#i also rlly like is this bad b number

[kenobihater]

of all the star wars movies, which of them do y'all 1) enjoy the most 2) consider the best quality and 3) think you've rewatched the most. add your answers in the reblogs or replies, i'm genuinely curious how much of an overlap there is within everyone's three answers. mine don't overlap at all! they're revenge of the sith, empire strikes back, and the force awakens :^)

[fatcowboys]

tonsillectomy has fucked my sleep schedule and also I am craving every food under the SUN rn but won't be able to enjoy most of them for like another week I have list of foods I'm gonna eat once I'm able to

[adhdheather]

trying to get used to the canadian grading scale is getting to me rn. i havent had an appropriate reaction to my numerical grades at All this past year

[hijackalx]

GALE NSFW ALPHABET

A = Aftercare (what they're like after sex)

gale will insist on doing the clean-up himself. like cleaning up both u and him. it's just his gentlemanly nature 😇 i think he also will ramble about stuff completely unrelated while doing it too 😹😹 like while he's wiping off ur face or something with a warm rag he'll be saying shit like "hm. i wonder where tara is, haven't seen her in a while. probably off eating pigeons, i suppose" STOPP IM IN LOVE WITH HIM

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner's)

i think he's pretty proud of his shoulders. they have good width to them and idk they just look nice and stronk 💪🏻 as for his partner, he is a thigh man. he lovvessss thighs. will kiss and squeeze them while u sit on his face. also, if ur AFAB, he will not ever hesitate to grab a titty 🤭

C = Cum (anything to do with cum,

basically)

not getting any specific places where he likes to cum. i think he will cum anywhere as long as it's on/in u. waitttt he probably does like to cum in ur mouth doe. and maybe to smear it on ur lips a little like some lip gloss 😊 LMAO

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

lowkey think he's a little bit of a voyeur ooohhh nasty boy. idk like i think hes into watching/hearing other ppl fuck but he is deeply ashamed of this so dont ever bring it up 😹😹

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they're doing?)

dawg. nobody can convince me his first wasnt mystra. sooo.... not SUPER experienced in terms of like... numbers...... but him and mystra was doing some freak shit....... i just know it.......

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

ugh this is a good question. i think he likes cowgirl. u have to hold his hands tho and make eye contact with him or just forget it gurl 🙄✋ he likes to admire ur body and watch u use him to get off

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

okkk gale can be a little silly sometimes but are we surprised ?? HES ALWAYS SILLY !! i think he switches between serious and goofy. he takes mess-ups and embarrassing moments pretty well and will never make u feel bad over them 🥺 like he'll use humor to make u feel comfortable and safe I NEED HIMMMMM FUCK

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

yeah hes pretty hairy. i dont think his hair is EXTREMELY thick tho. like he has fine, kind of curly kind of straight body hair? not a lot on his chest but he does have a happy trail, pubes, ARMPIT HAIR 🤤, and leg and forearm hair. i think it looks rlly good on his forearms too eugh.......

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

he can be really romantic if he wants to (which is most of the time) but like i said he can also be unserious. but that doesnt make it less romantic i guess ???? anyway yeah he'll even plan everything out. like the type of dude to light candles and lay rose petals and shit 😹😹 probably likes to have some wine beforehand to get yall in the mood better too

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

he will but i dont think he does often. if ur an option he prefers that. if not theres like a 50/50 chance he'll beat off. lowkey feel like he might debate on whether or not its too much work and if he should just go to sleep instead LMAO WAIT PAUSSEEEEEE MAGE HAND ????? yeah...... yeah gurl. if hes feeling lazy thats how its gonna go. prolly will close his eyes and pretend its ur hand

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

normally somewhere secluded like in a room together on a bed but if hes feeling spicy then somewhere with the possibility of getting caught 😏 maybe on a balcony somewhere or IN THE FUCKING SKY

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

i think hes pretty sensitive and in tune to teasing glances or accidentally-on-purpose touches. wordddsss too bro. loves dirty talk so much. especially if ur the one to talk dirty to him. ugh ok gemini vibes yall? yes or yes? anyway whisper things in his ear or say suggestive things in front of other ppl, like innuendo shit 😹

N = No (something they wouldn't do, turn offs)

uhhh... umm.... uh

jk he wont do any noncon roleplay or anything like that. not sure if theres anything else tho 😭

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

wants to give and receive but has a preference for giving head like its probably his fav sex act 😭😭 yall know hes good af at it too and probably says nasty shit while hes doing it

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

he'll adjust depending on what u want. but if ur riding him he likes when ur more sensual that way he can admire ur body a little better

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

doesnt seem like a quickie guy to me. like i said he likes to plan it out most days.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

😐

yes. hes a freak yall

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

if he does most of the work then he wont want to go another round but if its u then he probably will. i think it just depends on his mood too. if ur not satisfied yet tho he will use mage hand or projection gale to help 😹😹

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

i think he likes to tease a generous amount. he can dish it out but cant take it tho he gets flustered pretty fast lol

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

not extremely loud but will moan/whimper whatever. hes not afraid to make noise like not ashamed at all but i dont see him being obnoxious lol. mostly just talks tho LMAO

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

hes pretty much always thinking nasty but not always horny. he just like me fr. prolly not trying to smash often tho cuz he likes to plan ahead and make everything perfect. will fuck maybe 3 days a week unless ur really raring to go 😭

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

will prolly catch up on a book afterwards for a while before going to sleep. this is so comforting to me tho like what? imagine being all fucked-out and snuggy while ur bae reads their lil book and looks after u while u sleep.... need

[pumpkinsy0]

If you’re okay with it, headcanons about the Shepard’s house/each of their rooms? (The way it looks and all..) thank you in advance :D

OF COURSE IVE ACTUALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE

Tims room

•shit is SO bare i swear to u it is, just a bed, dresser, a window, a chair, maybe a hamper or trash can, some books, n thats rlly it

•theres not a poster or anything of the sort in sight, im so serious he doesnt decorate it he doesnt care

•a lil messy but rlly not allat bad you’ll live

•bit of a popcorn ceiling but he dont rlly care

•prolly got everyones birth certificate and social security number under his mattress

•only light source is his window, hes a fucking caveman

cant say much bout his room

Curlys room

•ABSOLUTE mess, a tornado came through that bitch i swear, NOTHING is in its supposed place and thats bc he says he already knows where everything is

•his vanity is wide open, theres clothes pokin out, pile of clothes on the floor

•beds like never made and even if it is, hastily made, his bed frame is wooden also pretty fucked up w scratches

•i could see him w some posters on his wall, maybe he stole em, but i could also see him not having em so pick ur poison, has magazines lade out on the floor near some trash he swore he would pick up later but never did

•im not gonna sit here n act like he dont got holes in his wall bc he punched em

•somehow theres a few crack in his ceiling NEVER knows how it popped up

•has a memory box under his bed

•perchance he will b like me and his room was supposed to be a big ass spice closet but they changed it up for it to b his own room, and HES he has a window but his room is a bit cramped for a bedroom but it works for him so he dont care

•uses a lamp as light source

Angela’s room

•THEE most put together i mean that nothing is outta place, unless shes mad, then shes throwing stuff

•bc of that exact reason theres lil dents and holes in her room whoops

•has stuffed animals from when she was a kid she cant seem to get rid of

•her room is the biggest bc tim knows being the only shepard girl has to b hell, so thats her own safe space

•her vanity has a good amount of stolen makeup and perfumes

•has some plants she takes care of to get her mind off stuff

•she hangs some things on her wall maybe love letters from others she has to boost her confidence, maybe its some pics, maybe posters, she has SOMETHING on her wall she hates how empty her walls look

•she has a lava lamp!! she has a ceiling light but almost never uses it, shes like tim and likes the dark, they all do tbh, but curly and angela like a lil light

not much to comment on their house, its furnished enough to look like a house but not rlly a home, theres maybe a cross on the wall but like i said not much goin on, furnitures a lil fucked tho, they have family pics but tim doesnt like those just being out so he has em somewhere stashed away

THATS ALL I REMEMBER but i swear i had more😭

[serialeclipse]

muse no2 here we go! raising the curtains on miss lee rumi, who's just your run of the mill regular girl! also the most coach user of all time who just can't break the 85% compatibility rate </3 still no pages rip but regular drill, info / plots are under the cut & pls like to plot or ask for my d/scord! 💗

info

rumi is rlly the most regular person ever!! one of those terra users who's just chilling & living life yk she's got small dreams of getting her dream megabuilding skin & respectably medium dreams of finding her person, no big dreams

she also comes from smaller beginnings, born into the care of terrascape corporation & just naturally graduated at age eighteen. officially, her parents are unlinked & she's never really tried to find them. says she's just respecting their decision or whatever that way, but mostly she's afraid she might find them & realise they didn't want her for a reason. no thanks!

she thinks she's doing pretty well for herself though! minus the loneliness that occasionally takes over & the void of whatever that she gets late at night idk but doesn't everyone feel that way at 2 in the morning?

