#arc: nest base

[nerdygirlramblings]

more Adam, meeting Ren's family, setting up Simon's rut

a/n: getting to the best part of this idea arc is taking longer than anticipated. hopefully the rut and big talks next chapter 🤞🏻

cw: omegaverse biology (male pregnancy, ruts / knots), fluid sexuality

previous

Before you leave, you make sure to swing by the base admin building. The cold sterility of the grey hallways makes you sad, but Adam's desk near Price's office is always a ray of sunshine. He isn't at his desk, but his lemon cinnamon scent lingers and is perfectly accentuated by the succulents on the shelf. The space feels warm and bright despite being several halls away from a window. There are photos of several task forces tacked over the copy machine. The 141's photo is recent as you're in it, but you have no idea where it's from or how Adam has it.

He comes over as you're staring at the image. You point at it as he sits down and trip over yourself, asking, "Where is that from? How did you get it?"

He interrupts with a finger across his lips and whispers, "I never give away my secrets."

The train of thought barreling away seizes and you stop cold, a smile slowly breaking through. You chuckle and remember why you're here in the first place. "Hey, I wan'ed to thank ya for suggesting to Price I head home for leave."

He starts to wave off your thanks, but the words dry on his lips when you place a pint of Magnum Classic and two Flake bars next to his keyboard. He gives you a look of pure adoration as he stutters, "What in the...how did you know?"

You smile indulgently. "I listen, just like you do," you tell him with a wink. "Don't wait too long to eat that. 'S probably best if ya don't refreeze th' Magnum. And I know if ya try and wait 'til ya get home, Charlie will try an' steal it from ya." You couldn't count the number of times Adam told you about how he and his pack's alpha often fought over sweets around the house to the point where Bridget, the pack omega, kept separate stashes for them both. You loved hearing about Adam's pack. It made you miss your family a little less when he spoke about his.

Adam stands again and walks around the desk to where you are. He holds his arms open in invitation, and you step into the hug. He squeezes you tight for a moment before stepping back. Still holding your shoulders, he says, "Enjoy this time with your family. Be good. Have fun, but not too much. And come back safe, yeah?"

You nod. "Yeah, Adam. I'll be good." Your ride to town leaves soon, and then its a four-hour train ride home. If all the transportation runs on time, you'll be home for supper and can help Mum cook. You feel a little guilty about not letting Dad and the moms you're coming home, but you hope the surprise of your presence will make up for it.

The house doesn't look any different. The brick is a little more weather-beaten than when you joined up, but the shape of the house is unchanged. Three skinny stories with black shingles on top. The dormer windows on the third floor belie the open plan of that floor with the family nest along the back wall. That's where Dad is until the birth. From the curb, all you can see is the pale blue curtains. Somewhere in the back of the house, Mum is probably already starting on supper, Mama corralling your brothers and sisters.

You push the front gate open and step onto the flagstone walk. It cuts across a neat patch of green grass, though you notice the bikes tucked inside the front wall. Clearly with Dad on bed rest, your siblings are taking liberties with putting those in the garage.

Not for the first time, you second-guess the surprise of this visit. You know Mum and Mama won't say how worried they are about Dad and the litter, but you see it in their eyes when you call. Dad, too, teases about being on bed rest, but the last two losses weigh heavily on him.

You take a deep breath and knock. There's nothing for a few moments, but you hear scurrying behind the door and can imagine the triplets arguing about who gets to open it. Your middle siblings may or may not be home from uni, and if they are, they're not going to race for the door like the fifteen-year-olds. The door opens a crack and an eye peeks out. When it catchs sight of you, the owner squeals - must by Norah - and the door flings wide. "You're home!" Norah crows, throwing herself at you. "You're home! You're home!"

"I'm here," you echo, hugging her back. You look over her shoulder for the boys. Ben is making his way to you, but Davy isn't in sight. As he closes in, Ben pushes Norah out of the way and pulls you inside. "Mama was just going to call you," he says. "Or maybe she already called, since you're here?" You shake your head. "Anyway, the moms are going to take Dad to the birth centre-" Your gasp stops him mid-ramble, and his eyes go as wide as saucers. "Oh! No! They don't think this is bad. Mum said something about Dad's internal temperature increasing. They think the litter's ready."

You barely hear Ben's last words as you race to the back of the house and find Mama pacing the kitchen. She stops short when she sees you and flings herself into your arms. "Oh God, oh love, what are you doing here?" she half laughs, half cries, phone cradled in one hand.

"Had some leave coming and thought I'd surprise you. But it looks like I'm the one in fer a surprise!"

Mama's laughter is bright, light and happy. "Yes, you are. Mum's getting Dad's bag. They should be coming down now." She hugs you tight. "I know you just got here, but do you mind waiting here with the triplets?" she whispers into your hair.

Your laughter matches hers. "Not at all, Mama." You definitely owe Adam for suggesting you take leave and come home. You might have missed this otherwise. You shoo Mama to go grab some of her own things, listening for Mum and Dad on the stairs, while you pull together a small bag of waters and snacks for them. You toss in the crisps Mum hides but will want when she stress eats and the candy you know Dad will crave once he's allowed to eat again. You also put some healthy options in for all three otherwise Mama will scold the others the whole time and you do not want to induce that stress.

By the time the moms and Dad are in the front hall, you've pulled the car into the drive, put the snacks in the front seat, and opened all the doors. You help Mum get Dad comfortably into the back seat. Neither was as surprised to see you as you thought, so Mama must have given them a warning when she went to gather her things.

You kiss Dad's temple as you help him settle, then steady Mum with a squeeze to her hand. "Have ya called Michael or Helen yet?" you ask, leaning through the passenger side window. From the look Mama gives Mum you know they haven't. "I'll do it before you're out of the drive," you tell them. Mama puts the car in gear and backs out. You follow, shouting at them to keep you updated. You stand at the bottom of the drive long after their car disappears around the corner.

The team pack is pulling up to their house in the Lake District about the same time as your parents leave. Unlike your family's home in its neat little row on the outskirts of the city you grew up in, the pack's house sits on land nestled between the Irish Sea and the western edge of the Lake District. The cottage, or what was a quaint cottage before the pack expanded the buildings and outbuildings on the property, is a slight distance from any lakes or towns meaning they're fairly isolated. They're not entirely off the grid, but Laswell and Adam know not to reach them for the next week. They haven't told you to go no contact: though you aren't pack yet, none of them are ready to go more than a week without hearing your voice or seeing your face.

Price is already making plans for how long he'll give you before he reaches out to check in. His presence during Ghost's rut is more of a formality as the pack alpha. When they established themselves as a pack, Price's and Ghost's alpha-only ruts were rough. Both men bear a number of scars from the warring instinct to rut and to fight another alpha. Neither man was averse to a cock in his ass, but being bitched was another matter altogether, both alphas struggling to take the others' knot until they had first Gaz then Soap join the pack.

Price's role this week is making sure there is enough food and water for Ghost and whomever is helping him. There's a pallet of waters in the boot and a wholesale box of granola bars. While Soap and Gaz unpack the car, Price sets up the bed in the first floor master suite with protective pads. Price also makes up an air mattress in the second floor office. It's not comfortable, but for a handful of days, it's doable. He works hard not to think about his rut in a few months. How, if you're pack by then, he won't take his rut with Gaz or Soap but with you, sinking into your slick heat.

He knows Ghost's struggling with having you on the team but not part of the pack yet, which is why he brought a little treat for Ghost. As they rolled out of their barracks, Price grabbed the throw blanket from the rec room couch and shoved it into a plastic tote. It was a shared blanket, yes, but you'd been wrapping yourself up in it the last few days because the barracks were too cold for your omega. Despite your scent blockers keeping them from your true smell, there's a lingering scent of citrus from your toiletries. Any of them would recognize it. Price pulls the blanket out and leaves it in the middle of the master bed for Ghost, even though his own alpha growls and scratches about giving the scent of you away.

It's going to be a long week.

next

series masterlist | main masterlist

~~

taglist: @sirbonesly @z-wantstowrite @thriving-n-jiving @cecelia97 @theycallmevalen @boogeysmoth @cryingpages @riley13 @luxylucylou @lucienofthelakes @ilyztwo @chaosundcoffee @lostintransist @thegreyjoyed @honestlymassivetrash @thebumbqueen @maliamaiden @mordacioust

[nchlsdmn]

Full Plot of the Cancelled Kashyyyk arc from Star Wars The Clone Wars: Season 7

Planet Kashyyyk is still neutral at this point in the war. Yoda travels to Kashyyyk, and his personal battalion is there waiting for him (they had been sent a couple of days earlier before the arrival of Master Yoda himself) and they inform Yoda that the Trandoshans have been doing deforestation in order to drive the Wookiees away to establish Separatists bases there.

The other reason is to intimidate the Wookiees into joining the Separatists or die off. Yoda senses Count Dooku behind this attack. It was the Wookiees themselves who called on the Republic for help, but being a neutral system – only Yoda and Clone Force 99 alongside Yoda’s personal battalion were sent there, with no additional clone reinforcements. Yodas battalion consists of 41st Scout Troopers and regular white clones with Yoda’s face slapped on their helmet.

As far as Chewbacca's role in this arc, we would have been shown his wife and family. Otherwise, the main Wookie Character is Tarfful. Other Wookies such as different tribes, elders, and children would have been shown as well.

Yoda wants to help the Wookiees so they get in contact with the few remaining villages that still live near a part of the forest which hasn’t been destroyed yet but that is about to be destroyed. Yoda advises them to leave their homes, but the Wookiees don’t want to. 

The Trandoshans come with a massive force and they drive the Wookiees out forcibly alongside Yoda, who are thus forced to retreat deeper into the forest and up a river which leads them to a water stream. Yoda and the clones then suggest to bait the enemies following them into an area of the forest so they can drive them away from the Wookiee villages.

Echo, new to Clone Force 99, would have become a sort of super-soldier due to all of his bionic enhancements. He would fit right in with the Bad Batch, and his demeanor changed, since he was now more cold-blooded and composed, as opposed to the indecisiveness that he showed in previous seasons. He serves as a foreshadowing of what Anakin would become.

His lobot-attachment would have been used for communications since he has a communicator close to his forehead, which shows him interfaces that were directly projected into his mind, so he would see them with his eyes but no one else around him would see them.

As for The Bad Batch, they were more accustomed to relating with the Wookiees than the regs. Hunter suggests bold strategies throughout the arc which the other clones weren’t really ok with since the followed more strict protocol. The Bad Batch also had their own hover boat, with their "clone force 99" symbol on it.

In Season 8, it was planned for The Bad Batch to execute Order 66, and they would have been treated as cold blooded assassins, a bane to Jedi. Though it likely wouldn’t have been shown on-screen. However, this arc is mostly to show the Bad Batch working with Yoda and the Wookies.

The clones suggest to burn all the trees down in that area of the forest in order to trap the enemy into their own nest. The Wookiees are against it but they then reluctantly agree that this is the best course of action and their only chance at success. They ask for forgiveness from the trees before doing this, and they then give the clones permission to do so.

Similar to the Bad Batch episode in Season 2, there are Kinrath and Maylyas deeper in the forest, and the elements of Wookies being one with nature is similar to how Yoda, a Jedi, believes in the force. The Bad Batch don't understand it, but they go along with it.

As for the Trandoshans, their leader, Babwa Venomor, was working with the Separatists, for Count Dooku. Some Trandoshans would have had night-vision goggles and snail tanks that they could use to tear through the forest.

The fires manage to slow the Trandoshans down for a bit, but it turns out not to be a definitive solution. After escaping the enemy, Yoda and the Wookiees prepare for war. The Wookiees ask for the help of tree spirits. They venture deep into the jungle in order to go warn the other Wookiee clans that the Trandoshans are coming and to sway them not to join the Separatists.

They use what happened to the Wookiees following Yoda as a motivating factor to tell the others that if the Trandoshans were not stopped, they would soon be coming for them too. In the meantime, the Trandoshans are preparing for battle and they are shown to be very tribal with trophies of dead Wookiee heads nailed to the walls. 

