#i'll need to check everything again before ordering lol

[mangywayway]

Guess who was sure he wasn't going to be accepted to an art festival and decided to not prepare anything because "nah, I'll take my time I don't need anything now" and regretted it (bc me and friends ended up getting a table? I'm stupid, what I can say).

So yeah, I'm rushing to prepare some stuff for some stickers (bc I only had a design for a keychain ready) and I hope i can still manage to order everything in time. "Luckily" we are a lot of artists and we got a small table, so outside of prints we don't have a lot of space for other merch so I don't need to prepare a lot of stuff but jezz if I have been stupid 😂

(Better if I don't say how many times I needed to stop and remember that this wasn't my mythology au and they shouldn't have fluff and airplanes ears 😂😂)

[miniimight]

"S'NOT MY BIRTHDAY..." silly girl, thinking you need an occasion in order to be spoiled by them!

with gojo, nanami x fem!reader

notes trying out this writing thing again lol

in previous relationships, you had to deal with the bare minimum. a generic greeting card on valentine's day, a bunch of snacks for your birthday, and a necklace for christmas because 'that's what girls like, right?'

now, with him, it's different. he has no qualms about getting you anything your eyes linger on, no matter the price. he had so much money, he picked things up and swiped his card without so much as a glance at the cost. it baffled you sometimes.

it happened was early on in your relationship. you then quickly learned to just sit back and let him spoil you!!

GOJO

satoru's fingers were laced with yours as he swung your connected arms between you. he inhaled deeply, looking up at the high ceiling of the mall. "today's a good a day as any to throw some cash, don't you think baby?"

you giggle and squeeze his hand. "one or two things should be okay." that's what you budgeted for, anyway.

he rolled his eyes, scolding you for your tiny imagination before allowing you to pull him along to your favorite stores.

it wasn't long before your eyes spotted the store you loved but couldn't afford. your stare was glued to the window display, all the cute tops and pants and bags and shoes and bracelets and...

when he felt your steps slow, satoru glanced at you. you were laser focused on the clothing store—naturally, he sharply turned towards it.

"hey!" you squeaked at the sudden change of direction, and you hurried to match his pace again. "toru??"

"i saw you looking, baby, why didn't you just say you wanted to check it out?" he teased.

you looked over to the side, embarrassed. "i... i don't wanna tempt myself, cus i know i'll gaslight myself into buying something."

he narrowed his eyes, not in scorn but in confusion. "who said you were buying anything?"

"huh?" you chirped, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

gojo stared blankly at you. you really were adorable, thinking he wouldn't spend his last dime on whatever you wanted, regardless of how trivial it was. a smile pulled at his lips.

"my sweet girl," he cooed. "my sweet, slow girl..."

you gasped indignantly and poked satoru's side, earning a giggle from him. "slow?!"

"obviously, i'll by whatever you want, silly." he tugged you towards the entrance of the store.

"but..." you resisted his pull. "it's not my birthday or anything..."

huh? he pouted. "as if i need a special reason to get you stuff."

"but..." heat creeped up your neck as you reveled in the unfamiliar feeling of being spoiled. something inside you told you that he was just being nice and was waiting for you to shut him down, save him the expenses. "it's not fair, is it? i didn't get you anything so far..."

his face fell slightly as he pulled you away from the busy traffic of the moving crowds. satoru pulled your chin up to face him. "i dunno what's running through that pretty head of yours, but answer me this, okay?"

you nod.

"you want it?" he gestured towards the store.

you hesitated, eyes straying from his face. he quickly squished your cheeks, causing your eyes to widen and snap to his. "—!"

"don't overthink it, pretty girl, just tell me."

"yesfh." you answer dejectedly, muffled against his hands.

"then you'll have it." he told you. "i want you to have anything and everything you say you want. i wanna buy it for you. and being able to hear you say 'my boyfriend got this for me' is all i need in return." he grinned cheekily.

you pouted, looking unbelievably cute in his eyes. he despises the partners of your past for leading you astray, thinking you needed to do something special in order to be appreciated. don't worry, he'll fix that in no time.

he pecked your pursed lips before hugging you. "okay?"

you giggle. "okay."

"yay!! now let's go!!"

by the end of the day, he had to call ichiji to help carry all the bags to the car. he was so proud of you!

NANAMI

kento was your shadow as you glided through the store, picking up things and setting them down.

"oh, this is so cute!" you squealed holding up a tee for him to see.

he smiled, more because of your excited expression than the t-shirt. "it is. you should get it."

you hummed, in thought. your hands drifted over the material, picking up the tag before inhaling sharply. "nah, another time."

he frowned. you'd done this at every store so far, picking up things you said you liked but leaving them behind. he was bewildered. "but... you like it, do you not?"

you winced, hoping this topic wouldn't come up. "i do! it's just the price. out of my budget, you know?" you said, trying to be light. you burned with discomfort. might as well just say you're poor.

kento frowned. "oh..."

"yeah."

you quickly turned away, avoiding the confused look on his face.

"y/n." he called you.

"...yes?" you glanced behind you, seeing him standing over the shirts.

"are you under the impression that you would be paying?" he asked.

you blinked. "oh?" yes, you were, but you were surprised to learn that he had the opposite understanding. "well... yeah."

he frowned, disappointed with himself. "i'm sorry. i didn't intend to make you feel that way."

you stepped closer, rubbing his arm soothingly. "what are you talking about?" you laughed softly. "you didn't make me feel any kind of way. i'm not upset, if that's what you're getting at. i never expected you to spend your money on me."

his frown only deepened. oh, how he has failed. "why not?"

you faltered. how did you manage to make it worse? "i'm not sure i understand..."

kento shook his head. "have you been thinking you'd be using your own money for purchases? this whole time?"

"um..."

"sweetheart, i'm paying. for everything, at all times." he refused to hear anything else, cutting you off when you opened your mouth to retort. "we'll have to circle back to the stores we previously visited."

it was your turn to frown. "kento, it won't be my birthday for a few months! you don't have to get me anything right now."

"what does your birthday have to do with anything?" he asked, genuinely confused. "i don't mean to interrogate you, my love, but i think i am the one who doesn't understand."

"you'd get me anything i asked for?" you shoot back, spelling it out for him. "for no reason?"

"for one reason," he replied. "simply because you want it. it'd make you happy."

warmth spread across your face. "that's two reasons." you mumbled.

he clicked his tongue, exacerbating your bashfulness when he pulled you into his side. he kissed your forehead. "you make me laugh, y/n. i was so confused as to why you weren't getting anything. surely that's not how you usually shop."

he bought that shirt for you, as well as the many things you thought were cute at all the stores you stepped foot in. now, you shop without any hesitations.

© miniimight ! thanks for reading <3

[vanishingstarrs]

pancakes for dinner ( k bakugo x nurse!reader, pro hero era, established relationship, just soft and pure vibes, down bad bakugo aka my boyfie fr, slight smut at the end, NSFW, minors DNI ) ( guysss i’ve been so sick and i’ve been suffering having to work still bc #hispanic we ain’t eva allowed to call out )): i’ve been wanting to write please please please x bakugo but haven’t had the energy, meantime hope y’all enjoy this little fic <3 just wholesome mushy stuff for y’all but then it turned smutty at the end because why not lol also i’m pretty new to writing explicitly so pls lmk how it came out !! idk if i'll do that again lmao we shall see i guess )

You were exhausted.

Mentally and physically.

Work had been a tad overwhelming lately, with extra things being piled onto your already heavy workload after a big merger between two of Japan’s biggest hospitals, which in turn caused a lot of people to be let go. Not only had it been stressful wondering whether you’d make the cut or not after a “re-interview”, but when you learned that you had been accepted you’d also been asked if you could take on a few extra duties.

You had never been one to back down from work, always taking initiative and being happy to help any one of your coworkers that might need it.

Lately though, it seemed every single person needed help. Your coworkers, your patients, and if it wasn’t those two then it was your boss asking if you could help her with management duties that had nothing to do with the extra work you’d been assigned to do on top of everything else.

You were sick and tired.

Your muscles cried out as you pushed your apartment door open and immediately kicked off your shoes, groaning as you bent down in order to place them onto the shoe stand. You were sure you heard your back crack as you stood straight once more to hang your purse and keys.

You didn’t bother unpacking the lunch you never got time to eat, leaving the bag you packed it in tied up and in the fridge before heading into your bedroom and immediately shedding your scrubs. You hated doing skincare, but thought about how dirty your face must be after dealing with so many patients and dragged yourself into the bathroom to get it over with.

By the time you were finished doing everything, your body was begging you to lay down for just a minute.

A little power nap never hurt, you told yourself as you fell onto your bed face first and sighed. You hugged your pillow to your aching body and allowed yourself to relax for just a little while.

Though “a minute” quickly turned into three hours as the sun went down and the night sky pulled you further into dreamland.

You didn’t hear the front door open or close, you didn’t stir when your boyfriend started removing his hero equipment, much less wake when those heavy gauntlets he somehow wore all day hit the floor or when his pounding footsteps carried across the hardwood as he made his way to your shared bedroom to check on you.

You missed the brief smirk on his face as he found you lying on his side of the bed, on your right side with a leg propped up for comfort.

Katsuki knew how hard you’d been working lately with the merger between the two hospitals and how stressed it made you. With him working as a hero, he encountered many people that wound up needing to go to the hospital. On top of that, you also had all the other sick people that hadn’t been involved in some villain attack. You likely dealt and saved more people in a single day than he did in a month, he knew this, he was proud of the fact, actually, and incredibly proud of you.

He was damn lucky to have you.

And for all these reasons, he was happy to see you rest for a bit.

He’d often come home late and find that you’d already done all the cleaning around the house, as well as meal prep for both you and him, and still found the time to bake desert on top of making him dinner. You went above and beyond in all aspects of your life, often even calling and checking up on his parents when he hadn’t done so in too long. He’d receive texts from his mother scolding him and making sure he was taking good care of you the way she knew you did him, he swore you were the favorite and he understood why you were.

Everyone loved you.

He adored you.

Except he hadn’t been doing his part as well as he should be lately.

And so, while you slept, he quietly changed into some loungewear before carefully shutting the bedroom door closed behind him.

He tried his hardest to be quiet as he went around cleaning up throughout the house, he swept, he steam mopped the floors (and prayed he didn’t miss a spot), he did your laundry, took your work shoes and scrubbed them clean for your next workday, he took your old lunch and tossed it out before setting to work on preparing you something delicious for tomorrow.

Being in the kitchen was actually soothing for him, he liked being able to experiment with recipes and different things for you to try. He hated that he hadn’t made the time to recently. He cooked enough dinner to pack lunch for both you and him, then last minutely decided that you’d definitely want something sweet when you woke up and pulled out the ingredients to make pancakes from scratch.

You liked it best when you had pancakes for dinner, not breakfast.

He was extremely pleased when they turned out light and fluffy just the way you liked them and he set out to cut up some fruit for you to put on top, making sure everything was ready before heading back to your shared room.

