#dan is bad at sharing confirmed

[flamingpudding]

Cassiopea and Orion #3

#1 #2

A/N: Finally got some time to continue working on this... to be honest this was pieced together through a bunch of different lunch break writings... sorry if that shows. Also @kizzer55555 totally love your addition on #2! Honestly I squealed when I read it! You were nearly spot on on what I had in mind to where I wanted to go with this story line. Tho I hope you don't mind that I took a bit of inspiration from you while writing some parts of this.

A/N2: Also you guys *sigh of fondness for the dpxdc fandom* originally I wasn't going to tag it just yet but I guess I will now, even if I have no experience writing it and only tried to sort of hint at it a bit for readers interpretations: Spirit Halloween 👻

Ellie frowned watching these people, still sitting on her spot on the railing. Once their initial excitement quieted down and the seriousness of the situation took over, she was left with nothing more to do than to watch the situation unfold before her. A part of her was surprised about the amount of information the big bad bee had on Danny. Some of which she thought was information that previously only Tucker, Sam and Jazz had. But apparently Ellie had been wrong.

Massively wrong by the amount of information she was seeing here. How long had Danny truly been in contact with this guy? There had to have been more than just the occasional phone calls she had caught him on. Did that mean this guy also knew about Dan? About the GIW? About the Infinite Realms? If he knew about all this why, why didn't he help sooner? Why hadn't Danny made contact with this guy sooner either? She did notice him pausing at certain points before continuing like nothing was happening. It didn't look like the onlookers minded, but to Ellie it was an indicator that big bad bee knew more.

She stayed silent the entire time, only muttering a correction ever now on then when she did note that the guy's information was outdated. Still something bothered her the entire time. Ellie didn't know what it was exactly, but the grim faces of the onlookers and the stoic nearly cold sounding explanation of big bad bee rubbed her wrong.

It was only at the end of it that she realize what it was exactly that had bothered her so much.

"What about family? Does she have anyone else left?" One of the onlookers asked and Ellie's head snapped up towards them. That sounded like... no, they weren't...

"According to her, Phantom lost his haunt. Including the code she gave to Robin, we can assume that there is no other safe place left. Unless..." Armored furry turned towards her, and Ellie stiffened only slightly as it appeared that they were finally going to address her again. "What is the status of Plasimus."

"You know about him too huh..." She muttered, not looking at any of them. "Castle is gone, whereabouts unknown, Mom was worried that he was one of the first after the first one of no contact, but that's not confirmed. Nothing turned up to indicate that."

Ellie didn't look up to see the reaction in regards to this information she shared but her head did snap up at the next words she heard. "And your brother?"

Wide eyed she stared at the man that had moved and was now before her, hands carefully placed on her shoulders as he bended down slightly to be on her eye level. Her mind was racing. He knew! This man knew about Dan. Distantly she heard one of the onlookers complain that in all the Infromation Bee had given them he had not mentioned about Ellie having a brother. She didn't react on that, instead searching that man's face despite it being half covered by a bat shaped cowl.

She wasn't sure what she was searching for but she wasn't finding it. Now she wished she had paid more attention to Grandma Pandoras lessons on Aura reading. Dan was in Far Frozen, put into stasis and protected and cared for by Frostbite and his tribe. The other ghosts were looking out for him too, they would do the same for her if she had a way into the Ghost Zone but both portals were gone and Danny, Wulf and Cujo were the only ones currently able to open portals. She wasn't even sure if they knew what Danny had done to protect her.

As her mind wandered Ellie did not realise that the people around her took her silence as some kind of answer. She did not realise how those she doubted onlookers shared grim and saddened looks. Nor how the man before her squeezed her shoulders ever so slightly as if afraid that she would brake any moment.

"Do not worry. You will be safe here with us." The armorer furry reassured her, drawing her attention back to the current moment. Suddenly her earlier suspicion came back to hit her in the face as her eyes once more widened.

"What do you mean?"

"We will take you in and you will be safe and won't have to fear them with us."

She was sure that was meant to sound reassuring but it wasn't. It made her stomach sink. With a moments use of intangibility she pushed away from the man floating backwards and putting more distance between her and these people. Danny gave her the code, told her to use it in a dire situation. That she would get help with that code. That they would help! This didn't sound like the help she wanted. She hadn't even gotten to explain the situation from her side. All they did was apparently assuming something all because of that stupid code Danny, her mom, gave her.

"What about mom?!" She didn't scream but by the faces she might as well could have. "The code was to get help! Mom needs to be rescued! Why are you acting like you won't! Danny promised I would get help when I use it!"

"Danielle." She halted and froze. That tone was stern and it was missing the gravel she had previously heard in that man's voice, it sounded the same way Danny or Auntie Jazz sounded when they needed for her to listen.

"Wait B! I don't think-"

"The code Danny gave you. It's his last resort code, personalised to you. It is one of our many codes we both came up with for our children. One only for situations we did not believe to come back from alive."

"W-what?"

"Aquila, Apus, Phoenix, Cygnus, Columba, Grus, Pavo and Corvus. Each of them has one specific Code personalised for the exact same situation you are in. I am sure Danny has mentioned them to you at least once." Ellie blinked finding a familiarity with these words but also frowned with the realisation that set in with that. Her eyes unintentionally wandered over to the onlookers, no birds, these codes belonged to. She couldn't really tell which belonged to who but she knew Danny must have come up with them as some sort of inside joke.

"B! You can't just-"

"But Mom..." Her voice sounded small even to her own ears.

"I am sorry. But you will be save with us. I promised Danny that years ago."

She knew that her de-aged body was probably influencing her emotional state as she slowly floated back into reach. Before she could sit back onto the rail like she had done the entire time before she felt herself getting dragged to the side and suddenly warm arms encircled her. Ellie blinked confused until her brain caught up. The bird in blue was hugging her. The warmth felt comforting, just like when Danny, Jazz, Val or Sam hugged her and for a moment she let herself enjoy it. Dropping her guard just for a little bit to draw comfort from this warmth.

While Nightwing distracted the little girl in his arms, he made distinctive eye contact over her head with his siblings, before indicating his head towards Batman. Red Robin and Signal nodded before moving towards the man, Robin trailing behind them after he shared one more glance with him. His eyes turned towards Red Hood. The other wasn't even looking at any of them as he was already on his way stomping right out the cave, ignoring everyone around him. Nightwing was going to make sure to send any additional information they would get from Danielle his way later too. Black Bat and Spoiler stayed close to him.

It was moments like these that Nightwing really appreciated the silent understanding he and his siblings had among each other and if Batman was to much into his own head with these stupid codes and apparently already grieving. Then they would step up and if they could give the little girl in his arms the kind of help she had clearly hoped to get from them. It wasn't a promise of safety that the Danielle was looking for or even needed, rather she was hoping for people willing to help her rescue Phantom, her parental figure, her mother, her family, when she had no one else left.

[verstappentime]

i posted about this before, but let me (as a journalist irl) elaborate what's likely going on with daniel!!

when no one asked dan about his future during press day last week, we all automatically recognized this was probably the result of an embargo (we have quite a few f1 fans in the newsroom). stranger still that christian horner was in the TP conference and didn't speak on it either. we had expected that combo to make a sort of joint announcement.

so what's an embargo/how does it work?

essentially, it's when a source gives you any information ahead of time, but requests you do not publish anything on it until a certain date and time. this can be done for a lot of reasons. embargoes usually request that you refrain from sharing information from a press release or document.

usually embargoes are put in place so essentially you keep to your time table of when the information becomes "public," but news outlets aren't left scrambling because they have already written their story and have it ready to go live as soon as it's acceptable. in the case of f1 this also applies to instagram posts and things like that. that's why you'll often see the posts go live straight away when an announcement is made; everything's pre-confirmed & pre-written, they're just waiting for the green light.

if you violate an embargo in sports journalism, you'll likely have your credentials to, say, get into the press pen revoked. you/your outlet will no longer receive any privileged information. and you'll likely be asked to take it down. not for any legal reason -- you're just burning a bridge and violating trust. so this info COULD be leaked, but under the honor system, it rarely is. (especially bc if you post embargoed info & ruin your org's reputation with the source, you're probably losing your job.)

so what's going on in DR's case?

most likely, all credible sources have either A) been given the information under an embargo, or B) been told the time they can expect an embargoed press release. (i work with law enforcement, so for me this is usually just something like "you can expect the records to be sent out before dinner time friday night but it will be embargoed till 9 a.m. when they're officially public record.")

either way, everyone has probably been warned off asking those questions, but they also likely already know the answer. whatever they received, even if it doesn't reveal all the cards, most likely said daniel would not answer questions prior to the official release time and essentially, don't bother.

what's up with all the rumors?

essentially, when every credible source has their hands tied, there's no one to counter all the randoms. we see it all the time -- people yapping trading theories when we actually know what happened and can't say. unfortunately in f1 some of the randoms have some sort of name recognition -- and for some reason there are like 500 completely not credible news outlets full of untrue shit. so right now, they are the only people 1) free to bang on with theories and 2) who dont either have the info or know when the info is coming available. so that's allowing them to take up all the space.

conclusion: this isn't necessarily good or bad, but explains why we're hearing so many irrelevant people's opinions on this and not hearing anything from VCARB, daniel or his team. it was most likely done to give preferred sources the jump on announcing the news, but also to allow daniel to focus.

i'm assuming the embargo will be lifted monday morning european time, but we may hear a vague denial this weekend as theres probably some building frustration (like daniel saying yeah you'll see me in COTA or whatever).

[otomiyaa]

Sharing is Caring

Caelus x Dan Heng

A/N: The second 2-part fic thanks to @lovelynim, who helped me with the idea. The lil edit of them in Dan Heng's bedroom was also made by me ✌️ The Obey Me fic will receive its sequel soon!

Summary: Dan Heng is sharing his room and belongings with Caelus, so Caelus doesn't see why he can't borrow his coat either? Dan Heng doesn't agree!

He didn't look happy. In fact, he looked a little irritated, and Caelus couldn't help but feel a little funny because of it.

"What?" he asked. He was relaxing on Dan Heng's bed, trying another of Dan Heng's books since his previous 4 attempted ones were quite boring. Well, he had to do something while the Astral Express was continuously on its way, right?

"You know what," Dan Heng said. Caelus shrugged. Of course he knew, but he shook his head. Dan Heng sighed and pointed at the coat Caelus was wearing.

"That is mine," he said. Caelus nodded.

"It is. I'm borrowing it." Like he was borrowing Dan Heng's book, and his bed, and pretty much everything so what was the deal now?

It was a decision made quite early on, with no room for him to stay in, he was to crash temporarily in Dan Heng's room, but they and everyone else had grown so accustomed to their roommate situation that it pretty much stayed this way even now.

"Give it back," Dan Heng said. He was merely wearing a T-shirt now, and Caelus couldn't help but think he looked cute right now.

"I will give it back later. My coat is getting washed," Caelus said.

Dan Heng stood by his side, and Caelus glanced up at him. "You are literally doing nothing, on my bed, with my coat. At least give the coat back, you don't need it," Dan Heng tried again.

"I'm reading," Caelus said in an offended tone to the doing nothing accusation. "And it's cold here," he added. Hence the coat!

