#everybody else was just waiting for him to crack but they didn't want to say anything

[cotton-could]

The importance of Leorio

Leorio has been a character who was often dismissed, mocked and minimed for not having flashy abilities like everybody else, which is why he was often seen as not important but this is far from the truth. Leorio does bring something very crucial to the table and those are his kindness and honesty. Let me break it down:

1) He's the heart of the time and the main reason why it hasn't fallen apart

⭐️; Almost everybody says Gon is the one that brings everybody together and while there's some truth in it, it's actually Leorio who does it. Notice how the moment they part ways, Kurapika slowly falls into darkness and acts way more aloof than before. He doesn't crack jokes as often as before, doesn't trust anybody and is always serious. Hence, he spent the whole Chairman arc ignoring everybody until Leorio asked help to bring his ass outside and surprisingly, Kurapika is thankful of it.

He knows Leorio is an important source to him and to many people, and it can be seen with Gon and Killua. Overtime, Gon is more likely to act selfish and distant to everybody, not caring if his actions would have terrible consequences while Killua has to fulfill the role of the responsable one, he doesn't get to be a kid and it's taking a toll on both of them (which almost ruined their friendship) but the moment they're around Leorio, they're more relaxed and get to act like kids without worrying about fights. And he's also the main reason why Gon and Killua became friends, and Kurapika joined the group, all because of a dumb argument they had lol.

. • °⛓✧༺ ༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚⛓. • °⛓✧༺ ༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚⛓

2) He brings the best in his friends

⭐️; Something I've noticed is that Gon and Kurapika's moods and morals were at their best in the Hunter Exam, where they've been teaming up with Leorio. See, neither Gon and Kurapika have a reason to keep helping him, in fact, at worst he slow them down as he almost cost them a challenge but they still stick by his side even when they have the option to abandon him.

The fact they're willing to put themselves in danger for him really shows that Leorio did manage to bring their more selfless side by just being his over-the-top self and being unintentionally funny to which I'm sure they find it very endearing and make them want to help him, especially after hearing his real reason to be a hunter. Another important point is Gon waiting for him to catch his breath instead of running like Killua suggested, the normally selfish Gon would listen to Killua as Leorio didn't offered him much but once again, it made Gon's kinder side come to shine.

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3) He's the wake up call Killua needed

⭐️; An important aspect of his character that many people overlook is that he was the key for Killua's development, just as Illumi was manipulating Killua, he stepped in and said the wake up call Killua needed: "You're Gon's friend", it briefly snapped him out of it and made Killugon's bond even stronger.

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4) His kindness, honesty and bravery are his greatest weapons

⭐️; Leorio isn't the strongest member of his team nor has impressive nen abilities but one thing we can't deny is how his qualities (indirectly and unintentionally) earned him the love of his (powerful) friends and allies, the respect of veteran and legendaries hunters and the attention of Hisoka. You see, at first I found it odd how many characters started to like/respect Leorio even when they mostly saw his abrasive side but now after re-reading it, it all make sense; he shows the values a hunter must have and the values people needed to see. How so? Well, Gon and Kurapika are people who value honesty and loath people who goes against what's right for them; shallowness and dishonesty. And both of them sensed good vibes in Leorio and saw his kindness in action when he didn't realized it. Leorio used a jerkass façade in his introduction but it was quickly broken when he tried to save a guy who was about to fall in the water and quickly grabbed Gon's leg. This moment was what made Gon and Kurapika realize he's actually a selfless young man and it won't be the last time they'll see his kind actions. When he took care of the examiner, the guy said he was treated with great compassion by Leorio (who was embarrassed by the reveal) and was the reason why he passed the exam, of course neither Gon nor Kurapika are impressed by the reveal because they already know he's a softie. Kindness is an important key to be a great and respected hunter, because kindness is what keeps the world spinning.

Later in the Hunter Exam, Kurapika confronts Leorio about his jerkass façade and why he really wants to be a hunter. Even when Leorio acts like a shallow man, Kurapika no longer buys it because he knows he's actually a humble man with good intentions so when Leorio tells him the truth, he's satisfied with it and grows closer to him because Leorio is what Kurapika really admires in someone (but that doesn't stop him to sass him).

Killua also took note of Leorio's character. After he saw Killua kill a man, he was understandably scared of him but he doesn't treat him like a monster. He continues to treat him like a kid and still act abrasive to him, just like to everybody else. This continues to be like this for the rest of the serie, he acts like the adult Killua needed and he defended him from Illumi, without caring he might get killed by him. This genuinely touches Killua a lot, to the point he considers him his friend and threatened Milluki to not hurt Gon, Leorio and Kurapika. What Killua valued the most about Leorio were his kindness, bravery and honesty. Even when he knew Killua is an assassin, he doesn't act like a doormat to stay on his good side nor act two-faced around him, he's still his loud but tender self around him too which (secretly) earn Killua's genuine respect and care.

About the hunters, this one is actually the funniest yet the most impressive one because all Leorio did was punching Ging and awkwardly admit what he has been doing but still tell them he wants to see Gon healthy again and this hilariously earned the respect of legendaries and famous hunters, beating veterans like Bisky, Linne, Ging, and so on. Leorio doesn't realize they respect him for being shamelessly honest and not caring about getting in trouble if it meant his friends are alright. He got all the qualities Ging doen't have and it's his tenderness towards Gon, his dedication to his loved ones and goals, his kindness, his care for other people, etc...

Now Hisoka... We all know he's interested in power but Leorio doesn't even have a strong power and he isn't interested in getting stronger because he wants to be a doctor. So why would a guy like Hisoka be interested in a normal dude like Leorio? Well, when Hisoka was testing the characters, Leorio passed but why? He passed because of his bravery, he and Leorio knew he had 0 chances in beating the clown but he put his own life at risk to bring some justice and this trait was what Hisoka admired in him and decided to spare him when it would make more sense to kill him. Leorio, unknowingly shows a trait Hisoka respects the most and this was best seen when Hisoka killed some of the spider members to spite Chrollo as a punishment to be a "coward" (using the crowd to fight him instead of fighting himself). Leorio has never used someone else to fight for him or to hide behind them as a shield and it's very remarkable for a guy like him. And it's not the first time he caught a villain's attention, Illumi took note of him aswell and it was once again for his bravery. It surprised him how Leorio wasn't scared of him at all.

In the end, his friends ended up paying Leorio's kindness back to him. Gon with continuing to help him in the Hunter Exam, saving his life and caring for him. Kurapika with helping him in the badge challenge (when he had nothing to gain in exchange), looking after him and being more open to him (allowing himself to let his guard down and be his sassy but kind and playful self around Leorio and the kids). Killua with killing Leorio's opponent (Killua could've killed anybody else but HE choose Leorio's opponent of all people wich I firmly believe he wanted to help Leorio back), being a trusted ally to him and caring for him.

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5) He's the greatest ally you could ask for

⭐️; Leorio compensate his lack of combat skill by being a trustworthy ally who will always be there for his friends, he lend an ear to listen and give advices, put his life on the line to give them time and/or to fool his enemies, look after them, reach out to them, and so on. His presence is enough to make Gon, Killua and Kurapika safe and more relaxed. When he pretends to be an angry boss, you can tell Killua and Gon were very happy to see him and know they can always count on him when they need it. This gets better when Killua calls Leorio in the Election Arc, because he knows Leorio will always have his back in case Gon isn't available.

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6) He's a great friend

⭐️; He's the friend Gon, Killua and Kurapika needed. He manages to be a good balance for everybody.

🎣; With Gon, he's the (older) male figure Gon needed in his life, he cares for him and is very protective of him, he guides him in areas Gon can't handle it (such as making money or having businessman skills) but still act like a fun brotherly figure who gets into silly arguments with him in the Hunter Exam but when things get serious, he drops everything and makes sure Gon will be safe or get what Gon needs (seeing his father). He's a reliable resource Gon can be safe with because he's the only man who he got to see more often while he rarely saw Kite and Ging was barely around his life.

🛹; With Killua, well, he's everything Illumi failed to be; caring, understanding, protective (in a genuine and healthy way), honest, selfless and so on. Despite not interacting much, Leorio and Killua has a lot in common (I'll talk about it in another blog) and Leorio is the second person who Killua clicked with the most and after getting to know Leorio more, Killua finally gets to act like a kid without being punished but also asks Leorio for help/advices when he sees he can't do it alone and knows Leorio is a softie who will always be there for him when he'll need it. It speaks volume how much Killua trusts in him when Killua always come for him when he's in a problem he can't do it by himself. (Their friendship are so underrated 😔)

⛓️; With Kurapika they both get to open up with each other and reveal private parts of their backstory. After confirming Leorio is a good guy, Kurapika started to joke around more often and appreciates his precense even more, in YorkNew, Kurapika slowly became more aloof until he saw his friends again and opened up to them again. Leopika still look after each other in spite of Kurapika's change with Leorio's moments of maturity and his compassion are what keeps Kurapika on line. Even after Kurapika has been ignoring Leorio's calls, he still deeply cares for him and will forever be thankful of his kindness.

. • °⛓✧༺ ༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚⛓. • °⛓✧༺ ༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚⛓

TLTR: Leorio is epic whether you like it or not.

[varibean]

thinking about varian only he doesn’t come out as trans until so much later. like, end of vat7k later and in tangled he just has a crisis of ‘am i a lesbian or am i bi. bi. i’m bi i definitely had a crush on flynn rider but...but it didn’t feel the same way as cassandra wait am i a lesbian then? it felt different but maybe it just feels different when you like boys and when you like girls. ok bi them. i’m a bisexual girl and there’s nothing else to question about myself i have it all figured out!’ 

then he goes on his journey through the seven kingdoms and meets hugo and gets another horrible dose of I Have A Crush On You and Gender Envy. Hugo calls him all of those lil nicknames as well as stuff like ‘lil lady (derogatory)’ and ‘princess (derogatory)’ and it’s the only ones that make him genuinely upset to the point where hugo actually stops using them and just says them to nuru instead. and he doesn’t know why until they defeat his mom and confess their love and later varian is just trying to sleep but his mind is buzzing and he’s going back through his entire journey and just shoves hugo awake 

“HUGO I THINK I’M A BOY!!!!”

“Can you not? Drop a bomb on me like that at two am? Please? Congrats on the gender, can I go back to sleep?”

hugo’s not surprised he’s like ‘congrats on being the last person to figure it out.’ varian shoves him out of the room bc he’s no help and tells him to go get nuru instead 

[shinjisdone]

When You Have An Secret Admirer - And Everybody Thinks It's Them (1; Heartslabyul)

A love letter was left at your door and now you are searching for that 'secret admirer' - everyone wants to help you out...but have their own reason for it. Yet now, it seems like there are quite a few misunderstandings on campus...and everyone thinks they have finally found that secret admirer.

Spin-off of the first 'secert admirer' series + form of headcanons

note: reader is gender-neutral but mostly mentioned in 2. pov; a series of everyone being mistaken for the secret admirer. headcanon will follow each char. own thoughts on the situation.]

"Hey...you think he could be the famous admirer of the Ramshakle prefect?"

2; Savanaclaw

3; Octavinelle

Ace Trappola

The first time Ace has heard of such whispers was when he was with you out in the hallways.

Students on the other side whispering amongst themselves, a clique subtly pointing at him...and eavesdropping on their suspicions...

"...You guys think its Trappola? He's always hanging around with the prefect ever since day one..."

Man, Ace was so close to spitting out his drink.

Did he just hear this right? Wait, wait, whoa, whoa, wait! He...didn't hear that just now, did he?

"Yeah, can't be anyone else. Have you seen how he looks at them?"

Oh no, he did right.

...Ha! Haha! Seriosuly? No way, does just...everyone in campus believe such crap? Haha, it can't be...

Though he tries to brush it all off, Ace quickly ushered you away from the hallways and anywhere where there wasn't a single soul. He couldn't bare to hear more.

But, seriously? Nah. No, no, no waaaay could...could Ace pull such cringy, gushy stuff. No one could seriously think he would even write a love letter, right?

Pfff, no. Ace isn't the type to even be capable of getting some notes for alchemy class right, or, or to get some flyin' mirror from somewhere, let alone steal roses from his own dorm. Have you seen how angry Riddle gets?

Totally in denial. Well, he is not that oh-so-great secret admiiiireeer, so what is there to deny? Nothing, that's what!

There are certainly a bunch of students that doubt he would and could do that...but others only believe it more.

The trickster Trappola. Your best friend who always looks out for you, always sticks with you even if he gets himself in trouble and seems to always look at you a certain way...

After all, guys tease those they like, right?

The whsipers get louder and louder throughout the week and Ace is visibly getting uneasy. You note and tell him how more fidgety and sweaty he seems recently but he brushes it all off with a scoff and a joke as usual.

He tried to think of a way to end this gossip...or at least escape it. But Ace will not ever think of avoiding you just for some stupid rumors. He is your friend, your best friend and he isn't gonna be a chicken and disappear into thin air just some idiots cannot tell the obvious - that Ace just isn't that romantic.

Would you like him to be more romantic...?

Alas, one day in the dorm, a few students approach him and directly ask him if he is the admirer. They may not have evidence but considering how the ace of hearts hangs around you like a leech, there is no other way that he doesn't like you.

Ace cracks an nervous grin and shrugs it all off despite pearls of sweat running down his face and tainting his jacket. Pff, whuat? Crazy such a claim, crazy he says! How deeply wounded he is by this suspicion!

Ace is honest and says, hey, he ain't the admirer. He ain't the romantic type either, he's just looking out for you, you know? Like the good classmate that he is.

A few believe that he is incapable of doing such acts and that it wouldn't fit his character at all. Though, that does not deter many to think that he does hold some feelings for you with how he is acting...

It just makes him more nervous.

Deuce Spade

Deuce coughed and cleared his throat the first time he heard such rumors at his club. Jack offered him water.

H-H-H-Huh??? WH-Wh-What, him? Him, Deuce Spade being your secret admirer?! Why would anyone think that?!

Genuinely baffled and surprised at this conclusion a few of his classmates came up with. How could he, Deuce, ever...be considered something close to a secret admirer?

But once he hears a few 'theories' his face is blooming a bright and deep red.

Constantly at your side? Protecting you in the smallest of ways like a hero? Giddy like a kid in a candy store when he gets praise from you? The thought of an ex-delinquent protecting and caring for someone being the ultimate proof that he is in love?!

L-L-L-Love?

H-Hold up! That can't be right! Deuce cares for you and you are his bestie but...! It isn't, it can't be...!

Too dumbfounded and embarrassed to do anything in the beginning. The thoughts and rumors of him even having feelings for you and people believing him to have done the things the admirer did, are constantly swirling in his mind. Day and night.

It's all getting too much...until only a handful of people approach him and ask.

Others back up in fear. "Hey, man, watch out! If you say anything wrong about his partner, the delinquent guy will beat you black and blue!"

WHAT

DELINQUENT GUY? P-P-PARTNER?!

Well, they are right, if someone were to hurt you, he would beat them up.

BUT ITS NOT ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW.

With the biggest blush on his face and back straight as a candle, Deuce seems like an upright, studious boy who loudly corrects them, saying it's all not true! Y-You are just his best f-friend!

The gossip affects him so much that he comes running to you, lips in a nervous but tight line, eyes as big as a deers and face blooming like a rose.

"I AM NOT YOUR SECRET ADMIRER!"

Unwittingly he blurts out but softly tells you of the rumors right after. He just doesn't want there to be a misunderstanding.

He fiddles with his fingers, quietly continuing; "Because, uhm...if I did like you like that...I'd be more direct with you than that admirer could ever be."