right now she's ur local barista who's lowkey like an npc bc she works at multiple coffee shops! hustling to survive & maybe have extra money for her dream megabuilding skin it is what it is we live in an economy

uses coach a lot. she's that friend who's been online dating for nearly a decade </3 kinda embarrassing but she's putting herself out there in tiny steps yk

( and? she isn't saying that weird things are happening to her. not at all!! she's regular!! but there's something about how she gets deja vu once in a while about a match she made on coach even though she knows for sure that she never met them

weird. maybe it's fate? it's not like terra has glitches! )

chart facts: libra sun cancer moon taurus rising, chill & goes w the flow most of the time. not the type of person to fight back but she might have some emotional walls up to protect herself! doesn't have a lot of ambition, she's happy with her slice of terra life as it is right now. likes being around people but is careful about who she lets in, clingy with the ones who stay. bad at keeping in touch. good at making coffee.

she's a work in progress & also pls pretend i didn't give my muses really similar names pls

plots

fellow coach users: a) 84%, the highest match she's ever had but it didn't work out even though she really tried; b) the 60%ers that she's matched on because what if coach was a little wrong but not totally wrong!; c) a 50% match she swiped on as a fluke (?); d) failed dates that she got a friend out of... or a blocked number rip

u think she's an npc after seeing her at multiple coffee shops & get a jumpscare seeing her out n about with thoughts of her own

found family, other people who grew up under the terrascape care or smth else? thee most important person in her life

other regular guys & gals just living their npc life

she's on the lookout for a megabuilding roomie to split rent but u disagree on what display skin ur flat should have

ur trying to get her to try real dating ( meeting ppl at the bar ) but it flopped

she's too cheap to buy the official cosmetic mod so she's begging u ( coder? reskin guy? ) to help out

regulars on the menu: besties, childhood friends, enemies, fwbs, exes! i also love a brainstorm too we should do that 💗

[jihyoruri]

I lied. cibyn analysis.

ok so cibyn…. lemme start off w this… she’s the funniest mf EVERRR😭😭her relationship with kazuha has me LAUGHING like I just know they’re like “oh my god… we should dye your hair pink….” and they both js go along w it LIKE😭 I CAN NOT W THEIR HEAD EMPTY ASSES just straight YAPPING.

and… to my girl chaewon… in my heart ik ur winning… but youre mad funny being 5’4 with a bob tryna fight a girl from nyc who is FIVE FOOT EIGHT😭😭… I know wigs would fly and cibyn would STILL be talking to kazuha like😭brawl in the waiting room she don’t even turn around..

second. she played young yeonjin in the glory. this girl has some unreal level of control w her emotions… (I think).. I think she’s very aware of who she is and what she wants, and focuses on herself more than others. not in a mean way, she’s just like… you do you, whatever you do is your own problem.

overall I think she’s a nice person though, I don’t think she’d ever be rude to someone who didn’t DESERVE it yk what I’m saying..

to be honest I think cibyn is a pretty happy person, but she definitely got some issues cause of her mother… the belief that love is useless and will only get in the way of success is a very detrimental-to-your-health kind of way to think. It seems she only feels this way about romantic love though so she does still have good friends and let’s herself care abt other people, so… it’s not all that bad.

I don’t think she’s processed her issues from her childhood so if chaewon or yunjin were to confess… I think she’d need time to process it. i think she’ll probably get w chaewon (sorry yunjin 😞you can NEVER WINNN😭😭) but I think it’ll take her some time— you can’t just let go of years of the way you were, and I don’t think she sees a reason to. I don’t think cibyn minds the way she was raised or thinks— I don’t know if she craves a relationship but it really doesn’t seem like it. overall I think she’s pretty in-tune with herself and is overall like.. happy, but I think emotionally, she’s maybe not good with emotions she’s not used to/can’t control. i think cibyn probably likes being in control.

I also think she’s smart, like.. very smart. she probably jokes around and acts ditzy and whatever but smth tells me this girl is like. QUICK with it.. maybe not academically smart (although I feel like she’d be great with numbers and practical kind of subjects, math/science, maybe not literature cause.. u gotta be kinda good w emotions for it LMFAO) but she’s definitely very aware of the way other people ACT. she may not be aware of crushes her way but I think she can tell if someone is a good person or not idk.

overall uhhh chaewon stays winning I think cibyn likes control.. but I don’t think she’s AFRAID(?) to fall in love, I just think she has an aversion to it. maybe it makes her feel weak or smth?? i can’t rlly tell cuz she’s kind of always staying silly. she may b oblivious to crushes but she’s probably veeeery intelligent. I LOVE U CIBYN‼️(I want to study her under a microscope)

-🎏

LMAOOOOO cib!yn is honestly really funny😭 she intentionally does some of things to keep her peace but anyways i really like your view on her

[brokebegginerartist]

I have a whole ass storyline featuring these two, spawned from that very okayish movie.

Also a spoiler review:

The sequel was pretty okay. I had a good time watching it. Obv it's very technically impressive and the way that the water ways is very good™️. The designs in general were very neat. Super pleasing from a guy who likes designs. I prefer looking at the human vehicles over the creatures but yknow, sucker for lower sci-fi stuff.

From what I remember of the first movie (which is almost next to none), I think I enjoyed the characters here a lot more. Super Memorable Main Character Jake Sully wasn't at all too interesting here. All he's really got is:

a) guerrilla leader, which the movie skips out a whole lot of potential in the prologue like seriously there was so much they could've done with that but they just didn't

And b) kinda strict father figure. Like I mean, it's something, for sure. But he never really does anything that a father figure wouldn't reasonably do. There was this bit in the beginning were his sons, uh. Noatok and Middle Child, mess up really bad and got a number of folks killed, but Jakesully kinda ignores that and berates Middle Child that he nearly got his brother killed. And his punishment for nearly screwing up a military mission? He's grounded. Around two thirds of what made this dynamic interesting was abandoned when the family bounced. Honestly though I can understand why his character takes a bit of a backseat as the film now has to devote screentime to his kids, which is more of an excuse than the previous film had.

Neytiri has largely the same issues too. I didn't really think of her as anything more than Scary Mom and Spicy Wife, but I don't rlly know what else they could've done with her.

That being said, I liked the kids a whole lot more even if the only ones who had an arc were Middle Child, Kiri, and Spider. Which is. More than ¾s. Anyways they were just kind of fun to be around even if I was getting a little tired of the discrimination aspect, though I understand why that exists. I'm especially happy with what they did with Kiri. Having that dynamic with Grace and Eywa was an amazing concept and I'm very interested to see what they do with it in the next one. I'm personally hoping we see Grace back in her Avatar.

Quaritch, compared to the last movie from what I remember, was way more interesting here than in the last movie (which is more than I can say for his squad. They weren't even particularly harder to kill than any of the human mercs. While the blue was flashy and cool, I'm disappointed with the lost potential here, even if it was only for better action scenes). It's good to see him with an attitude that isn't Military Man. He's also the main reason Spider exists, in and out of universe. At the beginning of the movie I was like "why does this kid exist besides the self inserts for young men" but during his scenes with Quaritch, I'm glad he does. I'm really into the esthetic of the military gear on the wyverns. Mega, Mega cool. Which is another thing.

I'm kind of disappointed with the treatment of the humans here. Very nearly none of them have any sympathetic qualities whatsoever. Even the ex-humans on the Naavi side were basically entirely useless. They only existed to paint a target on the Seal Naavi, telling Jakesully that, yknow, Kiri having seizures underwater could be bad (also it's very convenient that Naavi don't have the instinct to inhale when they suffocate like humans do. Very odd tbh) and to also claim that Kiris visions were caused by brain problems, which, while possible, they have actual, measurable proof that Eywa and her effects on the environment exist (I mean for fecks sake one of thems an Avatar too. Literally just stick him into a tree or some crap. I'm pretty sure they have recordings of Grace confirming this, no?). I sincerely hope this is improved in the next one, like Jesus this is a thing that took me out of the film for a bit

There's also this feeling that this whole conflict is really black and white, as in all the humans are bad guys and all the blue peeps are good guys. I'm no supremacist, and I understand that they're gonna do something with the concept with the introduction of the fire nation, but at least give us at least something to suggest that this conflict isn't that simple, like something more tangible than bullies for the blue side and, y’know, any sign at all that the humans are worried about the future of their people on the sky side.

