#and look when it happens i very specifically need either a) miles to be the one doing it

[visions--of--collisions]

multiverse collapse this, inescapable tragedy that, okay, yeah sure, but what if the whistling theme from ItSV/AtSV doesn't turn into someone actually whistling in-scene in BtSV???

[hobiebrownismygod]

Headcanon that Hobie Brown struggles with conveying his emotions/is emotionally unavailable

When we were introduced to Hobie, he seemed like a very outgoing, funny guy who's friends with the optimistic, friendly Spider-man India, and we assume that he's the same way, what with all the jokes he makes, the slightly high-pitched voice and the vibrant color-changing nature of his animation. However, when he takes his mask off, he immediately reverts to a deeper tone of voice, no longer cracking as many jokes, not really expressing any visible emotions. He keeps a straight face for most of the movie, only managing a smirk or a slight smile when talking to Miles. He doesn't talk much, and all his lines have a deeper meaning behind them or a specific goal in mind.

"eh what of it?"

This scene specifically is what fuels this headcanon. We see all of the Spider-men reflecting over their canons, showing visible anguish at these past events, ex. Peter B. Parker looking away from Miles and kissing Mayday on the forehead, and Jess Drew adding on her little "and me" when Miles asks if the canon happened to them.

However, Hobie seems to be looking at the canon event with a completely straight face, showing very little emotion at the death of his police captain. Now its completely plausible that since he is most obviously ACAB, he killed his police captain himself and doesn't feel much guilt for his death, but if we look closely, he does look a little sad before he turns his attention back to Miles. He then proceeds to say, "what of it", brushing off the incident, and acting as if it wasn't a big deal. This, plus his fairly emotionless behavior from the rest of his scenes made me feel as though he might be emotionally unavailable, especially in the specific emotions of sadness, guilt, regret, etc...

We do see Hobie laughing, smiling, being cocky and sarcastic, but we never see him sad or regretful, compared to the rest of the Spider-men who are all shown experiencing some kind of negative emotion. (This includes even Ben Reilly, Spectacular Spider-man, Pavitr, etc...)

Being emotionally unavailable can also result from trauma, which we can be pretty sure Hobie has. Canonically, he was homeless before being bitten by a spider, and considering most Spider-people get bit from the ages of 13-16, we can assume that he spent most of his teenage life homeless. Being a homeless black teen in a fascist dictatorship in the 70s most definitely would have left some kind of impact on him, making the headcanon that he would be emotionally unavailable even more valid.

Either way, headcanons are headcanons and they don't need to be 100% accurate or even really have to make sense, but I like the idea of Hobie not really being the type to open up to people and I think it would be an interesting concept to explore in fanfictions, Hobie x readers or even Hobie x OCs!

[atlasscrumpit]

what about platonic yandere miguel using his connections in spider society to either a) always have someone keep an eye on his darling or b) set up a specific babysitting team for his darling. with the events in atsv i can also see him using every available spider to chase after his escaped darling like with miles

You sat on the window sill looking out onto the city while you thought.

You wanted nothing more than to run out into the city and feel freedom, but you knew someone was watching.

You weren't sure who or where but there was always someone watching.

You decided for now you just wanted to rest, take a nap and ignore the world and your situation for a while.

—

You woke up to the sound of the door opening, you groaned and stumbled out of your bedroom to see Miguel coming home.

“There’s my sweet girl.” He said as he smiled and came over to you to kiss your forehead.

“Why don’t you make us some dinner, hmm?” He said as you glared at him.

“Or you could starve if you’d like.” He said making you roll your eyes and walk away into the kitchen.

While you prepared dinner for the both of you, you came up with a plan in your mind.

Miguel never had anyone watching you when he was home, maybe if you could slip something into his dinner that knocked him out you would have enough time to escape.

You went into the bathroom and grabbed out your sleeping tablets that Miguel would give you if you wouldn’t go to sleep.

You snuck back to the kitchen and made two saucepans of soup, one with four sleeping pills crushed into it and one without.

Once you were done you plated them up and set the table and waited for Miguel to sit down.

“Thank you, sweetheart.” He said as he sat down and began to eat, you kept quiet and did the same.

The pills would take about an hour to fully kick in.

You had finished dinner and you washed up while Miguel was watching tv, once you were done you poked your head around to see him out cold on the couch.

You act quickly and ran to your room to get into better clothes and shoes to run in.

Once you were happy with what you were wearing you stole some cash from Miguel’s wallet and broke the locks on the door.

Soon you were running as fast as you could down the cold streets, you only had about an hour before the sleeping pills wore off.

Miguel was enhanced and his body would rid itself of any kind of drug.

You just needed to get as far away as you could and hide somewhere safe.

After running for a while you stopped and rested a bit, trying to catch your breath.

“Y/N!” You heard a voice shout as your eyes widened and your heart dropped.

You looked down the road to see Miguel with at least forty spider people behind him. He had woken up a lot faster than you thought and you knew you didn’t stand a chance against these enhanced individuals, but you weren’t going to give up that easy.

You quickly ran the opposite way and into an abandoned building site, at least there were better places to hide.

“You can’t escape me, Y/N!” Miguel screamed as you began to run up the stairs, you could hear the commotion behind you as you ran.

With all of the people the building began to collapse around you, you continued to run until you were on the roof. You backed up to the edge and you were surrounded, Miguel walked out from the middle and looked at you.

“That was very bold, drugging me.” He growled as you felt tears in your eyes.

“I hate you! I hate you so much! I want to go home!” You screamed as you began to sob.

“I am the only home you need!” He shouted making you flinch in fear.

You stared at him and quickly jumped backwards off the building. You knew you wouldn’t die, with all the spider people around it was impossible.

Some of them were about to rush to your rescue before Miguel stopped them.

“Let her fall.” He growled as you hit the ground with force.

You could feel your head had spilt open and your body broken in various places, you tried to breath but nothing happened. Maybe it was finally happening, maybe finally you could die and escape him.

You smiled softly as your eyes slowly closed.

—

You woke up with a gasp, feeling no pain in your body. You panted and looked to see you were in your bed.

“What happened… I died.” You whispered before your door opened and you saw Miguel. He was carrying a tray with breakfast on it.

“Morning, sweetheart. Everything okay?” He said as he placed the tray over your lap and ran his hand through your hair.

“I died… you were chasing me and I jumped off a building.” You whispered as he looked at you in concern and sat on the bed.

“Hey, it’s okay. Did you have a nightmare?” He asked resting his hand on your shoulder.

“It was real!” You shouted as he placed his hand on your cheek.

“Shh, it’s okay, love. Look, you’re completely fine, I think you had a bad dream, darling girl. It sounds pretty scary.” He said as you felt tears in your eyes.

Miguel leaned forward and kissed your cheek.

“Shh, it’s okay, babydoll. It’s not real, I’m right here, okay? I’d never let anything happen to you.” He said as you nodded a little.

“Y-You’re right, it must’ve just been a dream.”

[karume-everything-else]

hello thanks for answering me, so if you don't mind can I request dbz headcanons (freeza, piccolo and cooler) if in love with a reading goddess? Is the reader a goddess of creation? but also friends with beerus?

Oooh~

Piccolo

He is so confused as to why you'd be with him as he understands the magnitude of your position

Never tries to overstep his bounds, but also doesn't know what those are specifically

Will stay just behind you whenever you conduct business around him to the point that other Gods of Destruction/ Creation think of him as your body guard

Beerus is especially critical of your relationship, but knows Piccolo on a decent level (though he hates that you keep appearing on Earth at the same time he does just to date a Namekian)

Little does Beerus know that you just stay on Earth because of Piccolo

Piccolo doesn't share his opinions about Beerus easily, but he isn't the biggest fan of the Destructive Cat

Just a very relaxed relationship with a respectful Namekian

.

Freiza

Nervous as hell all the time because he knows that you could just look at him and fold him like paper

Frequently hiding any villainous plans just in case you won't approve

Insists on staying directly by your side no matter who you're dealing with because he can be very jealous and insecure about the relationship

Constantly bragging about you to anyone who will listen within a five-mile radius

Won't hesitate to either give you your own pod or carry you in his, right in his lap (he prefers option B)

Beerus bullies the ever-loving hell out of Freiza by threatening to tell you what all Freiza has done in the past (as if you aren't aware of this...)

.

Cooler

He knows you wouldn't like most of what he does, but never bothers to hide what he's doing either

Frequently stands just behind you, but gets insanely jealous once someone implies he's just your bodyguard

^He remedies this by touching you in some way (grabbing your shoulders, arms around your waist, tail curled around your leg, etc.)

Rarely feels the need to use his most powerful form for anything except protecting you

Doesn't try to be overbearing, but won't hesitate to lift and carry you or be protective over you in general

Won't hesitate to fight any god for you

Doesn't care much for Beerus (the feeling is mutual)

Will at least attempt to get along with Beerus for your sake, but will throw all the shade when you aren't within earshot (maybe you find out, but Beerus can't use this to leverage you against Cooler)

Not for lack of trying, Beerus thought he was tormenting Cooler... until Cooler just says what happened

Cooler might fear what you'll think, say, or do, but he doesn't want someone coming between the two of you (or to let someone else have power over him in that way)

[physalian]

10 More Character Types the World Needs More of

Part 1 was specifically character dynamics, but I’m considering this a sequel anyway.

1. Fiercely independent character’s lesson isn’t to “trust people”

I’m not projecting. You’re projecting. There is a divide wide enough to fit the Grand Canyon between “trusting that someone isn’t lying” and “trusting someone to follow through on a promise”. Most dumpster fire attempts at these characters (almost exclusively women) rely solely on mocking them for the former because “not all men” or something.

