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maximumsass · 1 month

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Green Eyes of Envy Pt. 5

Synopsis: Things with the reader and Melissa have been going extremely well! So well that a certain redhead is possibly talking about a future with the reader! Which shocks the reader because it’s Melissa Schemmenti we’re talking about. Melissa is feeling so safe and happy with the reader that she invites her to the infamous Schemmenti Family Dinner on Sundays hosted by the one and only Nonna! It’s a big deal PEOPLE!! Will the reader say yes and meet the Schemmenti clan?? Will the Schemmenti’s approve of the reader! Guess you’ll have to keep reading to find out!

Author’s Note: Hello my amazing fanfic village! I know this is late! Please do not hate me! Haha! Writing this has brought me joy during a really rough few weeks for me. Writing about Melissa feeling safe enough to think about a future with the reader and just how they take care of each other and how purely genuine it is just makes this gay fanfic author’s heart so damn happy! And i hope it makes all y’all’s hearts happy too! This is my longest one I think but as a reader I like the longer ones so hopefully you feel the same! Please let me know what you think!! And any requests you have! As always sending all da hugs and love!!!

Warning: SMUTT and an Obnoxious amount of FLUFF

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Word Count: 6.28k

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It’s a Sunday night and the first quarter is almost over, report cards are due Wednesday morning. But you’ve made it your mission this weekend to get them all done so you can let go of the heavy stress that doing report cards carries.

Much to Jessica Rabbit’s chagrin you insisted that you spend the night apart. You honestly can’t remember the last night you spent away from each other. You had practically become the infamous U-Haul lesbian trope minus the U-Haul. Which wasn’t your norm in relationships, you had always liked spending a very calculated amount of time with someone and then you needed to be alone and charge your social battery until you were up to spending time together again.

But like everything that involved Melissa, it was just different in the best possible way. You could just be your 100% authentic self, tired, crabby, anxious, frustrated, sad, loving, happy…she just knew what to do and when she didn’t know she’d ask what you needed in those moments. Which in your past had been a very one sided thing that you would do for your significant other but they couldn’t do it for you. So having it be reciprocated was mind blowing to say the least.

Your phone starts ringing and a picture of the redhead kissing you on the cheek pops up.

“You know this totally defeats the purpose of us spending the night apart right?” You answer the phone in a teasing tone.

“You know you miss me just as much as I miss you. And you love that I called you!” She quips back.

“That is highly possible.” You say as you smile into the phone.

“Are you almost done?” She playfully whines.

“Are you a second grader or a second grade teacher?” You tease with a chuckle.

“You did this to me, you know! I was perfectly fine by myself, you know that I don’t like people. And then your gorgeousness had to walk into my life and gave me no choice but to fall in love with you! And now I’m the kind of woman who can’t even go a whole day without you being in my arms!” She exclaims.

“You’re making me get a big stupid smile on my face. You know that I feel exactly the same way about you my angel. I have two report cards to go, when I finish them I’ll text you and if you’re still up for seeing me I’ll pack a bag and Uber to your place.” You say hoping that’ll cheer her up a little bit.

“Correction, I’ll be picking your cute ass up. You promise you’ll text me?” She asks.

“If it’s not an ungodly hour, yes I promise.” You say softly.

“Noooo even if it’s an ungodly hour. (Y/N) I need you.” She says quietly, her voice filled with vulnerability.

“Fine silly girl. I promise to text you when I’m done.” You say softly.

“Good! I guess I’ll let you get back to grading. I love you so much amore mio.” She says softly.

“I love you more baby girl. Byeeeee.” You say.

“Byeee pretty girl.” She says and ends the call.

When you finish your last report card, you look at the clock and it’s already 11. You know the redhead is either in bed or fallen asleep on the couch. She’s not going to be happy but you’re going to Uber there so you don’t wake her up and have her drive here. You throw your stuff in the overnight bag that practically lives on either your floor or Mel’s floor. You make sure you submitted the report cards in the portal. And then call your Uber and before you know it, you’re standing on the redhead’s doorstep.

You take out your phone debating whether you should call or text her. You open your phone and pull up her number and decide calling is probably more effective and press call.

“Hey baby. Are you ready for me?” She answers trying to sound more awake but the grogginess in her voice gives her away. You definitely made the right decision to Uber here.

“I am but you need to check your front door first please and thank you.” You gently instruct her.

“You did not!” She exclaims.

You giggle into the phone.

She opens the front door and lets out a little squeal. And pulls you into the house and into her arms and you immediately relax from the stressful day you just had.

“You were supposed to let me pick you up!” She says into your neck.

“Were you not just sleeping?” You ask her teasingly.

“Possibly.” She reluctantly admits.

She breaks the hug so she can give you a long passionate kiss.

“Thank you for coming and taking care of my (Y/N) withdrawal.” She says softly, leaning her forehead against yours and gazing into your eyes.

“If I’m being honest with myself I had some Mel withdrawal myself. But this is definitely helping.” You say making sure she knows you feel the same way about her.

“Are you okay with just cuddling in bed?” She asks while trying to stifle a yawn.

“I will always be okay with cuddling in bed with my gorgeous girl.” You say as you caress her cheek. “Come on sleeping beauty, let’s get you in bed with your head on my chest and off to dream land.” You say with a smile as you lead her to the bedroom.

You get her to the bedroom and then go and make sure that everything in the house is turned off.

You’re weird when it comes to what you wear to bed, you literally just strip down to your underwear and call it good. Melissa gave you crap about it at first but stopped real quick when she realized it basically gives her a fast pass to all the goods!

You’re brushing your teeth and then you feel her wrap herself around you.

“You’re supposed to be in bed silly girl.” You say between brushing.

“I need you.” She says into your neck.

This is Melissa at her most vulnerable, she’s literally the definition of I don’t need anyone or anything towards everyone and everything else in life. The fact that she feels safe enough to say that she needs you is an honor and privilege that you don’t take for granted.

“I’m right here baby, available for all the cuddles you need.” You say gently as you finish wiping your mouth and then turn around to face her and kiss her softly.

You guide her back to bed and you both get in and just like you said she lays her head on your chest and you just melt into each other.

She traces patterns on your skin because she knows how that makes you fall asleep faster.

“Someday, hopefully in the not too distant future we won’t have to go anywhere to be with each other because we’ll have a home together.” She says quietly.

This is the first time she’s brought up moving in together. Of course you’ve thought about it because you already know Melissa is it for you, you can’t imagine your life without her. Loving her and being loved by her is your happily ever after.

“I don’t know… can you handle my ever expanding mug and magnet collection?” You tease her.

“I would get as many fridges and enough cabinets as it takes for your collections if it meant that I could wake up to you every morning and fall asleep with you every night.” She says as she smiles up at you.

“Have you really considered moving in together? Or is this sleepy Mel talking?” You ask as you play with her hair.

She takes your chin in her hand and has you look her in the eyes to show how genuine she is about this.

“(Y/N) you know I don’t say stuff that I don’t mean. I’ve really considered this. I’ve thought about how I’d ask you to live together. I’ve looked online for where we could live if you didn’t want to move here. I’ve also considered other things.” She says and then she mimics sliding something on your ring finger.

And for once you’re literally speechless by what she just hinted at!

She chuckles at how surprised you look. And then proceeds to give you a long and desire filled kiss.

When the kiss ends you look at her and see her mind going and then fear and embarrassment wash over her face.

“Have you not thought about those things with us?” She asks quietly. “Because if not… I didn’t mean to…” She tries to say.

“Melissa, look at me.” You gently instruct her. Once her emerald eyes are locked on yours, you continue. “I would love nothing more than to have a home together and to make you my wife. I was just shocked that you said it first, I thought I’d have to prove myself a little more or warm you up to those ideas.” You say as you stroke her hair.

You feel her let go of a breath she’s been holding. “You mean it?” She asks softly.

“I definitely mean it. So much so that I might have a Pinterest board called Mel’s Engagement Ring.” You say with a big smile.

The redhead is beaming at you and you can’t help but pull her in for another kiss.

“Do you think that we’re crazy for talking about all of this already?” She asks looking up at you.

“No I don’t think we’re crazy. I think we’ve known each other for two years and some change. And we’ve been close friends for most of that time. So compared to people who have just known each other the amount of time we’ve been dating, it makes sense that we’re already all in. And I think it’s one thing to know and want a forever future with someone but we just want to chill and get some more time under our belts as a couple first. And it’s another thing to be like we want all of that by next Friday. And correct me if I’m wrong but I would assume we’re both leaning towards the first one.” You say looking for her chime in.

“I mean I wouldn’t mind if it was next Friday.” She teases you with a smirk.

You chuckle and roll your eyes playfully.

“I’m just glad we’re on the same page and that it’s all out on the table.” She says softly.

“Me too angel. Now let’s get some sleep, my sleeping beauty.” You say as you kiss her forehead and pull her closer to you.

Your alarm goes off. “Noooooo.” You moan, you open your eyes, light is streaming through the window and red hair is splayed all across your chest, Jessica Rabbit has magically ignored your alarm and is quietly and adorably snoring with her arms wrapped around you like your her most prized possession and no one can take you away from her.

You try and wriggle your way out of her grasp but like an anaconda the more you try to get away the more the redhead holds you tighter.

“Baby.” You then proceed to kiss her until you see those emerald eyes open.

“I need to get up princess. And you’re doing the death grip hold again.” You tease as you kiss her forehead.

“You love it. Can we stay in bed for five more minutes?” She asks while intentionally giving you the biggest puppy dog eyes you’ve ever seen.

“Fine but only five minutes and then you have to be a good girl and let me get up.” You say in a faux strict tone.

“Deal! I love you so much.” She says into your chest.

You pull her in for a long passionate kiss, your tongues fighting for more access to the other. You feel her hand slink down to your nether regions. You hiss because my god do you want her right now, but you have to get ready.

She breaks the kiss and looks at you hungrily and in her husky seductive voice just says. “Please?”

And you did not know that just one word could make you wet until that very moment.

You close your eyes and nod.

“No, I need you to look me in the eyes and use your words.” She seductively instructs.

Damn look at her making consent hot! You look at her with such desire and say “Yes.”

And just like that she’s rubbing slowly along your folds. Shit, her fingers feel so good, you’re trying not to squirm and to keep some control. It’s like somehow she reads your mind because she looks at you and smirks and then immediately goes for your clit interchanging rubbing it slow and then fast and your whole body is shaking. She chuckles because she knows she has total control of you now.

“Mel, come here.” You say as you look at her longingly. She comes so her face is right above yours and you pull her in for another kiss. The heat between you two is so thick and every touch is another spark that turns it up hotter and hotter.

“I need you inside of me.” You whisper in her ear. She let’s out a little moan. This is probably both of your “favorite dirty talk” lines with each other. Because not only does it feel amazing when she’s inside you but you’re saying that I’m in this vulnerable position and need you to take care of me and it’s showing the rawest realest parts of yourselves to each other.

She slides her fingers into you and pumps fast and hard and you feel yourself start to float into an orgasamic haze. You cry out “Fuck Mel! Yes!” She puts her thumb back on your clit and starts rubbing it and in a matter of seconds you feel your cum just flow out of you and then her beautiful mouth cleaning you up.

She comes up and lays next to you. “Taste what I made you do.” She says softly and then pulls you in for a kiss, your hands tangle in her hair pulling her closer.

“Now that was your reward for working on your report cards and finishing them like the boss bitch you are.” She says with a big smile.

“I don't deserve you. I don’t know how I got so lucky.” You say as you stroke her hair.

“(Y/N) you deserve everything you want and so much more. I’m just lucky that I get to show you the love you deserve.” She says as she kisses your shoulder.

You both get up and start getting ready. You are putting on your blouse when you hear her enter the closet.

“So in lieu of everything that we talked about last night, I wanted to run something by you.” She says softly and you can detect a hint of nervousness.

“Okay what’s on your mind pretty girl?” You say as you take her hands and look into her eyes.

“I want you to come to family dinner and meet everyone.” She says while looking down nervously.

You literally don’t know what to say, it’s like your brain short circuited. You need to say something because obviously she was nervous to bring it up.

“Huh.” You say because it’s literally the first thing you can articulate.

You’re literally trying to make yourself understand that she wants you to meet her family. Fear and self loathing come crashing down on you.

“(Y/N). (Y/N). Where’d you just go?” She asks placing both hands on your cheeks. .

“It’s just past shit coming up again. I’m good.” You say as you lightly kiss her.

“Look at me. You’re safe. I’m right here with you and whatever it is we’ll face it together. But I need you to talk to me. Please (Y/N).” She says softly as she strokes your cheeks.

“I hate meeting people for the first time because the majority of the people just see my disabilities and not me. I don’t know if you remember but my first few months at Abbott I would just say hi and smile at the other teachers and staff, laugh when I thought something someone said was funny and talk to someone if they were directly talking to me. It just makes me think why the fuck would Melissa want me. You could literally have anyone and definitely many people who don’t deal with the shit that I deal with. And ironically Gary fucking said it, charity case is exactly how I feel when it comes to this shit. Like I feel like your family will take one look at me and be like what the hell, she could do way better.” You say in a shaky voice and you feel your eyes fill with tears.

The redhead wraps her arms around you and just holds you as you let the tears fall.

“It makes me so mad that you feel this way about yourself because of the bullshit you’ve gone through. First of all you feeling scared about meeting my family is totally valid. I know that I can’t begin to really understand what you experience when you meet people for the first time. But what I can say and this is not me trying to kiss your ass, the way I see you go through life with such grace, strength, courage and perseverance when you have obstacles pop on a regular basis just leaves me in awe of you. Yes you have shit that a lot of other people will probably never experience. But it’s made you the woman who makes me feel so safe, loved and taken care of. And that’s something that I didn’t think I’d find. Yes technically this will be the first time meeting my family. But I’ve literally talked their ear off about you and how amazing you are to me and how amazing you make me feel. They already love you and are so excited to meet you. And if anyone has anything bad to say they’ll have to go through me. I love you so much amore mio and every day I wake up I’m so grateful that I get to call you mine.” She says looking into your eyes with such love and adoration.

“I love you more angel. You always know how to calm me down. Thank you for being your amazing self.” You say as you pull her in for a kiss.

When we break away she gets a playful smile on her face. “Besides, how am I going to propose to you if you haven’t met my family.” She says with the biggest smirk and playfully nudges you.

“Melissa Schemmenti saying the P word, I must be dreaming!” You say nudging her back.

“Well as the gorgeous woman standing before me said last night I want to make you my wife. Mrs. (Y/N) Schemmenti just has a certain ring to it.” She says and then she kisses you softly.

“Seeing you all giddy about this is very adorable, you know.” You say with a smile.

“It’s all your fault, you turned me into this sappy romantic lovestruck chick.” She says as she goes into the bathroom to finish her makeup.

“Well what can I say, it suits you.” You say with a smirk as you lean against the bathroom doorway gazing at her with adoration. “So you have convinced me, I will go with you to family dinner. Do you want me to come this Sunday? Or should we wait a little bit?” You ask as you look at the ground nervously.

“Really?! You’ll come?!! Oh you are so coming with me on Sunday! Everyone’s going to be so excited to meet you! And I promise I’ll be right next to you the whole time and make sure you’re as comfortable as possible. I know this brought up a lot of hard shit for you. Thank you for really facing it and it makes me fall even more in love with you if that’s even possible.” She comes to hug you.

“Anything for my queen. Thanks for helping me through it baby.” You say melting in her arms. She tries to go for a kiss.

“You literally just applied your lipstick and are going to get it all over me. And then I will have to tell everyone this is what being loved by Ms. Schemmenti looks like.” You tease her and duck her kiss.

The redhead does the biggest pout you’ve ever seen and you can’t help but chuckle. “I love you angel.” You say as you kiss her forehead and then you head to get y’all’s coffees started.

Your hands feel like you literally just washed them they’re so wet with sweat. Great just another thing to add to the not good enough for Melissa Schemmenti list you think to yourself as you wipe them on your dress for the billionth time.

It’s Sunday night, you’re in the car with Melissa driving to Nonna’s house. You’re debating doing a fling yourself out of the car drop and roll type of situation to get you out of dinner but you know you can’t do that to the redhead. She’s been glowing all week. She's so happy about you meeting the Schemmenti family.

Barb asked you at lunch midweek what had gotten into Melissa. You explained that you were meeting her family over the weekend.

“(Y/N), I’ve seen her with Joe and the aftermath of men after him. I’ve never seen Melissa Schemmenti this happy and in love. So whatever you’re doing, keep it up! But know that I know and see all and will put you in your place so fast if you hurt her that you would’ve thought Jesus himself came down and smited you.” The brunette said giving you a no nonsense look.

“Yes ma’am.” You said with a nod.

Back in the car you feel her warm hand squeeze your leg. “Honey, you've been holding your breath since we got in the car. Breathe for me please.” She says as she gives you a concerned look.

You realize that she’s right and you didn’t even realize that you were holding your breath. You let a big breath out. And take a deep breath in and out.

“Better. One more deep breath please.” She gently instructs. You take one more deep breath in and out and realize it actually makes you feel better.

“Have I told you how gorgeous you look tonight?” She says softly as she looks at you with a big smile.

“Only four other times.” You tease as you look at her while chuckling.

“That means I’m doing my job as your woman.” She smirks.

“You most certainly are.” You say as you kiss her hand.

“Okay we are on her block. Her house is the brick one with the green shutters.” She says to you.

The house comes into view and you swear to god your heart stops. You hear Mel shut her door and it jolts you back to reality. She comes to your side and helps you out of the truck.

