#been forever since ive done anything with the fandom

[savage-rhi]

Dawkins: A Death Stranding WIP

Summary:

This is a little WIP section of a new Death Stranding fanfic I've been developing based around my OC Gene Dawkins. Some may be familiar with Gene in my fics Sky of Atoms, and Death Stranding Rewind. These stories followed Gene and her relationship with Higgs Monaghan. With this new story, I'm making it more centered on her own life with an overarching plot that ties in with what we know from the game (and possibly DS2 when it comes out). I don't anticipate writing for this story until my other works are complete, but I wanted to put this out for fun and see if there's interest. Feel free to reach out or reply if you want. Thanks for reading!

Gene had never in her life felt this cold before. Her skin trembled while sweat pooled down her face. She felt warm like a fever had taken root. The single blanket provided to her seldom helped, even as she bundled further. Her legs dangled over her assigned coffin, feet gently touching the tiled floor. The piercing cold had her retreat with a hiss. She lifted her right foot up, setting it across her lap, and inspected her sole. There should’ve been frostbite or even a burn given how painful it was. Nonetheless, there was no sign of such a wound much to Gene’s relief. 

“They weren’t kidding about side effects,” Gene murmured to herself with a laugh. Furrowing her brows, she realized it would be a while before she could enjoy being back in the land of the living. Especially when her body or Ha, was registering that her spirit, Ka, returned from the Beach and the five planes. 

Despite having an easy time reintegrating, Gene’s mind was rattled at all she had experienced. The Beach, and all the others connected, were as intricate as stars in a galaxy; boundless. And like stars, beaches shimmered and exploded; returning to the dust from wence they came with new ones coming to take the mantle. 

The BTs were another thing that overwhelmed her. On earth, they were more or less the boogeymen of the modern world; a byproduct of the Death Stranding and its calamity. On the five planes, they had their own ecosystem and life cycle. Gene could scarcely remember it entirely, but when her Ka had walked among them, something clicked. There was a purpose to everything, even monstrous creatures with nuclear capability if they contacted the living. 

“Hey, sleeping beauty!” 

Gene turned her head, seeing Odd standing in the doorway carrying a medium-sized box. 

“Is that you, or my sleep paralysis demon?” Gene quipped with a tired laugh, shaking her head. 

“Would both be a sufficient answer?” Odd chuckled. 

“Depends if you want to get hit in the face or not,” Gene shrugged with a grin. Her eyes followed Odd as he ventured further into the room, and pulled up a stool from afar to sit across from her. 

“How are you feeling?” 

“Like I died,” Gene answered point blank. “Does this happen every time you go Walking?” 

“For a while, yeah. Your Ha will get used to it.” Odd nodded truthfully. He let out a breath he had been holding back since Gene had undergone the ceremony and smiled.

“I knew you’d pull through!”

Gene canted her head, raising a brow in suspicion. 

“What?” Odd asked.

“I swear I hear doubt in your voice.” Gene grinned. 

“Nah, never.” Odd chuckled, waving off the accusation with his hand playfully. “Although, you had me worried back there, on the shores. Most have their breakthrough before ascending to the Beach and five planes.”

“Guess I'm special," Gene murmured, recalling how terrifying that ordeal was. One moment, she was feeling the energy of all atoms in the air and sky, and then a wave of tar crashed into her being and pulled her into the ocean. “I’m glad you and ANUBIS were there to pull me out, or...I guess I should be calling you SET now considering the circumstances.” 

“It’s about time you started treating me with some authority!” Odd chuckled and further laughed at the playful grimace Gene evoked. 

“Don’t get all cute,” Gene countered. “You may be the better Death Walker, but I’m still the best porter between us.” 

“You do have me in a bind there,” Odd admitted with a soft laugh. His expression changed, going from carefree to concerned. He held it for a while, glancing over Gene as if looking for a hidden injury. “I know you already told me, but for clarity's sake, what did you see during your breakthrough?”  

“I can’t remember it all. It was sudden, like a light going on and off.” 

“Try to remember the core of it.” Odd encouraged. “The feelings you had, and any images of significance.” 

Gene made a face, feeling the hairs on her arms stand. She remembered drowning, feeling the very essence of her Ka expanding and contracting before a fury of images was suddenly downloaded into her consciousness. Deep down, she didn’t know if she would ever recover from it.

She closed her eyes, trying to give her brain the chance to sort through what experiences her Ka had taken into itself. 

“I saw the world,” Gene began, and gesticulated with her hands to emphasize her points. “And out of this…void, came a large snake. It coiled around the globe ten times over, squeezing what it could. Then the snake stretched its neck and looked up at the sun. I saw it rise, sprinting toward it. Its mouth opened, and it swallowed the rays and eventually, the whole sphere, but the sun escaped and the snake retreated back into the darkness.” 

Gene opened her eyes when she was done recounting. “Then I saw you and ANUBIS pulling me out of the surf.” 

Odd, nodded. The concern he displayed from before died down as he smiled with pride. His fingers gently tapped the medium-sized box, and he offered it to Gene. 

With a shaking hand, Gene retrieved the box. She raised a brow at Odd after glancing between the package and him.

“What’s this, a funeral gift?”

“More like a welcoming present.” Odd corrected with a laugh. “You survived the ceremony, the breakthrough, and found your patron. It’s only fair you earned one of these to help you travel to and from the Beach.” 

Gene began to unwrap the box, her smile growing big as each layer was peeled back. When her mask was finally revealed, Gene paused to look over the details. It reminded her of a half-face Oni mask that samurai would wear into battle, to scare the souls out of their enemies. The structure was reptilian in nature, resembling the maw of a dragon. The teeth were small, save for a pair of fangs that a cobra would be envious of. The mask was near pitch black, and the teeth were covered in gold chiralium. Though Gene knew this was a tool for her new job, it was also a work of art. Something crafted with devotion.

“Did you make this, or did the UCA?” Gene asked in awe. 

“Yours truly!” Odd gestured out with both his arms and grinned. “Once you told me what your breakthrough was on the Beach, I started carving with the printers as soon as I woke up.” 

As Gene combed over every inch of detail, she noticed a small inscription on the lower left side of the mask. In silver etching was inscribed the numbers 006 with a dash in between, and a name in all caps. She furrowed her brows, then finally peered up at Odd who gave her a beaming smile, much like the ones used to wear all the time when they were both children. 

Odd stood up, rummaging Gene’s hair playfully. In between exhausted laughs, and Gene shoving his arm away, Odd crouched in front of Gene. The determination in his eyes had her smiling back in admiration. 

“I better let you rest. You’re gonna need it before we go Walking again.”

“More like I need to hibernate.” Gene snorted. 

“Then I will speak no more!” Odd chuckled and rose to his feet. He ventured to the door of Gene’s quarters. Before disappearing from view, Odd turned around, meeting Gene’s gaze. 

“Welcome to the DUAT, APEP.” 

With a wink, he was gone and Gene’s eyes fell back onto the mask. Her fingers traced over the word APEP and she swallowed. 

The serpent eating the sun came back to her. Except, the sphere didn’t escape from the clutches of the giant reptile. The planet disappeared into its gaping maw, and then there was darkness, and what could only be described as a supernova and fire following suit. Then came the screams of billions. 

A part of Gene wanted to tell Odd the truth; that there was more to her breakthrough than what was shared. Nonetheless, Gene couldn’t help but feel the need to keep to herself. It could wait until later. She and DUAT had bigger problems; capturing those responsible for destroying Middle Knot City.

She playfully put the mask on her lower face, and breathed in deep while her eyes closed. There would be justice.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Catch and Release

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: AU where Jason doesn't die in the explosion and he and Tim end up attending the same high school months later.

Chapters: 4/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Tim Drake, Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon, Sebastian Ives, Jack Drake, Janet Drake

Relationships: TBA

Additional Tag: Jason Todd Lives, Jason Todd-centric, POV Jason Todd, POV First Person, Tim Drake Has Issues, Tim Drake Has Issues, Tim Drake is Not Robin, Jason Todd is Not Robin (Anymore), Bruce Wayne Needs a Hug, Alfred Pennyworth is the Best, Alfred Pennyworth Knows, Stalker Tim Drake, Jason Todd Has Chronic Pain, Jason Todd Has PTSD, Angst with a Happy Ending, Unlikely Friends, Injury Recovery, Emotional Baggage, Rage, Bruce Wayne is Bad at Communicating

Chapter Four: Looking Glasses

My glasses weren't ready for my Wednesday appointment, but they were done the Friday after my second week of school. So, I took a cab to the optometrist's and then the pizza parlor, where I ran into Tim. He was with his friends, so I thought he wouldn't notice me. "One meat lover's pizza with thin garlic butter crust," I ordered. I waited in the corner, drinking out of the two-liter soda I bought to drown my misery. I had a crappy week at school and didn't want to speak to talk to anyone. The smell of pizza usually left me in a better mood. Besides, I liked being away from the house and the family. I ate the fries they gave me for dining in and watched people standing at the street corner.

"Order for Christopher!" the man at the counter called. I finished my fries, threw the two-liter in my bag, and grabbed my crutches. When I got to the counter, I realized I couldn't carry my pizza and use my crutches. Tim got up and offered to help. I was mortified. I hid my name and everything to avoid speaking to him, only to need his help.

"Here, listen, my driver's on his way. He can drop you off if you want, and I'll help you to your-."

"I don't wanna be any trouble," I interrupted. I said it harshly without meaning to, but I don't think Tim cared. He'd been following me around campus all day, and we just so happened to meet at the pizza place. It would've felt like he was stalking me had he not gotten there first. "I should've thought-."

"No, it's okay. It's really no trouble. I insist," Tim replied.

