#i spent... waaay too long on this

[ohno-the-sun]

Updated Luca au references for my fic Under the Surface to celebrate Moon finally showing up yippee!

Wanted a more realistic depiction of what they looked like

Inspiration of the design from @chknbzkt

[soup-for-ghosts]

[keuwibloom]

Inktobertale 2023 day 7: Gingham

[dykethevvitch]

I imagine it was quite the adjustment

[coldgoldlazarus]

Raise your hand if you like Kraata

[meracydia-miqo]

MiqoMarch #1: Introduction

Name: Ahki Lihzeh Race: Miqo’te; Keeper of the Moon Age: 21 (start of arr) Pronouns: she/her Occupation: Warrior of Light; adventurer Sexuality: demiromantic asexual Partner: G’raha Tia

A nocturnal miqo’te hailing from a small, semi-nomadic Keeper tribe in the remote reaches of Meracydia, Ahki knew little other than her family while growing up. Though always curious about the outside world, she knew of little more than the few areas they traveled to, and always left her wanting to see more.

Just a few summers after the mysterious disappearance of the lesser moon from the night sky, Ahki left home with a promise to return, hoping to see more of the world and perhaps find out what happened to the moon they gazed up at each and every night. However, not long after leaving, she was suddenly pulled into a stray voidgate, leaving her trapped in the shadowy wastes.

Ahki remembers little of her time in the void, only that she was somehow rescued, and next thing she knew she was waking up in an entirely new land—the island of Vylbrand, Eorzea.

Preferred jobs: Summoner up through shb, later ninja, bard, dancer, and a combination astrologian/white mage. She is also a talented weaver, and enjoys botanist a lot.

Name: Q’lhani Rinh; known by Lhani-Chai in the First Race: Miqo’te; half Keeper of the Moon, half Seeker of the Sun Age: 18 (start of arr) Pronouns: she/they Occupation: Warrior of Light Sexuality: aromantic asexual Partner: N/A

Born of an affair between a Keeper man and a Seeker woman into the Q tribe of La Noscea, Q’lhani was long judged and looked down upon for her ‘unnatural’ ash-grey skin—a telling sign of her Keeper heritage. Mistreated by all, she was allowed to live with the tribe only at her twin sister’s behest; a half-sibling and well-liked child of the Nunh, and Q’lhani’s only friend.

However, when they were barely 13 summers old, the calamity struck, and with it the Q tribe was all but wiped out in the torrent of water that washed over their home. Saved by their sister’s sacrifice, Q’lhani could do naught but watch as she is swept away and killed. In the chaos of the aftermath, Q’lhani tries to escape, but is found and taken in by a few of the survivors.

For the next five years, she endures daily hardship, with constant belittling and abuse by her captors. At 18, she manages to escape, and flees to Ul’dah.

Preferred jobs: Paladin (through mid-hw), dark knight, reaper, and astrologian when her friends can convince her. She is also partial to culinarian, long having needed to make her own food to live off of, for which she’ll gather the ingredients herself.

[sublime-beyond-loss]

Here’s a big ‘ol post of insane ramblings that gets into some stuff about the skip button ending and what it means to make meaning out of a game that insists it’s meaningless to play it

On today's Stanley Parable TED talk, Imma gonna propose the theory among the many I have that, despite appearances, the skip button ending functionally does not happen because its consequences are erased by the reset, like how the consequences of the other endings never really stick. Imma also going to talk about why that is a tragedy in itself.

In a sense, that by the narrator invalidating literally the entire point of the game, and himself, the skip button brings us to the end point of a game played out and with nothing left to say, before the reset hits and the status quo is restored. There's some ambiguity involved on if the narrator remembers the skip button in the same way there is ambiguity in what he remembers from the other endings, but he does remember the first visit to the memory zone at least. Considering that he didn't remember the review section the first time around though, his wonky memory maybe does mean he forgot the skip button anyway. When we return to the memory zone the second time, it's back to the way it was before its desertification, as if the skip button passage of time did not happen, and when we do return to the desert version of the memory zone for the epilogue, it's the figurine version of the shack with the staircase leading to one of the figurines now filled up with sand, as if the original version was either replaced or never existed. The epilogue states it takes place many, many years later, as if you had to get back to that end point in time that the skip button showed. That glimpse of the end now plays out in full. The narrator is gone in this version not due to skip button shenanigans, but because he said he was done after 'one last run of the office' and has indeed moved on.

In the end, I think the encounter with the settings person and the creation of TSP sequels is something of a commentary on the New Game Plus mechanic in many games. It makes me think of Dark Souls 3 where there are multiple endings where you can bring about the canonical end and/or rebirth of the Dark Souls universe, but even then, there is nowhere else for you to go as the player but back into the same game, as though it never ended, despite you bringing about an end to that universe. To you, the player, that end never really comes. The end is never the end as you boot the game up again to play it once more. The epilogue is an end point for TSP where everything is played out, there's no messages left to impart, and everyone has moved on except for one character who, like you, does not want to let the game go, and like any game, there's nowhere for the player to go but back into the same content.