Katsuki was less quiet this time around, as he slid into bed next to you. He propped himself up on his elbow as he buried his fingers into your hair and gently scratched your scalp.

You were exhausted, and likely wouldn’t have woken up if not for him leaning over and placing kisses from your neck all the way up to your ear. You felt his hot breath as he whispered for you to please wake up, which made you groan softly.

You’d yet to open your eyes, but who else would it be? You asked,“Katsuki?”

“Made you food, baby, c’mon, I saw you didn’t eat your lunch, you gotta put somethin’ in your belly.” He explained as he removed his hand from your hair and lifted the material of your shirt to rub up and down your stomach, you felt him inch closer to your chest before stopping himself and tugging your tank top back down to your waist.

You turned toward him, quickly finding the divet in between his shoulder and neck to plant your face in. You were barely awake, not really comprehending what he was trying to say.

“Missed you.” You relaxed further into him.

“Missed you so much, sweets.” You felt him kiss your forehead,“Hate to pull you from bed, but you really gotta open your eyes for me.”

You did as he asked, smiling as his face came into view, lit up by the soft light streaming in from the hallway. “Hi, honey.” You managed to get out as he smushed your cheeks (cuteness aggression) and placed three kisses onto your nose.

You grinned as he said hi back and repeated that he’d cooked for you.

You beamed, you hadn’t had his cooking in a while, but didn’t exactly make a move to get up from bed. It wasn’t until he revealed that he’d made you pancakes, that had you up in seconds.

He chuckled as he followed you down the hall, lightly smacking your butt as you happily made your way through the apartment. You turned to him with surprise,“You cleaned too?”

“Course.” He scoffed as he tugged on your hand and sat you down at your small table that sat four people max. “I’d do it more if you didn’t always beat me to everything, I was thinking I should be doing a bit more around here anyway.”

“I can handle it.” You said, like always.

He rolled his eyes as he brought over the plate he’d prepared for you.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t, I’m just saying you don’t have to give a hundred percent every day, you know? You could give me thirty and I’d be more than happy to give the remaining seventy.” He began to explain,“I wanna take care of you too, and that starts by you not doing everything.”

You silently watched him cut up your pancakes before placing some fruit onto them and drizzling maple syrup all over, he gave you tea to drink and pulled his chair closer to you while you ate.

He ran his fingers through your hair again as you told him all about your day before asking about his and what time he’d gotten home. He let you feed him a couple bites of food and you snagged a few extra kisses each time you lied and told him he had syrup on his face.

When you finished, he asked if you’d like a bit of real food, claiming he wanted you nice and full. You agreed, happy to eat what he’d prepared.

You were less tired now, satisfied with your belly full and sitting with your lover as he recalled a story about retrieving someone’s lost kitten in a tree. You laughed at the classic save and felt your mental load becoming lighter the more the minutes went on.

After eating, the pampering continued.

Katsuki demanded you allow him to run you a bath, and he quickly made the bathroom up with a few candles. He set up a movie for you to watch on your laptop as he came into the room with you and offered to wash your hair. You requested he get in with you then, and he obliged quickly, taking his time when it came to massaging his hands through your hair and pressing kisses against your back at every opportunity. He held you against his chest as you relaxed into him.

You honestly started to get sleepy again.

And then it was ripped away from you once more as Katsuki led you to bed, not to sleep, but to have you spread out against the mattress for him to plaster his tongue against you and demand he get his dinner now.

“Wanna take care of you.” He’d said.

He quickly had you squirming and writhing underneath his touch and the feel of his fingers inside as he worked you until completion. He sung you praises about how hard you’d been working lately, telling you how you deserved this and more, as well as making sure you knew how good you always did for him.

“One more, baby.” He begged.

One more turned into two then three, and by the time he finally lined himself up to your entrance you were spent. He worshipped your body, kneading your breasts and holding one of your hands back so you couldn’t hide how flushed your face had become from not just his compliments, but from the way he fucked you.

“Katsuki,” You moaned,“Close.” Again.

“Cum with me, baby, please.”

The movement of his hips was starting to get sloppy, but neither of you noticed through the haze. He whined in your ear as you latched onto his back with your hands and wrapped your legs around his waist, your walls squeezed him and he moaned one last time as he got lost in euphoria. He didn’t make a move to remove himself as he pressed his sweaty forehead against your own and kissed your cheek and then your neck and then your collarbone, making a line all the way down to your bellybutton.

He occupied himself with making sure you stayed awake despite your eyes being closed as you attempted to catch your breath, he sucked hard enough to leave a few marks along your chest and before you knew it you started to feel him become hard inside of you again.

Your eyes snapped open as you gave him a look.

Katsuki smirked as he rubbed your hip and stole your mouth briefly,“Gotta make sure you’re nice and full, baby, one more time f’me, please?”

“You’re insatiable.” You told him.

And yet, how could you say no to him when he looked at you that way?

It was a good thing you’d taken that nap earlier, especially now that your body would soon be aching for a different reason.

[midnight-mourning]

❄️MIDNIGHT'S DCA DECEMBER❄️

Hello! I've decided to have a little bit of fun this December and will be opening up requests for the month! Please see below for more details (With subheadings!):

Requests Overall

I will have 31 slots available for requests, first come, first serve. Each piece will range from 1000-2000 words in length and may (MAY) include a little doodle made by me.

Requests can be anything! They just have to be winter/holdiay themed (do NOT have to be releated to Christmas) and DCA-related

Winter/holiday themed means movies/stories too! Ex: i am a BIG fan of The Nutcracker (went insane when I saw @/robinette-green's au for the Barbie version lmao)

As most know I am an X reader writer, but as long as my general request rules are followed, I don't mind writing for ocs, canon, etc. 

For those who don't know my rules, no nsfw (suggestive is FINE), and if you want something specific, be specific. Besides that, it's fair game, request what you want

Potential Issues & Schedule

If there is overlap between request ideas, they will be combined in some manner of speaking (if possible). If needed, I will reach out to you about adjusting ideas or the likes, though I don't forsee this happening. This would occur if for example, someone wants gift shopping with Sun with their oc, and someone else wants the same thing with a reader-insert. Whoever requested second would be who I reach out to. 

I will be posting these throughout December, ending on the 31st

In order to have enough time to write, I will be starting these as soon as I get the first request. To speed things up a little, requests will be open from 11/29 to 12/13 OR until I receive 31 unique requests. So that's maximum two weeks to think of an idea and share it with me. 

If I don't get enough overall or get anything prior to Dec. 1 I'll probably come up with some ideas of my own, but only if that happens! Additionally, if I don't get enough, I may open it up for people to request multiple times, again only if I don't get enough or run out of ideas (genuinely don't know how many I should expect so just trying to cover my bases lol)

To keep things organized, please request in the comments of this post. This also helps to potentially keep from overlap in requests, as you'll be able to see what else has already been requested. If you request in my ask box or such it'll make things a bit more difficult, so please avoid that.

HOWEVER, there is one exception to the above, which is if you wish to request anonymously, which is completely fine to do! But please only request in my ask box if you want to be anonymous. If overlap happens in that case, then y'all may just get two responses with similar vibes on the same day (essentially a bonus lol)

Confused Spirit

For those who may be concerned (as I was before making this post lmao) Confused Spirit's schedule will not be affected by this! Now that it's back I'd like it to stay back lol. We may stick to an every two weeks schedule for a bit, or may go back to weekly, it will depend on life stuff, not on other writing things. I promise ^_^

Having little things like these also help prevent writers block, and thus stay more consistent with updates

Sharing & More

Please feel free to share this post around, and request if you want to! Once I hit 31 unique ones I'll reblog this post with the announcement that requests are closed, so make sure to double check they aren't closed already prior to requesting!

I'll also post updates every couple of days regarding the status of total requests as well ^_^

Unrelated but similar, @/quilteddreams is working on a DCA Advent Calendar for December that's also really cool! (I'm helping out with beta reading :D) Highly reccommend you check it out once it starts posting! 

Everything related to this will be under the tag #MM dca December, just in case there's another similar tag out there and I'm not just taking it for myself

Alright, that's all for now, excited to see what you guys ask for!

Adding the tag list to this since y'all enjoy my writing lol:

@scarletcowboy @beemyhuneybee @fishm0ther @deviouscrackers @elsajoyagent8

@luckyyyduckyyy @zenkaiankoku @jogimote @local-shrub @amarynthian-chronicles

@robinette-green @everlightreader @sinister-sincerely @starredeclipse @dangerva

@juukai

[hgfictionwriter]

Scattered

Jessie Fleming x Reader

Summary: ADHD can be a lot to navigate, but Jessie embraces you, your ADHD and everything that comes with it.

A/N: Based on this request. This came a little too easily lol. Renews my empathy for my wife LOL. Bless her haha. And bless Jessie cause I bet she'd be just as thoughtful.

You lifted your head as motion in your periphery caught your eye. You took out your earbuds when you saw Jessie giving a quick wave from the doorway.

"Don't forget - we have to leave for dinner in an hour," she reminded you patiently. "I'm not saying you have to get ready now, we just need to be out the door at 5:30."

You looked at the clock and then gave her a nod. "Thank you."

She knew you were hyperfocused on something and if you had to abruptly stop you'd be in a foul mood. You'd learned that it helped when you had a wind-down period, so to speak.

You mapped out the time, making a mental note of when to pack up when you thought better of it and set a timer on your phone instead.

Before you knew it, your alarm went off, pulling you out of your trance. You sighed inwardly - you were on a roll and you didn't want to lose momentum. And it's not like you didn't want to go to dinner - you loved Sinc and Janine, but it still took effort for you to compartmentalize and get a move on.

You emerged from the office and looked around the apartment you shared with Jessie. She was sitting on the couch reading, but was dressed for dinner and you noted she had her things neatly laid out by the front door. She gave you a small smile and a wave.

"How'd it go?"

"Good," you said, somewhat distracted as you were trying to determine what you needed to do and in what order. "Thank you." You stopped yourself and returned her smile, now giving her your attention. "How's your book?"

"It's good, baby," she said with a light laugh before gesturing with a nod. "Go on. Get ready."

Jessie knew you well. She recognized what you were trying to do, but also understood that you needed to get sorted and moving if you were going to stay on schedule. She didn't take offense.

"Thanks," you said with a look that was both grateful and a bit shy. "I'll ask you more about it in the car."

Opening your closet, you already knew what you wanted to wear tonight, but a heavy frown fell across your face as you realized the shirt you had in mind was still in the laundry. You swore it was clean.

You sighed as you examined your other options. You eventually narrowed it down to two, your eyes darting back and forth several times. Would that shirt go with the pants you picked? Where were you going again for dinner? What did Jessie wear? Was it cold out? Jessie was in a t-shirt. But she's always warm. It was warm earlier. But it was going to be night, so... You eventually just tossed the one shirt back, forcing yourself to make a decision.

