#honestly when I drew this in the first place my intention was to like.

[finvisual]

tons of back and forth about headcannons with one of my buds lead to this <333 (aka dear chris with a biiiit too much time on her hands sewing her own galadriel cosplay. for uhhhhhh, no reason at all.~)

[lovingapparition]

Okay I saw that requests are open!! *Happy dance*

Okay so what about Eldritch!König and you frequent the beach? (I am practically a jellyfish from how much I like to be in the water and every time Im floating I can't stop my mind wondering to a certain masked man who may or may not have tentacles underneath said mask-

DONT JUDGE ME

-with love, ✨🌟⭐💫

please. i love this. i was eating this up AS i was writing it. i went a little buckwild, sorry!

The smell of sunscreen and the ocean in the air, the heat of the sun on your shoulders, the coolness of the ocean lapping it away. The perfect way to spend any and all of your free time. On the dryer part of the beach you've got all of your necessities tucked neatly beneath an umbrella. Your cooler, bag, and clean clothes all ready for you. Somewhere in the mix is a small pail of cool rocks and shells you've been collecting.

You'd come alone today, but it didn't feel lonely. People with their friends and families walking, splashing, and chatting around you. The sound of the gulls flying above, looking for the unwitting victim to snatch a snack from. Waist deep in the shallows, your own feet visible to you in the clear water, you couldn't help but feel at home. This was where you were supposed to be.

You're skating your hands over the surface of the water, sending ripples over it's surface as you carefully walk through the water. The ocean was beautiful, but it was easy to slip or step on a sharp rock. You'd learned that lesson too many times. It's when you're bending to examine a particularly weird clump that you can't help but feel.. seen. Watched. It was a given, considering you were dressed for the beach, but this feeling was off. It pinged some buried part of your lizard brain.

From a cursory glance of the shore, you couldn't really pick out anything in particular at first. Just families with their excited kids and mopey teens. Some ways off from you, closer to the shore, is a man. How you hadn't noticed him before was honestly kind of baffling, all things considered.

He was tall. Even from a distance it seemed like his shadow was stretching on and on. You figured the heat had to be playing tricks on your eyes, maybe you needed to get into the shade for awhile. What actually caught your attention was the black hood and clothes he wore. His face had to be hot as hell in that thing, you couldn't even imagine.

As you waded in his direction to get out of the water, you wondered if he was some kind of athlete based on the muscular build he had. Who knows, athletes do weird shit all the time, who were you to judge?

It wasn't until you were a few strides away from him that you realized he'd been intently watching you slowly inch back to the shoreline. Even from the distance still between you, his eyes were so blue. As if they were made of the ocean itself. You stared for an awkward second too long, enough that he tilted his head at you. It looked like something shifted beneath the mask, just slightly. You blinked once, watching it happen again.

Ugh, this heat. It was too much. You were starting to sweat, the brightness of the sun boring down on you now that you weren't so deep in the water. It must be bad if you were seeing things now. Dragging the back of your hand over your eyes, you continue back to your setup, and recline on the towel you'd laid out. Lazily, you toed the pail of rocks and shells to the foot of the towel.

It was better in the shade, on your back. You sluggishly drank from the water bottle you'd tucked in your bag, groaning softly. For awhile you let yourself relax, drying off slowly and feeling that odd feeling recede. You sit up to have a snack, just taking in the views, enjoying the moment you have to yourself. This place just drew you in, it couldn't help it if it hurt you little sometimes. That was the nature of the ocean, and you loved it anyway.

It's not long before you feel that same odd tingle of being observed. You're not subtle about looking around, checking over your shoulders. It's just the same scenery as before, the families and their loud kids. The tall man isn't on the shore anymore. You huff to yourself, trying to shake off that feeling. You decide to pull the pail over to your lap, excited to take a look at the day's haul.

When you're admiring a particularly shiny piece of sea glass, that prickle on the back of your neck comes back like cold water splashed on to you. You can barely contain your jump when you look up to see that man again. He's a respectful distance away from your towel, but he's looking right at you again. His head is tilted as he looks down at you, his wrist cupped in his other hand in front of his stomach. It seems like he might be trying to make himself appear smaller than he is.

It wasn't working.

"I've seen you here, a lot," his accent is like one you've never heard, it almost doesn't match his appearance, in a way.

Blinking up at him, you have to remind yourself to answer him. "Um, yeah- yes. I love this beach." It's not hard to see that, you've come better prepared than most ever do. "I've never seen you before, though. Are you from here?" You venture to ask, since he's not being too creepy.

He takes a step closer to your towel and kneels to sit in the sand. You're close enough you can see the texture of the clothes he's got on. They're damp from the ocean's spray, but he doesn't smell bad. You can't help but wonder if you've actually got heat stroke, from the way his hood keeps shifting like that. It's only ever out of the corner of your eye but it seems like the shadows on the fabric are moving.

You're busy looking at the mask when he answers you, "My family has been here for a long time." At your questioning look, he quickly adds, "We tend to keep to ourselves. I live near the beach." As he speaks, his fingers carefully trace a pattern in the sand you've never seen, and he wipes it away before you can get a good look. "Anyway. I saw you collecting stones, I thought you would like this?" His voice is a little strained, and you wonder if he might be nervous. The movement beneath his mask speeds up just slightly.

Okay, you're definitely not imagining that. Some alien part of you decides that you.. don't mind? What?

Out of his pocket he hands you a stone that you've never seen before. It's a rich blue, so deep in its center it looks black. It's cool and smooth and heavy, fitting perfectly in the center of your palm. Like it was made for your hand to hold it. You look up at him then, a strange feeling pooling in the pit of your belly. He watches your reaction carefully, blinking slowly. You could've sworn his eyes were a clear, bright blue earlier, but now they seemed to match that of the stone.

"I- are you sure? You don't even know my name?" You ask, dumbfounded. Even as you say the words, you can feel something in you that wants to keep the stone. It's yours, you can feel it. Without thinking you cradle it closer to your chest. That action catches his attention, and you can see his eyes carefully track the movement. There's a glint in them that, this close up, seems off. Not human. Right now, you're not sure if you care.

When he looks back up at you, you think he might be smiling, if it's even possible. "I would love to know it."

[streamsofstardust]

the hot seat | d.r.w

danny wagner x reader

word count: 3,395

content warnings: danny in makeup, dirty talk, unprotected sex, fingering, choking, praise, degredation, lil bit of oral (f receiving), tinier bit of masturbation (m), slight exhibitionism kink if you squint, slight overstimulation if you squint even harder, cream pie

summary: you're danny's makeup artist on this dreams in gold journey. it's the night of the first show for the north american leg of the tour and as per usual, you're working on danny's stage makeup. that is, of course, until things take an unexpected (but very welcome) turn

a/n: honestly i can't remember what made me think about this but those thoughts were nonstop. i haven't written consistently bc i suck and i promise I'm trying to get back into it now that I'm not working so consider this my welcome back to fic writing i guess. anyway danny wagner is daddy but he's also a whore and i love him tremendously. enjoy besties

taglist: @allieboop @obetrolncocktails @greta-flanveet @kdarling1 @doodle417 @mollie-gvf @hoeforstevienicks @joshkiszkas @gardenofgreta @gretasmokerising @lunaindigoraven @jakekiszkasleftnutsack

if someone had asked you mere months ago where you saw yourself at this very moment in your life, you wouldn't have said getting paid to glue rhinestones on danny wagner's face. you wouldn't have said you'd be standing inches away from the drummer minutes before he runs onto the stage. you wouldn't have said you'd be traveling internationally as a pseudo makeup artist for a rock band. and you definitely wouldn't have said you'd be harboring an ever growing crush on the band’s drummer.

but, there you were.

the routine was simple: head to danny’s dressing room an hour before the show, talk about what look he wanted for the night, execute said look, then follow him to the stage where you'd stand on the side and watch the four of them work their magic.

you had been doing that routine for a little over two months now and naturally you'd developed a friendship with danny. truly, how could you not? he was the sweetest man you'd ever met with a magnetic pull and a smile that made you melt. his kind eyes drew you in every night, and you'd often find yourself getting lost in them while being just a few inches away from his face.

he was easy to talk to and never made you feel as though you were below him, or that he was somehow above you like a rock god that deserved to be placed on the highest pedestal. no, in fact it seemed as though danny forgot just how famous he was sometimes, perhaps still in shock by his own success and accolades.

all of this made it nearly impossible to not develop feelings for him. but more so than that, the proximity you found yourself to him night after night resulted in a persistent fire within your body. one that started as a slight ember and had grown more and more with every interaction.

you wanted him in ways you'd never wanted someone before. the heat that radiated off of his body was intoxicating. the mint scent that you caught with every breathy chuckle sent chills down your spine. the intensity of his gaze, intentional or not, had you reeling. and every so often when he’d brush his hand over your arm or your waist as you delicately and precisely placed each individual gemstone along his perfectly sculpted face, you'd find your breath hitch and your knees become weak.

it was relatively easy to convince yourself he never noticed the slight changes in your body movements. that he didn't see your thighs clench at the sound of his deep, silky voice. that he didn't notice the way your eyes drifted downwards to his soft lips, lost in your own head as you imagined how they'd feel against your own.

it was also relatively easy to brush off the way he made you feel because you knew you couldn't do anything about it. you were extremely lucky to have obtained your job in the first place, you weren't dumb enough to risk everything for a chance at sleeping with the drummer.

but then it seemed like something shifted.

subtle brushes of his hand became solid placements of the appendage on your waist, just barely over the top edge of your jeans. playful tones in his voice started sounding raspy in his innuendo filled statements. his eyes seemed to linger longer on your own, his making the occasional dive lower towards your lips as you had caught yourself doing to him several times in the past. and the space between the two of you as you did his makeup appeared to get smaller and smaller. if you didn't know better, you'd think his actions were intentional. that he was hinting at his very own desire for you.

on the night of their first show in canada, you found yourself in danny’s dressing room, as you had been every show prior. he expressed a desire to do something darker with his makeup this time; something smokier and bolder with winged eyeliner and an intricate pattern of rhinestones to match.

danny had elected to sit on the plush velvet couch this evening, citing a slight backache as his reason why. this unfortunately resulted in you standing hunched over in a position that was less than comfortable for the extended period of time you were in it. you found yourself taking longer to complete his look due to the constant need to straighten your back, something that had not gone unnoticed by danny.

“i promise this isn't meant to sound suggestive, but you can sit on my lap if it'll help your back. i feel bad that you're uncomfortable.” he stated.

you looked at him and considered his proposal. on one hand he could be joking, and you immediately taking him up on the offer could result in a very very embarrassing interaction. on the other hand, his expression seemed genuine and you couldn't deny that a change in position would help tremendously. you looked down where his hand was placed on your forearm, which had been pressed against the back of the couch as a means of supporting your weight.

you shook your head before responding. “i wouldn't want to squish you or make you uncomfortable.”

“sweetheart, i can tell leaning over like this is killing you. it's not a big deal, i promise.” he chuckled slightly before continuing, his hand rubbing softly over your arm as a comforting gesture, “plus you couldn't squish me if you tried.”

you released a small laugh of your own before accepting his offer, placing each of your legs outside of his own, effectively kneeling over his lap. The short dress you wore began to ride up your thighs, something you only worried about for a brief moment.

you continued working on his makeup, trying to portray his vision as closely as you could. you knew he'd love whatever the result was, but you couldn't help but embrace your inner perfectionist.

“ya know, it's a shame your drums aren't closer to the front of the stage,” you started. “All of this hard work on your makeup and not nearly enough people get to see it up close.” he chuckled at your words, his head shaking ever so slightly. You grabbed the sides of his head to keep him still.

“Uh uh daniel, no moving.” he smiled at you, staring directly into your eyes. You fought back the blush that was threatening to surface, as well as the urge to kiss him right then and there. Danny, on the other hand, was less subtle. His eyes moved down to watch your lips as you spoke, his tongue slowly darting out to wet his own.

“Yes ma’am.”

You gave him a small smile of your own before returning to your work, shifting in his lap to get closer, wanting to make sure the makeup on each of his eyes was even. You heard him let out a breath at your movement, but neither of you acknowledged it. He was probably just sighing anyway. A moment later you moved again, hearing another breath leave danny’s slightly parted lips. His hands moved up to grasp your waist, his grip tightening more and more with each passing second.

The third time you shifted, you felt something hard beneath you. No… there was no way danny was getting turned on from you being in his lap. Your hands paused for a moment, your own shock throwing you off from your work. You moved once more, this time trying to be subtle with your actions in an attempt to see if your hunch was correct. You felt danny’s hold tighten even more, halting your movements, while his head moved closer to yours.

“Angel, i’m really going to need you to stop moving. Don’t want to start something we can’t finish.”

Your eyes widened as you looked up at him. If ever there was a time to even consider making a move, it was now. You nodded in response, not trusting yourself to speak. But even with your agreement, you decided to test the waters. As you leaned in to finish up the last of his makeup, you inched forward, this time moving your hips with purpose, wanting to get a reaction out of him. Rather than pausing after a single movement, you continued, slowly grinding against his growing bulge.

