#fortunately the only prompt i have left is a dialogue prompt so i never have to look at it again

[daedalusdavinci]

7 w/ solkat?

7. Unflinchingly settling your head into your lover’s lap while they watch television/are reading a book/doing their favorite hobby. Then asking your lover to explain what’s going on/what they’re doing. i wrote this stream of consciousness and i dont feel like editing it so you get what you get

The nice thing about Karkat is that he's always good for background noise. Whenever you need something else to drown out the voices, he's always there, ranting and raving about some inane bullshit you couldn't care less about, but enjoy hearing regardless. It's an odd day when you can't hear him puttering around the house and mumbling under his breath, cursing out a chair you didn't push in that he tripped over or the food that isn't cooking fast enough. The cat Dave convinced you (convinced Karkat, just by virtue of forcing Karkat to hold it for more than five minutes until all the ice around Karkat's heart melted) to take in is just as loud as he is, and at all hours of the day, you can hear them talking to each other, Karkat's grumble interspersed with the cat's loud meows.

He's quiet today, though. Rose left him with a new book the other day, and apparently today is the day he has the attention span to devour it. You're treated to an uncharacteristic silence as you work, and for a while, it's sort of nice. Until it isn't.

You give up on coding when it feels like there are bugs crawling under your skin, irritation at a boiling point. The code isn't making sense, you can't concentrate, and the screams of the imminently doomed are no longer background, piercing howls destroying any coherent thought you might have left. Your wrists are sore, your neck hurts, your head is throbbing, you're stiff and your eyes are dry and you can't remember the last time you ate. You're done.

Sparks jump from your fingertips as you shove your chair back and ditch your computer. There's a buzzing in your ears that's probably you, but you're too irritable to care as you stalk down the hall to the kitchen. Nothing sounds good, but you know you need to eat if you want to push through this, so you tug open cupboards and force yourself to consider the food anyway.

The cat (Dave wanted to name it Carcinisation; you wanted to name it Hexadecimal. In the end, you compromised on Hexbug, because Karkat said there was no way Dave was naming it after him, Rose liked the nickname Hex, and Dave liked the callback to a human toy you've never heard of) starts meowing at you immediately, trailing a few paces behind you like a starving stray, when you're 100% sure Karkat has been feeding him all his little heart desires. He's as obnoxious and needy as the human who brought him here, and you ignore him, because he's being dramatic and you're so charged up you think you'd shock him if you even tried to pet him. (You do drop him a few treats, because you feel bad.)

In the end, you heat up leftovers. The smell of warm orange chicken makes your stomach perk up a little, and as you eat a few pieces on the way to the couch, you feel a little less like blowing your apartment off the map.

Karkat, predictably, has tucked himself into his favorite corner of the couch with a blanket and the new book. Hex runs past you to jump up on the arm of the couch and complain about your abuse, and without looking up, Karkat lifts a hand to scratch Hex's little, whining head. Because you are the superior lifeform, you flop down on Karkat's other side and bravely resist the urge to complain about Hex framing you.

Karkat looks up for you, though. He blinks the way he does when he's been reading too long, like his eyes are refocusing like a camera lens, and he can't quite see what's in front of him right away. "You look like shit," is the first thing he says.

"Wow, thanks." Despite yourself, you feel your grouchiness crack a little. It probably helps that you're eating now, but there's just something about Karkat, too.

His fingers brush through your hair, like swiping away the static. "You're sparking."

"You don't say."

"Sometimes you don't notice." He's right. He stretches his legs out, unfurling, and his knee pushes into yours. "How's your head?"

"Hurting."

He hums. You don't give him much to work with, and he watches you for a while, thinking. His fingers fiddle absently with the hair at the nape of your neck, arm propped against the back of the couch. His presence makes you feel a little bit more grounded, and so you eat and try to focus on that. Eventually, his eyes drift back to his book.

By the time you finish eating, it stops feeling like enough. You feel less shaky and irritable, but your head is pounding with the force of screams, and you need something else. You push your empty bowl back on the coffee table and twist, dropping sideways across the couch with your head in Karkat's lap. He has to lift his book to accommodate you, but he doesn't protest for a second, seemingly expecting it. His nails drag soothingly along your scalp, and your eyes shut instantly, a wave of relief rolling over you. This is what you needed. Definitely.

Hexbug weaves between you like an asshole, determined to fit himself in the middle of the action. He plops down in the middle of your chest like a big, furry sack of shit, squirming into you to get comfortable until you start petting him. He goes loose instantly, purring quietly at first, and then loudly, the vibration of it rattling your very bones. It feels like it shakes the pain out of you, some inexplicable healing power stored in the rumble of your adorabeast. "He's louder than you," you tell Karkat.

"Tell me something new," Karkat mutters, absentminded.

"What are you reading?"

"Are you asking because you care, or because you want to rag on my taste?"

"Legally, I'm obligated to say the latter, but you know it's both."

Karkat sighs. And then, he talks. And he keeps talking. And the voices fade a little further into the back of your mind, and you relax.

[merakiui]

I made breakfast + Jade bc he'd be a teasing lil shit and I love him 👉👈

-🦈

Omg this prompt with Jade… 🦈 anon, you’re a genius!!!

(fwb dialogues)

Half-dead and horribly hungover, you wake to the smell of breakfast. It’s a delicious beacon amidst the crushing burden of morning exhaustion. Groaning lowly, you bury deeper beneath the duvet, your face pressed into the pillows.

Clad in sweatpants and a mushroom-print T-shirt, his hair a rightful mess, Jade pokes his head into the room minutes later. “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty.”

Your response is a not-so-beautiful moan. “I look and feel like shit.”

“Then shall I amend my wording? Ah, but Sleeping Monstrosity doesn’t sound very pleasant now, does it?”

You turn over to greet him with a scowl. “I’m not in the mood.”

But it was my fault for calling him. I always do that. Why did I even decide to drink in the first place? I never make good decisions when I’m inebriated.

He beams, unbothered by the ice in your eyes. He presents the tray with minimal flourish, held at arm’s length. You stare at the contents—plates piled high with pancakes, accompanied with dozens of sides and toppings. It feels like a buffet despite the portion being meant for one person.

“I made breakfast.”

“No shit. Why?”

“Is it not common courtesy to feed your guests?”

“I wouldn’t know. I like to leave before breakfast.”

“So I’ve learned.” He moves in closer, lowering to sit on the edge of the bed, testing just how far he can go before you push him away. “Aren’t I fortunate to have you to myself just a little longer?”

You scoff when he gathers a bite of pancake on the fork and offers it to you. “Don’t get used to it.” Throwing your dignity aside, you close your mouth around the utensil. “Not bad.”

“Consider it a token of my gratitude.”

“For what?”

“For calling me. I do so enjoy our midnight mischief.”

Your brow furrows. “I didn’t mean to. It was an accident.”

“Are you sure you’re not mistaking accidental for intentional?”

You snatch the fork out of his hands. “I’ll block your number and never call again.”

A smirk curls on his lips. You think he almost wants you to go through with it, if only so he can laugh when you inevitably come crawling back.

“We’ll see.”

“Just you wait,” you threaten around another morsel of pancake.

Jade chuckles. “It’s difficult to take you seriously when you’re stuffing your face like a hamster.”

“Can’t help it. Food’s good.”

“I’m pleased it’s to your liking.” Jade’s gaze flickers from your face to your hand. “If I may ask, why were you drinking alone?”

“No reason.”

“That’s not what you said last night.”

You struggle to recall that, but from the way his eyes twinkle you suspect he remembers it well enough to recite it verbatim.

Intending to spare yourself the embarrassment, you heave a great sigh and force the words out. “My friend announced they’re getting married, and that makes me the last one.”

Jade blinks, stunned. You’re beginning to wonder what version you told him in the midst of your intoxication.

“The last one?”

“The last one left. I’m not married. Yet. Obviously. Otherwise I wouldn’t be…here.”

“Obviously not,” he echoes. “Well, if you’re so devastated, why not find someone to marry?”

“You say it like it’s easy. Where am I gonna find someone who wants that?”

Jade opens his mouth and immediately shuts it.

Neither of you says anything else regarding that matter. Maybe it’s for the best. The future is scary, but a future with Jade is even scarier. Because that would mean opening your heart to him. Because that would mean recognizing what he is to you.

Because you’re not here for the breakfast, and it’s not just drunken desire that leads you to his doorstep. It’s muscle memory, but you won’t acknowledge that. Neither will Jade. Not yet.

[renecdote]

how about "this reminded me of you" if it sparks? <3

Hi Kate ily I hope you don't mind that I took some creative liberties with the dialogue here <3 It also got way longer than expected oops so enjoy 4.4k of these two being ridiculously in love.

Also for @starlingbite who requested the same prompt.

[Read on AO3]

The package shows up on the doorstep on Wednesday afternoon. Eddie is supposed to be at work—the last shift in the cycle before their four days off—but instead he kissed Buck goodbye at the door, made him promise not to do anything too dangerous, then stayed home to look after his sick kid. He’s expecting groceries when the doorbell rings just after five p.m., not the lumpy grey package left by a USPS driver who is already climbing into his truck and driving away.

Eddie skims the label as he shuts the door—sent to: Evan Buckley; description: boyfriend hoodie—curious because he doesn’t remember Buck mentioning anything he ordered recently. He doesn’t open it, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t tempted. He pulls out his phone instead and types boyfriend hoodie into the search bar, only hesitating a moment before he hits enter. A dozen links pop up, but none of them are all that enlightening. Eddie is left with no clearer idea of what a boyfriend hoodie is and a vague disgust at how expensive they are to buy. He’s pretty sure that if Buck ever put together a budgeting spreadsheet it would look something like:

Food $200

Data $150

Rent $800

Hoodies $3,600

Utility $150

And Eddie knows he’s so, so far gone for his boyfriend. He knows he has been for a long time. But damn he’s got it bad because he knows that if Buck put a budget like that in front of him, he’d never be able to talk him out of spending a fortune on all his cosy, tempting hoodies.

The doorbell rings again, cutting into his thoughts, and Eddie leaves the package on the dining table to collect his groceries. Milk and eggs and the deli bacon Buck likes go in the fridge, oranges in the fruit bowl, crackers and pedialyte left on the table, everything else in the pantry. He checks on Chris—sleeping, no warmer than he was an hour ago when Eddie brushes a hand over his forehead—and somewhere between folding laundry and ladling chicken soup into a cup, the mystery of the package slips to the back of his mind.

****

Buck tries to sneak in when he gets home, but Eddie is dozing on the couch, half awake in case Chris needs him, and he hears the rumble of the Jeep’s engine before the door is unlocked.

“Hey,” he greets sleepily, “you’re early.”

He’s not really: it’s twenty past eight. Eddie is just so used to calls taking them overtime, or lingering in the station at the end of a shift, or the hell beast that is LA traffic in the mornings. Their shifts end at eight, but he rarely sees the inside of his house any earlier than eight forty-five.

“Hey,” Buck echoes, yawning. “Sorry, did I wake you?”

Eddie shakes his head, swallowing back his own yawn. “Nah, I’ve been up for a while.” Sort of up, anyway. “How was work?”

“Busy,” Buck answers. “I missed you.”

He looks tired, which means he probably didn’t get much sleep in the bunks. Hard to tell whether that was because of the busy or the I missed you though.

“How’s Chris?” he asks before Eddie can question him further. “Is he feeling any better?”

It hits Eddie sometimes, in the moments he least expects it, that he’s been coparenting with his best friend for far longer than either of them realised. Buck letting himself into the house, asking how Chris is when he’s been sick—none of it feels new. They could have had this conversation just as easily three years ago as they are today. The only difference is that now, after Eddie has reassured his partner that Chris seems to be on the upswing, he can tip his head back against the couch and Buck will lean down and kiss him; first on the forehead, then, when Eddie pouts upside down at him, on the lips.

“Hi,” he murmurs, eyes crinkling with his smile, and Eddie can’t help smiling back at him.

“Hi,” he echoes. Thinks: I missed you too.

Buck starts to straighten up and—it’s fine, he’s not going to go far, but—a sound of protest catches in Eddie’s throat and he reaches up and snags his boyfriend by the hoodie string and—

Oh. The hoodie!

“You got mail,” he blurts, sitting up so fast he almost smacks Buck in the head.

“Mail…? Oh!” Buck’s eyes light up as he grabs the package. “I didn’t think this would be here until next week.”

“You bought another hoodie?” Eddie asks, trying to sound casual and probably failing. He hopes it’s a nice blue that will bring out Buck’s eyes. Or the kind of pink that makes his lips pop. Or that burnt orange he looks so good in. Or green, or white, or maroon, or purple. He’s pretty sure Buck doesn’t own a purple hoodie yet.

“Actually,” Buck is already ripping open the packaging, his grin bright and unrestrained, “this one is for you.”

Eddie frowns, confused. Why? he almost asks. We both know I’d just steal it from you anyway. And then Buck gets the hoodie out of its packaging inside the packaging (Eddie mourns the environment) and holds it up, the material unfolding to show a grey-blue hoodie that says I stole this from my boyfriend on the front. He blinks. Reads it again.

“Doesn’t it defeat the whole purpose if it’s for me? I mean, if you give it to me, I didn’t really steal it from my boyfriend, did I?”

Buck rolls his eyes, but his grin hasn’t faltered. “I can wear it a few times first, if that helps.”

“I think you should,” Eddie agrees, reaching out to run his fingers over the white letters. They’re embroidered, thread bumpy under his fingers, not the plastic feeling of writing that will flake off after a few too many washes, and when he dips his fingers under the hem, the inside is so soft and cosy he almost shivers just thinking about wearing it.

“Dad?”

They both turn—and Eddie’s heart thumps, a pain that doesn’t really hurt, at the way Buck responds just as easily—to find Christopher making his way towards them.

“Hey, buddy,” Eddie says. “How are you feeling?”

Christopher shrugs, rubbing at his eyes. “I’m thirsty.”

Buck’s hand presses against Eddie’s shoulder just for a second—I’ve got it—and then he’s moving into the kitchen while Eddie fusses over Chris, checking his temperature and getting him settled on the couch and convincing him to try a piece of toast.

“Buck,” Christopher says between nibbling bites of toast, and Eddie watches Buck shake himself back to attention, the long shift starting to catch up with him. “Do you really need another hoodie?””

Buck blinks, slow and cat-like in his confusion, and then his face twists into such exaggerated affront that Eddie has to bite his cheek on a laugh. The packaging is still scattered on the dining table, the new hoodie hanging over the back of a chair, and Chris couldn’t have seen who it was addressed to, but he didn’t even question that it would be Buck.