In the fourth episode, an all out war rages near the river because the Wookiees wanted to get far away from the trees in order not to harm their environment any further; and the battle ends up on a shore similar the one displayed in Revenge of the Sith.

Separatist craft land with Droid reinforcements, but the Trandoshans are the main enemy forces. One of the Wookies would have ripped off a Trandoshan's arms. Commander Gree and his forces would join the action with Yoda and the Bad Batch.

At the end of the battle, Babwa Venomor gets decapitated by Yoda in the same way Yoda kills Gree in ROTS, and he falls into the river along with his tank. When the battle is over, Kashyyyk agrees to allow the Republic to establish clone bases there, and became an ally of the Wookies, as they foresee a larger Droid Invasion coming in the future.

[mareastrorum]

I’m working on a post that compares the main villains of C1, C2, and C3, but it made me think that perhaps one of Matt’s weaknesses as a DM is portraying recurring opponents in pursuit of the party.

Narratively speaking, a villain (as opposed to an antagonist) carries significant weight for the story themes (that’s why they’re the villain!), so every time they make an appearance, they should be doing something that develops the themes over time, especially in a long-term story. Villainous organizations might have several unique members that each highlight different aspects of the same theme, or maybe they each have their own, but that same principle applies. This can get challenging for recurring villains, but it’s not impossible. It’s just that their appearances and confrontations should clearly involve a reason that this specific villain is there instead of a nameless mook.

In C1, there weren’t many characters who actively pursued any of Vox Machina.

Hotis (the rakshasa) had a grudge against Vax for killing him in Vasselheim. Hotis simply wanted revenge. When he reconstituted in the Hells, we got an amazing reveal that Hotis (disguised as Gilmore) had lured Vax to a balcony to attempt to assassinate him. There wasn’t any deeper narrative meaning to it; Hotis was simply an antagonist with a grudge, no real time limit on achieving it, and a devious threat that would come back until he was stopped. It made for some great tension and gave an excuse for Vox Machina to go to the Hells, but that’s really as deep as it got. Good fun on a game level, and not much else.

The Briarwoods hunted Vox Machina during the final arc, but only once Vecna discovered that the team had infiltrated the undead earth titan carrying his city (which had been obscured by Vex’s magic ring). This wasn’t a recurring pursuit so much as acting in defense of their master’s base.

The other villains never really sought out Vox Machina in particular; the team went to them instead, or they happened to be where the villains were up to no good. But man, that Hotis thing was fun! I could see why Matt would want to recreate that.

In C2, we didn’t really get many persistence hunter opponents either—but not for a lack of trying. Lorenzo was supposed to be a persistent threat, but the Nein fried him at the Sour Nest before he could escape. Lucien was supposed to be a persistent threat, but Molly died, so that never even began. Caleb was worried that the Assembly was hunting him, but given how he was treated in Rexxentrum after the Angel of Irons arc, it’s hard to say whether that possibility was actually on the table. The Nein had also done a good job at avoiding Empire attention and territory, so there wasn’t all that much opportunity even if Matt had planned for it. Avantika returned as an undead to steal one of the Cloven Crystals from Fjord, but she was dispatched and the crystal was retrieved; there wasn’t any repeat after that. The Tombtakers chased the Nein once they stole a threshold crest, but they stopped bothering after the forced avalanche (and it wasn’t like the Tombtakers had a serious chance of catching up without something like Polymorph). The Nein were chased by Trent Ikithon after the Vergessen heist, but it was short term, and then the Nein avoided him until they were tracked down at the Blooming Grove. All of the possible ongoing chases ended after 1 full encounter—if they even got a full encounter.

The one entity that could arguably be repeatedly hunting any of the Nein is Uk’otoa, but it wasn’t that really an ongoing chase. After all, it’s sealed away. The whole point of the Cloven Crystals is to release it. There was definitely narrative significance to having Uk’otoa and Fjord interact, but it’s a different circumstance than what I’m addressing here, particularly because Uk’otoa loyalists were the ones after Fjord. (An alternative to the main villain doing the chasing, and a good decision IMO.)

In C3, we had numerous people hunting various members of the Hells, and it didn’t really work out well for the narrative.

Otohan Thull was a good antagonist (terrifying, powerful, strategic), but an underdeveloped villain. The Hells never got her full story, so the most we know about her is that she loves violence, she wanted the glory of killing powerful enemies like in the Apex War, and working for Ludinus got her that. Unfortunately, that personality doesn’t work well for instigating audience thought about any themes; it’s a straightforward assessment that “hey that’s a bad way to be,” and there’s no new facets to explore in later appearances. Her death due to FCG’s sacrifice worked out well as a foil to the PC’s journey, but it was pure happenstance that it worked out that way. After all, Otohan was chasing Imogen, not FCG, and the timing was that Sam needed to step away from the show for medical reasons, not because this was the best time for FCG’s arc to end. Great improvisation! But Otohan didn’t carry much narrative weight even with how much she harried the Hells. Why should we care that it was her other than the fact that her stat block and items were intimidating? The answer is that we shouldn’t. That’s disappointing.

Fearne was being pursued by several factions, and none of them were very good at it. The Summer Court didn’t send anyone after her, apparently, and it was never clear why they wanted her in particular. The Unseelie Court had an eye out (presumably on behalf of Athion Zathuda), but Yu Suffiad was more interested in the crown than Fearne, so it was only info that she was alive… and then nothing happened for dozens of episodes. Like, divination magic is a thing, so why didn’t anyone other than Zathuda do anything to find her if she’s so important? Zathuda nearly succeeded in a kidnapping attempt, but a short time later, the Hells killed him (comparatively easily, I’ll add) and his lieutenants. This was all without us knowing much of anything about Zathuda other than that he’s ambitious and intended to backstab Ludinus. The only meaning it had to Fearne was the exact same questions she had addressed upon finding the Calloways: did they care about their daughter? Why did they leave? Was she a person to them or just a tool? So what was Zathuda supposed to mean to the audience that hadn’t already been resolved? This bone had no meat on it; just strings of fat.

Ludinus appeared to the Hells several times (either as himself or as Simulacra), but he never really pursued them… which is very strange given that Imogen and Fearne were both potential vessels. There was motive to do it, but Liliana’s work to hide Imogen’s strength from him also worked against that Watsonian justification. Ludinus’s choice to do so much himself (and therefore provide other, less threatening reasons for the Hells to encounter him) also didn’t make sense; this guy has lived for about a thousand years manipulating entire countries, and he can’t get lesser villains who can do stuff on his behalf? And the Hells repeatedly didn’t care what he had to say beyond figuring out what he was up to. We didn’t have a narrative, above-the-table answer to “why are you here?”—so it shouldn’t have been Ludinus. (The Uk’otoa method would have worked better, I think.)

Hunter opponents can be a great tool to steer protagonists back to an ongoing thematic question, but Matt has never really used them that way. Like, on a RPG level, it’s lovely to have tension that a terrifying entity is after you. But for a story, there needs to be some purpose beyond just scare tactics. The theme needs to be sufficiently complex for these multiple encounters to feel like we’re not just playing a song on repeat. Has something changed? Is there new information that makes this feel different? Are the PCs trying a different goal? None of those questions are really addressed. It’s just the same thing again, and this time the PCs are a higher level with more items. And a different map. :/

I’d rather a bone with meat on it. I want narrative significance to chew on.

[satanslovergirl]

=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=

❝ *YOU HELD ME TOGETHER* ❞

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Pairing: Dean Winchester x Female!Reader

Tone: Soft hunter tension, road-worn intimacy, mutual protection, sweet domesticity within chaos

Rating: M (language, canon-typical violence, intimacy)

Word Count: 5,217

Based On: Supernatural — Season 7 (non-episode specific; post-Bobby, pre-Amelia arc)

Written By: Little Devil ♡

---

Synopsis

The world is unraveling around them. Leviathans are crawling from the cracks, the boys are off the grid, and Bobby’s death still echoes through the walls of every safe house. But in the middle of the chaos, there’s her. The only thing that still feels real.

Tonight, it’s just a nest, a rainy town in Oregon, and Dean Winchester—who’s not used to being taken care of. But maybe, in the stolen warmth of cheap motel sheets and whispered memories, she reminds him that there’s still something worth holding onto.

A story of two hunters finding comfort in the in-between, of shared burdens, soft kisses, and silent vows stronger than salt lines.

---

❖ The Story ❖

The rain was coming down sideways.

Not the kind of storm that comes and goes, not the polite Midwestern type. This was the Oregon coast’s version of grief—wild and lashing, cold as loss. Dean Winchester gripped the steering wheel with calloused fingers and stared into the blur of trees, the Impala’s wipers groaning against the deluge.

“She okay?” he asked himself quietly, glancing toward the passenger seat.

She sat huddled in her soaked hoodie, arms crossed against the cold, gaze half-lidded from exhaustion.

“You okay?” she asked back, voice soft.

Dean offered a half-hearted smirk. “What, me? Peachy. Just love driving into the gaping mouth of a thunderstorm while chasing a nest of bloodsuckers with a migraine.”

She rolled her eyes but smiled. “Don’t forget sleep-deprived and running on gas station jerky.”

He let out a short laugh. “You wound me, sweetheart.”

Sweetheart. He said it like breathing, these days. Like it was etched into the cracks of his armor.

---

⋆｡°✩ Small Motel Rooms & Soft Glances ✩°｡⋆

By the time they reached the motel, the rain had quieted, leaving only the scent of pine and pavement. Dean killed the engine and exhaled deeply. Tension radiated off him in waves.

“I’ll check us in,” she offered, already reaching for her wallet.

Dean opened his eyes and blinked slowly. No protest. That was new. Usually, he’d argue, protect. But lately, he’d been letting her lead. Trusted her enough to shoulder the weight sometimes.

The room was exactly what they expected—faded floral bedspread, buzzing overhead light, a single lamp with a yellow glow. She dropped her duffel bag by the door, peeled off her jacket, and turned just in time to catch him pulling his own soaked flannel over his head.

Their eyes met. Something warm flickered in the space between them.

She handed him a towel. He took it, fingers brushing hers with a spark that made her breath hitch.

“Thanks,” he murmured. He ran the towel through his hair, water dripping down his neck. He smelled like rain and leather and the faintest trace of whiskey and engine grease.

She changed into an old flannel and worn leggings, catching his gaze again in the mirror. He didn’t say a word. Just watched her like she was something sacred.

---

⋆｡°✩ Midnight Watch & Leviathan Blood ✩°｡⋆

The hunt was brutal.

Four vampires, all stronger than expected. The abandoned church outside of Tillamook became a blur of shattered pews and rotting hymnals. But they moved like a pair of blades—Dean and her, perfectly timed.

She took out the straggler while Dean went for the nest leader. It ended with blood on the altar and a long gash torn through Dean’s side. He stumbled, and she was there before he hit the ground.

“Dumbass,” she whispered, catching him. Her voice shook. “Why didn’t you say something?”

He grunted, jaw tight. “Didn’t want you distracted.”

Later, she stitched him up in silence. Her hands were steady even as her chest ached.

“You’re not just some soldier,” she said, threading the needle. “You don’t have to throw yourself in front of everything.”

Dean’s green eyes locked on hers, pained and vulnerable. “I don’t know how not to.”

---

⋆｡°✩ 3:12 AM & Truth Between Heartbeats ✩°｡⋆

The motel room was quiet. The bed creaked under their weight.

She laid facing the window, curled in his arms, his chest flush to her back, his breath warm against the nape of her neck. His fingers tangled with hers under the blanket.

“You really okay?” she asked after a long stretch of silence.

Dean didn’t answer at first. Then, with a voice full of wear: “I hate this world sometimes. Hate how it chews us up.”

She turned in his arms to face him, hand brushing over the line of his jaw. He leaned into her touch.

“But you still keep going,” she whispered.

Dean kissed her shoulder. Soft. Reverent.

“'Cause I’ve got something worth going for now.”

Her lips met his—slow and steady, not frantic. Just the kind of kiss that said you’re home. She pulled back only slightly, eyes searching his.

“I love you,” she said.

Dean’s expression shifted into something softer than she’d ever seen.

“Yeah,” he whispered. “I know. And I love you too, sweetheart.”