Danny inhaled sharply, his eyes fluttering shut. His right hand came up to grip your wrist, his head shaking and a smirk gracing his lips as he looked at you before speaking.

“Just can’t help yourself, huh? What do you want, baby? You want me to fuck you? Is that why you're deciding to be a brat?”

Your mouth opened, but you were unable to speak. You’d never heard danny speak like that. You couldn’t even imagine the sweet danny you knew uttering anything close to what you just heard. Yet despite your shock, you couldn’t help but feel that familiar heat start making its way throughout your body. Danny’s hand that had been holding your wrist moved upward, slowly inching along your arm until it found purchase on your jaw.

“Don’t act shy now, sweetheart. Answer me.”

“Y-yes. Yes. please danny.” you could be embarrassed at the speed at which you begged for him later. Now, all you wanted was him, and you’d say whatever he wanted to hear to get exactly that.

“You can do better than that. You want my cock in you that badly? Prove it.” he demanded.

“Danny, please, please. I need you. Need you inside me. Need to feel you so fucking badly, baby, please.” the smirk that graced his face allowed you to conclude that it was to his satisfaction.

Danny checked his watch briefly before looking back at you. “Only 15 minutes baby, gotta make this quick.”

His hands moved to slide your dress further up your thighs until it bunched at your hips. Pushing you back the slightest bit, he began untying his sweatpants and pulling them down just enough to release his hardened cock. The fact that he had forgone underwear did not go unnoticed, and had your mind not been in the process of turning into complete mush, you might have cracked a joke about it.

You couldn’t help but look down at his lap, eyes bulging at the size of him. You’d had a hunch that he was big, but seeing him in all his glory admittedly made you nervous. You’d definitely feel sore after this. You watched as danny began moving his hand slowly up and down his length, his eyes closing and his head falling back. He looked absolutely beautiful in this state, pleasuring himself with you on top of him.

After a few more pumps of his fist, he reached down towards your panties, sliding two of his long fingers over your clothed core. You moaned in response, your own eyes rolling back. He continued his motion, increasing the pressure more and more.

“I can feel how wet you are, angel. All this for me?” the question was rhetorical, you both knew it was entirely his doing. You nodded rapidly anyway. He continued, not waiting for a verbal response from you. “God, if we had more time i’d lick every fucking drop from your gorgeous cunt, i fucking swear.” his words sent a shiver down your spine. This version of danny was quickly becoming your favorite, and you hoped you’d get to see him like this after tonight.

He grabbed your panties in each hand and swiftly ripped the lace in half, pulling the material from your body and shoving it in his pocket. All you could do was stare at him. You felt his fingers take their place back on your pussy and rub small circles over your clit. The moan you released was probably much louder than you should’ve allowed it to be, but in that moment you could hardly find it in you to care. When he easily slipped those two fingers inside of you, you both moaned at the feeling.

“Fucking hell, angel. Soaking wet for me. Gonna feel so fucking perfect around my cock.”

His fingers curled up to hit that little spot inside you that made you shake. You gasped loudly and grabbed his shoulder to hold yourself up.

“Right there, huh?” he continued curling his fingers, speeding up as he did so, only increasing the rate of your moans. “Can feel you dripping down my fingers, baby. Fuck, i need to be inside you.”

As he removed his fingers, you felt yourself clench around nothing. You missed the feeling of them inside you, but were satiated once you felt his cock at your entrance. Ever the tease, danny began dragging the tip of his cock against you, spreading your wetness up and down his cock.

“Danny, please. No more teasing. Need you to fuck me.” you whined.

He looked up at you with a devilish smile, continuing his movements to mess with you even more.

“Yeah? Need my cock so fucking bad huh? Need me to stretch that pretty fucking pussy and fill you up, don’t you. Such a slut begging for my cock, sound so pretty for me, angel.”

You found yourself unable to speak again, reduced to nothing but a moaning, writhing mess for the man beneath you. Danny lifted you by your hips, just enough to line his cock up with your dripping hole before slamming you down back onto him, sheathing his entire length inside you. He quickly moved his hand to cover your mouth in an attempt to minimize the volume of your scream. There were, afterall, plenty of people nearby that could easily hear you. The thought of getting caught turned you on even more, your pussy clenching around him.

“Can feel you squeezing my cock, baby. What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” you tried to respond, to tell him what he wanted to hear, but forming words, let alone a full sentence, seemed like the most difficult challenge for you.

“T-thinking about, fuck danny, s-someone hearing us.” you barely choked out the words, realizing in that moment that he still hadn’t moved, his cock pulsing within you.

His eyes seemed to darken at your confession. “Oh yeah? Thinking about someone walking in on us?” he nudged your hips, instructing you to start riding him. “Thinking about someone coming in here and watching you ride my cock like such a good girl.” you moaned at his words and squeezed around him once more.

“You like that? You like being my good girl?”

You bit your lip and nodded. “Fuck yes, danny. So good for you… just for you.”

He huffed a breath, holding you while he fucked up into your tight cunt, the pace of his thrusts bringing you closer to the edge. Your whines sounded pathetic even to you, but there was little you could do to stop them.

“My good girl,” he repeated. “Such a good little whore for me. Had you begging for my cock before i even touched you. Just so desperate to get this pretty little cunt railed. Fuck angel, you feel so good wrapped around me. So fucking tight and warm. Could stay inside you all day.”

You’d probably let him do exactly that. No. no, you’d absolutely let him. “Danny, baby. Please.” truthfully you didn’t know what you were begging for at that point. Was it for him to fuck you faster? Harder? Rougher? Were you telling him that you would give anything to feel him inside you at all times? Were you telling him to finish soon? Perhaps all of the above.

“What, angel? What do you need?” he looked over at the clock on the wall, checking to see how much time he had before he needed to be on the stage. Both of you had gotten lost in your pleasure, momentarily forgetting where you were and where he would soon need to be.

“More. just.. More.” you whimpered.

He nodded in agreement and gripped your waist with a firm grasp before rolling you over to lay back on the couch. Lifting one of your legs over his shoulder, he continued thrusting into you even harder and faster than before. The new angle allowed him to fuck you even deeper, granting you a feeling that had your jaw dropping and sent your eyes into the back of your head.

“God, danny, yes!”

Danny placed kisses along your leg while the thumb of his right hand came down to rub your clit. The combined sensations pushing you further to the edge. You could feel your orgasm growing, the warmth of your impending release flooding throughout your body. Danny’s thrusts had started losing their consistent rhythm, and that, paired with the persistent groans coming from his gorgeous mouth proved he was just as close as you were. You clenched around him to bring both of you closer.

“Oh fuck me angel.” he breathed out. His free hand came up to wrap around your throat, his grip firm on your skin. Your eyes fluttered shut, a soft, raspy whimper of his name leaving your lips. “Come on, baby. Cum for me. Be a good girl and cum on my cock.”

His words triggered your release, a shockwave running up and down your body and your vision turning white. You’d never felt such intensity, your moans and cries coming out against your will. Danny continued his thrusting as you finished, the added stimulation of where his hands were placed prolonging your orgasm.

“That’s it angel, so fucking good. So beautiful when you cum.” his praise made your heart flutter. He braced his right hand against the couch while his left moved to your hip, the contrast of the rough calluses on his hand feeling wonderful against your soft skin. “Fuck, i’m close. Gonna fill up this perfect fucking pussy.” the tight feeling of your cunt around him had him finishing shortly after, moaning out your name as he worked through his orgasm. You relished in the feeling of his warmth inside you.

Danny slowly pulled out of you, watching as his cum poured out of your hole. His thoughts getting the best of him, he used two of his fingers to fuck his release back into you, thinking nothing other than the desire to leave his mark there as long as he could. You felt the pressure building once more, knowing you wouldn’t be far from another orgasm, which didn’t go unnoticed by the man above you.

“I know you’re close, sweetheart. Gonna give me another? Come on, let me have it. We don’t have much time.”

With a few more pumps of his fingers, you felt yourself let go for a second time. Without hesitation, danny leaned down to lap at your throbbing core, sucking up a combination of your release and his. The sight alone blew your mind, never having expected him to do something like that. He moaned against you, licking every inch and refusing to leave a single drop. Your hand moved to tangle into his curls, pulling ever so slightly.

“Dan-danny, oh my- fuck.” you cried out.

Once he was finished, he lifted his head to look at you, enamored with the complete fucked out expression on your face. His own expression shifted to one that was more serious as he pointed to his face.

“Didn’t mess up the makeup, right? Wouldn’t want to ruin all your hard work.” he joked.

You both laughed and you shook your head, brushing a few stray hairs from his face. “Nope. you still look incredible.”

He smiled, bending down to kiss you. A knock on the door pulled you out of your bubble.

“Danny boy!” you heard jake yell. “Not sure if you forgot but we have to be on stage in front of a few thousand people like, now.”

Danny groaned as you chuckled, pushing him to sit up.

“Go,” you instructed. “I have a bit of cleaning up to do around here.”

He smiled at you, holding your face softly between his hands before kissing you a few more times. “Round two later? I wanna take my time with you.”

You watched as he put his stage pants on, noticing your shredded underwear sticking out of his now balled up sweatpants, and returned his smile. “Definitely. Now go be a rockstar.”

[magswrite]

the flat

prompt: champagne (july 30th). 949 words. @jegulus-microfic. ft. roommates james and regulus and a lot of overthinking.

It was three years ago that Regulus first moved in with James Potter, when they found a little flat in the heart of London and moved in out of what James called convenience.

“After all,” he’d said, “We both need a place, now.”

For three years, it’d been perfect—James, really, was an ideal flatmate. Didn’t make too much noise, kept the common areas perfectly clean (though his room was another story), always texted when he was picking up groceries. All things considered, he should’ve been the perfect flatmate, except that Regulus had the problem of being irrevocably in love with him.

James was, for all intents and purposes, a playboy. He didn’t bring his hookups back to the flat often, but when he did, he was annoyingly respectful about it. He’d stumbled upon James making breakfast for his guests more than once, and for all he knew, Regulus never heard a thing when they were fucking.

(He did—of course. The walls were thin.)

Recently, it’d been better. Not that Regulus was counting (he was), but James hadn’t brought anyone home in five months, and he’d been anticipating the other ball to drop—and Regulus was convinced that it was because he was moving out. Maybe even, because he’d found a partner—someone he could move in with, like Sirius and Remus had.

It was the only explanation for why he kept disappearing, particularly the past week, dodging Regulus with excuse after excuse. It’d been over three days since they’d had a conversation. It was also why Regulus was dreading heading back to the flat—it was a Friday night and he would no doubt be spending it alone, unlike James.

(James, certainly, would be at this mystery partner’s apartment. Honestly, he’d probably be moving out, sometime soon, it wasn’t as though this was supposed to be a permanent situation, anyhow.)

Which was why it was such a surprise for him, when their old flat door swung open, and he found James standing at the kitchen island with an ice-bucket, two elegant champagne glasses, and a bottle of Moët.

“Surprise!” James said, and for once, Regulus was actually, truly, surprised.

“What’s,” he said, glancing around, “all this for?”

James drew his eyebrows together. “Our anniversary,” he said, casually, and Regulus bit back the choking noise in the back of his throat. “We moved in three years ago—don’t you remember?”

He had a very forlorn look on his face, and Regulus was beginning to feel like he’d been misinterpreting…some things.

“Of course but—well, you didn’t have to do all this.”

“Why not?” He asked, voice airy.

“It’s—James. We haven’t seen each other in like, a week. This is very nice, and all, but if you have something to tell me, you didn’t have to do all this.”

There was a pause as a confused expression fell upon James’ face. And then: “Oh. You already knew then, that I was going to ask you tonight.”

He sounded almost…nervous. Dread settled in Regulus’ stomach—of course, James must’ve been planning to tell him he was moving out. The champagne was a consolation prize, at best.

“I didn’t know,” he clarified. “But I think we both figured that this wasn’t sustainable in the long run. I mean, we’re two adults living together, one of us was bound to move at some point.”

Regulus tried very hard to not sound too disappointed at the fact that, well, he’d probably be seeing far less of James at all.

James’ face, on the other hand, lit up, a smile overtaking it, “Perfect—then it’s a yes?”

“I mean, it’s not like you need to ask my permission,” Regulus said, slightly confused.

“No…I really think I do? What are you talking about?”

“…The fact that you’re moving out? What are you talking about?”

“Regulus, I’m asking you out.”

Oh…that was definitely not what he’d been expecting.

“What?” Regulus said, brain sort-of short circuiting.

“I’m asking you out. On a date—will you go out with me?”

Regulus’ first thought was: this doesn’t make any sense.

“But you’ve been…avoiding me.”

James’ expression fell, “Oh. I didn’t realize it was—I’m sorry. I just wanted it to be perfect, and I knew you weren’t doing anything tonight, and I guess I got ahead of myself a bit—“

And suddenly, everything fell into place.

“Yes,” he finally said, cutting him off. James, clearly, was nervous, and when he got nervous, he sort-of started rambling in nonsense, “of course I’ll go out with you, James. I just thought—well, I thought you were going to tell me you were moving out.”

