#i feel as though many of us are stuck in a loop of not really being able to do shit besides. email post and weekly protests

[ganondoodle]

while i am procrastinating drawing in favor of staring blankly at the wall listening to my own tinnitus and heartbeat for some ungodly reason, i have decided to have the reworked sonau not include the barbarian set in any way (which has been freezing my progress of rewriting them to completion) bc it just doesnt fit them at all and explain it by implying that its a fake armor set with made up lore as essentially a piece of surviving propaganda made by the shiekah to make it seem more justified what they did to them-

(in my rewrite the sonau were an underground dwelling monkey-frog like creature feeding on nectar the nature of which made them turn into crystals of luminous stone upon death- which is also the energy source for the shiekah tech, additionally the sonau here were protecting ancient pieces of lost history of the past they were sure would lead to disaster if anyone of the surface would find them, and with believing the cycle of hyrules destructions is man made and self perpetuated at the center of their belief system it posed a danger to hyrules reputation- thus making them a target that ends in a double win for hyrule if eliminated)

-which would neatly also lead to perhaps a bit of tension with the existing shiekah, most of which of course dont know anything about any of it, but perhaps with impa being the only one to safeguard the only information left about it as a means of both preservation and to have it never be revealed :)

[greencarnation]

in northern ireland during the troubles (and before) catholics used murals as a way of both claiming territory/identity and taking up space in public when they couldn't march. it was a way of forcing their voices to be seen and heard when the media and the government were against them. it was a way of protesting. i will elaborate later but do you get me. marching, posting - all good but not the only way to resist. there is so much in our arsenal and we aren't exploiting it. you don't need 100k followers or ten thousand people marching with you to make your voice heard - you can start now, alone. make it impossible for palestine to slip from public consciousness, make everyone know and everyone remember

[gffa]

I have been drifting back to STAR WARS fandom lately and I have been greatly rewarded for it, especially in the gen fic veins, because there have been some banger fics authors have been putting out! And the thing that really gets me in the fannish heart is that there's more and more fics about the Jedi, both for exploring the characters and the culture. I have been able to find multiple fics that have been kind to Mace Windu! I have been able to find multiple fics that explain what attachment actually is to the Jedi and to Star Wars! I have been able to find multiple fics that lift my spirit up or punch me in the feelings in exactly the right way, both for the usual disaster lineage faves, but also for the Jedi as a whole. I'm serious, that means the world to me in this fandom, and I desperately want to share that with you all. LET ME SHOVE FIC AT YOU THAT LOVES THESE CHARACTERS AND THIS WORLD AS MUCH AS I DO!!

FICS THAT PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE WITH HOW GOOD THEY WERE: ✦ wayfinding by night by wrennette, obi-wan & luke & cast, time travel, 10.2k     Before him stood a fellow Jedi, worn and weary with loss. Obi-Wan finds himself on Ahch-To and helps Luke find a path through his grief. ✦ may you inherit his light by notbecauseofvictories, leia & bail & anakin & cast, 2.5k     When your father dies, say the Coruscanti, you are left clutching a star map for a different galaxy. In this, as in many things, Leia is her fathers' daughter. ✦ No Freedom From the Storm (But Peace In Its Midst) by Be_Right_Back, mace & cast, ~1k     Mace is freefalling. On his way down, he meets Hatred, and reaches for Serenity. ✦ "...if you remain his student" by Peppermint_Shamrock, anakin & ahsoka & cast, 3.9k     Ahsoka doesn't leave the Jedi Order. This does not save Anakin. This was never going to save Anakin. Nor stop him. ✦ a distant fire is burning by e_va, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & cal, time travel, 47.4k wip     Cal Kestis can move backwards in time (kinda-sorta-not really), and his confrontation with Darth Vader in the Fortress Inquisitorius plays out a lot differently. Fixing the timeline while stuck in his 10-year-old body will be quite the task, but Cal is up to it. He has to be. (Obi-Wan, Anakin, and the clone troopers have no idea what to make of Kenobi's weird new padawan. At least the kid fits in, though.) ✦ No Death, Only the Force by ExtraPenguin, anakin & mace & depa & shmi, 2.8k     Anakin Skywalker is just about to to free his mother from the Tuskens when the Force rudely yanks him to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant – and into Mace Windu's body. Mace, on the other hand, gets tossed into Anakin's body on Tatooine. ✦ Well Met by avocadomoon, obi-wan/padme (unconsumated) & corde & anakin, 19k     "Here and then gone again," Padmé said. "It must be lonely." "Sometimes," Obi-Wan said. "But a Jedi is never truly alone."

THIS FANDOM HAS A HAMMER AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF NAILS AND A REALLY GOOD STAPLE GUN, WE'RE FIXING WHAT CANON BROKE AND NOBODY CAN STOP US NOT EVEN GOD: ✦ Begin again by mauvera, obi-wan & qui-gon & anakin & padme & mace & dooku & cast, time travel, 78.9k     Five years into his self imposed exile on Tattooine, Obi-Wan Kenobi is gifted the chance to go back and bring hope back to the galaxy. With hindsight on his side, he fully intends to save his master, save his padawan, make some new and old friends again, prepare the Jedi for a war they’ll hopefully never see and begin to pull apart all the many tangled threads of the Sith Lord’s plans. ✦ Repetition by Peppermint_Shamrock, cody & obi-wan, time loop, 3k     Cody wakes up from a nightmare on the way to Utapau, again and again.

CANON-COMPLIANT (MOSTLY, UP TO A CERTAIN POINT, WHATEVER) DISASTER LINEAGE: ✦ it's like i can feel time moving by gigglesandfreckles, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka, 5.4k     “Hi,” Anakin says. It's after midnight. “Is everything alright?” “Can’t a man stop by his old master’s room?” Obi-Wan stares at him blankly. “Are you out of food?” ✦ yes, I will take you / I will love you, again by foreverstudent, obi-wan & anakin & cast, time travel, 2.5k     "So you have tried, Padawan." Qui-Gon takes a moment, and his expression is steely but not unkind--the one Obi-Wan remembers from particularly grueling training sessions. "Would you try again, if you had the chance?" OWK!Obi-Wan gets another chance, with a child he once left behind. ✦ No Good Deed Goes Unpunished by kittona, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka, 1.1k     Anakin gets a bit overprotective when his loved ones are sick. Luckily, he has the best home remedy for a cold. ✦ nothing a cup of tea can't fix by gigglesandfreckles, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka, 1.5k     when Anakin shows up to Obi-Wan's quarters in the middle of the night, the Jedi Master knows something has gone awry. answering Anakin's desperate cry for help, Obi-Wan is reminded of how very, very prone to dramatics his former padawan and grand padawan are. or Ahsoka gets sick and Anakin flips his shit. ✦ Stick Figures by KCKenobi, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka, 2k     war is hard. war is draining. to make it more bearable, little mementos* are routinely given. *mementos: encouraging notes, funny little drawings, little gifts, fun snacks, and poems which might get Anakin in trouble. ✦ When the Ground Breaks by stolen_pen_name23, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka, 4.7k     An earthquake causes devastation on the planet of Berchest. Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka work together to help save civilians until disaster pulls them apart. ✦ never fear, young one by marverse, obi-wan & ahsoka & cast, 6.2k     Ever since her first day of being a padawan, Ahsoka Tano remembers the words that Master Skywalker had once told her. And every time, she wonders, wonders, and wonders. ✦ the street's a little kinder when you're home by gigglesandfreckles, obi-wan & anakin, 5.2k     "So catch me up," Anakin says. "What did I miss?” Nothing. Nothing happens when you’re gone. “Oh, the usual.” [or: anakin goes missing. obi-wan doesn't handle it well.] ✦ holding anchor by foreverstudent, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka, 3.2k     At the landing of Point Rain, an injured Obi-Wan allows himself to be sentimental over his former padawan, and Anakin patches up his old master. ✦ Nothing to Say by KCKenobi, obi-wan & anakin & satine, 3.2k     (or: Anakin and Satine don’t know how to talk to each other. Until they remember the very important thing they have in common.) ✦ Aggressive Negotiations by SkyBlue1309, obi-wan & anakin & cast, 2.2k     People forget that Anakin was raised by the Negotiator. He was bound to pick up on a thing or two. ✦ At The Window by Peppermint_Shamrock, obi-wan & anakin, ~1k     In the early days of Anakin's apprenticeship, Obi-Wan searches for him in the Temple. ✦ The Words by Ibelin, obi-wan & anakin, 3.9k     Obi-Wan Kenobi has never said I love you in his life. He can say a lot of other things, though.

JEDI CULTURE AND WORLDBUILDING AND CELEBRATION: ✦ Refractions of Light by Independence1776, ezra & kanan, 1.3k     Kanan celebrates a Jedi holiday with Ezra. ✦ The grand outing by Ingata, dooku & sifo-dyas & obi-wan & bant & garen & reeft & yoda & cast, 4.5k     Eight younglings and two Jedi masters on a field trip. What could possibly go wrong? ✦ into the statue that breathes by spoonks, obi-wan & feemor & cast, 8.5k     The night watch in the garden was supposed to be the calmest of them all. No mischievous Padawans “sneaking” in or out, or ne’er-do-well civilians conducting “business” around the lower-level entrances that they didn’t know existed. No the gardens was still, and it was like time was frozen in ice that slowly melted away with the rising of the sun. A slow drip, drip— Drip. Immediately Feemor turned towards the central waterfall. Someone was standing there. Whoever they were, they were small and moved through katas with their hands open like a greeting. ✦ The Temple vs. Order 66 by LauraBWrites, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & cody & jedi & jedi temple, 3.9k     The Temple cannot defy the Will of the Force. But it can, it will prepare for the possible outcomes. It can damn well fight back. ✦ We Three Runaways. by Aethir, obi-wan & depa & komari, 2.7k     In which Depa and Obi-Wan bond, and a new sister is found. ✦ A Short Break by Peppermint_Shamrock, luke & yoda, ~1k     Luke complains about his training, and asks about Jedi training of old. ✦ we are made of our longest days by bereft_of_frogs, obi-wan & anakin & cast, 4.4k     Two years after the events of The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan and his new apprentice are called to a remote moon to fetch a baby who’s showing signs of a rare, unique power. On their journey home, Obi-Wan reflects on the last child he brought to the Temple and catches a faint glimpse of three possibly entwining futures.

I AM A PREQUELS ERA BITCH AND I'M MAKING THAT EVERYONE ELSE'S PROBLEM: ✦ the salle at dawn by maragny, anakin & mace, 1.5k wip     Master Windu is the best duellist in the Jedi Order. When Anakin Skywalker is seventeen, he duels Mace for the first time, and it ruins both of them for anyone else. ✦ Saving People Counts as Revenge, Right? by ImperialKatwala, obi-wan & anakin & dooku, time travel, 4.3k wip     Count Dooku of Serenno is an intelligent man. His methods may be a bit severe, and he may not be allowed true freedom to plan campaigns in the war he helped create, but he has always had an eye for strategy. Moving the pieces around the board and plotting out where they will need to be next. So, when he opens his eyes after Anakin Skywalker cut his head off, he knows to take a moment to assess what’s going on. ✦ if I could find solid ground again by maragny, anakin & depa, 1.5k     “You never told me what we’re doing today,” Anakin says, a little hesitant. “I…I don’t know much about Jedi things yet.” "Good thing we’re not doing Jedi things, then,” Depa replies. “We’re cooking!” Or, Anakin and Depa, finding their places in their family. ✦ Birds Fly in Different Directions by Triscribe, jedi & clones, time travel, 14.6k     In the corridor beyond her quarters, other Jedi were emerging from their own doors, most of them wide-eyed with shock. A few merely looked blearily concerned, and Aayla heard snatches of questions as she darted past, queries as to whether everyone experienced the same distressing vision. But those who clutched at their chests or throats, their weak points- those Jedi bore a muted horror in their eyes, and Aayla didn’t doubt they’d just suffered their own betrayals from trusted men.

✦ The Master, The Padawan, and The Force by Pandora151, padme & ahsoka, 1.9k     Padmé Naberrie was never one to procrastinate. More than that, she maintained a steady, consistent schedule — something that she’d managed to keep ever since she was a Padawan. She was always on top of everything, from her responsibilities with the war to training her own Padawan, Ahsoka. She was well-known throughout the Order for being steady, reliable. And most notably, no matter what, she didn’t just forget things. Which made her current situation all the more…ridiculous. ✦ Off-by-one Error by Jessepinwheel, obi-wan & cast, 12.2k     A stranger appears in the Jedi Temple. Nobody knows who he is or where he came from. Nobody knows what has happened to him except that it must have been something truly terrible. The stranger's name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. ✦ splinters of light by wrennette, dooku & jocasta & sifo-dyas & yoda & jaster & jango & cast, time travel, 22.5k     When Dooku's dying consciousness was sent back into his younger body, at first he remembered only that something important would happen on Korda VI, and soon. His investigations brought both clarity and confusion, and a conviction that he must atone for evils not yet enacted. ✦ The Road that Reaches by ExtraPenguin, anakin & mace & yoda & depa & shmi, 11.5k     As the Council sits down on Naboo to consider the newly-knighted Obi-Wan Kenobi's request to take young Anakin Skywalker as his padawan, they're informed of what transpired on Tatooine – and that Anakin used to be a slave. Mace Windu goes to interview the young child to confirm this, and gets rather more than he signed up for. ✦ the salle at dawn by maragny, anakin &/ mace, 5.1k     Master Windu is the best duellist in the Jedi Order. When Anakin Skywalker is seventeen, he duels Mace for the first time, and it ruins both of them for anyone else. ✦ through the dark (like two flames) by treescape, kanan/cal & quinlan, 5.3k     A Jedi found him on Bracca. Or, in the weeks after Order 66, Cal Kestis and Caleb Dume are reunited on Jabiim. Five years late, on the run from Inquisitors, they have a decision to make. ✦ Resilience by TemporaryUniverse, obi-wan & mace, 3.3k     Twelve years after his defeat at the Battle of Naboo, Obi-Wan's greatest enemy has returned from the dead. Obi-Wan has faced Maul and lost. Now it is time to face himself. ✦ The Buried Truth is Your Favorite Lie by Peppermint_Shamrock, dooku & yoda, ~1k     Dooku tries and fails to leave the past behind. ✦ Hanging On by the Last Threads of Our Hope by IllyanaA, ahsoka & rex, 5.2k     Ahsoka and Rex have endured too much. After the Fall, they stay together until they can't, but the Force has a way of bringing them back together. It's a fact for which both of them are immeasurably grateful.

