#i can't remember the last time i cried that hard over a video game. i'm exhausted

[thegeminisage]

long ass post major spoilers tldr i beat it

ok, i've got an hour, time to get started on the end of this game 😤

first straight to lookout landing to introduce purah and mineru.......

or no wait since im here and havent done it in awhile ill swing by the great fairy. if theres any armor i can possibly upgrade i really need to do that lol

okay there isn't really. lol. after pikmin 4 i am gonna need to farm so many materials......

okay, i cooked some food but i dont actually have anything useful so most of it is just atk up/def up/health refills. only a few anti-gloom foods, which is sure to get my ass kicked...

now i guess i just........dive in...................................

im nervous.

i dont have a lot of weapons and bows rn either but whatever ig!!! surely nintendo will provide. i have the master sword fused with one of the light dragon parts so she can fight with me in every possible way!!! also i think the durability wont be affected when it's in its glow mode which it will be down there

thunderstorm as i walk up to the castle lol. classic

alright. WELL. geronimo.

wow that really is. a long way down. okay.

okay hold on wait there's a spot missing on my map. do i get a fucking lightroot down here? i just check. it is so high up. probably unclimbable. do i need to dive again? i'm diving again. fast traveling to the shrine above this time

the bg ambience down here is fucking freaky btw

ok, i got it this time. whew.

back down i go. yeesh.

my neighbors pick NOW to mow their lawn. fuck me sideways

oh im already one heart lost. this floor is COVERED in gloom...

THE FIGHT MUSIC THO...damn

ugh, four hearts down and only two recovery items...yikes. i'm gonna get my ass beat fr but i don't have time to go farm sundelions nor do i want to rn

i can't figure out where to go. i went down a hole with monsters bc that seemed like the only route but now i can't find a way to proceed

did my sword just RING at me??????

fi girl what is going on

oh fuck me there's a gloom lynel

okay yeah no. this isn't gonna work. i need to fucking go farm fucking sundelions. UGH im so mad about it

okay. farmed. going to cook. jesus fuck

COOKED. warping back to the lightroot. bet that mf lynel refilled its stupid health

it did.

I GOT HIM.......ohhh it broke my sword to do it :( i didnt know it could break when it was powered up like that. but i got him...

but now where do i...?

this doesn't feel right. i feel like i'm just heading back into the depths. probably fought that lynel for no reason at all. but i'm scared to look up a walkthru bc of spoilers :(

ok, i did find a guide and i think this is the right way? im scrolling down like one line at a time lol

THE POWER OF A SAGE CANNOT REACH YOU??? OH THIS IS DEFINITELY THE RIGHT WAY

it was way too crowded with all of them but now i feel verrry alone

I FOUND HANDS................

ohhhh i do not want to fight phantom ganon in this gloom covered arena. i do not want to

but with no sages...i can't get across without engaging...

OKAY. THE GOOD NEWS. KILLED THE HANDS. THE BAD NEWS. PHANTOM GANON CHASED ME UP TO THIS HIGH SPOT

GOT HIS ASS!!!! gibdo bone arrows you motherFUCKER

ok, i got across the room...

wait. this looks familiar

THE MUSIC!!!! THIS IS IT THIS IS WHERE I STARTED..................

GLOOM REDEADS!!!!! not today motherfuckers. im not getting jumped im NOT getting jumped

the murals...i can blow up the rocks now

OH MY GODDD.....

the imprisoning war, zelda healing the sword, and becoming a dragon...she WALKED RIGHT PAST THESE with her ALREADY HAVING DONE IT in the past, not knowing she was about to do it again in her own future...oh my god im gonna be SICK

oh that is a big hole.

WAIT...THIS IS THE HOLE SHE FELL DOWN........

WHY IS THE MUSIC DOING THIS...im scared someone come hold my hand

oh my god. the torch zelda dropped is at the bottom of this hole.

im picking it up and im fucking giving it back to her

it JUST keeps going down....

oh god another big jump. OKAAAYYYYY

what IS that..............

DEMON ARMY??? BY MYSELF?????

OH MY GODDDDDDD MY BESTIES!!!! THE GANG IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! fuck me im welling up. ive never been more glad for a crowded screen

got my master sword back. fused with zelda's horn. refilled my health. THIS IS ITTTTTT

ROUND TWO!!!!!! IM NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHINGGGG

round three is redeads. i am afraid of some things actually

im not getting jumped. i am NOT getting jumped. ive been playing this game for 200 hours and they havent got close enough to jump me yet i AM NOT GETTING JUMPED.

oh my god this music is AMAZINGGGG

AND I DIDN'T GET JUMPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ROUND FOUR!!!!! bring it bring it bring it

BOSS RUSH?

oh my god no...NOOOO my besties.........

i'm alone again :( and with seven minutes until my sword recharges...

ah. i can't save here

oh my god THERE HE IS!!!!!!

the music...

dehydrated voice is so much better

OHHHH MY GOD HE DRANK SOME WATER.....THIS IS FROM THE TRAILERS........

does he have black nail polish on his fingers AND TOES? get it girl

THEY REVIVIED MY MASTER SWORD.......

zelda's with me 😭😭😭 this one's for you babygirl

this music is so quiet and sinister wtf...........

is he. IS HE FLURRY RUSHING ME??

THAT'S MY TRICK, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.........

phase one DOWN. eat gibdo bone my guy

DEMISE FORM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IM ABSOLUTELY WAILING THEYRE PLAYING THE OOT GANONDORF MUSIC LIKE IM GENUINELY WELLING UP

HIS HEALTH BAR?????????????????????????????????????????

TULIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! right as the botw theme plays omg

YUNOBOOOOOO

SIDON AND RIJU.........ONE MORE

AND MINERU!!!! there she IS!!!!! six on one babey

HALFWAY THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! cutscene reward

no no no not my besties again

DID HE JUST BREAK MY HEARTS FR???

ohhh the calamity ganon theme!!!

hylian shield badly damaged. GREAT.

i can't get him with my sword. he always does that slowmo thing backwards. but i CAN get him with my lynel bow and gibdo arrows >:)

she died as she lived: running away from the bad guy and shooting at him over her shoulder

GOT HIS ASS!!!!!

OHHHH HE'S GONNA SWALLOW IT...........

i knew this was coming bc of spoilers but it's still incredible. that man just put his whole fist down his throat 😳

compare that to the dainty way zelda swallowed hers lol...

DID THIS MF JUST EAT ME???

wait...his dragon form...is just the calamity???

TIME?? LOOP??????????????

the tune from the trailers........

oh my god okay he's a normal dragon. i was about to start having heart palpitations

i just STRAIGHT UP. for real burst into tears. i have to pause

zelda came to help me................................you go 200 hours thinking she doesn't know or remember you but she RESCUED me she CAUGHT ME.........she's so little compared to him oh god.......

AM I CONTROLLING HER?? WE'RE FLYING TOGETHER...........

accidentally jumped off.

THE MUSIC. THE SAXOPHONE. I'D GIVEN UP ON EVER SEEING IT AGAIN THAT'S GOTTA BE MY MF BINGO

i'm literally crying too much to fight him rn

oh man landing on his back hurts me...how tf am i supposed to get him

one weak spot down. three to go. she literally catches me...literally there's saxophone...

two more! every time she catches me i start bawling again. this is so embarrassing like there are literally tears on my face as i play this. i didn't know she was gonna do that. i knew he turned into a dragon but i didn't know she was gonna help me

she is literally still in there after 10,000 years. her 100 in hyrule castle must feel like nothing in comparison

man and him in the ouroboros position every time...

BLOOD MOON????

RIGHT INTO HIS FOREHEAD JUST LIKE WIND WAKER

bro i am FUCKING sobbing

dark beast ganon theme.

HOLY SHIT...THE EXPLOSION....IS EVERYBODY OKAY??????

oh my god oh my GOD...THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE HER

ARE GONNA CHANGE HER BACK

his arm..............

I CAUGHT HER.......FINALLY.......CATHARSIS...................

IN HIS AAAAAARMS

OH GOD FI......

quest status find princess zelda: complete. i'm losing it. i found her. fucking found her.

she's HOME.

CREDITS ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im trying to collect myself during this time. when i say i am fucking sobbing i am not exaggerating. i am boohoo wailing with tears rolling down my fucking face. legend of zelda tears of ME because of this GAME!!!!!!!

i dont even care that they broke the lore. ok i do care a lot actually but whatever. whatever.

THE CREDITS ARE SO GOOD..........all the shots of link touching people's hands!!!!!!!!!!

AND THEIR HANDS FIXING ZELDA.....

AND CATCHING HERRRRRRRRR

the end...........

OH POST CREDITS CUTSCENE.......

mineru....there goes mom #4, twice

NOOOO IF SHE CRIES IM GONNA GET STARTED AGAIN

oh my god. that was amazing

this is my first time seeing the title screen. i haven't closed the game once since may 12

oh my god that was AMAZING. i am sitting here in total awe!!!!!!!

NOW i can finally enjoy zeldatube again.....i can hear all the theories........i can pirate this mf SOUNDTRACK HOLY SHIT. but first i gotta update my bingo board

wow. what a game

[novelmonger]

Thanks for the tag, @freenarnian

Are you named after anyone? Yes - my first name after one grandma, my middle name after the other.

When was the last time you cried? Ummm...definitely Monday, at least. Might have teared up over Frodo and Sam or something in the past couple days; I can't quite remember ^^'

Do you have kids? Not unless you count my brain children (Mommy loves you, Jake Rogers! >3<)

What sports do you play/have you played? I play a mean game of Wii Tennis :) (aka flailing the Wiimote around like a crazy person)

Do you use sarcasm? Oh, never.

What is the first thing you notice about people? Uhhh...their hair? The general shape of their face?

What's your eye color? Brown

Scary movies or happy endings? Yes. (Signs is the perfect movie in this regard.)

Any talents? Mostly just writing. A head for grammar, I guess? Picking up new words in foreign languages?

Where were you born? I feel okay saying this because I don't live there anymore: Pennsylvania.

What are your hobbies? Reading, writing, watching movies/shows, playing video games, and a new addition is video editing!

Do you have any pets? Not personally, but I live with my sisters, and one of them has three rats and an axolotl. So I get to watch them and laugh at their antics and coo over how cute they are, but they're not my responsibility :P

How tall are you? 5'6"

Favorite subject in school? English, always. Looking back on myself, I have to laugh at elementary-aged Novie, because I used to hate grammar and spelling (I mean, I hated math more). But then when I reached high school, it kind of clicked that I was actually pretty good at it, it came to me much more naturally than math or science, and maybe the reason I always thought it was such a drag before was because it was so easy. There was no challenge! I also really really loved the psychology class I took in high school, so once I got to college it was a no-brainer to major in English and minor in psychology (and education, but that was for a scholarship).

Dream job? I'm working towards a job in scoping, which looks pretty rosy from where I'm standing - working from home, not really having to talk to anybody, spending your whole day correcting the grammar, punctuation, and formatting of court transcripts? It's like it was tailor-made for me! I've also thought it would be pretty cool to be a librarian, a copyeditor, or a transcriptionist, but from what I could tell when I looked into them, it would be a little hard to find a job that would support me, at least without taking more higher education than I could probably stand x.x

Tagging @sailforvalinor, @rainintheevening, and @x-i-l-verify if this looks like fun!

[swanmaids]

tag memes

thank you for tagging me in both of these, @elevenelvenswords!!

no pressure tags for @meadowlarkx @imakemywings @theghostinthemargins @jouissants @welcomingdisaster. do either or both or neither!

meme #1

Favourite colour: Pink! I even have in my tinder bio that whoever matches me better be cool with my pink obsession hahaha

Last song: Walk Like This by FLO (eleven, this is like the ultimate celegorome song to me hahaha... if you listen you'll see why :'))

Last movie/TV show: I'm partway through Princess Kaguya

Next on my watch list: Azur and Asmar, it looks so pretty!

Last game: I don't play video games :(

Sweet/savoury/spicy: These questions are hard for me because I don't think you can have any without the other, a balance of all three is ideal

Relationship status: Single, online dating casually

Last online search: Chappell Roan vinyl. It was sold out :(

Current obsession: Pole is definitely taking over my life a bit atm. I really want to find the time to learn aerial hoop too.