“There’s no such thing as too many hoodies,” Buck tells Chris mock-seriously. Mostly mock, anyway; Eddie knows there’s a part of him that really believes there is no such thing as too many hoodies.

Christopher’s teeth poke out with his smile. “But we live in LA.”

“LA gets cold,” Buck insists, the same way he insists whenever anyone brings up his absurdly large jacket collection (“it’s not just me! why does no one ever talk about all Hen’s sweaters?”). He looks at Eddie for help, but Eddie just shrugs.

“Kid has a point,” he says, as if he doesn’t spend half his time stealing from his boyfriend’s side of the closet.

Buck grasps his chest in mock betrayal, but there’s a smile pushing at the corners of his mouth.

“Now I know you’re feeling better,” he says, tousling Christopher’s curls while Chris giggles and ducks away.

It’s overwhelming, sometimes, how much Eddie loves them both. His heart is doing that thing again, that hard thump that makes his breath catch, and when Buck glances at him—you okay?—he just shakes his head, smiling back: I love you, I’m okay.

Buck reaches out to take his hand, tangling their fingers together: I love you too. His eyes in the morning light are a pale, glittering blue and Eddie leans over and kisses him, just because he can.

****

Eddie has been expecting to be taken out by the germs from the moment Chris first pushed his food around his plate on Tuesday night and said he wasn’t hungry.

Somehow, it’s Buck who catches the bug next. He crashes for four hours while Eddie putters around doing housework, sleeps right through lunch, and when he wakes up in the afternoon, he’s achy and shivering.

“I’m okay,” he still tries to insist, slumped at the kitchen table while Eddie watches him warily, putting all the sandwich fillings that were offered and rejected back in the fridge. Christopher and Buck are more alike than they both know, their appetites always the first thing to go when something is wrong.

“You’re sick,” Eddie says, shaking his head. “I don’t know why you’re denying it, it was bound to happen.”

Buck grumbles. “I was fine earlier.”

Eddie thinks back, tries to remember if he missed any sign, but Buck really did seem fine earlier. It doesn’t really reassure him; Chris seemed fine when they picked him up from school on Tuesday as well. 

“Go lie down,” he suggests. “The sooner you give in, the sooner you’ll be able to kick this bug.”

More grumbling, but Buck goes to lie down on the couch. Eddie mentally files that under feeling worse than he’s willing to admit. He stands by the table for a moment, listening to Buck and Chris through the open doorway (a muted “hey buddy,” and, “sorry I got you sick, Buck”), the sound of a cartoon explosion on the TV, a funny line of dialogue that should get twin laughs from the couch but doesn’t.

Definitely feeling bad, Eddie thinks, and it’s not like it’s the first time germs have been shared around between the three of them—he’s lost count of how many times they’ve huddled on that couch and taken care of each other—but it still makes his heart squeeze.

When he checks in on them fifteen minutes later, Christopher is fast asleep at one end of the couch and Buck is huddled under a blanket at the other, eyes closed but not sleeping. His face is flushed with fever heat, but even under the blanket, he’s shivering.

“Are you cold?” Eddie frowns, checking Buck’s temperature with the back of his hand.

Buck shrugs, lethargic. His face is half hidden by the blanket, but there’s a tight little scrunch between his brows that means he probably has a headache as well.

“Okay,” Eddie says, quiet. “Hang on.”

He heads for their bedroom, but the dryer beeps so he backtracks to the laundry instead. He pulls out the clean clothes, dumping them all in a basket to be dealt with later, then fishes out the new hoodie that he threw in with the load earlier. It’s warm in his hands, feeling even softer and cosier than it did coming out of the packaging.

“Here,” he says, smiling as he drops it in Buck’s lap. “The sooner you wear it, the sooner I can steal it.”

“You might not want to steal it if I throw up on it,” Buck mumbles, but he puts the hoodie on, struggling for a moment with the left sleeve before his head emerges, curls sticking up in every direction. Eddie runs a hand through his hair, then kisses the top of his head.

“I’d prefer if you didn’t throw up on the hoodie,” he agrees, “but I’d still love you.”

“You always love me.”

Buck blinks up at him, pale and miserable, and even after all these years there’s a persistent thread of wonder in his voice, like he can’t quite believe how much he is loved. Like he can’t quite believe that they made it back here, together, after everything. Eddie can’t blame him because he still can’t believe it sometimes too. He doesn’t know what to do except kiss Buck again, holding him close and hoping that some of his warmth will soak through the layers between them. Buck sinks against him, boneless, and Eddie thinks they could stay like that forever, just holding each other, until Buck pulls away with a low groan.

They spend a while on the bathroom floor after that.

“You’re going to get sick,” Buck tries to protest, but it’s half-hearted; getting sick has pretty much been an inevitability since Christopher brought the note home from school a week ago warning parents that the stomach flu was going around. Once Buck was taken out, it became a certainty. It’s not like Eddie is going to move out of their bed until the germs are gone, after all.

“I’ll risk it,” he says, rubbing Buck’s back. He’d risk a hell of a lot more than a virus for his partner, but it doesn’t feel like the time to say it.

Buck shakes his head, but it’s not really a denial, just, “You don’t want this, Eds.”

Eddie kind of wants to shake him sometimes. To take him by the shoulders and say: I want you, remember? all of you? But he’s pretty sure it would be labouring the wrong point, right now, and it doesn’t really matter anyway because Buck is scrambling to get his head over the toilet again and Eddie can only grimace sympathetically and rub his back. Buck is right: he doesn’t want this bug. But he does want Buck and Chris, so. Germs are a pretty small price to pay.

****

He tosses and turns, sleeping fitfully, and by three a.m. they’re both sick and miserable together.

“Is this what they mean by ‘in sickness and in health’?” Buck asks the ceiling, and Eddie’s sluggish brain has to think through that for a long moment before he remembers:

“We aren’t married.”

“Oh. Yeah.” Buck’s voice sounds far away. “Should we get married?”

Eddie thinks about that for a long moment too.

“Probably,” he decides. And then his stomach twists again and it doesn’t really matter if they’re married or not because he’s too busy throwing up to think about anything except how awful he feels.

****

When Eddie does steal the hoodie, it’s mostly an accident. He wakes up freezing, desperately thirsty, and when he staggers up in search of water, he grabs the hoodie that has been tossed onto the end of the bed without thinking about it. It’s already over his head before he realises that it’s the one Buck was wearing when they crawled into bed.

The next time he wakes up, he’s too warm, Buck a long line of heat pressed up against his back, and he has to wriggle free to wrestle the hoodie off again. It’s damp with fever sweat and he tosses it on the floor in disgust. He just did laundry yesterday, but he’s already thinking about how they’ll need to do it again.

“Okay?” Buck asks, still half asleep.

The answer is yes but also no, I feel like crap, and I hate how never-ending housework is, which is all too much to explain. Eddie just groans and buries his face in his pillow. A sound catches in Buck’s throat, something vague and sympathetic, and he slips a hand under Eddie’s t-shirt to rub his back. Eddie shivers, pressing back into him.

“Your hands are cold,” he mumbles, but it doesn’t mean stop.

Buck shuffles a little closer and kisses the back of his neck: I’ve got you.

Eddie still feels awful, but he thinks he’ll feel a little less awful as long as he has Buck there rubbing his back. He knows this isn’t what either of them meant when they promised to have each other’s backs all those years ago, but it feels inevitable that they ended up here anyway. Buck’s hand moves over his skin, warm and solid and familiar, and Eddie wonders—lets himself wonder, the way he doesn’t usually dare—how it might feel with a ring on his finger. He’s pretty sure it would feel just like this; like home.

****

The hoodie spends two days waiting for someone in the house to have enough energy to do another wash cycle, then three more days at the bottom of the laundry basket waiting to be folded and put away. Buck is the one who finally puts it in the closet, his hands moving restlessly when they get home from a busy shift, jittery from too much caffeine and too little sleep.

“I love you,” Eddie says when he pulls oven cleaner out from under the sink next, “but if you’re going to deep clean our whole house, I’m going to nap without you.”

He’s exhausted, slumped at the kitchen table because even sitting up feels too hard right now, and Buck’s energy is starting to make him a little dizzy. He doesn’t think twenty-four hour shifts used to be this exhausting, maybe he should be more worried about getting old?

“Twenty minutes,” Buck bargains, already reaching for a cloth to scrub the oven with. “I just want to do this and then I’ll join you.”

Eddie considers insisting—he knows Buck is just as exhausted as he is and if he lies down for ten seconds he’ll probably crash—but compromise is the foundation of all good relationships, or so Bobby keeps telling him. It’s a foundation, Eddie is willing to concede, but he’s pretty sure the foundation of all good relationships is trust.

“Twenty minutes,” he agrees. “I better not wake up alone, Buckley.”

Buck smiles, like he can see right through the faux-stern Buckley to the heartfelt honey underneath, and ducks in to kiss Eddie on the cheek on his way to the oven.

“Twenty minutes,” he says. “I promise.”

****

Eddie is out as soon as his head hits the pillow, so he doesn’t know if it is twenty minutes, but when he wakes up and rolls over, he finds Buck sprawled on the bed beside him, dark green hoodie rucked up around his waist, one leg sticking out from under the covers, breath whistling faintly between snores. He smiles and closes his eyes. Chris is at school, the house smells vaguely like lemon disinfectant, he’s warm and comfortable and they have nowhere important to be. He can spare five more minutes before getting up, he thinks.

Half an hour later, they’re still in bed, wrapped up around each other, and Eddie has forgotten why he ever wanted to get up at all.

****

“Uh, isn’t that supposed to be the other way around?” Chimney asks, pointing between them.

Eddie glances at Buck, I stole this from my boyfriend embroidered right over his heart.

“Looks fine to me,” he answers, shrugging.

Buck grins. “You think I look fine?”

Eddie opens his mouth, a dozen answers to that on his tongue, half of them straying dangerously close to NSFW, but Hen beats him to it was a drawn out, “Oookay, save it for when we don’t have to stand here and listen to your foreplay, boys.”

Eddie can feel his cheeks turning pink, but Buck is as unrepentant and shameless as always.

“You could stand somewhere else,” he suggests, and he’s laughing when Hen smacks him in the arm.

****

The hoodie is traded for an LAFD one instead, relegated to Buck’s locker for the duration of their shift. Eddie isn’t fussy; he’s just as happy to watch the LAFD material stretch over Buck’s arms and chest and broad shoulders as he is any other kind of clothing.

Buck goes home with the hoodie tucked into his bag the next morning, but somewhere between walking in the front door and leaning against each other in the kitchen while the coffee maker works its magic, Eddie ends up wearing it. It’s like wearing a hug, he thinks, but that might be the way Buck’s arms are wrapped around his waist as well, a solid wall of heat at his back. Eddie doesn’t want to step away when the coffee machine beeps, but the lure of caffeine is strong enough to get him one step, two, three, cold as soon as his partner’s arms are no longer around him.

“Thanks,” Buck murmurs when Eddie hands him a mug.

Eddie kisses him, a quick peck on the lips, you’re welcome, and Buck catches him by one hoodie string to kiss him again when he starts to step away. The coffee mug in his hand dips and Eddie takes it from him, setting it aside without looking. The space the movement put between them is only there for a second before Buck hooks his hands in the hoodie pouch to pull Eddie closer, deepening the kiss.

“Have I told you lately,” he says between kisses, “that I love when you wear my clothes?”

Eddie hums, busy working his hands under the hem of Buck’s shirt so he can touch as much warm skin as possible. It takes him longer than it ordinarily would to string together the words to say, “I thought you bought this hoodie for me?”

“I bought it because it reminded me of you,” Buck agrees, his own hands under Eddie’s hem now, hot enough to brand everywhere he touches, “but you’re the one who said it doesn’t make sense unless it’s my hoodie.”

“And you said you’d just wear it a few times first,” Eddie reminds him, distracted enough now to frown, hands stilling on Buck’s waist. “Hang on, are you trying to steal my hoodie?”

Buck’s next kiss is more like a bite, teeth nipping under Eddie’s jaw; the promise of a mark that will sit just above where the hoodie might cover it.

“Right now,” he says, the same kind of promise in his voice, “I’m just trying to get you out of it.”

Eddie is more than happy to help with that. He lets Buck take him by the hand and pull him down the hall towards the bedroom, coffee forgotten on the counter, hoodie tugged off and quickly forgotten on the floor. Buck lips press against his skin right over this heart, right where the embroidered words would be, and Eddie feels like there is a mirror image of them etched into the beating muscle beneath his skin: my boyfriend stole this from me. He would have given it—has given it, a dozen times over—but every time he reached into his chest, he found Buck’s name already there.

I love you, Buck presses into his skin with his lips.

And Eddie holds him close and kisses it right back: I love you, I love you, I love you.

****

“Our hoodie.”

“Huh?”

Buck pushes himself up on his elbow and Eddie blinks up at him, his brain still feeling a little melt-y.

“It can be our hoodie,” Buck says, idly tracing a pattern over Eddie’s ribs, just because he can.

“Like a timeshare?” Eddie asks, musing, the start of a smile breaking through. “You steal it this week and I’ll steal it next week?”

Buck flicks him and Eddie grins.

“I take it back,” Buck says, rolling away onto his back. “It’s my hoodie now.”

It’s Eddie’s turn to push himself up on an elbow, going far enough to lean over Buck and kiss him, cradling his face in one hand. It’s just supposed to be one kiss, but Buck kisses back readily, arms wrapping around Eddie’s back, and it’s easy to lose themselves in it after that, the thread of conversation unravelling as they make out.

“Okay,” Eddie says eventually, the word quiet and breathy in the space between them. “Our hoodie.”

It gives him a thrill, the same way it always does, whenever he refers to the two of them as an our. Our home, our family, our hoodie.

Buck’s smile is a brilliant thing. It burrows in through bone and blood and tissue to reach the heart underneath, making itself at home.

“I love you,” he says, so sincere Eddie feels it in his chest.

“I love you too,” he replies, punctuated with a kiss. “You know Hen and Chimney are going to give us so much shit about this hoodie for the rest of our lives, right?”

“Oh yeah,” Buck agrees. “Maddie too. Don’t tell Chris, but she thinks I already own too many hoodies as well.”

Eddie laughs. God, he’s so, so far gone for this man.

“She might have a point,” he says, but he’s pretty sure it just sounds like there’s no such thing as too many hoodies.

Buck rolls his eyes, still crinkled with his smile. “See if I ever buy you a hoodie again.”

It’s an empty threat. And it doesn’t really matter anyway because—

“That’s fine,” Eddie answers. “I’ll just steal yours.”