MULTIGENERATIONAL STAR WARS IS THE BEST STAR WARS: ✦ Future Tense by CeruleanTactician, obi-wan & anakin & luke, time travel, 1.4k     Obi-Wan and Anakin find themselves twenty years in the future, where they meet a young man by the name of Luke Skywalker. ✦ Keepsakes by Coalmine301, obi-wan & leia, 2k     “You were the one who gave me my bantha, weren’t you?” “Yes,” Obi-wan nodded with a small smile. “Your father told me they were your favorite animal. At least then it was.” ✦ Why the Sith Don't Have Class Reunions by Peppermint_Shamrock, anakin & palpatine & maul & dooku & ventress, time travel, 1.9k     Sith apprentices rarely agree with one another (there’s a reason for the Rule of Two, after all), but Darth Sidious is starting to think that it’s worse when they do. ✦ My Dear Padawan by Tulak_Hord, luke & yoda & palpatine, time travel, 3.2k     In which a time-travelling Luke Skywalker successfully saves the Galaxy in perhaps the most horrifying manner imaginable. ✦ The Return by Pandora151, obi-wan & leia & haja, 1.4k     Haja wonders about the others. He wonders about the people he’s sent to the Path from Daiyu — not just Kenobi and the Princess, but that Force-sensitive boy and his mother, the Nautolan teenager from a few weeks ago, the young Kel Dor child and his even younger siblings. Did they all make it home? Are they safe? Was all of this worth it? ✦ Message From Guiding Light by Batsutousai, obi-wan & leia & mace, time travel, 2.2k     Ben and Leia never make it to Mapuzo on the borrowed supply shuttle, instead finding themselves in the middle of the Clone Wars.

FRIENDSHIP WITH CANON ENDED, THIS COOL AU IS MY NEW BEST FRIEND NOW: ✦ Not A Moment Too Soon by Triscribe, depa & kanan & cast, 2k     The first time she stumbled, her padawan said nothing, simply offering his shoulder for her to lean on. ✦ Parallel Lines by Pandora151, obi-wan & anakin, time travel, time loop, 10.7k     Darth Vader leans back in his chair, allowing a small smile to form on his lips, hidden by his helmet. “There is no escape from this, Obi-Wan,” he utters. He looks down at the neat line of text, and the Force echoes his words. “No escape from the past.” ✦ through the dark (like two flames) by treescape, ca/kanan & quinlan, 5.3k     A Jedi found him on Bracca. Or, in the weeks after Order 66, Cal Kestis and Caleb Dume are reunited on Jabiim. Five years late, on the run from Inquisitors, they have a decision to make. ✦ Loth-Cats and Loth-Rats by TessaDoesThings, mace & depa & kanan & ezra, 19k     All Mace Windu wanted out of the Post-Clone Wars world was a simple trip with his lineage to the long-forgotten Jedi Temples of the Outer Rim. However, on Lothal, the three might have bitten off more than they expected. The Republic may have triumphed, but the roots of what could have become the empire are gripped in the corners of the galaxy, and it might be time for some aggressive space weeding. Or a coup d'etat. That would work too. ✦ a princess, a farmer, a teacher by jesuisdeux, obi-wan & luke & leia & bail, 1.4k     Early in the morning, a girl and few men knock on a door. They don't wear anything resembling a soldier, but Obi-Wan has been a soldier long enough to notice the tense shoulders and wary looks beneath civilian clothing. She doesn't wear anything resembling a princess, but Obi-Wan knows these fierce eyes and grace coming from a righteous cause. or A New Hope AU where Vader doesn't attack Leia's ship and Leia herself delivers the news to Obi-Wan and consequently Obi-Wan doesn't die. ✦ What I Wouldn't Give To See Your Ghost by Triscribe , depa & kanan & cast, time travel, 1.2k     “Who are you?” Depa demanded, externally calm but internally frantic. “What is this place? And where is my padawan?” ✦ when that day comes by katierosefun, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & maul, modern au/reincarnation au, 44.8k     [or: the alternate universe where anakin skywalker has the chance at some new life…but only if he saves the life of a reincarnated obi-wan kenobi. the catch: neither of them know who the other was in the galaxy far, far away…but that might very well change.]

[twlgholts]

always kind of was, j.b.

chapter eleven, keep up

— jacob black x f. reader

a/n: since this fic is coming to an end soon, i wanna write more drabblee/oneshots and maybe another series. lmk any ideas u guys would wanna see! also thinking about hunger games and mcu things (esp peter parker and maybe finish my old fic)

prev. series masterlist! next.

You don’t sleep much. Not really.

You lie on your back, tangled in sheets, your room dim except for the moonlight bleeding through the window. One hand rests lightly on your lips, as if pressing there could keep the memory from slipping away. Like if you let go, it’ll fade. You close your eyes and replay it—again.

The way his voice dropped when he said I think I am, like he was afraid of what it meant but more afraid not to say it. The look in his eyes—like you were something rare and breakable, something he wasn’t sure he was allowed to touch. The tilt of his head, the way his nose barely brushed yours, like he was giving you time to back away. And then—everything warm and weightless and right.

You roll onto your side, sighing into your pillow. Jacob’s name loops in your head like a song stuck on repeat—familiar, rhythmic, a little annoying because you can’t turn it off. Your thoughts are stuck in a feedback loop of what ifs and did he mean it? and how long has he felt this way?

You think about the ride home. Quiet, but not awkward. Just full. Like there were too many words between you, all of them hovering, waiting, tangled up in what had already been said and done. You’d glanced at him more than once, caught that quiet smile still on his face—the kind that doesn’t ask for attention. Not his usual grin or his cocky smirk, but a soft pull at the corners of his mouth, like he was holding something close to his chest.

You swore he hadn’t stopped cheesing since you kissed.

He’d watched you wrestle the oversized bear into your doorway like it weighed fifty pounds, and his smile only deepened when you turned and caught him watching. You felt stupid then. The bear was too big, too much, too ridiculous. But he didn’t care. He wouldn’t. Would he?

Your fingers brush your lips again, and they still feel the shape of him—like your skin memorized the moment and doesn’t want to forget. The kiss hadn’t been fireworks (though there were those too). It was something slower and warmer, like stepping into the lake during a summer dusk, when the air is gold and the water wraps around you gently.

He kissed you like it was something he’d been holding in for years. Maybe he had. Maybe you had too.

Jacob was different now, sure. His physical differences were the most evident, but he was also quieter in some ways, heavier in others. Yet, he was not entirely different, especially not at the core. Not where it counted. He was still the boy who held your hand crossing logs in the forest, who dared you to jump off cliffs you were scared of, who made faces at you while Billy gave him a lecture. Your best friend. Your constant.

And maybe more.

You used to tell yourself it was platonic. That the jealousy was just old habits from when you were kids. But now you remember it all too clearly—how your stomach twisted when other girls talked to him at the beach, how you hated when they laughed at his jokes, how you always tried to pretend it didn’t bother you. He teased you once for getting possessive, back when you were younger, and you brushed it off, but it never really went away. You just got better at hiding it.

Maybe your love for him wasn’t just a flicker. Maybe it was a slow-burning thing. and it was always just there.

You flip onto your stomach with a groan, your cheek pressed against your pillow, still warm from all your tossing and turning. The bear sits in the corner of your room now, slumped like it knows too much. You swear it’s judging you.

Even though the ride back was silent, it wasn’t a bad silence. Just a new one. Like the space between two people standing on the edge of something they’re too scared to name. You crossed a line tonight. You kissed him. He kissed you. And now you’re here, back in your room, wondering if that one moment unraveled everything or just finally revealed it.

What if it meant everything to you and only a little to him?

What if it was just the Ferris wheel, the fireworks, the sugar-rush, the nerves?

But then why would he have looked at you like that?

You remember how gentle he was when he said goodnight. How you whispered thank you, and he shook his head. You don’t have to thank me. I’ve always wanted to. That’s what he said.

Wanted to what, Jacob?

Take you to the fair? Win you the bear? Kiss you?

Be with you?

You weren’t ready to ask. Not yet. So when you said, “I’ll text you tomorrow,” at the door, Jacob knew what that meant.

It didn’t mean you didn’t want to talk. It meant you needed time to think—to untangle everything knotted up in your chest. And he would, too. So he just nodded, didn’t ask for more because he got it. He always had.

You groan again and press your face into your blanket like maybe you can smother the thoughts into silence, but your heart is still wide awake. Still in that janky gondola, still floating, still brushing noses and hands and hearts.

When you finally walked inside, the door closed behind you, the bear dragging against your hip like dead weight. But you swear—your heart was still in his truck.

And maybe part of it still is, but there were just too many maybe’s.

The morning hits soft and golden.

You blink awake slowly, lids sticky with sleep, limbs tangled in sheets that feel too warm and too light all at once. For a moment, you forget why your chest feels full—why your lips still tingle like they’re remembering something your brain hasn’t caught up to yet.

Then it hits you.

The kiss.

His hands.

The look in his eyes like you’d hung stars for him.

You inhale, quiet and deep, as if trying to hold the memory in your lungs.

Outside, birds are chattering like they’ve got stories to tell—perched right on your windowsill like tiny, feathered neighbors catching up on the latest gossip. Your whole room is washed in sun, that golden kind that only happens right before noon, warm and slow, like the world itself is giving you space to process.

You don’t move right away. You just lie there in your pajamas, hand resting on your stomach, feeling your own heartbeat thrum steady under your palm. You let your gaze drift to the hoodie still hanging on the back of your chair—the one Jacob gave you when it started to drizzle at the drive-in.  You slip it over your head without thinking. The fabric’s soft and a little worn at the cuffs, and it still smells like him still.

You pad downstairs barefoot, teeth unbrushed, trailing thoughts behind you like loose threads.

The kitchen smells like cinnamon and strong coffee. Your mom is standing at the stove, stirring something with a wooden spoon and humming a little off-key. She doesn’t turn when you enter, just says casually, “Morning, sunshine. Sleep okay?”

You mumble a half-answer as you pour yourself a mug. “Yeah. Sort of.”

She glances over her shoulder—just briefly—but you can feel her eyes land on the hoodie. Then the change from tiredness to flustered in your fave. Then the way you’re standing in front of hrr like you forgot why you came. She doesn’t say anything right away, just hums again, this time with a knowing lilt.

You lift your mug, trying to hide behind it. “What?”

Your mom arches a brow, lips twitching. “So… are you and Jacob a thing now?”

You nearly spill the coffee.

“Excuse me?”

She shrugs, stirring like this is any other morning. “What? You two have been orbiting each other for years. I just figured something finally shifted.”

“Clear to who?” you demand, but your voice is too soft to sound truly defensive.

“Everyone,” she says, flipping a pancake like she’s talking about the weather. “I mean, come on. He used to follow you around like a duckling. Always showing up at our doorstep with some broken toy or snack he swore you had to try.”

From the living room, your dad’s voice cuts in over the rustle of a newspaper. “Kid’s had a soft spot for you since you were six. Don’t act surprised.”

You turn toward the hallway, scandalized. “Dad!”

“Don’t ‘Dad’ me,” he calls back. “We just figured it was your story to figure out.”

Your mom smiles into her spatula. “Which I guess you finally did.”

You stand there stunned, coffee forgotten in your hand, the world slightly tilted on its axis. They’d all just known? This whole time? When you thought you were being subtle? When you weren’t even sure how you felt yourself?

You press your palm to your forehead, trying to breathe around the heat crawling up your neck. “This is—this is actually insane.”

“Is it?” your mom says, scooping the pancake onto a plate. “Or is it exactly where you were always headed?”

You don’t answer. You can’t. Your thoughts are too loud, too tangled with the night before—the slowness of his voice when he said I think I am, the way his fingers threaded with yours like he’d done it a hundred times before, the kiss like something unfolding and familiar and new.

You take another sip of coffee. It’s cooled a little, but the warmth lingers.

The weight of your entire childhood bends forward into this moment—into this one, inevitable truth that maybe everyone else saw before you did:

You were always heading here.

To him.

It takes you all day to send the text.

Not because you don’t know what to say–but because saying anything feels like cracking open something you’re still holding with both hands. And also because you’re more nervous than you’d like to admit

You’re typing, erasing, typing again until you finally settle on something to say. You stare at it for a more than a few minutes before closing your eyes and pressing send.

You: Wanna come over?

The reply comes fast.

Jacob: Yeah, I’ll come by

You sit with that. Not just the message, but the knowing that comes with it—the way he didn’t hesitate like he was already halfway out the door.

When you hear the soft rumble of his motorcycle climbing up the street, your heart jumps. You pad out to the porch barefoot, the air thick with the scent of cut grass and rain-soaked pavement. Everything’s glowing–quiet and gold under the porch light, fireflies drifting lazily out by the edge of the yard like embers that forgot they were supposed to burn out.

The swing creaks softly as you settle into it, tucking your knees up into the hoodie, fingers curled around the armrest like it might keep you steady. You let the breeze move through you.

He pulls into your driveway and parks.

He walks slow, but not cautious. His footsteps crunch faintly on the gravel and the porch light catches in his hair as he steps up—wind-tossed, like he’s run his hands through it a dozen times on his way over. There’s a tightness in his jaw he’s not bothering to hide. His eyes find you and stay there.

“You got here fast,” you murmur.

His mouth curves, but it’s not quite a smile. “Didn’t want to make you wait.”

His gaze lingers, trailing from the curve of your legs tucked beneath the borrowed hem of his hoodie, all the way up to your face. There’s something raw in the way he looks at you, like he’s caught between disbelief and devotion, as if the mere fact that you’re here—that he’s here, real and tangible beside you—is something fragile he’s afraid to blink away.

“You look cozy,” he says, voice low, roughened at the edges like he’s still reining in the night.

You smile softly. “Wanna sit?”

He hesitates only long enough to shrug out of his jacket and toss it over the railing before he sinks down beside you. The porch swing shifts under his weight. You sway gently, shoulder to shoulder, but not quite touching.

For a minute, neither of you says anything. The night folds in around you—humming with bugs, still damp with the aftertaste of the fair. You can still smell the kettle corn on your skin, still feel the tilt of the Ferris wheel in your knees. Still see the way he looked at you when you weren’t pretending anymore.