Being consistently let down in life makes you hesitant to a) gain friends, b) pursue romantic interests, c) maintain familial relationships, d) get excited about any event that demands participation from someone who isn’t you. None of this is simply a bad attitude—it’s a trauma response. There is no lesson to be learned, and not even exposure therapy can help because it’s a real, legitimate, and common stunt people pull, whether they mean it or not.

So write one of these characters and legitimize their fears, give them someone who proves the exception to the rule, but do not let the lesson be “well they just haven’t found the right person yet”. Even the “right person” can let them down. It's about not becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy by sabotaging a good thing to prove it will inevitably go bad.

2. Conventionally attractive men who aren’t horndogs

I’m going to find every way I can to tell you to write more aces. This is to fight the stigma that attractive people must be attracted to people. Give me gorgeous aces and demi’s, men, women, enbys and everyone in between, who put a crap ton of effort into looking their best, and yet happen to not have a very loud libido. They look good for themselves, and not to impress anyone else.

Give me someone who could have anyone they wanted, gender regardless, and just simply has no interest. Or, they do actually have a significant other, but sex, how hot their partner is, or how horny they are, isn’t their internal monologue. I don’t even care if it’s unrealistic, it’s annoying to read.

And, you know, giving men male characters who aren’t thinking about sex all the time can be good, right? Right?

3. Manly warrior men who also write poetry

A.K.A Aragorn, Son of Arathorn. Just give me more Aragorns, period. This dude is either covered in filth, blood, guts, and the last 30 miles of rugged terrain, or singing in Elvish at his own coronation while pink flower petals fall. A man can be both, and still be straight.

A man can also drink Respect Women juice, you know? He ticks off all the boxes—he’s gentle when he needs to be, not afraid to hide his emotions, kind to those who are vulnerable and afraid and need a strong figure to look up to, resolute in his beliefs, skilled and knowledgeable in his abilities without being arrogant or smug, and the first boots on the battlefield, leading from the front.

4. Characters who are characters when no one is watching

This is less a specific type and more a scene that doesn’t get written enough. This whole point comes from Pixar’s Cars. I. Love. This. Movie. It’s not Pixar’s best, for sure, but this is my comfort movie. The best scene, one that’s so unique, is when Doc (aged living legend) thinks he’s alone when he rolls out onto the dirt race track and comes alive tearing around the oval.

This character’s unbridled, unabashed glee and euphoria at proving to himself that he’s still got it, when he’s completely unaware of his audience, is perfection. Not enough credence is given to characters to just… enjoy being themselves. He’s not doing it to prepare for the climactic race, he’s not doing it for the plot, he’s doing it just to do it, not even to prove Lightning wrong—just for himself.

Give your characters a “Doc Racing” scene. Whatever their skill is. Maybe they’re a dancer, a skater, a swimmer, a painter, sprinter. Just let your character love being alive.

5. Characters whose neurodivergence isn't “cute”

A.K.A. Lilo Pelekai from Lilo and Stitch. Really, her relationship with Nani is peak sibling writing. But Lilo herself is just so realistic with how she interacts with the world, how she interprets her relationships with her so-called friends, how she organizes her thoughts and rationalizes what she can’t quite understand, and how friggen smart she is for an… 11-year-old?

But she’s not “cute”. As in, she wasn’t written by generic Suits who were trying to cash in on the ND crowd by writing what they think will sell, but also making her juuust neurotypical enough to still be palatable by the rest of the audience. Lilo’s earnestness is what endears her to everybody. But also, she doesn’t get a free pass for her behavior, either. Her “friends” aren’t forced to accommodate her and Nani isn’t written as the cold-hearted villain for trying to discipline her.

6. Straight male characters with female friends

Am I double-dipping a bit here? Yes. While I completely understand how tempting it can be, this type of character is in dire need of exposure and representation to prove it’s possible. No weird tense moments, no double-glances when she isn’t looking, no contemplations about cheating on his girlfriend (and no insecure jealous girlfriend either). Just two characters who enjoy each other’s company and are able to coexist in a space and be in each other’s spaces without hormones getting in the way. Peak example? Po and Tigress from Kung Fu Panda.

Let these two rely on each other for emotional strength in times of need, let them share inside jokes, let them have a night alone together at a bar, at home, cooking dinner, getting takeout, talking on the patio in a porch swing… with zero “will they/won’t they.”

7. The likable bigot

I’m actually on the fence with this one but it’s something I also don’t see done often enough and I’m adding it for one reason: Bigots aren’t always obvious mustache-twirling villains and the little things they do might seem inconsequential to them, but are still hurtful. So showing these characters is like plopping a mirror down in front of these people and, I don’t know, maybe something will click. They don’t have to be MAGAs to be dangerous, and only writing the extremes convinces the moderates that they aren’t also the problem.

Example: I have a “friend” who recently said something along the lines of “I have lots of gay friends” followed up shortly by “I don’t think this country should keep gay marriage because it’s a slippery slope to legalizing pedophilia.” You know. The quiet part being that she *actually* thinks being gay is as morally abhorrent as being a pedo. But she totally has lots of gay friends. Including one who was driving her during that conversation. (It’s me. Hi. I’m apparently the problem, it’s me.)

She’s absolutely homophobic, but the second she stops announcing it, she’s a very bubbly person. She’s a ~likable~ bigot and thus thinks she can distance herself from the more violent ones.

8. The motherly single father

I say “motherly” merely as shorthand for the vibe I’m going for here. “Motherly” as in dads who aren’t scandalized by the growing pains of their daughters, and who don’t just parent their sons by saying “man up boys don’t cry”. Dads who play Barbie with their kids of either gender. Dads who go to the PTA meetings with all the other Karens and know as much if not more than they do about the school and their kids’ education.

Dads who comfort their crying kids, especially their sons. Dads that take interest in “feminine” activities like learning how to braid their daughter’s hair, learning different makeup brands, going on nail salon trips together. Dads who do not pull out the rifle on their daughter’s new boyfriend and treat her like property. Dads who have guy friends that don’t mock him and call him gay. Dad who does all this stuff anyway and is *actually* gay, too, but the emphasis is on overly sensitive straight men’s masculinity here.

Wholesome dads: a shocking amount of single-parents to female anime protagonists.

9. The parent isn’t dead, they’re just gone

Treasure Planet is an awesome movie in its own right, but what’s even better? This is a Disney movie where the parent isn’t dead, he’s just a deadbeat who abandoned his son and isn’t at all relevant to the plot beyond the hole he left behind for Jim to fill. The only deadbeat dads Disney allows are villains and those guys are very vigorously chasing an aspiration, that aspiration just doesn’t include quality fatherhood. Or motherhood. Disney has yet to write a deadbeat mom, I’m almost certain.

I just wrote a post about the necessity of the “dead parent” cliche, but what is perhaps more relatable because it’s more common, and what earns even more sympathy and underdog points for the protagonist? The hero with the parent who left. Then there’s a whole extra layer of angst and trauma available when your hero can now plague themselves with the question of if the parent leaving is their fault. Death is usually an accident. Choosing to abandon your kid is on purpose.

10. Victim who isn’t victim-blamed or told by their friends (and the narrative) to forgive their abuser

Izuku Midoriya lost so much support from me the moment he told his friend, bearing the consequences of domestic violence across half his face, that Midoriya thinks he’ll be ready soon to forgive his abomination of a father. I am firmly in the “Endeavor is a despicable human and hero” camp and no I’m not taking criticism. I audibly gasped when I heard this line and realized Deku was serious. Todoroki needs friends like the Gaang to remind him that he's allowed to hate the man who's actions caused the burn scar across his f*cking face.

I understand that the mangaka apparently didn’t anticipate the vitriolic backlash toward Endeavor during his debut and reveal of his parenting tactics but the tone-deafness of telling a fifteen year old with crippling emotional management issues and a horrible home life that his abusive dad in any way deserves and is entitled to forgiveness on the grounds of being related is disgusting.

Take it back further to a more famous Tumblr dad: John Winchester. Another despicable human who got retroactively forgiven by his sons after his death in a “he wasn’t so bad, he really did try” campaign. It’s one thing if the character believes it, it’s a whole different matter if the narrative is also pushing this message.

Katara is a perfect example: She lets go of her grudge for her own peace of mind and stops blaming Zuko for something he had no hand in, stops blaming him simply because he’s a firebender and he’s around to be her punching bag. She doesn’t forgive the man who killed her mother, because that man doesn’t deserve her forgiveness. Katara heals in spite of him, not because of him, and had she let him off the hook, she would have gotten an apology for getting caught, not for what he did (which is exactly what happened).

[dramioneasks]

Christmas Fics 2023 (Part 6):

Warm For Christmas by MidnightPhilosopher - T, one-shot - Head Girl Hermione suddenly finds herself without plans for Christmas break during her eighth year at Hogwarts. Head Boy Draco doesn't have any plans either. Neither wants to stay in the cold castle for the holiday. So they run away.

Sounds Worth It by RoseHarperMaxwell - T, one-shot - The first time Draco seeks her out at the hospital is a crisp October day, which happens to be the six-month anniversary of her divorce. “Hello,” says Hermione, glancing up from her paperwork. “Draco. Can I…help you?” He’s well put together, dropping gracefully into the chair across from her desk without invitation. “Yes. I’m in need of medical attention.” “I see.” Hermione does not, in fact, see. This is quite unorthodox. There’s a triage procedure and rarely does it result in patients coming to her office. “Tell me more.” Five times Draco fakes an ailment as an excuse to visit Hermione, and one time he doesn't. D/Hr Advent 2023 🎄

A Family of Their Own by MarinaJune - T, one-shot - Draco is at St. Mungo's with minor injuries and Hermione means to go pick him up, except a certain little boy catches her on her way out.

grey clouds and cocoa cups. by crownedgrief - T, one-shot - “—I’ll fill your plate at every meal. I’ll carry you to every class. I’ll make sweet, sweet love to you every night.” Madam Pomfrey doesn’t ask how Draco’s face suddenly comes to be broken out in pus-filled hives. Hermione doesn’t offer any explanation beyond “he really should be more careful, Madam Pomfrey, don’t you think?” to which Draco responds with two fingers flipped up. - Hermione and Draco falling in love slowly.

