by about thirty or forty different chandeliers that hung from the stalactites, each one glowing a slightly different hue of gold from light sources that Andrew did not understand. It was some kind of magic, obviously, but Andrew's knowledge of the arcane was third-hand at best.
Once sitting, he pulled off his mask and looked toward the large flat boulder where Neil was usually resting.
He was not disappointed.
The boulder, Neil had told him, was some kind of magical reservoir for the elements of fire and earth. It could recharge those who had affiliations with those elements. Neil had no such affiliation, but he did enjoy napping in the warm, smooth surface. He said it felt good on his scales and on his scars - of which Neil had many of both.
Neil didn't open his eyes or sit up, but the large, sensitive fins that ran from jaw to temple (approximately where a human had ears) fluttered as they registered the vibrations of Andrew disturbing the water and the air with his movements. The fins were a rich, deep garnet with lowlights that gleamed like onyx. They matched the fins on Neil's forearms, his back, and on his large, powerful tail. The scales themselves where a dappling of reds and golds and blacks. Andrew was pretty sure no two were exactly the same shade and he was fascinated and awed in spite of himself.
Neil sighed, his tail flipping to slap lightly against the boulder, then he peaked one eye open and slanted it Andrew's way.
"You came back," Neil said quietly. It wasn't accusatory, like the second time Andrew had shown up. Nor was it confused, like the third and fourth times. No, it was just a quiet statement of fact. Andrew almost thought he heard something else in the soft, husky rumble of Neil's voice - something that was almost like pleasure or relief... but no, no he wouldn't let himself go there.
"I'm personally offended by your inferior decorating skills," he said instead.
Neil blinked, and then he we looking at him with both of those ethereal blue eyes. He sat up, and his teeth were sharp when he grinned, though he quickly smothered the expression. Neil didn't like to smile, he seemed self-conscious of it - though whether that was because of the vulnerability that came with humor or the expression itself, Andrew didn't know. Not yet.
"Oh? What exactly do you have a problem with? Let me guess - there's too much water all over the place."
Andrew snorted. "Wise ass. No, the water is fine. You've got a good place to store your treasures and it's defensible and well hidden. But you're able to be on land as much as in the water but you've got fucking nothing for when you put your legs on."
Neil wrinkled his nose. "Ugh why do you have to say it like that?
"You'd rather I say "for when you molt all your scales off and grow legs" instead?"
"I hate you."
"That's my line."
Neil rolled his eyes and leaned back, bracing himself on his hands as he prepared for the change. Andrew could feel the electric hum of it in the air, in the water. And then, as he watched, Neil's tail began to shine. The scales glimmered and trembled, then began to fall, turning to a glittery dust that covered the surface of the water like snow made of fire. When they were all gone, where there was once a tail were two shapely, scarred legs that still had the imprinted pattern of scales.
"Gonna just stare at my junk all day or are you gonna grab me some pants?" The humor in Neil's voice was not appreciated, but Andrew was too flustered at being caught staring (because yeah, okay, Neil was naked and he was.. uh.. very fine) to bite back. Instead, he stood uo from the edge of the pool and crossed to Neil's land-nest. He grabbed a pair of pants and tossed them up to the insufferable mer, who caught them effortlessly.
"So," Neil said as he jumped down to land beside Andrew, stretching his legs with a small wince - he was always a little stiff after the change, "you came because my cave isn't, what, homey enough for you?"
Andrew snorted. "No, I came because it's not homey enough for you. You chose to stay, Neil. I won't believe it until you make yourself more at home." He said it firmly, and Neil - surprisingly - didn't even look like he wanted to argue.
"So what do I need to make it a home, then? Can't say I've ever really had one of those."
Well, Andrew could relate to that, at least.
"Lets start with a bed."
"A bed," said Neil, and there was something in his tone that made Andrew look over at him. Their eyes locked, and all the breath in Andrew's lungs quivered with this.. this something that only Neil seemed to be able to do to him.
Andrew cleared his throat but his voice still cracked when he said, "Y-yeah. Ah, yes. A bed."
Neil didn't look away as he nodded. "Alright. Let's do that."
Two more seconds, four thumps of his pulse at the base of his throat, that's all he lasted before he had to turn away. "Okay come on fishboy. Let's go pilfer one of your shipwreck hoards for shit to use." He didn't look back as he stalked toward the nearest tunnel, but he didn't have to - for some reason he could always sense where Neil was when they were together.