Cater Diamond

Eh, what? Cater? And being a secret admirer?

Hah! That is almost cute and flattering! But, uh...well, a bit embarrassing, too...

Some argue of how he always calls you 'cute' or wants to take selfies with you...but he does so with everyone.

Yet Cater has a tendency to call you his 'favorite, cute juniour' just like Trey.

Cater is one actually able to laugh it all off genuinely - but at the same time he does not deny any of these claims. Yeah, you are super cute and have they seen these pics? They must have with how many hearts they got on Magicam~

He isn't gonna go around telling people that he fancies you but he is sure to casually tell them, no, he isn't the admirer. Very flattering (and bold) that you assume that though!

Will straight up go to you and say the obvious. He is not, in fact, your dear, darling admirer but that doesn't mean he doesn't admire you at all~

Trey Clover

Uhm???

Trey laughed sheepishly, hiding his blush under his hat.

This isn't...That's not right!

Everytime he'd hear a whisper, he unwittingly gets nervous. The thought of him doing the admirer's deeds...and even worse, people believing him to be them!

It's stress and drama he didn't ask for.

Although it is kinda a nice thought...while the actions of the admirer, the gifts and confessions of love are too embarassing for Trey, the thought of him making you fluster and blush is nice...

Very nice.

With a sigh, he shakes the thought of. He isn't them. No matter how much he wishes he was.

So with a sheepish grin and a bit of a stutter he clears his name. Riddle would have his head if he did any of these things!

With a ruffle of your hair he confesses. Don't worry, he isn't lovesick. He just likes you normally.

Riddle Rosehearts

SPITS OUT HIS TEA

Excuse him?! What did he just hear?! Doesn't matter if it was not meant for him to hear, off with your head! ITS OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!

So...absurd! There's no way such gossip is being spread in his dorm, is it?! Riddle already once had an awful reputation. There's no need for one made out of lies!

...Even if the image of him writing love letters and handing you gifts does fit him...Riddle would never steal from his own dorm!

He would never cause such a wreck as that "secret admirer" has. It's insulting to compare Riddle to them, lest even think he IS them!

Though he hears of the rumors, no one has the gall to approach him. That doesn't stop his anger as he gets more and more agitated everytime he even hears your name slip off someone's lips.

"The Housewarden totally favors them, after all..."

"He invites them to Unbirthday parties all the time."

"And acts like a gentleman then!"

Red, red, red. Riddle's face blooms in a deep crimson but it isn't blood rushing to his head in anger, it is a blush of embarassment.

Each one of them is right.

He cannot take his feelings being dangled in front of his face like that. It's all so, so true but he shall never admit it.

Riddle will have to clear his name it seems for all of this to stop.

It's difficult - not many believe him considering how agitated he becomes at the topic, at the mention of you.

Yet he managed to calm the crowd...all there was left was to tell you the truth as well.

"Im sure youve heard of it," he began dryly even as he tried to hide his blush. "But you know me and I would never callously break the rules like that just to...confess. No."

He then turned to you, his voice firmer and eyes softer. "If I wanted to court you, I'd do it in a way you deserve."

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Digital Circus with a Mime Reader, who CAN speak but prefers to use sign language and gestures: they find find Kaufmo in the middle of abstracting and try to calm him down (against their better judgement). It doesn't go well, ending with them locking and closing Kaufmo's door, and running to find Caine... Only to hear the theme song suddenly stop and Jax say something about a "new character" as they approach...

Ough finally some Kaufmo angst-

........

Approaching Kaufmo's door, you stopped in front of it and politely knocked, wanting to check up on him before Caine could summon everybody to perform the Digital Circus' "theme song" musical number.

As of late, your fellow clown hasn't been feeling up to snuff, since apparently nobody was laughing at his jokes anymore...

Although said jokes have all mentioned something about an exit--a way out of the digital realm you've grown quite comfortable living in. But even when he is dead serious, the others are convinced he's only kidding around, pretending to laugh and sometimes asking him if he could joke about something else.

Least to say...it grew frustrating for him.

The only reason he hadn't totally lost it yet was because of you, a mime who has lived in the circus for the past five months and befriended him quickly. Together you've put on many acts: with his wacky props and your invisible techniques, your shows were amusing to all.

That being said, you didn't want your longtime partner to think about any exits too much, as you've lost several friends in the past when they started talking about the same thing.

It happened to Queener, Kinger's beloved wife, and the poor chess piece has been on the brink of abstraction ever since (honestly, it's a miracle he didn't immediately follow her).

Fortunately, he remained stable enough to be around everyone.

As for Kaufmo?

He didn't look so good last night at dinner, and you haven't seen him all morning. Normally he'd be up and about, juggling random things as he walked or approaching you to brainstorm new acts to perform.

Him locking himself away in his room was not normal.

Especially when he knew this musical number was super important to Caine.

After waiting a minute or two, you perked up as he finally answered the door.

At first you smiled in greeting, although that was quick to fade when he only kept it open just a crack--enough for you to barely see his face...

Which bore a terrified expression underneath his runny makeup, making his frown look worse than it actually is. His hat was nowhere to be found, either.

''Are you okay, Kaufmo?" You signed, eyebrows furrowed in worry.

That was your usual way of talking, despite knowing you could very well speak freely. You had no clue if you were proficient in sign language before entering this circus, but regardless it always came in handy, and everybody did their best to communicate with you that way (or at least those with fingers, unlike Zooble or Gangle).

Since your performances usually involved silence and expressive gestures, you didn't see a need to talk often--and that was usually fine with Kaufmo, who'd always chatter with you in sign language right back.

But when he attempted to respond, you swore you both saw his own hands glitching, before he quickly retracted them, clearly frightened.

You, on the other hand, wanted to believe it was just a "digital hallucination".

That's all it was...right?

"I-I'm sorry, [y/n]..haven't been..feeling like myself-f-f lately.." Even his own voice was betraying him, as it sounded distorted, lagging as though he was a slow computer program. "But you believe me, don't you?"

"Believe what?"

"The...the exit, of course! The thing I've been talking about this whole time!! It's real! There IS a way out!! I-I can show you!!"

You blinked, before shaking your head. "Kaufmo, let me in."

"Oh no, I think that's a bad id--wait! Wait!!" Despite his pleas for you to stop, you forced your way into his room, shutting the door behind you so nobody else could intrude or eavesdrop.

The last thing you needed was Caine listening in.

Yet after taking a look around at the state of his quarters--with everything being a complete mess and the word "EXIT" scrawled onto every square inch of the ceiling and walls--you were nothing short of terrified for his mental well-being.

'My god....what has he done..?' You thought to yourself, mortified.

"No, no, no, no!!"

Looking back at Kaufmo, you saw him back up against the wall, holding his face as black glitchy polygons started appearing on his body. He gasped in horror, looking at his hands...and then up at you.

"What's..h-happening to me-e-e?"

Your heart sunk, knowing exactly what was going on.

"You're abstracting.." You whispered, your voice small yet shaken.

"I-I didn't...think I'd be next...it hurts so much! Christ-!!!" He began crying, his makeup oozing as he stared at you with empty, soulless black eyes. One of his arms was already taken over by the glitches, morphing into a large one covered in jagged polygons.

"Make it stop..MAKE IT STOP!!!" He screamed, slumping to the floor.

You were frozen in a state of panic, unsure if you should go get Caine or stay here and try to pull him out of his abstraction.

Either way, you had to do something fast...lest you lose him forever or become infected yourself.

"Just focus on me, pal. I'm here. I'm here." Kneeling down, you grasped his non-glitching hand tightly with both of yours, attempting to guide him through a breathing exercise.

"You'll get through this." You mouthed, but he just shook his head, noticing a single glowing eye forming on the surface of the glitchy flesh.

"Wh-Whatever you do...don't tell Caine, I beg you-u.." He pleaded. "He'll lock me away...a-and I'll be all alone in the dark..I don't wanna be alone.."

Tears welled up in your eyes as you shook your head, and he gazed at you in confusion. "What do you mean "no"? You'd let him throw me into the cellar with the rest of them...?" He started to grow angrier, feeling betrayed. "I thought we were partners!"

"We are partners, Kaufmo. Always will be." You sighed, wishing there was another way to stop this from happening. "But there's nothing more I can do...he needs to know-"

"Fine...maybe things will be better if I'm not around to tell my stupid jokes anymore."

"Kaufmo-"

"Go....run, [y/n]...run-n-n-nnNNNN------"

Immediately after he said that, you let him go right as his other hand quickly became overtaken by the abstraction, almost taking you with it.

You got up and took a step backwards, watching in mute terror as he rapidly grew in size, turning into a massive amalgamation of glitch black polygons. Even more glowy-trippy eyes were popping up in different places, looking in every direction.

Within seconds, Kaufmo no longer resembled the clown you once knew (or a person, in general)....but was instead replaced by a horrific digital beast with a long neck, standing on four legs.

You gulped as every single eye on his body suddenly shifted to stare directly down at you.

'Uh-oh-'

You hastily created an invisible wall just as he lunged at you with a ferocious roar, slamming right into the illusion like a bird smacking into a glass pane.

'He still falls for the oldest trick in the book..oh Kaufmo..'

Although it pained your heart to abandon him like this, he was too far gone to be saved. He didn't even recognize you anymore.

The only thing you could do now was get Caine before he harmed you or anybody else--even if it means you never saw him again. He could very well threaten the entire stability of this world if he got loose.

You quickly ran out of the room just before he could break through the "wall" and go after you, slamming the door shut and locking it tight.

Moments later, you heard him ram into it, the hinges damn near breaking off (but by the grace of cartoon physics, that didn't happen).

You wiped the sweat from your forehead, making a mad dash out of the dormitory section of the tent in a desperate search for Caine.

Unfortunately, you could already hear Bubble's singing in the distance as the gang's musical number routine was already starting:

"Gangle, and Zooble, and Kinger, too~!"

You ran as fast as your legs could possibly carry you. They were already aware of both of your absences, and they chose to go on with the song anyways.

'Jerks..they couldn't at least wait for me?' You huffed. 'Caine never tells us when we're doing these musical ditties-'

By the time you arrived, however, you heard the music abruptly cut out.

You stopped upon seeing your friends tumbled over each other on the floor, with Gangle's comedy mask being broken and Jax picking himself up in annoyance.

"Caine, is this one of your NPCs or is this a new sucker?"

Blinking, you glanced at the new person he was referring to, surprised to see a girl dressed as a red and blue jester.

"........."

Now you couldn't say anything to Caine.

Not right now, at least.

[blue-slxt]

Oldest Children Part 2

A/N: So I wrote Part 1 forever ago and a lot of people were asking for a part 2. I wasn't sure when/if I'd ever get around to it, but after Kinktober and Kinkmas and sooooo much smut, I wanted to try stretching my wings and try a little fluff just to mix it up. I'm admittedly not as confident in my fluff writing, but I think this turned out cute so I hope you like it too! All characters are aged up.

Pairing: Neteyam x Fem!Metkayina!Reader

Warnings: Fluffy fluff, Kissing

Word Count: 2.2k

Summary: Neteyam asks to meet you after eclipse.

Walking along the shore, you carefully observe each of the older Sully kids as they practice their breathing and ilu riding. Off to the side, Tuk is practicing her sign language with Rotxo.

They're all doing well, but you can't help but notice that Neteyam's posture is faltering. Tsireya and Ao'nung are both too caught up with Lo'ak and Kiri to notice so you decide to step in.

Your strides are long and confident, but nearly silent as you move behind him.

"Your posture is awful" you giggle in his ear making him crack a smile. You crouch down and place your hands on his back and shoulder applying gentle pressure to straighten him back out. Neteyam prays to Eywa that you don't notice the way his tail momentarily falters in its usually steady swaying. Lucky for him, you didn't seem to notice. Or, if you did, you didn't mention it.

He straightens his back, but he still looks awkward. You move around to his front and eye him a bit trying to decide on what was still off. His eyes look at you in waiting and it hits you. Your fingers hold his chin and lift his head. This time, you don't miss it when his face flushes and you freeze feeling your own face get warm. Your stares meet each other in a silent, tender moment that has you suddenly feeling like you can't catch your breath. It's only made worse when your eyes unintentionally flick to his lips and his tongue swipes over his bottom lip.

Off to the side somewhere, Ao'nung is rolling his eyes and Tsireya is stifling a giggle, but neither of you seems to be able to notice anything outside of each other in this moment.

At least, that is, until you hear Tuk's voice calling out from across the way where she was.

"Hey guys! Look at this pretty seashell I found!"

Her little feet stomp the sand beneath her as she races over with the shell in hand. "Be careful, Tuk!" Kiri says, but it's too late. You see the whole thing happen almost in slow motion.

Before she could see it or stop herself in time, her foot lands right on top of a sharp rock that was sticking out of the sand. There's a loud shriek followed by a thud from her falling over into the sand.

There's not a tangible thought in your mind as your body races towards her. You can hear everybody else shuffling to run in the same direction, but you're already in autopilot when you fall to your knees and cradle her in your arms.

Her tears fall steadily onto your arm and her small body trembles with her sobs.

"Shh shh shh, I know, Tuk. I know. Let me see." you try gently consoling her.

By now, everyone else has caught up and they're surrounding you trying to check up on her too. You grab her foot and examine it to see how bad the damage is. There's a small cut, but thankfully, it's nothing too deep.

"It doesn't look too bad. Here, let me clean the sand off and then I'll take you to my mom so she can patch you up? Okay?" you suggest to her and she can only nod her head still letting out little sniffles.

You carefully unhook the sack around your chest that stayed filled with water. Usually, you kept it with you to drink throughout the day, but this was more important right now. Using one hand to hold the skin while your other arm is still holding Tuk close, you pour the water over the small cut making her wince a bit. You gently shush her a bit while you make sure to get all the sand off her injured foot.

Once you're confident that it's all clean, you scoop Tuk up in your arms, "I'm going to take her to my mother so she can properly wrap her foot."

"I'll go with you. I want to make sure she's okay." Neteyam speaks up separating from the rest of the group and coming to join you.

You just give him a small nod as you turn to walk in the direction of the healing tent.

The walk to the healing tent is mostly silent aside from Tuk's tiny sobs and sniffles. Neteyam walks beside you while you cradle his baby sister in your arms and he mutters little words of encouragement to her. It's sweet watching him try to cheer her up.

Fortunately, when you reach the healing tent, it's not busy so your mother is able to attend to Tuk immediately. "You're going to be just fine, okay?" you say placing a comforting hand on top of Tuk's head. Neteyam watches from the wall while Ronal gets to work patching up her foot.

"I should be heading back." you say standing to your feet and walking past Neteyam and out of the pod.

"U-um..." he finally speaks up touching your shoulder to stop you before you got too far away. "Thank you. For looking out for her."

A sincere smile spreads on your face, "It's no problem." You turn to leave again, but again, before you can put too much distance between you, Neteyam takes a few long strides to catch you.

"Can I see you later?"

His question stops you dead in your tracks. You study his expression that almost looked shocked. Like he couldn't believe he just said that.

"Like after last meal?" his voice drops to a whisper feeling the embarrassment color his cheeks, but holding your gaze nonetheless.

"Okay" it comes out a little breathless, but you know he hears you loud and clear when a smile cracks his own face.

"See you later!" you call to him as you take off running back towards the beach. You duck behind a large tree on the shore and press your back to it heaving breaths while your heart threatens to crack right through your chest. There's heat behind your cheeks and your face is starting to hurt from the goofy grin that you couldn't get rid of.