Walking In A Winter Wonderland by potterhead25919 - E, WIP - Hermione Granger Portkeyed into France. Or what she thought was France until she looked around, pushing the hair being whipped around out of her face. Everything was blanketed in layer upon layer of snow, giving it an innocent, serene look. Trees stretched for miles, surrounding one solitary cabin. Well, the word cabin might have been an understatement. It looked like someone made the smallest mansion, at least 7000 square feet by the looks of it, and then dropped it in the middle of nowhere, sticking out like a sore thumb. Since she didn't have anywhere to go because technically she should be in a warm villa with Harry and Ginny for the holidays, she started the trek on foot to the front of the "cabin." When she reached the front door, she knocked twice, praying someone would be there. In the meantime, she cast a warming charm and huddled under the front stoop. A series of locking noises could be heard from the other side, and finally, a head peaked out of the door. A blond head, with silver eyes and a surprised expression on her face. "Granger?" Draco Malfoy stood in the doorway, looking very confused.

Penguins, Pebbles, and Other Reasons to Pursue Unemployment by mightbewriting - T, one-shot - “Is that…shit? On my desk?” Granger doesn’t so much as look up from her mountain of teetering parchments at Draco’s question. Her hair: frazzled. Her frown: ominous. The energy in their shared office: frantic. “Penguin shit,” she says. “Specifically, it’s penguin shit.” [In which a penguin-themed mishap at the Ministry nearly costs Draco his sanity.]

Family Christmas by Eldyra - K, one-shot - Draco and Hermione are married and just had their first child. Everything is perfect. Well, almost everything. With Christmas around the corner, can the complicated relationship with Draco's parents be salvaged? Are Lucius and Narcissa willing to overcome their prejudice now that they're grandparents?

A Perfect Christmas by cleotheo - T, one-shot - When Hermione's plans to host Christmas hit a snag, her husband, Draco steps in to give his wife the perfect Christmas she'd been so looking forward to. Fluffy, Dramione festive one shot.

To the future by Lunapon - not rated, one-shot - A very short story about Hermione’s eighth year at hogwarts which is filled with old friendships and new acquaintances, with Christmas just around the corner.

All Wrapped Up by Nusilverwolf - E, one-shot - She wanted him. This aggravating, arrogant, arsehole. This handsome, hypnotic, hopeless fool. “Granger, please.” Draco begged, head tilted back to expose the flush spread across his cheekbones and the lust in his eyes, “Just unwrap me.”

Snow On Snow by ifyouwereamelody - M, one-shot - “Alright, listen up, folks! Snow’s really coming down now, and I’m sorry to be saying it but the pass in’t safe to use. Looks like we’re all stuck here ‘til it can be cleared. That’s gonna be tomorrow at the earliest.” The rest of the pub breaks out into chatter, but Hermione just sits there, muted, struck dumb in more ways than one with not a thought in her head other than oh... god. All Hermione was looking for was a nice, Christmassy evening with Ginny in Britain's highest pub. Instead, she gets an ex, a snowstorm, and a whole heap of buried emotions brought back to the surface. Wrap up — there's a blizzard on the way.

In Perpetuity by loafy531 - M, one-shot - Hermione brings Draco to Christmas at the Burrow as her fake boyfriend. Christmas fluff with a side of post-divorce angst. “Who says you need to be your old self at all? How about, just be the version of yourself you are right now. Are we not perpetually destroying and reinventing ourselves with each passing moment? It’s practically the human condition, Granger. And anyway, who is he to say what, or who, is and isn’t right for you—Hermione Granger— the woman who single-handedly saved the wizarding world. Some nerve.”

Is That Mistletoe? by ohthedrarrydrabbles (ohthedrarry) - G, one-shot - Christmas Day arrives at Hogwarts with the sound of Draco trying, and failing, to win a war against an artificial Christmas tree in the Head Boy/Girl shared dormitory. Hermione is charmed to say the least.

[wazzappp]

First bit of graphic design I've done in a year and its a fake logo for a hyperspecific AU... don't know how I didn't see that coming honestly.

Ok lets talk about why I went with 'Ghost Fighters' outside of the obvious name pun.

The main enemies the boys face would be ghosts. They are composed entirely of the suffering of people who have passed. The few memories that they have are of their worst experiences, but for the most part they just kind of exist as memories of suffering. Generally these spirits move on after a day or two, but if there is a specific strong attachment to a place or person or trauma sometimes they stick around longer. Someone who was murdered would probably not stick around as long as someone who died of old age.

The general appearance is of an emaciated figure with very few features. They usually have 'ribbons' that extend out of the backs of their heads, the ends of these are sharp and used for fighting. The elongated arms and sharpened two fingered hands with a thumb are also used for slashing.

Ghosts seek out similar suffering in their area. They cant move more than 1/2 mile away from where they died, which gives them a bit of room to roam, but if you live in a place where theres a high concentration of murder they have a higher chance of running into each other.

If they DO. It gets BAD and it gets bad FAST. Ghosts can merge together and so your'e dealing with double the ribbons and double the claws. Their roaming spaces merge which mean that they can find more ghosts to merge with. There isn't really a limit on how many ghosts can merge together. When things like natural disasters happen, you can get large ghost conglomerates and FAST.

It is very rare but sometimes the ghosts will haunt people. People who stay in one space the majority of the time are stuck in the same haunting area as a ghost. All they have to do is temporary move away until either a Ghost Fighter destroys the ghost or it dissipates on its own. If they do end up being possessed you essentially have a ghost in free roam. There really isn't bringing someone back from that.

Generally people cant see ghosts. Ghost Fighters can, of course, but there are also very rare 'psychics' who can see ghosts. Most people cant see them until they start to conglomerate in numbers of 20 or 30. By then it is a VERY large ghost mass and needs to be dealt with. The effects of the ghost can be seen (claw marks in cement, dents where they've been thrown into walls) but generally they go un-noticed by the population.

ALRIGHT. RANDOM FUN DOODLES ASIDE lets talk Ghost Fighter physiology. (it is so so important to me that Roxanne has No Chill whatsoever. SO. IMPORTANT.)

All Ghost Fighters have 'nail polish' with their corresponding color. It used to help them identify each other, but after the rise of nail polish its uhhhhh. not very effective. It's really not nail polish though, thats just the color of the nail now :)

Connection Gems rest on the chest and are embedded into flesh. They allow a Familiar to channel magic through their person! Familiars are a lot like the 'paper flamethrower' metaphor. Lots of power, but unable to use it without destroying themselves. Ghost Fighters allow them a way to express their magic.

EYES. You already know what the fuck it is bro. I don't need to explain myself here yall know me by now but fuck it imma try and find a way to reason it out anyway. Humans aren't really built to contain so much magic, so it shows through in little ways, like shining out of their eyes just a lil bit.

Speaking of which, Ghost Fighters are a little uh. Weird. You know the whole thing with elves? Where they look almost too pretty and the longer you look the stranger it gets? They have that going on. Their hair is always settled just right, their skin is dewy and almost shiny, the light always hits their eyes JUST right. Even bedheads still manage to looks planned and perfect.

SO. When you get a guy like Robbie? Whose attractive to start with but scowls all the time? When he finally DOES smile? Holy Shit. Nobody is prepared for it. Nuclear levels of pretty. Almost hurts to look at. 100 Billion enraptured 30,000 gay / bi awakening.

More stuff about familiars (Eli in particular. Need to think harder about his specific weirdness), transformation sequences, ultimate attacks, and interpersonal relationships on the way. I just. NEEDED. To get what I have so far out there dude. Brain too full. Door stuck. DOOR STUC K.

[skrunkly-baloongis]

Four Bastards of the Yan-pocalypse play Animal Crossing: New Horizons:

Jack

John Doe

Alan

Ren/[Redacted]

Note: This is just my opinion and please dont take it seriously lol. Also, I wrote all of this while sleep deprived so if none of it makes sense, sorry lmfao ;w;

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

Jack:

Favorite villager(s):

Would probably be Pietro or Goldie. Pietro due to the clown look and how cute he is, and Goldie because she's so sweet.

Favorite Activities:

I could easily see him as a very helpful person. Helping Guliver and Gulivarr, helping Harv with Reese and Cyrus, and easily befriending villagers left and right. He probably really likes the cooking mechanic of the game, as food is a universal love language. Extra points if you cook right along with him. Will probably cry if you gift him anything.

Favorite NPC's:

I'd say either Harv or Timmy and Tommy. Harv because of how sweet he is, and Timmy and Tommy because of how cute and endearing they are (just like you!)

________________________________________

John Doe:

Favorite Villager(s):

You probably saw this coming from a mile away, but Coco, Kiki, and Jitters. Coco because he likes her look, Kiki because she's black like his hair and she's pretty cool, and Jitters because...well...Just look at the dude lol

Favorite Things to do:

When it comes down to this, I honestly think Doe would be fine with whatever. I think he would like fishing and finding fossils just so he could run up to you and go "HEY LOOK AT THIS IT REMINDS ME OF YOUUUUUU" and it's legit an oarfish lmfao. He also probably wears a custom design sweater you made of his irl sweater in game.