As such, he wasn't startled when Neil's voice was only a step or two behind him as Neil said, "I don't sleep in beds often. You'll have to show me how."
He still tripped, though. Probably because of the wet stone. Yeah, that was it. Definitely.
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thetypedwriter · 1 year
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The Atlas Paradox Book Review
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The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake Book Review
Second books in a trilogy are notoriously difficult. They often suffer from “second book” syndrome, a point of frustration for the readers who find the sequel installment pedantic, time consuming, and droll.
 Unfortunately, The Atlas Paradox does suffer from this condition, although it’s not as horrible as some other cases I’ve read. 
This book is the epitome of starting off strong, dwindling to almost nothing, and then ticking back up at the very last second. While the pacing is wild (not in a good way), I still read and finished the book for one reason: the characters. 
As a main storyline, The Atlas Paradox is hugely lacking. The first book, The Atlas Six, spends a great amount of time introducing the six main characters, side characters, the setting, building the world, and connecting all of these aspects together in interesting and complicated ways. 
As a very character driven reader, I loved it. I adored the focus on relationships, devoured every conversation and interaction, and found myself titillated when pieces of the universe came together beautifully. 
Which is why I was so excited for The Atlas Paradox. Surely, Olivie Blake would hit the ground running with book two seeing as she set up everything very painstakingly in book one and left the readers with a tantalizing cliffhanger. 
Wrong. 
Instead of beginning with a sprint, which I anticipated, Blake starts off at a slow place, more sedate than walking. This book is crawling, trudging the plot along at a speed that is beyond irksome as a reader. Nothing really happens in this book until the last thirty pages. 
Genuinely, nothing. 
The first 350 pages consist almost entirely of the characters having conversations with each other. The banter is witty, the dialogue is interesting, and the characters are intriguing, but none of these conversations move the plot along further than a few inches at a time.
 It is maddening that the entire book is just the characters talking without also progressing the actual story. 
Again, as a character driven reader I probably didn’t mind it as much as other people, but still found it vexing by the 400 page mark. Having engrossing interactions between characters is a fantastic thing, but not at the expense of your plot. They need to go hand-in-hand. 
Unfortunately, in this case, Blake focuses entirely too much on character interactions that the plot suffers as a result. 
The paltry remnants of a plot can be combined to say: the house is taking a toll on the five candidates remaining, including making Reina think she’s a god and turning Callum into an alcoholic. 
Nico and Tristan are still looking for Libby (who has been sent back into another time) but are largely unsuccessful until the last 30 pages. Libby befriends people in her new time period, but never forgets where she came from and is willing to do anything (including blowing things up) in order to return. Nico’s mysterious friend Gideon invades a lot of dreams. Atlas Blakely is plotting. 
That’s…pretty much it. 
Now, that might seem like a lot, but for a book that is over 400 pages and where most of the same plot points were already set up in book one, it truly isn’t. 
Elements are stretched out, conversations (while fun) go nowhere, and the characters, who at this point have known each other for two years, are still extremely combative and prickly towards one another. 
I’m a sucker for a slow burn romance or friendship as much as the next person, but even at this point I want to see the initiates get along and work together instead of avoiding and antagonizing one another. 
As I mentioned at the beginning, the only reason I like this book even a modicum is because of the characters themselves. Even though I did find their acrimonious rivalries childish and irritating, I still like the six main characters more than most other novels.
 I’m a sucker for flawed characters, especially mean ones, and almost all of the characters in The Atlas Paradox are cruel to some extent. 
So even if the first 350 pages didn’t move the story along, repeated the same measly plot points, and didn’t develop the characters beyond their bitter feelings, I still enjoyed it. It’s like reading a 350 page slice-of-life fanfiction of The Atlas Six where they’re all just living in the house and sniping at each other constantly. 
Is it good writing and storytelling? No, of course not. Did I still find parts of it enjoyable? Yes, I did. 
That being said, I did abhor Olivie’s choice to make Callum an alcoholic. He’s probably my favorite character, in lieu of him being the biggest bitch of them all, but she cripples him by making him drown himself in spirits. 
My theory on this is that Callum is supposed to be smart (they all are technically) and since the plot wasn’t moving along, she needed some way to stunt Callum’s growth and progress. Hence, the drinking. 
I hate this choice and I hate how Callum did almost nothing for the entirety of this book (along with Parisa and Reina) when he could have done so many riveting things and actually grown as a character. 
For all these reasons, I didn’t loathe The Atlas Paradox like some other people, but I did find the second installment to be a vast disappointment and a lost opportunity for what Blake could have accomplished otherwise.