He can’t be sure, really, which happened first: that first stolen LAFD hoodie, or Buck stealing his heart. He tried once, wine drunk with Hen and Karen, to answer their question about when he knew he was in love, but the only answer that came to him was I’m pretty sure I loved Buck before I knew him.

“I don’t think it’s stealing if I let you,” Buck tells him.

“You’re going to let me, huh?”

“Yeah.” Buck nods. “I don’t know if you’re aware, but I kinda like it when you wear my clothes.”

Eddie grins. “I might have had some idea.”

The proof is on the bedroom floor, or whatever that saying is. He never did understand why it was always in the pudding. It’s on the bedroom floor, and in the way Buck is smiling at him, and in the laundry all mixed up in the basket. It’s the way Buck kisses him, soft and lingering, and the way Eddie’s heart thumps once, twice, a pain that doesn’t really hurt. It’s our home and our family and our hoodie. It’s I love you and I love you and I love you.

It's the fact that they’re here, together, despite everything. Because of everything.

It’s kissing Buck again, and again, and again. Just because he can.

****

(Eddie wonders—lets himself wonder, the way he doesn’t usually dare—how it might feel with a ring on his finger. He’s pretty sure it would feel just like this; like home.)

[mcflymemes]

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY PROMPTS *  assorted dialogue from the 2018 film

they're puritans in public, perverts in private.

we are going to do great things.

i've been hideous, and i deserve your fury.

you look like an angry lizard.

what do you think?

they're going places! they're gonna be big!

i'm not afraid of anything.

what did they pay you?

so i'm out? just like that? after everything we've been through?

they say money can't buy happiness.

all your friends have left you alone.

what are you doing later?

i blame myself.

what's it gonna take for all of you to forgive me?

are you high again?

the whole room belongs to you.

i know who you are.

oh, shut up.

we want to do somethng different.

how much do you think we can get for this van?

you're bloody right i am.

i pity your wife if you think six minutes is forever.

just like you taught me.

i can't think of anyone more outrageous than me.

we're family. we believe in each other.

come and find me when you decide to like yourself.

we're pretty sure they don't belong either.

don't you see what you can be?

i am exactly the person i was meant to be.

i find them intolerable.

i never want to see your face again.

the human condition requires a bit of anesthesia.

we'll punch a hole in the sky.

you're life is going to be very difficult.

not possible.

please tell your father it's nice to meet him.

they're not my friends. not really. just distraction.

i've got to make an impression.

it's unusual seeing you be so bitchy.

they just need a bit of time.

let's do it.

it's my money. i say what goes.

you've got families, children, wives. what have i got?

i also write songs.

that's absurd, not to mention unspeakably boring.

i decide who i am.

what's it like, singing for all those people?

i am going to be what i was born to be.

you're a legend.

you should have told me.

it's just a stage name.

does that meet your standard?

i love the way you move on stage.

i like you too.

i didn't want to make it too easy for you.

thank him for the lovely birthday cake.

you're always forgetting things.

everybody's a critic.

can you just tell me where we keep them?

that's everything.

what if i don't have time?

who do you want to invite?

let me get you a beer.

i want you out of my life.

i had a cold last week, if anyone cares.

i need you, and you need me.

i'm frightened.

fortune favors the bold.

that's very subtle, isn't it?

just a bit of fun, really.

what exactly are you doing with that car?

good thoughts. good words. good deeds.

i don't want to stand out.

what do you want from me?

you must stop calling him that.

not the coffee machine!

i didn't want to waste your time.

i've got another martini.

give it a bit more rock and roll.

no looking back. only forward.

i'm terribly sorry. i didn't mean to offend you.

i think i'm bisexual.

i want to throw a party.

you know i'm always up for that.

[romeoandjulietyouwish]

"Don't watch." Empire Siblings?

empire siblings neighbor au

Since their reunion, Beau has gotten a sense that Bren- That Caleb, still thinks of her like the little girl he left so many years ago. Whenever they're in combat together, he keeps any eye on her, striking down anyone who gets too close. It's not that she minds that, it's more the fact that it's so clear he can't see her as the grown up woman she is.

It becomes even clearer when the two of them are separated from the rest of the party. Of course rocks just so happened to fall that just so happened to separate her and Caleb from everyone else.

"You okay?" Beau asks as she stands up, dusting herself off as she picks up her staff.

Caleb sighs, "Ja." He looks back at the rocks and then forward where the tunnels continues. "Forward, then. It must loop around somewhere."

"Yeah maybe," Beau begrudgingly agrees.

The two of them walk in uncomfortable silence, neither quite sure what to say to the other. That's how it's been in the weeks since they met in that bar. What do you say to the man who was your only source of love for so many years? What do you say to the girl you abandoned without a word?

Fortunately any opportunity for conversation is cut off when a man bursts out of one of the alcoves, swinging his swords wildly as he attacks Beau. Caught off guard, he slices her arm up pretty good before she can whack him with her stick to get him the fuck away from her.

Clutching her bleeding arm, Beau stumbles back as Caleb takes up the fight, his hands swirling with magic. In no time, the bandit is unconscious on the ground, bleeding and burned but still alive.

"We should go," Beau tells Caleb as she finishes wrapping a torn piece of cloth around her arm.

But Caleb just shakes his head, "We can't have him waking up and following us." He looks back at her, his face hard and serious in a way she has never seen before. The man before her looks nothing like the kind boy who taught her how to do math and how to fold paper into swans and cats. "Don't watch."

"What the fuck, man?" Beau asks. "I've seen people die before. Just get it over with."

Caleb shakes his head, "Listen to me, Beauregard. You don't want to watch this, I'll catch up with you."

She sets her jaw, "I'm not a fucking child anymore, Caleb. Stop treating me like I am."

"That's not what this is about." She can tell he's getting upset, his hands shaking and sweat forming on his brow. There's something seriously wrong. "Please, Beauregard."

She stares at him for a long moment before muttering, "Whatever," and continuing along the path, leaving Caleb and the bandit behind.

Behind her, she hears the brief roar of flames and a strangled cry. Then nothing. But she just keeps walking.

dialogue prompt list

[tragic-shadows]

Prompt List For 2022!

I’m actually going to try and be active on here so I came up with these. Please, please send in requests, I love doing them. I don’t do mature content so if you request that, know you won’t get it. I write for (these are in order of my interest currently but it’ll change) NCIS, Frasier, Burn Notice, Psych, Warehouse 13, Emily In Paris, Miraculous (very occasional). Rules: no more than two prompts at a time.

Masterlist is ⚡️HERE!⚡️

Follow me on Wattpad @tragic_shadows ⚡️HERE! ⚡️ 

Follow me on AO3 @only_a_shadow ⚡️HERE! ⚡️

 Please reblog and happy reading :)

Dialogue Prompts:

I always knew you’d die in my arms

What’s the matter, sweetie?

Why are you avoiding me?

You are so brave and quiet, I forgot you were suffering.

Love is overrated.

“Did you get my note?” “Of course I got it. You taped it to my forehead while I was sleeping”

She had a way of making you see things differently

Because I think I’m falling in love with you, ok?

Then someone decided they were better

Define normal

If we get out of this alive, can I go home?

They were right all along

“Can I just.. undo that.” “Nope”

And what then? You’d have a corpse warm your bed?

Why don’t you love me?

“Nothing ever pleases you, does it?” “Nothing you do”

You cracked my phone!

“You alright?” “Yeah, I normally have blood pooling from my stomach”

“I thought you said the red button!” “When has it ever been the red button?!”

Please don’t go..

Don’t you understand, you were her happy ending

You think you were meant to save me? That path was NEVER meant for you

“Stop looking at me like that” “how do you want me to look?”                   

With every bone in my body

Only if you are

Told you I was stronger

Was that supposed to hurt

Right person, wrong time

There has always been good in you

I hope I will

“Go to hell” “And leave you here all alone?”

I promised your mom, that’s why

What makes you think I want to

Are you trying to make me hate you?

I regret everything

“You’re changing.” “So is the rest of the world.” 

What’s more human than dying?

Alert the media: she/he picked up a book!

You tell me how it’s your fault and I’ll tell you how you’re wrong

And we can dance around like nothing else matters

Not the first time

Mhm. You should know by now I notice everything

Tell me you love me, or leave

I deserved a better goodbye

I’m glad you finally opened your eyes, idiot.

Then go!

What is that

I thought she said you liked macaroni

That’s a no-no word

Soulmates don’t exist

Look, the last f I give, running away

Over my dead body

*laughing* Your mom

Cute, but no

Tell me again why we’re here

B- but FOOD!

“You’re dancing with the devil” “well, un fortunately the devil has two left feet.”

What do you think I’m doing?

It’s only a scratch

There’s so much blood

Why didn’t you tell me??

Don’t open your eyes

Sleep at my place tonight

I miss home

YOU USED MY TOWEL?

Somebody’s cranky

“She’s really hot.” “She’s bad news.” “She’s really hot.”

I mean yeah, I didn’t need my heart anyways. Who cares if it breaks?

“You alright?” “Alright I think I almost died!”

Plot Prompts:

Walk away and never look back

Jumping into frozen waters

Carrying a baby

Wrapping a wound

Petting a cat/dog

Being sick

Holding on for dear life

Tripping

Being afraid

Getting snowed in

Funeral

Wedding

Finger to the lips

Getting locked out

Getting arrested

Near-death

Cuddling

Standing on a rooftop

Looking up your horoscope

Being in a compromising situation

Calling a repair man

Kidnapping

Hospital

Family in town

A scar/bruise

Lies

Dancing in the kitchen

Happy ending

[thatfanficstuff]

Feelings - Chris x Reader x Peter

Grouping: Chris Argent x Reader x Peter Hale

Warnings: Poly love and fluff

A/N: Fic #2 for Celebration Summer. From a request by Spankedbyspike. Prompts were: And they caught feelings! and the dialogue in bold. Part of the Blue Eyes and Silver Tongues series.

wc: 759

***

You weren’t certain when the dynamic between your men started to shift, but it had come to your attention in the past few weeks. You didn’t mention it or question it, choosing instead to just observe from the sidelines and see what came of it.

At first, it was just conversation which may not seem like much but between the two of them, it was monumental. Not only were they talking, they were laughing and carrying on entire dialogues without you being involved at all. You kind of loved it, to be honest.

Then came the lingering looks. The side-eyed glances accompanied by soft smiles. There were even a few not so subtle glances that they either didn’t catch or just chose not to comment on. And the touching. Oh, the touching drove you mad. Fingers on arms during conversations. Hands on backs. Brushing against each other in passing when they could have easily stepped around one another. You never would have guessed it would be so damn sexy to watch your boyfriends fall for each other. Or so damned frustrating.

They skirted the issue. Never said anything directly. Always seemed to brush off anything they picked up on. You thought they were just being obtuse, but it occurred to you one day that perhaps you were the problem.

You returned home from work and dropped your stuff by the front door before heading into the kitchen. Your men were leaning against the counter as they prepared dinner. Despite the ample space available, they were side-by-side, arms brushing. They gave you wide smiles as you entered the room. Peter pushed away from his spot to stir whatever was on the stove. When he resumed leaning, it was much further away from Chris than he had been.

You chose not to comment and just gave them a proper hello instead. Chris was first by virtue of him being closer to you. You leaned against him and smiled up at him as he wrapped his arms around you. “Hello, gorgeous.”

“Hello, handsome.” You pressed your lips to his and hummed in contentment.

When you turned to Peter, he opened his arms to welcome you. His hands rested on your face and he pulled you forward into a soft but lingering kiss. “Hey, Princess,” he said as he pulled away.

“Why don’t you go get changed? Dinner should be ready by the time you’re done,” Chris offered.

As you slipped into a pair of Chris’s sweats and one of Peter’s shirts, you considered whether you wanted to just continue to let things play out, or if it was time to say something. By the time you returned to the kitchen, Peter was dishing up the food. The three of you sat at the table and ate quietly unless it was a comment about the food or how your day had gone.

After the third time of watching one of them shoot a glance at the other, you used your fork to gesture between the two of them. “Okay, firstly what is going on here? Second, you should know that I don’t care. I mean I do, but it doesn’t…it wouldn’t bother me.”

Chris arched his brows as he swallowed hard. “Going on? With me and Peter? Nothing that I’m aware of. Peter?” You weren’t a werewolf and even you could detect the bit of hope when he said Peter’s name. Foolish man.

Fortunately, Peter was far more willing to take a chance. While he was talking to you, his eyes never left Chris. “As you’ve so obviously picked up on, there’s a lot of flirting, some mutual attraction. When you’re not around there’s even some innuendo, but that’s all. So far.” The smirk that curled his lips was downright wicked.

Your lips twitched in amusement as you turned your attention back to Chris. His brow furrowed. “Wait, so…are you trying to seduce me?”

Peter chuckled and licked his lips. “Is it working?”

The two of them just stared at one another for a long moment. Finally, you cleared your throat and took a sip of water. “Is it hot in here? I feel like it’s hot in here. Tension maybe. Yeah, lots of tension.”

Both of them grinned and kept their gazes locked on each other. “You’re rambling, sweetheart,” Peter said.

Your face heated. “Yeah, well, I’m happy. I ramble when I’m happy.”

Chris glanced at you then. “You’re happy, huh?”

Your answering smile was wide and genuine. “Of course, I am. My boyfriends caught feelings for one another. I’m absolutely thrilled.”

[ernmark]

One Possible Read of The Green Knight

I say one possible, because this is the story as I understood it as I was watching the film. When I mentioned it to my partner, he didn't take that away. I'm not saying my take on it is right or wrong (I think it's hard to say that about most reads for a movie like this), but I submit it for your consideration.

(Spoilers and a fairly thorough plot summary under the cut)

(Holy moly this got long)

A brief caveat:

Caveat the First: I'm basing this off a pre-existing understanding of medieval stories, which don't necessarily follow the same narrative structures as modern ones. The world they lived in was weird, so sometimes weird shit just happened for no reason, often very conveniently. (If anything, I think this movie did less of that than existed in typical medieval stories.) They also heavily relied on archetypes rather than distinct characters with backstories, as well as a pre-established understanding of the story you're listening to. Like the puppet show that shows up in the story, the kids in the audience had already heard the story enough times that they could follow it without any actual words. On that note, I've also read a version of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Caveat the Second: I immediately distrust anybody who talks about any story older than three centuries or so having an "original" version. There are some stories that have distinct authors, but often these stories were retold and rewritten to suit the tastes of their latest audience. So I refer to the version I read, not "the original". I take my reading of that story into my interpretation of what I saw. I'll note the details from the version I read where it's relevant.

The Story

We start with Gawain, King Arthur's nephew, waking up in a brothel with his sex worker lady friend. She sends him on his way back home to Camelot where his mother greets him and kindly asks him where he's been all night. Oh, off at Christmas Mass, naturally, is what he tells her. She counters that clearly he's been drinking all the communion wine, because she can smell it on his breath.