Favorite NPC's:

I think he would like how cracked out Blathers looks. Just a nervous little mess of a man. I think he would like that. Either that or he'd really like Flick, specifically when Flick tries catching a bug and failing. (Then he can "Show this lizard boy how it's done").

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

Alan

Favorite Villagers:

Lmfao roast me all you want but Apollo all the way baby. Apollo, Dobie, Fang and Fauna. Apollo, Dobie and Fang because he thinks they look cool and likes interracting with them, and Fauna because she reminds him of his Doe-Eyes!

Favorite Things to Do:

A legend at material gathering. Need some wood? Bro he's out the door with his little axe ready to swing for you. Fishing? This man has enough fucking fish to fill three museums. You have to beg him to stop. He likes watching you go about your business as you talk to villagers and do whatever. He especially likes it when you bring him small gifts! Whether it be a new axe, fishing rod, or (his most recent favorite) ungodly ammounts of freshly cooked soup, he will cherish it like no tomorrow and be sad if he has to empty his pockets due to lack of storage.

Favorite NPC's:

I could see him really liking Cyrus. Both work well with their hands and are pretty talented at it! I could also see him liking Brewster as well, just for his kinda chill vibes. Plus, getting coffee with you would make his day!

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

Ren/[Redacted]

Favorite Villagers:

For Ren, I would say he would like Judy, Chelsea, and Merry. Honestly any cute villager! Especially ones that remind him of how cute he thinks you are! For [Redacted], Muffy, Kabuki and Lucky! [Redacted] has a stark difference from what Ren enjoys, opting for more darker and creepier villagers.

Favorite Things to Do:

Given his (both Ren/[Redacted]'s) hacker occupation, he really loves modding the game! Dont worry about your switch being bricked, he's got you covered. He'll add in things ranging from old villagers, to even new gameplay mechanics just to see what could happen. In regards to vanilla animal crossing, he really likes seeing what you're up to. He's the type to collect shells and flowers for you and leave them outside the house as gifts. Similar to Jack, he would probably melt through the floor if you left him something.

Favorite NPC's:

Flick would probably be one of his favorites. He's so cool! Just look at him! Another favorite would be Kicks because of how cute he looks, and because he can buy you stuff from him lol.

[ladylooch]

I have thots….

Mile high club

Timo is an obvi choice but may I present to you Barzy? Or MILES

And obvi if we’re talking OC’s for sure lio and con

Mmkay back to my bevies

😘🍻

I am having tequila high noons tonight… so it’s gonna be lit 🔥

The way you are making me choose about who to write this about.. what a predicament. 

But… my Woody girls are thirsty…. So let’s go with Miles MF Wood.

“Surprise!!!!” Miles yells as your sneakers hit the tarmac. The last fifteen minutes have been very confusing to you. You had arrived at the airport in Boston, ready for your new adventure together in Colorado. But everything took an unexpected turn when the car continued onto the tarmac of the airport. You were shuttled to a specific hanger that holds a private security area and the nicest airport lounge you have ever seen.

“We are flying private.” He wiggles his thick eyebrows at you.

“Baby, what…. This is… so…”

“Free!” He grins. “Paid for by our new team as a welcome to the Mile High City.” His arms stretch out to the side. The gap in his teeth is extra pronounced with his excitement. 

“Oh my god. I’m finally dating a real superstar.” You snort as you poke his stomach. His smile falls off. 

“Hey.”

“Sorry, you tee’d it up for me.”

You both get settled on the plane quickly taking off before you even register what is happening. Your take off drink of choices was mimosas due to the late morning time. 

“Cheers to our next adventure.” Miles clinks your glasses together. You take a sip, then his tongue chases the bubbles in your mouth, stretching out his seatbelt to maximum length.

“Babe.” You laugh at his aggressive kissing. Your plane is just hitting ten thousand feet and you feel a bit anxious as you always do during the first part of any flight. Something about being in a smaller plane isn’t very comforting to you.

“We are fucking before this plane ride is over.” Your boyfriend’s words snap you out of your anxious thoughts.

“What?”

“There is no way you’re getting off this plane without me being inside of you.”

“Babe!” You smack his huge thigh, glancing back at the flight attendant gathering together your cheese board appetizer. “No way.” You look at the lack of door between the cabin and the pilots as well as the openness of everything. Plus, you’re way too anxious of a flyer. “It would be so obvious.”

“I do not care.”

“Well, you’re not the only one participating.”

“You owe me. A bet is a bet.” Your face goes white. Shit. He is not actually making you pay up for your drunken bet that he wouldn’t go three years without getting replacement teeth. “You’re too vain.” You had giggled at him. Miles never “got around” to getting new teeth… and you didn’t really think anything of it because you love him and he’s so cute and sexy either way that whatever. Who needs teeth?

Damn, when did teeth get so negotiable to you.

Only Miles Wood could do that to you. And only he could make you unbuckle your seatbelt to straddle his lap. His prize for winning the bet was naming a time and place of his choice for you two to have sex. Apparently, this is the time and place. 

He reaches around your body to grab the inflight blanket provided. He folds it around your back. You have a full view of the flight attendant who has the cheese board in her hands, ready to walk it out to you. You make eye contact with her. You purse your lips. She immediately knows and turns around, closing the curtains.

“Oh my god. She closed the curtains.” You put your forehead on Miles’ shoulder in shame.

“Baby, they definitely deal with this all the time. With way grosser people than us. Let’s give them a show.”

“Miles, you fucker.” You whine as you reach for his belt. You cannot believe you are doing this. He is rigid beneath your fingers already panting at what you’re about to do. His blue eyes are wild with excitement as he grins at you. You take him out of his pants, unable to make eye contact with him as you stroke along his taut skin. He chuckles. 

“Baby, we don’t have to.” Him giving you the out makes you want it so much more. Your eyes meet his and he grins wider. “Yesssss, I knew you wanted to.”

“I see why you told me to wear the dress.” You had been debating between leggings and a dress, but he insisted on this.

“I’ve had this planned since I found out we were flying private.” He leans forward, sucking along your collarbone. “Fuck that feels good.” He moans as your fingers wrap tighter around him, stroking his length. “Oh.” He moans. 

“Okay you need to be quiet.” You say pointedly. He’s the loud one in this relationship. 

With his help, you shift your panties to the side. Miles leans his chair back, then guides your hips as you put him at your entrance. Your head falls back as you slide all the way down onto him. His thickness is intoxicating while stretching you to capacity. You roll your head forward again, watching the way his eyes flicker with waves of desire. His lips are pursed to keep his groans to himself.

Miles bucks into you. It’s a little awkward with not being able to move, but you find your rhythm quickly, wanting release.

“Ohhhmygod.” Miles’ head falls forward to your breasts, shoving between them as you squeeze his face between the mounds. “Baby.” He moans into your right breast, leaving a kiss there afterwards. 

Neither of you last long. It feels too good and so public and honestly, you needed this to relax and enjoy the rest of the flight. You rut into him with slow movements to bring you both down gently. Miles comes out from your breasts, puckering his lips for a kiss.

“I’m glad this is how we started our life in Colorado.”

“Me too.” You admit, brushing his curls off his forehead.

[seth-shitposts]

I really want to talk about a thought I had during my shift today, but I have to give *at least some* context to it-

So in the SoFS&V au, Tua founds and leads a group who works in the public eye, speaking & acting against the empire. Helping those in need and encouraging others to do what they can as well.

As part of Kallus helping the (former) Grand Inquisitior (and as a way to know his whereabouts), he ask Him to help Tua, so the group initially is just the two of them. It does grow from there.

At first He doesn't think Tua is capable of the job, that she doesn't possess the backbone necessary for it. And she honestly doesn't think she does either. Near the beginning, the role is swapped into his hands and he Very Quickly Starts To Fail In Some Of The Most Humiliating Ways. To the point where he isn't able to handle the specific social pressures for much longer than even a day. He returns to Tua and insists that she takes the job back. Now that he knows full well what the role entails, he also knows that she is the most capable of it and has had the necessary abilities for a long time.

After that, he stays by her side constantly and encourages her, reminding her of her capabilities and such. He has confidence in her and she gives him this sense of something he hasn't truly felt in a long time. Something to believe in. She's very charismatic, she's able to demand and hold then attention of conversation and of her audience. She makes him believe in her cause, in her call to fight.

When He first met with her after all the time apart from them both leaving/escaping the empire, he expected her fear. He remembered it well and part of him was looking forward to taunting her and having that fear before him once again. She feared him even before Tarkin gave him the order to set an example. The fear only increased in her after that day. It's what he was expecting when he was about to reunite with her.

But then

When she stood before Him, there wasn't even a trace of fear in her being. In fact, she seemed almost warm about his presence. Nothing he ever did, no amount of intimidation he tried to display ever drew fear from her. She changed just as much as Kallus had. It was infuriating for a while. Which is what led to some of his outbursts in try to intimidate her, but the fact that she was unphased shocked him and what kept him from trying harder was how she always held a warmth toward him. One the cooled and soothed him. And by working by her side, he stopped trying to intimate her, and began to encourage her at least just as much as she did him.

And then after a major victory for the team, everyone was estatic and talking about ways to celebrate. She looked to him with the biggest smile and he gave her congratulations on her victory.

And then she gave a quick, friendly kiss to his cheek and said that it was a team victory.

He honestly has no idea how to read what happened. The small action seemed second nature to her, as she led the team from their victory to their celebration while his mind was still miles behind in complete and total shock, trying to micro analyze what happened and what it meant.