Greatest flaw: I have a very addictive and obsessive personality. Right now I'm basically constantly tightrope walking being a workaholic and a shopaholic at the same time :')

~~~

meme #2

Are you named after anyone?

My middle name is the name of the woman who set my parents up on a blind date!

2. When was the last time you cried?

Can't remember! I'm feeling pretty good lately.

3. Do you have kids?

No, but I'd like to.

4. What sports do you play/have played?

I'm an intermediate-level pole dancer right now and I want to try out more aerial arts, it's just a matter of finding the time.

5. Do you use sarcasm?

Daily.

6. What is the first thing you notice about people?

Their attitude.

7. What's your eye colour?

Brown.

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

It really depends what I'm feeling at the time tbh! Though I have to be in a certain mood for totally tragic endings.

9. Any talents?

People tell me I'm a lot physically stronger than I look. Also dancing in heels.

10. Where were you born?

North of England. Related to the "use sarcasm every day" point above.

11. What are your hobbies?

Pole dancing as mentioned, flexibility, reading, writing (when I can...), vinyl collecting, cooking and baking, konmari, doing those adult therapeutic colouring books. Also certain reddit snark subs.

12. Do you have any pets?

My parents have a dog back at home. She might be the dumbest animal in the universe but we love her.

13. How tall are you?

166 cm / 5'5 ft

14. Favourite subject(s) in school?

I despised school lmao. But I liked geography and sociology.

15. Dream job?

We said dream, so professional pole performer or conflict journalist.

[lovemesomesurveys]

What did you have for dinner tonight? Nothing yet, but I'm getting Applebee's takeout soon.

If you were given a million dollars, what would you spend it on? I'd have to do the important shit like pay off my debt as well as both my parents' and brother's debts. I'd buy a house for my parents and I and one for my brother and his bf. I'd furnish and decorate and all that, too. Traveling, for sure.

Have you ever cried in front of your parents over a boyfriend or girlfriend? No.

What does your bedroom smell like right now? I don't really smell anything.

Have you ever shaved off your eyebrow before? No. I've definitely over plucked when I was younger lol.

Do you want to have a boy or girl whenever you have kids? I don't want children.

Your pregnant with twins: What do you name them? I'm not having kids. I can't even get pregnant if I wanted to, which is good cause I don't wanna.

Describe your outfit. Jeggings and a gray tee with two skeleton hands making a heart in the upper left corner.

What gigabyte is your memory card? I don't have a memory card.

What brand is your digital camera? I don't have a digital camera. I just use my phone.

When was the last time you hung out with your best friend? My two best friends I met online a couple years ago and we haven't met up in person yet cause they both live in different states than me across the country. We message each other everyday on Facebook messenger and text sometimes, too. And leave a lot of voice memos.

What is a movie you're waiting to see? I haven't really seen or heard about new movies lately, like what's even coming out?

Who was the last person to cook something for you? My mom.

Do you ever sit and think what if about something? Oh, all the time. About a lot of things. It's an awful game to play.

If so, what is it? Like I said, a lot of things.

What’s on tv right now? Something on the ID channel.

Do you ever stop and smell the roses? I need to. I'm always so wrapped up with my own shit and stuck in my own head and I need to appreciate more.

Where do you download music from? I haven't downloaded music in over a decade. I've been using Spotify for years.

How many channels do you have on your tv? I have no idea. A lot.

What are you most scared of? My loved ones passing away. I regularly get panic thoughts about someone suddenly dying. I have had this problem since I was a small child. <<< That's my top fear. I've experienced losing my maternal grandparents and that was incredibly hard as well as losing two dogs.

If you were given a chance to bring someone back to life, who would you choose? My grandma. But see, that's a complex question cause as much as I miss her and wish she were here, I wouldn't want her to come back and be in the same situation as before health wise. And she was in so much pain toward the end. I wouldn't want her to come back and experience that again.

Do you talk to any of your ex-boyfriend/girlfriend? No.

If so, which one? ^^^^

What is your mom doing right now? She's watching Tiktoks.

Are you currently listening to music? No.

What is the weather like right now? It's currently 70 F.

Do you like new music or older music? A variety of both from various genres and artists.

If you could make a law, what would kind of law would you make? I don't know.

What was the last video game you played? The last new Mario game that came out. I can't remember what it's called.

What is currently going on in the room you're in right now? I'm watching YouTube and eating peanut butter M&M's, my mom is watching Tiktoks, and my doggo is laying down.

Do you know where your best friend is? At their homes.

Who was the last person to comment you on Facebook? Her name is Danae.

What is your display picture of on Facebook? A selfie.

Do you ever sit and think about the past? All the damn time. My mind lives there.

If you could relive any moment in time: what would it be? My childhood.

Are you a talker or a listener? Definitely more of a listener.

What is one food you will not eat? Seafood.

Do you eat anything now that you never used to eat? Hmm. I don't think so.

Have you ever kissed the same sex? No.

When does school start this year? I've been done with school for awhile.

Do you ever shout for absolutely no reason? Uh, no.

Have you stuck with your new years resolution? I stopped making those a longggg time ago. I never stuck to them anyway.

Do you need to lose any weight right now? Nooo. I need to gain some weight.

What is something you want right now? To not be hot and be able to get some sleep soon.

Do you hate when you see teachers in stores? I haven't had that happen in very long time. It was always weird though the times it has happened. Like an animal out in the wild lmao. When I was a kid, I used to think the teachers lived there.

What always puts a smile on your face? Hm.

Where can I find you on a Saturday night? At home in bed like everyday.

What is the best thing about Sundays? Nothing. It's just another day for me. <<<

What is your music provider (itunes, windows media player)? Spotify. Windows media player omg is that still a thing? I've had Mac computers since 2009.

How many songs do you have? A shit ton.

When was the last time you had a period? I really don't get one anymore, like just some spotting sometimes. I still get the awful symptoms, though, so that's shitty.

Why do you think the sky is blue? Cause God made it that way.

If you could change the sky to any color, which would you choose? It's so pretty during a sunset when it's various colors. I wish it looked like that everyday throughout the day.

Is there anything wrong with you right now? There always is.

Do you hate when people stare at you? Yes, it's rude and irritating.

[coffeecat1983]

"Speechless" (Mario Bros GAME universe fic)

"Weege?"

Mario winced slightly; his voice louder than he wanted as he called out into the quiet air. He was searching the castle library. He knew his brother would be here, he liked this unused game area, often hiding out here. The game developers had found it charming and had put in hundreds of real books for him and the others to read. There had been a shift in the Nintendo game world. Video game (and cartoon characters as well) relied on their voice actors to 'loan' their voices to them. As long as the actor was alive, the character could speak in the voice given to them and make new games, new cartoons, and so on. But should an actor die or retire, the character could only use the given voice outside of new media until an actor stepped up to replace the other.

It wasn't always easy. Voices came and went, several one after another sometimes. Mario had seen it with Shaggy, and it had hit the Scooby-Doo character hard, tossed from voice to voice until he had finally settled with Matthew Lillard. Characters couldn't pick which voice to use from a variety, either. They were stuck with whomever had been recorded last. And, after so many years, the change had finally come to the Mario's little corner of the world. "Luigi!" he dared to be louder. No one else was in the library at the moment, so he felt it acceptable to call out. A soft sound reached him. Turning a corner, he found Luigi on the floor, knees drawn to his chest as he hid against one of the bookcases. A flashlight and a few books lay around him. He looked up at Mario, sadness in his sapphire eyes. Mario sat beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I thought I'd find you here. You okay?" Luigi shook his head, a sniffle escaping him. Mario moved, his arm wrapping protectively around him. "I know it's hard, but Weege, he'll still be around, remember?" Luigi pulled away and his hands moved swiftly as he signed. 'It's not the same!' A few years ago, the Bros had been taught sign-language with the idea of maybe using it in a game. While this had never come to fruition, both enjoyed learning and still used it around each other. 'It hurts a lot, having to change.' Mario signed back. 'But just give them a chance, our new voice actors are really nice from what I heard. Papa likes them, too.' The game Bros often affectionately called Shigeru Miyamoto "Papa". 'I don't even know their names!' Luigi signed furiously. A sob shook his thin frame. 'How can I speak with their voice?! Charles W-A-S my voice!' he spelled out 'was' to drive home his point. "Weege…" 'I'm not brave like you, Mario!' Luigi trembled, tears streaming down his face. "I can't do this!" he cried out in his new voice before slapping his hands over his mouth. He backed up, shaking with sobs.

Mario sat beside him again, this time pulling his little brother into his arms. His thoughts drifted back. The day he had met Charles, that amazing feeling of finally being able to speak with his own voice, the joy he felt when he heard Luigi speak for the first time, along with Wario and Waluigi, and their baby selves. It was all so incredible. Then came the announcement. He had never really considered it before, their voice retiring, leaving them to get used to new voices. While jealousy had never really bothered him, he admitted it tugged at his heart when he realized Wario and Waluigi still had their voices for now. He knew that would eventually change, and he would be there for his friends when they needed him. But underneath it all, it hurt. Mario wrapped his arms around Luigi, holding him tighter as tears of his own fell, his new voice seizing in his throat. For the first time in years, he was speechless.

By "CC"

[dragonofeternal]

2 tag memes

I got tagged in two different memes this week! Yaaay~

Current things tag meme!

Tagged by @ghoul-misadventures

3 ships: Millionsummers, Vashwood, LeoJoker

Last song: "radio protector" by 65daysofstatic

Currently reading: The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

Currently watching: I don't really watch a lot of TV, but I have been on and off binging through the "how it's actually made" parody dub-overs by huggbees on youtube. I also want to check out Flanagan's "Fall of the House of Usher" but starting shows is hard for me XDD

Last movie: uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh assuming that hours long youtube documentaries don't count, then I think the last thing I watched might have been the fucking FF7 Advent Children Director's Cut that we rewatched over the summer. (I feel like I've watched something since then but I can't. Remember. What it would have been. So. Yeah.)

Currently consuming: After binging through it in like 2 days, I am now more slowly replaying through Paranormasight

Currently craving: hot chocolate bc it's really cold and rainy here =A=

15 people 15 questions tag meme

tagged by @rosemirmir!

1. are you named after anyone? My first name is the name of my cut-throat great- (or was it great-great?) grandmother who earned the family fortune, and my middle name came from my mom's college roommate.

2. when was the last time you cried? Uhhhh... Like... a couple therapy sessions ago? I have a really good therapist, so we're working on a lot of shit, but unfortunately that means I cry somewhat frequently ><

3. do you have kids? Nope! Not really my scene, but more power to those who do.

4. what sports do you play/have you played? I did basketball on and off in elementary school, and my high school tried to get me to join the basketball team there too, but uhhh I wanted to do theatre more and I only had time to do one or the other. Not a "sport" but I'm gonna be taking an aerial silks class soon!

5. do you use sarcasm? Never. (yes)

6. what’s the first thing you notice about people? I don't. (I dunno? Height? I'll be honest and say I'm not the most observant about other people lol)

7. what’s your eye color? Blue~

8. scary movies or happy endings? That's a weird dichotomy to present XDDD I guess happy endings if we're talking movies, because I prefer horror in games, writing, comics, and audio mediums slightly more than movies.

9. any talents? Writing and acting spring to mind as two that are both "I've always been fairly talented in this" and "I have worked a lot to hone this skill."

10. where were you born? DC~

11. what are your hobbies Numerous. Uhhh, I write, I draw, I play video and tabletop games, I take walks, I enjoy watching anime and getting way too serious about it.....

12. do you have any pets? We have four cats at home! Two are technically "mine" and Killians, and two are technically Pat's, but yeah. They're good kitties

13. how tall are you? 5'9"

14. favorite subject in school? History! (Though I also honestly very much enjoyed Math bc it was one of the easiest to keep on top of homework and shit in lol)

15. dream job Honestly I'm really, really happy with my current job. It's not anything I necessarily would have expected being like HOMGORZ DREAM JOBBBBB but it's like? Really fulfilling and enjoyable? So uh. Admin for an LGBTQ Health Equity Center XDDD.

tagging @rosemirmir @ghoul-misadventures @arahith @onlines @clockworkspider @setsuntamew @ehyde @jacenbren @orcelito @xx-bluesummers-xx and whoever else feels inspired to do either of these in the most "seriously no pressure guys just do it if you feel like it" way XDD

