#i blame the apocalypse but ah well..

[2aceofspades]

What if we add stickers to Leo while he is asleep? Or maybe when he wakes up he finds that he has more stickers on his face.

Btw, I love how you draw the turtles. It's amazing

Oh um...Mans doesn't sleep..

..much

No rest for the wicked...or the old man :')

Also thank you so much aaawweee!! 🙌✨!

[inkspiredwriting]

Love, Hate, and the Hargreeves

Five Hargreeves x Fem!reader

Warnings: none

Five Hargreeves had always been known for his sharp mind and sharper tongue. Y/N, his girlfriend, was no different. Their relationship was a fiery mix of love and playful antagonism, a dynamic that often left the rest of the Hargreeves family in stitches. Today was no exception.

The siblings had gathered in the living room of the Umbrella Academy, the air filled with the scent of popcorn and the sound of laughter. Klaus had found an old box of family videos and insisted on a movie night, much to everyone’s amusement.

Y/N and Five sat on the couch, bickering over which movie to watch.

“I’m telling you, Five, ‘The Princess Bride’ is a classic!” Y/N argued, holding the DVD case up for emphasis.

“And I’m telling you, Y/N, if I have to hear ‘As you wish’ one more time, I might throw myself into a time vortex,” Five retorted, rolling his eyes.

Diego snickered from his spot on the floor. “Ah, the sweet sound of true love.”

“Viktor,” Y/N pleaded, turning to him for support. “Back me up here. ‘The Princess Bride’ is timeless, right?”

Viktor smiled, enjoying the show. “It is, but watching you two argue is better entertainment.”

Luther, munching on a handful of popcorn, chimed in. “You know, Five, for a guy who’s been through the apocalypse, you’re surprisingly bad at picking battles.”

Five shot him a glare. “And for a guy who’s part gorilla, you’re surprisingly bad at shutting up.”

Klaus, sprawled out on the other couch, giggled. “Oh, leave them alone, Luther. This is their foreplay.”

Y/N and Five both turned a shade of red, but neither was willing to back down.

“Fine,” Five said, crossing his arms. “We’ll watch ‘The Princess Bride’. But if I start quoting it sarcastically, you have only yourself to blame.”

Y/N grinned triumphantly. “Deal. And for the record, if you don’t cry when Inigo Montoya gets his revenge, you’re heartless.”

Five smirked. “Oh, don’t worry. My heart’s in perfect working order. Unlike some people’s taste in movies.”

As the opening credits rolled, the siblings settled in, occasionally glancing at Five and Y/N, who were now sitting unusually close, sharing a bowl of popcorn. The movie played on, and true to his word, Five couldn’t resist a few sarcastic comments.

“‘My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.’ Classic line,” Five deadpanned. “Really hits you in the feels.”

Y/N nudged him playfully. “Shut up and watch, smartass.”

Halfway through the movie, during the iconic fire swamp scene, Klaus leaned over to Diego, whispering loudly enough for everyone to hear, “Do you think they’re actually fighting, or is this some weird foreplay we don’t understand?”

Diego chuckled. “Given how they are, it’s probably both.”

Y/N threw a piece of popcorn at Klaus. “We can hear you, you know!”

Klaus caught it and popped it into his mouth. “Just saying, you two have the sexual tension of a rom-com.”

Five rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide a smirk. “And you have the brain of a goldfish, but we still keep you around.”

Laughter erupted, and even Y/N couldn’t help but join in. The teasing was relentless, but it was also filled with affection. The Hargreeves were a dysfunctional family, but they were a family nonetheless.

As the movie reached its climax, Five found himself genuinely engrossed. He glanced at Y/N, who was watching with a look of pure joy on her face. Despite their constant bickering, he loved seeing her happy.

The final scene played out, and as the credits rolled, Viktor turned to them, grinning. “So, how was it, Five? Are you a ‘Princess Bride’ fan now?”

Five shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. “It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever seen.”

Y/N beamed. “I’ll take that as a win.”

Klaus jumped up, stretching dramatically. “Well, this was fun. Let’s do it again sometime. Preferably with more popcorn and less bickering.”

Diego smirked. “Less bickering? With these two? Not a chance.”

Five stood, pulling Y/N up with him. “Come on, Y/N. Let’s leave these amateurs to their popcorn.”

Y/N laughed, following him out of the room. “As you wish.”

The siblings burst into laughter again, and Five couldn’t help but smile. Their love/hate relationship might be a source of endless teasing, but it was also what made them, well, them.

As they walked down the hallway, Y/N slipped her hand into Five’s. “Thanks for watching the movie with me, Five.”

He squeezed her hand, his usual sarcasm softened by genuine affection. “Anytime, Y/N. Just don’t expect me to quote it back to you.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it,” she teased.

And with that, they continued down the hall, ready for whatever adventures and arguments lay ahead, knowing that as long as they had each other—and the Hargreeves’ relentless teasing—they could handle anything.

[localapparently]

/ orv main story ending spoilers , mentions of kdj's suicidal mindset

mindless rambling

my friend who just finished orv asked me why kdj couldn't just split like 2% off of himself into an od avatar and leave that in the train while he joined kimcom, and while my initial reaction was "there's no way he could just do that" I remembered i thought a similar thing when I first read through orv too? and maybe it got explained down the line but I forget things real easy (which is why i'm rereading orv) and so I'm just trying to make sense of it using my existing knowledge

There's this bit in epilogue here:

Sangah's words "protecting the world by dividing himself in half, one becomes the reader, one becomes the character". the first being 51 and the second being 49,

I think there are layers to it. Right after being shaken by the OD ordeal, kdj's mindset that he's to blame for the whole world is reinforced stronger than ever before in his head, because he had just witnessed living proof of it. And that's not something he can overcome just because sp and 999 gang took od away to take care of him. Even then, kdj was confused why they weren't angry.

There's also the persisting mindset kdj has that he's twsa's reader and not a proper part of kimcom, and he probably felt like he should bear the burden of consciously continuing to read the world until the very end. He managed to see himself as part of kimcom over the course of the story but od's appearance sort of undoes all that progress he's ever made, and its sad but its pretty common for self hate mindsets to spiral like that,

He probably felt like he deserved it, yet him wanting that extra 2% difference to prove he knew and loved kimcom more than his avatar. Him regretting splitting in half right after the avatar left and he saw them all walking away. He knows what he wants and in the end he can't bring himself to think that he deserves it

And honestly I don't really know why the way singshong writes kdj's self hate and suicidal tendencies get me so badly, I mean I do, kind of, the feeling is there, but it's incredible how long the set up was and how real it feels when you see it all go downhill.

i think od reveal truly truly fucked up kdj to no repair. like if you read the passages, its fucking heartbreaking.

"My own tragedy couldn't even compare to their pain. The sin of creating an even bigger tragedy because of my own should not be forgiven." "Something was wrong. A blade… I, I needed to find a blade."

and the thing that gets to me is how easily anyone who has had self loathing thoughts can empathise with him. The want to disappear for inconveniencing things that would've been perfectly fine and pretty and happy had you not come into contact with it, the idea that you are a disgusting monster and its easier to shut yourself off than do any more damage. and its Fine if youre in pain because They will be happy and theyll will be happier without you.

It fascinates me how a portion of readers of orv who self blame or self doubt love kdj so much, because the act of loving him is also some form of self reassurance that they can be loved as well, because if someone like kdj can be forgiven, then surely they can, for all their small or big mistakes that are definitely not on the scale of plunging the universe into a space apocalypse. or something.

but i might be assuming so. don't take my word for any of this.

tldr he doesnt split out a small avatar to take the place of od because he thinks he deserves it. which is quite obvious if you take a look at the big picture, and i dont really know why i rambled so long. maybe ill reread orv and theres gona be a small bit that's like "ohh well actually if it was too small of a percentage that became od the universe wont hold up" and i will be like Ah yes i just missed that part. and this ramble will be void. uhh yes. have a nice day

[starry-bi-sky]

Thinking about Rath and how other ghosts react to him. Unlike Dan, who's ruthless and cruel, tormenting the other ghosts for no other reason than he could, Rath just wants his family back; and he HATES that you aren't his family. Do other ghosts realize that Rath is in a Banshee Grief Spiral? Do they care with how powerful he ends up being? How does CFAU!Danny deal with Rath? Because unlike Dan, Rath wouldn't travel back in time to bring about his own future. If anything, he'd go back to PROTECT his loved ones.

Also I loved your tags going into how Danny doesn't blame Bruce for his friends death, and why he's going to kill the Joker personally. It was a great read.

its hard not to tell that Rath is going through a Banshee Grief Spiral asdfjh. Any ghost who sees him can take one look and go: oh yeah, that kid is going THROUGH it. And then they beeline the other way because Banshees can be vicious when they're Going Through The Horrors, because their perception of reality and the world around them gets warped by their grief. And the thing with the CFAU brand of Banshees is that they do eventually learn how to get themselves out of their own Spirals. It's something they learn how to do over time and (somewhat) naturally, as well as make bonds with other ghosts who can also help them get out of those Spirals if the banshee themself cannot for some reason or another.

Basically they build up their own support system and learn how to regulate their grief so it's not consuming them. Rath had that support system... in Sam, Tucker, Jazz, and his parents (albeit they didn't know he was a banshee). And finding Jason again helped soothe some of that grief -- not all of it, mind you, but it made it a little more manageable.

...And then it all got ripped away from him in the span of a week. 😬 yikes. Rath was going through a Spiral while he was with Vlad, and was desperately (and somewhat failing) to manage it all on his own. Vlad could've become a part of his new support system,... but didn't. He wasn't helping Danny with his grief. And the whole "ripping out his ghost half thing" only made it worse, and was a tipping point for poor Rath.

Another thing about CFAU Banshees is that human-born banshees tend to already be pretty... rare all on their own. Most Banshees are formed in the Zone, by the Zone, from the Zone. They're pre-programmed to learn how to handle that all-consuming grief and sorrow because it's something they're born with. Like someone born with chronic pain. Human-born banshees have to adjust, and it can be pretty... maddening all on its own. Which is where the support system can help a lot.

Where was I going with this beyond just info-dumping about CFAU Banshees? Ah, right. Absolutely the other ghosts care about Rath being in a grief spiral considering how powerful he is. But there's very little they can actually do about it, other than be relieved that he's left the Zone (he left when he couldn't find his family), and was out terrorizing the living realm instead. It's difficult to get close to Rath even if you're a ghost, and he's not going to listen to anything they say regardless.

They'd be very terrified of Danny until they realize that he's not Rath -- and they'd be able to tell pretty quickly after the initial terror passes. Phantom looks like,,, well; Phantom. Rath looks like a cross from Danny's childhood in Gotham (oversized, ragged clothes hanging off a small, malnourished child) and Sadako Yamamura from The Ring (uneasy, shambling presence, face mostly covered by his hair.) Rath's Future is an Apocalypse much like how The Quiet Place is an Apocalypse. Very quiet.

And I haven't quite figured out how CFAU!Danny deals with Rath, although you are right in that Rath would try and prevent his future and protect his loved ones. ...If he was lucid.

The version of Rath that Danny meets has very little grasp on reality due to years of unchecked grief. I'm not even sure myself if Rath would be able to recognize Sam and Tucker and his family. Any living versions he may come across are either hallucinations or, even worse, imposters. And he'll attempt to attack either for their deception.

And even if he could recognize his family as alive and as him being in the past, he's still so mentally unstable that Rath would lash out at anyone if he perceived a threat against his family, or if he believed they were putting themselves in danger. He'd be very possessive and controlling, preventing them from going anywhere that wasn't under his careful watch. Anyone trying to get them away from him, he'd attack without mercy.

Ultimately, Danny would need to quickly stun Rath long enough to trap him in the thermos, before he can do any more damage. Only then can Rath's healing actually begin.

Also ty! I'm glad you liked my tags about Danny's feelings about Bruce and his motives behind killing the Joker. I thought it'd be a fun compare-contrast between Jason and Danny, as well as a good signifier for how much has changed between them both in the last five years.

[yuri-is-online]

tragedy anon back again w u guess it!!! More tragedy!!! Im thinking rn of a Yuu who was always going to die in the end. Like being sent back to their world is the equivalent to a death sentence, and they can't stay in TWST because time always loops and they feel like shit for trapping everyone in a moment when they could all be living their lives if not for them.

Yuu who has always been doomed from the start.... Like maybe yuu has been framed for a crime back in their prev world and when they do come back their execution will commence or maybe it's the apocalypse and when they do come back it's truly only a matter of time when they die. Thinking of the TWST boys who goes to visit them only to find nobody..... But traces of them.... Though I feel like the first scenario is more brutal, imagine you go visit your friend and not only are they dead but they were sentenced to death for a crime you know damn well they did not commit and everyone else is rejoicing.

Rejoicing that they're gone. Rejoicing at the fact that they all had KILLED them. Did Yuu know this was going to happen? If they did why had they not told them?! (they will never know, no one ever will because no one ever asked when they were alive if they were alright and they sure as hell will never get an answer because Yuu is dead and they are gone. Forever. )

:3

Ah tragedy annon, my Billy Shakes if you will, this made me THINK think. Doomed (hehe dyuumed) by the narrative is such a sexy trope. "If you were dead at the end of the story you were dead since the beginning" my beloved.

The main thing that made me think is that in country's that have the death penalty there's typically a lengthy appeals process + a ban on sentencing minors to it, even if they were charged as an adult, that makes it hard for me to see that being Yuu’s situation. That being said I agree that would be an awful, awful thing to come see. I could see someone like Malleus, who hates seeing other people happy when he isn't and is prone to causing storm with his magic, going full Netflix Castlevania and starting an apocalypse in Yuu's world while bringing their body home to be laid in state in Briar Valley. It's his right as King of the Abyss after all. Someone like Riddle might try proving your innocence, thinking about how restoring your good name is all he can do while the Octatrio extract their own kind of justice.

The apocalypse Yuu scenarios are ones I like but haven't played around with much just because post apocalyptic settings aren't my jam but! I could see there being a lot of anger at this Yuu for not telling them their situation. Of course now that the boys are older, they can reflect on their behavior and know why Yuu said nothing. But it's easier to blame Yuu at first than accept that they're grieving. It would take them a long time to work through that I think.

My personal preference for scenarios like these involve Yuu being mortally injured before coming to Twisted Wonderland, either in an accident or an attack, that results in their death when they return. I've also played around with terminal illness that's temporarily cured by going to Twisted Wonderland (my own health issues have made me like that less :/) that Yuu isn't recovered from when they return. Either way Yuu is dead when their friends finally figure out a way to get to their world and they have no way of being there for them. And they have no one to blame but themselves... unless.

Unless...

Maybe they could re-set time again?

[dragons-hoard-of-fandoms]

(Murder Drones Episode 7 spoilers!)

THEY CHANGED THE INTRO V IS OFFICIALLY DEAD FUNERAL'S ON THURSDAY

Cult. It's a cult. This is definitely a cult. They probably don't even realize it but it is undeniably some kind of cult.

Nori what are you doing. Nori why are you like this.

The cross is a USB??

They're keeping the Drones themselves in the lockers??

Of course the unpaid intern whose opinion doesn't matter is the only one with any sympathy for them.

Pink Solver core?? SOLVER LIZZY?!?

Ah great, the Envy shippers are gonna be using this as "proof" that he's still in love with V.

HE IMMEDIATELY APOLOGIZED HE LOVES HER SO MUCH

Tessa. Stop. I was willing to give you the benefit of a doubt but you're not doing yourself any favours.

And now she's being racist. Way to go.

"The power of a black hole in the palm of my hand."

SEE TESSA ALL YOU DID WAS MAKE EVERYTHING WORSE

THEY'RE BACK THAD AND LIZZY ARE FINALLY RELEVANT AGAIN

Did they change Thad's VA? He sounds different.

Was that V? Is she already back?

N BABY NO DON'T SAY THAT YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS

Eldritch V??

I can't wait for people to meme about his perfectly cut scream there.

Not going near the corpse. Smart move.

Cyn stop. Cyn stop. CYN STOP PLEASE I'M BEGGING I WANT YOU TO BE SYMPATHETIC

She hugged him. That's probably a good thing, right? That's probably proof that the real Cyn is still in there somewhere, right? THAT PROBABLY MEANS SHE MISSES HIM AND IS GENUINELY SORRY RIGHT

Nothin' like a good old-fashioned Robot Uprising Apocalypse, eh? In other news, Skynet is suing the Solver for copyright infringement.

Those admin privileges comin' in handy. Unfortunately they don't do much in the physical world.

Uzi has absolutely no reason to be crawling and scuttling around like a creature right now except for the simple fact that she wants to. Never change, little gremlin.

Oh I don't think you should watch that. N was right, y'know, there's probably stuff down here you don't wanna see.

Why does this remind me of the garbage maze in FNaF Security Breach?

Okay so it's not some kind of disembodied Solver Lizzy core. Don't blame me, the lights looked pink before and the cat ears headphones reminded me of Lizzy's bow.

Familiar?? Nori??? DID N ACTUALLY KILL YOU AND WHY AREN'T YOU BRITISH/MOMMY LONG LEGS

Khan? A hunk? In the words of Professor Membrane, NOT SCIENTIFICALLY POSSIBLE!!!

"How do you know my daughter?" "Well y'see, it all started when we tried to kill each other..."

Oh it was J. Is it bad to say I'm kind of relieved?

Are we getting the cool edgy Khan from the concept art??? Bro why are you so nonchalant about it being the end of the world.

INB4 people go frame-by-frame through the list looking for the most Russian-sounding name and say "THERE, THAT'S DOLL'S DAD"

Tessa was that really necessary? You're giving really bad vibes right now.

Patch? So the Solver can be removed? And she knows? Again, major bad vibes.

*FNaF 2 Foxy jumpscare*

I'm starting to suspect Yeva either can't or chooses not to talk.

Is she saying the Solver wiped her memory of the labs? I guess that would explain a few things.

N being so polite and cute as always.

What do you mean, "found its way back?" Where did it go? Is the timeline completely wrong? Did it start on Copper-9 then go to Earth then return to Copper-9? I'm so confused.

Nori why are you so casual about the prospect of your own daughter being a planet-eating eldritch abomination. This is exactly why I'm worried about the fandom giving you the Rose Quartz treatment.

