#he's so fine I can't deal

[allyriadayne]

Jace's anger

[ancha-aus]

RealAgeAU - Reunion

Fun fact. I was planning on going through these drabbles to see where I still had a bit of a blank spot timeline and story wise. and I did NOT get far.

Because I realised. I never made a tiny drabble about how I pictured the guys reuniting to go back to Nightmare!

So. That is this! (also yes i am hinting at bad sans poly but we will see where that all ends)

First and Prev Drabble (with the original prompt by @spotaus ) Next Drabble

*-----------------*

Cross frowns as the knife once again can't cut through the universe.

This... is an issue.

Cross had managed to get close but for some reason the knife could not connect with Nightmare's universe and castle.

Had... had Nightmare banned him?

Cross hopes not. He knows he had been stupid for running away but he had just! He needed! He had just needed a moment for himself!

Cross tries to take a deep breath and relax. It is fine! Think! Think there is probably another reason!

NIghtmare had been shrinking and losing his form... maybe he is just tired and resting and that affects the universe he is in? Maybe?

Cross wishes Dust was here, Dust knows so much more about magic stuff than he does. Sadly Cross was an idiot and just went out on his own without saying goodbye.

He looks at his phone and opens the message screen again. He clicks Dust's contact and considers typing a message.

Just a quick one to ask for help getting back?

He sighs and puts the phone away. No. This is his mess up and he can fix it himself! He didn't need them or Nightmare to fix his messes!

Again...

Cross shakes his skull and looks to the notes in his phone. He finds the right one. It is a small list of items that should help connect him to Nightmare's universe.

When he first started working for Nightmare the god had told him that the castle and the universe it is in can be hard to find or connect to because of his magic. The items would help the magic in his knife, or the teleportation crystals, locate it and focus on it.

Cross pulls out the list and reads it again.

seven candles, unscented

autumn leaves

a very sweet apple

a dreamcatcher

a way to light a magical fire

be in an universe as close as possible

Cross checks his list and bag and groans. He had only managed to get the apple and the leaves so far. this stupid universe only had a few very small and old towns and it is honestly getting on his nerves!

Cross had just been nervous about leaving this universe. He didn't know this one and just because he managed to jump to it didn't mean he would be able to do it again.

The phones had an extra feature to make it known to them if they were near the castle. it had lit up at this spot after quite a few universes that didn't do it.

Meaning he was not leaving it!

Agh. he could ask if Horror is having more luck and-

WAIT!

Cross looks back over his shoulder and sees Horror walk past.

Cross doesnt think and rushes after the large skeleton "Horror! wait up!"

horror blinks and looks over "Oreo?"

Cross pulls a face at the nickname but catches up to him "What are you doing here?"

Horror looks slightly sheepish as he rubs his neck "You know... regret... trying to get back..."

Cross frowns "Get back- wait... did you leave as well?!"

Horror frowns at him "As well?" then his sight finds Cross' bag and cross can see Horror take note of the items in there. Horror looks back at him with a frown "You can't make the jump either?"

Cross feels both better and worse. Maybe he isn't banned! Or at least he isn't alone in being banned! which just makes him feel like a jerk. He nods and groans "not having much luck with getting the things i need. only got the apple and the leaves..."

Horror blinks but gets a small half grin on his face which Cross thinks should be criminal with how goo- OKAY he is stopping that line of thought.

Horror calmly gets his phone and turns it to enable Cross to see the items in his inventory. a lot of foods and- oh! a sweet apple. and unscneted candles!

Horror keeps grinning "Seems like we are getting close."

Cross grins and nods as he walks with the taller skeleton "Any idea why we can't get in?"

Horror shrugs "multiple options. dunno which."

Cross nods as he looks down "Yeah i figured."

They walk and search together before a loud gasp and Cross is suddenly tackled form behind. Cross yelps as he loses his balance. The only reason he doens't fall over is because Hroror manages to catch both him and whichever idiot rushed into him.

"Criss-Cross! H!"

Ah. nevermind. Cross knows that idiot. Cross glares over his shoulder at the grinning Killer "Why would you tackle me?!"

Killer grins but the grin turns sharper then just friendly "Had to make sure you guys didn't up and leave again without a single fucking word Criss-Cross!"

Cross winces and looks to the side "Yeah... I guess..."

Horror looks guilty as well before looking at Killer "Why are you here? instead of at the castle?"