She tells him she's not feeling well, so he should go to the Christmas celebration without her and tell her all about it afterward.

[I don't recall hearing her name in the movie, but in the version I read, the Green Knight is sent by Morgana. Between his mother being described in dialogue as Arthur's sister and a known witch, I'm gonna run with that assumption and call her that.]

This is where my reading diverges: I take all of this as being almost entirely Morgana's story. And from her perspective, it's kind of hilarious. Because this isn't the story of Gawain's journey into Manhood, but of a very frustrated mother's attempts to save her beloved (if disappointing) son.

While Gawain is partying with the sickly King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table, Morgana joins three of her fellow witches and they enact a spell, summoning the Green Knight and a very specifically worded challenge. The Green Knight presents a game: any one person in attendance may injure him and get his badass axe as a prize, but in a year exactly he'll have to go to the Green Knight's chapel and allow the Green Knight to return the exact same blow to him.

Arthur says he wants to do it, but acknowledges he's too sickly to do so. Gawain, already embarrassed once at this party, jumps up and volunteers to be his champion. And when he steps into the ring with the Green Knight, he cuts off his opponent's head. He'd think that was the end of it, but the Green Knight just picks up his severed head, reminds him of the deal to bring the axe back and let himself get beheaded in a year, and leaves.

[In the version I read, this was a ploy on Morgana's part just to freak out Guinevere. Seriously, that was the entirety of it. Just fucking with her rival/sister-in-law.]

In the movie, I got the vibe that Gawain was never meant to be in the line of fire. I suspect that either Arthur or one of his knights was meant to be the Green Knight's opponent, who would die after a year to get his affairs in order. Given that Gawain was Arthur's next-of-kin, that would have given him plenty of time to pass the crown to Morgana's beloved son. Unfortunately, Gawain stepping up messed up her whole plan.

During the intervening year, we see Morgana and the other witches working together to weave the Girdle of Invulnerability. As the name suggests, it's laden with magic to protect him from all harm and all blows from anyone. So long as he wears it, she explains, he'll make it home in one piece.

[In the version I read, the girdle is given to him by another woman later on at a weirdly convenient time. More on that later.]

Gawain barely makes it out when he asks directions from a young man looting the corpses on a recent battlefield. Being the idiot that he is, Gawain takes the young man's directions straight into a trap, where the young man and several other bandits are lying in wait. Despite his mother's assurances that he's invulnerable, he stands down immediately, allowing the bandits to take the Green Knight's axe, his Magic Girdle, all his money, all his supplies, etc.

During all this, three things happen: first, we see A Fox. Second, when the bandit takes the axe he goes all weird and runs off on the horse, forcing the other bandits to chase after him and leaving Gawain unobserved. Third, we get a weird vision of the future where Gawain remains where he is, tied up, until he rots away and he's left nothing but a skeleton.

My read is that The Fox is either Morgana or one of the other witches shapeshifted to keep an eye on him (alternatively, the fox is Reynard or a similar magical creature employed by them for the same purpose.) The Fox then enchants the bandit into running off with the Girdle and the Axe, leaving Gawain relatively safe. And when he fails to do anything with this spectacular opportunity, the Fox gives him the vision of what's gonna happen to him if he just waits around to be rescued.

Prompted to action, Gawain manages to free himself and continues his quest on foot. Eventually he comes across an abandoned manor. Inside, he meets a ghost who asks him to retrieve her severed head, which was thrown into the nearby spring. After some hemming and hawing, he does. When he returns to the surface with the woman's skull, the ghost is gone, but the Fox is watching him.

My take is that the ghost disappeared. They do that. The Fox, being sent to watch him, saw him actually step up and do a brave and selfless thing for once. This is what cements to the Fox that Gawain isn't a perennial fuckup, he's able to grow and mature if he's given the chance.

Gawain returns the skull to the rest of the ghost's skeleton, and he's rewarded by regaining his lost axe. (The axe placed there by the Fox, who took it from the enchanted bandit.)

So this is great, right? Gawain's fuck-upery has been cured and he's doing the responsible thing. Yay, right?

Except he's a fuckup who spends more time drinking and hanging out in brothels than doing Knightly stuff, so he doesn't know basics. Like how to start a fire or get food. Offscreen, Morgana must have been bashing her head into a wall, because her beloved son is going to get himself killed.

The Fox appears to him, and after his initial attempt to drive it off, Gawain lets it stay with him. From this point forward it stays by his side, not-so-subtly giving him directions and keeping him generally safe.

Later we meet some giants, because sometimes there are just giants. We don't question these things in Arthurian fantasy. Gawain asks them to give him a ride to his destination, but when one agrees to help him, he freaks out at the last second and refuses. The Fox speaks to the giant, quite possibly apologizing for its very rude human friend, and the giants go on their way without him.

Gawain is most of the way there by now, but it's late December in Wales, he's super cold and hasn't eaten anything but trippy mushrooms, he can't build a fire, he's been walking for days. He collapses, but the Fox urges him to go a little further and leads him to another manor house. Fortunately for him, this manor has living people in it, who clean him up, put him in a warm bed, and give him food.

We get a dreamy scene where he's being tended by his mother before he wakes up in the care of the manor. My read on it was that this manor and the people in it were sent directly by Morgana to save him. I don't think the manor was even there ten seconds before he collapsed the first time. Because Morgana loves her son, but he is REALLY bad at this.

Notably, it seems that the only people here are the Lord and Lady of the manor, as well as a blind old woman who seems to be the lady's maidservant and/or mother? Hard to tell.

Some flirting happens between Gawain and the Lord and Lady. The Lord of the manor explains that conveniently, Gawain's destination is only one day's walk away and he's several days early, so why not take some time to rest and gather his strength. The Lady shows off her library and her fancy daguerreotype-like mechanism, etc. The Lord suggests another game (mirroring the game presented by the Green Knight) : the Lord will go hunting the next day and give Gawain whatever he catches. Gawain will in return give the Lord whatever he gains throughout the day.

[In the version I read, this happens over the course of three days. Each day the Lord leaves, the Lady tries to seduce Gawain but he refuses, only accepting a kiss from her on the first two days; when the Lord returns with a hunted animal each day, Gawain gives him the kiss that the Lady gave him. On the third day, the Lady also gives Gawain a previously-unmentioned enchanted Girdle of Invincibility, which he neglects to pass along to the Lord, opting just to kiss him instead.]

In the movie, this is condensed into only one day. Gawain wakes up with the Lady creepily watching him sleep, wearing the Girdle of Invincibility that Morgana made for him. She invites him into bed and offers him the Girdle, reminding him that it can render him invincible. The scene gets a bit weird after that-- sex acts of some sort ensue, and the Lady walks away, leaving Gawain with post-coital shame and the Girdle.

Upset, Gawain grabs his stuff and makes to leave. Along the way he runs into the Lord in the middle of his hunt, and he declares that he's going to meet the Green Knight a day early. Citing their game, the Lord presents Gawain with The Fox (who is alive despite having been caught by a hunter, hmmm) and requests Gawain's "winnings" in return-- which he claims by stealing a kiss. I dunno about you, but it seemed to me that Gawain was Into It, at least before he remembers to be freaked out and runs off.

He's nearly at the place where he's to meet the Green Knight when the fox stops him. Now it starts talking, its voice shifting from masculine to feminine. It tells him that he's done a great job, and he can turn back right now and go home and nobody will know but the two of them. He doesn't have to go through with this. But Gawain, determined to fulfil his quest, drives the Fox off once again and goes the last bit alone.

Here he meets the Green Knight in the ruins of an old chapel, though because he's early the Green Knight is little more than a statue, awake but unmoving until the appointed Christmas Day. All the while Gawain just has to sit there and stew in the knowledge that he's gonna die. Finally the Green Knight stirs, asks Gawain if he's ready to die, and readies the axe that Gawain returned to him.

Throughout this, the light hits the Green Knight differently, making him look an awful lot like the Lord of the manor. After Gawain flinches away from the axe the first time, he speaks gently to him, almost tenderly.

[In the version I read, the Green Knight and the Lord of the manor are the same person, and the Lord/Knight is aware of Gawain's magic Girdle, because this was all an elaborate ruse. Because of Gawain's invincibility, the Green Knight only scratches his neck, permanently scarring him as punishment for lying about it and cheating in both their games, but doesn't hold it against him. Gawain then returns to Camelot and they keep the Girdle at the round table as a symbol that all of them have their failings.]

In the movie, Gawain flinches one more time. We then get a second very lengthy vision of an alternate future: Gawain flees the Green Knight and returns home, where he's welcomed back without external consequences. However, he's haunted by his own cowardice, giving up a difficult love in favor of living up to expectation, only to lose everything in the end anyway. His life following the cowardly route was longer, but it wasn't a better life.

He stops the Green Knight one last time, only to remove the Girdle and set it aside before declaring himself ready. The Green Knight is genuinely pleased by this, and he leans in and simply traces a finger over Gawain's throat, before happily saying. "Off with your head."

The movie ends there. Whether the Green Knight leaves him alive or kills him is up for interpretation. But even if the Green Knight wasn't on Morgana's payroll, I feel like he's way too fond of Gawain to do him real harm at this point.

And so Gawain has grown up-- he's brave, he's honorable, he's learned to keep his word and face the consequences of his actions. And Morgana, after some major struggles and a lot of called-in favors, has managed to keep her son from dying on his quest. Victory all around.

There's also an after-credits scene: just a little girl playing with Arthur/Gawain's crown. Notably, this little girl is neither of the children Gawain had in his vision of the cowardly future, so I interpreted it as a new future with a new child with potential all their own.

But that's just my take.

[august-anon]

Here's a dialogue prompt if you want it... "More please?" with ler!Kravitz and lee!Taako?

I did not really edit this, please be gentle with me lol. Thank you for being so patient, I hope it was worth the wait! Thank you so much for the prompt!

---

Ask and Receive

Fandom: The Adventure Zone

Ship(s): Taakitz

Characters (lee/ler): Lee!Taako/Ler!Kravitz

Word Count: 1631 words

Summary: Kravitz is a bit too smart for Taako's own good. Taako should know by now that he can't keep secrets from Kravitz.

[ao3 link]

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

It wasn’t fair how smart Kravitz was, in Taako’s extremely humble opinion.

It seemed like he could see through anything and everything. He had managed to dig up almost all of Taako’s secrets and slip through all his lies, white or not, and he had done it with such grace and gentleness that Taako couldn’t even be mad at him. In fact, it was almost disgustingly romantic, how he could see past Taako’s walls so easily.

But there were still a few secrets Taako held closely to his chest. A few secrets from their hundred years of plane-hopping, a few secrets he promised friends he’d keep (and as much of an asshole Taako knew he was, he kept his promises), and a few secrets of his own that he couldn’t bear to part with just yet.

Most of which were just painfully silly.

And one of which, Taako was beginning to think was more trouble than it was worth to keep.

A guy had cravings, after all. Cravings that Kravitz could easily solve with a few wiggling fingers and a handful of teasing words, or vice versa on some days. And it wasn’t like Kravitz had never tickled him, or that he had never tickled Kravitz, but it was always painfully brief. It left him feeling more starved than if he hadn’t had the playful contact at all.

But Taako was nothing if not prideful. There was nothing that would get him to admit it.

Well, almost nothing.

Because Kravitz was smart, as previously stated, and unfairly so. Kravitz picked up on Taako’s behavior. Kravitz was good at learning what made Taako tick. It was only natural that Kravitz would pick up on his little quirk eventually, try as he might to hide it.

So when Kravitz pulled back from his most recent tickle-attack (that Taako may or may not have deliberately provoked him into), eyeing Taako with a calculating look, Taako knew he was in trouble.

“I’m not so sure I should reward you for bad behavior,” Kravitz said.

Taako swallowed insteading of jumping straight into his defense, trying to keep himself from stuttering nervously. “Reward? You think that torture is a reward?” He asked.

Kravitz frowned, though there was a glint in his eye and one of his dimples was jumping. “I suppose I read your reactions wrong, then. Though, if it really is torture for you, I won’t do it anymore. I’ll have to find another playful punishment for you.”

A wounded noise escaped Taako before he could contain it. He slapped a hand over his mouth, eyes wide, and felt his cheeks flush. Kravitz looked down at him and raised an eyebrow.

“That is what you want, isn’t it, Taako?” He said. “I wouldn’t want to torture you.”

Taako pressed his lips together in a thin line, huffing through his nose. He had just dug his own grave. Now he had two options: tell Kravitz the truth, or live the rest of his days under this lie and never get tickled by his boyfriend again.

And oh, how he wanted to be tickled by Kravitz. He had musician’s fingers, long and nimble. They could do wicked things to Taako, things that he spent hours daydreaming about. Taako watched as they tapped in a staccato rhythm against Kravitz’s knee, teasing and tempting. Kravitz knew exactly what he was doing.

But Taako was a stubborn elf. If his secret was going to be out, it was going to be out on his terms. He would not blush at Kravitz’s teasing. He was not giving in. It was simply… time to show his hand, so to speak. So Taako jutted out his chin, defiant and proud in the falsest of ways, and refused to hide behind his hands as he so desperately wanted to. He let his fingers twist into his skirt, the only outward sign of his anxiety, to keep his hands firmly in his lap.

“I don’t hate it,” Taako eventually managed to force out.

Kravitz raised an eyebrow. “Oh? So you lied to me?”

Taako bit his lip. “Just a little.”

Kravitz crossed his arms, eyebrow still infuriatingly raised. “I’m not sure I should reward you for that behavior, either.”

Taako deflated, slumping into the couch and whining. He finally gave in, bringing his hands up to cover his flushing face, though he knew his red ears would give him away. He heard Kravitz chuckle and he curled into himself even further.

“Oh, come now, dear, don’t be like that. Maybe if you ask nicely, you’ll get what you want.”

Taako groaned and slipped further down the couch. He felt Kravitz shift on the couch, and Taako assumed he had turned toward Taako expectantly. Taako swallowed his pride.

“More, please?”

“More what, dear?”

Taako’s hands flew off his face. “Goddammit, Krav, just tickle me!”

Kravitz huffed. “I should make you ask nicely, but…”

Before Taako could process it, Kravitz had pulled his legs up so he was lying lengthwise on the couch and straddled his lap to pin him. Taako yelped and raised his hands in defense, but Kravitz quickly grabbed them and pulled them off to the side, out of the way. Taako’s eyes went wide as he gazed up at Kravitz.

Kravitz smirked. “Now that we’re past that stage of things, why don’t you tell me where you’d like to be tickled?”