James’ eyebrows wrinkled together again, “Moving out? I’ve practically been in love with you for the past five months. Why would I want to move out?”

Regulus’ next thought was: oh. Everything makes a whole lot more sense, now.

“I guess I don’t really know,” he replied. “I mean, it explains why the hookups stopped.”

(It was past time he stopped doubting himself, after all.)

“Perfect,” James said, “Because I have so much planned—you’ll probably want to change outfits, we’re going to the park first, with the Moët, and I know how you hate wearing work clothes outside the office. After that, I thought we could catch that movie you’d mentioned, a while back…”

Regulus started tuning him out, a bit. All he could think about was the way James had said in love, and later that night, when they went back to their apartment, settling in Regulus’ room (it’d always been the bigger one), he whispered it too, a low mumble onto James’ chest: love you too.

[manonamora-if]

The Roads I Maybe Should Have Taken

The TRNT Post Mortem

Oye oye! As was promised, so it is! The Post Mortem for The Roads Not Taken (which hopefully won't be as long as the actual game...)

Follow me into my journey of once again speed-running my way through a competition, and coming out scratched and bruised and still not learning my lessons!

First, some links:

if you haven't played the game yet, I recommend you do before reading this!

you can find its IFDB page here (if you want to leave a review?)

and the STF version source code here for the code curious!

shortened version of the PostMortem on IntFic

Then, a little Table of Content:

The Idea

The Story

The Implementation

The Reception

The Do-Over?

And finally, we start! (under the break because it will be long - LoL at me writing 1/5th of TRNT as a Post Mortem)

I should preface this Post Mortem with I entered the SpringThing on a whim. I had just come out of a conga line of competitions and game jams since last Summer (log of release/update), and had plans on finishing working on other projects instead of this one (which I probably should have... sorry The Rye in the Dark City for abandoning you...). But I obviously didn't do that because here was another new fresh game! And then another two of those just after... whooops...

The idea for TRNT just popped into my brain one day and would not leave me until I implemented it, no matter what (yes, I am still weak willed, I have not learned my lesson from The Thick Table Tavern, the one about not rushing a project and publishing it at a later date when it is truly ready). I did have that thought in the back of my mind that if I do do this, it would be very likely I would end up with a repeat of TTTT, as in: half-full drink with too much ice, and expired garnish falling from the very pretty fancy glass.

Also I did not start working on the entry until the SeedComp was in its voting round (so around the 4-5th of March?). I really wasn't kidding about the speed-running thing....

Another thing: I had never created a parser game before this point AND suck real time at playing them! This was also indicated in my Author's comment.

Nothing obviously stopped me anyway, because here we are...

1- The Idea

A few weeks before the opening of the SpringThing intent, the French IF community was streaming some older parser entries, including Aisle* and Pick-Up the Phone Booth and Die, two games where the player can only do one action before the game ends. I'd never really experienced this kind of game before (the closest being having a sudden death/continue the story choice). It packed a punch, it was funny, and also so very weird. It left me dissatisfied and super intrigued. I wanted to try and do that too someday. *Funnily, someone on the French IF discord thought DOL-OS had been inspired by Sam Barlow's work (it wasn't, but TRNT def was).

Not, I am not going to be hella pretentious and full of myself by putting TRNT on the same level as those games (because I don't think I did a good enough job to merit a comparison), but the one-action-only gameplay and multiple endings drew me in (I love abrupt endings, cf P-Rix). I've mainly written longer form of IF rather than short bites, and I thought it would be fun to try to constrict myself as much as possible, by having just one thing, one action, one outcome.

And also: parsers. I had only dabbled with the Choice-Based/Hyperlink format, so I thought it was time to try the last unexplored part of my IF journey: parsers. Since the SpringThing Festival is a nice place to experiment, I thought why not try to make one then! I could not have survived the anxiety of the IFComp reviews for that one...

Still, it was not going to be without a challenge. I had very little experience with parsers, and I honestly didn't think I could learn how to use a parser program in such short amount of time*, when I had a lot of other stuff at the same time. So I thought, why not make it in Twine**, at least I know this program inside-and-out(almost). There would not be a steep learning curve there... What could go wrong? *lol at me, having made an Adventuron game in a non supported language in about 2 weeks after that, without ever having tried the program beforehand. I could totes have managed!! **Also, when I got set with Twine, I realised how fun it would be to maybe put people's expectations upside down by doing something you're not supposed to with Twine... or parsers!

Well, it was going right at first...

2- The Story

I really wanted to recreate the same gameplay of Aisle with its only-one-action-and-it's-over, so I started listing possible actions and put them into a context where this choice of action would mean everything for the PC - because it is the only action you have. Which might not have been a good take? Aisle works because the setting is incredible mundane, and there are no stakes.

The context pretty quickly drew itself as the player will chose a profession/career path, and if they do/choose something wrong, then...😬too bad for them, they made their choice, deal with the consequences. While, in reality, we are not stuck in a life because of one choice, but with a myriad of them (and still we can change this trajectory), it's still a big pressure you get as a youth, having to choose where to go and what to do when you are done with highschool, and what path to take. It's a lot of responsibility that sometimes feels like it will affect/haunt the rest of your life. Do I still have some of that school/parental pressure from when I had to make that choice ingrained somewhere inside? probably...

But the more foolish idea was to let my brain continue to think more about that context and create a world and story further than the choice. Instead of going forward with the consequences and the hints of what could have happened or just let the choice being the centre piece, the brain just went backwards and created a society (some sort of futuristic one) and vaguely described beings (that are not humans), and the ritualistic culture of this society, etc... While it was fun to think about all of those, and maybe provided a fun setting and enticing story for the player to go through the game, there might have been a bit too much of it. I think, in hindsight, this may have devalued the choice itself (which became even more watered down when I continued on writing the first screens).

And so, the job choice soon became the player is going through some sort of ritual (v trope-y) to determine their place in society. If it has a vibe of The Giver, it shouldn't be too surprising, the book is on my shelf.

So we still have the one-choice-to-rule-them-all, but now there is a also backstory and setting... and I have to include it somewhoeeven if it means cramming it somewhere, anywhere.

Oh wait, I thought, I'll just make it like a prologue to build anticipation for the choice!

And so the brain went on zooming again to create the waiting room, and the agonising walk in the corridor, and the finding your way to the altar, before you cant finally make your choice..... only to end up with two(-ish) paragraphs for each endings. wow - what a good balanced game this is becoming...

Speaking of endings, I had originally listed over 50 actions, each planned to have a different ending.... only to end up with about 11, 7 of those were actually related to the final countdown choice. It made me sadder than when I cut onions :(

It wasn't just the player that needed to make...

At this point, we were two weeks away from the deadline. I had the backbone of the code (-ish), a good third of the writing wasn't complete (and this was mainly those 11 endings), and no one had tested the game yet. There was no way I could have included all 50 original options if I wanted to make the deadline. might have been good in hindsight to remove those choices, especially with the current command system.

So choices had to be made and a buttload of planned things had to be cut. I narrowly managed to finish the needed endings in time (which required re-writing some of those into a fake choice), at least.

At the end, I strayed quite a bit from the Aisle concept of a mini intro - one action - an ending puzzle-y feel (and making the player piece the story together from the endings), to arrive at... well... this anxiously geolian walk to one's doom (or dream). Making the story quite... well... linear.

And from going somewhat wrong, it went a little wrong-er...

3- The Implementation

Wanting to avoid the headache of learning a new program, I had settled on Twine pretty much from the start (SugarCube, because that's how I've been rolling for the past almost 2 years!).

The big problématiques of this project were:

Twine is not a parser program (duh)

SugarCube has its limitations still (and macros that don't always work the way you want to)

I had never written a parser game before and suck at playing them (thank you, French IF streams that helps me enjoy them without experiencing the frustration of not finding the right combo!)

I still suck at JavaScript/jQuery to do weird things with the page (and probably fix all those issues)

and well did I already say Twine is not a parser program?

So I tried to get to the basic of parsers (an input box and text revealing itself onto the page when a command is entered) and prayed for the best. Easy, right?

WRONG!

SugarCube has an input box, but can only autofocus* inside one specific place (so you can't lock it somewhere else but the passage itself, which means you need to add it to every screen...) and when the passage is first loaded (doesn't work if the input box is added later on). *I have also hurt some kitten by overusing autofocus, which was only compensated by offering the the SugarCube God some bug reports about it so those issues could be fixed for the next update (TBA). But you really are not supposed to use autofocus as much as I did... 😬

SugarCube has an input box, but you can only move to another passage after you press Enter. So you can't have some fancy input checks, and you stay on the same page... without some custom listener macro* that is (Bless you Maliface and your Listen Macro) - or I guess some JavaScript code, but who has time for that... I had included a button as an alternative to confirm the commands (which was how I had coded it for DOL-OS), but it would have made the parser experience much worse if using Enter would not have loaded a response (this was a criticism from DOL-OS, which now that I know how to fix, I really should do so...). *at least until the next Sugarcube update which will include a listener.

SugarCube has an input box, but doesn't have a bank of commands, or set object indicator (like with the parsers). While you can technically separate the inputed words with some JavaScript**, whether you do so or not will end with the same amount of spaghetti code at the end, with the different conditional statements for each actions on each screen to show the correct text bits (mine amounted to almost 600 lines of code for 7 screens... without included the printed text! -> see the source code). Now that I've messed around with Adventuron, I can see how easy it is to make a parser game (set up commands and rooms and interactive object), when you have a bank of built-in commands and not have to worry about how to add the new text on the screen. Twine really added a new layer of complexity to this.... Was there a better way of doing this? probably, but don't look at me to find it. *this was how the name chosenname command came to be, and how it only printed the chosen name on the following screens. That and the autofocus being messy...

SugarCube can add text bits to a page, but unlike parser programs, it won't automatically scroll down to the bottom of the page, or at least to the added element. Adding a scroll down to the bottom or scroll up to the page was not too hard (I had some leftover js code), but it was not the solution: the UI is mobile/tablet accessible (smaller screens), which means scrolling to the bottom would make those players having to manually scroll back up (and I am usually quite verbose in my writing). So very much EH.... NOT GREAT! After quite a lot of testing, broken pieces of code, way too much swearing, and re-doing the base of the UI, I did manage to find a solution.... a month into the review/voting period.

But even with those limitations, I pushed through. I knew it was possible to make it work, so I either tried to find work arounds (and gave up the scrolling, at least until the deadline), and pushed through, banging my head against my desk because of what was achievable...

LIKE BUILDING A WHOLE COMMANDS SYSTEM...

Wanting to make things easy for myself (and the players), I thought maybe removing all verbs would make it easier to go through the game, even when having to interact with objects or people around. Enter the bolded word* from the text as the input, press enter, and read the new text! *It was important for me to have some sort of "easy" mode where the interactive things were obvious to the player, coming from a scene where parsers are not the norm/favoured.

Simple right?

This idea... stopped working as soon as I introduced physical actions (sit, stand, jump, etc...), directional actions (the story might be linear but it still has multiple rooms), but most importantly as soon as I wrote flavour texts for one same object. Even if I could get away with removing X/LOOK/EXAMINE*, adding verbs at the end was a necessity (I didn't want to see all the already written variation go to waste...). *I did include look in the code, but mistakenly didn't think about its synonym <- shows the no-knowledge of parser, and not having a bank of commands built-in.

So verbs were added, and then some of its synonyms (but evidently not the most important ones 😬), and then some prepositions just in case, and noun synonyms with adjectives because of how it is described in the text, and then.... so on and so forth. And because of how SugarCube is set, I ended up with lines like this at the end:

<<if ["initiate", "look initiate", "look at initiate", "remember initiate", "initiates", "look initiates", "look at initiates", "remember initiates", "recall initiate", "recall initiates"].contains(_cmd)>>

(and this is not even a correct or complete command list, since it is missing EXAMINE and X)

Et rebelotte for all the interactive words on the page, as well as the added variations requiring another set other verbs. There's not really a verb/noun aliases list to help...

BUT WAIT

Because I always like to make it difficult for myself and not think of the amount of work my ideas/plan will require, I had to make some bits of text appear only once (even if some commands could be used more than once on that page) OR removing the player's ability to make a different action when they do a specific one AND have some bits of text only appear after a command has been used on that page. Pushing the player through extra invisible gates on top of the different rooms. I could have made it easier on myself to break scenes further than I had already done, but nooooooo

And I did this not just once. BUT THREE TIME! When the player is called to get in line, in the corridor, and just before the big doors.

I could have fed myself for a whole week with the spaghetti that came out of my code.

But Manon, I can hear the little devil on my shoulder say, Why all the whining and excuses? You could have stopped if it turned out to be a bad idea, especially if you couldn't implement it properly. Why not have made the story in something else than a parser?

Well...

because Time (wa)s running out and I wasn't going to let all this hard work go to waste by changing everything up at the last minute (it could have worked/been easier, that's true)

because it was still a fun puzzle to solve, even if frustrating most of the time,

because you learn more when you fail than when you win

I'm not a quitter :P (hiding my too many WIPs waiting for me....)