You quietly take a minute to jump in place with glee before composing yourself again and heading back to the group that you'd left on the beach.

...

During last meal, you can barely bring yourself to pay much attention to whatever conversation your family is having. You can't even manage to properly eat your food with how distracted you are. Tsireya is the one that seems to notice first. As if your permanent cheeky grin weren't enough to give you away, she follows your eyeline one time when you and Neteyam catch each other's gaze across the crowd.

"You certainly seem to be in a good mood." she snickers at you.

"Should I not be?" you simply respond.

"You also seem distracted."

"I don't know what you mean." a lie.

"Hm" she hums. "So the Sully kids sure have been improving a lot lately. Especially Neteyam."

Your hands falter ever so slightly and anyone else who wasn't this close to you, would have missed it.

"I knew it!" Tsireya whisper shouts next to you.

"Shhh keep your voice down!" you whisper shout back to her.

A mischievous grin forms on her face laughing at your clearly startled expression.

"Fine! If you must know, he asked me to meet him after last meal." your excitement is barely containable at the prospect.

"How romantic~" she teases, poking at your side.

"Stop, I'm sure it's nothing like that."

"Oh, I'm sure" she says rolling her eyes. "That's why he hasn't stopped staring at you and smiling all meal?"

"Hush!" you lightly push her shoulder. From the corner of your eye, you can see Neteyam stand and excuse himself from his family's spot among the people. He gives you one last look before nodding his head in the direction of the beach and taking off. That's your cue.

You quickly excuse yourself from your family to which your mother gives you a suspicious glare and your sister gives a teasing giggle.

Walking down the shore of the beach it feels like your heart is racing just at the thought of being alone with Neteyam again. The last time the two of you were alone together on the beach, he got so close it made your stomach do flips. You're out of time to speculate on what could happen tonight once you spot his slender frame standing at the edge of the waves. One last breath to calm your nerves and you make the stride over to him.

"Fancy meeting you here, forest boy." you playfully quip at him.

Neteyam huffs out a laugh looking down at you and the gaze in his eyes immediately makes you want to fold in on yourself, but in a good way?

"I've been thinking about how to properly thank you for how you took care of my sister earlier."

"Neteyam, you don't have to--"

"I want to. I've been thinking about it and even though I miss the forest, so far, you have been the best thing about coming here." he turns to fully face you and it's almost as if time stops. Words can't seem to find you right now. His fingers graze the skin on your arm and trail all the way down to your hand where he grabs you firm, but gentle. "Can I show you something?" His eyes are full of hope and a small hint of fear that you'll deny him.

You could never.

"Of course."

The grin that spreads on his face is nothing short of disarming. You let him lead you down the shore and into the forest. He bobs and weaves through the foliage with such grace. No doubt he's fully in his element. Meanwhile, it's all you can do to keep your tail from smacking into every branch that you pass.

He leads you to a tree and before you have the chance to ask any questions, he leaps up to the closest branch with little to no effort leaving you a bit stunned. He looks down at you with an amused smirk and reaches his hand out to you. You were, admittedly, not a very strong climber so you accept his offer and he helps pull you up with ease.

You follow Neteyam up the tree higher and higher until you approach the highest branch.

"You ready for this?" he asks helping you reach your final stop. When you make it to the top and stand to your feet, the sight you're met with almost knocks you backwards.

You can see the entire beach stretched out under a seemingly never-ending sky full of stars. The reflection on the water makes it look like it's shining. And on the other side of you, a forest stretching for miles and miles full of green and bioluminescent flora glowing in the cover of eclipse.

"Wow..." you breath out almost silently. "I've never seen the water like this. It's beautiful..."

The sight is stunning. You can't tear your eyes away. But all Neteyam can look at is you.

"This is my second favorite sight here on the island." he says finally breaking you out of your trance. You turn to face him and his face is suddenly serious.

He offers his hand out to you and you take it somewhat hesitantly. Neteyam weaves his fingers with yours and pulls you closer ever so slightly.

It feels like he gets closer and closer and you can't bring yourself to move out of the way or push him away.

“Neteyam, we shouldn’t..." you say despite the fact that your eyes are trained on his lips that are still moving closer to yours.

He pauses only inches away from your face.

“Then tell me to stop…tell me you don’t want this. If you do, I’ll stop. I’ll leave you alone and I’ll resign myself to forever loving the version of us that could’ve been. But if you let me, I will be irrevocably and unapologetically in love with you past the day I die. You deserve the life you want. Let me give it to you…”

Your eyes finally find his and the sincerity you find in them is overwhelming. You can't help but flash back to that moment you shared on the beach.

“If there were such a man who wanted to give you that life, would you have him?”

Your body moves before your mind can think of words to say. You push up on the balls of your feet to let your lips meet his in a heated kiss. His large hands cup your face carefully and his tail wraps around your thigh holding onto you in every way that he can. Your hands rest against his chest and the beating of his heart is erratic and thunderous. Surely, yours feels the same way. His lips are warm and soft moving against yours. It's as if nothing else exists right now. That is until he gives a cheeky little nip to your bottom lip.

You finally pull away with a small giggle and a deep flush on your face.

"You know this is going to be tough to explain to my parents." you say raising an eyebrow at him.

"It'll be fine. Parents love me." he says proudly.

"Maybe, but you've never had to impress parents of a future olo'eykte"

"You worry too much, yawne. Let me handle it, okay?"

"Alright, if you say so, mighty warrior."

Taglist: @soleilmoon @netemoon @fifia-writes @strangersav11

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[madelynraemunson]

CALL ME WHAT YOU WANT 𓆩♡𓆪

(Book #1 of the Hellfire Gentlemen’s Club series)

strip club owner!eddie x fem!exotic dancer!hargrove!reader

𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐍 𝐀𝐔 18+ MDNI

Chapter 019: The Piggyback

If you had the chance to do it over again with Eddie — and DO IT RIGHT — would you?

↳ chapters: 001, 002*, 003** , 004**, 005 , 006 , 007* , 008**, 009, 010, 011, 012* , 013**, 014** , 015, 016**, 017, 018, 019, 020* * = somewhat smut , ** = smut

CW: hospital setting, dialogue heavy, uncertainty, fluff, talks of blood/broken bones/etc., car accident implications

word count: 2.5k words

“I’ll pick up these broken pieces ‘til I’m bleeding, if that’ll make it right.”

♡

Hawkins Memorial Hospital reeks of bleach wipes and bitter tears.

“Eddie…” Dustin wails. “No no no, noooo. Eddie…”

You’re sitting on the floor of the nurses station with Robin, Steve, and Nancy while the ‘kiddos’ occupy the waiting chairs. Surely, it's got to be unsanitary, but contracting germs off the floor of the ICU were the least of your concerns.

Your eyes follow Wayne as he helplessly wheels around, talking to anyone who would lend him an ear... anyone who would possibly know anything about his nephew’s condition.

“And my nephew — Eddie — he's self-employed,” Wayne continues to tell them.

Wheeling…wheeling…wheeling…

“But the Program he’s with allows him to go through Scott Clarke. You know Scott Clarke Insurance? It’s S-c-o-t-t, C-l-a-r-k-e… I’m through them too…”

But the able-bodied personnel are too fast for old Wayne, walking at a speed about 5mph while his frail fingers can only allow him up to 2 and a half. Just like the liters of oxygen he is on.

“Does he have a case manager assigned to him yet?” Wayne wonders. “If so I would like their name, please.”

Eventually Wayne’s voice fades the further away he gets. And just so you don't wallow in your misery, you go to your phone to see if anyone else has been reaching out to you for updates.

Justice (Hellfire)

Omg just heard the news! Hey girlie, is Eddie ok??? Can we come see him yet??

Just as you expected. Annoyed, you respond.

Girl fuck you

Suddenly a hand squeezes your kneecap. You didn't realize how aggressively you were tapping your feet until Max stops you.

“Doing okay, sis?”

“Yeah I'm just...” you sigh. “…going through all the emotions I guess. And in a fucked up way, I'm kinda convinced this is all my fault."

“You're a dumbass," she scowls at you. "How could you have possibly seen this coming? This was not in anyone’s control."

“I broke the rule,” is all you say. “We never go to bed angry.”

The odds have always been against you. You would think you knew that by now. It was probably why you spent all morning beating yourself up; because you knew that if you did, there's a huge possibility that Eddie would pull through. The Universe is twisted like that.

Suddenly, a pair of white coats are seen coming out of Eddie's room. Everybody in the party immediately stands, like it's some formation exercise at a bootcamp of sorts. Wayne eventually circles back as well, gazing up at Dr. Owens with hopeful eyes.

“Eddie is going to be okay,” Owens concludes. “You can all breathe now.”

The room fills with bone-weary, but nonetheless celebratory cheers. Owens and Eddie's nurse, Nurse Patty allows everybody to hug one another in relief. Eddie's doctor goes to speak again when the clamor dies down.

“But he did have to undergo emergency surgery,” Dr. Owens adds. “And he lost a lot of blood, so we have him on additional transfusions, as well as an antibiotic for an infection caused by his wounds. The plan for him is to recover, hopefully get him up with therapy when the time is right, and then he can get out of here.”

“Can we see him?” your voice cracks.

“That is up to him," the doctor responds. "But for now, what the young man told me is that he wants chocolate pudding... and to see his Uncle and girlfriend."

You and Wayne waste no time. Unlocking the brakes of his wheelchair, you lug Eddie's uncle into ICU room #010, unsure of what is to greet you behind the curtains.

The room is littered with juice and jello, laced by an overpowering bleach-esque fragrance that most likely was there to mask the innate smell of blood and other bodily fluids.

Beep, beep, beep, goes the familiar IV machine. And funny enough, Eddie has his TV on, blasting South Park on full volume, exactly the way it normally would be playing at the Harrington-Munson estate.

"…tell everyone the truth about whose fault this is! I didn't do anything!" ... "...you KNEW about the prank, you could've stopped it at any time, but you didn't say a word. SILENCE IS VIOLENCE!"

And there is Eddie, dressed in a mesh-fabric gauze bandana, a worn-out beige hospital gown, with matching grippy socks. His entire lower lip is busted, left arm in a cast, both of his heels elevated with blood-saturated pillows. And his hair... you didn't even want to think about the matting. But that is ground to be covered much later.

When Eddie sees the two of you, he only utters one sentence:

“Does this mean I finally get that motorcycle?”

“You fucking idiot!” you wail going in to hug him.

Eddie chuckles solemnly as you completely fall into his embrace, soaking his gown with your salty tears.

"I thought we lost you, Eddie,” you whisper in his ear as you sniff your tears away. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if we did...knowing what I said."

He strokes your hair. "You have every right to be mad at me. I've been such a shitty boyfriend to you."

“I second that,” Wayne huffs, crossing his arms. “The idiot part, I mean… but I’m glad you’re okay, son.”

“Tell me something I don’t know, Wayne,” Eddie grumbles. “I knew those Eddie Stops would catch up to me one day.”

Eventually, the rest of the party spills in, starting with the batallion of younger Hellfire boys who were inconsolable all morning, absolutely petrified of losing their role-model.

"Jesus,” Dustin breathes. “We thought you were a-goner!”

"Hey guys, good to see ya," Eddie grins, soaking up every bit of attention from his little minions as they all pile on top of him. Suddenly, he flinches. "Hey hey hey, watch my IVs! I've got an important med running through that piggyback."

"Right, sorry," they all utter in unison as they separate themselves from him.

Steve is next in line to give Eddie a hug, followed by Robin, and Nancy, and soon Jonathan. Chrissy and Argyle are the next people to trail in, with Henry and Nina at their tail. Then, the Corroded Coffin boys soon after.

"Eddie, oh my god!" Chrissy cries. "Don't you ever scare any of us like that again!"

"Good to see ya, Chris," Eddie smiles, giving her a one-armed hug. "Hey Neens! Creel! Villalobos. Boys.”

"So not cool man," Argyle shakes his head. "So not cool. We were worried sick for you."

As you all iron out the details, it is discovered that Eddie got into the accident shortly after leaving your place. He, in fact did, pull an Eddie Stop, failing to see the car coming at him from his left side, which then resulted in him getting T-boned. The other driver was okay. In fact, he was the one who called the ambulance for him.

"How much longer until you're discharged?" Nancy asks.

"I'm not too sure," Eddie sighs. "Hopefully in a few weeks."

He fails to sit up completely, wincing once again when his pain drags him down. Everybody nearly rushes to his aid, tenderly lowering Eddie back onto the bed while encouraging him to take it easy.

"Don't even worry about it, Eds," Lucas assures him. "We can hold down the fort."

"Oh that's reassuring," Eddie mutters sarcastically, shaking his head in discontent.

"What'd you say?"

"Nothing!"

---

You decide to stay with Eddie for the afternoon while everyone else goes home. A couple others stay behind as well, so you all take turns alternating, helping the nurses with their care and making sure Eddie isn't alone when a specialist from his team comes to see him.

But for now, it's just you and him, cuddled up in his rather stiff hospital bed, watching TV to pass time by.

"It feels weird sitting in place for once," he comments. "My body isn't used to laying down for a long period of time."

"Constantly in fight or flight, huh?" you tut. "Always on the go..."

Eddie whistles. "God, you have no idea..."

"Nah, I do," you insist, grabbing his hand to kiss it. "Our flights just look a lil different is all."

Suddenly, your phone rings again, causing both you and Eddie to jolt in shock. This time, it's your FaceTime ringtone... and on the other line, is Kassidy, quite possibly accompanied by the other Hellfire Girls.

"Jesus H. Christ," you mumble. "They've been spamming me all morning. Probably just wanna know how you're doing."

"Answer it," Eddie encourages you sharply. His tone is rather gruff, and urgent. "I need to talk to them."

Because you're nice enough to allow the girls the luxury of knowing their lord and savior is alive, you answer the call and hand your phone to Eddie. There's a slight pause before the call is connected.

"Hi," is all Eddie says.

"Eddie! OMG!" the girls squeal through the other line, of course all while failing to acknowledge you — the person whose number they called in the first place. "Are you okay?!"

"Yes girls, I'm fine..." he sighs. "How's Hellfire? Everyone holding down the fort?"

"Of course, just like we do best," Kassidy responds. "We just miss you, Eddie. What happened?"

"Got T-boned."

"OMG, whose fault was it?"

"Mine," he seems relatively short with them.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm in a little bit of pain. But I got some pain meds to help me."

"Thank God!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the hospital walls, Nina and Chrissy stare at each other in bewilderment, a look that is naturally followed by one of disgust.

"Oh I know damn well..." Nina shakes her head.

"Stupid ass bitches," Chrissy adds.

Being the nosy girls they are, Nina and Chrissy crane their heads over into the room, eavesdropping on the FaceTime conversation between Eddie and the Hellfire Girls.

"Oh Eddie," Emmy pouts. "We're so glad that you're doing okay."

"Yeah, Eddie!" Lady chirps. "When do you think you'll be released?"

"Hopefully I'll be out in about two weeks," Eddie responds. "But I'll stay at home for a bit before coming back. You won't even know I'm gone."

The girls cheer obnoxiously on the other line. You try to act indifferent towards everything for Eddie's sake, but it's hard for you to feign something that so evidently isn't true.

Eddie senses it. And what he says next to the girls takes you by surprise.

"...But," Eddie says. "In that same amount of time, I expect your lockers to be cleared... as well as your side of the dressing room."

There's a brief silence while the girls try to piece together what Eddie means by that. Because surely it doesn't mean what they initially thought it meant.

"Why? Are we getting moved?"

"No, you're all getting terminated."

So it was exactly what they thought it meant.