Now, time to get into how none of this diminishes the horror and tragedy of the skip button ending, even if the epilogue is not actually a consequence of it like it might seem at first glance. First though, the game doesn't actually seem to be condemning you for going through with the skip button sequence like it might seem at first glance, considering the narrator's own vindictiveness toward you doing it. One, if it really wanted to be a condemnation of a player pushing forward at the expense of a character's suffering, waiting would actually have an affect on it. It would be quite the gut punch if it turned out that if you had just waited a bit, things could have turned out differently, but you just had to push on as fast as possible to get to the next bit of content, but since that isn't the case, I don't think that's what the game was actually going for.

Two, if the 'solution' to skip button ending is to simply restart from the pause menu and never push onward to experience the new content, that doesn't really work either. Restarting there puts the game in a state where the narrator is constantly begging you to go to the memory zone, and there is a tragic element to that, that you cannot prevent him from self-destructing aside from denying him what he wants, but you also lose out on most of the randomized elements of the game because the starting area is effectively gone until you complete the skip button ending. If it really was meant to be the solution, I don't think it would cut out all of the randomized office layouts and randomized narrator lines for the rest of your play time.

And beyond even that, by resetting the skip button ending while its happening, you are effectively being no better than the game itself with how the resets routinely destroy any character development the narrator goes through, good or bad, depending on what ending route you go down. You deny him a chance at self reflection and self actualization just as much as the forced resets do, but even by refusing to reset the skip button ending, the results are the same, because the game eventually does it for you. In the end, the skip button is messy, horrific experience for everyone involved with no solution.

And that's why the existential horror of TSP really comes out for the skip button ending. You could say it's a blessing if the narrator doesn't remember his time trapped in that room, but there's also something really awful about the idea that he went through some of the worst suffering a being can experience only to have all of that suffering invalidated as if it never happened in the first place. Only the person who can remember the skip button happening, Stanley/the player, can carry the proper response to the horror that played out and what the narrator went through, and yet that is still someone who can never truly comprehend what it was like to experience that. To have that whole ordeal erased, something he consciously experienced every second of as those eons passed by, the utter invalidation of it is as awful as him remembering it. And if he knew the entire time that a reset would hit at some point and he would forget everything, that every thought and feeling he'd have in that room was doomed to oblivion and meaningless in every sense of the word, while still knowing that he has an ungodly amount of time left to wait, it's amazing that the dude didn't go batshit insane much faster. Goddamn is the skip button scenario just a fucking abyss of existential terror lol.

Plus, people sleep on the sensory horror of that skip where the fire alarm is going off. My very first thought playing that for the first time was, 'oh god, how long has he been listening to that?' Once again, it is amazing he didn't go batshit insane faster. And consider the idea that the darkness that takes over once the lights go out was only left bright enough for gameplay sake. What if it really was meant to be genuine pitch blackness and he was left in a state of pure sensory deprivation for a very, very long time. The skip button sometimes gives off a bright glow in a few of the skips, so maybe it wasn't pitch blackness for him, but imagine that fucking yellow glow of the worst mistake of your life being the only thing you get to see for hundreds of years.

And if you take into account the theory that he's not actually trapped in the room and it's more of a matter of him not wanting to let go of Stanley and leave, until he finally does as the skips continue to lengthen, when put into the context of the reset erasing everything, it's even more tragic. Maybe while he was on his own he learned that he doesn't need an audience to exist, like he initially thought. Maybe he worked through some of his flaws and came out better for it. Maybe he learned how to create for himself for a change. If our glimpses into the outside world during the skips are a reflection of his mental state through all of it, it was probably a messy, painful experience, but there's still a memory zone at the end of it all, so he survived whatever trials were thrown at him, even if there isn't much left in the end. He would have had thousands and thousands of years to create anything and everything. Millions of new stories building on what he could have learned over the years, but none of it matters the second the reset hits. All of it and any development he went through is erased in an instant.

And maybe him making the choice to move on at the end of the figurine ending is him setting off on that same journey the skip button forced upon him, only under better circumstances. And maybe going through the epilogue and starting a new game is you resetting his chance at progress yet again, or maybe not, since the figurine ending remains the only ending you cannot replay even after a patch added ways to replay the other single-instance events within the game. Maybe there is nothing wrong in coming back to a game you enjoy and dwelling within it despite it being the same content loop stuck on repeat. And maybe the narrator, as a representation of a creator figure and all of the good and bad that comes with it, can still enjoy coming back to his creation and being the narrator for you, even if there is nothing new to discover. And maybe it suits him just fine not having the weight of needing to create new content for this game that he feels has run its course. Maybe there is no actual judgment involved when the game asks you to keep making sequels and let The Stanley Parable keep spiraling in upon itself, like any other game out there that you replay despite there being nothing new to gain from it, because TSP has always been a game where it is possible to find deeper meaning outside of what the surface level message may or may not be.