 Through molasses-slow pacing, impeding her characters and their development, and erasing her plot, Blake wrote a novel equivalent in significance to fanfiction, ruining her chance to create something really great instead. 
Recommendation: Skim the first 350 pages for the most thrilling tete-a-tetes and then read the ending. You’re not missing out on anything substantial, I promise. 
Score: 6/10
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asukamood · 2 years
Text
Rule number 2: Never let Blue get jealous
Blue and Dream go on a date, everything is fine until a Dream simp shows up and ruins everything. Since she ruined their date, Blue will simply ruin her day and sense of safety!
I’ve written that while procrastinating which I will most likely bitterly regret but I missed them :(
Anyways, let’s get onto it. Enjoy your reading.
Warnings: A Dream simp. It’s a warning of its own. There’s also Blue acting creepy as hell but is this really worth mentioning anymore?
***
Blue was in an amazing mood today. His smile, which usually didn’t reach his eyes, currently looked so wide and genuine it was almost creepy. His eyes wrinkled with happiness and he couldn’t help but let out a contented hum as he skipped to Dream’s office.
Many heads, filled with curiosity, turned his way when he walked besides the occasional JR employees that would hurry to a certain place. He paid no mind to them though as he was far too busy daydreaming about what good will happen today to care. Plus, he has always liked some attention.
When he pushed the doors to Dream’s office open, his grin widened even more. The other man, usually found endlessly scribbling on a piece of paper behind his desk with a perpetual face of exhaustion and stress, was just finishing putting back some piles of paper in a spare room linked to his office.
As he closed the door to said room, his eyes wandered to the entrance and a small smile made its way on his face when he noticed Blue stepping inside. “Hey.”
Blue waved, visibly pleased. “Hello, I see that you’ve finally decided to put away that hideous jacket.” He looked the winged man up and down, making the latter flushed slightly. He always seems to forget that his boyfriend was shameless, probably capable of doing something as scandalous as talking dirty in public (Dream did hope he wouldn’t do this though.)
“… Well?” He finally let out after a few seconds, raising an eyebrow at Blue’s poker face. Did he mess it up somehow? Did he manage to make himself look even worse than usual? What if he looked ridiculous? He knew that it was a horrible idea to try and give himself a makeover, why did he do it anyways? Curse him for trusting Pinterest outfit ideas, he should have just—
“You always look marvelous but today, you’re on a whole other level.” The yoga teacher approached, standing on his toes for a moment just the time to plant a kiss on Dream’s cheek. “Stop freaking out, you look stunning Angel.”
Dream let out a sigh of relief, smiling at him sheepishly with red dusting his cheeks. “Thank you, you don’t look too bad yourself.” The shorter man chuckled, giving him a smug look.
“I know, I look amazing.” The winged man snorted, playfully pushing his shoulder.
“Anyways, we should get on the move now.” He looked down on his watch to check the time before staring back at Blue. “Ready to go?”
Said man reached out, their knuckles brushing each other before they intertwined their hands, giving a slight squeeze each. “Yeah.” That’s right, after a lot of convincing and Dream clearing his timetable, they were finally able to set a time for a date, which really pleased Blue. As much as he liked spending time with Dream in his office, he liked, even more, being the only thing said man was focusing on instead of fighting for his attention with some sheets of paper.
***
The couple was walking around, chatting peacefully with one another. Because of Dream’s reputation, it was to be expected that heads would turn their way but surprisingly, the winged man didn’t seem to be too bothered by it. Apparently, Blue was doing a good job at diverting his attention elsewhere.
The two of them didn’t plan one thing though. They hadn’t thought of the possibility of crossing paths with a certain kind of… Dream’s “fans”. Fans who had enough nerve to come up to them with not very subtle intentions even though the couple wasn’t quite trying to hide the fact they were holding hands.
The one they came across today was a woman in her thirties, going by the name of Laura Itami. She was known for being a journalist writing about Dream especially and the actions he conducted and so. It was a secret for no one that she was… obsessed with the said man and would probably be capable of selling her soul if it meant getting a chance to interview him in person.
So of course, when she caught a glimpse of Dream’s wings in the distance, she couldn’t help but want to approach him. Being courageous (or dumb?) enough, she didn’t think about it twice and sprinted towards him, ignoring the man the radiant was holding hands with. Hell, she might have not even noticed his presence because of how focused she was on the winged man.