Except that it wasn't that cold. There was actually not really a good reason to keep on irritating Dan Heng now, but there surely were some bad reasons:

Caelus was bored, Dan Heng's coat was fancy and comfy, Caelus was bored, Dan Heng was usually boring and - well yes, Caelus was very bored, wasn't that just the best excuse to mess with his roomie a little? So what was Dan Heng going to do about it?

He was curious and wasn't going to give up now that he finally found a way to get on Dan Heng's nerves. It was always Caelus asking if he could borrow a book, if Dan Heng didn't mind sharing a bed, which wasn't the most comfortable bed, if he could borrow a shirt, blah blah blah, and Dan Heng was fine with everything.

Not the favorite coat, it seemed. Caelus couldn't help but smirk so he quickly put the book in front of his mouth to cover it up and look innocent.

"I ask you once more to give it back to me. I'm heading out," Dan Heng said. Caelus raised his eyebrows. Surely Dan Heng could roam around the Astral Express without his precious coat.

"And what if I don't want to?" Caelus asked. Dan Heng kneeled down by his side.

"Are you sure you're going to be like this?" he asked. Caelus was given many chances, and he wondered if Dan Heng would really give up now, so he nodded.

"I'm going to be like this," he confirmed. Dan Heng sighed and all of a sudden in a flash, Caelus found himself on his stomach with Dan Heng pinning him down on the mattress, his hands tugging at the coat. He wasn't giving up - he was going to take his coat back by force! Now that was something!

"Dan Heng - wah! Why would you- gahh come on! Why can I borrow anything but this? Sharing is caring, you told me yourself! Wah!" Caelus huffed when Dan Heng tried to strip him, but he definitely wasn't cooperating.

"O-oof! Get off me!" He tried to get up but was pinned down again, his head landing right next to the book he was reading just now. He could sniff the pleasant scent of the book pages as he breathed in and out, his arms still wrapped around his own torso to keep Dan Heng from taking the coat off.

"Stop that - so childish!" Caelus whined, fighting against Dan Heng's prying hands. They were both being childish. Dan Heng tried, Caelus resisted, and this continued until all of a sudden, it stopped.

"Heh- giving up already?" Caelus asked, turning his head to look up at him, but all of a sudden instead of trying to take his coat off...

"Uwahaha?!" Caelus barked when Dan Heng clawed at his lower sides, and he spasmed at the sudden sensation.

"Whahahat- are you! Ahahah hehehey thahahat's cheheheating!" he cackled. Dan Heng was tickling him?! Now that was surprising.

"I don't think I'm cheating, I've given you plenty of chances to listen. So.. Are you going to give it back now?" Dan Heng asked. He sounded like such a teacher! Caelus shook his head.

"Nohoho!" Dan Heng's hands climbed up, clawing at his ribs despite Caelus' attempts at covering them with his arms. He squirmed and giggled hysterically, kicking his feet as Dan Heng continued to tickle.

His fingers continued to move up further, and Caelus kind of freaked out in the most ticklish and hysterical way when those sneaky little digits reached his armpits. It woke up a certain strength in him that gave him the opportunity to kick Dan Heng right off him.

"Urgh!" Dan Heng groaned, and Caelus gasped.

"AHh- no way, I'm sorry!" he yelped, still breathless and pitchy, and he stood on shaking legs and moved towards Dan Heng who had fallen on his side.

"You shouldn't tickle a ticklish person you know, it can result in something like thi-this, eh..." Caelus backed away cautiously when Dan Heng got back on his feet as well. He was breathing heavily and looked quite... uh. Was attractive the fitting word? Caelus swallowed nervously.

"I'm fine," Dan Heng reassured. "But you won't be if you don't give back the coat right now."

Wow! Talk about vengeful!

[pseudophan]

i became a phannie in 2018 (right in the middle of ii) and i'm a bit scared to ask lol but... what was the vday video? :0

*cracks knuckles* oh boy

the date is september 17th, 2011. a video gets uploaded to the lessamazingphil youtube channel, it stays up for about three hours. the video, simply titled with an emoticon, is.. deeply embarrassing, if i’m being honest! it’s essentially a valentine’s card from phil to dan, painfully earnest and very very sweet, but obviously not meant to be seen by anyone else. at this point in time the phandom was quite small and nobody really lost their minds fully, though there are still reactions from the day up online. most of the reactions were people just going ‘lol called it’. 

the original upload date of the video was february 13th 2010, and it had been private on lessamazingphil for a year and a half until a YOUTUBE GLITCH publicised it. quite frankly if i was dnp i would be burning down youtube headquarters because that is some fucking bullshit. the video gets taken down as soon as phil notices. he reaches out to people who saw it and explain to them that it was an april fools prank that they decided not to go through with.

now because not THAT many people saw it, and there weren’t many diehard shippers at the time, everything kinda died down. that is, until dnp properly blew up and got genuinely famous and oh no of course someone saved the vday vid and of course someone leaked it. halloween 2012! that’s when it all broke loose. at this point not only was the phandom big but there were a metric fuckton of shippers out there. and so when someone posted THAT.. well, you can imagine. 

dan was in the middle of his no homo howell era and went the FUCK off at people on tumblr about it, phil was answering questions about it like hahaa nooo it was a prank lol. basically they were sticking to the april fools story, which is a hilariously bad excuse for many reasons, and truly did not add up even a little bit. there’s not really a reason anymore for us to pick it apart, because after BIG and dan confirming they were romantically involved at the time it’s more clear than ever that they were full of shit when they said it’s a prank, but people were writing essays about that shit. you had to be there, i fear. but also be glad you weren’t cause it was carnage out there 

for YEARS after this phil would take down any copy of the video online, like i’m talking everywhere from youtube to pornhub to obscure foreign websites. the phandom rule was kind of to just not mention it at all, but definitely never post it.

i think we’re best off keeping the ‘don’t post it’ rule, because although the ‘outing them’ part of it all isn’t relevant anymore, it’s still a very private video and i just cannot stress enough how deeply embarrassing it is. i say that lovingly.

that being said, mostly everyone has seen it anyway. i am so sorry dan and phil. kind of, it’s kinda funny also. but sorry again. for what it’s worth, phil seems to have stopped taking it down, so while i won’t post it i will say that if you want to find it you can

... i am going to share their comments on it though because good lord

[q1ngqve]

Your aventio fic got me in a chokehold and now I'm frothing??? I'm being tormented by the same principal but with Jing Yuan and Dan Heng. Reader being the anxious babe that they are avoiding them at ALL costs outside nessasary things since they don't think that their pursuit is genuine (or that they're pretty or smart enough to be with them) Anti-stalking x 100. Like "hello??? The GENERAL and IMBIBITOR LUNE, interested in me??? Sounds fake af" but their also secretly down bad as well, and having bracelets corresponding to them at all times? A subtle marking of their claim over you by your own volition would probably stir something within them.

I'd think the general would enjoy the hunt while Dan Heng tries to not but can't help but be lured in by readers sweetness. A hidden archive dedicated to you is kept by Dan Heng and updated regularly, Jing Yuan sends his retainer to check up on you from time to time. And if they discover what the other is doing??? Would they team up? Mayhaps, and If so, good luck since you have a LION and a DRAGON, pursuing you. Isn't that perfect? But good luck, once your in their grasp you are not leaving untill the only thing you can remember is their names.

I'd find it even funnier if they got access to their fanfic reading list. For me that's sacred but for them it'd be a GOLD MINE, especially when it comes to readers kinks (praise kinks, marking??? Oral??? Oh~ breeding? Now thats jnteresting) WHAT ABOUT THE FANFICS WRITTEN BY XIANZHOU NATIVES??? BRUH READER HAVING SO MANY FEATURING THEM SAVED AND HAVE WRITTEN SOME THEMSELVES CONFIRMS THE FEELING ARE MUTUAL.

Waiting untill the perfect time, they pounce. Conveniently bumping into Dan Heng during the Lunar Festival celebrations and making small talk before the General bumps into the two before suggesting getting food to celebrate the new year's. Timidly excepting the rimvife dinner goes normally untill it doesn't. The restaurant is small yet not busy despite the festivities. (they call reader nicknames (darling) that were used in readers fanfic that make reader flush) (giving genuine praise and watching them flush. Eventually Dan Heng suggest staying at the attached inn due to how crowded it is Outside " oh no! There's only one room remaining! I guess wr have to share a room. How unfortunate." 🤔 and thus all three end up getting one conveniently large private suite.

Once the door is closed they Sandwich reader between the two as Jing Yuan and Dan Heng confess their feelings, trapping reader so they dont run away. When reader objects, Flustered and in disbelif Jing Yuan cant help but tease about their "little findings" while Dan Heng eyes the bracelets on their arms. Posessiebess blooming at the epiphany of the btacelets meanings as their vidyahara traits peak out. If the insecurities come out to? Then they'll have to make sure that reader (and their body) remembers their love by devouring them whole.

( Even better if those findings are used against reader. Awe is their darling shy? And theyre tryjng to muffle their moans and hide their face? Don't worry, those two make sure reader drowns in so such pleasure that it'll be the furthest thing from their prettty little mind)

If reader ends up cover in marks almost impossible to hide and unable to walk for days after and having to be carried out of the suite the next day? Then that's none of our business.

(Sorry if this is long, I'm frothing at the mouth and losing my mind. That aventio fic has rewired my brain in the best way possible and I need to get this out of my mind ajdbdhdindkdn)

✒️

hello anon…? you are so big brained and for what 🤭ྀིྀིྀིྀིྀི i had a good time gobbling this shit up

[ashleyeveerson]

✨ THE DAN AND PHIL LORE pt. 2✨

CHECK OUT PART 1: https://www.tumblr.com/ashleyeveerson/760695134744723456/the-dan-and-phil-lore-pp?source=share

Oh sweet 2015... A trip to Japan, which is dubed by DANIEL HOWELL HIMSELF as Japhan, leads to a fan theory in which Dan and Phil supposedly got married there which they talked about in a recent video i can't believe this is real. IN OTHER NEWS: The Amazing Book is Not on Fire is published and Dan and Phil go in their first tour ever!!! TATINOF is just ICONIC, just treat yourself and watch the musical number "The internet is here" THEY. TAP. DANCE.

The boys are touring worldwide which gives us very cute pictures of them holding koalas (awww). They also attend the Bronca in which they win EVERY PRIZE TOGETHER except "streamer of the year" which Phil won only to beckon Dan to get onstage so they could share it (THEY MAKE ME SICK). The iconic clip "Can Phil express an opinion?" is also born and Dan blesses our ears by dropping the rap of the century: ROAST YOURSELF CHALLENGE a month without uploading he comes back with a tag THAT NO ONE EVEN TAGED HIM ON

Things are changingggg... Dan ditches the "Dan is not on fire" name and brand of his channel to reflect the changes in his content. He then uploads "Dan and Depression", in which he opens up for the first time about his struggles with mental health (it's a great fucking video go watch it).