She puts her hands on your biceps and gazed at you with such love. “They already love you. All you have to do is be yourself. And I’m right beside you the whole night.” She pulls you into a big hug. “Kiss please.” She says with a smile. You gently kiss her. And then you walk arm in arm up the steps and the redhead does a playful knock and then let’s herself in.

You follow the redhead into the entryway and can immediately hear the Schemmenti’s shouting over each other and possibly at each other. The aroma of an amazing Italian meal being made wafts through the house.

You brought Nonna a bouquet of an assortment of yellow, orange, and purple flowers. You decide to be a few steps behind Melissa, let her introduce you to everyone.

“Look at what the cat dragged in!” Announces a big bald burly guy who you think is Vinny.

“You’re one to talk Vin!” Melissa says as she playfully punches his arm.

“Now Vince, ya can’t talk like that, we have a lady in our midst.” A guy Vinny’s size with jet black hair comes up beside him and slaps him playfully aside the head.

It then dawns on you the man is talking about you.

“Mel you got yourself a looker! Where are my manners? I’m Dominic but everyone calls me Dom. It’s very nice to finally meet the woman that my cousin won’t shut up about.” He says as he holds out his hand.

You take it and give it a firm shake. “It’s very nice to meet you.” As you look up and give him a small smile.

You then hear a woman shout. “Let me through! I need to see this woman!” A little old lady barely five feet tall with the hint of red in her perm walks through the sea of Schemmentis, emerald eyes just like Jessica Rabbit’s give you a full body scan.

“Well you must be (Y/N). My granddaughter has told me so much about you!” She says as she gets to you.

“Good things I hope.” You say with a small smile.

“All good things which is high praise coming from her! But you already know what a special woman you must be to have Melissa feel the way she does about you.” She says looking you right in the eye.

“That’s very kind of you to say. Loving Melissa and being loved by her is something that I am so grateful for every day. And I know that sounds rehearsed and maybe ingenious but like Melissa I don’t say things that I don’t mean.” You say looking back at the Schemmenti matriarch.

“Hmmm I already can see why Melissa is fond of you. Strong women attract other strong women.” She says giving you a genuine smile.

“I brought you flowers. My mom taught me to never be an empty handed guest.” You say holding out the flowers.

“Your mom sounds like a very smart woman. These are beautiful dear! You are the first one that she’s brought here to give me flowers! And she married one of them, can you believe it?!” She said and winked at me. “Dom go find your wife and have her put these in a vase for me.” She hands the flowers off to Dom.

Her and Melissa give each other a big embrace. And then she says something to the redhead and they both look at you beaming.

“Come (Y/N)! A little birdie told me that you’re nervous about tonight. Well you just sit by me and I’ll talk enough for the both of us! Besides I need to know what your intentions are with my granddaughter as well as make sure you enjoy my lasagna!” She takes you by the arm and with Melissa on the other arm leads you to the dining room.

“Oh my god there she is!” You hear a voice say and then you see a doppelgänger of Jessica Rabbit herself only with jet black hair.

“You’re even more gorgeous in person! I’m Annette by the way, Mel’s cousin but we’re practically sisters. We've been inseparable our whole lives.” She says as she looks you over.

“It’s very nice to meet you.” You say with a smile and you hold out your hand.

“Awww look how polite she is, Mel you could learn a thing or two from her.” She teases Melissa and winks at her. “One thing you should know about us is that Schemmentis are huggers. Better to get used to it now. Come here I promise I don’t bite..hard.” She says and she opens her arms.

You don’t hesitate to hug her, you know how special she is to Melissa and you want to start off on the right foot with her. You hug her and it’s one of those warm comfy hugs where you can just feel her joy radiating to you. She’s got very good vibes, you can see why Melissa loves her so much.

“Has anyone told you that you give really good hugs?” She asks when the hug ends.

You chuckle a little. “Melissa says that to me all the time.” You say smiling at her.

Nonna takes you by the arm again and leads you to a seat. You pull out her chair to have her sit down first. And then you pull out Melissa’s chair for her. Annette is giving you this astonished look.

“Is she even real?” Annette asks Melissa jokingly.

“She’s pretty great, right?” Mel says and looks up at you with such love that you kind of get choked up a little bit.

“She deserves to be treated like the queen she is.” You say to Annette with a small smile. And then you lean down and kiss the redhead on the cheek. And then you sit down in your spot.

“Speaking of how you’re treating her, I hear you’re taking care of her in more ways than one.” She gives you the infamous Schemmenti smirk.

“Annette!!” Melissa exclaims.

“Oh come on, we’re all grown women who have been around the block more than once! And Nonna needs some excitement in her life!” Annette says.

“For your information Annette, I do take care of your cousin in more ways than one. And let’s just say she’s very enthusiastic about how I take care of her and always keeps coming back for more.” You say with a big smirk as you emphasize the word coming.

All three women gape at you in disbelief of what just came out of your mouth.

“What? Annette started this conversation and I responded appropriately. I’m not gonna deny my skills!” You say chuckling.

Nonna bursts out laughing and you finally start feeling comfortable and like you can just be yourself.

“Dinner is served!” Dom announces and then he sets the lasagna on the table and then a slew of Schemmentis come out of the kitchen setting different side dishes on the table and taking their seats.

Chatter is happening all around the table and you just sit there quietly observing. You notice the similar physical features that they share that you’ve memorized about Melissa. Melissa is chatting with Annette and just looks so relaxed and happy that it just warms your heart.

“So (Y/N). Melissa said that you’re fairly new to Philly. Where are you originally from?” Nonna asks.

“I’m originally from Michigan. Abbott was my first job offer after I graduated with my masters. And I had always wanted to live out of state somewhere so it was the perfect opportunity.” You explain.

“Do you get to see your family a lot?” She asks.

“Only a few times a year. Mostly for holidays. Seeing y’all have dinner like this is really nice. Even if I saw them more we aren’t like this with each other. I mean don’t get me wrong I know they love me, but they love the version of me that they approve of, not the rest of me. So when I’m with them I feel suffocated if that makes sense.” You say getting a sad look on your face.

“Oh sweetheart I’m sorry. A parent’s job is to love their children unconditionally and when that doesn’t happen it’s really difficult to come to terms with. I mean look at all these knuckleheads, they’re loud, they’re stubborn, they’re confrontational, but at the end of the day every single one of them knows that wherever they are in life, they can come here and the rest of us will love them just as they are. And I want you to know that you can come here just as you are and we will love you too.” She says and then pats your hand.

This woman is being so incredibly kind to you and she just met you, you almost can’t comprehend it. You smile and nod.

“So I don’t know how long I have left here on this earth so I have to know do you intend to marry Melissa?” She asks.

This woman has balls you think to yourself, getting straight to the point. You feel Mel put a hand on your leg. You look and she’s looking right at you, she definitely heard Nonna’s question.

You give Mel an I got this nod. “We were actually just talking about this last night. We both expressed that we do want to get married. This one actually insinuated it first which was surprising to me because I thought I was going to have to convince her to marry me. But yes there will be proposals and then a (Y/L/N) Schemmenti wedding in the future. And if Melissa gets her way, which she probably will because who can say no to that gorgeous face, it’ll be sooner rather than later.” You say with a genuine smile.

“The way you’ve been with her tonight and from what she’s told me and the way you look at each other, I can tell you really love her and go out of your way to take care of her. And knowing that she has that gives me peace. Now everyone cough up the money!” She looks around the table as people start begrudgingly tossing money towards Nonna.

And you realize that the Schemmenti’s were betting on your relationship. Of course they were, you think to yourself and you can’t help but chuckle to yourself.

“I can’t believe all of youse, betting on my relationship! We better be getting a cut of the winnings or there’s gonna be a problem!” Melissa says glaring at all of them, the hard ass Philly side of her coming out in full force.

Once everyone is finished eating, you look over to Nonna. “Can I take your plate for you?” You ask.

“Yes that’d be very helpful dear. Thank you for offering.” She said and squeezes your arm in appreciation.

“Baby hand over your plate please. I’m gonna start helping clear the table.” You say into Melissa’s ear and then give her a quick kiss on the cheek. She hands you her plate and looks at you with such admiration.

You overhear Annette say to Melissa. “Is she always like this? Cause if so can she come and teach my man her ways, I will literally pay her to.”

“She is always like this. I sometimes have to remind myself that this is my real life and I’m not dreaming. But it’s a reciprocated thing, we just take care of each other, like there’s this unspoken agreement that we make each other’s lives as easy as possible that way we can focus on spending time together. And when balls do get dropped, there is so much more room for empathy and understanding. Seriously, it’s been a game changer. It’s absolutely why I know I want to marry her because doing life with her is a breath of fresh air. I just love her so much Annette and I feel so loved by her.” Melissa says to Annette.

“Oh honey.” Annette embraces Melissa. “If anyone deserves this, it’s you. I know there was a moment there where you had given up hope about finding a real love. And I’m just so glad that the gorgeous girl in there has proven that theory all wrong.” Annette says.

You help clean up dinner. And then you say goodbye and hug what feels like a hundred Schemmentis.

“Well you have definitely proven that you can hold your own with the Schemmenti clan. Not an easy feat. I think that makes you an official Schemmenti until this one actually makes you one legally.” Says Dominic with a wink.

“Thanks man, I’ll wear that title with pride.” You say smiling up at him.

Nonna is your last goodbye. “Thank you so much for having me over for dinner. The food and the company were wonderful and it was really nice talking with you.” You say and then give her a hug.

“It was so wonderful meeting you dear. I’m looking forward to next Sunday. Take care of our girl. Okay?” She says.

“Yes ma’am I promise she’s in good hands.” You say as you put your arm around Mel.

“(Y/N) you call me Nonna from now on.” She says with a smile.

You smile and nod. “Good night Nonna. Have a good night everyone! Nice meeting y’all!” You say to the entryway filled with Schemmentis. And you and Jessica Rabbit leave Nonna’s hand in hand for the first time but definitely not the last.

When you get home Melissa knows that your batteries are low from all that socializing. She takes you straight to bed.

“Thank you for being so amazing with my family tonight. You make me feel so happy and loved. And I just need you to know that I will do everything in my power every day to make you feel as loved as you make me feel.” She says looking at you as she strokes your cheek as you lay facing each other. You pull her in for a passion filled kiss.

“I love you so much angel.” You whisper.

She smiles and nods. “I love you more amore mio. Now you just let me hold you and have sweet dreams.” She whispers softly and then kisses your forehead.

#abbott elementary #melissa schemmenti x you #melissa schemmenti x reader #melissa schemmenti #fanfic #lesbian #queer #pansexual #biseuxal #wlw

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quin-ns · 7 months

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Hi! Hope this is the right place to request,sorry if it isn’t. I was wondering if you could write a Routledge!hippie!fem! Reader x overprotective!JJ? Some suggestive fluff with a happy ending if that’s okay☹️ I absolutely LOVE ur work btw!!🩷

Reader is referred to as John B’s sister but she’s not described and is only a half sibling so anyone can read! I want to fulfill requests but it’s also important to me that I do what I can to make my fics inclusive 🫶

Peace & Love (JJ Maybank x Reader)

Every time JJ caught himself looking at you a little too long, he immediately felt John B’s eyes land on him. He had never mentioned it out loud, but JJ figured his friend knew he had a crush on you.

It wouldn’t have been a big deal if you weren’t John B’s little sister.

You weren’t actually that much younger than him, only a few months. Apparently Big John got around more than people realized, and after he pissed both John B’s and your mom off, he was left with the both of you.

It never seemed to cause any problems with you and John B, surprisingly. JJ sometimes wondered how that was possible, but John B took pride in being an older brother and you weren’t exactly the resentful type.

In fact, JJ was fairly certain you didn’t have a negative bone in your body. It was one of the many things he liked about you.

Your whole existence screamed peace and love, and all your friends (JJ included) joked that you were a hippie stereotype. It never bothered you, probably because you knew how badly the group needed someone who could remain calm and make everyone smile.

“I got something on my face or do you just think I’m pretty?” you asked suddenly.

It took JJ a moment to realize you were looking right at him, brows raised. Not long after that he realized he’d been staring again while lost in his thoughts.

You all were at a beach party, sitting around a bonfire. Other people were milling around all of him and his friends, but JJ wouldn’t have been any the wiser to their presence. He’d pretty much forgotten all about them, actually.

He flirted with you all the time, but this caught him off guard. If it had been just the two of you JJ would’ve been sincere and told you yes, he did think you were pretty. He’d been wanting to say something along those lines for a while, to test the waters.

But he felt the pressure of the others eyeing him—especially John B—and made some lame comment about not recognizing your headband and asked if it was new.

“Nah, man, I’ve had this one for a while,” you replied, subconsciously adjusting it.

John B looked at him as if to say, “really, dude?”, but you were too carefree to be suspicious.

Kiara laughed. “You probably haven’t seen it in a while ‘cause she has about a thousand.”

“So what? I like them,” you defended lightly. JJ watched a little too closely as you lifted your cup to your lips, but it was empty. “I need a refill,” you realized, standing.

JJ almost jumped to follow you, but he was still getting stared at. You disappeared out of his view through random bodies and he felt himself deflate.

“Seriously?” John B said, raising a brow at him. “You expect me to think you were looking at her headband?”

JJ felt like a spotlight was on him. Usually he didn’t mind, but this was a little more different. John B didn’t sound mad, but he wouldn’t have been surprised if his friend had told him to back off.

“If you like her, just say something,” John B continued, much to JJ’s surprise. His eyebrows even shot up while his best friend laughed. “Don’t look so shocked.”

“Yeah, dude, you’re super obvious,” Pope chimed in from off to the side.

JJ glanced at him and saw amusement before focusing back on John B.

“You’re so not pissed?”

John B laughed again. “Why would I be? I know you, man. And I trust you. So if she likes you back then… I mean, I’ll still have to have a talk with you, but you have my blessing.”

JJ let himself laugh at the phrasing. He stood, confidence building. “Since I have your blessing,” he started sarcastically. “I’m gonna go find her.”

That’s exactly what he did, maneuvering through the crowd, eyes searching for you excitedly.

When JJ spotted you, jealousy descended upon him. You were near the keg, filling up your cup, talking to some guy.

As he headed for you, that feeling morphed into protectiveness when he saw you try to walk away from the guy and he grabbed your arm.

“Hey! Let go of her, man,” JJ intervened, shoving himself between you and the guy.

“Who the hell are you?” the guy slurred out, face scrunching up in annoyance.

“The guy who’s gonna kick your ass if you don’t walk away,” JJ warned, squaring his shoulders. The guy hesitated for a moment, looking him up and down. Then, he turned and walked away exactly as he’d been told. “That’s what I thought.”

“Damn, JJ,” you said, sounding almost impressed.

He turned to face you and calmed down immediately when he saw you. “You alright?”

“Yeah, dude just couldn’t handle hearing “no”,” you relayed with a shake of your head. A small smirk tugged at your lips. “I guess I should say thanks for coming to my rescue.”

“You don’t gotta thank me.” JJ shrugged, attempting to be modest. “I’m always gonna look out for you.”

He was being sincere, and the smile you wore was appreciative.

“Noted,” you said before a more teasing smile crept onto your face. “So… you coming to ask about my headband again?”

JJ laughed in spite of himself. He scratched the back of his head. “Yeah… that was kinda lame, wasn’t it?”

“Maybe.” You shrugged. “But you’re cute, so it’s okay.”

Was he blushing? JJ wasn’t sure. He flirted with you all the time, but this was new territory because of what he was about to say.

“That’s good to know, ‘cause I actually came to ask you out… so, do you have plans tomorrow?”

“Well, I guess I do now,” you replied, your smile that JJ absolutely loved growing wider. “Although, I hope you ran it by my brother first.”

#jj maybank x reader #jj maybank imagine #jj maybank x you #jj maybank #outer banks #obx #quin-ns writing #request #asks

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markrosewater · 2 months

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"It varies mechanic to mechanic, but they don’t score any lower as a group against other mechanics. Some, like Monarch, are quite popular."

People are criticizing the helper card mechanics because they are very complex, require specific varied tracking and they are virtually impossible to play with unless you constantly refer to helper card (compared to most cards that you can understand by simply reading its oracle text or reminder text).

The Monarch doesn't have any of those issues. It's an elegant and masterfully designed mechanic. The Monarch is very simple and straightforward, so much so that the oracle text from The Monarch token could fit as reminder text on several monarch cards. That can't be said about Day/Night, The Initiative, Venture in the Dungeon, Rad counters or Tempted by the Ring. I've probably looked at the double sided Tempted by the Ring helper token over 100 times and I can't confidently tell someone exactly how the mechanic works if I don't have the helper token to read from. It's an extremely complex and multifaceted mechanic. I would say more complicated and wordy than 98% of other Magic mechanics.

Can you please make more "outside of the game" helper card style mechanics that are easy to comprehend and intuitive?

The Monarch and Ascend are examples of mechanics like this. More of that please! The more complex mechanics that create outside of the game elements are intimidating (i.e. Venture into the Dungeon, Tempted by the Ring, The Initiative, Day/Night) and in my experience, they slow down the game because players can't understand them easily.

Lastly, I'm offering this feedback as a major Magic enthusiast and long time veteran player who also plays with experienced players regularly. I can't even begin to imagine how daunting these types of mechanics must feel for novice players!

I talk a lot about how different players enjoy different aspects of the game. What I talk far less about is different players struggle with different aspects. Some can’t handle excessive processing; some have issues with sequencing; some don’t understand the nuances of the rules; some aren’t good with memory.

My best guess with you is you internalize (aka work from memory) card abilities most of the time, so cards which exceed your ability to memorize cause you issues.

