#i think it's genuinely gotten worse though bc like

[liquidstar]

I have abs not from working out but from coughing so much all the time for like a decade that I might as well have been doing crunches

[marcvscicero]

.

(just a very long rant, feel 100% free to ignore, it’s just to vent somewhere, could’ve ranted even more but apparently 30 tags is the limit whoops 🤭🤭)

[alpineglow]

do you think you could write for Yelena Belova x reader Sharing their first kiss?

ofc!! I adore a cute little fluff fic like this, they are DELECTABLE!! also I hope y'all enjoy the fact that all my fic titles are Taylor lyrics, idk why I always love people who have super cohesive title themes. Also sorry if this is OOC or anything! I wrote this all in one go at like 10pm LMAO.

The First Kiss, It's Flawless

Ship: Yelena Belova x Reader Word Count: ~1.8k Description: Yelena's got a crush on you. She wants it to be perfect. Who better to ask than her older sister? (Spoiler: Many people are better to ask) A/N: NOTHING BUT SILLY ROMANTIC FUN FOR MY GIRLS BC THEY DESERVE THE WORLD

Masterlist

11:30am, Manhattan

"Natasha, I'm being serious," Yelena groans, shoving her face into her hands. Her sister was sat next to her on the edge of her bed, awkwardly patting Yelena on the back. When her sister asked for help, and to come to her Brooklyn apartment as soon as possible, the last thing she expected it to be for was romantic struggles.

"And I'm being serious too! You just go with the flow," Natasha says, sighing softly as her free hand pinches her brow.

"That's easy for you to say! Maria asked YOU out!" Yelena was definitely growing more frustrated, owed to the way she flopped her body back onto her bed and pulled a pillow over her face. Natasha rolls her eyes, pulling the pillow away. She earned herself a few daggers glared in return.

"Yelena, Y/N is sweet. The worst they can say is no."

"That's what you and everyone else say! I can think of so many worse things that could-"

There it was, the list of reasons she couldn't take the leap about to tumble forth. Natasha knew it all too well. It was incredibly impressive how in every other aspect of their lives, Yelena led with her head held high. This was a vast departure from that. So, with a sigh, Natasha stood up, stretching, and grabbing her keys and phone from the bed.

"What are you doing?" Yelena asked hastily, pushing herself up onto her elbows.

"Going to play matchmaker." It was a simple plan, really. Feign confused sibling, apologise if it wasn't the case. Easy operation, in and out. To Yelena though, it wasn't.

"Are you out of your mind?" Thankfully, the door was shut, meaning Yelena's shout didn't have the chance to escape the room and echo down the hallways of the apartment building.

"No- Seriously, you have nothing to freak out about! I figure it out for you, and make the opening!"

Before Yelena could object, Natasha was out of the door.

---

Natasha had asked to meet you at some nondescript coffee shop by Central Park. It wasn't out of the ordinary, meeting an Avenger in some otherwise innocuous location. Unlike other times though, this did seem like a genuine encounter. When you arrived, Natasha was already sat outside, with two coffees on a wire table.

"Hey, Nat! It's been a while!"

You'd been friends with the redhead for nearing a decade now - working with the Avengers as an intelligence officer on several occasions. On the third or fourth time, Natasha had taken a shining to you, and the pair of you became close friends.

Being close friends, she had, of course, gotten your coffee order dead on. It was a welcomed warmth in the late winter in New York.

"How've you been, Y/N?" she asks, taking a swig of her coffee. From there, the conversation flowed naturally, as if you'd seen each other yesterday. It was nice, pleasant even. You felt yourself relax into it, smiling as the odd joke came to light.

"Hey, do you mind if I ask you something?"

You furrow your brow, nodding.

"Of course?"

"Forgive me, if I'm overstepping, but I couldn't help but notice- You and Yelena? Are you two-"

A blush blooms across your face, and up your neck. You try and hide it with a sip of your coffee, but you fail miserably, choking slightly.

"What? Oh- No! No, no, no. We're just friends." You laugh nervously, coughing a few times. When you finally meet Natasha's eyes, there's a good natured humour in them. And, obviously, she had seen right through you.

"Is it that obvious?" you say, a frown meeting your expression. You'd thought you had been subtle.

"Afraid so," Natasha replies. This was good news, great news for her sister. An idea sparked though. She'd have to beg Yelena for her forgiveness though.

"You know... Yelena's free this Friday night."

Your brow furrows.

"I don't follow?"

Natasha laughs, setting her empty coffee cup on the table.

"Ask her on a date. I promise it'll go well."

Things clicked into place for you, and you roll your eyes. This was a double agent case. But that meant Yelena liked you back... Oh my god. You reach into your pocket, pulling out your phone.

"You're an asshole, you know that?"

"Hey! I had to play it cool, in case you didn't like her. Would've been really awkward if I was straight up and you weren't into her."

You couldn't argue with that logic. Finally, you find Yelena's contact on your phone, and type up a quick message.

Are you free Friday?

There's a short delay, albeit a touch too short, before Yelena responds.

Yes. Are you suggesting something?

How about a movie at mine? 7pm. Keep it casual. Like a casual date.

Yelena takes a little longer to respond this time. You hear Natasha's phone ding, and look up in time to see her laugh.

"She just called me a motherfucker."

---

Friday came all too quickly, and you found your palms sweating. You're not sure why. Your intentions had been perfectly clear when you messaged Yelena and asked her out. She knew what this was, and you did too. And it wasn't like you didn't know her - you'd warmed up to each other quite quickly once Natasha had introduced you both. Being closer in age to the younger of the sisters would do that.

To top it all off, you already had Natasha's approval. So there was nothing to be afraid of, right?

It was just you and Yelena, in your living room, watching a film.

Romantically.

Not as friends. Very very not as friends.

The microwave beeped from your kitchen, yelling at you that the popcorn had finished.

God, what am I doing?

The microwave opens with a thud when you pull the handle, grabbing the popcorn by the very corner. Holding it over the sink, you shake it a few times to disperse the butter, and get the kernels out. Fondly, you remembered it was Yelena who'd actually taught you that trick.

Finally, you dump it into a large bowl, and take it over to the living room. Netflix was already pulled up. You hadn't yet settled on what film to watch, and you'd be damned if you picked it on your own. Risk her not liking it. On your first date. The very thought sent a shudder through you.

You couldn't linger on it for too long, because the doorbell rung.

"Fuck! 7pm already," you whisper-shout to yourself, carefully dodging around the couch to get to the front door. Habitually, you look through the peephole. You're greeted with a fisheye view of the blonde, and open the door.

"Yelena! Hey!"

Why the fuck are you saying that like you didn't expect to see her. You literally invited her here.

Thankfully, she looked as nervous as you felt. Yelena smiled though, holding up a bag of M&M's.

"Hi. I brought these! Makes popcorn better," she said. "Can I come in?"

"Oh! Yea, of course, sorry!" you jumble out, stepping out of her way. You lock the door behind her as you close it, and follow her as she's already made her was to the living room.

"I didn't know what you wanted to watch, but I made popcorn!"

You're nervously fidgeting with your hands, surveying the living room situation. There were plenty of blankets, and pillows. The coffee table was in reach, with popcorn, and the new bag of M&Ms. You're too busy worrying to catch the soft look Yelena sends your way.

"We can pick off of your Letterboxd, don't you have that watch list? Movies are more your thing," she jokes, settling down with a pillow and blanket in the corner.

You agree, pulling out your phone and settling on the lounge. You're a little too tense, and sitting an almost awkward distance away from her. Not quite in her space, but not quite in yours either. You rattle off a few titles, and don't notice her creeping nearer until a hand rests on your forearm. You look at her.

"How about that one?" she asks, pointing to a movie poster on your phone. You become aware of how close she is.

"Yea... That'll work."

---

It'd happened almost 20 minutes ago now, but your knee was touching Yelena's under the blanket. It felt like electricity arcing up your body when it first happened, but now it had settled to a soft warmth. A pleasant warmth.

When the end credits rolled, Yelena stayed still for a while. Wrapped up in a blanket, leant against the armrest of the sofa.

"Wow. That was a good movie. Good taste," she said, sitting up. You liked the way her accent wove the words together. It made such a simple statement feel like the highest praise.

"Yea!" you say, standing up to take the bowl to the kitchen. "I'm glad I got to watch it with you." It's a tad sappy, but you meant it. Couldn't hurt to say on a first date.

"Do you know what time it is?" she asks from the living room, where she'd rolling up the blanket she had used. Your eyes stray to the microwave, which reads 10:30pm. You relay that information to her.

"Your place is pretty far away... I have a guest room you can use?"

"My my! Getting me to stay the night on our first date, that's very bold."

If she were anyone else, and if you'd known her for any less time, you would've panicked. A faux pas, and you would've passed out. But you could spot the jest in her tone. When you come back to the living room, she's smiling.

"I'd actually really appreciate that," Yelena says. Her tone is lower than before; more authentic. More tender. Simply more.

"Thank you for coming tonight." She looks at you, regarding you with a warmth that went just a step beyond friendship. A new dash of vulnerability.

Her hand rests on your outer forearm that's by your side. It was a sweet touch, an innocent one, too. But it felt perfect. Everything in this moment felt right, and you felt at ease.