Phannies and Phil himself rejoice when Dan decides to embrace the hobbit hair and ditch the straightners (RIP the fringe). And as part of april fool's day a strange video named "Dan and Phil crafts" is uploaded to YT (idk what to say go watch it yourselves). THEY ALSO MOVED TO PHLAT 3 ON LONDON [which we would later discover were 2 separate flats; one to live in and one to record in] (some fans theorized about it before they confirmed idk ya'll scare me)

In 2018 they embark on their second tour "INTERACTIVE INTROVERTS" but the vibes in the channel all lead to the end of an era... Phil ditches the fringe (RIP), the final video of Dan vs Phil is recorded and the LAST AND 10th TATINOF gets uploaded. Now... the nostalgic vibes of this video, the love they have for their fans, the recreation of the first picture they ever took... YEAH THIS ONE ALWAYS MAKES ME SOB -- we enter the INDEFINITE HIATUS --

LOOK AT THEM :( something, something about despite everything, it's still you...

now we enter.... THE DARK AGES. Dan basically disappears from the internet while Phil keeps on uploading on his solo channel with no mention of him. So after everything, WHAT HAPPENED TO PHAN? DID WE GO TOO FAR AS A FANDOM? ARE WE THE BAD GUYS? Let's take a trip down Phandom history, shall we?

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

So in the peak years of Dan and Phil uploading a VERY LARGE group had appeared on Tumblr which was soley focused on so called "EVIDENCE" of Phan being canon. Now... the problem being that using the term CANON with real people is problematic to say the least. The relationship speculation that had thrived on fictional tv shows such as Merlin, Supernatural or Sherlock was now being IMPOSED upon two very real people. NOT fictional characters, just two blokes with feelings and a right to privacy.

SO WHO GOT IT RIGHT?? was it the crazy theorists, did Dan and Phil share the sonic underwear, clothes and a bed? Or was it all a lie? A bad rumour? A comercial decision to get more money from the phans? well WHICH IS IT?

WHAT IS THE TRUTH? WE. WANT. ANSWERS.

...

YIKES! Turns out that there is no answer, because we as fans ARE NOT ENTITLED TO THE PRIVACY OF OUR IDOLS. We only deserve as much as Dan and Phil are comfortable and willing to share about their lives with us... Oh and Dan? He has something BIG to share

Yeah so, words can even begin to explain how much this video meant to myself and may others... For me it was the first video I ever saw of someone actually coming out on camera, it was a beacon of light, a promise that things CAN eventually get better and a very brave fucking thing for Dan to do. He gave hope to thousands of young people who were just as lost as he had once been, he became the representation he so desperately needed when he was just a depressed kid. Just, go watch it. It's wonderful, it's a masterpiece, it's funny and heartbreaking in equal parts and above all... it's SO authentically Dan.

So where does that lead us... Let's dissect the popularity of Phan shall we? A LOT OF FANS WERE JUST FETISHISING MEN FOR NO REASON, TRUE. But a lot of them were also queer and exploring their sexuality through the safety of a m/m pairing. Since historically most yuri was catered around men and hetero romance tended to objectify women, slash paring became a way for a lot of girls to explore sex and love. That is, within the safety of removing themselves completely from the pairing. Go read this article if you wanna know more about women's fascination with slash media: https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/why-women-love-slashfic

SO SURPRISE, WE ALL TURNED OUT TO BE QUEER!!! Like ofc there was a toxic side of it, but there were also a lot of queer kids who desperately searched for public figures they could relate to.

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Now a couple of edits before returning to the Phan timeline bc these slides turned out to be WAY heavier than intended: Look at my boy Dan look at him!!! Look at him showing those grippers, feeding a deer, going proudly to his first Gay Parade!!!

PHIL LESTER MY BELOVED... dan I can and will fight you on the title of Phil's num 1 trash he'd probably win who am i kidding he's so in love with this man istg

PART 3 RIGHT HERE: https://www.tumblr.com/ashleyeveerson/760714622028349440/the-dan-and-phil-lore-pt-2?source=share

[mxdarling]

[inside the closet, it's full of rainbows]

or how the astral express crew react to you coming out to them.

found family astral express, ooc astral express crew, fluff post, lowercase, definitely rushed, platonic, not proofread, 1.8k wc, reader could be trailblazer or not, spoiler free, reader's gender/sexuality is left ambiguous.

[a/n; soooo... pride month, yes, it's gay mfs, i initially wanted to get this out earlier but uh- i forgot to write it??? so um- i'm very sorry!! this might be like a whole month late? but it's never too late to say happy pride month!! <33 also repost bcs IT AIN'T SHOWING UP IN THE TAGS???]

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ :March 7th;

➮ okay hear me out, her first reaction is either gonna be "WHAT!?" or "HAHA I KNEW IT!!"

➮ because if you're super lowkey about your sexuality/gender then she probably never even thought of the possibility of you being part of the skittle squad like- she's literally mouth gaping bcs SHE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA THAT YOU WEREN'T STRAIGHT/CISGENDER???

➮ she probably got the vibe that maybe you weren't straight/cisgender?? like maybe the way you dress or the way you act to certain gender/sex that gave her the idea but she didn't wanna assume nor did you say anything to confirm or deny her thoughts so she kinda just dropped it but she still held some curiosity but just didn't act upon it y'know- pretty girls respect privacy!!

➮ ORR if you're less secretive about your gender/sexuality, wearing pride pins, your flag colors, saying jokes implying your gender/sexuality, your romantic/lack of interests towards a certain gender/multiple genders/anything romantic or sexual, etc. without ever really saying it directly then she probably got the hint (or multiple OBVIOUS hints to be exact) so when you finally confirmed it she reacts like she knew from the very beginning (like a detective having their suspicions on a person proven true, it's cute loll)

➮ now honestly speaking, no matter what gender/sexuality she's gonna be so so supportive you!! doing everything she can to make you comfortable in expressing yourself around her and the astral express! she also asks you questions about your gender/sexuality which might leave you overwhelmed if she bombers you with them but she'll back off if you verbally/clearly express signs of discomfort

➮ IF EVER you need help with clothes, like wanting to be comfortable but also stylish, finding what style suits your appearance the best, what accessories to buy, finding clothes your size, etc. your girl march has got your back!! she can't be a pretty girl without a sense of fashion!! you bet you two are gonna have the best photoshoot of your life, march gets all your best angles, not a single one is a bad photo and if you're feeling camera shy she joins in the photoshoot with you!! matching clothes is a must so you two can be cute together!!

➮ she's totally gonna drag you to most, if not all, her shopping sprees!! i'm sorry if you aren't one to go to clothes shopping often but she cannot have you miss this opportunity to try on clothes with her!! she promises you to make it worth your while (or she just begs and begs until your eventually agree LOLL)

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ :Dan Heng;

➮ this guys is either a low "i knew that" or a moment of silence before speaking up, "yeah that makes sense"

➮ LIKEE he probably had an inkling feeling that you were a little fruity, like a scratching gut feeling that you weren't straight/cisgender just didn't say anything, he knows that if you wanted him to know you would've said something so he waited for you to tell him yourself to not pressure you into doing something you weren't comfortable. he understands things such as these are private matters, if you don't wanna share it then it's fine—if you do then it won't change how he views and treats you as a friend! he's does feel a little bit happy that you trust him with this information (he's very much happy loll)

➮ he's definitely a lot more perceptive than march so he's more likely to pick up behavior habits or hints that would probably be "normal" in other people's eyes, like i said he says nothing about this to you or anyone, he kinda just- remembers them??? like its stored in his head in case he'll bring it up in the future for unknown reasons cause like march he doesn't wanna assume or jump to conclusions about you sooo he brushes off his curiosity until he sort of buries it deep down??? idk its hard to read the guy okay

➮ there were probably moments wherein you did something that made dan heng raise an eyebrow like this emoji "🤨" EXCEPT its more stoic and less obvious that your action made him A LITTLE suspicious... for the first few times he doesn't think about it too much because those could be coincidences or accidents, everyone has those moments (right? right??? yeah.) but if those "coincidences" and "accidents" happen a bit more often than his gayradar goes off brr

➮ he's very much supportive just not as loud as march is, he does basically everything march does but in a more subtle manner like he's researching all night about your gender/sexuality to make sure he doesn't say anything insensitive or make a wrong assumption about your gender/sexuality, reading materials that contain your gender/sexuality so he can understand how you feel better, etc. he also asks you some of his questions directly but he doesn't really wanna bother you or come off as 'too much' so he got most of his knowledge from other sources

➮ he may be quiet about his support but do not doubt that this man will defend you to hell and back if someone were to ever ever disrespect you and your boundaries, he will fight back and he will not go easy on said person or people, he MIGHT hold back if you tell him very nicely, might okay he doesn't take lightly to those that insult people who are dear to him, no way will he remain a bystander to the sight of people stepping over you like some doormat!!

➮ he doesn't do it often but he'll gift you trinkets that are the colors of your flag, like maybe not exactly the colors but he tries to find the closest one that resembles your colors flag y'know, plus he's not really good with words so this is one of the ways of showing that he loves you and you're important to him no matter what <33

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ :Himeko;

➮ honestly i feel like it's just one reaction, and it's just a soft smile and a expression that screams "i'm glad you were comfortable enough to tell me" LIKE IT'S SO SOFT AND CARING OMGGHDJHSH

➮ sorry guys himeko is just so sweet, caring, understanding, patient, emotional available i feel like she's the one you told way before anyone else because of how comfortable you are with her. SHE'S LITERALLY PERFECT WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY-

➮ i feel as though she doesn't put much thought into your personal matters because she knows that there are things that don't need to be said at all and she understands that, she won't force nor rush anything, she'll let you pick your pace, take your time, and choose when you wanna be vulnerable with her and/or the crew. she also doesn't make any bold assumptions about your gender/sexuality on her end because that's not what defines you, rather she gives her thoughts on what she DOES know about you—as a person, as a nameless, as someone dear to her.

➮ supportive mother all the way!! she does whatever makes you comfortable, like she slowly eases you in how you want to express yourself and how you feel about yourself, how you want to be address, it's just a very slow but caring process with himeko <33

➮ she feels like the type of person you'd gossip with, himeko and her black bitter coffee, you and your (favorite drink), maybe not exactly gossip but you'd tell her about certain incidents surrounding your gender/sexuality (like how you'd tell your friend/s about a new crush you developed, how the new outfit you’ve discovered makes you feel more confident, etc. etc.) like idk how to explain it but you guys see the vision?? you yapping about something and himeko just peacefully listening despite not talking much, idk i find it very sweet <33 she's definitely the type to make you your favorite food and drink if you happen to be in a bad mood because of someone else :((

➮ while she might not fully understand what it's like in your shoes, she can try to sympathize with you and be the shoulder to cry on when you feel overwhelmed with your emotions or need to let those feelings out so they don't eat you up from the inside. sometimes just being by each other's side is enough of comfort, no words are needed, just the presence and the knowledge that someone is there for you at your lowest.

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ :Welt Yang;

➮ dude feels like a old man, i'm sorry i feel like he's the one that's not the most knowledgeable about lgbtq+?? like he knows about it, he doesn't know a lot about it you get what i mean? like he'll look at you a little confused on what you said but still is accepting just needs time for you to explain to him what exactly is your gender/sexuality, he's trying he swears!!