Something besides all that, that I wish they did, was lean into the mixed esthetic like they did with Quaritch's wyverns. Something I think would've been cool for Jakesully's character. How, although he loves his wife and family and wants to separate himself from the worst parts of his heritage, he still mourns the things he lost. Even Especially if it was only the little things, like beer with friends or the general esthetics of Night City. Another thing that could've made the vibes more mixed. Like the weird coms gear that the Avatars use. I'd like some signs that both humans and Naavi have something to learn from each other, like some technical skills and even just an interest in cultural studies (if Eywa wasn't a force that solves damn well near all their problems and if they had a more open mind on anything that wasn't Eywa, although I could understand why they wouldn't considering the circumstances), and maybe, besides the incredible biology studies, a little bit of culture exchange on the humans side (if they weren't both desperate and assholes and led by a megacorp)

And besides that, some nitpicks

JakeSully's decision to leave when Avatars are targeting his family. Dumb, dumb on multiple levels. 1, You're like the only competent guerrilla leader of these people and you're leaving them high and dry. 2, You're leaving the hallelujah mountains, your most strongly defensible position, as on top of the general hostility of the entire planet, it has electro magnetic shenanigans that make the human instruments malfunction. And 3, if you decide to settle with anyone else, you'll be putting their community into danger by association because you cannot tell me you thought they were just gonna leave you alone if you disappeared from radar for a bit.

Everyone besides the kids lack of concern for Spider. JakeSully takes his family and bounces when he hears he's been captured (altho tbh what was he gonna do besides not leave, massive dumbdumb), and Neytiri takes him for hostage. She was emotional and they had Kiri, but still like wtf both of you. Butthole moves, you guys that was fucked

Why are the whales sapient? They don't seem to have admin privileges like the Naavi (or hands with which to create). What tf is the plan here Eywa

The mosasaur looking thing abandons the chase of a large fish out in open water, in favour of a much skinnier and more inconvenient Middle Child

The sea mercs plans rely nearly entirely on the whales refusal to retaliate in any meaningful way. I don't remember how much damage Middle Childs buddy did in his flashback, but his bros had all been killed. What was the difference between then and now? Where are all the high explosives that you dudes obviously need on standby?

The Sea Naavi dissappear in the middle of the climactic battle

Despite all that tho movie was pretty and I had fun, hoping the next one is better :)

[razzmothazz]

absolute mood about being bad at maths and playing dnd, like. sometimes the math is the friends we made along the way.

also, we use dnd beyond to roll dice which does the math for us, it makes us feel a lot less dumb when we're scrambling to do math in combat lmao.

i swear im good at math its just been a rough day.. and week.. and month... and everything else too jshdidjdn i barely get any good sleep lately thats my excuse

anyway i actually rlly like adding up my little dice together but im biased cause im addicted to collecting dice and also have personal beef with dnd beyond.... having auto math done can b so helpful tho especially if you wanna do stuff quickly or its like a high stakes fight and the emotions make the numbers hard jdhdjdjfk

[b1rdeyes]

Alr so watched first two eps of s5 wwdits and my thoughts (in a numbered list woohoo):

1) Wait so the doc is called “what we do in the shadows” in universe?? Are they gonna have like a premiere ep way later in the series (like the offices qna kinda thing).

2) honestly I’m much happier than I was with the s4 premiere. I remember being pretty disappointed that we didn’t rlly get much from their Europe trip. I was so hoping that nadja and Guillermo would be friends/have mutual respect (quite a few ppl were talking ab it and I felt like it could have worked well and in hindsight we might have avoided the Freddie incident 😭). I remember being so mad like WHAT WE SKIPPED A WHOLE YEAR AND NOTHING CHANGED WITH GUILLERMO HE GOT SHIPPED IN A CRATE AGAIN?? I did like plenty of s4 (go flip yourself ep my beloved) but I wasn’t OBSESSED like I was with s1-3. I feel like this season might get me back into it more

3) love Colin he’s just always the same it never gets old lmaoo

4) just realized Derek’s wearing a collar and like punk pants lmaooo he’s getting a new look (maybe it’s not new at all but I only just noticed it now 😭)

5) the Sean fight at the bar lmaoo AND THEY STOLE THE POLICE CAR 💀💀 also laszlo’s pronunciation strikes again (“mutha-fuck-aas”) AND THE EVIL LAUGH AFTER “eat shit TERRY”

6) I KNEW LASZLO DIDNT ACTUALLY KNOW (well I only started thinking that when he was ab to confront Guillermo but 😭) WHYD U LET IT SLIP GUILLERMO

7) Based on some of the promo plz let Guillermo and laszlo be friends (I’m so desperate for at least one of them to treat him with a little bit of kindness consistently)

8) I want Guillermo to do some cool stuff so bad 😭. Like cmon do some special van helsing vampire kills. Ig he can’t slay anymore cause he’s also a vampire but PLEASE

9) Saw someone talk ab how the camera crew is more involved and yes it’s very interesting 👁👁

10) wondering ab what they’ll do with guide cause they added her to the intro (I am fairly certain that wasn’t in s4) cause she wasn’t in the first ep AT ALL

11) I hope they bring nadja into the main story with smth unique. Laszlo found out and is getting involved (kinda training him considering the promo). Guillermo is nandors familiar so there’s a lot of possible material involving nandor regarding his vampirism. Nadja rn seems like she’s stuck in this b team plotline with the guide. I will definitely wait and see, but considering it seems like just the guide faking the hex and nadja learning to be nice I’m prob going to be more into the Guillermo stuff (and that seems like it’ll mainly involve just laszlo and nandor)

Anyways, I really enjoyed it and I’ll just keep hoping that Guillermo will one day have one of the main vampires be kind to him (((:

[sheepiemc]

my piece for the mammonzine : gold rush! the directors cut bc i had to cut out a bit to fit the guidelines so u get the full ver.

my theme was demon mammon >:)

mammon visits a human world casino and has little fun with a desperate human >;) they say don’t make a deal with the devil, but what could possibly go wrong?

warning tags: gambling and mild blood (but it’s not rlly blood it’s soul essence ? but it is vampire-esque)

full text under the link !

All that glitters is not gold.

Human souls also glitter when they give in to temptation. It’s the kind of thing you notice when you’re a demon. Being in a human world casino was doubly distracting for Mammon - the Avatar of Greed - because the lights and sounds of the games of chance battled with the shining, greedy souls for his attention.

It was still one of his favorite places to be on the rare occasion he was allowed to wander the human world unsupervised. Of course he knew that the house always wins, but it was that chance, that what if, that kept him going. It’s what keeps all these greedy souls going.

Mammon surveys the scene, taking the assault to his senses in stride. He walks over to a slot machine and is about to load it up when the human at the machine next to him catches his attention; it’s not the shiny gold jewelry they’re wearing or the clinking of coins in their cup - it’s the desperation glittering in their soul that calls out to him. This is someone that could use a win and will do almost anything to get it. He stops what he’s doing and just watches them for a while.

They looked dressed up, but he could see the heavy bags under their eyes and their slightly disheveled hair; a crack in their pretty facade. They seemed to be muttering to themselves, eyes never leaving the spinning numbers of the slot machine, cursing under their breath when they don’t win. After observing them for several minutes, he decides to make his presence known.

He turns back to his machine and hits in, feigning frustration, “Damn machines.”

The human finally notices the white-haired stranger and when he looks at them, they’re immediately transfixed by the shimmering gold glint in his blue eyes - it's unsettling and unnatural but they can't look away.

He smiles.

Got ‘em.

When the silence stretches on, the human realizes they should say something, anything, to the beautiful stranger but all they can manage is a weak, “Yeah.”

He turns to them fully. “You look like you could use a win.” They nod slowly, almost imperceptibly, still mesmerized by him. His eyes flash, fully gold, and his smile widens, teeth sharpening. “I can help you out. But it’s gonna cost ya.”

They lean in closer to him and nod more vigorously, their soul sparkling with greed. Even the promise of riches is enough for this human to want.

They make it so easy.

“Perfect.” Mammon leans against the slot machine and gestures to the cup in their hand. “Go ahead.”

The human fumbles with their coin, almost dropping it before inserting it and cranking the handle. They hold their breath as they watch the numbers and fruits spin and spin and spin till they land on 7… 7… 7!

The human jumps up in excitement, nearly knocking back their cup of coins in the process. They laugh and shriek with joy, throwing their arms around the beautiful stranger, their good luck charm.

Mammon is shocked by the unexpected display of affection, but their soul sparkles with the contact and he wraps his arms around them, claws sinking further into them. The human begs him to come along to all the games, to see if their bad luck really had changed. Mammon follows them to every game and every machine their greedy little heart desires. Even after amassing a small fortune, they bet it all, risking everything for a chance to win more because it's not enough; it will never be enough.

And that’s exactly how Mammon liked it.

Before they can cash out, he asks them to go to a more private area of the casino and they gleefully follow.

They make it so easy.

After making sure there’s no one else in sight, Mammon looms over his very willing victim.

“Alright, darlin’. It’s time to collect.”

“But the cashier is that way.”

“Not money.”

“Oh, you want these coins?”

“Not exactly. I was thinking more like, your soul?”

Before the human can process what the demon said, he reveals his true form in a puff of smoke and a flash of golden light. The smell of brimstone assaults the human’s senses. Their eyes widen in horror as the companion they’ve spent the whole night with grows bat-like wings and sharp, curling horns.

They back away instinctively until they hit a wall, nowhere else to escape. Frozen in fear, the Avatar of Greed slowly approaches them, never breaking eye contact. “C’mon, babe. It’s only what you owe me.”