[theskeletonprior]

Tagged!

I've been tagged in a couple of 'getting to know you' type games, lately, so I thought I'd just stitch them together and get it all answered in one fell swoop. I hope you don't mind. Thanks for the tag, @inkspellangel!

I thought Billy Summers was conceptually pretty interesting, myself, though I haven't picked it up to read. I'm actually in a similar situation right now, trying to get through The Black Farm. I think the trick is to try to sneak in a chapter every day, or if that's too much, just five pages. That's what helps me, anyway.

Thanks for the tag, @ceph-the-ghost-writer!

Do you ever post pics of Mimi? I love the story of how you came by her. Cats do seem to have a marvellous way of just strolling directly into our lives, whether we planned for them to be there or not. Funnily enough, I also have a martial arts background, but haven't practiced in some time. I miss it very much. Also, I liked how you commented a bit in your replies to the person who tagged you that I decided to do the same. What a thoughtful thing to do!

There are quite a few questions answered here, and I can prattle on. therefore, a cut. I don't often tag in games like this one, but if you read this, and want in on the action, absolutely feel free to do it, and tag me.

Are you named after anyone?

I'm not.

When was the last time you cried?

I don't cry often. I'm not sure that I remember. No tear ducts when you're a skeleton, you know.

Do you have kids?

I can barely afford to have a cat. So no, no kids.

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

I can be blisteringly sarcastic, though these days I try to use that power for good, for goofs, and for fiction.

What’s the first thing you notice about people?

I tend to pick up small details. Is there a graphic on their shirt? Are they wearing pins? What kind of earrings have they put in? I have a tendency to try to observe features that will tell me about a person's interests, their sense of humor, something we might have in common, things like that.

What’s your eye color?

I have dark eyes.

Scary movies or happy endings?

I don't see a need to separate these things. Or to choose one over the other, as I like them both, and sometimes a scary movie can still end happily.

Any special talents?

I'm probably the worst person to assess that about myself. It's difficult for me to trust that I am good at anything at all. I have a good memory for books.

Where were you born?

I often tell people that I was hatched out of a wall. My mother worked very hard to get me out. This is how I reinvent my origin without denying her the credit that she's due. But where was the wall? Some secluded alleyway where it is always dark, and always raining, and the street glistens with distorted neon light. Or perhaps it wasn't a wall, at all, but an old tall tree. No, wait, it was a jagged boulder by the sea.

What are your hobbies?

I like to write, of course, and to read. I like to handbind little books when I have the space and the energy. I enjoy movies, and all kinds of television. Currently, I'm using a potholder loom to make a blanket. I have also been known to play video games, though I don't often have time. Right now I'm playing Pokémon SoulSilver My starter is a Cyndaquil that I've given an Everstone, so that he will be adorable forever. His name is Gloucester.

Have you any pets?

I have a beautiful cat with evil in her heart. I call her Wynne Genki Danger. Wynne, after the character from Dragon Age (a grumpy old woman who can't mind her business), Genki after Professor Genki from Saints Row (a mass murderer with a very large cat head who calls death a "reality climax"), and Danger because I have known her both to calculate risks, and to be terrible at math.

What sports do you play/have played?

I played soccer as a child (mostly on defense, but I was also a midfielder). I also trained for quite some while in Yoshinkan-style Aikido.

How tall are you?

As tall as my aura.

Favorite subject in school?

I hated school, to be perfectly honest. I love to learn, but not like that.

Dream job?

I'd love to be able to write full time with my husband. I also think it would be wonderful to be a librarian. I'm a bookseller now, and I like that very much, but I feel like it would be more fulfilling to lend books out, rather than sell them. I like helping other people learn as much as I like learning myself, and I can't think of a much better place to do that. Sometimes I fantasize about working in a personal library/archive that's curated around queer and marginalized voices, our stories, and our history.

Three Ships?

I am being so very brave by not making a joke about boats right now. There's also a brand of skin products that's called Three Ships. Currently I have brainrot about Park Jin/Kim Yeon from Alchemy of Souls, Warwick/York from Requiem of the Rose King or, you know, from history, and Geto/Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen. Bonus mention for Taishakuten/Asura from Onmyoji.

First Ever Ship?

Myself/Dinobot. I kid you not. Beast Wars (or Beasties, depending on your location) was very formative for me.

Last song you listened to?

You're Dead by Norma Tanega

Last movie you watched?

I don't remember for sure, I watch movies somewhat inattentively. I've lately been letting Tubi autoplay, as well, which doesn't help. I think that it might have been Sphere (1998).

Currently reading?

I have a bit of a list, which is not unusual for me. I get on a book-rotation if left unattended, because everything is so interesting all the time. Right now I'm reading: The Black Farm by Elias Witherow, Little Heaven by Nick Cutter, The Plantagenets by Dan Jones, Meat by Joseph D'Lacey, and in the middle of all that, I finished A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay. I'm also getting ready to start Thirteen Storeys by Jonathan Sims, but I'd like to finish The Black Farm and Return to the Black Farm before I do, as I've borrowed those. I was also given an ARC to read of The Story of Us by Catherine Hernandez.

Currently watching?

I just finished Junji Ito's Maniac, and was pleased to discover another collection on Crunchyroll. I've been watching an episode every night before bed. I'm also watching Requiem of the Rose King and am about to start The Exorcist (2016).

Currently consuming?

Nothing at all. Though I likely should.

Currently craving?

Attention, apparently? This was quite long.

[housano]

A completely "abridged" and unhinged Virtual Festa Royale summary

Part 1

MC: Virtual Reality Battle Royale?

Ryekie: Virtual Reality Battle!

Akashi: MC I want to be on your team

RNG: NOT ON MY WATCH

MC: Well sucks to suck Akashi

Akashi: 😭

*Enter the virtual reality world*

Terminal: Hey Mary Sue/ Gary Stu, here's your team, Sarah from Gumbal- I mean Cerastium, Shaft, Toshundere and some random try hard

MC: Okies

Cerastium: OMG your in Justice's office. Tell me! What are his hobbies? What does he smell like? Does he like boiled bunnies?

MC: Boiled wha-

Cerastium: Oh hey new people!

Toshu: hello

Shaft: If you close your eyes, you can pretend I'm Shennong!

Try hard: I'm reXer. I am the god of video games and I will carry you to victory. Winning is everything and that is the plotpoint for me.

MC: Why?

reXer: That's in Part 5

Shadow figure enters vr room in the real world. dun. dun. DUUUUUUUUNNN

Part 2-3

reXer: 🎶 I'm the best. Around. Nothing's ever gonna keep me down🎶

Terminal: You're dead fucking last

reXer: *shocked pikachu face*

Toshu: * Proceeds to verballly eviscerate reXer*

Shaft: Teamwork

Ceras: Justice

MC: Availability for flirt option in LIVE A HERO!

*Meets Ryekie's Team and Pubra-chan*

MC: Omg Pubra-cha-

Ceras: JUSTICE-SAMA! Give me your justice!

Ryekie: It's my justice! Not yours!

Ceras: Dejection!

Ryekie: I'm off to where I hope nothing bad happens to me!

Part 4

Kouki: Alchiba is annoying

Alchiba: Why am I with children?

Rutilix: Where's my king?

Anon:.....

Round 1 fight

Anon: Cheat codes!

Toshu: Ack water!

Ceras: My shield, like my dogma is shattered!

Shaft: I'm useless until I get my alt.

reXer: I'm still standing!

Anon: That's why you're daddy dead

reXer: !

Anon: Dead as hell.

reXer: .....

Anon: What shoes he got on? What shoes he got on in his casket?

reXer: *starts tearing up*

Anon: That's why your granny ain't go no knees and she can't pray to Jesus bitch. How about that? She can't double dutch.

reXer: Get out of my match

Anon: That's why your baby has a glass eye that when he cries you have to clean it with Windex.

reXer: GET OUT OF MY MATCH

Anon: I'll get out of your match. Fuck.

reXer: Get out of my match......

Part 5:

Flashback

reXer?: Dad's the best

reXer: I'm the best!

*One Kaibutsu buffet later*

Everyone: Who? Is that a new fragrance line?

reXer?: If you don't remember my dad I'm going to make you all!

Flash forward

reXer?: I'm sad and not reXer.

Team: Don't be sad. We're cool with it!

reXer: I'm no longer sad.

Part 6:

Toshu: I hate water, so I'm going to try to swim without the kiddy inflateables

reXer: K

Toshu: Ok got the hang of it

*New form, "Put the 'fun' in fundoshi'"

Toshu: .........

Shaft:.........

reXer:........

MC: I consent

Flamier: I consent

Toshu: I DON'T

Part 7

Anon: I must fuck with this team again as Ryekie

MC Team: Prepare for Battle!

*Not Ryekie appears*

Toshu: You're way too quiet to be him

Shaft: You look too pissed off to be him

Ceras: The marks are not there! More importantly the back fur tuft should be 2mm shorter from when I clipped a piece from earlier today

Everyone else: ......

*Fake Ryekei bonks Ceras and runs away with her*

Shaft: It's my time to shine. In the next part.

Part 8

*Shaft acquires cyclist pants*

Shaft: Okay let's go all aboard!

*Everyone gets on his back*

Anon: I am Giansar a hacker and I'm going to take over your virtual form.

Ceras: Oh noes!

*Everyone else bonks Giansar*

Giansar: No fair!

Part 9

MC: So how did you get Ryekie's form

Giansar: I said I was part of security and that his account has been compromised and need all his personal informations that he was happy to hand over. He now works as a maid in the inn.

MC: Me and the himbo are going to have a long talk when we get home.

Giansar: I still hold the winning hand and can take you all hostage!

*Kaibutsu invade*

Gansar: I no longer hold the winning hand.

Part 10

Flashback

Giansar: I didn't get to be a hero

Vulpecula: Be a villain!

Giansar: Okay

Flash forward

Giansar: I'm hacking the boss and then yeeting off to the next event.

Everyone: Okay.

reXer: It's the finale and time for my epiphany

MC: Which is that you need to carve your own path instead of following your father's verbatim?

reXer: You got it and I get the final blow!

Part 11

Tourney cancelled but hey we get a celebration

Ceras: I found my justice

Ryekie: Did I hear justice!

reXer: Hi

Ryekie: Omg your dad was the best

reXer: Omg validation! I'm going to carve my own path

*Hero form awakens and is exactly like his father's

MC: Eh, poor Musou doesn't need to draw a second suit if he's not payed for it.

Epilogue

MC: I'll see you around

*reXer kisses MC*

reXer: See you at my place

[mattatouile]

15 QUESTIONS, 15 TAGS

Tagged by @gallabee 😘

Read more cause it's long.

Were you named after anyone? Only in the sense that there's a character in the Bible named Hannah. But no. I don't even know that that's where my parents got it from. My parents were kind of intense about their kids not sharing initials and not being named after people so we could ~have our own identities~.

When was the last time you cried? Genuinely, not sure. I cry pretty easy, so there's like...no use even making note of it. It's been a long time since I cried hard enough to have a migraine, but just tearing up or gently crying over a song/book/tv show is pretty standard. I'm soft as butter tbh.

Do you have kids? I have two stepkids that are college age. They're pretty great! Beyond that, I have no desire for more kids, especially not anyone of my own body. I love taking care of babies though and will absolutely dote on my siblings kids.

Do you use sarcasm a lot? I don't think I do? I think because a few of my siblings are definitely on the autism spectrum, my family was just really accustomed to direct communication and I expect that.

What sports do you play/have you played? Unless we're counting dance and gymnastics, not a single solitary one. I was not an athletic team sports kind of kid. I wanted to be left alone with my books.

What's the first thing you notice about someone? I'm assuming we're speaking in person, in which case height and smell. I'm really short and I'm really sensitive to heavy perfumes. (Also my wife keeps calling me a super smeller in general because I get weird if she changes her deodorant or shampoo or body wash.)

Eye color? Very dark brown.

Scary movies or happy endings? 😂😂😂 Happy endings. I tend to avoid things that don't end happily. I've also seen MAYBE five scary movies in my whole life.

Any special talents? No. I mean, I read super fast. I can do a few different needlework craft things. And I have a nearly sociopathic ability to seem competent and professional in job interviews. But I don't think any of that counts. (Oh and I can remember the absolute fuck out of names.)

Where were you born? central east Texas.

What are your hobbies? I read. A. Lot. I also cross stitch and started getting into embroidery. Sometimes my hobby is me being hyperfocused on a video game for weeks on end (aka Operation Fuck Cullen in DA Inquisition). Once in a blue moon, my hobby will be writing (I wrote almost 300k words of fic in 2019 and haven't written a word since really). I indulge in the act of viewing sporting events. Can being hyperfocused on a TV show count? I do that too. I wish any of my hobbies included exercise. But they don't.

12. Do you have any pets? I have three cats! Littermates Luther and Lagertha are 10ish years old and Pandora is 9.

13. How tall are you? 5'2"

14. Favorite subject in school? In pre-University years it was anything English or History and then in University I liked all my math classes because they were straight forward.

15. Dream job? To make what I make now as a library technician again. I loved working in the library, especially in the back, ordering books and placing them in circulation and all the other extremely tedious collection maintenance. But those guys make like ...a third of what I make now. So it's just unreasonable. Makes me sad. Otherwise, I would pick something menial like data entry. But again, can't afford to do that.

Tagging: @dollsome-does-tumblr @scoundrels-in-love @sdwolfpup @pretty-thief @justshellies @hinakyuu @teex @starrybouquet