➮ he's the clueless one, i'm not just saying this because he's an old man and stuff but i feel like he's mind is always either on the safety of the crew, the next location, or the current trailblaze mission, if he DOES have the time to not think about those things it's probably to reminisce about the past or something y'know? so he's the one that had absolutely NO IDEA you weren't straight/cisgender!!???

➮ he'll still ask questions about your gender/sexuality just to make sure he hasn't gotten anything wrong or assumed something bad about your gender/sexuality, his approach to gaining more information is kind of like a mix of march and dan heng where he'll ask questions to you and search for sources on his own.

➮ honestly idk what else to add but the fact he's definitely trying his best loll, he's still getting used to addressing you the way you wanted to be address, or he's still surprised by the way you dress yourself up but don't take any of it negative—it's just the change will catch him off guard but nevertheless supports these changes!! if it makes you comfortable and more yourself than do it! if it's not hurting you in any way, why should he stop and ruin your fun?

➮ like himeko, he'll be the listener to your yapping, might have a harder time keeping up with what you're saying sometimes if you're the type to talk really fast or jump from topic to topic but he'll still listen. he'll even surprise you by remembering the stuff you've said, even if you just mentioned it once, he still remembered it.

➮ he tries his best to give the best advice you need in your current situation, he tries not to sugarcoat his words and be as honest as he possibly can—though he can't guarantee he won't hurt your feelings, sometimes advice are words you NEED to hear and not what you WANT to hear.

PLEASE DO NOT COPY, REPOST, SHARE, TRANSLATE OR REUPLOAD ANY OF MY WORKS TO OTHER SITES WITHOUT MY PERMISSION + REBLOGS AND COMMENTS ARE APPRECIATED.

[murfpersonalblog]

IWTV S2 Ep8 Musings - The Ep8 Script (Pt2)

Thanks to slitwrstsavior sharing the script and @memorian for digitizing it! <3

Had to do Pt1 in chunks, cuz of Tumblr's 30-pic limit.

DANGIT. So this was INTENTIONALLY vague, not just some weird choppiness or cut footage.

Ohhhh.... They added just a tiny extra line--

But it's a SPICY line, cuz it implies that Les wasn't fully cooperating/on board with the rehearsal. BUT! Like I said, there's no effing mention/emphasis/indication that he was INJURED, either, which is an L.

They changed it--Louis looks UP, into the middle distance.

I'm fine with it either way--this scene had me and my bff SCREECHING.

Pet peeve, but the crew really should've been spritzing these vampires with a spray bottle of red blood, so we'd SEE the BLOOD SWEAT. (I was thinking about this when that post was circulating about vampire sex in IWTV fanfiction, like, AMC didn't show visual vampiric cues like Blood Sweat or blood (ejaculate) stains on the coffin lining--Les' was WHITE, and we KNOW Loustat was going at it in the coffins, so were they just reupholstering CONSTANTLY?) The books mention Blood Sweat all the time, all over their clothes, but the show just focused on Blood Tears (and ofc Les' ear hemorrhages).

OOOOOOOO.....!!! 👀 That highlighted bit was cut out! "You have grown warm again, filled with the love which you first came to Paris with." WUUUUT!?! So Armand's mind-wipe gaslighting BS against Louis was in the exact same vein as Claudia "finding her childlike wonder again"--which was IMPOSSIBLE, since ARMAND was the one that beat it out of her, Mr. 500 Performances, Mr. Sleep In Your Costume; Mr. They Gave Me A Choice; Mr. I Will Not Harm You.

I seriously suspect that every time Louis had an "outburst" like he said in 1x2, or "acted out," Armand would be like "Go back to your first night in Paris--forget all the bad stuff, just be warm & happy [with me];" but then Lou would FIGHT it (or rather: Daniel's constant prodding would PUSH Louis to fight it), and Armand would have to do it all over again. (My question's why didn't he just kill Daniel? Arrogance, I reckon--he severely underestimated just how good Daniel was; and "You can get lazy," like Lou said, cuz Armand didn't even bother to read Dan's thoughts to learn that the Talamasca was feeding Daniel all this extra information).

They cut that line, too--was Louis parroting him (fighting hypnosis), asking him (for clarification), or challenging him (indignant)?

That might also explain the new couches, LOL, if he wrecked them from the impact or bled on them or something.

(We already know Jacob improvised shaking Eric's hand.)

MLS = LePere Schloop?

Too bad we didn't get this--I wanted to see the main door/lobby of the penthouse (certainly not for my The Sims Dubai penthouse layout, no sir~!) .

They added extra lines about the hurricane being pre-July.

Uhhh.... This might imply certain things. Cuz I've been saying that the post-Paris timeline makes no effing sense (X X), and now we have confirmation(?) that Louis' had an Amex membership since 1951.... Even though Amex credit cards were only started in 1958, as a competitor for the Diner's Card that started in 1950 -- so was Louis an INVESTOR who helped launch the Amex credit card!? XD STFU, AMC! I thought y'all said No Forrest Gumpness!? XD

Also: HOW does Louis qualify for all these credit cards? (We saw he had a regular Amex Green Card in 1973 SanFran). According to Amex application qualifications, you need a US SSN or ITIN; OR a foreign credit card to apply.

And France isn't listed. (Unless anyone's French and has an Amex card who can correct me?)

SSNs have been issued since FDR (1936), so Louis SHOULD have one...but it would be from 1936-40 (pre-Mardi Gras), or after Paris () . Meaning on paper he'd be in his 80s in 2022, so I don't imagine he'd be a Black Card carrier for too much longer, unless he's got someone on the inside cooking the books for him.

Omfg AMC I hate y'all. got me out here overthinking effing PROPS.

They added a few lines about the green "pearly gates" of 1132:

And took out a few lines:

And took out an interesting bit of tea:

So the people of ~1940s NOLA thought Claudia was Louis' daughter (Claudia DPDL confirmed???) but the grapevine ALSO rumored that she was his child bride--OOF! 💀 (Which tracks with the AR pedo/incest stuff. Thank goodness they DON'T remember his name!)

Rolin keeps mentioning this smashed piano, but I HAVE LOOKED, but I also have crap eyesight (curse you, midnight gaming sessions), and I just don't frikkin see any smashed piano. HELP.

DEFINITELY not the Mayfair mansion though! XD DANG, I wish they'd included a few frames of gangs tryna rob the Garden District homes, coming up on the Mayfair house, and IMMEDIATELY booking past it like they'd seen a ghost. CROSSOVER, AMC, COME ONNNN.

Drats, I wanted to see Millennial Fledgling try to square up against Lou, and get one of Lou's patented condescending smirks. XD

And Les looked dirty, but he didn't look malnourished, sadly; which I'm still mad about.

In the FLOORBOARDS? OK, come through, BRUCE--I been saying this about Lestat, yet people wanna call me names!

New rule, AMC: NEVER remove Loustat lines. We need ALL the angst. Les out here like: ain't no way a baddie like Lou is SINGLE! XD

S3 BETTER show us Les watching the most vapid ish on Youtube, omg.

LOL

Drats--it might have been cool to see him with those huge pupils he gets when he's mad/hungry, but ah well; he still looked like a gorgeous BAMF.

EXCELLENT SCRIPT, EXCELLENT SHOW, GAAAAAAAH!!! ❤️

[sixhours]

Chapter 1 - The Ghosts of Babylon

Series Chapter Index | Read on AO3 | Complete

Rating: Explicit, 18+, here be smut and violence Series tags: Joel Miller x You, Joel Miller x Reader, Joel & Ellie, mostly follows canon, LGBTQ+ characters, y/n is bi/pan, y/n is ~45, violence, pregnancy, abortion, medical trauma, emotional trauma, panic attacks, sex work, suicide, smut, slow burn, angst with a happy ending, hurt/comfort, romance, no use of y/n, reader has longish hair, Joel can lift you, smallish age gap (~11 years), I've probably forgotten some so please let me know <3

~*~

Portland, Maine September 26, 2003

“Fuck.”

The air in the bathroom is thick with moisture, making it hard to breathe. You wipe at the condensation on the mirror and stare at the face reflected back at you, pale and drawn in the yellow light.

“Fuck, fuuuuck,” you mutter, holding the pregnancy test up and squinting, tilting it this way and that, hoping the extra line is just a trick of the light, but it doesn’t go away. You groan, internally vacillating between panic and rage.

Fuck.

There’s a knock at the door. Your girlfriend, Joanna, probably wondering what’s taking so long.

“Hey, you done? We just got called into the hospital again.”

“What?” You drop the stick onto the counter, but you can’t stop staring at it, the two clear blue lines taunting you. Outside your shared one-bedroom apartment a siren begins to wail. “I just got home.”

“That’s the job, babe,” Jo says. The doorknob creaks, breaking your reverie.

“Shit, just a sec,” you mutter, shoving your foot against the door and fumbling for some toilet paper to wrap the test in before tucking it at the bottom of the garbage can. You swallow the urge to vomit as Jo pokes her head in.

“You’ve been in here forever–”

“Jeez, privacy,” you snap, clutching the towel to your body more tightly, suddenly keenly aware of how flimsy it is, how exposed you are.

Jo’s eyes widen with hurt and you immediately soften, guilt stabbing at the gentlest swell in your abdomen. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…it’s just been a long-ass day.”

You soothe her with a quick kiss, hoping she can’t taste the hint of bile under the mint of your toothpaste and mouthwash.

“I’ll be right there,” you say, ducking around her, headed to your room in search of fresh scrubs.

“You want something to eat? I made sandwiches to go.”

Your stomach turns. “No, I ate at the caf after my last shift,” you lie. “Is this an all-hands thing?” you call over your shoulder as you dig in the hamper. Nothing is clean, there’s never enough time to do laundry.

Plenty of time to fuck an old buddy and get knocked up, though , you think, setting your lips in a grim line and smoothing the wrinkles out of some navy blue slacks.

“Yeah, Dan says they’re calling everyone in,” she confirms. “Something about a virus, flu season’s starting early, they’re expecting a full house. It’s bad.”

“Mmm,” you say, pulling on the freshest top you can find and tying back your hair in a ponytail. You meet Jo at the door where she hands you a brown paper sack, presumably your sandwich.

“You okay?” she asks as you walk the four blocks to the hospital, grateful for the crisp fall air. You hope it hides the flush in your cheeks, hopes she didn’t hear you retching before you stepped into the shower. She reaches for your hand and takes it, but your fingers are numb. “You’re quiet.”

“I’m fine,” you say automatically. “Just…tired.”

“Okay…hey, I had an idea for our anniversary next week.”

“Hmm?”

“There’s this new place on Congress Street, they do a great brunch with free mimosas? Since it’s on a Sunday I thought we could probably sneak in a date after your shift–”

“That’s fine,” you say automatically, squeezing her hand in weak reassurance; just the word brunch makes your stomach turn. “I mean, great, sounds great.”

She stops you outside the hospital’s employee entrance and holds fast to your hand to pull you back before you can go in.

“Babe. Are you sure you’re alright?”

You blink back tears, swallow hard, and it almost comes out. You open your mouth to speak, but the sound of a siren interrupts as an ambulance screams out of the nearby garage, lights flashing, and the moment is gone.