Your voice breaks the silence first, soft and almost surprised. “It’s kind of wild that it’s only been a day.”

Jacob lets out a low breath–not quite a laugh, more like the sound of someone still catching up to the weight of things. 

“Feels longer,” he murmurs, gaze drifting somewhere out past the porch steps. The trees sway gently, lit silver under the moonlight.

You look over at him, brows raised. “Longer in a bad way?”

“Nah. not bad. Just…” He shakes his head slowly, his profile carved in shadow and porchlight. “Everything’s different now. Feels like I’m still trying to believe it actually happened.”

It. You know exactly what It is—that unspoken thing between you, thick in the air like the scent of rain before a storm. You nod, your pulse kicking up again, the way it always does when the silence between you turns this heavy, this honest.

“Yeah, I get that.”

Your fingers worry at the cuff of your sleeve—his sleeve, really—the fabric softened from wear, warm and familiar against your skin.

“I didn’t think I had the guts to say it out loud,” you admit after a beat, voice dropping lower, like a secret. “But I meant every word.”

Jacob finally looks at you, his eyes warm, steady, and a little amazed.

“I know you did,” Jacob says, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “And I’m really glad you did.”

He shifts slightly beside you, his shoulder brushing yours in the quiet. “’Cause I’ve been carrying it too,” he adds, and then, after a pause and a breath like he’s finally letting go of something he’s held for years, he says softly, “For a long time, actually.”

The silence that follows isn’t uncomfortable. It’s thick with understanding, with everything neither of you had words for until now.

You tilt your head back against the porch swing, the wood creaking softly beneath you. The night air is thick with summer sounds—the distant chirp of crickets, the faint rustle of leaves—and the porch light casts a warm glow that softens Jacob’s profile into something almost tender.

“Can I ask you something?” you say, voice low.

He looks over, a hint of a grin already tugging at his lips. “Anything.”

You take a breath. “Were you waiting on me to catch up this whole time?”

Jacob doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees and turning his hands over like the answer’s hidden in his palms.

“I wasn’t waiting,” he says finally, his voice rough but steady. “I was just hoping you’d say something sooner.”

You glance at him, catching how the porch light makes his jawline sharp, his broad shoulders relaxed but steady. There’s something in his eyes now—something softer, quieter—like he’s trying not to look too serious but can’t quite help it.

“Didn’t want to scare you off,” he adds, that half-smile curling his mouth. “Even if I wanted this. Wanted you.”

Your breath catches. “And now?”

Jacob looks back at you, that smirk still there, playful but sure. “Now? I just want to be wherever you are.”

You shake your head, laughing softly. “Yeah, because I’m so easy to keep up with.”

He shrugs, eyes crinkling with that familiar warmth. “Hey, I’m winging it as much as you are. Never done this before either.”

You look away for a second, feeling the weight of it all settle in your chest. “Feels like something just… flipped. It’s weird.”

“It did,” he agrees, voice low but steady. Then he shifts a little, his knee brushing yours—a casual closeness that somehow feels electric. “You’re not just some girl I like. You’re the one I’ve always liked. Since forever.”

You don’t say anything. Instead, your hand reaches out on its own, fingers curling into his, and he laces his around yours like it’s the simplest, most obvious thing in the world.

You meet his eyes, searching for something you can’t quite put into words. “I’ve liked you too. Always. Even when I didn’t want to admit it.”

He squeezes your hand, that grin spreading wider now, the kind that reaches his eyes. “Guess we were both just too stubborn to say it first.”

You laugh, the nervous edge finally fading, replaced by something warm and steady. The swing rocks softly, your feet bare on the porch boards, and you sit there tangled together in that quiet, perfect moment.

Then you grin, feeling bold. “So… does this mean I get to call you my boyfriend now?”

Jacob laughs–deep and easy, the kind that feels like home. “God, I hope so.”

You laugh, a little breathless. “Well, now I feel better.”

He quirks an eyebrow. “Better, huh? What were you worried about?”

You shrug, trying to act casual but feeling your cheeks warm. “I don’t know. I was thinking about you all night. Couldn’t sleep.”

Jacob’s eyes narrow in mock suspicion. “Oh really? You were thinking about me?”

You roll your eyes but can’t hide your smile. “Yeah, okay, maybe. But don’t get any ideas.”

He leans in a little closer, voice dropping into a teasing whisper. “Oh, I already have plenty of ideas. So, what exactly were you thinking about?”

You hesitate, then shake your head. “Okay, never mind. That’s a question for another day.”

Jacob laughs softly, the sound low and warm. “Fair enough.”

You both sit in the quiet for a moment, the night wrapping around you like a comfortable blanket.

“So…” you say finally, voice barely above a whisper. “Now what?”

Jacob’s gaze flicks to your lips, then back to your eyes, slow and sure. “Now I kiss you.”

And he does.

His lips are softer than you remember—not like grease and oil or strawberry gloss from the night before at the fair, but fresh, cool, with that unmistakable hint of mint. Like he’d brushed his teeth just knowing this moment was coming. Smooth move.

[mixolya]

ᓚᘏᗢ — golden hours, golden hearts : chapter 028 !

morning in the itoshi household was peaceful, the quiet hum of daily life settling around you. you had expected to spend the last day in kyoto minding your own business, maybe catching up on emails or pretending to be occupied until it was time to leave.

neither of you mentioned the fact that, the previous morning, you had woken up in his arms.

you were relieved, really. it was easier this way.

still, as you sat at the dining table, eating breakfast with his family, there was an odd feeling lingering in your chest. his mother had been the one to suggest that sae shows you around kyoto today.

"you two go on a date. sae, show her around your hometown," she insisted.

the idea of spending an entire day alone with him should have felt normal by now, but after everything, you weren't sure what to expect.

when you both left the house, the crisp air nipped at your skin. you adjusted your coat, glancing at sae, who walked beside you with his hands in his pockets.

"you don't have to do this, you know," you murmured.

he barely spared you a glance. "do what?"

"entertain me. i know your mom asked you to, but if you have something better to do-"

"i don't," he cut you off smoothly, then tilted his head at you. "unless you have something better to do?"

you pursed your lips. "that's not what i meant."

he hummed. "then let's go."

you didn't argue.

without thinking, you slipped your arm through sae's, the way you always did when walking beside someone. it was instinct at this point - something you had done so many times that your body didn't even register it as unusual.

sae, however, did notice.

his steps slowed just slightly, enough for you to realize what you'd done.

your entire body tensed.

oh.

you were about to pull away, an apology already forming on your lips, when he spoke.

"cold?"

the question was casual, like he hadn't just acknowledged the way you were clinging to him like it was second nature.

you hesitated. "...mhm."

that was a lie. kyoto's winter chill was biting, but that wasn't why your face felt warm.

sae didn't comment, nor did he move away. he just continued walking, the weight of your arm against his feeling oddly natural.

the two of you moved through the streets like that. side by side, connected.

it wasn't until you passed by a shop window, your reflections mirrored in the glass, that reality fully sank in. you were still holding onto him.

your gaze flickered to the way your arm was looped through his, the easy closeness of it, and suddenly, the warmth in your face intensified.

you pulled away almost too quickly, clearing your throat. "ah-"

before you could fully slip your arm out of his, sae's grip tightened, securing it back in place.

your breath hitched.

a silent refusal to let you go.

your eyes snapped up to him, but his expression remained indifferent, gaze fixed ahead as if he hadn't just done that.

"i-" you swallowed, your voice suddenly stuck in your throat.

sae didn't say anything. he simply kept walking.

"aren't you scared someone will see?" you asked.

"what? we already announced our relationship, though."

you huffed, glancing around at the people passing by. "yeah, but still..."

sae barely reacted. "what?"

"i don't know," you muttered.

you dumbass.

he hummed while his grip on your arm remained steady.

"this place hasn't changed much," sae murmured, slowing his steps as you passed a small street lined with old wooden buildings. the scent of fresh mochi and grilled dango drifted through the air, mixing with the distant sound of wind chimes.

changing topics, huh?

you glanced at him. "do you come back often?"

"not really." his eyes flickered toward a small shop on the corner. "i used to stop by here after school."

you followed his gaze to a tiny, old-fashioned sweets shop. the curtain at the entrance swayed gentle in the breeze, and through the open window, you could see trays of freshly made yatsuhashi lined up neatly.

before you could say anything, sae started walking toward it, his hand taking yours.

inside, the scent of cinnamon and roasted soybeans wrapped around you, warm and familiar despite never having been here before. sae exchanged a few words with the elderly shopkeeper, who looked delighted to see him.

"you haven't changed at all," she said, handing him a small box of yatsuhashi before her gaze landed on you. "and who's this?"

sae barely hesitated. "my girlfriend."

oh lord, you will never get used to this.

the old woman's eyes twinkled. "oh my, she's lovely. you finally found someone, huh?"

sae just made a small sound of acknowledgment, handing her the payment without any sign of discomfort. meanwhile, you were still trying to recover from the way he said it.

outside, you cleared your throat as you walked beside him. "you didn't have to say that."

he opened the box of yatsuhashi, breaking a piece in half before handing one to you. "why not?"

you huffed but took the piece anyway, letting the chewy sweetness melt on your tongue. "you always say it out of nowhere too.."

sae glanced at you. "what? are you embarassed?"

your face heated instantly. "no."

a slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, the kind that made your stomach do an annoying little flip. "liar."

you turned away, focusing on the streets instead, but it was impossible to ignore the way your heartbeat had picked up just slightly.

and then - without warning - sae leaned in.

his lips brushed against yours in a soft, fleeting kiss, so sudden that your breath caught in your throat. it wasn't deep or drawn-out, but it was enough to make your mind blank, enough to leave you completely frozen in place.

your eyes widened as he pulled back, his expression as calm as ever, like he hadn't just kissed you.

"what-" your voice came out embarrassingly high-pitched, "what was that for?"

sae tilted his head slightly, studying your face with the faintest hint of amusement. then with a shrug, he simply said, "i don't know, you looked pretty, i guess."

your brain short-circuited.

heat rushed to your face at an alarming speed, and you took a step back, gripping the sleeves of your coat like it would somehow steady you. "you-" words failed you entirely. "you can't just."

he huffed out a small laugh, barely noticeable, before turning back toward the path ahead. "c'mon, you'll catch a cold."

as if nothing had happened.

sae itoshi, i will fucking kill you.

chapter 027 > here > chapter 029

taglist is open ! <3

back to golden hours, golden hearts

a/n: man what is this this doesnt even make sense

taglist: @darling-dearesttt @saeslove @yuukiririix @sof888a @beepbopzlorp @luvrrin @narcjsistx @catukin @megumismyhusband @morgyyyyyyy @levihanmyotp @kaz-0e @nensi @vaelils @loverryxx @kunascutie @swagkittybear @alexiaray @kaidostwin @pookiei-bookie @syarc0re @vayahatesu @yangx2isawhore @pinkfqiry @treeguzzler @shumeow-h @modxbea @90s-belladonna @rory-cakes @sapph1r3x @yuiearyi @pctterheadd @thecallofmedusa @whisperofae @belovedfedya @anqelkoz @yukari1k @dontmindtheevie @pookalicious-hq @pan-kojiwa @spookysoowpprince @mivqko @chuuyalvover @viviinpt @h1sllvr @luvvmae @renchai @yourlocaleffy @x3nafix @saeglazer

© mixolya 2025. do not copy, remake or edit any of my works.

[burdenandacrop]

hi mags!! super happy to see you back! could you write something about sitting in schlatt’s lap?

˗ˏˋ ❝ could get used to this. ❞ ˎˊ˗

hii, thank you so much !! glad to be back, thank you for your patience with this submission :>

summary : up late and bored out of your mind, to bring back some adrenaline in your system. you choose to annoy schlatt who was already fed up with his night.

⋮ ⌗ ┆established relationship, dry humping, dirty talk, fem reader.

schlatt's face was stuck with the same 'i hate everything' look as he scrolled through his phone. it was very obvious he wasn't taking some comments too well to the heart, he usually just brushed it off; but something was different about tonight. you rolled over to him and peered your eyes to his screen, seeing how he was going through a reddit thread. your brain picking up on how many times the words 'asshole' and 'piece of shit' were prominent in the thread. seems like he did something that really pissed off the field of fans, you just rolled onto your back to not look to suspicious. "actual fucking idiots." he muttered under his breath as you could see his fingers typing away a third message to post in the thread. here he goes. it would be futile to try and convince him to not do such a thing, especially when he was like this.

some part of you wanted to at least attempt though, if your presence could keep him from looking like an angry hate-filled man on reddit; that'd be enough. you sigh and sit yourself up on the pillow, crossing your arms and eyeing him. he could feel your eyes on him and sighed, dropping the phone screen onto his chest and turning his head to you. god he really did look pissed, it was surprising considering he never got like this. not actually pissed. you drum your fingers along your forearm and sigh, "it's stupid to let them get to you like that, you know that right?" you state, it probably wasn't exactly the right thing to say in such a moment; but it needed to be said. you could see the anger on his face was never ending. "it's cause i was fucking 'mean' to panda." he admits, biting down on the inside of his cheek with nasally sigh. you couldn't stand to see him get so angry like this, but it might've been leaning from something else. it had to have been.