"Wh-what? Why?!"

"What do you mean why?" Eddie demands.

He begins to list off everything they have done wrong, all of which they pretended to be oblivious about until now.

"The final straw is calling my girlfriend's phone, non-stop, knowing that's the only way to get through to me," Eddie goes on. "And not even acknowledging her! And even if you did, you all have some damn nerve considering what you guys did at Hellfire."

"You don't even have proof of us damaging her property though!" Justice argues. "So for all we know, you're just accusing us of things, Eddie."

"That's funny," you speak up. "Who said anything about property damage?"

Caught in their own trap.

The MAIN reason Eddie couldn't fire the Hellfire Girls when they put sugar in your gas tank was because you didn't have any proof that they did it, therefore it wouldn't hold up well if the girls decided to sue for wrongful termination. Again, lots of legalities to come in to play.

The girls were smart though. Choosing to wreck your car because they knew it was parked in the security camera's blindspot. Essentially, after the damage was done, it would be your word against theirs. And there was only so much that Eddie could do with the "subtle jabs". But now that you have a confession, Eddie can work off of that.

"But Eddie!" Justice whines. "This is so unfair. We've known you, and been at Hellfire longer than she has."

"Two weeks," Eddie reiterates, still firm on his decision. "That's enough time for you ladies to figure out the next step. I wish you the best of luck."

The ending of the FaceTime call wasn't a pretty one. It mainly consisted of denying and bargaining, all of which Eddie did not have the energy to be receptive to.

You and Eddie continue to hash it out with the girls over the phone, all while Nina and Chrissy were twerking in celebration because it meant more money for them during tip outs. And most importantly, celebrating you getting the justice you deserve...along with the possibility of you coming back.

"That was something I should've done way long ago," Eddie sighs as he hands you your phone back. "I hate dealing with legal shit."

"I'm sorry that they ended up being horrible," you frown.

"And I'm sorry that they ended up being horrible to you," Eddie counters. "I really wish I could've done more for you. But up until now my hands were tied legally, honey. And financially."

"It was a sticky situation," you mutter. "But...I knew you had a favorite."

He kisses your forehead once more and you lean into him again, resting your head against his chest and wrapping your leg around his torso.

"Ow, ow, OW!" Eddie yelps.

"Sorry!"

You asunder again.

"You think you're gonna find enough dancers in time?" you ask him.

"We'll be okay four dancers short," Eddie assures you. "And besides, more tips for the other ladies when it comes down to tip-outs. They did Hellfire a favor."

Exactly what Chrissy and Nina were thinking.

"Speaking of Hellfire..." Eddie quips. "Does this mean you're coming back?"

"Only if I'm still welcome."

"Of course you are, babe," Eddie chuckles. "Everyone there loves you."

Your heart flutters at the forsaken "L" word, uttered with so much certainty and fondness.

"...including me," Eddie adds. "I love you, man."

You bite your lip to contain your excitement as you blush, giving Eddie a light punch across his chest.

"I love you too...man."

And as a way to poke fun at you, Eddie flashes you a "surf's up" sign with his non-crippled fingers. He puts on his most pretentious California accent possible, one he learned how to do from Argyle.

"Righteous...man."

And before it could get any more intimate, Chrissy makes her way into the room, reaching into her tote bag to give you something she's been holding onto since she arrived.

You watch as she unveils a familiar velvet garment — your cloak. She gives you a courtly bow as she hands it back over to you, symbolizing an end to your very brief retirement from Hellfire, and a permanent seat at The Party's table.

"You know Hargrove, I believe..." says Chrissy. "...that this is for you."

🏷️ tag list: @chrrymunson , @the-fairy-anon , @ali-r3n , @corrodedcoffincumslut , @bebe07011 , @mmunson86 , @eddiesguitarskills , @chelebelletx , @imonhereforareasonsadly , @eddies-trailer-babe @motherfckerr , @jxpsi , @sidthedollface2 , @manda-panda-monium , @elvendria , @micheledawn1975 , @hereforshmut , @siriuslysmoking , @mediocredreams @nymphetkoo , @m-chmcl-rmnc , @ahoyyharrington , @keepittoyourselftellnobodyelse @kellyxo1 @emsgoodthinkin @winchester-angel @chloe-6123 , @redbarn1995 @angietherose @kiyastrf94 , @purplewitchcauldron @kellsck @joyfulfxckery @munsons-mayhem28 @dragonfire @emma77645 @drivelikenina @livosssblog @thinkingth0ts @hugdealer @ellielunamckay @xblueriddlex @maskofmirrors @babyloutattoo89 @queenofhawkins @feral-pumpkin-energy @bl0ssomanddie

[pavlovianfuckery]

i have abandonment issues and anxiety and now so do you

MASTERLIST

linky for those AO3-ly inclined: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42270144

just my brain going "but what if dream is a complete banana lady about time because he values it differently from everybody else and gets absorbed in his work and fucks off for months on end like a big fucking idiot, what then?"

also he is so very pretty when he cries and i wanted another go at writing some quick stair sex, fucking sue me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ i was so sleep deprived when writing this and it shows but what can you do, 2.6k sad sad sexing under the cut

It's been weeks since you slept unaided, the use of pills keeping any dreams at bay, so when you finally enter the Dreaming only to find yourself in the throne room of all places, it gives you pause. Everything looks much the same as you remember. When you finally lay eyes on the aloof figure on the throne it feels like being kicked in the chest, which is less unexpected. You had imagined what it would be like to see him again many times, but nothing you had planned to say comes out, the words turning to ash in your mouth.

"Leave us." His gaze is fixed on you as he orders everyone out, and it feels as if an eternity passes between the closing of the massive doors and him speaking to you. "Do you know why I have brought you here?" Just hearing his voice again is painful, but you refuse to let it show, squaring your shoulders but not meeting his eyes, not bothering to keep your tone civil.

"I do not presume to know why you would do anything, so no, I don't." The glibness doesn't seem to amuse him, and he steps down from the throne. "That is not quite true, is it?" His voice is flat as he approaches you unhurriedly, step by inexorable step.   "If accusing me of being a liar is all you dragged me here for, I'm just going to go." You turn to go, to wake up, to be anywhere but here, but he calls out to you. "Stop." You were planning on leaving, and yet. And yet.

"Why?" You whirl around, facing him. It's a struggle to keep your voice from cracking, but you manage it, somehow. "You don't want me here." He frowns, moving closer until he's only a few paces away. "I assure you, that is not true, despite your lack of loyalty." "What in the world is that even supposed to mean?" Now you can't keep the anger out of your voice, "Since when have I ever been disloyal to you?" "Since you abandoned me to cavort with a mortal." The words are full of contempt, and it almost makes you physically recoil. "I abandoned you?" It comes out as a disbelieving laugh, more callous than you had intended. "No, you left, without so much as a word. I didn't hear from you for 6 months! I don't know if you had gotten bored of me or what, but you were gone."

"Bored?" His frown deepens. "There were matters of great import that required my attention." "Of course there were."  You had always been painfully aware of your own unimportance to a being like him right from the start but nevertheless, his words still hurt. "What did you expect me to do then, spend the rest of my life waiting for you? I didn't even know if you were coming back at all."

"You certainly wasted no time before giving yourself to another." "Did you miss the part where you up and left me for months? Not that it's any of your business anymore but yes, I slept with someone else, to try and get over you forgetting me!" "I did not forget you." Somehow, the words make it worse. "Yeah? Because that's what it looked like." Your eyes sting and you wipe at them angrily.

He's frozen, unmoving at the bottom of the steps. Bathed in the soft light from the stained glass windows he reminds you of a marble statue. Beautiful. Cold. It cuts at you like a knife until you can't stand to look at him any longer, and you turn to leave again. The way his fingers snag your wrist takes you by surprise, not expecting him to reach out. "Wait." "I did." You yank your arm back, but he grabs hold. The touch is gentle, but it might as well have been a firebrand. "Let. Go." For all their vehemence the words feel like a lie on your tongue, and as you glare at him it's obvious that he doesn't believe them either because his grip only tightens. The way he looks at you hurts, it burns and something inside your chest just shatters.

The slap is loud in the empty room, neither of you expecting it. Even though your palm tingles from the open-handed strike there isn't a mark on him of course, but that doesn't make you feel any better. When he pulls you to him, most of the fight drains out of you. "You don't get to do this, you know," you punch his chest weakly, just once as the first tears start to fall. "You can't just dump me by the wayside when you get tired of me, I'm not your fucking pet." "No, perhaps not. But do not doubt this; you are mine."

Despite everything, the close proximity has the same effect as it always has, as if he'd never left. As he tightens his arms around you his familiar scent envelops you, making your head swim. You're not sure what possesses you to brush your lips against his throat, but you do it anyway, despite your every sense screaming at you that it's a bad idea. "Forgive me." For a moment you're sure that he'll send you away, that you'll wake up alone in your bed again and the thought makes it hard to breathe. But then his fingers ghost over your cheek, brushing your tears away before guiding your mouth to his. The kiss is a brief, unspeakably tender thing, over much too quickly. Brows knitted together in something like confusion his eyes are heavy on you, searching your face. "What is there to forgive? If I had known..."

You don't wait for him to finish speaking, pulling him back down by the lapels of his coat. His lips are as soft against yours as they've ever been as you pry them open, like it would be possible to push every shred of angerpaingrief into him that way. As if he could somehow understand your hurt if only you could force him to taste it. And he lets you, even as you nip at him until you taste blood, like bright copper pennies caught in your teeth. Lack of air makes your head spin but you can't stop clinging to him as if he'd turn to smoke under your hands, to slip between your fingers to be gone by morning. "Don't leave me like that again..."

You breathe the words into him like a prayer until your knees go weak, and even then he holds you to him still, not letting go. The descent onto the stairs is a gradual one, made clumsy by the reluctance to let go for even a second. Straddling his lap is a graceless affair, but you're beyond caring.  Feeling the fabric of his coat under you is a bit unsettling, the way it cushions your knees from the unyielding stone beneath a bit too well to be quite real. It makes you feel as if you could fall into the sky of the lining of it if you're not careful. "You are aware of my responsibilities; I can offer you no such promises."  That hurts to hear more than you would like to admit, but then he continues, "I can however endeavour to inform you when my work requires my full attention."

It's not quite an apology, but it's as close to one as you're likely to ever get and still more than you dared hope for.  As the hem of his shirt rides up exposing the skin there, the urge to be closer is overpowering. "I have missed you." The way he says it is quiet but fond, the words soft enough to rival the feel of his skin under your questing hands.

Wanting to lay any claim on him that you can you suck at the sensitive skin on the side of his neck, which surprisingly does leave a mark, one that doesn't fade. When the realization dawns that he's doing that, he's keeping it there on purpose for you, lust pools molten in your belly. Repeating the action on the other side makes him groan, the sound vibrating against your lips as he tips his head back and grinds his hips up against you, giving you all the permission you need.

The bruises bloom nearly instantly, another one of his tricks, offered up almost like a gift. They dapple the flawless column of his throat prettily, but it's still not enough. The seams creak in protest as you pull the collar of his shirt down to get at more of him, but he doesn't seem to mind.  After being apart for so long, suddenly having him this close when you thought you never would again is overwhelming and you're unable to hold back a few errant tears.  "Do you have any idea what it was like with you gone?" Giving his hair a pull, you force him to look at you. 

He wets his lips before responding, an uncharacteristically human gesture. "It was never my intention to cause you harm." The tremble in his voice is barely perceptible but still undeniably there.

His lips yield to yours so easily when you kiss him again, pressing the heel of your hand against his fly. "Help me forget?" As you breathe the words into his mouth you can feel him pulse through the fabric. "Please?"

Even with his hands aiding yours it's easier than it should have been to pull his jeans down, the stiff material offering next to no resistance, a convenience courtesy of the Dreaming. Rather than removing them completely, you push them only as far down as is necessary.

His cock is just as pretty as the rest of him, you'd almost forgotten that. The skin is silky in your palm as you give him a few slow pumps, just as a reminder of what he feels like.  "Let me see you." His words make the rest of your clothing fade away like morning mist leaving you completely exposed on his lap, another perk of his realm that you had missed. The way he touches you borders on worshipful as he presses a soft kiss over your heart, gentle as a butterfly wing.

Sinking down on him slowly is difficult when you're aching like this, but you want to savour it. For now, he simply leans back and watches as your body swallows every inch of him. The way he fills you so perfectly is intoxicating, addictive. It feels like coming home. For a while you don't move, just enjoying holding him inside like this, buried to the hilt as you squeeze around him. The intimacy of it is almost unbearable, nearly making you choke up again as he gently grabs hold of your hips and guides you into a languid pace.

"Tell me he didn't make you feel like this." The words are quiet, almost pleading, his eyes shining as he looks up at you. You had thought something like that wouldn't matter to a being like him, but his fragile expression tells you otherwise. "I need to hear you say it," he gasps, the stars in his eyes finally falling. Seeing him like this nearly breaks your heart all over again. As you kiss his face with all the tenderness you can muster, moisture stains your lips, making him seem remarkably human in that moment. "You know he didn't," you fail to keep your voice steady as you stroke his hair. "He wasn't you."

The way his chest hitches does nothing to douse the desire burning its way through you, not the way it perhaps should have done. He's so lovely like this, all dishevelled, cheeks shining. It's wholly unexpected, the vulnerability of it all, making the tension in your core coil tighter. The salt of his tears burning on the tip of your tongue makes you feel like consuming enough of him in any way you can would somehow erase your stupid mistake. As if he could fill you up until there would be room for nothing else, and he would push the memory of it out of you. 

"Please come in me," you roll your hips, pleading. "I need you to."

That you would ask for it so bluntly makes him let out a desperate little sound and thrust up into you ineffectually, the bunched-up fabric around his knees making it close to impossible to gain any proper traction on the smooth stone steps. He grasps your hips more firmly, spurring you on. "Move for me." It's still a fairly leisurely pace, neither of you so much chasing release as letting it arrive in its own time.  Pleasure washing over you in gentle waves makes your thighs quake as it brings you close to your peak before pulling away, time and time again.

The squelching noises as you ride his cock are embarrassingly loud in the empty hall, but you're beyond caring about anything except that you get to have him like this again. One of his hands moves to where you are joined, clever fingers circling your clit, not directly touching you yet.  "You make such a sweet mess of me, my love."He murmurs, voice strained as he continues, "I've missed that." The words alone are nearly enough to put you right back on that precipice, making you pull on his hair with a frustrated little whine. "Morpheus, please." At that, he goes completely still, his grip like iron as he holds you in place. You can feel his cock straining inside of you, nearly spilling but not quite. "Plead with me like that," he chokes out, cheeks high with colour, "and you will receive me sooner than you might hope."

Being the one to make his composure falter has never failed to drive you wild and this time is no different. Seeing him like this after your time apart, balancing on that edge right along with you, is very nearly enough to bring you off. Furrowing his brow he bites his bottom lip, fighting to keep his control from slipping, and you realize that you're going to come regardless of if he moves or not. It's like a tidal wave on the horizon, the pull relentless long before it arrives.

"I'm going to," you struggle to get the words out, "fuck, I'm..." The way his eyes bore into yours is almost hypnotic, drawing you in. "Go on," he breathes, egging you on, "come for me." Then he flexes inside of you and with a whimper, you're lost, walls spasming around his cock. There is no way to ride the wave of pleasure and nowhere to hide from it, the only thing you can do is slump bonelessly on his lap and let it wash over you, because he isn't letting you move. He's only a few seconds behind you though, pushing in as far as he can go and emptying himself there with a strangled sound, as if he really could wash every trace of the other man's touch out of you that way.