Because players see the game through the lens of their own experience, the feedback they tend to give is “stop doing thing X” because thing X is the element that they personally struggle with.

The challenge is there are players that don’t struggle with that element of the game and thus enjoy thing X. For example, my biggest note on this blog about dungeons isn’t they’re too hard to process, but there aren’t enough of them.

So, it’s a balance. We need to understand the ways in which people struggle and help accordingly where we can. I agree that we need to be cautious how complex and wordy we are on elements off the card. And we have to be careful how often we use that tool.

Now there is a threshold where enough players struggle, that we have to question if a particular aspect is worth it. I don’t think we’re there yet with external game pieces, but I do loudly hear the note that we have to be better with as-fan of the helper cards showing up. The note that we need to auto-include more helper cards in the prerelease kits is also a strong one.

So yes, I’m aware that outside game pieces come at a real cost for a certain type of player, and it is something we have to keep in mind when designing them. I personally think we could have simplified Tempted by the Ring a bit, for example, but I do think it was right to include in the product.

Thanks for your feedback.

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chronicbeans · 2 months

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hi I saw your masterpost and was wondering if you could write Micah Yujin x reader who suffers from asthma?? I don’t know if requests are open and I’m so sorry if they aren’t, no pressure at all

Sure! I personally don't have asthma, so I'm sorry if these aren't necessarily the most accurate. Most of my research for these things comes from Mayo Clinic and the NIH. I also went to the ACAAI for this one. These will be headcanons because they weren't specified, but if you want a short fic you can ask!

TW: Asthma Attacks, Hacking, Invasion of Privacy/Stalking

Micah Yujin with a Reader who has Asthma:

• He's a smart man. I mean, he literally found your address by hacking into your personal information. So, the chances are, he probably knows that you have asthma. Not only that, but what type of asthma you have, any allergies you have, what medication you take... you get the gist. The only problem he may have is knowing what exactly your condition may cause.

• Yes, most everybody knows asthma can cause shortness of breath and asthma attacks, but not everybody really knows the less noticable symptoms, or what to do during an asthma attack. That's not going to stop him from trying his best to learn! He's pretty internet savvy, so he knows where to look. Though, those pesky research papers have a bunch of medical terms he doesn't understand... What the hell is an etiology, or a toxicokinetic? He's probably looking at papers that are high above his medical knowledge or reading level.

• When the two of you finally end up meeting face to face, he's absolutely ecstatic! He also tries his best to accommodate for you in certain scenarios. If the two of you decide to go on a hike or walk, he'll try to go slower for you so you don't overexert yourself. If your asthma is triggered by certain dusts or allergens, he'll be keeping a sharp eye out for them to steer you away from it. He may seem to be extremely overprotective and worried about it, and he really is! He wants to protect you, but he's also painfully aware that he can't really do so when it's a chronic illness...

• If you ever end up having an asthma attack with him nearby, his first step is to internally panic. Yes, he knows what to do, but he's also terrified that it might not work. However, he'll help you sit down, use your inhaler if you have one, and get you to a safe place. All while he's internally telling himself stupid jokes to keep himself calm, and telling you words of affirmation to keep you calm. As much as he'd love to tell you the jokes he thinks of, he doesn't want to make you laugh or frustrate you while you're having difficulties breathing. Humor tends to calm him down when upset, but he knows others might get angry and think he's not taking the situation seriously. He'll tell you them after your attack passes, and you've calmed down, if you want.

• Micah is going to let you cuddle one of his dinosaurs, afterwards. If you aren't allergic to cats, he'll also let you cuddle Skrunkly. If you are, though, he'll put her into a different room for you, and vacuum the room after she's out.

• He's the type to completely forget about your asthma until you actually have a problem. Not necessarily in the sense that he'd forget to avoid your triggers. No, he'll remember them, and help you avoid them. It's more like it is second nature to him, now, and he doesn't think of your asthma as being "asthma". It's almost like he's forgotten that not everyone has the "smaller" symptoms, like coughing or slight wheezing while laughing... And that may or may not be because you're one of the few people he actually talks to. So, any small symptoms are seen as just normal, then whenever you have bigger, more serious problems related to your asthma, he'll suddenly remember that "Oh, yeah, you have asthma- OH SHIT-!" and begin panicking, because said "more serious problems" that most likely will make him actively think about your asthma are probably asthma attacks or extreme coughing fits.

• He's probably going to have a miniature checklist written down on things to bring with him whenever he's going somewhere with you. He's already been bringing a mini first aid kit with him just because it's useful, but now he's bringing a separate kit with your emergency inhaler and any medications you might need to take in an emergency, as well as a thermos of a warm, caffeinated beverage to drink if you don't have or use an inhaler. He saw somewhere online that caffeinated, warm drinks can help open the airways a little bit, so it wouldn't hurt to try.

• He's going to obsessively check in on the latest news considering research regarding asthma. Any new, scientifically backed tips and tricks on how to help ease the symptoms will be relayed to you.

• Also, is your medication too expensive? How about he just pays for it! He'll find a way to get the money! He can hack into a few places to... "borrow" a few dollars for it. Or a few thousand... Or million... No price is too high for your comfort!

• If you couldn't tell, Micah probably will be a bit overly anxious, at first. However, once he calms down and actually gets used to living or being around someone who has asthma, he calms down. It's all second nature for him at some point, and he's no longer actively thinking about it. From then on, it's all just a regular relationship! Or, at least, as regular of a relationship as you can have with an obsessive hacker that is probably stalking you... It's to protect you, he promises.

#error 143 #micah yujin #error143 #Error 143 x Reader #micah yujin x reader

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gffa · 1 year

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what do you think would have happened if the jedi had found out anakin was married pre-rots? would he be forced to leave/choose one over the other? are there any circumstances, even one where he was a completely different person, under which anakin would be able to marry padme and remain a member of the order, and if so, what would the consequences of that be (i.e. what would it look like)?

It's such an interesting question because we really know so little about the Jedi worldbuilding, the only two things I can really even think of that talk about it are : - Padme’s incredibly off-hand mention of how Anakin would be expelled if the Jedi found out about their baby. What’s the context of this, where did she learn this? Is Anakin the one who told her? Because I have some Doubts about Anakin’s reliability on these things, considering that he also has shown an unwillingness to accept Jedi philosophy, according to Lucas. Anakin, who thinks the Council hate him, may be thinking in extremes and wouldn’t even consider that they’d try working with him. - George Lucas gave a talk at Celebration one year and the subject of Jedi giving up marriage was talked about, where it ties into their willingness to be selfless, to be willing to give up everything (because life is impermanent and transient) when the time comes. They love people, but they cannot hold onto them--and I think the way he’s framing it is that marriage should be selfish, if you’re going to make that commitment. But he doesn’t say anything about Jedi being expelled for it, just that it’s something they give up. And given how we see Anakin actually breaking a ton of rules or getting into trouble in TCW and never, not once getting in any significant trouble for it, I think the Jedi would very much be willing to sit down and talk about this. For me, I think, yes, he would be asked to choose and, if he refused to, that’s a huge sign that he’s unwilling to follow the Jedi way of selflessness and a willingness to accept their duty to the galaxy, rather than personal concerns, that he could very well get someone killed because, in a crucial moment, he would choose his own feelings over his duty. The only other time Anakin is threatened with expulsion is in exactly that kind of context--when he was willing to put his fear for Padme above his duty to help end the war before it even started, when he was willing to jump out of that plane on Geonosis rather than go face Dooku, it showed that he was tempted to put all those lives at risk for his own feelings. Even Obi-Wan points out: What would Padme do? She would do her duty, Anakin grudgingly admits. Because, in Star Wars, that duty is important. Because, in Star Wars, that’s how the narrative of the story works. That’s the themes we’re working with here. Is there any universe in which he could remain married and stay a Jedi? I did once read a fic where Anakin was given the option to remain a Jedi, but he would never achieve the rank of Master, he would never be promoted beyond Knight, and iirc that he would never be given certain types of missions and I liked that fic a lot, it really worked for me. I think he’d have to be willing to accept that and I’m not sure if he would, but without Palpatine’s influence, in a universe where Anakin was allowed to actually spiritually grow without Palpatine constantly urging him to give in to his worst impulses, he might not like it when he first agrees to it, but I could see him growing to find peace with it. But I can also see a world where, because Anakin is Anakin, he’ll never be able to find balance between these two marriages of his, one to Padme and one to the Jedi, that it only feeds his fears and his greed for the galaxy to bend to his will. But I like the idea that the Jedi love Anakin enough that they would be willing to find a compromise, one that keeps him from getting people hurt because he can’t achieve the balance necessary for the responsibility they’re given, but that he can remain a Jedi and maybe teach saber classes or engineering classes or something. Jedi love teaching and while I don’t think Anakin has the patience for the toddlers of the creche, I can see him having a good time with a bunch of little gear-heads who love getting their faces stuck inside a droid just as much as he does.

#anakin skywalker #jedi order #meta

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teentoospoiled · 2 months

Text

débutante diaries

“If I were a mother I would be damned if my child took advice from you,”

That stung me when I initially read that.

Throughout my rocky healing journey, I’ve learned that I have to target my teenage self in order to begin healing what was broken. My teenage self was physically and emotionally abandoned. This manifested itself into self abandonment, toxic traits and irresponsible choices.

TTS (teenTOOspoiled) is not only meant for teens. It is a safe space for adults to discuss what we wish we knew as a teen. Kitchen table talk; the adults are talking. And we are inviting nearby teenagers to listen and ask questions.

As a teenager, I wish I knew how to address my problems and emotions instead of distracting myself with work, boys or burying my feelings and responsibilities. I wish I began learning certain skills sooner such as languages or techniques to protect myself from a mental health crisis.

I WISH I KNEW…

Self reliance

Personal and business finance

The dangers of casual xes

Avoidance is a trauma response (dodging the bill collector, for example).

Can I be honest? I HATE TALKING ABOUT MY SH !!!

I was raised in a black household that taught me to keep people out my business. In addition, my family dismissed mental illness overall therefore so did I. I feel very uncomfortable talking about something so personal, to strangers.

But. I remember coming across an article that made my heart drop:

Black Girls Are Experiencing Record Rates of Self Injury & Death by Scide

Don’t skip it. Read it, it’s short.

I owe my audience transparency. Especially those who are 13-20, my teenagers.

My ask and messages are open, therefore I feel as if my audience should know exactly who they’re asking advice from.

I do not (always) give advice because I’m doing/have done better. Most times I give advice because I’ve struggled through it and learned the harsh lessons already.

Especially when it comes to dating. Another thing that I want my teenage audience to know: I was xes trafficked at the age of 14 and stayed in the SW industry until I was 21. My advice comes from picking the brains of my peers (other SWers), clients, miscellaneous staff (assistants, for example) and diligent observation.

They ask me what I do and who I do it for. I do this all for my teenage self. I survived by the grace of my spirit team and my smarts. Both street and books smarts. Another form of “code switching”.

I am signing off with inviting my teenager viewers to tell an adult about following TTS. Follow us on IG @teentoospoiled if you don’t want to expose your Tumblr account lol. It takes a village and adults shouldn’t be talking to children (teens) without the approval or supervision of an adult.

Tell your parents, your big sister or older friend. Tell them about my SH. Tell them about @bootobeneficiary . Question them about their thoughts on celibacy. Ask them if they’re comfortable with you following me. Always check in with them before following any advice of mine, unless it’s advice on how to protect yourself from them.

Practice transparency, as I am practicing with you.

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the-heart-of-a-monster · 2 months

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HOPPING ON HERE AGAIN FOR ANOTHER SUPER LONG THEORY POST BOYSSSSS

Hello THOAM people! How are you all doing today? Good? Great? Did you just have one of the best days in your entire life and you are certain that nothing could possibly ruin it for you now??

WELL YOU ARE WRONG. /j I AM HERE TO RUIN IT ALL.

that is very much a joke I’m sorry I’m very high on adrenaline right now becAUSE THE NEW COVERS FOR ISSUE 9 JUST DROPPED AS I’M WRITING THIS OUT AND I AM SO EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT AND I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS. So why don’t I just cut the dilly-dallying and get right on with it?

———

So, first thing I wanna mention is Sonic’s current state and his relationship status. (You may take that as out of context as you want lol) Sonic is currently in an internal state of panic mixed in with exhaustion. MAJOR exhaustion! Bro had to rush to Omega’s aid right after fighting Shadow in a cave full of ice. If that’s not draining as heck then I have no idea what isn’t. And on top of all that, he not only almost killed Omega, but he also knows now that his friends have known what was going on with him for a while! Probably ever since the scene where him, Tails, and Knuckles went out for breakfast and he passed out at the table. (I can’t remember which issue that was atm. I think issue 3…?) In short, Sonic is experiencing a whole rollercoaster of emotions right now, and he isn’t even awake yet! As soon as he wakes up I theorize he’s gonna be asking everyone a lot of questions, and will then ask for elaborations on top of all the answers he receives! I also don’t think he will be as trusting of others anymore, since his friends all knew of his biggest kept secret for a long while now and nobody said or did anything about it!

Now combine that with the guilt he must feel for Omega… The last thing Sonic witnessed before passing out was him going on a rampage and almost killing the robot. He must not feel great about that…! 🫢 And his relationship with Team Dark will be relatively strained as well. I mean, aside from Rouge probably. She loves Omega, but knows the context behind the situation and doesn’t blame Sonic much for what happened, so I think she won’t change much around the Blue Blur. Though his relationship with Shadow was already strained before all that, so… Yeah.

ALRIGHT TIME TO TALK ABOUT CHIP WOOHOOOOOOOO

We all know now that Chip has finally experienced what I’m calling, “✨God Puberty✨”

(Imagine there are pretty pink sparkles floating around the name. Kinda like the classic “You’re watching Disney Channel” thing)

This ✨God Puberty✨ has essentially opened Chip’s eyes, and changes the game completely! Now we not only have a god on our side but also a god who has context! I believe Chip will try and guide Dark Gaia back to its sleeping state to restore balance like they usually do, as explained in the comic, but the attempt will backfire seeing as Dark Gaia was awoken prematurely by Dr. Eggman. (More on him in a second) Chip will keep trying, because they’re a big floofy funny god that just wants food and just went through ✨God Puberty✨ so they’ll naturally wanna keep this going at a peaceful rate. Because despite all of his power, Chip is still Chip. Just a smol bitty guy who wants ice cream. With the addition of being a god. Sonic will then of course have to step in, leading to him getting his Gaia energy taken away and him being free of this curse, and then the events of the game finale play out as normal. Probably. It’s getting late now and I’m getting tired so my brain energy is wavering so idk exactly if that’s what will happen but it’s some food for thought I suppose.

NOW WE CAN FINALLY TALK ABOUT EGGMAN OH MY GOSH YES LET’S TALK ABOUT THE PATHETIC EGG-SHAPED SCIENTIST THAT WE CALL A MAN MADE OUT OF EGGS

To keep this short and simple, I’ll discuss Eggman within the context we have based solely on the new covers alone. Meaning the only speculation I’ll be doing is based off of those and the last few times we’ve seen the guy in the comic. Which actually was… A long time ago, actually. If I’m remembering correctly, that is. I could be wrong. ANYWHIZZLE LEMME STOP JABBERING AND LET’S GET ON WITH THE THEORIZING-

So the first cover shows a new, most likely final form of Sonic’s, encasing Eggman in a cracked eggshell while using his claws. Or more specifically, there is Eggman, acting as an egg yolk, sitting in a puddle of egg whites with the shell on each side of him, while Sonic’s Gaia claws slowly close in on him in the back. Sonic is staring at him menacingly, his anger and frustration reaching a boiling point due to all the stress he’s most likely experiencing combined with the Dark Gaia energy within him. This cover makes me assume that this issue is gonna act as the final battle against Eggman, a final “Screw you!” To the fat man in red. Obviously, Eggy ain’t going down without a fight, as shown in the next cover, but we’ll get to that in a minute.

The first cover suggests that Eggman is gonna be the main role of the issue, and that he’s gonna get his ass kicked. Sonic is gonna confront him, fully transform into his final Werehog form due to anger and stress, and we’ll then move onto the next issue probably. Again, I’m getting tired so this theory is getting pretty sloppy.

Now onto cover numero dos! I love this cover honestly, and it’s literally only because Knuckles and Tails are seen defending a transforming Sonic from Eggman. They are literally using themselves as like. A meat shield. Normally I’d be like “Oh no what happened????” But right now all I can think is “Omg ✨Brothers✨ 🤩”

———

AGAIN IM GETTING VERY TIRED NOW SO I WILL UNFORTUNATELY END THIS HERE AND WILL NOW GO BRUSH MY TEETH BUT HOPEFULLY I WILL REMEMBER TO COME BACK AND ELABORATE TOMORROW IF I HAVE THE TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING, IT MEANS A TON THAT YOU TOOK THE TIME OUT OF THE DAY TO DO THAT.

oki ima go sleeb now thank you bai

The art for the covers was great btw I just wanted to let you know it’s absolutely wonderful I could look at it all day

you're gonna love what's gonna happent his issue, i can tell!!!!!!

only um. i think you were wayyy too tired so you confused sonic with metal sonic. either that ur ur just very polite to metals insistance that he is the real sonic.

#fan lore #clover-the-awesomest #long post #text heavy #fan theories

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regretisstoredintheme · 1 year

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Could I perhaps ask for Rottmnt donnie x reader where reader has like a huge crush on Donnie and they've recently got new glasses. Since they got new glasses, they're like super scared to go visit the bois in the lair because they think they look stupid and they don't wanna Donnie seeing

It started with a whisperrrr and that was when I— HMMMM??????