I think, in a way, TSP is an expression of exactly what I love about video games. In this world where everything is temporary and nothing stays the same, where even our memories are flawed recreations of previous events, most forms of media are the only thing you can experience over and over again exactly the same as it was the first time, and with video games in particular, you can get a new experience out of the same content in a way you cannot when re-watching a movie or TV show. People (even me sometimes) often get caught up in the idea that The End Is Never The End is an inherently bad thing, that the loop the game is stuck in is a bad thing, that the game denying you a conclusive ending is a bad thing, even though I've personally had way more fun deciding which existing ending is the most satisfying one to end my runs on. It used to be the zending, but ever since I figured out that you can pause the game during the freedom ending and exit out there, that's become my favorite place to leave it off. Who would even think to try pausing the game during a cutscene that just took control away from you in a game that usually doesn't? Much less use it as a point to exit out of the game? Emergent gameplay like that is satisfying, and the figurine ending gives you a place to chop things off with the narrator saying 'okay, I'm ready to move on', allowing you to decide the ending to stop playing on, or you just keep going instead, or you can hit up the epilogue and keep the sequels rolling. It is a way more satisfying and meaningful choice to give you a bunch of endings and let you decide which one is 'your' ending then to definitively say THE END and roll credits.  

Just the fact that the game hints that there are loops of the game that you never see gets the imagination going and you essentially create your own version of those loops in your head by speculating about them. Hell, even the narrator has a thousand different interpretations through all of the fan content that's so different and varied and yet still very much him. And where one player might view him as a controlling, egotistical, vain creator that's fun to piss off and deserves every second of it, I myself view him as a messy, complicated, and often very relatable creator figure who is as likable as he is frustrating. If someone ran roughshod over a book I wrote, that I put my all into, if it existed within the interactive medium that is video games, I'd be just as pissed as him to see something I’m passionate about disregarded and destroyed by the reader. On the other hand, I wish the dude would relax a bit and not get so bent out of shape on some paths. Especially with the new version of the Playtest ending where he is written to be a bit less of a vindictive ass like in the original version. We were having a pretty good time playing those games and vibing right up until he gets hung up on his story as per usual and quite literally takes the ball and goes home.

But boy howdy is TSP a game that makes me feel like it welcomes letting me have my interpretations while also making me feel like An Idiot Who Completely Missed The Point. Of course, then I remember this is the same game that implies the character you're playing as is about to get very intimate with a bucket, so I think it's okay if I really am An Idiot Who Missed The Point lol. I always feel like I'm 12 steps behind the actual thought process that went into the less silly aspects of the game and that's probably part of the reason why I'm still dwelling upon it months later and keep coming up with big theory posts and weird art projects. The big irony is that my mind works in the exact opposite way these pieces of media do, in that they are willing to leave many aspects of themselves ambiguous and for the one taking it in to come to their own conclusions. I love to dive deep into any ideas, stories, and concepts I have and explain everything about them until there is not a single aspect left that's gone unexplained. I could never make a Stanley Parable or Shadow Of The Colossus, because I'd want to explain everything about the civilization that made those ruins that cover The Forbidden Lands.

It's very common for people to come away from TSP thinking its very pessimistic about people, video games, life itself, and maybe it is, and I enjoy it exactly because of the existential topics it delves into, especially now that I am able to appreciate them better than I could at the release of the original, but it's the exact same reasons why those existential themes resonate with me now that I also like viewing the game in a more hopeful light, despite everything. When everything is meaningless, when all of us and everything we create is doomed to be forgotten and lost to the void in the grand scheme of this universe, playing this game that tells you that playing it is meaningless puts it at very bottom of the meaninglessness totem pole. Where the struggle to make my own meaning within the meaninglessness of life often has me befuddled, it is so much easier to do so within a meaningless digital simulation, and so I take the less easy path and create positive meanings within the pessimism of this game, (Well, maybe not always, because I have probably a million different interpretations of what's going on in this game at this point and not all of them are happy fun times lol)

Perhaps this is a form of escapism from the bleakness of life, something that the game itself calls out, even if it's couched in the black comedy of the narrator still being stuck on the Steam reviews possibly hundreds of years into his solitary confinement, but hey, nothing's going to fix this inherent nightmare that is existence, so fuck it, we paraBALL. Within this tiny point on the grand timeline of the universe that I exist within for a few brief milliseconds, as I try to comprehend this piece of art that will one day disappear along with the human species, I see it claim that it is meaningless to play it. It almost spitefully contradicts itself to make itself impossible to pin down. It creates mysteries within mysteries and refuses to give you any answers. And I interact with it regardless, making my own meaning out of its contradictions. It kicks and screams and tells you it's pointless to play it and you can only win by turning it off while at the same time creating a horrific existential scenario where a key character in all of this is forced to confront the fact that he is fictional and can only exist while you perceive him, only for the game to go on insisting that you should really just turn it off and stop playing while this same character then says he is ready to move on to something else, despite needing your perception of him for him to go on existing as a fiction. But, hey, the fact that I like to imagine he does move on to better things perhaps means that within my perception of him, within my own interpretations of him, he does. Out of all these contradictions, I make my own meaning with my own contradictory theories. I embrace the paradoxical nature of the game and enjoy taking away different ideas from the different events that play out. Maybe I’ve won The Stanley Parable, or maybe I’ve lost it, or maybe I’m doing both at the same time, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