Even if I doubted myself with finishing the game on time, I still pushed myself to cross the finish line, since I knew I would not have finished the project otherwise. Thought it could have been fun to get the 12 angry men passing judgement on my Twine monstrosity making a mockery of parsers had I submitted it to the very serious ParserComp instead. /jk lovingly

So after some "extensive" testing (rushed in the last week, because I am a nightmare to people, sorry @groggydog and @lapinlunairegames for making you go through this, but also thank you for your help!!), I made it to the end!

Well... barely. Ended up with a few bug fixes update along the way.

4- The Reception

(it was like that in my heart)

Like TTTT, this was not explosion of praise and accolades. And I fully expected it. You can't make experiments omelettes without cracking a few programs/rules eggs. At least my omelette didn't have too many eggshells :P

Looking at the numbers, at the time of writing this posts, TRNT is currently sitting at 5 stars (4 ratings) on itch, and 3-1/2 stars on IFDB (2 ratings)*, with 4 reviews on the Forum (bellow the median/average this festival). None of the ratings game with reviews/comments. *When some of the reviews will be moved to the IFDB, I do expect this average to get lower. The itch one is nice (really happy 4 peeps loved it!), but most people only rate when they didn't like it or when they loved it.

As for the feedbacks gotten, they came from a few sources: the people who playtested TRNT, dms on Tumblr and the Forum, the Twine server, and the awaited reviews on the Forum.

Overall, the people who liked the game really enjoyed themselves, from the writing and the worldbuilding being intriguing, or how pretty the UI was. Even with the issues raised during the festival, quite a lot of people (who sent me comments) thought the experiment was either a success, something really cool, or impressive considering the limitations (of the festival and/or of the program). Even in the more critical comments, this experiment was seen as an interesting one to be commended (with a bit of a why did you bother... sprinkled in there). Someone told me TRNT reminded them of the Divergent series (and fair comparison, considering the whole ritual to put you in one job for the rest of your life).

The most surprising thing was that people who never played parser before (or didn't really liked them) found the game entertaining and fun to go through, managing to get to the end without too many issues; while the reviewers with more experience in the genre had a bit more restraints due to the command system I put in place.

Whether my giddiness about verbose writing was to the liking of the player or not, I was honestly happy comments about my grammar didn't make much of an appearance this time around (yay, progress!), and that I would get kudos for the vague story behind the experiment itself, and the structure of the story itself.

But this doesn't mean that it was all sunshine and rainbow here. TRNT had some obvious issues, which should have been squashed during the testing phase had this one been longer (yet again, me speed-running through comps when I should take my time... when will I learn...). There were two main ones: the commands and the UI.

The biggest issue came from the commands, being either unclear or confusing, especially when it came to the cardinal direction, the choice of synonym for the actions, or special actions like the name input. Even if you could go along the story with just a noun or press C until you reached the end, missing important verb commands did not help the game feel complete (EXAMINE/GET/the shortcuts). This is where having some Parser knowledge/experience would have come handy, he.... As for the cardinal directions, it was probably most confusing because I used them as synonyms for forward/back/left/right instead of N/S/W/E (that and it wasn't clear where you were able to go in the text either). Quite a few players were also getting stuck in the corridor (after you come to a stop, you hear some thing up front and your choices are to move to the side/jump or stand still). Special actions like the name input or the final choice were felt a bit off/broke immersion. Party due to the way SugarCube is, partly due to how I organised the game. Having a simple input where the player is asked for their name before the game start and have a say name command, might have worked better there. That and a better hinting system. Fix for those TBD.

Closely followed was the UI being annoying (which ;-; bc I pride myself on creating good UI, but it was fair critique), from the scrolling being an absolute ass, to the confusing bolding of the start of passages being the same as the interactive words (if you didn't change the colour in the settings), to the back/replay last choice command on the END screen not going to the right spot, or the responses of computing an inputted command not appearing/being confusing (in relation to the scrolling), some quirks with the UI being wonky for some screen sizes, etc... Thankfully, all those have been fixed.... but too late for the reviews already published. A quick revamp of the UI base + solving the scrolling issue + slight reformatting of the printed new text bits solved if not all of those issues. Still... too little too late... That's what you get for making a UI in a large screen and only checking different width but not different heights....

A SIDENOTE ON WHY PARSER AND NOT HYPERTEXT

Or me going a bit on a rant. Scroll down to pt 5- The Do-Over to resume coherent levelled conversation.

Still, making a parser a Twine was a CHOICETM, which didn't work for everybody. I don't know if it was because the game was put forth as a Twine game before being a parser, or because the story was maybe a bit too linear/not very interactive compared to other parsers, or because I set out to make a parser before thinking of a story and it showed for some, (or probably because the parser system was not very well implemented) but I did have a few commenters wondering if my choice of making it a parser was the correct one, as in why would you use parser when hyperlinks would have probably worked better?

Maybe a cop-out answer would be Why not. Why not try to break the rules and the codes of what is a Twine game or what is a parser? Why not push Twine to where it is probably not supposed to go (sorry, TME)? Why not blur the lines of the divides between the subgenres of IF? I wrote some part while having a bit of a fever, and my notes had Why not make parsers less puzzle-y/more linear choice-based like? and oh boi is it good to re-read yourself... Cause yiekes what a load of BS.

The other part of the answer is Because experimenting and doing weird thing is fun! Doing weird thing, writing bad code that should probably not work but it does, putting the program on a lifeline, making up stories that are nonsensical, etc... and breaking people's mind in the process with what could be done. Also it was just fun to find out whether it was just possible to do it at all. The rush of happiness when you the puzzle is solved is so incredibly gratifying. It was really fun to try something different (for me but also for what Twine can generally do), to solve a puzzle of mashing two things that don't/shouldn't go together, to find what makes them tick and make it all work, and to challenge myself to do something new (did I mention before it was my fist time making a parser?). AND, having fun creating! And the SpringThing has always been a beacon to promote experimentation with the genre and more out there stuff. So it's was kind of like the stars aligned or something :P

Also Because it was possible!That one is pretty self-explanatory...

Maybe a bit more presumptuous of me: Because experimenting keeps Interactive Fiction fresh and exciting! I'm not trying to set a trend or anything here (honestly, it's not too strange, TRNT's weirdness kind of follows my previous work with TTTT and its mixology element, or DOL-OS with it computer interphase), but isn't fun to see what else can be done in IF, or what new area can be explored now that funky stuff has been tried, or what else should probably not be done (hopefully this doesn't apply to TRNT lol, I think it should be fun to have more parser in Twine). Even if my entry was not really a novel idea even in the gameplay (exhibit A, exhibit B, exhibit C), I still think there should be more weird stuff out there, so I contribute to that where/when I can! It'd be sad if IF became same-y and stale... It'd be fun if someone did something like this because they played TRNT and thought it was neat :P

And Because it didn't fit with my original vision of the game. Even if the game changed quite a lot along the way, the parser element was something I would not compromise with, no matter how good or bad the final product was. Sorry TME for the kittens lost in the autofocus of the textboxes...

I did wonder for a while how many people opened the settings at all 🤔

5- The Do-Over?

Ha.

Haha.

Hahaha.

No.

Honestly... If I was going back to the start, I don't think I would change anything. Even if the length of the testing was more than minimal (still haven't learned my lesson), even if I rushed into the competition (again, not learned my lesson), even if I made errors along the way (well, maybe fixing the UI earlier instead) or let the story stray that much away from the original idea (honestly it was probably for the best that it ended not being too close to Aisle at the end, I might have gotten eviscerated in the reviews). It did what it was supposed to do, and checked all the boxes from what I wanted to try. At the end, to me, it was a complete (and stressful success).

Will there be some changes in the future?

Just a bit, at some point, TBD and TBA. Just to fix the commands a bit, maybe rearrange some passages, add a bit more variation/hidden codex entries, maybe even a new ending or two! But it wouldn't go further than that. TRNT was an experiment through and throuh.

==================== THE END ====================

Anyway, my weird hybrid beast of a parser in Twine and I are done rambling about my awesome show of tricks that may or may not have landed badly and with a broken skateboard. We will go collect our ribbons, now!

Make IF weird, Do word crimes, Have fun

I do wonder if me submitting the game in the Main Garden rather than at the Back Garden played into the expectations of the reviewers, since the BG is meant for more experimental IF. But in the same vein, there was the Kuolema running on a Google Form and people flocked to it so 🤷 It's probably the quality that made things the way it is whooooops :P

[jodeeeart]

How long did it take you to have your own art style?

I am an art student and sometimes i get overwhelmed when i see my classmates already figuring out what style they are good at and come up with mamy ideas, whereas i feel a slight pressure from wanting to catch up to them (i know rushing it though it's wrong and should not compare them with me)

Hey Nonny,

I hope you can take some comfort in knowing you’re not alone, it’s a source of anxiety for a lot of artists. Honestly, I think it just happened organically over time. I am sure some people can and have developed one with intent but for me, it didn’t really happen like that. It’s not tangible and is hard to teach because it’s deeply tied to you but I think it can be nurtured alongside academic training. I believe style develops when play meets skill. That it’s a culmination of your interests, inspiration, experience and your own strengths and weaknesses. How often do you draw or paint purely for pleasure? Not for study purposes or replicating a reference diligently ? I think that it’s in those sessions where you find your voice. Where the ‘you’ emerges in the work. Free from judgement, you sort of rediscover what it was that drew you towards visual art in the first place before getting bogged down with it all. This, in conjunction with the academic skills you’re acquiring to hang your ideas on, will naturally bring out something that is authentic and unique to you. At least, that’s what i have found.

I am sure you have heard it before but comparison really is the thief of joy. I know it’s tough when you want to see improvement faster but it’s very true that everyone gets there their own time, it’s not a competition. Rushing or trying to force things only leads to a deeper frustration in my experience.

Hope that helps nonny! <3 Good luck!

[legendarceus]

can you tell me more about your pokemon horizons OC, Cadence? I really like their design and they're cool :]

YES OFC :D !!

their role on the airship is to keep track of where they're going and to make maps of the places the crew has been which specifc labels pertaining to the people on the ship rather than for worldwide understanding. they also double up as the bookkeeper ! i vaguely mentioned it in the other post about them but like. half of their wallspace is just bookshelves. and they also have one of those sliding ladders :) oh and they do have like a library system. you do have to check out books and return them once you're done. the books are for the whole ship after all. they're really strict on that policy and they emphasize it a lot when they meet new people who join the crew on the ship for an extended period of time which makes them seem kinda :/. doesnt help that they look tired due to limitde amounts of sleep (damn you perfectionist with making maps)

on the brightside they get a lot more approachable when they smile, which. doesnt happen much because like. visually they arent great at expressing stuff but it DOES happen, especially when theyre like mapping out constellations or talking about space and stuff. i realize i only drew them frowning or being neutral in the previous post WHOOPS,, i swear theyre not upset all the time. again just not great at facial expressions.

they're kinda indifferent to liko and roy once they join the team honestly. they don't MIND having them around but they'd prefer to be alone at first imo, at least until they manage to either 1. warm up (takes a while) or 2. infodump (which they can do fairly easily if given a proper oppurtunity to). they end up befriending the two by the second option after roy asks about the stars at one point or something lmao

speaking of that they kinda?? don't get social cues that well?? i mean kinda. it's mostly in like situations where there will be a massive fight with like people with malicious intent or something. they understand that those people want to attack them and stuff but they just. they don't get it. because of that they'll end up giving out lots of information (usually about really unimportant things) but it gets... its like. candence what are you doing. they're not our friends. and they know that but like ... wdym. they said something slightly incorrect about our current location i have to fix their mistake. they do not take things as threats until its too late and that will ultimately probably be their downfall

their pokemon. their ace is a milotic (the pokemon they fight alongside, the one whos usually out and hanging around, etc.) which they recieved as a feebas when they were young. only evolved recently. their other two pokemon, lunatone and solrock, are pokemon they've gotten to help around in their little space on the ship if that makes sense (like, organizing books and maps and whatnot) and they usually never leave their room :)

they're also like. 19. so theyre younger than the adults but older than the kids and theyre in the weird grey area which blehh. working through the issues that come with being fresh into adulthood or something. except i have no damn clue about that so just trust or something idk whoops

if you have like any specfifc questions i would love to answer them so!! i like talking about my ocs (too bad cadence is the only one i have posted rip)

heres some doodles !

[brunchable]

Part III - Divine Magic || Doctor Strange x f!reader.

Word count: 3.4K

Genre: Enemies to Lovers. Adventure. Action. Young Adult.

Warning: References to Multiverse of Madness. Mild profanity.

Brief Chapter Summary: You visit Kamar-Taj to learn more about your mysterious powers.