Blue was saying something as Dream listened with a smile, nodding occasionally to show that he was indeed paying attention and not pretending to. He was clueless about the woman walking dangerously close to him until said one stopped a few inches from him, tapping on his shoulder to get his attention.
At that, both guys turned around, stopping their conversation to look at who had the audacity to interrupt their date. She talked excitedly to Dream, still ignoring Blue, squealing like a high school girl whenever he would reply to something, even if it were to tell her to politely go away.
Then she had stepped closer, shifting the conversation to something more personal which Dream clearly did not like at all. He looked away nervously, the frequency with which he told her to leave him alone increasing rapidly. She didn’t though, refusing to take a hint.
With his status, he couldn’t be seen being rude or disrespectful to a civilian because the backlash from the media he was going to get would be disastrous and Blue knew more than anyone else how anxious he was about that. Still, the way that girl was talking to him annoyed Blue to no end.
First, she interrupted their very awaited date. Then, she refused to acknowledge his existence. Finally, she was stealing Dream’s attention, and to top it all, she was making him uncomfortable. If Dream couldn’t tell her off, he was going to and sooner than one might expect if it kept going like that.
She was already on very thin ice but then, she made a comment about Dream’s current outfit and looked at him with a certain… insistence. That got Blue’s mood to worsen: he was getting jealous.
He wrapped his free arm around Dream’s, yanking him in his direction so he wouldn’t be standing so close to that annoying pest. Said bug looked displeased with that, sending a glare in his direction. Looks like she finally decided to acknowledge his presence. It was about time.
She opened her mouth to say something but before she could even begin pronouncing the first syllable, Blue cut her off, a false smile plastered on his face.
“Were you never taught not to touch what's not yours?” He asked with a sickeningly sweet tone that was way too cheerful to be true. “It’s okay, it’s never too late to learn. Who knows? Perhaps you’ll even manage to be pleasant one day.”
The journalist’s cheeks flared up in anger, clearly offended by what Blue just said. On the other hand, Dream was looking at Blue with widened eyes, not expecting him to say something that could get him in trouble. He also had a strange feeling that something wrong was going to happen soon and while he did know Blue hates violence, there were other ways the shorter man could hurt her and Dream had no clue what he was supposed to do if something like that were to happen.
“Do you even know who you’re talking to?” She snapped at him, crossing her arms around her chest and staring at how Blue was hugging Dream’s arm. Blue noticed that and smiled smugly. ‘You wish that was you huh?’ He snickered internally.
“I can make your life a living hell if I wanted to so I would suggest you don’t mess with me, little bo—“
“Laura Felicia Itami,” Blue started, shocking the journalist deeply. “Daughter of Ryan Désiré DuPont and Yosano Haru Itami, you got married to Sarah Viviane Layers and adopted two children with her before she filed a divorce, uncomfortable with the obsessive way you write about the CEO of JR.”
She gaped like a fish, staring at Blue bewildered while colors drained from her face but of course, he wasn’t done yet. “Currently, your children, Louis Ryan Itami and Lily Sarah Itami, both live under your roof and Louis will soon turn 15 this year while Lily’s 18th birthday has already passed in October. You’re currently seeing a man called Victor Honoré Boulet who cannot be weirded out by your obsession as he doesn’t understand nor speak English. Pretty convenient, wouldn’t you say?”
Now, even a ghost would be concerned because of how pale she was. Oh sweet revenge, how fun it was to see her arrogant face fall for an expression of fear instead. “Poor guy, he’s a real honest man and does actually love you.” Blue let out a fake sigh, letting his forehead rest on Dream’s arm. “I wonder what would happen if he or your children were to discover what you did today. Would they be mad? Ashamed to have any kind of affiliation with you? I would if I were in their shoes.”
He stepped closer to the frightened woman, still holding and occasionally squeezing Dream’s hand. “I do know who you are, Ms.Itami.” He said, after a little pause. “In fact, I know so much about you I am pretty much capable of ruining your somewhat normal life in a snap of my fingers. So you should be the one scared of messing with me as your life can go crumbling anytime.”
He sent her one last smile that did not reach his eyes. “Now, if you know what’s better for you, you’re gonna leave us the frick alone.”
As the reporter ran away, Blue turned to Dream, his mood doing a complete 180*. “Anyways, I think we’ve spent enough time here, let’s go back home shall we?”
***
It started to rain not long after they came back and the temperature was starting to drop. Since the heater needed a few to start working properly, Dream volunteered to go get some hot chocolate for both of them. When he came back, he found Blue snuggled in one of his hoodies (that he obviously stole), a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.