=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=

❝ END ❞

“You’ve got me. And I’ve got you. That’s enough.”

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[absolutebl]

Lovesick 2014 versus Lovesick 2024

Rebooting the OG BL, Thailand? Are you sure that's wise?

I don't think anyone is ready for the depths I'm about to go to. But the gauntlet was thrown and comparisons must be made.

Generally when an IP is being remade by a different country I try to cut it slack and evaluate based on fresh eyes and different standards. But this is an actual reboot, not a reinterpretation.

Challenge accepted, Thailand.

A tiny bit of background......

I was one of those who watched Lovesick (LS14 aka the original) early on in my BL journey. No, not when it was airing, but the BL cut when it was first put up on YT (or maybe it was grey first?) hard subbed by fans way back before Netflix picked it up (and then dropped it). So yeah, it's been a while. and I LOVED it. I've rewatched it MULTIPLE times.

I like YA narratives and I enjoy high school BL and that is probably all Lovesick's fault. But nostalgia is a toxic emotion, so I'm trying to give the reboot (LS24 aka the new version) some credit.

But for those who don't know Love Sick is The Original Thai BL. Do not argue. It just is.

The plan is to do a general round up and comparison of broad aspects of script, filming, and acting at the very end, but as it airs I decided to do a "watch off." You ready?

And now......

Boys in Blue Shorts

LS24 Episode 1 versus LS14-s1 Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4 

They did a smart thing tailoring the whole thing down to just the BL thread from the original. And removing the opening party sequence is definitely a win.

However, with less time spent on all the ensemble characters in the opening three episodes, it’s a lot harder to keep such a large cast of characters straight (irony), especially the music club.

Also they materially damage the evolution of Noh & Phun's romance by losing the actual first sleepover and the "eating out with the girls" scenes, which really bonded the two boys in friendship prior to the "water fight crash into me" romantic beginning. By skipping to just the first flush of romance, PhunNoh feels rushed.

* UPDATE!! Spies report in that a lot of the stuff I complain about missing in the 2024 version is in the uncut version on iQIYI. (Which is longer by as much as 25%!) So I am rewatching it there and updating this post accordingly.

We got the entire arc of their first brush with love in just episode one of LS24. Which comes off as fast and cliffs-notes esk. However, it's more in line with modern Thai BL (which is rarely slow burn) and also more sexy and physical, less intimate and emotional. 

I've never liked the first two episodes of LS14, but episodes 3 & 4 are killer. Not to mention important to the plot and to the history of Thai BL.

In the end, because the cutting floor choices impacted the weight and emotional resonance of the main romance thread, I’m (still) going to give this one to the original. But you absolutely must watch the uncut version of the new version, it makes a massive difference.

2014 wins (but only just)

LS24 Episode 2 versus LS14-s1 Episodes 5, 6, 7 

The "Phun sick at Noh's house" is a lot more flirtatious in the new version but I missed the shoulder in the car and Noh snapping at Aim from the original. But I like Noh choosing to be a bolster pillow and offering himself (rather than being coerced), and the near kiss is better in the new version.

The new version also makes Phun more pitiable, like he sees Noh as a place/person of refuge. I like that a lot better for his character (and queerness).

Making Aim’s quandary (and personality flaws) nested in an actual queer crises (similar to Phun's) is a better tactic for sympathy, so this second ep really got me with some nice modernizations.

Phun freezing Noh out strikes hard in both versions but we lost Noh's identity crisis and Phun's crisis of conscience this time around.

The "letting go of the hand" is more powerful in the original, but it was also pretty good in the new one.

I hate to do this but, I have to......

2024 wins 

I say this knowing that the hand in the bookstore is and forever will be one of the most iconic moments in BL history.

If you disagree with me you can, literally, talk to the hand.

LS24 Episode 3 versus LS14-s1 Episodes 8, 9, 10 

The drunken confession, kiss, and the escape to the beach.

No kiss in the new version (which is WILD), but the old version hardly counted either.

In 2024 they have to make Phun have a long term crush and Noh be softer over gay feels to compensate for a tighter timeframe. These changes I don’t mind, but it does modernize the BLness of it all.

I really like that Phun was questioning his own sexuality when he initially asked Noh to fake date, and that the real reason was that he was testing himself. That is, frankly, more realistic to a queer coming of age, and makes the fake dating plot lest stupid. And it makes Phun a more likable character.

The shouting confessions in the new version were really cute too. As was the crying.

But I’m sad that we got no kiss and no back hug or chin down hug.

The original is so much more poignant, and so much more messy and so much more teenage about everything.

I cried in the original and I didn’t in the reboot.

"If it takes no time at all to fall in love, why does it hurt so bad to say goodbye?" 

Whatever way that script is translated, it’s a great line. 

Ep 10 from 2014 is a real dud tho. 

Argh! What to do? This one is a draw. 

No winner. 

An interesting thing about this show i never thought about during my many watches of the original: Phun has a harder time, even though he brought it on himself, partly because Noh is accustomed to being like where Phun is not. Phun, as the rich kid, is used to being envied and admired even respected. But not genuinely liked. The fact that Noh genuinely liked him for him (and not what he has) is a huge reason he can't let go.

I think the newer version showcases Phun's character in general a lot better than the original, and yeah I do think that is partly a superior actor this time around. Sorry, White.

LS24 Episode 4 versus LS14-s1 EPisodes 11, 12 & LS14-s2 Episodes 1, 2 

Earn loans the money and sports day commences.

Necklace drama and Phun’s jealousy, especially in the council room, is better in the new version. It’s just more vicious and petty and appropriate to teenagers. Plus a proper kabedon.

I did miss the face touch, forehead kiss, and “we don’t actually belong to each another” line. 

Argh that was SUCH are great line.

Not to mention the iconic standing in the street:

But, again, the opening eps of season 2 back in 2015 were very much not good, so condensing them down is an improvement.

Decisions, decisions.

No I can't, it's a draw again.

No winner.

LS24 Episode 5 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 2, 3, 4

Sports day continues, Phun thwarts Earn, the overalls scene du jour. 

Earn, the original, remains one of the greatest queer role models ever put into a BL. There is just no contest, sorry not sorry.

He is the King.

The new version has a public shoulder lean plus and epic "MINE" glare. You know I love a claiming.

But the big after party is much better in the old version.

But the switch of Golf’s character to Grace and the reason she left the school is absolutely genius and possibly my favorite change that has been made in the new series so far.

Oh but I really LOVE the drunken bathtub scene in the original.

This is a hard call.

But I simply must give it to the original. (Super props on Gracie tho, nice call 2024.)  

2014 wins 

LS24 Episode 6 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 10

This new version speaks out loud more of the angst and messiness. The original let that simmer and be shown more than it was told. Interesting twist on the video evidence. 

(I love the tiny side couple of tough kid + the dork of the music club. Nice little ship, that.)

And...... We’re done with the beach visit already? The original took 4 eps! Which definitely could’ve been condensed down. Still no sunrise after sleeping in lawn chairs, no confession no nothing. Also lost one of the most iconic lines in all BL by leaving that section out.

It’s a terrible feeling, not knowing where the line is between us.

It���s so good. Hard to forgive the new version for losing it. Not to mention there's no Noh calling Earn to ask for his advice and Earn being torn over what to do with a bisexual crisis. Also "morning kiss krab."

But episode 9 of the original is entirely unnecessary and large chunks of 8 and 10 are as well. I can’t believe I entirely blocked out forgot about the singing competition. I mean, this is me, I always fast-forward through most of the singing stuff, but I forgot this whole part of season two.

Again, I lament the loss of iconic moments from the original script more than anything else, but because of the sheer quantity of superfluous flack in the original, and the fact that the new Phun is the prettiest pouty baby, this point has to go to the new version. 

2024 wins

LS24 Episode 7 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 11, 12, 13, 14

New Phun’s bitch face really is exceptional. I kind of enjoy everybody ribbing the two of them because they have no idea what’s actually going on. 

End of the auditions and the “repairing the couch Earn flirts” scene. Phun v jelly. I do like the way Earn puts it in this one, basically “I can’t fight against you if you don’t even know what you’re fighting for.” AKA you aren’t a worthy opponent. 

He’s nicer in this version. In the original, the confrontation between these two was much nastier. 

I love how Noh consciously winds Phun up in this version. It was really nice to see Noh get a bit of his own back. Of course Phun is sulky about it. He didn’t deserve to be rewarded with Noh’s confession but at least he didn’t let it just rest there, but gave his own back. We lost the problematic “not gay” line in the new version, which is very good. BUT we also lost the original shouting “I like you” across the court for all the nongs to overhear. Which is sad. Plus new version has much less Pete. Original ep 12 was epic.

We lost the phone flirting from the original, which was very cute. So I did very much miss that. 

The party at Noh’s. 

In the original, this has probably the best sequence of scripting in BL history. (Noh & Golf through the door) Where Noh talks about what it means to truly love somebody.

Mostly because they cut that bit out in the new version, I’m afraid I have to give this one to the original.

2014 wins

LS24 Episode 8 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 15, 16

The clip is discovered, the after effects of the party, the showering with Ohm, and the confrontation over Aim.

Okay so the post it love note of sweetness is better in 2024.

The Per/Win story arc never interested me in 2014 and I’m not enjoying it in 2024 either. But Mick & Ohm are better in 2024. Nong Mick is a standout character, and a brilliant glow up in this version. Confident little shit (affectionate). 

Helpful boyfriend Phun was darling. The bits where they are together as a couple really are the best. It’s when the rest of the world intrudes that things goes south.

I absolutely loved Aim's confrontation with her mother in the new version. It was stellar. And something that would never have been depicted 10 years ago.

Ah those classic high school trials and tribulations when your boyfriend has footage of your girlfriend with another girl. We’ve all been there.

Honestly, this is a much more messy and much better break up for Aim and Phun. More dramatic and more public. I like that change. 

All that said we lost Earn and the rejection in the theater. Still this one was an easy call:

2024 wins 

(How crazy, by the way, that as I type this: Ngern is opposite Oat OF ALL PEOPLE in Fourever You, Pineare and Sammy are ALSO in that show, August is finally in a leading role in a different remake, Addicted Heroin, Gunsmile is BACK in a cameo and this is the show he returned too away from GMMTV. We live in wild times.)

LS24 Episode 9 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 17, 18

The music competition ends + the big break up.

I like Earn’s sincerity and open admission in the new version, and I like how genuine and delicate Noh is coping with someone crushing on him. Probably because he knows how painful it is from the other side.

The conversation between Phun and Aim was much better and more kind in the new version, too. 

Noh’s cute pink raver cartoon outfit was everything. 

All in all I’m not wild about the original episodes of this segment. Sure there were a few things that I missed but none that I remembered well enough without the rewatch. So for this and that great communication around the break up: 

2024 wins

Since the number of the old episodes being squeezed into the new version has gone down, I’m assuming they aren’t planning on encompassing all of Season 2 in 2024. I suspect we’re gonna lose the camp in the forest section. Which is a shame, is has some of my favorite scenes.

LS24 Episode 10 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 19, 20, 21

2024 Phun actually turns into Dangerous Babygirl when he is flirting, who knew? (Dangerous Babygirl is a new archetype I have just invented. Yes, I'm pleased with myself.) Noh, who is a nice goodboy, doesn’t stand a chance. Neither does Jeed, since Phun has damn near perfected “back off bitch" face.

The arm drape public claiming, it gets me every time. It has done since SOTUS. I love to see it show back up again in a show that's already harkening back to the early days. It's like they used a trope that wasn't in the original to remind us of the past.

Nong Mick is hands-down my favorite character in the new version. I love him so much I can’t stand it. Consistent Nong King behavior. He uses his cute for evil and I love it.

The dunk tank part is better in 2014 and very funny. The kiss not kiss is a thing (and was a thing at the time) but I'm hoping we get a much better one in 2024 so I wasn't sad to see it left out this time. The one thing Thailand learned before most other BL producing countries was that boys can kiss (but it would take another 3 year and MaxTul to learn 'em good.) The concert at the convent is too long either way, but it’s much longer in the original. So for that alone the original gets docked. You know me and singing. 