Spent, he rests his head against your shoulder, stroking his hands down your back soothingly as his come starts seeping out of you. For a while you simply stay like that, holding each other close.  Now that you're thinking more clearly reality starts to set in, and you can't help but dread waking up. Because in your heart of hearts, you know that you will wake up alone, no matter what just happened. It hits you like a sledgehammer to the chest and without meaning to, you start to tremble.

Realizing with rising horror that this might just be A dream and not your Dream, you do the only thing you can think of; you flee back to the waking world.

[ssaluv-a-lot]

A stripper and a drug dealer walk into a club...

A/N: 18+ SMUT. No minors allowed round here.

Now, Fontaine didn't necessarily find anything wrong with what you did. So what you shook a lil ass for some cash, nobody was complaining.

And it wasn't that he didn't trust you to stay loyal or nothin. He just knew the niggas in The Glen. He knew how thirsty they could be and the lines they would cross just to get a hand on you.

So while you worked the pole with that sexy smile, he requested a private room for you to join him in.

"The fuck is wrong wit you, Fontaine? I'm working! I ain't got time fo yo shit right now!" You stood before him in a stringy two piece and 7 inch heels.

"Why you always trynna fight me right away? Come 'ere, just wanna see you." Fontaine slouched back on the velvet couch and patted his thigh.

"Nuh uh. You wanna see me? Watch me on stage like everybody the fuck else. I ain't got time." You rolled your eyes at his antics, flipping him a middle finger as you prepared to walk back out the room.

"Hol' on now. Not so fast." He pulled a stack of cash from his hoodie with a gleaming smirk and dropped it on his lap. "Dance for me."

You wished you could slap the smirk off his face right about now but a second look at the thick wad of cash (that was no doubt more than what you've been making all night) had you sucking your teeth and strutting right over to him.

"You think you slick?" you reluctantly picked up the stack and skimmed through the bills. Yup, way more than you were makin right now.

"What you mean?" His fingers pulled at the thin band of your panties.

"You want me to dance for you in private cause you get dumb jealous when I do it out there." You tilted your head back to the burgundy curtains that lay between you and your man vs all other niggas.

"You talkin too much." Fontaine sucked his teeth and reached to snatch the cash back from your hands.

You turned your body away from him with a giggle as you sat your ass right over the bulge in his jeans. "Just say you jealous, Taine." You rolled your hips one good time before his hands were on your hips with a bruising grip.

"Ion get jealous." He growled in your ear, nipping the lobe with his teeth.

"Uh huh." You relaxed your back into his chest and attempted to readjust your hips under his grip but he was so heavy handed, you couldn't move a muscle. "I thought you wanted me to dance?"

"You've done enough of that shit." His hands loosened on your hips, trailed them over the fabric of your panties instead. "Why you gotta wear this shit huh? Got yo ass and titties out."

"Jealous.." You sung as you rested your head into the crook of his neck.

His fingers dipped into the flimsy material and cupped your pussy, forcing a gasp from your lips.

"I got every right to be jealous. You my woman. You hear me?"

"Y-yeah." Your voice grew breathy as he rubbed your clit in teasing circles.

"Mhmm. Look how wet this pussy gets. Don't nobody need to see it but me."

You reached your arm back to grab his chin, angling his face down to meet your lips as he applied more pressure to your bud and caused the knot in your belly to build at an alarming pace.

"Fuuuck Fontaine! 'm gonna cum, daddy!" His free arm braced you against him as your body started to shake with the overwhelming pleasure.

"That's it, ma. You got it." He chuckled as he dipped his fingers into your slick and brought them up to your swollen lips. "Taste it, baby."

You sucked his fingers into your mouth with a hum, licking them clean of your spend.

"Get up. Take that shit off." He stood with you and stripped of his jackets and unbuttoned his jeans, shrugging them down enough to let his dick spring free.

The little clothes you wore were tossed to the side as you eagerly waited for his next instruction. A heavy palm cracked against the fat of your ass as he sat back down on the couch. "Come on. Ride that dick. Tell me you love me."

You straddled his waist, pecking his lips as you placed his blunt tip at your sloppy entrance. "I love you, Taine."

"I love you too, pretty baby." His arms wrapped your waist, locking you in as you sank down on his length with a moan.

"Fuck, daddy."

"Mhm. Come on. Show me somethin." Up and down you worked your hips slowly until you adjusted to his size well enough.

Once it got comfortable, you sank your teeth into his neck and stroked his dick with your pussy until your legs ached.

Quiet groans and words of praise were the only sounds leaving Fontaine's lips while you fucked him like you hadn't seen him in years.

"Shit, Taine!" Your legs began to tremble and your hips slowed as broken whines exhausted themselves from your throat. "Fuck me!"

That was all it took for him to flip you on your back and fold your legs to your chest. "So. fucking. pretty." He growled, each word punctuated with a deep thrust.

His hands squeezed at your thighs as he watched your pussy suck him in, pulsing and clenching over him like he was made to be there all the time. Another orgasm ripped through your body, creating a ring around his dick that had him groaning as he brought your right leg to his lips.

Gold grills matching the shimmering anklet as he nipped at your calf, his own orgasm closer than he thought. His thrusts turned aimless as he lost himself in your cunt, cumming so hard he had to stay put for once.

"Taine.." You called to him once the energy in the room had returned to normal. "Did you just cum inside me?"

[ghostflowerhotpotch]

Miles Learns why Gwen left Earth 65: Preview

They weren't sure where they were exactly, coming here has been done out of desperation and trying to run away from the nightmare world of Earth 42. They all had agreed it has been a long day (while subtly looking at Miles who was by far in the worse shape,) and had divided themselves into smaller groups.

In all honesty? Now that he didn't need to be running away from somebody, Miles was starting to feel the weight of the day in his body, he isn't even sure how many hours it has been and the closest he had to rest was being knock out flat by his evil counterpart. So he had barely hear past the "Gwen, Hobie and Miles go out to look for a place to rest."

"Don't need to tell me twice." He thought, slowly walking around as he looked at the place.

It seemed like has been once an office building, Miles couldn't imagine what must had happened to left couches, desks and other materials intact on it's place to rot; but he also didn't have the energy care about it.

"Me and Gwendy could move some of these around to make sure we have room for everybody," Hobie mentioned while looking with mildly disgust to the light grey love seats that seemed to be part of some waiting area. Miles wondered if he had something against the furniture, or being in such corporate place was just disgusting for him.

Miles needed a second to realize he hasn't been included, "What about me?"

"You can sit this one out Miles, we will be fine." Gwen mentioned off-hand, lifting one of the couches.

Frowning, he said "I can help you know-"

"Mate," Hobie called up to him, with his calm demeanour contrasting Miles bubbling annoyance. "You look two seconds away from becoming Father Ted, you can lie down."

"Father Ted?" He repeated, the confusion reigning over any residual anger at the idea of being useless.

"He means dead, Miles." Gwen says looking at him, and while he still wasn't sure how to feel about her; Miles noticed the worry in her eyes. "You had gone through a lot today, let us to do this for you okay? Please."

His own lips turned into a fine line, knowing very well he couldn't deny her; not just because he didn't have the strength not to when he was looking at him with such concern; Miles was indeed beaten half to death.

So with a sigh, he went to the love seat, and lie on it. The material was stiff, and even after trying to dusted with his hand the smell made him feel these thing has been here for longer that he has been alive. Closing his eyes, he resolved to rest. Or the best he could considering the circumstances.

What he was going to do? Now he has his friends on his side, which was great, but he didn't want to measure his chances if they needed to fight the organization. Miles had managed to escape, but one thing was leaving on the dust a bunch of unorganized people who didn't even know what was going on; than having Miguel get his forces in order to crack him down.

What would the guy do if they break the canon? Gwen was sure this could be avoided somehow, yet this didn't take into account the other things that were suppose to happen, or how it could break the universe. Hobie was convinced this entire thing was ridiculous and Miguel has his head too far his own ass to see it; while Peter had tried to say there could had been a way to reason-

At least everyone shut him down on that one.

It would be an understatement to say he was stressed out, so despite how he felt like his body begging for rest, his mind refused to cooperate. Gwen and Hobie moving furniture around also didn't give him the silence he normally preferred for these moments; yet he wasn't going to say anything to them since he still didn't feel too happy about being the only one taking it easy. 

So he continue having his eyes closed, and to even his breathing in order to trick his mind into falling asleep.

Miles hasn't meant to overhear, but with super hearing and literally not much else going on in the room? Was impossible not to.

"So, everything back in order with your Pot and Pan?"

"How does anyone understood Hobie?" Miles half-wondered. He liked the guy, specially now that he was the only person Miles felt 100% could trust had his best interest at heart; but it didn't meant his slang was less confusing. Was this how his parents felt like?

"Yeah, we sort things out; I feel a bit silly dramatizing how my dad would react after coming back home." Gwen chuckled awkwardly, hearing it in her tone alongside the furniture being rearranged. The light taps of the wood and the leather barely working as background noise, much less to hide that whatever this was about, wasn't easy.

Miles imagined as such, since he remember Gwen saying how her dad thought he killed Peter the first time she came to his universe. What he didn't expect, was Hobie's next words.

"You are joking, right? That better be a joke. There was nothing dramatic about the way you reacted after what he did."

While still lying down, Miles frowned. What did happen? And why Hobie sounded so worked out all of the sudden? It couldn't had been that bad, right? Is her father after all.

"Don't. Trust me on that." Gwen had said those words not so long ago. Miles hasn't want to debate her, specially without knowing her dad personally; but he has wondered why she was so sure of that. Now even more.

 "It all worked out in the end Hobie, maybe if I had gotten home sooner-"

"No, we are not doing this Gwen." Miles was taken aback hearing Hobie not just saying her name (without nicknames or jokes,) but also that he could hear the bubbling anger in his voice. "What he did to you was inexcusable, end of the story; the only reason I didn't bash his head with my guitar was because you explicitly not to."

A tiny, little part of Miles's brain tried to remind him he wasn't part of this conversation and he shouldn't be eavesdropping (if it could count with him staying in the room and they both knowing about it.) Yet that small voice got shut down as he was starting to actually worry.

Despite their short time together; there hasn't been any moment where he has seen Hobie lost his composure, not even coming close to it really. So whatever happened must had been next level bad if the guy was talking as if he wanted to take down Gwen's father like that.

"He is my dad Hobie-"

"Oh yeah? Well he didn't seem to remember that when you begged him to understand after showing your secret identity," Hobie's voice was picking up in volume, as the rage and indignation in her name seemed to overflown his voice; the next piece of furniture falling a little bit too hard as well; at least they wouldn't need to pay for it.  "After saving multiple people in his face, he cornered you down, force you to reveal your identity; and after trying to explain what happened, what did he do? Ah right, try to fucking arrest you as if you were any other criminal, and try to point his gun at you-

Miles opened his eyes and sat down so quickly you would had believed the couch was burning his back, "WHAT!?" He screamed, appalled.

. . .

I'm struggling to write in general, I had more than this, but for now a little bit of a preview for hype. And because motivation is a bitch lol.

[thelastspeecher]

Ford Gets Purposefully Abducted

The title is a reference to the ficlet I posted a while back for my Accidental Abduction AU, which was titled "Stan Gets Accidentally Abducted". This is the I'm sure long-awaited story of how Ford was abducted by aliens in my Purposeful Abduction AU. As told to Stan, who is still recovering from being captured by and then escaping alien poachers.

———————————————————————————————————–

              Ford helped Stan through the front door. Stan would have tried to make it under his own steam, but he'd learned from trying that in the past that doing so after physical therapy sessions only ended with him collapsing to the floor.

              "Do you need heat or ice?" Ford asked once Stan was settled in his favorite armchair in the living room. Stan shook his head.

              "They cooked and froze me after they were done with me."

              "Good." Ford cleared his throat. "I spoke with your physical therapist. She's very pleased with your progress."

              "That lady's a drill sergeant," Stan muttered. Ford rolled his eyes, amused. "Did she say how much longer she plans on torturing me?"

              "Ah, well..." Ford sat on the nearby couch, pushing aside some of his son Proteus's toys to make room. "Healing is different for everybody. Right now, she doesn't know. But the road for your recovery is going to be quite long. Months at least. Likely over a year, if you want to be able to get back to, say, boxing."

              "Great."

              "I will say that you are recovering far faster than anyone expected. Even faster than I thought you would."

              "I'm a Pines. I'm supposed to get back up after I get hit with an uppercut." Stan sighed. "Speaking of, do they even have boxing on this planet?"

              "Not that I know of."

              "Look, I know you hated boxing lessons when we were kids, but you didn't need to go to a whole other planet to get out of them," Stan joked. Ford cracked a smile. The tension between the two of them was still thick at times, but after a few weeks of Stan staying with Ford, they were both beginning to thaw.

              "I assure you, I came to this planet for a very different reason," Ford said, his tone amused. Stan straightened.

              "Are you gonna finally tell me how you got here?" he asked. Ford blinked.

              "I haven't told you yet?"

              "No!"

              "And Fiddleford hasn't told you?"

              "No!"

              "Ah." Ford adjusted his glasses. "Work has been rather frantic of late. I suppose it slipped my mind that you had not been told." He fell silent, seemingly lost in thought.

              "So?" Stan prompted impatiently. "How'd you wind up a doctor on an alien planet?" Ford smiled.

              "I think you'll enjoy this story. It all started when I went to do research in Oregon after college, in a little town called Gravity Falls. I was focusing on studying anomalies, things that couldn't be explained by typical science. I was in the woods one day, tracking such an anomaly. However, I failed to keep a safe distance. It noticed my presence and turned, charging at me. Then..." Ford trailed off.

              "Then?" Stan asked. Ford's smile broadened.

              "Then, I was somewhere else entirely."

-----

              Ford kept his eyes screwed shut, waiting for the blow, for the teeth and claws that had been charging for him. But nothing happened.

              "Is it-"

              "I think it is a 'he'."

              "Is he broken?"

              Ford opened his eyes. His jaw dropped. Standing before him were the owners of the voices that had just spoken: unnaturally tall and colorful humanoid aliens. Aliens! Excitement quickly replaced his fear. One seemed to be female, with cobalt skin and long, magenta hair tied in an extravagant braid. The other appeared male, with the same color skin but a navy blue ponytail. Both stared at him with wide, nervous eyes, their irises like molten silver.

              They look similar enough to be related, but I don't know if their species has differences between individuals that I cannot perceive. The blue alien cautiously approached Ford.

              "Hello," it said hesitantly.

              "Hello!" Ford burst out immediately. The alien took a step back in shock. "Am I aboard your ship?"

              "Uh, yes."

              "Fascinating!"

              "You seem less...frightened than we expected," the pink alien said. It had a higher voice, fitting its feminine appearance. "Your species has not made contact with other planets yet. We thought this would make you afraid of us."

              "You beamed up quite possibly the only person on Earth who would be pleased by this turn of events," Ford said. The aliens shared a wary, discomforted look. "Well, other than the large-haired man on the Used to Be About History Channel."

              "You are...pleased?" asked the blue alien. Ford nodded. He looked around the room, soaking in the sights he had previously only witnessed on Star Trek. The large room was glowing faintly with light from a source Ford couldn’t ascertain. The blue alien retreated, joining the pink one behind a console table with holographic screens floating above it. Ford took a step off the raised circle in the center of the room that he had been standing on. The aliens’ faces flooded with panic.

              “No need to get closer!” the pink alien said urgently. Ford nodded absentmindedly. He walked around the perimeter of the raised circle, a smile tugging up the corners of his mouth.