[sipsteainanxiety]

BEFORE THE BEGINNING for mermaid Bakugou? I wanna know what little mer things he was up to aldksfjjfd

ZEE HELLO!!! i love u <3 little mer things made me laugh LMFAOOO i rly just sat down and thought abt this for 10 mins instead of doing hw sdfhfkdg here u go maam <33 oops i rambled again

send me an ask from this game!!

katsuki liked to explore.

this was a given with his inquisitive, wild nature, but as he got older, he found himself drifting further and further away from his tribe. it wasn't that he wasn't loyal to them—he was, incredibly so. but he just didn't like how stifling his mother could be, and with the way they butted heads from time to time katsuki simply found it easier on their relationship if he was out and about.

(besides, she wasn't that protective anymore, now that he was a grown merman. he frowned as one one of his hands idly traced a rough scar on his side, then shook his head to banish his thoughts of a past he could no longer reach.)

after spending so long living in the same small part of the ocean, katsuki grew bored. restless. he wanted to go out more—see what else the world had to offer. this combination of factors just snowballed until he found himself spending days on end away from his little home, exploring by himself as he so preferred.

he found excitement in chasing after particularly fast fishes, sharp teeth bared in a wicked grin. found peace in swimming at the bottom of the ocean where the sun could still reach its narrow tendrils to light his way. found contentment in watching little crabs and seahorses idly move about, doing their own things to survive.

he dove high—daring to breach the surface of the water from time to time to peer up at the vast blue dotted with white and grey. he dove low—curious eyes observing the strange, rotting structures that dotted the ocean's bed. foreign—human.

(human... something he had not experienced in so long. his gaze was unwavering, brows furrowing for a split second before smoothing over. move on, move on.)

katsuki liked to explore, yes, but he also liked his alone time.

he grew accustomed to the wide, expansive waters of the ocean, nothing to accompany him but the occasional tuna or miniscule plankton. he was no longer surrounded by the chattering of his people, his friends, but instead had nothing but the muted silence of underwater. he was alone—and though he would not admit it, sometimes he was lonely. but that was his own fault.

he could go back home, yes. and he did from time to time. but the loneliness always crept back in and katsuki was simply too stubborn to tell anyone—reach out to anyone. and his friends—his dumb, loving friends—thought it was best to leave him be for the time. his own fault, his own.

and then one day... he stumbled across a coral reef, sharp crimson eyes landing on a foreign figure. his pupils shrunk as he lurked behind a wide piece of jagged rock, intrigue crawling up his spine that was soon replaced by anger—irritation.

it was a human—and it was damaging his home.

[paradoxesofgalaxies]

Ok. Groceries and other errands are done. Now to try to recover

[carronpatrick]

How does it feel like for having a blog for 14 years

Man, it feels so damn bizarre. I created this blog in 10th(?) grade and I'll be 30 this upcoming May and it's just. I've been on the internet since like Y2K and dial-up on those free AOL internet trial CDs they sent in the mail. But, most of the sites (apart from Neopets, my beloved Uni hasn't been fed in a few weeks, lmao) don't exist anymore, so to have a record of all my cringy past moments is wild. 😂 Also makes me feel very old despite not being old.

Also, hiiii! :3 dude, I saw you followed me last night and I've been too shy to say anything, lmao. But

[xawkward-ariesx]

Less of a extensive research writer or ah fuck it writer but more of a behind the scenes writer. The amount of shit that goes on behind the scenes of my writing that generally serves very little purpose in the grand scheme of things, only clarifies a small detail that likely won't even get noticed, is ridiculous but helps immerse me in the universe I'm creating even if the readers never know about it

[malwarechips]

I don't know if this'll send because of my email purgatory but I just opened your page up on desktop for the first time and woahh it looks so cool

IT DID SEND also thank you !!!! ngbadjhgad

[bellflower-goat]

eepy

[fruitfulfaggot]

a sketch that I spent waaay too long trying to get right. anyway I think one (1) kiss from wallace would fix scott somehow

[a-dauntless-daffodil]

can u guess which gif will be at the end of this. can you guess. i'll bet at least a few of you can guess XD

Charlie: "New plan- group bonding through shared, SAFE, suffering!"

Alastor: “Oh joy~”

Husk: "Not this fucking shit again."

Angel Dust: "Well hey as long as it's consensual sufferin'~"

Niffty: (lifts arms at vaggie) "YEEET ME!!!"