You checked the time and rushed into the bathroom to finish getting ready. You were doing your hair when your mind wandered and you remembered that you told Jessie earlier that you'd update the grocery list. You mulled it over. What were you doing this week? That would affect the list. You went to check your calendar but when you opened your phone you saw an email notification from this store you wanted to get Jessie a gift from.

You were putting in your shipping information when a brief rush of alarm went through you as you heard Jessie getting up. You looked at the time. Oh shit. Wait - what were you supposed to be doing?

A flurry of activity ensued as you worked to finish getting ready. You had to backtrack a couple of times because you'd just left something laying out in your wake. On a second pass through, you had to make a point of stopping to pick it up and put it away.

Before you and Jess moved in together, your apartment could've been described as organized chaos. Clusters of items here and there, but you knew where things were. For the most part. Jessie, however, was very neat and orderly. And you loved her desperately, so you tried to be very mindful of how you tended to leave mess and clutter. It took a little extra effort on your part, but if it helped Jessie feel more at ease and didn't make her feel like she had to pick up after you, it was absolutely worth it.

You rushed up to Jessie who was casually putting on her shoes at the front door. You were slightly out of breath from your zig-zagging through the apartment and she smiled at you affectionately.

"Right on time," she said with a nod of approval, gesturing to her watch and giving you a wink.

You exhaled. "Chaos."

She laughed and held out your jacket for you, prompting you to weave your arms through.

"Thank you," you said and leaned in to give her a quick kiss.

"Anytime," she said as she grabbed her things. She paused as you started patting your pockets and looking around.

"Phone?" She asked knowingly. You looked to her with a frown of concern and nodded. She rolled her eyes with a soft laugh and reached over to the side table. Your phone was on the corner.

"Oh, there it is," you said brightly with a laugh of your own. She reached around and tucked the phone into your back pocket, giving you a smirk and kissed your cheek as she pulled back.

"Oh, one last thing," you said, holding up your index finger. "I need to write it down before I forget." You quickly grabbed the notebook and fancy pen Jessie bought you previously (stationery was a past fixation of yours) and jotted down something on your to-do list. You clicked the pen and put the notebook aside, turning to her.

"Ready to go?" She asked, a smile still lingering.

You gave her a cheesy 'OK' gesture with your hand and winked. "All set."

"And you call me a dork," she joked.

"You love me."

"I certainly do."

There were many ways you knew Jessie loved you, but the fact that Jessie - who herself was very put together - navigated and embraced your quirks with patience and affection, told you she loved and understood you. Sure, you frustrated her now and then, but chances are those were times you were even more frustrated with yourself. She always talked things out with you or tried her best to make things easier. You adored and appreciated her for it.

She was one of the very few people you let your walls down around. The flurry she'd just witnessed is something most people would never see. At work - and previously in school - your reviews always said you were diligent, organized, and composed. And you were - but it came at a cost. By the time you got home every day, you used up all of your mental faculties to stay on top of things at work or with acquaintances. Home was your reprieve; you could recharge, relax and just be yourself.

As Jessie drove you both downtown, you began flipping through songs. Short, fleeting bursts of music filled the car before cutting to the next piece. While your attention was fixed on the console screen, you felt Jessie's eyes on you. "Which song are you looking for?"

"I'll know it when I hear it," you answered, eyes still transfixed on the changing song titles.

Jessie sighed wearily, but you spied the burgeoning smirk on her lips when you glanced over.

At dinner, your knee bounced incessantly up and down as you listened to Sinc and Janine speak. You hardly realized what you were doing until Jessie reached out a hand and gently placed it on your leg. You held her hand and played with her ring instead.

At one point, Sinc was sharing a story and it sparked a thought far off in your mind. You intermittently sat forward and back, waiting to speak - trying very conscientiously to not cut her off by interjecting. When you got your opening, you literally sat on the edge of your seat and began talking, waving your hands animatedly as you did.

You ended up on a couple of tangents, pausing momentarily with a frown before speaking. "Where was I going with this? Right. You mentioned Vancouver, which made me think of real estate, which led me to appliances. So Jessie and I..."

Jessie just chuckled and idly rubbed small circles on your lower back.

At some point, Jessie herself told an uncharacteristically convoluted story. Janine and Sinc were frowning at her in confusion, but you followed her train of thought easily. You reiterated it for her.

"I'm with you.” You gave her a charming smile. She turned to her teammates with a small, satisfied grin.

"She always gets me."

After dinner, the four of you went to meet up with other teammates at a bar. You hung out for a couple of hours, but between the socialization and a long week of meetings and masking, you felt your social battery drain. You started disassociating as people talked and you were having trouble focusing.

Jessie came by, sitting next to you and leaning in to be heard over the din of the crowd.

"You about ready to leave? I'm just about at my limit," she said. You gave her a grateful look.

"Are you sure? We don’t have to leave on account of me,” you tried to assure her. She grasped your hand, lacing your fingers together.

“Babe. I’m ready to go, too. Another 10 minutes? Then say bye to everyone?” She asked.

You leaned your head on her shoulder. “Thank you. I’m sorry I can’t handle more.” You felt her turn her head towards you.

“Baby. There’s nothing to apologize for.”

You lifted your head up to look at her. You’d had this conversation before but you still got in your head about it all and it was hard to stop.

“I just want to be the best partner for you. But sometimes I just get overwhelmed. And then I can’t function or interact the way I want to. And I probably talked too much at dinner. And about god knows what. I hope I didn’t embarrass you-”

Jessie held up her hands, gently coaxing you to stop.

“Baby. Please.” She smiled affectionately at you. “You’re doing it again,” she said with a soft laugh. “You were great tonight. You always are. I could never be embarrassed by you. I’m always so proud to have you with me.”

She tucked your hair behind your ear and went on. “We’re both at our limit. So, let’s finish up here. Can we cuddle when we get home?" She asked.

"That sounds amazing.”

A/N: Okay, y'all. This next part has nothing to do with Jflem, I just have to share this personal anecdote that just happened. The timing is too perfect considering I was writing this ADHD fic.

*Wife calls me while I'm driving and it sounds like she's crying*

"Are you okay???"

"Are you okay?"

"Huh?" My concern immediately shifts to confusion.

"Do you have everything you need in order to be successful today?" She asks in a very measured way.

Realization hits me immediately. I turn to the passenger seat and instead of seeing my work bag, I only see a pair of shoes. Shoes that I made great mental note of that morning to bring with me to the office. But no sign of my work bag that I packed that morning, alongside the idle musing of, "Wow, it would be so bad if I forgot my laptop."

By now, my wife is cackling. She wasn't crying at all when she called, she was trying her hardest not to laugh.

I'm 25 minutes into a 30 minute drive.

"Can you make it work without your bag somehow?" My wife asks amongst her ongoing laughter.

"It has my laptop. My pass. My wallet. Everything. Guess I'm coming back home!"

We're killing ourselves laughing at this point.

"Okay, well, I'll see you soon. Don't get pulled over!"

ADHD struggles are real, folks lol.

[rhonuscorner]

SO, ABOUT THAT ART GIVE AWAY I'M HOSTING

I'm very sorry to say I have to cancel it due to circumstances beyond my control.

The main reason for this is that my PC, on which I do 99% of my art, broke down a few weeks ago and it's gonna be probably at least another month before I get it back. Maybe I'll get lucky and it'll be sooner than that but I'm not holding out any hope, I've been having nothing but bad luck lately lmao.

Longer description of what's been going on is under the cut (which I'm also going to use as an excuse to rant about it because I've been very frustrated lmao) but yeah.

I've been using my old laptop since and I still have my old art tablet, but I've been holding off on doing art on it. Motivation issues aside, I don't really enjoy doing art on it (my PC spoiled me lol) and I also don't have access to my usual art resources, like Clip Studio Paint (I know I can swap devices but I'm not going to). I haven't been able to work on any of the MerMay stuff I had planned, I have a huge back log of AU art I wanna do and I have to prepare for Art Fight... and now I don't know if I'm gonna have enough time for that either so I'll postpone that to next year. Sucks because I've never participated in Art Fight before and I was really looking forward to joining, but it is what it is (I swear this has become the motto I live by lately).

I was going to draw give-away winners in a week, but I'm at a point where adding planned art onto what I already have and want to do is just causing me stress, especially because it concerns art for other people. So for the sake of my sanity and what little motivation I still have, I have to cancel the give-away. :(

I'm really sorry to everyone who signed up to participate, and massive thanks to those who did sign up. Maybe I'll re-run it in the future.

So my PC broke down on the 21st of April. It worked perfectly fine the day before but that morning it kept hanging on the same screen during start-up and I couldn't figure out why. I can solve simple problems like the rare blue-screen but I'm not tech-savvy enough to deal with hardware and messing with the BIOS is way beyond my comfort zone.

So I called my brother, who is very tech-savvy and he came to my place to take a look where he spent the next 3 hours trying to locate the issue. No matter what we did, we could not even get the PC to boot from a USB to run a repair, the BIOS wouldn't save changes we made, it was a mess.

He ended up taking my PC over to his place where he had the proper tools to figure it all out. At the time we thought it was a processor issue, since all the signs pointed to that being the culprit.

Turns out it was one of my hard drives 🙄 If only we had thought to just remove those one by one while the PC was still at my place, because it booted up just fine once we removed the dead one. Didn't occur to us at the time, yes we were dumb. And yes, I lost a whole bunch of stuff (we tried to recover data but to no avail) but that's the least of my concerns. Anyway, he ran some tests, checked out all my other hardware and drives and everything got a clean bill of health but we figured, since my PC was already at his place anyway, he might as well run a full systems check too, stabilization tests, all that good stuff. Some good ol TLC for my beloved hard working PC. He also needed to put in a new SSD and order new thermal paste because he'd taken off the processor.

Due to annoying circumstances, that order took a while to arrive.

He then messaged me last monday that for some reason, even with the new thermal paste applied, my processor was running really hot and he couldn't figure out why. So he was going to immediately order a new, bigger tube and try again.

My hope was that by the end of this week I'd be able to pick my PC up, back in perfect working order.

My brother messaged me again yesterday when I came home in the evening to tell me he fucked up. Even with all of his experience and skill, he's not immune to making a mistake. He told me some of the thermal paste got into the port on the motherboard the processor connects onto (or something to that effect) and while he was able to clean it with isopropyl, two of the little pins there accidentally broke off. That's not something he can fix. My motherboard is completely borked now.

I'm not mad at him or anything, accidents happen (he's already mad enough at himself), but it sucks big time.

The motherboard has to be replaced which is not something he's comfortable doing right now (understandable), so my PC will have to go back to where it was built... which causes a whole slew of new problems relating to transport which I don't care to get into right now (lets just say, bad previous experiences), plus the fact that my warranty ended in February.

I don't know what the costs are gonna be at this moment and while yes, my brother offered to cover everything since he's the one who broke it, I told him we'll split it. He's already done so much for me, gifted me the new SSD and made other costs he won't let me pay for (like the thermal paste and the thingemabob he ordered to recover data from dead drives). I have the best bro ❤️

So yeah. I'm gonna be stressing about this big time until my PC is safely back home, fully functional.