              I’m in a real-life transporter room! Just behind the aliens was an open doorway. The height of the arch was at least eight feet. These aliens are very tall, but they look to be roughly six and a half feet. Not even close to the height of the doorway. Perhaps they are short for their species. Or perhaps the doorways of their culture allow for extra clearance. Whatever the answer, Ford was yearning to walk through the door and explore the rest of the ship. I wonder if it resembles the Enterprise. Or perhaps the TARDIS. Or even the Millennium Falcon!

              “Um, please, stand on the teleporting pad,” the pink alien said.

              “Why?” Ford asked.

              “So we can send you back home,” the blue alien said. Ford stared at them.

              “But…you abducted me. Are you not bringing me to your planet?” he asked.

              “We did not intend to abduct you,” the blue alien said firmly. “Merely rescue you.”

              “What do you mean?”

              “We came to this planet to visit our older brother,” the pink alien said. “We saw that you were about to be harmed, so we brought you onto our ship to protect you.”

              “Why would you care about some random human?” Ford asked. The aliens’ eyes grew wide, almost as though they let slip something they weren’t supposed to.

              “Why not?” the blue alien said after a moment. “Is not every life valuable?”

              “True enough,” Ford said with a nod. He looked at the teleporting pad, then back at the aliens. “I want to stay.”

              “What?!” the aliens yelped.

              ��Let me come with you to your planet,” Ford begged. “This is everything I’ve dreamed of!”

              “That would be a very bad idea,” the blue alien said. “No, it is best for you to stay on your home planet, with your people.” Ford scowled.

              Time to change tactics, I suppose.

              “Fine,” he sighed. The aliens’ shoulders relaxed. “I’ll have to call the man from the Used to Be About History Channel after you return me.” The aliens’ shoulders tensed again.

              “W-why?” the pink alien asked.

              “To tell him everything about my experience, of course!”

              “You cannot do that!” the blue alien said frantically. “Your species has not made contact-”

              “This certainly seems like a form of contact to me,” Ford said with a shrug. The aliens looked at each other. The pink one pulled the blue one to the side. They had a hushed conversation in a strange language that seemed to be composed of screeches and creaking noises.

              They must have turned off whatever translating device they were using to communicate with me. Ford occupied himself by continuing to examine his surroundings. After a few minutes, the aliens came back.

              “Very well,” the pink alien said in a tight voice. “You may come with us to our home planet.”

              Ford grinned.

-----

              “Wait,” Stan said suddenly. Ford looked at him. “No one on Earth would’ve believed you if you told them you were abducted.”

              “Correct.”

              “So you lied to get what you wanted?” Stan asked. He chuckled. “I guess we really are twins.”

              “I didn’t outright lie,” Ford argued. He looked away. “I just…allowed them to come to an incorrect conclusion.”

              “Uh-huh. And when did they figure out you manipulated them?”

              “After we arrived at this planet. Their mother is half-human and knows enough about Earth to recognize my bluff for what it was,” Ford said. “It made for an awkward few days while I stayed with them.” Stan raised an eyebrow.

              “They still let you stay with them?”

              “They’re rather forgiving,” Ford said with a shrug. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “It helped that Angie’s twin brother, as it was the two of them who rescued me via abduction, pointed out that Angie would have done the same thing I did.”

              “She’s a manipulator, eh?” Stan nodded slowly. “Feisty. I like that in a woman.”

              “Stanley, do not try your moves on my sister-in-law,” Ford said, his previous light mood gone. “My married sister-in-law, need I remind you.”

              “Not for long,” Stan said under his breath. Ford narrowed his eyes. “You know that marriage isn’t gonna last.”

              “It’s not my place to comment on that. It certainly isn’t yours,” Ford said firmly. He got up. “You should go to your room to rest. Fiddleford will be bringing the children home soon.”

              “Wh- but you didn’t finish telling me everything,” Stan protested.  “You told me how you got here, but not how you became an alien doctor.” Ford managed a small smile.

              “I’ll save that story for another time.”

              “Fine,” Stan sighed. Wobbling, he got up from the armchair. Using his cane, he hobbled out of the living room, down the hall, and into the guest room he was staying in. He collapsed on the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

              Moses, that sister-in-law of his is a helluva woman. I want to shoot my shot with her so bad it hurts. But even if Angie does get a divorce soon, she won’t want me. Not when I’m like this. Stan closed his eyes. Someday I’ll nab a date with her. Or some other tall alien dame. Stan began to drift off to sleep. Someday.

[foggyfanfic]

Mirabel Analysis

I'm working my way through a Mirabel focused AU and I feel like her characterization isn't quite right. So! It's time to sit down and get some shit figured out!

So once all the exposition is out of the way, the first character moment Mirabel gets is when that small child says "If I were you, I'd be really sad" and Mirabel immediately denies any unhappiness. She says something along the lines of being just as special as the rest of her family, gift or no gift. Immediately after this (and a brief run in with Isabela which establishes their dynamic) we see Mirabel's parents tell her basically the same thing. They are actually extremely supportive and say everything she needs to hear. Thus we can conclude that, at least in regards to her parents, Mirabel has been surrounded with all the right messages, and can even repeat them back to other people, but she has not absorbed any of it.

Important Character Trait 1: Mirabel has emotional intelligence from the get go, but has not internalized it, or applied any of it to the real world.

Next, we get the scene between Mirabel and Abuela, in which Abuela suggests Mirabel stays out of the way. In this scene we quickly see that Mirabel is skilled in more than just embroidery, is detail oriented (carefully adjusts candle holders to be just right), thoughtful, and clumsy when nervous. It's also clear that she's seeking approval from Abuela specifically, and we can conclude she looks up to Abuela. I also think it's noteworthy that Mirabel didn't make herself a candle holder, because she clearly isn't stepping around anything when she enters the nursery. This combined with the fact that she later doesn't join the photo when Abuela shouts "Everybody come!" are great ways to show she doesn't see herself as being a part of the family.

Important Character Trait 2: Wants Abuela's approval.

Important Character Trait 3: Feels separated from the family.

Next we have her interaction's with Antonio. Obviously the gift she made him further proves how thoughtful she is, and the way she talks to him shows us just how much she loves her family. I also think it's noteworthy that the first hint of true vulnerability we see from her is with Antonio. When he first asks for her help, she doesn't put on a brave face, she honestly tells him she can't. This makes the fact that she does end up helping him all the more important because we have been at once shown how much this will hurt her, and that she values Antonio enough to put herself through that. In addition, Antonio's actions demonstrate what an important role Mirabel is already playing in her family. Whether or not she realizes it, she is the person Antonio trusts above all others, she is who he reaches for when he's scared. Later we see other family members show similar trust in Mirabel, which is telling. This just furthers my suspicions that Mirabel was so focused on gaining Abuela's approval that she never fully digested how important to her family she is.

Important Character Trait 4: Willing to sacrifice for others.

This segues into her song, Waiting on a Miracle. I saw somebody point out that it's more about accepting her own unhappiness than it is about anything else. That makes the song an important moment for character development because I believe that it's only once she opens up to how not fine she is that she can begin to internalize what her parent's have been telling her all along.

Then we get the cracks, and Mirabel immediately runs to tell Abuela and honestly was probably trying to get everybody out of the house. I mean, she had every reason to believe it was collapsing. Rewatching the scene I do think it's interesting that Mirabel doesn't mention the miracle being in danger, just the house. She mentions that the candle almost went out, but she doesn't equate the cracks to the miracle weakening. Abuela does.

In the kitchen with her mother we get the second glimpse of Mirabel being vulnerable with another character. When Julieta says Mirabel is just as special as everybody else in the family, instead of blithely agreeing, Mirabel points out Julieta's healing abilities. Juli denies that it is her food that heals Mirabel, and instead says its her love and goes on to talk Mirabel up. This helps Mirabel in the short term, but in the long term Mirabel stays up thinking about the cracks, goes to investigate, overhears Abuela's prayers, and gets the plot rolling.

When she approaches "Dolores" she doesn't bother trying to convince her the cracks were real, instead she assumes that Dolores already knows. And why wouldn't she? She knows everything about everyone. There's the whole fun scene at breakfast, then Mirabel chasing after Luisa, Luisa's absolute bop. And the next notable moment is Mirabel telling Luisa she's carrying too much. Notice it isn't Mirabel who gets the conversation back on track, but Luisa. Mirabel had set her own problem aside to comfort her sister. This is another tick mark for "Willing to sacrifice".

The climb up to Bruno's vision cave is fucking ridiculous, I would have given up halfway up the stairs. Probably more like a third of the way, if we're being honest.

Important Character Trait 5: Determined/stubborn.

Sees the vision, asks questions, We Don't Talk About Bruno. "Seven foot frame". Instant regret. Then her confession to her Papa. She doesn't try to hide the vision for more than like a second, and she isn't prompted into telling him everything, she just does that. Now that I'm thinking about this, and the thing earlier where she immediately ran to Abuela when she saw the cracks, I am seeing a strong lack of dishonesty. It's not that she's an especially honest character, because she has presumably spent the past ten years lying to herself about being happy, but she is an especially not dishonest one.

Important Character Trait 6: Not dishonest.

Dinner happens, and believing that marrying Mariano is what Isabela wants, Mirabel doesn't just try to hide the cracks, she tries to get Mariano to hurry up and propose. At least, that's how I see that scene. After everything falls a part, she does briefly fall into the trap of blaming Bruno for his vision, but gets over that by the time she's done chasing him through the walls. It's not an important character trait, but I do love that the writers made her brave, not fearless. When she thinks she's hanging over the abyss, she calls out and even begs for help. It's a small detail, but I feel like it makes her more real.

Anyways, the scene where we meet Bruno. Instant love for that man, but we're not talking about him (we don't talk about Bruno). Bruno telling her that he left to protect her is the first big sign of love she receives since she's started this journey. And it's followed by Mirabel accepting the responsibility of the prophecy then telling Bruno "Sometimes family weirdos just get a bad rap", showing that she's gaining more confidence. She has admitted that she isn't happy, that she feels like an odd one out, but having done that is now able to see acts of love or trust for what they are, and internalize what she's been saying from the start. She is just as capable as everybody else.

Notice too, the difference in her reaction to Bruno's pep talk, in comparison to the pep talks she got from her mother. She's not just hearing encouraging words anymore, she's listening to them.

Now that she's moving forward, and starting to believe all that wise stuff she knows, we get the scene with Isabela. Mirabel's eyes are opened and she's able to accept that Isabela has also been dealing with her own insecurity. Because she can now connect with Isabela and see the similarities in their experiences, when Abuela starts yelling at her, instead of internalizing it, Mirabel has her epiphany. After all, if even perfect Isabela has to worry about her place in the family, than what does that say about the family. More importantly, what does that say about the head of the family.

The final important character moment before the resolution and falling action. When Mirabel realizes the source of the family's issues is Abuela, she doesn't initially respond with the compassion she later arrives at. Her first response is anger. She yells at Abuela, points fingers, doesn't stop even as cracks form around her.

I think this is important, because I think the reason all of this fell on Mirabel was that the adults had already reached the point where they understood where Abuela was coming from and were trying to be compassionate. The family dynamic is supposed to be unstable, but not wholly abusive, and the root of the story is generational trauma. In that sort of dynamic, you have a lot of people who understand why they're parent/grandparent acts the way they do, and they have sympathy for them. The actions may be wrong, but the emotions behind them are valid and understandable, and most importantly, not malicious. We see Julieta and Agustin confront Abuela, Pepa snaps back at Abuela whenever she points out the clouds, and Bruno clearly didn't think Abuela's views on the world were wholly accurate. But none of them pointed out exactly how much harm Abuela was doing. Mirabel gets through to Abuela because she arrives at the realization that Abuela is doing harm, before she realizes how much pain Abuela is in. She is able to say point blank "You're hurting us" without worrying about Abuela's own trauma.

So, in conclusion...

Important Character Trait 7: Is still learning.

[do-androids-dream-ao3acc]

Lass es Liebe sein (Let it be love)

"Witcher," the Emperor says, and after this - nothing, for a while. He looks almost hesitant. But Emhyr var Emreis is not a hesitant man. So, him obviously pondering his next words is as strange as the fact that Geralt was summoned by the man to begin with. Geralt stands patiently beneath one of the black flags that adorn the palace walls, because patience is one of the essential qualities of a witcher. From this point of view, it doesn't matter to him whether he waits for the beast to come and take his bait after hours of hunting, or whether it’s Emhyr var Emreis. The only question is, what’s the bait. Perhaps it’s himself, which is not a very pleasant thought. The emperor sits behind his desk, legs apart, he looks way too tall to be comfortable in such a narrow space. Maybe that’s the reason he now tosses the quill on the tabletop, or it’s just Emhyr being Emhyr. The man has always been impatient, erratic even. "I want my daughter to get married," he now says.

Geralt, who’s started counting the rays of all the suns on all the flags, jerks his head around so hard, there’s a cracking sound from his neck. He’s getting old. Really, he’s getting too old for this shit. Emhyr, as if sensing impending trouble, continues speaking quickly. "The fact that you brought her back to me was a commendable achievement, despite certain… difficulties. You've always proven to be very skilled in dealing with Cirilla." This is astonishing praise, especially since it means, in a way, that Emhyr admits the difficult relationship with his own daughter. Not that Geralt didn't already know that from Ciri herself.

"You… don't want me to pick out a suitable marriage candidate, do you?" asks Geralt.

"What? Why?"

"Well," Geralt sheepishly remarks, "considering your own ideas about marriage, you might be looking for advice…"

"From you?" Emhyr's eyes seem to bulge out of their sockets.

Geralt shrugs, "Maybe that's none of my business, because it's her decision, right? Who is she to marry?"

"That's not just her decision," Emhyr reprimands him. "And it's about Morvran Voorhis."

"Why?" Geralt tilts his head.

"Why? Well, his family..."

Emhyr launches into a long-winded explanation about Voorhis' military successes and the strategic importance of this marriage, but Geralt interrupts him, "No, why do you think she would agree to marry the guy?" Emhyr leans back in his chair to regard Geralt with a look the witcher can’t interpret. Geralt ponders whether he should get angry. It would probably not be particularly advisable to get angry in the imperial palace right in front of the emperor, and not just because of the inevitable guards standing in front of and behind the only exit. But they're talking about Ciri, her future. Perhaps Geralt doesn't have too much say in the matter, and that's his own fault: after all, he persuaded her to talk to her father. If he hadn't, what would have happened? It's pointless to think about it. A witcher is committed to neutrality. Isn’t he?

"You see," Emhyr continues, "that's the entire point of this conversation. I do not, in fact, believe that she will agree to marry him, and only because out of spite."

"Of spite." Well, this certainly sounds like the mischievous girl he helped raising, Geralt thinks. But he also thinks that she knew, she fucking knew what she was getting into when she agreed to take on her heir. It’s not just saving the world, oh no. It’s being the empress-to-be with all that comes with it. Strangely enough, Geralt can see her marrying whoever for the sake of everybody else. She was ready to sacrifice way more, and any man daring enough to wed her would have a hard time, she’s just too much like her grandmother in that respect. The real question, he thinks, is why she would oppose against Morvran of all people. He’s only met the man briefly, but he likes horses and seems decently friendly enough, even to people that don’t fit society's crazy rules.

"Hold on. You want me to convince her to marry the guy, is that it? Very funny, Emhyr, really."

"Is it?“ Emhyr's voice is calm, his gaze serene, but his fingers pluck at the threads of his immaculate robe.