Vaggie: "Ughh... no."

Niffty: "Aww."

Vaggie: "I'm never living that one down am I?"

Charlie: "Vaggie, you don't need to live anything down EVER-"

Alastor: "Cough cough! Lied to her girlfriend for three years, cough cough!"

Angel Dust: "Dude you're not supposed t' SAY cough."

Husk: “That’s the part you’re fucking annoyed at?”

Charlie: "-and the POINT is, your whole idea about going through hell to trust the people who go through it with you? Not entirely on the wrong track!"

Vaggie: "Yaaay."

Husk: "You fucked up but for the right un-shitty reasons."

Vaggie: "Great. Thanks."

Charlie: "SO! We're all gonna share the worst work day of our lives with each other!"

Niffty: "Share?" (excited) "By INFLICTING them on each other!?"

Charlie: "Talking, Niffty. We're going to, talk about them."

Niffty: "Aww...."

Husk: "Is there a time limit."

Angel Dust: "Is there a rating limit?"

Alastor: (thoughtful) "Does it still count as a terrible work day if I was able to murder them at the end of it?"

Charlie: "Uhhhh-"

Vaggie: "How 'bout we stick to how it made us feel, rather than all the... X rated... gory details?"

Niffty: (sighs) (slumps over) "This is my worst most terrible work day ever.."

Charlie: "And how do you FEEL about it?"

Niffty: "Sad..."

Vaggie: "I'll let you use my spear for roach hunting after this."

Niffty: (bouncing up) "OH THE EMOTIONS! WHATEVER ONES YOU WANT FROM ME I DON'T CARE, I HAVE THEM!!!"

Husk: "What the fuck."

Angel Dust: "Yeesh."

Charlie: "Okay that's, that's enough sharing from you. Good, um, good job!"

Niffty: "Spear spear spear-"

Charlie: "Well MY worst work day was definitely the one where we were besieged by an army of murderous angels heaven-bent on the full scale slaughter of most of my family! And they actually did kill one! Yeah- that." (laughs) "That fucking sucked and I hated it!"

Angel Dust, Husk, Niffty: (GASP)

Charlie: "What? What??"

Angel Dust: "You said the "H" word, toots.."

Vaggie: "She said a lot more than that while writing an angry text to heaven afterwards."

Charlie: "Hey! You checked the text for me- you know I was polite!"

Vaggie: "Charlie, it was the most aggressively polite 'fuck off' anyone's ever written in the history of all creation. I’m so proud of you for it."

Charlie: "Heh."

Alastor: “Cough get a room please cough.”

Angel Dust: “’m TELLING YOU that’s NOT how it’s supposed ‘t WORK you're not supposed t' SAY IT-”

Charlie: "Ah-hem. Um. Husk? Worst work day-?"

Husk: "Still living it."

Hotel Crew: "....."

Husk: "...but you stupid fuckers are keeping me company through it, so, fucking thanks I guess."

Charlie: (tearful) "Oh Husk. That's so..."

Angel Dust: "Love you too, Mr. Whiskers~"

Husk: "Shut the fuck up."

Vaggie: "Hey."

Husk: "Him, not her. The day your “her” shuts the fuck up is the day we all know we're fucked."

Charlie: "Gosh I hope not." (wipes eyes) "Angel Dust? You wanna...?"

Angel Dust: "My worst shitty day was also my BEST day."

Charlie: (bracing herself) "O...kay...?"

Angel Dust: "A friend came to work an' almost killed the boss for me. Can ya believe that? An' the only reason she didn't open him up a few new 'fun' an' 'interestin' holes of his own was 'cause I had to stop her."

Vaggie: "HELL YEAH!"

Charlie: "You mean-"

Angel Dust: "Yeah. Thanks, apple cheeks. I spent good crack money commissionin' fanart of you wrecking his shit."

Charlie: "WHAT!?"

Vaggie: "You have GOT to let me see that."

Charlie: "VAGGIE!"

Vaggie: "Oh come on, it's better than him buying crack, right?"

Angel Dust: "It def looks waaay better on my wall."

Charlie: "I- that's not-"

Niffty: "Is there BLOOD?"

Charlie: "Oh please don't let there be any-"

Angel Dust: "SO much blood, baby."

Charlie: "Noooo...!"

Vaggie: "Now I really need to see it."

Charlie: "H-WHA?"

Husk: "I really need a fucking drink."

Charlie: "I'm- you know what? I'm pretending I didn't hear any of that. La la la! I have complete deniability!"

Alastor: "That's the spirit! You hardly knew him, certainly never fantasized about decorating him with his own entrails! Just keep reminding yourself of that while hiding the body~!"

Charlie: "NO! Just.... well maybe for him..."

Vaggie: "You're so pretty."

Charlie: (pouting) "We need to commission a piece of you standing over Lute with your spear at her throat. It's not FAIR otherwise."

Vaggie: "Anything for you, babe."