"none of those people affect how you actually are." you say as you softly shake your head, your words reeling in some needed common sense to schlatt's mind. when he got into fits like this, which weren't too often, his brain just loved to cut off any ties to critical thinking. just the same loop of 'these people are stupid and i need them to know i find them fucking stupid' over and over. leaving him with no defenses, that is, until you come into the picture to humbly remind him he has a good cognitive function. "over something so fucking small too." he sharply states as he rolls his jaw in irritation, letting out a deep sigh and closing his eyes. seems like he was calming down. he threw his phone to the ground and crossed his arms against his chest. never mind. you shook your head at his behavior that was now just seemingly overly childish. you had a thought though.

you scoot your body up and trail your hands to his arms, letting your hands travel up and down. the notion making schlatt open only his left eye to peek at whatever you were doing, letting out a deep gruff from his throat before tightly shutting his eyes again. maybe he thought if he closed his eyes for long enough, he'd forget about all the stupidity. just maybe. you scoff at his little attempt of acting like he didn't care, eventually having enough of this little character of his. propping your body up and climbing on top of him, as he felt you settle on his lap his eyes shot wide open. he looked at you with crooked brows, interested but none the less confused at the sudden action. you lean your upper half closer down to him, accidentally causing a small amount of friction to occur from the two of your sweatpants meshing with one another. "just keep your phone on the floor." you plead, and with that statement he just nodded slowly. his softened face looking as though he was in a deep trance.

you could see the hostility leaving his eyes, now being replaced by something much different. you stifle out a chuckle before trailing your fingertips along his chest, feeling every curve under the touch. you noticed how his heart rate was a bit faster, well faster than normally, smiling gently at the fact. seems like you still had that effect on him, nice. as your hands roamed along his chest, you exhaled deeply and let your head hang low as you looked down at him. "i want you to repeat after me." you bluntly state, the tone immediately making schlatt firmly nod. you smile and bring his hands to your waist, placing them exactly how you wanted them to be. he squeezed your sides a little before relaxing his muscles, "whatevers on that phone, it doesn't matter." you slowly mutter, a glint of anger returning back to schlatt's face but he nonetheless pushed it away. "whatevers on the phone- doesn't matter." he repeats, swallowing a lump in his throat afterwards.

you slowly nod at his words, pleased that he was actually willing to make an attempt. you move his hands slowly up before they're barely cusping the edge of your ribcage. your shirt raising a little in the process, causing him to focus on your lower parts. the reddit post was beginning to look more and more like an imaginary tale. you gently giggled as you saw how his eyes were traveling on your body, he was genuinely like a adolescent when it came to things like this. no matter how long he'd actually been doing it. "what's on the phone?" you ask after the long line of silence, he just relaxes his head against the pillow and chuckles. letting his hands get a good grip on the edges of your breasts. "you're like a stress ball, you know that?" he snickers out quietly, licking his teeth as he lingered his eyes on the curve of your shirt. you sigh and tilt your head at him, his head focusing back to the question you asked. "there's nothing important on the phone." he states, clearing his throat and settling deeper into the sheets.

you gently nod, pleased with his progress. "you got better things to focus on." you mutter out while letting your hands roam up and down on his chest, the slow motions of it making schlatt tense up slightly. you could even feel how his chest twitched when you pressed a little too hard. "yeah, i know. lookin' at it." he gruffly replied, you could practically hear the neediness in his voice grow. you giggle at this little remark and lean yourself over him, gently bucking your hips enough to press a bit of friction between the two of you. the little movement making him take in a sharp inhale and stare in your eyes with a look that screamed 'seriously?' your hands ran through his hair as you were mere inches from him. "too much?" you ask with a sly smile, letting your fingers run behind his ear. he could feel himself nearly letting go of any restraint with the feeling of your fingers tracing along his edges. "mm-mm." he groaned out, his lips tightly closed as he attempted to compose himself. it was just too easy.

the gentle touch of your hands, how thin the material of your sweatpants were, how he could see your underwear peeking out from the waistband. it was not hard to see he was enjoying this rather than arguing with mad men on reddit over a stupid joke. his hands reached to gently squeeze your chest, feeling the offensive under wire from your bra. "someone's needy." you chuckle out, only making him a bit more irritated. his grip became harsher, tugging at the cup and seething from his nose. "i'm sorry- i just-" he stammered out, his grip not lessening in the slightest. his hips gently rolled up to better meet with your core, he was practically begging for any type of movement. due to the thin material from your sweats, you could feel how his dick pulsated from underneath you. "need this. need you." he stammered out once again, his breaths coming out more quicker as he continued to roll himself against you. the friction helping you in the case as well, causing you to let out little whimpers. the sound only encouraging him more.

the second he heard your noises getting progressively louder, he leaned himself up and latched his hands onto your waist instead. quickly pulling your hips onto his lap, roughly grinding against you as he pulled you into a deep kiss. the second his lips found yours, he was lowly groaning from the satisfaction. your hips involuntarily moved with his, hitting the right spot over and over. you could feel every twitch from underneath you, wrapping your hands around his shoulders to bring yourself closer. he let out another groan as he felt your chest squish against his, instantly moving his left hand from your waist to roughly grip at your breast. you wince out softly into his kiss, only pushing him to go further. he pulled his lips off of yours and lowly chuckled, his lips fallen agape as he roamed his eyes all over your form. "i need to get mad more often if this is the fuckin pay-off." he groaned out, his hand moving from your breast so he could stabilize his hands back to your hips.

you roll your eyes and shake your head with a smile, "maybe just don't let internet trolls get to you." you roughly reply, kissing the tip of his nose and pulling back with a softer expression on your face. "yeah yeah." he says with a snarky tone, letting his hands relax along your thighs. "now let me delete those comments." he adds on, looking to his phone on the floor. you crawl off his lap and sigh, "whatever works." your little comment making him crook his neck to look at you as he reached to grab his phone. "smartass." he mumbled under his breath with a grin.

author's note : i love these oneshots so Bad. i apologize for it being short-ish, but i hope you like it anon ! <3 also another note, yes, this is based on when schlatt blasted people on reddit a year ago. i ponder about it often.

[sirfrogsworth]

Meeting my longtime artist and good friend, Chris, IN REAL LIFE!

So, I hadn't been to a restaurant in over a decade. I can't even remember which restaurant since it was so long ago. But in the past few weeks I've now been to TWO restaurants.

I am becoming a social butterfly. 

And it is exhausting.

But also good.

First I reconnected with my high school best friend, John.

And that went great.

But then the opportunity to see my friend Chris (a.k.a @whosthewhatnow ) came up only a few days later. And this close proximity of social events scared me a bit, but I have been feeling much better since they figured out my heart thing, so I decided to try and do both things even though they were only a few days apart. 

The key to this was strategic resting. As soon as I got home from seeing John, I got in bed and I didn't get out of it until it was time to see Chris. And that was just enough recovery time to pull this off. Typically a short outing requires 2-3 days of rest after. 

I had never met Chris in real life. He has done nearly all of the artwork for my website and comics over the past decade. And he was a main character in my CRAPPRnauts series.

We know each other so well and it is crazy that we've never seen each other with our very own eyeballs.

He is such an amazing artist. He works fast and he adds so many cool extra details that you can stare at his comic panels multiple times and catch a new joke or easter egg each time. He is a dream to work with and my Corg Life series was only successful because he did such a wonderful job bringing Otis to life in comic form. 

So we decided to meet up at a restaurant with his friend Michael and then I was going to take a nice portrait of him after dinner. Chris had never had a professional photo taken of himself and I decided to fix that.

I told him I had a mobile photography setup. Which, in reality, is a trunk full of lights and stands and other various camera gear that I definitely won't need, but bring anyway. It's "mobile" in that it all fits in my car if you are good at Tetris (which I am).

The restaurant was downtown and I had visions of St. Louis's famous Gateway Arch in the background of Chris's portrait. I thought that would be such a cool shot. I could see it in my head and I even dreamed about it.

So I got in my car and headed downtown and my GPS told me to exit at 249B. But I kept looking and I couldn't see the sign for 249B.

This is how much road I had left when I finally was able to see the exit for 249B.

So I ended up taking 249A and going straight to East St. Louis.

Which, if you believe the headlines, is not a place you ever want to be.

Google Maps and I have been having issues lately. They also tried to get me to take the spooky way home that night, but thankfully I actually knew the non-spooky way back from when I used to go to Cardinal games with my parents as a kid.

My short term memory was trashed by shock therapy. And so was a lot of my long term memory. But it finally came through in a pinch and remembered something useful.

I only had to loop around and cross a bridge so I didn't really do anything but touch the edge of East St. Louis. I was mostly concerned about being late for dinner more than its scary reputation. Usually those news stories about a place being "dangerous" are actually just racist and hurtful to people stuck in poverty. I mean, technically my house is in a "dangerous" neighborhood, and we do have trouble with petty crime in some spots, but aside from a few dinged-up mailboxes, I've never felt unsafe in my home.

On the way back to regular St. Louis I could see the Arch on the horizon at sunset and it was kind of magical. And I wasn't able to get a good shot of it, but it sure looked pretty from my point of view. 

My photos kind of remind me of the beginning of movies like Training Day where they are trying to show you gritty, dutch angle shots of the city out of the car window to give you a sense of the location.

As I approached the restaurant I invented a new genre I call "stoplight photography." The sky was orange and the streets of St. Louis were just asking to be photographed. But I wasn't willing to die to get neat photos, so I just took them at every red light.

The big trick was trying to edit the dark area at the top of my windshield out of the photos to make it look like I didn't take these pictures from my car.

After a 15 minute detour through Illinois I arrived at my destination—a Mexican place called Rosalita's. It had a beautiful sign, so I took that literal sign as a metaphorical sign it was a nice place to get a quesadilla. 

Dinner was great. Both signs were right and their quesadilla was very tasty. Chris and I both got one, so we are quesadilla twins. The waitress was one of those "I can remember your order without writing anything down" types. And I am one of those, "I get anxiety when things aren't written down" types. And, to her credit, she did not forget our orders. But she did forget to give us silverware and napkins. So I still feel like my anxiety was valid. 

We told sad stories of the pups we lost. But we also had a lot of fun and laughed and I got to meet Michael who turned out to be an absolute mensch. I sometimes have trouble meeting new people with my social anxiety, but he was very affable and made me feel comfortable with his presence almost right away. He was a fan of Otis and mentioned he still has a Super Otis shirt. I always get choked up hearing that Otis is still loved. Hopefully we get to meet again. 

Dinner ended and it was picture time.

I asked Chris if he wanted the high effort photo or the low effort photo. Either we figure out how to get to the Arch or we find a spot near the restaurant and just take his portrait there. Chris and Michael had a driver because they were coming from a big conference and getting to the Arch would have been complicated. So we decided to go with the low effort option. 

I found a cool shop nearby that had an LED wall that changed to all sorts of different colors. And I thought that would make a neat background and give a colorful edge light on Chris's face. I pulled my car near that spot and started unloading my trunk full of photo gear.

I think Chris and Michael were a little overwhelmed when I started pulling camera gear out of my trunk like a clown pulling an endless handkerchief out of his mouth. But as far as photo setups go, it was actually pretty minimal. 

Light, giant battery, light stand, umbrella, tripod, camera, rolling walker with seat.

My dad's old rollator came in clutch because I wanted to shoot from a low angle and it is hard for me to bend down. In fact, I think I'm going to look into getting an all terrain version so I can do more outdoor photoshoots.

I started shooting in the middle of a downtown sidewalk. And I was super anxious. I could not focus (my brain, not my camera). I was very distracted with all of the people walking by and staring. I was not sure if any of the photos were turning out. I wasn't even sure if they were in focus (my camera, not my brain) because I had not yet had my lens calibrated. But down the street there was a guy with an old school boombox playing random music. His music helped to drown out the ambient noise and gave me some comfort.

I had no clue if the photos were any good, but when I got home and checked them on my computer, I realized I have 12 years of experience and muscle memory built up. I probably should have just trusted myself because the photos all turned out great.

I think Chris can now officially say he has had a professional portrait taken of himself.

This photo has been officially loved by Chris's girlfriend and mother.

There is no greater seal of approval and I am honored.

I was able to comp in any of the colors the wall displayed from other shots in case Chris is feeling a little more green in the future.

A literal rainbow of options.

I also liked this one, though it is a little more "environmental portrait" than regular portrait.

And I got some nice photos of our little group to help us remember the night. 

And I got a bunch of photos of Chris making silly faces like Calvin at his school photoshoot. 

I love this woman's reaction to our little impromptu sidewalk photo shenanigans.

After we said our goodbyes and I gave my friend a hug, I was a little bummed I didn't get to photograph him at the Arch like I had dreamed.

But then I realized I had my own car and it was capable of taking me places. (I actually haven't gotten used to that after not driving for nearly 15 years.)

So I decided to drive a few blocks over to Kiener Plaza—a park with a view of the Arch. 

TO BE CONTINUED...

[kakiastro]

2024: The Year of the Dragon

Well, we made yall! This was a 7 ruled year, ruled by the Moon, Neptune, and South Node. This year had us all deep in our feelings. So many people had their first spiritual awakening, others psychic gifts has strengthened. This year was teaching us on how to listen to our intuition. If you’re a creative, then this year was really the year ideas and projects came to you. With the moon here, so many people started their own families, so many woman in my personal life had babies this year lol. Our family dynamics changed, our homes may have changed. Lots of early life/past lives issues smacked us in the face this year, a lot of people started their healing journey.

This year is an 8 ruled year.

8 rules over the spiritual and materialistic world. 8 is balance, it means you need to balance being in our world and the spiritual.

8 is also an infinity symbol, hence why is it’s a loop. What loops(patterns)have you been stuck in? This year will show you that and what loops you need to get out of

8 also have a deep love for humanity, so I personally expect more protest against wars, those who are really suffering in our world. There’s going to be a strong empathy pull. Make no mistake though, the number 8 also rules over authority, social status, ego, inner strength and wisdom. While there’s a lot of love, there’s going to lots of people having unchecked egos so be careful of that. Listening to others opinions(whether you agree or not) will be a collective lesson.

The number 8 is ruled by Saturn and Capricorn. This is a Saturnian year. So to my fellow Saturnians/Capricorn placements/10h, we are the first in line the classroom (earth) this year lol.

Saturn is in Pisces, so fellow Caps, and everyone really, I feel we are going to continue being in our feelings and will begin to open our hearts to others. Capricorn is a reserved sign, doesn’t really show outward emotions, they would rather cry in private or in the shower😅. Not this year LoL, this year is teaching us that it’s okay to not be okay, it’s okay to be open about it as well. We will meet people who will show us the magical side of life. Saturn is a realism and pessimistic sign, but Pisces is the sign of hope, magic and fantasy. Remember, Pisces is also co ruled by Jupiter which is currently in Taurus. What is success to you? Is this success to you because this is what you were taught or is this what you really want? These are the type of questions you will be asking yourself.

8 is the number for Karma as well. Karma isn’t what many people think it is lol. Karma isn’t just some revenge type of thing lol. Also, Karma isn’t always bad either so get that out your mindset as well. Bad things happen to good people all the time, you being a good person doesn’t exempt you of messed up situations. If anything, it’s to make you become more empathetic and self aware of the bad things. Karma can be good as well

The etymology of karma is from the Sanskrit meaning “Action, Effect, Fate”

Karma is what you do that will cause a ripple/effect that can change your fate.