"Can I kiss you?" Yelena asks. If you listened closely enough, dissected it with the proverbial knife, there was a touch of fear in her tone. You hadn't heard it, though.

Rather than answering, you lean forward, capturing her lips in yours. Like everything else, it felt right. It was chaste, and didn't last long enough. But for now it would be enough. It was more a promise. A beckoning call forward, a waiting hand.

Yelena's smiling when you pull away. You find yourself smiling too.

You show her to her room for the evening, and before you go to return to your own, you call out behind you.

"Night, Yelena!

◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤

Hope y'all enjoyed! Like I said, I wrote this in one take at night, so forgive any mistakes! Requests are open!!

[charmixpower]

I've always loved how committed Timmy was to finding Tecna and thinking about it sent me on a long path of thoughts and I landed on this: how do you think the specialists +Nabu would react if they thought their girlfriend was killed?

Not well!!! Thank you for the Ask :D

Sky: idk if Sky or Brandon would be able to sense Bloom and Stella like Timmy was able to do for Tecna so I'm just gonna assume no bc everyone below them can. I feel like he wouldn't believe it???? Bloom was killed? No she wasn't. Shut up. Like it's half denial and half "have you seen the bullshit magic she's capable of??" It would take Bloom's actual corpse to convince him she was actually dead or a REALLY convincing illusion he could touch. Then he's all fucking sad. Sky is a mom friend so he's going in between extreme sadness and trying to end the person who did this

Brandon: Anyone else except me and Jester notice how Brandon was the most calm at Nabu's funeral???? I feel like he'd have the least worse reaction, not in the sense that he's not upset but in the sense that he has the best handle on his emotions. Like he still gets VERY upset and wants revenge but he's not gonna fucking go berserk and cause problems like Helia and Riven would. He IS still going to try and stab whoever did that to Stella though, he's just going to be slightly smarter about it. I feel like he'd also try and get everyone else to be more careful, around the threat, not himself tho. My Brandon has magic but idk if he'd b able to sense Stella bc his Erakylon tutors wouldn't focus on stuff like that

Timmy: I won't type on this one long because well we know he can't be convinced Tecna's dead unless she's actually dead bc magic, but if he actually thought she was killed he wouldn't try to attack the thing that killed her, he'd try to retrieve and protect her body. Timmy is one of the few people who can keep a level head when upset, including Brandon, and is willing to let the magic people do the magic fighting and stay out of their way (Brandon is also smart enough to know he's not much of a help but is confident in his skills enough that he knows he CAN still help tho)

Riven: Timmy knows Tecna is alive bc it's sorta implied that he can kinda sense her magic?? Like he says he can still feel her, and I'm assuming that means her magic. Anyways you know how Riven could still sense Darcy in s2 after they broke up???? Riven couldn't be convinced Musa was dead unless she actually was dead. He can feel very a lot more strongly than Timmy can feel Tecna I imagine bc he could still sense Darcy's presence after they broke up, so it would be stupid hard to convince him she was dead. If you did somehow manage this he'd attempt to get revenge and then immediately collapse with depression since revenge was gotten. He doesn't handle things well in general, and that's like. The light of his life. His person. He'd literally stop functioning if she was dead

Helia: You'd think bc Helia actually has magic his ability to sense Flora would be stronger, but like it's not terrible but it would be as vague as Timmy's is in canon bc he never uses it. In my hcs it would be better bc he goes to CT and actually uses his magic more often, but he'd still be doing worse than like Nabu, who is a lot better at magic. Helia has a tendency to lash out when Flora is in danger so I think if he genuinely thought she was dead for any amount of time he would be going full war path until he realizes she's alive. When he does realize, bc it will take him a second, he immediately calms down and starts putting together a plan to help Flora

Nabu: he would not think Aisha was dead unless she was actually dead, same reasons as everyone else but his magic is stronger so he'd be the hardest to convince. But like, let's pretend he did actually think she was dead, I feel like he would go full Dungeon Meshi lesbians. He will go any length to revive her if she's dead, and bc she's not dead he's using magic to divine her location and go and get her. Nabu is very into writing spells and runes and arcane magic and there is nothing magical he wouldn't try to get Aisha back. Mans was already so dedicated to getting to know her, combine that with him being in love with her and there is nothing he wouldn't do

[quibllyfish]

mammon request bc i need them too 😭 going on cute lil dates with him (he insists he pays for everything, even if u touch a piece of clothing at the store it’s urs) just some v cute shit :))

꒰﹒🌐﹕Obey Me Mammon x Gn!Reader dating hcs. . . !

﹕lots and lots of fluff and pampering (with a small amount of shenanigans)

૮꒰ྀི∩´ ᵕ `∩꒱ྀིა：❝—Hi again! I really hope this turned okay- Im not completely used to writing fics yet! I love love LOVE mammon though he’s my meow meow. Thank you so much for the detailed ask!! (I did not proofread at all btw so sorry) ꒱ . . ♡

-mammon, even though he’s the avatar of greed, is the most attentive boyfriend you could ever ask for. he absolutely adores you—cherishes you, and he’s not exactly sure how to guarantee that you’ll feel the same way about him. in fact, he’s not really even sure how to convey the depth of what he feels for you!! he’s never been good at the whole genuine relationship thing… 

-but he knows exactly what makes him feel loved!! mammon’s top love languages are without a doubt gift giving and acts of service; considering his nature, its reasonable that favors and presents are what he thrives off of. if those things make the great mammon feel special, then surely they’ll make you feel super duper great!!!

-one form of him showing this to you is dates—and not just normal dates. he’ll go to any length in order to make an occasion remarkable for you. 

-you like the outdoors? all of the sudden he’s bought a lavish cabin in the most whimsical, fairytale-esque forest in the devildom to whisk you off to. he’ll even beg satan to help him read up on the local flora and fauna so he can look ‘waayyyy cool and educated on plants and stuff’ for his favorite human!! be weary though, because if you two end up stumbling upon some kind of wolf or bear you wont be able to stop him from getting into a brawl with it ‘to protect you’. (inevitably you’ll end up back at the cabin having to patch up his wounds while he haughtily argues that he could’ve handled it if you hadn't gotten in between the two of them)

-you mention you got a stain on your favorite shirt? mammon is on it! next thing you know you’re being piled into a sports car and driven to a massive mall. every article of clothing you stop to look at is yours (even if he quips in that you have to say ‘pretty please, mammon?’ for him to buy you something—it’s only a bluff). if you try on clothes for him he’ll get soo so flustered—asmo’s right, you are really cute… grahhh!!! why does asmodeus get to think about you like that? you wouldn’t do this for him, right? mammon completely forgets his train of thought when you pull him into a tight hug and thank him for the gifts. 

-the first time you two have a ‘casual’ date is surprisingly fulfilling for him. you had had a really bad week. your classes were overwhelming you, you were low on sleep, and to make matters worse, when you were trying to get water your glass slipped out of your hands and shattered. mammon had been nearby—his head whipped around to meet the sound of you yelping. just as he was about to go on about how humans are way too clumsy, not like demons, he noticed tears welling up in your eyes…

-why did he feel sick to his stomach all of the sudden? it was as if alarm bells started going off in his head, ears buzzing as his throat tensed. mammon rushed towards you, disregarding the glass as he scooped you into his arms; pressing kisses onto your head as he uttered on about how you're okay and its just a stupid glass! he can buy a million way cooler glasses for you! he was about to offer to take you shopping for them before you wrapped your arms around him and asked him to stay in your room and keep you company for the night.

-of course, he obliged. he could totally, totally do that! even if his face was bright red at the thought of it. you both spent the night snuggling, tickle fighting, watching movies; most importantly, you two talked. a lot. about anything and everything under the sun. it was so easy to talk to you. this feeling was so unfamiliar—unlike other people, when you talked, you didn't make him feel like a let down. every word out of his mouth was met with a friendly response, banter, smiling. not once did you meet him with disdain or condescension. you looked at him like he was your entire world… 

-as the both of you fell asleep that night, mammon held you close to his chest. he could’ve sworn that, just for a second, he couldn’t want anything more than what he had right now.

[stormyweaver]

Alright, so never let it be said I'm not a hypocrite. I'm a huge one. But this has been sitting in my drafts for over two months and I need to post it since it's not going anywhere else lmao. PLUS I'm still reeling from my gnawing obsession with V/ox resurfacing after... y'know idk exactly what triggered it but it happened regardless.

Anyway I'm proud of my dialogue for this one bc that's always something I struggle with when writing, so yeah! Plus the idea of V/ox's first cold in Hell has always just been rattling around in my head. Also it's short, but sweet. So yeah! Enjoy!

Summary: V/ox finds out there are worse things than just being in Hell; like being sick in Hell. Alas/tor has a laugh at his expense every step of the way. ~~~

It had started as nothing but a minor annoyance. A dryness of the throat, which was typical for an early morning in Hell. Moisture wasn’t really a thing, even if you considered the fucking acid rain. Which Vox didn’t; that shit was genuinely the worst. But he’d at least had access to clean(ish) water, and cleared his throat a couple of times… the sensation still lingered. Well, it wasn’t anything for him to be overly concerned with. Besides, he had a meeting this morning with Alastor where they were going to discuss more hot-topic talking points for his radio show. 