You pull her into a tight hug. She smells soft and warm and familiar, like oranges and vanilla. You press a tight kiss to the nape of her neck in an unusually public display of affection.

“Whoa,” she says softly, taking an unintentional step back as if to catch you.

“I’m okay,” you murmur into her neck. “We’ll be okay.”

~*~

The smell of antiseptic barely registers as you enter the building, so familiar to you now it’s like a second home. Joanna gives you a quick wave before being intercepted by her attending, who drags her off to the ICU to check on a patient.

By the time you drop your bag off at your locker, shoving the paper satchel with your sandwich at the back, you’ve almost put the pregnancy out of your mind. It comes naturally, this tight compartmentalization of your feelings, this easy decoupling from your emotional state.

The on-call attending physician looks no worse for the wear, and in the back of your mind, you wonder if someone higher up is overreacting to the news out of Indonesia. Your limited knowledge of virology knows the flu can’t jump that quickly. You’re over a hundred miles from the nearest major airport. It will be several days before what’s happening there crawls its way to this tiny state. It’s true, the waiting room is busy, but that’s not unusual for a Friday night.

You fight off a wave of nausea and take a clipboard from the wall.

~*~

Several hours later, at about the time a man named Joel Miller is holding his dead daughter in his arms somewhere in Texas, you are beginning to understand that this is not influenza.

Reports out of Boston and New York City are fragmented and, quite frankly, unbelievable. There’s a federal emergency warning on the screen of every television in the lobby and a growing sense of unease as nurses, doctors, and assistants dash between rooms, weaving between gurneys, calling out orders for beds, antibiotics, IVs. The thrum of the waiting room only grows louder and more insistent. The sirens are a constant, frenetic wail in the distance.

But all of that is a dim clamor in the background because your latest patient has a bite. A distinctly human-mouth-shaped arc of angry red impressions in the crook of their neck. The patient also has a sudden fever and a rash that is rapidly spreading up the side of their head. 

Rashes don’t move like that, rashes don’t fucking undulate …

If you didn’t know better you’d think it was blood poisoning, but you’ve never seen sepsis like this. You watched the bite happen, watched a troubled man in the waiting room lurch from his chair and fly toward his victim, sinking his teeth into the flesh of her neck before being restrained by an orderly and the receptionist. That was maybe five minutes ago, and you’ve never seen an infection spread so fucking fast . By the time you’d helped the patient into a cot, they were already shivering, skin clammy and burning at the same time.

The patient is your partner, Joanna.

“What…the fuck,” she murmurs, chest heaving. Her neck twitches and jumps under your careful, probing touch. Her skin is already dewy with sweat, hot under your fingertips.

“Hold still,” you hiss, unsure if you’re talking to her or your trembling hands. You douse the bite in antiseptic, wiping away the blood with a clean square of gauze, leaning in to examine the rash again. It’s crept up from her collarbone to her ear, and it has to be your imagination, but you can almost see it…move. Joanna is shivering, whether from the fever or shock you don’t know, but you don’t have time to process before a shriek rings out from the hall.

“Need some help out here!”

Joanna grimaces, hissing softly through her teeth. “Go.”

“Jo–”

“Go. I’ll be fine,” she says, even as her eyes roll back in pain.

You give her one last desperate look, squeezing her hand, whispering, “I’ll be right back,” before ducking out of the room.

A woman is seizing on the floor, spasms jerking her limbs from side to side. A nurse looks up at you with wide eyes as he attempts to stabilize the patient’s head and neck. The seizing woman’s head turns sharply and her teeth make contact with his wrist, ripping a gash in the tender flesh.

“Shit!” he cries, jerking his hand away, blood running in rivulets down his arm.

“Go, I’ve got this,” you bark. He doesn’t wait, doesn’t ask if you’re sure, just backs away and runs down the hall.

A hot hand on your shoulder spins you around before you can figure out what to do with the writhing woman on the floor. It’s Joanna, her eyes cloudy. The heat radiates off her body in waves, the rash–

Not a rash.

–has spread up her neck, already red and raised welt-like lines are slithering–

Rashes don’t slither.

–around the sunken sockets of her eyes.

“Help…” she croaks. Her fingers pulse and twitch against your collarbone, gripping too tight, too close.

“Jo, it’s–” you start to soothe, intending to send her back to bed, but she’s staggering toward you in sharp jerks, her mouth glistening, and some deep, primal urge makes you recoil from your lover’s embrace. You stumble backward, heels catching on the woman on the floor, and you land on your tailbone behind her.

Joanna follows like a moth to your flame, pitching forward, crawling, oblivious to the woman on the floor who is also moving underneath her, rolling over in a jerky, twisting, impossible way. Both women lock onto you and you can almost feel their need, their–

Hunger.

From down the hall comes a rising chorus of shouts, a crash. Someone bursts through the doors from the waiting room, one shoulder soaked with blood. From between the swinging doors, you see glimpses of chaos, hear more screams.

No. No. Not Jo. Not–

Something inside you breaks; you scramble backward, barely stifling a moan. You feel a hand tighten around your ankle and you kick it away, the tile floor slippery against your sweaty palms. Another hand grasps, scrabbles, another kick; a bloody palm print gleams on the crisp white leather toe of your sneaker.

No! No! Get out!

By some miracle you find your feet, feel yourself turning, running down the hall, deeper into the hospital. A dim part of your brain reaches for a reprimand, but you can’t make yourself stop, driven by panic, passing lines of gurneys and bodies slumped on the floor. You’re acutely aware of the thick smell of blood, drowning out the familiar antiseptic wash. You push your way through crowded halls over a chorus of groans and screams.

Out get out get out out out–

You burst through an emergency exit at the back of the hospital gasping for air, pressing your back to the weathered brick. Your heart lurches in your chest, wishing for this to end, for you to wake up in your bed after a bad dream.

A pregnancy dream , you think, barking a manic laugh into the night, recalling that your biggest fear this morning had been a little nausea and a missing red dot on the calendar. You taste hot bile and feel yourself swaying, ready to empty the meager contents of your stomach next to the dumpster, but a blinding light freezes you in its glare.

“Stop right there!”

You blink, stunned. Then you see the gun.

A figure in Army fatigues is pointing a rifle at you. The trembling of the muzzle makes you understand he’s just as scared as you are. If you get sick now, you’re a dead woman.

You raise your shaking hands in surrender. “Don’t shoot, I’m a…I’m a doctor.” 

He doesn’t lower the weapon. “Are you bit?”

“I’m not–I don’t know what–”

His voice rises, panic creeping in as he gestures with the rifle, jabbing it at you. “Are you bit?!? Are you sick?”

“No!” you say, trying not to let your voice shake. “No, I’m not sick.”

He swallows hard, appearing to take this in. You close your eyes in the endless seconds between breaths, waiting for the crack of the rifle.

You open your eyes at the sound of the gun being lowered to his side.

“Ma’am,” he says shakily. “I think you should come with me.”

[alittledizzy]

Dnp opinions dizzy 🥺🙏🙏🙏🙏 pleaaase

I think overall the show does not seem particularly wild to me - most twists are pretty predictable, it seems like they didn't put a lot of thought into the script, but that's not always a bad thing. They literally always overhype stage shows - it's just part of the promo.

I love some of the conspiracies - I do wish they'd have more range, but I'm kind of hoping they change it up some between tour legs. There is really no shortage of them they could go through, especially the sillier ones.

Underwear sharing, Vegas video, tour bus - they're telling us things we 100% already KNEW. But it's fun that they're actually confirming them. I'm very excited to see that in purpose.

I do find the merch situation interesting in a more negative way. The quality has taken a sharp decline while the prices have risen. It's depressing considering a few years ago they seemed to be putting out an effort to have high quality merch, ethically made, sometimes even charity oriented. They were sourcing things from local female-owned businesses, even, like the candles and the hot chocolate. So to see that promising direction just disintegrate under their need for a better profit margin for them is extremely meh to me. I get they need money to fund the tour, but it still just sucks, y'know? I miss being proud of saying Dan and Phil have their own merch company. But now IRL just kind of represents them burning other creators and putting out overpriced low quality products.

[chartmyfixations]

cris watches dr. who: s03e02 - "The Shakespeare Code"

"Come on! We can have a good flirt later!" "Is that a promise, Doctor?" "Oh, fifty-seven academics just punched the air. Come on."

The victim in the opening scene kind of gives me Captain Jack Harkness vibes

Look, I get that we're doing MacBeth, but there had better be a twist to these three witches other them being three old crones. C'mon, Dr. Who, that's a very tired trope

Of course Martha wants to know how it works. She's asking all the relevant questions –  the grandfather paradox, standing on a butterfly in the past, slavery viz a viz her. The Doctor skates right by her all very legitimate complaints

A Harry Potter-call out! Poor Dr Who authors - they had the foresight to predict book seven would be a tear jerker, but not J.K. Rowling's bad turn into transfobia after that

Aw, he misses Rose. Martha is not amused. (Doctor, you dope! You don't bring up the ex when you're sharing a bed)

Bisexual Shakespeare confirmed! It's me, I'm one of the fifty-seven academics punching the air

Ah yes, the convenient, once per season telepathy

"Let me out!" "They're all shouting that!" Hee

I do enjoy the running joke about the Doctor inspiring Shakespeare's words, never mind the massive holes in the space-time continuum. (If the Doctor quotes to be or not to be at Shakespeare, then Shakespeare would have never written those words to inspire the Doctor in the first place. Unstable time loop, that is.)

Hee. The famous Shakespeare collar! (Fuck you, I went to Stratford-upon-Avon, I'm almost a Shakespeare scholar.)

Ooh, so Martha is the Dark Lady? That's hot

So, is the title a reference to Dan Brown? If so - why?

Elisabeth hates the Doctor! Is this a callback to really old episodes or a callforward to future episodes? Only time will tell!

5 out of 8 Tardes. Shakespeare was a little too annoyingly smarmy and the gift of words is a little too hokey

[myveryownfanfiction]

18+ MINORS AND THOSE WITHOUT AGE IN BIO DNI

request and prompt sent by @onedirectionlovers2014

request: mumbling to each other in a room full of people and quietly laughing. Having eyes only on each other when the world is watching you.

tags: @illiana-mystery, @eclecticwildflowers

warnings: swearing, mention of drinking/drinks

Dan squeezed my hand as Harry and Gina walked into the room. Everyone cheered as they took their places at the head table. Harry patted Dan on the shoulder when he passed and Dan smiled over at him. The night moved quickly and before everyone got up to officially start the party, Dan made his best man speech.

“so if you’ll all join me in raising your glasses,” Dan held up his Champaign flute and kept my hand in his other one. “To Harry and Gina stone! May your marriage be a long and prosperous one!”

“to Harry and Gina!” Everyone cheered as Dan sat down.

”glad that’s over.” Dan whispered to me. I giggled and leaned into him.

“it wasn’t that bad.” I whispered back. “You looked very handsome up there.” I added after seeing San pout.

“yeah?” He asked, cheering up instantly. I nodded and he leaned over to kiss my cheek. “I can’t wait until it’s us up there exchanging vows and sharing our happiness with everyone.” I nodded, leaning my head against his shoulder.

“they do look really happy out there don’t they?” I said, my voice turning dreamy.