Until then, ugh :')

[tadpoles-and-daydreams]

A witchcraft basics doc; update, resource call, interest check, and a possible second doc

Bet most of you didn't even know I was working on this >:D

Yes this is a huge post. It's a lot of things.

So, one of my first posts ever on this blog was me mentioning that a friend of mine had NO clue what they were signing up for when asking for the basics of witchcraft. The google doc I wrote took on a life of its own, and the post did as well when people started asking for it. I still plan to tag said people when I post it, assuming they haven't deactivated. The thing is, this doc had become a proper project, and it took a long time for me to have the motivation to work on it again. Now, though, it seems to me like a damn good way to reconnect to my craft after a rut! (which, by the way, is why I've been offline.)

So, my first post back is for a couple of reasons. For one, if you have any resources you'd think would be useful for beginner witches, feel free to shoot me an ask, DM, or comment/reblog on this post! I'll have a list of things I'm putting in the doc (taking recommendations there as well) at the bottom of this post.

The other thing is that I might end up making a second doc, one that's a little less "101" in vibe. It would have a MAJOR MAJOR UPG warning on it, first off, and I'm not sure whether or not I would be marking any UPG either since this would essentially be a second Grimoire/Book of Shadows for me that would be public to others for the sake of sharing information! I can't say I'd call it "advanced witchcraft" by any means, I'm not very fancy lol, but I don't want the basics doc to get too overwhelming. I do, however, want to scream about random witchcraft topics that interest me. So this is also a bit of an interest check for that, as well as the basics doc.

FINAL NOTE: I fully plan on posting this basics doc before it's done. Some sections will be unwritten or unfinished, because if I wait until I find it "finished" I'll never post it. It's going to be added onto whenever I can, but I feel as though getting it out is the best course of action.

A list of stuff in the doc that I'd take resources on (AKA everything planned in it) with * by anything that will be left unwritten/unfinished on purpose until I know more. I will take resources and recommendations on EVERYTHING though. This is in no particular order:

grounding and centering

VOCAB (intention, intuition, UPG/SPG/VPG, appropriation. probably others I'm forgetting.

candle, plant, crystals and safety* (as well as any other tools one might need safety tips for. This is left completely unwritten as I use very few tools of this type.)

deity work* (the whole debate surrounding when to start, as well as information about it. Will include smth about house rules/boundaries. My work is very casual, I'd love to see different POV's of this! This is by nature left unfinished because deity work is so unique to the witch.)

grimoire/book of shadows

tools of the craft* (common tools and how to use them consumerism in witchcraft, etc.)

cleansing

appropriation* (I don't know near enough about this, I just check what's in my own practice. I would like this to include a list of commonly appropriated closed practices, a definition of appropriation and why it shouldn't be done, open pantheons, and common open practices.)

spellwork*

meditation

where someone could go from here* (including sigils, tarot, crystals bc my friend likes rocks lol, maybe astrology but oh god I have nothing about that it makes my brain hurt just looking at an astrology chart /pos. I will probably make a list of stuff that I could add in this section.)

casual/daily/quick/low energy practices and witchcraft

paganism and witchcraft; overlap, what they are individually, why one might be for you rather than the other, etc.*

there'd be a credit section for anyone who wants to be credited for links/resources at the end! If you send me resources plz specify if you want to be included in that or not.

Things I might include in the second doc if I make it:

the craft and mental health and my experiences with it

things commonly touched on in the community (your deities don't hate you, cycles of inactivity and burnout, other things I'm forgetting rn)

deity-specific things, more specific topics of the craft, etc. yet another reminder that this would all include UPG, possibly unmarked, because it would basically be primarily used to give me motivation to research more.

[aqua-dan]

hello!! Do you have any Garth comic recommendations for someone (me) who has never read a Garth comic outside of a handful of TT issues before?

Hi!! I definitely have some recommendations! This definitely isn't a comprehensive reading list by ANY means (although I do want to make one eventually!), but rather a small smattering of Garth centric comics that I think are fun or noteworthy! (These are also not in any particular order, just written out as they come into my brain lol)

Tempest (1996) - Obviously the Garth holy grail! There is no better Garth comic than this. It is peak and honestly one of the best books DC has ever put out. It's short, too (only 4 issues), so it's not too intensive of a read.

Adventure Comics #269 - "The Kid from Atlantis" - Garth's first appearance! Don't get too hung up on the lore here, as it changes later on, but it's a sweet issue and obviously important!

Adventure Comics #270 - "The Menace of Aqualad" - I love this issue for a multitude of reasons-- including the fully unintentional foreshadowing,-- but mainly I love it because it showcases what a sweet person Garth is and always has been.

World's Finest Comics #133 - "Aquaman's New Partner -- Aqua-girl" - Again, the lore needs to be disregarded, but this issue fascinates me as an early iteration of Garth's insecurity about where he stands with Arthur/feeling useful.

I probably shouldn't list everything individually so this post doesn't end up being a mile long, haha! So I'll start putting some groupings together:

Aquaman vol 1 #14, 18, 23, and #33

The Brave and the Bold #54

Teen Titans vol 1 #11 (not particularly Garth centric but just especially fun to me lol), #17, #19, #28, #29, #44-end of series. (Side note that @ttwasteland has a really good podcast covering volume 1 of Teen Titans! Actually, they have a lot of Teen Titans podcasts! Which is really useful for those who struggle to read Silver Age comics + I am immensely pleased with Hub's Aqualad enthusiasm!)

The Brave and the Bold (vol 3) #10

Death of a Prince (Technically, I recommend reading all of it, since it'll help you understand how things got to this point. But especially Adventure Comics #452 and the Aqualad stories in #453-455.)

Tales of the Teen Titans #85 & #86 + Teen Titans Spotlight #10

Teen Titans Spotlight #18

Teen Titans Spotlight #21

Aquaman vol 5 (Yes, all of it lol)

Showcase '96 #1

Teen Titans (Vol 3) #12-16

JLA/Titans

Titans (vol 1) At least the Devin Grayson portion, but I don't dislike the later stuff either!

There are also storylines that I think are fun or important that happen in across various books/stories (Obsidian Age, Aquaman vol 6, other (Teen) Titans stories, Blackest Night, CoIE, dare I even say Sword of Atlantis...), but I'll save those for a more in-depth reading list some other time! These ones are just popping up in my head rn.

If you want N52/Rebirth stuff, there are also a few stories that are pretty good. Sadly, they're pretty few and far between since canon changes and DC tossing their character bibles have left poor Garth in an odd, largely OoC limbo for years. Although I don't /love/ these stories as much as others, they still manage to vaguely pass the vibe check:

Nightwing & the Titans in Team Building (Robin 80th Anniversary 100 Page Super Spectacular) It's not super Garth centric, but it's fun!

Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 - “It’s a Family Affair”

Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 - “Lady in the Lake”

World's Finest: Teen Titans & DC's Spring Breakout "Relay for your Life" Garth's characterization in these... isn't right, but I feel like it has the spirit more than the vast majority of things published in recent years.

Titans (2023-) I... don't totally feel right putting this here, but I feel like slowly... extremely slowly... they are starting to fix Garth's characterization. We're not quite there yet-- and it is sadly written by Tom Taylor,-- but I feel like it's going to lead to something that's actually good for Garth again. (Aka so many hints towards a potential new Tempest mini-series or one-shot have been dropped lately, and I feel like this series will be context important.)

Ok, to try to finish this out: Also consider watching some stuff with Garth in it like Aquaman (1967) TV show / DC Super Hero Girls (2019), or reading some cute, non-canon series such as Tiny Titans! It's just good fun!!

Anyways, thank you so much for the ask!! I hope this helps!!! (And thank you for allowing me a chance to ramble lol!)

[its-all-stardust]

Hey, so first of all, I love your work, it's absoluteley amazing!!!

I saw that your requests are open, so I thought that I would ask for a Matt Murdock x reader oneshot? You know, just something cute and fluffy?

Maybe I'm gonna sound a bit stereotypical but how about a reader that owns a bakery and wants to try out a new recipe. Matt tries to sneak a taste from time to time while "helping out" (honestly, he's just teasing and making reader's job probably harder [affectionaly]). Just domestic fluff? Maybe please?

You don't have to if you don't want to, but I thought I'd give it a try :)

Thank you!! I'm glad you like my writing!! 🫂

I'm worried with this one that I tweaked things just enough that it's not exactly what you wanted anon, but I did my best and wrote what inspiration gave me!! I'll be honest, it could be fluffier, but I'm also not offended by my own writing so that's something lol I hope you like it!! ❤️❤️

Check out this post for request guidelines

Masterlist

Matt Murdock/GN!Reader

Word Count: 964

Was turning your residential apartment into a glorified bakery after you moved in with your boyfriend legal? According to Matt, a very good lawyer, it wasn’t technically illegal, so you did it anyway and prayed your landlord never found out.

It wasn’t really a bakery, not in the traditional sense. You didn’t try making it into a storefront, nor did you want it to be one. You did, however, take specialty orders through your website. You mainly baked for small events or private parties. You weren’t touching a wedding with a ten-foot pole unless you made the cake or just one of the cookies for the snack table.

It wasn’t enough to pay the bills on its own—you still had a full-time job—but you enjoyed it, and the small amount of extra income it generated was nice.

Matt enjoyed it, too. So much so that you often joked he had ulterior motives for dating you.

But even though baking was a passion, it still came with challenges.

You let out a frustrated sigh and leaned against your elbows, bent over the counter, and buried your face in your hands. 

This is the worst part about baking, you thought.

“Do you need help?” Matt asked, hand suddenly on your shoulder. You jumped, letting out a small gasp. “Sorry. I tried calling a couple of times.”

“It’s fine,” you sighed, turning to wrap your arms around his middle, leaning into him, and pressing your face against his neck. “I just hate this.”

Matt huffed a laugh. “It can’t be so bad. You say that about every new thing you try.”

“But I really mean it this time!” you whined, though you actually didn’t.

You strived for perfection, but new recipes were always daunting. Either the first few batches didn’t meet your standards, or the very first one did, but the subsequent batches often failed. You thought once or twice about not adding anything new to your menu, but you needed to keep a refreshed list, or else you risked losing repeat customers—the ones who made this business possible for you in the first place.

“We can do it together,” Matt offered, lips brushing against the top of your head. “Will that make it better?”

You considered it for a moment. Matt’s taste was impeccable. You often used him—and Foggy and Karen—as guinea pigs, and he was always able to offer you the best advice. In another life, he would have been a fantastic chef. You’ve never baked anything with him before, only handed him the finished product.

If he helped you now, as you were putting everything together, it could make the whole try, try again process you had going significantly shorter, if not bypassed completely.

“Yes, actually. I think it will,” you answered, lifting your head up. 

The only problem: Matt was a complete and utter nuisance.

He wouldn’t do what you told him, at times completely forgoing your instructions—the one you found in an old cookbook that wasn’t like anything you found online—and adding either the incorrect amount of something or adding something that wasn’t even on the list of ingredients.