Upon seeing him, his face brightened and he extended his arms toward him, making grabby hands in his direction. The taller man shook his head in amusement before setting down the cups and joining him on the bed.
Once he did, Blue hurried to sit on his lap, letting out a content sigh when he felt one of Dream’s arms wrapped itself around his waist. They stayed like that for a few, sipping on their fuming cups before Dream questioned him about why he knew all of those things about that journalist.
Not how, he was very much aware that the other would have just told him to guess if he did.
“Before I first talked to you, I did some research about you and that woman kept showing up with those weird articles. So I’ve decided to conduct some on her as well, you never know when it could be useful.” He paused, taking another sip. “The nerve of that woman seriously, she dared to bring an upset expression on your pretty face during our date. Such a crime should be punished by the law.”
Dream chuckled in response. “If it were, then almost the entire world would get jailed.”
Blue pressed a quick kiss on his cheek before resting his back on Dream’s chest again. “I wouldn’t mind being here all alone with you, you’re the only one I need by my side.” It was a whisper but Dream still heard it.
Blue yelped as he felt his cheeks being squished. “Don’t say things like that, I’ll end up crying.”
“What, so I can’t even tell the truth anymore? So unfair.” He pouted but his eyes were still glistening with laughter. Not much more was said after that. The couple simply watched the water droplets racing down the window as they proceeded to finish their cups of hot beverages.
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lampmanliveblogs · 2 years
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Amity’s hair is abomination colored. W-which I knew too, I realized it the moment I saw it! I just never commented on it because, uh… Look! Character growth!
So Amity finally got around to telling her dad she doesn’t want to join the Emperor’s Coven. It’s unclear, but I don’t think she told him that she doesn’t want to join ANY coven… which is probably a good idea. We gotta ease into things, it’s a little early to say ”Hey dad, when grow up, I want to become a criminal and overthrow the government.”
It’s a start.
Which is the thing to take away from this scene. We don’t get a conclusion, we get a start. A beginning of things getting better…hopefully.
Like I said before, Alador has not been the most involved with his family, far too busy focusing on his work. Which leaves Odalia, who tries to exert an unhealthy level of control over her kids (well, Ed & Em seem like they do what they want, so maybe it’s mostly Amity). She even tires to control the color of her daughter’s hair.
(side note about Amity’s hair: her natural hair color is brown, like her dad. and now she’s colored her hair purplish-pink like abomination goop. signifying that despite him being very absent, she is still closer to her dad in some ways?)
Amity’s words about Alador not talking to them anymore indicates that things weren’t always like this. That it was at some point over the years that he became busier and more obsessed with his work. Odalia might’ve had something to do with it; we know she is very ambitious and obsessed with status. But of course… the price we pay to be classed as elite is that we become like the others.
Still, Alador is an adult and a parent, he has responsibilities toward his family. Not just to provide for his children, but also to nurture them. He seems to realize some of the errors of his ways and promises to do better. Or at least try to make things better. It’s late and maybe too little… but it’s a start.
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I talked about this place before and what it might mean to revisit it in this episode. And most of it didn’t go anywhere I think. But I want to bring up something
I mentioned the changing seasons before, that it was fall. I wrote something that I then erased and rewrote because it felt a little too grim. I don’t remember the exact thing I wrote, but it was something like ”Fall brings to mind death or dying.”
Which… yeah. Considering the reveal thirty seconds later… I kinda wish I went with that.
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This is beautiful.
It’s not the same thing and Luz is right in that it won’t ever reach the Human Realm. But it eases her mind.
(i guess there’s also the imagery of sending something into the sky and the idea of heaven and all that)
I’m pretty sure that this is the first time Amity has ever drawn a glyph. We saw her use one of Luz’ invisibility spells earlier (correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that was the first time she ever used a glyph?), but this is the first time she’s drawn one. And… it looked about as good as any of the glyphs I could draw (again, just wait until you see my new conspiracy corner).
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My snake daughter!
Vee is hanging out in her regular form I see. Now, I do know she gets another human form at some point, I’ve been spoiled on that much. Which makes sense, I figure it might be a little awkward for her and Camila both if she went back to looking like Luz.
More importantly though, Camila places a flower in a vase. It looks like the same kind of flower that Luz made, but white instead of pink. And that vase looks a lot like the abomination balloon Amity made. Cool detail, showing the connection between them.
There might be some symbolism with that flower, but I don’t know anything about flowers. I know I’m from Sweden, but we can’t all be Carl von Linné.