I told you not to watch it, Uzi.

Welp, so much for Doll. Consider this karma for killing V. But "fight back?" Does that mean it can be resisted?

So now we know where Uzi gets it from.

Tessa no. Tessa stop. Tessa STOP. TESSA STOP YOU'RE NOT EVEN TRYING TO PRETEND TO HELP ANYMORE

YEAH N SAVE YOUR GIRLFRIEND

Whoa, didn't see that coming. No face reveal?? Does that mean she really is a Drone???

WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LET THEM BE HAPPY

Imagine meeting your daughter for the first time and she's currently being possessed by an eldritch abomination masquerading as her boyfriend's dead sister.

Every time I think this episode's about to end on a cliffhanger it doesn't.

EVEN WHEN SHE'S BEING POSSESSED BY AN ELDRITCH ABOMINATION MASQUERADING AS HIS DEAD SISTER HE WOULD RATHER DIE THAN LET HER BE HURT AND IT WAS ENOUGH TO SNAP HER OUT OF IT FOR LIKE HALF A SECOND HOW COULD ANYBODY SAY THEY'RE NOT IN LOVE

Oh no, now people are gonna write fics about Nori being vored by her own daughter.

"Hang out" is code for "date." "Hang out" is code for "boyfriend and girlfriend." "Hang out" is code for "madly in love with each other." "HANG OUT" IS CODE FOR "WE MAKE SWEET AND PASSIONATE LOVE TOGETHER EVERY SINGLE NIGHT WE'RE ALREADY PLANNING THE WEDDING AND I'M GONNA WEAR THE DRESS AND WE'RE GONNA NAME OUR KIDS GLOCK AND BAYONET"

Literally smacked the sense back into her.

Imagine meeting your mom for the first time and you don't know who she is and she's a gross little fleshy crab-spider-thing similar to what your boyfriend's jerk boss turned into so you punt her into a bottomless pit and she makes a dodgeball noise.

LOOK AT HER REACTION SHE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT "HANG OUT" IS CODE FOR SHE JUST DIDN'T REALIZE HE THOUGHT OF IT THAT WAY TOO

My last two brain cells while watching this episode. Now would be a really good time for you two to kiss.

Oh good gosh she's not dead. Okay it wasn't at all necessary to put your head on backwards.

CYN IS HUMAN NOW??? OR IS SHE WEARING TESSA'S BODY LIKE ENNARD DID WITH MICHAEL

NO JUST LEAVE THEM ALONE ALREADY

Sorry J but you're still not plot relevant yet, you're not allowed to participate.

J: *sees the railgun* *has war flashbacks*

UZI YOU CAN'T SACRIFICE YOURSELF RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM AND TELL HIM TO "DIE MAD" AS YOUR LAST WORDS THAT IS LITERALLY NOT OKAY

*Uzi falls* *screen fades to white* *UNDERTALE*

The Void???

Glitch I beg of you please don't make us wait another half a year for the next episode. And Liam please don't let it end after one season.

[starsoftheeye]

TMagP Live Reaction Ep 30

Finale Spoilers!!!!

Ahhhhh I am so scared. samalicelia my loves please live. also the episode title is worrying me

Pre-Statement

train time train time

sam open your damn messages alice is the designated "would survive a horror podcast" friend

celias just like me fr I'm the designated painkiller friend

... that is a worrying cough

celia being wonderfully vague and suspicious as always I love you girl

ohhh just wait til the last season sam that's when the apocalypse gets you

"we're safe here" jon watching them from the next carriage like 👀

call him a bitch alice it's okay he's earned it

ah yes, ticket prices, the real horror

COLIN HI BUDDY

oh no colin what did you do

are there people in the computer colin

welp he's probably dead

oooooh gwen meets the consequences of her actions this is gonna go brilliantly

lena also being suspicious and vague I love you too girlie

honestly iconic of her. you go lena ily

ah yes, the laugh of someone who should be in charge of a government office

celia don't act like you don't know what you're looking for

the way she said that makes it sound like they did think it was there

oh I'm sure it has its ways to get round transportation

"call it a hunch" girl you are not subtle

honestly ever since getting braces that's what I think dentists are like these days, there's no way they don't have ulterior motives

woohoo footsteps

celia "knows what genre she's in" ripley

WHOS THIS I PAUSED TO WRITE THAT LAST ONE

"that's one hell of a reflex!" scottish voice acting I love you so much. also who's this guy I love him already

oooooh scottish guy what do you know

I love him so much he's so real

LMAO I would also give up client confidentiality for 50 quid

*one normal night* begins playing

oooooh scottish guy who are youuuuu

is this a statement I hear?

Statement

STATEMENT TIME

oh god it's being pulled from him

hmmmm I wonder who this boss is

mmm lovely

oooh is it like a siren shop

HILL TOP TRAVELLERS

oooh people mannequins love that

oh god he has a daughter

woooo the boss is dead good

job so bad that it haunts your worst nightmares

hello?

HELLO? SCOTTISH GUY??? SCOTTISH GUY NOOOOOO

I'm so sorry I have no idea what you're saying my guy I'll need to consult the transcripts for this one

Post-Statement

okay sam at that point you need to call her back you can't hide from consequences forever

girlboss and malewife

ooooh what do you seeeeee

almost???

yeah what does that mean????

ah yes, they finally have the argument

tell himmmmm tell him celia

YESSS CELIA BACKSTORY

oh yeah she doesn't know that the eyepocalypse is over does she. she probably thinks she's gonna go ba k to another fear domain. I don't blame her tbh

is she gonna send him to the tma universe. IS SHE GONNA SEND HIM TO THE TMA UNIVERSE

welp. samcelia was cute while it lasted folks

AHHHHH CELIA STATEMENT

... I am taking that "get away from her" as a final samcelia crumb

...uh oh that's not good

ooh alice is gonna be pissed

oh hey scottish rock guy how's it going

ah hi gwen. it's good to see all the girlboss villain arcs starting

everyone wishing gwen luck really bodes well for her /s

THATS HOW IT ENDS???? OH MY GOD SAM NO

boy everyone's dealing with consequences now

I am not ready for the break between seasons I need more already

hey at least no ones confirmed dead. also I support celia 100% I still love her and I will continue to be a samalicelia truther despite recent events

[rosethornewrites]

T & G reading since 8/13

Finished

Teen:

no time for crying, by Narci (6 chapters)

Jingyi’s made a lot of silly mistakes on night hunts before. Everyone has, even Sizhui.

But this may be the worst.

(Jingyi stares harder in hopes that the two children will suddenly regrow to their previous sizes. They do not. Jingyi keeps trying.

He whispers, “have you ever just like realized that you’re about to be literally murdered?”

“Can’t say I’ve had that particular realization, no,” Zizhen replies with the air of a born badass. Jin Ling sighs.

“Murder is wrong,” the child in black interjects wisely.

Even at age six, Senior Wei is lecturing us, Jingyi thinks hysterically.)

The blame game, by apathyinreverie (🔒)

Wei Ying doesn’t know what to make of it when, after he so publicly confronts the Jins, his staunchest supporter turns out to be… Zewu-jun?

(Or, Lan Xichen time travels, immediately goes about fixing things, and promptly confuses the fuck out of everyone along the way.)

Finding a Home, by Duochanfan

Madam Yu has arranged a marriage for Wei Wuxian to the Cloud Recesses Second Jade, Lan Wangji. But will Wei Wuxian have that happy ending?

built by the fires of volcanoes, by isabilightwood

The end of the world was not Wei Wuxian’s fault. In fact, he’d slept through the event that doomed them.

After the Sunshot Campaign, 3zun threw the Yin Iron into the volcano at Nightless City. This was a bad idea. Twenty years later, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji travel back in time to prevent a hybrid volcanic eruption-zombie apocalypse. But their plan is going well, so there's plenty of time to relive their youths, convince the Dafan Wen to let them adopt their son, and matchmake friends and sisters.

Mud, by snowberryrose

In which Jiang Cheng attempts to show up Jin ZiXuan

General:

it's your soul, by syriala

Wei Wuxian never said it out loud before, the fact that Lan Zhan just loved him for his body, and he’s surprised at how much it truly hurts him. The only thing Wei Wuxian always wanted was for Lan Zhan to love him, him, and not his body, just like he loves everything about Lan Zhan.

And now he doesn't even have his own body anymore.

Through Brush Strokes and Ink Lines, by cerbykerby

There is a painting of Wei Wuxian in the Cloud Recesses.

Wei Wuxian has no idea how it got there, and even less idea of why it is, specifically, in Lan Wangji's room.

----------

After waking up in Mo Xuanyu's body and being unceremoniously dragged to the Cloud Recesses, Wei Wuxian makes a discovery.

(or: wwx and his cloud recesses shenanigans)

No, Wei Wuxian, You Cannot Divorce A Man You Haven't Married Yet!, by stiltonbasket (9 chapters)

"Have you heard? The second young mistress of Yunmeng Jiang broke her troth with Hanguang-jun and ran off to the Burial Mounds with Wen Qionglin!"

"Ah, poor Lan-er-gongzi. Breaking her sister's engagement wasn't enough for Wei-guniang, she had to betray her own intended!"

In which Wei Wuxian ditches the cultivation world, Lan Wangji goes grocery shopping, Lan Sizhui narrates his parents' love story, and Nie Huaisang is the only one who knows what's really going on. Prompt fic!

Unfinished

Teen:

so i cut the shackles and changed my name, by MichelleFeather

“A-Ying, should anything happen, should you be separated from us or find yourself in need of help, find Lan Qiren in Cloud Recesses. No matter what’s happened, he will keep you safe. He has sworn to me his home will always be open to you, no matter what.”

Following the advice of his late mother, Wei Ying runs away from Lotus Pier, knowing that if he were to stay, he would likely die at the hands of Madam Yu.

And, he finds, the Lan Clan is the place where he was always supposed to be.

Fall again, by apathyinreverie (🔒)

The one with the time travel.

this is our vow, by orro (🔒)

Waking up in Gusu isn’t a surprise but waking up as a teenager is enough to make Wei Wuxian scream, disrupting the precious silence of the Cloud Recesses.

Wei Wuxian had been given a second chance when he was brought back to life. But this time, he can truly fix everything, and if he can’t find a way back then at least he can make some things right that he could never atone enough for.

General:

Blooming You a Garden Inside Me, by xxxMiaHikarixxx

After Wei Ying's encounter with the Waterborne Abyss, he sees the Twin Jades of Lan taking a walk. Curiously, he follows them and hears Lan Zhan's distaste for him. The first flower petal lands on his palm. Does Wei Ying have the hanahaki curse? Or is it something even more complicated?

This story started as an one-shot for a challenge and has been an ongoing multi-pov monster that fixes everything through angst, romance and lore.

The Sun is back, by Shanashe

Wen Ruohan's soul is attached to Wei Wuxian after his death. He lingers and witnesses all the canon events that follows.

Post Canon, he gets sent back to the past.

[atinycafe]

APOCALYPTIC AMOUR — ch 01 [trackstar]

prompt; a tight-knit friend group's carefree days turn into a fight for survival as they navigate a zombie apocalypse ( ˘ ³˘)ﾉ☆ feat; ot8!ateez x fem!reader in this chapter; you meet new student yunho and present him to your friend group, you all have fun until— wrd count; 12.7k notes; all the characters in this story are 18+, the beginning is slightly inspired by the super talented @ohmyamor, this post in particular!!, mullet yunho 4 the win, idk if you noticed yet but i love it when a girl has braids in her hair and she adds those small jewels in them, i feel like i describe all my leads w/ that hairstyle im cryin, it's gonna be normal for the majority part of this chapter, so no crazy gore/horror yet (I JUST FINISHED WRITING I LIED THERE IS GORE AND I'M SCARED!!!), yall this was acc supposed to be a yandere story till i switched it up when jongho pulled up bcuz i felt like it, lssrfm & xikers cameo cuz i love them sm taglist; @eightmakesonebraincell (glad u like it bb!!), lmk if you want 2 b added 2!

"In a matter of moments, she'll be joining us. She's a sweet girl you'll get along well," whispers the director in a gentle tone, leaning forward across his mahogany desk, which acts as a partition between them. Yunho musters a forced smile, his slender fingers fidgeting with the rings adorning them. Irritation simmers within him. He endured an uncomfortable fifteen minutes on the rigid bergère chair, obligated to listen to the school director's grating voice against his wishes. The prospect of meeting a girl holds no interest for him; he is determined to navigate the school's corridors alone.

Just as he prepares to rise from his seat, tired of the interminable wait, a figure bursts into the room with a flourish. Before him stands a panting young girl, her hands clutching her knees, desperately gasping for air as though she has just conquered the most arduous marathon known to mankind.

"I'm... I'm here, lemme just—" she stammers, her voice catching as she raises a trembling hand, a solitary finger indicating her need for a brief respite, "the bus... late... San stole my... backpack... fuck I'm gonna pass out."

"Ah, such language," grumbles the elder man as he rises from his chair. Casting a renewed smile towards Yunho, he gently pats his perspiring forehead with a blush-colored tissue. Stepping over to the girl, who remains slumped in the corner, he addresses the other boy still sitting in shock, "Yunho, this is the student who will accompany you today. I won't detain you any longer. You may proceed." With a gesture towards the door, he guides the girl outside while she continues to lament her apologies to the older man, vehemently blaming a certain individual named "San" for the predicament.

Outside, she turns towards him, and Yunho seizes the opportunity to cast his gaze upon her, carefully observing her appearance. She's undeniably beautiful. The delicate braids in her hair, adorned with glistening jewels, captivate his attention, while her plump cheeks radiate with a gentle glow, evidence of the perspiration amassed during her hurried arrival. Yunho has always had a fondness for aesthetically pleasing things.

Suddenly, she breaks his trance, bowing earnestly before him. "I'm so so so sorry, I didn't mean to be late, I swear I tried to be on time, I'm usually never late. I got jumped by an oversized child annnnd I'm rambling." A flush of embarrassment creeps across her face as the realization dawns upon her, and she playfully scratches her head, feeling a sense of diminishment under the unwavering gaze of the tall young man standing before her.

Yunho's smile widens at the sight. She's cute. Extending his hand towards her, she eagerly intertwines her fingers with his. A rush of joy courses through him as he marvels at the stark contrast in size—his larger hand effortlessly enveloping hers, causing it to vanish within his grasp. He savors the velvety softness of her palm, relishing in the comforting warmth it radiates. His elongated fingers tenderly caress her wrist, their gentle movements akin to a graceful dance.

She reciprocates the gesture, shaking his hand before sheepishly wiping her own on her skirt. "Sorry, my palm is a bit sweaty," she admits, her voice tinged with a hint of bashfulness.

"Knees weak, arms are heavy," he absentmindedly continues, lost in his thoughts.

"Oh! There's vomit on his sweater already," she chimes in, recognizing the lyrics.

"Mom's spaghetti," they say in unison, both bursting into fits of giggles at the absurdity of the words.

"Anyway, I'm yn. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she says, her gaze meeting his once more. Yunho finds himself captivated by her eyes. They possess a playful sparkle, akin to the innocent exuberance he often sees in the younger generation. It's as if the weight of the adult world has yet to fully cast its shadow upon her, preserving a childlike wonder within her gaze.

"Yunho," he nods in response, his lustrous black bangs delicately framing his forehead, swaying gently as if in sync with his every movement, catching the radiance of the hallway lights and emanating a subtle glow.

"I know," she giggles, delicately covering her mouth with her hand as they begin to walk. "Well, since I've arrived late, classes have already started, which means we'll have the hallways all to ourselves," she proclaims with a mischievous air, a smugness in her tone. She playfully winks at him, and he joins in her laughter, reveling in the shared moment of camaraderie.

Continuing their stride, the sound of their sneakers occasionally creating a gentle squeak against the polished floor, she takes the lead, pointing out various corridors and imparting valuable knowledge to him. Her animated gestures and explanations paint a vivid picture of everything he needs to know.

Yunho would be dishonest if he claimed to retain any of the information shared by the student by his side. His attention is wholly captured by the gentle cadence of her voice, laced with an endearing accent, and the subtle grace with which she occasionally bites her tongue in contemplation. Oblivious to the details she imparts, he merely nods his head in response.

Instead, Yunho's eyes roam across the curve of her nose and the delicate flutter of her long eyelashes. His gaze then lingers on the slightly askew tie loosely draped around her neck and the oversized sweater that envelops her figure. A desire surges within him, longing to embrace her smaller frame within the warmth of his own arms, never to release her. An internal groan escapes him, a perplexing discomfort arising from the strange yearning he discovers within himself.

As they stand before the window, a stray curl cascades across her face, obscuring her vision. Yunho's instinctual response is to reach out and brush it away, but his action is abruptly halted as someone grabs his hand forcefully. He turns his attention towards the source, locking eyes with a shorter boy exuding a piercing intensity. Tension grips both their wrists, causing veins to bulge beneath their sleeves, marking the strain in their arms. Unfazed, Yunho arches an eyebrow in response, calmly meeting the gaze of the boy with a distinctive mole adorning his cheek. In that silent exchange, a challenge hangs in the air.

Their unspoken confrontation is momentarily interrupted as the girl finally shifts her focus from the window, her attention drawn to the unexpected arrival that has joined their company.

"Oh, hey Wooyo! What are you doing here? Yunho, this is Wooyoung." she beams at the boy, completely oblivious to the lingering tension in the air. As her gaze meets his, the previously intense look in Wooyoung's eyes undergoes a transformation, melting into a tender, lovesick expression as he sets his sights upon her. With a gentle gesture, he wraps an arm around her shoulder, leaning into her touch, their bodies fitting together snugly. A slight hunch forms in his posture as he revels in her presence.

"Missed my girlfriend, had to see you," he smiles, his gaze lingering on Yunho, a keen observer of the tension that grips the boy before him. With his hand still wrapped around her, he playfully toys with a braid, gently twirling it between his fingers. In that moment, a wave of warmth washes over Yunho, but it's not the pleasant kind. It's the kind that tightens his throat and makes the mullet he currently sports feel uncomfortably scratchy against the back of his neck.