Taako choked, his eyes practically bulging out of his head. Kravitz’s smirk stretched into a grin and a shiver went down Taako’s spine.

“Well? I can’t tickle you unless you tell me.”

Taako desperately wished he could cover his face. His ears flicked in embarrassment as he wiggled and squirmed under Kravitz, tugging on his captive arms. He had no escape.

Then again, he did ask for this.

“Stomach?” He practically whispered.

Kravitz’s free hand immediately travelled to his belly, untucking his shirt and slipping under it without hesitation. Taako was squealing before Kravitz’s hand even touched down. His body jolted when Kravitz started scratching at his stomach, his struggling and tugging on his arms getting even more weak.

Taako was a wizard, okay. He couldn’t be expected to break out of Kravitz’s grip, and especially not under these circumstances.

“You’re adorable like this,” Kravitz said over his laughter. “I don’t know why you tried to hide it for so long.”

Taako wanted to tell Kravitz to shut up, but he was sure that would earn him another bout of I shouldn’t reward you for that, so he wisely kept his mouth shut. Metaphorically, at least. Physically, his mouth was open in a bright, giggly grin, and he had no hope of keeping it shut any time soon.

Taako half-wished he could roll off the edge of the couch, but Kravitz’s legs kept him firmly in place. He writhed like a worm under the single hand Kravitz had on his stomach, the touch just dancing along the line of “too light.” The sparky, zinging sensations could be delicious in their own way, of course, but they were a very specific kind of torture, and Taako wasn’t sure if he could handle that on top of all the teasing. Then, Kravitz’s touch lightened even further as he wiggled his fingers against Taako’s lower belly, and Taako arched his back with a high-pitched squeal.

“No no no!” Taako squealed, kicking his legs. “Please, please!”

Kravitz laughed above him. “What? I thought you wanted this!”

“Too light!” Taako cried out.

Kravitz laughed again, only lightening his touch further. “What, dear? Can’t take it?”

Taako’s giggles were frantic and bubbly and borderline hysterical. It was absolutely wonderful, but he could hardly stand it. He felt like he was going to crawl out of his skin with how badly it tickled.

“More, please!” Taako shrieked, barely capable of words with all the sensations zinging around in his brain.

“Since you asked so nicely,” Kravitz said. “Pick a new spot.”

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), Taako’s brain was beyond fried and distracted. Stupidly, he couldn’t help but blurt out his worst weakness.

“Ribs!”

Taako went from bubbly giggles to shrieking cackles in a matter of seconds. He arched his back, trying instinctively to buck Kravitz off of him with no success. Not that he necessarily wanted to succeed.

Kravitz’s blunt nails scratched against each rib on one side, while his fingers gently vibrated in between them on the other. The conflicting sensations wreaked havoc on Taako’s nerves. Tears of mirth sprung to Taako’s eyes as he cackled and he tugged fruitlessly on his arms to try and pin them to his sides.

“How’s that?” Kravitz asked, and though his tone was teasing, Taako knew he meant the question genuinely.

Taako could only nod in response. It was perfect. It sated the hunger that had been under his skin for so long, and Taako could practically feel the sparks of joy shooting through his chest. Or maybe that was just the ticklish jolts consuming his entire ribcage.

It was a few more long minutes before Kravitz slowed his fingers, releasing Taako’s wrists to reach up and wipe away his laughter-induced tears while his other hand continued gently skittering around his torso. The light tickling wasn’t quite so unbearable this time, at least not as a cool-down. If he kept at it for too long, Taako was sure he’d be squirming and begging again in no time.

“How are you doing?” Kravitz asked, and Taako opened his eyes to see Kravitz’s large grin.

Taako took a few deep breaths before saying, “More, please?”

Kravitz tossed his head back with a laugh before leaning down to press a quick kiss against Taako’s giggling lips.

“Where to next?”

Taako had a lot more spots in mind before he’d be ready for Kravitz to stop.

[return-of-a-space-cowboy]

Yandere tarot prompts

So this will be slightly different. I have one of the themes for each tarot and I've paired them with the theme on the reversed versions. You can use these to build your own story but if you get stuck they also have a dialogue prompt you can use.

World:fulfillment

World reverse: incompletion

"The only time I feel complete is when I'm with you"

Judgement: awakening 

Judgement reverse: doubt

"I realize now how much you truly mean to me, please I love you so much it hurts"

Sun: celebration

Sun reverse: depression

"Today should be special, so why must you cry?"

Moon: unconscious

Moon reverse: fear

"Wake up, I didn't mean to hurt you! Please wake up"

Star: hope

Star reverse: insecurity

"Your the most beautiful person I've ever met, to have a beloved here with a fool like me"

Tower: disaster

Tower reverse: suffering

"You see what you've done, all this could have been avoided if you'd just stayed with me"

Devil: addiction 

Devil reverse: released

"After so long I've finally found you again and this time I'll make sure you never leave again"

Temperance: patience

Temperance reverse: extremes

"I've been waiting for so long now, if you won't love me after all this time I'll force you to love "

Death: change

Death reverse: decay

"I killed them and left them to rot! nothing you do will bring them back so just get over it"

Hanging man: sacrifice

Hanging man reverse: fear of sacrifice

"Either you come with me or they'll die, it's your choice"

Justice: cause and effect

Justice reverse: dishonesty

"I know I lied to you but it's for your safety, the world is such a cruel place"

Wheel of fortune: change

Wheel of fortune reverse: bad luck

"You're so used to having an advantage but that changes from now on"

Hermit: contemplation

Hermit reverse: isolation

"I've been considering this for a long time, I have to keep you here"

Strength: compassion

Strength reverse: weakness

"You care for others far to much and that is what will be your downfall"

Chariot: control

Chariot reverse: aggression

"I want you all to myself and if that means having to hurt you then so be it"

Lovers: partnership

Lovers reverse: one sidedness 

"Why won't you love me, I love you so much it hurts"

Hierophant: tradition

Hierophant reverse: rebellion

"I dream of our wedding every night, it'll be like a fairy tale… so why must you refuse my proposals so impulsivily"

Emperor: authority

Emperor reverse: coldness

"I demand your obedience, to have you chained to my side"

Empress: fertility

Empress reverse: emptiness

"I'm so excited, I know you might he upset now but once our child is born you'll love them"

High priestess: intuitive

High priestess reverse: repressed feelings

"For all this time I've swept my feeling under the carpet for you but now I will show you my true feelings"

Magician: desire

Magician reverse: trickery

"I've been longing to have you for so long, but now I have you here right where I wanted"

The fool: innocence

The fool reverse: taken advantage of

"Such an innocent expression on your pretty face, like you've done no wrong in this world… I'll take great pleasure in stealing that innocent from you"

[elwenyere]

can you write some protective Steve when they run into a bad ex of Tony's at an event? that would be amazing, I love your fics so much, thank you :D

Thank you so much for this lovely ask, Anon! I got so many great prompts for this event (and I am such a slow writer) that I decided to roll them together into a little mash-up. So this fic is inspired by four amazing asks:

- stevetony roommates who are pining after each other :) - protective Steve when they run into a bad ex of Tony's at an event - dialogue prompt: "I really want to kiss you right now." :))) - dialogue prompt - "kiss me, you fool" + stevetony? ty! :))

I really hope that the generous prompters (and all you other lovely readers) enjoy the results!!! 

CW: This fic includes non-consensual drug use and an episode of attempted non-con (not in the Steve/Tony pairing). The furthest that attempt proceeds is an unwanted touch on the arm, but please be very careful with yourselves, and if that content is potentially triggering, the full fic on AO3 contains a note about which section you can skip to avoid direct representation.

Running Through My Head

Tags: Steve/Tony, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Attempted Rape/Non-Con (not in the main pairing), Protective Steve Rogers, Mutual Pining, Getting Together, Alternate Universe - College/University

Words: 4.6k words

Rating: Mature

“I’m going to make a fool of myself,” Steve muttered, staring at his reflection in the mirror with an expression that could only be described as morose.

Well, morose and hot, Tony allowed. But the “hot” part kind of went without saying at this point: it was the unspoken subtext of every sentence his brain generated about Steve Rogers. “This is my (hot) roommate, Steve.” “Where’s Steve? Oh, he’s at football practice (being hot).” Or, if it was a day ending in “y,” “stop looking so judgy (and hot), Rogers. I already told you: I ate dinner yesterday.”

Frankly, it was a sign of how dire Tony’s situation had become that he’d noticed “morose” before “hot” — identifying the sad little wrinkle in the middle of Steve’s forehead even before he checked out how criminally good Steve’s ass was managing to look in a pair of second-hand jeans. Being attracted to your roommate was bad enough without starting to feel anxious about whether he was dreading going to this party with you. Or maybe worrying about him a tiny bit when he took a hard hit during that afternoon’s game and came up holding his wrist awkwardly. Or maybe one time — just one time — dealing with that worry by paying a small fortune on Ebay for a set of his favorite, discontinued colored pencils so that you could pretend you accidentally found them at GoodWill.

Or okay, fine: maybe Tony was completely fucked.

It had taken a while for him to admit the extent of the damage, because it was the opposite of the problem he’d expected to have when the two of them had gotten thrown into living together senior year. Before that August, Steve and Tony hadn’t really moved in the same circles. Steve had lived in a cheap, off-campus apartment for the first three years of college with two fellow athletes, Bucky and Sam, and Tony had stayed in the dorm rooms with his best friend Rhodey — largely in an effort to choose the living situation that would irritate his father the most. But then Bucky and Sam had gone from the occasional hook-up to what Steve (not at all adorably) called “going steady,” and Rhodey had been selected for a cadet exchange program in Germany. And so just at the moment when Steve had decided to move out and give his best friends more privacy, Tony found himself down a roommate.

Initially, when Natasha — one of the few friends Tony and Steve had had in common before this year — had suggested they could help each other out, Tony had reminded her that Steve would never go for it, because Steve Rogers thought Tony Stark was an irresponsible, conceited, grade-A floozy. Tony knew this, because the first time he’d run into Steve his freshman year, Tony had been at a house party letting some truly terrible people do body shots off his stomach, and Steve had been frowning at him with a look that seemed to say, “you’re making more bad decisions in this single minute than I will make in my entire life.”

But then the worst of Tony’s bad decisions — a blonde, abusive cheater of an ex-boyfriend named Tiberius Stone — had started dropping hints about Tony giving up his room on campus and moving downtown to live near the college’s wealthier set, and suddenly Steve had started looking like a safe option.

So much for that theory, Tony thought ruefully, his stomach doing an utterly unforgivable somersault when Steve’s eyes caught his in the mirror.

“You’ll be fine, Rogers,” he said out loud, his voice draped in the off-hand tone he’d been carefully knitting together for months. “Everybody’s going to be at least three drinks in by the time we get there, so their world is going to be shrouded in the forgiving haze of those horrible Pink Panty Droppers that Barton always insists on making. Besides, you’re coming in on the wings of glory. No one’s going to be able to see anything other than the star quarterback, recently returned victorious from the field of the state, national, regional championship — or the Nestlé Hot Pockets Bowl — or whatever it was you won today.”

It had been the big rivalry game against Liberty University, of course, and Tony had been in the stands the whole time. But he was glad he didn’t voice that embarrassing addition aloud, because Steve’s expression had somehow grown even more moody as he spoke.

“That’s what I’m worried about,” Steve replied finally, so softly that Tony wasn’t sure whether the words were meant for him or not.

“Hey, losers,” Natasha said, popping her head in the doorway. “Clint’s already texting me photos of ‘the Leaning Tower of Pizza,’ so if we want to get there before he’s puking in the bushes and singing ‘Single Ladies’ to regurgitated pepperoni, we better get this show on the road.”

She left to go rally the rest of their caravan (how she’d managed to coax Bruce Banner away from his textbooks and houseplants every Friday that fall Tony didn’t know and didn’t care to learn), and Tony heard Steve take a deep breath, as if he were readying himself for battle.

“You don’t have to come, you know,” Tony said, ignoring the part of his mind that was already shriveling at the possibility that Steve would take the out. “I know big parties aren’t really your thing. If you’d rather just catch up with Sam and Bucky —”

“I’m where I want to be,” Steve replied firmly, and when he turned to look at Tony there was a determination in his eyes that almost made Tony’s knees buckle on the spot.

Pull yourself together, Tony told himself firmly. You can make it through one party without ruining this.

Read the Rest on AO3

[botwstoriesandsuch]

Master Kohga Age of Calamity Trailer Analysis

I’m a speedy boi time for some thoughts on today’s new trailer

Ok first off THIS SHOT. Very important. Look at the Sheikah Slate filter. Last trailer I was able to write it off as some thematic choice since Robbie and Purah were Ancient Sheikah Scientists, but THIS trailer does not have that same connection. Couple this with this screenshot [credit to @rachelsmusicallife​ thanks for pointing this out to me!]

I’m under the impression that these cutscenes might be part of an overarching theme of reliving memories through the Sheikah Slate. Kinda fleshed out out theory on how this might be related to eggbot here.

“Hehehehe... Look. What. You. Did...”

The camera motion here is handheld (yes I know it’s not literally handheld but it has that feel) with Master Kohga here literally holding the camera. I’m assuming because this scene is from the direct POV of another character, perhaps Link. Which would make sense, since he is apparently accusing us of doing something. The lighting is also super weird, we’re in the Yiga Hideout (the area with the large pit where we fight Kohga in botw) but the sun is just setting with a shroud on the area. Although, I can’t exactly place the time of day because I’ve been through the hideout my fair share and no time of the day really lines up with this scene (because of the snowy Gerudo Highlands in the background, so the glistening of the sun is different) 

This is by the Great Plateau. I’m thinking near the Outpost Ruins considering this isn’t Gatepost Town since they Great Plateau’s entrance is not in view. In fact, I could probably specifically place this right....HERE

Flag poles, juts in the Plateau walls, road directly perpendicular to the Plateau. If my three years of staring at the Botw world is correct, [please Nintendo it’s the only thing I’m good at] then I’d say they’re at the Outpost Ruins. The only thing is that the houses seen here are mainly wood, while the ruins have clear stone walls

Well...I don’t mind.