He curls a finger under their chin and turns their face away from him, exposing their neck. He lowers his face to their exposed flesh and inhales deeply.

Such a delicious soul.

He hears the human’s breath catch in their throat and the cup of coins falls from their hands, scattering gold everywhere as his teeth sink in. The glittering light behind their eyes fades until they’re just a husk, a hazy memory of the person they used to be.

Mammon reluctantly pulls off of them and wipes the gold liquid running from his mouth. Can’t waste a drop of the essence of a greedy soul. He turns them around and sends them out of the alley, back to the casino with not even a cent to their name.

He basks in the rush of energy flowing through him as he stretches his wings and alights his hands with shimmering gold fire.

Beautiful.

He hears the familiar ping of a message on his phone.

“Time to go.” It reads, immediately followed by a “Now.”

Mammon types a response. “Relax, I’m on my way.” With all this excess energy flowing through him, Mammon flies off into the night to meet back up with Lucifer, not even caring if anyone notices the greedy demon happily gliding through the glittering night sky.

“What are you so pleased about?” Lucifer asks him, completely unamused, holding the portal to the Devildom open while Mammon walks through, looking like the cat that got the cream.

“You’d be pleased too if you had a taste of what I ate tonight.”

“You ate human food?” Lucifer follows him through.

Mammon chuckles, “You could say that…”

“Mammon…” Lucifer says, finally catching on to Mammon’s meaning.

“Don’t get your panties in a twist, Lucy. I left enough of their soul to keep them alive. Besides, they were practically beggin’ me to take it.”

Lucifer sighs. “You must be careful. You do know we’re getting a human exchange student at RAD soon, don’t you?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know; ‘they’re off-limits!’” Mammon breezes past Lucifer, already done with this conversation.

As he heads to his room, Mammon can’t help but wonder how easy it might be to tempt the new human into sinning, corrupt them with his sin, and devour their glittering soul.

He smiles to himself.

Everyone’s got a price.

He’ll just have to find theirs.

[pitynostars]

rewatching PotD properly let's gooo

"is there anyone out there" "yes." This was hot

"what am I doing, I've got a date to get to" is Dan talking ABT Diane ???

The idea of doing an EP about just the cyber TLs would be so interesting imo ajdkkfdjks... Like they're not converted humans but that's their whole deal usually so like....

"don't get shot" *Dan gets shot* prime comedy

"don't lose my sonic" patronising 13 i hate u

Did anyone else expect Dan to turn evil here the way he hesitated over the controls? XD

The alien shows them what they want right ???? Why does the doctor see a random kid?

"I'm the doctor I'm going to protect you" "the doctor lies" lmao

Ive seen people say like. The train CGI the painting CGI is rlly bad but honestly I can never notice but I don't rlly have eyes for that sort of thing

Ace and Tegan Skype friends <3 the ending should have been like this w all the companions where they're all just swapping adventure stories rather than the support group thing

"should we pick u up again in 24hrs" so Dan is on and off the TARDIS at this point ??? Having dates ??? Assuming w Diane but the only person we see him w in the rest of te EP is Graham so I mean....

"Yaz u and I can see where the cyber masters took that child" so... Yaz saw it as a kid too? Did I mishear the line ABT it looking how u want

"it's not my life" hmm I buy that BC we saw his life before of pretending to b the museum guide and helping out at the food bank and stuff he's a community guyTM sure hate that this is so weirdly rushed less i guess "I can attack it now because I've been with you" I buy less lmao... He's had no growth at all??? Also the way it's framed like he's talking to the doc is so odd when he spent more time w Yaz (unless they've been travelling for more than 3 years ???)

The doctor saying "homes important" just makes me HOWL tho ngl

"I'll b kipping on mum and dads sofa tonight" .... Where have u been sleeping all the other 24 hr breaks youve appaz been dropped off for ???

"not one for goodbyes" idk I buy that w 13 we saw the whole "one happy one sad" the hug goodbye for Ryan and graham

...so why can't 13 tell yaz about this traitor dalek??

also the concept of a dalek realising theyve strayed from their og mission does actually kind of slap but we did just see daleks v daleks in revolution so i'm glad this wasnt the main plot again

sacha dhawans acting<3<3

the scene where he looks in the tsarina (?)'s eyes and he's like "are my eyes not full of certainty" and u see him reflected in her eyes.... SICK. have they mentioned the master is kind of hypnotic yet in this era before this?

where are the dhawan telling the tsar to take a holiday vs donna telling caecilius and family to take a holiday in pompeii parallels.

are they saying dhawan master replaced rasputin nd made an alt universe with this cyberplanet in the sky? or is there some historical note about there being something in the sky at that time (?)

i love that the doctor and yaz both barely react to the hahahahahhaha tardis there's no like. wtf. moment they just head straight in.

i think it would have been sweet for 13 to stroke one of its panels and be like "oh shes not mine." nodding to that theyre telepathic!! but we seem to have forgotten that this era 😔.... i feel this generally in this era the relationship between the doctor and the tardis has been lacking actually like apart from ghost monument and spyfall we barely see them interact... i know its not always a Thing but man i loved 11 & the tardis' relationship so much i'd love to see a writer feature it more again 🥺

ive seen some people claiming yaz reads gallifreyan off the screen in the tardis. that would be cool but 100% you can recognise readings u can tell what data/readings are without labels necessarily like i can go into a car and look at a speedo and i dont need numbers on it to know what the readings mean yk?? either way it does speak a lot to teh familiarity she's got with the tardis and i <3<3 ... yaz and the tardis' growth is fun to think about. do you think she was grumpy that yaz was hanging out with the other tardis on earth in revolution ? XD

DOCTOR: Ah, there's a rudimentary cloaking shield in operation. Soon fix that. The Cybermen have tethered that child into this planet. It was registering as an energy source.

YASMIN: How is that child an energy source?

DOCTOR: Wait, there's more layers to the shield. Oh, not just cloaking. It's a consciousness shield! A creature trying to evade capture, hiding behind a visual projection shield, and this one shows us what we instinctively want to protect, as a defence.

Help me out here. Are they saying that the Qurunx also set up the cloaking ??? or that the cybermen cloaked it and it also put up the consciousness shield? ? or was it all the cybermen?? why would it need both?

also the idea of it showing what you want to protect -- do yaz and the doctor and dan ALL just happen to see a child in this situation then ??

"is this planet your doing?" doctor you literally saw the cybermen kidnap the qurunx to bring here 😭😭😭... YOU FOLLOWED THEM HERE

just once i'd like the "your master awaits" to be subverted/mirrored with "your doctor awaits" ...... the "this country needs a doctor" line is hot but its not the SAME.

"have you got any idea whats going on in outspace in 1916 rn" "strangely enuf. no" this line always gets me aklsjflk i love kate

"I'm Yaz. The only one here who doesn't really know what's going on" sorry babe that's your whole character

MANDIP INVENTING ACTING

i am once again asking ok these paintings got "defaced" so its not an alt timeline??????????? they never fixed this in the end right ??????? sweats. so rasputin was teh master alll along historically (?)... and he jst put himself in paintings in modern day ?? but then the dr says "some people think you're rasputin" ?????

"this is the day youre erased from existence forever" .... how does turning into her erase her from existence 😭

dhawan inventing acting

i still dont understand why this "give her a gun" moment is in there.

wait what happens to vinder in the end??? his ships broken

"you'll feel safer with me in the building" LMAO

"she really doens't want us back in there" and then yaz just drops her home w no goodbye to the doctor coolcoolcoolcoool

ok but why did the master clone ashad specifically what difference does he make over like. any cyberman/cyberleader??

love the russian doll cyberman lmaoooo... reminds me of that arc thing from doomsday/aog... TIME LORD TECH

if i had a penny for every time the doctor is forced into one of their enemies only for it to be purely for transport i'd have 2 pennies which isn't a lot but its a bit funny it happens twice

i love the rasputin moment but i dont rlly get the lead in ngl 😭 hes just like k time for my dance number mid speech. which i suppose like. in character XD

sacha dhawan in thirteens outfit.... i'm bisexual<3 i need to get my ears pierced

"Don't… don't… don't worry. You'll get used to me. Everyone will. I still need a companion to ask and… bask in my brilliance. Come on, Yaz. Let's go on an adventure! Don't make me ask twice. I'd hate to have to bring you down to size." /

"Come on, Yaz! Let's save a civilisation! Let's correct history! Rescue a sick animal! These yours? Oh, bless. Ow! What was that? Some sort of dirty protest? Unless you want to be consigned down a black hole for eternity, you'd better behave! I am the Doctor, and you will obey me." snapping in yaz's face "I AM THE DOCTOR NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

-> this would have hit soo different if this actually was the doctor i would HAVE LOVEDDDD it. first time watching i honetsly thought this was still the doctor and the tardis was reacting like that bc the regeneration was so unnatural (like the way she reacted to jack in utopia) but no 😔

mandip inventing acting<3

"very 80s" "thanks!" LMAO

"gold star and a sticker" u r sick

the random news drone on top of a random 2 planets is so.... ??? i feel like a lot of this was cut somehow aslkfjklgds..

also where's the awkward cut scene of yaz standing around while the master's in the wardrobe picking his outfit aksfjgdlkf

[plays the recorder on a burning mushroom planet] king shit

"quite the strength of character this incarnation" "DOCTOR 6: Our predicament! This is supposed to be handed over. You can't ruin it for the next one. / DOCTOR 5: And you were doing so well." i hateee these bits so much its SO patronising

"i dont do robes" lmao

why is whittaker in the reversed robe/the robe they used for time here hm

the hologram i do like as an idea tbf especially as we've seen the basic version w 9 and 11 and whatnot so her developing it to be more ai is rlly fun ... especially after she saw how handy having three of her in diff places was in flux lmaoooo

"it should only activate under the gravest circumstances. Like if I'm no longer around. Now, that would be disastrous. But I will have very subtly inserted a sonically triggered nano-implant under your skin and passed it off as static electricity. f I remember to do that. I must remember to do that." -- so either 13 has only just finished the hologram ai before this ep OR she KNOWS shes about to walk into some Real ShitTM and takes precautions akjfgldf.....