WHATS THIS?? A REQUEST!??

*snatches paper*

“Anonymous asked: Could I perhaps ask for Rottmnt donnie x reader where reader has like a huge crush on Donnie and they've recently got new glasses. Since they got new glasses, they're like super scared to go visit the bois in the lair because they think they look stupid and they don't wanna Donnie seeing”

A/N: This. Is. So. adorable. PREPARE, LITTLE ANON. *cracks knuckles*

—

No Difference. (A Oneshot) - Donatello x Reader

Warnings: Self deprecating, gender neutral reader but April does say “gurl” like once. Disclaimer that I have never had this feeling, I just went off of my gut.

Blurry.

The world seemed a lot better when it was blurry. It seemed a lot nicer, a lot safer, and a lot less humiliating. Those were the thoughts that went through your head as you sat in your room, holding the new pair of spectacles in your hand. You wished they didn’t update your prescription— you wished they gave you contacts instead, because when you looked in the mirror, all you saw was the idiot you knew yourself to be.

They made your eyes look huge, and you felt defective for needing such thick lenses. Defective, yeah thats exactly what you were— the exact opposite of the one person you felt drawn to.

Oh yes, the purple clad terrapin, who doesn’t cease to consistently amaze you. What would he think of you now?

You lifted your hood, biting your lip as you hauled your backpack over your shoulders. It was time to leave, to join the monsters in hell, or— as they called it, Highschool.

You tried not to talk to anyone, you tried to avoid people you knew, but no matter where you went, it seemed people had to point out your new prescription. Whether it was the teacher, or peers who never even made the conscious decision to know your name. Either way, it was like a plague, a sticker on your forehead, a walking cactus up your leg… you hated it. You hated it with a burning passion, you hated it so much that you weren’t even hungry when you went to lunch, so much that you didn’t even notice April when you knocked into her.

“Oof—!” She huffed, fixing her glasses, “Y/n?” Squinting, a smile spread wide on her lips, “There you are!” She cheered, nudging your side, “I was starting to think you got sick today!” A laugh left her throat, “nice glasses, by the way, are those new?” Her hands sat at her hips, unfazed and waiting for your reply.

Your smile faded as she mentioned your apparel, feeling once again like it was a smudge on your face. “Well.. yeah..” you muttered, reaching up to take them off.

“‘Well, yeah..’?“ April mimicked your words, a brow lifting as she saw right through your bullshit.

“I mean—“ you paused, “Its just…”

April waited patiently, walking with you to a place you could both sit without being disturbed. “Don’t they look.. I dunno.. stupid..?” You tried to stop from tearing up, but the water pricked your eyes, forcing you to wipe them away before you embarrassed yourself further.

The girl next to you gave an incredulous look, but shook her head, trying to be understanding. “Thats bullshit, Y/n.” She said upfront, her brows furrowing slightly, “you look incredible all the time.” She was quiet for a moment, before looking up, an idea sparking in her head. “How about we go see the guys?” She suggested, tilting her head to you, “I bet a certain scientist could wash away all that nonsense thinking.”

She deflated when you shook your head vigorously, eyes squeezed shut as you felt heat in your face at the thought. “I don’t want him to think I’m stupid..” you mumbled, fumbling with the hem of your hoodie. “Girl…” April’s eyes lidded, “you know Donnie had dorky glasses he was embarrassed of too, right?” She chuckled, “he was so upset that he started working on making his own contacts immediately, getting frustrated when they didn’t work.”

Your head raised a little as she told the story, blinking with surprise. “Ohhh Leo teased him endlessly, calling him ‘Nerdatello’, but if I’m honest, I don’t think it made Donnie look any less cool.” Now you were chuckling with her, a hesitant smile on your face. “..but…” you felt the fear crawling up your throat again, biting your lip as you looked anywhere but April’s face. “Donnie looks cool no matter what I— … What if he ..laughs at me..”

“ I’ll kick his sorry ass!!” April barked, a hand clapped protectively over your shoulder, “but trust me, he wont.”

“D may be a genius, but he’s stupid when it comes to you.”

——

The sewers only served to raise your anxiety, the random ripples in the water, the echo of your footsteps, the detail magnifying in everything you could see in your glasses. It was so overwhelming, you thought you were gonna be sick. You wanted to believe what April said, you really did, but this sinking feeling just couldn’t be swayed, and you kept thinking about the possibilities.

“You alright back there?” April called over her shoulder, slowing down so you could catch up to her. “I dunno, April.. you seeing me is one thing, but the guys…” Fiddling with your fingers, you walked up next to her, head drooped. “You gotta get some confidence, man.” April hit your side lightly, “you’ve got nothing to worry about. Except maybe Leo… but it’s his turn on patrol.” She waved the metaphorical situation away, still smiling at you like she always did.

Walking into the lair, you tried to calm your rapidly beating heart, the lair looked so much different with this much detail— you could actually read the graffiti on the skate ramp and see who’s room was who’s. Your breath hitched when you saw the familiar purple sheen of your favorite turtle, his lab always illuminating some kind of glow. April climbed up the ladder to the second floor, you always one step behind her — as if hiding your face.

Don’t think for a second April didn’t notice, her eyes were on you the entire time. “Donnnnieeeee~!” She drawled, inviting herself in. You hesitated at the entrance, but April’s hand around your wrist pulled you inside, despite your nonverbal protests. “I brought a surprise!!”

Your eyes rested momentarily on the back of the turtle’s gaming chair, feeling a gentle warmth in your chest upon being in his presence.

“Is it coffee? Please let it be coffee.” The soft shell groaned, scooting out of his chair before spinning around to look at the both of you. “Nope, better.” April said confidently, and with that, suddenly you weren’t hiding behind her anymore— her hands firm on your shoulders as she presented you like a prize.

Donnie’s eyes widened slightly, giving April a look you couldn’t quite read. The softshell seemed to straighten up, dusting himself off before standing. He put on a coy smile, trying to draw attention away from his messy desktop. “What brings you to my humble abode?” He said smoothly, gaining his composure. If you were honest, Donnie looked like he had just done an all-nighter, the bags under his eyes evident as he stared at your forehead rather than your pupils. You knew he had some trouble with eye contact — but you expected him to notice the ‘stain’ on your face.

“Humble?” April smirked, pointing out his change in demeanor.

The purple turtle shot her another glance, this time a faint blush over his nose. He coughed into his hand, “anyway..” muttering something, he then finally looked you in the eye. He halted, analyzing before he pulled down his goggles, making sure he was seeing right. “… you have a freckle right there...” he muttered, going to poke it before backing up, flabbergasted as his finger touched glass. He squinted in on your blurry face, your features coming back into focus. “Oh.. you got new glasses… that’s….. cu—cool. Cool cool cool..” he looked away quickly as he realized his mistake, coughing to cover up the Freudian slip.

“Dee..” April rubbed the crease between her brows, trying not to get frustrated. “When did you sleep?”

Donnie looked at her, smiling with all the confidence in the world. “Nope.” He paused, realizing his answer didn’t make sense. “Yes….terweek.” He said again, this time satisfied with his answer. Before April could protest, he was slinking an arm around your shoulder, smiling at you instead. “Hey, since April didn’t bring me a coffee, what say we go grab one?”

He smirked, leading you out of the lab before you could even say yes. You weren’t exactly keen on him neglecting his needs— but he was taking a break.. personally, you were still flabbergasted he didn’t mention your glasses more— maybe it didn’t make as much of a difference as you thought…

Donnie turned to April, giving her a small salute over his shoulder before disappearing from her sight. April’s annoyed attitude all but evaporated, smirking as she let her brother off with a wink.

Their plan worked.

—

A/N: HIIIII this was so fun to write… I HOPE ITS OK!!!! You can’t tell me April wouldn’t phone Donnie about the situation, especially when he’s the smartest person she knows! They both knew of your little crush, Donnie isn’t as dense as people think and April keeps secrets between her and her best friend. Making sure you don’t feel uncomfortable is their number one goal, even if it means a little lying.

#ROTTMNT #tmnt #ROTTMNT x reader #tmnt x reader #donnie x reader #ROTTMNT Donnie x reader #regrettable writing #Donatello x reader #tmnt donnie #Donnie tmnt

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blood-choke · 2 months

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Hi, I have a question about mc

So, I’m still in the beginning part of chapter two (mostly because I keep pausing to read other variations of my options I choose instead of just playing the game uninterrupted lol); and I was just wondering about some things.

I’ve gone through most asks on her about V and the way she treats mc when mc doesn’t go her way and I sort of understand her aggressiveness though it’s still triggering as I’ve not really seen the good parts, cuz my mc doesn’t trust her and finds her secretive nature suspicious; but I wonder like, was mc a bad person before entombment?

Like obvi everyone isn’t black and white and has grey areas in personality, but in the beginning Val just seems so triggered (?) that mc is alive again and here again with her. She only seems chill when you pick options that align with what she wants, but outside that, she seems truly disturbed like she needs to take a breather or sth.

This also came to mind cuz of how Hana talks about us TO us. Like saying how she expected us to not be like Val and her seeming disappointed that we were similar to Val, in that scene were we discover phones for the first time. Like, is that just cuz of the choice that prompted her jealousy, or is that because of how mc was a person before?

I hope I constructed those questions well lol, but it just makes me wonder if certain ways they react towards the mc are just cuz of how they are a people or cuz of how mc was as a person. Cuz it seems like she and Val had a pretty turbulent relationship; was that due to their personalities or the times they were in? I feel like that’ll be answered as the story goes on, but yeah; I do wonder if mc’s previous personality majorly influences how H and V act towards us.

this is not solely directed at you anon but i have gotten a lot of asks that essentially boil down to "who is the Correct one in this situation" and i've been kinda vague or ignoring the messages because it goes against the whole point of the story, but i've received enough questions like this i'm just going to do a blanket response to explain what my intention is with writing this and why there will be no straight answers to most of these questions.

i'll put it under a cut because it's going to be long (and i guess if you want to avoid potential spoilers). i'm not going to get into details, mainly just the overarching themes that i'm trying to communicate through the narrative and with characters like the mc and Valentina.

first, to start, let me talk about Valentina:

Valentina is written in a very intentional way. she is meant to be erratic and hypocritical and not very nice. she is hundreds of years old, and at this point nearly the entire last century of her life was spent in a controlling, abusive relationship. she is going to be both defensive and aggressive because she's still in a lot of pain and struggling to work through it. she has trust issues, she thinks everyone is using her for her money, she is very paranoid and sensitive. she, as the kids say, needs therapy. this does not absolve her of her poor treatment of Hana and the mc currently, but i hope this explains it better. she is meant to be a polarizing and challenging character.

i've said a few times now that you are never going to know who is telling the truth about Standard, you're never going to get a moment in game where it tells you exactly who is Right or Wrong. i've written Valentina the way i have because yes, you are supposed to doubt her, but also i'm a bit astounded by how many people seem to just have no sympathy for her at all (again not directed at you anon but just in general.) while you're never going to know if it was her idea or not, if she chose Standard or not, or even really know what happened between her and Julien, the indisputable facts are that she, as a lesbian, had to marry a man out of desperation and was forced to be his wife and daughter for nearly 90 years. she is not going to be well adjusted after this. she is not going to want to talk about this. she has valid reasons for being reluctant to share the horrible things that happened to her, as well as being a little suspicious.

she is a tragic character. she is the antithesis of the "perfect victim." we will get to have a bit of a "confrontation" with her at the start of the next chapter, and i'm hopeful that this will get across exactly why Valentina is the way she is in the text.

as for her relationship with mc, it has always been a bit intense, but they did love each other genuinely before. it's why mc did what they did to end up entombed in the first place. i would blame a lot of the problems of their relationship previously on the time period they were in. it wasn't easy for either of them. like i said before, being a vampire was not a get out of jail free card. it's been hinted at but mc and Valentina were living in poor conditions until the 1910s, where they finally started getting a foothold, by trapping and killing men and with mc themself dressing up as a man. but then what happened, happened, and mc was entombed in the 1920s.

was mc a bad person? i mean they very much did murder people along with Valentina. it's up to you how you feel about that. she murders people now in the demo. she's a vampire, she doesn't really have the same ethics as we do. was she bad to Valentina? sometimes. Valentina was bad to her, too. were they "toxic"? maybe. mc doesn't remember, and honestly Valentina doesn't remember that much either.

the mc waking up with no memory, while a convenient plot device in an IF game like this, was also done intentionally. you're never going to know if the mc was really a "bad person" though playing through you can probably feel that the mc does suspect that they were - is it true, or is this an insecurity around their butchness, a fear of her own masculinity? we don't know. part of the narrative is the mc reconciling this fact, as well as understanding that either way they can choose to be better - she's been given a second chance. she does not have to be a certain way because of who she is - the parallels being drawn between her and Standard are there to acknowledge this negative view of butches as just "men lite" as well as this bioessentialist idea that masculinity = bad. but just because the mc is butch does not mean she will end up like Standard or Atlas or Julien. and those three aren't bad just because they're men, they're bad because they choose to be bad and abuse their power over marginalized people. this is something that will be expanded upon as the story progresses and mc gets more comfortable in their identity and we see more of the council, particularly Sasha and Cassius.

and now with Hana, she's never met the mc before, so she kind of has this preconceived idea of her, and you do get that comment both because she's a bit jealous but also because she's afraid of the mc's jealousy. if you're at the start of ch2 you may have not had the conversation with Hana yet, but her irritation comes from the fear that you will get jealous of her and want to shove her out, despite her close relationship with Valentina, and this being her home, too. she assumes you're asking because you're trying to "sus her out" and decide whether you're going to align as friends or enemies. she says you're like Valentina in that regard because, like we touched on, Valentina is very paranoid and jealous.

to be clear i do understand the game is early on, we're only on ch3, so i don't expect readers to be able to magically intuit exactly what i'm writing (some of the stuff about mc is impossible to know at this stage). but i cannot stress enough that everyone in this story can be considered "bad" in some way, and you're not going to get a eureka moment where everything is clarified. it's meant to be messy and confusing. i'm never going to outright say "this character is the One True Villain, and this character is the Righteous one." hopefully this does clear a few things up, though, and better helps you (and everyone else that has been asking) understand what's going on, and what the deal is with both the mc and Valentina.

#again sorry anon this is not like personally directed at you im just using ur ask as an example #i hope ur enjoying exploring all the variations :-)#and i do hope this helps you understand; we will get 'softer' scenes with Valentina eventually #mc #valentina #ask #anonymous

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artist-issues · 4 months

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I think the problem is when you say "nothing about you is good" is that a lot of people, young people in particular, afraid admitting leads them to think "Why am I even alive then? If nothing is good about me, maybe I should just die", it leads to despair and sometimes even suicide and the only solution they see is self-love and self-compassion.

Not only that, the powers that be which is modern secular society make it where those who admit this are punished for it. Especially on social media.

You admit you're wrong or not perfect, another person will use that as justification to bully you or use your faults flaunt their supposed moral superiority, not unlike Jesus's parable about the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Only the Pharisee is more rooted in secular beliefs.

Modern society has made it that if you admit your no good and be selfless and self-sacrificial, then they get to exploit that to punish you relentlessly and call you a hypocrite when you fight back.

It's kinda social coercion and its despicable when you think about

But too many people just gloss over all this and just try to lecture someone in once again, moral superiority

Not saying you're wrong or what you're doing, but I think understanding the current circumstances, personal, cultural, and societal can help address the issue in a way young people can understand and know what to do.

Could be. I agree with what you’re saying. The thing is, figuring out how to say it in the right way only has so much power. Truth is truth; even if you say it in the perfect way, at the perfect time, there are still people who are just not going to like or accept it no matter how well or carefully it’s presented. My post about Wish got a reblog where someone said, “I like how this person is tiptoeing up to saying they wish Disney was Christian without actually saying it.” Because it’s like, yeah, that is what I meant, and no, I didn’t come out and say it exactly like that—but someone still saw what I meant, and they disliked the truth that was there. No matter how I couched it.

I mean, we can agree that everything Jesus said, He said perfectly, at exactly the right time, in exactly the right way. But people still rejected it. And I certainly can’t do better than He did.

So at some point, it’s not how you say it; the problem’s not with how it’s said. At some point, the problem might just be with the person you’re talking to. It’s like a bridge. One end (speaking truth in the exact right way and right time for the audience you’re speaking to) goes halfway, and that’s great, but the other end has to meet it in the middle (the audience has to accept the truth when they realize it is there) or else the bridge doesn’t work.

But please note; both sides are equally important. I agree with you that the truth has to be spoken in the right way, in the right place, at the right time (and I certainly don’t do that well all the time, or even most of the time.) That’s what the Bible means when it says, “speaking the truth in love.” It’s got the power of a hammer but it’s supposed to be used with the precision of a scalpel.

Anywho, as far as people not wanting to admit they’re broken or wrong or have no good in them—welcome to the human race.

(I’m going to say some potentially triggering things below the cut, but it ends hopefully, so if you’re reading and you’re someone who struggles with suicidal thoughts, proceed with caution ((I know what it’s like, it can be too slippery a slope to chance at certain times in life))—but it ends hopefully, which is why I’m saying it at all.)

And actually, going from “there’s nothing good in me” to “why am I even alive? What’s the point of me, then?” is scary because yes, it can lead to suicide…but that is logical. It is natural. If you stop at “there’s nothing good in me,” then yeah, the conclusion of that thought, alone, is hopelessness. Of course it is. Of course that’s why we shy away from it.

But you’re not supposed to stop there. You’re not supposed to stop at “there’s nothing good in me.” And really, you’re not even supposed to begin there either.