Strictly do not: claim, repost, copy, translate my stories anywhere else

A/N: GUYS 'All I ask' Has reached 1K notes oh my goodness! Thank you so much! I honestly only had intentions of posting that one story and then disappearing. I never expected it to have so much love, thank you so much! Because of this, I'm posting Dirty Laundry Part 2 and Chapter 3 of Dandelions to spoil you guys. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I love every single one of you, thank you so much for enjoying my stories <3

Dandelions - Part III: Divine Magic

•••

Christine’s wedding had to end early for safety reasons because of the havoc that Gargantos’ left in the city. While Eric waited for you to return, he paced around your vehicle and chewed his nails while he waited for you to show up. Even though he knew you possessed certain abilities, he was extremely concerned about your safety since he was aware that you had no clue how to even properly use them. 

It’s been almost three hours since, and he’s very tempted to call your father. You might get angry at him for it, but what other choice had he got when he couldn’t contact you?

In front of him, golden sparks began to form in a circular motion, Eric's eyes widened, and his brain began to malfunction as he frantically tried to come up with a place to hide. He bumped into your vehicle while his legs were teetering as he fled to the other side of your car. He could only think of the worst, especially after a monster attack. 

Eric’s head peeked behind the hood of your car. You stepped out of the portal, giving someone the finger, “(Y/N)? Is that you?” Eric’s voice sounded little, he couldn’t recognize you now that your hair colour had changed.

You spotted his head, his hazel almond eyes squinting at you, "Yes, it’s me.” 

Eric sprung to his feet and hurried over to give you a bear hug, which came crashing like a wave, “I’m so relieved that you’re safe. You had me so fucking worried, you were leaving me no choice but to call your Dad.” 

Even though you and he fought like cats and dogs sometimes, there was no denying that you treated each other like siblings you never had. Eric was adopted into your family after your aunt, Eric's mother, tragically gave into her sickness when he was young. He wasn’t always this protective, but after you were resurrected, and now being three years younger than him, Eric changed.

"I'm okay," You wrapped your arms around his torso and patted him on the back to comfort him, “Please tell me you actually didn't.” You drew back, displaying a worried expression on your face.

“No, but I was going to—hold up.” Eric paused and looked you over from head to toe, “First of all, your hair–?” 

“Shhh!” You shushed him before he continued further, “Let’s talk about this at home. You drive, you got the keys right?” 

"Um." He uttered, and Eric's brows began to twitch, he immediately started patting himself down and checking all of his pockets.

"Eric?" You stared at him with narrowed eyes as you observed him.

Eric's face lit up when he found the keys in the deepest crevice of his pocket, "Found it." 

•••

You sat in the passenger seat scrolling through the web for any news of a new super human, while Eric was bopping to 'Love's Train' covered by Bruno Mars while both of you were stuck in traffic.

"I need you to please believe, please believe~ I. LOVE. YOU. BABY~ (Y/N) hit it." Eric, who sounds exactly like the singer, belted over the stereo, his eyes shutting while he began to drive. Your eyes pan towards him while gawking, but you sing with him anyway.

"If you are that special lover and love keeps you tied to another, that's the way it goes on love's train~" You sang and snapped your fingers to the beat.

"Ye' don't need no, ye' don't need no ticket to ride~" Eric made his voice nasally, his shoulders vibing to the beat of the music.

You laughed at the way he goofily sang the part and continued scrolling down your feed. A new post by the Daily Bugle was posted four minutes ago and you read the title:

“New superhero? Or a new super menace? ” The article's title states, with a photo of you in the sky, a line of contrail leaving your feet and hands.

Eric glanced at you, then did a double take after seeing a ‘wtf’ look plastered on your face.

"Geez, you look ugly.” Eric chuckled.

“It could be worse... I could be you.” Your mouth blurted out almost instantly.

Eric’s mouth hung open, befuddled, chuckling at how quickly you responded, “I honestly don’t get how your brain comes up with a comeback that quickly— anyway, what did you see?”

“J. Jonah Jameson’s idiotic article, New superhero? Or a new super menace? Earlier today, New York City was attacked by a giant octopus, drawing the attention of Doctor Strange and another…. Can you guess it? It’s not a bird, it’s not a plane, it’s actually an unknown superhuman— It goes on, blah, blah, just leave it to Doctor Strange, he knows what he’s doing,” You blew a raspberry, “He was knocked out for half of the fight, I bet that quack paid Jameson to say nice things about him.”

Eric smirked when you mentioned Doctor Strange, “He seems like a nice guy.” 

“Who Jameson? What are you drunk?” You looked at him judgingly.

“No! Doctor Strange.”

You guffawed and threw your head back, “I don’t think so.”

“Why not? He looks presentable, intelligent, cultured, not to mention smokingly handsome and way older than you—everything that ticks your boxes.” Eric reasoned with the intention of teasing you about how you literally flirted with the man by playing hard to get. 

You lifted your hands and counted your digits,“He’s also condescending, conceited, and arrogant. Everything that doesn’t tick my boxes– I would NEVER date a man like him.” You crossed your arms and slumped in your seat, "Not after he made me look stupid when he stood me up."

"Is that really the only reason though?" Eric raised his brows and glanced at you. 

"Psh–Yeah, what other reason would I have?" 

•••

When you finally got back to your apartment, the first thing you did was get into a steamy shower to wash the filth and old blood off of your skin. You wrapped a towel over your body and stood in front of the mirror, wiping the steam away while staring at your now, silvery white hair and wondering why it wasn't reverting back to its natural colour.

It wasn’t like this during the first and second times you tried using your powers, ‘Maybe I should just sleep on it later, at least it looks good.’ You think to yourself. 

You dressed yourself in an all black outfit, topped with a half turtleneck, long-sleeved crop top, and for your bottoms, you wore your high rise jeans and paired everything with a black blazer coat to make yourself look sophisticated. The outfit looked good with your new hair, you felt cool–no, you looked like a dangerous woman. 

You rushed to the kitchen, where Eric had already lined up the first aid kits, “How many cuts and abrasions do you have?” He asked as you jumped to sit on the counter.

“I got one here, here, and here.” You pointed at your eyebrows, nose, and hand, “I’m pretty sure there’s more, but it’s fine, just cover the ones that are visible.” You took some of the dressings and cut them into small pieces, as Eric dabbed an antiseptic over your abrasions, you hissed as it started to sting.

“Sorry— So what are you going to do about your hair?” He asked.

“I'll dye it if it doesn’t go back to normal tomorrow morning, I can’t go to work like this. I don’t want anyone to know, apart from you.” 

Eric nodded, "I know a good hair salon–"

"Who said anything about going to the hair salon?" You tilted your head, eyes squinting.

"You want me to help you dye it ourselves, don't you?" Eric sighed, carefully sticking the small band-aid above your eyebrow.

"Pleaaase." You bat your lashes at Eric while pulling a cute smile. 

He stared at you with a dead-pan expression, trying hard to resist your adorable face, "Tsk. Fine! But you owe me some Korean barbecue afterwards. "

You pulled a victorious smile, "Of course! Anything for my favourite cousin!" You patted his arm hard.

Eric’s dead-pan expression brightened in a snap and smiled sheepishly, "Really? I'm your favourite cousin?" 

"Yeah, after Mandy." You joked and slid off the counter to get going to meet the wizards of New York.

"Wha–You guys don't even get along well!" 

•••

You ubered your way to the Sanctum Sanctorum, using Wong’s very professional business card with the Sanctum’s address written in it. You wondered why he even has a business card when he’s not a businessman? You lifted your fist to knock on the door, only for it to open before you on its own, “Automatic doors huh? Talk about fancy.” You lazily entered the place with your hands inside your coat pockets, it was quiet, dark and full of cult-ish artefacts that either looked ancient or cursed. 

Little to your knowledge, Stephen quietly hovered down from upstairs, his cloak billowing through the air as he descended. He had a coffee mug in hand that he was trying not to spill.

“Psh, not part of a cult my ass.” You muttered to yourself as you approached an object with ninja-looking spikes hanging from it,“This place could use some light–”

“Don’t touch that.” Stephen's thunderous baritone voice warned you, but it was already too late. You were already touching it when he unexpectedly spoke behind you, it prompted you to scream out of fright, causing the metal spikes to collapse all over the table.

“Jesus–” You were overcome with panic and frantically struggled to stop the spikes from clanking down on the table simultaneously. You made an effort to put things back together, but it ended up breaking apart once again despite your efforts.

Stephen let out a muffled groan of annoyance, “If you could just leave it now.”

“What was that?!” Wong came running down the stairs and saw the mess, “Oh no, not again.” He had a tone of genuine dismay in his voice while he hurried towards the mess and made his own feeble attempts to clean things up.

“Again?” You asked dumbly.

“Yeah, first Thor, then one of our apprentices, and now you–” Stephen paused and turned to Wong, “I told you we should encase that in glass, I’m not spending twelve hours trying to put that thing back together.”

"Even with magic?" 

"Yes, even with magic, you can see how flimsy they are." Stephen now directed his annoyance towards the object, before scanning you from head to toe and clearing his throat,"Anyways, let’s get you to Kamar-Taj, the kid's waiting for us." 

"Hang on, hang on. Don't I need a travel visa to go to Nepal?" You asked seriously as the two men hopped into what looked like a library.

Wong and Stephen exchanged perplexed glances at each other, "We have never used a visa..."

"So you’re basically residing there as illegal aliens?" You questioned and displayed a sign of disapproval by crossing your arms.

"What—No! Just get in here, that is not important!" Using his hand, Stephen beckoned for you to hasten up and join them.

"Excuse me? I don’t want to go to jail, I am not going there without a visa. I'm a law abiding citizen–" 

"Alright, that's it." Stephen sucked air through his teeth and clicked his tongue in reaction to your defiance. After that, he opened a portal directly beneath your feet, which caused you to fall into the library of the Kamar-Taj.

"AHHH!" You landed face first on the wooden flooring with a loud thud as you fell from the ceiling, "Oof—You know, I'd say go to hell, but then again, I never want to see you." You gave him the evil eye.

Stephen scoffed, walking past you while you got up on your feet. He leaned his hips on the edge of the table while watching you get up and drinking out of his mug, "The feeling is mutual."

"Hi (Y/N)," America waved at you cheerfully, she was clearly delighted to see you again.

"Hi– sorry I don't think I got your name." You smiled at the girl, approaching her while you dusted yourself off.

"America Chavez!" Her eyes smiled. 

"Nice to meet you, America." You smiled back at her and took the seat beside her.

"I love your outfit, you look so cool in all black, especially with the white hair." She complimented you, staring at your hair that you did up in a ponytail.

"Yeah, if you're going to a funeral." Stephen muttered behind the rim of his mug before taking another drink.

Your smile disappears when you hear Stephen’s irritating voice, "Your funeral if you use that portal trick on me one more time."

Stephen huffed through his nose before a short chuckle,"What are you going to do? Blow me with your powers?" 

Your face scrunches up in disgust, "Ew no." 

Stephen furrowed his brows as he came to realise what you were thinking about,"That's not what I meant–"

"Well he actually just buried himself on top of some random apartment, so technically there was a funeral." America said innocently, causing your face to contort into a horrid expression. 

“Well that’s morbid…” 

Stephen nodded with brows both raised, “Wow, for once we agree on something.” He pulled a sarcastic smile and got up to make room for Wong.

Wong walks in carrying a layer of books stacked up on top of each other and drops them all at once on the table in a loud thump, disturbing the dust particles to fly into the air. You could tell that those books haven’t seen the light of day for a long, long time.

“Okay, this is all the books about Divine Elemental Magic. You might want to read some of them.” Wong presented the books with his hands, huffing lightly. 

You stared at the books in front of you, looking quite unsure whether you wanted to read them or not, “I have a question, how did you know that what I have is this ‘Divine elemental magic?’” 

“Come closer, my child.” With a wave of his hand, Wong motioned for you to get out of your seat and approach him. 

Wong merely raised his hand, and as it got closer to your face, you closed your eyes out of fear that whatever he was going to do to you would be painful. However, he only lightly tapped the region between your eyebrows where a symbol of Divine magic shone magnificently with a brilliant white light. 

You slowly opened your eyes, thinking, ‘That was it?’ 

"Give yourself a good look." When Wong saw the glowing symbol on your forehead, he motioned for you to look at yourself in one of the mirrors. He then said, "I can see that without needing to lay it bare."

Stephen and America watched, their attention drawn by the spectacle that was unfolding before them. Stephen was truly amazed that he had lived long enough to witness magic of any kind, let alone speak with someone who practised it.

“B-but why me? My family has never mentioned anything about the use of magic.” You furrowed your brows, “I don’t even know how to use it or if i’m brave enough to face the answers.” 

“Baby steps, (Y/N), you won’t find answers just like that.” Wong snapped his fingers, “But I can tell you the origins of where your powers came from, it’s actually my favourite one.”

“Oh can I stay to listen?” America raised her hand and Wong nodded.

"A long long time ago….”

The Mighty Cagliostro came face to face with a sorcerer of darkness that was reeking havoc by using the forbidden black magic to become more powerful— you see, power mixed with greed is like a disease that all sorcerers must overcome. 

This particular sorcerer referred to himself as "The Voudoun," and he was infatuated with power. He wanted people to worship him as a god and kneel down before him. His fixation caused him to transcend Cagliostro's strength, which left Cagliostro with no choice but to seek for a solution. Cagliostro had to make it his purpose to find the Book of Vishanti since there was darkness, pestilence, and death wherever he turned.