“Incredibly so.” Dan agreed. The longer we watched Harry and Gina, the more we started giggling. “Do you remember when we went on that double date? And you thought we’d lost the two of them?” I nodded with a laugh.

“but they had run off to go outside and watch the stars.” I finished. “Or the time we went on the Ferris wheel.” Dan groaned with a smile.

“I wanted to propose that night but they wouldn’t let us get on alone.” He laughed. He settled down for a little before smiling at me. “Do you remember when we went to the zoo?” I nodded.

“Just the two of us in the entire park. It was weird.” I said. Dan nodded.

“and they let us sit in the front row for all the shows and meet the animals after.” Dan said, eyes glazing over slightly at the memory. “You wanted to pet the otters but they wouldn’t let you. I bought you the biggest ice cream they had to make up for it.”

“or when we went to the amusement park and your favorite ride was shut down for maintenance.” I threw in. “I had to drag you onto my favorite.” I laughed at the memory.

“and that one quickly became my second favorite.” Dan reminded me. “Sometimes we are children aren’t we?” I nodded. Neither of us noticed Harry and Gina looking at us. Nor did we notice the way everyone else was looking at the only two people who weren’t getting up from the tables. “I hope we keep that.”

“even when we have kids of our own. I want to always see that childlike wonder in your eyes.” I said. Dan smiled brightly at me before leaning over for a kiss.

“as long as you don’t lose yours either.” He assured me. I nodded as he kissed me again.

“well kids, I think it’s time we headed out.” Harry’s voice made us both jump. He laughed and smiled. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“it’s alright Harry.” Dan assured him, standing up and pulling me up with him. “Headed for the airport?”

“yeah. Gina packed the car earlier.” I nodded in confirmation. “We’ll be back in time to see your wedding. If not preform it.” Dan and I shared a look. “Oh anyone can see you two are next. And it’s going to be soon if the way you couldn’t keep your eyes off each other is any sign.” Dan blushed but smiled at Harry anyway.

“we’ll wait. Who wouldn’t want their best friend to preform their wedding ceremony?” I nodded in agreement.

“have a nice trip Harry.” I said before Harry hugged me and took off into the night. “Maybe he’s right.” I said to Dan as we were walking out. “Maybe we should get married when they get back.”

“maybe we should.” Dan agreed as he kissed the back of my hand and helped me into the car.

[centuryberry]

@peachshadows / @terrible-leviathan Here’s another chapter where MK bonds with his not-parents after he’s in a situation where he’s forced to.

Or: MK and A-Dan fight.

“A-Dan, you need to apologize.”

MK wasn’t unfamiliar with A-Dan’s tendency to prank the people around her whenever she was bored. Seeing people spring her traps and react to whatever she threw at them always made her day. Whenever anyone heard her Monkey King laugh, they’d know she pulled off yet another successful prank.

“Baby Monkey enrichment, Bud,” his Wukong had told him with a laugh when he complained about being caught up in A-Dan’s latest prank. “It’s actually a lot less destructive than what I did at her age. It’s all in good fun and completely harmless.”

But recently, her pranks, which had been randomly scattered around to catch anyone unlucky to come across them, suddenly became focused on specific targets.

Specific targets being Red Son and Mei.

MK couldn’t understand. A-Dan never seemed to have an issue with Red Son and Mei back in their own world. And the ones in this world seemed almost desperate for any positive interaction with her. So why? Why the dislike and the mean-spirited pranks? A-Dan was usually so sweet. With a pang, MK wondered if this was because she thought being aggressive was normal and okay. It wouldn’t be too far-fetched since this world was ruled by a Monkey King who thrived in violence.

MK really had to find a way back home and soon.

Beside him, Red Son was covered from head to toe with paint, mud, and overripe fruit. By now, MK’s own Red Son would’ve been fuming at having his clothes ruined, but this one only looked between MK and A-Dan with a worried crease in his brow. He raises his hands placatingly with a strained smile. “It’s all right, my Prince! You don’t need to make Princess Xiaodan apologize! It’s just a small mess that can easily be cleaned up. I am fine! I-”

MK cut him off with a shake of his head. “This is the fifth time she’s done this to you! Today! And she did something similar to Mei last week! And she’d do it to Jin and Yin too whenever they drop by for a friendly spar.”

“…There are other demons trying to court you?”

“Not important.” MK ignored Red Son’s enraged spluttering in favor of looking back up at the tree where A-Dan was pouting and pointedly ignoring MK. “A-Dan, apologize.”

A-Dan stuck her tongue out. “No.”

“A-Dan,” MK said warningly.

“No!” She cried out stubbornly from her perch on the tree. She turned her nose up at Red Son. “Dun wanna! Dumb Red!”

“No mean name-calling! You know better, A-Dan. Red Son doesn’t deserve mean names, he deserves an apology.”

“NO!”

MK’s already fragile patience snapped. “That’s it. If you’re not going to apologize, then you leave me with no other choice. Time out and no bedtime stories for tonight.”

A-Dan was shocked at MK’s abrupt decision to punish her. It was no surprise. This was the first time MK had to play the “bad guy” when babysitting her. When she fully processed his firm verdict, her face twisted with hurt and betrayal. Her eyes welled up with tears.

“A-DAN HATE GEGE!” She shouted loudly, startling some of the nearby birds from their perch. The moment the words left her mouth, she gasped and stared at MK with horror.

“…Gege?”

“…”

MK didn’t know what expression he had on his face, but whatever it was, it made A-Dan burst into loud, sobbing wails.

The effect was immediate. Wukong and Macaque seemingly materialized out of nowhere. The darker furred monkey wasted no time in climbing up the tree to check A-Dan over. When it was confirmed that she wasn’t physically hurt, he plucked her from the branch and held her close, cooing into her ears as she cried into his chest. After sharing a look with Wukong, he shadow-portaled them both away.

Wukong, on the other hand, tried to get the story out of Red Son and MK.

But MK was completely unresponsive, leaving it to Red Son to shakily explain what happened. When the fire demon got to the part about A-Dan’s declaration that she “hated Gege,” Wukong audibly winced and sent MK a pitying look.

“I think it’ll be best if I send you back to Brother Ox for the day.” It wasn’t a suggestion. Wukong never suggested. He ordered. He demanded.

And Red Son, for once, did not fight the dismissal. On a normal day, he’d fight for some more time, but he knew which battles shouldn’t be fought. After giving MK a soft farewell, Red Son left the mountain in a flurry of flames - mess and all.

MK just stared straight at nothing as A-Dan’s words rattled again and again in his head. She hated him. She hated him.

A logical part of him knew she didn’t mean it. That it was said in anger. But another part of him that clung onto A-Dan as his last anchor in this world so familiar yet so unfamiliar reeled at the prospect that she hated him and would hate him forever.

MK was shaken out of his thoughts. Literally. The Monkey King had him by the shoulders and stared him right in the eyes.

“Pick up your staff, kid. We’re sparring.”

Again, not a request, but an order. MK, still reeling from A-Dan’s words, could only comply. He got batted around at first - this Wukong didn’t do as well as his own in holding back - but then, he fell right into the familiar rhythm of sparring against his mentor. It was a bit harder, but MK needed the challenge.

No matter how hard the strikes landed or how many times he was thrown down by Wukong’s strength, he got back up.

As MK met every one of Wukong’s strikes, the Monkey King started to grin, then smile, then full out laugh. It wasn’t one of the cheeky ones MK was familiar with, the one that A-Dan inherited. It was wild and dangerous and completely unlike his mentor.

And for once, MK didn’t mind. His mouth hurt as he mirrored the smile as he continued to stand his ground. It went on for hours until after the sun went down and the moon rose.

“Good form! You did great, bud!” Wukong praised him at the end of it all. There was pride in his eyes so familiar that, for a moment, MK could pretend that it was his mentor standing right in front of him praising him after an arduous day of training.

Instead of giving him comfort, it only made the homesickness festering in his chest worse. His chest ached to return to his own world where he was MK the Monkie Kid, not MK the Prince of the Three Realms. MK was so, so afraid that the longer he and A-Dan and he stayed here, the more she would change and forget about their home. If that ever happened, he’d be the only one left and the thought of it clogged his throat with fear. He wanted to go home. He wanted to go home.

“Monkey King?” MK’s voice cracked with vulnerability as he hugged his staff to his chest. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Aww, son. No, don’t cry. C’mere.” MK felt arms wrap around him and draw him close into a hug. It was a hug with nuzzles and deep purring. It was…nice. MK didn’t know that this Wukong could give nice hugs. “A-Dan didn’t mean it. You know that, right? She loves you a lot. Emotions just ran a bit too high and she said something she didn’t mean.”

MK sniffled. He felt Wukong’s hand card through his hair and heard the Monkey King make crooning chirps.

“You both take after Moonlight and me a little too much sometimes,” he chuckled with some bitter irony lacing his tone after MK calmed down. “You cubs even argue like us. A-Dan might look like her Mama, but she got my temper and she ends up saying things she doesn’t mean. And you’re a little bit more like Moonlight when he gets upset. You kinda shut down like him when you get overwhelmed.”

MK froze. “Say what now?”

Wukong gave his head a light pat. “Don’t worry, that just means that it’ll take time and time apart for tempers to cool and things to get back to normal again.” Then, probably misunderstanding the alarmed sway of MK’s tail, he quickly added, “We can try to give A-Dan some gifts to make her forgive you faster. How about that, bud? …Bud?”

MK’s whole body shook. His attempts to keep in the hysterical laughter bubbling up his throat end up failing. The panic and uncertainty in Wukong’s face when he drew back only made MK laugh harder.

“Oh wow, I was an idiot,” he managed to say between gasps and giggles. MK somehow got a hold of himself after a few more minutes. He wiped his eyes and smiled at Wukong. “Let’s go back to the palace. I need to talk to A-Dan.”

When MK and Wukong reached the palace, they found A-Dan still sniffling in Macaque’s arms. Upon their entrance, she immediately hid her face into the crook of Macaque’s neck. Sending MK an apologetic look, the dark furred monkey drew her closer. “Maybe right now is not the best time, MK. You can come back tomorrow and try again when she’s not as upset.”

“A-Dan?” MK called out softly, ignoring Macaque. “A-Dan, you don’t have to talk to me or look at me. That’s okay. I just wanted you to know that I’m not angry.”

A-Dan cautiously peered at MK. “…No?”

“No.” MK sat down on the ground so she was peering down at him. “I was hurt by what you said, but I’m not angry. You were hurt too, right?”

A-Dan nodded.

“I can’t always know what you’re feeling or thinking, A-Dan,” MK told her gently. “You need to turn those things into words and tell them to me. Remember the story about the Hero with the Broken Mouth and the Warrior with the Broken Ears? Well, I had broken ears today and I’m sorry about that. I promise to listen, not hear, as long as you talk to me.”

A-Dan nodded, untangling herself from Macaque. “Okay. A-Dan talk.”

MK smiled encouragingly. “Thank you. Now…can you tell me why you were upset, A-Dan? Did Red Son do something to you that was mean when I wasn’t looking? Is that why you don’t like him?”

A-Dan fidgeted. “…No.”