That said, Phun stealing Noh from the two girls is pretty epic in the original. Hard to beat. As is Per and the screaming girls. But that Per scene wouldn’t work in 2024 with his character since he's a completely different personality. Also that level of comedy kinda requires Sing to execute.

Finally we get the confession on the agreement become a couple.

Noh is a lot more game and sweet and kind and less awkward in the new version. And since secondhand embarrassment is rough for me I prefer this new one. Sure, it still feels like the 2014 is more authentic to this kind of high school queer experience. (Maybe that’s because Noh's confused awkwardness is old-fashioned and so am I.) But 2024's lap sitting and crying together was truly spectacular.

All in all a hard choice, but I'm afraid I have to say:

2024 wins 

LS24 Episode 11 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 22, 23, 24

Waking up together. first date, the famous piano scene, Yuri's lament + Yuri catches them kissing. 

This is where the teen awkward comes to the front of the class and misspells it's name...... in both versions. And it’s always a challenge to watch because Phun is so ready to come out to the world (despite the fact that he’s more at risk with his family) and Noh is so not ready (despite the fact that we know his family and friends would be happy for him). 

It stands in contrast to their personalities too, Phun who is reserved and introverted, while Noh is cheerful and outgoing. And yet it always felt (and feels) very true to character as well. Noh wants to be liked and he's scared of being teased. Phun is more sure of himself, and with fewer quieter friends.

All the couples are so sweet in the new version where as, frankly, in 2014 one I only ever gravitated to Phun, Noh, Earn, and Pete.

In this episode (11) I enjoy how they're using all these likable side couples to foil our main couple by depicting all the different ways coming out (and being out) can go: from the good to the bad to the ugly. It amplifies the angst and the pacing in this episode and it highlights that both Phun and Noh are correct in their (un)willingness to be openly together. Because they really don’t know what the consequences might be, or even if there are consequences. 

In general, this segement was full of pining, angst, and communication issues and I thought bundled together in 2024 made for a much more tense and engaging sequence than the original. So this was an easy win for the new version (even if I would have preferred a real kiss).

2024 wins 

Also props to wardrobe (HA!) for Noh's off duty outfits. I love his punk goes to Disneyland (with preppy boyfriend) aesthetic.

LS24 Episode 12 & 13 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 25, 26, 27, 28, 34

The away competition, the book carrying, pizza party, meeting the aunt, starting to act like a couple. pun v dad 

I like getting more Phun/Dad conflict backstory in the new one.

But I thought that Noh freaking out and coping with what he had to do to break up with Yuri in the older version was more authentic.

That sad I’ve never been wild about how resistant Noh is in the original to kissing and physical intimacy. That still bothers me, even though I know it’s a sign of the 2014 times. I like the more comfortable physical affection between the two characters in the newer version.

The confession to friend group was good in both versions but 2014 is ICONIC. The teasing Phun was way better than 2014. Still, the physical intimacy was so much better in 2024 so for me......

2024 wins

(close tho)

The matchup is getting a little uneven at this juncture we seem to be jumping around and borrowing bits from other parts.

LS24 Episode 14 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 35

They moved the Pam bit from the end earlier, which is actually a good idea. Although I would’ve removed it entirely. 

They also substantially took steps to fix Phun‘s dad character in the new version. I really liked that a lot. (I guess we know which political party that dad belongs to this time.) 

Honestly? The teaching part (prior to finals) in the original is one of my favorite mini sequences in BL. But the new version was even better. I didn’t think they were gonna beat it out. But they did.

Them sneaking around to sleep together at the camp never gets old. And I mean that, since it’s been 10 years and it still gets me in the throat. So good.

This is a hard call, but if they’re gonna cut out Noh giving Yuri the shirt, and Yuri’s defensive now in the girls bathroom......? The old one is definitely gonna win. As it stands right now I’m gonna give this one to the older version. But a lot of the changes that the new one made I really appreciated so I reserve the right to change my mind after the final ep.

2014 Wins 

LS24 Episode 15 versus LS14-s2 Episodes 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 36

I’m quite pleased that they kept most of the stuff in the forest. And I actually like that they swapped it around so that this was the end of the series.

I think it makes for a better more satisfying ending. I like that they didn’t have Pete pine.

But. Still. Heaven forfend they give us an actual kiss. That part I did find very as disappointing. Frankly, these two would’ve done fine with a smooch.

I don’t know. In the end I think there are points in either version's favor. Neither of these Love Sicks really come out on top.

They’re both kind of representative of their time although this new one managed to be oddly nostalgic in ways that didn’t have to do with the original so much as what they chose to keep about that original.

I think, just because of the iconic nature of that last shot and the breaking of the forth wall that I'm going to hand the final to the original.

2014 Wins

The Leader Board

2014 = 5 points

2024 = 7 points

Other Factors

Script 

When they cut down this show for the new version, we lost some of the greatest and best lines ever scripted in BL of all all time. A few of them could’ve been left in. Because of that, because they didn’t keep the very best parts of the script (which is soem of the best parts of the whole show), despite the fact that they could have...... 

2014 Wins hands down 

Music

The music in the new version was band and unoticicable, but the music in the original was memorable and iconic (if not to my personal taste). Another easy win for the original.

2014 Wins

CAST 

Main couple 

I actually think that the leads in the new version are better actors than White & Captain. I know this comes off as heresy. But I just think they are superior in terms of subtlety and nuance. I also think that the new pair had much better chemistry. It feels like these two were workshopped whereas the originals definitely were not. For couple chemistry, especially at the beginning? 

2024 Wins 

Side couple 

Ohm & Mic had even less screen time than in the original, but not by much. And I have to say partly because of the actor switch between seasons in the original, that I liked this pair a million times better in the new version. 

2024 Wins 

Friendship group

The friendship aspect of the music group (Noh and Ohm's relationship in particular) is incredibly important to this story. Without it, the fabric of the piece feels substantially less robust. Therefore the original has to win in this regard. 

2014 Wins

Noh 

There is something endlessly appealing about the clumsy rawness of Captain's performance in this show. His version of Noh is just so utterly endlessly likable. And he has a genuinely adorable and an appealing screen presence. Progress did a good job, but Captain is just a little bit more charismatic.

2014 Wins 

Phun 

I am a bit of a sucker for a boy who’s good with his eyebrows, and Almond just does better eye work than White ever did. Also he shows and expresses his genuine interest and even attraction in Noh way better, probably in part because of how BL has changed in the intervening decade. But also, sorry White, Almond is just a better actor than you were back then.

2024 Wins 

Yuri 

In the original, Yuri starts out as endlessly annoying, but goes on an incredibly satisfying and quite brilliant character arc to become one of Noh’s best friends and one of the great supporters of his growth and a major linchpin of the show. There’s absolutely no way the newer version could ever compare to the original. 

2014 Wins 

Aim 

While I prefer the actress in the original, I really liked the depth that queerness gave to Aim's character in the new version. It made her a lot more relatable and understandable, even though it was a bit of a copout. It also allowed her to stay part of the narrative. I really like having the mean girl be a lesbian. It makes what she and Phun are doing to each other a little bit more like a mutual beard confusion situation and less like cheating. It’s also more feminist than punishing a female for sexual proclivity. Therefore, I’m gonna give this to the new version. 

2024 Wins

Earn 

This is a really really hard one, since Earn is my favorite character. And possibly one of my favorite characters in all BL. The original source of my ever present second lead syndrome, quite frankly. But, in the end, I can’t deviate, Ngern just set the bar so high. I'm so happy he's returned to our screens.

2014 Wins

Pete 

I know he’s a minor character, but I always  loved poor Pete , and in the original August was one of my favorite actors. (And my number one pick to star in a BL.) I really loved that the new version made both these characters honestly gay, but the original kinda didn’t have that option. Still, despite my love, I’m calling this one a draw since the first Pete won for character and the second Pete won for story. 

No winner 

FINAL TALLY

2014 = 11 points 2024 = 11 points

I swear I didn't intend it to come out that way.

(source)

[apolloarting]

Alright i finished hans, I like the way he turned out much better the Henry so bow i really gotta re-draw Henry, but only after the others 👹

Ok favorite part, headcanons ✨

Hans has a pony tail. The demons told me to so, so i did. I almost gave henry one but i decided nah, but yeah he looks pretty with one.

Also Hans has pierced ears. In my opinion he is absolutely the type of person to have small gold earrings. Maybe he doesn't get them until after the divorce arc or after he goes to the devils den. Actually that would be cute. I might have been on something but i got that idea from referencing his character model and what i think i saw were earring holes. It might have just been me.

He likes to sing, particularly sea shanties. I have been listening to shanties, shanties and more shanties for the past 4 days so he can too. Also the bird symbolism <3

When out on the open waters he tends to spend half of his time in the crows nest. He also hates being below deck after a certain naval battle (Maleshov). Even if he has some small quarters, he prefers sleeping up in the crows nest.

Instead of Poaching he got arrested for Piracy. So after 'the divorce' 💀 he found himself a ship to sail with, and didn't realise until it was way to late that it was pirating. Nothing too extreme, and they never murdered anyone, but just stealing from small merchant ships etc.

Henry does eventually find him, trying to catch those who are or are suspended of piracy. Hans tries to make it better than it seems by saying it's privateering but henry doesn't buy it lmao.

Hans had this ugly, big ass hat. He left it behind when the pirates raided his and Henry's ship. Henry is happy about this.

Though obviously completely different, he also shares some minor similarities to Elizabeth Swan in my opinion. Especially with the rich upbringing, witty, impulsive and of course the relationship with a blacksmith.

If there was a pirate court I would think it would be kinda cool if he became pirate king. Either him or ziska.

Also a bit more Hansry because fuck yeah. This AU i am absolutely pairing them together, it's my duty to myself and the fandom. Kathrine is with Ziska. While researching for a school project i found a cool bit of information, same-sex unions between two pirates are called a matelotage, which is the base for the now common pirate term, "matey". They might not be the type to go through with it, but i think the prospect of matelotage with a man he truly loves is way better than an arranged marriage to some girl for hans.

Also for marriage, he has to get married back in Europe.

Also i have no clue if they are going to be English or apart from the Habsburg dynasty. Because on one hand the majority of the voice actors are from the UK but on the other, the actual characters would be in the central european part of the habsburg dynasty. The habsburgs did have lots of territory in the Caribbean, but it was Spanish and did not have much to do with Bohemia. If anyone has opinions on this please do share

I do take your own suggestions btw :D I like working together with other people on things like these

[catfern]

Cowboy!ellie

Save a horse, ride a cowboy 😉

so um yeah um this was.. yeah

“fu-fuck.”

the bottle of cider clicked and rolled along the floorboards, the drink fizzing and dying in the cracks. ellie’s fingers had nested in your hair, pulling and prying as she lost herself in the taste of you.

the horses needed rest, and the ground was too cold and arid to break camp. ellie cursed under her breath - cheapskate - at the luxury of a hotel. but you had begged, so sweetly, and promised to make it worth her while. 

but she was mean. honey whiskey on her breath, you could hear her smile through the ragged feeling of her hands on your waist, callouses digging bruises into your hip bones. her leg slides up to drag your velvet slick along her thigh and you whine, syrupy and lost.

“what’re you doing?” a teasing whisper against the crook of her neck, the vibrations of your voice run along the ridges of ellie’s body like electricity. she laughs, breathy and wild and rough, and you let yourself fall into its comforts, mistakingly.

“jus’ having my fun, flower.”

“that all i am to you? fun?”