Example:

1. You get into a relationship and everything is going great for a year. Then you discovered your partner cheated. Your hurt and say “karma will get him and I can’t wait to watch.”

2. Months go by and you see your cheater ex is in a new relationship, treating this new partner better than you. You start thinking “karmas not real because if it was, why are they living the good life?” Meanwhile, you’re still picking up the pieces to heal but you’re healing is the key word.

3. Little do you know, your ex had cheated on you with someone who’s only using them and they end up getting cheated on. It wasn’t because of you, know they created that ripple for themselves. They let there ego and lust dictate there actions. If they would’ve had any control, they would’ve known not to do this so the Universe/God let the domino fall. They may end struggling with their career, health, spiritually to teach them to grow and learn. Now will they? That’s up to them. Just because someone appears to be doing well from the outside doesn’t mean that they really are or going to be.

4. You’ve done your healing and now know what you want and the red flags to look out for. You end up in an actual healthy relationship. A friend of yours suspects her partner of cheating and asked for your advice. Because you went through this, you know the signs. Because of this, you helped her. See that domino effect lol

That was long but I hope that makes sense you all! I have a mercury Rx in my chart so my thoughts go everywhere lol.

One of the first biggest events of 2024 is that Pluto enters Aquarius

Dates: January 20th - September 1st

Then: it will go back in Capricorn for the last time in our lifetime in September 1- November 20th.

Finally: it will go into Aquarius November 20th, where it will stay unto 2043. Y’all this is a 20 year transit!! So many changes are about to happen

I’ve already made a post about this transit, you can read it here!

2024 is the year of the dragon, in the element Wood.

Dragons are seen as honorable, strength, success

Wood represents vitality and creativity

-this is good year to pursue your goals and if you’re consistent, you will achieve success.

Eclipses

First Lunar eclipse will be on March 25th.

It will be in the sign of Libra! Which is where South Node currently is as well. Relationships with our family and within our home will be highlighted. The house that Libra rules in your chart will tell you how this will

First Solar eclipse will be on April 8th

It will be in the sign of Aries with NN being in it. Setting new goals for yourself, starting something new in your life, be bold and brave.

2nd Lunar eclipse is in Pisces on September 17th. Hello feelings lol! Pisces will have us sit alone and think about our most hidden thoughts and they will be highlighted. This is a good time for spiritual growth.

2nd Solar eclipse is in Libra on October 2nd. Relationships will be the hot topic for 2024. I predict so many people are going to be breaking up, finding love, having new friendships, family relationships are going to be changing, collaborating with people, justice, fairness will all be themes

Mercury Retrogrades will be in fire signs this year

First Mercury Rx is in Aries on April 1st-25th. Thinking and planning your goals, making sure everything is in order.

2nd Rx is August 4th-28th in the sign of Virgo and Leo. It’s giving say it with your chest energy but not too much lol. Be brave with your thoughts but try to think rationally as well.

3rd Rx is November 25th in Sagittarius. Time for us to reflect on our ideals that we’ve learned. Look at different philosophies point of view

Another big Astrological event is the Jupiter-Uranus in Taurus conjunction on April 20th.

Jupiter is the planet if expansion, higher learning, traveling and religion

Uranus is the planet of change, science of medicine, innovation and rebellion.

Taurus is the 2nd sign of the zodiac and it rules over our finances, self worth, our possessions, food, beauty, nature such as forest and trees.

What do I predict with this transit:

-huge breakthroughs with regarding medicines and innovative discoveries

-something dealing with travel or immigration

-I suspect some type if change regarding the church or how people view the church (pastors, priest etc)

-something dealing with our food and us being more aware about our own dietary choices. What’s not good for us and what goes in our food basically

On May 25th, Jupiter leaves Taurus and enters airy sign Gemini. It will be in Gemini until 2025

The best way to describe this transit is communication!!! Remember Jupiter expands everything so we will be more open about our thoughts and standing on business on what we say! I feel there’s going to be a huge influx on the dire need to want to go back to school and learn new things. Big cars are going to the thing everyone will want to have! If you’re a writer, this can be a good year to write that book and get it published, all the way up until 2025 at least.

Mars Go Rx December 6th- February 23rd 2025, in the sign of Cancer and Leo!

This is poignant because Mars only go retrograde every 2 years! The last Rx was 2021-2022 ish and it was in Gemini

With it switching from water and fire, emotions will be be high. Really check your emotions during this time, this can be a good time to sort your home out, being motivated to start something like a creative outlet.

As you all can see, this is going to be an eventful year but I’m wishing you all happy and memorable one! To those who’ve been following me this year, I just want to say thank you! thank you! thank you!

With love and gratitude

-kaki

[thewickedjazzy]

Could u do dazai x reader with ocd?

Featuring: Osamu Dazai x gn! ocd reader

Content: sfw, fluff, slightly angst, mention of some swearing words, I believe that's it?,

Author's note: hiiii anon, so sorry for the late response, I swear I was working on it since I received it. I'm also working on all of yall's requests - I'm not sure if you wanted a fic, drabble, or headcanon so I just did a rock paper scissors.

Word count: 1k

❥ Dazai is a smartass, quick witted even, and don't forget that he works at the agency as a detective so of course he will quickly notice how you constantly worry about things going wrong—whether it’s leaving your water bottle uncapped or making a mistake at work. He sees you zoning out at the office, caught in a loop of anxious thoughts, and quickly deduces that it’s more than just everyday stress.

❥ At first, before really getting to know you, he was just a quiet observer. But he never judged, not even once. He’s got his own mental shit to deal with, so he knows how fucked up minds can be. He’d make mental notes of your quirks, just in case he needed to handle them during a mission or whatever.

❥ As he gets to know you better, he figures out how sweet and lovely you are—unlike the twisted side of your mind. It’s like an addiction for him; he craves that balance. He enjoys being friends with someone who has their own dark side, just like he does. Maybe you’ll understand where he's coming from, push him to be a better version of himself.

❥ It’s only after your relationship becomes official that he feels entitled to meddle in your problems. He believes that getting involved in such matters is only appropriate once there’s a solid, established connection between you. Until then, he's just an observer.

❥ You were the one who approached him first, explaining that you have OCD. You felt more anxious than you’d anticipated, having considered telling him many times before but never managing to do so because your mind held you back. He remained calm, and it was only when he revealed that he had known all along that you felt embarrassed. In his typically laid-back manner, Dazai might say, “Oh, I’ve known about your OCD for a while now. You don’t need to be embarrassed—it's actually quite endearing. It doesn’t change a thing between us. We’ll work through it together, and honestly, it’s no big deal.”

❥ One day, while on a mission with him and Atsushi, you were deeply focused on analyzing the crime scene. You managed to uncover evidence that even Dazai had missed, piecing together how the victim was killed with remarkable accuracy.

❥ Needless to say that dazai was surprised by how quickly you cracked the complex case. Even after the murderer was arrested, you continued to ramble about additional details, anxiously checking the file in your hand and worrying about missing something, though there was nothing left to find. Eventually he stopped you, gently holding both your wrists. As you looked up, apologising profusely, he simply shushed you, saying, "It's fine. The case is solved, and we’ve caught the murderer."

❥ Atsushi the poor kid he is watched the exchange between you and Dazai with curiosity. When you reluctantly handed him the file with a nod, Atsushi leaned in and whispered to Dazai, asking if you were alright. Dazai simply smiled and replied, "They're just the perfect detective, doing their job flawlessly."

❥ Dazai is surprisingly attentive to your needs when it comes to your OCD. If you’re stuck in a loop of checking something multiple times, he’ll gently steer you away from it by engaging you in conversation or distracting you with a task. He might even playfully mock himself to make you laugh, using humor to ease your anxiety. “Looks like I’ve accidentally left my keys at home for the fifth time this week. Isn’t that a catastrophe?”

❥ If you’re particularly anxious about a big case or an important event, Dazai might surprise you with a comforting gesture. He could leave little notes or small tokens of reassurance in places you’d find them, like a hidden message in your desk drawer or a comforting snack in your bag.

❥ When you’re feeling overwhelmed, Dazai has a knack for knowing when you need space and when you need company. He might give you space to deal with your thoughts but always makes sure you’re not alone. He could show up with your favorite coffee or a calming playlist, knowing just when to intervene.

❥ Dazai might not always express it directly, but he has a deep understanding of how your OCD affects you and often subtly adapts his behavior to support you. He might avoid making sudden movements or loud noises if he knows it could trigger your anxiety. His sensitivity to your needs shows how much he cares.

❥ Dazai would likely offer reassurances in his own, less conventional way. Dazai might not be that sentimental boyfriend but he makes casual but heartfelt statements that affirm his love, such as “You’re the only one who can put up with my nonsense,” or “I can truly be myself with you, without a second thought.”

❥ Dazai would be more mindful of his humor, staying away from jokes or comments that might trigger your OCD. He might use humor in a way that’s supportive and aligns with your sense of comfort rather than distress.

❥ If someone makes fun of you, Dazai would likely handle it with a blend of nonchalance and protective instinct. He might casually brush off the mockery with a witty comment, like, “Oh, they’re just jealous of your intellect,” showing his confidence in you. If needed, he would also step in to defend you.

➵Want more of Osamu Dazai ?

[kikyoupdates]

Made to Destroy ⭑˚💎⭑ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑

bnha x op!reader

op!reader, my hero academia x fem!reader, reverse harem, over powered reader, f!reader

You are the product of a series of twisted experiments, an anomaly that shouldn’t have ever existed in the first place. Thankfully, you are taken into the arms of a hero and given a new purpose in life. But as you soon discover, it isn’t easy to deny your true nature, especially when you were made to destroy.

prologue | story masterlist | next

I don’t know where I’m going.  

You’ve been walking for a while now, with no real destination in mind. Truthfully, you’re not searching for anyplace in particular. You just figure that anywhere will be better than being stuck with that crazy old man.  

So, you walk. The building you’ve just come out of is rather secluded, tucked away behind a canopy of trees. There’s no one else as far as the eye can see, so you make the journey in total silence, instead focusing on the sweet-tasting air, and the little birds that flit from branch to branch.  

The minutes trickle on, turning to hours, and you find yourself weighed down by a heavy feeling that must be fatigue.  

But it’s okay. Because it seems like you’ve just reached the city.  

Here, you are no longer alone. It’s crowded and busy, and there are tons of people roaming about. You can’t help but blink in awe. Up until now, the only person you’ve met was Dr. Garaki. You never imagined that there would be so many others besides him.  

Curious, you take a step forward. 

Only to be immediately pulled back.  

“Be careful!” a woman cries out, and something speeds past you at that very moment, just narrowly missing your body. You frown and look back at the woman in confusion. For some reason, she’s gasping for breath and her shoulders are trembling. “You almost walked right in front of that car,” she says shakily. “Seriously, you need to look both ways before crossing. The pedestrian light wasn’t even on.”  

You’re not really sure what she’s talking about, but you nod nonetheless. 

“Okay,” you reply. “Thank you.”  

She lets go of your arm, then looks you over for quite a long time. Something about your appearance must not sit right with her, because her brow is now furrowed.  

“Is everything okay—”  

“Hey, what’s the hold up?” someone else interjects. It’s a man, and he loops his arm around the woman’s. “Come on, I’m in a hurry here. I need to get back to work soon.”  

“Oh. This girl was about to wander out into the street, so I got worried about her,” she explains.  

“Yeah? Well, she’s fine now, so let’s go. Like I said, I don’t have time for this.”  

The woman is jerked along without another word, but you can see her glancing back over her shoulder every few moments, a look of concern plastered across her face.  

Eventually, she disappears through the crowd, so you shrug and carry on walking.  

A lot of people seem to be giving you funny looks. You don’t notice them at first, but eventually, you realize that you’re drawing a lot of attention to yourself. You’re not really sure why, though.  

More importantly, so much of this is new to you. Not only are there tons of people, but there are countless buildings, in all colors and sizes, as well as other strange things you’ve never seen before. The world outside appears to be vibrant and bright, already a massive improvement to the dingy lab you awoke in.  

You keep walking. Some people look like they want to call out to you, or at the very least, they’re thinking about it, but ultimately, they reconsider and let you carry on your way.  

Everyone disregards the fact that you’re a child all on your own and assumes that someone else will come to your rescue eventually. That’s the reasoning they use to spare themselves the hassle and wipe their hands of any responsibility.  

And then, someone does come to your rescue.  

“Hello there, little girl. Are you by yourself?”  

It’s a tall man with a warm, inviting smile. He fixes you in a tender gaze, and unlike everyone else, he takes the time to find out how you’re doing.  

You nod in agreement. “Yes. I’m alone.”  

For some reason, the man’s smile grows even wider. Unfortunately, you’re too naïve to realize why.  

“Well, that just won’t do,” he hums. “It’s not safe for a kid like you to be all alone on the streets. How about I help you out? I can get you something to eat too. You sound like you’re hungry.”  

Hungry? You’re not too familiar with the term, but perhaps he’s referring to how your stomach is grumbling without pause. It’s an uncomfortable feeling, one that you’d been trying to disregard up until now. But if this man says he can help with that, you’ll gladly take him up on his offer.  

“I think I am hungry,” you concede. “I want to try eating something.”  

“Of course,” he grins. “Just follow me.”  

So, you do. It doesn’t occur to you that perhaps you shouldn’t trust people so blindly, especially given the experience you’ve already had with Dr. Garaki. But as you will soon discover, the outside world is plenty dangerous too, and your total ignorance makes you all the more vulnerable to it.  

The man reaches over to grab your hand in his, and he seems tickled pink by the fact that you don’t try to refuse.  

For a while, the two of you walk like that, hand-in-hand. You keep looking around the whole time, trying to make sense of your surroundings, and eventually, you see something that makes your eyes widen.  

“There,” you say, pointing towards a building. You can see through its glass windows, and the people inside are all sitting at tables and shoveling various things into their mouth. They’re... eating, right? They must be. Your brain instinctively makes the connection, and right on cue, your stomach starts grumbling even more.  

“What is it?” the man frowns.  

“They’re eating food,” you say. “In there. Can we go in to eat too? I’m hungry.”  

“Ah. I actually don’t have a lot of money on hand,” he sighs. “But I’ve got a nice meal waiting for us back home. I can get you more comfortable clothes to change into as well. Don’t worry. It’ll be way better than sitting in a cramped diner.”  