It was general knowledge that the only way to defeat black magic was if you had all the nine elements of magic: Fire, Earth, Air, Water, Ice, Blood, Spirit, Light, and Darkness. 

There is an ancient creature that is said to possess all nine elements, which is called the nine-tailed fox; they say that it's so powerful that it could flatten mountains, create tsunamis, and drain the life force of whoever it chooses. Cagliostro was given this monster as the solution to his mission by the Book of Vishanti.

Cagliostro set out to find this creature in the northern part of Asia, in a mysterious bamboo forest that had a mind of its own. Despite the fact that this creature was born from light, it has a reputation for being impish due to the fact that it lived for centuries. 

It was already aware that he would be coming and was aware of his goals, but it intended to put him through a test to see whether or not he was worthy of it, giving him any of its time. The fox assumed the appearance of a beautiful woman and made an attempt to entice him with her charms. Cagliostro did not yield to its influence or give in to its seduction. Despite the fact that his old classmates teased him often for training how to resist temptation back then he always knew that one day, his life may rely on his ability to do so.

The fox couldn't believe that this meer human wouldn't bend to her charms and rejected her attractiveness, her ego was hurt, and she retaliated by calling The Mighty Cagliostro a cheater and they got into a dual, Cagliostro knew that the creature was more powerful than him so he never fought back. You can't beat a river into submission so they say. He just avoided her until she got bored of attacking him, which worked. Eventually the fox agreed and she joined Caliostro to defeat The Voudoun. One thing lead to another and yeah—

“Long story, short, The Fox defeated The Voudoun, and she locked him up in a pocket dimension, never to be seen again.” Wong finished telling his story, and you snickered from time to time as you felt Wong was getting lazy and uninterested in the ancient Sorcerer's love life that was somewhere in the story.

"So what happened with Cagliostro and the fox lady after that?" America asked, bringing up the subject Wong didn’t want to even elaborate on.

"The fox, well, she has never met anyone like Cagliostro, and during the course of her journey with him, she fell in love with the man. She was immortal and because she did not want to live a life without him when he got older, she decided to become a human. However, in order for her to do that, she needed to get rid of her powers, and as a result, they were blessed with nine children, each of whom represents each one of her powers.” Wong explained further to satisfy the child’s curiosity. 

“I think you may want to start digging up your family tree, (Y/N).” Wong added. You couldn’t answer him after all of the things he dumped on you.

“I don’t know where to start… ” You muttered, trying to remember if there was a time when anyone from your family mentioned anything about this.

“If you’re confused, you can start by asking questions and reading those books.” Wong advised and began wondering why, despite getting the first step to getting your answers, you look so confused.

•••

Wanda will never come to terms with the fact that she was indeed living in a nightmare. Every day, waking up in this anguish just increased her longing to discover a world where everything she had ever wanted existed, her sons. Every day, she woke up in this misery where they weren’t in her arms. They were the one thing that had any significance. She had nothing left to lose in this world, seeing as how everything she had was now already gone from her. 

She would not stop at anything in her pursuit of the things she believed she rightfully deserved. The Darkhold had shown her the truth, and now she wondered why she should continue to suffer in this world when there was another where she might be happy.

When Wanda's phone began to ring on the nightstand next to her, it distracted her from the things that were occupying her mind. She answered the phone in a monotone voice and said, "Hello? I see. I always knew that he’s a very intelligent man, I had no doubt that he would figure it out. I’ll be ready for him.” After hanging up the phone, Wanda turned her attention to the horizon as she waited for Strange to pay her a short visit.

•••

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[lostusagis]

@jiraipink asked:

"The first thing I noticed about you? Well... When I first met you, I remember accidentally bumping into you and thinking 'Oh he's really pretty.' Eheheh. That's probably normal for you to hear, right? I'm sure most women think that when they see you. However..." She cups her chin and stares down at his boots. The memory comes as a welcomed old friend through the door. A bashful, yet warm smile on her face when thinking fondly of that moment when he obliged to partake in her stupid prank and then looking both concerned for her and confused after his mistake. An honest idiot. A cute honest idiot. "What drew me in was... your willingness to help me. How you... didn't abandon me when I was in desperate help. How you expressed concern over my wellbeing."

A laugh suddenly escapes her as she scratches behind her head awkwardly. "Ahahaha! Th-Though, we ended up hating each other that day because of what I said, I honestly appreciated how you decided to show me a place where I could stay and didn't leave me alone since then.... I was really scared all by myself in this world, Mui. I was even scared of you admittedly, but... You didn't leave me there to die, despite you not liking me very much." She lowers her hand away from her head and twiddles her thumbs. Her gaze blinking slowly at the jewelry she's wearing on her fingers. They were the same ones she wore the day that they met.

"So even though my first thought was that you were pretty, the first impression you TRULY left on me that I noticed about you was... How kind you are." Funny, right? Especially how he acted towards her after attempting to help her. Yet, the reality was that he was kind to Namida when willing to assist her. It was as if... he was always meant to help her, because of how natural and casual he complied to her. She recalls feeling bad for saying something insensitive as a defense mechanism which led to their rocky relationship. Could... things have been different between them had she just trusted him from the get-go?

Oh how grateful she felt indeed to have met someone who could help her not get lost and not make her feel alone. He was someone who always distracted her of such lonely and homesick thoughts whenever they bickered or teased each other. Even now, he continues to help her. So so much. More than he knows. Cherished memories that evoke positive nostalgia. It was at this time she looks up at him with a shimmer in her amethyst eyes; staring at him for a brief moment of silence. Her black platform shoes then slowly leaning up on the tips of her toes and...

Chu~ ♡

Her pink glossy lips blesses his forehead with a gentle kiss that lingered there for a few more seconds. When she pulls away, her feet are planted flat again and she whispers with the most sweetest smile only Kamui can manifest. "Thank you, Kamui... Thank you for not giving up on me." (Bye I'm about to cry FUCK-)

what’s the first thing your muse noticed about mine? 

Kamui was definitely really interested in the first thing Namida noticed about him, although he wasn't too fond of the fact that they didn't get along when first meeting.....

Although, when she says the first thing she noticed was how pretty he was, Kamui couldn't help but smile. ''I do get complimented on my appearance a lot yeah, but I only like it when I hear it from you. It meant more from Namida because he knew her, and valued everything she thinks above all else. If she didn't think he was attractive, he'd probably be really bummed out over that. Kamui definitely knew she was complimented a lot herself. She was probably the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. Although, other guys..... looking at her the way he did.... Made him annoyed.

She was talking and he just kept thinking that when looking at her, but he had been listening intently to every word she'd say. He ended up really surprised when she'd say how kind he was. Namida mentioned kind things he did for her, and he'd feel.... embarrassed.

He didn't like being called kind, he was used to be referred to as scary, intimidating.... things like that. Not kind. No one ever called him kind.

She was calling him kind. She thought he was kind....

Well, he thinks about it.... she was the only one he didn't act awful towards, he treated her like he treasured her a lot, which was true. He did. She was important to him. But being called kind.....

He'd look down, cheeks red from the way his image was being ruined.

Kind... he was kind. Not intimidating. He was pouting over this. Although, when she went ahead and kissed his forehead and whispered what she did his eyes widened. Then looking at her silently for a few seconds. He was just..... astonished.

Namida thought these things about him. Thought he was kind.

Kamui pulled her towards him, keeping a grip on her wrist.

''You think that even after seeing me kill? Seeing me lost control?'' He questions, wanting to know.

''I hope you know, even when I am in control, I still kill. I enjoy it too. I find it fun. I'm not going to lie and hide it from you. I'm a bad person, and you think I'm kind? You can still say I'm a kind person after me telling you that?''

He'd look at her completely seriously, he wanted her to at least know that if she really wholeheartedly thought he was kind. If she can still say he was kind even after finding that out, then... well... he'll think she was crazy. But he'd probably like her even more because of that.

[laithraihan]

I'm the anon who sent you the long message that apparently came off "pompous & infantilizing" and more to your followers.

I find it interesting that that message sparked such a flood of defenders, when I did not send it in bad faith at all. From your answer it seems I'm lacking context so sorry if I took some of your statements the wrong way, but nonetheless I just found the parental love addition strange and reacted to that, that was all there was to it. I clearly stated (three times) I'm not taking any issue with your headcanons.

By saying they are far removed from canon I did not mean to say they are "too unrealistic" or something is wrong with that, I literally said the opposite. I meant just that, that factually, this will not be a common interpretation for someone who is familiar with the source material but not your blog. This is not a statement that I made with any judgemental value and I thought I made that very clear but apparently not.

So I'm sorry for the additional ask.

Have a nice day.

Thank you for the response.

I was fully aware you said there was no issue with what I drew, but the way you wrote everything else sort of negated that statement. At least that's how me and many other people saw it.

If someone finds what I drew strange or confusing then they could always just... block me or ask me about it (and btw I expected people to be confused, otherwise I wouldnt have labeled it "non-coupling" as soon I posted it lol)

Someone did ask me about it, and you seem to have already seen that response, yet you still felt the need to send another message basically implying that an explanation wasn't enough (turns out it actually wasnt enough because people said I was lying and in denial) and that my explanation was weird too? Which is whatever I already ended up clarifying that, English is not my first language and I type things with the help of a translator (I wish people could actually keep this in mind. I only type in English because it'll reach a wider audience and it's the language most of my followers know. Often I have to google words people tell me online, or I ask my friends fluent in English to explain things for me)

You can say "that's not what I intended" but that's how it came across... you wrote a lot of nice words while also saying it was understandable that people were ganging up on me over a drawing, it seemed patronizing.

That's why me and others took offense to it, but I think it's difficult to tell tone through text so I don't want to keep nitpicking this any further. If you say you had no ill intent then I believe you.

The following will just be me adding more context and not necessarily aimed at you: Again I understand the lack of context of my account can make people confused about my art, Ive made that clear many times.

The art I made where I said "if your parents didnt love you then it's obvious" was a direct response to people who were mocking me specifically for tagging the art as "non-coupling" because they didnt believe me. They got the context and decided I was trying to hide a fetish because a kiss on the cheek was "obviously shippy". They proceeded to compare this to drawing NSFW of Mob and Reigen by labelling it "non-ship" as if it was comparable to tucking a child into bed, that's what upset me. I did absolutely nothing to these people, I dont know them, if they said this privately I wouldnt care but it was public, and they also targeted another friend of mine for no reason.

All Im gonna say is that my drawing shouldnt have caused this much controversy in the first place. I labeled it "non-coupling" as soon as I posted it, which should've been enough honestly. It's not like I posted porn or anything like that, I got the idea from something Ive experienced in my family as a teenager and I could easily google stock images of the exact same scenario to use as reference, like I really didnt think it was that bad.

Anyways I think I've explained myself many times already. Im not gonna be hostile and say to people "roh t9awed dont ever send me anything else related to this" but just.. check if Ive already answered your question so that it doesnt end up being repetitive. If you have a question about this that I havent answered yet, then feel free to ask.

[vintagerpg]

That’s all there is for Lords of Creation, so let’s round out the week with another bonkers RPG: The World of Synnibarr (1993). This is widely regarded as one of the worst RPGs ever made.

Let’s take the name, first. Cinnabar is a mercury-based mineral often used to create red pigment for cosmetics and pottery. Because of the mercury, it is pretty toxic, though. The game takes place some ridiculous number of years in the future, in which Mars (which IS red, but also is not Mercury) is hollowed out and converted into a world ship that humanity used to escape the solar system. Why they named the ship after a poisonous mineral is anyone’s guess, though the edgy, intentional misspelling is pure 90s (see the 1998 videogame Cardinal Syn). The vibe follows suit, a kind of unholy merging of Rifts’ over-the-top sensibilities with the ridiculous bombast of Liefeld-era Marvel comics. The “I drew this in my algebra notebook” meter is pinned to the red.

The cover of the book is nice enough, though — the metallic gold ink gives it a touch of unexpected class, though ultimately I find myself reminded of 90s-era cologne advertisements, the sort that were inserted into magazines and gave me a pounding headache when waiting in a doctor’s office. The rules echo this impression. Mostly they seem to be percentile base, but it seems to be even odds that a given check is roll under or roll over. There are so many rules. The book is nearly 500 pages of them — that is a daunting number of pages.

I honestly can not tell if I am meant to take this game seriously. Illustrations like that bazooka-toting raccoon checking his watch leave me totally flummoxed. Surely this is a gag? But then why am I not laughing? That’s a full page illustration. The monsters give me no insight. The Crocopede, for example, is a centipede with a crocodile head, but it also has wings for some reason. So does the Flying Deer. It’s honestly all a bit exasperating. 500 pages!