The cloying, scratchy feeling in his throat still hadn’t gone away, even though it had been at least a couple hours since he first woke up. He made himself breakfast, something simple - eggs and toast, which… the fact that he was even able to scrounge up the materials to have a decent meal still startled him. It was Hell after all - everything was still jarring. 

He barely managed to choke down the slightly burnt edges of bread and too runny eggs (jeez, the food didn’t usually taste five star, but today was bad) before getting washed and dressed. The turtleneck he normally wore felt scratchier than normal, and he tugged at the collar in irritation. Even his antenna weren’t properly fitting into his hat… Gah - today had barely started and it was already a wash.

Well, he could at least look forward to seeing Alastor. Despite how every denizen in Hell he’d met so far had told him to steer clear of The Radio Demon, Vox hadn’t been able to say ‘no’ to him yet. Not once. Even when he’d suggested the damn hat giving him so much trouble now - silly, ridiculous even he’d thought when he first put it on. But one look at Alastor’s approving grin had dashed his worries easily. He’d do just about anything to have that look directed towards him again… Oof, was the heater on the fritz again? It was suddenly so warm.

Sniffing idly, Vox descended the steps of his apartment and stepped out onto the sidewalk. Ugh, it was warm out here too. Well… that wasn’t so much surprising as it was an inconvenience. Hell always seemed to be too warm, but today the pentagram striped sun seemed to beat down on his head with a particularly harsh intensity.

He rolled his neck with a soft grunt, fingers gripping the taught muscle with a grimace. You’d think after however many years (1, 3, more?) of living with a fucking television set for a cranium he’d have gotten used to the aches and pains that came along with it. Vox once again had to remind himself that it was Hell - there were worse things than stiff joints.

“Quite the lovely day we have upon us, isn’t it?”

“JESUS SHIT–!” Vox staggered to the side, his screen glitching slightly from the shock of Alastor’s voice directly beside him. “Wh– You have got to stop doing that, Al! One day I’m gonna get a fucking heart attack.”

Alastor’s grin seemed to widen, eerily. “Oh, I would highly advise against that, old pal! We’re dreadfully short on paramedics here in Pentagram City.” His shoulders shook lightly, obviously amused at his own joke. Vox simple deadpanned, though he fought against his mouth instinct to inch upwards at the corners. Despite being fucking sadistic, Alastor could also be pretty funny - when he wasn’t unsettling or downright terrifying. 

“Anyhow~! You look a bit… disheveled this morning!” Vox tilted his head; he’d said it as if it were the most delightful observation he’d made in ages, “Sleep on the wrong side of the bed, hm?”

“No? I… Well, I looked fine in the mirror.” He argued, smoothing down his shirt a bit self-consciously. Alastor hummed thoughtfully, reached a hand out to gently tug on the tag sticking out of Vox’s inside-out jacket. “I suppose that’s the cons of not having eyes in the back of one’s head, haha!” 

Vox snorted as he began to shrug out of the denim. “Right, like you do?...” He trailed off, giving Alastor a once over. “You- you don’t, right?” 

“Oh, heavens no! But I do have my ways of seeing things others might easily miss.” His ears twitched slightly when Vox sniffed, and his head craned to one side unnaturally. Curious. 

Vox had barely gotten his jacket smoothed out, gaze flicking back to Alastor - only to find the other’s face mere inches from his own. He flinched, feeling heat creep up along his neck as he rose a brow, tentatively inching back. “Is… something else wrong?”

After far too long of a beat, the pinstriped demon snapped back into his place on the sidewalk, giving another curious hum. “Nothing at all, dear. Now! Enough dawdling - shall we get a move on? Rolling stones and such!” Without waiting for an answer, Alastor began walking down the pavement, and Vox blinked before following after him.

'He’s being extra weird today. Wonder why?' Although Vox had long since given up on making sense of Alastor’s every behavior. He’d go absolutely insane to even try. The guy… sinner… demon was nothing short of a fucking enigma, someone most insisted was to be feared and meant to stay FAR FUCKING AWAY from. Maybe Vox was foolish to still consider him good company, but it wasn’t as though he had other sinners breaking down his door to befriend him, let alone ones he actually found himself sharing common interests with. 

Plus… the guy was charming, when he wasn’t being wholly off-putting. And even then, Vox didn’t really mind that side of him. He was just quirky. 

As they walked and made conversation, Vox found his throat going from scratchy to genuinely sore and aching. He was clearing it more often, and trying not to be off-put by the odd, static distorted quality it would get every now and again. Alastor for his part seemed to be indifferent - thank goodness - but Vox felt a small mound of worry forming in his gut. Not for his throat, but something else was… well, no other way to describe it but itching in the back of his head. Like a clothes tag itching at the back of your neck, except it was directly behind his eyes, insistent and growing steadily as they walked.

Eventually, Vox’s steps slowed, and he began to blink rapidly. 

Alastor matched his pace until they were both standing still, the radio demon looking both curious and… oddly expectant. 

Vox gave his head a trembling shake, the feeling seeming to pulse before climbing higher.

“Hahh…?” The inhale swept through his lungs, causing them to seize up as his chest rose and fell unsteadily. His screen flickered as he continued to pant unevenly, a hand raising to mid-chest. Wait, this was all oddly familiar: the gasping, the build up, this itch... was he going to…? He hadn’t even noticed Alastor taking a precautionary step back before–

“heh’AAKKTTSCHHUE!!”

His head snapped forward, and Vox barely - just barely stopped the rest of his body from joining it in tumbling down. The raised hand held onto the top of his head in an attempt at steadying it, and he managed to right himself with a huge gasp. 

“Fucking shit–!!” He exclaimed, chest muscles heaving from the absolute workout straightening back up. He blinked again, before wincing and gripping the side of his head with a groan. “Fuck, fuck my head...” 

“Well, well!” Alastor tittered, clapping his hands together a few times, “Quite the performance, my good man! Quite the show!” Giddiness radiated from him, a stark contrast to the pained misery staining Vox’s features. 

“Nghh… did I just… sneeze?” It felt far more arduous than Vox recalled it *ever* being when he was alive. Then again, he’d never had to sneeze while trying to keep himself from falling on his ass. This really was Hell, wasn’t it?

“That’s the the term most would use, yes! Not quite used to it with your new hardware, eh?” Vox winced at the tap of Alastor’s staff against his head. 

“No, I’m not. Fuck, that was awful… snf!” He raised a finger to scrub against the middle of his face, and Alastor laughed gleefully when his companion realized he didn’t have a nose to actually rub. “... you’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Oh, most assuredly, my dear!” His smile didn’t falter once when Vox began to pout, “Now don’t give me that look, it’s all in good fun!” 

Despite his insistence, Vox rolled his eyes. “I don’t see what’s so ‘fun’ about feeling like absolute shit.” Maybe if it was some other sucker sure, but it wasn’t.

“So you are feeling unwell!” Alastor interrupted his thoughts, then clasped his hands together in delight, “Oh, I’d hoped that was the case!” 

“Wait, what?”

Now it was Alastor’s turn to roll his eyes. He stepped closer to Vox, lifting the bottom of his head with his staff. “Tell me, dear - does your throat ache? Do you feel a bit warmer than usual? Perhaps a little… fuzzy in the head?” 

Vox made a slight face. “How… did you know all of that?” He hated when Alastor would do this - toy with him instead of just getting right to the point. He was already feeling like garbage, what was the point of making him think when– wait…

“Ah, the cogs seeme to be turning now, yes?” Alastor’s grin was almost too eager. Vox shuffled back a bit, rubbing the side of his head as he tried to process the conclusion he’d come to. 

“Wait, I… I can get sick? In Hell? That’s a thing?!” 

“Oh, you just make this better and better, truly!” Alastor grinned gleefully, completely ignoring the panic radiating off of Vox. “But yes, you can fall ill in Hell, of all places. I assumed you knew that–”

“HOW would I have ever known that? it’s fucking news to me!”

“Well obviously,” The way Alastor rolled his eyes was enough to potentially give Vox an ulcer. Was he capable of having those, too? Why didn’t he put the pieces of still being biologically able to fall ill together sooner?! Or better yet - why hadn’t Alastor told him, since he seemed to be so fucking knowledgeable on the subject! However it seemed that his flaring irritation would have to take a momentary backseat - that awful sensation was back, almost worse than before, and a shudder rippled along Vox’s spine before it grew uncomfortably stiff. “Hahh… hhh…?” His screen flickered with static as his breathing continued to waver, a hand rising in more impulse than actual desire to cover his mouth. Even through his fluttering lids, he could feel Alastor watching him, eager and yet patient. As if this entire situation wasn’t confounding enough, embarrassing enough, the person he least wanted to be present now had a front row seat. Take a picture, it’ll last longer nestled just on the tip of his tongue, but another sharp inhale reminded him that talking likely wasn’t the smartest option. Not while his head still felt like it was full of fuzzy, restless static–

“ehh-hahH! EA’KTTSCHHHUE!” 