"HOLO-DOCTOR: Whoa! The emotional receptors on the AI are a bit oversensitive. Apparently, you're annoyed with me? Apparently, I should apologise for something?" this is so fucking funny because it comes across literally just like thirteen was she is always this fucking mean and patronising and borderline manipulative lmao its so askjdfglkdf......... blame it on the emotional receptors being oversensitive sure 🙄

i reiterate my point that most of the things/wins we get are done by the hologram dr, yaz is STILL asking the doc for validation even when shes a hologram 😔

"can't hurt the feelings of a hologram" SHE JUST TOLD U SHE WAS AI. watching this after measure of a man is like. HELLO.

"yeah well i didnt" [tosses bag] I LOVE TEGAN

they cld have mentioned nyssa in this rant tho fr

"i'll distract the cybermen" "how are you gonna do that" [cuts to screaming] hELP ASKFJDGLF... THE COMEDY IN THIS EP IS SO

the shot of ace falling into the console room is so fun actually <3

dhawan hood up<3<3

vinder no idea who the doctor is or their history w the doctor or yaz in this ep is. q funny to me.

"YASMIN: I'm sorry. / MASTER: Are you? Truly?/ YASMIN: Came back, didn't I? / MASTER: We could have fun, you know? I am fun. Different type of fun, but fun. We could travel. You'll see. "

i am once again saying i wish we got dhawan!doctor fr with this vibe

the touch of the ai mirroring the companions emotions is cute but i do still kinda wish we'd got whittaker to do these scenes fully

god i want ace and bill to meet actually

"the joy is to watch them fly" 😭😭😭

"former bus driver" is such a funny thing for graham to think when introducing himself

"wanna see how i dealt with them in 1963?" i'm kissing you on the lips

kate sacrificing herself is so<3<3 redgraves acting here is sooooo

jasfkdj tegan slipping on the ladder... is this a ryan reference or is that purely for plot convenienceTM

if the daleks plan is to destroy the planet through volcanoes then who do the cybermen have left to convert .....😭

wait the tardis in this shot LOOKS SO BAD i never notice cgi and whatnot idc but like LITERALLY THATS OBVIOUSLY A BOX WITH THE BACKGROUND PAINTED IN 😭

jo martin my beloved<3 god i wish she got more to do

vinder shooting the master is sooo<3 king

yazs speech about friendship and love got me actually.

i reiterate its the hologram telling yaz what to do this isnt her win wholly and that frustrates me so much 😭...

also how do the daleks and cybermen and master and vinder SEE ruths hologram when the doctor didnt plant the ai in them ?????? the whole static thing was the flag hello ??

"dont let me go back to being me" pleaseeee

"where there's hope..." YOU DIDNT FINISH THAT. THERES WHAT.

[nelly-wants-to-b-skinny]

I've been wanting to do this but I'll just do it all together :)

1. weight- 185, chest- 41.2, waist-34.0, hips-44.0, thighs- 28.0

2. 5'5, yes im totally okay with my height tbh

3. we have a very similar body type so i feel like it's the most realistic for me

4. tbh just losing my dd boobs that's it.

5. im tired of being the big and ugly friend, i owe it to my young chubby self to finally be pretty.

6. define binge lol. to me if I eat normally i define that as binge. but tbh I don't think I actually binge idk.

7. yes they do, however they don't know how far I'm willing to go. but they don't. they're actually happy I am.

8. i would do cardio 3 times a week, and then do core 2 times a week, but now im doing chloe ting workouts so :))

9. 100% all the time, I've hears it ever since grade school tbh, and it's literally ruined who I am and my relationship with food.

10. i guess my love for baking, it's been really hard baking for my friends and family and not having the opportunity to have these things yk.

11. lol i don't have one hahaha.

12. hmm that's a good question, i usually stick to fruits i try to stay away from meat and dairy, however it's not always easy. but for a good day, I'll have my black coffee in the morning and then like a garden salad in the afternoon.

13. definitely unhealthy lmao, I will starve myself until I lose as much weight as I can.

14. 120lbs, it used to be 140 but that's how much my sis weighs and I wanna be smaller than her

15. I'm neither but I seriously am considering going vegetarian bc I didn't eat meat for 3 days and lost literally 7lbs so I just might.

16. I've always tried to lose weight, yk go on a diet, work out, however this year I realized I was going to go on vacation and I needed to look pretty for my pictures so I decided to go back to my old habits and I triggered my ed, it took some time like 2 months until eventually in the end of March I started thinking the same way once again. I would starve and calculate calories.

17. im not sure. I don't want to say yes since I'm not diagnosed, but I will say I have disordered eating 100%.

18. cheese. ik ppl are gonna scream, but I love it so much lol.

19. hmm actually a while back I think like a couple weeks ago maybe I month.

20. ballerina diet ahhh or maybe the iu diet.

21. triggered. lol I'm usually a L/XL for jeans I'm a 14. bra size is 38DD.

22. damn idk bruh, I remember when I used to be 160, that's the lowest number I can remember, that's when I started weighing myself and it ruined me. I don't remember gaining weight tbh, I think it was when I was recovering.

23. absolutely. growing up I watched eugenia a lot and i loved kpop in ms so I would always wonder what it would be like to be skinny like them.

24. uh i don't like them, but that's me personal. I'm not someone to encourage this illness to someone else.

25. yes. I've done it multiple times. my first time was at a party actually. I had eaten 3 slices of pizza and my stomach hurt rlly bad I had told my friend and she told me she'd find me laxatives or smth I told her no. so I hard searched up what to do and I found a reddit form about purging I did exactly that and threw up as much as I could. it was so bad I was crying bc I felt to bad but my stomach felt better. I think that's when I realized I could enjoy my food but also not consume calories.

26. CLOTHES. finally getting to wear what I want and look pretty no matter what. ugh I can't wait.

27. i try to slip into a mentality of like food isn't fuel it's trash, and it's gonna make you rot.

28. I'd love to, i want to lose as much thigh fat as possible I don't think i could think bc of my family genes

29. anything but me. I don't think beauty can be defined. to me beauty is a subjective what is beautiful to me is not beautiful to you.

30. im hispanic. i have curly hair. im bi. i have a gf. i like to bake. i can't swim. i have insomnia. i have social anxiety. i love kpop. coffee is my bsf.

[gayspock]

okdok (how my mam spells okie dokie; need to give her credit) some more bsg thoughts

okie btw i never properly said. i DO rlly love the themes of religion in the show. i have seen glimpses (i go through threads, bc im nosy, despite trying not 2 spoil myself) of ppl rlly rejecting it but sorryyyyy its just... yknow like- i loathe how patronising scifi can be of it sometimes, AND how bad fanbases can get. coming off of trek, well, youknow....

also completely . disavowing it .. is always soo silly 2 me bc... like im not religious myself, even, but i always find it one of the most interesting things to explore within fiction ^_^ esp esp with more scifi stuff, like... thats one of the best places to challenge and to play with it. smile. both with its relationdship between science but also how with its relationship between Humanity and how that might differ for different cultues.... and again its so disappointing the way its hanled so much of the time in many works, and by many Scifi enthusiasts. -_- bc its sooo reductive.

anyways i still sometimes feel like theres something missing from the show and i think thats just me im not sure why. like in terms of like... a certain incompleteness thats not JUST them pacing it out, or leaving things up for interpretation... but i cant uqite put my finger on it. its like i feel like maybe its just bc s1 was SO short for what it was and s2 has been very plot heavy. i think the show would have benefitted a bit more from some more establishing "filler" eps in terms of, like, worldbuilding, yknow? again- i really want to see more of the civillian side of things. i hope we get more of that ^_^ its deffo not like THE WORSTTT problem the show oculd have

BC LIKE OTHERWISE im rllyyyy loving the direction they took EVERYTHING in in season 2. omg. they set it all up so well and OUGHGHGHGG. i love how its testing everything theyve built from s1, wrt the command. absolutely crazy moves...

i was absolutely ITCHING for a presence like admiral cain and she delivered. part of me wishes it went a bit longer? just a bit. i dont think it was like... RUSHED... partially bc i do agree her takeover would have just been immediate, like it was, and i dont know what her role really could have been after they called off the assassinations. but idk- i wish we got to see a bit more of her, i guess! maybe even just an ep or so.

nonetheless she was still a really good contrast. her and the pegasus and how its run, versus galactica. and i do think.... i think i tlked before abt how sometimes i was unsatisfied with how, like, bsg kind of handled its own politics sometimes? like- specifically the roslin and zarek. i think thats moreso an issue with the latter, and again how... kind of lacking i find him, for what could be a really good and interesting opportunity to challenge roslin, who does have issues, unchecked, rather than just be kind of a minor antagonist ... & THATS EVEN MOREE the case with his presence back on kobol. like he was literally there just to cause conflict and idk like its FUNCTIONAL but its also like comeee on you can be more interesting with him! come on!