No matter how many times you told him baking was an exact science and the time for experimentation was after you followed the recipe to a T and tasted the finished product, he refused to listen. You thought he did, at first, but then you caught him tossing in almond extract behind your back, and things only went downhill from there.

“Would you please stop sticking your fingers in the bowl?” you practically begged after you caught him helping himself to the cookie batter for the fourth time.

“How else am I supposed to taste it?” he asked with a playful smirk. He seemed to enjoy the fact he was making you want to pull your hair out.

“With the spoon I specifically set out for that purpose!” You picked it up and thrust it at him. He ignored it and stuck his finger in his mouth.

“But I’m blind. How am I supposed to know where it is?” 

You raised an eyebrow, not fooled. “The same way you find the bowl even after I move it.”

Matt shrugged. “Fair point. But if I used the spoon, I couldn’t do this.” He stuck his finger in the bowl again.

“Matthew, I swear to—”

He stuck his finger in your mouth, not far but enough for the batter to touch your tongue, before he pulled away.

“—God,” you couldn’t help but finish as the first notes of the batter processed. Brow furrowed, you focused on the taste, brushing your tongue against the roof of your mouth, trying to make it last while you sorted out the different flavors. It was…

“That’s amazing,” you said, stunned. “What did you put in there?” You pulled the bowl toward you, forgetting the spoon in your hand as you dipped in a finger from the other. It wasn’t what you were trying to make at all, and you needed another sample.

“I tried telling you it just needed a few extra ingredients.” Before you could stick your finger in your mouth, Matt took your hand, wrapping his lips around your batter-covered finger. His tongue lapped gently against the pad, almost teasing. “Now it’s perfect,” he said when he pulled away.

“I think I need you in the kitchen more often,” you said, wheels already turning in your mind.

Matt beamed at you and tried leaning in for a kiss. You, however, didn’t notice and stepped away to find your phone, leaving him confused.

You opened your notes app and said, “Quick, tell me what you did before you forget.”

Matt could only shake his head in amusement before he dutifully listed everything he had snuck into the batter.

[burning-academia-if]

Hello, I am mostly back and recovered at the time of writing this lol. June wasn't very productive writing wise (...for BA), which is fine because I needed that break! Look at everything I did do in June:

RELEASED CHAPTER 2 FINALLY

Spent like 2 weeks fixing bugs (dw chapter 3 I'll get beta readers so it doesn't happen again LOL)

Participated in the Raffle for Palestine + wrote and sent out the story to the winner!

Wrote about 5k words of Chapter 3

Wrote and edited Zoe's back story

Wrote most of Lars back story because I was inspired (sorry you won't get this until after Chapter 3 drops)

I'm pretty happy to have released Chapter 2! I'm gonna be honest, this felt like such a daunting release lol When I started BA, I was expecting no one to read it save for a handful of people and I'd just be chilling and writing mostly for myself like usual, so releasing it with over 1.5k followers was very daunting. With that said, I am glad people overall enjoyed the new chapter! The plan is for Chapter 3 not to take as long, but life is still hectic so we'll see. At the very least, it hopefully won't be any later then October (BA's one year anniversary month!).

I also just want to give another shout out to everyone who participated in the raffle for Palestine! Raising over two thousand euros in two weeks is still amazing to me, and I'm happy the IF community could come together like this to help out a cause! This was lowkey another thing I was nervous about since I've never really done anything that's felt like a personal commission before (asks definitely feel different lol), but other then my initial nerves the whole thing was a really nice experience!

Now, going into July, I want to focus on the UI updates I want to make. I have some things I want to shift around and change, and since coding is my biggest weakness I know it's one of those things I'm going to have to focus on. If things go well, I'm hoping to do a pure UI update by August. It'll mostly be the menu pages (achievements/stats/relationships/etc), but there are a few other things I want to add in and adjust outside of it. As for Zoe's backstory, that should be out soon, so keep an eye out of that! Finally, I also might not be too active in July. For personal reasons, July is always a hard month for me. Hopefully it isn't obvious, but just in case I'm not around as much as usual, that's why!

OH and before I forget, here's this month's chapter preview ft Angry Rook:

Lastly, I made the questionable decision to make a side IF. Updates will be very sporadic since BA is and will always be my main project until its completion. But if you want to follow it, it's To Taste Sweet Silver. An 18+ gaslamp fantasy about trying to steal the Fruit of the Old Gods in order to bring the world to an end. It's a little more niche I think, but feel free to check it out! The demo shouldn't take too long to get out since I did accidentally write most of opening already.

[triptychgrip]

Fic Recs (January 2025)

Long post ahead!

Every month this year, I'm hoping to post a list of fic recs from the 2 fandoms I primarily write/read for: Yuri!!! on Ice and Fruits Basket (though a few others might sneak in here and there, like His Dark Materials and Angels Before Man). 

I'll definitely still reblog promo posts from authors directly, but this monthly rec list will mostly be to spread the word about stories for which the author doesn't appear to be on Tumblr.

In that vein, I'm going to try and prioritize reccing 1) WIPs/recently written stories (i.e. things that have been published or which have been updated within the last year) and/or 2) NSFW fics, since those don't seem to get as much love as they should! (And by that I mean I feel like ppl are shy about admitting they read/enjoy smut, so this is just one small part of my own journey to free myself of deeply entrenched Catholic guilt lol)

If something is a WIP, I'll note that in bold/purple next to the author, and if something is NSFW, I'll note that in bold/red, also next to the author. If you happen to check any of these out and think I've missed including important tags or notes, feel free to let me know.

Oh, and I feel the need to make the disclaimer that there's no way I can list everything I've enjoyed reading lately (even just formatting these 8 recs nearly killed me), so I hope no one takes this as an exhaustive compilation.

That being said, I have been trying to get better at updating My Bookmarks, so maybe you'll find something you like there. For now, I only (publicly) bookmark completed fics, but this will be changing soon.

With that out of the way, below the cut are 8 stories I discovered recently that I think deserve more attention.

Yuri!!! on Ice Recs

1)  warm velvet skin (6K, by Oceankings) - NSFW

Relevant Ships/Tags: Viktor/Yuuri, Porn Without Plot, Dom/sub Undertones 

I know not everyone is into this, but when I'm reading smut I want the full play-by-play and tons of detail, and this fic does such an IMMACULATE job of really setting the scene vividly, while also having great pacing. This is a porn without plot fic featuring Dom Yuuri/sub Viktor, and their first time making a full-length video of themselves in the bedroom. The trust Viktor has in Yuuri is just so, so good, and I love how unabashedly into each other they are.

Note: you have to be a registered user on ao3 in order to view this fic

Excerpt: 

“Keep your hands to yourself tonight.” Yuuri murmurs against his lips. They’re not so much kissing as Yuuri is resting his lips against Victor’s. They share the same air but Victor would love nothing more than to be consumed in a kiss with Yuuri again.

His gaze flickers over the camera where the red recording light blinks at them still. He’d almost forgotten about its presence, becoming so distracted by Yuuri just being there. Seeing it wracks his whole body in a shiver and he stutters out a breath.

“I won’t touch myself.” The words are out of his mouth before he has the chance to think twice. It’s not until a few moments later that he realizes this is going to be torture. The chance to get to prove how obedient he is for Yuuri on camera barely fuels him forward.

Yuuri smiles and pecks him twice on the lips in reward. “I know you’ll do well, Vitya.” The phrase has its intended results and Victor manages to buck himself up against Yuuri one last time before he’s moving away.

2) Skaterview (13K, by skippingmud) - WIP 

Relevant Ships/Tags: Phichit & Yuuri, Viktor/Yuuri, Phichit/Seung-Gil, Fluff, Interviews, Slow Burn

I LOVE social-media and interview-based fics, and have really been enjoying this WIP. It features Yuuri and Phichit as college students who start a YouTube channel (called ShallWeSkate) as part of an assignment for one of Phichit's classes. 

What starts as a way for them to react candidly to watching their favorite skaters in competition later evolves to their conducting 'skaterviews': interviews with their idols! Once they create the channel and interview Leo de la Iglesia for their first skaterview, ShallWeSkate takes off in popularity, and it's so fun to read about in-universe figure skating fans FREAKING OUT on YouTube over both how talented a team Yuuri/Phichit are, as well as their proximity to their faves. 

Note: Tumblr formatting hates me, so in the below excerpt, I wasn't able to include the underlines that skippingmud has in their fic for the YouTube commenters; in the actual fic itself, the formatting looks much neater/polished than it does in this post

Excerpt (from Chapter 3):

You should spend some time in front of the camera, too!” Guang Hong added. “I didn’t see you in Leo’s video at all.”

“Come on, Yuuri, it’ll be our treat!” Leo insisted. “You deserve it for all the hard work.”

Phichit beamed when his roommate eventually agreed, though he wasn’t really surprised—neither of them were about to say no to eating with two people they were big fans of.

[Photo of four hands side by side, each holding a piece of crepe that was wrapped and packed to look like a burrito. The photo only shows up to the tops of their wrists.]

Liked by leodelaiglesia and 213 others

phichit+chu Food trip! 🌯 #ShallWeSkate

leodelaiglesia: Let’s do it again sometime!

leodelalala: Leftmost one is Phichit, the one next to him is Leo, and rightmost one is Yuuri. Who’s the fourth one?

guang-gang: i know that wrist anywhere!!! tell me my bby guang hong is the next skaterview!!!

gia-come-tti: @guang-gang how the fuck were you able to recognize guang hong’s wrist

guang-gang: @gia-come-tti it’s just like how you’d be able to recognize christophe’s ass in any picture!!!

gia-come-tti: @guang-gang touché, but a wrist?

guang-gang: @gia-come-tti ok the crepe was a giveaway coz that’s his favorite food and he’s training with leo in detroit rn so it was easy to connect the dots!!!

3) Mare incognitum (5K, by carnivores) - NSFW

Relevant Ships/Tags: Viktor/Yuuri, Dark Viktor Nikiforov, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Religious Imagery & Symbolism

As someone raised in a devout Catholic family (don't worry, I've deconstructed all that shit...slowly and painfully), I am such a sucker for religious symbolism fics and this story fulfilled my every desire when it comes to moral ambiguity and metaphor.

Like, good GOD, where do I even begin with describing the prose? If you've read/liked Paradise Lost, I feel like this fic would cater perfectly to your interests. It's a Siren Victor AU, with Yuuri as a (devoutly religious) shepherd. If you're not a fan of florid/surrealist prose, then you might not enjoy this, but I personally loved the way this writer plays with language. Note: this fic is only available to view by registered users on the Archive 

Excerpt: 

Yuuri huffs, closing his jacket around him, sealing warmth in. The wind keeps whistling, frigid and raw.

“I’m not coming with you.”

Viktor pouts, and the ruby red of his lips is like a nauseating warning siren. He has always been unfathomably beautiful. 

“Then why should I do anything for you?”