With a sudden burst of force, the girl forcefully pushes Wooyoung away from her, her face flushed with deep embarrassment. "Stop saying that to everyone I introduce you to! You're so embarrassing, you fucking liar," she scolds, playfully landing a punch on his shoulder. The boy, unfazed by the punch, erupts into a contagious fit of high-pitched laughter, filling the once-empty hallway with joyous echoes. He seizes her wrists, swiftly maneuvering behind her, enveloping her in a warm back hug while still clasping her fists in his hands. Turning her gaze towards the taller boy, she apologizes for the unexpected spectacle that just unfolded before them.

An inexplicable tightness constricts Yunho's chest, leaving him struggling to catch his breath. He can't fathom why this feeling has taken hold of him. He understands that the two individuals before him are not romantically involved, as evident from the girl's earlier remark. However, the overt display of affection between them unsettles him, stirring a discomfort within his core. They exude an undeniable ease with one another, causing his stomach to knot with unease. Wooyoung seems to know exactly what's happening in the boy's mind because when the latter meets his eyes once again, he smirks.

Yunho finds himself irritated, yet he manages to maintain a polite smile nonetheless.

"Wait," she interrupts their embrace, her hand clapping in the air as she fixes her gaze on the student who had been hugging her. Suspicion colors her expression, and she hesitates before voicing her question, "what are you doing here, I know you have class right now."

Wooyoung locks eyes with her for a moment, a mischievous glint shining in his gaze, before swiftly planting a playful peck on her cheek. Without missing a beat, he dashes down the hall, his voice echoing through the corridors as he calls out, "Love you, president!" His laughter gradually fades into the distance as he disappears from their sight.

The girl lets out a groan, using her sleeve to wipe her cheek clean. It's in this moment that Yunho's attention is drawn to the blue marine armband adorning her right arm, proudly displaying the words "Class President." He notices the adorable Sanrio stickers adorning the Korean syllables, adding a touch of charm to the armband.

"Let me tell you, this guy," she exclaims, frustration evident in her voice, "he never attends his morning classes. Detention just isn't cutting it anymore. I should put him in jail." Finally turning her attention to Yunho, she offers an apologetic smile. Pointing towards a classroom ahead, she stretches her arms overhead. "That's your next period class. Just go on in, and the teacher will assign you a seat."

Yunho offers a gentle nod in response, prompting a genuine smile to spread across the girl's face. Initially intimidated by the boy's towering height and quiet demeanor when they first met, she now finds his mannerisms oddly reminiscent of a puppy, endearing her to him. His big, expressive eyes only add to the charm that she discovers within him.

A warm invitation escapes her lips, laced with empathy and understanding. "Do you wanna eat with me and my friends during lunch this afternoon? I know it can be challenging to make friends when you're new in the middle of the year." Her eyes crinkle with a gentle warmth, captivating Yunho's heart as he feels himself melt in response. Internally, he can't contain his excitement, overwhelmed by how incredibly adorable she is. He's practically screaming with joy inside.

"Actually, I already know someone here in the school that I need to find. It's 'ight," he replies, a playful grin adorning his face as he resists the temptation to pat her head. While a part of him feels a tinge of sadness for missing the chance to spend more time with her, he also realizes that if her friends are similar to the one he just met, it might not be the best fit for him. It's not about feeling intimidated or anything of the sort, but rather a desire to ensure that he presents himself in a way he won't regret to the girl standing before him.

"Oh really? Who? Maybe I can help," she offers, crossing her arms behind her back and tilting her head slightly to meet his gaze that had been concealed by his hair. Yunho responds with a gentle smile, his hand instinctively reaching up to brush his bangs aside, revealing his warm brown eyes. He finds joy in the way her smile widens upon catching a clearer glimpse of his eyes, their connection growing stronger.

"Song Mingi, but I don't think you know him, he's quite shy—" Yunho begins to explain, but his words are cut short by a surprised scream escaping the girl's lips. Acting swiftly, she retrieves her phone and taps the screen, revealing something to Yunho. She turns the phone towards him, displaying her wallpaper for him to see.

Displayed on the screen, amidst the small widgets and iMessages, Yunho's eyes meet a captivating image. It captures his childhood friend, Mingi, in a deep slumber, his cropped blond hair filled with an array of adorable pastel hairclips. Playful marker drawings of cat whiskers adorn his peaceful face. Standing in front of him is the owner of the phone, her face partially blurred but her radiant smile shining through. It's as if he can almost hear her infectious laughter echoing from within the screen.

"Uh yeah that's him," Yunho responds, his voice tinged with surprise. He hadn't anticipated her knowing Mingi. The girl nods affirmatively, her smile unwavering, and Yunho can't help but wonder if she ever gets cheek cramps from smiling so much. She moves behind him, placing her hands flat against his back, gently pushing him towards the classroom door. "Great! I'll come find you once your class is over, and we can go eat together," she declares from behind him.

As Yunho settles into his class, he can still feel the lingering warmth of her palms against his back. Throughout the entire lesson, the sensation remains, serving as a comforting reminder of the upcoming lunchtime rendezvous.

"Jongho I'm telling you, the moment I find San, I'm breaking his knee caps, I didn't even know what to tell Mr. Byun when he asked me where my things were." Yunho quietly opens the sliding door, intending to leave the classroom, when he catches snippets of the conversation. The familiar voice belongs to the girl who has been on his mind throughout the entire period. Yunho can sense her annoyance as she leans against the wall, one foot pressed against it for support, arms crossed over her chest, and a visible pout on her face. Beside her, Jongho doubles over in laughter, clutching his stomach in amusement.

"You think that's funny huh," the girl's growl is accompanied by a punch to Jongho's side, prompting him to playfully overreact, clutching the spot where she hit him as if it were truly painful. However, their playful exchange is interrupted by Yunho, who clears his throat to gain their attention. As they turn towards him, their expressions shift in response. The girl's smile remains warm and welcoming, while Jongho's smile fades into a more neutral, passive expression.

"Yunho! Let's go find Mangi," she exclaims excitedly, pulling Jongho along with her and intertwining her arms with both boys, one on each side. Yunho can't help but feel a sense of familiarity as she uses the nickname he had coined for Mingi years ago. Normally, he would feel uncomfortable when strangers used his private lingo with his friends, but strangely, he doesn't mind it this time. "Oh, by the way, this is Jongho," she introduces the boy next to her, gesturing towards him, "and this is Yunho," she adds, indicating the tall boy at her side.

"Wait, he knows Mingi?" Jongho asks, his confusion evident on his face. She simply nods in response, popping a lollipop into her mouth with a mischievous smile.

"You still haven't told me how you guys got to know each other," she inquires, peering at the paper of the candy wrapper, searching for the usual joke written there.While waiting for Yunho to answer her question, Jongho reaches over and grabs the candy wrapper, turning it around to show her the joke, pointing at it. She lets out a soft exhale through her nose, the joke genuinely amusing.

Yunho rubs the back of his neck, his fingers gently grazing through his hair. He feels a sense of relief that her focus is directed elsewhere. Her captivating eyes, so large and mesmerizing, have a way of stealing his breath whenever they lock gazes."It's nothing crazy, we were neighbours, and I kinda forced him to befriend me, like I'd walk him to school and eat with him during lunch even though we attended different schools."

"Wait that's adorable oh my God, he never told me that, did he mention that?" She turns to Jongho, her eyes widening with an expression of curiosity and delight and the latter feels his heart skip a beat, as if doing a somersault in his chest.

"N-no yeah, he mentioned something about a childhood friend pullin up," he stammers, inwardly cursing his sudden bout of nervousness.

"He told you and he didn't tell me, what the—" she starts to say, but her words are cut short by a loud scream echoing through the bustling hallways.

"Pres'! You comin' to practice today?" a boy dressed in a letterman jacket calls out, his voice carrying over the noise. He is joined by a group of similarly attired boys, some of them casually tossing around a football in a cliché manner.

"Yup! Wasn't planning on it, but I have to beat San's ass," she shouts back, not even bothering to turn towards the group of boys. Jongho understands the underlying tension behind her action. She wasn't particularly fond of building relationships with the members of the school's football team, except for the boys in their own friend group, of course. The sound of playful "ooohs" emerges from the group, earning an eye roll from her.

"You part of the football team?" Yunho asks, looking down at her and the boys she was conversing with. She locks eyes with him and bursts into laughter.

"No, not at all, ew, I would never. They're all gross," she says, turning to Jongho and pulling him closer, her hand gripping his bicep. "No offense, babe, but your friends are so annoying." He chuckles softly, too caught up in their proximity and the endearing nickname she always uses, oblivious to her playful jabs at his friends.

"I'm actually part of the cheer squad," she adds, and as the words leave her mouth, she notices Yunho's surprised expression. "Yeah, I know. I lost a bet against the umbrella twins, and they forced me to join."

"The umbrella twins?" he questions, seeking clarification.

"Oh, my bad. San and Wooyoung, the guy who stole my backpack and the one you met this morning," she clarifies, gesturing with her hands as she speaks, a habit that Yunho finds endearing.

Before she can continue, they are once again interrupted by another group of people approaching her. "Pres! The basketball team is going to take the 4th local today, but we already reserved it!" they announce eagerly. She leans back, taken aback by the sudden noise and movement, and Jongho instinctively moves slightly in front of her, as if to protect her.

"I'm not the only president here. Can't you go talk to Hongjoong? There are two of us for a reason," she whines, taking the hands of the girl in front of her and waving them dramatically.

"Eonnie, please, we've been searching everywhere and we can't find him," another girl pouts at her, holding her hands together in a pleading manner. However, her plea is cut short as the girl accidentally hits herself on the head with her tennis racket. The president instinctively brings her own hand to soothe the reddened spot on the younger girl's forehead.

"Alright, alright, I'll talk to Mingi and Seonghwa and see what I can do," she assures them, and the small tennis committee beams with gratitude before taking their leave.

"Fucker must be on the roof. I'll beat him up, always leaves all the work to me," she grumbles, resting her head on Jongho's shoulder.

"Mingi's in the basketball team?" she nods in response, Yunho's mind drifting off as if lost in memories. Before she can inquire further about Mingi, her attention is once again interrupted.

"Hey," a soft voice calls out from behind her.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, I just want to eat," she mutters under her breath, but when she turn around, she's greeted by Yeosang's face.

"Oh, hey babe," she says, wrapping her arms around Yeosang's frame, just below his own letterman jacket. He pats her head affectionately, and she continues walking, Yeosang taking Jongho's place by her side, his arm draped over her shoulder. "Oh, this is Yunho, Mingi's childhood friend. Yunho, meet Yeosang. Jjong and Yeo are our star quarterbacks; they practically carry the team," she laughs, introducing them to each other.

"Don't let Woo and San hear you say that, or they'll whine for days," Yeosang shudders in disgust, recalling the times when she mentioned things that made them believe she had a favorite among the eight boys. She laughs against him, and he finds himself enjoying the way her body shakes with amusement.

Yeosang then turns to Yunho, shaking his hand and nodding once as they make eye contact. "Welcome. Mingi mentioned that you were coming."

She gasps, clutching Yeosang's wrist in front of her and lightly digging her baby blue nails into his skin. "He told you too? Why didn't he tell me? I thought we told each other everything!"

Yeosang shrugs his shoulders, and with Jongho pushing open the doors of the cafeteria, the four of them enter and walk past the students scattered around. As they pass by, the students' eyes light up and they greet her with waves and friendly gestures. She reciprocates with a warm smile and waves of her own. It's evident that she is both well-known and well-liked among her peers.

She senses the tension emanating from the two quarterbacks beside her. Mistaking their annoyance at the attention she's getting for shyness, she reaches out and squeezes Yeosang's hand, feeling him squeeze back in response.

They finally reach the end of the cafeteria room, where the food counter is located. The options available for lunch consist of three combinations: penne pasta in a tomato-based marinara sauce with small meatballs, grilled chicken with a side of steamed vegetables, or a plant-based burger with a side of garlic bread. Each plate comes with a cupcake for dessert and a refreshing glass of lemonade to drink.

As they approach the food counter, Jongho reaches for the tray with the grilled chicken, only to have his hand swiftly slapped away by her. Her raised eyebrow and shocked expression silently convey her disapproval, and without uttering a word, she guides his hand towards the vegan tray instead. "But it has veggies!!, he whines and she glares at him. Jongho sighs and reluctantly grabs the vegan tray, rolling his eyes playfully as he moves behind them to let them choose their own plates.

Next in line is Yeosang, who reaches for the pasta option, but is met with another slap on his hand from her. Confused, he looks up at her, and she points to a lone meatball nestled on the side of the dish. Resigned, Yeosang lets out a sigh and reaches for the vegan tray, conceding defeat.

Yunho steps up to the trays, feeling her expectant gaze upon him. He turns to meet her big, doe-like eyes, and he finds himself unable to resist the unspoken request. Letting his hands guide him, he selects the vegan tray. A radiant smile spreads across her face as she slaps him on the back, the gesture strangely reminiscent of the way his dad had congratulated him when he made the decision to follow with basketball instead of baseball like his mother had wanted. Joining the two other boys, who had been observing the interaction with keen eyes, he settles in and waits for her to choose her food.

Jongho leans in, his voice a low whisper filled with a touch of disdain, "she's crazy about veganism don't mind her," he gazes with evident disgust at the trays before them, as if the mere sight of the vegan options is enough to make him cringe.

Yeosang nods in agreement, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, she picked up on it recently and now the whole gang's forced to change our diet, or she'll throw a tantrum," he says, casually stretching his neck as he watches the girl express gratitude to the food lady.

Their words are laced with a hint of amusement, as if they find her quirks endearing even in their exasperation.

As she joins them, she playfully points a finger at Yeosang, her voice tinged with amusement, "I don't throw tantrums, Wooyoung does, what I do is present well-reasoned arguments with tears, it's different," She then turns her attention to Jongho, her finger now accusingly pointed at him, "and I'm not crazy, just... passionate, you wouldn't get that huh, you depressed bitch."

Jongho responds by lightly slapping the back of her head, a playful reprimand for her teasing. They continue walking towards the other set of large doors in the cafeteria, with her pouting and following behind Yeosang, clutching onto his vest. She leans in close, whispering, "Yeo, Jjong is being mean to me." Yeosang lets out a resigned sigh, his gaze shifting towards Yunho, as if seeking support or solace in the presence of their new acquaintance.

"See what I have to deal with everyday."

The group of students passes through the doors, and Yunho's eyes widen in awe at the breathtaking sight that greets him. Before him lies a greenhouse, its walls concealed by lush, trailing vines and an abundance of vibrant plants. Despite the dense foliage, sunlight streams in from the glass roof, casting a gentle glow on the surroundings. Overhead, plants intertwine, creating a canopy of greenery that adds to the enchanting atmosphere. His gaze sweeps across the scene, taking in the sight of small fruit-bearing trees, their branches heavy with oranges and apples. A thriving vegetable garden flourishes nearby, brimming with fresh produce. Colorful flowers adorn every inch of the ground, creating a vibrant tapestry of blossoms, while a stone pathway guides his way towards a table occupied by familiar faces, alongside two new individuals. One, with a similar armband to the president he had met earlier, must be Hongjoong, leaving the other as either San or Seonghwa, as she had mentioned. His observations come to a halt as she steps into his field of view, her radiant smile and plump cheeks capturing his attention. "You comin?" she asks, extending her hand towards him.

With a slight hesitation, Yunho takes her outstretched hand, feeling a warmth spread through him as their fingers intertwine. Blush obvious on his pale skin, she doesn't mention it. She leads him towards the table, her touch gentle yet firm. As they approach, she introduces him to the two individuals seated there, confirming the identities of Hongjoong and Seonghwa. The atmosphere is welcoming, and Yunho finds himself drawn into the friendly banter and easy camaraderie of the group. He takes a seat among them, feeling a sense of belonging settling over him.

He notices how Seonghwa pulls her on his lap, his affectionate gesture catches Yunho's attention, and he can't help but feel a twinge of unease. He scratches his head, uncertain of how to react in this unfamiliar situation. As he tentatively picks at his peculiarly greenish patty with his fingertip. Oh, the lengths Yunho would go to impress a girl he hardly knows. A random girl who's most likely already dating someone from her fucking harem, he can't help but think.

With a sigh, Yunho brings the small burger to his lips, the size of it seeming insignificant in his large hands. He takes a bite, trying to mask his distaste as the dry bread and peculiar flavors assault his taste buds. He swallows it with difficulty, suppressing any visible signs of disgust. Seeking respite, he lifts the cup of lemonade to his lips, closing his eyes momentarily as he takes a sip, the cool liquid soothing his parched throat.

Meanwhile, he listens to her animated conversation with Hongjoong, her voice filled with complaints and the unfinished thoughts from earlier. And then, her attention turns to Seonghwa, her gaze fixed on him as she leans her chin against her own shoulder.

"Wait, where's Mingi?"

"He's talking to Mr. Zhang, apparently he got caught cheating for his dissertation, he might get a zero on it," Seonghwa murmurs, his voice muffled by the unsatisfying burger. He had initially wanted to go for the chicken option, but Hongjoong had reminded him of her preferences, and he reluctantly settled for the vegan tray. The food lady had given him a knowing look, as if aware of the compromise he had made.

"Pfft, I told him Mr. Zhang uses that crazy software, nothing gets past it," she comments with a mouthful of her own burger, her disappointment evident on her face. She quickly discards the burger onto her plate, exclaiming, "this tastes like shit oh my God."

The sudden attention of everyone at the table is drawn to her, and she looks around innocently, uttering a simple "what?" in response. One by one, they all join her in discarding their own meals onto their respective plates, emitting sighs of disappointment.

"Fuck thank you, I've been wanting to say that, is your phase over yet?" Hongjoong rubs his temples in exasperation, but his action is met with a swift kick to his thigh. Startled, he turns his attention to her, grabbing hold of her foot adorned with Doc Martens, playfully pulling her towards him. In response, she lets out a dramatic scream, clutching onto Seonghwa's shoulder tightly to prevent Hongjoong from separating them.

"It's not a phase," she emphasizes each word with a swift kick to his leg, her frustration evident. "And quit tugging at my leg like the beast you are, I'm a fucking lady!" Her voice carries a mix of exasperation and playfulness as she lets out a spirited scream. Bending over Seonghwa's forearm, with him securely holding her waist, she extends her arm to deliver punches to Hongjoong's shoulder.

"You, a lady?" Yeosang snorts from his seat, unable to contain his amusement.