[thedawningofthehour]

How did the search for Galois in Chapter 33 go for both sides (Draxum and his side looking for Galois after he was captured and Leo and his side when Galois got away from them/evaded Raph)? Who was the most calm, who was the most hysterical, etc.? Did Leo lash out at anyone on his side in particular/blaming them? Did Draxum?

Hmm, I'm trying to think back now to what Draxum and co were doing during the chapter. The fact that I never write this shit down is gonna kill me one day, I swear.

So after Draxum's team regrouped and Cass and Tigerclaw told him what happened, Draxum probably had some...choice words for Tigerclaw. And for everyone else, but they were keeping their distance and he wasn't lashing out at anyone in specific, just anyone he saw. He was probably close to hysterical even before the Phone Call, but the whole thing with Leo parading his victory and verbally attacking him, (which he knew was absolutely deserved and that made it even worse) the sound of Galois screaming for him, hearing Splinter's voice and knowing Donnie's real father was with him-if he wasn't so practical he probably would have attacked Tigerclaw. But he needed to find his kid.

I think I had Tigerclaw and Cass take two of the people they were with to search while Huginn was with the other three, because Draxum trusts none of his allies and thinks they're all secretly planning to take his son and sell him off or whatever. He didn't trust them not to hurt Cass if left alone with her either. (Huginn's harder to injure so he didn't really care) He went off with just Muninn so he could cover more ground and because he'd probably murder anyone else he was around. (Muninn kept his beak very firmly shut) He knows the rough area of the lair but as a show of respect to Donnie's final wishes he never uncovered the exact location. Which he regretted, after sending out search parties to scour the hundreds of miles of sewer tunnels under Manhattan.

Cass probably went into Full Chaos Mode and was ready to destroy any turtles or rats or stupid humans with bats she came across-after making sure her little brother was unharmed. Tigerclaw, he's a professional, he's good at keeping his cool. He kept Cass from breaking her neck and generally balanced her out, they made a pretty good team. Both the gargoyles were seconds away from breaking into tears, but they choked it down. There were several instances where Gale almost came across a search party looking for him, but swam away because he heard voices and assumed it must have been the turtles.

Draxum was completely frantic. Galois was scared and potentially injured and Draxum was terrified by what Leo and the fam might be able to do to the memory spell. He's very confident that it's secure by now, but in Donatello's old home surrounded by Donatello's family and Leo being given ample time to work his machinations-he already has nightmares of the spell unwinding, he can only deal with them by telling himself that they're complete paranoia. If Leo gave them weight, Draxum's heart might give out.

He 100% cried in the shower afterwards.

On the fam's side, let's see, Raph and Splinter searched together so I must have had Leo and Mikey as the other search party, since April stayed back in case Donnie stumbled back in or Draxum found the lair. (she probably called several people to help search, but Leo was in such a state that he just didn't remember anything afterwards)(plus there was the whole 'Donnie is ready to murder and a bit feral right now and he might legit try to kill anyone who corners him' to contend with, so April wasn't a good candidate for engaging) She was probably kind of a mess of everything. Anger, crying, denial. She wouldn't remember much of this either.

Unfortunately, I feel like Splinter would really detach after all the kids were home safe. He'd be good during the initial search, keeping everyone on-task and staying relatively calm, but after realizing that he'd really lost Donnie again he just...shut down. Probably spent the next couple of days staring at the wall. Raph would have accepted defeat first out of everyone and set to taking care of his remaining family, like he does in the movie. Mikey and Leo were the ones who had to be physically stopped, because they would have kept searching until they collapsed. Mikey cried a lot. He still has bouts of crying over it, honestly.

Leo, though, Leo was in an absolute frenzy. He'd planned this out for weeks, and he thought it was all but foolproof. He thought he was entirely in the clear once they got Donnie in that blanket. He'd really believed that the ordeal was over and Donnie was back home for good-and then that was snatched away. He lost his brother again, and he had no more aces up his sleeve. That was his best plan, and it still didn't work. He was completely out of everything, ideas and energy and lies he told himself, and he still didn't have Donnie.

He was nasty. Yelling at everyone, hitting and biting anyone that tried to get him to give up. He was the last one home, and I think I mentioned this but they literally had to sedate him because he was acting so erratically Splinter was legitimately afraid he was going to hurt himself or someone else.

Nobody held it against him. They knew they'd probably react the same in his shoes.

[yellowloid]

Why do you think Alex and Miles fought in 2018? In my opinion between two there is nothing but a simple friendship and nothing else

hi!!

the reason i think there was a falling out between alex and miles after the eycte era and ESPECIALLY in 2018 is because of how radically their interactions changed after the end of their 2016 tour.

if you only consider them as strictly platonic friends (which is completely fine) then you're probably not gonna agree with what i'm about to say - which, if you follow me on this blog, you probably already know lmao. and that is the fact that in my opinion the making of eycte and then specifically the actual tour was a turning point in their relationship, and it was clear even from an outsider's pov that something was going on between them. the actual nature of what was actually going on is and will probably forever be a mystery, but the way they interacted, the way they were constantly on each other in every way you could possibly think of, the way you could feel so many different kinds of tension between them, and the way you could see the utter fondness and admiration written in their eyes every time they looked at each other... that was definitely something. again, we'll probably never know what it was, but it sure felt like love. the visceral kind, rare and special and so intense they both got completely swept off their feet by how strong it was. the depth of their connection was almost tangible, romantic or not, and that is clear by just watching any 2016 performance.

sure, their friendship had already been going strong for years, but... 2016 was just different. it felt different, intimate and exhilarating and electrifying for the both of them. you could just see it in their eyes, in the way they smiled their most genuine smiles back then. in the giggles and whispers and constant touching and looking at each other like they were each other's biggest, most precious treasure.

and then the tour ended, and it was deeply emotional and sad and it really felt like the end of an era.

they came back to their solo careers, and they were seen less and less with each other. from what we know, they also both suffered from writer's block for a while. then 2018 happened, and am came back with a very concept-oriented album, where everything that might be related to alex's private life is hidden under ten layers of obscure metaphors - and even then, we have no way of knowing how much of it is actually real and how much is just part of the whole concept. the only songs where he is a bit more direct are either """"love songs""""" (and very sad at that: see golden trunks and the ultracheese) or very introspective and personal ones (see anyways). on the other hand, miles came back with a very direct, very much heartbroken breakup album. also an implicit coming out album. also an album where every song screams of alex (i don't even need to give examples. it's literally every single one. the whole fucking album.)

regarding their private lives, miles entered his slut era while alex seemed to slowly start wasting away. my dude literally had a mental breakdown and shaved his head, he was not well fr. this was probably due to criticism of tbhc + him cheating on taylor most likely for a while before actually breaking up with her + getting stuck into a very shallow relationship with louise out of 1) self-flagellation and 2) search for a safe space (keeping up his straight persona, denying his identity and literally burying himself into the closet).

the majority of the milex fandom - me included - seems to agree that if we assume there was something romantic going on between them during the eycte era (possibly even before, but it definitely got to its intensity peak in 2016), after the tour ended things got complicated: miles wanted an actual committed relationship, while alex - back to the routine and having "woken up" from the dream that was the eycte tour - was already struggling to accept his identity, and when miles got serious he got scared and chickened out. so then miles tried to forget him (hence the slut era, but to no avail) while still trying to be his friend because of course they never really left each other's side, and that probably hurt like hell. everything miles could do was watch as alex slowly got eaten away by his own regret, fear, repression and self-hate. what i always say is that by doing what he did, alex broke both their hearts.

their interactions became so weird, too - la cigale 2018 being a prime example of peak cringe content, with them awkardly sharing the mic and alex literally fleeing the stage to run backstage to louise as soon as the song was over. you can't watch a random 2016 performance, then watch la cigale and be 100% convinced nothing happened in between those two years. something definitely switched between them.

my guess is that they never really got over each other, but their friendship did recover after reaching an all time low in 2018. i think now it's in much better condition, though not back to how it was before. they probably never got closure and they probably never will. they just... quietly long for each other and do nothing about it because they're both dumb fucking idiots.

they were indeed seen hanging out during summer 2020 if i rememver correctly, and then they were both at zack and lola's wedding last summer (we were ROBBED of a photo) and then back in... late july? (early august? or was it earlier?) we got that pic of alex at a bar with a fan and miles in the background. ofc this is just the "public" evidence we have of them hanging out and being on at least amicable terms, and who knows what really happens behind closed doors. i do believe they hang out as much as their busy schedules allow them to do. and obviously things aren't the same anymore because they clearly went through something, but what they have now isn't necessarily bad. they're still friends, and that's all that matters in the end.

obviously we don't really know what happened. we probably never will, and that's okay - because that's how it should be. we're not entitled to know anything about their private lives that they don't want us to know. let them figure out the nature of their relationship for themselves. as fans, we admire them for their music and we all enjoy the essence of their relationship with each other - their public dynamic and personas. and i think that we can all agree on the fact that their relationship is something they both cherish so much, so unique and heartwarming and beautiful that it's impossible not to be captivated by it, be it romantic or platonic.

[dutifullyshamelessearthquake]

Okay okay head canon prompt, I wanna know what you think

sickfic scenarios for the gang: Theme park addition! Some may be obvious but I’m curious regardless hehe. Who’s getting motion sick? Who’s getting over heated? Who is suffering from trying to suspicious food stalls? Who’s so scared of a ride they get sick *before* they get on? Who’s convinced they wouldn’t feel sick from a ride but do? Who didn’t sleep well from excitement and then had waaay to much sugar to compensate? Who’s in denial they can’t handle it anymore and who sees it coming from a mile away? Anything along those lines, whatever you dream, I’m very curious 🥰

OH I LOVE THIS! Amusement parks are just brilliant, because not only do I absolutely love them, but they have sooo much sickfic potential. Oh I'm going to have fun with these!