There was no polite way to turn him down, and his driver just pulled up out front. "I'll split this pie with you if you don't take me home."

Tim grinned a half-smile. "Alright. Come on, I've got your pizza," Tim reassured me. He carried my pizza to the car, and I followed him out.

Once we got in the car, I asked the question I'd had since the first day of school. "Are you watching me? At school, I mean?" I asked.

"I've been-. I'm curious. People talk, and-. Well, you never let anybody close enough to learn anything about you," Tim replied. I knit my brows with great effort.

"What do you wanna know, Tim?" I asked.

"Jason, what kind of accident was it?" Tim questioned.

"Explosion... Gas leak explosion. I don't like to talk about it," I lied. Honestly, I was dying to talk about it. I was sick of holding it all inside myself, but I couldn't afford to let anyone in my head. Especially not some freshman I'd known for less than a week. Tim gave me my pizza box and the okay to eat in the car. I set the box between us and draped an open napkin over my lap. I let Tim eat, but he wasn't hungry. I ate in silence.

It'd been a while since I'd had pizza. I think it was my birthday the last time. I was in the hospital then. Bruce wanted to cheer me up, but all I could think about was my-. I could only think about Sheila. I tried to take the brunt of the blast, but I wasn't big enough. She impaled her skull on a rock anyway. So, I lay trapped between the debris and her lifeless body for what felt like forever. I relived that moment constantly. Lately, I only think about it when I feel trapped. "Jason?" Tim whispered as he touched my arm. It shook me out of a trance. "You alright? You were gone for a while... We're at my house now."

"Oh, we're here?" I mumbled as if I'd been asleep. I slipped my backpack on, and Tim helped me carry my pizza box inside. His house was mostly empty, save for a maid or nanny working on the premises. He set the box on the coffee table and turned the tv on.

I took my homework out of my bag and sat it upright on the floor. "You're gonna do your homework?" Tim asked. I nodded and put on my glasses.

"Yeah, that's what I typically do when I get a minute to sit down," I half-joked. Tim shrugged and flipped through the channels.

"Would it be distracting if I asked you a few questions?" Tim asked. I shook my head. "Jason, when you were thirteen, you went on a short trip to Hollywood over the spring break, right?" The question was weird, but I nodded.

"Yeah, I was visiting a friend. He invited me out to see the movie his Aunt worked on," I answered. That was a half-truth.

"Did you get to see Robin while you were there?" Tim asked.

I laughed it off. "Robin lived in Gotham... But no one's seen much of him lately," I replied. Tim nodded seriously and turned toward the tv.

"He was in Los Angeles that week," Tim replied, "Weird coincidence, huh?"

"What are you getting at, Tim?" I asked.

"Nothing, I'm just a big fan of Robin. I always ask," Tim whispered. I took a deep breath. "I'm coming on too strong, huh?

"A little," I replied as I opened my history book and filled out my worksheet. It took me an hour to finish my homework before I asked Tim to call me a cab.

Tim seemed sad at first, but he called the cab anyway. When the cab got there, he lingered out front with me. "Hey, um-."

"Thanks for everything, Tim. Can we do this again?" I asked. Tim grinned. I didn't want to admit it, but it was the first time I'd felt normal since the accident. I didn't want to let that feeling go. I opened the door and waved at Tim before heading home.

As soon as I got home, Bruce came out of the manor fuming. He waited until I reached the front door to start in on me. "Where the hell have you been?" Bruce asked, whispering through clenched teeth.

"I got my glasses, ate, and did my homework... How are you?" I asked.

"I was worried-. Did you ask me how I was?" Bruce questioned. I nodded. I never asked him how he was. I think my sincerity shocked him. I offered an awkward smile. "I'm alright... How are you?"

"I'm good... I think-. Yeah, I'm good," I smiled. Bruce let me in, and I took the stairlift without argument. I didn't even have to argue with him. I chose peace and peace felt... Kinda nice.

[utahlive]

im sorry utah nation. I played videos game instead of working on an episode,, orz

on an unrelated note, I wanted to ask: does anyone have any tumblr themes or ways to make posts chronological? We have roughly 150 episodes of UtahLIVE, and although most of them can be read out of order, there is a timeline (plus it would be more convenient for new readers. Ive gotten a lot of asks about topics or scenarios that have already been answered). If there are any tutorials/themes/tips let me know via DMs or ask box!

additionally:

LETS GOOOOO!!! This is insane! 4000 people... thats roughly twice the size of the student body at my school. I dont know how many of you guys are porn bots, but im still going to take this W. I feel like I should do something special? People usually do community events for milestones I think so if you have ideas let me know?? Otherwise I’ll have something fun to post in the next week.

+ some quick q&a below

avoiding potential lawsuits 🙏

I know this one is meant for Wilbur, but alas thats just how I draw eyes. Sorry my art style gave your fave character cataracts. yeah its permanent. no sorry we cant fix it. um. insurance doesnt cover the surgery so hes like that forever. yeah. sorry

(i do like to mess with how I draw eyes, but the white color is a stylistic choice)

its a psycho-competitive relationship that can be construed to be romantic (but it's not explicit). obviously

anon im holding your hand so tenderly and lovingly. it means a lot that people like my art! more than I can say, which is why ive been trying to figure out how to answer this ask for the past like... two+ weeks since you sent it in! Im probably gonna hold off on sharing my other accounts for a few reasons (there might be some people who already know my other blogs which is fine idc welcome to my twisted mind etc im just not going to advertise them here). My main blog is basically a spam blog where I dont tag anything. I dont really post original art and my fandom art is few and far between. 90% of my work just goes in discord DMs or servers 💀 I think the main reason though-and this may or may not make sense to some of you-is that I don’t want your opinion of me to change how you view the story. This is a super specific example, but for all my fic readers out there: have you ever joined an authors server, and then after meeting them you feel a bit odd about the fic since the creator isnt exactly the person you thought them to be (not necessarily in a good or bad way)? That’s exactly what I don’t want happening with this blog. Basically: Nooo what if you find out about me as a person and realize im cringeeee aaaaa [image of the werewolf transformation (you know the one)] That being said, we’ll see how things go, I guess! At the very least, I’ll probably put my socials out when I’m done here (we got a ways to go before that happens though, so dont even start to worry about that) that was a lot of text for one answer. yeesh 😬 sorry about that

[liauditore]

2023 art review! thoughts and such below the cut

2023 has been a really wild year for me in terms of Life Stuff both good and bad and i think it.. definitely shows through my art.

I've had this thing for years where I always felt my art was.. kinda mid? Not Bad by any means (I'm not delusional about my own skill level. I think) but definitely not good enough to stand out or make an impact. And I think I became somewhat comfortable in that "good enough" state for awhile.

this year though I think at some point I kind of sat down with myself and said I was going to Get Good and I think it somewhat paid off? I spent a lot of the middle of the year revisiting colour since that was always something I was confident in and started tackling stuff that scare me like anatomy/perspective/basically anything technical nearing the end.

there's definitely still room to improve but in general ive noticed my character's faces being less wonky and my illustrations feeling more "focused" overall.

I must also mention that the mcyt brainrot became my entire personality sometime in March and being active in a fandom for the first time in forever has definitely played a part. I have met so many amazing ppl and I have kind of an issue with getting competitive, so being surrounded by really skilled artists all the time online might've done something to me mentally lmao (and thank you all for being friends with me i still don't feel like you are real people sometimes where did you come from)

SO UM YEAH here's to another year of getting better at doodling :D

past years:

[autisticlancemcclain]

fic rec friday 25

welcome to the twenty-fifth fic rec friday! where, on friday, i rec five of my favourite fics.

1. ladies and gentlemen we are rocking in space by @mayerwien

LANCE do u like the taste of spam, van kieu because thats what ull get 1 glorious terabyte of def-not-garrison-approved viewing matl every hour on d hour

KEITH And now you’re blackmailing me. Wonderful. Look, I’ll tell you, alright? Not because your threat scares me, but because I’d like to cut this conversation as short as humanly possible.

LANCE glad ur being so cooperative ;) ;)

--

Lance gets a new flight simulation partner. Lance makes a bunch of mixtapes. Lance falls in love?

Galaxy Garrison + texting au. For the Klance Zine!

i can confidently say, in my 6+ years of being a klance stan, i have never seen anything like this before or since. this fic is AMAZING. completely new idea, hilarious, sweet, and totally untouchable. i’ve always love testing fics that are done right (bc theyre always funny), and does this one ever knock it out of the park! the dynamics are amazing and the rivalry is EXQUISITE. bonus of vietnamese keith and filipino lance, and this one line (it’s a spoiler so im not going to put it here) that actually knocked me out of the water. its about the CHOICE.

2. But You’ll Peek Through by Barkour

It's weird, the things you get used to when you've been stuck in space for years. How much you miss home. Socializing regularly with only six people. No wifi. Your cranky boyfriend.

this is one of the earliest vld fics ever written, and it has a CROWN idk. this fic makes me feel so many emotions all at once. like  i miss u 2016 fic i miss u keith gyeong i miss u bitchy klance i miss u early voltron found family dynamic i miss u old lance’s family headcanons i miss u bamf team. rip to the earliest voltron fandom (also. how did this author know about romelle. in 2016.)