“oh, honey,” ghosts of her hands run along the back of your neck, swimming in your hair. you sigh, before a sharp yank sets your nerves on fire, pulling your face from hiding. her gaze is wildfire, running along the contours of your face, your shape of your cheeks and lips with a molasses, lopsided smile, “you’re everything to me.”

you can feel her heartbeat drumming against your chest, a nervous arrhythmia that traces up and down your body, settled in the base of her palms. it feels like a song, wicked and savage, echoes on your skin. your eyes fall to the arc of her breathing, the swell of her chest and the silhouette of her shoulders against the pillow.

you feel her looking at you. something threatening. her breath is low, “now, what’s goin’ on in your pretty little head?”

her hand is a cage against your cheek, control. desperation pools against your thighs, spreading it along her clothed cunt, a soft gasp falling from her lips as she slowly - painfully slowly - lifts you, watching your slick web from the tone of her leg. her touch runs through you like ichor, and her name rocks from you in distraction.

her charm is lost to the heavy air, and nothing but the rasp of her voice remains, “move.”

her leg shifts against your clit and you nearly scream, collapsing in on yourself and digging your nails into the flesh of her shoulders. ellie holds you steady, letting you gently twist yourself around her existence as you straddle her thigh, your need dripping on her skin, riding the soft burn in your stomach with unaired caution.

ellie wants to play nice, almost desperately wants to, but she’s ever impatient, and she can feel how much you need it. so why aren’t you taking what she’s giving you?

you’re going too slow.

it’s like she possesses you, her hands no longer a guide but a demand as she rocks your body against hers, her fingers pressing into your waist like a brand. your head throws back and a guttural sound rips through you as the tone of her muscle brushes your clit, again, again. ellie has lost herself at the sound of you, to her own abandon. she watches how your pussy slides against her oh so well, a saccharine warmth melting against her skin like gold, chasing more like it was essential to her survival.

“jesus,” her voice is breathy,manic and pussydrunk, “that wasn’t so hard, now was it?”

her question, however mocking, falls on deaf ears. your body is drowning, soft and slow, letting yourself revel in the effervescent role ellie has taken in your life, her feeling everywhere. you surrender yourself to her, let her body rush you as you feel her start to move beneath you, her voice descent to pure desperation as she ruts, and you’re withering. you’re almost bouncing on top of her, her hands moving you relentlessly against her leg as she becomes wretched for her own release.

“ellie, sweet-fuck, it’s too much-too much,” you choke, your voice a pathetic wobble, your clit is stinging as the knot ever-so-tightens in your stomach. pressure, pressure, you’re pushing back against her, trying to give yourself a reprieve from the woman you so foolishly entangled yourself with. her grip is strong,

“jus-shut up! fuck! you feel so good, flower. so fu-ucking good.”

you’re exhausted, but ellie’s hand continues, pushing and pulling you against her like the tide,

“don’t you dare fucking stop.”

[chipperchemical]

it's time for my annual insanity arc, so here is every hermit/traffic ship that i actively enjoy and 1 headcanon for each one! (worth mentioning that i love most ships, these are just my favourites)

Grian x Mumbo (Grumbo) -> Grian is the only one who can bring Mumbo out of his redstone hyper-focus mode by cooking him unnecessarily gourmet meals and pretending to be sad when Mumbo doesn't instantly sit down to eat with him.

Grian x Scar (Scarian) -> When Scar's in his wheelchair, Grian will run around while pushing him and sing the Mario Kart star song at full volume.

Grian x Bdubs (Gridubs) -> They have a STRICT nighttime routine and if anyone interrupts then they will never hear the end of it.

Grian x Doc (Gridoc) -> Grian keeps bringing different animals home and Doc keeps trying to say no, but every single one grows on him eventually.

Grian x Mumbo x Scar (Mumscarian) -> Mumbo keeps trying to convince the other two to eat redstone, but he's only successfully convinced Scar.

Bdubs x Doc (Bdoc) -> The absolute embodiment of the sunshine/moon trope, but Doc is the sunshine and Bdubs is the moon.

Bdubs x Etho (Ethdubs) -> Etho likes trying on dresses and skirts and gives Bdubs little catwalk fashion shows.

Bdubs x Impulse (Impdubs) -> Extremely sweet to each other while destroying their enemies.

Bdubs x Keralis (Kerdubs) -> They spend every Sunday eating cereal and watching a movie in bed.

Bdubs x Mumbo (Bedstone) -> Mumbo's fast food order is always incorrect and Bdubs is the one who has to ask the worker to correct it.

Bdubs x Zedaph x Impulse x Tango x Skizz (BZITS) -> The ONLY thing that makes them all chill out after hard days is a massive cuddle pile in their nest of blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals.

Cub x Scar (Cubscar) -> When they're close to each other, their eyes get slightly bluer and their prankster urges get stronger, like a physical biological change.

Cub x Doc (Docub) -> They constantly dress up as Dr Frankenstein and Frankenstein's Monster for Halloween, and they switch who is who every year.

Doc x Etho (Detho) -> Doc leaves little gifts and bouquets around Etho's base, but Etho either doesn't see them or has zero idea who they're from until Doc brings it up.

Doc x Ren (Rendoc) -> The fathers of the server.

Doc x Joel (Doel) -> They are the most stubborn and competitive couple to the point that the others can't tell if they're on the verge of breaking up or not -- they never are.

Doc x Zedaph x Impulse x Tango x Skizz (DZITS) -> They regularly smoke zaza together and bake brownies.

Etho x Joel (Smalletho) -> Their only petnames for each other are vicious insults.

Impulse x Skizz (Skizzpulse) -> Impulse doesn't typically like touch, but Skizz's hugs are so warm and comforting that he doesn't mind one bit.

Impulse x Zedaph x Tango (ZIT) -> Tango and Impulse have amazing body heat while Zedaph is always cold, so their cuddles are the perfect temperature.

Impulse x Zedaph x Tango x Skizz (ZITS) -> The other Hermits figured out that they were a polycule after extreme confusion over why they all kiss each other.

Impulse x Tango x Skizz (ITS) -> Impulse and Skizz both use Tango as a heat pack for their wings and chronic pains.

Tango x Jimmy (Ranchers) -> They're both the absolute best gift-givers and always give each other the perfect presents.

Skizz x Tango x Jimmy (Jizzango) -> Jimmy goes non-verbal sometimes so they all know sign language and are experts at Charades.

[in1-nutshell]

Can you do the g1 atobots with a human buddy that makes very comfy “nests” around the ship?

YES!

Also I made Buddy a toddler for this one, if you didn't want that please let me know.

Hope you enjoy!

Human Buddy the toddler making 'nests' around the ship

SFW, Platonic, Human reader

G1

Buddy was a toddler whose parents were close friends with the Autobots.

They often brought Buddy to the base while they helped around.

The bots loved seeing the little one around the base.

Buddy was always a little treat to have around.

Sure, they had their tantrum moments as any toddler would, but they were mostly behaved.

Spike looking under the control panels.

Sideswipe and Sunstreaker walk in to see Spike.

“What ya looking for Spike?”—Sideswipe

“Did you loose that pen again?”--Sunstreaker

“I can’t find Buddy!”--Spike

“What!?”—Sideswipe and Sunstreaker

Sideswipe and Sunstreaker start looking for Buddy.

“Buddy! Buddy where are you!”--Sideswipe

“They couldn’t have gone that far, right?”--Sunstreaker

“Not with those tiny feet.”--Sideswipe

Meanwhile on the other side of the Arc…

Buddy on the top shelf of the tool shelf.

“Ready Mr. Warpath!”--Buddy

Warpath at the bottom holding a mattress.

“Let’s go Buddy! When I say BAM! You jump!”--Warpath

“Okay!”--Buddy

“1… 2… 3—”--Warpath

Ratchet walks in.

“Warpath what are—OH PRIMUS NO!”--Ratchet

“BAM!”—Warpath

Buddy jumps off the ledge with a huge smile on their face.

“WWWWEEEEEEEEE!”--Buddy

Ratchet kick drops Warpath and grabs Buddy midair.

Buddy waving their arms up.

“Again! Again!”--Buddy

Sometimes if they were extra good, they were allowed sleepovers at the base, with Optimus’s and their parents’ permission.

The sleepovers soon became more and more common as Buddy’s parents were leaving and coming back home too late from work.

Buddy didn’t mind that too much, they had their friends to keep them company!

They ended up finding many little nooks and crannies on the Arc.

Thank you hide and seek games!

On the times that they did go home, they made sure to stuff their bag to the brim with pillows and blankets.

The bots are confused when they see Buddy with a determined look on their face going somewhere in the Arc.

Powerglide and Bumblebee looking at Buddy hauling three backpacks filled with stuff along the hallway.

“Hey Buddy! What ya got there?”--Bumblebee

“Stuff!”--Buddy

Buddy continues to lug their things.

“You need help with that?”--Powerglide

Buddy looks at their stuff then at the long hallway.

“Yes please!”--Buddy

Bumblebee grabs the bags while Powerglide grabs Buddy like a paper airplane.

“And AWAY WE GO!”--Powerglide

Ratchet turning the corner with his data pads.

“Bumblebee have you seen my—”--Ratchet

Looks at Powerglide holding Buddy like a paper airplane.

“POWERGLIDE! WHAT IN THE NAME OF PRIMUS ARE YOU DOING?!”--Ratchet

“Look Ratchet! I’m a plane just like Powerglide!”--Buddy

“Yes, but a certain plane about be grounded for the next month if he doesn’t fix the way he handles certain people…”--Ratchet

Buddy now has several well-hidden spots for them to nap during the day.

No one notices them for months.

Jazz and Prowl are the first ones to find one of Buddy’s hiding spaces.

“Buddy? What is this?”--Prowl

Buddy patting proudly at the blankets and pillows.

“My nest!”--Buddy

“Your… nest?”--Prowl

“Yep! I have a whole bunch! That when I wanna take naps and play games!”--Buddy

“Hmm…”--Prowl

Jazz recognizes the look of disapproval and tries to help Buddy out.

“You know Prowl, these places are much safer for Buddy to be in than randomly walking around the Arc. And they do like napping randomly…”--Jazz

Prowl pause considering the possibility.

“And if there’s an attack on the ship, Buddy’ll have a place to safely hide!”--Jazz

Prowl pauses before sighing.

Win for Jazz.

“Buddy, can you show us where else you have these ‘nests’?”--Prowl

“No.”--Buddy

“No?”--Prowl

“No!”--Buddy

“Would you tell us if Prowl lets you ring the police siren?”--Jazz

“Jazz!”--Prowl

“Deal!”--Buddy

Jazz gives Prowl a proud look.

Prowl just turns back to Buddy.

Buddy brings out a map of the Arc doodled in crayon.

“These are all the places!”--Buddy

“… Do you think you can tell the others about this?”--Prowl

“No!”--Buddy

“And what if we promise to take you out on patrol?”--Jazz

“Jazz! We can’t—”--Prowl

“Really!? Deal!”--Buddy

The next meeting Buddy is explaining the concept of the nests with the help from Prowl and Jazz.

Some of the bots praise Buddy for their idea.

Some are a little disturbed at how long they didn’t know about this.

The others just want to see these places themselves.

Now with most of the places Autobot knowledge, many bots go and visit any nests they find.

In the case they don’t see Buddy, they might poke around the nest a bit.

Maybe fluff a pillow or move something around.

If they do find Buddy sleeping, they are defiantly taking pictures and fixing their blanket.

Ratchet walks by one of the ‘nests’.

He hears light snore and goes to look.

Buddy is in a tangle of limbs with hair and cloths looking like they went through a hurricane.

Ratchet just chuckles a bit and readjusts the blanket and Buddy’s position.

Buddy yawns quietly before snuggling deeper in the nest.

Ratchet smiles and continues his way.

[sanjisboyfie]

one piece masterlist ౨ৎ

[ keep safe series ] // ongoing, romantic undertones, slow burn, future angst, comedic

-> "it's beautiful, how this deep normality settles down over me. i'm not bored or unhappy. i'm still so strange and wild. you're in the wind, i'm in the water. nobody's son, nobody's daughter." or, joining the strawhat pirates as luffy's childhood friend allows you to make memorie with people who started as strangers, but then became your loved ones.

playlist

๑ prologue

๑ the cursed orphan enters 彡 alabasta arc begins

๑ [name] joins the strawhats

๑ just a friendly competition...right?

๑ heartfelt conversations with a chef

๑ coffee beans

๑ i'm gonna freeze my balls off

๑ i'm gonna freeze my balls off, pt. 2

๑ crimson red icicles

๑ luffy's innate instincts (a hum of the heart)

๑ new crewmate, tony tony chopper

๑ his hand on his ankle

๑ don't you know? "lover" outweights "boyfriend"

๑ i'll kill you, i'll really kill you

๑ "together in chaos."