Well. That’s a relief. But still, it didn’t answer MK’s questions. “Then why?”

“Scared.”

MK startled at that. “Scared? Do you think Red Son is scary?” Then, he remembered the other victims of her pranking. “Mei too?” That didn’t make sense. A-Dan adored the Mei in their own world. To his relief and confusion, she shook her head.

“Take Gege away,” A-Dan mumbled. “Gege play Red. Gege play Mei-Mei. No more A-Dan play.” Her expression fell. “Take Gege from A-Dan.”

MK’s heart broke. “A-Dan…”

A-Dan started to tear up again, but they were angry tears this time. “No take Gege. My Gege. Mine!”

In no time, MK climbed back up onto his feet and snatched A-Dan into a tight hug. “Oh, A-Dan, no. I’m not going to leave you behind for someone else. Not Red Son. Not Mei. You’re the most important person in the world to me. If anything, I’ll bring you with me if I have to go somewhere else. But never without you. Ever.”

A-Dan sniffled. “Ever?”

“Ever. And I’m sorry if you felt left out whenever they visited. I never meant for you to feel that way,” MK apologized. “I’ll do better, A-Dan. Promise to tell me if you feel like that again? No more pranks for hurting. Just tell me and I’ll fix it.”

“Promise.” A-Dan nuzzled MK. “Sorry Gege. Love. No hate. Sorry.”

MK felt relief hit him and his shoulder sagged as if a mountain fell off his back. “I love you too, A-Dan. And you know what? I was a little scared about losing you too.”

A-Dan stared up at MK incredulously. “Ah?!”

MK grinned. “Yeah. You spent more time on pranks that there wasn’t any time for Gege. Don’t you know how lonely I was without my A-Dan? I thought you loved pranks more than me.” He dramatically sniffled and made a sobbing noise. “Your poor Gege was jealous and heartbroken.”

“Noooooo! A-Dan love Gege!” A-Dan cried out, throwing her arms around MK as best she could, which wasn’t much with her tiny arms, but it was the thought that counted. “No prank. Promise. A-Dan sorry Red. A-Dan sorry Mei-Mei.”

“No mean pranks,” MK corrected her gently. “You can do fun pranks. We can do it together after you apologize to Red Son and Mei. How does that sound?”

“Yay! Gege play!”

In the background Wukong and Macaque sighed in relief and smiled. In mid-celebration, A-Dan yawned. “Oh geez, it’s way past your bedtime, A-Dan. You must be exhausted. Time to sleep.”

“Noooo,” A-Dan whined. “Gege story.”

“Okay, since you said you’ll apologize, I’ll tell you a story - but only one! So choose wisely!”

A-Dan, of course, chose the story of the Hero and the Warrior. It was her favorite to hear. And it was fitting since it was this exact story’s lesson that helped him and A-Dan reconcile.

A-Dan settled in bed between Wukong and Macaque. MK cleared his throat and tried to put on his best storytelling voice. “Once upon a time, there was a Hero and a Warrior. The Hero and the Warrior were like the Sun and the Moon…”

MK was regretful that he couldn’t manipulate the shadows like his Macaque did to make the story come to life, but he made sure to put his heart into the performance.

“…The Hero learned to speak from the heart and the Warrior learned to listen instead of hear. Their bond was stronger than it’s ever been.”

MK was suddenly interrupted by a soft snore. He looked up to see Wukong and A-Dan sleeping. Macaque, on the other hand, seemed enraptured by the story. “Go on,” he encouraged. “What happens next?”

“Healed and back together, the Hero and the Warrior celebrated their reunion by bringing a little dawn into the world,” MK continued softly.

“A-Dan.”

“Yes. A-Dan,” MK agreed. “And they lived happily ever after until the end of time. The end.”

“That was a beautiful story,” Macaque murmured. Then, when MK yawned, he patted the space in the bed between himself and A-Dan. “Time for bed, cub.”

MK couldn’t find it in himself to refuse. He was too tired to make the trek back to his room so he crawled onto the bed and settled in Macaque’s hold. As the darker-furred monkey hummed, MK felt himself drifting to sleep. Usually, he’d fall asleep with a heavy heart that missed his home. He still missed his home, but tonight?

Tonight, his heart felt light.

[lumi-klovstad-games]

On Shadowheart's faith and how it mirrors my own (some heavy topical talk of religion and faith, FYI)

I've seen Shadowheart get dragged for her faith and her cagey-ness and unwillingness to talk about herself and especially her religion, and on the one hand, YES, she does worship a deity who wants to dissolve creation back into primordial darkness out of a petty and childish grudge. Like, that isn't nothing.

But when I hear Shadowheart talk about what her faith means to her, what this goddess who everyone else calls evil (and from our outside perspective, rightly so) means to her... to be honest, I hear my own spiritual journey in her words.

I was raised a Christian and now primarily worship Lilith, one of many names Christianity considers a straight up demon. But... because my family and community doesn't share that faith, I have to live in their world. So I've gotten practiced at keeping quiet about this fundamental part of myself, at playing the game with my cards close to the chest. When the topic of my faith comes up, I do my best to deflect the conversation or give a diplomatically worded non-answer, and yeah, I do get flustered and irritated when pressed if I didn't choose to reveal these details on my own. After all, one's faith is a DEEPLY personal thing, a core function of who they are that in many ways defines them.

While I have the wonder and the pleasure to know plenty of folks for whom my faith means exactly nothing, or is at most an unorthodox point of curiosity and vague interest, that's not how things started. The first few years after I found my own faith were.... rough. I wasn't sure who I could trust with that part of me, who I could trust to not ridicule me or accuse me of doing it for attention. I can only imagine what it would be like for Shadowheart to live life as part of a cult that is actively suppressed and hunted, where, in fact, "they" ARE in fact out to get her.

My divorce from my parent's god came when I was disillusioned as a teenager. The incredibly likable and charismatic pastor who had overseen my Confirmation had moved on to a new church, and I realized that when I prayed, there really wasn't... anything there. Nobody on the other end, or at least nobody interested enough to listen. I don't think Pastor Dan was a bad guy or a charlatan or anything. I think he really had meant to help. But in his effort to make his faith accessible/relevant, etc., he'd oversold it, and without his likability to reinforce things, I found myself in a reality that was significantly darker and less caring than I was led to expect, and I was left feeling that kind of alone you can only feel in a room full of people who don't even acknowledge you. I can't speak to whether the Christian God is real or not, only that it never once spoke to me in all my years of praying to it.

And while Shadowheart isn't remembering fully or accurately, and she has been manipulated by the Cult of Shar far more than she's initially ready to accept, that doesn't mean how she feels is incorrect. We are the sum of what we can remember, after all. Our feelings and opinions in large part are determined by what we have experienced and can recall. When she talks about what Shar specifically means to her, and how through Shar she found meaning in her moments of greatest darkness and pain, I get that. Like, that's literally where my faith was found: when I was at my lowest point, in a period of incredible darkness, self-harm and nearly worse. And in that moment of darkness, I had an experience: "I am not the one you prayed to, but I will help you, if you let me."

To say that was a transformative moment isn't doing it justice. It's the kind of moment that changes a life.

And that's what happened to Shadowheart, at least by her recollection, her truth. The objective truth in-game is of course more complicated and tells a much more dramatic story, but to be honest, Larian could have left it there and had Shadowheart's account be 100% correct and true and found some other way to use her faith to challenge her and it would have worked just as well, because Shadowheart's tale is a realistic one at its core: a lonely, suffering, desperate child finds a VERY unlikely savior. To boot, said savior is an incredibly dark being that others purely have cause to fear and mistrust, one not known for compassionate action. Of course Shadowheart plays it close to the chest. Of COURSE she assumes others won't trust her if they know more about her. All she's ever known of sharing her faith with outsiders has been fear, mistrust, and even persecution. Their experience with her goddess is so, SO incredibly different from hers, they literally cannot understand why she would find meaning in or be loyal to such a deity. I know what that's like because I've lived that, if to a far less extreme degree.

And it was SO NICE to have a character who made my lived experience feel seen — even if the writers DID pull the rug out from under me later, the fuckers.

[sadkois]

Hey! How are you? I wanted to share this video with you, and an idea I got after watching it:

https://youtu.be/f9NvnvON5PU

Nishiki somehow survives the events of Kiwami, but goes into hiding for a few years. Now that the Tojo Clan has been dissolved, Nishiki decides to try and find Kiryu so he can properly apologize for his betrayal and all the hurt he caused him. But at some point, he runs into Ichiban, and they somehow get into a fight, where Nishiki learns that Ichiban has met Kiryu, and he’s looking for him as well (for a rematch, maybe).

And that’s how Nishiki ends up working together with Ichiban to find Kiryu, so he can make amends with his kyodai and rebuild their broken bond together, little by little.

What do you think of this? I hope it’s okay to share with you!

! ! ! I LOVE THE IDEA OF ICHIBAN AND NISHIKI TEAMING UP (and. bein frens 🥺) its somethin i have def thought about a lot aaaa

i dont think ichiban would start a fight outta nowhere tho 🤔 hes a good boi (confirmed with my good fren, ichiban expert) and idk if nishiki would look for a fight himself after everything that happened.... uNLESS theres's some BIG BIG misunderstanding where it looks like nishiki is doing something bad maybe?? idk,, LIKE IF U REALLY WANT EM TO FITE, IDK

also i feel like ichiban would just help nishiki look for kiryu if nishiki gets to explain! he seems like hed be happy to help out... (ALSO CONFIRMED BY ICHIBAN EXPERT, "ichiban is a bit sus at first but he still listens to Nishiki. this isnt the first time a random dude has come up to him after all. when Nishiki explains the situation, Ichiban is moved by his resolve to apologize and mend things with his kyodai helping Nishiki get to Kiryu becomes his new side/main quest AND NISHIKI BECOMES A PARTY MEMBER, ON THE HOST CLASS" —@rotten-dan 🧡)

[japhan2024]

@phandomgiftexchange for Phoebebatchelor on Twitter!

Note: I noticed that you had the same reaction to that video of Dan and Louise as I had, so I tied that into the fic. I hope you like it!!!

Derailed Comedy

The awkwardness still reverberated through Dan's mind as he sat in his beautiful living room. He couldn't shake off the feeling that his latest video had crossed a line, particularly the jokes about a hypothetical baby. Louise, his dear friend for so many years, had not found it amusing, and Dan felt absolutely horrible. They had always clicked so well, him and Louise, and their awkwardness had always been a giddy and hilarious one. Not that day though. He'd gone all out with his dark humour and she had been visibly distressed, something Dan only noticed later when looking back on it. "I'm such an asshole," he thought, but beneath the surface, there was something deeper gnawing at him. It was driving him into an existential crisis, the likes of which he had not felt for quite some time now. He'd been able to fight it off, but this video and the realization he had hurt his friend, had broken down his defenses. Dan's fingers trembled as he ran them through his hair, his eyes fixed somewhere in the distance. Comedy had always been his armor, his shield against the complexities of life. But this time, it felt like he had just been mean. That confirmation of Dan's deepest fears - of being bad, being a nuisance, being alone, truly alone...