"Yes," Geralt replies heatedly, and then he says something rash, "yes, because... because she loves someone else."

Emhyr cocks his head, as he always does when information seems particularly interesting, "Who?" he demands to know.

"Well, if she didn't tell you about it, there’ll be a reason for that."

"That means she hasn't told you either, has she, Geralt?"

Geralt is probably in trouble now, because Emhyr has never called him by his name before. So far, he's always called him witcher. His teasing tone almost sounds amused, and he adds, "But I'll find out. You're coming to the ball tomorrow night. No arguments."

Geralt gasps for air like a fish that has just been pulled out of the water, and he feels like he’s just been found to be too small and thrown back in.

But there is no alternative, no escape, and in the end a ball is the lesser evil compared to open rebellion or becoming a kingslayer. If he just keeps telling himself that long enough, Geralt thinks, pulling at his doublet in disgust, it might become truth. He wanders around, carefully avoiding the tables of ladies looking for dance partners, clutching his empty plate, as a voice rings out next to him, "You seem to have a penchant for the shrimp." Geralt turns around and can't suppress a grin, "Think no one recognizes you when you're wearing a wolf mask? Subtle."

Many people are wearing masks tonight, because apparently every ball is a fancy masquerade. The truth is, of course, that every ball is a dating ball, and not everyone is blessed with a beautiful face. Emhyr's disguise with the wolf mask is probably just a mockery. In any case, the doublet cut to fit his muscular body is embroidered with real gold thread, and his sheer size makes him tower over the ordinary nobles. The unmistakable Impera are standing at the door, staring over with little subtlety, and out of the corner of his eye Geralt sees the familiar face of Vattier de Rideaux. Well, Emhyr may think he's diving into the crowd, but none of this is left to chance.

"People see what they want to see, and I hope the same applies to me. You will help me find out which of these vain peacocks my daughter prefers over Morvran Voorhis." His faint nod encompasses both the dancers and the men standing indecisively at the edge of the dance floor. "Cirilla has danced with almost every one of them except for Morvran."

Emhyr sounds disapproving, but strangely proud at the same time. Geralt thinks he can be: the black dress Ciri is wearing makes her green eyes shine, and a clever hairstyle ensures that her scar looks interesting, at best. Not that this detail would repel any suitors, on the contrary. Emhyr knows this, of course, and perhaps his strange behavior is actually motivated by paternal concern.

"What makes you think it's a man she's looking for?" asks Geralt, suddenly uncomfortable with the fact that he can't see Emhyr's reaction.

"Is she... interested in something else?"

It’s a strange wording, Geralt thinks, and even stranger is the fact that Emhyr sounds curious, above all. He replies, "And if so, Your Highness?"

"It’s Majesty, but I suppose you know that very well, Geralt. Well, that would be... unpleasant, I shall think."

Geralt thinks he must have misheard, but you never know. He walks on, his plate still firmly in his hand, because yes, he has a fondness for shrimp, and if Emhyr really cared about this conversation, he would follow him.

He follows him.

"Don't you think?" he asks as if he’s actually interested, watching Geralt fill his plate, and Geralt snorts, "Why exactly would that be unpleasant?"

"Apart from reasons of state," Emhyr begins, but then lowers his voice, because of course they’re not alone. The buffet has ears, so to speak. Lots of them. "Apart from that, you realize that this marriage must serve various purposes. It must satisfy the people, mean a visible gain for Nilfgaard..."

"But doesn't it matter what satisfies Ciri?" Geralt asks quietly, pointing to the dance floor, where she’s just pushing a young man across. She leads, she knows no other way. And Geralt thinks that it should be this way. That every woman should have the right to decide for herself. He knows Ciri will eventually learn and adapt the court’s subtle ways, as has her grandmother. She can’t change the world, and that’s sad. But maybe it should start at some point. It should start with her deciding whom she wants to marry, right? "Look, now she's dancing with Cerys. A connection with Skellige would certainly have some advantages, Emhyr."

In fact, the man should reprimand him now for addressing Geralt by his first name. But his usual sternness is hidden behind the wolf mask. Maybe even more than that.

"Skellige," the emperor replies quietly, "would laugh theirselves silly. Or go to war. I don't think Cirilla would risk it."

"That's your only concern?" asks Geralt in surprise, albeit a bit muffled, this buffet has good shrimp. "Proposed with the idea that your daughter could marry a woman, all you can think about is the political implications?"

"Everything has political implications, whether you like it or not."

"Really? That's your answer? Not oh no, my daughter can never marry a woman?"

"Are you shocked, Geralt? Then I guess there's more Nordling in you than I thought."

With these words, Emhyr leaves him, and the evening passes without a single scandal.

However, Geralt is preoccupied with the question for much longer than he would like to admit to himself. It's one of those moments when he deeply regrets how things turned out after Yennefer summoned the djinn. Because although it had made him painfully aware that he had been clinging to a lie for years, he had also lost his friend in the process. And although there have been many years in which he and Yen were not on speaking terms, it’s unfavorable now. But maybe it's just as well, because there may be another reason why Emhyr's words are bothering him, and it's buried so deep that it's better not to shake it. Telling Emhyr about Cerys was kind of a dry run for something Geralt hasn’t even admitted to himself. And maybe there actually is only one person to talk about this topic, and it’s not Dandelion, mind you. It’s Ciri herself.

She thinks it's hilarious.

"You told Emhyr what?" she repeats for the third time.

Geralt sighs and says, "Thought I was doing you a favor. You don't seem to like this Morvran guy very much."

"Oh yeah?" Ciri's eyes flash cockily. "And you couldn't think of anything better than Cerys an Craite, my childhood playmate. Whereupon he wrinkled his nose and told you that it would be better for the realm if it were at least another Nilfgaardian noblewoman."

"He was wearing a mask, no idea what he wrinkled," Geralt returns sourly, "and... wait, you'd be interested in, uh, noblewomen?"

"Good heavens, Geralt. Don’t you think it’s a little late for that kind of conversation?" Ciri laughs so loudly that the few walkers in the meagre palace garden turn to look at her. "But if you must know, I'm quite open-minded. Be it men or women."

"But…" Geralt feels at loss of words, and if he could blush he might just now. Strangely enough, this feels… liberating, for whatever reason.

"No buts," she says now, much more seriously. "When I decided to take this path, I was aware of the consequences. A strategic marriage is the best thing for Nilfgaard. Still, Geralt, one thing I've learned from you is that love should come first. And I’m convinced that both is possible, even if Emhyr may see it differently."

"Love hasn't really taken me very far," Geralt replies quietly.

"You've got that wrong. It’s actually taken you and me a long way." Ciri pats his back, ready to leave Geralt in quite the confused state although he couldn’t say why, exactly, but she turns one more time to add, "Oh, and it’s not Cerys, by the way."

"Hm?"

"About your talk with Emhyr. You basically wanted to get him to admit that he’s fine with me marrying whoever I love, right? I will, don’t you worry. It’s just not Cerys."

If that's even possible, Geralt is only more bewildered after this conversation. It's as if Ciri has triggered something inside him that he had last thought about decades ago, something he’d dismissed as one of those things that stood in the way of a need to appear more human. Humanity, however, has proven that it never believed he could have anything in common with it. So, why should he even bother if he harbored feelings that weren’t exactly in line with society?

Geralt hasn’t much time to think about it. A man has to earn money, so he’s dealing with everyday's monsters, some of which happen to be human, and then there’s also Emhyr. Ever since the ball, Geralt has had the feeling that shadows are following him in the form of Nilfgaardian soldiers, and every few weeks the man finds another opportunity to summon him to the palace. He keeps him busy with trifles that Geralt cannot refuse for Ciri's sake – and because he is the Emperor, damnit. Again and again, he engages him in conversation, alone in his study room. Well, he is never alone, of course. The Impera at the door, however, are chosen on the basis of loyalty and discretion, which may not apply to every member of the court, as Geralt soon learns.

"If it's not Cerys, who is it?"

It is clear that this is not just musing, but a clear question, almost an order to Geralt to finally reveal the answer.

"Do you have eavesdroppers in the palace garden?"

"Does that surprise you?"

"What surprises me," Geralt says thin-lipped, "is that it doesn't seem to bother you."

Emhyr regards him almost startled. "Geralt, you've been here how many times since Ciri moved in?" he returns, "You still haven't learned anything about Nilfgaard in all this time? All those conversations with Henry var Attre and his daughter… don't give me that look, of course I know about your supposed fencing lessons."

Well, the fencing lessons. Geralt could have guessed that there were holes in the cloak of this secrecy. Because he had, in fact, spent some time with Rosa and her father to find out more about Nilfgaard. Some kind of further training to be able to support Ciri later on. That’s what he claimed to them, at least. And perhaps that was partly true. But there was also another part, a hidden part, which had been a strange motivation to be babbled at by two not particularly fascinating people.

"I don't get it," Geralt admits grudgingly, "though I’m well aware of the political dimensions of a marriage with Skellige, but..."

"I have my doubts about that," Emhyr replies with a ... a wink? Perhaps he has a speck of dust in his eye. "But that's not the point. Geralt, some things Nilfgaardians simply see differently from the people of the North. Especially, well, the common folk."

"Sure, the peasants probably wouldn't understand," Geralt muses, unamused. "Wait. Do you mean ... same-sex marriage? In Nilfgaard?"

"Not very often, but not unusual either. Quite common among knights, in fact, in order not to lose the claim to a fief. Occasionally also occurs among kings, for similar reasons. And... well. It’s said my great-great-grandfather..."

Emhyr breaks off and looks away, as if this is really not a topic to discuss with a witcher. Geralt swallows. His palms feel strangely damp. "If that were the case," he replies boldly, "you wouldn't be here today."

"Hm. The concept that Ciri tried to explain to you seems to have passed you by. Would that really be so bad, Geralt? Is love actually one of the feelings that has been completely driven out of witchers?"

"I don't know."

"But you spent many years with the sorceress from Vengerberg."

"Decades," Geralt sighs. "Doesn’t mean I understand love. Or even… know it."

"And because you claim to not know it," Emhyr replies pointedly, „you can’t imagine there’s more to love than what our parents told us?"

"Haven’t really had parents."

"You’re evading my question, Geralt."

Geralt shrugs. Suddenly, he feels so small beneath Emhyr’s gaze. And the question is quite simple. Is it bad to love men and women? Is it bad to love differently, be differently, like the blacksmith he met in Novigrad or the hunter he met in Velen or…

"I simply want Ciri to be happy," he finally says.

Emhyr shrugs. "Happiness is even more complex to a ruler, I’m afraid. Don’t you think I would want that, too? Nobody can undo their past. We only have the future to look forward to. I want Nilfgaard to have a future, and it has my daughter to ensure this. If it is with a woman, so be it. She can still have an heir. So no, I’m not bothered. I would be, though, if it was not somebody that’s valuable for both her and the realm."

He laughs. It’s a quiet, almost restrained laugh, and a sound rarely heard in this palace. It’s also a pleasant sound, Geralt realizes with surprise, because he likes it.

"Does that apply to you, too?" he asks without thinking. Emhyr tilts his head. "To me?"

"Do you have to ... be with someone who gives you an advantage? Someone sufficient for Nilfgaard? That can’t be too hard, there’ve been many noble women eying you at the ball. Yet you haven’t announced your wedding. You also were never seen with any women in the palace besides your own court sorceress, and given your suspicion around magic, she’s probably not it, and…"

"Geralt, you’re babbling," says Emhyr in a strangely soft voice.

Geralt looks at him, and he notices quite a few things. Emhyr has very brown eyes with tiny speckles in them. He can speak softly with those sensual lips. He’s fascinating in his own way. It’s… odd. Confusing. It’s also nice. And it ges even nicer, because now this face and these eyes come closer. Maybe there’s a hint of insecurity in them, for the fraction of a second. But this is the Emperor. He’s not an insecure man, and his lips touch Geralt’s, and for a while, his mind goes blank.

"What do you think," he says after a while, even if Geralt is still processing the kiss, "is one of the advantages for me that Cirilla was willing to accept her inheritance? I can do what I want. Love whoever I want."

"How did you know?" asks Geralt, running a finger over his lips in bewilderment. Did that really happen? "That I wanted that too, I mean."

"Intuition," Emhyr says, tapping his temples in a strangely ridiculous gesture, "and a lot of spies who are a burden on the state treasury, I'm afraid."

Their hands find each other almost automatically, intertwining fingers. Geralt has almost forgotten that the Impera are still at the door, but they're basically like living statues, and he doesn't even care if he becomes the number one topic of conversation in the palace’s rumor mill today. There's a knock at the door, the moment when the Impera become a little livelier again, but it's actually Ciri. A strange coincidence, and yet Emhyr does not pull his hands away, not even when they see Morvran is with her. Ciri just looks briefly at their interlaced fingers and smiles.

"Father," she says, "or shall I say fathers since you’re both here, I have an announcement to make."

Morvran Voorhis' cheeks turn red. Geralt looks at him with fascination, suddenly struck by a premonition.

Ciri takes Morvran's hand, beams at Emhyr and says, "Morvran and I are getting married."

"W... What?" For a moment, Emhyr's facial features slip, but he quickly catches himself and clears his throat. "Well, it's good that you've come to your senses, child."

"Wait, hang on," Geralt interjects, confused, "why Morvran now?"

Ciri laughs out loud. Too loud for the palace, really, but Geralt can see that Voorhis is almost glued to watching her. And now he gets it. This is Ciri, the girl who tricked Vesemir when she didn't want to train, who got Eskel to do Lambert's chores in the kitchen and taught Geralt what a soft heart is. She winks at him.

"Morvran just needed some impetus," she says, and Morvran is really blushing now. "He seemed to think I was a trophy that belonged to him, so I had to take away his illusions. We've been dating for a while, you know? I like him, I really do. But he shouldn't think he can have me so easily. Love, you two. Love is the key. I think he's realized it now."

She grins, and Morvran smiles at her like a lovesick fool. Apparently, he has, thinks Geralt. His heart is light as he looks at Emhyr.

A year later, a double wedding takes place, and it's the most beautiful celebration Nilfgaard has ever seen.

(Why the title, you ask? Because I'm in an absolute brainrot for this song)

[pieground]

RESURFACES

It's very clear you and Simeon love each other. A memory resurfaces in Lucifer.

➛ angst, little fluff

➛ takes place after mc (you) returns to the og timeline

The room is loud with cheers and laughter as you make your way to him with avid interest. There was a big smile on your face, eyes shining with enthusiasm, brighter than all the lights combined inside this room; looking lovelier than you've ever been. How can you not? You spent months trying to return to this timeline. Desperate to get back what you lost and do things better… do things you wanted to do but didn't.

It's been a few days since you came home and Diavolo insisted that a welcome party should be done for you and Solomon.

Everybody is eager to have a moment with you, occupying every second of your time—to which, you find yourself laughing. And then the doors cracked open silently, revealing the person you have been waiting all night for.

"Simeon." You uttered under your breath and bit your lower lip to prevent yourself from smiling only to fail. Simeon too has a beautiful smile etched on his lips, feet making their way towards you and halfway, his arms stretched. Not to prepare himself for a hug, but to reach you for it. And when you're at his reach, he wastes no time lifting you up in the air. His strength took you by surprise and when he started twirling you around, the two of you couldn't help but be filled with merry laughter that only halted when Simeon closed the distance between you and buried his face onto your shoulder.

"I was so worried." He spoke, voice slightly hoarse. "I thought I'm gonna lose you forever."