This is not Master Kohga. Different voice actor, new character design, new villain! I’m assuming he’s some sort of second in command or captain, given he duel wields Windcleavers. Also not how he doesn’t have a scar on his mask in this scene

Further note, look at that chimney!!! I love that chimney, I haven’t seen that chimney before... it’s in a style that I can only really place in Castle Town, but the location is clearly not there, so best assumption is that this is another prominent Hylian Village. The Hateno style archway at the bottom right seems to support so. The house shingles definitely mean this isn’t an outpost or military ruin...[this weekend I’d love to hope into the game myself and place it exactly] the background cliffs mean this isn’t Gatepost Town either. The rock formations look like a turn by Scout’s Hill, of the western breach by the Outskirts Stable...I wouldn’t put the Rauru Settlements out of the question either. All in all, I’m hesitant to connect this scene with the other scene because one clearly has a dirt path, and the other a stony road. Plus the house shingles are different

Ok I can pretty much place this scene exactly. At least the bottom one, the top one is a separate scene that doesn’t flow into the other one (you can just tell by the framing and continuity) 

You can see the Great Plateau entrance, the line of sight is at an angle, placing this backflipping Yiga man somewhere here. Only inconsistency would be the trees, but perhaps it’s just grown over after a hundred years, you can even see a building in the middle of this forest in center left of the map.

Link is chasing Backflip Benny over here through to the exit of town, (you can see the town entrance/exit archway on the bottom right, similar to the one seen in the chimney pic) AND you can see that Backflip Benny also has a fresh cut on his mask, presumable gained after fighting Link, which is why he teleports away at the end. 

So that places these two shots definitely after whatever conversation happened on the roof. Yay for timelines! 

The stupendous Chief of the Yiga Clan! Master Kohga!

This takes place at some ruins of some sort. The rocks on the top right actually look Edlin or Akkala, but that might just be the lighting. The stony slabs and etches actually remind be of Zonai, but that doesn’t really seem right...I’ve never seen those designs before I don’t think...you can see from the way the stone slabs are angled that they lead to a circular pattern. It could be the circular pit at the Yiga Hideout, but that area is just sand, not stone. The smooth, plain style of these ruins is actually more in line with Gerudo Ruins so that might actually be the case; we know the Yiga have a history of taking Gerudo Ruins as their own (The Yiga Hideout is canonically an old Gerudo architectural dig)

I’ll also note that this scene has the same lighting as the first shot, and the last two shots which we’ll see later. 

*maniacal laughter* Oo? TWO new characters I see???? O????? 

This is definitely the Yiga hideout, you can tell from the wall design, plus the lanterns, and the general comfort of Master Kohga and Backflip Benny in the background. But, elephant in the room...who are YOU dear sir? 

I’ll talk more about them later, but just keep that Calamity glowing thing in their hand in mind for later.

He’s gonna kill you all...to DEATH! 

This is Master Kohga speaking again, if you couldn’t tell from his....very dramatic and in character dialogue. Maybe this game will actually make me like him now alsdfkjsdlk

Obvious is obvious, this is the Yiga Hideout again, similar lighting to the first opening shot, I’m thinking this might be sometimes before it though, considering he has his minions around. Maybe Link fights off the goons, which prompts him to ask “Look what you did” but we can’t know for sure. 

Also there’s grass? So maybe that other shot isn’t the hideout. Also a spotlight???!? Jazz hands?!?!? Leave it to Kohga to defy the fourth wall huh.

Also I haven’t mentioned this yet but NEW MUSIC it’s so good aughghug I can’t wait.

And...we end on another Sheikah Slate fade out on this mysterious new character. Eyeliner says: Avatar Kyoshi

Ok but seriously I have THOUGHTS!! So firstly, they’re obviously working with the Yiga Clan, perhaps they’re the reason why the Yiga are in the Gerudo to begin with considering they have the Gerudo symbol on their cape. [Cause am I the only one that thought it was weird that the disgraced Sheikah people are living in Gerudo, and not like...closer to Kakariko, or their suposedl arch nemesis of the Royal Hylian family?] Also note that this scene most definitly takes place in the Lost Woods. Perhaps they need something with the Master Sword...or are ambushing someone...hmm..

Based on that rock formation in the background I’m thinking somewhere in one of these three general areas but I really need to just pick up my switch sometimes soon and find it exact...so bare with me it’s only from memory but I’m pretty sure of myself when it comes to locations

My money’s on this being the true mastermind and antagonist, notice how their eye circlet is the same of that of the Calamity goop eye 

This person has...yellow? Brown? Hazel eyes? And light hair with a braid? I don’t think they’re Sheikah, but definetly not Gerudo either. So that leaves them to be some Hylian. A Hylian with an evil Ancient Core. 

[It’s definitly some form of Giant Ancient Core. But there’s runes on the side of it that I have yet to translate]

Thinking on their idenity for another second, you’ll notice that they wear a black robe, but their cape with the Gerudo crest is actually torn and tattered. So, perhaps they were disgraced? A runaway? Or perhaps it’s a disguise, perhaps a spy playing both roles on either side of the war? 

There’s an old theory that the fortune teller who initally told King Rhoam of the prophecy was actually part of the Yiga Clan. Seeing as, their actions led the King to dig up the Guardians, and cement the deaths of thousands of people. So, putting points in order here

Evil Magic dude

Works for the Yiga

Has connected to people in power 

Has an evil Ancient Core

Could it be that this mastermind fully knew that the Guardians would eventually be corrupted? Could they be the “fortune teller” that encouraged the King to excavate the Sheikah Technology? Sheikah Technology, that would be an insult to the Yiga Clan considering their people were banished for creating them in the first place? Hmmm....

Final NOTE! Remember that one scene in the other HWAOC trailer with Zelda holding a mysterious object? 

Hmm...Sheikah Scientists, weird egg robot, and now an evil Ancient Core...you may also remember Daruk mentioning in dialogue that something was wrong with Rudania...and cutscenes from Urbosa and Revali might point to the Yiga being close to the Divine Beasts...lots to chew on. I’m thinking the plot of this game will heaviliy revolve on the idea that there was some sort of plan that led to Ganon corrupting the Guardians and Divine Beasts, but we’ll see!

[i-will-be-your-ace]

How a cruel live changes us.

Send me asks and prompts

Marinette always thought about her future. How she would be a famous designer, how her friends would always support her, about having a happy family.

Maybe being Ladybug, the hero of Paris, changed it a little, but it wasn't something drastic.

Marinette still imagined being a famous designer, having a beautiful family with Adrien, having her friends on her kids' birthdays, seeing her parents' proud faces, how they would play with their grandkids.

Right now, Marinette would only laugh at this thought. She was a kid back there. A young, naive kid.

Her life took a different path. More ruthless, more hollow for her own liking path.

Being Ladybug, having Lila, Hawkmoth and Mayura trying to break her, having a lot of responsibilities and, recently, being a guardian.

She couldn't talk with anyone about this. Telling Chat wouldn't help. How could he help her with her life without knowing her identity? She couldn't risk it.

She took two weeks off, hoping, praying that it would help her situation.

But Lila played dirty. Lila made Marinette's friends believe that she didn't want to see and talk to anyone because she didn't reply to Alya's, to her best friend's, question about wellbeing and offer of help after a whole day.

At first everyone brushed off italian's comments. But the seed of doubt was planted. And slowly it grew while Lila watered it with even more lies.

But that seed didn't grew in some hearts. It quickly died instead.

Alya, Adrien, Nino, Kim, Nathaniel, and Juleka knew that their blunette isn't like that.

They visited her as much as they could.

Hawkmoth was stronger each day. And each day Ladybug became even more afraid.

She was afraid to give out more than one miraculi. The fear that the same thing that happened with Master Fu will happen with her.

The pressure of her civilian life was too much. She needed one part of her life disappear.

Marinette talked with all of the kwamis. Including Plagg.

All of them argued, one louder than other. She calmly said that she won't disappear as human being, only as Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She reminded them that after defeating Hawkmoth she'll still be a guardian. She will still have a big responsibility.

"It will benefit me if Marinette Dupain-Cheng goes missing. I didn't designed in a long time, and it became more of a hobby than a dream by now. And while it's painful to leave my friends and parents in the dark but I can't risk losing them to Hawkmoth or anything else. I know what I'm doing is stupid, cowardly and it's the worst decision I could take, but I still want to. I will be alright as long as I will be with you guys.".

By the end of her dialogue she and kwamis were crying.

This is how, during the summer, Marinette Dupain-Cheng went missing. This is a beginning of a story when Renee Desvormunds appeared.

Marinette is grateful to Master Fu. For all the things he done, for how much he helped her calm down. And for leaving to her his massage parlor and big amount of money for her to use.

Marinette changed her look with the help of kwamis. Now her skin was more pale that made her freckles stand out, her became eyes brighter, and somehow she grew in height. Her hair, now was white and wavy.

She was grateful that as Ladybug her look didn't change.

On the second day, when eighteen year old Marinette Dupain-Cheng didn't return home, everyone close to her tried to find her.

On the third day, it was police that tried to find her. Chat Noir helped too.

On the first week, all of Paris was informed about the missing girl.

On the first month, Tom and Sabine didn't know what to do.

On the second month, Tom and Sabine lost faith.

Mari studied all places where akumas were. Looked through all the videos of them. Observed everyone who was suspicious. All of this with help and thoughts from kwamis.

Chat was more quiet and sad each battle. She couldn't blame him and offered comfort whenever she could.

Each day Marinette, Renee, Ladybug was closer to finding Hawkmoth. And she will succeed.

The girl crossed out the people who were akumatized on Heroes Day because Scarletmoth was present during that event.

She looked through all akumas that weren't present.

Maybe Hawkmoth wasn't akumatized, but she needed to cross out as much people as possible. And what a surprise it was when she found out that her first suspect, Gabriel Agreste, was on the list.

Each small copy of Multimouse stayed near suspects.

At first everything seemed okay. Until she saw how Gabriel pressed buttons on the painting of his wife. Either he had a secret lair or was insane. Maybe both.

And what a coincidence that after he disappeared under the floor an akuma appeared.

On the next day each mini Multimouse was in his room. Waiting for him to put the combination so she could remember it.

Mari waited all day and he didn't go to the painting. And the fact that today no akumas appeared only fueled her suspicion.

On the next day fortune was on her side.

Mari memorized the code, and waited until Gabriel went to sleep.

And it was so boring. All day just looking at busy man and listening his and Nathalie's talk about business. She hated it.

Right now Multimouse pressed all the buttons, doing just like Agreste did. She was glad that she almost immediately went lower after the code, because she wasn't sure if this thing had an alarm in case someone failed to do it right.

Lowering all way down she indeed was in some lair. Suddenly there were a lot of butterflies flying around her.

Gabriel Agreste is Hawkmoth there's no denying it. Just like Mari thought in the beginning.

Now it was time to make a plan of how to get his and Mayura's miraculous.

But there was another problem. She didn't know how to get out from here. Damn it, now she had to wait at least eight hours. Great. Just great.

Mari detransformed and went to sleep. She didn't know what else to do, plus she needs to sleep either way. Even if she'll have hard time falling asleep on this hard, cold floor.

But when Mari was almost asleep, she remembered something really bad.

Gabriel will go here only to transform into Hawkmoth. And if Hawkmoth is present that means that there will be akuma and she will have to deal with it. But she can't transform into Ladybug when he's here, and Gabriel definitely will notice if someone leaves his lair.

" Mullo, Tikki?"

Both kwamis looked at her with tired eyes.

" Yes, Mari?"

" Could one of you bring Pollen and her miraculous?"

" I'll be quick." And with that Tikki was gone.

After what felt like a minute, Tikki appeared with a hair comb.

" It's good to see you, Master. How can I help you?"

" Pollen, just call me Marinette or Renee. I'll need to paralyze Hawkmoth and take his miraculous, even if it will be harder for me to find Mayura."

" But what if both Mayura and Hawkmoth will be here?" Tikki asked.

" I don't know Tikki. I think I will paralyze Mayura and take her miraculous as unnoticeable as possible. Right now I just want to sleep. Good night everyone."

Sleep came to her fast after that.

---

Marinette heard annoying sound of her phone alarm. She wanted to ignore it but three kwamis thought differently.

" Marinette! You need to wake up!"

" Noooo, Tikki, I want to sleep."

" Mari, what if Hawkmoth appears."

With that Marinette's eyes snapped open and she reluctantly sat up. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she looked at kwamis.

" Are you ready?"

All three nodded. She transformed in Multimouse and divided. One minimouse transformed with Pollen, other with Tikki. Now, the only thing that was left is to wait.

All of her parts were scattered throughout the lair near the walls, and all of them were bored as hell.

But the sound of lowering platform made them concentrate on their surroundings. They saw how Gabriel and his assistant, Nathalie, transformed and used their powers.

Multibee slowly walked to Mayura, who fortunately stood behind Hawkmoth. She whispered venom and quietly stung her. Multibee quickly climbed to the miraculous and without any second thought took it off. And when a bright blue light appeared Marinette cursed and jumped from paralyzed body and also separating from Pollen.

Hawkmoth turned around and when he saw detransformed Nathalie rushed to her not understanding what happened with her.

Seeing a possibility, Multibug quickly grabbed her yo-yo and tied him. She wasn't sure if she'll be able to hold him for long so others grabbed the string too. The nearest Multimouse sprinted to the captured man. Getting to his miraculous was hard when he angrily struggled. But Multimouse still got a hold of the brooch. And when he tried to shake her off, the miraculous went flying with her.

Every Multimouse that was left ran to those who held the yo-yo. Gathering into one, Marinette pulled the string and made him fall.

And without knowledge of how to escape she jumped to the big window, breaking it in process.

Marinette felt as glass cut her skin but right now it didn't matter. A lot of white butterflies could be seen as they flew behind her.

None of the passing Parisians knew what to think.

Marinette detransformed in her parlor and put on both butterfly's and peacock's miraculous. Both kwamis were overjoyed about finally being free. Other kwamis were happy about finally seeing their friends after so much time.

Marinette for a moment observed as kwamis interacted and begun treating her cuts. They noticed it and started helping her, insisting that she needed to rest. Nooroo and Duusu were hesitant but she reassured them that they are part of the family.

Now to complete her mission she needed to inform Chat Noir and Paris about Hawkmoth and to take black cat's miraculous.

Mari sent a message through her yo-yo about meeting at Eiffel tower to him after she transformed into Ladybug.

At their meeting place, Chat Noir was a little bit disappointed that she never told him her plan, but still happy. And while he was sad about giving Plagg back, he understood. When Adrien revealed himself he was expecting her to do the same.

" I'm sorry Chaton, as a guardian I can't do this. Do you need a ride to your home?"

Adrien gave a small sad nod.

After that Marinette informed all of Paris about Hawkmoth and Mayura. Later that day Mayor held a big celebration.

Renee observed the party on the nearby roof with all kwamis near her.

" Our mission is completed. What now? Anything you would like to do?"

And immediately all of them started talking. Everyone listed what they wanted to see and do.

Marinette wrote everything in her notebook. They had a lot of places to see.