Viktor begins to sing, husky from the saltwater he has breathed, eroding his throat like the grind of sand, and he reaches towards Yuuri. Light reflects against his sharply silver hair, a hazy spectral play of soft and rough light. He is ethereal. The crescendo of his song kisses across Yuuri’s skin, sharply, wetly; but Yuuri is a devoted man, and he does not make mistakes twice.

“Give Yuuko’s children back.” Yuuri demands starkly. His nails press crescent moons into the skin of his own palms in his pocket. He does not waver.

Viktor is incandescently delighted. “And so Eve came to bargain with the sea-snake?” He asks, mocking.

“No,” Yuuri says, eyes narrowing. “The sword of God comes to slay the Leviathan.”

4) The amtrak incident (12K, by eiua) - NSFW

Relevant Ships/Tags: Viktor/Yuuri, Alternate Universe - College/University, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Breaking Up & Making Up 

I've recc'd this author before and it's probably only a matter of time before I go through their entire Dashboard, lol. They do such a great job of weaving in humor and little details into their writing that really makes whatever fic-verse they create come to life. This particular story is an AU featuring Viktor and Yuuri as academics/colleagues at MIT (architecture/urban planning), and a few months into a relationship. However, Viktor's unmanaged ADHD leads to conflict, and this fic features an absolutely brilliant depiction of how he has to take accountability for a mistake he makes, and apologize to Yuuri. The genuine respect they have for one another is so wonderful!

Oh, and it doesn't hurt that their make-up sex is mind-meltingly hot ;)

Excerpt: 

What about conferences? Is he supposed to just watch as Yuuri networks at the bar or run into each other around town and act as if they’re just passing acquaintances when they have, as Chris would joke, known each other biblically? Viktor has never been religious but it’s no understatement to say he could understand worship a whole lot better after sleeping with Yuuri.

And Yuuri is a terrible flirt when he’s drunk. Viktor knows this firsthand. Is Viktor supposed to just turn a blind eye to that and ignore the bile rising in his throat when he sees Yuuri be chummy with someone else? What if Yuuri visits UCLA and reconnects with his poledancing Russian ex-girlfriend and moves away?

Let’s just be friends. No, Viktor can’t just be friends with him, not when their dogs are playmates and Yuuri shares Viktor’s dream of high speed rail in America. Yuuri’s so sweet and sassy too, under all the shyness, and lights a fire in Viktor’s soul when he gets talking about what rail infrastructure would be most cost effective with federal funding.

5) Unstoppable (29K, by Red_Saga) 

Relevant Ships/Tags: Viktor/Yuuri, Post-Canon, Injury Recovery, Supportive Viktor Nikiforov 

This story will almost certainly make you cry, but I promise it'll feel cathartic. This is a post-canon fic (disclaimer, I'm not yet done with it, but have read over half), in which Yuuri suffers a major injury that completely alters his life and career. To be clear: I'm not talking about a sprained ankle or even a torn meniscus, but a spinal injury that puts him in a wheelchair for life. 

As you might expect, this fic details his injury recovery and the process of him coming to terms with/grieving the changes in his life. As someone with a disability, I can be pretty picky about stories in which it's a major topic, so I really appreciate the intentional way this story is written in regards to that; you won't find any trauma porn here. 

Excerpt (from Chapter 3):

Hiroko clicked her tongue. “When you come home, I will make you katsudon.”

Yuuri felt a twinge of some complicated emotion - anticipation, regret, grief, gratitude - that made him feel a bit dizzy for a moment. He wasn’t a skater anymore. The old rules about diet no longer mattered. He would never earn another bowl of katsudon. It was the feeling of one more anchor to his old life breaking free.

It must have showed on his face, because Viktor reached out to squeeze his hand and Hiroko tutted again. “Getting better so you can leave this place is victory enough, I think.”

Viktor brightened up. “That’s right! Yuuri, we need to think of other victories to celebrate!”

“Like escaping the clutches of the doctors?” Yuuri asked, half amused half quizzical.

“Like graduating from physical therapy,” Viktor suggested.

“Like watching someone skate a program you choreographed,” Hiroko added.

Yuuri gaped at her in surprise. Choreograph a program? He’d never thought about - never seriously considered - 

But Hiroko reached out and tapped his hand with a smile. “I see you doing this very often,” she said, and Yuuri realized he had been skating his fingers idly across the surface of his tray table, subconsciously marking out turns, glides, jumps, spins. She bent to pull something from the large bag at her feet (Yuuri’s mother  - always prepared) and handed him a notebook of blank paper and a pen. “But maybe it will work better if you write it down,” she suggested.

Yuuri clutched the notebook in fingers that felt suddenly too hot. He thought he was probably blushing. 

6) Body Electric (3K, by LadyMerlin) - NSFW 

Relevant Ships/Tags: Viktor/Yuuri, Light D/s undertones, Overstimulation, Begging

When an overstim scene is done RIGHT, I just....adfljkasdflkajlfkdf!! Combined with some expert dirty talk from Dom Yuuri, this fic is EVERYTHING. I'm sorry that I don't have anything that eloquent to say here...it's just THAT good, to the point where I felt like I was in a stupor upon finishing it, haha. Note: you have to be a registered Archive user in order to view it

Excerpt:

Viktor made a sound like Yuuri had just stuck his fingers into his very soul and tried to shove back against Yuuri. He didn’t have much leverage so it wasn’t very effective, but Yuuri rewarded his enthusiasm by timing his thrusts together with his hand on Viktor’s cock so that Viktor was instantly at the the edge, constantly and overly stimulated, his voice breaking on the edge of a whine, crumbling into quiet sobbing.

Something snapped inside Yuuri and he started talking. “God, you’re so beautiful when you cry,” he said, low in his throat, picking up his pace. His own hips were beginning to ache and he couldn’t imagine how Viktor felt. “I love seeing you like this,” he continued when Viktor whimpered, “all wrecked and ruined.

Fruits Basket Recs

1) A Second Breath of Spring (11K, by ElvenQueen18) - WIP

Relevant Ships/Tags: Hatori/Kana, Amnesia, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Happy Ending

Hatori lovers, and Hatori/Kana shippers, I think you'd adore this WIP (currently at 4 chapters), because it features a divergence from canon in which Kana doesn't completely forget her memories with him. Of course, this makes for a very confusing/heartbreaking situation for her,  given that she doesn't realize that the "daydreams" she's having of Hatori aren't actually daydreams at all, but rather, are memories of their relationship prior to the confrontation with Akito. The story is beautifully written, and you really feel for Kana as she navigates doing her best to find love, while having to contend with her mind pining for a man that she doesn't realize she once loved/was in love with her

Excerpt (from Chapter 2):

She kissed Hatori for the second time today, sweet and tender and filled to overflowing with all the feelings she had finally expressed out loud and now knew he reciprocated. She pulled away after a moment, still cradling his face, and watched as, through tearful eyes, he gazed at her like she’d just given him the world.

A lump formed in Kana’s throat as she drew back from Daisuke, her eyes stinging horribly. So she couldn’t even kiss her new boyfriend without fantasizing about him. Daisuke, for his part, continued smiling, so he apparently failed to notice her current mood. Or maybe he thinks the sun’s bothering me, she thought as she blinked several more times. She could only hope, she supposed.

“I’ll see you soon,” he told her.

She forced out a hum of agreement before they exchanged farewell bows and went their separate ways for the evening. As she entered the building, rode the elevator to her floor, and opened the door to her one-room apartment, the stinging in her eyes grew worse.

2) Self Mutilator/Holic (5K, orphan account) - NSFW

Relevant Ships/Tags: Akito/Akito, Selfcest, Body Horror, Character Study 

I honestly don't even know where to begin with a blurb for this story; this is one of the most hauntingly beautiful fics I've ever read that touches upon Akito's relationship to gender. There are times when reading this doesn't even feel real, because the way the prose draws you in makes you feel like you're living out a horror movie (but in the very best way). I was enraptured the entire time I was reading.

Excerpt:

Back in her consciousness she sees a demon in a lair, hiding in the darkness and lying in wait. A demon with hair like an ink spill, shiny dark locks reflecting the pale sweet moonlight. 

She sees the demon in the shape of a woman, a beautiful woman with an ample bosom and an elegant shape, clad in a clinging gown the colour of nightshade. A demon with dark eyes that glimmer with mirth, and a twisted smile marring its face. 

Its laughter rings like a twinkling bell through the confines of the room, but it isn’t alone. 

The demons nails are filed sharp like talons, claws made to tear into vulnerable flesh, to shred and rip. A demon’s claws, made for killing and ruining. And yet, these clawed hands are cradling  ever so gently and sweetly—the head of the other Akito. 

The male Akito, who leans lovingly into the demon’s clutches. He’s laughing too, a dark, heaving laugh from the low caverns in his flat chest, a laugh that sounds beautiful along with the bright and high tone of the demon’s giggling. 

Shameless self-promotion: If you've made it all the way to the end of this, I hope you won't mind my reccing my own fanfic. In particular, if you need a reprieve from The Ongoing Horrors, I very recently published this 5K post-canon Viktuuri story, in which they roleplay as strangers meeting for the first time. Hopefully it brings you a laugh :)

On the Fruits Basket end, thanks to interest around this Reddit post I made 2 months ago, I began working on a fic in which Ayame & Ritsu team up to wreak havoc/a bit of harmless fun in Akito's life (as payback for her striking Yuki at the New Years' banquet). Honestly, I just really wish we'd seen more of the Sohmas use their zodiac forms to wrest some control over their lives, so this WIP is my way of making that scenario come to life. I probably won't be able to complete it anytime soon (I need to take a writing hiatus for a few months), but I'm excited about where it's going, nonetheless!