[gaybabything]

Awwwww you have so many pets!! Agh they sound so cute. One day I will have a cat and I plan on naming it Pringles (if it is orange) and Pickles (for any other color)!!

OH THE ADVENTURE ZONE IS SO GOOD! But... you need to like their humor in order to like it- so I can understand if it isn't for you lol. Until the end of the first arch they are just following a module and having a good time, nothing really story heavy happens until later. (OH BUT ITS SO WORTH IT OMG-)

Favorite was ELA I always loved writing, I was just sad that it was almost NEVER creative writing. Just boring essays n' stuff. Least favorite was history/geography and... it shows. I am... REALLY dumb when it comes to those two things.

Favorite stuffed animal... hmmm. I would probably have to go with either Fred the GIANT stuffed bear, or my dragon with no wings (totally not a dinosaur- I refuse to admit that-) and his name is Quest!

As to what I am drawing: Right now I am working on my comic! I would show you but it might give away who I am haha (also- can't send pictures via anon)

Questions: What is underland chronicles about? Funny how similar our taste in shows was because MAN I know none of the books you listed. Do you have a favorite video game?

(also this is so fun! Thank you for doing this with me! I love meeting new people on here!!)

-🌻

History is my downfall as well!

Ok, so The Underland Chronicles follows the story of this 12 year old kid named Gregor. He lives in a small New York apartment with his mom and 2 sisters. One day, he and his baby sister fall down a vent shaft in their apartment building laundry room... and then keep falling. And falling. They wind up in this place called the Underland. It's an absolutely massive cave system running underneath like, the entire U.S. Down there is a full on city of people called Regalia. There, Gregor learns that he's a great warrior foretold by the prophecies of their people. And that basically all the animals in the underland are massive and sentient. There are giant bats that people "bond" with and can fly on the backs of. Giant man eating rats that want to kill all the humans in Regalia, giant cockroaches, giant mice, giant lizards, and just so much more.

This poor kid has been prophecized to basically save this kingdom from like a billion different threats. He has to kill this entire rat army, find a cure for a deadly plague, slay this extra giant rat dude, and like so much more. Also, this is written by Suzanne Collins, the author of the Hunger Games. So while these are books intended for 12 year olds, they are violent and graphic. So many characters die, and I think I cried over like every book. The last one really left me messed up. They are great. Like, for example, there's a scene where a character gets eaten alive by a giant pitcher plant, and they try to save her, but when they pull her out she's like completely dissolved by acid from the waist up. And on multiple occasions Gregor has been described as "drenched in blood" (not his own) and just absolutely traumatized. This kid gets messed up.

I love it literally so much. This series was like, the best thing my little 10 year old self ever read. I still encourage people to read it no matter your age cause it's just so good. It's also really hard to describe so my little summary does not do it justice at all.

My favorite video game is Little Nightmares! Specifically the first one, but I'm also a big fan of the second! I was also a big Undertale kid, but for some reason now I don't remember much of it?

Questions: Do you have a favorite video game? And aside from Warrior Cats, what's your favorite childhood book? Or favorite book in general?

(It's past 12 am here so I'm probably gonna go to bed in a bit!)

[blondrichclosetwitch]

Oh I've seen how this whole thing ends

The honest man survives

Lay down your law books now they’re no damn good

Two voices call to you

Speed of life

You gotta be sick of what's happening right now

If this isn't making sense, yea, it doesn't make it lies

First it steals your mind and then it steals your soul

But my morals always seemed just fine

I will be there when you die

Don't you know, it's gonna make me go blind

Hey, don't you know it's gonna make me insane

Mother, won't you open your arms and

Forgive me of all these bad thoughts

That's in

My hands

I'll keep

It safe

You're mine

you are an actual jerk and living proof that sometimes friends are mean

Presently we all expect the worst

It’s your show*

I sit and watch you, I notice everything you do or don't do

But what would you do if I took this dagger in me and removed it

Gain the weight of you then lose it

She sat me down and lit some colored candles over my head

Jenny I need them today

It's easy to lose your grip it's easy

For this could be the biggest sky and I could have the faintest idea

For this is not America

I've cried days, I've cried nights for the lord just to send me up some sign

Oh, she's a tongue twisting storm

We just ball and play, then we move like tigers on Vaseline

If you think we're gonna make it, youbetter hang on to yourself

“I gave you the performance of a lifetime.”

You can't pretend that isolation is the same as privilege

I get along with you very well

You might remember last week or something a different lana song played and I wrote “oh video games, got it” because I thought it was the this song playing and I had just put it together that they played it so much in 2017 because of the nanny cam in the painting taping me all the time.

Open up a beer and you say, "Get over here and play a video game" (that’s bubbles and mags)

This is my idea of fun, playin' video games

If I remember correctly, this was the first Lana song they had me dressing up for: red dress, lipstick, and some things I was led to pick up off the street. Fur collar, pink glitter crown, and a peach colored hair veil. Eventually I was told to buy a blond wig, and I wore that too. There’s a video on @abunkerinbrooklyn if you’d like the visual.

“They say that the world was built for two…..and Baby, now you.”

I thought it was Psychic Jakk who really liked me to dress up, but that was months before I knew about the camera.

I mean honestly if I thought about the things I was told to do with the painting right next to me, I could have figured it out, but i just never would have suspected the tarot reader of doing something malicious to me. As my seattle teacher says, “Love all. Trust few.”

You know that I would be a liar

Shorty's killing, while I'm drilling

I be going hard, I got a name to prove

You say you've gone away from me but I can feel you when you breathe

No time for breakin' out a lie to sell

I broke his heart 'cause he was nice:

So I peered through a window

A deep portal, time travel

All the love we unravel and the life I gave away

Well, you asked a famous cook if he'd seen me

There is a war coming***

[master-tonberry]

Mbbdarling <3

Your answer filled me with such softness, you can't imagine! My best friend lives far, far away from me. Two years ago was the last time I got to see her. He had a week-long sleepover in an Airbnb in her city, and one night, we grabbed the newest CD from our favorite (non-kpop) band and hit the road for a midnight drive. We drove until we hit the wide open country and pulled over on a deserted highway to stare up at the sky. It was the first time I had seen the Milky Way, and we cried together. Then on the way back, we sang one of the new songs together that has since become "our" song, and I secretly recorded it, and it's one of my most favorite memories ever. Thank you for helping me relive it again. <3

And you'd better believe I'm spending fat cash on their next US tour. I'll dip into my kid's college fund! lol ;)

I will switch gears today and go 90s email questionnaire style (back when the only things to do on the internet were catfish in chatrooms and do chain email surveys lol).

Favorite MX MV:

Favorite MX b-side:

Hobbies:

Are you a morning person or a night owl:

Last book you read:

Drink coffee:

Spicy food or not:

Pizza, burgers, sushi, or 7-course French feast:

Favorite season:

Favorite Christmas movie:

Current love right now:

Current hate right now:

Dream vacation:

What songs do you sing in the shower:

At heart, are you a small-town girl or big-city:

Would you rather have the ability to fly or be invisible:

-----------

Thanks for having fun with me, mbbdarling! I love our chit-chats. I hope you are having a great day and that you have taken good care of your health and your self. :D

xoxo mbb Secret Santa

Aww that sounds wonderful!! I'm glad that we have similar ideal days haha 💗 Sorry this has taken me so long, I got SWAMPED at work and was just able to sit down and pay attention to it!

I used to love doing these chain email surveys back in the day, so this will be fun!

Favorite MX mv: Love Killa. I love the choreo and Hyungwon looks lowkey sleazy and that does it for me lol

Favorite MX B-side: MERCY omg I will listen to that song on repeat. The chorus goes so hard, Kihyun is insane.

Hobbies: knitting, reading, making gifs, playing video games

Morning Person or Night Owl: Definitely a night owl lol, I don't usually go to bed until 3:30am and I would stay up later if I could.

Last Book: I'm about to finish Gibbon's Decline & Fall by Sheri S. Tepper for probably the 100th time. It's one of my comfort books.

Drink Coffee: Every single morning and occasionally in the afternoon.

Spicy Food or Not: I adore spicy food but I have to be careful bc my stomach is very sensitive. :(

Pizza, Burgers, Sushi, or 7 Course French Feast: tbh it depends on my mood but 98% of the time sushi is my #1. Pizza is it the other 2% lol

Favorite Season: Fall. I prefer the cold but I hate driving in snow. Plus fall is extremely pretty where I live.

Favorite Christmas Movie: Home Alone. It's such a classic lol

Current Love: I'm really really enjoying the new Willow show. It was my favorite movie when I was a kid and the show is great so far. Also His Dark Materials. EXCELLENT show.

Current Hate: hmm. Hate might be a strong word for it but I'm really disappointed with the Wheel of Time series. I was super hype for the casting and the previews looked good but man they really did not understand what made the series good.

Dream Vacation: I lived in Iceland when I was a kid and I would love to go back there. I remember just enough that I think it would be a really cool trip.

What Songs Do You Sing In The Shower: I usually listen to podcasts in the shower lol, but when I do sing its whatever comes up on my shuffle. So a whole lot of Seventeen lol

Small Town or Big City: I've always kind of wanted to live in a big city like New York or Atlanta but I know I'm happier in a small town.

Fly or Be Invisible: This is a conflict between my desire to zoom around and never have to drive again and my desire to be nosy. I think I'd have to go with flying though.

Thank you for the fun little quiz!! Can't wait to hear from you again 💗

[catzula]

It’s hard NOT to be a fangirl (especially when the setter is Oikawa Tooru)

A/N: is it evident how much in love I am with this man? I cried at his backstory, I did that. Well, uh, hope you enjoy! And I have a mountain of hw and exams coming up so I might not be able to write something so thats that.

Warnings: spoilers!!! For the spring tournament so beware. Cursing? 5.9k? Oikawa crying in the end? Its NOT angst tho. Also not edited cuz its 1 am

Genre: fluff, Iwaizumi's sister!reader

Synopsis: maybe confusing you with a fangirl wasn't exactly starting off the right foot, but Oikawa thought the stranger that sat with him till the beginning of his next match was... quite charming.

Oikawa might've been many, many things, but he was not a coward.

Most of the time, at least.

Whenever it was his feelings he had to be brave about, he never succeeded, especially not when they were towards you. You, who laughed and stood with him, never across but always beside him. Oikawa couldn't afford to be brave.

It was the first day of the Interhigh matches when he had met you. To say Oikawa was having a bad day would be an underestimation. He got dumped by his girlfriend that very day, right before his match, and brutally ripped out of the soft, consoling presence of his fans by Iwaizumi. He just wanted to be fawned over and comforted, maybe eat a snack or two while he was at it, but he didn't even get to do that?

"Stop pouting, Shittykawa." Iwaizumi muttered when Oikawa made an exaggerated 'hmph!' sound for the 20th time the last 5 minutes. "We need to go to the gym, and you need to focus."

"You need to focus too!" Oikawa protested, "but look at you getting ready to go to a date- hey, agh!" Holding the back of his head, Oikawa pouted even deeper this time. "You didn't need to hit me!" Oikawa whisper-yelled.

"I told you to shut the fuck up. Hold your tongue if you don't want to get beaten." Iwaizumi whispered angrily, sending a side glance at his coach to try and see if he had heard stupid Oikawa. Iwaizumi took a breath of relief when the coach didn't even look his way.

"We're gonna sit in the back stands so coach won't be able to see us. You can still watch the game from there, too." Iwaizumi finally spoke after they arrived in the gym, eyes scanning the room to find the perfect hiding place.

"You mean I am gonna sit in the back stands, all alone, cold and freshly dumped." Oikawa frowned, his frown only growing deeper when his best friend rolled his eyes. "Am I wrong? Tell me I'm wrong! As you go on your marry way with your girlfriend, I will be sitting here alone and wallow in my sadness for what... 6 hours?!"

Iwaizumi clenched his teeth, knowing Oikawa had a point. Sighing, he rubbed his temples. "Look, fuck, I'm sorry, okay? Should I tell her I can't come?" He asked gruffly, and despite all his brutality and harsh words, Oikawa knew he would do it if he said the word. "Nah, it's okay. Have fun in your date!" Oikawa answered, earning a baffled glare from the boy. 

"Then why the fuck have you been guilt tripping me the past hour?"

"I'm lonely, Iwa-chan! I want attention." Oikawa grinned, professionally avoiding the slap coming his way, his grin growing even wider when Iwaizumi pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. " I wonder how I didn't murder you already. Anyway, settle there, and don't move anywhere until the match. And I mean, anywhere, no visiting your fans, looking at yourself in the bathroom mirror, taking selfies before the windows, nothing."

"Okay, okay, I'm not dumb!" Oikawa whined as he threw his gym bag on the free seats. "Say hi to her for me, Iwa-chan!" He called after his best friend. 