First thing's first; It's already canon to the AU, Kazuha has nearly gotten heatstroke at an amusement park. He likes wearing lots of layers, it makes him feel secure - but it's not the smartest choice when it's the middle of summer and you're spending all day walking around the amusement park. You can read this fic on my AO3!

Although that has happened to Kazuha, heat's not typically what gets him. In general, I'd say he's the one who would get sick from the food. I'm not talking food poisoning specifically (though that is a right possibility) but Kazuha has a sensitive stomach. One too many deep fried, greasy meals, and he's bound to start feeling a little queasy.

Gorou- do I even need to say it? Looking at the rides makes him nauseous, he'll never survive getting on one. A few calm rides, like a slow ferris wheel, those he can handle, but anything with too much movement is a no-go. He's 100% thrown up just from watching Kazuha go on one of the rides.

Another motion sickness victim is Lyney. Except unlike Gorou, he doesn't listen to his body, he'll be silly enough to think he can go on the rides, only to get sick from it. Lumine is a daredevil, she loves wild rides, so of course Lyney tries going with her - she gave him one hell of a lecture after he's finished throwing up.

Aether I feel is somewhere in the middle. It's a gamble for him; some rides he's completely fine with, others will make him feel sick. But it's manageable, he'll pop a motion sickness pill before the outing, and happily enjoy himself. He would like to extend a formal apology to whoever is sitting behind him on the roller coaster, however, they are getting a face full of hair.

Albedo isn't a fan of amusement parks in general. He's too introverted, they're too loud, too crowded. He doesn't have much of an interest in rides either. The main selling point for him would be the food - especially some of the sweet treats, just can't be found anywhere else! Doughnuts, cotton candy, he definitely has a sweet tooth. Unfortunately his small appetite means he'll sometimes overdo it a little, he's bound to have a stomach ache by the time they go home.

Heizou adores amusement parks, he loves the thrill of going on wild rides, and don't even get me started on all the brilliant deep fried food! Heizou loves fried food, and trying all the different stalls will be the highlight of his day - unfortunately this means he is definitely most likely to get food poisoning. And if he were to bite into anything that's undercooked or burnt, let's just say that triggers his gag reflex almost immediately.

Did I just unintentionally save my favourite boys for last?

Tighnari's biggest enemy is the heat, period. He's sweating bullets, buying one cold drink after the other, covered with sunscreen, but still over heating. He just doesn't cope well with the heat, and no matter how hard he tries to stay hydrated and keep himself cool, by mid-day he's starting to feel nauseous from the hours spent in the sun. He also always manages to get sunburnt, and that's despite all the sunscreen and the wide-brimmed hat he's walking around in.

RIGHT and how can I forget - amusement parks are loud. Tighnari has incredibly sensitive hearing, it does not take long for all that noise to drive him crazy. By the time he gets to head home, a migraine is already settling in.

Yeah I don't think Tighnari likes amusement parks.

Cyno on the other hand, he would absolutely adore them! He's the type who would love the rides, love the food, love the excitement! You just know he's winning a ton of stuffed animals in the games, just to gift them all to Tighnari.

Heat doesn't phase Cyno much at all, and unless he's sick with something else, he wouldn't usually get motion sick. If something's going to make him sick, it's most likely something he ate. He loves all the food, and he's bound to over indulge and struggle with some indigestion. And of course food poisoning, that's almost unavoidable with him sampling just about everything he can get his hands on!

[iltaimpi]

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Vento Aureo OC: Melania Zatta

{Yes, I have a Part 5 OC. Here she is.

Her name is Melania Zatta (also spelt Melonia, but usually the former to avoid extra association with Melone).

Zatta is a (seemingly less common) Italian word for cantaloupe, so, yes, technically Melonia is meant to be in reference to the word melone (as cantaloupe is, of course, a melon) but not the character.

A member of Passione. Though previously I had not definitively confirmed which 'faction' she's a part of, given the context I typically depict her in, she's most likely a member of La Squadra (or at least close with the group). On this topic, I remember making a joke: "Imagine leaving for like a week and coming back to all your friends dead" (this of course, is a joke, but seeing as I have no other description for her whereabouts during canon events, until or unless I come up with something else, I'll just let it sit). This is probably part of what led me to assign her as a member of La Squadra, alongside the fact that described uses of her Stand's ability are often in the context of assassination.

She's an Italian native, though from which part specifically is unclear; perhaps from Toscana or maybe she's just from Napoli, which is, in any case, where she presently lives (in the context of Part 5's timeframe). She's an adult of indeterminate age, perhaps in her 20s or 30s.

She stands at, by implication of her own word, "about" 5'2".

She's known for her harsh personality and temper, and most particularly, best known for her ridiculously tall platform stilettos—7 inches tall, by her account; stilettos with a very distinct click. You’d think with those fucking shoes that you could hear her coming a mile away, but you’d be wrong; she makes it a habit of sneaking up on people silently and prides herself on her reputation for it. Oh, she's also pretty well-known for the distinct fact that she happens to only have one fucking eyebrow (her left eyebrow).

She's also well known to carry some sort of parasol or umbrella around, and when asked about it, her excuse varies. A fairly common explanation she gives is that it's to 'protect' her 'sensitive eyes' from the sun.

She's a Stand User, naturally, as most members of Passione are; her Stand is...

「Beatophone」.

「Beatophone」 is a blind, humanoid, Close-Range Power Type Stand which follows only sound.

Its ability is sensitivity to and manipulation of vibration. It has incredibly sensitive hearing, partially because it can detect vibrations in the air, so it can track even the slightest sounds when in pursuit. It cannot see at all, so it uses sound to find its targets. It has some control over vibration and uses this to create little scrap creatures, affectionately called Beatofini, as constituents.

There's not really one form for the Beatofini, considering they're made of random metal pieces. It depends on the available scraps. "Scraps" is a loose term, anything metal that is not attached to anything is included—silverware, pins, scissors, etc... all work fine. Essentially, if Risotto can make it with 「Metallica」, it's probably fair game.

The Beatofini are generally hollow, so vibrations can travel. Since these creatures constantly vibrate to keep form and stay together, their hearing is diminished, meaning they can only follow louder noises or jitter about awkwardly looking for a target. They're not well attuned and have little power; but that's for the better, because they do not need to have power. They're not meant to attack, but to hunt and track down. Because they're small, hollow and held together by vibrations, they are easily destroyed... loudly.

Their main function is more of a detector. When they find a target, they self-destruct, either releasing the vibrations and falling apart to make a fuckton of noise, or gathering a burst of vibration to essentially explode, aiming to also make a fuckton of noise (though less precise as the pieces go everywhere) as well as to injure the target by flinging fucking metal at them. Even if it does not get a chance to self-destruct, if the target destroys it themself, they're sealing their own doom. However it happens, the destruction of the Beatofini will attract the Stand towards the target, and if it lands a hit, it's devastating—it's quite a powerful Stand.

Much like Notorious B.I.G., running from it is ill-advised, since running is, like, the loudest form of walking.

「Beatophone」 itself is also somewhat 'sentient', but not anywhere near to a 「Spice Girl」 extent.

It can recognise voices—or rather, it can moreso learn to recognise voices, or become familiar with voices, as well as gaits and other distinctive auditory traits. It just needs a certain amount of exposure, so in an environment that Zatta deems safe, she tends to leave it out so it can learn the voices and auditory distinctions of her teammates and friends. Familiarity is accumulative; even once it can recognise a voice, it can still fail to properly identify it if the voice changes tone, develops an impediment or uses a different accent or language. Perfecting recognition requires a lot of exposure, it gets more accurate over time, so the members of La Squadra (and anyone else she works with or considers friends) probably see quite a bit of 「Beatophone」.

It recognises (and, perhaps, likes) Ghiaccio best, but often seems to 'act huffy' around him—he's loud. It cannot recognise Risotto very well though it tries its best, because, of the assassins, he's one of the quietest. It actually recognises him best by his gait and the sound of his hat! 「Babyface」 (Junior) constantly changes, and while each iteration sounds roughly the same to everyone else, they're apparently all different enough that 「Beatophone」 can never quite identify its voice proper.

It's also fairly quiet despite having a mouth, largely because of its sensitivity to sound and its inability to navigate through anything but sound. It typically only 'speaks' (like most Stands, outside of Stand telepathy, it can only say its Stand cry) once it's stationary, and will only do its Stand cry once it's located its target so it does not have to listen anymore. Additionally, it has a mechanism for muffling its hearing (when its 'ears' are folded up, sounds are more subdued to it) before it does its Stand cry so it can avoid blasting its own (and Zatta's) hearing out. Other than a Stand cry in battle, it's typically silent and emotes through mouth expression and body language. Compared to Zatta herself, it's pretty mild-mannered.

Zatta’s true reasons for carrying her umbrella everywhere are unclear, but it comes in handy for directing her Stand towards people by tapping the sharp ferrule on the ground, assuming it’s not on grass, dirt or sand. In a similar vein, one of the reasons Zatta wears heels all the time is for when she does have her Stand out for acclimation; she wears the stilettos so 「Beatophone」 can follow the click of her heels.

She has killed without her Stand before.

She's aggressive, especially towards men, but tends to be slightly less aggressive towards other members of La Squadra, in particular, Risotto, Sorbet and Pesci. For the most part, the others understand the difference between genuine aggression and her normal harshness, through which she is still affectionate to her friends. She's fairly closer with and prefers Risotto's presence for his quietness (same with Sorbet, at least to an extent), but actually gets along with Ghiaccio very well, possibly even the best despite his loudness. Formaggio is one of the main targets of her agitation as she simply finds him 'annoying'.