Now it is Killer's turn to look away and he shrugs "After all of you guys left I figured i would try it myself. the whole solo-rouge-vagabond dealio. I didn't like it. So I am going back ot Nightmare and see if he needs a right hand still...." more thoughtful "or maybe babysitter? If that whole shrinking thing kept up."

Yeah and that line causes more guilt than before. because they really just all left Nightmare alone to deal with whatever was affecting him. Instead of at least offering help as they should have as his henchman and teammates. Nope! instead they all just left!

Cross rubs his arm "Yeah... we are on our way back too... You got stuff for the ritual?"

Killer sighs "Only the lighter. But that is because i already had one."

Horror frowns at Killer "All of us? Dust too?"

Killer nods "Just walked away. not a word or grabbed anything as far as i know."

Cross covers his face "We are the worst. terrible people." thankless, untrustworthy, unloyal. Cross can think of quite a few more words to describe them.

"We knew that already."

Cross, and Killer for that matter, curses as he jumps back. Only to see Dust standing by them, hood up but face visible with his bored expression.

Killer is by now standing behind Horror and glares at Dust "Don't do that! My soul is already fragile!" the soul shaped floating soul wiggles but stays steady.

Dust raises a brow and looks unimpressed "Don't talk about others then."

Horror chuckles and smiles "Good to see you dust. join us?"

Dust nods "Can't make the jump. what are we mission still?"

Cross takes out the list and after comparing what they have they realise they are only mission the dremacatcher, which Dust pulls out of his pocket.

Cross gasps "Where did you find that? I checked every store!"

Dust shrugs "stole it."

... right. that is also an option.

They take the items outside of town and get it ready.

The dreamcatcher as base with the candles all around it. The leaves used to wrap the apple, the only use one and Horror eats the others as they work.

Killer holds up the lighter and after focusing for a moment flicks it. instead of the normal yellow flame a bright pink flame appears. Killer lights all the candles adn waits for a moment until the smoke circles one another. Last Killer lights the leaves enclosing the apple without disturbing the smoke trails.

The new smoke trail joins the other seven and the whole pile bursts into flames but no heat comes off it. the flame remains pink for a moment before turning purple and then turning black.

Killer grins and looks at Cross "cut away!"

Cross nods and cuts right above the flame and the universe shimmers. The smoke finds the small slice and fills it, moments later the flame and fire travels up towards the slide using the smoke and it opens a black portal, still smoking.

They rush through it and manage to get through it before the portal burns up.

Cross looks over his shoulder "And there shouldn't be anything left?"

Dsut shrugs "small pile of ash."

Killer grins "it burns up very quickly as soon as a portal is established."

Cross frowns as he looks around. they are in the late autumn forest around the castle. He can see the shadow of it in the distance. He starts walking and the other three join him.

Cross huffs "Still think it is a deceptively easy list..."

Killer shrugs "People don't expect there to be an easy way. Not like they will just test things until they hit jackpot." Then Killer grins wider "Not that anyone knows about Ngihtmare's sweet tooth. and no one knows about the apple, hell we don't even know it."

Cross nods as they walk through the forest. Cross can't help but feel like it feels... empty. Whcih is weird because Cross always knew there was nothing else in this universe or forest but them. but still it feels...different.

Horror seems to notice too as he glances around "feels weird..."

Dust nods immediantly "magic is different."

Cross nods as well "I noticed too..."

Whatever is going on it is big... because either it is affecting the universe, it is affecting nightmare enough that it affects the universe. or Nightmare is affected enough that he made these edits.

Hopefully they can clear all this up once they see Nightmare and apologise to him. The exit the forest and spot the castle in the distance.

Time to go talk wiht him.

*-----------------*

First and Prev Drabble Next Drabble

And as we all know, Nightmare wasn't there. woops. turns out that apology will have to wait a bit Cross.

And the tiniest bit of Bi-panic for Cross (I believe he canonly is Bi in like Xtale so he is still Bi here) ((And yes I am slightly hinting at BSP because I like them but They are kinda too busy to really focus on that in these drabbles but there some interest! but it can also be seen as pureply platonic with just some curious interest honestly *shrug* It is june after all!))