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And so comes to and end episode fourteen, with Luz & Camila both looking up at the night sky, thinking of what they have lost.
Except the sky in the Demon Realm looks prettier because there is less light pollution.
As per usual, I did my rewatch of the episode and here are some things I either missed or didn’t talk about my first time through:
•Luz actually names the new glyph combo she learned in this episode The Safety Hover… and I somehow didn’t hear it and has been calling it Fall Break instead. Whoops. •Luz asks Hunter if he’s good now. I initially misinterpreted it as meaning ”are you okay/unharmed now?” But no, she was asking if he was a good person now, which is one hundred times funnier. •The book on abomination creation Alador is holding in the first scene between him and Amity is written by Darius, and if you look on the back, it looks like it might be a signed copy. I’m going to headcanon that it’s like an introductory-level book Darius wrote for students that he sent signed to Alador. I mean, why else would Alador have it? •I pointed out that the announcer at the Bonesbororugh Brawl was the leader of the demon hunters who first appeared in Hooty’s Moving Hassle and I pointed out that one of the security guards at the event was the wild witch being arrested in Eda’s Requiem. But the demon standing next to her also made an appearance in Hooty’s Moving Hassle. He was the one tasked with pushing the kids off the cliff. Something he apparently always dreamed of doing. So not really the guy who should be doing security at big events. •Actually, I went back and checked, and the purple-haired wild witch is part of the demon hunters in that episode. •Eda has much better control over her harpy transformation, implying she has either been training or eating a lot more voles since Eclipse Lake. •I really like the music during the tournament/ingredient collection montage. •I obviously didn’t bring it up in the moment, because I was trying to keep things somber, but I am ever so slightly amused by the text in Luz’ event reminder. At: Gravesfield Graveyard. Gravesfield Graveyard. Those words mean basically the same thing. •We also got to see half of Luz’ dad’s face. •I also love the acting in that scene, I don’t give the VA:s the credit they deserve, Sarah-Nicole Robles who plays Luz did an excellent job in that scene. She always does a great job, but this was extra great. The animation was great too, for that matter. •I don’t think I pointed out Alador’s proud smile when he and Amity do their combo attack to restrain War Wrath. •I don’t think I’ve noticed before that Eda grows quite a bit in height when she’s transformed into her harpy form, I only noticed when she transformed back while standing next to Alador. •We got a look at a calendar in the Human Realm. Based on the markings, the anniversary of Camila’s husband’s death is on the 22nd of August. And according to that thing I bought years ago and literally never used until today, the 22nd of August 2020 is a Saturday. Except the day marked is clearly a Tuesday. This means the series can’t take place in 2020, which is what I’ve been thinking. This means that the series actually takes place in 2017, 2023, 2034, 2045, 2048, or 2051. This revelation means some of the dates on my conspiracy corner are wrong.
There is another brief moment I want to acknowledge, mostly because someone pointed it out in the comments. When threatening Wrath, she referred to Luz as her student/child. The reason I didn’t bring it up was because it was pretty much stated in Eda’s Requiem that Eda thinks of Lus* as her child. So hearing Eda say it wasn’t so surprising. The one thing that is kinda notable is that she said it not just in front of Wrath, but also in front of King. And King is not exactly known for keeping his mouth shut. This makes me wonder… if it might be brought up to Luz some time soon that Eda feels that way about her, cause I don’t think she quite realize it yet.
(*did I seriously misspell Luz as Lus? Who am I, the swedish dub?)
(yeah, the swedish dub pronounces Luz as Lus. Which means louse)
Anyways, this was a great episode. The big stand-out moment was of course… that scene. Where Luz told Amity about her dad. Just everything about it was perfect. I loved it and also hated it because it made me feel sad.
We got to see Amity’s dad get involved, and not just in the plot of an episode, but in his daughter’s life. In a positive way too, at least in the end.
As for Luz… while she did eventually open up about the stuff with her dad and why she was so distracted… the underlying issue of her avoiding and not talking about the things that trouble her with the people that love her and want to help wasn’t really addressed. I think this is something that we’ll see a return to in a future episode.
That’s about what I have to say for now. Stay tuned for a little while longer though, because I have some more things I want to show you. As for when I’ll get to the next episode… I’m not sure. I’m going to be working for a few days in a row and I have other stuff to do as well (can you guys believe it’s almost Christmas?? I’m not ready!).
With that said… I’m The Lampman, and until next time, take care of the planet Earth and remember that anything can happen in space!
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