Still, she cares about all of them, and if something terrible were to happen to any of her teammates, the impact on her would be heavy.

She's heavily implied to have a very rough past, involving some kind of horrific accident as a child that may contribute to her poor vision, but she obviously never talks about it. She apparently had killed someone shortly before she was brought into Passione and subsequently joined La Squadra.

She has a transient, wanderlusting sister who goes by Archetta, who she rarely seems to interact well with when they do happen to interact, and is possibly related to a peculiar wandering pariah named Angurio Romano. Adventure, travel and wanderlust seem to be a constant in her family, except when it comes to Melania herself, who sees no reason to leave Italia, and has allegedly never felt much of a desire to leave the country (or even the city of Napoli, frankly).

Unless I've forgotten something, that's all as far as a basis goes. Feel free to ask about her.

}

[freesia-writes]

Ok here you go. I love these drunken headcannons about the Batch. (would insert a link if I could) But I would love to hear some more black out drunk headcannons of our beloved Commanders and Captains. (Cody, Wolffe, Fox, Howzer, Gregor, Bly, Rex... I don't know are there more? You can choose ;))

Love ya!

Hmmmmmmmm I will do my best. <3 But I feel wildly unqualified because I really don't know Cody/Wolffe/Bly/Fox yet. Need to re-watch and read more stuff here. So I'll take a shot in the dark. I've read some of the others but I can't remember any specifics, hahaha! So forgive me if I repeat any ideas already shared -- we do have a collective consciousness about these guys anyway, don't we? :D Slightly NSFW below the cut!

Cody - starts texting Obi-Wan with increasingly hilarious (and inappropriate) suggestions of how to be more efficient on missions. Sits in the corner of the bar, typing like a madman and giggling uncontrollably to himself. Someone approaches to ask how he's doing and he stifles it real quick, shoving the comm in his pocket and looking way too stern all of a sudden, pretending like he's totally normal (or trying).

Wolffe - hmmm. I'm thinking about Rebels Wolffe here. I think he'd start telling jokes that go from cringey cheesy to hilariously dirty, and the glint in his eye would be accentuated by his scar and cybernetic eye. He'd get Gregor-level eyebrow waggles. And girls would start hitting on him and he'd be like, "Oh, what's this? My bad! Yes, come on ladies, there's room for all of you." XD

Fox - dang, I don't know this guy at all, so I'm gonna be boringly cliche and say he'd start shit-talking Palpatine like no other, from silly things to stuff that has the clones with him looking around nervously and telling him to be quiet. He would probably piss on something of Palpatine's on his way home for the night, too. Or teabag his desk or somethin.

Howzer - mmmm. My sweet boy. Shiny Howzer would be VERY different, but grown Howzer… if he got that drunk… hm. I can see him doing karaoke. Singing stuff like the "I would walk 500 miles" song (I'm Gonna Be is the real name) and getting the whole bar to join in, and then the next morning his squadmates are teasing him about what a charismatic entertainer he was and he's absolutely refuses to believe them (but is secretly pleased inside, LOL). He's completely oblivious to the [HORDES] of women (and men and non-human sentients and every other identification) hitting on him all night and is just focused on having a damn blast. He'd wake up with lipstick marks on his face FOR SURE.

Gregor - (sorry, this is gonna have some language). I would love to be here for this one. ;) You thought he giggled and smiled a lot when he was sober? BUCKLE UP BITCHES. He's gonna be telling stories that he can only remember HALF of and can actually verbalize even LESS of because he's laughing himself to tears and gasping for air between the words so much that you can't discern what the FUCK he was talking about anymore, but you find yourself giggling too because he's just having such a good time and you can't help but be carried along. He would find the most random people at the bar and instantly become their best friend, buying them a drink and proclaiming them to be the greatest person in the galaxy. Him and Howzer at the same bar would be… oh my gosh… the bar would spontaneously combust. I NEED TO WRITE THIS.

Bly - dang, I don't know this chap much either, so again gonna play it safe and say he'd be texting Aayla about how much he wants to motorboat her securas and shroom tat his own face with her lekku. Every time it happens he gets another ridiculously lewd and hilarious tattoo in a place that only she will see… I absolutely can't think of ONE but you know what I'm talkin about. ;)

Rex - precious man. He'd be pretty subtle at first -- feeling super buzzed but able to hide it really well -- and would start commanding his boys in increasingly ridiculous ways, or calling them out on stuff they thought he didn't know about, and they'd be getting increasingly nervous and panicked and sweaty until he goes too far and they realize he's trashed and totally joking. But then they turn it on him and start telling random girls "Hey that guy's been staring at you all night" and laughing their asses off as girls approach him and he has his awkward panic. I don't see Rex as a one night stand kind of guy. And not a word of any of this is shared the day after.

and MAYDAY - mwahahaha. You just KNOW this guy is the most subtle drunk at the bar. His humor is so dry that it goes over half the people's heads, and his pickup lines to girls either have them wrinkling their nose (most of the time) or laughing and leaning in because they're just as snarky as he is (rarely). I think he's all about business on duty, with a thick layer of sarcasm on top of it all, but when he's a free man and under the influence he's making out with girls in the refresher and telling them to pull his hair. ;) Probably arm wrestling occasionally, and is totally understated about it (not a lot of bravado) but wins almost all the time.

Sorry it wasn't too terribly NSFW. ;)

[bad-fucking-omens]

The Witch Twin (Alec V. x OC) - Chapter 15 - Power

Summary: When I thought about my future, I was sure that I had the rest of my life vaguely planned out.

Then, my older sister moved up from Arizona to stay with us — and turned my entire life upside down.

I had no idea just how bad it had gotten until I was standing in a castle in Italy, convinced that I was about to die.

Length: 2.9K words (Complete fic 71.8K words)

Fic warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, death, explicit smut (M/F), referenced/implied past child abuse, emotional manipulation by sibling

Chapter warnings: References to sex/a sexual situation, graphic description of violence/death (unnamed characters)

Read on AO3 or read below

15. POWER

Alec nuzzled his nose into my long, dark hair as I cuddled closer to him, his arms wrapped around me. I hummed quietly and rubbed my cheek against his chest as I wrapped my arm just a bit tighter around his waist. My foot slid up along his shin as I hiked my leg higher over his thigh. Alec gently scratched my back.

I had no idea how we would ever get used to not being curled up together all the time once we returned to Volterra. We had been tangled together for practically the entire week since we arrived at the little cottage — when we weren’t making love for hours and hours.

It was almost as if we were trying to make up for all the years, decades, centuries that we hadn’t been able to be together.

“I wish we never have to leave here,” I whispered. “It’s so beautiful, and I love being all alone with you, with no one else around for miles.”

“I don’t want to leave either, sweet girl,” Alec murmured against my hair. “But we must, eventually. . . . Don’t think about it now, my love. We still have seven entire weeks left to do whatever we wish.”

I nodded slowly as my eyes fluttered open.

The golden light of the setting sun was making our crystalline skin shimmer faintly, making us look as if we were covered in very fine glitter. The lavender flowers that grew wildly around the field behind the cottage swayed in the slight, warm summer breeze all around us. We were laying on a blanket that we had taken from the cottage and spread on the ground.

“Surprising that the scent of the flowers isn’t overwhelming,” Alec murmured.

“As long as I don’t focus on the smell too much, it’s not too hard,” I replied.

“You heard me?”

“Of course I did,” I replied, lifting my head up from his chest to look at him in confusion. Alec sucked in a shocked breath and my throat tightened. “What is it?”

“Eve . . . those were my thoughts,” he told me. “I was thinking those things, not saying them aloud.”

I sat up quickly and Alec followed me, gently laying his hand on my own. I relaxed at his touch, though only slightly. My eyes flickered around quickly as my mind raced with questions.

How could I hear Alec’s thoughts? Why could I only now just hear his thoughts? Why couldn’t I hear him all the time? Did something specific have to happen before I heard someone’s thoughts, like how Aro needed to touch someone to hear their thoughts? Would I be able to hear other people’s thoughts, or only Alec’s?

“I-I can hear your thoughts?”

“It certainly seems like you can,” he murmured softly. “Are you alright?”

“I . . . I’m not sure.”

Alec nodded. He asked kindly, “Are you overwhelmed? Confused? Or something else?”

“Overwhelmed and confused, I think. More confused than anything. . . .” I looked up at Alec. “Why did it only show up now? I thought you said that powers appeared as soon as we wake up from the transformation.”

“Most abilities do, but some do require some time and training to develop,” he explained. “Typically, the stronger a power is, the faster it appears, but that’s not always the case. . . . Although, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a power appearing weeks after someone wakes.”

“Did your power appear right away?”

“Yes.”

I nodded slowly, looking back at the ground. I rolled my bottom lip into my mouth nervously. A moment later, I asked, “Will I be like Edward? Or Aro? Or . . . or something else?”

“Unfortunately, there is no way to truly know that yet, my love,” Alec said softly. “We will have to wait and see, I’m afraid. . . . But I will be right here by your side for it all. You will not deal with this alone.”

I leaned into him and he instantly wrapped his arms around me and pulled me onto his lap. I nuzzled into the crook of his neck as my arms curled around his waist. My mate rubbed his hand along my back, trying to comfort me.

“I love you, Eve. We will deal with this together, okay? You don’t have to be afraid, sweet girl.”