3. Pull Me Closer by @thewriter2

An ancient power dwells in Lance’s very bones. It hums a sweet song of the sea in Lance’s ear, calling him to the water. Keith’s bones are on fire as the very spirit of the flame lives in him. However, it’s these ancient powers that begin to pull them together; that shows them how to properly balance each other out

i SEARCHED for this fic. i made half my followers search with me too. this fic is bamf lance to the fucking max, and its AMAZING. how many of you have wanted waterbender lance so badly you could barely speak? firebender keith? if u said u didnt then ur lying. this fic has literally everything you could ask for in a canon divergence

4. The Homestead by @devooshawrites

Keith is hired for the summer to work on the farm of the McClain family. He and the youngest son of the family become good friends, though Keith might want more.

i am so fucking in love with aus like this. cowboy or farmboy where theyre quietly in love in their own bubble of the world?? i cannot get enough of them. i would read a million of them. this fic in particular is SO soft and tender, it is so so important to me. ive read it so many times. its one of those fics that brings a smile to your face that u literally cannot fight back

5. Prince Charming by @taylortot

Lance thinks that Prince Keith is just another stuck-up royal with an attitude problem until they spend some time together outside of the palace and he discovers that he couldn't have been more wrong.

Written for The First of Forever Zine!

this fic is SO tender it is sickeningly sweet. “rivals” to friends to lovers is so special to me, and no one does it like taylortot fr. love is stored in the tender moments away 

that’s it for today!! i’ll see y’all back next friday for the next fic rec post!!!  

[dokoni-mo]

Mortal Shenanigans || Khonshu x GN! Reader

summary: you have a night out.

SFW // fluff

word count: 5008

warnings: fluff, cursing, mentions of canon-typical violence, post-canon, mentions of marc, steven and jake (they do not make an appearance), khonshu struggles with human emotion sometimes and gets frustrated a bit easily but we love him for it, established relationship, khonshu also has a really big ego but thats just common knowledge, non-violent usage of knives

disclaimer: i do not have DID myself, so if i wrote anything incorrectly as it pertains to the mentions of marc, steven and jake I apologize, i just tried to stay as close to canon as possible

a/n: wow its been FOREVER since ive written for a different fandom,,, look look ik what yall are thinking: really? the bird man?? well YES the bird man if i can simp for the worst evil dilf in the galaxy i can simp for the bird man too (he's also my comfort character and ive been struggling with some anxiety/more insomnia recently so ffkadfjkdlf i just need this one okay??),, anyways taglist open!! enjoy!!

~~~

Every time you looked at Khonshu, you could only wonder one thing. Why didn't he give himself any hair?

You had been with the god for years now. Long before either Marc, Steven, or Jake was his avatar. You knew him. You knew that he was full of pride. The god took great pride in the "vengeance" he sought on those who have done wrong. He took pride in his Moon Knight; even if he had to jump through some hoops to get one. Khonshu almost never admitted he was wrong. And even more rarely, he would apologize for being wrong. You had to give him the silent treatment for days for him to do that.

Which is why his lack of hair puzzled you greatly.

Although he wasn't very forward about it, you knew Khonshu also took great pride in his appearance. Hell, it ate him up for weeks when Ammit had said that time had not been kind to him. He had tailored his physical form to perfectly fit the description of God of the Moon. He liked to be handsome, in his own weird, oddly specific way. You loved him for it, along with a great deal of many other reasons, but why. Why didn't he include hair?

All the other Gods you had met had hair. Ammit did. Taweret did. So why not him? If he did it right, it might suit him. Something long, with lots of braids and charms. But also kept tidy, to suit how particular he was about things.

You knew he could do it. Have hair, that is. With one wave of a linen-wrapped hand, he could have all the hair in the world if he wanted to. It would look nice. So why not?

These questions were asked over and over inside of your mind that night. It was Sunday, which meant Khonshu relieved Jake of any moon-knighting so that he could spend time with you. While the god was passionate about protecting the travelers of the night, and carrying out his own form of justice, he was moreso passionate about you. He missed you deeply during the leading days to Sunday. He knew of your longing for him as well. So, he took Sundays very seriously.

You were lain on the couch of your flat, your legs resting in the lap of the hawk-headed deity. Khonshu's staff was leaned against the wall next to him, one hand on the side of your thigh whilst the other idly drew patterns into your shin. His skull was pointed at your television, which was displaying some over-the-top reality series you had found on Netflix not long ago. Khonshu grumbled over and over again how such "trash entertainment" was beneath both you and him, but you saw how interested he was in it. You knew it was just more than curiosity when he asked if a new episode had dropped. How he seemed disappointed when you scrolled past it when looking for better things.

Typical Khonshu.

But because his attention was somewhere else, the deity didn't notice how you had been staring at him for the past twenty minutes. You had been taking in every single one of his features, trying your best to picture in your minds eye just what kind of hairstyle would suit him. Even after days of scrolling on Pinterest, you had failed time and time again to find the perfect look for him. It was up to you now to create it. Yet still, you wondered...

"Khon?" you squeaked out, having to clear your throat after not talking for so long.

Not looking away from the TV screen, your bird-headed lover answered you, "Yes, my moonstone?"

"Why don't you have any hair?"

Your question certainly got the god's attention now. Out of all the things he had expected you to say, you could tell that certainly wasn't one of them. It surprised the bird-man enough to rip his gaze away from the TV, and make him stop rubbing those small, loving circles into your leg as he looked down at your inquisitive face.

"Hair?" he asked.

"Yeah, hair." you responded, "All the other gods seemed to have it. Why don't you? And those little string things back there don't count."

It took him a second to answer you, thinking of what to say, "I... have never seen a purpose to have it, I suppose."

You laughed, "You don't need a reason to have hair. You can have it just to look nice."

"Look nice?"

"Yeah, like how some people use it to express themselves. Remember the other day? When we saw that person with the yellow mohawk? That was them expressing themselves."

"Are you suggesting I get a yellow mohawk?"

You laughed again, "No, no! I'm just saying it might look good on you."

The god thought to himself for a moment again, letting out a hmm as you saw the gears beginning to turn inside of his skull.

"I don't think I agree with you, little one." He said.

"Whaaaat?" you groaned, sitting yourself up to get a better look at your lover next to you, your legs still in his lap, "Why not?"

Khonshu leaned the end his beak down to tap against your cheek at your protests, his own way of kissing you to wash away your exasperation, "I am the God of the Night Sky, my little mortal. I have put great effort in to how I look now. Hair would not suit me in the slightest, nor would serve any purpose. Your suggestion is adorable, however, my star."

You half-smiled and rolled your eyes at his comments, not in the mood to give up so quickly.

"Okay but have you even tried having hair before?" you asked, "You can't say it won't suit you until you've tried it."

"I don't need to try it. I just know it wouldn't."

"Well can I see? To make sure? Just like, just something you think would look good."

"It doesn't work like that, little one."

Feeling defeated, you let out a groan as you leaned back against the chair, lying down again as you stretched your hands out behind you. Reaching down to your face, Khonshu used his thin, linen-wrapped fingers to brush the hair away from your eyes, trailing them down to cup your face; his palm taking up nearly the entire expanse of the side of your head. Feeling his comforting touch, you leaned your cheek against it as you looked into the sockets of his skull.

"Your suggestions are always welcome with me, my sweet, but this is one that I cannot accept. I do hope you understand." The deity said to you, rubbing his long thumb lovingly against your smaller cheek.

"I just don't understand why you won't even try." you said, "It sounds like you're just being stubborn again, bird-brain."

"I am not stubborn. I just know what is best."

This warranted another laugh out of you, along with a swift kiss pressed against the hawk-headed god's palm. This was definitely typical Khonshu. You half-expected your schemed conversation to go in such a way, so you found it hard to be angry at the god's lack of adventure. He was never really one to try new things much anyway. Not unless he was given a push. You knew this. After years of being by Khonshu's side, you knew everything about how he operated. Which is why you felt comfortable shifting your scheme from plan A to plan B.

Pressing one more kiss into your lover's palm, you sat up and pivoted on your butt so that your legs were out of the hawk-headed god's lap. Your feet now firmly on the floor, you paused the show on the TV as you pushed yourself up from off of the couch. You could feel Khonshu's gaze on you as you bustled your way over to the doorway of your flat. Taking it off of the hooks, you shrugged on the old coat that Marc had left behind from his last visit onto your shoulders. Bending down, you begun to slip into your shoes as the god on the couch decided to chime in.

"What are you doing, little one?" He asked you, skull tilted slightly to the side.

"Going out." you said, a small smirk on your features.

"Out?" he interrogated, "For what purpose?"

After slipping on both shoes, you stood up straight again as you grabbed your keys off of the hook.

"Well," you said, "I'm not giving up on my suggestion yet. And if you're not willing to show me some hair up on that thick skull of yours, then i'm going out to get the next best thing."

Khonshu was standing now, his staff placed firmly in his hand as he looked to you.

"(Y/N), this is absurd."

You giggled, "No Khon, what's absurd is that I'm about to make myself a traveler of the night, and you're not gonna be there to protect me."

~~~

In order to avoid weird stares from the other people that walked the streets of London, Khonshu and you had agreed long ago to not hold hands in public. No one out there other than you could see him, but they could see you clear as day. It would draw a lot of unnecessary attention to you if you were constantly seen holding hands with nothing. So, for subtlety, and to allow at least some PDA between the two of you, you and Khonshu agreed to hold pinkies instead. Something subtle, but still loving and intimate all the same. It was one of the few things you didn't have to pester the deity so much about until he finally agreed. Silly old bird.

The streets of London at night were almost -- if not just as -- lively as they were in the daytime. In the light of the full moon above, along with accompanying streetlights, you saw how all the people around you seemed to be enjoying themselves as you walked along the sidewalk, pinky held firmly in Khonshu's. There were many younger people out that hour of the night, walking along and laughing with one another like they were the only people in the world. When a group would pass by you, you would see how they payed no mind the tall bird god next to you, phasing through him like it was nothing. Granted, you were the only one that could see him, but it was still amusing nonetheless. Sometimes, the person would turn around briefly to see where the sudden change of temperature in the air came from. Them being unable to see Khonshu, they would just stare by your side with a furrowed brow, making you giggle softly to yourself every time it happened.