You tilt your head to the side, confused. “But they’re all eating, and I want to eat too. I don’t feel like waiting any longer. I want to go there.”  

“Like I said, I don’t have money,” he explains.  

“Money?”  

Yet another term you’ve never heard before. There’s a lot that you don’t understand, that you still need to learn. Of course, the man can’t possibly know that, so he must assume you’re just playing dumb. 

“Everyone else is eating, so why can’t we do it too?” you ask.  

He clicks his tongue, and his smile drops for the very first time. “Don’t be difficult,” he grimaces. You notice that his grip on your hand has become tighter. “I promise I’ll give you some food at home, so please just listen to me, okay?”  

Despite his insistence, you stubbornly root your feet into the ground. There’s food right on the other side of that window, and you’re not going anywhere until you’ve tried some for yourself.  

“I want to go in there,” you say again. “I’m not leaving.”  

It seems like that’s really not what the man wanted to hear, because all of a sudden, anger flashes through his eyes, and he pulls you forcefully, making you stumble forward in bewilderment.  

Then, he throws you over his shoulder.  

“I played nice and gave you a chance,” he glares. “All you had to do was not act out like a little brat.”  

He’s running now, still gripping you tight and refusing to let go. All you can do is gape, watching as the diner fades further and further into the distance. You lament the loss of your food, which now appears to be hopelessly out of reach. The hunger is getting worse by the second, too. It feels like your stomach is about to implode.  

You know what you have to do. You need to fight this guy off and break free of him. But much to your dismay, you can’t muster up the strength, no matter how hard you try. That feeling from before, when you channeled all that energy... it’s gone. And you’re not quite sure how to bring it back.  

“I want food,” you groan, feeling weaker by the second. The man pays you no mind, of course. He keeps running as fast as his feet will carry him. You wonder where he’s taking you. Wherever it is, you doubt it’s anywhere good. It seems like Dr. Garaki isn’t the only crazy bastard in this world.  

So, you escaped. Only to be captured by yet another maniac. 

And to think that this is only your first day of living.  

“It’s going to be okay,” the man reassures, laughing in a shaky, deranged manner. “You’ll see. The two of us... we’ll be happy together. I’ll take care of you and give you everything you want.”  

“...is that so? And here I was, thinking that you’d kidnapped the poor girl.”  

Another man’s voice. It’s deep, but soft, and it catches you completely by surprise, since you were convinced that no one else was anywhere near you.  

The man who kidnapped you cries out, but it’s too late. Something tough and sturdy wraps around his body and immobilizes him, and in the next moment, your feet are resting comfortably on the ground, right where they ought to be.  

You look up at your savior, who has pale skin, long disheveled black hair, and a lethargic yet stern expression.  

His name is Aizawa Shouta, and he will change the course of your life forever.  

“I’ll never understand what goes through the minds of sickos like you,” Aizawa mutters. 

“I-I wasn’t doing anything wrong!” the other man frantically protests. He’s bound by some weird kind of cloth, and it’s safe to say that he isn’t going anywhere. “We were just enjoying a nice day out, and she was getting a bit rowdy, that’s all. I was bringing her home so that she could calm down! Isn’t that right?” 

He looks over at you expectantly, perhaps hoping that you’ll help him get out of this sticky situation. 

But just because you’re more ignorant than the average person doesn’t mean you’re stupid.  

It's obvious that he’s a bad guy, just like Dr. Garaki.  

“I only met you a few minutes ago,” you say. “And you promised me food but got angry when I wanted to go inside one of the buildings. You grabbed me and forced me to go with you, even though I didn’t want to.”  

Aizawa narrows his eyes, and the man chuckles nervously in response. “Sh-She’s always such a joker. Come on, don’t be that way. You’re going to get your old man in trouble.”  

“Nice try,” Aizawa comments insincerely. “But I’m afraid there’s only one place for creeps like you.”  

The man wails out in protest yet again, but all his pleas fall on deaf ears. It looks like he’s in a lot of trouble. You’re not sure where he’s being sent to, but it probably isn’t someplace nice.  

Aizawa grips onto the cloths tightly, but finally spares you a proper glance. “More importantly, are you okay, kid? That must’ve given you a fright. Everything’s fine now. You’re safe.”  

You frown. Can you really trust him? It’s only been a few hours since you’ve awoken, but so far, your experience with people has been disappointing to say the least. You’re starting to realize that you have to be more on guard. There’s no telling what someone will do next.  

“Who are you?” you ask. “What if you try to hurt me, too?”  

Aizawa smiles sympathetically. “Yes, I understand why you might feel that way. But I promise I’m different from this dirtbag. I’m a hero. Protecting people is what I do. That much, I can promise you.”  

A hero. For some reason, the word evokes a strong feeling.  

Kill heroes. Kill heroes. Kill heroes.  

You wince. That voice in the back of your head is acting up again, making you feel all jumbled up and icky inside. It’s the same voice that was commanding you to obey Dr. Garaki. The voice that you instinctively know you can’t trust.  

But much like before, you manage to fight against it. You shove it to the back of your mind and disregard what it has to say.  

The man in front of you says he’s a hero, and apparently, heroes are supposed to help people. It’s possible that he’s lying. It’s possible that you’re being set up for disappointment again.  

But you decide to give him a chance. 

“I’m Aizawa,” he introduces.  

“I’m [Name],” you say. Even if Dr. Garaki was the one to give you this name, it’s yours now, and you are determined to cherish it. 

Aizawa nods, offers you a small smile, then reaches out to you.  

You take his hand. 

prologue | story masterlist | next

More chapters are available on Quotev or Wattpad!

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💎 main masterlist ♡ oneshot masterlist

[mari-lair]

I have so many questions about your Researcher!Siffrin! How did they meet and join the party? Since Siffrin is the researcher, what are the rest of the party’s roles? What would the King’s reaction be to Researcher Siffrin? Does the party react differently to Siffrin losing his eye since he was already partly blind before they met the party? (I’d imagine there still being a guilty feeling about it, but Siffrin’s unique sight situation would make it a bit more complicated) Does Researcher Siffrin get stuck in a time loop or teach the party member wishcraft?

Overall, absolutely love your Researcher Siffrin to bits! Would love to see more of them and how they interact with the party!

Thank you! I'm so happy you like them :D

I have very blurry party plans, I am trying to get a feel for Siffrin first before figuring out everyone's else's place in the au and how they interact with each other . As of now though (which means this is a placeholder and can be changed) Bonnie will be the housemaiden, Isabeau the traveler, Mira the fighter, and Odile the cook.

I am not sure how they let Siffrin join them, cause honestly? Siffrin is not ready for an adventure. They have problems being in cities and are bad at fighting.

living their day-to-day life after being dragged out of the safety of his home is hell to the Researcher. His lack of Vauguardian knowledge + his rusty social skill + passion/study in a culture (his culture!!) that no one takes seriously + excellent hearing + tendency to just run when he is overwhelmed make it so not only is a normal conversation very taxing for them, but it is also very easy for people to say microaggressions, even the well-intentioned/genuinely worried people do it. (I have so many comic sketches of this poor fella being mistreated by accident... save them save them!) So they are constantly associating people with being stressed. They don't want to stay with people for too long.

On one hand it means they will visibly dread entering the party of savior, but on the other hand, I know he will be the one to approach them and try to join them cause "if we defeat the king I can go back to my lovely isolated home, oh Universe please let me go home!" ---> is being genuine in his desperation to go home but will have a "!!!!" moment when he forms a connection with his party members.

I do know siffrin won't be the one-time looping though, i will give them that much of a mercy. I don't know who will though yguytfgyt

Siffrin will sympathize a bit too much with the king. Again, no solid plans for it yet but I do know they'll say "I remember" about his question, and talk about constellations.

Same with his eye, my plans are vague for it as of now.

In battle the researcher is really cool tho: They have no knives! he uses a book. They are more of a support/debuff person than an attack one and start as the weakest. His HP is god awful, like 300, he is not a fighter, he is not fast, and he gets KO easily. They do learn new skills the fastest though so leveling him up? It's absolutely worth it please keep him alive, when he in a high enough level to get attack skills they are an absolute powerhouse (still low hp though)

[gatitties]

Warm

─La squadra di esecuzioni x teen!fem!reader (platonic)

─Summary: Your life is a constant change, new faces in such a short time make you get used to it, you become an adaptable person and you find a family with the group that seems to fit least with your warm personality.

─Warnings: none, lil ooc maybe¿

Part Two / Part Three / Part Four / Part Five

It's not the best time to write more different things, but I need more content from these men 😔✋🏻

You clutched the box tightly in your arms, the sound of your feet bouncing off the empty streets being the only sound besides the light summer breeze, a feeling of uncertainty spreading through your chest with every step, you had done this so many times and yet you were still just as nervous, like you were stuck in a loop where you meet your preschool class for the first time but repeating the event over and over again with unfamiliar faces.

It had happened once, twice, more than five times if you don't forget others, delegated to other groups, sent elsewhere with no say or vote, since you were someone replaceable, your boss didn't give a shit where you were, as long as you paid what you owed him.

There came a point where it didn't bother you, looking back, that day you fought tooth and nail to keep them from taking you, you begged, you cried, you did everything you could, but in the end your parents were the ones who made the decision, the final say. Of course, who would rather pay their debts when they can sell their daughter?

To this day, you still hate them for it, but you wouldn't waste all that energy for nothing again, your fury and anguish calmed down over the years, making you the docile teenager you are now, a bit of an idiot and distracted, but it was easier to obey, not ask and do your job, even though it didn't always go well, that's why you went from group to group for Passione, your capo, Polpo, tried to make you fit into some group, but he gave up, you knew that when he sent you straight to la squadra di esecuzione.

You didn't know much about its users, just that they were one of the worst paid groups, so you assumed that either their superiors didn't care about them, or they were really bad at their job, you didn't care, either way, you're worse, not for nothing you've been going back and forth, although in a way your own skill was what put you in this situation.

You gulp once you find yourself in front of your destination, a simple wooden door, with a worn golden knob and what looks like some dents from blows, you count up to three to calm your nerves, ignoring the tingling in your fingers and forearms due to the pain of carrying your belongings all the way.

The door opened with an unpleasant creak, your obstructed view met dark blue eyes, as deep as an ocean, his gaze seemed stern and his brow remained furrowed.

"Oh, you must be the newbie."

You nodded, swallowing the words of introduction, he let you pass, the stairs creaking under your weight, following the blond, you found yourself in front of the living room, where some of the others were, your presence wasn’t conspicuous enough to distract them from whatever they were doing, it was a relief, you wanted to unpack and take some time to get to know the others, quietly. Going up another flight of stairs was a long hallway full of doors, yours was the first on the right, the door was simple, splintered, complementing the slightly deteriorated state of the house.

"You can leave your stuff here, I'll let you explore the house on your own, just don't poke your nose in some places, some people don't like others rummaging through their stuff."

"Okay, thanks…"

"Prosciutto."

You nodded, taking in the information, he left, leaving you alone with your thoughts again, the door made a soft click when you kicked it, finally dropping the box on the floor, you stretched out your sleepy arms. The room was simple, a bed, a small nightstand and a window, it wasn't better than other places you had settled, but having a roof to sleep under is already a good thing.

You didn't waste any time, you strategically left the little you brought in the room, it still seemed depressing, yes, but a little more welcoming and in line with your tastes, now came the worst part, the introductions, you hated the beginnings, they were always tense, distrustful or too direct, but you had to deal with them.

First impressions are never as you expect, you noticed how the atmosphere intensified when you came down at dinner time that day, how all the curious eyes looked at you and analyzed you, everything happened as you thought, in an uncomfortable way, being ignored for the most part except for Pesci, who was much more open to interacting with you. You felt a great current of different emotions; disbelief, annoyance, indifference, irritation... they all mixed together and seemed to make a whirlwind of emotions in front of your eyes.

Risotto, your boss, remained oblivious to everything that was happening at the table, as if he was a ghost that only watched in silence. You noticed how his face contorted with every shout at the table, as if it was annoying or uncomfortable for him.

Prosciutto, quite similar to the boss, his gaze was just as hard as when he received you, although he was much more involved in making the others stop behaving like children at the table, he seemed to be the only one with character, manners, completely strict regarding his convictions. His brother Pesci was something completely opposite, which amused you, much calmer and insecure, his tone did not have a hint of demand, it helped you calm your nerves a little in all this madness.

Formaggio seemed friendly, open to talk, although not with you at the moment, he seemed like the kind of person who needed a little confidence to be able to talk to someone, just because he seemed to mess with his colleagues, comments not appropriate for someone you just met but yes for colleagues. Illuso was one of the most irritated at the table, he seemed more sophisticated and elegant than the others, not as much as the blond, he seemed a little annoyed with Formaggio's attitude, they were the two who started arguing.

Because of their argument they alerted what you called the team's time bomb, Ghiaccio exploded like a storm, uncontrollable screams filled the table, making dinner in that house complete chaos once again.

The only one who seemed to enjoy all of this was Melone, totally entertained by his companions, he gave you some sidelong glances and you immediately knew he was disappointed with something about you, although the feeling quickly changed to a more cheerful one, whatever it was that bothered him about you, he hid it quite quickly and effectively.

That night you went to bed with a bitter taste in your conscience, you didn't know if you could really fit in with this group, they're all so different,  you were like a stain on their suit, but again, you accepted this change, anyway you were good at adapting to anyone.

The first week was slow, with no missions or assignments, you spent unbearable hours in your room, staring at the wall, staring at the ceiling, staring out the window, hearing occasional laughter and screams in the living room, you had spoken little or nothing with them, although you felt a small advance with Formaggio, Melone and Pesci, they were the most open to talking more with you.

Only sometimes, at the time when everyone was in their rooms, was when you went out to enjoy the shared rooms, you put the living room TV at a low volume to enjoy some late night programs, like now, so absorbed in a documentary about swans that you didn't hear the creaking of a door, some curses and a slight scamper, it wasn't until something furry and heavy climbed onto your lap that you realized.

"Shit, hey babe come here, don't scratch-! oh"

Formaggio came across an unusual scene, you were calmly petting his cat, being that that fussy feline didn't appreciate most of the people in this house, many times she couldn't even stand her owner.

"Is she your cat?" He nodded slowly, approaching the couch, dropping down next to you, taking a prudent space due to the snort that the animal let out of her mouth, something that you didn't notice "She's very cute."