"You shut the fuck up before I tell coach about how you used to bring girls to the locker room to do God knows what," she retorts, giving him a pointed look that leaves him momentarily speechless, causing him to choke on his lemonade.

"That was such a long time ago, what the fuck, I don't do that anymore," he responds, his voice laced with a mixture of embarrassment and denial. He closes his eyes tightly, shaking his head to dispel the unwanted memories. A shudder runs through his body as he recalls those past actions, prompting Jongho to burst into uncontrollable laughter, nearly toppling off his seat.

She clacks her middle finger and thumb together absentmindedly, her gaze lost in thought.

"Wait, I needed to say something to Seonghwa, but what was it again?" she mutters, her voice trailing off. At the mention of his name, Seonghwa perks up, humming curiously from behind her.

"The 4th local," Yunho's voice silently resonates in the greenhouse, and she instinctively moves her hand from the air to point at him, her mouth agape in realization.

"Yes!" she exclaims, her face lighting up, and Yunho grins in response. "Seonghwa, you guys— the basketball team, can't go to the 4th local today. The tennis girls are using it."

"What why!?" Seonghwa's grip tightens around her waist, his biceps visibly flexing under the uniform vest.

"Okay first, unhand me, you're literally gonna break my rib cage," she tugs at the sleeves of his grey uniform, urging him to release his hold. As he lets go, she takes the opportunity to position herself with one knee against the table, leaning forward to snatch the cupcake that was within Jongho's reach. His eyes snap towards her, and she playfully sticks out her tongue before taking a bite of the blueberry-flavored dessert. Seonghwa looks away, her buttocks right in front of his face, not wanting to invade her privacy or risk getting into trouble with the other boys at the table.

"Second," she begins, her mouth still full as she plops back down unceremoniously on his sturdy thighs, "they reserved it first."

"Damn it," he groans, resting his forehead against the back of her head, his eyes closing in frustration, "I'm gonna kill Chaerin, she didn't send the reservation mail on purpose."

"That's not a nice way to talk about your girlfriend," she mumbles, licking her fingers clean.

Yunho's head snaps towards them, unable to resist overhearing their conversation. He feels a pang of relief at the mention of Seonghwa having a girlfriend. As long as it's not her, he thinks to himself, and right after he finds himself internally chastising his own irrational reaction to a girl he had just met. His lips burn with the urge to ask the question, "Okay, so he has a girlfriend, but why are you sitting on his lap like that?" However, he manages to stop himself just in time, realizing that it might be prying into personal matters that he shouldn't delve into.

"He has a girlfriend? But you…" Yunho starts to speak but cuts himself off, not wanting to make things awkward if she was actually involved with Seonghwa in some way. However, the people at the table seem to grasp the unspoken words.

"Ugh, no, he's like my brother," she clarifies, rolling her eyes. "Everyone knows I don't date, especially not one of these," she playfully flips her hair behind her back, gesturing towards the boys surrounding her. As she does, her hair inadvertently slaps Seonghwa in the face, causing him to roll his eyes and playfully tug on one of her curls in response.

"They broke up," Jongho snatches back the muffin from her hand, glaring at her and baring his strong shoulders in an intimidating form when she opens her mouth to complain, "bitch— get your own cupcake, the fuck? Yeah, anyway he broke up with her like two days ago."

"Mine's carrot, I don't like it," she states, crossing her arms in a defiant gesture. The boys at the table can't resist but swoon at her adorable demeanor. Catching on to her playful manipulation, they each surrender their desserts to her with a smile. As she picks up Yeosang's lemon cake and prepares to take a bite, her motion halts abruptly, "wait, what did you say?"

Her eyes widen in surprise as she abruptly stands up, quickly moving behind Hongjoong for support. Clutching onto his matching sweater, she leans in closer to him, her voice filled with urgency. "Why did you break up?" she exclaims, her words carrying a mix of shock and concern.

"She was clingy," he replies casually, still engrossed in his phone. However, his sentence is abruptly cut short as a carrot cupcake smacks him right in the face. His eyes widen in surprise and he quickly looks up, his expression a mix of confusion and irritation. "What the fuc—" he begins to say, interrupted by the unexpected dessert attack.

"I told you not to speak about girls like that. She's gonna be the sixth this year, and it's only been five months since the year started! Seonghwa!!" she exclaims, her voice filled with a mix of frustration and disappointment. She continues to pout and whine his name as he returns his attention to his phone, casually wiping the cupcake off his cheek. "What if a boy treated me like you treat your girlfriends?" she questions, emphasizing her point and highlighting the double standard.

"I'd kill him," he responds in a matter-of-fact tone, causing her to let out a frustrated sigh. She tugs at the roots of her hair in defeat, realizing that her point might not be getting across as she had hoped.

"See how that makes no sense? Treat girls how you'd want me to be treated, you dick!" she retorts, her voice filled with frustration. Taking a big bite of the lemon cupcake in her hand, she chews on it aggressively, using the act as a way to channel her annoyance.

"I'd treat girls how I treat you when they start acting like you," he finally turns to look at her, his gaze piercing through her. The girl feels her face heat up under his intense stare and quickly averts her eyes, searching for a way to escape the awkwardness. Her gaze falls upon the other boys at the table, who seem to be observing the interaction with curiosity. Sensing the need to change the subject, she mutters something about meeting Seonghwa at the basketball court next to the football field, mentioning that it's empty for the day.

She swiftly moves past the boys, grabbing Yunho by the arm and leading him towards the door. However, she suddenly comes to a halt and quickly turns back towards the table. She snatches Seonghwa's cherry cupcake from his plate, adding it to her collection. Then, she returns to Yunho, taking hold of his hands once again, as if maneuvering him like a marionette.

"What are we doing here? I thought we were gonna go to the sport fields?" Yunho inquires, his voice trailing behind the girl who guides him through the familiar greenhouse they had explored during lunchtime.

"Yes, yes we are, I just don't wanna walk the whole way, I'm lazy, and— we're like an hour late," she reassures him, her voice laced with a mischievous tone. She gracefully maneuvers past the table where they had shared their meal, her eyes scanning the surroundings. "Ah, there it is! See that tree? There's a hidden door behind it. It's our secret passage to the boys' side."

Yunho raises an eyebrow, a mix of confusion and curiosity on his face. "A hidden door? Behind a tree? Shut up, are we in Narnia?"

She grins mischievously and continues walking, guiding him through the vibrant greenery of the greenhouse. As they reach a large tree with sprawling branches, she stops and points to a concealed door nestled among the leaves. It blends so seamlessly with its surroundings that it's almost camouflaged.

"Here it is," she announces triumphantly, pushing the door open to reveal a pathway that leads to the sports fields beyond. The sound of cheering and the thud of balls hitting the ground can be faintly heard in the distance. Yunho's eyes widen in amazement.

They step through, and his eyes widen at the sight before them—a vast open clearing adorned with two distinct fields. One is a sprawling green expanse, meticulously groomed for American football, while the other is a smaller basketball court with a solid concrete floor. The fields are flanked by a few bleachers and benches, providing a place for spectators to cheer on the athletes.

The scenery captivates his attention. The expansive football field stretches out seemingly endlessly, the vibrant green grass contrasting against the surrounding treeline. Beyond the trees, majestic mountains rise, their grandeur and magnitude evoking a sense of awe. The athletes moving across the field appear tiny in comparison, dwarfed by the immense natural beauty surrounding them.

A light mist hovers in the air, lending an ethereal atmosphere to the scene. Though the chill of the condensation graces their cheeks, they find themselves enveloped in a sense of tranquility and wonder. It's as if time stands still in this secluded sanctuary, offering a serene escape from the bustling world beyond.

As Yunho scans the surroundings, he notices the presence of three distinct cliques, each engaged in their own activities.

His gaze first lands on a group of eleven boys, adorned in sport attire, diligently following the commands of an older man who stands at the center. The sound of his booming voice fills the air as he passionately directs the boys through their paces, making them run laps between two white lines meticulously sprayed on the grass.

Shifting his attention to the basketball field, Yunho observes six boys divided into two teams of three, engaged in an intense match. The rhythmic sound of dribbling echoes as they skillfully maneuver the ball, their swift movements and strategic plays showcasing their love for the game.

Lastly, his gaze settles upon a group of girls, some dressed in crop tops and short shorts while others are dressed in a tracksuit, gathered near the benches in front of the football team and the bleachers. They engage in stretching exercises, their bodies gracefully extending and flexing as they prepare for their own athletic endeavors.

As Yunho's gaze sweeps across the scene, he notices a small figure seated in the center of the bleachers, engrossed in his artistic pursuit. The person's posture is slightly hunched over, their focus intense as they diligently sketch away with a pencil and sketchbook in hand. It doesn't take long for Yunho to recognize the familiar features of Hongjoong, the same individual who had been sitting with them earlier during lunch.

In that moment, the girl next to Yunho exclaims in a playful tone, her voice ringing through the air, "Hong! Are you going to draw me today, babe?" The sound of her voice draws his attention, causing Hongjoong to raise his head, a warm smile gracing his lips as he responds with a thumbs up. The girls seated in front of him catch wind of the interaction, and their faces light up with delight as their gazes shift to the source of the commotion, recognizing the girl who has captured Hongjoong's attention.

A chorus of excited voices erupts from the group of girls, a mix of "Eonnie!!" and her name flying out, as they jog up to the girl, their energy palpable. In their eagerness, they engulf her in a flurry of hugs, almost causing her to lose her balance if it weren't for Yunho's steadying grip on her back.

As the girls finally take notice of Yunho's presence, their attention shifts towards him. Among them, a mischievous smirk adorns the face of one girl, who playfully twirls a strand of her hair around her index finger. Her voice carries a hint of seduction as she mutters, "And who is that..." Her words trail off as she is promptly pushed away by another girl, who responds with an exasperated tone, "Ew, Kkura, gross! It's been barely a second since you met him, and you're already baring your teeth like some kind of animal."

"Don't be mad just because I caught his attention first, Chae," Sakura retorts, her words laced with playful banter.

"Eunchae, Garam, get behind me, I'll protect you from their hormones," the class president playfully interjects, guiding the two girls dressed in tracksuits to position themselves behind her. The trio bursts into laughter, enjoying the lighthearted moment, while the two older girls in front engage in a spirited verbal exchange.

Amidst the commotion, Yunjin leans closer to the president and whispers inquisitively, her gaze fixed on Yunho's tall frame, subtly checking him out. "But seriously, who is he?" she asks, her curiosity piqued.

"You have a boyfriend!" She exclaims in disbelief, her laughter echoing through the air. The girl raises her hand defensively, trying to fend off the playful accusation, "I'm asking for Kazuha!"

"Nu-uh, leave me out of it," the ballerina interjects with a yawn, her casual indifference contrasting with Yunjin's slightly annoyed expression. The younger girls find amusement in Yunjin's reaction, joining in with light giggles.

The girl dressed in her uniform takes notice of Yunho's discomfort, observing how his cheeks flush with embarrassment under the intense scrutiny of the two girls. She can't help but feel sorry for him. With a quick clap of her hands, she redirects their attention.

"All right girls, let him breathe," she intervenes, positioning herself between the boy and Sakura and Chaewon, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief. "Go practice choreo number 13, I'll come back down when you guys are done."

The girls disperse, enthusiastically responding with "Yes, Pres!" They scatter off in different directions, leaving the girl to shake her head fondly. Her eyes reflect adoration as she watches Eunchae take charge of the speaker and her phone, diligently searching for the song they'll be practicing to.

"Come on, big boy, let's go get Mingki," she playfully nudges Yunho in Hongjoong's direction. Meanwhile, she turns around and positions her fingers in her mouth, creating a loud whistle that immediately grabs the attention of all the players on the field, both from the football and basketball teams. However, her eyes are specifically fixed on Mingi's tall figure.

As they lock eyes, she waves at him, signalling for him to join them. Seonghwa, observing the interaction, lets out an exasperated sigh, clearly annoyed by the situation.

"I'll borrow him for a second you big baby, just practice 3-pointers," she playfully taunts the captain of the basketball team, her eyes rolling in mock annoyance. The awkwardness they had felt during lunch seems to have faded away completely as they exchange smiles, their connection reestablished.

"Jagi!" she hears someone shouting, and she turns to see San, his face beaming with a sheen of sweat.

"Don't even think about it, you—" she cuts herself off when she locks eyes with the coach, who stands with his arms crossed over his chest, sending a shiver down her spine. She grimaces at San, and he pouts sadly before seeking solace in Yeosang's embrace, burying his head in his neck for comfort.

Mingi finally reaches them, bounding up the stairs two steps at a time, and he leaps into Yunho's arms. The two boys burst into laughter, exchanging heartfelt "I miss yous" as they revel in the surreal moment of being face to face. Hongjoong and the girl watch with a tender gaze, their eyes filled with a mixture of affection and nostalgia. The girl settles herself between Hongjoong's legs, resting on the floor, seeking the comforting presence of his touch. The towering figures of the two boys evoke a surge of emotions within her, reminding her of the times she'd come back from her summer vacations, jumping into the boys' ams.

"Man, I still can't believe I'm here," Yunho sighs.

Mingi, still beaming with joy, settles down beside Hongjoong, his contagious smile lighting up his face and causing his eyes to crinkle.

"I know, right? It's hard to believe," Mingi replies, his voice filled with genuine astonishment.

Yunho, his own smile hidden behind his hand, adds, "You've really grown up, man. I can't believe you're on the basketball team now."

The girl can't contain her excitement and playfully shakes Hongjoong's legs, interrupting their tender moment.

"Aww, you two are so cute, I can't," she exclaims, her voice filled with delight, bringing a lighthearted energy to the conversation.

The girl and Hongjoong allow Yunho and Mingi to have their moment, engaging in their own conversation as she flips through his sketchbook—a privilege reserved only for her. After about ten minutes, she closes the notebook and turns her attention to Yunho, her curiosity evident in her eyes.

"Hey, Yunho, I've got a question. I understand why Mingi ended up in this small town—he moved here because of his dad's job at the water plant," she points towards the direction of the factory, barely visible through the trees, situated on one of the distant mountains. "But what about you? Why would someone from Seoul come to a rundown boarding school in the middle of nowhere?"

Yunho takes a moment to gather his thoughts before responding.

"My step-dad... kinda forced me. It was either this or military schoo—"

"Baby!! Here's your backpack!!"

As Yunho begins to respond to the girl's question, their conversation is abruptly interrupted by San's excited scream. All heads turn towards the source of the noise, and the rest of the gang comes into view. San is leading the way, a wide smile on his face as he waves a sage green backpack—the girl's backpack. Wooyoung has his arm draped over San's shoulder, but his gaze is fixed on Yunho, his expression filled with confusion.

Meanwhile, Jongho is busy chugging a bottle of water, and in his haste, he ends up spitting some of it out, accidentally hitting Yeosang in the process. Yeosang looks at him with disgust before swiftly snatching the empty bottle from Jongho's hands and tossing it to the floor. Seonghwa, witnessing the commotion, pushes the back of Yeosang's head, causing him to stumble slightly. Yeosang turns to Seonghwa, clearly puzzled, and points at the discarded plastic bottle. Yeosang points back at Jongho, indicating that he should pick it up. The two engage in a silent argument, each trying to convey their point. Jongho has a shocked expression on his face, as if to say, "Why would I pick it up? You threw it on the floor!" The argument continues silently until Eunchae steps in, picking up the bottle and giving them an exasperated side-eye.

"San give me a hug baby," with a warm smile, the girl beckons San towards her, extending her arms in a welcoming gesture. San's face lights up, and he shoves Wooyoung aside, causing the older boy to let out a grunt. Excitedly, San practically leaps into the girl's waiting arms, anticipating a hug from his crush. However, instead of a gentle embrace, he finds her arms coiling around his neck, tightening and choking him from behind. The unexpected twist catches him off guard, eliciting laughter from the surrounding group.

With her forearm playfully pressed against San's Adam's apple and her hand positioned behind her other forearm, forming a unique frame next to his face, the girl maintains her mischievous hold on him. San playfully whines, his mock discomfort adding to the amusement of the others. In the midst of laughter, Mingi seizes the moment and quickly pulls out his phone, announcing, "Say cheese!" He points the camera towards San's face, prompting an instinctive reaction from the playful boy. San swiftly raises a peace sign next to his smiling face, revealing that his apparent weakness was merely a charade. The resulting snapshot captures a lighthearted moment, with both San and the girl flashing genuine smiles.

Taking advantage of the moment, she leans in close to San's ear, her voice hushed but firm. "San, I swear if you try another stunt like that, I'll personally make you regret it." Her warm breath tickles his ear, causing a shiver to run down his spine. She tightens her grip ever so slightly, emphasizing her point. San, feeling both intimidated and intrigued, responds with a quiet, almost squeaky, "Yes," acknowledging her warning.

As San is released from her grip, he swiftly turns around and pulls her into a tight embrace, leaning his body against hers. Meanwhile, Wooyoung's curious expression draws the attention of everyone around. He silently raises an eyebrow and directs his gaze toward Yunho, wearing a perplexed expression. It's clear that he's questioning Yunho's presence with his next comment, "what's he doin here?"

Mingi offers a brief explanation, trying to ease Wooyoung's annoyance. However, it doesn't seem to have the desired effect as Wooyoung remains visibly irritated. He sits down in silence, forcefully removing San's hands from the girl's body and placing her on his own lap, a clear display of his displeasure.

"Okay, no, Woo, you're too sweaty for skinship right now," she tries to get up, but he firmly pulls her back in, muttering a "shut up." She sighs in defeat, accepting her situation. She knows that Wooyoung can get anxious and quite possessive when new people try to join their close-knit circle, reminding her of his insecurities. Despite feeling the stickiness of his sweaty forearms on her thighs, she lets him be, knowing it provides him some sense of comfort and security.

As the rest of the group joins them, Hongjoong takes notice of the continued work of their respective teams. He adjusts his glasses with the hand still holding the pencil, a sign that he's about to ask a question.

"Why are you guys here?" he inquires, curiosity evident in his voice.