๑ zoro being annoyed at his captain and [name]

๑ mr. prince and mr. executioner

๑ the dogs are hounding on [name]

๑ wings that made [name] fly

๑ see you later, vivi!

❔[NAME] WIKI - ALABASTA ARC ENDS

๑ more in common than you'd think 彡 skypiea arc begins

๑ robin and [name] make a good team!

๑ we made it!

๑ [name] wants to adopt suu!

๑ that god guy thing

๑ strawhat adventure team, go!

๑ chopper's crown

๑ put a face to the name

๑ mummified [name]

๑ four hundred years is not too late

ꔛ 666 heart special for quotev -> individual one shots with each straw hat, each assigned a representative song that describes the relationship they share with [name]

๑ navarone - g8

๑ davy back fight 彡 long ring long land arc begins

-> frequently used tags:

#≡;- ꒰ ° keep safe series ꒱

#ks

#one piece fanfic

#one piece fanfiction

DOMESTICITY series // based off of keep safe characters/relationships, but can be read as standalone one shots

ꔛ sanji's special dessert -> he prepares a dessert only for you since he knows your likes and dislikes

ꔛ a shared interest among swordsmen -> rare moments of peace and quiet with zoro

ꔛ nami is working, don't interrupt -> she doesn't mind the company, especially if you're peeling her tangerines

ꔛ usopp and [name]'s conversation -> heart to heart

one piece [ smau ] // social media au

ପ strawhats misc. edition

ପ dating luffy edition

ପ dating nami edition

ପ dating sanji edition

ପ strawhat vacation edition

ପ dating zoro edition

ପ dating usopp edition

ପ dating vivi edition

ପ married to law edition

ପ married to franky edition

ପ married to robin edition

ପ dating eustass kid edition

ପ married to doflamingo edition

ପ dating ace edition

ପ married to marco edition

ପ dating sabo edition

-> frequently used tags:

#≡;- ꒰ ° smau series ꒱

#one piece smau

#one piece modern au

[ yandere ]

જ yandere zoro headcanons

જ yandere sanji headcanons

જ soft yandere luffy

જ yandere luffy

-> frequently used tags:

#≡;- ꒰ ° yandere series ꒱

#≡;- ꒰ ° yandere headcanons ꒱

[ drabbles // one shots // headcanons ]

ꔛ playlist : tender by blur [ luffy x male reader ] // based off of keep safe characters, but can read as a standalone one shot. small hints of yandere luffy. // snippet of pt.2

-> tender is the night, lying by your side. tender is the touch of someone that you love too much. tender is my heart. i'm screwing up my life. lord i need someone to who can heal my mind, or luffy and reader reminisce about their childhood memories while cuddling in merry's crow's nest.

-

SUGAR DADDY series

ꔛ in a world of boys, he's a gentleman, nami x SD male reader

ꔛ pass the test, nami x SD male reader, the one where he meets nami's friends

-

ꔛ shanks being your doting boyfriend

ꔛ random sanji headcanons

ꔛ sanji has a crush on you ♡︎

ꔛ halloween with the strawhats [platonic]

ꔛ a day in the life as a strawhat [platonic]

ꔛ rockstar ! tragalar law headcanons

ꔛ me psychoanalyzing sanji x male reader

ꔛ random individual headcanons ; includes, law, luffy and zoro

ꔛ the type of man . . .

[ultraericthered]

To The Unsung Heroes: Utena Girls

Using "heroes" a little loosely here.

I love the most prominent female characters of Revolutionary Girl Utena - Utena, Anthy, Nanami, Juri, and Wakaba - as much as any fan of the series. But I feel the secondary or minor girls deserve more appreciation as well, namely Kozue Kaoru, Keiko Sonoda, Mari Hozumi, and Shiori Takatsuki. And to be clear, none of these girls are particularly likable people. Yet all of them end up being portrayed so strongly and with such humanity that they cross the line into likability anyway (well, Shiori sort of pushes it, but that's by design.)

Kozue is a bit bratty and rebellious, very sexually promiscuous, and is quick to jealousy, leading to much bitterness and rudeness to others. But dammit she's so damn cool about it that I could never dislike her, especially since we do see her do well-intentioned acts such as keeping a potential predator away from her big brother and saving an birds' nest with two baby birds from a tree set to be chopped down. And she made out with Anthy in a car. That is epic.

Keiko, Aiko, and Yuko are Nanami's posse and they all warrant some appreciation by proxy, but Keiko's the main Beta Bitch who got her own character depth in the series. Beneath the exterior of being a servile sycophant to Nanami, Keiko's actually kind of a hot mess; she's keen and tenacious about getting what she wants even if she has to put herself ahead of others and screw them over to do so, secretly pines for Nanami's big brother Touga, and has a love-hate relationship with Nanami, loving the place of status and privilege that Nanami gets her (and access to Touga, of course), but hating her entitled clinginess to her big brother and the bossy, demeaning, abusive and parasitic attitude she regularly has that impedes on her happiness. In fact, she sort of boxes Nanami and the other two girls into a "wicked stepmother and stepsisters" box, as she's the plucky protagonist of a Cinderella story in her own overly romantic mind. She's so pitiful and it makes her hilarious and endearing to me.

Mari's the most minor of the whole lot, literally a bit character from a single episode of the series. But she's just so blunt and cheeky in her interactions with Mitsuru that it gave me mad appreciation for her!

Shiori is no doubt the most complex of these characters, also the most hated despite being one of Ikuhara's personal favorites. Very clearly a deeply closeted lesbian who acts self-centered to cover for her cripplingly low self esteem and holds a shallow worldview, Shiori was always envious and resentful of her classmate Juri, believing that Juri is more beautiful and talented than her and loathing her for it. Because of this, Shiori hooked up with one of Juri's would-be suitors in an act of defiance of her own repressed sexuality and an attempt to hurt Juri, who she believed had feelings for this guy. Turns out, Juri was hurt because she'd developed feelings for Shiori. When Shiori realized this, it only made her want to fuck with Juri all over again and make her suffer even more, to make her perpetually hung up on the girl she'd never be able to have. While this sounds harsh, Juri recognizes her as being "cruelly innocent", acting cruel and petty based on misunderstanding and self conscious insecurity rather than any deep malice. She's a major butt, but she's not beyond reach and understanding, even sympathy. The toxic yuri arc between Shiori and Juri tends to get more appreciation nowadays, at least. Also, this was one of Lisa Ortiz's early roles along with Lina Inverse that really sold her as a star anime VA, so that deserves all the respect as well!

[mmmmalo]

Caliborn's TV tower being shaped like a Christmas tree makes it seem less random when Tricksters dance around the Kringlefucker while a cherub-cheeked Santa Claus laughs ominously... especially since the trickster arc proceeds directly from Caliborn unlocking his screens. A Christmas tree bookends either side of the arc. But while the laughter makes some sense in context (it frames the cherubim who conferred the lollipops as the real victors, I guess) I can't figure out why the Christmas theme even emerges...

Okay Caliborn's TV tower is introduced in late November. On Christmas day, the story arrives at Dirk's rooftop -- which ALSO has a radio tower with a glowing red top. In fact, Dirk's tower is the base-sprite for Caliborn's. So we have a 3rd tree...? And perhaps a 4th: since Caliborn's tower has a miniature at its base, this perhaps implies that Dirk's alchemiter is a miniature of its respective tower.

...which I suppose is why Jade found this placement of the alchemiter elegant? Placing one version within another for a bit of... nesting, let's say. But the earlier scene isn't particularly Christmassy... Kind of hitting a dead end here.

[poppitron360]

Jason knelt by the memorial. He kept his face solemn and stony, the way he was taught by Lupa to hide his emotions. Never cry. Never show weakness. He laid the flowers across the base of the tombstone, the red and orange petals rustling ever so slightly in the breeze. He took a deep breath, and silently willed his body to stop shaking. He reached out, and traced the indentation of the name and date with his fingers, the tips slightly grazing the rough stone. The light from the candles shone in the bronze lettering, making it glow a fiery orange.

Leonidas Javier Valdez

July 7th 1998 - August 1st 2014

A true hero.

Jason felt the air shift around him as someone knelt next to him. He didn’t look at the person, instead he looked down at the concrete base of the memorial. On the floor by his knee, Piper’s hand crept closer across the stone. She was reaching out for comfort, Jason could see. But he couldn’t take it. If he let himself need her, then he’d break, and that would be weak. He looked back up at the gravestone.

“I-I can’t believe it’s been ten years…” He croaked, trying to string enough words to fill the trembling silence.

“I know,” Piper said, softly.

“He’d be twenty-six now.”

“I know.”

“Did- did you know his real name was Leonidas? before…” he gestured to the headstone.

Piper smiled weakly, “No, I didn’t. He kept that one from us.”

They turned back to the glowing bronze markings on the stone.

“Y’know…” Jason mused, “I think he’d really hate that epitaph. “A true hero” like what does that even mean?”

“It’s way too serious for him,” Piper agreed, “He’d want something funny, lighthearted. Maybe a bad pun, or a cheesy joke.”

“”Leonidas Javier Valdez- Inventor of the Valdezinator, Repair Boy, Taco-miser Extraordinaire!!”” Jason announced, waving his arm in an arc across the sky to deliver his point. Then he looked down, sadly. “He really was a hero, though… He saved so many lives that day. But… I don’t think that’s how he’d want to be remembered.”

“He’d think it was hilarious that they put that on there,” Piper said, “Painting him out to be this big martyr. He’d constantly tease us about it. Oh gods, we’d never hear the end of it.”

They laughed a little. Jason watched as Piper reached out a brushed a small clump of moss off of the stone.

“You’re getting a bit grubby there, bud,” She whispered, “Oh Leo, always covered in dirt and grime…”

She sniffed and wiped her eyes.

It was all Jason could do to keep breathing. Every day, for the last ten years, ever since Leo’s death, Jason hadn’t been living, he’d just been carrying on. He’d lost everything that day. But he had to keep going. He could not stop, could not break.

Leo was not here as a whole anymore, Jason knew that. But in the hush of the midsummer evening, Jason could see that parts of him were everywhere. He saw it in the candles. Their heat like the warmth of Leo’s skin. The dancing, restless flames like those busy eyes, constantly moving, scanning, making calculations. Jason listened to the crackle and pop of the burning wicks, and he could almost hear his shrill, raspy laugh. The shadows the candles cast were dark and inky, like motor oil and soot that covered Leo’s calloused skin. Around them, the flowers placed against the memorial rippled in the soft breeze, and Jason could see the bounce of a stray curl, the wind in his hair as Festus soared. The creak of the tree branches were the boards on the deck of the Argo, Leo atop the crow’s nest, looking out at the world. The beat of Jason’s heart was the thrum of the engine, Leo’s rhythmic tapping out in morse code to quiet the pistons. A bird chattered in the trees, and Jason could hear Leo cursing in rapid-fire Spanish, frustrated at another clogged toilet or broken mast. It was like the world was flashing Jason that infectious, cheshire-cat grin. All of these parts made up Leo. Jason could feel them. He was here. He was with them. The three of them were together again after all.

Jason watched the sparks from the candlelight dance into the sky, and he felt Leo’s spirit around them.

“Oh, Leo…” Jason spoke to the candles. He spoke to the flower petals. He spoke to the trees, “Stay with me… please.”

Piper put a hand on Jason’s shoulder. “Do you think he’s in Elysium?” She asked, “We never found a body, never got to do the proper burial rights…”

“We can hope,” Jason replied, “But wherever he is… I think he’s happy.”

Jason closed his eyes, and listened to Leo’s whispers in the air, “I wait for you…”

Held back by the barriers of life and death, Jason waited too. He kept carrying on, waiting for him to reach the end of the road. Waiting out his life, before he could re-unite with his best friend again. His everything.

But Leo had died so that Jason could keep living. Jason was gonna use that gift to do as much good as he can, be the person everyone needed him to be. But when it came to an end, Jason knew he’d be content.

“I will wait for you, Leo…” Jason whispered, almost inaudibly. He hoped Piper wouldn’t hear. “I will wait, I promise. I swear it on the Riven Styx. I will keep breathing, keep going, keep waiting. It won’t be long now.”