~~~

It had been almost an hour since Iwa had left, and Oikawa was losing his mind. Why did he agree to this again? He wanted to sit with the rest of his team, that sat across the court but Iwaizumi had told him not to move anywhere (and Oikawa was still a bit hurt at how grateful they seemed when Iwa had told them Oikawa would be sitting separately), so he had opted to social media. 

Oikawa wasn't aware of someone else entering the secret back stands and getting closer to him as he watched a short compilation of cat videos. "Oikawa-kun?" You approached him, hiding your snicker when he jumped in his place to look at you. He was quick to hide his shock, a mask of smugness quickly finding its place on his pretty face. 

"That's me." He smiled, his chocolate eyes scanning you and meeting your eyes back quickly. He watched as you sat a seat away from him, close but not approachable. He quirked his brow when you stood quiet, holding your phone a little too tightly. A shy fan, how sweet, he thought, smirking as he turned your way. He had an idea of what you wanted.

"Did you, perhaps, want a photo? I might not look as I normally would, though." Oikawa suggested, going by how you held your phone, checking the time every once in a while, you wanted a picture. His brows raised when you didn't say a word but bit your lip as if holding in a smile.

"That's your que to say 'no, Oikawa-kun, you look amazing!" He told you, not expecting your laugh to ring in his ears, baffled both by how sudden and how pretty the sound was. "No, you do look tired, actually." You finally answered, earning a gasp from the boy across you. 

"Oh, to think I was going to see the days of my fans calling me tired-looking and ugly!" He dramatically brought his hand to his face, peeking through his fingers to see what you were going to do. You should at least deny he looked ugly, he thought, but his eyes grew wide when you chuckled. Now you were just rude! Did he really look that bad?

"Sorry, I'm not a fan." You pressed your lips in an apologetic smile, trying to hold it sorry and not smug when you spotted the blush on his cheeks. "Oh- I thought..." He cleared his throat to hide the embarrassment. "Most of the pretty girls like you who aproach me are my fans, so I just assumed." He spoke when he finally managed to find back his high-toned, flirty persona.

"That crowd of groupies in the entrance should belong to you, too, then?" You teased, not expecting him to answer yes, bursting into laughter with the unexpected positive answer.

"I kind of have to ask, though, if you're not my fan, why did you approach me, calling my name?" He seemed nonchalant as if he was used to that, but you had to admit it was a bit creepy.

"Oh, Haji- Iwaizumi sent me." You corrected yourself when you remembered how your brother had told you not to tell Oikawa you were siblings (he had warned you about how flirtatious Oikawa could get, and he might see it as a challenge if he figured you were his best friend's sibling. You didn't think it was true, they were best friends after all, but it was better to be cautious anyway.

"Iwa-chan? Ah, so he does care after all!" Oikawa blurted out, his words reminding how your brother had sent you here and how it was something way different than caring. "Well, he did want me to make sure you didn't leave here or call your ex. Heard you had some... problems."

"Cold as a stone, as always." He sighed, and you chuckled. "Can't exactly call it a problem, but being dumped isn't the best feeling in the world." He shrugged, taking a sip out of his water before flashing you a charming smile. Your brows furrowed when he admitted he was dumped, of course, Hajime had already told you that, but judging the boy by his looks, his nonchalant acts, and everything your brother had told to warn you, you hadn't expected him to admit that, especially not to a stranger. 

"Well, uh, that sucks." You answered awkwardly, not knowing how to approach the situation. "I'm sorry about that."

"Its okay, as it was bound to happen, anyway. Our relationship wasn't exactly sailing smoothly." He shrugged, but it was evident he was a bit broken about it. "I- uh, I'm not the person people would come for advice in these kind of situations, but I can... listen?"

You felt something warm blooming in your chest when his gaze locked on you, chocolate brown eyes the prettiest you've ever seen, but the surprised, almost grateful look was what made you feel that way. Did he only want someone to listen?

"It's okay, I don't want to burden you with my stupid problems." He chuckled, pulling his playful nature back on the surface. "I don't even know your name."

"Oh, shit, you're right!" You laughed when you realized you hadn't even told him your name but had offered a shoulder to cry on. "I'm Y/N, nice to meet you." You stuck your hand out, his warm (big-) hand gripping yours and causing that warm feeling that was in your chest to spread even more.

"Y/N-chan, it's very nice to meet you." He winked. "So, what is your relationship with our dearest Iwa-chan?"

"Oh- well, uh... you could say he sees me as a sister." You shrugged, not expecting him to pout sympathetically. "Oh no, sibling-zoned? That's harsh, man."

"No it's- hey, you have no right to pity me, you're the one freshly dumped!"

"Hitting low, are we?" He laughed, making you laugh with him. "You look like you're gonna die if you don't ask me how we broke up." He sighed after a second, although he still had a playful smirk. "I guess I have to tell you." He sighed one more time. "We're stuck here for at least 5 hours, anyway."

~~~

"Here you go, a granola bar. Are you sure you didn't want anything else?" You tossed the granola bar to Oikawa, who had his legs on the seats in front of him, making himself comfortable in the uncomfortable seats.

"Yeah, that's enough. Thank you, Y/N-chan." He smiled cheekily, opening the packet with his teeth. "The match is in about an hour, anyway, I shouldn't eat much."

"Sure, whatever you say. Well you were talking about a new player before I left."

"Before your stomach started to scream, you mean." He laughed, and you found yourself watching the smile. These past few hours had flown by so quickly that it almost felt like barely an hour. Oikawa was easy to talk to, and you always found something new to talk about, laughing almost at everything he said. He was really charming, and the confidence that oozed out of every move he did, every word he spoke was attractive, you had to admit.

But as much of a smug player he could be, he often acted childish, too, especially when he talked about a certain Kouhei of his did you see the childlike jealousy and competitiveness clearly. Though despite that, he would have a fond, soft look in his eyes whenever he talked about his teammates, making you feel almost jealous at how affectionate he looked about them.

You knew he was charming and flirtatious, your brother had warned you not to get close because he could and would have you falling for him in no time, but you had underestimated him. You had thought he was acting overly cautious as always, but apparently not.

You saw him checking his phone for a new message. "I gotta go warm up now." He told you as he stood up, the playful glint in his eyes not being missed by you. "I trust you'll watch and cheer for me, right, Y/N-chan?" His smirk was self-satisfied, already knowing the answer, but you didn't want to give him the pleasure. "I'd rather cheer for the ace, actually, much cooler than a setter."

Another dramatic gasp came from the proud setter, making you laugh. "How dare you! Setters are much cooler than aces, I'll have you know. I'll prove it in this match, too." He leaned towards you, and although you already knew how long he was, having him towering over you like this sent goosebumps down your spine. "I'll prove it, just make sure you watch closely." 

~~~

"So, was I right or was I right?" Your phone chimed with a new message, and you instantly knew who it was that sent the message. You opened Instagram, accepting the message request. 

"I couldn't tell since I was watching the ace the whole time, didn't have the chance to see if you were cooler." You texted back, almost able to see the pout forming on his lips on the other side of the screen. It was a lie, too. The moment you saw his serve, you were unable to take your eyes off him. He looked like a different person on the court. It was almost scary, how focused he suddenly became the moment he grabbed the ball, how he was aware of everything that was happening around him, developing strategies half you didn't even understand and it was terrifyingly beautiful, you had to admit. 

"Mean! And I had played exceptionally well just because you were watching :(" You giggled at the text, not noticing how your brother's eyes were narrowed and turned to you instead of the TikToks his girlfriend had sent him. "Who are you talking to?"

"Hm?" You flinched, so concentrated on your phone, you had forgotten your brother was there, too. "Oh, no one. My friend sent me a meme." You stared back at your brother, who was still watching you with narrowed eyes, waiting for you to crack, but you didn't. He nodded curtly, and though he could've pursued it further if not for his phone starting to buzz, the name of his girlfriend appearing on the screen. 

"Gotta take this." He told you, standing up and making his way to his room. "Don't stay up late texting." He told you as a warning. 

You wished you had taken your brother's advice the next morning when he came in to wake you up. You had texted Oikawa for hours into the night, only stopping when you fell asleep mid-conversation.

"Y/N, I need you to come to the sport center again, today." Hajime told you as you were brushing your teeth, and he was putting gel in his hair to make it look like his signature spiky style. "Again?" You rolled your eyes, earning a soft slap on your head from your brother. 

"Don't talk with your mouth full, and don't roll your eyes at me."