During night Mari wondered what she will do. While she knew what her little friends wanted, but she never thought about her wishes. Other thing that worried her, is that she could be easily killed. And then there will be no more guardian to protect the kwamis. She'll ask about this when all of them will wake up.

" Well, if you need a temporary solution we could teach you how to make spells that will help out. But if you want a permanent one..." said Wayzz after some thinking.

" I'd like a permanent solution. I want all of you to be safe."

Tikki sighed and looked her in the eyes.

" We can make you a half kwami. You'll be able to change between human and kwami form and transform with our miraculouses, even with your own. You won't need water, air and other things that are necessary to humans. You'll still need to eat something to recharge energy like we do and you'll also stop aging." She said with a hint of happiness.

" But the chances of success are always different." Wayzz added casting a look towards ladybug kwami.

" Will I die if it fails?"

Theirs eyes widened.

" No no, you'll just be tired for some time. Nothing bad will happen, don't worry."

Mari nodded and with determination in her eyes she said.

" Then, I want to try it."

The process was long and tiring. All kwamis concentrated on Marinette's soul, rebuilding it in something different, something powerful. Their quiet murmuring filled the room where Marinette layed.

And when they were almost done, they saw as white glow slowly covered her body. It became brighter with each second until her body disappeared and something else appeared in the air. It was a silver feathered heart locket. Slowly it lowered to the floor.

All kwamis just stared at it, surprised that they managed after the first try. Duusu was the first to snap out of it. Without any hesitation she came closer and slowly touched it's surface.

Immediately after that a white orb emerged. And when it stopped a snowy owl kwami levitated in the air. Faster than ever, Duusu hugged a newborn god and other kwamis joined them.

" How should we call you."

" Well, Renee is my human name and I want it to stay like this. I'd like to honour my first name somehow. Also I noticed that all of you have double letters in your name. So perhaps Maari?"

Tikki looked proud "Then I, the ladybug kwami and kwami of creation, gladly accept you Maari, the snowy owl kwami, as one of us and wish you luck with finding and training your powers."

After that their journey began. Renee and kwamis traveled everywhere, they met a lot of friends, and escaped from not so friendly people.

And almost six years later they finally thought about settling somewhere.

A lonely figure appeared on one of Gotham's street during night.

A lady in white and black with a wooden box in hands stood on the highest building waiting for kwamis, who were looking for a long abandoned house. Soon, a small horse flied to her with a smug expression.

" I found a mansion that was abandoned for a long time and it isn't visited at all for some reason. Perhaps people are afraid of the stray dogs that are always near it."

" A mansion?"

" Only the best for my sister and guardian!" Said a cheerful Kaalki. She was obviously proud of herself for being able to find something incredible.

Renee smiled gently and mentally told her siblings about Kaalki's discovery.

" A mansion. A big, abandoned mansion. Why am I not surprised?" Plagg looked at the small horss with paws crossed over his chest.

" I don't see anything bad in it. Only the best for the best." He facepalmed but a fond smile could be seen on his face.

" So what all of you think? Should we look for something different or everyone agree?"

Different agreements went from kwamis. With a nod from Renee Kaalki opened the portal to their destination.

The building was definitely abandoned for a long time. Different plants, that formed cracks in place where they grew up, surrounded the first floor. Everything was coated in dust, the furniture was barely holding.

Every kwami went in different directions.

Renee found a lot of strange, interesting, old things. Every room had something like that. One in particular had a beautiful table in front of fireplace. It looked like an office room as far as she could guess. Many books, plants and small animal statues adored the shelves along the walls.

The half-kwami liked the room. With another mental message she waited for everybody to fly over here.

The interior was adored by many kwamis. Others enjoyed that this room was hard to find.

In the end, the decision was made. The box would stay here with everyone, including Maari, inside the room. The protection spell, that will protect the box from someone with bad intentions, would be casted.

---

Somewhere in the Gotham

A lonely mansion stood

For a long time forgotten

But still looking good

Somewhere inside there was a place

That looked like a boredom

Where a lot of small gods rest

Waiting for the worthy person

---

One red vigilante was moving from roof to roof, searching for anything suspicious. The silence was interrupted by his comms.

" Red Robin, the patrol is over. Return to the cave."

" Be there in few."

With that, Tim jumped in the direction of his destination. After quite a lot of roofs he found himself at the unknown to him place. He stopped and started looking around hoping to spot anything familiar. Tim's eyes landed on the tall building of the Wayne Foundation.

But something else caught his eye. A lonely mansion. Tim felt as if something was pulling him there. Quickly looking around for anybody or anything strange, he made his mind and started crossing the distance.

The old looking gates were open, same with the front door. Stepping inside Red Robin noticed that this house was abandoned when he saw how ruined it was in some places. But the need to go somewhere still was present.

Tim found a lot of old things and paintings while walking through the hall. He continued exploring until he found a door. Unlike other doors this one was closed. The vigilante opened it and found a room filled with books, plants, small statues, a sofa, fireplace and an eye-catching table with a strange wooden box on it. Tim moved closer and saw a silver necklace shaped as a heart made from two wings near the box. Picking it up he examined it and found out that it was a locket. Tim hesitated to open it at first, but his curiosity won. He opened the two halves of a heart. Inside in the middle there was a small mirror, inside the right half was a miniature compass that looked like it actually worked. In the left half of the heart he saw a picture of a beautiful smiling woman. She had a midnight blue hair, that reached to her shoulders, freckles and blue eyes. Tim stared at her until his comms sounded again.

" Red Robin, we are waiting for you in the cave. Do you need help? Or is everything okay?"

" Yeah, don't worry. I just... got distracted. I'll be there soon."

Tim took a picture of the lady in order to research her and after putting the locket down he exited the mansion.

A white orb slowly emerged from the locket...

tag list:    @vixen-uchiha

Locket inspiration (tap me)

[stellacolletore]

i know this much (you will never be enough) summary: Mashima Reiko is crazy, and rich, and the mother of the person she loves. note: title and blurb inspired by the film ‘crazy rich asians’ because reiko is basically eleanor

“If you’re not doing it, I will.”  

Chihaya didn’t dare breath. A single move from her and she knew—she knew Sumire will see through her threat. Her thumb was perilously close to pressing the dial button. Should Chihaya say the wrong thing, she might end up having to answer to Mrs. Pressure without any mental preparation at all.

“Wait!” She pleaded. “I’ll call tonight. Promise.”

Sumire narrowed her eyes. Assured that Chihaya was completely serious about her resolution, Sumire handed the phone back to her.

Everyone in the club room exhaled. No bomb was unnecessarily detonated this afternoon, fortunately. “Man, you’re almost as scary as Mashima-san just now, Hanano-san.” Nishida remarked, finally able to swallow the pork bun in his hand.

Sumire sighed, still exasperated. “It’s been three days since I gave Ayase-senpai Mashima-san’s number. Forgive me if I sound impatient right now, because I totally am.”

Chihaya prostrated on the tatami. “Sorry, Sumire-chan!”

“Don’t be like that, Chihaya. We understand,” Kanade patted Chihaya’s head lightly. “But Sumire is right. Mashima-kun has been sick for three days already. We’re all very worried about him, just like you are.”

Komano fixed his glasses. “And as his unofficial girlfriend, the task to check up on him falls on you.”

Chihaya exhaled in defeat. She had ran away long enough.

It was time to face the inevitable.

*

Chihaya felt like coming down with the flu herself as she searched Mashima-san's contact number on her phone directory. It was a good thing she delayed eating dinner—her stomach was in knots just thinking about finally calling Taichi's terrifying mother and asking her a favor.

"You're a Queen, Chihaya," she muttered to herself, "You can do this."

Momentarily psyched up by her pep talk, she pressed the CALL button.

Clutching her Daddy Bear to her chest, she nervously waited for the other line to pick up.

"Moshi moshi. Mashima residence."

The voice unmistakably belonged to Mashima Reiko. Chihaya instinctively froze at the recognition, failing to follow through with a greeting.

"Hello? Who's ca—"

"It's Chihaya!" she blurted. Voice slightly shaky, she chattered, "Um, this is Chihaya. Good evening, Mrs. Pre—Mashima-san."

Reiko's voice instantly turned ice cold. "Ah, Chihaya-chan. It's a pleasure to receive your call at dinnertime."

Chihaya's eyes latched on the clock. Of course she'd end up calling at an absolutely inconvenient hour. She instantly replied, "I'm so sorry! It's just—I'd like to ask if Taichi's okay..."

She could hear a disappointed sigh. "If he is still unable to message you and your friends, I believe that means he's currently unwell. Now, do you have other questions, Chihaya-chan?"

Every nerve in her body was desperately begging for her to drop the line already, but if Chihaya would back down now, she's sure Sumire would find a way to still make the request, which may make things more difficult. Steeling herself, she took the plunge. "May I come over tomorrow?"

When she was met with silence, Chihaya rambled on, "I was asked by Tsukue-kun—I mean, his classmate—to deliver the notes for the lessons he missed. And our club members bought him oranges and apples and—"

"You may come tomorrow at five. You can help me prepare dinner."

Chihaya almost choked her stuff toy. This wasn't on the plan. "Sorry?"

"I believe you have excellent hearing, Chihaya-chan. Surely I won't need to repeat myself."

Like a soldier under scrutiny by her commander, she automatically replied, "Y - yes, Ma'am."

Pacified with her answer, Reiko said, "If that is all, then I must be going back to dinner. See you tomorrow."

"Thank you for your time, Mashima-san. S - see you tomorrow."

As soon as the call disconnected, Chihaya collapsed on the bed, energy spent. A minute later she got up, exited the room, and dashed down the stairs.

"Mom! Please teach me how to cook!"

*

"Woah—is meeting Taichi's mom really that scary for you?" Nishida inquired, staring at Chihaya's bloodshot eyes. "And what happened with those?" He pointed at Chihaya's freshly bandaged fingers.

Chihaya blinked rapidly, moistening her eyes. In between yawns, she explained, "I slept late. Mrs. Pressure asked me to help her with dinner so I had to learn how to chop vegetables. Perfectly."

Nishida gave her a comforting smile, "Ganbatte, Ayase. If you survive tonight, I'll treat you with pork buns for lunch tomorrow."

Resting her head on the desk, Chihaya muttered, "Thanks, Nikuman-kun."

*

Had Chihaya been a lucid dreamer, she would've realized that the castle was simply a representation of the Mashima house, the sleeping prince was Taichi all along, and the fire breathing dragon guarding the gate was definitely Mashima Reiko. If she were, she may not have woken up with a start, embarrassing herself in the middle of Fukasaku-sensei's class.

Looking at how messed up Chihaya was, Nishida began to doubt if he'd be able to buy her pork buns the next day.

*

It's okay, Chihaya, she's not really a dragon, she inwardly declared. She pressed the doorbell with her free hand, and then sighed in relief when she found Rika peering excitedly at her from the entranceway.

"Welcome, Chihaya-chan!" Taichi's younger sister greeted. Quirking an eyebrow at her, she then questioned, "Do you want some water? You look pale."

Chihaya waved her worry away. "I'm fine."

Locating Reiko at the kitchen, Chihaya presented the basket clutched in her hand. "G - good afternoon, Mashima-san. This is from everyone in the club." She proceeded to extract Komano's papers from her bag. "And these are the notes from Tsukue-kun."

"Please extend our gratitude to them, Chihaya-chan." Reiko took the basket and began to put the fruits inside the refrigerator. "You can leave the notes on Taichi's desk later."

Chihaya's heart skipped a beat. For all the stress she had gone through in the past twenty-four hours, the prospect of actually visiting Taichi had been at the back seat on her mind, overshadowed by the daunting ordeal of dealing with Mrs. Pressure without her son's intervention. Her thoughts led her to look in the direction of Taichi's bedroom.

She had never seen Taichi this sick, and she dearly hoped she could help him recover, if only a little.

She heard Reiko clear her throat. "You may see him as soon as we finished making dinner."

Chihaya's gaze snapped back to Reiko. "H - hai."

Reiko seemed to consider something, staring at her with a surprisingly concerned expression. "Would you like to have some tea first? Your face is pale."

Chihaya slapped her cheeks in response, giving some color to them. "I'm okay!" Encouraged by the thinly-veiled worry for her wellbeing reflected in Reiko's eyes, Chihaya attempted a smile, "I'm ready."

*

Having tried her hand in kitchen work for the first time last night, Chihaya could recognize how admirable Mashima Reiko moved through the space, retrieving cooking tools from the cupboards and ingredients from the refrigerator with exceptional grace. Taichi must have inherited his poise from his mother.

Chihaya put the vegetables in the strainer and headed to the sink. "I'll wash these up, Mashima-san."

Reiko hummed in agreement. "I'll be seasoning the meat." She turned to her daughter perched on the dining table stool, happily watching over the two of them. "Go work on your homework, Rika. You have nothing to do here."

Rika started to protest. "But I wanna see—" her words were cut abruptly, and from behind her Chihaya could guess that Mrs. Pressure had given Rika her intimidating gaze.

If Mashima Reiko were karuta Queen, Chihaya was sure she'd never become a challenger. If she did, she would have to play blindfolded, just so she can avoid that look.

"Fine," Rika relented. "Ganbatte, Chihaya-chan." She proceeded to go upstairs, leaving Chihaya and Reiko alone.

Finishing her first task, Chihaya deposited the vegetables on the container next to the chopping board.

Time to show what I've practiced. She picked up a medium-sized knife and was about to slice the head of a cabbage when Reiko suddenly ordered, "Stop."

Chihaya stared at her, dumbfounded. Was she already deemed a failure? That fast?

Reiko withdrew the knife from her hands. Then she remarked. "Your fingers are hurt."

Chihaya blinked. "They're all right. I can still—"

"Take a sit over there and just watch me, Chihaya-chan," Reiko instructed, her tone clearly expressing that Chihaya have no other choice but to follow. Flustered, Chihaya merely nodded, settling on the stool Rika had previously occupied.

Reiko continued preparing the meal, making Chihaya feel more and more anxious at being utterly unhelpful each second that passed. She knew she should attempt to make small talk, but her mind can't come up with any dialogue, not even about the weather.

It was Reiko that broke the silence. "If I remember correctly, you've injured your hand once before. Was playing karuta that challenging?"

Taken aback by Reiko's recollection, Chihaya failed to filter her thoughts. "Harada-sensei trained me harder so I won't get injured like that again. I, um, got these last night chopping carrots."

As soon as the words were left hanging in the air, Chihaya bit her lip. Please don't think much about it please don't think much about it please don't—

Reiko stopped swirling the ladle in the pot. Chihaya held her breath, preparing herself for whatever it was that will come out of Mrs. Pressure's lips.

Her imagination couldn't have predicted what she had finally said. Not in a million years.