On the other side of the room, Lucifer drank silently. Eyes following yours and Simeon's movements, not missing the way your eyes widen in delight with something he said or the way you both held each other like it's the most natural thing. Lucifer didn't like it one bit. Not just because of jealousy, no. He's fine if you're happy with someone else, but he didn't expect that someone to be Simeon; his former brother, an angel who's way too tied up with the realm they once called home.

Sure, it's different this time with all the efforts being made to have that harmony between the three realms but what happened during the Great Celestial War remains a truth that is undeniable. Lucifer knew that you knew that, Simeon does as too— oh, so well. Lilith's death, the war, punishments, betrayal… all rooted from love. That twisted love his father made him believe that is all so great and good.

And he'll be damned to let that happen again.

His gloved hand tightened against his glass, gulping the red liquor down his throat, feeling that slight burn along the bitter aftertaste.

He needs to talk to Simeon. Now.

Solomon should talk to you too.

Leaving the empty glass in the bar, Lucifer stood up to approach the said angel only for a hand to sit him back down.

"Leave them be." Mammon squeezed the elder's shoulder, taking the seat beside him and pouring himself a glass. "At least for now... They just came back. Let's not make them feel like regretting ever coming back to us."

"Mammon." Lucifer called, not to threaten his brother but rather out of shock. He knew too well that out of all of his brothers, Mammon should be the one seething and desperate for you. But this Mammon was different, he was selfless. Too selfless for the avatar of greed.

But hasn't he always been this way?

Maybe not and Lucifer may not admit outright but he does respect the younger, so much… so much his heart hurt for him and you right now.

"Don't look at me like that, where's that cocky arrogant face of yours?" Mammon commented, for all the nonchalance he was trying to show, both demons can hear the sorrow in his voice. Needless to say, none of them pointed it out. After all, it's natural to seek of normalcy when everything is falling down.

"Pour some of that." He uttered. The younger complied right away, filling his glass halfway. His hand then went to twirl the red liquid, "I need to have a talk with Simeon… I can't let this happen, not when he's this strongly tied with the Celestial Realm. Diavo– " he cut himself, not wanting to sound like he was before, "Not like this when we're so close to attaining peace, we can't afford to."

"Is that really your reason, Lucifer?" Mammon questioned, leaning back to his seat and looking at the elder's face who held such a taut expression and watched it twisted into sorrow. "It won't kill us to be a little bit more honest, Lucifer. And didn't we promise before? Family problems need to be solved as a family."

"Only if you act responsibly all the time." He sighed, taking a swig of his drink and dropping his gaze to the wooden bar before shutting them tightly. "I'm scared he'll take them away from us the same way he did with Lilith… and all the chaos after that, if that happens, I'm afraid there will be nothing left for us."

This time, it was Mammon's turn to take a swig. Processing what Lucifer has confessed. In fact, he knew it already. After all, he knew him the best. Still, it was different hearing his older brother say it out loud, his own fear. There, the two of them sat in silence and in silence, his eyes naturally went to your figure.

There you are, happy in Simeon and Luke's company. He bit his tongue and tasted iron mixed with the bitterness of liquor. Much as it hurts him to admit, the three of you almost looked like a family. Something that he's been wishing to have with you for a long time. Alas, he thinks that a loser is forever a loser. It's just that this loss will never leave his mind ever.

"If it happens." Mammon repeated the elder's words. "It may sound stupid to you, but hear me, okay?" He faced him once again. "If that happens, I'll do everything to protect MC. I know the others will, too, without a doubt. And you should too… and protect their happiness too."

Lucifer let the younger's words sink in.

So he wanted to do things better this time… He wanted me to do things better this time.

"I don't want this, Lucifer." Another voice joined the two. None of them needed to look to see who it was. The voice is laced with deadly envy. Of course, Levi should be the one feeling most negatively of this, it's his sin.

"None of us do, buddy." Mammon uttered with a weak grin, nodding to him to take the seat beside Lucifer. "Now, you can't drink demonus because you start crying like a baby, and none of us want to deal with that right now, but there's grape juice in front of you."

"No, let him drink." Lucifer spoke, taking the two all of the sudden. A devious grin marked on his face and they could only gulp in fear. "Let him drink to his heart's content then let Simeon deal with him."

"You know what, if it is MC you're going to let take care of him, we're gonna have a problem." Mammon finished his glass before his eyes flashed with malice. "But since it's Simeon, Levi you should drink all these from the bottle." He shoved three bottles of alcohol towards the avatar of envy.

"I-I don't think I can finish this all!!" He gesticulated wildly in front of them, standing up from his seat to escape but same as Lucifer earlier, two hands sat him back in his seat.

"Drink all of that, Leviathan. I'm sure Simeon will appreciate it if I make him some good ol' meal once he gets tired of taking care of you." Solomon spoke merrily, eyes disappearing as he smiled menacingly.

"This won't end well." Levi uttered bleakly but everybody saw the way his eyes shone with confidence, as eager as the people around him.

Lucifer smiled to himself. At least, for now, they'll let Simeon know that they're pissed. Surely, you won't hate them for it right? Once more, Lucifer's gaze was drawn to you and Simeon. He sighs with resolve.

"Just make sure you are worth it, dear brother."

[teeth--thief]

I would be interested in so called “hater diaries”.

- Rodka

[Referencing this post] Of course you would, you absolute angel... Imma tag you now that you have a blog @atomshchik ☆

The channel I was talking about is Chernobylite (yes, as in the Chernobylite - the game one). Listen... if anyone should be able able to criticise this guy, I think it should be me. Pole on Pole violence 👊💥👊💥

Let's get cracking... under the cut.

One thing you have to keep in mind when watching anything on the internet about Chernobyl: if they bring up HBO's show as a credible source, quote it, use mostly stills or photos of the scenery or actors instead of of the real stuff etc etc - that is a flag more red than that of the Soviet Union, okay? HBO in thumbnails? Unless it's a "this show is extremely inaccurate" kind of video, that's most likely due to a) the lack of knowledge about actual credible sources or b) need for profit (monkey sees, monkey does clicks - the show is incredibly popular, putting imagery related to it means a higher chance people will choose your video).

To keep it short and (not at all) sweet: this guy is like the evil brother of That Chernobyl Guy. This is That Bare Minimum Chernobyl Man, though. He uploads a video at least once a week and they always JUST BARELY hit the 10 minute mark. But they always do. Hm... I wonder why... I sure do wonder what the number 10 and YouTube have in common... oh. Oh yeah. It starts with MONETI and ends with SATION Need a hint? Mhm, I didn't think so. Speaking of time, the intro is usually almost 2 minutes long, the outro a minute and, there you go, suddenly there's actually even less content than expected.

He has some genuinely bad takes sometimes, too. I don't know if I'm just sensitive about Toptunov specifically (I very clearly am) or if his video on him is just especially offensive to me... and it's 12 minutes 😍😍 two more than usual! And so, I'll use this video as an example. (edit during drafting: he had just released a video on N.M. Fomin which... I'll watch once I'll have some time to waste and we'll see how bad that one is...)

>Not even 20 seconds in and he just HAD TO hit us with that ThAt Is ThE cOsT oF lIeS, of course, you know it brother 💯🔥‼️ Oh get over yourself. Find another quote. And stop putting pictures of my favourite operator next to his blonde twink counterpart from the show. I'm offended on his behalf.

>I like how he just takes random pics off of Google Images or something. The photo he uses at 2:00 is from a Reddit post on r/chernobyl, and it's a picture of a picture - didn't feel like looking for a better one, huh? Someone's a little lazy?

>The video ACTUALLY starts at 2:30. Girlllll (gn) you are so slowwwww, pick up the peace, we're all getting old waiting for you to start.

>The picture slideshow we're getting is almost never relevant to what he's saying. He's saying where Toptunov was born and all we see is the reactor after explosion. Like, okay brother, I didn't know that's how SuMY, in BuRYN, as he says, looked like then. A map from Wikipedia wasn't available? That's the best you can do? Not to mention a few of his videos literally have the same b-roll. It feels like the same video over and over again.

>He claims that "his father's connection probably were useful" when it came to him pursing a career in science... would you like to show me when exactly they could have been useful? When he was taking an entrance exam for uni just like everybody else? Or was it when he had to work his way up from the very bottom of the NPP food work chain? Unless you were a child of someone real high up and wanted to pursue a career of doing fuckall then your nepo baby status wouldn't help you all that much. Your party connections would help you move up faster, sure, but you wouldn't be able to not pass the necessary training and/or exams.

"(...) no good scientist could dream of a good job in a nuclear programme without being somewhat involved in local politics." We don't even know if Toptunov himself was in the party. We know that Akimov was quite the dedicated party man, sure. But Stolyarchuk wasn't in the party at all and Dyatlov wasn't cool with the party and the party wasn't cool with him. How many more times can I say party? Too many parties. I hate parties. He also goes on to say that, after graduation he could only get an entry level position because "He would need really good connections to acquire higher ranking job without any previous experience" I am very sorry to inform you but that's just not how real life works. Maybe if you have a good degree, you can immediately become the CEO of all the janitors in the building but that's about that when it comes to the seriousness of the job.

>Now, the part that made me audibly GASP starts at 6:30:

(...) many power plant staff were dismissed, including those from the night shift at unit 4. Including Toptunov, many were labelled non-essential personnel and sent home. That was probably a part of managing the disaster from a propaganda perspective. Fewer people on site, fewer witnesses.

This is an actually DERANGED take. This was my breaking point... like, you cannot be serious right now. Not the evil Soviet scientists and their evil propaganda...! The evil propaganda of safety...! I'm sorry to inform you but ever single person in charge there wasn't immediately thinking "By Lenin, how can we ensure these horrible bottom feeders, also known as our colleagues, we're employing at our power plant don't say a word to anyone outside?" They were most likely thinking "If this part of the personnel is literally useless, why would they stay in this potentially dangerous zone? Let's get them out - for their safety and liquidation organisation's sake."

>"As he later stated (...)" We don't know what he stated. We don't have a single word that came out of his mouth recorded anywhere. It's all they said that he said. Or the authors of books want to show how much they think they know (look no further than Medvedev's "acording to Toptunov..." yes, I'm sure you know exactly what he thought about everything. Surely. You must have spoken to him. Through a Ouija Board, clearly). We'd need the statements from the KGB and whatnot to actually determine what any of them said or thought.

>"(...) During that time when he felt better, he had spoken multiple times to both Akimov and Dyatlov (...)" Acording to some book, I'm sorry, I don't remember which one, he was one of the few people that actually didn't get up from his bed to participate in the discussions, probably because his legs were already in a bad shape. Take this with a grain of salt, though. Nobody explicitly said he NEVER hang out with anyone at the hospital. It's just that worth noting that there's a possibility he at least didn't do that as much as the rest of the guys.

Overall grade: read a book. Change the boring ass b-roll shots. Change the stock sounding "creepy" music. Put some effort into everything. Stop relying on HBO's Chernobyl.

Conclusion: you'll never be That Chernobyl Guy xoxo That Chernobyl Guy for the president

[longbobmckenzie]

S6 Volume VIII Thoughts

Remind me why I was looking forward to Casa Amor? I'd almost rather be stuck in a villa for 4 days with Felix... almost. At least then I'd get to spend time with the person I like best and not have to deal with sister drama and all that shit.

The note. I said this once before, but... "Thanks for being you"?? Like I almost do hope it's from Elliot and not Roberto because that's so generic, like something a teacher or boss would say to you. Not a LOVE INTEREST. It sounds more like someone saying "We had a nice fling, can't wait to see you on the outside, but only as friends. Byeee gonna crack on with these new girls"

And then Grace saying she knows who sent it only to then say it's just a theory. Like, you cliffhangered the episode on that only to say "Well this is what I think..." Girl you had your chance to tell me in the bedroom that you thought it was from Elliot. And guess what. I don't give a damn about Elliot, and you should know that if you'd LISTENED TO A SINGLE FUCKING WORD I'VE EVER SAID. JUST LIKE YOU NEVER LISTENED ABOUT OZZY.

Excuse me, wow. Got heated for a moment there

Raunchy races... what?? What are these instructions? "Sportiest girl"? "Hottest girl"? "Horniest boy/girl"?? THAT'S NOT HOW THESE ARE SUPPOSED TO WORK!!! No wonder the Villa won if we had to go through everyone figuring out who fit the description! This was a bad way to start the volume

Amelia going for Marshall, once again, pisses me off. And it pisses me off even more because a) he's the hottest one there and after stringing us along with Ozzy, I was ready to give it all up for Marshall instead as a fuck you (well, not really - I still want Roberto. but I was gonna replay for him). b) WE GOT A DATE WITH HIM WHEN WE FIRST WENT INTO CASA!! WE GOT TO SHARE A BED! AND KISS HIM! AND THEN GO ON ANOTHER DATE! And then you hit us with "I like Amelia better"?!?! Bro.

I mean, I didn't even like Marshall anymore after his personality fell flatter than a pancake, but the moment Amelia showed interest in him, I was like, BACK OFF I WANT HIM. I just wanted to keep her from getting him. Now I can't even do that! But if they were gonna be hard-coded, why tease us with him at all?

And please, stop with the "talk to everyone about x thing" when we could just... talk to those people. And we all know Amelia would've told us anyway. But then them coming to us to "announce" that they're coupling up? Like... no. Amelia can come to me and tell me you kissed and that she wants to pick him. Marshall can come to me and tell me he's sorry but he prefers Amelia. Don't come to me together and make a big thing out of it like that so that everybody else sees and sticks their noses in it

I didn't toast them. Hamish said "Popcorn. Lol." For a moment, I liked Hamish

Speaking of Hamish, whyyy did they have to make him so icky??? Like, he could have just been a funny young boy that wasn't interested in us romantically, but nooo. And then Grace kissing him only to get the ick, only to admit she lied about Ozzy and might bring Hamish back?? Have some fucking self-respect, woman!

I got to fuck Andy at least. He's a sweet boy. If it weren't for me being upset about Marshall, I'd be happy to romance him. But I don't like that it's just him by default (because Francis... no)

Okay so Amelia almost drank during NHIE for the 'dated a celeb' question (again with the celeb obsession), looking awkwardly at MC. She also said she lied in the villa, but said it was about meeting Elliot before. But there's definitely more to the Zeph stuff, she's gotta be lying about how far they went. She's a snake.

I think that's everything? Whew, I need to calm down. I've been refreshing the app store hoping Romance Club would update a day early like they usually do, I need it!!

[palladiumfragments]

flight Z2 764 

i'm going back to my hometown today. it's 2 in the morning, the rain-slicked streets gone, and i'm trying to wash down the lump in my throat with a cheap corner store coffee. good thing a rock band i love just released a new song so i wouldn't have to listen to a fraught silence. my body isn't sure how to respond to leaving, i don't think it ever learned. it doesn't understand how i can just take off cities like nightdresses and come back to the one i always dream of forgetting, ironically oblivious to the marks every place i've ever been to have on me. 

yesterday, our cat kept following us everywhere. he slept in my open suitcase for hours. he barely ate. i guess he felt we're leaving. i hope he knows i'll miss him every second because he's the first cat i ever fell in love with. 

my niece, too, didn't want to leave my side. she wanted me to come back for her birthday, i'm not sure if she heard the crack in my voice when i said i couldn't. someday i'll tell her i had to leave because i needed to grow but she doesn't have to worry because i saved my inner child for her. besides, i'll visit whenever i can. 

in a few hours i'll be in the airport again, walking around like everybody else as if it's not taking everything in me not to visibly fall apart. or sitting still, waiting for the P.A. system to say "pull your shit together and soldier on". and i will because i have to. but is this how i'll always be, moving from one liminal space to the next?