Though not as large as his initial sneeze, it still sent him staggering forward harshly. His screen was almost parallel with his hips in the process, and when he righted, it felt as if rising from being submerged in water for too long. His head, his neck, his core - everything ached, all from a sneeze. He didn’t bother masking a groan. 

“Fuck…” Although his discomfort might as well have meant jack-shit when countered with Alastor’s reaction. The bastard was laughing, as if seeing Vox nearly topple over from a sneeze was just about the funniest damned thing he’d seen in decades. Vox’s temple throbbed painfully as he glared at the Radio Demon, who was dabbing at the edges of his eyes with one corner of a handkerchief. 

“Oh goodness me - you certainly don’t do anything by halves, do you?” 

“You act like I did that on purpose.” Vox countered with a roll of his eyes, sniffling which… if he didn’t have a nose or sinuses, shouldn’t have been an action he could carry out. But there were multiple facets of Hell that technically didn’t make sense. Apparently this was just one among the hundreds of others. 

Alastor didn’t offer much in the way of a response. If anything, he was eerily silent, but his gaze penetrated Vox straight through to his damned soul. Vox felt warmth creep up along his neck. 

“If you’re waiting for it to happen again, you’re shit outta luck.”

Though he said it with confidence, he was internally dreading the moment another sneeze would grab hold of him. Alastor simply shrugged, but his gaze still held that air of anticipation. 

“Suit yourself. It’s certainly no skin off my nose.” His smile widened a fraction when Vox growled under his breath. 

Cyan-tipped fingers scrubbed along the surface of his screen, a bit harsher than was necessary. The irritation wasn’t as strong as before, but it lingered just out of his reach; strong enough to make it’s presence known, but not enough to trigger another sneeze. 

By the time he’d grown tired of uselessly assaulting his own face, Alastor was already a good couple of steps ahead of him. Apparently he’d grown tired of waiting for the ‘show’ to continue.

Shoulders sagging with another liquid-tinged sniffle, Vox reluctantly broke into a jog in order to catch up with him. 

Yeah. Today was definitely going to be… entertaining. 

[saltymongoose]

This has been on my mind so much lately, what if Player in fancy clothes? like... maybe a suit or those fancy dresses with a slit on the side(s)? How would the boys react?

I can just imagine Deimos being extra flirty bc of it and Hank just having to stand there and control himself before he overheats from flusteredness, as well as Sanford's going all shy n stuff about it and Doc is basically speachless...

Heres a drawing of what I mean

Also lil bonus with my take of their reactions, added the two other quartets <3

Omg, this looks so good! The Player is definitely gonna turn some heads all dressed up like that. And the three quartet's reactions are really cute too, I love how much character you portrayed in each little iteration of them. Excellent job on this, I love it! :D <3333

I also believe that, considering how having to dress up for anything in Nevada is extremely rare, most of its denizens don't really think about something like that very often. (Perhaps only when imagining your possible wedding?) So when you do actually decide to dress up for whatever reason, it's even more surprising. There's that additional question of how and why you did it, combined with the realization of just how stunning you look. It's a little overwhelming for them, as you can tell by the way they go red when you reveal your new outfit to them.

You're definitely right about how Deimos would be very flirty with you at that moment, but I also think Doc would give his own little comments after he's gotten over his surprise. Nothing as obvious (or borderline indecent) as Deimos' flirts might end up, but with how you can feel him gazing at you like you're the only person in the world, it's hard not to feel a tiny bit flustered. You're spot on with Sanford and Hank as well; any compliments that Sanford makes are given in almost a whisper until he figures out what exactly to say, with almost a hesitant undertone. It makes you giggle, and if you tease him he'll probably get even worse. (Even if making you laugh makes him feel a lot brighter. Especially when the others give him a pointed glare for it.)

Hank doesn't speak at all, content to simply stare and admire you. (Though he will stand next to you protectively if anyone tries to touch you. This includes people in his own group.)

Since you brought him up in your second pic, I think Phobos would have the exact opposite reaction; he wouldn't shut up about how good you look. It seems that all he speaks are elaborate compliments, even bragging about you to any Nexus worker who's close and having them acknowledge your beauty as well. But he also gets weirdly angry when they look at you for too long, which is another thing. Jeb is a lot like 2B in his genuine compliments, though he's probably very reverent in his words if that makes sense. Hofnarr is even more shy than Sanford would be though, probably not even approaching you until hours after he first sees your outfit, just so he has time to compose himself and compliment you properly.

(Also, you've provided a new outfit for the Nexus Agents to make art of you in, which causes quite the stir in your dedicated fanclub lol.)

[sapphic-agent]

Take your time to answer this but...on the intership arc...I have some things to say. I will listed it

1) ok so all eyes are on Sports Festival (more than Olympics suuuure) and Izu got, if I'm not wrong, #4 that should be amazing in itself considering he was from no big name family.

2) yet...all heroes saw Izu being "unhinged" and has a quirk that has a severe draw back(I want to inject here: it doesnt make sense for ofa to do this. "There an explanation" sure it has, but the explanation feels off...why not give a timelimit? "Izu you can only use 5% of your quirk for x time for a year as his body is getting used" this could open room to show how creative Izu can be) and no one wants to mentor him...and I ask here: so the point was to showcase your abilities on TV and hope the agencies like you? Winning is secundary)

3) If the whole thing is true...why bk got a mentor? Ah yes Beast Jeanist wanted to help him...why? Why he got a mentor who wants to help him and Izu...is saddle with Nighteye?

4) it makes me think...why make a show if the goal is to impress agencies? Sure could have a way to impress in other hands. I mean yeah the trope "time to combat" and blabla but it feel is unfair to a lot of kids...and if is by design than why ua is consider a good or the best school ever?

5) finally, what anyone learns in those interships? I ask bc Izu only learns to feel worse. Ochako learns one fight moviment (Never forget the panel where she was like "you won't fight quirkless" to Izu) and #girlboss and nothing. Really nothing. Does the intership advance their carrers...when they graduated people will hire them quickly based on their resume?

Its just the intership arc and Sport Festival arc should feel they are united but really arent. Izu didn't got one bc of his performace...he had to ask for one chance ....with creepy.

(AM is the biggest hero and cant ...help Izu intern in a nice place? "Ah but Izu wouldn't want that?" AM is the master and should be doing all on his best to make sure Izu suceed. But he trust on UA, unclear why, and does nothing )

To conclude: what is UA as academy if they do such Sport Festival and only.the fewer are reward by this? Excluding bk bc hori loves him.

You're right that Izuku got 4th place! He tied with Shiozaki, Mina, and Kirishima. It's unfair that they got plenty of internship offers and he only got one. It's weird because it's not like your intern reflects poorly on your agency. They're only there to learn and observe. It's also odd that a flaw in how Izuku uses his quirk is scrutinized, but Bakugou's behavior isn't. After seeing the absolute temper tantrum he threw at the Sports Festival, you would think he wouldn't have gotten so many offers. Izuku can learn how to control his quirk, but Bakugou's rotten attitude is another story.

I agree that winning should be secondary! The Sports Festival contributes to the toxic hero society of MHA. Though the reason that he can only use certain amounts of OFA is because his body can't handle all of it and he couldn't understand how to regulate it. Remember, it holds the strength of all 8 holders, All Might could only use it at 100% with all the muscles he had in his prime. And before that, he immediately understood how to get his body to regulate how much of OFA he was using. He probably wouldn't have been able to use 100% until he was at least 25-30. That's actually why I like that instead of pure strength, Izuku gets the other holders' quirks. It matches him better, I think, especially Blackwhip, Smokescreen, and Float. But them being turned off because he's "unhinged" makes no sense, Endeavor is (or was at the time) the #2 hero.

Well, Izuku got Gran Torino for his internship who was probably the best mentor he could have gotten. I actually like that Bakugou got Best Jeanist because he was the only one who genuinely wanted to correct Bakugou's behavior (even though it should have been more focused on his behavior than his style, but it's more than Aizawa ever did). He seemed to be the only one who actually saw an issue with the way Bakugou acted too.

I'll be honest, I think the only reason that UA is a good school is because of the prestige of their alumni. Namely, All Might and Endeavor. It's easy to be considered the best when the alumni are literally the best in the country. I'm confident most of the top 10 were also UA graduates (it doesn't say for most pros). I'm also pretty sure they get the most funding, they built entire dormitories in like 3 weeks.

I wouldn't say the internships were for nothing. They were only there for like a week(?), but Izuku did learn how to regulate OFA and learned the basis for his movement. That's quite an accomplishment. Uraraka didn't learn a lot, true, but she did learn the gist of the basics. Once you learn that, it's easy to build off of it. Would be nice if we saw her sharpening that skill, but whatever.

[whumpsday]

Kane & Jim #25: Happy Birthday

Masterlist

content: vampire whumper, defiant whumpee, captivity

so understanding part 2 will be coming next, i realized this needed to be first bc the events will be referenced in the next part, lol. this is a bit of a short one, my shortest chapter yet i think. next one will be far longer.

takes place about half a year into jim’s captivity, a couple months after his first escape attempt.

-

Jim hated it here.