[oyeixcher]

Yeonjun ✦ L’OFFICIEL HOMMES

[retributory]

when you think about it clive and flora are actually perfect narrative foils on complete accident. like what's up with that. professor layton and the completely imagined literary devices

[bibiana112]

One of my favorite character traits that Junpei has is how as much as he's protective and caring to his favorite people and impulsively jumps into danger to help others if he has an opportunity to without wanting anything in return and highly values the promises he makes he just seems to also always be more curious than he is sensible or empathetic, he gets so caught up on the horrors he sees but he has such a hard time looking away, he's right to analyze and be intrigued by the ninth man's remains but he stands around staring at it until he pukes, in the showers you can interact with the wall behind which lies "Snake's" corpse and he will pick up more details about it each time you click on it until he has to mentally rip himself away because it's not that he can't keep looking at it it's that he better look away and focus on getting out, and the way he talks to Clover about the body with every minutiae she wouldn't want to hear is like his brain connects faster to his mouth than it can connect to his sense of morality sometimes which I guess turned out to be a good thing in this one case or just good common sense in general like there's other minor things he blurts out at times, he's stated to not have tact be his strongest suit, he's insensitive on accident trying to fumble through interactions even if he's entirely confident on what he's saying he's soo sharp when he has a goal in mind but he's soo dense if he's trying to just exist my man is so traumatized and his brain always seems to default to taking the most of any given situation in as possible to desensitize himself instead of any other response and sometimes it pushes his mind to be so single mindedly entranced on not ending up that way too that he'll describe a mangled body in excruciating detail to a grieving relative even if that's his friend and even if he feels guilty about it immediately as soon as he catches up with what just left his mouth instead of staying in his thoughts

[kamitakes]

rewatching scenes from tybw is making me think about the dynamic between jūshirō, sasameki, and shunsui and how they each carry their own darkness or burden. they all have something that they can't or won't share with most. and despite that, they're like a balm to each other and carry those burdens together. it's, in my humble opinion, the foundation of their dynamic as a family

[suncaptor]

"Eridan is genocidal" Eridan actively spends his childhood trapped in violence to try to prevent genocide.

[stop-breaking-my-heart-dragonage]

Me, when Sebastian joins my party for the first time: Okay, this time I'm not going to forget about you, Sebastian. I'm going to make an effort to use you a lot this playthrough so I can better understand you.

Also me, immediately forgetting about Sebastian while finishing Act 2 and making it halfway through Act 3 before I finally notice his Faith quest: ......................Oh. Right. My bad.

[cosmic-d1ce]

How does Phil act after he’s fully broken? Does Forever ever somewhat regret breaking him because Phil’s ‘spark’ is gone, like that trope where the abuser ends up missing a personality trait thats now gone (ex: being super excitable or even defiant and violent, replaced with complete docility)? Or is he happy with it?

What Forever has basically done, very very basically, is take away Phil's "i need to keep myself safe" and replaced it with "if Forever is happy i am too"

There's small differences, like his paranoia is worse and now comes with skittishness, he's jumpy and flinches when you move too quickly. Every touch feels like a threat now, no matter how loving or sweet it is.

Especially if it's loving and sweet.

He's weaker, but that's okay. Forever likes being the one protecting them. He likes being the one in power. He's exhausted always, but that's okay because he's just so cute when he's sleepy

He's absolutely different and it's noticable, but he's also still himself.

The change is much more noticable when he's with Forever, he completely gives up any fighting spirit he has the moment Forever is in the room. He has to be compliant. He has to listen. He has to do as he's told. He has to love him back. If he doesn't, his family is in danger.

The change goes slowly, so he and Forever don't notice it much, but when he gets out, everyone notices quickly because it's jarring how different he was before. He doesn't fight anymore. He's quiet, doesn't engage, avoids the people he used to stick to so closely. He won't say no. He won't set boundaries. He won't protect himself when he's in danger.

He only fights when pushed to the absolute limit. He only fights when he panics, screaming and fighting like he's back in that room for the first time again

[kkujo]

something i don't see people talking about is the way hyperfixations come in like stages and cycles like it's not just "i'm obsessed with this thing" it's like. euphoria from finding something new and it brings you so much joy and then as that initial dopamine rush wears off you start to get more and more down and feel isolated as you start to realise that no one else cares about it as much as you do and you feel silly for being so into it and the thoughts become repetitive and boring so you get more and more depressed and lonely and then you inevitably lose the hyperfix which leaves you drifting feeling miserable and hopeless until you start the cycle again. idk if i explained this well or if other people will understand but it brings genuine phases of euphoria and straight up depression and this is why i get annoyed when neurotypicals use words like hyperfixation to describe like, an interest. bc it's not. just an interest it becomes who you are and when you lose it it's like losing yourself and you spend so much energy thinking about it that it interrupts your daily life and it's so fucking draining 👍