Alastor: "How saccharine. Young love hand in hand, spattered in blood."

Charlie: "A-anyway. Alastor. Your turn."

Alastor: "Hmm. Well, there was the time someone reorganized the reels, somehow without mentioning it to me before air time. And without asking me before hand. But..."

Husk: "Here it comes."

Alastor: "Reorganized their organs for them later that night, likewise unasked, was QUITE fun."

Charlie: "I THOUGHT WE SAID WE COULD JUST TALK ABOUT OUR FEELINGS!"

Alastor: "My feelings?"

Niffty: "PURE UNDILUTED JOY"

Alastor: "Mm no, they didn't scream enough for that..."

Charlie: "AAAAAH!" (covers ears)

Alastor: "Shall we say perhaps, accomplished?"

Vaggie: "Over one murder? Wow. You're sure easy to please."

Alastor: "I've always believed in quality not quantity when it comes to my passion projects. Swift, thoughtless killings are so passé."

Angel Dust: "Y'know, meeting you has really ruined the whole dashing dapper man w' a tinted glass monocle for me. It's that creepy grin. You're a total boner kill."

Alastor: "Oh I do try."

Vaggie: "What about the day you died? Didn't you get fucking shot like a deer, venison a la Alastor?"

Alastor: "Fan of my history, hmm?"

Vaggie: "The TV future about it is pretty funny, not gonna lie."

Alastor: "Ah ha ha! TV DID YOU SAY."

Vaggie: "Vox airs it. Every day."

Alastor: "AND YOU WATCHED IT. HMM?"

Vaggie: "Every. Day."

Angel Dust: "I bring the popcorn and pills."

Husk: "I mix the fucking drinks."

Niffty: "I wish it had more BLOOD!"

Alastor: "ET TU, NIFFTY?"

Charlie: "Okay okay, that's WAY more than enough from you, reel back in the shadow monsters please-"

Alastor: "AHAHAHAH...!" (fades into shadows)

Angel Dust: "Creep. He's prob'ly vaping off to go curse the TV again."

Husk: "For mother fuck. I've got that cooking show coming on tonight. Will smacking the aerial with the angel spear get it working again?"

Vaggie: "Probably...?"

Charlie: "Vaggie!" (desperate) (hopeful) "You have a normal worst day at work to finish this exercise off with, right!?"

Vaggie: "...."

Vaggie: "Uh, well sweetie...."

[apomaro-mellow]

Wrong Number 4

Steve was eternally grateful that he'd finally told Robin about Eddie. Because now, he could torture her with his outfit choices. Robin groaned and covered her eyes as Steve held out more shirts.

"What do you think? Stripes or no stripes?"

"Steeeeeeve", Robin whined.

"You're the one that told me stripes really shows off my chest."

"Is Eddie a tits guy? Or an ass man?"

Steve put the shirts back in the closet. "I don't know. I don't know Robin and the fact that this is a video call date makes it worse."

"Actually....actually it makes it better." Robin uncovered her face and grabbed Steve's shoulders. "You'll be on the phone the whole time!"

"Yes...We've established this", Steve said, not sure where she was going with this.

"I mean, if you're doing a video call, YOU control what Eddie sees."

Steve stared at her face for a long while as she simply emoted using her eyebrows. "Robin, no."

"Robin, yes. Come on. We're going shopping. You're waaay overdue for this. And I need a couple of things myself."

"Things going that well with Chrissy?", Steve asked right before Robin threw his shoes at him.

"What do you think I'm doing while you're on your date?", Robin grinned.

-----------------------

Eddie's excitement just got more and more intense with each day. By Wednesday he was vibrating any time his hands weren't occupied with something. He only hoped it didn't translate to his texts. Cool as a cucumber, that was his motto when it came to Steve. He couldn't come on too strong.

(9:45 am) Thinking about those beefy thighs (9:46 am) god i wanna wrap them around my head

Perfect. Smooth. And not too much.

At least he didn't think so at the time. About an hour later Eddie remembered that Steve was at work and possibly reading that text in a room full of prepubescents. And he knew he was going to reap what he sowed when Steve texted him later.

[12:01 pm] You are the ultimate distraction.

(12:02 pm) sry. i forgot you were at work

[12:03 pm] I don't think you are sorry. In fact, I think you need to be punished.

Eddie needed to get a job in coding because there was no emoji that properly conveyed the intensity of the 'boi-yoi-yoi-yoing' going on in his pants. How grateful he was that he didn't need to talk. Texting would cover any stuttering he was sure to do.

(12:04 pm) punishment? 😏 (12:04 pm) what kind of punishment?

[12:05 pm] See me after class, Mr. Munson.

God, four o'clock couldn't come fast enough. Eddie knew that'd be around the time Steve got home from work. He spent about an hour rolling around in bed before getting up, needing to distract himself. He wasn't due for work today, but he went in anyway to loiter.

"I can tell you're horny and I can tell you're just idling until you get your dick wet. Get lost, some of us have actual work to do", Jeff said.