[joethehoeee]

I finally drew another Oc of mine,

His name is Hitori (name meaning: one person/alone)

Ofc you also can use him in fanfics and fanarts as long as you give credits in the notes. :D

with a bandage on his eyes:

(I know with this hoodie he looks like Jack frost but I swear it wasn’t even intentional-)

And I probably made some of the shadows wrong but this is honestly the first time that I actually tried it-

with his eyes showen:

And I will also show you without shadows and background:

Infos about him:

• He is, as you may noticed, blind. He wasn’t born blind but he eventually lost his eyesight when he was a very young whelp because of a fight against a much older troll. He always had some problems with his eyes and through slavery and the fight he lost it permanently. (He was forced into the fight. His former master ordered it for fun)

• He ofc also wears piercings (bc everyone does in my world). Kodin asked Strickler to make them and he ofc helped. Hitori enjoys the thought of wearing them even tho he can’t actually see how it looks like. And ofc all the memories of making them stay.

• The chain around his neck can't be broken or get of because a magic spell. It was made after Bular wanted to hold him as a slave. A part of it broke of eventually after many tries but the rest is still on his neck. It may will fall of if his master is dead or if you use veeeeeery strong magic.

• He isn’t a changeling. He actually still is a pure troll but he isn’t treated as one. He was captured and used as a slave after his parents died and he was 'bought' by the Janus order. Bular lets him live as long as he serves a purpose... no matter what.

• He currently is only 15 in human years and about 168 in troll years, in season one. (I still don’t know if it makes sense and I still don’t care). He was 5 in human years when they made him a slave and about 9 when the Janus order bought him and then he finally got free when he was 14. And in Rott he is 17.

• He got his eye bandage after loosing his eyesight and he let's it on until Bular died. He then takes it of after most parts of his chain finally broke with Bulars death because that's when he finally is free. He finally dosen't has to hide anymore. (I believe that troll slaves get magic chains that break until their Master dies but his never got of because he technically wasn’t bought but "just" used by Bular.)

• He almost always walks on 4 legs because it's easier yfor him to coordinate himself. He's got a sort of sixth sense over the years and can find around easily, mostly at places he knows, through hearing/smelling and ofc through his feet and hands. He basically learned to feel if someone is walking through the vibration on the ground. He also walks on 2 legs when he is comfortable around someone or when feels save somewhere.

• He still runs into things since he still is a child and can't work through everything but it got better over the time. His tail and ears ofc show his emotionens. His tail also helps him to stabilize himself by holding onto something/someone.

If he was in the canon show:

(It won’t be as long as Kodin, my other oc)

Strickler and Nomura heard of the child that Bular used as a slave and at first they didn’t do much since that is pretty normal but after Kodin gave them a guilty conscience they both decided to hide Hitori in the Janus Order because Bular never actually goes in there. That was about one year before the canon show starts.

Season 1 he mostly hides until Bular dies. Strickler and Kodin sometimes visit him and bring him audiobooks so that he, at least, has something. Nomura acts like she didn’t care but she bought him a wolf plush because he loves them so much. (He saw one with 4 years, ofc in human years, before he lost his eyesight completely). And after Bulars dead he actually also goes out of the Janus Order sometimes. As for the Angor rot part, he simply sometimes goes to Strickler and runs against his table, couch and everything else in the process. He and Kodin eventually get like brothers and Strickler ofc gets another child to take care of...like Team trollhunters and Kodin aren’t enough-

(Come on Strickler technically did adopt children with Barbara in season 3, so I actually can make him adopt two kids earlier. LET ME THINK THAT HE WOULD DO IT-)

Season 2 he exists with Kodin and they reunite with Nomura and Strickler together.

Season 3 he also exists in the background and does nothing besides desperately trying to help with something until the human parents find out about everything. I believe that Kodin and Hitori are at Strickler's home while he is with the parents. Barbara finds out about them a few days before the battle and Hitori lives in the lake residence until he goes in the hospital with Barbara in the battle of Morgana. He almost dies because he accidently walks blindly out of the door but Barbara got him inside again. (Okay i know this wasn’t funny)

After that he lives with Strickler, Barbara and Kodin. He is in the background in 3 below and Wizards and sometimes Kodin takes him to easy missions and Barbara is not happy about it. She tells them to stop and they chill at home until Rott. Hitori stays in the castle while they fought the titans and finally stays with Barb and Kodin until the timeline gets reset.

(I know that Strickler is in much of these Ocs storys but come on he is the head of the Janus Order, if he wouldn't notice then he just would be stupid. And I think it could fit his character)

(my other oc kodin, post 1, post 2)

[elsfairy]

moreeee sevika with a teen thoughts just because ☺️✨

i think sevika would be one of those parents who are scared of watching their kids grow up. not in an overbearing, “i can’t control you anymore” way, hell no, in a way where she knows her kid won’t be a little girl forever, but she wishes that were possible.

she wishes she didn’t have to worry about her baby having to navigate the already cruel world that the undercity is, that she didn’t have to worry about whether or not her daughter will be safe roaming the streets, or if she can stabilize herself in adulthood. and most importantly, in her daughter’s teenage years, how she’ll handle future boyfriends/girlfriends.

i think when it comes to getting her s/o to meet her parents, sevika’s daughter doesn’t have much to worry about…except for the intimidation & embarrassment that sevika will dish out.

Sevika is totally the type of parents to purposely embarrass their kid in front of their s/o, but in a playful way of course. i mean she literally goes full-nelson, she brings out the baby photos and everything.

“that one was when she was five. she was such a sweet kid, now she’s a demon…”

“ma!”

and as for intimidation, it’s never intentional. whenever her daughter brings someone home, sevika always has a hard look on her face, like she’s closely studying them. she’ll always ask questions about her daughter’s s/o, like where they work, if they do work in the first place, do they treat her daughter with respect (and if she finds out that the answer is anything but yes…there’ll be actual hell to pay), who their parents are, are they originally from piltover or from zaun, the basics. sevika is a very blunt and harsh person by default (but of course around her daughter she tried not to be) so of course it’ll seem intimidating to the person brought home. and if sevika thinks they’re an asshole, godspeed to them…

overall, i feel like sevika would be decent in the dating aspect of her daughters life!!

hope you’re having a nice day!!!

Sevika would hate the fact her child is growing up. She wouldn't want it to happen at all but at the end of the day, it's going to happen no matter how much she hopes it doesn't.

I think she would protect her too much but for a very good reason. I also think that whenever her daughter would go out, she would panic because she doesn't know if something is going to happen to her. Who doesn't worry about their child outside, in a scary place??

pls, I bet her daughter's s/o would feel so fuckin intimidated by Sevika LMAO. Just looking at her would probably have them shaking in their damn boots. Because I know I would be terrified if she just looked at me blankly, with no emotion.

"Sevika is totally the type of parents to purposely embarrass their kid in front of their s/o, but in a playful way of course. i mean she literally goes full-nelson, she brings out the baby photos and everything." YES. 100% YES LMFAOOO "now she's a demon" such a sevika thing to say honestly. Or if her kid drew something, if she was into drawing and just pulling it out to show her s/o just to see a reaction from her.

Oh no, for sure Sevika would study the person her daughter was dating. I feel a lot more closely than anything else. Also, can you imagine if they both have that relationship they joke about each other, obviously Sevika doesn't understand they are joking, and they just say to her daughter "you're annoying as fuck" and she thinks it's... crossing the line? ready to fight until she hears her daughter laughing?? like, imagine Sevika's anger inside... PLS

Just don't hurt her child, and she won't have to murder anyones ass tbh

my day was okay ty angel, i hope yours is good!

[infinitenicknames]

Yuu and Ace share a bed

(Based off of when Ace asked to stay over at the Ramshackle Dorm after Riddle kicked him out.)

Yuu had almost drifted off to sleep when Ace shifted next to her. Yuu was fine the first time he had done it, but he had now unintentionally woken her several times. Or maybe it was intentional at this point. She wasn’t sure. Yuu rolled over to glare at Ace, but her heart dropped as soon as she caught sight of him. It was hard to see in the dark without her glasses, but just enough moonlight came through the window that she could make out Ace’s figure next to her. His head was at an uncomfortable looking angle because of the collar digging into his neck. No, not uncomfortable. It honestly looked painful. How could Riddle ever consider this an okay thing to do?

"Hey Ace," Yuu whispered, shifting in place. "Are you still up?

"Yeah." Ace groaned without looking at her. 

Yuu drew her mouth to a line, contemplating just rolling over and forgetting about him. Empathy pushed her on however. "Here. Take this." Yuu pushed her pillow over to Ace, practically smacking him in the back of his head with it. "You need it more than I do." 

Yuu heard and felt Ace move around next to her, but without her glasses and how dark it was, she wasn't sure what he was doing. "Are you sure?" He asked as he moved the pillow a bit.

"Yeah." Yuu tucked an arm under her head as she pulled her blanket up over her shoulder, trying to look as comfortable as possible. "I can sleep without a pillow for one night. It seemed like you could use the help though."

Ace hesitated for a second, but eventually he took the pillow. "Thank you." 

"You're welcome." Yuu smiled in the darkness. Ace shuffled around in the darkness next to Yuu for a moment. Yuu closed her eyes and listened. “Is there anything else I can do to help?”

“Unless you can knock me out for the rest of the night, I don't think so.” Ace groaned as he adjusted his pillows. It was hard to tell, but he did look a lot more comfortable now than he was before. At least the collar wasn't digging as much into his neck anymore. He mumbled something about Riddle, but Yuu couldn't make out what he was saying.

Yuu hummed for a second. Could she help? Possibly. “Hang on a sec.” Yuu got up and felt her way over to her dresser on the far side of the room. She patted the top, looking for the small box she had put her necklace into earlier. "Where did I…?"

“What are you doing?” Ace asked. 

“Uh…” Yuu hesitated. “So you remember how the Headmage wanted to talk with me alone for a moment after we told him about that weird spell that came out of nowhere and saved us from the monster?”

“Yeah. Deuce and I were wondering about that. The Headmage looked kinda spooked after we said that.”

“Well, turns out my necklace was what did that.” Yuu's hand bumped up against the box as she said that. “Ah there it is.” She pulled the necklace out and put it on while she explained. “Apparently it’s actually an ancient artifact that can let non-magical individuals use some basic spells through… well, it’s complicated.” Yuu turned back to Ace. “But, uh, with it I should be able to cast a basic sleeping spell.”

“Shut up.” Ace laughed as he sat up. “You serious?”

“100% serious.” Yuu smiled. After a second she internally cursed herself for doing that. It wasn’t like Ace could see her in the dark. Maybe she should have turned her light on. “The Headmage only showed me the basics though. Not a lot of people can use it either, so a lot of its functions and intricacies have been forgotten over time.” 

“I thought that mirror that sorted us said you had no magic. How can you use that thing then?”

“Technically it’s not my magic. I can just… guide it.” Yuu cringed hearing her own explanation. It wasn’t like she actually knew how it worked, but she didn’t want to admit that to Ace. “Like I said, it’s complicated. I'm far too tired to explain it all. Still, with it I should be able to cast a basic sleeping spell. It might be able to help you sleep. I think it’s worth a shot. Wanna try?”

Ace was silent for a second, but eventually he sighed. “Alright. What’s the worst that could happen? Not like I’m going to sleep with this stupid thing around my neck.”

Yuu smiled. “Nothing bad will happen. I wouldn’t suggest this if I thought it was dangerous at all. Now, lay back and get comfortable. Or at least as comfortable as you can get. I have no idea when the spell’s going to kick in.” 

“Alright.” Ace shifted in bed as Yuu felt her way back to bed. She sat on the edge and waited for Ace. Yuu nervously grasped the gemstone on the necklace as she tried to think up some sort of lullaby to sing. “Okay. Guess I'm ready.” He sighed in defeat.

“Okay.” Yuu nodded. “Here I go.” Yuu took a slow and deep breath before she softly started humming. The lullaby she had decided on didn’t have words at the beginning. Despite that though, Yuu could very faintly feel the flow of magic in her necklace flowing out into the space around her. It made her hair stand on end. She hesitantly opened her hand and, to her surprise, the gemstone was glowing. The light wasn’t intense or bright, but filled the entire room with a calming blue aura. Yuu glanced over at Ace, who was staring slack jawed at the gem in her hand in shock. Yuu tried to keep a smile off her face as she focused back on her song.

Let me sing a lullaby

As you close your eyes

And as you're drifting off to sleep

How I hope that the dreams that you find

Are bright

Love, can we meet again soon in the bluest of skies?