Kane had gotten much more violent since his doomed escape attempt. It seemed like the vampire was getting more and more frustrated with him, that every other word out of his mouth was wrong. Jim had always been told he had no brain-to-mouth filter, and now it was biting him in the ass.

He hadn’t so much as seen another person besides Kane in months, and it was starting to drive him mad. He just wanted someone to talk to, someone who didn’t hurt him, who he didn’t have to be afraid of. But here he was, all alone. He might be all alone for the rest of his life.

And his birthday was tomorrow.

Jim hadn’t really done much for his birthday in a good few years, to be honest. Ever since his parents died, money had been tight, and he’d rather spend anything extra on Liz than on a party for himself. She was just a kid, after all. But he’d usually go to the arcade with some friends and then have dinner with Liz, and it was nice. Just being with people he loved. Liz would make a terrible cake that he’d pretend to enjoy, and even though the cake was bad, his smile was genuine.

But not this year. This year he was going to have his neck bitten, his blood drained, and then spend the entire night with the vampire holding him captive, without so much as a “happy birthday”. No seeing his friends or family. Maybe he’d even get roughed up if he was unlucky enough.

Yeah, not worth a “happy birthday” anyway. He wasn’t happy very often these days.

“Stop fucking glaring at me, human. Know your place.” Kane snapped, looking up from his book with a scowl.

“Huh?” Jim had ostensibly been re-watching one of Kane’s VHS tapes, but had zoned out to wallow in his own misery. He’d been glaring at Kane from the other end of the couch without even realizing it.

“What’s your problem? You’ve been acting strange all day.” Kane continued.

Jim was lucky. Kane wasn’t in a bad mood today. Another day, he’d have been hit for sure. Jim had been in fights before, but vampires hit hard.

“If you’ve gotta know, it’s my birthday tomorrow.” Jim answered.

“Oh. March third.” Kane didn’t sound angry or condescending, for once. He sounded... sad. After a pause, he added, “How old are you turning?”

“Twenty.” He’d been looking forward to it, before. Finally out of his teens. Nothing much to celebrate now.

“What do humans do for birthdays?” Kane asked.

Jim shrugged. “Cake. Presents. Spend time with loved ones. You know, all the things I can’t do trapped in here.”

Ah. Spoke without thinking again. Here it comes. Jim tensed up in anticipation.

But Kane didn’t approach. “I get you presents all the time.” he argued. “All your things are from me.”

“That’s not presents.” Jim was feeling bold. Kane had been chill so far today. “That’s just, like, what I need to survive.”

Like taking care of a pet.

Jim quickly discarded the thought. No, he wasn’t going there. “And some other stuff I ask for. It’s not a present if I write it on a shopping list.”

“Most humans don’t get to make any requests, you know.” Kane retorted. “Not that they have the state of mind to do it in the first place.”

Jim rolled his eyes. Kane loved to bring up the fact that Jim was unhypnotized. The worst part was that most of the time, it didn’t even seem like Kane was doing it as a things-could-be-worse argument like he was now. Most of the time, Kane seemed to be talking to himself about it, like Jim wasn’t worth the consideration, jealousy seeping through his words. As if it wasn’t enough to take Jim’s entire life away, Kane wished to take his very mind from him.

“I get it. Forget I fucking said anything.” Jim grumbled, seething.

Kane stood up, lightning fast, hand clenched into a fist. Jim flinched.

“Go to your room. Now.” Kane commanded.

He obeyed, slinking off to relative safety.

-

Jim woke up depressed.

Happy birthday to me, he thought, laying in his bed.

Usually, he’d get up and make breakfast for himself. He always felt extra dizzy if Kane fed from him before he’d had a chance to eat and drink. But he just didn’t feel like it. He wished he could just have a lazy day in without worrying about the consequences of blood loss, especially on his birthday.

Kane unlocked the door after what Jim would estimate as a good half-hour. He pulled the covers over his head and groaned.

“Come on. Up.” Kane ordered.

Jim was thankful that he didn’t sound angry about it. That was two nights in a row, now. But he wished Kane didn’t say it like he was talking to a fucking dog.

“Fine.” He threw his blanket off and knelt, tilting his head just like he knew he was supposed to. At least Kane had finally been getting the hang of feeding. It still hurt terribly having the same wound re-opened night after night, the flesh around the area always angry and red and purple, but it was a lot better than how it’d been when Kane was still learning.

First neck bite of my twenties, Jim thought bitterly as Kane fed. He sucked in a sharp gasp as Kane pulled his fangs out. It was still hard to get used to the feeling of it, even after months here.

“I’m just gonna stay in here today.” Jim said after Kane licked the wound closed.

“Oh. Okay. Just come out for a minute, I have something for you.” Kane said, motioning for him to follow.

Jim followed, swaying a little on his feet, only to be stunned when he was greeted by an entire chocolate cake waiting on the table in the living room. It looked fancy, like the kind you would buy from a really nice bakery.

“That’s for me?” he asked.

Kane raised an eyebrow. “I’m certainly not going to eat any of it.” Duh. “I got some new movies for you as well. They’re in the cabinet with the other VHS tapes.”

“HOLY SHIT, SERIOUSLY?” Jim exclaimed, forgetting entirely about the cake and rushing over to check out the new material. It was all stuff he’d never heard of. More vampire movies. He’d been re-watching the same few tapes Kane owned for months, and was ecstatic to get something new.

He grabbed one immediately. “Can we watch it now?”

“Sure.” Kane sat in his usual spot on the left end of the couch.

Jim quickly ran back to the human quarters to grab a plate, knife, and fork, his woes momentarily forgotten. After cutting himself a slice of cake, he popped the tape in and sat on the opposite end of the couch to munch away. His hands were shaking from the low blood sugar, so it was good that he was eating cake for breakfast, he figured.

“Happy birthday.” Kane said.

“...Thanks.” Jim didn’t want to thank him. He wouldn’t have been grateful for new VHS tapes at all if he wasn’t held captive in this stupid fancy house. But he couldn’t think of anything else to say. “When’s your birthday?” he asked, mildly curious.

Kane’s mood change was instant, his vaguely amicable demeanor turning icy. “Shut the fuck up. Don’t talk about my fucking birthday.” He had that sharp warning tone he always used before he’d get violent.

“Okay, okay, sorry.” Jim conceded, tensing up. He didn’t even know what he’d said wrong.

“Whatever.” Kane mumbled.

Jim slowly relaxed as it became apparent Kane was over it. He wished he was home, spending his birthday with his friends and Liz.

But for the first time since Jim had been brought here, things were a little bit okay.

-

canon drabbles posted between #24 and #25:

Dog

Light & Laughter

Midday Snack

Greatest Wish (cw: death wish)

Five Minutes (cw: gore)

taglist:

@badluck990

@ceph-the-writing-spook

@cicatrix-energy

@crying-wings

@crystalquartzwhump

@cupcakes-and-pain

@cyberneticfire

@darlingwhump

@deluxewhump

@down-in-the-whumps

@elrysdoesstuff

@extemporary-whump

@extrabitterbrain

@harri-00

@inpainandsuffering

@interdimensional-chaos

@kira-the-whump-enthusiast

@lactose-intolerant-egg

@lilac-and-lemon-whumps

@littlespacecastle

@little-whumpee

@melancholy-in-the-morning

@myhusbandsasemni

@mylifeisonthebookshelf

@neverthelass

@nicolepascaline

@nine-tailed-whump

@no-terms-and-conditions-apply

@octopus-reactivated

@oddsconvert

@onlybadendings

@pumpkin-spice-whump

@quietly-by-myself

@quirkykayleetam

@ramadiiiisme

@redwhump

@scp-1296

@secretwhumplair

@thecyrulik

@thegreatwhodini

@themarlo

@whump-cravings

@whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump

@whump-me-all-night-long

@whumpthisway

@whumpilicious

@whumpshaped

@whumpwillow

@whumpworld

@whumpy-writings

@whumpyzombie

@wits-and-wrongs

@wolfeyedwitch

[irrealisms]

no apple but a heart liner notes

fic here if you haven't read it!

i had the idea of vitalasubz funerary cannibalism pretty immediately after seeing "cannibalism" on the prompt list. it's a good concept. but i wasn't sure if i could get it to the minimum word count (it ended up juuuuust scraping by) so i decided to write the time loop fic first and then do the cannibalism as a bonus if i felt up for it

and then one of my friends (unrelatedly! without knowing about this!) started talking about eclipse fed cannibalism on discord, and i was like Man....i should write eclipse federation cannibalism....unfortunately i only really have enough ideas for One Scene of it.....and they were like write one scene then! and i went You Know What. youre right. and wrote this in one sitting

for research for this fic i read all of @erstwhilesparrow's mcyt cannibalism fics in a row. check those out if you haven't already: double life desertduo(&/)boat boys, limlife mean gills, 3rd life desertduo, new life owen(&/)scott

i knew basically as soon as i had the idea that i wanted to do stuff with the despawn timer. how much can you eat in 5 minutes, when you're grieving and dissociating and in shock, your action spurred on only by the knowledge that whatever you don't eat will disappear forever? that this is the only way to preserve anything at all of the one you love?

in contrast i did not know until literally the day of writing it that i was gonna do something with hearts-as-hearts. it was a good idea, though.