[cattywampers]

its not like a perceived sensation of rejection or responsibility for loss (or just loss Normal) isnt the underlying factor in almost every single non-dying loop or anything. surely that wouldnt be the case right. Haha

[sleep-sounds-nice-rn]

I need to stop thinking about him I need to stop thinking about him I need to stop thinking about him

[autumnrory]

woooo my niece took 5 of my 13 lego sets, one of which was one of the three larger ones, so that's one huge box out of the way and i'm just glad she wanted them because like they ARE twenty years old and they look fine ofc but sometimes kids aren't gonna want stuff that isn't new and shiny ya know, but she did seem to want everything which would've been fine with me but i knew there was no way they would take all that with them, and at least i still have stuff of my own to sell, plus should get at least a cut of my brother's stuff for doing the inventory and putting together that stuff that wasn't already done

[starlit-roses-ships]

y'all ever just. have those times where you don't really have any energy to deal with f/o angst either from either canon or from your own scenarios you've come up with?

sometimes you just want to think about soft comfort you know? 😞

[dandyshucks]

i feel like im living in a goddamn tragicomedy movie this is insane. i just want to think about my silly blorbos and sleep and repeat. i just want to. have like. 30 minutes. where i can think about Guz. without something happening or needing to be dealt with dhdkdl

[potatoes-tomatoes]

apologies if this is out of left field at all but do you have any thoughts or headcanons about lucy and schroeder? 😭 they’ve been on my mind sm lately

omg I’m so sorry nonny ;A; this is so late

Charlie Brown listens to Schroeder’s complaints about Lucy barging in, and asks why he doesn’t lock the front door. It’s the surest way to keep her out. Schroder half-heartedly shrugs, admitting it’s crossed his mind before, and says nothing else. That’s all the answer Charlie Brown needs, really.

Lucy doesn’t always lean against the piano– whenever Schroeder’s practicing instead of performing, (never. NEVER. interrupt a musician while they’re practicing) Lucy takes the opportunity to practice playing house, and she’s damn good at it. She can never seem to make a good cup of coffee though…

Schroeder never shuts down Lucy’s nuptial hypotheticals. Lucy’s got an active imagination, and. well, they're kids, so she comes up with funny problems. and Schroeder likes a good brain puzzle, so he’ll slow down on his playing to really think on a good solution.

Lucy’s not a big fan of Beethoven, or any classical music really, but she’s very fond of Sonata no. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 “Pathetique”: II. She walks in some days asking for Schroeoder to “play that lovely Pathetic song”

Lucy finds out that Beethoven was hopelessly in love, and rubs it in Schorder’s face that if he truly wants to follow in the footsteps of his idol, he needs to find a gal to pine after.

Schroeder’s the Piano Guy at gatherings and parties, unfortunately. He likes sneaking in sonatas every other pop song or so, and everyone around him groans. Then, quickly shut up. Because Lucy is death glaring every person in the room. No one dares telling Schroeder to skip his song. If Schroeder wants to play his boring ass sonatas he will play them, thus sayeth the fussbudget.

Schroeder will never. ever. EVER. admit it but… he secretly likes being doted on. Lucy gives him undivided attention and listens to his lengthy talks about music (though she’s always making faces at whatever he’s saying) and Schroeder’s never had a captive audience quite like her before. She’s an audience that responds (see: nags), and the reciprocity inspires his playing.

Lucy believes in Schroeder more than anything. She assuages Schroeder’s anxiety when he has to face a new piece, or worse, when he’s been stuck on a section of a piece for a longer period than he’d like. All she has to do is smile as he plays. He knows that face is genuine, and suddenly he finds he’s unclenched his jaw long ago. Hey, that section suddenly isn’t so hard….

Because of Schroder’s position in the sidelines, he’s able to see when Lucy’s at the cusp of spiraling, doing that Thing where she spreads herself thin for everyone and gets angry, insisting things be done her way. He knows when to step in and remind her that in order to take care of others, she has to take care of herself.

umm as for my thoughts, the only cohesive one I have rn is that I think they were absolutely adorable in "It's the Small Things, Charlie Brown"!! All Lucy has to do is call for Schroeder and he comes a-runnin, ready to play. I have no idea I needed that for their dynamic. Oh! and Schroeder being the one to point out what Lucy's afraid of in "Lucy's School"? His straight to the point delivery, acting as the final nail in the coffin? It's rly important that it was HIM who delivered that line to me for obvi reasons. Just. Yes. yesssss I'm so happy how Wildbrain is handling these two, so delicious.