"You know, I never disliked you, Chihaya-chan." Reiko resumed her motions, "Just how early you arrived."

Even though they were merely two sentences, Chihaya couldn't begin to grasp what Mrs. Pressure was telling her.

Even without Chihaya's prompting, Reiko elaborated, "When I became a mother, I promised to myself that I will raise my child with the same standards that my parents had set for me." Having finished cooking the broth, she turned off the stove. Reaching for the box of genmaicha tea, she continued, "Fortunately, I hadn't had much trouble with Taichi. He is naturally brilliant and determined. He listens to my demands and takes on the challenges I set for him. But then one day he came home saying he wants to be good at playing this obscure game,"—Chihaya straightened up, ready for a lecture—"and it worried me, not just because it wasn't in my plans, but also because the game came from a girl that has taken more than his attention, even though he's unaware of it at the time."

Reiko poured hot water on two porcelain cups, then submerged the tea kernels in them. "Just as how my parents had given me freedom to choose the person I like, I must give the same choice to my children. But you happened to come into Taichi's life far earlier than when Oligo came into mine, and I can't help but treat you with unwarranted hostility for that." Reiko gave her a stricken smile, "But maybe it was for the better. If I had Taichi controlled for all these years, he might have been leading a broken life by now." She slid one cup towards Chihaya. "I suppose I owe you both an apology and my thanks, Chihaya-chan."

Unable to completely digest the sudden disclosure from Reiko, Chihaya could only refute her last statement. "That's not true! Taichi is the person he is right now because of your efforts, Mashima-san." Chihaya recalled a moment from way back their first team tournament as a seven-membered club. She relayed the details of the event to her, narrating how Taichi had uncharacteristically snapped at Tsukuba for arguing with the word 'but' all over his sentences, declaring that a man has no use for the word. Chihaya had then commented how Reiko's strictness with Taichi had disciplined him, allowing him to become strong in his own way.

This time it was Reiko who was rendered speechless. Chihaya sipped the tea, finding her nerves settling. After finishing her cup, she shyly ventured, "If you will, I'd like to take up Taichi's dinner with the notes now, Mashima-san."

Composing herself, Reiko nodded, then started assembling the food.

*

She found Taichi covered under layers of blankets when she entered his room. Setting the tray on the study desk, Chihay tiptoed towards his huddled figure.

She rested a hand on his arm, finding it awfully warm. "Passing Todai must've been so hard, ne, Taichi?" She swapped the dry towelette for a cool one, setting it on his forehead. Feeling the sudden chill, Taichi stirred. His amber eyes connected with Chihaya's, and he muttered weakly, "Now I'm delirious."

Chihaya chuckled, placing a hand on his cheek. "Not yet. I'm real."

Taichi sounded genuinely lost when he insisted, "You can't be. You'd have to get past my Mom to be here, and you're terrified of her."

Chihaya perked up, "About that..." she decided against telling him about her upgraded relationship with Mrs. Pressure. Taichi would be more convinced that he was hallucinating if she did. Instead, she took his hand. "Everyone was worried about you. Please get well soon, Taichi. I missed beating you in matches."

Taichi grinned mischievously, "You could leave out the beating at matches part."

Chihaya felt her face warm. "Fine, just because you're sick this time. I missed you, Taichi."

Satisfied at her admission, and perhaps still feeling very much unwell, Taichi began to drift off again. Checking her wristwatch, Chihaya noted that there was still an hour before he had to take his medicine.

Reaching up to gently caress his head, Chihaya found herself narrating, "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful prince who was stuck in a castle. There was a big, fire breathing dragon at the gates and everyone in the land was afraid of her. It turns out, the dragon wasn't bad at all, and so when the princess..."

[supergenial]

The most actually fun to play SMT

Just got done playing SMTV and while not exactly the best in terms of story/characters, I'm floored by how much better it is than every other SMT I have played so I thought I'd go over all the (good and bad) aspects that caught my eye.

-Can't tell if magatsuhi is good or not

Like any JRPG these days SMTV said "Yes, we'll also have a party gauge that lets you unleash a special skill once it's full" and honestly, cool, not exactly original but every other game is already doing it for a reason: it just feels cool.

Now I don't know about you guys but Omagatoki: Critical (every attack is a critical for the entire turn, even magic attacks) is basically the only magatsuhi skill I ever used, except for maybe a couple of times, which is quite a letdown considering it's the very first one you get. Certainly there's a few that caught my eye (Eternal Prayer would be great if it restored mp for the entire party, hell forget about the healing altogether and just give me mp) but in the end they never quite measured up to a good old full turn of criticals, which fortunately never got old. Granted, I'm sure if I stuck to Hard mode all the way to the end (only kept at it until I beat Hydra and then died like a damn idiot before saving...) then Shield of God would have been a pretty great magatsuhi skill along with a few others, but as usual I happen to think normal mode isn't quite the best sample to really comment in depth about game mechanics, imo, so I'll withhold my judgement on whether magatsuhi is good or lacking (but in normal mode at least, it feels like some creativity could've helped to make the feature more exciting).

On the enemy side though, the way spyglasses combine into enemy magatsuhi is really cool, so let's go onto the next topic since it's relevant

-Spyglasses OP????

Never leave home without them

The Spyglasses item is a very cheap consumable that analyzes the enemy stats/skills/weaknesses which isn't exactly a novel concept and analyzing/scanning/etc certainly isn't exactly my first instinct in most games. HERE though, these are OP because buried around the game are several Mitama which act as the classic Metal Slime from Dragon Quest, they give you massive exp or money but they are prone to escaping as soon as they can. Their weakness isn't constant so you have to use spyglasses to figure out which is their weakness in the current encounter and once you have it you will easily beat it for massive rewards for minimal investment, just fantastic. I found myself buying 50 spyglasses a handful of times throughout the game, they're just that good.

The other way in which spyglasses help you massively is by giving away the magatsuhi skill that the boss is going to use. Even if it's your first time fighting a boss just by using spyglasses you'll get their list of skills and usually their ma-skill will be the one they'll use on their magatsuhi turn, which means now you can use one of those handy dampener items to quickly end their most powerful turn before it even begins, just great. And you might think "damn, but I don't want to waste Nahobino's turn using items" well worry not because halfway into the game you'll be able to easily unlock the perk which lets all demons use items, which is absolutely busted and should be a priority to get.

-Nahobino funny af

He’s very self-aware about the quality of this game’s story

Often people will derive some personality from silent protagonists by the slight gestures they may show or the body language they present throughout the game, and Nahobino is definitely the peak of this craft so far. Behind that serious NB look sits an old man who is literally incapable of holding back his awful hair puns on demon conversations, sometimes making such incredibly awful puns that demons just willingly leave the fight shooketh by the sheer cold left behind by these "jokes". Overall the dialogue prompts in demon conversations and side quests along with the gaudy poses he strikes in cutscenes makes me come out of my absolute hate shelter and say these very unexpected words: This silent protagonist is actually pretty good. Every other game out there has absolutely no excuse to keep making such incredibly basic and outright atrocious silent- [complains about fire emblem for 20 minutes before getting back on track]

-The stupid demon king castle

I went through this hallway so many times

This game doesn't have many places I'd call "dungeons" properly, you usually navigate some pretty large zones that never quite feel like dungeons even if they technically are. But the demon king's castle, dear god, they nailed it. It’s incredibly annoying like Strange Journey dungeons but actually fun to play, I had a blast with it. Usually I worry whenever a non-platforming game expects you to do platforming, not because I'm bad at it but because it's usually clunky but SMTV just gets it right.  One thing about dungeons and orientation though

-Those little bright things on the floor

Why yes please come over here instead of wandering around like an idiot

This is an smt game where you're very unlikely to get lost, not only because most of the maps are very linear but also because they doubled-down on the foolproofing by leaving these little shards on the floor that pretty much always tell you were to go (their official purpose is to heal you a little bit but... yeah, they're not fooling anyone, these are railroads). Anytime I ever mildly felt like I didn't know where I was going these things showed up to reassure me I was on the right track. It straight up feels like once the dungeons were already fully made they had a very average/dumb person try to navigate through the game and then report in which places they got lost, and only then did they implement those little lights, that's how convenient their placement feels.

-Taito of the Wild

THE meat of the game

Not to sound like botw is the only game I ever played but the Taito zone really does feel like botw. You're dropped in the middle of a vast map tasked with defeating some very high level bosses with complete freedom as to which one you want to go visit first, and for each one you defeat the others will become increasingly easy. For reference I was level 52 when I got here, the game hands you a level 62 demon for free which is about the average level of demons in this area, and the bosses you have to beat are at level 72. I had a blast with this part of the game. This zone was just good old exploration which barely even felt like smt aside from the occasional combat, which at first seems rough given that the levels have skyrocketed with most random demons being mid to late 60's, but facing higher leveled demons is where the smt combat system shines at it's brightest so it's all good, just fantastic work on this one. Speaking of botw though,

-The Miman

I'll be real, I hate the Koroks in botw, and the Miman in this game are basically the same so I was really sour about them at first. HOWEVER... Idk, I liked them, their dialogue is always fun to read and there's no real minigame to getting them. The rewards for getting Miman are also very easy to ignore, I don't think I ever felt like I wanted the rewards and I can't recall a single memorable reward I got for collecting them (aside from all the accumulated Glory points I guess). I just found myself looking for the little guys because I ended up liking them, and that's just cute. Speaking of cute,

(lots of spoilers from this point forward)

-Amanozako

What a waste. I don't hate the character, I very much like her but given her creepy behavior in the Taito zone and her obviously very prominent screen time throughout the game it really feels like they dropped the ball on her last quest. The early game and her mid game quest make us believe they really have something special in store for her, then the Taito zone builds her up as a creepy being to be reckoned but the end of her story hits like a wet noodle lacking any sort of impact and feeling like they just ran out of ideas. Guess someone in the team just really liked the design and decided to promote the extra to a more relevant role even if they didn't quite plan it all the way through.

Also, and this is purely on me so I don't blame the game, I expected her joinable demon form to be a grown up milf mode Amanozako, which I did not get. I don't even know how I developed that expectation but it certainly felt underwhelming to just get Amanozako as-is when she finally joined. Which brings me to the topic,

-Waifu game

Idun is the cutest demon in the whole series

Tao, Idun and Demeter are so cute bros, wtf. These and many others show that they really stepped up their demon waifu game in this one and I am down for it, at this rate by SMTVIII even Rangda will end up being a cute girl, I am certain. Speaking of that though, what's the deal with Miyazu? Did they really design such a cute character only for her to be completely underutilized and to just never really show up again once you drop her off in that forest? What the hell. Everything regarding the school setting is just weird, which brings us to

-The Lahmu arc

Me enjoying Fire Emblem

What the hell. The whole Lahmu thing while not particularly good felt like it had way higher production emphasis than the rest of the game, or rather it feels like it's own story separate from the rest of the game, for good and bad. Prior to it you're in a desert and after it you're in crisis city from Sonic 06, but the Lahmu thing has you like, going to school all of a sudden, dealing with bullying at school, and there's all these cutscenes that really don't feel like they tie to the rest on the game and... Sorry to press the emergency "blame persona" button that all smt enjoyers have installed on their keyboard but it really feels like they went "make it more like a school-related thing, use as much money as you can on that segment". I don't necessarily dislike it but it really felt weird, like by the end of the game you’re left wondering what the hell was the point of that.

-Yakumo and the other two rivals

Ah yes, the good old saving humanity as a façade for ethnic cleansing

Jimenez and Zelenin are still the kings in this area but even Walter and Jonathan are way ahead of the rivals in this one. Suckerhat and Boringguy are extra enough that I don't really remember them at all, I genuinely just googled both of their names because they're barely relevant, barely developed and barely interesting if at all. I'll give Ichiro the edge, he at least is A Character proper, but Yuzuru just really feels like a prop to Tsukuyomi. Ichiro himself doesn't quite feel like someone who's super into god and stuff, but hey, law has always been about weak willed people taking dumb orders seemingly for no reason so he certainly fits the bill quite well even if his transformation feels incredibly forced. Yakumo on the other hand, he comes out of nowhere and we get his background from npc non-cutscene dialogue that's very easy to miss but hey, he looks cool and he’s on the side of humanity so of course went for his ending first. 

-I went neutral again, what a surprise

Chaos usually is, to me at least, very clearly the dumbest smt ideology in most games, "hurr durr le epic fight each other forever", fucking cringe, I guess it's cool if you're a 13 year old though. The reason I put Strange Journey in a pedestal so much is because at least SJ is capable of making me think highly of the chaos guy, Jimenez, and more often than not agree with him. This game instead has a chaos ending that feels very underdeveloped and a chaos guy who doesn’t feel chaotic at all, he’s obsessed with saving Tokyo... just because! So he’ll create a world where everyone’s a god... for some reason! This game’s neutral ending feels chaotic enough for me though. By framing the ongoing conflict as "Humans will have to fight the demons until they're all gone" it just seems like there’s no easy way out of the conflict but rather humanity has to continuously earn their right to live.

There's also the true/secret ending, I guess it is a jrpg tradition when there's multiple endings to have one that's a bit harder to get but I really don't see why we needed it at all. While the other endings carry on from where the world was at, the true ending opts for a complete reset to the good old world as we know it. I mean, happy ending I guess and getting some emoi final moments with Aogami is cool and all but idk, the simple neutral ending just felt -right- for me this time you know, the complete reset just feels very cheap. I will give it this tough: the normal neutral ending feels extremely anti-climactic because it doesn’t have a proper final boss.

-Tatsuhisa Suzuki is in the credits

lmao, you don't see that a lot these days any more do you 🙄, he only has a couple of lines so I guess they really, really couldn’t be assed to follow the industry-wide blacklisting when they already payed for 2 lines but I still found his name very funny when it popped up.

-Shiva's boss music

Holy crackers

-Overall

You can tell this guy spends all day online

I'll go ahead and say it, this is THE most enjoyable SMT game I've played. Probably the worst story, tied with IV-A, but videogames have you playing most of the time and reading/watching only a fraction of it, so I'll consider it a fair trade. Finally we have the complete opposite of Strange Journey, which has a great story but completely suckass gameplay. I can only say f I had to replay either of them, I’d sure as hell go for V.

-OK BUT IS IT BETTER THAN TOKYO MIRAGE SESSIONS?

Oh hell no, Tokyo Mirage Sessions GOTY all years my heart will always be microwaving BEST COMBAT SYSTEM ATLUS HAS EVER COME UP WITH, BEST DUNGEONS, BEST SOUNDTRACK, we don't talk about the story and insert songs and wardrobe choices KINO GAME 100/10 PLAY TOKYO MIRAGE SESSIONS