Eddie let out a dramatic gasp. "Jeffery! Jeffords! Jeffaniel! Jeffanie!"

"Are you just going to sit there, making up full names for me or are you gonna get off your ass?"

"I'll replace all the boards and sweep out the alleys for the next two hours", Eddie said, holding his hands together like he was praying to his friend.

Jeff rubbed his chin as he considered it. "Only if you take this next party I have coming in."

Eddie looked at the group arriving. There had to be at least a dozen. And he just knew they only reserved one lane. They always only reserved one lane.

"You drive a hard bargain Jimothy."

"Not even close", Jeff crossed his arms. "And it's this or whatever ants in your pants you'll do if you're unoccupied."

Curse his friends for knowing him so well. Eddie held up his end of the deal, taking care of the party. Turned out it was a birthday party (happy 14th Ashton). But two hours later, the time had passed and Eddie went back home. He still had an hour to spare (he didn't want to leave Steve waiting), so he spent the rest of the time coming up with some ideas for their date in a few days.

[4:04 pm] Are you home?

(4:05 pm) At home and awaiting orders gorgeous (4:05 pm) Have I been a bad boy Mr. Harrington?

Eddie's phone rang and he picked it up as he crashed onto his bed. He knew Steve could hear it when he laughed on the other end.

"You need to keep a tighter lid on those urges. It was a lucky break that all the kids were focused on their dishes that they didn't see the face I made."

"Truly, my bad Stevie. But I can't help what you do to me."

Steve chuckled. "Not even a little?"

"Not one bit. Okay, maybe a little bit. The truth is, I could've said a lot more, but I was holding back."

"Really now? And what would you have said if you weren't holding back?"

Eddie could hear something that sounded like movement in a bed. Steve was getting comfortable too. He thought about the picture he had saved, of Steve's lower body in those shorts. He had been laying in bed then too. Eddie let his mind wander for a bit. What he'd do if Steve were really in bed beside him...

"Baby if you were here right now, I'd have my hands all over you. You'd think I was an octopus."

"Tell me where you'd touch me first", Steve said.

"Well I'm still thinkin' of those legs of yours. You like massages, Stevie? I could rub you down all day."

Steve imagined Eddie digging his fingers into his muscles. That would really hit the spot, especially after a workout. "Mmm, and then?"

"And then I'd wrap them around my head, like I said. I saw what you were packin' in those shorts, baby. I would love to get my mouth on you."

Eddie heard Steve let out a soft moan and he definitely heard a zipper and some shifting. God, the image of Steve stroking himself... Eddie unzipped his pants too, palming at himself while the other hand kept an ever tightening hold on the phone.

"Eddieee..."

"I wanna hear everything, baby. I'm working so hard sucking you off, I deserve to know how good I'm making you feel."

"So good, uh", Steve let out a small breath at the end.

"Yeah? I haven't even told you how I'd rock your world yet", Eddie grinned.

"I just know...You're so good with your mouth."

"You like the way I lick you up and down? How I kiss that beautiful tip?" Eddie knew he had a dick just as handsome as the rest of him, never mind that he had yet to see Steve's whole face yet. His hand pumped up and down as he envisioned the weight of Steve in his mouth. He thought about getting drunk on that taste.

Eddie groaned and his eyes fluttered close, his mouth moving faster than his brain. "Do you shave Steve?"

"....No...is that a problem?"

"Ohh it's the opposite of a problem babe. I bet you got a thick bush. I'd sink all the way down, bury my nose in it while you're fucking my throat."

Steve let out the most delicious sound as he came and Eddie wasn't too far behind. It was like he was there, hairs coarse and curly rough against his skin while Steve moaned right into his ear.

"Mmm", Steve hummed. "I know you look good now. My cum dripping off your lips."

"I'd swallow it all, sweetness. I wouldn't waste a single drop." He would take all that Steve gave him and then some. He was a greedy man.

"I know you wouldn't. I don't allow anything to go to waste in my classroom. Have you learned your lesson, Mr. Munson?"

"Maaaybeee. I might need another lesson, Mr. Harrington. Say, this Friday, at eight?", Eddie teased.

"I suppose you'll need more help studying. Don't be late, mister."

-----------------------------

For once, Steve didn't linger after work. He made sure the kids cleaned up every last dish before the last period even ended. He even let them go a minute and a half before the bell. When Steve left, he went the back way to avoid most of the other teachers and that pre-weekend conversation. He got home right away and started getting ready. Robin had her own date tonight which meant he had limited time to get her help and last minute input.

When she got home from work, the apartment was a flurry of activity between them.

"Steve, I need the blow dryer!"

"Wait! I'm almost done!"

They both crashed into each other's spaces as they tried using the one bathroom mirror.

"Why can't you use your stupid vanity mirror?", Robin asked.

"That mirror is just for my hair and it's too small."

Robin gave him a side eye. "Is that my eyeliner?"