That’s just the middle part.

The beginning part is, “there was supposed to be something good and worthy about me—I was made in the image of God. He bothered making me, and loved me and wanted to make me, when He didn’t have to. He set humans apart and gave them dominion over everything else He created; we were special, we were chosen, and even now we get to have something His other heavenly supernatural creations, angels, don’t have. I was made as His “very” good creation—everything else was just ‘good.’ I am special to Him; He made me special.”

Then the middle part is: “And it’s ruined. And there’s nothing good in and of me, because I reject the very source of Goodness, and I reject what I was made to be, which is good. And I’m not special—because I reject the One who invented “specialness” and gets to decide what that is. And I’m not worthy—“

Then the best part, the conclusion is: “—except that GOD GETS TO DECIDE WHAT “worthiness” IS, and what “worthiness” is for, and HE said having a right relationship with me instead of leaving me as an evil empty corrupt creature of the dirt was worth the ultimate sacrifice. The ultimate sacrifice is what I’m worth, and the ultimate purpose is what I’m worthy for.”

If I didn’t have that last part, that part that has nothing to do with me and everything to do with God, I wouldn’t be here to type this, about ten times over.

There is no hope, no light, no truth, no life, inside of you by yourself. It’s only outside of you. It’s only in God.

But there’s a third point of view here. We’ve established Point of View 1) “I’m worthy because God says I am,” and we’ve established the one that gets stuck halfway, Point of View 2) “I’m evil and there’s nothing good in me.”

But then there’s Point of View 3) “Yahweh doesn’t get to decide what makes me good or worthy or anything because if He did, that would make Him God—in charge—and I don’t want Him to be in charge of me, or to say anything about me; therefore the only thing that matters is what I say and how I feel about myself. Hope, hopelessness, worth, unworthiness; it’s all defined and felt by me, for me, nobody else…(which makes me God.)”

Point of View 3 is the one that most people are actually stuck on. So they reach for it and condemn anyone who has Point of View 1, and meanwhile try to encourage Point of View 2 people to get to Point of View 3 with them.

But Point of View 3 is going nowhere. It’s empty and hollow. Because once you decide you can define good for yourself, and worthiness for yourself, both “good” and “worthy” change to be whatever you want them to be moment-to-moment, and therefore…lose all objective, real meaning. And even if you can fool yourself into thinking that Point of View 3, which does not line up with reality, isn’t as hollow as it is, you’ll still have to deal with the consequences of that eventually.

Read the book of Romans, or the book of John. It’s all there.

Romans 2:11-12:

“…Remember that you were at that time without Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

#my one comfort both in life and death #christianity #thanks for this ask #asked #answered #agreed #hope #suicidal #life

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raven-at-the-writing-desk · 1 year

Text

A Glitch in the Matrix

This is a Shroud brothers age swap AU that I’ve been wanting to write for a long time!!

Idia basically has the same backstory (except Ortho is the dead older brother and Idia is just a bratty like… 10 year old) 😂 This model of Ortho is significantly older (think late teen) because I’m operating under the assumption that kid!Idia built a version of his brother “grown up” so he can have the experience of growing up with him. Slightly different coping method than the OG, but I thought this would be something cute and silly to explore.

Young children are notoriously known for being brutally honest and lacking a filter, so kid!Idia is even sassier than OG!Idia. As for adult!Ortho, I kept him being sneaky, but I also made him super big brotherly!

This is meant to take place during episode 1 of the main story (more specifically, the scene when Trey is explaining the different dorms to Yuu and co)! ^^ Yes, the joke is that Diasomnia’s introduction is forgotten about because they get caught up on Ignihyde—

Imagine this…

“Hey, who are those guys?” Grim pointed at the far end of the cafeteria. “They feel kinda different from everyone else.”

Your eyes followed his paw, landing on a lone table that had been maneuvered to the farthest corner of the room.

A few students—pale as death and donning blue vests—hunched over it, their frames made so small that they barely registered as people. A veil of gloom seemed to cling to them like spiderwebs, hollowing their faces and darkening their eyes. It was like they had been unearthed from their graves and unceremoniously dropped into the school.

“Oh, them?” Trey chuckled faintly. “They must be from Ignihyde. Students from that dorm have a strong grasp on magical tech, but they aren’t exactly the most sociable guys. A lot of them can’t handle talking face-to-fa—”

“Hello!!”

“Whoa…!”

Everyone at the table startled as a blur of blue and silver bounded into view. Forks and spoons clattered, food leapt up from its trays, some of it catching onto clothes and flecking onto skin.

“Sheesh, don’t scare us like that!” Cater groaned, wiping a dot of applesauce from his cheek. “Riddle-kun will have our heads if even one hair’s out of place!”

“Ehehe, sorry! I was just so excited when my visual receptors picked up on unfamiliar faces!”

"M-Myah?! Wh-What the heck, this guy came straight outta nowhere!!" Grim cried.

“Who’s…?” Your voice trailed off as you took a closer look at the stranger.

Sapphire flames in the place of hair danced upon his scalp, a stark contrast to his pallid face. His amber eyes were so striking, so bright, it was like electricity coursed through them. Everything about him was sharp, as though he had been cut out of something tougher than diamonds. But his body—

It was decidedly not that of a human.

Perhaps the most “human” thing about him was the pair of headphones casually slung around his neck—an accessory to pass as a teenager. The rest of his tall, lithe frame was carved out in a silvery white metal, glowing blue lines running down his torso. The joints at the young man's fingers, knees, and elbows were visible, and where his heart should have been was another haunting blue flame.

His feet were particularly strange; too chunky to be made of flesh and bone, but formed like platform boots. And then you realized why his initial appearance had been so odd: he had not walked, but rocketed over. He hadn’t even touched the ground.

You assumed that he smiled at you—you couldn’t tell for certain, as his mouth was concealed behind a black guard of some sort, a skull-like pattern printed on it.

“You are…?”

“Ortho. Ortho Shroud.” He pulled down his mouth visor, showcasing cobalt lips arranged in (as you had suspected) a grin. It was both innocent and mischievous, as though he had a secret yet to be unleashed. “It’s always nice to get to know the new blood~"

“You’re a student too?” Deuce asked excitedly. "Oh...! That would make you our upperclassman, wouldn't it?!"

“Duh, of course he is,” Ace said with a roll of his eyes. "What else would he be, a janitor? The local handyman?"

You shot him a sideways glare for the jab.

“Better a janitor or a handyman than a kid that got put in time out,” you shot back, gesturing to the enchanted collar chaffing Ace’s neck.

He frowned.

“I am present at Night Raven College to monitor and to support my younger brother during his studies,” Ortho replied. "He is a first year in Ignihyde."

His response, you noticed, didn’t fully answer the question.

"What, so there's another big guy lumberin' around campus with his hair on fire?" Grim snickered at the thought. "Must be real easy to spot him in a crowd then!"

"Heheh. Wouldn't you like to know?"

There was an ominous undertone to his words, sending the ghost of a chill crawled down your spine.

"Alright, alright, that's enough of that. You didn't come all this way just to tease the freshmen, right?" Trey adjusted his glasses knowingly. "If I know you, Ortho... you're looking for something."

"Foiled me already, huh? You're no fun." He stuck out his lower lip in a playful pout. "But yes, that is correct. I wanted to ask a little favor of our new friends!"

"You’re already charming your way into getting free labor from your juniors? So mean~ What kind of heartless monster would do such a thing?"

Trey raised an eyebrow at Cater. "I seem to recall someone shirking his unbirthday party duties and dumping the workload onto the underclassmen."

"Ehhh, are you seriously putting me on the spot?"

"Better watch out, Loosey Deucey," Ace smirked to his classmate. "If you're not careful, Cater-senpai's gonna work you ragged!"

"I wouldn't fall for something like that!" Deuce stopped, reconsidering "... Unless they really, REALLY needed me! It's the duty of an honors student to lend a helping hand when asked to!"

"Dude, you're making it too easy to dupe you.”

“I-I’m not easy to dupe!! I could turn down any request if I wanted to!”

“Grim? Prefect? Back me up here.”

You tensed at the suggestion of being tricked. You'd been fooled once by cruelty disguised as kindness—Ace's taunts masked as friendliness—and you wouldn't be fooled again.

"Sorry, senpai. I'm not sure if there's anything I can do for you. I'm just trying to focus on learning the campus and my schedule, so..."

"There's no need to worry! I am at least 20.8% less deceptive than the general student populace of Night Raven College."

"Where did you pull that statistic from?" you wondered, suspiciously eyeing Ortho.

He accepted it in stride. "I am an advanced artificial intelligence. I'm able to run a number of advanced calculations in seconds. There are several other functions only I am capable of—so please believe me when I say that if there were a method for me to resolve this issue alone, I would have."

You hesitated.

The argument Ortho provided was compelling. Maybe too compelling.

"... What do you want?"

Ortho stared directly at Grim.

"H-Hey, what're you lookin' at me for?"

You felt Ortho’s smile under the visor widening. "I'd like to play a game of cat and mouse."

“You can’t find your little brother?”

You briskly walked by Ortho's side, the two of you traversing a hallway which opened into a sunny courtyard. A squirming Grim was tucked under your arm.

The furry gremlin had been taken against his will, whisked out of the cafeteria and away from his plate of mashed tuna, abandoning the Heartslabyul boys to the remainders of their own meals.

"I'll help you, Prefect!" Deuce had promised, only to be shut down by Ace's teasing. ("Oi, what happened to 'I can turn down any request if I wanted to'?")

Not that they would have been of any use, you thought. A statue set on fire, Ace trapped under a cauldron, and a shattered chandelier dancing in your mind.

By now, Grim's loud whining had (thankfully) eased into unhappy grumbling.

Ortho nodded. "I would regularly be able to locate Idia-san by running a campus-wide scan for all living organisms, then isolating by biometrics. However, I can't seem to find him no matter how many times I run the program. He must be using a device to jam my detective capabilities from afar."

"Really? You look... complicated," you commented carefully. "Your brother sounds like some kind of a genius if he's able to pull that off."

"He is," Ortho said sunnily.

"... Well, that's putting you in a bind right now, so I don't think we should be happy about his big brain cells."

“It shouldn’t be an obstacle. Idia-san may be highly intelligent, but I have a trump card now thanks to you!” Ortho snuck a peek at Grim and graced him with a firm head pat. “A cute kitty cat!”

“I’m NOT a cat!!” Grim protested, swiping at Ortho’s metal hand.

“Because you said your little brother likes cats?”

“Yes. I’m sure that we’ll be able to lure him out with this!” Ortho waved a hand into the courtyard. “This would be an optimal spot. It’s a relatively wide open space, so it would appear more innocuous to set our trap here.”

You slowed your pace and scanned the outside, seeking out a blue fire that matched the android's. It was notably empty, with most students away for their lunch break.

“Oi, can ya stop talkin’ about me like I’m your bait?!”

“Quiet, Grim,” you shushed, setting him down in the grass. “You are our bait. Now get your tail out there and try to act natural!”

With that, you rushed to hide yourself behind a column. Ortho chuckled to himself, joining you behind an adjacent one.

“Grrr…”

Grim begrudgingly got on all fours and padded onto the lawn. He glanced around the courtyard and cleared his throat. “Uh… ‘meow’?”

There was silence.

"Meow, meow, me-ooooow!"

The silence grew staler.

"... Okay, that's enough of a stain on the great Grim-sama's reputation for one day!" He stood on his hind legs and stretched his arms to the sky. "I'm headin' back to get my fill of fish!"

"Not yet!! Try doing something cute like licking yourself or playing with a ball of yarn!"

“Not if you’re gonna watch, minion!!”

"I can look away if you're embarrassed."

"That's not the problem here!!"

"What is the problem then?"

"Shh! Wait—” Ortho gasped. "I'm detecting movement from the opposite side of the courtyard. There, in the bushes!"

You looked where he indicated.

Indeed, one of the shrubs seemed to be quivering, causing a few of its leaves to dislodge and fall to the ground. Seconds later, there was a flicker of light, and a small boy clutching a handheld console emerged, followed what appeared to be a floating skull.

He was dressed in a frumpy, oversized black and blue striped sweater. The rest of his outfit was just as comedic and childish, with a pair of pants sporting many pockets and a pair of sneakers splattered with the colors of the night sky. Colorful characters and shapes adorned his footwear: three eyed green aliens, stars, spaceships, and astronauts.

But most importantly, he was just like Ortho. Eyes the same color, fiery blue hair that fanned out behind him, mouth a shade of cyanide poisoning, and skin that looked like it hadn't seen the sun in years.

"That's your brother? Your first year brother? He doesn't look any older than an average elementary schooler," you hissed to Ortho.

"Genius, remember?" He shrugged. "Night Raven College made a special exception for a child prodigy to enroll in its ranks."

So Idia is a child prodigy... and Ortho's a supercomputer that's supposed to babysit him? Wait, how can a robot and a human even be related? Can a human even have fire for hair? Just what kind of a family dynamic is this?!

Your brain hurt from trying to fit the details together. They were like puzzle pieces that didn't quite connect.

A strangled scream resounded in the courtyard.

You snapped to attention, leaping out from your hiding place. Horror clenched your throat, your stomach—

Idia had Grim trapped in a death grip, smushing the poor creature against his face. The little boy wore a silly, toothy grin, revealing that his teeth were pointed like an imp's. His console was shoved into one of many pockets, long forgotten in favor of the cat.

"Hihihihihi, it must be my lucky day," Idia mumbled to himself. "I thought some annoying normie finished stuffing their face with food early and started stomping and shouting, but no! It turned out to be a talented talking widdle kitty witty interrupting my private gaming session... It's okay, I'll forgive you cuz you're seriously sooo fluffy and cute!!"

"Be careful, you're hurting him!!" you called out, charging at the child. You were but a few feet away when Idia noticed you, and his excitement waned.

"E-Eep!! Are you the kitty's owner?"

"I'm NOT a cat!!" Grim moaned desperately.

"Er, no... yes... maybe..." You paused. "It's hard to define, but we live together, so that means I have a say in how he's treated!!"

Idia's expression immediately twisted into a look of total disgust. "Ew. Gross. Go away. No one asked to see your dumb face. I found the kitty, so he's mine now. You should've kept a better eye on him if you cared so much."

"Wh-What..."

What's with this sassy lost child?!

"Now you listen here, mister—“

"Idia-san!!”

Ortho flew right by you, stopping your tirade before it could even start. He practically tackled Idia, smothering him in a hug that was warm and hummed like a generator.

(Grim let out another scream as his body was compressed between the two brothers.)

"O-Ortho nii-san...!?"

"Thank goodness I found you! I was so worried when you disappeared on me!!" Ortho released Idia, but kept his hands firmly on the young boy's shoulders. "It was bad of you to run off and go into hiding like that. My circuits almost fried from the shock!!”

Grim fell to the ground in a furry heap and scrambled into your arms. “G-Get me away from that crazy kid…!!”

You held him to your chest and stroked his back comfortingly, warily eyeing Idia and anticipating another smarmy remark.

He bashfully stared down at his shoes. “………………….. S-Sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

Huh?! Since when was he all shy and innocent?! His personality did a complete 180!

“It’s alright! What matters is that you’re safe and sound.” Ortho happily ruffled the flames on Idia’s head. “But promise me that you won’t do that again. I know you’re anxious since it’s your first week of school, but that’s no excuse for holing up for the day.”

“… I-I don’t wanna go to class or eat in the cafeteria,” Idia whined stubbornly, clinging to Ortho’s arm. “I saw. Th-There’s too many people.

He vigorously shook his head. "But I don't want to. I only wanna hang out with you, Nii-san... and the kitty.”

“You know that’s not healthy,” Ortho tutted. “There’s a big, bright, beautiful world out there, full of lovely people waiting to meet you. You won’t be able to experience that if you keep to yourself all year.”

"S-Sounds scary..."

"It's not scary at all! Look, your big bro met these nice people today." Ortho indicated you and Grim. "They helped me out when I was in a pinch. It's because of them that I was able to find you."

"Uh, hi?" You awkwardly waved.

Idia shuffled behind his brother's leg, glaring at you from behind it.

"Don't be like that." Ortho's eyes glimmered with cheer. "Hey, I know! Why don't you introduce yourself to them?"

"D-Do I really have to?"

"Would it help if they introduced themselves to you first?"

Idia said nothing, but his stare turned expectant. Ortho looked at you hopefully.

You sighed and relented. "... I'm the Ramshackle Prefect, and this is Grim."

"That's the GREAT Grim-sama to you, minion!"

"......................... I-Idia. Idia Shroud... I'm a first year in Ignihyde... a-and its dorm leader..."

... Huh?

"I'm sorry, what did you just say? I swear I must have misheard you." You laughed, cupping an ear.

"I'm dorm leader."

... HAH?

"Y-You're... You're a kid though?! And didn't you literally just start school at NRC? How's it possible that you became dorm leader so fast?!"

"Feh!!" Idia smirked, tapping his temples. "Unlike you simple-minded noobs, I've got the brain of a genius inventor up in here! There's nothing I can't achieve, hihihihi!"

He sealed the deal by blowing a raspberry.

Am I seriously being talked down to by a grade schooler?! You took a breath to calm yourself. No, I'm better than this. Don't get mad. Be the bigger person.

"Now, Idia-san... Bragging isn't very kind," Ortho gently chided. "Still, I'm proud of you for managing to get through giving your introduction!"

The android clapped, his face lighting up with excitement. "Since everyone's acquainted...! That makes us all brand-new friends!"

"I don't know if I'd go THAT far," you muttered. "It depends on how loosely you define 'friend'... though it sounds like your definition of it is very loose."