Usually, Khonshu would chuckle along with you. However, that evening, he didn't do so. Not even once. Staff held firmly in the hand that wasn't busy with yours, he stared straight ahead without a word as he trudged alongside you. He was grumpy about your little plan. He was throwing another one of his tantrums. You would never call it a tantrum to his face, though. You weren't that mean.

At least he wasn't teleporting around this time, and still wanted to hold your pinky. A change from the other tantrums he threw.

When the fifth drunk person of the night phased through him, he had let out a grumble of disapproval. You saw how he gripped onto his long, tall staff even firmer, and shot a warm smile up at the deity.

"Don't be so grumpy." you said to him, not bothering to keep your voice low so you don't get stares (since most people seemed to be minding their own business, at least for now), "A night out is a nice change of pace anyway. As much as I love and appreciate you setting aside a day for us, you can't keep me cooped up in my flat forever, Khon. We should get out and do more. And that doesn't include riding around with Jake."

The tall bird next to you let out another disapproving rumble, "I prefer to spend Sundays inside with you, (Y/N). I know you are aware of this."

"I am aware of that. But come on, it'll be fun! Just give it a shot. One night out isn't gonna kill you."

"We seem to have differing tastes in fun, little bug."

"Ohhh, I don't think so. Remember all that time we spent together? In Cairo? Before you found Marc in the desert?" you asked teasingly, bumping up against his arm to emphasize your point.

Khonshu let out another hum at this as he recalled all of those old, fond memories, though more pleased-sounding than the last as he leaned down to press the tip of his beak against the side of your cheek, "How could I ever forget?"

You giggled, "Exactly. And that was pretty fun, huh? So trust me when I say this will be fun too."

The god next to you looked down at you without a word. You could practically feel the gears turning in his skull, trying over and over again to come up with some sort of snobbish remark to emphasize his distaste for your little scheme. Try as he might, however, Khonshu could come up with nothing. For months now, you and him had spend Sundays indoors. As much as he did love just having you near him, holding you on the couch as some dumb form of entertainment played out before him, he did have to admit. He was getting a little bored with it. He could tell that you were bored of it too. Even if you had never complained about it before, he could see it in those eyes of yours. It made him feel a little bad. And a walk under his moon did always liven his spirits. He loved seeing the moonlight on your skin, anyhow.

So perhaps you were right about this. Even though going to such lengths to see him with hair was still absurd to him (although he realized that this was probably just some sort of excuse for you to get him and yourself out of the flat), Khonshu found himself not being able to hate the idea of a night out with you. His sweet little mortal. His one true love.

Returning his gaze to the road ahead of the pair of you, Khonshu straightened his posture as he held your pinky tighter, angling his beak to point more upright and poised.

"Very well. But only for tonight, little one." he said.

You let out a laugh as you returned your gaze to the sidewalk, "Fair enough."

Typical Khonshu.

~~~

The shop you had stopped at was one of the ones you used to frequent in your youth. It was a typical children's store; full of games, toys, and sweets to make any child drag their guardian by the wrist in through the doors, whining and begging all the while. It was a quaint little thing, even just from the view from the windows outside. Perfect for any child.

Which is why Khonshu was terribly confused when you had dragged him all the way there. He wasn't a child. He was a god. Had you forgotten?

Because the deity was too big to fit inside without being prone to accidentally knocking something over (but mostly because he claimed he didn't want to deal with such "foolishness"), he resided himself to staying outside. He watched you through the windows of the store, holding on to his staff firmly with hunched, irritated shoulders. You were sure taking your sweet time in there. He knew that you knew exactly what you were doing; making the god of the night sky wait out in the cold, damp streets of London as you perused through the aisles of the small store.

"Just wait out here," you had said to him, "I'll be back in a second."

That was twenty minutes ago now. Khonshu liked to consider himself a patient god. Unlike some of his brothers and sisters, as well as other members of the ennead, he had much more to give when it came to mortal behavior. It was a trait acquired over time, through countless years of worship and praise directed towards him and his moon and stars, as well as all the knights he had taken as his own. Hell, he figured that his patience had to have grown ten-fold over the years, since he had put up with that worm Steven Grant so long without killing him. And when it came to you, he had even more of a fuse to give.

However, Khonshu had never been one to simply sit around in the face of such shenanigans. This whole idea was ludicrous to him. He didn't even want hair.

The god grumbled to himself as the travelers of the night passed by him, laughing and shooting-the-shit amongst themselves without a care in the world.

You were lucky he loved you. Otherwise you would've been put on the short-list to feel his wrath.

After twenty-five minutes had passed, Khonshu had begun to consider going inside the store to fetch you. He knew you hated to be rushed, but right then, he probably hated waiting even more. A reprimand from you would be bliss compared to agonizingly waiting for your return. Khonshu was seriously considering it, weighing his options on an imaginary scale.

As if it was on cue, you had finally exited the shop. The god first noticed the comically large amount of bags that you had hugged close to your chest, held snug inside of the confine your arms. You had situated them all in such a way that they were nestled more-or-less in the crooks of your elbows, so that your hands were free. In your left hand, however, you held a sheer, small white paper bag. The bag was full of what appeared to be some sort of small pastry, and you used your right had to break off pieces of it to fit into your mouth. With a small smile on your face as you chewed, you crossed the street over to the disgruntled bird-man, noticing how his linen-wrapped shoulders were hunched as you found your place in front of him.

"What on earth took you so long, little bug?" The bird-man questioned, softly gesturing to your person with his staff, "And what are all those?"

You breathed out a giggle in response, finishing the bite you had took before you spoke.

"I saw a few cute things that I wanted." You said.

"A few?" Khonshu questioned.

"Yeah a few, things there are cheap! I know the owner so I get a good discount. Don't worry, I got your present too, Khon."

You reached in the small white bag and broke off another piece of the pastry, tilting its opening up at the god of the moon.

"Croissant?" you asked.

Even though Khonshu didn't have eyes, you could tell in his unamused silence that he had looked to you, then the pastry, then back to you again.

"No, thank you." he said.

Letting out another amused giggle, you briefly stood on your tip-toes and pressed a soft kiss to the tip of the god's beak, seeing how he relaxed just a tad at your display of affection.

"Come on, let's find a place for you to open your gift." you said to him, hugging the bags closer to your chest as you took another bite of your snack. Resuming your trudge down the sidewalk, Khonshu lingered behind for a brief moment, staring at the back of your head in silence. Khonshu was never one to be speechless. Everyone that had ever come across him knew this. The god of the night sky was a being of many, seemingly endless words.

But you never failed to leave him scrambling for what to say.

Sighing to himself, Khonshu repositioned his grip on his staff as he followed behind you, his long strides making him quick to meet his place by your side again. He glanced down to your height, watching as you absent-mindedly rummaged through your bag for any remaining bits of the pastry. As if you didn't have a care in the world. Nor as if you were phased in the slightest to have a literal god by your side.

Khonshu reached his hand down to you, giving you a gentle, loving caress to the small of your back.

You were lucky he loved you. But he felt equally as lucky to be loved by you.

~~~

The place you had picked out to settle down and open Khonshu's present was a spot you and Marc liked to visit when he first came to London. When Khonshu wasn't busy making him moon-knight, and he would spare himself a brief moment of relaxation, Marc liked to spend it someplace calm. Somewhere out in nature, where he could just get lost in the scenery around him and forget about his troubles, and ignore the constant squawking of the god over his shoulder. You remembered how many petty arguments you had to break up between the two of them. How many times you had to act as the middle-man when they refused to speak to one another.

They were fond memories of yours, and dumb as they were. Marc, Steven and Jake were your favorite moon knights so far, after all. They were your friends.

The dock was a place that was hard to find and hard to get to, making it the perfect spot for if you wanted to be alone. Having memorized everything about the path down there, it wasn't hard for you to make the journey with so many bags in your grasp. And, with the added help of your bird-ish lover balancing you whenever you needed, the trudge down was a piece of cake. Sure enough, the old, worn-down dock was empty, and the gentle sound of the waves of the harbor lapping against the wood was the only sound hung in the hair. The water was a dark, rich black, with the reflection of the large, shining full moon overhead glistening across its surface. This gave you just enough light to see what you were doing as you made your way to the edge of the dock, sitting down with your legs dangling a few feet above the water's surface.

Your lover sat next to you, setting is staff down behind him so that he could have his full attention on you and your present. Your bags were scattered all around your personal space now, but just far enough away so that they wouldn't interfere. All except one, of course, which held the present you had in store for the god.

"Trust me, Khon," you said, sliding the bag off of your lap and into his, "once you see this, you're gonna wish you had thought of having hair sooner."

The bird gave you a look before lowering his hands down to the bag, gentle and unsure with his movements. You could feel the skepticism pouring off of him, but you just simply looked at him with a smile as he opened the gift.

After some fiddling with the paper of the bag, Khonshu was able to free his gift from its confines. The plastic crinkling around his fingers, the god lifted up a small, square plastic bag. Inside of the bag there seemed to be some sort of dead animal. It was some kind of strange looking brown, stringy, somewhat curly pile of hair, totally synthetic in the way it shone in the light of Khonshu's moon. Upon further inspection, however, Khonshu realized that it wasn't a dead animal.

It was a wig.

The package held in his grasp, Khonshu turned his beak to look down at you again, only to be greeted with your giddy smile back up at him.

"Soooo?" you questioned, "What do you think?"

It took the deity a moment to respond to you.

"My stardust," he said, "it's... I am amused at the lengths you will take to get your way, darling."

You rolled your eyes with a playful scoff, "Khonshu, please! I can tell you don't like it!"