"I'll do whatever I- Ow! Okay, okay, I'll be there!" You muttered angrily, but a part of you, the smallest part of you, wasn't as angry as you showed him to be. 

~~~

You were there before him, this time. It had been almost 10 minutes since you had arrived, but Oikawa was nowhere to be seen (and you got ready especially neatly this time! What a shame). You sighed, opening your phone to text Hajime Oikawa wasn't here just as you felt a pair of warm hands closing your eyes from your back. 

"Quick, tell me the coolest volleyball position!"

"Ace!" You answered and heard his exaggerated sigh. "No, Y/N-chan, I thought we clarified this yesterday!"

"I never admitted to it, though." You told him with a sly smile, causing his fake anger and annoyance to fall and a laugh to breakthrough. "Clever little Y/N-chan." He muttered, plopping down to the seat next to you. 

"You look tired." You remarked, making him gasp. "And whose fault is that? You fell asleep! I waited an hour for you to write back, thinking you had something else to do." He frowned, making you chuckle.

"I take none of the blame, you talk too much." You teased.

"Only with people I like." He shot back, catching you off guard and making your eyes widen. "Ah, finally, I won this round!" He cheered. "You, on the other hand, look especially nice today, madame."

"Thank you, kind sir, I got a good night sleep, unlike you." You smiled cheekily, and he was about to answer before loud cheering filled the room and made you wince. You noticed how almost everyone was on their feet, watching the game closely.

"What's going on?" You asked the boy sitting next to you, now also watching the game with a Cheshire cat smirk.

"Karasuno's game started." He answered without taking his eyes off the game. "It was the freakish quick they used just then that caused the cheering."

"The freakish quick?" You repeated. 

"Yeah, watch." He told you, sounding excited and annoyed at the same time. You turned your eyes to where he was pointing at, a short, ginger boy. Your brows furrowed, trying to understand just why- 

"Oh, shit." You gaped when the boy flew over the court in mere seconds. The ball was on the other side of the net in almost less than a second, and it took you a moment to realize they had just made a spike.

"Oh shit, indeed," Oikawa answered, his smirk still on his lips, but his eyes weren't looking humored. "That little bastard, he had to be this fucking talented." He muttered, speaking almost to himself. 

"You don't look worried, though." You smiled. "There is no reason for me to be worried." He smirked proudly in answer, although it had a slight waver to it. "I'm much better than him as a setter. What worries me is the team itself."

"Are they that good? You looked much better in the match yesterday."

"Ah, I knew you were watching me, Y/N-chan! I'm too pretty not to look at." He swiped a soft-looking lock of hair out of his face with a playful smile. 

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." You muttered, hiding your embarrassment from him by turning back to the game. "See him, the short boy in the back, he's the libero." Oikawa told you, getting slightly closer to explain, and you would've understood it if it wasn't for how close he was all of a sudden. "He's one of the best I've seen, actually."

"W-what makes him so special?" You asked, turning your eyes back to the game from his pretty face (as if he wasn't handsome enough, he also had a good side profile?!) "That." he answered, his eyes glinting with something you could say awe. You turned back to the boy who leaped to the ground after the ball, his hand sliding over the surface and sending the ball straight up. "His reflexes are unbeleivable, and he's fast and smart, like the rest of his team." He explained further, not aware of how focused he suddenly was, and it was clear he was passionate about the sport. You had never understood why your brother felt devastated after a lost game, or why he was cheering on the top of his lungs, sometimes pushing himself so hard in training that he passed out, coming home late almost every day because of his practice.

But seeing Oikawa watch the game, seeing him in the game, you felt like you could understand what it was. You could never grasp the feeling, but you could understand what it was. And it was infuriating, made you jealous, and you couldn't understand why, but it also amazed you, making you yearn for the strange feeling.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I must be boring you to death." He realized, bringing his hand to scratch the back of his neck in embarrassment, cheeks flushing slightly after talking for almost an hour about everything going in the game, explaining them all in detail. 

"No, no its fine!" You answered, laughing at his flushed face. It was funny how he was a charming, devilish, smart, and manipulative guy at one second and a volleyball geek the other. "It helps me appreciate the game better." You shrugged, not aware of how his eyes glinted with your answer. "But don't you think I realized how you're overlooking everything the setter does. You didn't say anything about him."

"What, you're interested in him?" He pouted, causing you to laugh. 

"I didn't say I was interested, I'm just telling you you're ignoring him!" You protested after your laugh, but he still had a frown. "Sounds like you're interested, to me."

"No! Okay, okay, keep ignoring him, then. But don't think I missed the jelaousy-" You couldn't finish your sentence because of a sudden hand closing on your lips. "Nope, we don't say that here." He whispered, and somehow, you were able to hear him despite the loud cheering, the crowd, and the loud thumps of your heart.

"What, saying you're jealous?" You spoke beneath his fingers, noticing how his smirk grew wider and cheeks flushing pinker.

"Yep, let's not repeat that and I'll take my hand off you." He waited a few seconds as you stood silent, removing his hand, still having a suspicious look in his eyes. "Good girl." He told you, causing your eyes to widen and shout a protest. "O-oikawa! What the fuck?!"

"What, I didn't mean anything?" He answered innocently, but there was still a smirk on his lips. "Well, okay, I'll tell you about him if you're so curious." He sighed.

"As I said before, he's my Kouhei." You nodded for him to go on. "He's... talented. Very talented. A genius, actually." He laughed uncomfortably. "He's not on my level yet, but his talent... it even makes up for it and I hate to see how despite all my days I spent training, he's still better than me easily."

"I- oh." You muttered, not expecting something like this, especially for him to admit someone else was better than him and will always be better than him.

"Tomorrow we're playing with them." He told you, and despite the forced smile, you could see how he clenched his teeth. "I can't- I won't lose to him."

"You won't." You agreed.

"I'll fight as hard as I can but we won't lose to them. I'll fight Shiratorizawa, I'll play against Ushiwaka and show him, prove him I did the right thing by choosing Seijoh and not his dumb school." He looked determined, eyes glinting with such determination that even though you had no idea what he was saying at that point, you wanted to agree and cheer him on.

"You will." You agreed once again, causing him to smile. "I'm sorry, I think I'm just a bit stressed."

You smiled, shrugging as if to say it's nothing. "No, no problem, I understand what you mean. It must be nerve-wracking."

"Well, it is."

"I'm horrible at advice, but uh, want me to show you what I do when I'm stressed? Like before exams and stuff. It might help." You smiled, extending your hand out to show him, not expecting him to do the same, and hold your hand like a handshake.

"You're right, that does help." He grinned, shaking your hand and making you burst into laughter. "That wasn't what I was going to do!"

"Oh, it wasn't? Still helped, though!" He told you innocently, teasing you even more. "C'mon, stick your hand out like this." You giggled.

"Now start drawing-" you told him, focusing on drawing shapes and letters in his hand. He was going to say a snarky remark at how that wasn't how it went, but Oikawa couldn't bring himself to stop you from doing whatever you were doing as he watched you focus on his hand, fingers running over his calloused ones, the tip of your tongue sticking out from the corner of your mouth without realizing, and every move of your finger sent goosebumps down his body.

Noticing you had lost yourself in thought, absent-mindedly going on drawing on his hand for a good few minutes, you raised your eyes to meet his brown ones. "Does that... help?"

"It- uh, it does. I'll need you to do this before the game tomorrow, too, though." He smirked playfully, his hand closing on yours just as he said it. "Well, I'm glad I could help." You shrugged, trying to hide how embarrassed you were. You could tell he already knew how you were feeling by the smile on his lips, but instead of teasing you about it, he turned to the game without letting your hand go, smiling even wider when you didn't pull it, either.

~~~

"You guys were great at the game today." You texted Oikawa that night, not sure whether he would answer, though your thoughts disappeared when he texted back instantly. 

"It must be your doing." He wrote, sending a picture of him doing the peace sign right after. 

"I don't think I can come early tomorrow, though. I won't be able to do it again. Are you ready for the game tomorrow?"

"Oh no, how could you? I can never overcome the stress now. Will you let me call you if I say I'm not ready?" He texted back, making you chuckle. 

"Just this once."

Your phone started ringing right after, a 'yahoo' greeting you when you picked it up.

"Hi, Oikawa-kun."

"Are you free?" He asked, and you shrugged as if he was across you and not on the other side of the phone. "I was getting ready to bed."

"Thinking of me before bed, you must have a crush on me, Y/N-chan." He chuckled, somehow still able to tease you through the phone. "Hey, I-"

"No, actually, don't answer that." He stopped you. "I had something else in mind when I called you, but you cute voice is too distracting." He sighed. 

"Oh." You answered, making him laugh, his laugh ringing in your ears. 

"Yeah, well... I was wondering, I mean after the match tomorrow." He cleared his throat. "No, actually, will you cheer for me tomorrow?" He finally asked, and you could tell he was holding his breath.

"Cheer for you?" You repeated.

"Yeah, only- only for me." He spoke, this time merely a whisper. "I mean, of course you cheer for me, everyone does because I'm that-"

"Yes, Oikawa." You laughed and cut his self appreciating ramble off. "I'll cheer for you, and only you."

"Y-you will? Well then, maybe you'll accept my offer to perhaps grab a coffee or something after the game? To make up for not being there with me tomorrow?" You were trying to stifle a laugh at how unsmooth he was despite his reputation when he spoke again. "Am I- am I pushing it? I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." 

"No, you're not making me uncomfortable!" You protested quickly, already aware of how dramatic he could get. "I'm just, well, surprised. But yes, I'd like to grab a coffee with you. Anywhere but those god awful stands, actually." You chuckled, hearing the relieved breathe coming from his side of the line. 

"Well, if that's settled," he spoke, and you could hear the smile in his voice. "Tell me, Y/N-chan, what's your favorite color?"