“I just don’t want to hear everyone all the time,” I whispered. My words were muffled against his soft skin. “Bella said that it’s hell for Edward. . . . He never has a moment of peace.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, love,” he murmured. “It is very likely that your power will be nothing like Edward’s power, or Aro’s, or anyone else’s. It is extremely rare that there are two vampires with the exact same ability. It may even be impossible. The Volturi certainly hasn’t seen any two exact same abilities before. . . . Just try to relax, my love. We don’t have to focus on it right now, while we’re entirely alone with no one else around us for miles . The only thoughts you will hear while we are here are mine and yours.”

I let out a long, steady breath and let my body relax in his arms. Alec pressed a kiss to the top of my head, then suggested, “Let’s spend the night outside. We can lay back down and just look at the stars all night.”

I smiled and said, “Only if you point out the constellations to me and tell me the myths they got their names from.”

Alec laughed and agreed, “Deal.”

I lifted my head from his shoulder and he leaned close to kiss me. When we broke apart, we simply stared at each other for a while. He lifted his hand and cupped my cheek gently, brushing his thumb along my cheekbone. My eyes fluttered shut as I leaned into his touch. He brushed his lips lightly across my cheeks, then my nose, until he finally kissed my lips.

“Lay down with me, my beautiful, sweet, little mate.”

I let him pull me down with him as he laid back on the blanket. Alec pulled another blanket over us just enough to cover our naked bodies up to our waists. I curled up against his side again, hooking my leg around his as I laid my head on his chest. Alec tangled his hand in my soft curls again as he nuzzled into my hair and took a deep breath. He hummed and pressed one more kiss to the top of my head.

I looked up at the sky, which was finally beginning to darken as the sun drifted below the horizon. The various constellations were becoming more visible by the millisecond. I recognized some of them, but others were entirely lost on me.

Alec’s voice was soft as he began to speak.

“Most constellations are named after prominent figures in Greek and Roman mythology. . . .”

The flames that burned through my throat were getting more and more intense the longer we stayed secluded in our little cottage. Sometimes, it was easy to ignore, but other times, soothing the burn was all I could think about. Venom flooded my mouth every time I even thought about sinking my teeth into the soft flesh of someone’s neck and letting their sweet blood burst into my mouth and pour down my throat to soothe the burn.

“Alec?”

We were laying in bed again, the sheets tangled around our bare bodies, which were wrapped around each other.

“Yes, love?”

“I . . . I think I need to feed again,” I murmured.

He hummed. “I assumed that you would need to feed soon. Shall we get dressed and go hunt now?”

“I don’t think I can wait much longer,” I admitted, reaching up to rub my throat as if that could help.

“Then we should go,” Alec replied. He kissed me before we untangled our limbs to get out of bed.

I walked over to my suitcase and pulled out a pair of black skinny jeans and a burgundy long-sleeve shirt. I put on my clothes, then brushed the tangles out of my hair that Alec’s hands had created. Once we were both dressed and freshened up, we went downstairs. We put on our shoes and Alec grabbed the keys to the car.

“Where are we going to hunt?” I asked as we walked out to the car.

“Aro mentioned that there is a small village nearby,” Alec said, opening the door for me. I smiled softly at him before I climbed in and he shut the door. He got into the driver’s side and continued to speak as he started the car, “He said that it is fairly secluded and would likely be a good place for your first hunt. We should be able to find a couple people that are walking around alone.”

I nodded slowly, my eyes staring blankly out of the window as he drove. I had never hunted before and I was nervous that I would somehow mess up and break one of the rules the Volturi enforced. I knew that Alec would clean up any mess that I made, but I didn’t want him to have to clean up after me.

Alec laid his hand on mine, easily drawing me out of my thoughts. He said, “I know you are nervous, Eve, but I promise you that everything will be okay. We’ve all made mistakes before. It happens, sweet girl.”

“But I’ve already made mistakes,” I replied. I looked down. “Aro sent us here so that I could learn how to control myself. I can’t mess up again.”

“You are far too hard on yourself, Eve,” Alec said gently. He rubbed his thumb along my own. “You have more control than most newborns, my love. You don’t think so because you did make a mistake and you have never seen another newborn, but you do.”

I nodded. The rest of the drive to the nearby village was spent in silence. Alec found a place to park on one of the narrow streets. He moved to get out of the car, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

“Alec, are you sure that I am ready for this?” I asked. Anxiety thrummed through my veins, my fingers tight with tension as they gripped his arm. “What . . . what if I lose control?”

“I trust that you will be able to control yourself enough for this, but if you can’t, then I will stop you. I won’t let you go feral, my love. . . . Eve, you have been doing so well, and there aren’t too many humans out here right now.”

When I didn’t say anything, Alec offered, “Sweet girl, if you are truly so worried about losing control, then I can hunt for us and bring one back for you.”

I shook my head and finally released his arm.

“No. I should learn how to hunt.”

“Are you sure?”

“I am. . . . Is it awful that I’m relieved we don’t have to hunt in Volterra?”

Alec smiled understandably. “Of course not. I much prefer to let Heidi bring us our meals, too. In the castle, we don’t have to control our instincts or worry about losing control surrounded by humans. There is no risk.”

I leaned over the center console and kissed him.

“Thank you, Alec,” I murmured against his lips.

“Of course, sweet girl.”

He reached up and tucked my hair behind my ear. He murmured, “We cannot use the most common rouse for hunting, I don’t think.”

“Why not?”

Alec smirked and replied, “To learn, you have to watch. And although you are very level-headed for a newborn vampire, I don’t think you will be able to control yourself if you see me flirting with another woman.”

A deep growl rumbled through my chest and Alec said, “She would only be my meal, Eve. You know that you are the only one I want.”

I closed my eyes and shook my head, trying to get over the jealousy that had taken control of my body. Alec took my hand in his and squeezed my hand gently.

“I love you, Eve.”

His words were the push I needed to gain control of myself again. I let out a breath, then put my face in my hands and groaned in embarrassment. “God, I feel like I’m fucking fourteen years old again with the way I can’t control my fucking emotions.”

I heard Alec stile a laugh and my hand shot out to slap his chest. He grunted painfully and I quickly lifted my head to glance at him, an apology tumbling from my lips before I hid my face again.

“My love, it’s perfectly fine,” he assured me. Alec gently pried my hands away from my face, but I kept my eyes on my lap and just listened to him. “Do you see what I mean when I say that we cannot hunt with that method? I trust your control to an extent, but I am not naive enough to believe that you can handle that. . . . I am not sure that I would be able to handle you flirting with your own meal.”

I looked up at him. His hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb swiping along my cheekbone. His eyes, which were very nearly black from not feeding in three weeks, stared into mine.

“Are you ready to do this, sweet girl?”

I hesitated for a moment before I nodded. Alec smiled warmly and kissed my cheek. But this time, when I went to get out of the car, he stopped me.

“If you can handle this hunt, I think we should visit Paris,” he suggested. “Your control has improved enough that you can handle going to the city, as long as you can control yourself during this hunt.”

“Really?” I asked excitedly.

Alec grinned and nodded. “Good deal?”

“Yes!”

He laughed and squeezed my hand gently. We got out of the car and began to walk down the streets. He took my hand in his, keeping a gentle but firm grip on me.

“Do you have a plan?” I asked.

“Loosely,” he said. “I thought that we could walk around the village and look for two people who are in as secluded a space as we can find. We are quick enough that they won’t be able to scream or run before we drain them.”

I nodded. Alec’s grip on my hand tightened slightly as we approached a few humans. They were on the other side of the street, but they were still close enough that I could feel the venom flood my mouth when the scent of their blood reached me. White-hot flames shot through my throat and I reached up, rubbing my hand along my neck.

“Eve?” Alec murmured worriedly.

I swallowed down the venom and dropped my hand back to my side. “I’m okay. Just really thirsty.”

“Hold on just a little longer, love. It shouldn’t take long to find what we need.”

We discreetly checked every side street and alley as we walked past them. Luckily, it didn’t take us long to spot two men talking quietly in a dark alley behind a pub.

I glanced at Alec. He nodded slightly, but whispered, “Wait just a moment, sweet girl.”

I took a small step closer to his side and turned my head towards his shoulder. I took a deep breath and let his sweet scent of chamomile and lavender and candied lemon dull the scorching flames that the men’s blood was sending through my throat. It was a small relief, but it helped me keep myself from running into the alley and ripping into their necks.

“Are you ready?” Alec asked after a few seconds.

“Yes,” I said, lifting my head up. My eyes flicked over to the men again, who were smoking. My nose wrinkled — I hated the smell of cigarettes even as a human, and now it was exponentially worse. “I’ll take the one on the left.”

“Okay. . . . Now.”

We ran towards the men, reaching them before they could even finish blinking. I grabbed the man who was leaning against the building to the left of us. I pressed my hand over his mouth before my teeth tore into the flesh of his neck. He tried to fight me off, but I was far too strong for him to move me even a millimeter. I let my hand fall from his mouth as he fell limp in my grasp.

His warm blood instantly soothed the inferno in my throat. It wasn’t as sweet as the blood of the tourists that Heidi found for us — it was slightly bitter and tasted faintly of cigarettes — but it was enough to fill my stomach.

When his veins ran dry, I let the man fall to the ground. I stared down at his body as I wiped the blood from my mouth with the back of my hand.

The man had to be in his mid-thirties, with a bald head and a slight beer gut. I noticed there was no wedding ring on his finger. That was good — perhaps no one would miss him now that Alec had also drained his friend.

I looked up from the dead man at my feet and met Alec’s crimson eyes. He was grinning proudly at me, his teeth stained red from the blood of the man that had been his meal. He stepped over the dead man at his feet and kissed me, licking the blood from my lips. He pulled back and brushed my hair behind my ear with a smile.

“Looks like we’re going to Paris, my love.”