"I am most grateful for any offerings you wish to give me, moonstone. However, this one just seems quite... synthetic."

"Yeah, well duhhh," you said in response, gently taking the package out of the god's hands, "I can't really afford a real wig. Those things can be, like, hundreds of dollars."

Khonshu seemed a bit taken aback by that, "Hundreds?"

"Yeah, hundreds." you said in response, opening up the plastic as it crinkled and crunched in your hands, "I love you, Khon, but I'm not made of money."

The god let out a low hum, "If it is wealth you desire, my sweet, then I shall have Jake obtain it for you. You need only ask, and anything you desire shall be yours."

You giggled at your lover's sentiments, taking the cheap, synthetic wig out of the package and brushing it through with your fingers, "Come on, you know I'm not in to all that. I like just being normal. With my dingy flat and stubborn, bird-brained, god of the moon partner."

Once you felt like you had sufficiently combed through the wig, you lifted it up in front of you, using one of your hands as a make-shift stand so that you could see what it fully looked like. The thing was obviously fake material, with many frayed, jarring locks of hair jutting out in every which way. The item just barely resembled that of a medium-length, layered wolf cut, along with what seemed to be a few locks that were trying to be bangs. Even in the dim light of the moon above, you could tell that even though the wig was fresh out of the package, it had seen better days.

"Look, Khon!" you said, using your other hand in vain attempt to try and smooth some of the hair down, "These hairstyles are super trendy right now. You'll be, like, with the times and all that. Jake is gonna be floored when he sees you."

The god let out another hum, "I agree with you, little one. But I think we disagree on just why he will be floored."

You rolled your eyes playfully at Khonshu's remark, "I don't think it's gonna fit your head, though. Your skull is too fat. Hold on."

Before Khonshu could could protest at the characterization of his skull, he watched as you set the wig down on your lap, keeping it steady as your hands groped around the pockets of the jacket you wore. After checking almost all of the pockets, you let out a quiet aha as you found what you were looking for. Fumbling with the fabric, you pulled out a small, metallic sort of thing. Pushing the button on the side, it was revealed to be one of Marc's emergency knives he had tucked away in his coat for safe keeping. Keeping your hands steady, you angled the knife down at the wig in your lap. Carefully, such that you wouldn't lose your grip and accidentally cut yourself, you begun to cut away at some of the inside bits of the wig. Your jaw was clenched in concentration as Khonshu watched.

"What are you doing now?" he asked, the smallest hint of loving exhaustion in his low, rumbling voice.

"I'm trynna make this bigger," you said, "So that it'll fit your fat head."

The moon god's back stiffened at your words, long, proud beak dipping ever so slightly to one side.

"I do not have a fat head!" he exclaimed, his temper poking through making you giggle again.

"Well, maybe not to you," you said, "But compared to the size of a normal human's head, it's quite fat. Now be quiet so I can focus."

Without another word, Khonshu scoffed and looked away from you out to the moon's reflection on the water's surface, grumbling to himself some nonsense you couldn't understand. Likely in Egyptian. He often did that when he knew you were right, but didn't want to admit it out loud. The bird was just lucky none of his brothers and sisters were around to hear him be reprimanded by a mere mortal. Khonshu loved you greatly, he really did. You were one of the few he had ever been willing to put up with for such a long time.

But he was still a god. He often wondered if you forgot that part.

But he loved you enough to overlook it.

After a little longer of you cutting up the wig to make it fit, you had put down Marc's knife to admire your work. You had done a fairly good job; the wig was now wide enough to where it seemed like it would fit on Khonshu's fat head. The god would never say it out loud in order to preserve his pride, but he thought you did a good job as well. He guessed that you were more serious about this whole ordeal than he had originally thought you had been.

"Okay!" you said, "It's done! Are you ready to try it on?"

The moon deity let another disapproving rumble out from inside his chest, "Do I have to?"

"Yes." you responded matter-of-factly, pushing yourself up onto your feet.

Even whilst sitting down, Khonshu was still a fair amount taller than you were. You had to stand on your tip-toes in order to securely reach the top of his skull. Draping the synthetic mess of hair upon his head, he tried to keep very still so that it wouldn't fall off, and you would have to repeat the process all over (as tempting as discarding the infernal garment into the water below was to him). Once it was properly balanced up there, you used for fingers to try and style it as best you could. You knew he would like it more if it were at least passably good-looking.

Combing the plastic strands with your fingers one last time, you lowered yourself back flat on your feet and took a few steps away, trying to get a good look at your lover with his new head of hair. As you backed away, the god lifted up his beak again to stare ahead at you without a word.

Admittedly, you thought the color you chose did suit him. But, in every other way, it was ridiculous.

You could only go a few seconds without busting out in an amused, hearty laugh.

"Oh my god!" you said in between your giggles, "You look like you ripped the hair right off of some pop-star's head!"

Khonshu grumbled to himself again, "I knew this was a mistake."

Wiping away a few laughing-induced tears from the corners of your eyes, you shook your head, "No, no! It's not... terrible looking! It's just really jarring. I'm used to you being bald."

"There is no need to lie, moonstone."

"I'm not lying! I think it would look good if we got you a real wig!"

Reaching in your back pocket, you pulled out your phone and held it up to the god, using its black reflection as a make-shift mirror for him.

"See?" You asked, "It's not the worst thing in the world. Wish I could take a picture of you, though. To show Jake."

Peering down at his reflection in the tiny screen of your phone, Khonshu remained silent as he studied his reflection. You were right in the sense that him having any sort of hair was, in fact, jarring. His appearance hadn't changed in many hundreds of years, so it was odd to see him with a full head of scraggly, unkempt hair. Looking at himself longer, he decided that he still did not agree with you. Trying to picture himself with a better wig, he found that he didn't like the improvement much more either. He was fine with how he looked. As long as you and him thought he was handsome, he didn't feel any need to change. Hair was more of his sibling's thing, anyway.

"It is not totally dreadful, little one," he said to you, looking back to your face, "but I still do not care for it."

You let out a half-defeated sigh as you slipped your phone back into your pocket, a smile still lingering on your features, "Well, it was still worth a shot. I thought it wasn't that bad. Here, come on. I'll help you take it off."

Eager to rid himself of the itchy synthetic thing on his head, Khonshu leaned himself downwards. Still having to stand on your tip-toes, you slid the wig off of the god's skull, moving to discard of it after it had come loose. Khonshu shook himself off just a tad to get rid of any lingering scratchy-ness left behind by the wig as you set it inside of one of your bags, stretching out his shoulders after having to remain still for so long.

Once you were finished, you took a few steps back over to the god, leaning up to press a quick, warm kiss just underneath his eye socket onto his bony cheek.

"Hey," you said as you took a seat next to him, slipping your smaller hand into his, "Thank you. For at least giving it a shot."

The moon deity peered down at your smaller form, letting out another, but more content, rumble escape his chest.

"As I recall, it was you who so adamantly wanted to go out on this little venture." He said, "And it is my duty to watch over the travelers of the night."

You let out a soft laugh, "I know, but still. You couldn't said no. Been mean about it."

Khonshu unfurled his hand from yours, lifting it up to gently wrap around your plush, warm cheek with his linen-wrapped fingers.

"Never, my stardust. Never to you."

Your cheeks heating up at his touch, you smiled up at the god, nuzzling your cheek into his large palm.

"Does this mean we get to go out more often?" you asked.

Khonshu let out a hum as he leaned his beak down to you, pressing the tip against your cheek as his hand fell away from it, "Don't be overzealous, little scarab."

"Oh come on! You had fun too!"

The moon god tapped his beak against your cheek once more in response, reaching behind him to wield is staff once again. Once it was secure in his grasp, he rose up from his seated position to a stand. Bending over slightly, he offered you his hand for you to mimic his movements.

"Come, little one." He said, "The night grows old, and my moon shall soon disappear. Let us get you home. You need your rest after such an eventful excursion."

Groaning out a long fiiiineeee, you gathered up your bags in your arms again, hugging them tight to your chest. Once you felt like they were secure in your grasp, you folded your hand inside of Khonshu's, having him help you to your feet. When you were steady, the god laced his long, skinny pinky finger alongside yours, pulling your smaller body closer to his as you begun the trudge back to your flat.

"Well I had fun," you said, "And I know you did too. You can't hide it from me."

The moon god softly chuckled, "I love you, foolish mortal."