Seonghwa, not one to miss a chance for a sarcastic remark, quickly responds, "Um, fuck you? If you want us to leave, just say it directly." He lifts his head from the game app on his phone, expecting a round of laughter at his obvious joke. However, he's met with Hongjoong's tired gaze, and the room falls silent. Realizing the serious tone, Seonghwa pouts and adds, "Y'all suck at taking jokes. I'm the captain, I can take a break whenever I want." He glances back down at his phone, finally addressing Hongjoong's question.

"Coach gave us a break to relax, but he still needs to take care of the younger ones," Yeosang explains, his voice muffled slightly by the protein bar he's munching on.

Hongjoong nods in understanding. "I see. Well, enjoy your break while it lasts. Just make sure to be ready when practice resumes," he advises, his tone carrying a hint of authority.

Mingi playfully rolls his eyes. "You're not on either team, and yet you still act like you lead us or some shit," he snickers, his voice filled with playful mockery.

"I'm the president!" Hongjoong retorts with a hint of pride.

"Well, I don't see yn acting like that!" Mingi replies, and at the mention of her name, the girl stops playing with Wooyoung's fingers and lifts her head in confusion. "Huh?"

Before Mingi can persuade her to join in teasing Hongjoong, Yunjin calls out to her from under the bleachers. "We're done with the choreography! Pull up!"

The class president beams with excitement and tries to get up, but Wooyoung refuses to let her go. She slaps at his hands, but he still holds on tightly. Frustrated, she turns to him, silently mouthing "What the fuck," and he smirks mischievously, pointing at his cheek. She rolls her eyes and decides to retaliate by biting his jaw instead of kissing him. Wooyoung yelps in surprise, releasing his grip on her, and she takes the opportunity to get up, blowing him a flying kiss as she laughs mischievously while descending the stairs.

Arriving at the practice area, she begins to change her outfit. She pulls down her skirt, revealing black spandex sport shorts, and the girls around her playfully scream and tease her, drawing the attention of the boys on the bleachers. As she takes off her oversized sweater, leaving her in a casual black crop top, she hears whistles from the boys on the bleachers, with San and Wooyoung enthusiastically cheering and clapping for her. She laughs and playfully picks up her imaginary skirt, pretending to curtsy. The boys on the bleachers burst into laughter, but as she hears a comment about her "nice thighs!" from behind, she freezes. Before she can even turn around to confront the boy from the football team, Jongho intervenes and shouts some stern words, causing the boy to apologize nervously.

She responds to Jongho's protective gesture by making a heart sign towards him, and the young boy playfully reciprocates with a flying kiss. Her grin widens as she sits down, grabbing her bag and taking out her New Balance sneakers. She unties the laces of her current shoes and starts putting on the new ones, carefully securing them and making sure they fit perfectly.

Silence.

As she finishes tying the laces of her last shoe, a hushed stillness settles in the air, causing a chill to run down her spine. The once lively atmosphere now feels tense and unsettling. She scans her surroundings, searching for the source of the eerie silence that has fallen upon the area on her right. Not everyone seems to be affected, just the boys on the two fields, their playful exchanges and laughter replaced by an unnerving quietude. Some individuals exhibit twitching movements, prompting concerned inquiries from those unaffected, like the main coach who's shaking Minjae who's spasming lightly, confused because the younger boy seemed normal not even twenty seconds ago.

A strange sensation tugs at her senses, drawing her attention to a pair of eyes fixed upon her. Slowly, she turns her head, her heart racing with anticipation as she looks past the girls laughing. Her gaze locks with the intense stare of a mysterious figure positioned at the edge of the clearing. The stranger's presence feels heavy and unfamiliar, sending shivers down her spine. Squinting her eyes, she tries to discern the features of the distant figure, but the thickening mist obscures their identity. Despite the veil of mist, she observes the person's body twitching, yet they remain rooted in place, further adding to the sense of unease that permeates the air.

Suddenly, an explosion reverberates through the air, causing everyone's attention to snap towards the water factory. Their eyes widen in shock as they witness half of the building crumbling down, engulfed in a devastating blast. A mushroom-shaped cloud billows above the wreckage, casting a haunting shadow over the once familiar structure. The force of the explosion sends shockwaves through their bodies, leaving them frozen in disbelief at the unfolding chaos.

Amidst the chaos, her ears ring with a deafening sound, drowning out the surrounding screams and cries for help. The world around her blurs as her senses struggle to comprehend the magnitude of the situation. The ringing in her ears intensifies, becoming an overwhelming cacophony that threatens to drown out her thoughts. She clutches her head, trying to find a semblance of clarity amidst the disorienting noise, her heart pounding in her chest.

As the forceful gust of wind generated by the explosion engulfs them, she is sent tumbling to the ground, helpless against its powerful impact. Before panic can fully take hold, strong arms wrap around her, pulling her close. It's Yeosang, his presence a reassuring anchor amidst the chaos. As she looks around, she realizes that all the boys, her trusted friends, have taken cover, shielding her from the brunt of the blast. Their collective instinct to protect her shines through, their unwavering loyalty on full display in this moment of turmoil. A mixture of gratitude and concern floods her heart as she takes in the sight of them, noticing how even Yunho's tall frame is present.

Before a single cry or scream can escape their lips, a gurgling sound reverberates through the air, drawing their attention to the fields. With a collective sense of dread, they turn to face the source of the eerie noise, only to witness a sight that chills them to their very core. The bodies of their friends, once lively and full of vitality, now stand motionless, their movements reduced to sporadic twitches.

A deafening silence ensues, broken only by the sudden retching of the boys. A horrifying spectacle unfolds before their eyes as a crimson liquid violently spews forth from every orifice. Mouths, noses, eyes, and ears become fountains of grotesque expulsion. It is a sight that defies all logic and comprehension, leaving them frozen in disbelief and horror.

Yet, amidst the chaotic display of bodily torment, an unnatural stillness persists. The boys, though engulfed in their own bodily purging, remain eerily immobile. They do not writhe in pain or clutch their stomachs as one might expect. Instead, they stand like statues, allowing the red fluid to cascade onto the ground below. Their eyes, once vibrant and expressive, now widen with an otherworldly intensity. Thick crimson veins begin to snake across the whites of their eyes, growing darker and more pronounced with each passing moment, like ominous tributaries on a map of terror.

They stop.

A chilling stillness descends upon the scene as the expulsion of the crimson liquid abruptly ceases. The boys, their bodies drenched in the unsettling aftermath, remain frozen in place. No movement. No sound. They stand like statues, trapped in a nightmarish tableau.

Silence hangs heavy in the aftermath, enveloping the scene with an eerie stillness. The players who remain untouched by the gruesome ordeal are left in a state of shock, their faces streaked with tears, their mouths agape in silent horror. Their trembling bodies bear witness to the overwhelming weight of the unfathomable events unfolding before them.

Amidst the unsettling situation, the coach, his face smeared with congealed blood, shakes off the haze of confusion and takes charge. He reaches out, his hands firmly grasping Minjae's shoulders, his voice trembling with concern and fear, laced with the unmistakable cadence of his Busan dialect.

"Hey, son, are you alright? Can you hear me? Breathe, boy," he implores, his own complexion drained of color beneath the crimson stains as he stares at Minjae's bloody chin, his Real Madrid t-shirt drenched in blood. His words serve as a catalyst, stirring a flicker of response within the dazed players.

As if pulled back from the abyss of their stupor, the afflicted players turn their heads to gaze upon their coach, their eyes wide but emotionless. Their attention then snaps skyward, and in a collective crescendo, they unleash an agonizing scream that reverberates through the air, causing a shiver to course through the onlookers' spines.

The situation takes a horrifying turn as Minjae lunges towards the coach, embracing him tightly and burying his face in the coach's neck. The shocking realization dawns on everyone as Minjae emerges from his gruesome embrace, a grisly piece of the coach's larynx clenched between his teeth. Strands of skin still connect the gruesome morsel to the coach's throat, causing him to convulse and gurgle amidst the sea of his own blood.

Everyone screams.

Which seems to catch the attention of the other boys. Without hesitation, they give chase to their fellow teammates, swiftly overtaking them and leaping onto their backs. The air is filled with a macabre symphony of gnawing and crunching as they devour the bones and delve into the entrails of their unfortunate victims.

The class president, overwhelmed by fear, finds herself in a state of paralyzing terror. Tears cascade down her face, a clear manifestation of her profound distress. The weight of her emotions renders her legs immobile, leaving her trembling uncontrollably. Despite her desperate attempts to move, the overwhelming fear pulsating through her body proves insurmountable, binding her in place.

In the midst of her distress, she becomes aware of someone tugging at her, seeking to guide her to safety. However, her attention remains fixated on the overwhelming sensation of dryness in her throat. The weight of her fear becomes suffocating, and she longs to release it through a primal scream, hoping to alleviate the terror that grips her.

Abruptly, a sharp slap against her cheek breaks through the haze, snapping her back to reality with a resounding impact. The abrupt noise resonates within her, shaking her to her core and jarring her senses awake. In the midst of her heightened emotions, she lets out a heartfelt sob, tears streaming down her face as she gazes into Mingi's visage. The ashen hue on his face mirrors her own fear, a shared understanding of the imminent danger that surrounds them.

Startled by the urgency in the voice behind her, she registers the familiar tone of Hongjoong's commanding presence. The words "Move! Move! Move!" echo in her ears, compelling her to take action despite her trembling limbs and overwhelming fear.

Supported by Mingi's sturdy arms, she rises to her feet, her wobbly legs struggling to find stability. Turning to face him, she sees the confusion mirrored in his eyes, a reflection of her own disorientation. The surge of adrenaline courses through her veins, finally awakening her body to action. In the midst of chaos, she knows she must make a decision, but the overwhelming rush of emotions makes it difficult to discern the right path to take.

"To the shed, the fucking shed, everyone!" Startled by Hongjoong's urgent command, everyone's attention swiftly shifts towards the solitary brown cabin standing on the side. As her gaze fixates on the distant shed, its perceived distance seems to amplify her fear, causing tears to stream down her face uncontrollably. Mingi, sensing her distress, takes hold of her and guides her towards the shelter, but the overwhelming sense of dread threatens to paralyze her.

A sudden realization dawns upon her, and she becomes acutely aware that she is the only girl amidst a sea of boys. In a surge of panic, she wrenches herself free from Mingi's grasp and bolts back towards her previous position. Mingi's voice reverberates through the air, filled with urgency and concern, pleading for her to return, while the boys halt in their tracks, alarmed for her well-being.

With swift determination, she races back to her group of girls who huddle on the ground, their tears flowing freely. Her heart skips a beat as she spots one of the bloodied and deranged players noticing their presence, intensifying her sense of urgency. She manages to maintain her balance and propels herself forward, pushing her limits and sprinting even faster, propelled by a surge of adrenaline.

The boys behind her erupt in alarmed screams, their voices filled with urgency and fear. They, too, have noticed the approaching lunatic, his tongue lolling out and his bloodshot eyes revealing a disturbing state of mind.

Overwhelmed by the intensity of the situation, she drops to her knees in front of Sakura, her voice trembling as she urges her friend to sit and gestures towards Kazuha and Chaewon, instinctively seeking safety in their familiar presence. With a determined expression, the class president rises to her feet, firmly grasping Yunjin and Garam's hands and directing their attention to the nearby shed. Her voice, filled with a mix of desperation and courage, pierces the air as she implores them to run.

As Eunchae's horrified screams fill the air, she swiftly turns towards her, a surge of fear coursing through her veins. With her heart pounding in her chest, she witnesses the chilling sight of a bloodied Jinsik standing just a meter away from the sobbing girl on the ground. Overwhelmed by a surge of adrenaline, she acts on instinct, lunging towards Eunchae in a desperate attempt to shield her from any impending danger. In her heightened state, she remains fixated on Jinsik's unnerving movements, her eyes locked on his presence, fear gripping at her throat.

In that surreal moment of realization, time seems to stretch out endlessly. As the girl comprehends the inevitable fate that awaits her, she releases a soft exhale, her grip tightening around the trembling form of Eunchae, tears mingling with those of the distressed girl. The pungent scent of the fresh blood permeates the air, a grim reminder of the approaching danger. Despite the overwhelming despair, a fragile smile quivers on her lips, a bittersweet acceptance of the inevitable, as she embraces the prospect of death with a sense of hopeless surrender.

In a sudden turn of events, a figure emerges from behind her, and she instinctively recognizes Yunho's distinctive long hair as he hurtles towards Jinsik with incredible force, colliding shoulder-first. The impact is jarring, sending the younger boy flying through the air, his neck contorting unnaturally as it twists 180 degrees. Amidst the chaos, there is no time to assess his condition as another presence grabs hold of her from behind. Raising her head, she finds herself face to face with Wooyoung, his determined expression urging them forward. With swift movements, he lifts both girls from the ground and propels them in the direction of the shed.

Wooyoung shifts his attention to Yunho, who stands frozen, his gaze fixated on the lifeless body before him. In that moment, Wooyoung realizes that Yunho's fear stems not from the immediate danger or the possibility of retaliation, but from the profound realization that he has just taken another person's life.

Wooyoung's voice trembles with a mixture of concern and reassurance as he calls out to the boy in front of him with urgency. "Yunho!" he exclaims, his tone serious and filled with genuine emotion. Yunho turns to face him, tears welling up in his eyes, the weight of his actions evident on his trembling lips. Wooyoung's words carry a comforting tone as he offers a heartfelt affirmation to the person who just saved his friend's life, acknowledging the difficult choice Yunho had to make. "You did good," he says.

Wooyoung's voice takes on a sharp edge as he snaps at Yunho, urgency in his tone. "Now move." he commands, his words pushing them both into action. However, their attention is abruptly diverted by an unexpected sound. A gurgle emanates from Jinsik's lifeless body sprawled on the ground. The boys exchange a startled glance, their eyes fixed on the source of the sound. A dead body shouldn't do that. A dead body doesn't make noise.

A sense of unease fills the air as Jinsik's lifeless body defies all expectations. His hand twitches, a disturbing sign of movement, and he slowly begins to rise. His upper body remains in a grotesque position on the floor, while his lower body stands upright. His head hangs limply to the side, an unnatural angle for a human neck. It's a horrifying sight as bones protrude painfully beneath the skin, contorting his neck into an unsettling shape.

Shock and disbelief fill Yunho's whispered exclamation, "what the fuck." The mangled body of Jinsik abruptly turns its attention towards him, swiftly darting in his direction with an unsettling speed.

Wooyoung's hoarse voice breaks through, urgently commanding Yunho to "fucking run!!". Surprisingly, Yunho finds a surge of strength within him, spurred on by Wooyoung's frantic plea. They both break into a sprint, their hearts pounding in their chests, while Jinsik's bloodcurdling screams echo behind them.

Gasping for breath, Yunho and Wooyoung catch up to the rest of the group, their pounding footsteps bringing them to the front of the shed.

Frantically pounding on the door, Yunho and Wooyoung shout to the people inside, desperately trying to make them aware of their presence. Wooyoung's gaze flicks back to the approaching horde of Jinsik and the other distorted boys, urging him to intensify his efforts in knocking on the door.

The muffled sounds of voices arguing can be heard from inside the cabin, indicating a disagreement among the occupants about whether or not to open the door. The fear in the air is palpable, as some students hesitate to confront the horrifying reality outside.

Exhausted and overwhelmed, Yunho finds solace in his prayers, seeking comfort and strength in the midst of the chaos. Leaning his head against the door, he embraces a brief moment of respite, hoping for a miracle to unfold.

Overwhelmed by exhaustion, Wooyoung is on the verge of following Yunho's lead and tries to find the words to pray when the door suddenly opens. In a rush, Yunho stumbles into the cabin, losing his balance as he seeks refuge from the relentless pursuit

Overwhelmed by the unexpected turn of events, Wooyoung's eyes widen in shock as their class president opens the door. He takes in her disheveled appearance, tears streaming down her cheeks, and her heaving chest from exertion. As she grabs his arms, she forcefully pushes both of them inside the cabin, causing them to stumble and fall onto the floor. In the fall, Wooyoung lands on top of her body, momentarily disoriented. Meanwhile, San swiftly slams the door shut, sealing them off from the menacing presence of the bloodied players.

Jongho and Yeosang swiftly join San, realizing the urgent need to reinforce the door against the relentless onslaught of the deranged players. Together, they apply their collective strength, pressing against the door with all their might. The screams and frantic movements of the frenzied individuals outside grow even more desperate as they violently hurl themselves at the barrier, driven by a ravenous hunger for whatever lies within.

Overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment, the girl clings tightly to Wooyoung, seeking his comforting presence as a source of strength. Tears stream down her face as she buries her face in his arms, releasing the pent-up emotions that have gripped her. Wooyoung, with closed eyes, presses his face against her hair, finding solace in the familiar scent that surrounds her. His own tears fall freely, mingling with her hair as an expression of shared vulnerability. In a tender gesture, she pulls back slightly, and he gently wipes away the tears from her cheeks, showering them with soft, affectionate kisses.

Filled with overwhelming emotions, the girl shifts her attention to Yunho, extending her hand towards him. Tears continue to flow down Yunho's face as he lowers himself, squatting beside the tearful duo. In a moment of disbelief, the girl lets out a soft laugh, expressing her gratitude for his presence. She clasps his hand tightly, bringing it gently to her lips, pressing a tender kiss against his skin as she closes her eyes. With a heartfelt whisper, she softly utters a grateful "thank you" against his hand, causing Yunho to hide his face behind his large hand, his body trembling with emotion.

"Eonnie," a cry echoes from the background, capturing her attention. She swiftly turns to face Eunchae, her younger friend, who stands there with tears streaming down her face. The girl releases herself from Wooyoung's embrace and rushes over to Eunchae, enfolding her in a tight hug. They both sob uncontrollably. As the rest of the girls witness the emotional scene, they too approach, one by one, joining in the comforting embrace. The cabin resonates with their collective sobs, allowing them to release the pent-up emotions.

Gradually, their sobs begin to subside, and the other boys respectfully give them space, understanding the significance of the moment. However, their temporary respite is abruptly shattered when someone lets out a scream, jolting everyone back into alertness.

"Okay, shut up, we get it!" Joongki's voice reverberates through the room, his frustration evident as he ruffles his hair in exasperation. The girls flinch, startled by his sudden outburst. "You're not the only ones who almost died, stop fucking crying."