BUT here i do think with both cain and tigh's brief stint in command they did well to rlly explore it a bit more so im forgiving it. its not like that fixes that mess but this stuff was good enough for me to be like 👍uh huh, yaknow? b c it was soo good and argh im- SPEAKING OF, i am glad they did "remember" incidents like the gideon massacre, even after adama came back. again i do wanna see MORE of the civillians- but i think we're going to getthat soon, i hope? i feel it more in the air, with the introduction of that new number 6 and the cylon apologists which im rlly excited for... both bc theyre things i rlly wanted to see more from the show ^_^

anyway i feel like noneof this is that mad i just wanted to ramble in bc i haventttt properly eek and squeak i feel like i acc dont have much to say ^_6 despite rlly enjoying myself and the show LOL

sharon is still my favourite btw teehee smile

[pileofmush]

purple goldfish

: ̗̀➛ You’re just a girl, but you know a thing or two about love: That’s how you know Okkotsu and Rika won’t last.

scenario : ̗̀➛ childhood friends au w/ okkotsu yuuta

info : ̗̀➛ tags: fem!reader (called a girl), rika has a presence here, a lil morbid & offputting but still cute at times i swear >.< // cw: non-linear narrative, canon-typical horror, proceed w/ caution // wc: 4.8k

thoughts : ̗̀➛ in honor of yuuta's return!! the tags make this seem scarier than it rlly is. she's cute! she's fun :3 + also crossposted on my ao3

●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●

You’re just a girl when you learn what love is. 

It’s the tiny brown snail that fits in the center of your palm. The smiley face a friend draws in the corner of your sketchbook. The bunny-shaped cloud you spot in the sky. The lunch bag thrust in your arms before you walk to school.

That’s how you’re sure. 

What Okkotsu and Rika have— it’s love. 

In a way.

A cloying, bundle-under-the-covers-like-puppies kinda love. Bubblegum sweet. …But not long-lasting. Hubba Bubba love. It’ll dull on your tongue after a few chews. 

You’d never tell them that, though. Rika’d probably push you down the stairs if you did. Best not poke the hornet’s nest on a whim. They’ll grow out of this phase, you’re sure. You’re all just kids, after all.

Whatever happens, as long as Okkotsu and Rika are happy, you’re happy.

(You’re just a girl when you learn that little girls can die, too.)

“Hey.” 

No sign. Nothing. Not even the wind whistles.

“I painted my nails for you. Not purple, though. I know you’d hate that.”

She would.

Orimoto Rika hates a lot of things. You know this about her because she tells you just about everything she’s feeling. And a lot, if not most of what she communicates, is some sort of contempt. She hates math, bugs, feet. The color orange, bad breath, and most of her female classmates. She hates being the center of attention. She hates not being the center of attention. She hates her teacher, and her grandmother, and you’re pretty sure her deceased parents, too.

You don’t mind the complaints. You hate things as well. Like, crooked lines. Asymmetrical haircuts. Extra loud noises. Bears. Odd numbers. And that’s pretty much it. You keep them all on a list so that you won’t forget.

Rika calls you strange, but you take it as a compliment. 

Though, if anyone is to be assigned the title strange, it’s Rika, who hates and hates and hates with nothing less than a picture-perfect smile.

She’s a complicated girl. The most complex one you’ve ever met. 

Maybe that’s why you like her so much. 

The first time you meet Okkotsu Yuuta, he finds you crying on the floor of an empty classroom. He squeaks, pulling your attention from the linoleum tile to the doorway, where he hovers about awkwardly.

You wipe your eyes and glare at him, bracing yourself for the load of teasing you’re in for. Surely he’ll call his friends so that the entire student body can come laugh at your pathetic display. But the laughter doesn’t come. He stumbles over to you on weak knees—like that baby deer Bambi from your favorite movie Bambi—and sits beside you.

“You’re in my class, right?” 

You shrug. Wipe away another stray tear. You’re in 1-B, but truthfully, you have no clue who is or is not in your class. He doesn’t seem familiar to you. Dark-haired, dark-eyed, a glow of youth coloring his round cheeks red. He’s wearing a baby blue tee with a triceratops on it and a mild smile.

No, you can’t say you’ve noticed him before this encounter. You’re still new—have yet to get your bearings. Everything’s different over here. The local convenience store doesn’t sell the brand of chips you like. Lunch starts at a different time. The school playground’s smaller here. 

It’s just. Off. Everything’s off, and you don’t— you can’t—

“Don’t cry, it’s okay,” the boy says, interrupting your spiraling thoughts. A fresh set of tears laps against your waterline. Instead of casting judgment, his tone is quite gentle when he asks, “What’s wrong?” 

Nothing is wrong. You’re what’s wrong. 

He notices your hesitance and supplies you with another smile. “I’m Okkotsu Yuuta,” he says. He’s missing a bottom tooth. “You’re the new girl, right?”

Relatively. You give a slow nod, still not certain about this strange kid’s motivations. What does he want? He does know that you’re both currently missing class, right? Someone will come looking for you any minute. You could get in trouble. He doesn’t act like it though. He’s gotten comfortable, cozying up next to you on the floor.

He looks at you, really looks at you, with sad puppy eyes. 

“You’re lonely, right?” 

The question knocks the breath from your lungs. Yes, you whisper. Very.

This girl doesn’t like you much. She waited at the school gates for Okkotsu, not you, so you understand why her body stiffens when she spots you; why she takes a step back. But then Okkotsu trudges forward, and so do you, as he’s tugging on your left hand. 

The girl’s big brown eyes narrow at your connected hands, her smile unnaturally large. You pull your hand from Okkotsu’s sweaty grasp, his gaze ping-ponging between you and the girl. A hopeful bundle of nerves. Be our friend, his eyes sing. 

You don’t… You don’t want to let him down. 

“Yuuta, who’s this?” The girl asks. You cut yourself on the edge of her voice: all blade, drenched in honey. 

Okkotsu opens his mouth to speak, but you have a feeling he’ll say the wrong thing. So you quickly tell her your name, that you’re seven, and new. “Please take care of me,” you say. Then you bow. She seems like the type to like that.

She does. She blinks a few times; the tension in her body relaxes. She’s very pretty, like that. Her hair flows behind her back like water. Her skin is unblemished, save for the tiny mark beside her mouth. Pretty, indeed. You tell her so. She preens, just like you expect her to.

You don’t expect it to affect you, but when she steps up to you, lashes fluttering, and clasps your hands together, you melt. Even you have a weakness for pretty girls, you suppose.

“I’m Orimoto Rika. You can call me Rika.” 

Okkotsu sighs in relief, mirth dancing in his eyes.

You smile.

It’s not supposed to be like this. You stare, hands clenched into fists. Something sharp pierces your palms—your nails. It doesn’t matter. What’s one drop of blood to the liters pooling around… around…

You tug on the scarf wrapped around your neck. A slowly tightening noose.

Okkotsu trembles to your right. You hear him whimper her name. His knees shake. You wonder if he’ll collapse, right next to her. The body. 

He doesn’t. 

You’re glad. It would ruin the yellow hoodie you got him. For his birthday. 

Oh God, it’s his birthday.

Okkotsu and Rika are genuinely a joy to be around, you come to find. They take turns pushing you on the swings, and don’t pressure you to spin on the merry-go-round, because they know you get dizzy. They include you in their conversations and go out of their way to make you smile.

Whenever lunch comes, Okkotsu pulls a chair up to your desk so that you can eat together. He slides his snacks over; you peel his oranges for him. Sometimes you talk about cartoons, sometimes you help him with his homework, and sometimes he watches you draw. Other times, he tears a sheet of paper out of his notebook, and you two play games like hang-man, or tic-tac-toe. He rarely wins, but he never gets angry.