You shot him up a smile, "I love you too, bird-brain. Even though you're bald."

~~~

[ash-and-starlight]

ngl ive been reading all your asks abt swbts and. you’ve opened the floodgates. before i start screaming let me say i absolutely adore your art across all the different fandoms you’ve been doing forever and all the fandoms you’ve only done a few pieces for. now that that’s said let me rant.

FBDHSJSHRBDNAKSKSKFJTJCNC I HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS

SPC HOW FUCKING DARE YOU

i definitely got into the series bc of you so thanks for the emotional damage i haven’t been this fucked up since reading the locked tomb - i was finishing swbts on the way to get a christmas tree and everyone in the car was looking at me in absolute bafflement as i sat there sobbing

your art of everybody is actually so gorgeous i would do anything for your ma and xu da (i love his skater-boyification) but god damn baoxiang. the way you draw him is just so ugh. no words but like 😳 holy fucking shit.

some variation of your art (credited ofc) is my profile pic on pretty much every single thing i have an account on bc its just so beautiful

dont want to take up too much of your time so ill end it here but i just got hwdtw for christmas snd im devouring it and have already cried once

alright bye and hope you have an amazing day :) <3

aaaa thank youuuu it’s so heartwarming to know ppl like my art no matter the fandom it’s for 🥹🥹

NSBDNS SPC OWES US A CARE PACKAGE!!! sorry to hear abt the crying sesh during the christmas tree drive i hope it was cathartic lmao. and aaaawlfksn thank youuuuu!! so happy to hear u like my art (yeah having to reckon with the Truth that wbx would serve lethal levels of cunt in a modern au was a surprise for me too lmao) and that you use it as pfp 🥹🥹🥹🥹 have fun with hwtdw bestie i’m never recovering from that

[ao3feed-zukka]

[Podfic] it's my party! (i'll cry if i want to)

Read now on Ao3 at https://ift.tt/Ta2Cv0e by Rionaa "Since he and Zuko have started dating, Sokka has realised that Zuko will cry about anything. And, like, he obviously doesn’t enjoy seeing Zuko being upset, and he doesn’t want Zuko to feel ashamed for feeling his feelings and whatnot, but sometimes the things he’s crying about are so bizarre that Sokka can’t help but find it endearing."   (Or: Have you seen that reddit post about the guy who made a list of all the reasons why his wife cried? Yeah, this is that, but with Zuko and Sokka.) Words: 28, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Sokka (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Suki (Avatar), Aang (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Katara (Avatar) Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar) Additional Tags: ive been working on this forever im so glad its finally done, this is mostly an excuse to push my vegan zuko agenda, azula and iroh are mentioned but alas not present, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, mild angst bc ozai is mentioned but then it goes back to funny again, surprise appearance by homosexual swans, also pushing my 'zuko is a mess' agenda, he is not a fashionista he wears minecraft pjs in public and i am willing to die on this hill, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Podfic, Podfic Length: 45-60 Minutes Read it on Ao3 at https://ift.tt/Ta2Cv0e

[bibblex1]

#1 Introduction

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

Hi my name is a Bibble, I am a femme enby 17 year old who lives in Australia but was born in New Zealand. My life overall isn't that interesting but I'd consider it relatable and very random which in some cases I think it's the simplest things in life that people should take notice of. I mean why does everyone have to blog about there fun and exhilarating vacations or there passionate fitness life? not saying that's every blog but it's those that seem to get very popular. I'm not what you'd consider super exciting but I do have a few things in my life going on such as recently I got a tongue piercing. It's been 5 days since I initially got it and overall it's not too painful I barely notice it really besides the fact I now have a horrible lisps. I do hate that, it's almost impossible to say anything without slurring on my words when I'm geeking out which truly sucks but this is only temporary. I could've had an infection by now or chipped my teeth horribly so I guess it's not the end of the world.

Anyways, l happen to make a few dumb decisions and have alot of thoughts and rambles like currently I haven't been going to school. I'm in my last senior year or Grade 12 and it's been hell. It really makes me consider whether I want to go on and do college at all. I mean I'm actually quiet smart but it's my inability to focus and actually get shit done that holds me back. Of course that's the case for most teenagers, it's not like I'm an outlier or anything and yet it's these next six months that will apparently decide my future. I don't like to let that get to me, schools not the most important thing. it's truly not the end of the world if I fail or even if I pass and do amazingly well, does it really matter? I say this and have to wonder if that's exactly what someone who is doing not so great would say and if I'm perhaps lying too myself but again I simply just don't care enough to give it any deeper thought. Highschool will come through and be over its not forever. I guess that's why I look towards the future opportunities and how my life will play out and how the decisions Ive made have led me to this point.

As I continue to ramble I remember back to what made me begin blogging in the first place. 'Solitaire' by Alice Oseman, finding out Tori Springs blogs made me feel some what comforted. I have always been partial to keeping a diary but I was never consistent enough to stay on track with it. I thought that a blog is essentially like a diary right? Maybe and maybe not but either way I like typing out my little word vomits for people to read about and put there own opinions on and even if this blog doesn't get that popular that's okay. Having a healthy outlet to clear your mind is always super important and as you could guess I'm not using a template or anything to format these blogs. Now to get a deeper look into who I am as a person. I enjoy music, art, video games and reading. I used to be super into anime and fandoms but I guess maturing has changed me. I'll never forget those points of my life but I'm alot happier now, but that's only due to the fact I've moved onto new obsessions. Lately I've been super into the game Monster Hunter World. Ive always been into the Monster Hunter franchise, ever since I had a 3DS Ive played the games. the release of MHW was mind blowing to me. Id never seen a Monster Hunter game so extravagant and lush with the amazing visuals and storyline. this was the first ever story game that got me truly invested and I remember spending hours and hours constantly playing and grinding. I'm not going to say it's an indie game or anything but it's not very active anymore, many people who play it are either extreme try hards or beginners speeding running with the defender set. No matter how you play though, the game will always be interesting, something about the way it fully immerses me is just so captivating. I find myself returning back to it at least every once and a month and it's times like those that make me happy. So much so I started to fall off the face of the earth for alittle bit, and yet I love it. I love those little moments in life where you truly have to do nothing. Maybe that's a bad mindset to have but I'm only human.

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

[mydemonsdrivealimo]

Hey there! In honor of Thanksgiving in the states, can you tell us three things your MC is grateful for this year? What about their LI?

And if you want to tell us three things your thankful for too, go for it!

ooh ty for this ask!! (this got really long whoops)

Jensen:

The opportunities he's had in his career. Jensen came from as close to nothing as you can get, and the fact that he's made it so far is something he's incredibly grateful for (even if he doubts it here and there). The support system he's gained from his career as well as the expansion of his knowledge and education are things he never fathomed having before. He was so focused on surviving for so long he didn't think he could ever have anything extra or more, and now that he does, he couldn't imagine living without it.

Bryce of course. Jensen has a running list of poor decisions, many of his ex-partners on it, but Bryce is genuinely so different to anyone he's ever been with. Sure, in the beginning Jensen didn't think it would be that way, but after Bryce's initial,, yk,, being Bryce, it was very clear how much he cares. He listens, and is genuinely interested and invested in Jensen and what he finds important. He's always there with support whenever Jensen needs it, but he's also there just to make him laugh, too. Jensen is so grateful that Bryce is a part of his life, and that Bryce reciprocates it just as much.

The friend group. He's thankful that he's found a solid group of people who care about him and share similar interests. They're in it forever, and whether it be a celebration or the opposite, they're going to be there for each other. They're fun and entertaining but they know when to take things seriously. They share the same sense of humor, make fun of each other in a loving way, and would defend each other at any opportunity. Not only is he thankful that they're all in his life, he's thankful he gets to be a part of theirs, too.

Bryce:

How well he's done for himself since moving away from his parents. He had to figure out how to live, support himself, put himself through med school, and manage a new career without any support or advice. But guess what? He did it. He may bullshit and be cocky about his self confidence, but he's genuinely proud of himself for how far he's come and knows it wasn't easy. He's thankful that he was able to thrive despite conditions that were most certainly against it.

His family. The one he's made for himself, with Keiki, Jensen, and the pets. They're people he chooses to have in his life and (most of the time) they make it so much better. They can all be a pain in his ass here and there, but he knows they'd never do anything to intentionally hurt him.

Also the friend group. Bryce has learned a lot since being around them, and he's grateful they've given him the opportunity to grow and prove himself as a supportive friend. Though he's not as close as the roomies, he's thankful they include him as closely as anyone else. They're genuinely good people, and they push him to be better, but they're always there for him to fall back on if he needs it. If he needs anything, he knows he could go to any one of them and they would help without question or hesitation.

Me :)

ngl this fandom. i was in a really bad slump for a few months, uninterested in a lot of things i used to love and isolating myself because of it. but then i started interacting here, and it took barely any time at all for yall to welcome me in. this space is genuinely so important for me, and i thank all of you for being so kind

my family. weve all started working on ourselves a little more and things are becoming much more enjoyable, so ive actually been looking forward to the holiday season this year :)

just some of the people ive met this year. theres a handful of them that have changed my perception drastically, and even if they dont know it, im very thankful that theyve become a part of my life and routine

[ryoceann]

Answer 30 questions and tag 20 blogs you want to get to know better.

thanks @ihopethisnamewasnottaken for tagging me!!!! its been a while since ive done one of these

Name: real name is smth else but y'all can call me Avery <3

Sign: Scorpio !!

Birthday: October 26th !

Time: 8:11 pm

Height: 5'5 :D

Favorite band/artists: Taylor Swift OBVIOUSLY, Ariana Grande, The Banners, MCR, Alan Walker Louis Tomlinson, Lewis Capaldi, Olivia Rodrigo 💘

Last Movie: Ladies VS Ricky Bahl, god i love that movie ✨