Warm summer winds grazed Jason’s cheek. It was like he could feel Leo’s hands cupping his face. “I wait, Jason.”

“Are you in Elysium?” Jason asked to the sky, “Are you happy?”

To Jason’s horror, the voice took on a bitter, more saddened tone. “I wait for you.”

He suppressed a sob. He had to keep it together. Ten years hadn’t made it easier, but Jason had to try. He couldn’t let himself break. He had to keep going. He had to keep breathing. He had to keep waiting. For Leo.

Piper put a hand on Jason’s shoulder. They both looked up at the night sky. Ten years ago today, a fiery explosion had flashed across that patch of the heavens. A boy atop a bronze dragon had given his life to save the world below.

He was only sixteen…

“Hey,” Came a voice behind them. Jason turned, and saw Hazel and Frank climbing up the small hill.

“Glad we could make it,” Frank said, a little breathless from the climb, “Percy and Annabeth are coming, they’re just parking the car.”

Hazel knelt the other side of Jason, Frank next to her. She lay her own flowers on the pile. Frank brought out a candle, and lit it, placing it carefully amongst the others.

“Hey, Leo…” Hazel greeted the headstone, fondly. She gave it a friendly wave.

Frank sat cross-legged. “Good to see you, bud,” He whispered.

The four of them sat around the place in silence. Soon, Percy and Annabeth came and joined them. Percy put his arms around Jason and Piper’s shoulders, and squeezed them, tight. Piper put hers around Annabeth, so they sat in a line, linked. Hazel wrapped her arm around Frank. Frank reached a meaty hand out and placed it on the top of the grave. He held it there, gripping the stone. Jason took the message, and linked arms with Hazel.

They bathed in the heat of the candles. They listened to rustle of the leaves and the creak of the branches and the chattering of the birds. Jason knew they felt, just as he did, the spirit of Leo all around them. The warmth. The laugh. The restless energy. They heard him whisper, and giggle, and tap out a message. They held him in their circle of arms, felt his soul join with them.

“I wait for you all… one day, we could be re-united for realsies. I will enjoy this moment until then.”

Jason let out one, strangled sob. “I will wait for that day, Leo.”

But for now, he was here. The seven of them, together again, for one night.

————————

Happy Leo’s death day, everyone!!!

Enjoy a “What if Leo had actually died” AU- ft. much Valgrace.

@lavenderfairiez @keefessketchbook @sleepyycapybara @imnoturfriend-im-a-swiftie13 @euryvices @ottpopfic @123letsgobestie @kaleidoskuls

[raindrop-21]

The World Is Ugly, But You're Beautiful To Me

a/n: This is for @anotherbananasong based off of their earth and air. and big thanks to @thatfuckinjester for helping me write part of this fic

word count: 2.9k

cw: self hatred, sex as self punishment, smut, FtM Air, age regressed Pebble

Song that helped the creation of this:

Air used to love having his wings touched, both sexually and non-sexually. But now all he has left of his large, black and white, shiny wings are the scar-covered arcs.

Earth, his mate, hasn't touched him since he lost them out of guilt, and Air can't bring himself out of his room in the catacombs out of shame for losing the ‘one thing’ that made him look good. 

It hurts to not be touched by the one whose soul is entwined with his, but the voices in his head tell him it's for the better, that Earth won't like him because of the loss of his ‘only’ attractive feature. 

Alpha has tried to bed him, but is told no, which both surprises and angers them. Air doesn't want to be looked at with lust or break his mateship with Earth, but the loneliness gets too much and he needs to shut off his brain and just go numb.

What better way to do that than be used. There isn't one for Air and he gives into Alpha's insistent pushing. Like before when this would happen, Air lies on his stomach while the fire ghoul takes him from behind with no mercy to Air's scars; purposefully pressing on them and grabbing his shoulders while digging into the marks left on his glamoured form with their thumb. 

Alpha even makes purposefully mean remarks about the scars and how they make his ‘subpar’ looks even worse than before.

The sex makes Air feel even worse than he did before. Usually he would stay in the bed and wallow in shame while Alpha snores next to him, but this time he leaves.

“Where you goin’, Skywhore?” The fire ghoul huffs as they roll over to look at the door.

Air flinches at the name, a name mocking the sweet one his mate gave him. The air ghoul doesn't respond, he just flips off Alpha before slamming the door behind himself; a sudden show of anger. An unusual reaction from the usually docile ancient.

Air makes his way to Earth's room, not even knocking before opening the door and dropping to his knees at the foot of Earth's nest. 

The big earth ghoul sits up from where he was pretending to sleep and stares at his mate on the floor, scrunching his nose as the scent of sex and fire ghoul on him.

Earth hasn't spoken since he saw the fresh scars on Air's wings, the scars caused by him getting seen by outsiders in his true form. He can't bring himself to speak, but his scent gives him away; worried and angry.

Worried because Air is here unannounced and smelling of sex, angry because he knows who pressured him into sex.

“I'm sorry…” The air ghoul whispers, “I'm sorry I slept with Alpha again… Please don't keep ignoring me..”

Apologies after being bedded by Alpha are something Earth's used to hearing, but he can hear the true apology behind his words; “I'm sorry I lost my wings, your favorite part of me.”.

“C'mere, Skybird…” He mumbles with an outstretched arm.

Air hesitantly crawls into the nest, perfectly built to be big enough for the two's unglamoured forms, which Air unconsciously shifts to now that he's back in his safety net. One of his wings outstretch to cover Earth, forgetting that his feathers aren't there to act like a blanket.

Earth sighs as this happens, usually he would get upset that Alpha pressured his mate into sex again, but Earth is too tired from not having slept for the past few days and he doesn't want to upset Air.

He wraps his tail around Air's waist, even though Air is in his true form, which makes his body bigger, he can tell that even before he grew, his corset was too tight to be comfortable. The tip of Earth's maple leaf shaped tail starts to slowly undo the tight knots of the strings of the air ghoul's corset.

He knows the anxiety is flowing off of Air as the strings are undone, the strings that keep the sometimes uncomfortable pressure on his mate's body.

“Skybird…” He breathes out as he gets comfortable with his mate once more. He'll leave the tough conversations for the morning.

The next morning, Air has his corset back on, which is no surprise, and he's no longer in his true form.

Earth sits up, moving Air with him, which makes Air wake up. Air realizes what he's done once he's awake. He slept with Alpha and then slept in Earth's Bed.

“My love…” The Air ghoul whispers.

“I want to know why you slept with them, but I’m not going to ask why you slept with them.” Earth sighs, “But I will say; I'm sorry for ignoring you.”

“I wanted to shut my brain off… be numb for a while..” He mutters into Earth's shoulder.

“I shouldn't have ignored you, should've given you a shoulder to lean on..” The earth ghoul says softly as he gently runs his finger over the few leftover feathers on his mate's wings.

They spend the next few hours apologizing to and loving one another; Air whispering out his feelings and Earth helping him through it.

Over the next week, Air slowly gets more comfortable with Earth's touch on his back and what's left of his wings, even though it hurts a little. 

While they're in Earth's bed, cuddling and kissing, Air can't help the way his body is reacting to his mate's body and he moves so that he's lying on top of Earth. The bigger ghoul sighs as Air lies on him and wraps his arms around his mate's small waist.

Air starts to gently grind against his mate's leg as he deepens the kiss. It's rare for Air to take the lead, but it's not unwelcome. Earth's not sure how far Air is wanting to go, but he'll listen to his little skybird and do whatever he wants.

Air's grinding has an effect on Earth and he starts to harden in his pants and his hands go from around Air's waist to on his hips, moving them so that Air's clothed cunt is pressed against his dick, earning a gasp from the other.

“We'll go as far as you want Skybird, if you need to stop, you can say the word.” He hums, “You remember it, right?”

“Yup.” The air ghoul breathes out, “I do, it's ‘fog’, or the color system.”

“Good.”

And with that, Earth pulls Air back into a heated kiss and starts moving Air's covered Tdick against his hard on. Air's feeling good, he's missed this; the lazy days with his mate.

More kissing and grinding turns making out and giggling while fumbling with clothes until they're both naked and Air is under Earth.

Earth is pressing soft kisses to the air ghoul's neck while scissoring two fingers inside of his mate.

“So pretty for me Skybird..” He hums into Air's neck, “You still okay? You wanna go further or stay here?”

“Still good.” The air ghoul affirms, “We can go further… I wanna feel you..”

“Alright, Love..”

With that, Earth removes his fingers from Air. He looks Air in the eye as he licks his fingers, making an exaggerated ‘mmm’ just to make him blush and squirm.

He lifts up Air's hips and wraps his legs around his waist before lining himself up with Air. He slowly pushed in, letting his tip push into Air, groaning at the familiar feeling.

He gives Air a moment to adjust, time to back out, but when the words don't come, he pushes in further, fully sheathing himself inside his mate.

Air lets out the prettiest of whines as he gets filled so deliciously. The comfort of being so intimately connected to his mate is intoxicating. So intoxicating he starts moving his hips without meaning to, just lightly grinding so that Earth's tip rubs against his g-spot.

“Eager now aren't you, little bird?” Earth says softly as he brushes a piece of copper hair out of Air's face.

“Feels good…” 

“Good, you deserve to feel good.”  The bigger ghoul responds with a smile.

Earth slowly starts rocking his hips in the way he knows his mate loves, which pulls quiet whines and whimpers from the ghoul under him. Air isn't always vocal, but that's just another thing Earth loves about his mate.

Earth presses kisses to Air's neck, sucking a few light marks into the pale skin and pulling back to look at his work.

“Beautiful.”

Air wraps his arms around Earth's neck, his claws digging into his mate's back as the steady rub of Earth's tip against his G-spot slowly makes him get closer to a painfully beautiful orgasm.

Earth's barely pulling out, but the fact that he's making Air feel good enough to get him off.

Earth moves to be sitting up and takes Air with him so the ghoul is now in his lap as he continues his shallow thrusts as he looks Air in the eyes.

“Skybird, I love you.” Earth whispers to his mate before pressing his lips to his mate's.

Earth's words, his hands on Air's hips, his movements, his lips, his scent, him, is enough to help push Air to that peak, making him fall apart in his mate's arms. 

Earth swallows the whimper Air lets out and gives a few deeper thrusts to help Air ride out his orgasm before he starts to chase his own. It doesn't take long for Earth to spill himself into Air.

He's about to pull out of Air when Air stops him.

“Don't take it out… I wanna stay like this for a while…”

Earth is more than happy to stay inside his mate if it makes him happy.

Over the next few days Earth and Air get back comfortable with each other again, and eventually Earth wants to see the damage done to his mate's wings.

“Are you sure you want to see them?” Air mumbles, his voice full of insecurity, “They're not pretty anymore…”

“I'm so sure, Skybird.” The larger ghoul says softly as he gazes lovingly into Air's eyes, “The world may be an ugly place, but the loss of your wings won't make you a part of that ugliness. You'll always be beautiful.”

Air starts to tear up at Earth's words, but he quickly unglamours into his true form, letting Earth see the damage done to his once fluffy wings. 

The feathers are gone, save for the few small ones on the arches that still try to grow. The smaller wings on the bottom seem to be in worse shape as when they were broken they weren't set to heal properly.

That bitch. Is all Earth can think before he wraps his arms around Air's waist.

Earth can feel the tears drop from Air's eyes which triggers his own tears to start falling.

“The world is ugly, but you're beautiful to me…” Earth mutters into Air's shoulder, “She can take your wings, but she can't take your beauty.”

“Hey Peb? Can I get you to do me a favor please?” Earth hums as his hand strokes through the little earth ghoul's hair.

The ghoul perks up from where he was coloring and looks to Earth with a nod.

“You know how Airy's wings got hurt?” He questions gently, receiving another nod, “I wanted to make him something for him to feel better. Before you leave today, I'm going to give you a little box, I want you to give it to Cumulus okay?”

Pebble gives yet another nod, this one more curious than anything.

“Thank you, hun.” Earth says with a smile.

“Hm? What's this little one?” Cumulus hums as she brushes her bangs out of her eyes to look at the box.