"Friends are friends!!" Ortho insisted. "And do you guys know what friends do?"

Oh no.

There was that odd smile of his again, clearly visible in spite of the visor hiding it. Half innocence, half mischief.

Your stomach sank. You had a bad feeling about this.

"Friends hang out together on their lunch breaks!"

... You should have listened to the warning signs Trey had pointed out.

“Alright, who wants snacks?"

Ortho placed several large bowls before you, each offering up something sweet or salty. There were chips in various flavors, candies in all colors, popcorn, and plain pretzels with a variety of dips. It was a rainbow of treats, definitely an upgrade from all the canned tuna and tap water you had been living off of for the past few days.

"Take your pick of drinks too! Plenty to go around." He pointed to a pyramid of canned beverages as he settled in comfortably next to you. This close, you could sense the heat radiating off of him, could see your reflection in his shiny coat.

"Myah?! You sure are livin' the high life!! You have so much stuff!" Grim crawled around on a fuzzy carpet, his eyes darting around, taking in all the shelves of games and merchandise, the consoles arranged in front of a large television.

"I-I have a kitty... I have an actual kitty in my room...!!" Idia looked like he was going to pass out from happiness. A first for his seemingly bloodless self. "N-Ne... d-do you want to play a game? C-Can you play games...?"

"Can I? Don't underestimate the great Grim-sama!!" He stood up and put his paws on his hips. "I won't go easy on ya just cuz you're a lil' brat! Name your game, buster!!"

“Ahhhh, I get to play with a kitty…! Th-This is pure bliss!!”

“For the last time, I’m NOT a… Oh, whatever!! Show me to your games already, I’ll fish out the best one!”

The duo dug into a cabinet, tossing out several discs and cartridges. Grim’s pitchfork-shaped tail sailed in the air as he rifled through titles. The tips of Idia’s hair were tinged pink.

You bit into a chip as you watched the scene unfold.

Grim’s acting like a little kid himself. All Ortho had to do was dangle toys and food in front of him and he instantly caved…

A cold wetness came upon your cheek.

You startled, relaxing only when you realized it was the sensation of a cold bottle being pressed against your bare skin.

“Living organisms such as yourself need to maintain adequate hydration levels for proper functioning,” Ortho advised. “Please do take care.”

“Thanks.” You cautiously accepted the drink, keeping your eyes trained on him.

He’s more cunning than he seems. Ortho talks himself down, but orchestrating all of this takes some serious computing and forethought.

Dangerous, you concluded. He’s dangerous.

“… Oh? You’re staring.”

“No, I’m not.”

“I can tell,” Ortho chirped. “Your iris and retinal activity indicates that—”

“You definitely tricked us.”

Without missing a beat, he nodded. “Yes. Are you upset that I did?”

“How much of it was planned?” you demanded, pointing the water bottle at him accusingly. “Was there really a jamming device preventing you from finding Idia on your own? When you stopped and said the courtyard was the perfect place to search… did you already know he was there?”

“Hehe. When I saw you and Grim-san in the cafeteria for the first time, I saw an opportunity to make use of our meeting, so I took it!

“My brother would have such an easier time opening up to a creature of the feline variety. I formulated a believable excuse to acquire the target.” Ortho chuckled, coy with his words. “I’d say it was a successful mission. Wouldn’t you?”

“Why didn’t you be honest with us? We would have helped if you had just…”

“I wanted it to be as close to a naturalistic simulation as possible.”

You blinked, taken aback by the immediate and blunt response.

“In a simulation,” Ortho continued calmly, “we imitate a situation in a controlled environment. Multiple factors are considered in the process. By running multiple simulations, we can collect more data and come closer to accounting for a simulation which is most closely related to the randomness that is a real-world system.

“In this situation, it was the inverse. I wanted a scenario in which less information would yield a more natural outcome.”

“You… wanted it to feel ‘real’ for Idia,” you said slowly. “It wouldn’t have worked like that if we knew what was going on and pretended like we were there by chance. You needed us to be in the dark.”

“Correct.”

Ortho had confessed to his guilt, but try as you might, you couldn’t detect any malicious intent.

“Idia-san is special—but he’s socially anxious and has a hard time getting along with his classmates. They don’t like that a young child has been enrolled at this school, or that he has taken on such an important role at it.

“As the one that has been assigned to oversee his school life, I worry. I would like Idia to enjoy his time here to its fullest, yet… the year has barely begun, and I’ve already been instructed by the headmaster that firing a laser is ‘not an appropriate defense protocol’ for dealing with bullies and other instigators…”

“… Crowley’s right about that part,” you interjected.

Ortho laughed, and the fondness and the fluidity of it stunned you. For a second, you forgot that he was not human at all, believing that he was a real boy.

“This will be the first step of many for Idia-san. I hope to be there for the rest of that journey.”

“Ortho-senpai…”

“I’m glad that our paths crossed, Prefect-san.” He flashed a winsome smile. “Thank you and Grim-san for helping me—and for indulging him.”

“… It’s no problem, but next time you’d better not pull another dirty trick like you did today.”

“Next time?” The smile turned slightly cocky, and you vaguely regretted your reply.

“I assume we’ll be seeing you around campus, not necessarily hanging out.”

“Aww, it’s not nice of you to snub your new friends like that~” There was a nip of wickedness to his teasing tone. “… I’m not a formal student, but you might still see me hanging around my little bro. Come by and say hi again sometime, will you?”

You blinked. “You’re not a student?”

Ortho gave no response. His eyes trailed over to Grim and Idia, who had seated themselves before the TV, controllers in hand.

The screen sparked to life with color and light and sound. A night sky speckled with stars blinked into view, along with bombastic blue font.

Star Rogue ~The Road to Being a Hero~

Traced by the glow of the game, the uncanniness in Ortho’s appearance became apparent. The lack of pores in his rubbery skin, the sharp metal sheen of his body, the abnormal lines running in his irises. Even his fire was just a swaying projection, a trick of the light.

Beneath his mask, fake lips moved, producing a close approximation of a human voice.

“… I can be at Night Raven College because of Idia-san.” He cupped the flame that burned in the place of his heart. “That alone… brings me happiness.”

If Ortho was a flame burning brightly, then he had dimmed to mere embers, his voice but a contemplative whisper. Cold, hard logic had been dispelled, leaving only the ashes where a feeling had once been.

Pressure welled in your chest.

I… shouldn’t pry further than this.

“N-Never mind that!” You cracked open your bottle and took a big swig out of it. Slamming it down, you wiped a stray dribble of water from your chin. “Let’s watch the game!! How does it even work, anyway?”

“Star Rogue? Oh, it’s a classic.” Ortho crossed his legs and leaned back against Idia’s bed. “You go…” He pointed a finger at you and pantomimed a firing, then a kickback. “Pew, pew!! And everything in your way explodes! You shoot down the boss and save the galaxy!

“Er… You have way more of a casual attitude on violence than you initially let on.”

Ortho shrugged. “Like I said, the headmaster forbade me from firing lasers on campus. This is the next best thing.”

“Well, as long as you’re not obliterating any real people... I guess that’s fine.”

“It’s better experienced than explained. We should go for a round after those two!” Ortho inclined his head towards Grim and Idia, eyes glued to the television and caught up in an intense round of button mashing.

You chortled. “Okay, you’re on.”

“Great. Prepare to get crushed and left in my space dust!” His eyes twinkled like the stars on the screen, the traces of sadness that had once been there gone.

So human, so real.

The feeling behind them.

Almost like his entire being was lighting up from the inside out.

Huh, so he can smile like that too.

“Hey,” you said slowly, “Ortho-senpai?”

His eyes cut to you, the alien features in his profile still illuminated. “Yes, Prefect-san?”

“I may not entirely understand your circumstances, but for what it’s worth… you have a big heart.”

He looked at you fully, pupils dilated. The fire of his hair and in his chest flared up, as if expressing surprise.

“Really,” you stressed, your brows upturned sympathetically. “Anyone would be lucky to have someone like you in their lives.”

Ortho's gaze sharpened, carefully analyzing you. Your features, your feelings. Contemplating the sincerity behind them.

After what seemed like an eternity--but was surely just a few seconds in real time--he spoke. It was a single, simple word as sweet as the taste of victory.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it." You gave him a playful light tap on the shoulder.

With a soft laugh, he returned the favor. When his fist made contact with you, you could feel the warmth emanating from him.

The wires and electricity running through him. His heart pulsing.

“… But don't think this means I’ll take it easy on you,” Ortho warned. “I can get super competitive when it comes to games, you know!"

“Wouldn’t dream of it, senpai.”

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godesssiri · 11 months

Text

Thrift first.

I’ve made a list of stuff I will always look for at the thrift store before I even think about looking to buy new. There is so much STUFF already existing in the world. We don’t need to buy everything new. Yes, there are things I know I’m unlikely to be able to thrift but there are also many many things that I know for certain that I will be able to walk into a thrift store and find something serviceable. When you need a thing try to thrift it before you buy it new. You won’t always be able to do this successfully but it’s much better for the environment and your pocket if you try.

One of the things I’ve often heard the Youtubers I watch talk about, and something I feel strongly about myself, is sustainability. I don’t mean never buy new stuff. If you can’t buy the thing you want/need at a thrift store, then by all means buy it new. But I thought I’d make a list of things I will always try to thrift first and that I usually find exactly what I’m looking for.

Serving bowls, platters, oven dishes. There are so many of them at the thrift store, you're pretty much guaranteed to find something that will suit your purposes. There’s always so much plain white so if you want an instant matching set, head for the white section. If you want a super fancy look for cheap then head for the clear glass, any table looks glam with glittering pressed glass. Or you can take your time and build up a collection. I’ve built up a collection of Blue Willow and get a thrill every time I find the perfect piece to add to my collection.

Baking equipment. I am not gonna shell out $20-$40 on a muffin pan and know that money is going into the profit margins of a retail giant when I know I can walk into a thrift store and find the same thing for a few bucks and the money is going to charity. There is ALWAYS baking equipment at thrift stores. I have a whole huge drawer in my kitchen filled to the brim with baking equipment and not a single piece of it was purchased new. Often the stuff at the thrift store is well used but better quality than what I could buy new. And if you only bake once in a blue moon and don’t have space to store cake tins etc then you could ‘rent’ one from the thrift store – pay a few bucks for one, use it for your special occasion then take it back to the thrift store and re-donate.

Cutlery. Vintage cutlery is so much better quality than modern. You can bend a modern ‘stainless steel’ spoon with your bare hands, trust me buy vintage. I’ve actually been able to pick up complete sets for myself and my mother, I’m on the lookout for a set to give my brother when he buys his first house. I found a full 16-piece setting of a pattern my parents were given as a wedding gift and I’ve been able to keep an eye out for that pattern and now have serving spoons, fruit spoons, sporks, salad servers, cocktail spoons and a cake server – it’s always fun to find some piece I haven’t already got (sets of teaspoons are practically impossible to find though, damn you children who take them to school to eat their tubs of yogurt then loose them - I was that child). Back in the days before gift registries cutlery was a popular wedding gift and people could end up with multiple sets in different patterns, they might use one and stick the others in a cupboard, those cupboards are now getting cleaned out as people downsize and those sets are going to the thrift stores. If you can’t find a complete set then choose some plain ones and make up a set yourself, most thrift stores will have baskets or boxes of loose cutlery you can rummage through. Also there are zillions of super cute teaspoons out there in the world, it’s really easy to build up a collection that makes you smile every time you make a hot drink and decide which one you’re gonna use.

Utensils. There are so many utensils at the thrift store. So many. If I need a spatula or a potato masher or a wooden spoon, there’s no point buying new. I’ve actually thrown out damaged/faulty utensils before going to the thrift store to find a replacement, so confident I would find something suitable that I wasn’t worried about being without if I tossed the one I had. I’ve also picked up really really high-quality ones that I would never buy new because they retail for some ridiculous price, I own a $80 potato masher that I paid $3 for. Kitchen tongs seem to be hard to find though, I’ve just had to break down and buy some new ones because I’ve been looking for weeks and was getting increasingly frustrated with the broken ones in my drawer – I supposed because they are the sort of thing that breaks so completely it has to be thrown out, so they rarely end up in a thrift store.

Small appliance for the kitchen. Specifically, specialty appliance that people buy thinking they’re going to use a lot but then never do. Mixers and blenders, cupcake or pie machines, popcorn makers. I’m increasingly seeing a lot of pod coffee machines turning up. Check the large thrift stores who have enough resources that they can get things electrical tested and, if possible, plug the machine in in-store and see if it works. My favorite local thrift store has a 1-month return for electrical items so it might be worth asking if the store you’re in has a policy like that. If you care a lot about specifications and buying something with good reviews, then you probably don’t want to go the second-hand route but if you just want a machine that does a thing then look in thrift stores first.

Drawers. My whole family has thrifted going back generations and I have never owned - and will never own - a set of flat-pack drawers. Every set of drawers I have ever had from childhood to now has been solid wood acquired second hand for cheap. I’ve actually still got the drawers that were in my childhood bedroom (that were bought 3rd hand from my grandparent’s neighbor), they’re in storage waiting for my brother to move into a house where he has room for them - and he can’t wait because his current ones are rickety flat pack and he despises them. The drawers I currently use in my bedroom belonged to my great uncle and his mother bought them cheap at auction. Furniture has become so disposable, but a good solid piece that is well looked after will last several lifetimes. Thrift stores always have drawers it’s just a matter of keeping your eye out for ones that fit your needs.

Storage furniture. I’ve singled out drawers above because they’re the basic piece of storage furniture that everyone has, but thrift stores have all kinds of storage furniture. Back in the day most storage was not built-in, so you’ll always find freestanding wardrobes, a good option if you have space in your bedroom but your built-in wardrobe is bursting. Formal dining rooms used to be more common, so sideboards, credenzas, hutches, and china cabinets are always turning up. These are great double duty pieces because they serve both as closed storage to put stuff in and a surface to put things on. And just because a piece was made to hold a specific type of thing doesn’t mean you can’t re-purpose it in any room of your house. I actually have a hutch out on my porch that serves as my potting bench, I’ve seen china cabinets repurposed to hold high heels or as bar cabinets, before I got rid of my tv I had a chifforobe (sort of a small armoire with drawers) for a tv cabinet – it is now in my cousin’s daughter’s room and holds toys.

Side chairs. You know the chairs that live around the edges of the room and only get pressed into service when you have too many guests and not enough seats. The ones that look good and fill a space but rarely actually have a butt in them, they mostly serve as a spot to drop your shopping or throw your clothes over so they don’t end up on the floor. Gorgeous chairs are one of those things that it’s way too easy to end up with an abundance of because when you thrift you come across so many. But if you do actually need occasional seating then look at the thrift store. And if you have an empty space that needs a something but you don't know what, stick a pretty chair there, it usually looks good and is useful if only as a place to drop your bag.

Basic tools. Both for handy-person purposes and for garden. My stepdad is really good at misplacing hammers when he helps me out around the house, so I own 5, all thrifted. Tools can be pricey so I always look at the thrift store first, it can take a lot of time and looking to build up a good set but it’s so much cheaper and you can often find good quality ones, like good solid drawers they’re a thing that can last several lifetimes if looked after. And sometimes it’s a good excuse to procrastinate a job – you want to thrift the tool you need for it – and when you actually find that tool then the endorphin rush motivates you to get the job done.

Mirrors*. Thrift stores always have mirrors and it’s almost too easy to end up with more of them than you need when you’re a thrifter because you’re constantly coming across gorgeous ones. If you want a beautiful and unique mirror, then look out at thrift stores. Also, if you want a plain mirror to do some DIY frame then try to thrift it first, they always have a pile of plain ones that need a bit of pizazz. *I will add the aside that if it’s an oversized mirror you want you may have to look for a new one. Really big mirrors rarely get donated and always sell quick. You might get lucky and find one on Marketplace, but oversized mirrors are a thrift unicorn so if you find one count your blessings, the thrift Gods have smiled on you.

Décor objects. Pretty things that sit on a shelf and don’t do anything but look nice and make you smile. Unless I absolutely fall in love with a new item and have to have it, then I will not buy new décor. I have a lot of décor, I'm a total Maximalist and I adore useless pretty things, but honestly the only things I buy new are crystals and taxidermy butterflies. There are so many gorgeous things that already exist out in the world, and you never know what you need in your life until you stumble across it in a thrift store – go forth and discover the pretties. It’s a cheap way to personalize your home.

A vibe. What’s that you say? How do you buy a vibe at the thrift store? Easy. You go in and buy whatever speaks to you. I’m mildly horrified by people who fill their homes with 100% new items because where’s the personality in that? Where’s the soul? You could carefully curate a home filled with 100% new items from all the best retailers and designers and it would still feel cookie-cutter at best and sterile at worst. Pre-loved items give a home warmth and individuality and a story. I’m currently looking at a shelf with several antique books, a glass trinket box filled with shells with a little Roman chariot carved from bone sitting on top, a chunk of amethyst propping open a book about beetles showing a gorgeous illustration (I open it to a new page to show off a new beetle every few months), a classical Grecian lady also carved from bone, a small porcelain cheetah and a lovely hand-painted Chinese ginger jar. It’s a vibe and the only thing I’ve purchased new was the amethyst.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

#thrifting #thrift shopping #fuck capitalism #solarpunk #eco home #sustainability #anti capitalism #reduce reuse recycle

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tieflingtareon · 6 months

Text

My love, are you the devil? (Oh, call me a devil)

Chapter 30 | Words: 7.3k

Summary: Astarion found himself often surprised by his heroic companion. He had one goal. To become the favoured companion of the group, to earn the Tieflings loyalty, to make Tar'eons strength his own. Yet Tar'eon isn't like the usual target of his manipulations. Despite his naivety, he does not seem gullible. There is something very wrong with their 'leader' to begin with. Astarion isn't sure if he wants to control it or eradicate the threat it posed. But can he really do either when Tar'eon himself seems so...unwaveringly kind?