"Is that my face cream?"

For some reason, Robin insisted on getting dressed in his room, which meant at some points their outfits got switched around and they had to re-dress. The pandemonium finally quieted when Robin left for her date and Steve was at last alone for his. It was at 8:00 sharp that Eddie sent a text.

(8:00 pm) Knock knock 😙

Steve smiled as he started a video call. His heart fluttered at the thought of finally seeing Eddie's full face. So imagine his surprise when he was instead met with a hand that had a face drawn on it. And what could only be Eddie doing a deeper, character voice.

"Hello my love. Are you ready for the romancing tonight? I hope I get lucky, ehehehehe."

To which Steve couldn't help but burst out in laughter. Any nerves he might've had flew away.

"Oh, I don't know. I'm a proper young man. I don't think I could court with someone who was so...handsy."

"I wouldn't lay a finger on you without your permission, lovely. But maybe a few smooches. Muahmuahmuah!" Eddie's hand attacked his phone's camera with kisses and Steve giggled like it was actually touching him.

As his laughing fit subsided, only then did Eddie reveal his face. He took Steve's breath away. He was literally speechless and just stood there staring, which made Eddie start to squirm a little.

"You tryina turn me to stone, Medusa?", Eddie joked.

"Sorry!", Steve apologized when he realized he had been staring. "You just...you look really nice Eddie."

"You don't look too bad yourself, handsome", Eddie smiled.

That was putting it lightly. For the both of them really. Steve felt like he was talking to the perfect man. Eddie felt like Steve had walked right out of his wet dreams.

"So, what did you order?", Steve asked as he sat down at his table. He made sure his phone was angled that it only showed him from the waist up. Robin had the bright idea that since he could control what Eddie saw, he could wear whatever he wanted under the line of sight.

He was currently wearing a blue and white striped polo shirt. And beneath that, some lacy, navy blue panties. Maybe Eddie would find out, maybe he wouldn't. Steve had his phone on the table, propped up against some books.

"I ordered the Munson special. A grilled cheese with potato soup."

"Oh, that's a Munson special, hm?"

"Damn straight. Tomato soup is still a classic, but I'd die for a potato. What'd you get?"

"I have some leftover pasta that I just added some mushrooms too. Nothing too fancy."

"Unless it's one of those truffles", Eddie pointed out.

Steve rolled his eyes as he twirled his fork. "Truffles? On a teacher's salary?"

"Hey, you could be secretly rich."

"Oh if I win the lottery, there will be signs."

"Like 5th graders using authentic truffles", Eddie nodded to himself.

They kept talking throughout their dinner and then took each other to their sinks to wash the dishes together. Eddie talked more about his friends. Some of which he worked with and the band he was in. Steve wasn't super into metal, but he liked it enough to be interested in whatever Eddie did.

When they had talked about their date night and discussed their options, they decided on dinner and a movie. Once the dishes were cleaned, Steve took Eddie over to the living room and he sat down between the coffee table and propped him against another set of books as they both queued up the movie on their ends.

"You know it's been a really long time since I've seen this movie", Steve said. "I think I was literally a kid."

"There was a time when this was literally my religion", Eddie said as Quest for Camelot started to play.

Steve knew Eddie was into Dungeons & Dragons, so him being in love with a fantasy movie made total sense.

"Did you have a crush on Garrett when you were a kid?", Steve asked, later during the movie.

"'Did'? I'd still let him use that staff on me six ways to Sunday!"

Steve laughed and he was coming to realize he laughed with Eddie much more than any of his dates in a long while.

"I'm gonna go grab a drink", Steve said as he got up. He nearly asked Eddie if he wanted something. It really was like he was right there with him. Steve grabbed a soda and then came back, sitting down in his spot again when he saw Eddie's expression.

He was silent, which was rare.

His eyes were bulging out of his head and his hand was over his mouth.

Steve was about to ask what was wrong when Eddie's eyes flicked down and then Steve got it. He had stood up. In full view of his phone. And then turned to go into the kitchen.

Eddie had gotten a first rate view of his panties.

Part 6

Tag Team (CLOSED)

@anne-bennett-cosplayer @estrellami-1 @newtstabber @omletlove @ifyoudonlysurrender @rehfan @morganski-19 @corvidcantina @dragonmama76 @just-ladyme @tinyplanet95 @goodolefashionedloverboi @idoquitelikebread @kittydeadbones @manda-panda-monium @rhapsodyinalto @paintsplatteredandimperfect @keylime-green @ihavekidneys @samsoble @honorarybrit81 @swimmingbirdrunningrock @aizawa-emma @deleataecount @thesuninyaface @fromapayphone @justmeinadaze @hbyrde36 @queenie-ofthe-void @resident-gay-bitch @bestwifehaver @dangdirtydemons @ellietheasexylibrarian @perseus-notjackson @pyrohonk @holysteddie @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @mrsjellymunson @geekymagicalpotato @notaqueenakhaleesi