Seonghwa, taken aback by Joongki's words, swiftly pivots towards him, shielding the girls from his view. With a firm grip on Joongki's shirt, he pulls him closer, their faces mere inches apart. "What the fuck did you just say?" Seonghwa's voice seethes with anger, his forearm exerting pressure on Joongki's chest. "Huh? Wanna say that to my face you bitch?"

As tensions rise, Joongki's friends quickly move to restrain him, understanding the dire consequences of his anger escalating further. They hold him back, their arms forming a barrier between him and Seonghwa, trying to prevent any physical altercation. Meanwhile, San and Hongjoong step in, their voices calm but authoritative, attempting to defuse the heated situation.

"What are you gonna do about it, ah? I'll say whatever the fuck I want to" Joongki retorts, his voice laced with defiance as he meets Seonghwa's gaze head-on. The tension in the room escalates, both boys locked in a heated confrontation. Seonghwa's forehead veins bulge, his anger palpable.

To everyone's surprise, Seonghwa bursts into a disbelieving laughter. He releases his grip on Joongki and turns his attention towards the girls. The tension begins to dissipate.

However, in a swift and unexpected move, Seonghwa swiftly turns back to face Joongki, his fist connecting with the boy's face. Joongki crumples to the floor, his hand instinctively clutching his injured cheekbone, a pained grunt escaping his lips.

Pandemonium ensues as Joongki friends' charge towards Seonghwa, their anger fueling their actions. But they are met with a swift and fierce retaliation from seven other individuals who step forward, fists at the ready.

Punches fly through the air, landing with a resounding impact, as the room becomes a chaotic battleground.

A piercing scream echoes through the room, causing the boys to abruptly cease their fighting and hurling insults. All attention turns to Garam, who stands frozen, mouth agape, a look of horror etched across her face as she expels red blood onto the floor. Her eyes dart around desperately, searching for someone, anyone, to lend a hand, but all she encounters are fearful gazes.

Garam reaches out for Eunchae, but Kazuha quickly intervenes, shielding her from harm, pulling her behind her. Hongjoong swiftly maneuvers through the chaos, securing his position as the leader by stepping in front of his closest female friend and ushering her to safety, careful not to let her get closer to Garam's distressing state.

"Hongjoong, let me go," she pleads, her voice trembling behind him, her eyes locked onto Garam's terrified form, now crying tears of blood. "Hongjoong let me fucking go, I have to do something!" Her desperation grows, and tears well up in her eyes once again, but his grip only tightens around her. Jongho joins them, holding the girl as well, fearful of any sudden movements.

"Please... help me," Garam gurgles, her eyes turning red.

author's note: yall i just finished writing this and it's like at 5am, im so scared rn i cant go to sleep. im acc curious, did you guys think the last part was scary because i personnally think i was more scared of the scenes i imagined in my head than the text (idk if that makes sense), feel free to tell me in the comments or the asks, also rip minjae, jinsik, garam, u guys were luved.

yuyu and wooyo's reactions when he acc killed jinsik

masterlist

[the-fandom-therapist]

(@ultimateplaylistmaker you are to blame for this.

I planned to do the OTHERS parts of the alicorn!Kokichi AU, not this!

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Anyway, here's alicorn Kokichi in the infection AU, my version which is heavily inspired by the asks I send lmao)

Death is weird.

You don't feel anything. Actually, thank fuck because if he have to stay eternally in the state of agony he was in before dying, he would considering it hell.

Not like he wouldn't have deserve it. But still.

Anyhow, at some point when he was drifting in... limbo he guesses, he felt a pull towards... somewhere.

His soul was called somewhere and he doesn't even know where. Or why. Or even by who!

He felt himself falling, and blacked out at the moment of impact.

~0o0~

When he woke up, he immediatly noticed something was off.

First of all, the desolated wasteland (no, not this one! Fuck off Monokuma!) was a pretty good indicator that something is very wrong.

Second of all, when he bolted to get at the closest thing that could be used as a shelter, he found out that he was unable to get on his two feet. He could only walk on all four-

Wait.

Wait, wait wait, hold up a SECOND.

He lift his hand.

This is not a hand.

THAT'S A HOOF.

He's a fucking horse now? What the fuck?

...Hell is fucking weird.

Like, he would get getting thrown into a wasteland as a punishement. Makes sense. But as a horse? Okay DICE associate him 24/7 with the animal because of his name, but that's still strange.

Oh wait. He's not just a horse, he's a freaking unicorn apparently, because when he tried to put a han-hoof on his head, he got resistance.

Yep. A horn. So unicorn he is apparently. Great.

He's not in a regular wasteland, he's in a magical wasteland. He's going to see fucking pegasus next?

Nevermind, he's just going to see HIMSELF fully next! He was lucky(?) to stumble upon a shattered mirror.

Apparently he got the full treatement of magical horse. Because he's both a unicorn and a pegasus now.

Also his... well, fur? Is entierely white. His mane is the same color as his hairs, which make sense he suppose. Also thank fuck he kept his scarf. Otherwise he'd throw a fit. (Would that change anything? No. Does he care? Also no.)

He got more or less the same haircut too. His eyes are the same colors as well, so there that.

...Why the fuck does he got a tattoo on his thigh though.

A tattoo of... A purple snake -cobra apparently- with dripping fangs and a dice in its mouth. With a crown. And warped around a weird staff.

Actually it looks pretty cool, but he never wanted that thanks.

...So what does he do now?

First of all, he need to find something to eat. And water too. Because considering the state of the buildings around, he's going to bet that water isn't running anymore.

Next, a place to sleep that isn't in plain sight. If he could get a shelter from the elements, it'd be great!

Then maybe he could-

His thoughts stopped when he heard a groan.

Oops, seems like he's not alone here!

Now, the one-million question. Is it a friend or foe? In a situation like this, it's best to assume they're a fo-

WHAT THE FUCK

He doesn't know how, he doesn't know why, but when the other guy -horse really- charged at him, with obvious hostile intentions, he got blasted away by...

Purple energy?

Oh wait, he is technically a unicorn... He can do magic? Sick! Though he'll probably need to learn more about how to use it. But, more importantly...

That looks to be a very damn sick horse!

Whatthefuckwhatthefuckwhatthefuck WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!

...Oh wait.

Sick looking, stumbling around, trying to attack...

Ah shit, he got himself into a damn zombie apocalypse didn't he?

...That is NOT his day.

~0o0~

Alright. After a week or so, Kokichi successfully got a few infos.

First of all: this world is different from his. Everyone here is a horse. Or rather, pony since they call themselves that.

Everyone either have wings, or a horn, or neither. But he have yet to see one who have both, just like him.

Weird. But he suppose it's a question of chance and genes. Rare ones could create both maybe?

Anyway.

He learned that this outbreak had been going on for a little less than a month. Nobody knows where their rulers (princesses apparently) went, or if they were infected or not.

He learned how to use magic, albeit only for rough spells. Just burst of energy to send the infected away from him long enough to run away, or cut things -more like explode them...- to barricade a place.

He's been trying to learn how to fly too; apparently those infected, even if they were pegasi, didn't had the cognitive connections to know how to fly now. And even if they did, they were rare and slow. So it's a great way to get away!

The only downside is to do it in a desert area, because he have a tendency to still fall rather often. And he's veeeeery far from the steady flights he saw other survivors do.

He tried to approach a group of survivors once but... Seeing them shooting another pony not infected on sight with magic cut rather efficently that idea. He's going solo here. (Even though he would benefit GREATLY from having a source of informations about this world!)

And, well he's doing pretty good for himself all things considered. Living in the streets before is great experience for the apocalypse, what do you know! Even when you're a pony.

He stayed on his own for a good week after that. Until...

~0o0~

He was walking on the border of a road going to... somewhere, when he saw it.

A pony. Lying on the ground, whimpering.

He still had a lot of colors, but there was a clear bite mark on his leg. Kokichi grimaced.

That pony was probably travelling with a group, got bitten and left to die. Man, even in Ponyland people can be assholes.

He approach the guy cautiously. The bite looked fresh, and infected only start to lose their minds at the second stage, after a week or two if the notes he found in an abandoned hospital were to be believed, but he wasn't going to risk it.

Upon hearing hooves on the pavement, the pony looked in his direction pleadingly.

"H-Help... Please..."

Now Kokichi is a leader of evil, but he's not a heartless bastard. Besides, he does need info about this world...

"Well I'm not against it friend! But I don't know how. Can that nasty thing be stopped?"

A weak nod.

"A-Amputation."

Ah. Aoutch. Okay.

He grimaced.

"Alright then. No promise though! I'm pretty new to the "magic" stuff."

That's going to be gorey. Just great... But it's not like they have another choice.

Alright then. Let's try to pour magic over an imaginary garrot and try to squeeze and-

And the wound actually closed. The bite wasn't here anymore, and the unicorn already looked better, colors because as vibrant as they were before getting bitten.

...

Okay so that's a thing apparently? He can heal?

...Cool. He never tried to heal the infected before and now he feel kinda bad. But hey, he wasn't going to risk getting bitten himself trying to help them!

The unicorn immediatly got up and looked at itself with a shocked expression.

Then he looked at Kokichi and...

And kneeled? What the-

"I didn't realized! Oh my Lord please forgive me! Of course it make sense that a powerful alicorn such as yourself would be able to cure this horror!"

...What.

"Uh... Excuse me?"

"I owe you! I owe you my life! Order and I obey my prince!"

Hold up! Pause! What is happening?! Why is this unicorn worshipping him all of a sudden? Okay, he cured him, and it's not something ponies can do yet, but why is he treating like royalty?

...Oh no.

He said "alicorn", which is probably how they call ponies who have both wings and horn. And he heard ponies talking about their princesses before...

Ah fuck, having both is a status here, isn't it. Goddamnit.

"H-Hey now. Get up! I'm not the prince of anyone. I just arrived in this world and I have no idea what's going on!"

That didn't helped. If anything, it made things worse.

"You're a godsent then! No, no surely you must be a god to be able to travel worlds as easily as that!"

Things are getting out of hand really quickly right now.

"Okay, no, I'm not a prince, or a god, I'm just some guy! I just learned I can heal that infection thing, you're literally the only pers-pony that I help since I got here!"

"Am I? Oh my Lord, it's an honor! Please, let me travel with you! I swear on my life I will be loyal until death claim me for good!"

...That guy isn't listening to him is he?

"I'm telling you, I'm not a-!"

They both stopped. Infected coming from the town Kokichi just left were starting to head towards them.

"We gotta go." he hissed, starting to scan the surroundings for a safe way.

"But of course my Lord! Allow me!"

Before Kokichi could even sputter a word about the "I am not a god stop that" they got warped by indigo looking magic, and suddenly they were in a complete new place.

"...Where are we?"

"This is the farthest point I know my Lord. the unicorn said apologically. My magic isn't strong enough to go further."

"Stop calling me that."

He looked around. That was probably supposed to be a makeshift shed, made in urgency when the outbreak happened. Thankfully it was empty now.

"O...kay. Moving on. Err, what's your name?"

"I am Frost Blade my Lord! I was a mere ice sculptor before the outbreak and your arrival!"

"Stop calling me that."

That name sounded cheesy as fuck. But he gotta "blend in" and hopefully get this pony's ideas about a god out of his head. A name out of this world -literally- would only fuel his delirium.

Now to find a name... Oh wait.

That pony also had a thigh tattoo. Being of an ice pick and a chisel...

He's going to bet that everyone's name here is going to be related to that tattoo.

Now...

Oh well. You know what?

He just got out of a killing game by dying, only to wake up in a zombie apocalypse except that everyone's a pony. And there's magic.

Unlucky but in an unbelievable way...

"Call me Snake Eyes."

"Of course my Lord!"

...It's going to be long.

~0o0~

At least he gain something from this whole mess.

Yes, reminding the other unicorn that he's NOT a god on a daily basis is annoying, but at least he got magic lessons out of this.

Frost Blade have been more than happy to help out.

So now Kokichi can teleport. Go him! And pick things up with magic.

Also, he's able to cut things more precisely. Having an ice sculptor is actually useful in a case like this.

They travel to what might have been night in a normal world. Apparently, the princesses he heard about earlier were responsible for rising the sun and the moon. All they know is that one day, the sun rose never to go down again.

Nobody knows what happened to the two princesses.

"But of course, the two sisters are nothing compared to you my Lord! You're the only one that can fight off this horror, while they surely have succumb to it!"

Kokichi REALLY hope that he'll never run into them. With that idiot loudly claiming what can only be insult to royalty, they'd end up in prison for sure.

He hadn't tried to heal more infected. The ones they encountered were all too far gone for his beginner level healing.

Until he ran into a group, that apparently just got out of a confrontation with a hoard of infected.

Of the five ponies here -two earth ponies, two unicorns and one pegasus- three had clear bite marks. Fresh too.

Obviously Frost Blade was about to go rambling to them about his healing ability, but he stopped him. He had better plan

"Hey there!" he said with a smile.

Everyone looked at him with a mix of confusion, shock and distrust. Which, yeah fair.

"You seemed to be a in a bit of a situation. What about a deal! Your pegasus friend teaches me how to fly and I heal your nasty bite marks. Sounds good?"

Obviously they were wary. Who wouldn't? But Frost Blade was back in action, singing his praises with such conviction that they gave in. After all, what did they had to lose?

Kokichi grinned. Now he could get to fly at least. Not that there was a particular urge, they weren't getting spotted often and could use magic to defend themselves... But fuck it, he got wings so why not! Flying sounded cool.

But he kept his end of the bargain of course. Couldn't get a lesson if the guy was infected!

So he poured magic in the bite wounds and prayed it'll work. And... surprisingly, it did!

It left him really tired, but it worked! And everyone was looking at him flabbergasted. Asides from Blade Frost of course. Who looked really smug actually!

"See? What did I told you ponies? He's a god of health!"

"Will you stop that! I'm not a god!"

"But you're an alicorn." pointed out one of the earth ponies.

"Yeah so? I'm not from this world! I can't even fly yet."

"That's because you're new. I'll teach you, as a payement. It won't be hard..."

"Yeah, and we're following you my Lord!" added one of the unicorn.

Goddamnit, them too? This is going to become a cult at this point and he does NOT like it.

"Stop calling me that I have a name! And it's Snake Eyes thank you. I'm not a god!"

"Hard to believe that when you healed the infection that took our princesses away!"

~0o0~

...They're starting to find arguments, it's becoming a bit scary.

They found more infected after that. And things were always the same.

He healed them if they were early stages, or made everyone run away if they were late stages. The one he healed kneel before him and swore undying loyalty -WILL THEY STOP THAT- and join him while treating him like a deity.

After a month or so of travelling and gathering ponies, he ended up with at least fifty damn horses treating him like a god!

And it's really fucking creepy. He had to stop them giving him daily sacrifices too, they were going way too far!

The problem he had was simple: he need them to stop treating him like a damn god, but also he needed to be able to lead them. Because if he lose authority, he'd have fifty very angry ponies against him, and even with a pretty good hold on magic, he have zero chance.

However, things changed when two ponies arrived, seeking his help.

Word had travelled fast about his ability to heal the infection, and he unfortunately had to turn away those with a too advanced state because he couldn't heal that yet.

Oh he'd give it a shot of course! But if he failed, he'll just say he can't heal it and the infected have to be put down. (You'd think that witnessing their so-called "god" failing at something would wake them up, but NO SIR! They'd twist the story saying that his magic can tell who had been a good pony or not, and if it didn't worked you weren't virtuous enough. Wow. Just, wow.)

(He'd apologize personally for their behavior in secret way too many times to count.)

But here it wasn't the same thing.

"You can heal the infection right? she'd say. So heal my sister!"

Kokichi ignored the crack of her voice, and rather stared at the filly hiding behind her sister's hooves.

That's. a. child. A filly. Whatever. IT'S A KID!

He can't turned down a child! No matter if her state was way more advanced than what he heal usually.

He have to. He can't fail a little girl.

"I'll do it." he said softly, gesturing to the girl to step forwards.

"Sweetie Belle. her sister said. Come on now. He can heal you. It's going to be okay. You're going to feel better."

The filly took some hesitant steps forwards. There's definitely a hunger in her eyes and he doesn't like it.

She have the beginning of fangs coming out of her mouth, and her colors are already fading.

She's going to go through the second stage very soon if he doesn't do something quickly.

"Where did you got bit?" he asked, because it's way easier if he can directly pour magic inside the source of the infection.

She's shaking, but she lift her left hoof which have a bandage.

"Yikes! Must have hurt a lot. Bunch of meanies those infected I swear! he pouted. But it's gonna be okay! I'm gonna take care of that."

"Barbarians. added her sister, nodding. A true lack of etiquette!"

Hey, he sees that she's also trying to get the kid at ease. That's a good sister! He likes her already.

"Someone gotta teach them some manners!" he said, before putting his horn on the bandage, mumbling a soft apology at the wince.

Then he concentrate.

He can see the infection going through her veins, eating bit by bit the vital liquid. He can see it agglomerate around the stomache, which explain the hunger in her eyes...

Alright. Showtime now, he can't let a kid die.

He close his eyes and focus his magic on the immediate surroundings of the wound. It immediatly start to destroy the virus, bit by bit. He pours more. She need more magic.

The infection had started to spray already, so he needs to reach further.

More magic.

The infection disappear from her legs' blood vessels.

More magic.

It disappear from her stomache.

More.

No more in her throat.

More!

No more in the blood vessels anywhere else now.

He didn't noticed he started to shake. He's breathing a bit heavy too. Fuck, that's probably scaring the girl. He opened his eyes and grinned at her.

"Hey, ever tried to play tag with a sickness? It's hard! he pouted. Its cheating too. But I'm gonna win, don't worry!"

Now though, he only need to completely destroy the last remnants of it that had reached her brain. Not enough for her to lose herself completely, thank fuck.

He's tired. That was way more magic than he ever used before. But he need to use more.

The filly won't survive otherwise, and he's not going to let that happen. Her sister doesn't deserve that either.

So he pours more. More, and more, and more magic until he can't feel any traces of the damn infection in her system.

He check several times that she's really, truly double-sure healed, and he opened his eyes again, and look at the two sisters.

"Ko-Snake Eyes: one, dumb disease: zero!"

Then he promptly collapse under everyone's shocked and worried expression -for the sisters at least-

And he's grateful for that. He missed his errr... followers, errupting in cheers and stoomping their hooves on the ground like kids, and the bullshit chants about hil getting more and more powers.