He also possesses the uncanny ability to know whenever you need a distraction: quick to ask you a question he already knows the answer to, or to start humming a tune under his breath, or to offer you a flower he plucked from outside. 

For example:

You’re staring at the mystery novel in your lap, swinging your feet back and forth on the bench you’re cooling down on, to little relief. Sweat clings to your skin as you open-mouth pant like a weak little dog. 

It’s summer break, and you, Okkotsu, and Rika met up today at the usual park you guys frequent. Full of neat contraptions and primary colors. Hot reds, electric blues, and canary yellows—making up the joyful, color-clashing nightmare you know all play parks to be. Your friends are somewhere by the sandpit, making a tower with the sand castle molds Okkotsu brought from home. You’d join them, but you’re tired, and don’t feel like getting sand in your hair.

There’s a ton of kids here, with small, grabby hands and gleeful screams and piercing wails whenever one falls and gets a boo-boo. Whistles and bells fill the hot summer air, along with the nonstop drone of the cicadas, croaking their little cicada song. 

Your eyes are trained on the tiny print of your novel, but your brain can’t process the words, so you’re stuck rereading the same paragraph over and over and over. It’s the heat, undoubtedly. Melting your brain into goo. You clutch the paperback and squint, fingers careful not to bend the spine.

A call of your name has you looking up from the text. Okkotsu fills your vision, standing right in front of you—you don’t know how you missed him. “What’s up?” you ask, slotting a bookmark into your book and closing it shut.

He shuffles his feet. His face is flushed red from the sun. “Here,” he says, bringing his arm from behind his back. He’s holding something out to you, you realize after a beat. Your gaze follows the length of his arm to find a tiny little dandelion drooping in his fist. Canary yellow. “I got this for you.”

The first time he pulled this little trick, you stared at him for a solid minute. But this isn’t the first time, so you simply smile. “Thanks, Okkotsu,” you say, opening your palm so he can drop the flower. Somehow, as usual, he knew exactly what you needed.

But he hesitates: his expression wavers until it steels with an emotion you can’t identify. “C-Can I?” 

You blink once, twice. “Can you…?”

Okkotsu stumbles forward, almost falling into your lap, but he steadies himself on your thighs. The harsh chemical scent of sunscreen washes over you, sizzling your nose hairs. You go rigid, as stiff as the park bench digging into your skin, but he presses on, leaning over your shoulder until you feel something small get tucked behind your left ear. “There,” he hums, backing up a bit to admire his work. Admire you. 

Your brain must really be melting. “What,” you stammer out, “What the—”

“Now it’s where it belongs.” There’s a silly little grin on his face. He’s proud of himself. You tell him so. 

“You look nice,” he explains. “Pretty.” 

Moths stir to life in your stomach. You look... He thinks you look pretty?

Okkotsu shakes his head in dismay—like you’re the one not making sense—then talks reallll slow. “Of course you do,” he enunciates, reading your mind. He turns away from the bench, towards the sandpit, where Rika sits on her knees, sculpting a tower. “Now, are you done reading yet? We wanna show you our castle. It’s got a moat, with—with crocodiles! And…”

Without waiting for an answer, he catches your hand and drags you to the sandbox. 

What you don’t tell him is that you keep all the flowers—weeds, really—that he gifts you. Press them in between the pages of a heavyset book and frame them on your bedroom wall, so that when you pass by it, you feel— 

Well, loved.

You’re lucky, you hear someone say as they usher you towards a curb. You let them, because you probably couldn’t make it there on your own. They encourage you to sit, but bending your knees is a no-go. 

You need to stand. 

Lucky, they said. Because you didn’t see it. The collision. 

But you heard it. 

The screech of burning rubber. The snap of child bones. Rika’s last few gasps for air— gargling on her own blood.

Ah, that’s just your overactive imagination at play. All you really heard was an innocuous thud, as your friend’s body hit the ground. After that, you heard nothing.

Nothing at all.

So. Guess you are lucky.

Your friendship with Rika is a lot different than your friendship with Okkotsu. She treats you differently than she treats him.

Well, yeah. Because she likes him, sure. But… it’s almost like… She drops her mask a little when she’s just with you. Or maybe… She just puts on a different one. It’s hard to say. 

“What do you think of this color?” 

Rika hangs off the side of your bed, her long black hair tickling the fibers of your carpet, and she’s holding up a bottle of nail polish to the ceiling light. You look up from the movie collection you’re sifting through, at the polish in question, and squint.

It’s a deep, dark purple, glimmering like a Christmas ornament under the light. 

It’s your first ever sleepover—Rika’s grandma finally gave in to her after, like, a year of complaining— and you think it’s going well. The two of you are doing classic, girly things. Like, painting nails. Rika’ll have to wipe it off before she goes back home, but that won't stop her from painting them now.

“It’s cute. You should pick that one,” you hum, turning back to the stack of DVDs in your hand. Godzilla, Cars, Cars 2, Cars 3… Or maybe she would be down to watch Bambi?

“Do you think Yuuta would like it?” She asks, breaking your contemplation. You turn to face her. She’s asking genuinely—a rarity—picking at the fuzz on her celestial pajamas. A wrinkle’s wormed its way between her brows. 

You shuffle to her side from the floor, dragging your knees up the carpet length to press a thumb between her temples, squashing the worm. She peers at you with curiosity, still upside down. It’s a wonder all the blood hasn’t rushed to her head. But that’s not the point. The point is—

“Of course he’d like it,” you say, flicking her in the forehead. “You know that. Okkotsu’d like you in a fat suit.”

It’s the weight behind your words that stops her from retaliating, jaw going slack as she considers you. Eventually, she nods, smile curving like the Cheshire Cat stuffy perched on your bed.

“He would, wouldn’t he?”

You go back to your DVDs, grip on the plastic covers a little tight. He would.

Rika becomes something like an older sister to you. Only a year and a half older than you, but with the way she’s got you tucked under her wing, you’d think she was much older. You don’t mind though. That’s just Rika. 

And Rika’s Rika. She wants what she wants. Maybe even the whole world. She could probably get that, too. Pretty girls always do. She says that a lot. And it must be true, because she wants Yuuta, and Yuuta wants her too. 

More than anything, you know she wants to be loved. That’s why you’re not surprised when she pulls you aside one day and shows you the ring she stole from her grandmother’s dresser drawer. Her late mother’s. To propose to Okkotsu, she says, for when they get older. So they’ll be together forever.

Of course, you respond. Toss her a closed-mouthed smile. Kids are allowed to dream.

And really, they do seem to be in love. Rika shared her umbrella with him the other day—when it rained and he forgot to bring his own for the walk to school. And he huddled up real close, gray-black eyes sparkling like a raindrop catching the sun.

Love is all around you. 

And you’re content with that. You love and are loved. You will love and will be loved— you’re certain of this, at the ripe age of nine.

(You wonder if love dies when the body does.)

Rika dies on the cusp of spring, a few weeks before the flowers start blooming.

Things aren’t the same after that. 

Well.

In actuality, not much has changed. Life moves on. You don’t think the kids at school liked Rika very much, in retrospect. Not even the adults. They hardly seem torn up about it. 

Your parents do get overprotective, though. They drive you to school for a month. Hire someone to pick you up when the bell rings. Which is stupid. It’s not like Rika was killed on the walk to school. 

She was killed outside a playground. 

There’s a difference.

Okkotsu becomes withdrawn, which confuses you. He seems terrified of his own shadow, nowadays. It doesn’t make sense. Nothing makes sense. The last time you spoke to him was during the funeral, and he barely uttered a few words, then.

Your ma says to give it time. You’re both grieving.

Is that what this is? 

Mourning?

The walk to her grave is long. The soles of your shoes sink into the ground. It rained last night, which makes it harder to walk, which makes this trip harder than it has to be. Your shoes are getting dirty. They’ll be crusted with mud, after this. But it’s alright. These shoes are old.

There’s fresh flowers on her grave: bright yellow stars with mandarin orange bells bursting out the center. Daffodils, you’re pretty sure. You place a bouquet of kingyosou beside them. Goldfish grass. The person at the flower shop advised against the particular flower for a grave—something about its underlying meaning—but they were in the most pretty shade of purple, so. 

You take a seat beside the mound of dirt, fingers twisting in the grass. The cuts on your palms have healed.

“Hey.” 

No sign. Nothing. Not even the wind whistles.

“I painted my nails for you. Not purple, though. I know you’d hate that.”

She would. Rika could be very possessive. Especially over her Okkotsu. 

Maybe that’s why he’s avoiding you, now. To not disturb her memory.

But dead girls can’t get jealous.

By the time you finish talking, the sun has set. You look at the grave one last time. There stands a tombstone with a lackluster message and a flattened mound of dirt. Underneath lies one of your only friends. The other hides from his own shadow.

Your dad hovers nearby, ready to go. But you linger. Eyes bore into the ground, searching for something that will make all of this worth it. 

Violet goldfish swim next to yellow stars, amidst a sea of green. 