“From Earth.”

“Gotcha, thanks.” She says as she pockets it and picks up Pebble to take him to her room.

Cumulus lies Pebble down in her nest and lights a forest scented candle so he can relax and go to sleep. He's taken a liking to her room while he's in little space recently. 

Once he's asleep, she opens the box to see what's in it. She sees some cash and a note.

I need a favor, I'll owe you one. I need you to go to the craft store and get stuff to make fake wings. Here are the dimensions; --cm by --cm. I don't know if this'll be enough, if it's not I'll give you more. Take your time making it. Take Pebble with you, he'll know the right color. -Earth

Why does he need fake wings made? Cumulus thinks to herself as she folds the note back up and puts it on her night stand. She mulls over the thought, she'll make the wings, she will, but she wants to know why.

The next day, ‘Lus gets Pebble ready to go to the store, he has to glamor down to his human and go without his mask. Doing one at a time is challenging for him, especially when he's little, so doing both is even harder. As a compromise, Cumulus lets him wear a medical mask and pretend he's sick.

They're walking through the aisles, trying to find the fake feathers, they're going to need a lot of feathers to make the fake wings for Earth. 

Pebble is squeezing a stress toy he found on a shelf with one hand as he holds Lus's hand with his other hand. Pebble gives her hand two squeezes and points down an aisle they pass.

Cumulus looks down the aisle and sees feather boas; they're on the right track. She turns the cart to go down that aisle and her eyes scan the many long strings of faux feathers.

Pebble lets go of her hand and runs his fingers down the wall of faux feathers before stopping on a string of off-white almost light gray feathers.

“These… These are Air's.” He mumbles as he picks them up off the rack and hands them to Cumulus.

“Thanks my good little helper.” She says with a smile as she takes the boa and grabs a few more off the rack and tosses them into the cart.

Cumulus looks to her left and on the wall are bags of colored bird feathers, and she grabs all the bags of the ones that match the boas in the cart. 

She takes the little earth ghoul's hand and they walk to the fabric section and get a few yards of a soft, silk fabric that's close to the color of the feathers in the cart before heading to the checkout.

Cumulus lets Pebble get the stress toy he's been playing with and a soda along with a candy as his reward for being a good helper. She can't help but spoil the little ghoul.

A few weeks of Cumulus becoming obsessed with finishing the fake wings go by and when she's done, she takes the wings down to catacombs to give them to Earth.

The further into the catacombs she goes, the more stale the air becomes and the harder it is to breathe. She reaches Earth's room and knocks on the door, which is quickly opened by Earth.

“Yeah? Who is it..? Oh! ‘Lus, you got ‘em?” He says excitedly.

“Yup,” She chirps, “They should fit perfectly, but can I ask why you needed them made?”

A long pause goes between the two before Earth speaks up.

“You'll see in a moment, come in.”

Cumulus does as he says and steps into the room to Air lying in the large nest in the room, reading a book with an oxygen tube going around his face and giving him fresh oxygen through his nose.

So it's not only her who struggles to breathe down here.

“Air I have a surprise for you that I had Cumulus make, can you come over here for a moment love?” Earth says softly as he shuts the door.

“Yeah, sure.” He says as he stands and walks over to them, taking off his oxygen hose, “What is it?”

“You're going to have to go into your true form, is that okay?” Earth explains.

Air hesitates for a moment, not sure if he wants to in front of a ghoulette he's barely spoken to, but he decides to do it since she's the one that made his surprise.

Cumulus is immediately shocked and angered at the sight of Air's featherless and broken wings.

“Who-” She starts before getting cut off by Earth.

“Imperator.”

Cumulus sees red but tries to hold it back while with Air. She takes a deep breath and starts unfolding the fake wings and handing them over to Earth.

With Lus's help, Earth quickly gets the fake wings securely attached to what remains of Air's actual wings. He won't be able to fly with them, but he'll have his wings back.

Once she's done helping, she slips out the door to go give Imperator a piece of her mind.

“Skybird.” Earth whispers, “Look in the mirror, love.”

When Air looks into the mirror, he starts to cry. He's looking at his wings, but also not at his wings. They look just like he remembers, but not the same at all at the same time.

“They're beautiful.” He chokes out as he touches them and feels the familiar yet unfamiliar softness.

Earth wraps his arms around his mate's waist, sensing the conflicting emotions within Air.

They stand there together, living in the moment, loving one another and basking in the beauty of each other.

The world may be ugly, but they'll always be beautiful to each other.

[thecrowsnestp5]

OHHH THE CROWS NEST ALL PARALLELS THE PTHIEVES??? THATS SO COOL?????? i wanna know all the similarities between them!@!!!!!!!

sorry i took so long to get back to u on this. um. happy 1 year anniversary to the tcn blog, you're getting a meta post

i won't waste time getting into it. this got long so sorry in advance.

akechi and joker are canon parallels in ways that are obvious enough for me to not point out, but additionally, akechi has to develop the same leaderly traits that joker does in order to operate his team properly. he kind of undergoes the same arc that joker does where he learns to de-mask around other people and sees his bonds as true and loving rather than transactional and disposable. he's also helplessly dependent on his cat, just like joker!

along with the growth, akechi also has to go through the same pain joker does. what you get from that statement is your thing to deal with, i'm not spilling jack shit to you.

lysander and morgana are both similar and opposite, which is also the case for every pairup here. morgana is eager to be a mentor, whereas lysander strives to be the best subordinate he can. morgana embodies hope, lysander only knows death and cruelty. but there's also a need for purpose - neither of them are alive in a traditional sense. there's a conscience and operative innards, but not much aside from that, and that breeds an insecurity of not truly belonging, since they didn't come from anywhere in particular.

lysander and akechi are both equally dependent on each other. akechi has very few people he can be vulnerable around, since he still has to be strong in front of his team, and lysander's whole purpose is to serve him, so if he fails at that, then what is the point of his existence anymore? joker and morgana are pretty much the same.

did i mention roxy is the counterpart to both ann and ryuji? i'm mentioning that again. ann endured sexual abuse and ryuji dealt with a lot of repressed anger growing up, and upon standing up for themselves they then felt like they made a mistake and swore to thereon keep their feelings shoved down, even though it's actually their strong suit. they're already fairly similar, which makes it easy for roxy to borrow traits from both of them - she also shares their bad reputations, of ann being promiscuous and ryuji being a dangerous delinquent.

roxy comes from an impoverished family that cares a lot about reputation, since that was the key to keeping their jobs, aka what keeps a roof over their head. she had to be on good behaviour a lot of the time, both in the public eye and at home, since stress was the last thing anybody there needed. she had a lot of repressed anger, and even more since she started working with shirakawa and had to NOT crack under the relentless abuse she went through, and when her and akechi teamed up in his palace, it all came bursting through. she's now uncontrollably angry, unlike ann and ryuji, but she's still doing it in a way that muffles any other feelings. which is obviously not healthy.

additionally, in the metaverse, roxy's costume is based on a type of pillager (NOT MINECRAFT) like ryuji's is (viking/pirate) but her persona shares similar themes of female sexual empowerment like ann's does.

bunki and futaba basically have the same backstory - a beloved family member (wakaba, bunki's partially-named sister) died in a traffic related accident, they blamed themselves for it and spiraled into self-loathing suicidal depressive hell (no thanks to their guardian/s either) and became "hacktivists" in all the time they had to themselves out of some possible means of atonement? a key difference between them though is that futaba has anxiety and bunki... does not. he's like the opposite of a people pleaser i think.

futaba fears upsetting people, but bunki revels in others' discomfort. futaba is socially inept, but bunki is acutely aware of his surroundings. she's generally harmless, where he is outright malicious and displays himself as an actual threat. what makes futaba a proper navigator is her intelligence and quick strategic thinking when it comes to battle; bunki is one because of his deeper intuition regarding human behaviour, being someone who deliberately reads into other people in order to piss them off. el oh el.

another contrast is that futaba's metaverse costume is distinctly futuristic, and bunki's is steampunk! wow!!!!!

chifuyu and yusuke were both exploited by their respective guardians, with absolutely no other adults to turn to. yusuke only made art dictated by madarame for the sake of earning them money, chifuyu engaged in underground boxing matches (and other illegal activity that isn't as prominent) per the request of GUY WHO'S NAME I HAVEN'T REVEALED YET also to get money. after getting out of their situation, they find themselves struggling financially again; yusuke refuses to sell out, however chifuyu has been free for about a year, and has gotten desperate for cash in that time to the point that he takes on just about any job. he had to drop out of high school to focus on work.

they also both experience burnout pertaining to their skills; yusuke no longer can find it in him to paint anything meaningful, while chifuyu experiences a loss of understanding on what it means to be strong. yusuke is a lot more of a gentle soul, though, and chifuyu is a total brute. oh, and they share similar traditional japanese theming in their metaverse costumes.

makoto and kiyoe both fit into the "ace student" stereotype, and have the same fear of disappointing their superiors. they each approach their respective palace ruler target in an uncharacteristically reckless manner to avoid being "useless". however, where makoto learns to develop her own sense of justice instead of depending on others to tell her how to think, kiyoe never quite manages to step out of anyone's shadow.

they experience a similar alienation from their peers by being judged as too high status and stuck up. for makoto, this encourages her to look into the different paths of life, diverging from the "work hard, graduate, get office job, work harder" model she's been familiar with all her life. for kiyoe, this only deters her from stepping out into the world and has her backing into the influence of someone who's allegedly more experienced, someone like akechi who's older and wiser and tougher.

i don't think there's any notable similarities between them when it comes to the metaverse, but they do share ties into masculinity. makoto's persona is a woman who went undercover as male in order to have a position of power, where kiyoe's is an outright man who risked his life for honor and vengeance. it more has to do with overcompensating masculinity to "make up" for the detriment femininity has on their influence, i think. idk. that's not what this post is about.

etsumi and haru have faced similar objectification to the benefit of their greedy corporate fathers and came to be extremely non-confrontational. there's a part in haru's confidant where sugimura insults her weight and she gets really upset, which could imply some self-image issues; etsumi's problems with her body are much more explicit, as she does get intimidated by eating certain foods due to restrictions placed upon her by her father all her life.

haru has a very distinct "creation" motif with her character, to contrast with her father who is all about taking from other people. she enjoys gardening, she wants to make a business for herself separate from big bang burger, astarte is a goddess of fertility. in conflict with that, "death" is a recurring theme for etsumi. while she also tries taking care of plants, she never manages to succeed and they always wilt. her metaverse costume has ties to the grim reaper and dias de los muertos. her persona, hel, is the norse goddess of the underworld. pretty cool right.

this is another kind of post where taichi is brutally ignored, but i hope you're still satisfied without the presence of the most important tcn character totally. i'm actually very excited that someone asked about this because i've thought so much about it :) :) :) thnak u

[mochiwrites]

ok but secret husbands season 10 theyre insufferable flirting in the permit office meanwhile pearl and joel are dying please they just want their permits what is this tension.

or during grians fishing arc. scar is like babe come back to the nest :( and but grian is locked in. in the middle of the night scar gets woken up bc grian is fishing in his dreams. mending book grian fished gets put in the nest until its put in the manifest room and scar isnt allowed to touch it speaking of mending book, scar gets kicked out of his own bed for like 5 minutes after he fishes that mending book, before grian cant take his puppydog eyes look and huffs and lets him back in

HELP I WAS GONNA SAY —

scar is absolutely banned from the nest after he fishes up that mending book, 100% he is the most pathetic little guy about it. he’s forced to sleep in the bed he’s got at grian’s base while grian takes his nest. and the whole time scar is giving him puppy dog eyes and asking to cuddle and grian tries to be So firm about it. but he crumbles and gives in

scar climbs in next to him and pulls him close from behind, kisses his neck and apologizes that he messed with grian’s fishing :(

there are definitely nights where scar sits outside at the dock with grian while he fishes. he’s fallen asleep against him a few times here and there <3

anD THE PERMIT OFFICE LMAO YES. they’re Shamelessly flirting the whole time and pearl and joel just give up at leave and resign themselves to another round of government torment to get their permits just so they can escape the flirting