Phil walked in with a cup of coffee, which immediately distracted Dan from his spiraling. Everything Phil did was a safety hazard, and him walking with a hot coffee was not a good idea. Luckily, this time there was no spillage, and Phil sat down at the table. Phil was Dan's rock, his confidant, and yet, Dan felt a looming lump in his throat just thinking about bringing up the topic of children. As a gay couple, their journey to parenthood would require different means than a straight couple, and Dan couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the weight of it all. But right now he had no choice but to talk about his feelings, or he'd be laying on the ground for weeks again, unable to move.

"Phil," he began, his voice quivering, "I... I keep thinking about what I said in that video, you know? It's not just about Louise... it's about... everything."

Phil peered up from his phone, concern etched across his face. He sat up, giving Dan his full attention. "What do you mean, Dan? What's everything?"

Tears welled up in Dan's eyes as he struggled to find the right words, his voice trembling with raw honesty. "I'm terrified, Phil. Terrified that I can't be the father I want to be. That I'm too dysfunctional, too messed up, to bring a child into this world. I don't know how to handle it all."

Dan's vulnerability touched Phil. Dan so rarely showed this side of him. Phil's eyes softened, his heart aching for his soulmate. He sat down next to Dan and reached out, his hand hovering uncertainly before finding its way to Dan's shoulder. "Dan," he said gently in his deep, warm voice, "you're not alone in this. We're a team, remember? We can face this together."

Dan's composure crumbled, and tears streamed down his face. The weight of his anxiety and doubts spilled forth as he let out choked sobs. Phil, torn between his own lack of desire for children and his love for Dan, sat there, his heart breaking at the sight of his best friend in such anguish.

"I don't want to lose you, Phil," Dan sobbed. "But sometimes I can't help but wonder... if I'm asking too much. If I'm asking for something we can't have."

Phil did not know how to feel. The love they shared was undeniable, and yet he understood the weight of Dan's fears. He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before responding.

"Dan," Phil's voice was soft but resolute, "I love you with all my heart. And I understand your doubts and fears. But know this: our love is not defined by whether or not we have children. Our happiness lies in the life we've built together, in the moments we've shared and the adventures we've had and are planning for the future."

He went to sit closer to Dan and wrapped his arms around him. "We have the power to define our own path, to create a life that fulfills us both. And if that means not having children, then I'm perfectly content with that."

Dan's sobs began to subside as he clung to Phil, finding solace in his comforting words. "I just... I don't want to miss out on something so beautiful," he whispered, desperation sounding through his words.

Phil pulled back slightly and traced Dan's face, his beautiful face with his hand. His piercing eyes searched Dan's gaze, making Dan blush. "Our life is beautiful, Dan. The love we share, the joy we find in each other - it's a rarity. And if we ever change our minds, if we decide that parenthood is something we want to explore, we'll face it together. But for now, let's focus on cherishing what we have, on nurturing our own happiness."

Dan nodded. He leaned into Phil's touch and reveled in the warmth and scent of his best friend. Coffee and flowers.

Not a father

Phil found himself lost in contemplation, his thoughts drifting back to his own childhood memories. Growing up in the picturesque landscapes of Northern England, he recalled the loving embrace of his parents, the laughter that echoed through their home, and the admiration he held for his cool and charismatic older brother. They'd had countless amazing adventures together, being dumb kids and doing absolutely dumb and dangerous stuff, but always knowing they had a warm home to return to.

As he reminisced, Phil couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to provide a similar upbringing for a child of his own. The idea tugged at his heartstrings, filling him with a sense of awe and wonder. The thought of passing on love, creating cherished memories, and watching a tiny life flourish—it held a profound allure.

Yet, despite the enchantment, Phil knew deep down that fatherhood was not a role he felt destined for. The mere thought of being responsible for another human being, of guiding them through the complexities of life, sent waves of apprehension through his being.

He observed his own reactions when faced with infants or young children. The nervousness that tingled at his fingertips, the fear of saying or doing the wrong thing, made him question his own suitability for the role. Phil admired those like Louise, Marzia, and his own brother who had gracefully embraced the journey of parenthood, showering their children with boundless love and devotion. Their commitment and dedication were awe-inspiring, but it only further accentuated his own reservations.

Phil cherished the stability and routine of the life he lived with Dan. Their cozy evenings spent wrapped under inappropriately printed blankets, the absolutely bonkers adventures they just stumbled into so often, and the laughter that filled the air—it was a beautiful rhythm they had found. The idea of introducing a tiny being into their world felt like an upheaval, a disruption to the delicate balance they had crafted. It pained him to see Dan grappling with so much doubt and anguish. Phil's heart ached with the weight of his own limitations, of his inability to fulfill the dreams that begged for such a future, within Dan's heart.

As he stared into the quiet corners of their home, a melancholic sigh escaped his lips. Phil realized that his love for Dan was boundless, and he would support him in any endeavor, even if it meant confronting the uncertainties that lay ahead. But he also understood the importance of acknowledging his own truth, of honoring the limits of his own desires and capabilities.

Unconditional Love

The next day, Dan was still engulfed in his cloud of sadness, and sat on the couch once more, clad in a ridiculously expensive yet visually unappealing sweater. Phil watched him, both amused and mesmerized by Dan's ability to see beauty in the most unconventional things.

Determined to lift the spirits of his beloved best friend, Phil had been plotting something special. He discreetly tapped away on his phone, a mischievous smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"What are you plotting?" Dan said accusingly. He knew Phil way too well.

Phil made his way to the front door, excitement bubbling within him. Returning moments later, he cradled a rather large box in his hands, the anticipation visible in his eyes.

"What's this?" Dan said. Handing the box to Dan, Phil couldn't help but chuckle at his partner's skeptical expression. "Go on, open it and be very careful," he encouraged, his voice laced with an air of mystery. Dan's curiosity won the battle against his annoyance with Phil, so he cautiously unwrapped the box, his eyes widening as he caught sight of what sat inside. Nestled within the confines of the box was a tiny ball of fur, a puppy with soulful eyes and a wagging tail.

Dan gasped, a mixture of disbelief and delight crossing his face. "Phil... you got me a puppy?" he exclaimed softly, his voice trembling with a mix of emotions.

A myriad of thoughts raced through Dan's mind as he held the precious bundle of joy in his arms. A surge of warmth and affection washed over him, momentarily pushing aside the weight of his earlier worries. He looked up at Phil, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"We talked about this, we wouldn't get a dog," Dan stammered, but he could not help but smile. Phil's voice was filled with tenderness as he spoke, his gaze unwavering. "Dan, I know that having a child might not be in the cards for us, but I wanted to show you that love can come in many forms. This little fellow will bring joy and unconditional love into both our lives, and we will love him like he was our own child. I mean he is, just look at that face!"

"I can't believe you did this for me," Dan now cried as he petted the puppy. Right there, Dan and Phil's love bloomed like never before, echoed in the laughter that rang through their home, the warmth of their embrace, and the pawprints imprinted on their hearts.

Pawprints of Joy

In the early morning sun, the trio found themselves in the park, determined to conquer the art of dog training. Dan held a bag of treats tightly in his hand, his eyes filled with determination. "Okay, puppy, it's time for some training," he declared, his voice loud but calm.

Phil stood by his side, a playful smile dancing on his lips. "Remember, Dan, patience is key. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will our puppy's obedience skills." "I wish I would have trained your obedience skills," Dan joked.

They began with the basics, attempting to teach their furry friend the command "sit." As they uttered the word, the puppy's attention drifted, causing a mischievous glimmer in its eyes. Before they knew it, their well-intentioned training session turned into a hilarious display of puppy zoomies, their puppy dashing around, tail wagging furiously.

Dan and Phil couldn't help but dissolve into fits of laughter. As they watched the little pupper bound around the park, Dan felt a weight lift from his chest, his earlier concerns about fatherhood fading somewhat to the background. The presence of this new chaos factor that rivalled Phil had a soothing effect on his restless mind, oddly bringing him a sense of peace and contentment.

The following weekend, Dan and Phil organized a puppy playdate with their friends and their furry companions. Laughter filled the air as dogs of all shapes and sizes romped and played, their playful energy contagious.

Louise showed up with one of her cats on a leash, and even though Dan had laughed at the sight at first, it quickly became fast friends with Dan and Phil's puppy. The sight of the animals chasing each other in joyful abandon warmed Dan's heart. It was a reminder of the beautiful connections that can be forged through shared experiences and the unconditional love that animals bring into our lives.

As they sat on a blanket, exchanging stories and training tips, Dan couldn't help but notice the sparkle in Phil's eyes as he watched the dogs play. It was a silent acknowledgment of the joy and happiness their puppy had brought into their lives—a testament to the deep love and connection they shared.

Their days now revolved around the needs of their little furry companion. Mornings began with gentle wake-up calls, its excited tail thumping against the bedroom door. They would groggily stumble out of bed, ready to take on the day.

Phil chuckled as he watched Dan's disheveled appearance one morning. "You know, Dan, I think our puppy has affected your fashion," he teased, gesturing to Dan's stained t-shirt and rumpled hair.

Dan huffed playfully, his beautiful brown eyes shining with love - for the dog and for Phil. "Well, at least I know how to make our puppy happy," he retorted, scooping up their four-legged friend and showering it with kisses. The puppy responded with a tail wag and wet kisses, its presence filling the room with warmth.

The three of them soon settled into a new rhythm, balancing walks, playtime, and training sessions. As Dan immersed himself in the world of the dog, he discovered a sense of purpose and a newfound calmness that had eluded him before. The puppy had become an anchor—a source of comfort, healing, and unconditional love.

One evening, as they all sat on the couch, contemplating names for the puppy, Dan blurted out a random suggestion, "How about Peanut?"

Phil raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Peanut? Really, Dan?" Dan shrugged playfully. "Hey, I thought it was cute. It's a nutty name for our nutty little friend."

"Oh my god, who are you and what have you done to Dan," Phil joked. "Alright, Peanut it is. Welcome to the family, little one."

Eager to explore the world with Peanut by their side, Dan and Phil embarked on a series of adventures, each outing bringing them closer as a family. "We finally go outside" Dan laughed, his face actually beaming at Phil. It made Phil emotional. Dan had been so lost such a short while ago, and now they ventured into local parks, relishing in the beauty of nature and the simple joy of watching Peanut chase after squirrels.

One sunny day, they decided to take a spontaneous road trip to the seaside. The wind tousled their hair as they strolled along the beach, Peanut's paws leaving little pawprints in the sand. Dan's scream-laughter filled the air as Peanut gleefully chased seagulls, their wings soaring high above.

Sitting on a blanket, Phil looked at Dan. "This is what life's all about, isn't it? These moments of pure joy and freedom."

Dan nodded, a smile spreading across his face. "Absolutely. I can't imagine a better life than this—exploring new places with Peanut right beside us. You know, Phil, Peanut has taught me so much about being patient and accepting, not just with them but with myself as well. It's a lesson I'll cherish forever."

Phil nodded. "Peanut has a way of bringing out the best in us, doesn't he? As they sat down at the beach together, Peanut nestled comfortably between them, and they marveled at how their lives had been transformed. Peanut had become their guiding light, reminding them of the importance of love, connection, and the beauty of embracing the unexpected.