Last Show: Dali and The Cocky Prince

What I post: Literally anything, posts i make, ramblings, shitposts, memes, and content from the fandoms i'm in <3

Other Blogs: nope!

Do I get asks: yes :D

Following: 378

Dream job: Clinical Psychologist 💞

Dream trip: NEW YORK CITY 💞💘❤️❣️💓💕💗

What I’m wearing: purple shirt and white skirt💜🤍

Favorite songs: I CANT CHOOSE ?!?!!? but i could listen to cruel summer on repeat forever

Nationality: somewhere in Asia

3 Fictional universes I’d live in: uhhh let's see, the HP universe, the Winx Club universe anddddd the Inception universe maybe :D ALSO THE EQUESTRIA GIRLS UNIVERSE FOR SURE

anyone who wants to jump in can do it!!!

[ao3feedzukka-blog]

[Podfic] it's my party! (i'll cry if i want to)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/52634608 by Rionaa "Since he and Zuko have started dating, Sokka has realised that Zuko will cry about anything. And, like, he obviously doesn’t enjoy seeing Zuko being upset, and he doesn’t want Zuko to feel ashamed for feeling his feelings and whatnot, but sometimes the things he’s crying about are so bizarre that Sokka can’t help but find it endearing."   (Or: Have you seen that reddit post about the guy who made a list of all the reasons why his wife cried? Yeah, this is that, but with Zuko and Sokka.) Words: 28, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Sokka (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Suki (Avatar), Aang (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Katara (Avatar) Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar) Additional Tags: ive been working on this forever im so glad its finally done, this is mostly an excuse to push my vegan zuko agenda, azula and iroh are mentioned but alas not present, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, mild angst bc ozai is mentioned but then it goes back to funny again, surprise appearance by homosexual swans, also pushing my 'zuko is a mess' agenda, he is not a fashionista he wears minecraft pjs in public and i am willing to die on this hill, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Podfic, Podfic Length: 45-60 Minutes December 29, 2023 at 11:55AM

[delku]

its not like misogyny is anything new with this whole situation but sometimes the name of the phenomenon slips my mind when its not being perpetuated by like. "real life". eg the series itself, corporate interests, people who exist in person, etc. but yeah inko is absolutely a victim of fandom misogyny and its not even a little bit subtle.

also like ive known this about the hero characters for like forever. all the hero girls have always been subjected to misogyny by like fucking everything (including and sometimes especially by the fans. a fic that bashed ochakos character for literally no reason at all, completely mischaracterized her, has been living in my mind ever since i read it because it was so weird and mean spirited, and almost certainly done out of misplaced aggression toward the heteronormativity of this series and her narrative since the author paired deku with a boy) so its really obvious but sometimes when you encounter a case like inko where its mostly perpetuated by annoying fandom nerds and its more frustrating than anything, so i get tunnel-visioned on the frustration and not the reason(s) why that frustration exists. foolish of me to be honest but i doubt ill be able to crawl out of traps like this by myself all the time.

[kirayamidemon]

AHHH! I just love the posts you make about TWST on here, it's such as supportive blog and I just love it. Personally I found it when searching for Twisted wonderland crossover blogs, but your blog is just entirely around the beloved fandom. *Since I love the Leech twins and Azul.

But I have a curious question, do you like ready Twisted Wonderland stories and if you mind them being crossovers? cause I found one on Archive on their own called Pokémon College of Twisted Wonderland by T24556 and it has it's own interesting twist on it. Pun intended. And I was wondering if you've read it.

LKJKJSLKFJSDK DHHHHHHH THANK YOU? ? ?? THIS WAS SWEET N UNEXPECTED JKDKLSDK

I tend to dump more twst art n occassional screamings than any other kinds of twst posts (theres two rot posts I’ve been wanting to do for a long while now, since last year, around tweels n octatrio but hhhhhhddf writing kjlfkds) N yea, theres def a lot of octa on my blog haha

N I do read some twst fics! Not as much as I would want or like sadly (but also usually with me its generally hard to find fics for myself/wat I want especially ship fics kljfkdsf) Mmmmm, I guess technically I don’t really mind crossovers? ? ?? It’s just not really a thing for me tho or something that interests me much so I don’t really go actively searching for them. I’m prolly more likely to be more into AUs than crossovers. So no, I have never read that fic (also a high probability that I prolly have never heard of it either ljkfjlds)

[the-insomniac-emporium]

Crimson Ties (Bela Dimitrescu/Reader, Soulmate AU) Pt. 2

Fandom: Resident Evil: Village

Rating: T for language and mild medical drama

Warnings: Typical Vampire shenanigans

Genre: Hurt + comfort

Summary: Bela is somewhat unprepared to deal with a soulmate who has no clue about her condition, her family, or any of the village's secrets. Thankfully, her sister Cassandra is more than willing to be a bad example. Also there's some fluff.

Notes: For reference, each of my soulmate stories take place in their own contained timeline, since they each involve different types of soulmates. So in this one, Cass doesn't currently have a soulmate.

Previous Chapters: 1: Stem the Flow

2: Tangled Strands

A gentle humming fills the space around you, as fingers slowly run through your hair. As far as you can tell you had fallen back asleep, for several hours, and you were just now waking back up. No longer holding you down, your soulmate is curled up next to you. There’s still a needle in your arm, much to your irritation, but now you can finally see what it’s connected to: An IV for a transfusion. Explains why I’m feeling so much better than before, you think. Then you’re turning your head to the other side, eager to finally get a good look at your soulmate. Instantly you’re blushing, tongue tying itself into a knot, because wow are you lucky.

“Feeling any better?” She asked, as soon as your gaze met hers. You try to stutter out a confirmation, but you’re too distracted by the soft curve of her smile to speak, and barely even manage a nod. That beautiful smile grows wider in response. “Good. I couldn’t stand the thought of you suffering more, after what you’ve already been through.” Now her smile fades, and she looks away for a few moments. Watching it makes your heart ache. So you swallow the lump in your throat, willing yourself to relax, before trying a little comforting of your own.

“I am safe now, am I not? Moreso, we have too much to talk about for us to dwell on the ill circumstances of our introduction. Let us cherish this time, in respite, with our hearts open wide to one another,” you said, donning your softest smile. Somehow your words fulfill their purpose, and your soulmate is once again grinning. Slowly she leans forward to rest her forehead against yours. Then she’s speaking, voice as smooth as the sheets you lay on.

“You are right, of course. I simply wish I could have saved you sooner,” she replied, tone betraying the sadness that her expression otherwise hid. Before you can protest, she continues talking, and you soon forget all about your qualms. “To think I don’t even know your name yet… nor you mine, I suppose. Let’s remedy that, yes? I am Bela Dimitrescu.” Something about her last name feels familiar to you, but not to the point of clear recognition. Instead of inquiring, you return her favor, giving her your own name. She repeats it back a few times, letting the syllables roll off her tongue, and you feel your heart skip a few beats. “A lovely name for a lovely soul, perfectly paired.”

A pause, followed by Bela reaching out to examine your IV. Following her gaze, you turn to the metal hook adjacent to the bed, where a blood bag hangs. Only a few drops remain inside. Just as when you first awoke, Bela gives a soft hum, then rises into a sitting position. Your first instinct is to copy the motion, and you’re relieved when (this time) she doesn’t push you back down. Both of you quietly inch your hands closer until they’re laid on top of each other.

“I wish I knew more about medicine, but unfortunately my family is more experienced in the creation of wounds than the treatment of them,” Bela said, scowling. Confused, you tilt your head at a slight angle, watching her with interest. Am I supposed to know who she’s referring to? My memories of the past couple days are still hazy, you think. “Do… do you remember how you ended up in the dungeon? I know you wanted to speak of happier things, and we can, soon. It’s just… Knowing how you arrived here may help me deal with the consequences of freeing you. Mother will be dreadfully upset that I’ve interrupted a draining, even if we are soulmates.”

“Wait, are you saying…? The intimidating giantess who strung me up and attempted to bleed me dry… is your mother?” You asked, jaw nearly dropping to the floor. This was an unexpected development, for sure.

“You didn’t know?” Bela replied, eyes going wide for a moment. Clearly she wouldn’t have said anything if she realized you weren’t already aware. Suddenly the tension in the room is palpable, with an uncomfortable silence overtaking the two of you. In the moment, you cannot even bring yourself to look at Bela, too stunned by this new knowledge. Eventually she breaks the silence, voice sounding unsure for once. “I realize that this is a lot to take in, if you need time to process it, I… I can go. But you need to understand that our situation is far more complicated than it might appear. We cannot survive without the blood of others- it is what sustains us when nothing else can.”

Now you’re staring at her like she’s crazy, and she’s standing up, moving to the other side of the room. She draws back a curtain, gazing out into the snow covered hills. Every muscle in your body is urging you to run while she’s distracted. Thread of fate be damned, this went far beyond anything you had ever imagined having to deal with. You come so close to ripping the IV right out of your arm. But a gentle tug on your soul string makes you pause, remembering all the times this bond gave you hope in dark times. Had she felt the same way, all these years? What had she gone through, in this absurd castle, on the very edges of civilization? You pull on the red thread, feeling a wave of composure wash over you.

“It appears there is much I need to learn. But is that not the very nature of our connection? We know, simply, that we are bound to each other, though we know not what shapes our souls take so that we might put them together, nor even what roles we must play. I cannot say that I understand your plight, my dear, but I will try, as is my obligation, and my honor,” you said, wishing you could hold her, and cursing your IV. As soon as the first word leaves your mouth, Bela is turning around, watching you with a bittersweet expression. Once you’re done she’s moving closer, as if reading your mind, extending a hand to cup your cheek. Then she leans forward to press a brief kiss to your forehead. “Oh, how I have longed for this- to be with you, to get to know you.”

“As did I,” she murmured. You can’t help but lean into her touch, closing your eyes and enjoying the moment. “Perhaps I should introduce you to my family? I imagine you’ll be needing breakfast anyway, and bringing human food back to my quarters would raise more suspicion than I’d like.” Well, the moment couldn’t last forever, could it?