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/50668558/chapters/127995079

“What the Hells was that?” Astarion grabbed Tar’eons sleeve as the tiefling continued to walk down the hall, seemingly in a trance. “Stop and talk to me, dammit!” He hissed.

Tar’eon turned to him and opened his lips, but nothing came out. He didn’t know what to say.

“How long were you there…? How much did you hear?”

“Enough.” Astarion scowled. “He had quite the coronation.” His skin still felt tight from the thunder wave the man had downed him with. He hadn’t been expecting it — he felt like a fool, being caught off guard so easily, and that burned more than any wound.

“How much did you hear, Astar?” Tar’eon begged for him to speak plainly and Astarion frowned.

“…You were taking too long. I came up the stairs around the same time he was being ordained. Hells, you even gave your blessing. I didn’t hear much before he was manhandling you.” Astarion gritted his teeth. “If you were so desperate for another lover you could have asked, darling, no need for secrets.” He drawled.

“It’s not like that.” Tar’eon sighed, rubbing between his brows. His headaches were only getting worse as time went on. He hated this. He needed to kill Orin and get this Urge sorted out. “It’s— I’ll explain everything tonight, okay?”

“You always say that! You always say you’ll explain later, and then it’s like pulling teeth from a feral animal, the way you refuse to tell me everything. I tell you almost everything, I let you know it all, and it’s like you don’t care to give me the same courtesy. We’re in this together, Tar’eon. Or should I call you ‘Tir’yal’?”

“Please don’t. You…you’re pronouncing it wrong anyway.” Tar’eon grimaced.

“Apologises, but it’s not every day that you learn your lover has another name they never bothered to tell you about. I haven’t exactly had time to practice it.” He glowered, crossing his arms.

“It’s — Look, that name is my infernal name. I was given it by my- my father, I think.” Had Bhaal ever bothered to name him? Or had he been raised outside of the temple until a certain age? Who took care of him when Father couldn’t? His butler? He couldn't remember anything of his childhood outside that young man, no older than twenty, with white and black hair, burns streaking across his face, black ink consuming half his features. The face the Emperor had stolen to gain his trust.

“Not all tiefling’s have infernal names — depending on where you’re from, a lot of parents will stick with more humanoid names for their children so they fit into society better. 'Tar’eon' is how I get by easier without people turning their noses up at the introduction of a foulblood.” He explained. “If you have both an infernal and a common name, it’s typical for only fellow tieflings or fiends to use it, and only those you’re close with for that matter.”

“From what I’ve seen of him, Lord Gortash doesn't have an ounce of devil blood in him, so why can he call you that, hm?” Astarion quirked a brow, looking unimpressed.

“Because…I don’t know. He knows the language, maybe, and my past self…let him call me that.”

“Yes, you were close in the past. I figured as much.” Astarion sneered.

“Don’t. Don’t judge me for things I can’t remember. For the person I don’t know.” Tar’eon narrowed his eyes. “You think this is easy for me? Karlach hates Enver for all the right fucking reasons and I’m the one stuck here, bargaining with him to benefit this team, knowing how upset she’ll be with me."

"You even call him Enver, Gods-"

"We need his Steel Watch with us, not against us. Not if we want to go through the city freely and find Orin. We can't get on his bad side."

“Orin this, Orin that — you’re so bloody obsessed with her! Why? Because she calls you her kin?”

“Because she’s the reason I remember none of it!” He snapped, hands fisted at his sides. “She’s the reason I’m here, she’s the reason I’m floundering through life, and she mocks me every step of the way! I have never felt more justified in killing someone before for the sake of myself, and I cannot wait to sink my knife into her back like she did to me.”

Astarion stared him, expression blank.

“…I understand. Betrayal - it twists something ugly inside you and it can only be sated by revenge. I won’t deny you the pleasure of your kill. But you’re keeping secrets from me, and I know it. I only hope you come clean sooner rather than later.” Astarion walked past him and Tar’eon deflated with a sigh.

“I promise you; everything. All of it. I will tell you all of it tonight.”

“I hope you keep that promise, for both of our sake's. I don't see the point in sharing myself with someone who shares nothing back.”

Tar’eon pursed his lips. Some things were best left unsaid…but he meant it. He would tell Astarion everything about where he came from tonight. He’d tell all of them.

****

Mizora's words rang in his ears as he made his way up the stairs to the office above. He may lack a stone, but he was willing to take his chances. This wasn't his life on the line - it was Wyll's fathers. He needed to remain one step ahead of the devil.

Casting invisibility on himself and leaving his party behind so suddenly would probably only anger them more, but he did not have the energy to fight them after Mizora's promise of a visit. He wanted to make this conversation quick and return as soon as possible.

He stood outside the office, heart in his throat as he hesitantly opened the door, surprised to find it without a lock, the wood giving the faintest creak. Stepping inside, if felt like stepping into a different life. Something that didn’t quite fit his skin anymore, but still it felt strangely like the nostalgia that came with a childhood home. It wasn't the room itself that was familiar, but the air. He looked around curiously and his eyes widened when he saw Enver.

He didn’t know what he was expecting. Perhaps an array of guards in a dingy office that lacked much natural light, but there was nothing. The room was far more spacious compared to the memory of before, brighter, but still as messy from what he saw on the table, piled in books and maps and empty ink pots, discarded broken quills scattered across the wood. Tar'eon walked further into the spacious area, looking around for Enver, only to find him tucked away at a desk in the corner of a room, partially hidden by a large bookshelf. The smaller space felt a lot more like home than the open area of grandeur.

Enver himself…wasn’t awake. He was sleeping, back to him. He was sitting in his office chair, a leather bound chair held together with cherry red wood, his head propped up against the knuckles of his fist, eyes closed. His other hand laid on the desk, a quill between his unarmoured fingers. He hadn’t considered it before, but the design was likely purposeful so he could still write comfortably. Being a Lord, and now an Archduke, he probably wrote a lot. There was a stack of papers beside him as evidence.

Slowly, he approached, taking in the small space caved out in the large office. It smelt like dust and parchment, and the air felt like static energy about to zap him. Tar’eon wouldn’t have noticed it if he hadn’t been hyper vigilant to magical barriers. Enver had warded himself against being surprised if seemed. A good choice, considering who he was. When he said he had many enemies, he wasn’t lying.

Tar’eon pushed past the barrier, waiting for the man to react, to wake, but he did not rouse. Slowly, he came to his side and laid a hand on his shoulder, shaking gently. He heard a click, and he was slammed into the desk before he could even react, caught off guard by the others quick reflexes. There was a clatter, a ghostly mage hand stealing his blade before he could even think to reach for it, the edge of the mahogany desk pressing uncomfortably into his back, his legs barely holding him up at the awkward angle. He grunted.

He felt something sharp against his throat and held his breath, seconds ticking by as Enver’s dark eyes pinned him down just as efficiently as his forearm against his chest. The clatter he heard had been his cane. He was gripping the golden handle, a dagger hidden within reach at all times. It wasn’t just for decoration or an old injury - it was a weapon. The perfect weapon for anyone attempting to sneak up on him. He should have been scared - but something about this scene felt strangely familiar, like deja vu.

“I tire of your games, Orin. Or are you one of her shifters?” Enver’s voice was cold, calculated, and it was far different from the warmth he had spoken to him with earlier.

“It’s me — I’m not one of her goons, I promise.”

“If it’s actually you, then I apologise.” Enver’s knee dug into his hip, grinding against bone as he pressed his elbow to his throat so he could pull up his sleeve. Tar’eon grunted, fighting against his hold, but the mage hand had a grip on his hair, keeping him in place.

A hot, sharp pain burned through his forearm as the blade sliced through flesh — it wasn’t a surface cut either. He felt it dig into muscle, and he clenched his teeth with a long, drawn out growl. Enver watched him closely for a long moment, blood spilling onto his desk alongside the ink pot Tar'eon knocked over, the cool ink staining his hair, neck and ear.

Then, he released him as quickly as he had pinned him, the mage hand disappearing. He wiped the dagger against his pant leg is a movement that reminded him of Astarion, slipping the blade back into the length of his cane, clicking it into place.

“You have no idea how many times her goons have used your likeness, Tir’yal. Thankfully, most of them cannot keep your form without much needed concentration, but I can break it to reveal beneath the mask. It can be a...bloody process, I'm afraid. So you’re either you, or Orin. Orin doesn’t react to pain the same way that you do though. She enjoys it too much — and put on the waterworks.” Enver sat back with a grunt, tired eyes on the tiefling who placed a hand over his wound to stifle the blood. "You've never been much of the tearful type when it comes to pain."

“What a friendly welcome.” Tar’eon bit out.

"Please, this is hardly the first time I've stabbed you. Wouldn't be the first time you've stabbed me either, if you're feeling daring."

"Why...did I stab you before?" Tar'eon frowned and Enver chuckled, pulling out his desk drawer and reaching into it, tossing a roll of bandages to him. Tar'eon barely caught it, grimacing at the blood he got on the white bandages.

"Plenty of reasons. You never tried to kill me though. I dare say you were the only person who didn't want to. We had a mutual respect for each others strengths."

"I'm rethinking not killing you." Tar'eon huffed and sat on the edge of the desk, wrapping his bloodied arm up with a shaky hand. It fucking hurt. Enver hadn't given him any mercy in his 'test', but Tar'eon refused to give him grief over it. "You need to work on your barriers. If I could get past it without you waking, I'm sure Orin could too."

"She can't." Enver assured.

"You didn't wake when I passed through it. Obviously, your warding needs improvement." He tightened the bandage and grimaced, tucking it into itself. He wiped his bloody hand off on his pants.

"You're the only one who can pass through." Enver looked at him like he was stupid. "I've used these wards for quite some time. My office is where I spend most days and nights. Only people with no 'ill intent' can pass through undetected. I've never had anyone but you pass that requirement. Though, it did take half a year before it stopped detecting you." He smirked.

"I..." Tar'eon frowned. He wasn't sure how to feel about that. "We...really were close, weren't we?"

Enver actually laughed.

"The closest." Enver smirked. "I knew your secrets, and you knew mine. Of course, we couldn't speak of certain things because it would be a betrayal to Bane or your Father, Bhaal, such as the temples location, but...when it came us," He gestured to himself and then Tar'eon. "We were well read books to each other."

Suddenly, his smile fell, expression impassive as he pursed his lips.

"Though, I notice you're lacking carnage, blood, and a stone. I have faith in your brutality, but not even Orin is that swift. It hasn't even been an hour from my guess." Enver did not seem pleased.

"This isn't about the stone. I..." He gritted his teeth. "I need a favour. Or, I'm making an offer. A negotiation. For the future of our alliance."

Enver sat further back in his chair, watching Tar'eon. Examining the tightness in his muscles, the stiff way he sat on the desk. He was anxious. Interesting. He slowly clinked each finger against the arm of his chair, sharp metallic nails a satisfying sound against pristine wood.

"After your fanged friend attacked me in my own home? After you barged into my office and disturbed my rest? Staining my new desk while you were at it." Tar'eon could feel how thin the man's patience was becoming. "You certainly have guts...I would think you stupid if I didn't know you were the opposite. I will allow this impertinence. But only once."

"You've been fairly honest with me, so I will be honest with you." He forced himself to meet his eyes, refusing to look away as he spoke. "I don't fear your Steel Watch. If I wanted to, I could kill Orin, and then you, and it would be no sweat off my back. I have a wizard prodigy, a githyanki warrior, a solider who served in the Hells for ten years, a rogue who can get anywhere and pick his way through any lock, a warlock apt in the blade, two clerics who don't mind a little blood, a high Harper, a fierce druid, and the child of a Goddess. I do not fear you. My agreement with you if because you're useful...and because it seems my past self cared for you quite a lot."

Enver remained quiet, but his eyes were burning with something. It wasn't anger though.

"Those are just the people who travel with me. I have even more allies all over this city. I could kill anyone who got in my way. But I don't want to kill you. That is the honest truth."

"I'm hurt, you said I'd make a pretty corpse once. That I'd be your final grand murder before the world turned to ash." Enver drawled. "I know you have no intention to kill me, not yet anyway, or you wouldn't have gotten past my wards. Get to the point before I decide to make mince meat of your camp."

"...I could killed anyone. Except Mizora." He admitted. "Her fate is linked to my companions. He was only seventeen when he made the deal, but he did it for the sake of his home. The very home you are now sworn to protect. He's a good man. Wyll Ravenguard."

Enver's eyes lit up, sitting up straighter.

"Oh. The son of Ulder Ravenguard. I see. You're making a deal on his behalf."

"I am." Tar'eon sighed. "I managed to convince Mizora to let Wyll free of his pact in six months time. She knows how much he loves his father, estranged or not. That man respects him so much, even when he sent him away from the home he protected while he was gone." He shook his head. "He was a kid, and his father made him out to be a monster, and then told him to leave the only home he'd ever known. The home he become a monster to save. I might not like him, but Wyll loves him."

Tar'eon couldn't understand how Wyll didn't resent him, but the man told him resentment was something he never wanted to hold onto as a person. It was a weight, and Wyll was not looking to be tied down to it. He grew up with Ulder, and he assured Tar'eon that being unable to tell him about the pact only made it seem like he was inviting the devil into his home. Something he couldn't allow as a Duke.

He chose being a Duke over being a father in Tar'eons eyes, but his opinion didn't matter. Wyll's did.

"I know you intend to get rid of him. He's a threat to your status. But by Gods, if you harm him, I will destroy your Watchers until it is metal scraps beneath my feet. I will turn the people against you. I will tell them everything, show them everything. Even if it means damning myself with you."

"You want me to keep a threat to my ruling around? Our ruling?" Enver barked a laugh. "You never did understand the intricacies of politics, my dearest."

"I won't ask you to free him of the tadpole's command. I know you'd never agree to that. All I ask is that you keep him in your fortress, unharmed, and far away from Mizora's hands or any prison you might think about letting him rot in."

"And what am I to get out of this deal?" Enver challenged, gesturing with one hand for Tar'eon to speak, to offer up something that would make any of it worthwhile.

"That's where we negotiate. Name your price for Ulder Ravenguard's life."

"Well, you've already agreed to get Orin's stone for me, so I'm not sure there's anything else I could want from you." Tar'eon was certain this man had been raised by devils, the way he spoke. Every word felt deliberate, yet suave, twisting it around on the desperate soul to get what they wanted.

"No enemies you want me to kill?"

"Unless you plan on going to the Hells yourself." Enver chuckled.

"I can see about it." Tar'eon offered. "We might have a couple common enemies, you and I. Name your devil, and I'll have them killed." Enver actually looked like he might be considering it, golden talons scratching along his jaw.

"...An old friend of mine. Nothing as formidable as Zariel or Mephistopheles, and not your lovely devil mistress, Mizora. His name is Raphael. If you manage to kill him, I'll consider keeping Ulder Ravenguard alive."

"You will. If I kill Raphael for you, you will keep him alive. No conditions. I kill him and he lives." Enver tutted and leaned back in his chair, watching Tar'eon closely. He beckoned him closer with two fingers, and Tar'eon hesitated before standing, stepping closer, the toe of his boot nudging Enver's. Enver reached up and grasped his either side of his jaw with one hand, tugging him down to meet his dark gaze.

"You know, I've missed you. It's almost fun, knowing you don't remember our time as partners in crime. I'd like nothing more than to show you how well he worked together." Tar'eon swallowed and Enver smirked. "Kill Raphael, and return to me with his horns in tow. I'd like to make them into paperweights. And don't forget Orin's stone, either. Once you have both of those...you will join me for dinner." Tar'eon pursed his lips.

"If you're asking me to spend the night with you, the answer is no. I have a lover. I'm not willing to ruin what I have with Astarion for a one night stand. Raphael's horns and Orin's stone, and that's it."

"And dinner." Enver smiled. "That's non-negotiable if you want Duke Ravenguard to get my utmost hospitality and sanctuary."

Tar'eon gritted his teeth, his heart skipping a beat as the hand on his jaw lowered to throat, holding it just as gently as he had in the memory. Like he was cradling his life in his hand, and enjoying it thoroughly.

"And maybe...you can play for me again." Tar'eon sucked in a sharp breath, berating his body for reacting to those words. He knew instinctive that playing for Enver was more than just music to them both.

"...Fine. Dinner, and maybe a song. Happy?"

"Very. You're quite good at this - negotiations. In future though, I think I'll take the lead." Enver smirked and released his throat. Tar'eon stood straighter, thankful for the mans human hearing compared to Astarion's vampiric hearing, or else his excitement would be far too noticeable for his liking. That cleared up one thing at least. Their previous relationship had definitely been sexual, if nothing else. His body remembered its own cues far too well. He couldn't tell if there had been any real love between them; perhaps it simply wasn't possible back then, living the lives they did. The only love they could truly have was for their Gods.

"Now go. I'm a busy man. If you return empty-handed again, consider our alliance mute." He warned and Tar'eon nodded sharply, making to leave the room as swiftly as possible, barely past the table when Enver spoke again, eyes focused on the papers in front of him, quill in hand. "Oh, and Tir'yal? If you happen upon a warlock by the name of Nubaldin in your journey...Give him a good kick for me, would you? Tell him it was under the orders of Archduke Enver Gortash."