did you know that after subz dies, vitalasy stands without moving or speaking for 50 seconds, turns slightly, and then continues standing there without doing anything or speaking for another 13 seconds. yeah. fun little canon moment. it's also 63 seconds off the 5-minute despawn timer!

the title is from quattrocento by margaret atwood, which is a great poem. idk how well it actually works for this piece thematically, it works okay i think but i'm not doing a ton with serpent imagery here (even though i could! subz and eclipse are in fact totally doing various mythological snake imageries!) or with garden-of-eden stuff? but the imagery always stuck with me when writing cannibalism stuff and i hadn't gotten to use it for a title yet and figured this was my chance

cannibalism as devotion.... cannibalism as memorial...... mm. good stuff. i should have made a way to make this Eucharistic somehow, cannibalism-as-worship doesn't show up here as much but it would've slapped.

something that didn't make it into the fic but that i did have some thoughts about is vitalasy's feelings wrt zam + subz after this. i think he's glad, on some level, that he got to eat subz and zam didn't, but also he feels kind of guilty for feeling glad, but also he's arguing to himself that he shouldn't have to feel guilty, it's not like he stopped zam from being there, zam wasn't there bc zam isn't/wasn't on their team.

other stuff that is even less fic-relevant but that i've been thinking about is that you could do a lot with "if you kill someone you get their heart" + the various meanings cannibalism can have. cannibalism as domination of an opponent. cannibalism as possession. cannibalism as respecting someone's sacrifice. killing someone and then handing them their own heart to eat, when you kill someone and give them back the heart. yeah. fun possibilities!

shoutout to ihob. nothing much to say here other than i'm glad i somehow included ihob in the vitalasubz cannibalism fic. i love ihob. i love that bacon only eats pork chops even though they're worse than golden carrots! he's on three hearts anyway, what's the added saturation gonna do! i love the dumb fucking three-way contract for its ownership. i love. ihob.

fun fact: the only other fic on ao3 tagged with subz's suicide stream is ALSO a vitalasubz funerary cannibalism fic. i genuinely did not know this until after posting. what can i say, it's a good concept.

[lemonhemlock]

IMHO the shipping wars will continue as usual, no matter what happens on screen next season. Why? Because some people just can't accept that other people genuinely like a different ship and lash out using the usual arguments - accusations of self-inserting into the female character, liking incest, misogyny, etc. - things which are bound to get reactions from the opposite side and keep the conflict going. If anything, things have gotten a little bit worse since you "left", at least with Helaemond vs others, like most of the new Helaegon shippers have turned out to be just antis who've joined their Alysmond friends into constantly bashing them. It's also a bit funny considering that, in the beginning, most of the first Helaegons were also Helaemonds, but since then, the ship has been taken over by antis, which made it unpalatable, at least for me. I think though that you did receive some complaints about this new wave of Helaegon shippers just before you closed off your inbox for anons, if I remember correctly. Other than that, I guess there have been some Daemyra vs Alysmond conflicts, at least on Twitter from what I've seen, which involved the former piling on the latter simply because they disliked some theory or interpretation on the text. This is obviously unhinged behavior, but I still support the Daemyras doing this considering that Alysmonds and other green antis have done the exact thing, or worse actually, to fellow greens like Helaemonds so it's a bit hypocritical for them to complain when team black stans give them a taste of their own medicine. Sorry, this got a bit too long lmao, I guess you can take it as an update of how things stand when in comes to the shipping wars.

Hey there, anon, thanks for this very comprehensive recap on the state of the fandom. That's, um, a lot. 😅 I don't know what to say about the helaegon v helaemond thing - for me that is just beyond, bc I also remember people used to ship both with absolutely no issue a couple of months back. I, for one, also ship both + helaegond, so I really don't have any desire to engage with any of that, wow. 🤖

And that is the same advice I would give to anyone else - just stop bothering with the antis and do your own thing. As a general observation, I think that people get sucked into bickering way too often instead of just talking about the things they enjoy & making content for that. I get that, on some level, everyone feels the need to defend themselves when they encounter hate and nasty attitudes, so some level of that is perfectly understandable, but I don't think it's really worth it to let it take up the majority of your fandom experience. As someone who's literally been through hell & back these past months, I can promise you, it's not that serious. ☠️

There is something happening in fandoms of all kinds with the breakdown in communication and just general social norms and manners, where, upon encountering even a slightly different take from their own, people will start losing their shit and engaging in petty fights. They're just some ships, lol. None of these people are real! You can imagine scenarios in which even crackships can make sense. Fans are forming parasocial relationships with fictional characters nowadays - I've lost count of how many "MY Aemond would never do that" I used to see. Girl, what? I mean, it's fine as a joke, but then again you see them getting really belligerent with others, so you really have to question how much of it is truly horsing around and how much is just unhealthy investment and compensation for something else.

[wrathfulrook]

WIP Wednesday Thursday

bc I’m terrible at WIP Wednesday lol

Tagged by @direwombat. Tysm!

Tagging (for WIP Weekend or next week’s WIP Wednesday or whatever/whenever you want): @socially-awkward-skeleton @adelaidedrubman @strafethesesinners @strangefable @trench-rot @vampireninjabunnies-blog @inquisitors-grave @deputyash and anyone else who’d like to share bc 1) I’m terrible at keeping a semi-consistent list and 2) I genuinely love seeing everybody’s WIPs!

Below is a bit more from Wrathling (an earlier bit than previous WIPs bc I’m editing old chapters rn):

“It’s difficult for me, how resistant you are to accepting my help.” He raised a single brow, cueing her to speak.

She didn’t.

He crossed his arms across his chest, amusement clear on his face. “You’re much more demure in person than over the radio, Deputy.”

“Well, I’m in a bit of a bad situation right now, and I’m trying not to make it worse.” Don’t be a smartass, don’t be a smartass, don’t be a smartass.

A smile tugged at the creases of his eyes. “You think you’re in a bad situation?”

If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

She stayed quiet.

The mirth drained instantly from his features. It was terrifying how he could do that. “This is not a bad situation, Deputy. This is the first good thing to happen to you in a while, I’d wager. There will be pain. But the pain is necessary to confess, to atone. And in the end, when you are free of sin and filled with clarity, you will look back with nothing but fondness and gratitude.

“Nothing you say will make this process any worse for you. In fact, you should be as candid as possible throughout your confession. You need to be honest with yourself, with me, with God. You need to truly confront you sin in order to be free of it.”

“And what if I don’t want to be free of my sin?”

He smiled kindly and spoke gently, “Sinners often cling to their sins. That’s why you need a baptist to help you. That’s why I’m here. It’s natural to be afraid. Though it will hurt, you won’t be permanently harmed, and you won’t be killed.”

She fought against the urge to roll her eyes, her ire at the man nearly overcoming her fear of him. “The only reason you won’t kill me is because you can’t. Joseph said that I had to be saved, or you wouldn’t get to ‘walk through Eden’s Gate.’ You can’t kill me without risking your immortal soul, or whatever.”

John Seed glared at her, and she wished she had never spoken.

“There are fates far worse than death, Deputy.”

He turned his back to her, rummaging through the implements he’d replaced onto the bench, settling for the long, pointed icepick that he’d brandished earlier. He offered her a kind smile that she didn’t trust for a second before he strolled over, pulling a chair behind him. He sat across from her, much too close for comfort while he twirled the icepick through his fingers. He leaned close, bringing his mouth to her ear, his dark facial hair scraping against her sensitive skin as she pulled away as much as she could while tied down.

His whispered lowly, almost seductively into her ear, “You will confess to me. Every sin you’ve ever committed, no matter how small, no matter how petty, no matter how you justified it at the time… You will confess.”

Before pulling away, his hot breath still on her skin, he drove the icepick into the meat of her left thigh. Then he pulled back slowly, his eyes never leaving her face, watching her react.

Patience had never been stabbed before. Not anywhere, not by anything. She’d once gotten a puncture wound from a sharp stick while running on the beach as a girl, but that was nothing. Nothing in general and nothing compared to this. She’d managed to make it through her fight with the cult so far with only bullet grazes and one shallow bullet wound. She had never experienced anything like this.

She couldn’t exactly feel the metal that was stuck in her flesh. Her brain had no way to process it. But the area felt both ice cold and too warm for comfort. The pain felt both sharp and dull. Nausea was involved, somehow.

Her eyes were blown wide, watching John Seed, the man who had just stabbed her, lean back in his chair. Her mouth opened, but she didn’t scream. In fact, no sound at all came out. He didn’t react to her shock, and so she turned her gaze downward. The blue plastic handle of the tool stuck almost straight out of her leg, with only about two inches of the metal shaft outside of her leg with it. She was amazed at how it had pierced so cleanly through the denim of her jeans, the light fabric only barely stained red around the metal.

She was dimly aware that that was a stupid thing to be preoccupied with. Was this what shock felt like?

As she stared dumbly at the scene, a tattooed hand crept into her field of vision, wrapped its long fingers around the weapon, and yanked. He did not yank it straight out, and Patience noticed it snag on the hole in her jeans, and then so much dark blood spill out, before she felt any pain.

And then she felt the pain.

And this time, she did scream.