[karaspal]

Hello! I saw that you're a Supergirl fan and I'm trying to read some of her books. Is Supergirl 2016 a good representation of the character?

not really, no. at least not the initial one. it gets good once marc andreyko starts writing it. then bad again once he is off the book.

the rebirth series took a lot of inspiration from cbs supergirl and imo the show got a lot better once it moved to cw. kara in the first 20 issues of the rebirth series is portrayed as less confident and more timid, and that's not really how she is. the comics also took a lot of its elements from the show, even if it didn't make sense to do that. i love and adore the supergirl show and kara in it, yet i hate the rebirth run, so even if you are a fan of cw!kara, i wouldn't recommend the run.

but fear not, i'll give you some recs. here is a full reading order if you want to read everything she's been in. if not, here is a smaller reading guide:

supergirl (2011) is a great start. it has some meh stuff, like kara's costume, which was not great, but you get used to it. i'd recommend the run as a whole (minus the boring crossovers), but if you don't want to read it all, the first arc with the world killers (#1 - 7), red daughter of krypton (#28 - 33, but mind you, it crosses over with "red lanterns". reading order for the full story you can find in the link i gave above. just scroll a bit, it's under the 52 section) and crucible (#36 - 40) were the best arcs.

after that, i'd recommend jumping right to marc andreyko's run - supergirl (2016): #21 - 33. before that, you do need to read man of steel (2018) for context.

next comes supergirl: woman of tomorrow. it's the best supergirl story you can find and one of the best superhero stories in general.

despite how little pkj got to write kara during his time on action comics, i'd still recommend checking it out because he understands her character very well - action comics annual 2021 (a possible future for kara and the house of el); action comics (2016): #1044 - 1049 (back up stories); action comics (2016): #1051 - 1060 + annual 2023. mind you, she has a supporting role in this story, not a main one.

after that, she had a one-shot team-up with the martian manhunter action comics: doomsday special (2023) which was good.

she is currently a main character in the house of brainiac story and i like the way she is written there.

if you're willing to read comics from the previous era, the run sterling gates and jamal igle did is considered a classic. it's supergirl (2005): #34 - 59. it does, however, cross over a lot with the new krypton arc that was happening at the time. full reading order you can find in the reading guide i linked.

and if you're willing to go pre-crisis, she had two solo runs. one was in 1974 - supergirl (1974), and the other - 1982 - supergirl (1982). she also had stories in various dc comics. an era i absolutely love is when she was an actress in new york - the superman family (1974): 208 - 222.

and comics you should stay away from, in my opinion - supergirl: being super and last year's supergirl special #1. both are written by mariko tamaki and i just don't vibe with her kara. another one is kara's first appearances post-crsis. anything kara written by joe kelly and jeph loeb is a big no-no.

anyways, sorry for the long answer lol. happy reading.

[uceyliyahh]

UNDER YOUR TOUCH

Summary: After her difficult breakup, Tiana wanted to start anew with her life. That's when she realized her life would be better when she met him.

This fanfic is 18+! NO MINORS ALLOWED

word count: 2922

smut warning; it’ll come in the story randomly so PLEASE PLEASE look out for it I’m not really good at writing ✍🏽 smuts but I’m improving at the moment.

Jey Uso x Tiana

AWFUL GRAMMAR IM GETTING BETTER I SWEAR LOL.

comments, likes, repost are appreciated I would love the constructive feedback in what area I need to approve in. 🤍

ALSO! I don’t not want nobody stealing my fanfics or take it as theirs that will be an issue fasho so keep it cute respectfully.

I only own my OC along with the make up scenarios

But I’ll be writing along the way since this story is in my drafts on Wattpad right now so yuh. 💁🏽‍♀️

TAGS ⬇️ lmk if you wanna be tag 🏷️

@pinkwithhearts @jstarr86 @biancasreign @empressdede @angiedawn02 @fearlesschimera @yana3sworld @zillasvilla @paigereeder

9.

OMNISCIENT Tiana and Jey finally made it back to Cali to check up on Bianca and Montez and make sure everything was okay; before they could do that, Jey went to take Tiana to get a restraining order on Malakai.

She needed that badly since things were now getting crazy with him, especially with him running around with a gun on his hip. Anything could happen.

After doing that, Jey dropped off Tiana at her nail shop because she had some clients who wanted their nails done for today.

"Heyyy girly." Emma said as she came in.

"Omg Emma hey girl." She said as she hugged her friend.

"I haven't seen you in a minute since you know..."

Tiana nodded as she sat down in her chair to check out Emma's nails. She had noticed that they were getting old, so it was time for her to change them.

As Tiana got to work on her nails, she saw that Jey had texted her, but he had to wait due to her fixing her friend's nails.

"Sooo....how are you and your new man?" She asked.

"We've been doing good, girl; Kai got his ass whooped again by Josh, so yeah," Tiana replied.

"Damn for real? That's crazy." They both chuckled as Tiana was scraping Emma's old nails off.

While focusing on her nails, she cut her natural nails down with a nail clipper and got to work while Emma showed her what design she wanted.

She saw a car pull up in the parking lot but didn't recognize who it was, so she didn't really pay attention to that person as she was focusing on Emma's nails.

"Tink." When she heard that voice, her body froze. She looked up and saw Kai standing there.

"Dude, what the fuck are you doing here?" She questioned.

"I came to see you tink since you didn't answer your phone." Malakai said.

She scoffed at him and gave him a stern look, "I have a restraining order on you, so you can't be near me." He chuckled darkly at her.

"You think I give a damn about that damn restraining order? I'll do what I want, and what I want you to do is come with me."

Tiana shook her head as she looked at Emma, "nigga fuck you. Don't make me call my boyfriend to come fuck you up again. Leave."

"I'll shoot his ass if he do." That statement made her feel scared for Jey's safety, but she didn't want to leave with him, so she just stayed there.

Malakai just looked pissed as he walked up towards her until Emma stepped him his face as he was eyeing her down, knowing that he had a gun on his hip.

He tried to push her away, but Emma wouldn't budge. She used her strength to push him away, making him stumble a bit.

"Look, Kai, you're now getting out of pocket comin' up here messing with T all because she doesn't want you, so I would advise you to leave," Emma replied, giving Kai a stern look.

"Man, fuck you, she's coming with me; she belongs to me."

"Ion' belong to nobody but Josh, that's it, so you can see your way out the damn door Kai. I'm not playin' with'chu."

He pushed Emma out of the way as he snatched Tiana up by the hair, causing her to yelp, getting flashbacks of him doing this to her.

Kai pulled her down on the floor as he was dragging her outside towards his car; Emma had grabbed Tiana's phone, unlocked it as she called Jey.

Tiana tried to fight him off, "Get the fuck off of me, Kai!" As he kept dragging her down to his car.

OTP Jey: Mama? What's up? Tiana: this is Emma her friend we need you down here like now. Jey: why? What's goin' on is Tiana okay? Tiana: She's getting dragged by Kai towards his car and we need you here like now please. Jey: what? Ight bet I'm comin I'm comin' Tiana: thank you Jey.

CALLED ENDED.

Emma grabbed a vase with flowers and ran towards Kai and Tiana. Seeing Tiana getting hit in her face with the gun just broke Emma's heart.

She didn't want Tiana going through this, she told her not to deal with someone like Malakai because he was crazy and dangerous.

A/N: warning domestic abuse !!

Emma saw that Tiana was bleeding on the bottom of her lip understanding that Kai had hit her with his gun trying to bring her inside of his car, all she could do was knock him out with the vase that she had.

As she saw Tiana trying to fight him off of her, she didn't know if she wanted to wait for Jey to come or just hit him upside the head with the vase.

That's all she could do, so when she ran up and hit him upside the head with the vase, he froze, letting go of Tiana's hair.

He turned around, facing Emma with an angered expression on his face, pointing the gun at her, which caused her to back up slowly.

"You, stupid bitch are YOU tryna save her huh?!"

"YES, KAI, YOU'RE INSANE RIGHT NOW!" Emma shouted.

"ME!? insane? NAH, I'M JUST TAKING BACK WHAT'S MINE!" he shouted.

'This man was insane for this'

'Where's Jey?'

All Tiana could think about was Jey, wondering where he was because she was scared—so scared that flashbacks haunted her.

FLASHBACKS

I was in the closet hiding from Malakai as he went insane again during our argument. He was choking me out, but I managed to get out of it as I made a run for it towards the closet.

Covering my mouth so that he won't hear my muffled crying, I didn't know what to do I was shaking like crazy rocking bath and forth.

Hearing him breaking things, calling for me, yelling my name.

I quietly cried my eyes out, lost."

"Tink, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean for it to happen." Malakai said.

"Please, come out mama."

I didn't say anything other than hearing myself sniffing my nose and rubbing it with my long-sleeved shirt.

"Mamas pleaseeee."

"God, I fucking hate you so much." He said.

'How the fuck could his demeanor change after just apologizing just a straight manipulative asshole.'

I backed up in the corner so that he wouldn't see me as I heard his footsteps coming in our bedroom, I mean it was already a mess to begin with after he had hit me.

"I HATE YOU TIANA!"

It went completely silent, and I held in my breath as much as I could until I heard him throwing stuff around in our bedroom, fearing that he'd find me in our closet.

"WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!" Malakai screamed.

I heard glass breaking on the ground, knowing that he had thrown it, but everything stopped as I heard his footsteps leaving while walking down the steps.

Hearing the car turn on and hearing him leave, I left the closet as I saw our room torn up with glass on the floor. Going towards the mirror, I looked at my face. I had a bruise mark on my cheek from him hitting me.

"Fuck I need to get out of this relationship." I said to myself.

FLASHBACK OVER.

She snapped out of her thoughts, darting her eyes towards Emma and Malakai, seeing that Emma was now on the wall with her hands up, while Kai had the gun still pointed at her.

"Kai, you're being delusional," Emma said.

"ME? DELUSIONAL? Last time I checked, she didn't say we broke up. She just left and tried to replace me with some bummy Samoan." Malakai retorted while pressing the gun on Emma's neck.

He was about to press the trigger when she saw Montez punching him in the face, causing him to fall, including his gun.

Jey approached her, looking at her state. He had a sad expression on his face, and he hugged Tiana tightly.

Seeing Malakai being pinned on the ground while his gun was on the other side she just closed her eyes as tears were flowing down her eyes going onto Jey's clothes.

"I'm here, mama; I'm right here." Jey reassured her.

✧.* JEY I was honestly losing my shit after what had gone down earlier at Tiana's nail shop. He had the nerve to come up here after the fact that she has a restraining order against him.

What made it even worse is that Tiana had a mark on her face from him hitting her with his gun which did break my heart, she was scared.

We made it back to her crib, and we both got out of the car together. I held her hand as she unlocked the door, seeing Bianca running up to her and hugging each other.

"Are you okay bestie??" Bianca asked.

"Yeah, I just want to go upstairs and lie down," Tiana said as Bianca saw her wound on her lip.

"Well first lemme' get you an ice pack for the bottom of your lip." As she was doing that, she felt me wrapping my arms around her waist while she looked up at me.

I placed a soft kiss on her neck and then onto her cheek as she gave me a faint smile, feeling so tired and mentally exhausted, all because Kai wanted to be insane.

She wanted to text Emma to make sure that she was okay because she knew that she would probably be traumatized by all of this.

Hell, even Emma told Tiana that Malakai was no good for her, and she didn't listen to her. Now, look what happened.

I didn't let go of her waist as I nuzzled my chin onto her neck. Meanwhile, Bianca came back with the mini ice pack and gave it to Tiana.

"Thank you Joshua, for rescuing her from him I hope Emma is okay." She said.

"B, you know I got Tiana. I'm not goin' to let anything happen to her," I said.

Tiana and I went upstairs to her bedroom. I heard her sigh deeply while shutting the door behind me. She began taking off her clothes in front of me again, knowing how I am with her.

But I was goin' to let it slide for today since it has been hectic as fuck, but it didn't stop me from admiring her naked body.

My eyes were narrowing downward seeing her bent over just made me want to get up and beat that shit in while she's standing but I kept that to myself as her eyes darted towards my direction.

"Are you comin' with me inside the shower?" She asked.

"I mean, I didn't bring any extra clothes with me, but yeah, if it makes you feel better." I replied while she nodded her head.