You smiled, stroking the cat's chin, receiving a loud purr, your body warmed up feeling how the animal enjoyed your caresses, feeling totally captivated.

"How the hell are you doing that?"

"Do what?"

"She doesn't let anyone pet her except Risotto or me, she doesn't like new people either."

You shrugged, not having an exact answer to his question, you just sat in silence with the soft hum of the television in the background, it was nice, quiet, unlike normal during the day, apart from the fact that there was no one to argue with, Formaggio found himself enjoying that peace, appreciating how relaxed you were.

He didn't give you any importance when you arrived, but maybe it was nice to have someone who could bring some calm to this gloomy place, if he compared you to the others, you seemed much more vibrant than everyone here, more hopeful... or maybe it was because you were just a carefree teenager to a certain extent, whatever it was, he would like to get to know you a little more.

Since that night Formaggio started making little jokes with you, they weren't as hurtful as some of the others, but he was glad to see how you returned his sarcasm, you talking to him was already a good step forward. The passing of the days became pleasant, the volatile interactions were prolonged with most, although the trust was not at its highest point, there was a glimmer of rapprochement.

"(y/n), Risotto wants you in his office."

Prosciutto announced, coming down the stairs, cutting off your little chat with his brother, you nodded and leave the comfort offered by the old, frayed sofa.

"Right away."

You didn't waste time, thinking about what your boss would need, with an idea in your head, you weren't nervous or anything, Risotto could seem as intimidating as he wanted, his height, his gaze, his impassive face, his voice... everything could instill fear in anyone, but you saw another side of him, all those grimaces, glances, almost inaudible sighs, gave you another, much deeper description of him, you felt respect and empathy towards your boss, finding some similarities with your behavior.

You knocked before entering, you slowly opened the door, it was the first time you saw his office, it was just as depressing as the whole building, moldy walls, peeling paint, and it seemed to plunge into total darkness except for the small table lamp on the dark oak desk.

"I'll be direct, I understand that you don't want to reveal your stand to everyone here, it's not necessary, but I'd like to know about it so I can send you on missions you might be suitable for."

"Oh, that was it."

All your calmness went out the window, just when you were starting to get comfortable with the team, the insecurity that your skills were useless came to the fore, but you swallowed all that, after all you had to start working someday.

"Well, it's... it's a little stupid, you see, it's nothing physically harmful, it can't hurt people seriously."

Risotto's eyes moved from your face to your shoulder, curiosity shining in them at the sight of a being the size of a typical action figure, its colors matching yours, its hair wavy to the shoulders, with big eyes like a puppy and a smiling mouth in the shape of a 'v'.

"What can it do, exactly?"

"Transmit emotions or exchange them."

To emphasize your point, your little friend changed their face, one sad, one angry, one scared… the curious glint in Risotto's eyes died instantly, returning to its dull, monotonous state.

"Okay, thanks for letting me know."

"Do you need anything else?"

"Yes, indeed, you will go on the next mission tomorrow, I will give you more information in the morning, for now, rest."

At that moment you calmly accepted, saying goodbye to him, returning to the living room to continue your talk with Pesci, which Melone joined a while after returning, but that night you did not stop tossing and turning in bed, hitting your head on the pillow and screaming against it to release all the nerves, it was your first mission, you had to perform well.

You stayed up all night for nothing, all your nerves were of no use at all, you didn't know if you repressed the bad feelings so much that you didn't feel nervous or it was the confidence that Prosciutto would be paired with you today, whatever it was, you got it, you just need to follow a guy, ask him some questions and end up killing him if necessary.

You had a bigger challenge in that mission than finding the guy, talking to Prosciutto was difficult, he was a little intimidating, it was ironic that the more normal he seemed, the more he intimidated you, but his attitude was too strong for you, you found yourself thinking of some topic of conversation the first few minutes, the silence was too thick for your liking, so you came up with any nonsense just to eradicate it.

"What shampoo do you use for your hair? It looks shiny and silky."

The question took him unnoticed, since most of the time you had behaved more like a listener than a talker, he looked at you for a few seconds, a nervous smile decorating your face, your gaze fixed on the street you were walking down, his silence made you think that the question would fall on deaf ears, which wouldn't surprise you.

"It's not any special one, the common one they sell in all supermarkets."

It was your turn to be surprised, not only because he answered your silly question, but because of the fact that his hair looked nice with a generic shampoo, you touched your hair with a frown, were you the problem? Your hair has never been exceptionally good with any shampoo, Prosciutto noticed how your smile turned into a grimace, it made him look at you with confusion, with a new sparkle in your eyes, you pointed accusingly at the blond.

"How do you do it!? Witchcraft? Are you a witch?"

A playful irritation came from your words, your brow remaining furrowed, though this time you faced him head on, not paying attention to the street, Prosciutto put on a blank expression, he thought that even though you were younger than the rest, you were a bit more mature, it was the first impression you gave him, reserved, calm and respectful, but in the end, you are still a bit of a silly teenager. He honestly doesn't know why he continued with the discussion about the hair treaty, but he did it anyway, you seemed a bit different than you were at home, maybe he decided to go ahead to bring out this side of you, unknown to him yet.

Your torso collided with Prosciutto's hand as you tried to turn the next street, he grabbed your shoulder, throwing your body behind the wall, he put a finger to his mouth, pointing to the alley ahead, urging you to take a look, there didn't seem to be anything or anyone, but supposedly the guy you were supposed to interrogate should be there at that time according to what you studied, narrowing your eyes, sharpening your senses, a strong sensation settled in your chest, a horrible and desperate sensation, it made your heart squeeze strongly as if it were being deprived of pumping blood, it was such a visceral, painful feeling that you thought you were going to die at that moment. Your partner didn't notice the agony as he took a few steps towards the alley to investigate, thinking you would follow him, you only went a couple of steps further due to the pain.

"How strange... fresh blood?"

Alarms went off in the blond's head, immediately alert, he was surprised when he saw you leaning against the wall as if you were being tortured for your expression of terror, an enemy stand had attacked, was the first thing he thought, seeing you point to the sealed container made him understand that the user was there, however the only thing he found was a practically mutilated body, although alive, his breathing was very shallow, on the verge of death, that was the guy you were looking for, Prosciutto picked him up and threw him out of the container, it's not like it mattered much, his body probably doesn't feel at this point.

"Please... please finish me..."

His pleas were not heard, the blond lit a cigarette, taking a look at how you were still writhing in your place, he didn't understand, was it the smell? Was it the grotesque scene? He figured you'd be used to this by now, there weren't any enemies, but you seemed fine, all things considered, so he let you fend for yourself for the moment while he got some information out of the guy.

The feeling faded like a candle flame, but it was a desperation that ran through every inch of your skin, you struggled to control the thin watery layer formed in your eyes due to the sudden discomfort, controlling your breathing pattern, your body returned to normal after a minute, taking a few extra seconds to get back on your feet, you noticed someone on top of the roof of one of the buildings looking down at the alley, he turned around before he could see you, but you managed to catch some of his appearance, what caught your attention the most, a completely black diamond-shaped tattoo on his forearm.

"Get up, the man is dead, you shouldn't have stayed behind."

On the way home there was no silence, because Prosciutto was scolding you for standing aside doing nothing, although it's not like there was anything to do, if something more serious had happened and you had been distracted you could have ended badly.

"What was all that about there? It seemed like you were in pain, did someone attacked you?"

"Umh… no, no, I think it was the man's fault, he had a lot of constipated feelings, you know? People let all that show when they are about to die, a lot of very strong emotions are released and it can affect me a little, although it had never happened to me like that before."

You muttered the last part, noticing the blank look on your companion's face, you completely forgot that he didn't know anything about your stand, which was why he thought you were simply incapable of seeing someone die because it affected you too much, you quickly explained yourself before he thought you were a complete idiot for a job like an assassin, and he understood… sort of, your ability was peculiar.

BONUS!

"So, do I first apply a little shampoo, rub well, rinse the hair, put more shampoo again and repeat the process?"

"Exactly, but you must massage your head precisely, right where the hair starts, next to the ears and behind the nape of the neck in circular movements."

"Ohhh, I got it."

You gave Prosciutto a bright smile as you wrote everything down in a small notebook, he pinched the bridge of his nose, you had interrupted his peace when he was about to sleep to take notes on how to wash your hair properly.

"Don't forget to wash it with warm or cold water, heat ruins it."

"Noted, thanks!"

You quickly closed your notebook, making a vague gesture with your hand to say goodbye, you didn't bother to close the door, he frowned, listening to the bathroom door slam and the sound of the shower echoing through the silent house.

[weirdmarioenemies]

Name: Bowser Castle 2 Debut: Super Mario Kart

Oh no! We didn't have a post ready for today! Well let me improvise one for you really quick. Because I love you. Don't take it too personally, though, we're not here to start parasocial relationships with our followers! Sorry. I hope you understand.

This is Bowser Castle 2, from Super Mario Kart, but if I named it I'd call it Bowser Castle POO! Because it isn't very good.

Many people consider this one of the worst courses in Mario Kart history, and many people would be right! You see, iconic Bad Guy King Morton "Bowser" Koopa Sr. wanted to prove his Bad Guy status by creating a Bad Course, and boy howdy did he! He probably feels so smug about it. Jerk.

Look at that map. This course has a dead end on it. This might be the only course in Mario Kart history to do such a thing! It's possible you can use a Feather to turn that into a shortcut, but I've never pulled it off. But also I'm not very good at this game, nor am I interested in becoming good at this game, so it might just be a skill issue on my part.

But getting past the dead end offers you no reprieve, as afterwards you have to deal with this mess! It feels like they're trying to make some sort of double-loop formation, but all the 90 degree turns combined with the bridge connecting the loops being at the top ends up making it play very awkwardly. Or something like that. Listen I'm just writing this post in a stream of conscience, I dunno how to describe what's so bad about this beyond "it's bad."

luigi enters the torment labyrinth

As you can probably expect, having "being the worst Mario Kart course ever made" on its resume hasn't done good things for SNES Bowser Castle 2. The only game it's returned in is Super Circuit, which included literally every SNES course, which is to say it was not getting any sort of special treatment. Even Mario Kart Tour, a game which literally invented new SNES courses for the sake of getting more content out of existing assets, refused to bring Bowser Castle 2 into its arms.

Is there any hope in this world for an absolute dogwater course like this one? I dunno but that's not gonna stop me from coming up with hypothetical solutions. Yes this is the kind of thing I think about in my spare time! Don't judge me!

Really, for all I've been dunking on this course in this post, I don't think it'd actually take all that much to get this into a playable state. As you can see, I've re-envisioned the dead end as a shortcut (likely blocked off with a wooden cutout so you need to use a mushroom), and I've reimagined the Torment Labyrinth as a double roundabout configuration à la Wii Rainbow Road. After that I just smoothed out some turns, added a glider ramp at the end so you have something to do during the last straightaway, and envisioned some totally awesome elevation changes that can not be displayed from a bird's-eye view like this, and bam! I created a version of this course that could potentially maybe be enjoyable.

I mean I dunno. I don't have the means to play it.

I drew this earlier this morning and it's the entire reason I've decided to make this our spur-of-the-moment post. I hope you're proud of me. For what it's worth, at least SNES Bowser Castle 2 can theoretically be made into a somewhat enjoyable course. It's not like it's stuck with a name like "Figure-8 Circuit" or something.

[your-local-uwu-artist]

it was suggested I post this to the tags as well >:D

fuck it ima tag @transcendence-au as well because tbh I'm very proud of my silly little animation

some me being a nerd under the cut!

okay so this all started when I read the original post this was inspired by and though 'wouldn't it be silly to add some art to this 3 year old post?' but then I decided to animate it for funsies!

and gosh I sure do love animating!

So I got the base sketch and then got into the lineart animation for each component!

i don't have the sketches/wips saved at all sense this wasn't really a project and it took less than a day to complete. but here's a peak at the timeline

I animate entirely in my ususal drawing software: clip studio paint. It's just what's easiest for me.

all of these layers outside that folder are just the sparkles! after I finished I added some sparkles for fun! there's a lot of them because it involved a lot of copy and pasting sparkle layers

the bottom folders here are the wings body and facial expression! for everything like the wings arms and flags I was able to just copy paste, reverse, and then align the timing correctly in the timeline

one thing unique about this animation is that the lineart and colors are in separate layers! I tend to do line and colors on the same layer but this time I was using a brush that doesn't have the same lack of anti-aliasing and sense it's a small animation I wasn't as worried about keeping a minimum of layers like usual.

also the movement of the body is only 4 frames! and one one of those is just the hat shifting position

initially I wasn't going to have the second facial expression but when I got stuck on animating the flags I added the second facial expression while taking a break.

the arm animation is just 8 frames! honestly the only tricky part in this is the flags, everything else was pretty simple, which made it super fun to work on because I got both a challenge and mindless therapeutic drawing out of it.

NOW THE FLAGS there was 3 throw away attempts before I got it: you see the thing that made this tricky is finding the balance between believability and visual appeal. a big part of animation is creating the illusion of physics, this is the 'believability' part, I need these to look like flags that are moving and made of flat fabric, HOWEVER if I animate these one-to-one with realistic physics: it won't look good! I can't apply wind to the whole drawing because then the hair would have to react, and wind goes one way, and I wan't the flags to be pointing opposite directions. so without wind the flags would be laying down flat, but that won't look good at all! and furthermore realistic physics would have the flag not being all nice and front facing most of the time. so the trick here was figuring out how much physics to apply to make it look believable, while still making it look good.

one trick I did to help me animate the flags is I actually made a plan rectangle flag as a guide so that the general mass/volume of the flag would stay consistent, this is something i highly recommend when animating! like having a circle guide along a characters head to keep their height and proportions consistent.

after I finally found the balance with the flag lineart coloring wasn't too hard! sense I just had to follow the lines, and THANK GOODNESS the trans and aroace flag have the same number of stripes: saving me time!

and then it all comes together to make a satisfying perfectly looping bundle of cuteness >:DDD I feel like the tau fandom doesn't have as many artists with particularly cartoony/chibi art styles so I've gotta play my part in spreading the joy-whimsy-adorable-sillys >:D

anyway! hope you get to see a cool beetle today :D

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Okay, I think the situation between Mama Spade and Lilia is absolutely hilarious! I can't but think of Silver and Deuce hearing rumors beforehand that Lilia is going to like to propose to her sometime at Family Day and then spying from out from bushes or trees if that is true and once it happens, it turns out that Lilia just was giving Mama Spade a Ring Pop because he is proposing they go out on a date not necessarily proposing marriage like the rumors claim. Maybe Lilia could also tease them a little or something because he thinks it's funny they assumed that he was actually going to ask Mama Spade to marry him, the silly boys😂

(Hope this request makes sense and I'm excited to see what you will come up with 🥺)

[Referencing this interaction! (Please be warned that it may be OOC; we hadn't formally met Deuce's mom at the time of writing that initial interaction.)]