She screwed her eyes up tight, threw her head back, and wailed. This pain felt more tangible, less abstract, and she felt her awareness slam back in full force.

“FUCK! JESUS FUCKING-“ She gasped and opened her eyes, glaring at the man across from her. “Fuck you! FUCK!” She squirmed against the ropes and breathed harshly through clenched teeth.

“Now, Deputy, there’s no need to start with your biggest sin. We have all the time in the world.” He smiled as though he’d made a particularly clever joke. “We can start small. Ease our way in. Work our way up. So, I’ll begin with a simple question: What is your name?”

[quinnfebrey]

“bc of all the racial metaphors woven into the guild/legacy lore”

Genuinely curious what are the racial metaphors in FK

just a warning that this is going to be insanely long because i’ve been building it up for a few other asks i’ve gotten about it

(also just a warning that this is the only time i will acknowledge that most of this was probably invented by my own brain and not intentional on the writers’ part, though i’d love for ve to confirm or deny)

first, to add some context for the rest of it, i think it makes sense to break down the guild and the legacies into symbolic groups

the guild symbolizes poc, but especially black communities, and while i don’t know if this was their intention, i also want to say that there’s something there for immigrant communities. individual families are very tight knit, and are constantly unable to connect fully with the places they’re in so they rely a lot on the connections they have with their own community. even with the franklins and the burns, you can hear the kids refer to the parents as “aunt” and “uncle,” even though they’re not actually related, which is a very poc thing to do. i saw some white fans going “wait, cal and tess dated but they’re cousins???” like no fool they just have strong community ties

on the flip side, the fairmonts and legacies symbolize white supremacy. while the immediate families may be close to each other, the legacy community as a whole is not; it’s demonstrated that they are all playing nice and avoiding infighting exclusively to maximize their own station, not because they genuinely have connections with one another. marriages are primarily for power more than anything and not “tainting” the bloodline is constantly pushed as one of the primary influences of the legacies. margot was essentially exiled from her family just for marrying outside her “kind,” and the way elinor was asked to sign a contract stating she’d have children until a female heir came is SO reminiscent of the british royal empire

so, based off of the assumption that the symbolism above was intentional, here are some consequential things i noticed while watching first kill:

we see that the guild and those in it train relentlessly for their skill, meanwhile legacies are simply born with their fighting abilities

juliette is a “good vampire” but fails to acknowledge that denouncing her lineage doesn’t exempt her from the privilege that she has and actually just makes it worse

meaning, it is oftentimes the most well-intentioned white people that can do the most damage in their efforts to “help” poc by playing the savior (as cal literally calls her out). for example, juliette turning theo without recognizing the implications that that has for the burns family has the same energy as white people going to protests with face paint and t shirts without understanding that doing so endangers the poc they’re there to support in the first place

why didn’t she just… call cal or apollo? and ask what she should do? explain to them the power she has, and ask how they would prefer she use it (or not)? instead of just assuming that what was best for those like HER would be the same as people like him?

calliope wrestling with “does it make us monsters to hunt the monsters” is the exact same “neutrality sides with the oppressor” discussion that goes around every time something happens

no, fighting back against those that systemically oppress you does not make you just as bad

even the fan response to the raid on the fairmonts is telling. the burns are fighting back against a centuries long massacre of humans by the legacies. yes, they may have started the fight that night specifically, but the battle was begun by the legacies a long time ago. and yet fans have demonized the burns/guild for it, asking why they can’t just “leave them alone” (um… because “leaving them alone” means leaving them to continue attacking humans…?)

legacy bites disappear. i’m aware it was just a throwaway plot point but going with my “everything is an allegory” soapbox, i think it could be a subtle metaphor for generational trauma or the invisible repercussions of microaggressions

elinor literally thinks she and other legacies are superior to humans and possibly other vampires. of course, when her father was dying because he isn’t full legacy, she wanted nothing more than to save him, but couldn’t see that extend to others. so on the nose for people who will allow racism, homophobia, etc. to slide until it’s directly effecting them

the whole thing where the canadians (?) have free range humans that allow themselves to be fed on for money. is it “free range” or is it legacies capitalizing on the power they have from decades of systemic oppression?

idk there’s probably more stuff but my brain hurts

[scripted-downfall]

*RISES FROM THE DEAD* OMG HI ITS RAMBLING ANON I'M BACK!

OK so I have to ask... Why is Jensen and Jared MaxiPadalecki's PR teams so adamant about trying to convince everyone that they still are like brothers when they're clearly not? And trust me, it SHOWS. They can honestly just say "Yeah we don't hang anymore." And I'm sure there will be some fans (like us) who will not be surprised. Friends drift apart, it happens. It's not the end of the world. Tho we all know why J2 isn't not a thing anymore and it's bc of Jared's abysmal behavior. Matter of fact, notice how anybody who gets close to Jared drifts off and away from him after a period of time except for a handful of people...

Hello!  Welcome back :)  I’ve been off Tumblr — or at least spotty — for a bit now myself, so good timing on your return!

Yeah, I don’t really know.  I mean, I confess that I don’t spend much time on the real-life bits of Supernatural (or any show) and that most of what I hear stems from those around me — especially my closest fandom friend… whose name I’m not dropping as a line of defense against stan harassment (those who spend much time on my profile can probably guess who I mean though) — but J2 really doesn’t come across as genuine friendship, much less brotherhood.  I’ve never had much taste for bts stuff, and I’ve lost most of the little I did have.  

I have, however, seen some of their con photos, conversations, etc, and those don’t seem very natural; similarly, much of what I hear about their interactions in general is very… performative?  I guess?  I’d expect much more closeness if they were actually friends.  The most recent example is from that string of show renewals and cancellations: if I were close friends with someone who just got big news like that — whether positive or negative — I’d respond to that with either congratulations or commiserations well-nigh immediately.  (I’d certainly not wait almost a week — that is, from 11 May to 16 May — before posting a save-the-show hashtag.  Maybe that’s just me.)  And nor is this the only example of the performative closeness, natural distance to which I refer, so the argument that “eh, they’re busy, it doesn’t mean anything” doesn’t hold much water long-term, even if it’s accurate in this particular case.

Pragmatically, I’d wager that the brother dynamic is an attempt to play to the show’s perceived fanbase, and that’s why the bts brotherhood is being played up.  It doesn’t make much sense to me — from what I’ve seen, it feels like most of the fandom is fractured between them anyway; I recognize that this is only my experience and not true in its entirety, but I only ever run into people who love Jared and those who hate him, and there’s rarely a middle ground — but that’s the impression I’ve gotten from the PR.

I honestly think it’s backfiring though.  I mean, it just comes across as fake and duplicitous, and I feel like they should both just cut their losses and, as you described it, drift apart.  It happens, and I tend to feel that trying to avoid that just makes things worse for all involved.  (And yeah, I certainly cannot defend JarPad’s actions and I don’t even know him/have any stake in it, to the point that I can just ignore him for the most part; I can’t imagine having to deal with him in close-quarters like a “brotherhood”, friendship, or even just as colleagues.)

Anyway… I feel like I’m rambling at this point, so I’ll wrap it up… It was good to hear from you again, and thanks for the ask!  I hope this answer was decent enough, and all the best until next time!

However, before I completely wrap up, a message to any stan who might be reading this… I recognize that much of the above is freely admitted to be speculation.  All of those statements are marked as such.  Don’t come at me about stuff I outright admitted myself.  I also recognize that I’m posting this and not being the kindest person ever to JarPad.  This is because I dislike him.  You are not going to change my mind with threats or slurs.  You are definitely not going to change my mind by cowering behind the anonymous ask feature.  I will report anon asks of this nature if I have to.  Cheers :)

[orcelito]

I'm interested in Trigun after seeing your posts/reblogs and I'm wondering: what is the best way to consume such media and where could a person go about finding it? 🥰

oh FUCK yea

TLDR answer: trigun 98 -> badlands rumble -> trigun manga -> trigun stampede. going into why below. (under readmore bc this accidentally got long. again.)

ok well. common consensus is to watch the original anime (referred to as trigun 98 by much of the fandom) bc it has a slower start & lets you get to know the characters a lot more than the new anime (assisted by the 26 episodes length, as opposed to 12). it preserves the Mystery of what Vash's deal is for much longer, & is in general pretty entertaining to watch if you don't know wtf is going on. it's Legally on uh. crunchyroll? i think? tho i watched it here: https://aniwatch.to/trigun-266. just like. normal sketchy site safety, adblock is ur best friend, don't click on things. etc. if this site doesnt work for u then u could always google another.

there's a movie, Badlands Rumble, which is based off the trigun 98 canon, so probably a good place to watch it is right after that. just uh. be mindful that Vash's behavior is a Lil... obnoxious at points lol. but it's still a fun movie overall with plenty of good shit in it, so it's worth watching still. i watched it w/ a friend streaming it so i dont have a link onhand, but u could probs find it thru that same site if u search for it.