Wow, you thought, he really sucked at flirting. 

~~~

"I'm here." You texted both your brother and Oikawa. It was merely minutes away from the start of the game, all because of a dumb chemistry quiz you had at school. You finally found a free seat when you noticed they were done warming up and were getting ready.

"Good, we're about to start the game. I'll probably meet my gf after the game, so don't start crying if you don't see me." Was the first text you got, rolling your eyes at how much of an idiot your brother was. "Yeah, whatever, not like I'm here to see you." You texted back, noticing how his head perked up when he read the text, eyes scanning the seats to find you as he texted a "WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN?!"

"Wish me luck, Y/N-chan, just remember your promise to cheer for me ;p" Oikawa texted back, also raising his head to search you in the crowd, but he was successful at finding you, eyes locking for a second, of course, he sent a playful wink at you.

The game started after that, and you could swear you were losing years of your life with each given and taken points. You had screamed at the top of your lungs at one point, so worked up, you sometimes forgot what was happening.

"Oikawa, good serve!" You screamed (he had told you to say that when he was serving the day before, and you could see it immediately brought a smile on his lips). 

The third set was the worst, you thought. No one ever got to widen the point gap, always one of them at match point, points being given and being taken, and you were sure you were going to lose your mind if they-

You watched as Oikawa ran to receive a ball, running so fast that he was unable to stop himself from crashing into the table, falling on his bad knee that you could only imagine how much it hurt, but not before pointing at Hajime, your brother, the ace. He set an incredible ball for him, incredible even for someone like you who didn't know anything other than the basics about volleyball.

You could feel tears swelling in your eyes as he tumbled into the table, pulling himself back up almost immediately and limping back towards the court.

He was... he was determined to win. 

But he couldn't.

You watched as Oikawa tried to receive the ball flying towards him and failed. You couldn't watch when he realized he failed. He lost. But he was still there to make his teammates gather for the lineup, patting them on the back to cheer them up, thanking the crowd, but his face was down, helping his teammates collect themselves back, your brother too when he was also devastated inside.

Still, Oikawa managed to hold it all in, unlike your brother and most of the team that was crying. You couldn't hide your disappointment in, either, eyes already wet with tears because you thought they were going to win, and they thought they were going to win too, and seeing Oikawa like this, it hurt. You watched them as they left the court, your eyes following the brunette who had separated himself from the rest of the team, going somewhere else with a quick pace. 

You rose to your feet without even realizing it, running after him without thinking what to say or to do, but you just wanted to be there, and you were so focused on finding him that you hadn't realized Hajime following his friend or rather, you, either. 

You were about to enter the room Oikawa had entered a minute before you when someone held you by the arm and pulled you back. "Y/N, don't." Your brother warned you, and maybe you should've listened since they were friends for years. "It's not- you shouldn't go in, not right now. Give him time." 

He sighed when you freed your arm from his grip. "He wouldn't want you to-" the door shut in his face, and he only got a glimpse of his best friend's tear-stricken face, "-see him like that." Iwaizumi finished his sentence as a whisper to himself.

You thought this might've been a bad idea the moment you entered the room. "O-oikawa?"

"What are you doing here?" You heard him say, the room dim-litted, making it near impossible to see his expression, but something in you told you, you didn't want to. "I'm- well, I'm here to see if you're okay-"

"Get out." You heard him say, merely a whisper but still there. "I don't want you to see me like this, stop looking at me! I don't want to see the same pity I see at everyone else's face, pitying me for losing to my own Kouhei and-" His voice getting higher and higher with each word, he was almost screaming the last few words. So you hugged him, you didn't know what led you to do so, was it instinct to relieve his tension? You didn't know, but it still worked, you noticed. 

His stiff muscles started to relax with the sudden contact, and though he stood as still as a stone, not hugging you back, you didn't feel rejected. "Shh, I know." You whispered, breathe brushing over his skin and sending goosebumps down his spine. 

"We lost." He whispered, a sob finding its way out of his lips. His arms came up, hugging and pulling you to himself, almost as if he tried to swallow you whole, burying his face to your hair. He was big, much bigger than you, for sure, so the sobs that shook him shook you, too, but you didn't mind. 

"We lost." He sobbed again, and again, and again and again. It took him a while to let it all out, but he felt better when he did. His arms were still around you when his cries had died, your scent affecting him to relax.

"Thank you." You heard him whisper as he pulled back, not looking in your eyes once. "Of- of course." You shrugged, feeling somewhat awkward as he wiped his face with a tissue. 

"Well," he spoke, looking in your eyes for the first time for what felt like hours, "that's me. The Oikawa Tooru. Now you know me better than almost anyone else." He shrugged, trying to sound and look indifferent but failing miserably. His voice and his hands shaking, eyes looking at you with almost fear.

"Are you going to leave now?"

"Leave?" You repeated. 

He shrugged. "Now that you've seen I'm not the clever captain or the charming playboy, but a- an insecure, jealous man, who is now also a failure, are you going to leave?"

"Oikawa," you whispered, noticing he was more insecure than he let on. "Just because you are more than what you look like, it doesn't cancel the others. You're still the smart, cunning, and amazing captain, the charming flirt who made me fall for him in mere days, and the man who lost a match with a point. A man, striving to be better than everyone else, with goals and a purpose in life. I don't think I could leave you for having a purpose in life." You chuckled. 

"Well, that of course if you-" Before you got to finish, you felt pressure on your lips, stopping you from talking. It was his soft lips, this time, making you silent. It was a soft kiss, his hand cupping your cheek and pulling your face towards his, his lips were almost brushing yours, but it still felt heavenly. 

"I think we should go before your brother marches in and kills us both." He whispered to your lips with a sly smile. "Yeah, I think you're- wait, you knew he was my brother?!" You exclaimed, making him chuckle.

"Of course I did, who do you take me for? I am the clever captain of Seijoh, I knew it the moment you told me you were like a sister to him."

"Well, the clever captain of Seijoh, use your brain to find us another way out but the door, since I'm pretty sure Haji is guarding it." 

"Ah, I have the perfect idea." He snickered, picking up his phone, and entering the name of Hajime's girlfriend.

"Tooru, where are you, are you okay, do you-"

"Hey, hey, I'm alright, I just need a favor." Oikawa whispered into the phone. "I'm stuck inside a room, and the door is being guarded by Iwa-chan whose waiting to kill me, so please get him out of here?"

"Tooru, are you with a girl?" You heard the voice screaming on the other end of the line, making you both wince. "Please just help me just this once?" 

You heard her sigh. "Okay, okay, hang in there." She closed the phone, and it took only two seconds for your brother's phone to ring.

You were in awe when Hajime suddenly screamed, "What?! Whose checking you out? I'm fucking coming baby, don't move anywhere." sprinting down the hall.

"You're a magician." 

"I'm amazing." He muttered right before leaning in for yet another kiss, smiling against your soft lips.

[renova-writes]

Coney Island Hotdogs

Requested by: @maximeevansblog

Summary: “The reader is the daughter of bucky barnes, and the have a daddy - daugther Day, but the reader wants to sleep but her dad has other plans , and end of the Day the asks what do you wanna eat Mac donalds and the watch a movie, but the reader falls a sleep trough the movie, and he carries her to bed, but she wakes up and her dad she go back to sleep button, i am carring you to bed, and allot of fluff and cuteness and if its ready you tag me right thanks”

Words: 2,004

Warnings: Just basically a bunch of Fluff. Some mentions of bullying and death, but very light and fun

Other Works: masterlist

"Five more minutes," you whined. The clock on your bedstand read 5:39 am.

"Hey, button," you heard a voice whisper. The dark locks dangling over you told you that it was your father. "Get dressed. I have a surprise for you."

"It's too early."

"I know, but I'll make you a (your favorite caffeinated drink)" Your dad obviously wanted you to get up but was not going to force you. That was one of your favorite things about him. He never forced you to do anything you didn't want to.

"Really" Your sleepy eyes lit up at the mention of caffeine.

"Yes button, really. I promise. Just get yourself ready to go, and it will be waiting for you" he smiled and walked out of your room, "Also, bring a jacket. Just in case."

With that, your dad left. As you paused for a moment in your bedsheets, soaking up the last moments of fluffy warmth before you needed to get up, excitement crawled up your spine. It wasn't often that you and your dad did things, just the two of you. He was always busy with the Avengers, or you two were over with Sam and his family. When you did make time for special days, he usually asked you what you wanted to do beforehand.

His walking into your room at five in the morning, asking you to get up so that you two could have a bonding day, was unusual. He must have something special planned.

You forced yourself to get out of bed. That was going to be the hardest part. Half asleep, you dragged yourself over to the bathroom. You did your business and paused after washing your hands to brush your teeth and your hair. A smile crept across your face in the mirror as you tried to guess what you were going to do.

The zoo? The park? Maybe the museums?

You lived in the Avenger's tower in the heart of New York City, so there were many options. You gave up trying to guess and decided to go with whatever. It was going to be fun no matter what.

It was the beginning of spring, so it was warm during the day but cold in the mornings. You picked out a light floral dress, leggings, and a cardigan so that you could have layers. Some essential jewelry and your boots would also be a part of your outfit.

After putting on your clothes and some basic makeup, you made your way to the main room of your apartment. Just like he had promised, your dad had gotten your beverage from the Starbucks next to the lobby. He had probably gotten it before waking you up as it was sitting in the microwave/fridge.

"Hey button. Nice to see that you finally have awoken from your cavern of blankets," he joked, "You ready. I've got an amazing day planned out. Just the two of us."

"Yep. Where are we going."

"Button, that's a surprise!"

"Tell me!!" you giggled.

"Well, it wouldn't be a surprise if I told you," he smiled. A goofy grin was on his face, with admiration pouring out of his eyes.

"Just a hint…" you begged. "I'll probably forget by the time we get there."

"No. I want it to be a complete surprise," your dad insisted, "that's why, after you drink your drink, I want you to put on a blindfold."

Oh dear, he was very insistent about this whole surprise thing.

"But first, BREAKFAST!!!" he exclaimed as he presented you with your favorite breakfast, waffles, and strawberries. The plate seemed to sparkle with deliciousness as your stomach cried out in hunger.

"Yummy!!!"

"See, I remembered your favorite" he seemed very proud of himself. You had mentioned that you liked waffles when Wanda had made them for a birthday breakfast.

"Dig in! I put some strawberry syrup into the waffles themselves so that we would have extra strawberry flavor."

He handed you a fork and a knife, and you cut into them. The heat fell off of the bite on your forked, and you braced yourself in anticipation. Your father could cook; he and Steve used to make dinners for the team. But that was with Steve, now that he was gone, your dad rarely cooked. It had been hard for him. He was slowly getting over it; you definitely helped. Having somebody to take of, his therapist agreed, was very good for him. But his food was very hit or miss. This morning, however, the waffles were amazing.

The strawberries tasted fresh and had the perfect amount of sweetness. The waffles were eggy, precisely the way you liked them.

"Dad! These are delicious!" you exclaimed.

"I know, right, they're so good," he nodded in agreement, "but can I admit something? I stole the recipe off Auntie Wanda."

It didn't matter where he got the recipe from. They were delicious. It took the two of you a total of 10 minutes to eat the entire plateful.

He pulled a blindfold out of his pocket and put it around your eyes. You had faith that he wouldn't let you bump into anything. You weren't going to have to worry about the crowded city streets. When the strangers passing by got a glimpse of his metal arm, they always made a beeline away from him.

You knew it hurt him. You could see it in his eyes. He was your dad, after all. When you were younger, you couldn't understand why they were afraid, but now that you were older, you knew. It never, even for a second, hurt your relationship with your dad. You loved him. You knew that the real James Barnes was a cinnamon roll. This was a man who wouldn't kill spiders when he found them in the kitchen. This was a man who hung out with the Parker boy and played video games.

Even though the blindfold around your eyes took away your sight, you knew that your dad was checking to see if his gun was where he needed it. After all, he was the Winter Soldier. But that was an everyday thing. When he stopped rustling with his pockets, you felt a hand on your shoulder guiding you out of the room.

------

As soon as you heard the crowd's excitement, you knew where you were. The smell of cotton candy and hot dogs confirmed it.

Your dad had taken you to Coney Island.

You hadn't been there since you were a little kid and couldn't control your excitement. The hand that had been guiding you on your shoulder disappeared and removed the blindfold.

After taking a moment to adjust to the light, your eyes took in the flashing lights and kids running around. The roller coasters and carnival games all around you captivated your attention and caused a smile to form on your face.

"How's this for a surprise Button?"

"Dad, this is amazing! Thank you!!!"

"What ride do you want to go on first?"

The morning flew by in a blur. You and your dad had decided to go on every single ride you could. He had enjoyed the bumper cars and had won you a stuffed panda bear on one of the shooting games. You got the famous coney island hot dogs for lunch and ate on a bench on the beach. The entire morning, there was one thing that you really wanted to do… Ride the Cyclone.

"Hey, dad….."

"Yes Button"

"Can we ride the Cyclone"

"Um. of course. We have to. What's the point of coming here if we don't."

You threw away your trash and got in line. A man with purple hair and tattoos strapped the two of you in and took your picture.

"Alrighty ladies and gents," the loudspeaker in the car said. "Are you ready for the Cyclone"

Everyone on the train whooped and hollered in excitement, and the car lurched forward. Slowly you crept up the first hill and felt the adrenaline follow. At the top, you saw the people on the benches below. You couldn't help but compare them to little dolls from your height.

With that, the car reached the top of the hill and falls.

"Whoa, Button, I think I'm going to be sick," Buck said once you were off. He was looking somewhat green and queasy.

It was your turn to guide him... to a trash can. It turned out he wasn't going to throw up, which you were grateful for, but the Cyclone's toll had been taken. He rested his body on a bench and called it quits.

"What time is it," he asked. You checked your watch. It was two in the afternoon. "How about we do something a little, slower."

"Sure," you agreed. You were in Brooklyn, his home borough, and he decided to take you on a tour of where he grew up.