But no sign from Rika.

You spin on your heel, hands shoved into your pockets. This was not very helpful. You’re not sure you’re mourning correctly. 

 At least the flowers were pretty. 

Today is not a good day. 

It’s raining. It’s raining, and there is no forgetful Yuuta to squeeze underneath Rika’s polka-dot umbrella while you lead the way home, tip-toeing over puddles. There is no Rika. And there is no Okkotsu. And everything, everything—

You wring your hands, desperate to relieve some tension. 

The school day is over. Kids trickle out of the classroom like water down a drain, as if pulled by some gravitational current. The desire to go home. 

And yet, you stay. Your feet tap the floor, underneath your desk. Raindrops splatter against the window beside you, like—

Like blood. 

Something sour curdles in your stomach. 

You slide out of your chair, make your way to your cubby, but with each step you take, the cubby seems to get further away. But, that’s not right. That defies all logic. You can make it. Okay? You can. Just. One step. 

There. See? Go ahead now. Take another. 

Another. 

Another. 

Somewhere in between five steps and a hundred, your legs stop functioning as they should. Your knees bend inward, and you collapse. 

This… This is pathetic.

Your palms sting as you quietly nurse your hurt. There’s this yawning void in you, sucking and pulling, expanding and collapsing and threatening to take everything with it. This is it. This is your moment. The break-down your parents have been tip-toeing around long before Rika kicked the bucket. A decade’s-long culmination of confusion, of derision, of just barely making the cut pretending to be a happy, wholesome, totally normal child.

You should cry. You want to cry. You blink furiously, waiting for the tears to come. But they don’t come. Why can’t you do anything right?

A soft call of your name startles you into clarity, everything sharpening as your gaze zeros on the trembling frame of a slim boy. And it’s Okkotsu Yuuta. Of course it is. Always walking in on your most vulnerable moments. 

And he’s drenched. Of course he is. Pale as a sheet. Mud-speckled jeans dripping sludge onto pristine white tile. An absolute mess, but then again, so are you. “Are you okay?” he ventures. 

He’s different. It’s obvious. He’s lost a bit of weight, and his complexion is almost sickly. But there’s something else about him that. That’s off. Something you can’t pin down.

You look him up and down, still, despite the staticky beat of your heart. Now’s the time to say something profound.

You point at the ground. “Your shoes are untied.”

Okkotsu looks at you, really looks at you—in that foreboding way he sometimes does—and breaks into a smile. It’s not his usual smile: it’s heavy. There’s a myriad of emotions behind his stupid little smile. Grief; joy; longing; relief.

You burst into tears. 

This—it’s too much. You’d rather he have just left you here to wallow in your own self-pity. What’s the difference? He’s quite good at it: leaving you. 

But he’s curling around your shoulders and rocking you back and forth and it doesn’t matter anymore. He’s here, finally, cold and wet and trying his hardest to burrow into your skin.

“I’m sorry,” he cries, lips grazing the shell of your ear as he pleads for you to forgive him. He smells like wet earth. “I’m sorry,” he repeats, over and over, so that you’ll never forget it; so that it’s sewn into your skin. “I’m sorry.” He’s babbling now, begging for salvation.

Once you feel the Presence enter the classroom, you understand why he’s apologizing. Understand why he’s avoided you so fiercely, until now. 

Your freeze. Every nerve in your body tinged with all-encompassing dread. Not fear, but dread. It’s thick. Intoxicating. Okkotsu’s getting heavy above you, muttering frantic words that you cannot hear. He knew this would happen. Knew She would appear.

She’s the most wicked thing you’ve ever seen, heard, dreamed. A writhing, hulking… form. And you know. Deep down in your belly. 

Rika’s the last thing you’ll ever see. 

She’s long. Muscular and skeletal, with long, finger-like claws and thick, bulging muscles. Pulsing, organ-like tubes extend from her head to her back. And a solemn, inky purple oozes out of her torso. Rika.

Her whole body’s quivering: but with what? Rage? Excitement? Will she enjoy tearing you apart? With her large gaping maw? And her long pointed teeth? 

Will she enjoy tearing you limb for limb? Or sinking her teeth into your flesh?

Maybe she’ll lap at your puddling blood like a dog in a stream. Or maybe she’ll just swallow you whole. It’d be less messy, that way.

Yuuta’s still cradling you. His tremors run through you—so, in a way, you are shaking. That’s something. Little girls who are about to die should probably be shaking. 

“Yuuta,” you say plainly. His name is sweet on your tongue, but he reeks of death. Thoughtlessly, your hand slides to the floor, seeking his, and he accepts it, flipping yours over to clutch it in a death grip. Your thumb swipes over his, back and forth, as she approaches. “It’s not your fault.”

It’s no one’s, really.

Sometimes little girls just die.

Yuuta’s grip tightens impossibly. “You’re not gonna die,” he tells you. “I won’t let you.”

She’s close, now. Still buzzing with the unidentifiable emotion. If she can even feel things like emotions.

You eye the clock hanging above the chalkboard. It’s a quarter past three. “Right.” The urge to cry’s come back in full force. “I don’t—I don’t wanna die,” you admit.

You won’t, he promises. You know he means it. He probably plans on jumping in front of you at the last second like an idiot. 

 But this.

This isn’t fair.

You detangle your limbs from Yuuta and rise from the floor on unsteady legs, ignoring your friend’s protests. He’s obviously in over his head on how to deal with his murderous, undead ex-girlfriend. But you’ve always understood her in ways he didn’t. You’ve got to come through. 

“Rika.”

She’s looming over you now. Her jaw’s unhinged even farther, flecks of spittle flying from her mouth and landing on your cheek. You breathe in through your nose. It’s Rika. Just Rika. You two are just girls, sitting atop your bed, discussing your favorite movies and insecurities and all the things she’ll never get to do when she grows up. She’s holding a bottle of polish to the light, lips curved in a coy smile.

“Purple suits you,” you say, looking at her tail. “I’ll… I’ll paint your nails. Later. To match.“

It’s stupid.

It works.

She stops. Snarls, and reaches a hand toward you. You don’t flinch; stand eerily still as she drags a sharp claw down your cheek. 

And you look good in red—is what she’s thinking. You know this, because you know her, and you loved her and… Maybe she loved you too.

Then she leaves.

Yuuta barrels into you: checking your hands, your arms, your face. You stiffen under his touch, overwhelmed with this casual intimacy that’s quickly developing between the two of you. But he’s on a mission, brushing your hair out of your face and fluttering his hands over your neck and your brain has gone mute. He pauses. The pad of his thumb hovers over your cheek as he swallows. When he lifts his thumb to examine it, it’s stamped with your blood. 

His pupils are blown out, and his irises have darkened from gray-black to just black, so his eyes are practically two black holes. They flicker from his thumb to you before he lifts it slowly to his… to his— 

You smack his hand off its path. “You’re… you’re crazy,” you marvel. You’re both in shock. That’s why he just—

He catches your wrist easily, shooting back an even easier retort. “And? So are you,” he says, tugging on your wrist. Pulls you into him, pulls on the thread of your being and unspools you—like he’s a black hole himself, and you can’t—you can’t deny him when he brushes his thumb underneath your eye and brings it to his mouth. You let out a watery laugh.

It’s a wonder Rika hasn’t come back to kill you.

But she hasn’t and you’re still here, and so is he, and his black hole eyes are boring into yours, waiting, waiting for a response.

“She’s attached to you, you know,” you say.

He swallows again. Mournfully; a sinner, seeking forgiveness from God. “That’s why I…” 

“Why you ran away.” 

“Yeah.”

Silence.

“Where do we go from here?” 

His hand slips into yours. It’s becoming uncomfortably easy for him to do that. 

“Wherever you go, I go.”

There he goes again, silly boy, casually making oaths to any girl who’s nice to him.

It’s gonna get him killed someday. 

Because love kills. 

You know this, at the ripe age of nine. 

(But, love also saves. So. It all balances out.)

Yuuta softens, gradually, in your hold. He unspools himself from you and returns with your backpack and coat in his arms. Holds the arms of the coat out and helps you slide in. Grabs your hand again and leads you outside, into the rain. 

Neither of you have an umbrella. But that’s okay. 

The pitter-patter of the rain is deafening. Can’t even hear yourself think. But Yuuta is patient with you. He guides you gently over the puddles, intimately aware of your fastidiousness.

It’s okay, you think, as you step over muck.

Things are okay.

Yuuta still smells of wet earth, and still reeks of death, and still reminds you of flowers. But that’s okay, too. 

You wipe your face with your free hand, sticky with dried tears and demon drool and blood, and let the rain wash over you.  

So, yes. 

You know what love is:

It’s cold clammy hands curled around your little fist. It’s a raincoat buttoned all the way up for you when your stubby fingers fumble on the clasps. It’s a pale little boy with eyes that suck in all the light in the world. 

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this was a doozy so puh-lease consider reblogging thx bye!! // tagging: @anemptypuddingcup <33