NEXT UP is my personal favorite, the manga. theres trigun original and trigun maximum, which is the direct continuation of the original (there was an issue with the publishers and licensing so upon continuing the manga w/ a different publisher, Nightow had to rebrand it. it's otherwise the same manga). i recommend this one next bc it's the most whole of story & goes deeper into things than the original anime, but it's also what the new anime is based on (aka why i recommend this one first). it can get FUCKED UP (they all can really, but trimax Especially) so probably look up a triggers list if u think u might need it. it's SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO fucking good tho. genuinely owns my soul. i was a different person after reading it (not rly better or worse, mostly just more insane). there r a few translations online - an old fan translation (DO NOT TOUCH, full of horrid translations and insertions of bigotry that arent in the original), the official Dark Horse translation (an... ok translation, though it has plenty of errors and confusing translations. it's what i first read so it's Okay, but not the best), AND the trigun manga Overhaul project, which u can find on tumblr. this one's the best one bc it's lovingly translated and a LOT more accurately done. i swear things that were so confusing at first are So Clear reading this one. u can find the masterpost Here: https://trigun-manga-overhaul.tumblr.com/post/701392615591034880/trigun-ultimate-overhaul-masterpost-heres-all-the. or just go to their blog @/trigun-manga-overhaul. just trust me on this it's where U wanna read.

an offshoot of it (and what ive been reading today) is an anthology sort of manga, Trigun Multiple Bullets, which is also in that post. it was released as part of the BLR movie release, & the first part is kinda After It? but overall it's just a standalone piece with some side stories. where is this in the manga canon timeline? Who Fuckin Knows. just read it and have fun lol

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST is the most recent anime, Trigun Stampede. this is a CGI remake that aired at the start of this year & caused the trigun renaissance. now a lot of people have a knee-jerk negative reaction to hearing it's CGI, but trust me, this is basically THE BEST application of CGI in anime i've ever really seen. absolutely beautiful. fucking gorgeous. plus with really cool action sequences, and OF COURSE the music is literally one of my favorite anime soundtracks Ever. it's gotten critiques for its pacing, which can be pretty rushed, but they were trying to fit a lot more story in a lot less episodes than the original anime (again, it only has 12 episodes), so keep that in mind. it's not a remake in the traditional sense of redoing the exact same story, so there are changes in the timeline and characters from what's in the original anime or even the manga. one of the biggest things people were unhappy about is the absence of a main character, Milly, who is seemingly replaced by a random man that's not in the other versions, Roberto. Milly will be in season 2 though, as was revealed with the final episode. all in all, it's Kind Of a prequel, though also a remix/reimagining based largely off of the manga's canon over trigun 98. so long as you go into it not expecting it to be Just Like the other versions, it's a really wonderful story in and of itself. it's available on Crunchyroll, which you SHOULD watch there if u have it bc that would give them more money for a season 2 (which is in development). if ur like me tho n dont wanna pay for crunchyroll (it's Specifically a premium-only anime :p), u can watch it where i watched, aka here: https://aniwatch.to/trigun-stampede-18281.

all in all, each version has its strengths and weaknesses, but i've found the best way to go about enjoying All of them is to treat them as their own things. it can be fun to compare them, especially when it comes to things made Different plot or character-wise, but they are separate things. a lot of people who hate one or the other r coming from the angle of expecting one to be just like the other, & are then disappointed (trigun 98 being a Lot sillier at first than trigun stampede, which is a lot more serious sci-fi western in tone).

And Overall. i love them all. so i hope you do too!

[a-tale-of-legends]

( Legendverse) Red and Green(protag) stuff

Red

Compared to Blue and Green as kids, he was much more ( genuinely) polite and responsible ( as responsible as a child can be anyway).

This doesn't mean he doesn't get himself into mischief. Either bc Blue or Green dragged him into a mess or he specifically thought something was a challenge that he was going to beat, he tends to get into more trouble than it's worth. It's fine though bc he's very polite :)

LIVES for the outdoors. Protag Trait of literally disappearing on people, only to be found in some forest camping( he has gotten better at letting people know of this tho). Really good at foraging and stuff.

I wasn't totally sure of the Professor! Red before, but seeing so many of it, I think it's neat :) He already likes pokemon and does want to understand them more. He could get his PhD like Blue ( who. Honestly doesn't really use it much-) but. That means going to school. Red loves to learn, but he is very weary of the school system. Maybe one day though. Battling is still his biggest passion, of course, I just think it would be something cool for him to do on the side.

Going with the above, I think he would really like what Beryl has done with the johto safari zone. Turning it into a rehabilitation area for pokemon essentially. I think he would help around the place pre- battle tower.

Tying into his love of learning- when blue and green leave for Kalos I just imagine Red being. So board. And lonely. He's no longer fearing the public as much as he used too, and constantly training doesn't have the exact same appeal as it did before ( bc he's no longer alone on top of a mountain). So he honestly just tries learning shit. He is the King of useless facts now. Cooking, knitting, crafting, you name it. Yes, Green has tried to make a profit from this. No, Red hasn't sold anything.

Like. Okay Red isn't like a master of these things, I should add. The most he's extremely good at is camping, battling, and cooking. Everything else is just decent.

He doesn't know how to feel about being Chosen. Especially so late into the game. Apparently, mew was supposed to Choose him when he started his journey....but forgot. It wasn't until SM until Mew did Choose him and by that point it felt. Pointless??? He suppose he's grateful, since he thinks being Chosen at such a young age would have been. Very bad for his mental state ( which makes him feel bad for a lot of the other Chosens after him), but like. It just continues to put him in some sort of pedestal that he doesn't want. He could ask mew to just. Unchoose him but....he doesn't know. Mew is nice though. A gremlin that doesn't give clear instructions yes, but still nice.

Green

Was always kinda blunt, even as a kid. Surprising bc she's also a skilled liar. No one knows how or when she got into scamming people ( who deserved it) or how she got so interested in money, but she is and we all have to deal with it.

Being younger and, well, a girl, Blue used to try and not have her come along with him and Red on their adventures ( Red didn't mind Green coming along, in fact he liked her company). Green would kick Blue's kneecaps for that. She would get scolded for it, but so would Blue for excluding Green out, so it's a win. She comes up with way more fun games than Blue anyway.

Is in the middle of the road in terms of talkativeness. Blue is definitely the one who does the talking most times, but Green isn't shy from it herself. In fact she's pretty talkative too, just not as much as Blue. Still, she can be also pretty quiet like Red. I think these two have a cute friendship, but I gotta work out the details. Tbf, they are protags lol. Protags gotta stick together.

Like Red, has the Protag Trait of just disappearing and doing her own shit. Unlike Red, is probably worse at telling people about it. Where's Green? Wouldn't you like to know, weather boy.

I've ultimately decided that Green is a cave fanatic. She just loves cave spelunking that much. She's not even looking for shit to sell, she just likes caves.

She was the only one that actually completed her pokedex....okay no. I'm sure Red and Blue did eventually, but Green was the first, as always. Red was under pressure from being champion to do anything and Blue was in his feelings, so leave it to Green to buckle down and get the damn pokedex done ( also to alleviate the loneliness of her two friends drifting apart and kinda leaving her behind even more)

Honestly it is just traveling now. Going into caves, battling strong trainers if she wants to, scheming all the way. I like the idea of her becoming world champion but I don't know if that's possible in my au yet. We'll see.

She grew taller out of spite btw. She was the shortest of the trio and she didn't like that, especially bc Blue would tease her for it, so she willed herself to be taller. Not even Mewtwo knows if the Chosen powers were at play here.

Speaking of Mewtwo, yeah she got it. She's the Chosen of it. Mewtwo shouldn't be able to Choose being a man made pokemon, but it did so out of spite and honestly? Good for them.

Sometimes I think Green genuinely forgets she's a Chosen. Like actually. The only thing that actively reminds herself that she is one is that she has powers now and she can live when Mewtwo fucking yeets her into the sky ( this is a fun bonding activity).

During the johto arc, Green was in Johto, staying with Bill's family. Why? I haven't fully fleshed it out, but I think it's a matter of her just not wanting to be at home anymore. That's the baseline of it. She's probably helping Bill with some stuff in return. Green during this time was angsty and angry, so her powers ( or what was unlocked at the time) would tend to flare up when she's pissed. Though, given that she's still very new to bring Chosen, they are unreliable as ever. So. More on her plate, I guess.

Green and cooking is an interesting case. I don't think she's bad. Maybe she's pretty good. But uh. The girl lives off protein shakes and granola bars. If not that: meat( sorry Red). So it's probably less of that "Green can't cook" bc she can, and more of " Green can cook but is choosing not too".

I haven't talked about the whole " Green being forgotten from the narrative despite accomplishing so much" here and that's only bc I want to take a closer look at that on my own time. I still think it's true but I want to like it. Map it out better, if that makes sense.

Green going to Kalos with Blue is for two reasons: Shopping ( Blue and Green are The Shopping Duo) and Caves. Oh and mega evolution so three. Unlike Blue though, she ain't studying shit ( okay she does a little) and spends most of her time doing Arceus' knows what. I think it would be funny if both Green and Blue gained several exes in their time in Kalos but that has yet to be determined.

Green and Blue are actually siblings in my au, so if you're wondering why I'm grouping them together so much, that's why.

Has a lil ditto :3 Is less used for battles and more so for schemes and is in general a friend that's happy to be there :]