Family means Nobody is Left Behind or Forgotten.

"I heard Deuce's mom and Silver's dad have something going on."

"I saw them flirting under the apple tree."

"He's going to propose to her before the day's over."

It was that flurry of rumors that the resulting worry that had led Deuce here: in the bushes, where the leaves and branches shielded him from sight. What he hadn't expected was to crash into another body, to be staring into a pair of aurora-colored irises in the dim space between the shrubs.

On instinct, Deuce opened his mouth--but Silver quickly clamped a hand over it, signaling with his other hand to keep quiet. The first year nodded obediently. A silent agreement was made; this was a mission they were in on together.

They peered out from their hiding spot and into the courtyard.

"You haven't had a chance to grab lunch?" Lilia Silver's dad was saying, brows raised in surprise. He addressed a woman with a navy bob, blonde stripes running through it.

She stuck out like a sore thumb among the other adult women in attendance. Instead of a dress or a pantsuit, she was in jeans and boots, a utility belt looped around her waist. Her jacket and cap were emblazoned with White Rabbit Deliveries' logo. A black spade earring shone on her ear, and her makeup was simple: nude lipstick and a faint golden shimmer on her lids.

"No, it's just been so busy today!" Dylla confessed. "I'm not used to sitting in so many meetings. It's usually me, the truck, and the open road. I got so caught up with everything else that eating must've slipped my mind."

"My, that's no good--no good at all. You need nourishment to keep your energy up," he said with the shake of his head. "I believe you're in luck though. I happen to have something to lift your spirits!"

"Really now? You managed to find time to prepare a surprise for me?" Dylla laughed. "Are you magic?"

"I can be, if you'd like." The reply was teasing, said in a tone that suggested something more.

"Haha, what is that supposed to mean?"

Deuce tensed.

Silver's dad was reaching into the pocket of his slacks. His hand, closing around an object he couldn't yet make out.

A ring? Deuce's stomach lurched. B-But...

His mom's promise hit him hard and fast.

“H-Hey now! I may have been a little swept off my feet by him, but I’m not marrying the guy!! No shotgun weddings here!! Wh-Who even marries a stranger they met in a day?!”

Mom... Did you lie to me back then to protect my feelings?

He began to shake all over, filled with an emotion that didn't quite have a label. No, it was all of his emotions at once flooding him. Silver frowned, laying a sympathetic hand on his underclassman's shoulder to soothe him.

"Dylla--May I call you that?"

"Yeah, of course. It'd be weird to keep having you call me 'Mrs. Spade' after all this time we spent together."

"Then I have an important question for you, Dylla. A question so important it may just change the trajectory of your life forever."

"What is it?" She leaned into him, lowering her voice to a whisper. Her eyes shone like pools of starlight. "You're being so mysterious."

He lifted his hand from his pocket, fingers still closed around whatever was in his palm. Deuce caught a glimpse of a sparkle between the index and thumb. His heart stood still.

"Dylla Spade. Will you do me the honor of--"

Deuce couldn't help himself. He tore away from Silver, launching out of the bushes with a roar, his arms flailing wildly.

"ST~OOOOOOP...!!"

The adults startled. Deuce stood before them, panting heavily, teary eyed, some leaves and a few sticks caught in his hair. He doubled over, clutching his knees.

"P-Please, Mr. Silver's Dad...!! If you want my mom's hand in marriage... YOU'LL HAVE TO GET THROUGH ME FIRST, SO PUT'M UP!!" Deuce raised both hands, clenched into threatening fists. In spite of his tears, he attempted to look fierce. "C'mon, let's GO!"

"D-Deuce?! Hold on, sweetie--what's this about?!" Dylla demanded.

An awkward cough sounded from behind him.

"I apologize for the intrusion, father... and Mrs. Spade," Silver muttered. "I tried to stop him, but..."

His father looked at Deuce, then at his own son.

Then he burst out into peals of laughter.

"Kufufufu! I see, I see. So this is what you were up to while we hit it off. Sneaking around and spying on the adults, are we? Naughty boys," he tutted. "What strange ideas you came up with and allowed yourselves to be taken in by."

Deuce blinked. "S-So... You're NOT proposing to my mom?"

"Proposing!!" Dylla smacked her son on the arm. "You're not serious, Deuce!!"

"B-But it really did look like he was going to..."

"Did I?" Silver's dad chuckled, opening his hand. Nestled square in his palm was a comedically large candy gemstone set on a plastic band. "I was merely going to offer this snack I had been saving to enjoy for myself later."

“… O-Oh.” Deuce turned as red as his dorm leader when he was livid. Embarrassment blazed in every one of his blood cells. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

Silver sighed, relieved. “Thank goodness…”

“S-So sorry about that!!” Deuce hurriedly bent into an apologetic bow. “Please forget you saw anything!!”

“It’s alright. No harm, no foul!” Silver’s dad glanced at Dylla, his mouth curling. “Though of course, I was also intending to invite the lady on a no-strings-attached lunch outing if she was interested~”

Dylla’s eyes widened. “You really are a charmer.”

He winked back. “Oh, I know. Should I take that as an emphatic yes then?”

“Yes, yes, a thousand times yes,” she said, roughly running a hand through his hair. It was left a mess, but he only laughed and popped the candy ring upon her naked finger.

Huh… I’ve never seen mom smile like that, even when she was with dad.

“… Hey, Silver-senpai?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think your dad and my mom are…?” He couldn’t complete the sentence. Didn’t have the courage to. “… Never mind.”

I don’t need to know right now. All that matters is that they’re happy as they are.

[lovelytsunoda]

vermont // daniel ricciardo

summary: the ski trip sounded all well and good in theory. except for the fact that she would rather be in the chalet than on the slopes. so when she gets stuck on a ski lift and starts to hyperventilate, danny is the one to calm her down.

pairing: daniel ricciardo x female!reader

warnings: anxiety attack, fear of heights/vertigo, best wingwoman chloe, delusional and oblivious scotty, use of ‘pretty girl’, it feels kind of rushed and I don’t know how I feel about the ending-

she should have told chloe to come on the trip without her. she should have admitted she’s never been skiing before. but when she tried, scotty convinced her to come along anyways, because as far as the aussie was concerned “anybody can learn, it’s easy!”.

and yet, here she was, staring at the ski suit laid out on her double bed, rethinking every life choice she’d ever made leading up to this point.

her hands rubbed the fabric of her maroon turtleneck, teasing her bottom lip between her teeth.

god, this was such and awful idea.

there was a knock on her door, chloe’s voice carrying through. “y/n! are you ready yet? we’re heading down to the slopes!”

“coming out in just a second!” she called, hastily pulling the jacket over her clothes.

____

it was a nice enough day outside: the sun was bright, and the air warmer than expected for vermont in early december, a thick dusting of snow on the slopes as she tromped ungracefully over to the ski rental, where scotty and chloe were waiting with lance and his girlfriend marilou.

"there she is!" scotty shouts. "ready to put your skis on?"

"hang on, don't we have to wait for someone? we're missing a few people." she said nervously, trying desperately to put off the inevitable, even though she had promised chloe that she would at least try to get out of her shell this weekend

marilou nodded. "just daniel. knowing him, he's slept in and forgotten the plan, or he got distracted on his way out."

ah, yes. daniel ricciardo.

the man who made her heart skip three beats, the one person in their small, small friend group who always somehow managed to calm her down, remind her that the world wasn't so bad or scary and that everything would be okay in the end.

“well, we can’t start without the life of the party!” she said it too quickly, no doubt her nerves were showing.

there were so many winter activities they could have picked. so why skiing? why the one thing she’d sworn she’d never ever ever do?

“don’t need to wait guys!” when the sound of daniel ricciardos aussie drawl carried across the wind, she squeezed her eyes shut, resisting the urge to scream an expletive. “I’m right here, sorry I’m late!”

chloe shot her a sympathetic glance as the boys fist bumped each other and the crew turned in the direction of the ski lift.

“you’ll do fine!” the canadian encouraged, looping her arm around her best friend. “skiing is easy, it’s all downhill!”

y/n narrows her eyes. “it’s the not knowing how to balance or steer and accidentally crashing into things I’m better off not crashing into.”

chloe laughed, shaking her head as she patted y/n's shoulder. "don't think like that! just come and enjoy the outdoors with us!"

but despite it all, despite the friendly energy of the trip, the good vibes all around, she couldn't help but feel like she was intruding on a couple's trip: chloe and scotty, lance and marilou. daniel and . . . wait, he came alone too, didn't he?

but she didn't have time to think about it before she was strapped in to a pair of ski's, scotty's hands at her back to push her down the training hill.

it only took like....twenty tries before she figured it out, her skis sailing through the snow like butter as she finally managed to stay upright for the third run in a row. she was really getting the hang of it, she thought, pride swelling in her chest.

"nice job, y/n!" daniel shouted, having just come down one of the hills next to her smaller, beginner hill. "you're a natural!"

at the sound of praise dripping from daniel's lips, she felt her face go pink, and she was certain that it wasn't just from the cold, and that there was something more to it.

"oh, well, i've been practicing a lot. i feel kind of bad, actually, for monopolizing all of scotty's time. keeping him away from his wife and all that." she coughed to clear her throat, one gloved hand smoothing her hair back under the pom-pom toque she was wearing on top of her head.

daniel laughed. a big, hearty laugh that sent butterflies afloat in her chest, the kind of infectious laughter that could bring a smile to anybody's face.

"why don't you come up to the other hill with me, and we try you on something a little bigger?"

she turned her head in the direction daniel was gesturing, and she felt her stomach drop to the floor. "no way, not a chance. that's too high, my dude. what if is break my neck?"

scotty skidded to a stop in front of her, moving to look at the mountain. “no, no, that’s a good starter mountain is you want to move up to something bigger! go for it!”

while daniel cheered, y/n groaned, cursing inwardly.

beside her, lance laughed “you’ll have to move up to a bigger hill eventually, y/n. it’s okay to be scared.”

“I’m not scared!” okay, maybe she was. just a little bit.

the group headed towards the ski lifts, filing in in sets of two, each pair heading for a different level hill. scotty and chloe headed for one of the most advanced, marilou and lance heading for a hill that was somewhere in the middle.

and that meant that is she wanted company on her hill, she would be stuck with daniel.

“after you, milady.” daniel chuckled, gesturing to the ski carriage, allowing her to slide in first, the aussie settling next to her.

the bar snapped down, the lift beginning on its way to take the skiers up the mountain. from this high up, the view across the slopes was actually quite nice: evergreens dusted in snow, ant-sized people in bright coats making their way down mountains.

until she stopped looking eye level, and found her eyes drifting downwards, stomach slammed instantly with vertigo.

yep, she was never doing that again.

“you okay?” daniel asked, concerned when he watched her scrunch her face up, eyes screwed shut.

“yep, yep. just trying not to look down.” she was gripping the chest bar so tightly that she was certain her knuckles were white underneath her gloves.

daniel frowned, reaching for her hand. “it’s okay to be scared of heights. is this why you didn’t want to come up the mountain?”

“maybe. that, and the fear of making a fool out of myself.” She was tight lipped as she answered, still keeping her eyes closed.

but now, she only felt like her heart would beat out if her chest because of the hand on top of hers, not the fall to the ground.

“we’re almost at the top, and then your skis will be on solid ground again.”

she slowly opened her eyes. “thank you.”

over the hum of the lift, she heard a groaning, and then a snap. the ski lift stuttered to a stop, and she couldn’t stop the terrified shriek that left her parted lips, one gloved hand reaching to squeeze the life out of daniels arm.

“hey, hey!” daniel shouted, trying to be heard over other panicked skiers. “look at me, look at me. can you do that?”

her chest was getting tight, body frozen with fear. she couldn’t open her eyes, limbs made of lead as she clung to the man next to her in the lift

“I-I don’t think I can, danny.”

“yeah you can. just focus on me, not the way the carriage is moving, and not what’s below you.” his voice was soothing, grounding. enough that she was able to turn her head slightly and open her eyes to face him.

“see, that wasn’t so hard, was it, pretty girl?”

“no.” her voice was stil shaky as she stared into daniels eyes, feeling suddenly like he could see every part of her. every secret, every long held and unspoken truth.

and she liked it.

“just keep your breathing steady, and we will be out of here before you know it.” his voice started level and calm, his breath curling up into mist in the air.

“promise me?”

daniel leaned in, his soft lips warm against her forehead. the simple action, not quite a kiss but not that innocent either, set her skin ablaze in pink again, warmth spreading through her frozen appendages, from the tip of her nose to the ends of her fingertips.

“I promise.” daniel assured her, his gloved thumb rubbing reassuring circles on her skin.

she wasn’t sure how long they had been sitting like that when the lift whirred to life again, the carriage shakily confusing it’s ascent up the hill. realizing that the lift was moving again, she pulled away from danny, averting her eyes, looking anywhere except the man who had just held her so tenderly.

she shook her head, pulling her ski goggles back down over her eyes. “sorry, I don’t know where that came from.”

“don’t apologize, pretty girl.” daniel said softly. “you were scared. and I liked knowing that I could make you feel better. I care about you, y/n. as more than a friend.”

she paused, pulling her goggles back up. “you do?”

daniel beamed. “of course I do, and I’d love to get to know you better.”

“buy me a hot chocolate if I make it down the hill one piece?” she suggested, gently placing a hand on his forearm.

the lift reached the top of the hill, the bar raising and allowing the pair to slide off the metal chair, Danny’s hand in hers as he took the lead, guiding her towards the slope.

“and if I make it to the bottom first, you have to kiss me.” danny wagered, a mischevious look in his eyes as he flicked his goggles down.

y/n laughed, inching towards the slope like bambi on ice, all shaky legs and flailing limbs. “i think I ’ll take you up on that, ricciardo!”

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