God that's embarassing.

~0o0~

He woke up on the makeshift bed his "followers" made him. Their base is temporary, always had been, but now that they're numerous they can afford to stay a month or two more than before since someone's always on patrol.

But right now, that's not what's on his mind.

Right now he need to make sure the little girl's okay. He checked, but he was exhausted and he could have missed a spot! He can't afford that.

So he take the time to get his bearings back again, and go where the newcomers are usually put until they can find more rooms to put them. And as expected, the two sisters were there.

"Mister!"

She looks way better. No hunger in her eyes, it's good. The bite mark also disappeared.

"Howdy! he answered back. How are you doing?"

"We should be the one asking you that! You collapsed!"

"Pshhhh I wanted to say hi to the floor, nothing serious!"

He used his magic just so he can make sure there's no traces of infection... And yeah. It's all gone. Thank fuck.

"Just wanted to check, noooooooo virus left, thanks for choosing our services!" he said, making a small bow.

"Thank you. the big sister said. We owe you. she frown. But we won't treat you like a deity!"

...Holy shit.

"Halleluja somepony with common sense! he said, grinning wildy. Can you be one of my advisor, to keep the other idiots in line?"

She blinked, apparently not expecting that.

"Um... I suppose? My name is Rarity, and this is Sweetie Belle." she said, putting a hoof on her sister's head.

"Snake Eyes, but you already knew that. he smiled. I'm so glad to finally find someone with a logical brain! Maybe you'll be able to convince those guys that I'm NOT a god thank you."

She really looked confused and he couldn't really blame her. Generally, the leader of a cult is someone who's consenting to be, you know, the object of a cult.

"I can try. But if you couldn't..."

"Still worth a shot! Anyway..."

He explained to them that they're searching for a safe place to settle for good. And once it's done... Well, it's done. But thankfully Rarity had another idea.

"Once we settle, it would be a good idea to look for the others... she mumbled, before adding. My friends. The bearer of the Elements of Harmony."

"...The what now."

She looked at him with a confused gaze.

"You don't know what it is?"

"Listen, I got thrust into this world only after the infection started, I have no idea what you're talking about."

She looked a bit uncredulous, but she still explained.

And wow.

"...Aaaaand what are magical artefacts supposed to do in a zombie apocalypse?"

"Ideally, find the root of the problem, and getting rid of it. she sighed. Create a massive cure too..."

"Sounds a bit utopic to me but alright! he shrugged. Not that we have many things to do outside of finding a permanent safe zone... But you said we have to find your friends first right?"

"Yes... And it's going to be a bit tedious. I don't even know where they ended up, or if they aren't infected themselves..."

"Hm. Well it's still better to stay in a bunker without a purpose! So I'm all for that plan. Also I guess I need to become better at curing that damn infection too..."

They left it at that.

Rarity was a very skilled seamstress, so she made clothes like armors to protect the ponies on patrol from bites.

She even redesign the usual cloak and mask (his scarf) he wore when they were on the move. Now he straight up looks like a plague doctor. Except that instead of a bird mask, it's a snake one. And the cloak looks more like his old, DICE's one. Dark purple, just like it. And- fuck it. He also asked her to sew DICE's logo on his cloak. Because despite this whole "apocalypse" mess, he still miss them damn it.

And one day, when they were staying at an abandoned factory, one of the pony on patrol came back and yelled.

"WE FOUND PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPARKLE!"

Well, that promises to be interesting.

[yesimwriting]

I support you in the tate interest bc I'm right there with you

Has he done crimes? Ya sure but look at him he's cute!

And I'm intrigued with your modern day fic idea if you wanna share 👀

a/n i love you for indulging me <3

also i will be the first to admit that i don't think i ever fully got what AHS apocolypse did to murder house?? like the time travel and new timeline? ig there's no more murder house??

idk i didn't love it so i'm leaving it out partially out of preference and partially out of being a little confused lol,, and i honestly don't want to get into all of that!!

and there's time in between the end of AHS murder house and AHS apocalypse so you can also imagine this is somewhere in there, where season 1 trauma is less fresh to all the characters but not season 8...if that makes sense??

anyways this made me so excited i decided to use this as my homework study break instead of the fic i was working on earlier

----

"And maggots crawl up their nose and eat their brains."

And just like that, I no longer have the luxury of letting whatever Kayla's into these days be just background noise. "Wait a minute..." She looks up from the large book laying in front of her, raising an eyebrow like she had been talking about something any seven-year-old girl could be into. Like brain eating maggots are no different than Barbies or baby dolls. "Maggots?"

"Mhm," she nods, sitting up a little straighter, "It's in my new book, I checked it out at the library."

Kayla lifts one end, giving me a way to check out the cover. 500 Weird Ways to Go. Ugh. Can't blame her, I blame the person raising her. I look away from the dining room table and glare at my mom who's searching through the boxes that have lived on the kitchen counter since we first walked in about a week ago.

"What?" My mom doesn't even have to look up to sense my disappointment. "It's educational, and you were into some weird stuff, too when you were seven." She pushes aside the box she's looking through in favor of the one next to it. "...Used to tell me how much bacteria a single roach could carry."

I set down my pencil. "Doesn't matter--Kayla's been having nightmares." The trig homework was frustrating before and I can't tell if this is worse. "It's not appropriate." She walks away from the boxes, giving me a chance to see the low cut, silky tank she's wearing. "And neither is that top if that's what you're wearing for the PTA meeting."

"Lighten up, sweetheart." I don't. She sighs, nails tapping against the counter. "Y'know you used to be fun."

"Yeah, well," I stand, picking up my school supplies, awkwardly forcing them all into my arms, "That was before some crazy lady forced me to move halfway across the country to live in some house that we shouldn't even be able to afford."

Her glossy lips fall apart in mock surprise, "I'm not crazy." She shakes her head once, "And I've told you...the financial stuff just worked, okay...so just relax and be a kid for once. Worry about decorating your room, or-or making friends, or throwing a rager and making me hate you."

I am so not in the mood for the you worry too much speech. "Lot of ways for me to make you hate me." Before she can respond, I reach over and steal the mug of coffee she had been drinking from. "Just saying."

I walk out of the kitchen, mug and school supplies all awkwardly balancing in my arms until I'm in what's supposed to be my room.

There's nothing wrong with the space. Actually, in another situation, I'm sure I could have really loved this space. The room has dark blue walls and wood arches that make it feel unique. It also came pre-furnished and everything feels like it fits. But none of it feels mine.

Maybe it's just the lack of unpacking...the boxes of posters and personal items pouring over the dresser and onto the floor...the suit case I'm still living out of. Or maybe the good qualities of the room are the issue. It's put together so perfectly I feel like I'm what's wrong with it. Like I'm intruding--a guest in someone else's room...someone else's house...someone else's life.

Sometimes when I can't sleep I imagine what it might've been. Some nights it even slips into my dreams. The story rarely stays the same...sometimes it's a teenage girl who wanted to be here even less than I do...other times I picture a little kid who grew up here...and sometimes I even think of this as some boy's room that relies on rock music and doesn't get along with his mom.

None of that matters, I guess. It's my room, obviously, and imagining who might have lived here before won't help me with my homework. I squeeze my eyes shut, rubbing my temple before turning my attention back to the real villain. Trigonometry.

I breeze through most of the questions as much as anyone can breeze through trigo until I'm on the last one. I'm stuck. I work on it again and again and it keeps being wrong.

I sigh, grabbing a pillow and using it to muffle my groan of frustration. How many times can I do what I'm supposed to do and still get it wrong? I pick up my eraser, knowing what I should do. I should just start over. Instead of dragging it across the page I throw it across the room.

Instead of smacking into the door and falling to the ground, the door pushes back. I sit up quicker than I thought possible.

"Warm welcome." The sarcasm comes from the stranger lingering way too comfortably in my doorway. His dark eyes scan the room before landing on me. He takes in my appearance openly, which I'm not used to, so I instinctually do the same. He seems like he's average height with blonde hair that's long enough to shag slightly and he's wearing an oversized sweater. "Cool room, by the way."

"Uh..." He's definitely lying, because all I've fully unpacked are a couple of books, a few pictures, my record player, and a single movie poster. "Thanks."

I'm not stupid. I know home intruders can be anyone, even cute boys that look like they're around your age and act casual enough to gaslight you into feeling like you're the weird one for not inviting them in. But if that's the goal, he's really good at it. I feel awkward and like I should be doing something to compensate.

"Sorry about the eraser." The words feel flat, almost shy. "That wasn't--wasn't about you--" Like I wouldn't have been well within my rights to throw something at someone who may or may not be breaking into my house. "That was...trig."

He nods once and I can't tell if it feels indifferent. I'm not sure why it matters. The stranger steps further into my room, his attention briefly focusing on the framed photo of a younger me and one of my best friends from back home. He's closer than a stranger should be now, close enough to lean over and look at my homework, which he does.

"Uh..." I sit up even straighter, a part of me wanting to grab my notebook and shield it even though that's irrational. There isn't anything he can get from it. "Who are you?"

The stranger holds my stare for a beat before answering, "I'm Tate." I nod, even though that does nothing for me. "I live around here."

Okay--that makes a lot of sense. I wouldn't be surprised if my mom ran into him on her way out and waved him down and told him to just let himself in and find her oldest daughter. Maybe this is an ambush attempt at getting me to make friends.

"Oh," I mumble like that explains everything, "Did my mom stop you?" The assumption feels like it could make me seem weird. I don't know why I feel like I'm the one that needs to come off as casual when he's the one that has less of a right to be here. "She invites people in sometimes, especially when she's new to a place." I scratch my knee to have something to physically do. "She never thinks anyone could be a murderer."

Oh my god?! Did I just accuse the only attractive guy I've met here of being a murderer? "Not that I think you're a murderer." I fight the urge to physically cringe. "--I um--I've been doing math for way longer than physically tolerable so my head's kinda mush right now."

"Explains why you divided wrong." Before I can ask what he's talking about, Tate places his finger against the bottom of the page. I look at what he's pointing at, some throwaway basic math...that I messed up. That's why it wasn't working.

"Oh?" I pick up my pencil and cross out my mistake so that I remember where to start over. "You totally saved my life." I rewrite the numbers so that I can actually solve the problem. "I'm Y/n, by the way."

Only halfway done with my math problem, I look up. He didn't ask for my name, which doesn't matter. Maybe he feels less comfortable in a stranger's room than he seems or maybe I've weirded him out and he has no intentions of speaking to me again. Not knowing is making my skin feel like it's crawling. It doesn't make sense for me to care.

I want him to like me. The realization burrows itself deep into my chest. It's an uncomfortable feeling, making it hard to just sit there and stare.

I've never considered myself someone that needs validation from guys, but this doesn't feel quite like that. School hasn't seemed too promising and every day I talk to my friends from home or I see their posts online and realize that they still have everything I did. I'm not mad about it or surprised--the world doesn't and shouldn't stop and start with me--but it hurts to suddenly have no one. And even though I know nothing about him, Tate's the first remotely cool seeming person I've met.

He waits a beat, eyes focused on a point that feels just past my head. I don't know why, but something about the silence feels pivotal. Tate then dips his chin downwards, a nod of acknowledgement. "Cool."

Tate takes a partial step forward, body angling itself towards the nightstand that I've been using for my record player. "This work?"

"Yeah," I turn myself so that I can watch him, "I know everything's online, but I like having physical copies." My nails press into my knee.

Tate reaches forward to mess with the volume dial. "What kind of music do you have?"

"A little of everything," I force my hand to relax, "But most of my vinyls are still being shipped."

His eyes briefly flit in my direction, "Got anything worth listening to?"

"Uh..." Is he implying that he's staying? Do I want him to? I'm lonely and kind of desperate for friends, but I should probably at least try to be a little suspicious. "We can listen to whatever you want on my..." I move a pillow and straighten my comforter in search of my, "Phone."

After a second of searching, I find it under my textbook.

"Anything?"

I unlock my phone, "Yeah, your pick, I owe you for the math thing."

Tate shrugs, "I just wanted to make sure you'd stop at the eraser, y'know, as a friend."

He gestures towards the door in a way that almost feels teasing. I can barely register the fact that he's kind of making fun of me because my mind's stuck on the last word. "We're friends?"

"You wanna be?"

The bluntness of the question surprises me more than it should. He's yet to feel particularly invested in social norms. "...Yeah." I scratch at the back of my wrist awkwardly. "That'd--that'd be cool."

Tate's head turns his head away for a second. He takes a step forward before sitting at the edge of my bed. The proximity nearly makes me jump out of my skin. I redirect my nervous energy into grabbing my homework and moving it to the other side of the bed. "You got any Kurt Cobain on there?"

----

a/n i accidentally developed the background way too much for something idek if i'm going to touch on again but i spent all day doing hw and deserved to give into a harmless impulse

might have to make a part 2/mini series bc what did i do all that for 😭 i lowkey wanted to add violet and reader friendship to add some angst so maybe that? idk

[aziraphales-library]

hey, i am wanting as many fics as i can get my grubby little hands on where crowley (aziraphale optional) has to reconcile with and make amends for abandoning warlock. even if he hadn't been told all that antichrist business, losing the one real maternal figure he had, permanently and out of nowhere, would hurt and leave a lasting scar! i want to see this addressed. i've read several fics like this and i am a glutton and want hundreds more. any rating is fine.

Hi. We have a #warlock dowling tag, and specifically there is this post with fics where Crowley and Warlock reconnect post-almost-apocalypse. Here are a few more...

Warmth and Security by MikkMeek (T)

[...]The clerk gave him an uncertain look before handing over the pile of clothes. “Do you just have these laying around?” asked Warlock. Panic seemed to spread across their face. “I- Yes! Of course! Never know when you’ll need them!” he said rather quickly. Warlock raised an eyebrow “Alright?” he mumbled, looking over the light coloured clothes. “Thanks…” He trailed off, suddenly aware of how he had no idea what the clerk’s name was. “Sorry, what’s your name?” “You can call me Mr.Fell.” “Oh,” started Warlock. “like the shop’s name.” Mr.Fell let out an amused chuckle as his eyes began to twinkle. “Yes, like the shop’s name[.]" - Alternatively: Warlock seeks refuge in a bookshop during a downpour and runs into some familiar faces

Serendipity by phantomhivemast3r (G)

Seven years after Armageddidn't, a boy wanders into A.Z. Fell and Co. and finds something more priceless than a first-edition novel- a reunion he (and his childhood caretakers) never thought possible.

Find Me Somebody by raiining (T)

“You left me,” he said. “You both left me, for him. And I can’t even blame you, because I’d have left me for him too.”

At Least It's a Decent Shelf by dragonimp (T)

“Then why?” Warlock jerked back and struck at him. “I turned eleven and you were suddenly just gone. And then Megiddo happened—” Aziraphale caught Crowley’s eye. “Ah—” “Well—” “You see—” “Long story—”

what you feel is what you are by suzukiblu (T)

Nanny Ashtoreth and Brother Francis retire at the same time, without any warning or anything. Warlock doesn’t need a nanny anymore and it doesn’t matter who the gardener is, but . . .

But they retire without any warning, and they don’t even say goodbye.

Not to him, at least.

Finding Your Way Back Home by teardrops_on_ghostly_wings (T)

Living as the son of a diplomat is never easy but the world has been especially cruel to Warlock Dowling.

After missing his nanny and gardener for 6 years, he plans a trip to England with his family in the hope of finding them again and reconnecting.

- Mod D

[beevean]

So who's dumber?

IDW Sonic for allowing Metal to go because "yay freedom of choice!"

Or N!Isaac for allowing Carmilla to scheme behind their backs because "she's less annoying this way"

Ohhh, interesting :P

I don't know because both of them had proof that the person they granted "mercy" to was dangerous. Sure, Metal insisted that he would sift through the ashes of the world to find Eggman because Eggman installed loyalty into him and Metal had no reason nor possibility to rebel again, but how can you top this?

Even if I bought that Dracula is too depwessed to care about his own dignity and that of Lisa's, Isaac the simp sure isn't. The very moment Carmilla showed her #girlboss mug again, he should have shanked her like he did with Godbrand.

(and funnily enough, both stories blame the wrong element. IDW blames Sonic not killing the innocent Tinker for the apocalypse instead of him releasing Metal; NFCV blames Hector being too naive and believing her instead of Dracula and Isaac recognizing Carmilla as a threat but not stopping her in time)

... ah, but then again, Sonic had to also somehow convince himself that not only Mr. Tinker was Eggman "reformed" rather than him having brain damage, as if it was a conscious choice he made, but somehow forget all about his anxiety that he'd regain his memory at any time, which was the very conflict of the Mr. Tinker story. Mhh.

As much as it pains me to grant Isaac the slighest edge, IDW Sonic is the biggest dumbass here. There are more leaps in logic here. And at least I can kind of agree with Isaac saying that they do need a plan to unite the war room, and Carmilla is the only one who offered one (which doesn't speak well of Isaac's supposed intellect, but hey, the fandom is not ready to hear the hot take that he was deadweight in S2 lol). There is literally no reason Sonic would ever think to release Metal other than "muh good vibes". You can see Flynn clumsily moving the strings for the sake of a shit plot.

anyway we all now the true dumbass here is me, whose brain is leaking out of my ears for the sheer peak writing of best adaptations ever made

[et-cant-phone-home-no-signal]

The Last of Us HBO - Episode 3 thoughts

Warning: Pure yapping ahead again! You know the drill, it's my thoughts, things I've noticed and things I've enjoyed watching the show. It's not that serious, and I don't invite arguments (fellow yappers however are heartily welcome)

(and we're back with another episode analysis! this is a fucking long one folks, they seem to keep getting more and more. i had a lot of feelings watching this episode, especially as a young queer person, it's very special to me and i'm very pleased with the way it was written and performed. A* performance all around imo. as usual, spoilers below the cut)

Could write a whole ass essay on Joel's hands but I'll keep it simple - hands that break bone and kill men are also capable of softness and grief, capable of destruction as well as creation. This opening moment is so poignant and beautiful, god bless - Tess deserves more than a cairn but that's all Joel can do, so he does it - this is Joel saying "I'm sorry, you should still be here and it's my fault"

The gentle music

I've noticed that Joel is very snatchy, he snatches and grabs things often (throwback to me noticing he's a twitchy man in the episode 2 thoughts)

Ellie having Joel's jacket over her legs to keep her warm :')

The way he grabs one tiny bit of jerky, then throws the rest to Ellie, fuck

Ooooh Ellie confrontating Joel with the "look this wasn't my fault", I like it tbh, she's right and he had to hear that cause he's the kind of person to hold a grudge and also blame himself at the same time

First mention of Joel's head scar let's go, planting the question that won't be answered properly for some time ("Someone shot at me and missed." ... "No, I missed too." 🤌🙌)

"You ask a lot of goddamned questions." "Yes, I do 🌸✨"

The return of - "Is there anything bad in here?" "Just you." "Ah. Getting funnier."