“Only if you promise that your mother won’t suspend me by my wrists again. Or by any other part of me. Shall we simply put suspension off the table altogether?” You asked, half teasing. To be entirely honest, you were equally worried about Bela’s sisters. Well, the people you had heard other prisoners whispering about, who were the daughters of the giantess, and by connecting a few dots were also, presumably, Bela’s sisters. Apparently they preferred to play with their food. Unless, of course, Bela was one of the daughters you had heard about, and would have easily torn into you if not for your connection. Let’s not dwell on that concept, you think, glad to be distracted by your soulmate.

“I will not let anyone harm you anymore, my beloved. My mother would not stand so firmly in the way of my happiness,” Bela reassured, though you detected a hint of uncertainty in her tone. Still, there wasn’t much you could do other than trust her. “Now, let me take care of your bandages, then we’ll head downstairs…”

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

“Who the fuck is this?” An unfamiliar voice asked, as you meandered down the corridor, arm around Bela for support. As soon as she hears the person speak, your soulmate is freezing in place, casting a worried glance over her shoulder. When you turn as well, you spot someone dressed almost identically to Bela. However, the woman wears a yellow pendant, as opposed to a red one, and her hair is a dark brown. It feels safe to assume that she’s one of the sisters you’ve heard about. Which understandably makes you nervous, to the point where you almost want to hide behind Bela. Instead, you stand tall, attempting to seem unfazed by either her presence or her vulgarity.

“Mind your manners, Cassandra,” Bela hissed, taking more of an aggressive stance than you had anticipated. “This, dear sister, is my soulmate. And if you even think about harming them, or getting in our way, I will tear you apart.” While you’re downright shocked at the intensity of Bela’s statement, her sister doesn’t look at all impressed, and eyes you with minimal interest. Better than looking at you with hatred, right? Apparently not, as Bela moves to stand between the two of you, eyes narrowed. There’s a clear stiffness in her posture that leaves you anxious. Cassandra seems to notice it as well, and laughs, before taking a few steps in your direction. Then your soulmate mimics the movement, forcing you to do so as well.

“They’re human,” Cassandra snapped, pausing to sniff the air and scowl. “Here I thought your soulmate would have to be special, if they’re to compare to your ego. You’re disappointed, aren’t you? Having to settle for this.” With that she shifts, flesh writhing, making your stomach churn as you watch her disintegrate into a cloud of… flies? What the hell is wrong with this family? Can Bela do that too? I hope not, you think. Soon you’re pulled from your thoughts, however, as the swarm circles around you, single insects occasionally surging forward to cut at your skin. But Bela is grabbing you by the sleeve and tugging you to her chest, moving against a wall so that her body shielded your own. Your eyes clamp shut as you shake in her arms. When the buzzing stops, it is quickly replaced with cruel laughter. “That fragile, hmm? I can’t wait to see what mother thinks. See you at breakfast, sister!”

Then the two of you are alone, still pressed against the wall, staying still until the sound of footsteps fade. You’re stunned, unsure of how to react. The fact that a few drops of blood roll down your cheek only makes things worse. Still, Bela managed to prevent you from getting too hurt, and the few wounds on your body are negligible. Ever filled with gratitude, you hold her close as you try to stutter out a few sentences.

“Is she always this hostile, or am I truly not what you had expected? No, pay me no mind, it hardly matters. Thank you for protecting me,” you whispered. In response, Bela gives you a little squeeze, then pulls back enough to wipe the blood from your face. There’s a hint of something odd in her expression, which you interpret to be related to her apparent ‘need for blood’. Thankfully, she is in perfect control, and does not frenzy the same way you had read about fictional vampires doing. But she does hesitate, words dying on her tongue, like there are a thousand things she wants to say, and no words to say them with. “It’s alright, my dear. Let’s just go to breakfast, like we planned, and hope your sister behaves better when supervised.”

Bela nods, quickly, before taking your hand in her own. Whatever awaited you in the dining room, the two of you would be ready. Hopefully.

[regina-dei-fiori]

✦─chapter: 1/? ( ↣ )

✦─wordcount: 1.2k+

✦─genre: angst with a happy ending, fluff, friends to lovers, college/human au

✦─fandom: moominvalley

✦─pairing: snufmin (snufkin x moomin)

✦─summary: as the night, cold air hits my face, i come here because i want to understand. understand you of all people. you've been so good to me, and i feel as if i've been unfair to you. will you help me sort things out?

or: when moomin and snufkin have their first big fight, they find themselves discovering new things about each other.

✦─loosely inspired by the song two slow dancers, by the one and only mitski

✦─read and support on ao3 💕

a/n: waaah, here we are finally. it is i, secret anon who asked @hanekdrawsmoomins​ if they could write fanfics about their au muahahaha. im quite excited for this, since this is my first time writing like, actual serious fanfics lol. but yeah,,, this one’s going to be a lil too much on the angsty side since ive been on my feels, but i sure do hope you guys enjoy lmao.

HOWEVER, happy ending is promised, so don’t worry about that dsjhgjgdskg

also, if anyone would a tag list to be created, plz tell me in the comments!

finally, i would just like to thank the amazing @iemondropsss​ for being my beta reader!! i really appreciate it <33

so, with nothing left to say, let’s get right into it >:))

-He's outside, Moomin,- a voice says from behind. -In the hallway.

I turn my head around quickly, alert from the sudden new sound. I relax when I realize it was just Snorkamiden. I make out her face in the middle of the club-like flashing lights. I'm sitting in a chair, decorated with pink and red paper strips. The music is so loud in the gymnasium, I could barely catch what she was saying.

The worried look she's wearing says more than a thousand words. I know who she's talking about, but I choose to appear that I don't.

-Who's outside?- I say as nonchalantly as possible, as I turn my head back to the table and start playing with the plastic cup in front of me. Snorkmaiden sees through my act tho. She always does.

She huffs, changing her expression to one that is not at all amused. 

-Stop acting stupid. You know exactly who I'm talking about.

I take the cup and slurp the near nonexistent juice. Why is he even here? Didn't he say that he never wanted to see me again? Is he just playing around? Should I go see him?

Fuck, I really want to see him again--

No. Control yourself, Moomin. You're mad at him, remember?  

I stay there, thinking for a while. I feel Mai and Sniff's eyes on me. Sniff is sitting at the same table as me. I know he's worried about me. He's been more nervous than usual, giving shaky looks to Mai from across the dancefloor before we sit down together, trying to find an answer as to what was going on.

-You can't stay like this forever, Moomin. You two will have to talk things out at some point...

-But does it have to be right now?- I turn back to see her again, my eyes pleading with the false hope of putting the confrontation off longer. Snorkmaiden doesn’t seem to change her mind.

We have a quick staring contest before she speaks again.

-He literally came running from his house, you insufferable idiot. Doesn't that mean something to you?

I almost knock my chair over from standing up too fast, and I really hope no one noticed. I don’t need more embarrassing attention than I already have.

-What? How do you even know that?

-It's easy to tell, he's panting like crazy.

I lean against the table’s edge as I try to make sense of what he has done. 

What does he think he’s doing? Has he gone out of his mind? Why would he do something so stupid? Go run from his house to here, in this goddamn weather? Is he serious? And what for? Did he...?

I stay paralized at the mere thought of it. No, it can't be. He didn't just…

-Well, maybe... maybe he forgot something in his locker-, I say in a desperate attempt to regain my cool. An attempt that, of course, goes in vain.

-Moomin, we both know he doesn't care about school work, or at least not to that degree. What could he possibly forget at school that would be so important for him to come running like that in the middle of a freezing night?

Her stare wears me down. I don't wanna say it, I don't even want to think about it. I wouldn't like to get my hopes up for nothing. I wouldn't like to get hurt…

But then again, why would he come?

I look down at the floor, meditating for a second. If I go out there, it will be inevitable for us to talk again. I'll have no choice but to listen to what he has to say.

And for some reason, that scares me to death.

Because…

What happens if he actually meant what he said? What if he actually doesn't want to talk to me anymore? I don't think I would be able to handle that. 

I sigh heavily. My head is spinning like crazy. He's outside right now. He's right there. And you, sir, need answers, don't you? Once you do this, you'll be able to sleep more peacefully tonight (hopefully). 

It really can't be that bad, right? If things go south, we'll just... Well, we'll just stop talking to each other and that’ll be that…

I shake that thought out as fast as it comes. If I think too much I won't be able to get anything done.

I turn my head back up, to see Snorkmaiden anticipating a final decision from me. I catch my breath one last time. Here goes nothing, I guess.

-Where is he, exactly?

I can see her body relax after those words come out. I can even swear I see a small smile tease her face.

-Next to the janitor's room, around the corner.

I adjust my tuxedo, and Mai finally breaks from her static position, placing her hand on my shoulder.

-Good luck.

I nod curtly as my answer and start walking towards the gymnasium's exit, fighting the urge to look back. I hope Mai can take the work of explaining to Sniff what the hell is going on. I feel bad for not being able to tell him myself, but sometimes even I don't know how to decipher these situations myself.

I hear one of the boys of the basketball team call after me before going through the door, but I already nod to the teachers outside in the hallways that I’m just passing through. I quickly explain I'm going to the restroom, and I hope to God the coach doesn't notice that I'm sweating quite a bit. 

I don't even know what I'm going to say once I get to him. We haven't talked in a couple of days now. He's good at avoiding people when he sets his mind to it. Who’s even supposed to start the conversation? That is implying he actually did come all this way just to talk to me. Damn, what if we're all wrong and he really just came to pick something up? Ah, this shouldn't be so complicated-

My thoughts stop once I turn around the corner. I stop on my tracks once I hear faint sobs. There appears to be no one at first glance, but then I notice a lump on the floor, right next to the door of the janitor's. 

I don't really know how to proceed. But before I can do anything, he notices me. He's wearing his green hoodie's cap tightly over his head when he raises his face. He watches me for a couple more seconds before slowly taking it off, revealing something that oh so breaks my heart. 

His eyes are red and swollen, and I realize that this is the first time I’ve ever seen him crying. His eyes are also sporting deep dark circles underneath them, and it looks like he hasn't taken off the hoodie in a while.

He just looks... So weak. So defeated. So hopeless. All I want to do now is go and push his hair away from his eyes and wipe his tears away. I want to hold him and tell him I promise everything will be okay. I have to remind myself that we have to talk first before anyone can be assured that they are loved.

-Moomin...- is all he can say the moment he notices it's me. He looks like he's about to burst into tears again.

Snufkin.