Where a tomorrow waits for you and I

So hold me tight one more time, but don't kiss me goodbye

'Cause I know that I'll see you on the other side

I will think of our song when the nights are too long

I'll dream of you for that's where I belong

Love, can we meet again soon in the bluest of skies

Only in my dreams do we meet again

As the lullaby drew to a close, the light and magic from the necklace faded away. Yuu slumped back against the headrest with a sigh, suddenly very aware about how exhausted and heavy her body felt. It was like her bones had been replaced with lead. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths to push back against the wave of exhaustion that hit her. “Did it work?” Yuu whispered, glancing over at Ace. Suddenly finding herself in the dark again, Yuu had to strain her eyes to make out Ace in the faint moonlight. He didn’t respond and she couldn't see his face, but his breathing was steady and he looked a lot more relaxed. “I’ll take that as a yes then.” Yuu smiled. Carefully she pulled the blanket up over Ace. She contemplated getting up again to put her necklace away, but the idea of fumbling through the dark without waking Ace or Grim killed any shred of motivation she had. Instead she took off her necklace and gently put it on her bedside table. Yuu yawned and snuggled into the bed next to Ace. “What a day… G’night…”

[streettealee]

theory i've had running for a while now about how various downworlders represent different aspects/forms of neurodivergence and mental illness. and without being too spoilery about ~anything~ I was reminded of the connection I made a while back, long story short, do you think werewolves could represent something like the mood swings in bipolar or bpd or even autistic meltdowns? i know it's a very out there ask but i have IDEAS

TW: steroids, personal medical experience

That's quite an interesting take to think about. Without, of course, being spoilery about anything: when I write about werewolves, I more had in mind a period of my life where I was actually on steroids (prescribed by a doctor) on and off. At first, they feel kind of amazing, because they made a chronic pain I've been living with since the age of eleven disappear like it'd never been there. But I had a lot of energy all of a sudden. I struggled to sleep at all for many nights, and when I did, it was extremely lightly. My appetite increased dramatically and sometimes wasn't there at all. And I had wilder mood swings than I think I've ever had in my life. My skin broke out in acne worse than ever. The first time I was on steroids, I was only about thirteen, when a lot of my hormones were also going wild out of natural processes - and, of course, this medication threw them further out of balance, from my understanding.

I was aggressive, more physical, highly self-conscious, easily angered, quick to sadness and meltdowns, extreme in happiness, hyper, just... it was an intense experience. I got into arguments more. Literally took to punching a guy I had a crush on (just in the shoulder, but the intent to hurt, oddly, was there because of some provocation he did some days) and, on one occasion, throwing food at him (I have the distinct feeling he found it much less amusing than I did at the time). He confessed he had a crush on me too (I have no idea why and now I'm concerned for him upon reflection) but instead of being nice about it, I ignored him (for an entire year. As in I did not directly talk to him for the duration of a year.) I pushed myself physically further than I should have when lifting weights. I remember literally feeling like I could run up walls, wanting to try it, needing to bolt outside and run up the hills like a hound let loose. Everything about me was snappy, in a way. Words, moods. I couldn't focus either. Blew up in class at people. Hated myself. Was driven to a very, very dark place, the worst I've ever been in. There were, admittedly, other factors.

But I'll never forget how invincible I felt while on steroids or how much I craved them when the pain came back. The only thing holding me back from dangerously consuming more outside of what was prescribed was the fear of becoming as unstable as I was again. I scared myself with who I became and I'm still a little scared of her now.

In equal parts, I felt good, but I also felt like absolute shit. I had energy yet was simultaneously exhausted. Being on the medication and then off was, for a decent while, a real struggle (I did not suffer actual withdrawal, because my doctor was careful about that, but I did still suffer from intense mood swings for a while after I stopped taking the medication). It's what I draw inspiration from when writing about werewolves because of how changed they are when first turned. To me, werewolves have more to do with having more of things inside you that you lacked before, that you don't know what to do with, that lashes out and struggles to stay in no matter how desperately a distant, quiet part of you is saying "this isn't me, I know who I am, why can't I just be like I was?" Not so much a monster within as a version of you that is reflected tenfold outward, with less of your sensibilities. If, well, that makes sense. That was my experience I drew from. Changing and being not like yourself in a frightening way you feel like you can't control.

Honestly, I don't know enough about bipolar or BPD or autistic meltdowns to say with any confidence that Cassandra Clare was likely using werewolves as an allegory for these things. I barely have a clue what goes on in her mind after ChoT and some of the author talks I've seen her post. I used to think I knew what she was about, but I'm lost now. When I've seen CC write about newly turned werewolves, they are highly volatile, who need time and training before they can even interact with the wider world (hence the existence of the Praetor Lupus, for example, and some packs in general).

I could imagine werewolves representing some mental illness, but I'm unsure about a disorder or aspect of one. I'm wary of the possibility of unflattering comparisons that may harm others who may not appreciate the idea. What I will say is that when I write of werewolves, they represent a self that is intensified often beyond recognition, some change in you that you eventually learn to accommodate for and live with or control in some ways. I hope that all made sense <3

[snowdice]

Creased Hoodies (Chapter 7: iPad Diagnostics) [Folds in Time Universe]

Fandom: Sander Sides

Relationships: Logan/Virgil, Janus/Patton (background), Remus & Roman  (background)

Characters:

Main: Logan, Virgil

Appear: Patton, Roman

Mentioned: Janus, Remus

Summary: Virgil just wanted to go on his planned summer research trip to do an anthropological study in 2005 America. However, when he is taken off course by an unknown enemy, he ends up stranded in the summer of 2018 with no way to get back the the 44rd century. Luckily, 2018 happens to be where a certain illegal time agency is based, and he might have an in with one of its agents.

This is the intermission for the story Folds in Paper. It takes place between Folds in Paper Book 1 and Book 2. It also takes place after the first 5 chapter of “Messages for a Hacker” which are side stories in the universe. Check all of this and more out on my Folds in Time Master Post.

Chapter Summary: Logan and Virgil are not morning people. Patton and Roman are.

Notes: Time travel AU

This is a fic I’ve been writing on study breaks that you have probably all already seen at this point. I’ve slightly edited it for wording and grammar, but not for content from my previous posts. Feel free to send in asks to direct it because I’m not 100% sure where this is going and you can help decide if you feel so inclined! You can see the process I went through to build this at this link.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Virgil was, indeed, able to find the location he’d crashed landed at quite easily. It was impressive honestly. Logan knew how different the location looked during the farmers market compared to every other day of the week. The main road had been opened and the stage where musical performances took place had been removed. However, Virgil was able to retrace his steps without issue.

“I ended up under the stage,” Virgil informed Logan. “It’s been taken down now, but you can see where it was based on the grass.” He pointed to where the grass had been flattened and then walked around the indent a bit. “I was in the back,” he said, looking towards where the sidewalk was with a contemplative look, “so it would have been almost exactly here.” He tapped his foot on the spot.

Anticipating this part of their excursion, Logan had packed some of his tools before leaving this morning. He pulled out one of his modified iPads.

“You hide your time travel tech as an iPad?” Virgil asked, curiously.

Logan spared him a glance but said nothing.

“…You made your time travel tech out of an iPad?!”

“It is one of the most easily accessible technologies of this time that is also portable,” Logan said with a shrug, booting it up. “I use what I can get.”

“How on Earth did you manage to invent time travel with 21st century technology?” Virgil asked, peeking over his shoulder.

“Well, it took me a couple of decades,” Logan replied.

“It took everyone else literal centuries,” Virgil said dryly.

“Well, I knew time travel was possible already, so I simply made it happen.”

“You’re terrifying,” Virgil stated.

Logan just hummed and set the iPad scrolling through his diagnostic programs. In a few moments, it would come back with any readings time travel related.

Virgil watched the device intently, though Logan doubted he had any understanding about what the different things scrolling past meant.

It gave a soft beep when it was done.

“Well,” Logan said, studying his screen. The readings were not what he was expecting “There is definitely an anomaly, but we of course already knew that. These readings are strange, however.”

“What do you mean?”

Logan pointed to the iPad. “See this graph?” he asked.

Virgil nodded.

“It’s mapping out any timeline irregularities. When everything is normal, it looks like it does here at the beginning.” Logan pointed at the part of the graph from the beginning of Saturday. “It will oscillate between a value of .02 and .08. Things above 1 indicate something is amiss.”

Logan drew his finger across the graph to later in the day.

“I’d assumed whatever had caused you to end up here had dragged you here, but that doesn’t match these readings. Your arrival was not the main disturbance. There was a smaller disturbance about an hour before your crash.” He drew his finger along the almost straight line that stayed at 1.5 before there was a sudden spike. “Then there was the first spike.” The graph went up to 4.5 suddenly and then leveled off staying at 4.5 for a few minutes. He tapped at a spike to 4.9 that came next. “This is your arrival.”

“So…?” Virgil said.

“So, I think your presence here was a byproduct of something else being amiss. I don’t know everything about the time travel technology from your time, but I have noted that your devices tend to briefly ping off of times near to your destination before landing. It’s a form of recalibration. I think your device did a brief landing here at the wrong time and was deactivated much like Janus’s time piece has deactivated in the past in similar circumstances.”

“What does that mean for me?”

“Well, it means your device likely isn’t broken,” Logan said.

“Then why isn’t it working?” Virgil asked.

“Because,” Logan said, scrolling forward in time on the graph. The line had gone back down slightly but had remained at about 3.5 for the last few hours. “Whatever disabled your time piece is still here.”

Virgil looked at his feet as though expecting to see the device sitting on the ground somewhere.

“Not here here,” Logan clarified, “but it is active somewhere in this time and is nearby. They have a limited range from what I understand, though by limited, I mean it could be anywhere in the city. Though it is strange…”

“What’s strange?”

Logan tapped through different readings on his iPad to make sure he wasn’t missing anything. “It’s not causing any other problems,” he said. “We’ve only ran into these things once or twice before and we’ve never managed to actually get our hands on one to study it further. However, each time we’ve seen them, they’ve created some sort of major environmental issue. However, this time there are no obvious indications of time instability or weather problems. In fact, if I wasn’t looking for it, I wouldn’t have noticed.”

“Okay, that is weird,” Virgil said, “but can’t we just find it and shut it off? That’s what Janus said he did when he ran into them.”

“It is,” Logan confirmed. “The only issue is without the obvious environmental clues, I have no idea where it actually is to turn it off. It definitely was here when it switched on, but considering the dip in the graph at this location, it isn’t here anymore.” He looked around. “Perhaps it was attached to the stage or put in one of the musicians’ instrument cases. Then again, by that logic, it could have been put in anyone’s bags or in a since emptied trashcan.”

“So, it could basically be anywhere?”

“Basically,” Logan agreed. “We will check the most likely places for now and if that produces no results, I’ll… figure out something.”

Virgil grimaced. “That sounds promising.”

“I will do my best,” Logan promised. “I just wish I knew more about these devices.”

Virgil seemed to hesitate for a long moment. “How would you go about learning more about them?”

“Well,” Logan said, “if I could get ahold of a similar device to experiment on, I could probably find a way to track this one.”

“You already have,” Virgil said.

“Have what?” Logan asked, confused.

“You already have gotten ahold of one,” Virgil said.

Logan frowned at him. “I assure you, I have not.”

“But you do,” Virgil said. “Eventually.”

“…Oh, I see,” Logan replied, catching on. “Do you perhaps know where we do eventually find such a thing?”

Virgil pressed his lips together. “I think I might already be saying too much,” he said. “It’s stuff you shouldn’t know about yet in your personal timeline. People aren’t supposed to…”

“Time is not nearly as sensitive as the TPI seems to believe,” Logan said with an eyeroll. “In fact, most of Janus and Patton’s interactions so far involve accidently giving more information than necessary.”

“I don’t know…”

“I’m a time traveler from the 21st century who lives with a French man from the 1800s,” Logan said. “I’m not asking for a rundown of every part of the event, just a time and place to point us in the correct direction.”

Virgil still didn’t seem convinced.

“It would really only be a time saver,” Logan argued. “I could just blindly look for time distortions and send Patton after them, but it’d take a while…”

“Fine,” Virgil said after a moment. “This is probably entirely stupid, but fine. Give me a moment to think about what exactly I can tell you, so I don’t mess everything up.”

Logan smiled slightly at his overly cautious behavior but waited patiently.

“Janus met Pat once in Cuba. There was a time distortion during the Camaguey Carnival of 1755. Pat took the device that had been causing the disturbance and left before Janus could catch him.”

“Camaguey 1755,” Logan repeated. “An interesting time. I’ll look into it, and we will see what we can do. A trip will still take a few days to prep, however.”

Logan would need to find exact coordinates and he’d have to talk to Patton considering he’d just recently gotten back from an unwillingly long trip to pre-history. He’d probably be willing to go, but he’d mentioned forcing Logan to make him a “time survival pack” before he’d be willing to go back into the timestream. They’d need to talk about what exactly that entailed and get the supplies for it. His mind was already making plans about what he needed to do.

Virgil nodded. “Should we head back to the apartment, then?” he asked, interrupting Logan’s thoughts. Logan glanced at him. He had actually planned to show the man around a bit today instead of spending all of their time thinking about time travel.

“I cannot be sure that my roommates will have cleaned up their French toast nonsense by now,” he said. “We should likely wait to return until at least the lunch hour. It is not as though we could do anything about it today. We will need to plan.”

“Okay,” said Virgil, “then what are we going to do for the next 3-4 hours?”

“Well,” Logan said. “Perhaps I can show you around the town a bit more so as to not make more of a liar of myself than I already have.”

“Sure,” Virgil agreed with a smile. “What will you be showing me.”

“I was thinking we could visit the local museum. We can compare notes about how wildly inaccurate the exhibits present history.”

Virgil rolled his eyes at Logan, but there was something warm underneath his expression. “Fine,” he said, “but I bet I know more than you.”

Want to read more? Click below!

Folds in Time Universe Master Post

My Main Masterpost