Joel's quiet "fuck" cause he can't remember where he stashed his shit is so real, he's so me

Love the little moment of her excitement at finding a pack of unopened tampons - teenage girls in the apocalypse gotta do what they gotta do

I so wonder what's going on in her head during this scene

Totally awesome makeup and prosthetics

Ellie, my darling, you're channeling child psychopath right now (but also I too feel curious as fuck and seeing the fucking growth under the skin being purely cordyceps is so gross and awesome)

Can now come up with a few ideas of what was going on in her head when she stabs it

The concern in Joel's voice, the nonchalant way she saunters out with the tampons 🤌

Also love the constant theme of Ellie suggesting/asking/pushing for a gun and Joel always saying no

Ellie's fascination for things that we take for granted - flying in a plane

"I thought you went to school." "FEDRA school. They don't teach us how their shitty government failed to prevent a pandemic." REAL SO REAL

Info dump love it let's gooo

Joel's little pause on pancake mix...

I really love that even though Joel still sees her as a burden and nothing more than cargo, he still wants to protect her from the nasty shit, he doesn't want a child to see whatever is up there - and Ellie's "well now I have to see" is so fucking childish, she suffers the consequences of that decision but it's a beautiful storytelling mechanism

It's such a terrible visual, all of these old dry bones, 2 decades old, none of them died of infection, no, they died by human hands

The transition 😭😭😭😭 the fabrics cutting to the people IN the fabrics - a fucking mother and her tiny baby I am in TEARS

Great introduction to Bill and great first line, "not today you new world order jackboot fucks" 💅👏

The details of the following shots - the gun wall, guns & ammo magazine, big bottles of sulfuric acid, ammo, the sub basement in a general shot and small things to notice (taxidermied animal in the left bottom corner, everything meticulously ordered on the shelves, the screen setup)

Genuinely think it's hilarious that the sub basement is hidden under a TRUNK and Bill steps out with a gasmask on and hunting rifle cocked, he's such a funny sight and Nick Offerman does a fantastic job just in this first part already - it's so video game coded tbh

The music swell into a montage (let's be honest) of him doing his little doomsday prep shit is fantastic - the mix of totally fucking apeshit stuff (setting boobytraps and fences) added with super domestic stuff (growing his own veggies and rearing chickens) is so amusing

The remote controls 😭 I remember, we had a TV like that when I was a kid

The 'dont tread on me' flag is an interesting and noteworthy thing to mention - I know some about it but I had to Google for more information on it, and it makes sense that Bill would have a flag like that in his home

"Are you armed?" ".... No." "Why did you take that long to answer?" "I don't know, I thought about lying for some reason, but a reason didn't come." Amazing introduction

The fact that Frank bears his neck just a little to let Bill test him, even though he's clearly nervous

Cheeky man shooting his shot with the "I'm really hungry" line, he could tell immediately he could try this with Bill

The whole Arby's line followed by the Arby's was never free 😂💀

I think this is the moment Frank truly began to clock that he and Bill are cut from the same cloth, it's such a nothing but everything moment

I think it's so amusing that Bill has such a lovely house and has been living there successfully for 4 years in the outbreak so far, but there's dust fucking all over the dressers and shit 😂😭 man doesn't have cleaning on his priority list and I can see Frank thinking "damn he needs someone else here huh"

God they're so awkward 😩💕

Frank's SMILE, the way he looks at Bill like he just gave him the world - Murray Bartlett god bless you

The way Frank doesn't even wait one second, he fucking digs in immediately, yeah I believe u haven't eaten in 2 days hun

But look how delicate he holds the cutlery, he's someone who probably used to enjoy living decently and enjoyed good food before it all went to shit - he clearly loves the food (yeah he's hungry but that's the kind of "damn this is restaurant level" reaction you'd expect on something like masterchef), and his excitement at the wine is fucking adorable

"A man who knows to pair rabbit with a Beaujolais." "I know I don't seem like the type." " No, you do." HELP

Frank stop bullying the poor man's music sheet collection lmao

So I didn't know Linda Ronstadt before this at all, so I googled her and listened to some of her music - it's very nice, though not something I could really stick myself into, it's more like nice music to just have playing in the background whilst I'm working personally - but I do just so love that the characters can have a connection over it. That's one of the great joys of music

Bill standing in the back, wringing his hands because damn Frank, you're kinda butchering it lmao

Oh this song means something so much more

"There is no girl." "I know." sobbing

Same-sex marriage wasn't legal in Massachusetts until 2004, so they never got to know legal and safe love and still, here they are 😭 I'm in my feels over this because these men never got to be safe and out, they never got to be open with their relationships, and now they've found each other in a broken fucked up world that doesn't given a shit who you are, it will just try to kill you regardless

This kiss means so much to me - oh Bill 😭

Both of them with wet eyes, overwhelmed with emotion, and Frank asks "what's your name?" I'm so deceased

This is the softest most natural and sweet non explicit sex scene I've ever watched. I watched this with my mum and not once did I feel embarrassed, both of us thought it was a beautiful moment and very human - Bill has never had the opportunity to be with a man before, he's what, in his late 30s? Early 40s? And Frank is so non-judgemental over this lack of experience. He knows, he gets it, he understands. This whole scene is just soft, gentle and brought me to tears. This is the kind of queer representation I've been yearning for in mainstream media and it's so rare to find 🙌

Skip to 3 years on and it's a lovers quarrel, so fucking real

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot. I live in this world, you live in a psycho bunker where 9/11 was an inside job, and the government are all Nazis." "THE GOVERNMENT ARE ALL NAZIS!" BE SO FOR REAL (I can't believe this is real script I'm vibrating with joy) - they've clearly had discussions like this before because Frank just goes straight to threatening to off himself which I find hysterical

They have such different love languages - Frank is an artist, he cares about small details, Bill is more practical, he'll cook and protect but so help him if you wanna use resources for something he seems frivolous

The angry "you WHAT!?" immediately cutting to Frank, Bill, Tess and Joel eating lunch outside is *chef's kiss*

💕✨Tess✨💕 I love you so much

Frank and Tess: 🥰✨🌸

Bill and Joel: 💀🔪⚠️

"I understand. If my, uh... If mine, brought strangers into our situation, I wouldn't be happy either." Oh Joel,,,,,

I love how even though this is 7 years into the cordyceps pandemic, you can see Joel is so similar to the 20 year mark, "get that gun outta my face", like yeah you tell him

I do adore the total lack of judgement from Joel (and Tess) that Bill and Frank are together, cause he clearly knows but it just doesn't bother him. Ally behaviour ✨ (does Joel give bi energy? discuss)

Why does Joel's warning feel like a prelude

Crying at two men eating fresh strawberries wasn't on my 2024 bingo card, but here I am, sobbing my eyes out with joy at these two - their giggles and pure joy at eating something they haven't had in like 10 years, the shared love and contentment in that hazy evening sun, the way Frank grabs onto Bill and just holds his arm in his,,,, I'm just such a mess

"I'm sorry." "For what?" "Getting older faster than you." "Ah, I like you older. Older means we're still here." 😭😭😭💕

"I was never afraid before you showed up." Fucking stop it oh my god

"Not on the strawberries!" Yeah that got me chuckling too

I fucking KNEW it, people are the worst, Joel was right

I just noticed Frank is wearing house slippers in this scene oh my god

Wish we'd gotten a little scene of Bill teaching Frank to shoot, could you imagine?

I like that even though Bill is in excruciating pain and thinks he's dying, he still wants Frank to be safe and insists he calls Joel, and isn't that also something? That at this point Joel is a safe enough person for him to even consider that the most important thing

The cut to 2023, seeing them Old and Frank basically immobile,,,, yeah that stings

Gonna note down my love for the costume, makeup, hair and set departments here for this episode - they aged these two so well, their clothes suit them, and the small gradual changes in decorating and scenery (in and outside the house) are seen and appreciated immensely

Paint used to be a frivolity, now Frank's paintings are everywhere <3

The wink had me giggling, they're so cute

Love is cutting your partner's food, giving them a cup with a straw because it's easier for them, helping with their medication, sitting next to them because each other is all that matters - love is staying with your partner and helping them into their bed because they can't do it themselves anymore

The painting of Bill in their bedroom :')

The certainty when Frank says this is his last day.... It's so painful but I'm also so glad he has the choice, that he's deciding that this is it - it's better than what most people get

Bill crying is 😭😭 he needs Frank

Love this realistic speech from Frank here - no, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, but it was still fucking decent and that's what matters

I cannot describe the noise I made when he talked about getting married

"Do you love me?" "Yes." Bill's face, yes of course he fucking does Frank, he'd do anything for you - but he needs this guidance, one more time

When "On the Nature of Daylight" started playing, I shit you not, I had a damn near meltdown and mum made me pause the show because I started to get so damn upset. That song is fairly overused for these kind of sad scenes and situations, but fuck, does it get me every single time

Getting married by the piano :') the law may not have recognised them but fuck the law in a lawless world, be happy

The same meal as the first one they had together 😭 the same reaction just toned down my god

My mum already suspected that Bill had spiked the whole bottle, but I was naïve and it shocked me when Bill chugged his own glass and Frank asked - oddly, I agree with Frank, that's the most romantic shit ever

Bill's speech guys come on I'm only a little queer in a big world and these old men have my heart and soul

I love that their bedroom moved from upstairs to downstairs, necessary detail but important regardless

Joel knows the door pin 🙌

Clearly some time has gone since they died cause there's dust everywhere, the flowers are dead and the food is mouldy (I'd guess at least a month, judging off of the visual evidence and also the fact that the radio was blasting 80s when they left Boston)

A part of me is sad Ellie never got to meet Bill and Frank, I bet Frank would have immediately taken a shine to her. They'd have been the slighty psycho gay uncles and aided Ellie in her lesbian ways (ooc? Probably idc)

The fact that it's 'to whomever, but probably Joel', mmmmyeah, not even Tess, no, Joel

A date! August 29th, when did they leave Boston??? (Found out they literally left on the same date what the hell Craig Mazin are you trying to kill me)

The way Ellie reads the laughter caught me off guard and I choked

Bill's letter breaks my heart, truly, so telling of Joel and Bill's character

'use them to keep Tess safe' yeah, it's okay, it's not like my heart was already ripped out anyways

Joel scrunching the letter,,, I get it

"What you say goes." YEAHHH glad they kept that

"Dude." "No." the ongoing gun debate is still funny

Seeing Ellie grab the toilet paper had me flash backing into 2020 *shudders* dark times

Ellie getting excited about a hot shower, immediately saying Joel needs to cause he stinks, mwah

THE SHIRT, IT'S ELLIE'S SHIRT YEAHH GO COSTUME DEPARTMENT

Gun = acquired (and immediately hidden)

"Well don't you look pretty!" "Shut up."

Joel is wearing Frank's shirt 😭

Joel with slicked back wet hair....... Yeah

My girl has no clue how cars work and I love that

Joel likes Linda Ronstadt :')

Close on their open window, with the first song Bill and Frank shared together, yeah I'm fine haha

I think my favourite thing about this episode is that it's the opposite of 'bury your gays'. These gays got to live their lives and grow old together. They got to love, and adore, and enjoy life together for 16 years. 16!! They died on their own terms, having lived happily in relative safety together, and that's fucking beautiful.

What a read, thanks if you made it to the end! this episode grabbed me by the balls and hasn't let go, so i apologise for the severe rambling of this post, like i say, it's just my running thought process. Do you agree with some of my notes, was there anything you noticed that i didn't? Comments and reblogs welcome <3

Episode 1 thoughts:

Episode 2 thoughts:

[dothwrites]

exodus is called 'let's bring in every single person on this episode' and honestly they're SO valid for that

i love how dean is screaming and then blames lucifer for jack disappearing. love an oblivious man. also love cas rummaging through dean's bookbag for the cuffs. we love husbands who know where their husbands pack their handcuffs.

we love cas being a protective father! (why does no one ever listen to cas?!?!?! he's right! he's always right!) jack is such an ungrateful little kid here. listen to your dads! and when jack says "he's my father" referring to lucifer, i don't think he could have said anything more hurtful to dean, sam, and cas

gabriel calling lucifer out is SO good. go off gabriel!

i would also like to see more of the platonic adventures of charlie and ketch. i think they would be a fun duo (though not NEARLY as much fun as charlie and rowena) ketch is so badass. you're never going to get anything from torturing him. once again, misha said "does anyone want me to do a funny little accent" and then didn't wait around for an answer

you can read au!cas in one of two ways: 1. chuck was right and all the other versions of cas did basically as they were told. also in this universe there IS no sam and dean, so there was never anyone to knock the first domino of rebellion over 2. au!cas started out similar to our cas in that he rebelled. he asked questions. someone noted that au!cas has what looks like a dead eye as well as his facial ticks and pauses. maybe this cas rebelled, failed, and was tortured by naomi into this semblance of obedience. they worked on him SO MUCH until they eventually damaged him in their quest to make him OBEY.

and then of course, dean and cas working together and dean using cas as his attack dog. cas looming in the background as a menacing presence really is Something.

cas getting to kill his au!self is... something as well. cas rejecting his au!self comes as no surprise, but it's just reaffirming that he considers himself more human than angel. but his acknowledge that he's the same as his au!self... he's acknowledging that same ruthlessness within himself. maybe acknowledging that, once upon a time, his au!self started out with the same good intentions as he did.

and ketch flirting madly with dean during his rescue. ah, dean the bisexual disaster wonder, making all the boys fall in love with him.

letting lucifer drive the bus is so stupid that it's actually funny

also love that dean tells cas to go through first. it's probably nothing but i also love the vague implication that he doesn't want cas to be stuck in apocalypse world. RIP gabriel we knew ye well. always getting into fights that you can't win =(

[cantsomeoneelsedoit]

Ch 29: Under

looking like they just won a game show. Enjoy that Corolla, kids!!

Latla whistles for an orca that comes to save her and Rip with its ginormous tongue (another event Chikara will be describing to his therapist someday). We see down it's throat to assure us that, yes, this is a living biological whale and not a secret base disguised as a whale. Very likely to be an UMA, especially since it has too many eyes. I'll bet Latla really hates how it smells inside the mouth.

She tells Fuuko to save her questions for Rip, who definitely isn't gonna die from the hole Andy put straight through his heart, which raises some questions.

And then Fuuko finally says what we've all been wanting to say:

Right? Her hair is a really cute detail. Obviously, the meta reason is that it covers her up, but it also expands the range of her ability.

Plus, it's probably hard to find a way to cut it. Lasers? Chewing it off?

Andy says that his regeneration is coming back, so Rip's ability must have been deactivated. He didn't say Rip is dead though, and Latla said he won't die, either. What's up with that?

Andy reviews how the team worked together and allowed him to take out Rip with his Crimson Bullet. The team decides to keep Chikara's existence a secret from the Union (which I'm really surprised Tatiana agreed to??) and he can decide if he wants to join after a week of normal life.

The week passes instantly, and we see Andy and Fuuko waiting outside of Chikara's school.

I need to get this off my chest. Chikara's friend has big crazy eye vibes. Is this child OK? Too much caffeine? Extra neurotypical? Supposed to be American? Possible UMA This might be a me problem.

Or maybe this kid has Unmove too, bc looking at him chills me to my very soul. Aright, enough about the kid (for now). I'm watching him, though.

And chibi Rip shows up! He still has on the Blade Runner artifact, and he doesn't even have a scar from where Andy shot him.

Rip's got his hands in his pockets and is hardly even looking at them while he talks. He even starts to say that he'd come bearing gifts! It's like he has no idea why they might still be mad at him, and he let all his defenses down.

But both Fuuko and Andy let him know right away that the fight's not over.

Just standing outside the school, punching children.

Rip is so unlike the other characters we've met.

"You're mad at me for stabbing the girl, right?" <- Yes, duh. It almost sounds like he's talking himself through it. "Why are they mad at me? Oh maybe this reason..."

Did he not expect them to be mad? Well, no, not really, because he's not mad, so in his mind, they shouldn't be either.

Next, he minimizes the fact that Fuuko could've died. Saying "my bad" is for when you accidentally stepped on someone's shoe, not when you attacked them and their friends.

Next, he removes himself further from responsibility by blaming Fuuko for jumping in front of Chikara. It's still his knife that he threw! And besides, if she hadn't stepped in and the knife had killed Chikara, would he still not understand why they're mad at him?

But Andy has him by the collar right now, and as far as we know, Rip is unarmed. He has no idea what they'll do next. He tries to smooth things over by apologizing to Fuuko. "How's the wound? All right, I hope?"

The apology catches Fuuko off guard: "Huh? Uh, yeah. Mr. Ni- Err... I mean, a nice doctor patched me up."

"Ah, Gotcha! Good to hear! Sorry about that!" What?? Is it really so easy for Rip to just flipflop friends and enemies all the time like that?

And since he feels that he's smoothed everything over with Fuuko, Rip continues explaining why he's come.

I think this is the 4th artifact we've seen: Apocalypse, Nyoi Kinko Staff, Blade Runner, and this gun, which causes terrible visions the first time it's held.

Rip says that the image is of God. If that's true, then this is a damn terrifying God. There's also these fire beings doing most of the work while God just looms there.

But there's more! Rip says that the goal of his group is to rule the world in the years prior to the end of the world. Very Mad Max of him.

Then he adds something cryptic:

He finally gives a name to the Negator Hunters: UNDER

I'm a little concerned about putting Rip in charge of deciding what's fair...

He again offers Fuuko and Andy spots in Under, but they decline. He leaves, and poor Chikara walks up in time to hear the end of their conversation.

Masterpost