Tar'eon raised a brow before nodding silently, making his way out of the room. When he joined his party back at the bridge to the Lower City, Astarion was gone. Jaheria looked rather unimpressed by his return, as well as Shadowheart.

"I can't believe you left like that without telling us. Where on Toril did you go?"

"I was securing Duke Ravenguard's safety. From the way Mizora spoke, I wasn't chancing wasting any time with a fight if the lot of us went back inside. It was easier to make myself invisible and try my hand alone."

"You could have gotten yourself killed." Jaheria scowled. "Do not act so rashly next time. If we are to work together, I expect some communication at the very least. A toddler could manage that."

"I'm sorry. Where's Astarion?"

"He left. Threw a fit at your disappearance and said he was going back to camp for the day." Shadowheart didn't seem to disagree with the vampires actions. She looked rather annoyed by his vanishing act too. "You managed to secure the Dukes safety, how?"

"I struck another bargain. I knew he wouldn't hand him over to us - but I managed to make him agree to leave the man unharmed in the Fortress. Away from Mizora, or any jail cell."

"And what exactly did you offer that slimeball of a politic?" Jaheria quirked a brow.

"...I told him I'd kill Raphael."

"You what?" Shadowheart's eyes widened. "You expect us to kill Raphael? He'd hardly allow it."

"The last we saw of him, he's in the brothel. Alone. It wouldn't be a hard feat if we put our muscle into it, I'm sure. He's not untouchable."

"We cannot expect to defeat a devil without leverage." Jaheria shook her head. "We must find his weakness before we decide to strike."

"She's right. If Gortash wanted him dead, and it was as easy as taking his head, he would have sent his Steel Watch to do so the moment Raphael came into the city." Shadowheart warned. Tar'eon frowned but considered her words.

"Fine...He'll keep his end of the bargain as long as I deliver the stone and Raphael's head in time. We won't strike today. Let's explore the city first, and hope we stumble upon something helpful. A weakness."

"You're out of your mind..." Shadowheart shook her head. "I'm not happy about your deal with Gortash. Not after everything he did to Karlach. But I see the benefits of it; I'll be hunted enough as it is by any Sharrans in the city. We don't need the Steel Watch drawing attention to us too."

"Sometimes you must walk amongst the filth in order to rise above it. I won't say I haven't played the long game before to my advantage. It is sometimes necessary to avoid battle until battle must be done." Jaheria crossed her arms. "Let us go. There is still plenty of daylight to guide us. We shall see to Mizora and her tricks this evening."

Tar'eon nodded sharply.

"Thank you...both of you. I know I've put you both in a position you're not comfortable with. I really am trying to do what's best for us though. We won't have to skulk around the city now; we can walk freely, and hopefully, find this Minsc you speak of and the victims."

"You are our leader. You've helped me through perilous fights and being by your side has given me the chance to live my own life. If it weren't for you, I might still be stuck in that pod, without the woman I've come to care deeply for. You're always trying to do the right thing. I trust you, even if I may not like some of the decisions you make." Shadowheart gave a small smile. "Come on. Jaheria is right. We've spent enough time chatting. We have to-be-victims to find. Preferably before they're dead."

"Agreed. Let's go." Tar'eon turned to his left, almost expecting Astarion to be there, but he knew he wouldn't be. He pursed his lips. He only hoped Astarion would forgive him once he explained everything properly. There was more pressing matters at hand right now.

He would find Bhaal's cultists, his temple, and he would spill carnage in the form of his dearest blood kin.

****

It was already dark when they made it back. They had managed to find a few victims - some deceased and some alive - but no direction to Orin just yet.

"Wyll!" Tar'eon called out as he jogged up to the warlock who was chatting with Gale, Yenna beside the wizard and petting her cat Grub as she listened intently to their conversation.

"Tar'eon?" Wyll looked up in surprise and smiled. "Your lot are back rather late; dinner will need to be heated, but nothing a little magic can't manage."

"Mizora, she's-" Before he could explain, a ring of fire fell before them, Gale snatching Yenna up quickly and shielding her behind him, Yenna's head peeking her head out from behind, Grub shivering in her arms and mewling in terror. Like he knew something was deeply wrong with the creature before him.

"What in the Hells?!" Gale glared at the woman as she spoke an incantation, more fiends coming to appearing from the Hells, dressed in similar attire. Gale sidestepped a ring of fire and shooed Yenna off towards Jaheria's tent, the Harper ushering her inside as she drew her blades, waiting for a fight.

"You always have to arrive in style, don't you, Mizora?" Astarion drawled, arms crossed over his chest, Karlach beside him, burning red hot at the sight of the devils, fingers gripping tighter around her greataxe. Shadowheart's hands glowed with the faintest light, a radiant beam of magic ready to be dispelled at any given moment, Aylin and Isobel at her back. Even Halsin looked on edge, Scratch and the Owlbear cub behind his large frame, Lae'zel watching idly from beside him.

"Meet my sisters," Mizora grinned. "Be my testament, sisters!" Tar'eons stomach churned as she spoke infernal and they repeated her words in agreement. To think the Sisters of Justice would join them this evening - Mizora was hear to bargain with Wyll once more, and he knew it.

"Holy hells..." Wyll breathed.

"Please, introduce me to your sisters." Tar'eon narrowed his eyes.

"Feena, Cirrus." Mizora gestured to each sister. "Arbiters for the Hells, exemplars of justice."

"Enough games, Mizora- ugh!" Wyll held his head as Tar'eons tadpole squirmed, the images of his father in the coronation and Mizora's words to him crashing into his own mind. "Shit. Where did Gortash send my father? How do I save him?" Tar'eon pinched the bridge of his nose. His headache had grown tenfold after the connection. Enough for Mizora to speak before him.

"Sisters." Mizora gestured the sisters chanted, allowing Mizora to present the contract before them all. "Your contract, Wyll. Signed in blood, forged in fire, bound in bone - but...not unbreakable."

"Then break it already." Tar'eon glared. "Wyll doesn't need to wait six months to regain his freedom when you already swore it."

"He'll want to hear this offer though." Mizora smirked. "I'm proposing a life for a life. No contract is ended without sacrifice. The cost must be paid." Wyll sneered at the devil at the sisters flames only grew brighter, ready to hear his answer to the contract and set it in stone. Tar'eon couldn't let this happen.

"Wyll Ravenguard. A choice is before you." It was hardly a choice, and she knew it. "Option one, I show you a way to your father. I guarantee him no harm except that from you and your allies. And you pledge your soul to me and the archdevil Zariel in a pact eternal."

"Don't listen to her, Wyll." Karlach interjected. "There's no use reasoning with devils."

"Option two," Mizora glared at the barbarian. "I break your pact, and you are freed from your duty. Your father dies by his enemy's hand, and Baldur's Gate loses its greatest champion." She grinned at Wyll, knowing she had made the choice near impossible for him. "Name your sacrifice."

"Mizora, you arsehole." Wyll looked angrier than Tar'eon had ever seen him before.

"Choose."

Gale stepped forward, cautiously looking upon the warlock who struggled to make a choice. How could he? To damn his father for his own sake? To damn himself to being a dog on a leash for the rest of his days? To serve the woman who made Karlach's life hell? It was impossible. He either forfeited the life of the father he loved or forfeited his own. By Gods, he did not want to live a life of torment under Mizora's boot any longer, but what choice did he have? It was his father, the man he respected above all else.

"Wyll..." Wyll looked at Gale, the wizard looking almost as lost as he felt. He shook his head softly at Wyll. "Don't do it. Don't give up your freedom for a man who abandoned you when you needed him most. I know you love your father, but his time has passed. The future - the city - it will be passed on to you. I cannot see anyone else doing a finer a job as you would in his stead. Let the past go, and look to the future."

He offered his hand to Wyll, who's eyes burned with the desire to cry. He hadn't felt so despicable since the night he was banished from the only home he ever knew. He wanted to live, dammit. But could he live with himself if he left his father to rot under Gortash's hand?

"I..."

"Break the pact, Wyll." Tar'eon spoke up and Wyll looked at him in surprise. Tar'eons eyes burned, begging the other man to trust him. "Break it. You deserve your freedom."

Wyll looked between the two men, to the companions around him, and he knew his answer before he spoke it. It felt like a knife ripping through him, stomach to sternum, the weight of his decision unbearably heavy as he took Gale's hand and squeezed hard.

"You damned wretch. Father..." He prayed that he would forgive him. In the end, he was the monster who would end his reign over the city, just like he'd always feared. But he would make things right. He would stand in his place and lead the city to glory one day, and make it up to the man, even if he never forgave him.

"Do it. Break the pact."

"Fiat ita." The sisters chanted the same, and in a flash, the contract was burned away to nothing, the Sisters of Justice leaving the mortal plane. "Didn't think you had it in you. Seem's my boy's all grown up. And don't go fussing about your father. You made your choice, you knew the terms...You know what? I think I'll stick around. Not for the greater good, you understand. Just for the entertainment."

She vanished into flames but Tar'eon knew she would linger somewhere nearby. His stomach was hot with anger, but there was relief too. Wyll bowed his head in shame, eyes closed as Gale drew him into his shoulder. The warlock grasped at him like a lifeline. He was free. But at the cost of his father's life. The camp was quiet, a shared mourning between them all for Wyll's sake, even as some companions moved away to give him some privacy.

Tar'eon rested a hand on his shoulder and Gale looked at him with sad eyes, Wyll pulling away with a bitter twist of his lips.

"I spent seven years choked by Mizora's leash. I spent seven years hoping to break free. I never knew freedom could taste so bittersweet."

"You are your own man now, Wyll. It's better this way." Gale insisted, squeezing his shoulder. Wyll sighed.

"I have to believe that. I'm not the Hells' puppet in life, nor its warrior in death. The Blade will be guiding his own hand." He made to stand taller, but his shoulders were quick to fall again. "But freedom will be paid in my father's blood. Tomorrow, I celebrate my gain. Today...I mourn my loss." There's a moment of silence between them all, Gale's hand travelling up Wyll's back and gently squeeze the nape of his neck, a reassurance that he was not alone.

"The Ravenguard name now lives solely with me. I will make it count for something."

"You will make a great Duke. You will carry the same name, but the legacy will be even more grand once we eradicate the Absolute and the brain." Wyll spared Gale a small smile at his attempt at comfort, his horn bumping gently against the man's temple.

"Check on Yenna. She must have been frightened."

"We will speak later, okay? You're not alone."

"I know. I know that all too well." Wyll pressed a gentle kiss to the wizards cheek before Gale left his side. He sighed. "Thank you. For helping me steel my resolve. Even if the weight of my decision lays heavy on me tonight."

"You trusted my opinion on what was best for you. That in itself is a great honour, Wyll." Tar'eon fiddled with the bandage peeking out from beneath his armour, tucking it away. "But this isn't the end for your father. Mizora likes to talk of reading the fine print, but I'm afraid I was one step ahead of her this time." He smiled.

"What do you mean?"

"Your father is still at the Fortress. Under strict orders to be unharmed. I...struck a deal with En- Gortash."

"You bargained with Gortash?" Wyll's eyes widened.

"You bargained with Gortash?!" Tar'eon turned around to look at Karlach, her expression shattered by the betrayal, anger quickly morphing onto her face. "You better explain yourself, solider, or the next devil on my kill list will be you."

"Now, now, no need to get violent, Karlach." Astarion smoothly stepped between her and Tar'eon, casting a glare to the male tiefling. "He will be explaining many things tonight."

"I'm sorry, Karlach." Tar'eons heart seized at the hurt in her eyes. "But I did it for us. All of us."

"Bullshit! What could he have offered to make dealing with that slimy arsehole worth it?"

"His Steel Watch is all over the city. Unless we can find a way to shut them down, we won't get far. He's offered us a pass, free reign around the city, and the Duke's safety. I made a vow - we do no harm to him, he does no harm to us. For now, he's our ally."

"So that's it?" Karlach laughed, not with humour but with irony of it all. "I can't even fight you on it. Free reign, and Wyll's father kept alive? It'd be cruel of me to deny you your family, or our friends safety." Karlach looked at Wyll and shook her head, turning away from Tar'eon. "I'm never the priority anyway. Not unless I'm smashing skulls."

"Karlach, that's not true. You're so much more, and if I saw any other way, I would have discard the deal instantly. But we need to find Orin, get her Netherstone, and stabilise the brain, or we'll all be turned into illithids. You'll be a slave to a new master, we all will. The whole Coast."

"Promise me, the moment we don't need his 'protection' anymore...we'll kill him. He deserves to die after everything he's done to me."

"I..." Tar'eons mouth went dry. He always kept his promises, or at least, he tried. "He knows where the brain is. We won't be able to find it without him. When the dust clears, and the brain is no more...You can do as please." He bit the inside of his cheeks. Astarion was watching him, gaze scrutinising.

"How noble. Choosing your new friend over an old flame." Astarion mused and Tar'eons heart stuttered, eyes widening.

"You- what?" Karlach turned to Tar'eon in shock. "What is talking about?"

"I...Astar." Tar'eon narrowed his eyes at the vampire. "That wasn't your right to tell."

"Someone has to be spilling your secrets, or you never will." Astarion glared right back. "I think it's about time we gather around the fire and have a long talk about whatever you're hiding from us." Tar'eons tail wrapped around his ankle, his giveaway. Astarion glanced down at the action and Tar'eon cursed himself. This whole time, Astarion had known when he was omitting the truth, all because of his subconscious habit. The vampire leaned in close and took in a deep breath, closing his eyes.

"I can smell him on you. Your blood, the lingering magic on your skin, and the ink that stains it is unlike any common brand - it all lingers under the blood of shapeshifters. I'm not stupid."

"He attacked me in his office when I made the deal for the Duke's life - he thought I was Orin." Tar'eon insisted. "He's my past, he's not present or my future, Astar. Let it go. You know how much I love you." Was Astarion really that jealous?

"You- you and Gortash knew each other?" Karlach looked like she had been punched in the solar plexus. "Why didn't you tell me? I- I trusted you when I told you about him. Everything he did to me - did you even care?"

"Of course I did! I didn't bring you to the coronation because I didn't want you to be forced into a room with him again. I understand your anger, Karlach, I do, I feel it every time I see Orin, see the woman who scrambled my brain and ruined me, betrayed her own brother, stripped me of my memories, of all the truths I deserved!" Tar'eons chest rose and fell rapidly, panting through the intensity of his emotions. His eyes burned, the confessions tumbling from his lips regardless of his previous resistance to admitting his secrets.

He didn't care if they could all hear him.

"You have no idea what I'm going through right now. You have no idea about every time I'd held myself back from splitting skulls and choking the life out of all of you! You're my friends, the people who trust me to lead you into battle and come out unscathed, and every day I had to live in disgust and contempt with myself because no matter how much I love you all, I want to bathe the camp in a river of blood!" Karlach stumbled back in shock, Wyll's own eyes wide. He heard the unsheathing of blades behind him, but he couldn't stop. Even Astarion looked shocked.

"I have denied my Urges for every step of this journey, taking the role of a leader because nobody else wanted to be. I thought I hated myself before when I was simply trying not to kill you all, but I damned all of us! Everyone in the Coast. It's all my fault. The Absolute, it's all my fault!" Tears slipped down his cheeks and he covered his eyes, his chin wobbling as he dug his teeth into his bottom lip.

"All I wanted was a family to come back to after all of this, to find a home and restart my life...but my family is Bhaal! Is Orin the Red! I am his. His spawn. There will be no reunion for me, no home, no life after this. I will continue to deny my Father, mark my words, but even I know there will be consequence in doing so. I have damned us all in a life I don't even remember. I enslaved the brain with Enver, and yes, he is the only thing of my past that doesn't invoke anger or loneliness. The only thing that feels something like home. Sue me for being unable to deny him a useful pact. He offered me the chance to rule Baldur's Gate beside him, and if I were a lesser man, I would have taken it in a heartbeat. If only to belong somewhere."

"Tar'eon-" Astarion placed a hand on his arm and Tar'eon shook him off, dropping his hand from his face with a glare.

"Are you happy? There's my secrets, laid bare before you. I let you come to me. Why couldn't you do the same?" Tar'eon closed his eyes and shook his head, shouldering past Wyll. He needed away. He needed quiet. His mind was screaming, aching, trying to turn his skull inside out.

"You- Tar'eon! Where are you going?" Karlach yelled after him.

"You can't leave after saying all that!" Gale shouted.

"Did you know, Astarion?" Shadowheart asked the vampire, and Astarion pursed his lips.

"I knew of his urges. I didn't know he was Bhaalspawn."

Tar'eon held his pounding head, the ground beneath his feet rumbling. He heard his companions shouts of surprise, all trying to steady themselves. He allowed the tremors of the earth to guide him down its slope, disappearing into the thickets of bushes and casting invisibility as he went.

"TAR'EON!" Astarion called out into the wilderness, but there was nothing but silence. He cursed and hauled a stone in his anger, fangs bared as he berated himself. He'd pushed the man over the edge, and now, he was off somewhere he couldn't find him. He didn't even know if he'd be back when the morning came. Astarion ran a hand through his hair, ruining it's perfection in his frustration. He'd been counting the hours until it would come to an end...something told him his hours were up.

Tar'eon didn't realise that this was their home. It was his. His family was here. Astarion had shoved him one last time towards the door of their fragile home, and now he had walked right out and disappeared. He looked to the others who were conversing together, expressions all troubled and worried, a few disguising it better than the others. Jaheria stood at her tent, her swords sheathed, but gaze distrustful as she stood there, arms crossed. Thinking.

Astarion didn't sleep that night. He was too busy watching, waiting, for Tar'eon to come home.

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