"And this is the alleyway where your Uncle Steve decided to get in all those fights," he said you passed by. "One time, after I saved his tiny ass, he told me that he thought he had pulled a muscle, and I was all like, 'Steve, you can't pull what you don't have."

You giggled at the thought of skinny Steve. Continuing on your tour, you saw his old apartment and walked through the one he shared with Steve. It had been turned into a museum, and you laughed together for an hour as he pointed out every single detail that had been changed.

"There was no way that we could have two beds! There was no heater, so we shared one! Why would they change that! It wasn't like we had anything going on between us!" he argued. You laughed as the tour guide still could not recognize one of the old occupants of the apartment.

Once your dad seemed satisfied with his tour, the two of you walked down to the nearest subway stop. In the underground station, you passed those golden arches.

"Dad, can we get McDonald's," you asked.

"Are you sure, Button, we can get much better food back a the tower"

"Yeah, we haven't had it in forever, and I need to feed my inner Chicken nugget," you joked.

He must have been in an excellent mood because he gave in to the lure of the golden arches. He also seemed like he really wanted a burger because he got his usual order, Two big macs, a large fry, and an M&M McFlurry. The super-soldier serum had granted him the ability and need to eat loads of food. You also figured that he wanted a break from Pepper's food because she had decided that the entire team needed to become more healthy conscience. It wasn't that anyone hated her food; it was just somewhat bland. And besides, who wants couscous when you can have Micky D's.

After Bucky had wolfed down his food, and you had savored each bite of Chicken Nugget, you got on the train back home. You could feel yourself grow tired as your body finally rested from an exciting and full day. Your head drooped down and rested on your father's shoulder.

"Hey, button, let's watch a movie in the tower."

He picked out a classic, The Wizard of Oz, and made popcorn. You barely made it to the tornado before your eyes finally gave up. You were so tired that you didn't feel your dad pick you up and start carrying you to your bed.

Your eyes fluttered open as you heard 'If only I had a heart' playing from the TV.

"Hey, Button," your dad's voice whispered, "You fell asleep. I didn't want you to wake up on the sofa, so I'm taking you to your bed."

He laid you down and pulled up the blankets. With a kiss on your forehead, turned to leave.

"Dad, I love you," you called out.

"I love you too, Button" On that note, he turned out your light and closed your door

[ellitx]

It stuck out to me that Dain specified that "the gods descended and destroyed Khaenri'ah" cuz Barbatos and Morax were never in Celestia (I can't remember if Barbatos briefly went with Venessa but even then he was for what ten minutes lol) ANNNNND the only power we see in the destruction of it (in that one trailer) is the Sustainer's. I highly doubt the god of freedom (and love) and a god who knows when to let humanity do its own thing were even remotely part of that destruction- I'm quite sure the gods Dain spoke of were the Celestial gods, not the ones in Teyvat. And if you think about it, Khaenri'ah being destroyed could be why the majority of the Archons we know about oppose/don't care about Celestia

My guess is Dain is assuming all gods are the same, but they're very much not. Also, while I'm at it I wanna point out that ppl in game insist on calling Venti useless and lazy or even imply he's bad... meanwhile Baal is over there blocking off her entire region and taking away Visions and no one (in canon) says a single word against that. How is Venti always talked about like he's some huge problem when Baal and even Tsaritsa are right there being actual menaces (from what we understand so far)... it makes no sense. Ppl are so mean to Venti even if he's not around and for what... what has the god who's always fought for humanity's freedom and happiness done to hurt anyone I just do not understand, I cannot see Venti doing anything of what Dain said. That goes against his entire being...

Dain even contradicts himself multiple times and kept the fact he knows the sibling a secret... for what??? Why is he so sketchy?? Frankly I don't trust him, especially if this theory holds any merit

All this being said, if Venti is actually evil somehow I'll take it I love villains😅😂 But it could also be true that Khaenri'ah was not as great as Dain made it sound... coulda been evil or plotting smth terrible for all we know. He was cursed after all (if I'm understanding right), and literally no one else that we're aware of has been cursed. If Visions are divine blessings then curses are divine punishments... Visions are given to extraordinary ppl and/or those who have suffered greatly; they're given to help ppl. Curses tho... you gotta really fuck up to be cursed I assume.

Last thing before I'm done rambling I am so so sorry I just have a lot of thoughts about all this: in the chapter outline video Dain literally tells us to 'defeat him and command him to step aside' after saying "we (humanity) will defy this world with a power from beyond". Idk about anyone else but that kinda sounds like "sure I wanna destroy the world, but you can stop me". And isn't changing the world what Tsaritsa and the Fatui (and the Abyss Order??) are doing... Dain why are you against the gods who seemingly have the same goal as you

Okay I'm sorry that's so long but I'm done now BYE GIDHWHGEJFJE

-🌧 anon

I'm quite sure the gods Dain spoke of were the Celestial gods, not the ones in Teyvat. And if you think about it, Khaenri'ah being destroyed could be why the majority of the Archons we know about oppose/don't care about Celestia

Yep yep, as ive said before i havent thought the gods dain had mentioned can also be referred to the gods of celestia so it’s my fault for not understanding it well. And iirc venti isnt really fond of celestia which is why he gave his gnosis to the tsaritsa who is going against them

Also, while I'm at it I wanna point out that ppl in game insist on calling Venti useless and lazy or even imply he's bad...

Ppl are so mean to Venti even if he's not around and for what... what has the god who's always fought for humanity's freedom and happiness done to hurt anyone I just do not understand, I cannot see Venti doing anything of what Dain said. That goes against his entire being...

This really saddens me a lot that they view venti as an irresponsible archon when in fact he has done lots of things to keep his nation safe

Rebelling against the aristocracy to stop it during the time of Vennessa, waking up when he heard the cries of his people when Durin was attacking Mond, and even helping out in stopping Dvalin’s corruption

When they say Venti's "irresponsible" it's.. scary

He was given responsibility for the whole nation and was brave enough to accept it. He worked hard for years,sacrificed his power for people's freedom. He still risks his life regularly

source: @/Genshin_Kineli

Venti has more to it than meets the eye and it just needs a better understanding of him yet they keep looking on his current state. Like how often he goes to the tavern for a drink or laze around. Venti’s done lots of things okay T^T even during the Windblume, he helped us out in assisting his students from afar.

Dain literally tells us to 'defeat him and command him to step aside' after saying "we (humanity) will defy this world with a power from beyond". Idk about anyone else but that kinda sounds like "sure I wanna destroy the world, but you can stop me".

Now this is something that piqued my interest as i was reading theories in the subreddit.

In his outro, it seems that the Traveller will be forced to fight him in the future, to save the Traveller's Sibling--"Defeat me, command me to step aside, show me that you are worthier than I to rescue her.

Then, the threads of all fate will be yours to re-weave." It's unclear who the hero or the villain is in this situation. Is it Dainsleif, holding the Traveller's Sibling hostage? Or is it the Traveller's Sibling, who is about to set the world into ruin with Dainsleif wanting to stop them?

Only time will tell but if anything's for certain, things are not as black and white as it may seem.

source: u/hrcmstrbl

Dainsleif really be suspicious and acting mysterious. His dislikeness towards the gods is what got my interest so much. There must be a reason why he doesn’t like them. Even towards the archons of Teyvat, Dain doesn’t seem to be so fond of them and we can see that when were about to go the Favonius Church to ask Barbara

Anyways— my brain is still processing all of these informations and im just reading all the lores i can find LMAO for now i still have to rewatch all cutscenes then go back to these theories and continue to dig some more

[crybabysunflower]

The song which reminds me of a Mystic Messenger character

Introduction

I have chosen this song based on how I have perceived this certain character from the otome game. I have chosen this song because the lyrics reminded me of him every time I listened to the song.

The character I have chosen for my blog is Kim Yoosung and the song which reminds me of him is Zombie by the South Korean punk pop band Day6 from their 2020 album, The Book of Us: The Demon

Before I write this blog I would give a trigger warning because it may have mentions of having suicidal thoughts so please read at your own risk.

The Lyrics

"What kind of day was yesterday

Was there anything special

I'm trying to remember

But nothing comes to my mind"

The lyrics above represents hopelessness and pessimism, the lyrics describes how the singer can't recall anything remotely positive happened to him on the previous day, he has been so used to the misery he has been dealing with. This reminds me of how Rika's "death" had severely affected Yoosung's life to the point that his life had come to a standstill, after that incident he had been waking up to face the same monotonous, miserable days which repeats over and over. He did not experience anything positive enough to affect him since the loss of his beloved cousin.

"Today goes by the same

Am I the only one struggling

How do I get through this

Would things get better

If I cry my heart out"

The first line of the lyrics again brings back our focus to the monotonous nature of the singer's life, just like the singer Yoosung too leads a monotonous, colourless life. Just like the lyrics mentioned above, Yoosung feels that he is the only one who is still not over grieving over his cousin since the other RFA members in his perception are seemingly doing well and are succesful in their careers while he is stuck in the past and wasting away his life. He is desperate to get over the never ending pain he had been feeling since the tragic incident due to which he finds comfort in playing video games which helps him to drown his sorrows but unfortunately it turns into a serious addiction and it actually does more harm to him than doing good. The last two lines also depicts the singer's strong desire to get over the heartache and thus he wonders if crying out loud would make his agony subside. This reminds me of how just like the singer Yoosung too had desired to cry out his pain several times, but he knows that it is futile since the rest of his friends are eventually going to invalidate his feelings in some way or the other.

"Yeah we live a life

Just running in circles day and night

Yeah we live a life

Though I try to change something

I cant seem to do anything

And I have got nothing left with me"

As the lyrics mentioned above Yoosung lives a life where he is just running in circles, he wakes up, goes to school (and can't pay attention to his lessons), comes back home, plays video games for the entire remaining day, and the cycle repeats. However he tries his best to change his situation, he joins various clubs in his school, the stitching club, the barista club and many more but, he quickly ends up losing interest in them and quitting them since they barely help him to cope up with his crippling depression. Just like the lyrics mentioned above, he found nothing to permanently get rid of his heartache. The last line reminds me of the void his cousin and role model Rika had left. After Rika's absence, there was no one for him to look up to, there was no one whom he would love to impress by performing well and finally there was no one to give him the type of emotional closure which he desperately craves for.

"I feel like I became a Zombie

With an empty heart and empty head

A scarecrow without a brain inside

Since when did I end up like this oh why"

Zombie is a person's corpse which continues to haunt the earth even after the actual demise of the person. Just like a zombie, Yoosung had been dead inside. He isn't living up to his fullest like he used to under Rika's guidance before, he is just surviving for the sake of it. A scarecrow is a term which is also used for describing a person in ragged clothes. Usually a person in ragged clothes is either not able to take care of themself and/or is not bothered about taking care of themself. In Yoosung's case, its both. He plays video games most of the time barely letting himself get a wink of sleep, he also does not give himself proper meals on time and happens to survive on convenient store foods and this is all because of his crippling depression which makes him hardly care about his own well being. Since he had been dealing with depression for quite a while and it has been a pretty long time since Rika's "demise" he can't recall for how long he had been persistently melancholic.

"I became a Zombie

I walk on drifting aimlessly

Tomorrow will be no different

I live counting the time

Till I close my eyes"

Initially Yoosung aimed to be a vet due to Rika's influence for which he worked hard to earn the top position in his class during his highschool years and he even joined one of the reknowned universities in the country with full scholarship, until the sudden disappearance of his cousin from his life. After her absence he had lost all of his sense of direction and aim in his life, he was no longer motivated to do well enough to accomplish his dreams. He had stopped expecting anything different would happen to him on the next day and is waiting for everything to end. The last lines reminds me of him in the Another Story routes. There it was very obvious that he had extremely dark thoughts where he wished to put and end to his sufferings (and thats why Zen kept him under his watchful eye to prevent the younger man from doing anything dangerous).

"Yeah we live a life

Eyes wide open in the dark

This meaningless life

Though I want to just let go

Though I want to just dream on

There is nothing I can do anymore"

The line "eyes wide open in the dark" can be used in the situation both literally and metaphorically at the same time. In the literal sense it reminds me of Yoosung's messed up sleep schedule where he barely sleeps at night. In the metaphorical sense it depicts that he can't see anything ahead of himself, except darkness, his eyes are wide open to see any possible beam of hope which he could not find at that moment. His future plans are luxury for him. When he sees the other RFA members, such as Jumin, Jaehee and Zen who are successful he desires to become as succesful as them. But whenever he dreams, he has this persistent thought that he will never be as successful as them, no matter whatever he does. That tragic incident had not only left him with crippling depression but also had shattered his self esteem.

"Get it all out, wanna cry

Let go of everything

Can I cry

Give me back my tears, they have run dry"

The lines above again depicts the desparate need to get over the crippling depression which is consuming the singer like a black hole. From the previous descriptions here, it is clear that in a similar fashion, Yoosung too is desparate to get over his sufferings. This reminds me of that one time when he told that he wants to cry so hard that he would blank out. He had already cried several times while grieving over Rika, yet he isn't satisfied.

Miscellaneous

I had also made a fanart on Yoosung based on this song because I was heavily inspired by the illustrated music videos I have seen of this song

Conclusion

I had been planning to make a lyric blog which would be related to a Mystic Messenger character. I am sorry that this took a very long time to come out. The only alibi I have to justify why I took so much of time is that, I was extremely nervous about it, I wanted to write a very good blog but I was not feeling confident enough about my project and hence I was extremely nervous about writing this blog. I an very glad for having instagram user @emilytheredone help me write this blog, she helped me to ease my nervousness over writing this blog. I am very thankful to her. Therefore, please let me know if this blog has turned out to be good.