✧.*

After taking a shower together, we lay in bed together, watching Love & HipHop Atlanta, trying to help Tiana forget about what had happened today.

She was cuddled up against my chest while I played in her hair, focusing my eyes on the show, but for some odd reason, I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened earlier.

I could see the fear in her eyes and her friend Emma's eyes, too; she was almost this close to getting killed by this man all because she was protecting T.

'What would've happened if I didn't show up?'

That's all my mind could think about, Tiana noticed that I wasn't saying anything snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Josh, you good?" Tiana asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, mama. Are you okay?" I replied.

She nodded her head as she continued to look up at me with her innocent eyes god she really think she's slick, acting like I won't bend that ass on all fours.

"Don't be lookin' at me like that," I warned her as she looked confused.

"What? I'm not doing anything but making sure you're okay." She said.

"Girl, you know what you're doing to me."

She chuckled at me while sitting up. She climbed onto my lap as I put my hands behind my head, admiring her.

I liked the way she was straddling me like this, even though I did say I was going to let this one slide for today. But she's tempting me right now.

She began to place soft kisses on my chest moving towards my neck causing me to moan softly, I placed my hands behind her ass giving it a good grip sucking onto my neck.

I felt myself getting hard underneath her wetness. I knew that her underwear was soaked, I adjusted myself as she began grinding on my lap.

Watching her doing it as her boldness was turning me on as I was gazing up at her.

"Lil mama, you tryna get fucked up right now, huh?" I said as my voice was raspy and deep.

"I don't know...you tell me papi.." her voice trailed off.

I sat up, holding her in place. Our faces were close together, staring into each other's eyes and then onto each other's lips.

Grabbing her throat firmly as I attached my lips to hers moving our lips together in sync, snaking one of my hands on her ass and giving it a smack while she moved her hips back and forth, causing me to hiss at her movements.

SMUT WARNING

I had her on all fours beating her shit in, hearing her moans mixed with mines were just music to my ears, my eyes were focused on her ass jiggling up against me as she throwing it back on me.

"keep throwing that shit back mama." I grunted.

I threw my head back in pleasure while gazing down at her, she felt so good wrapped around me like this almost driving me insane.

Meanwhile, I'm letting her do all of the work on me, giving her ass a few slaps and hearing her whimpering.

"Mhmm, mama keep goin.'" She looked back at me and tucked the bottom of her lip in. God, she just looked very sexy right now.

The room was filled with skins slapping against each other, and our moans were probably heard by Bianca and Montez.

I could see that she was getting tired, so I gripped both of her hips as I began thrusting into her cunt deeply, giving her every stroke I was giving.

"Fucccck, daddy." Tiana moaned.

She was gripping on the sheets tightly as I pulled her hair back, causing her to yelp, pounding into her shit, "oh my gooood Josh!"

She tried pushing me away only to make things worst for her I wasn't haven't that.

"Un Unt, take this fucking dick Tink." I growled pushing my dick in deeper inside of her.

I put pressure on her back as she held her legs up to adjust herself while I pounded her gushy inside.

"Joshhhh, I-I C-can't.." she whimpered softly as she tried to push me away.

"Nah mama take this dick like a big girl you got it."

I could see her eyes rolling in the back of her head looking down seeing myself going in and out of her insides. I felt her walls clenching around my dick causing me to groan Loudly while seeing her in a miserable state.

"Fuck, mama you feels so good make me wanna put a baby in yo' ass." I rasped as I've seen her cream coated onto my dick.

Her facial expression was turning up as I knew that she was going to come, so I continued to thrust into her deep.

She was gripping onto the bedsheets tightly as my name escaped from her mouth I moved my hips faster gazing down at her.

"God you're so pretty mama, taking my dick well.."

"yeah? papi?" Tiana mewled weakly.

"Yeah, mama."

I leaned in closer while continuing my movements as I placed nothing but soft kisses on her back, making her shiver underneath me.

She was feeling on my face giving her a kiss on the lips, I sped up my pace causing her to scream very loudly as I was beating that shit in.

"Joshhhhhh ouuuu fuck joshhh!" She cried out in a high-pitched voice as she put her face into the sheets.

I had a smirk appeared on my face hearing her screaming like that.

I felt my dick twitch inside of her wetness as I went deeper, hitting her g-spot and seeing her look helpless and defeated.

"Mhmm, mama take it  make a mess on daddy." I praised her as I've seen her expressions screwed up a bit.

Feeling her legs tighten, I moved my hips faster inside of her, cursing under my breath as she held onto my biceps tightly, squirting all over me.

Feeling her body shake underneath me as I tucked in the bottom of my lips, groaning, "fuck, daddy is finna fill you up, princess."

I felt my warm seed spread inside of her, causing me to roll my eyes in the back of my head, filling her up with my nut.

I thrust a few times in her before pulling out of her seeing her look so defeated.

SMUT OVER.

Trying to catch ourselves as I turned her over seeing nothing but dried up tears that were on her face looking all flushed, she was shaking violently due to the orgasm that she just had.

I placed her onto my lap, kissing her on the lips while rubbing her thighs to calm her down as she put her head onto my chest.

"I got'chu all shaking and shit I really got it like that mama?" I asked.

She nodded her head weakly at me while closing her eyes making me chuckle at her cuteness, placing her onto her bed on the other side of it.

Pulling her against my chest letting her hear my heartbeat as we both drifted to sleep.

Under Your Touch.

A/N: goodness I know yall is tired of Kai coming back doing some crazy shit especially now Traumatized Emma for good but don't worry everything is unfolding.

But I hope yall enjoy this chapter lmk in the comments

LOOK AT HIM OUR IC CHAMPION 🥹😮‍💨

Stay Ucey.

[pant--eater]

An Igneous Echo, Chapter 1

Fandom: Rumo and his Miraculous Adventures (By Walter Moers, part of his Zamonia series)

Word count: imma count them tomorrow now im too tired and need to sleep lol

Rating: M (deciptions of violence. Yknow, the og book is gory and Hellian society is brutal)

Pairing: Gornab the 99th/Friftar

Author's notes: hey Frifnab gang. THROWS THIS AT YOU

A multichapter piece that came to my mind all of a sudden a while ago, and I NEEDED to write it out or else i'll go cray cray. It serves as an indirect sequel to Abyss of Coal - set some time after its events, and after General Ticktock marched into Hel. Before the events of the book.

Best way to summarize the story is "Gornab and Friftar realize with slowburn that there's more to their relationship than just being a king and his adviser but they're idiots and can't act out on it. Friftar has a mental breakdown. Also he and General Ticktock cockfight"

Some headcanons, such as parts about Lesser Hel, are based on @friftar 's fanworks, go check them out they're amazing!! ❤️❤️

--

The Red Prophecy had never even mentioned something of the likes of this. Yota Bem Taghd had drained his veins to herald his people how Hel would be full of prosperity if alchemy was revered, and ridden with disease and falling rocks otherwise. He had predicted the earthquakes, the insect swarms, and the long lifespan of the Gornabian dynasty. But nothing, absolutely nothing could have prepared Hel for the arrival of General Ticktock and his Copper Killers.

Marching all the way from the Overworld, through the city into the Theater of Beautiful Death, the machines had killed and tortured everything in their way - and then, with a shocking turn of events, bowed down and pledged loyalty to the king.

It had turned everything in the everyday life of Hel upside down. Suddenly, the King had an immortal megametallic army on his side that put even the most experienced war generals of Hel into shame! They guarded the Theatre, for the joy of the audience and further horror of the slaves. What power! What danger! King Gornab the 99th was on cloud nine every time he requested an audience with the General, most of the time with no particular reason. He was like a little child in love with a new toy. 

He was a lazy king who barely liked to leave his throne, save for the shows at the Theatre. But almost every day after Ticktock had moved to Hel, he wanted to go see the general and order him to execute a Helling criminal, a Homunculus and once even a Vrahok, with the hundreds of weapons he possessed. Every time, Gornab clapped his hands squealing, and Friftar, on the king's side, gave a strained smile. Ticktock felt like he was treated like a circus animal - it offended him deeply and he vowed to squash the king's skull one day, but at least he got the satisfaction from seeing Friftar's unnerved eyes.

The General was given the status ofa a noble, and was allowed to give orders to courtsmen and alchemists. He was allowed to get new weapons at forgeries for free. Truly, nobody in Hel aside for the king was right now as powerful as him - even if the only thing that he had done for this city, was walking in. Yes, General Ticktock knew he was climbing the ranks fast - and before he could crush the king in his palm, he was going to take the adviser’s place as his most trusted man. That's the revenge he swore to take on Friftar, for manipulating the king to reduce Ticktock to nothing but a theatre guard.

Gornab sat with starry eyes, hugging a pillow and occassionally shook and bit Friftar’s arm in excitement (the advisor didn't even react to it save for a couple of gasps), as he listened to General Ticktock tell him about his past on the Overworld, after Gornab had once again ordered him to come to the royal palace. How he woke up in the Nurn Forest and slaughtered his own creators, how he and his army spent centuries terrorizing Zamonia. Didn’t that practically make Ticktock a Hellian? mused Gornab in his crooked mind. Even if he was born on the Overworld, he had spent his whole life murdering people on the surface. Thousands of years, spanning over countless Gornab generations - if anything, that was endless loyalty!

Yes, this is definitely what Yota Bem Taghd meant! This was the army sent by Zhonil, the god of war. Sent to him, Gornab. So that his successor, Gornab the First, could take off and conquer the Overw-

His successor.

Gornab’s smile suddenly faltered, and his grip on the pillow tightened.

“Your Majesty?” Friftar asked carefully, while General Ticktock felt annoyed about this erratic manbrat of a monarch who kept pestering him. “Is everything alright?” He touched the king's shoulder gently.

Gornab let out an annoyed hiss and shoved the pillow in Friftar’s face. He hated being reminded of his royal duty, of having to one day marry and sire a son. He had no energy nor interest in such flimflam! After more than 110 years of lifetime, you'd think his court would have gotten the memo already. Why couldn’t they just write in the history books that the Overworld was conquered, and that’s it?

“Shut up Tarfrif! We’re node with the ceendiau. Get out, Regenal Tocktick!”

“The King is satisfied with your magnificent war stories, General, your experience has truly impressed him. You may leave”, Friftar translated and bowed down, being barely able to contain his smug joy that for once, Gornab snapped at the General, instead of worshipping him endlessly.

Ticktock would have rather catapulted his sharp fingers and beheaded both the chicken-brained king and his slimy advisor. It was cruel fate that he was now forced to be subordinate to creatures like these - after all, he had murdered more pathetic royals and fork-tongued politicians than he could have counted. He was a death machine! He had snapped the Florinthian Zaan in half, in front of her own wife and children. He had left thousands of villages bathing in blood. The element inside him yearned to destroy, to kill, to conquer, to grow! But with a courteus bow, he was forced to leave, with his heavy footsteps making the castle floors crack, as the memory of Friftar's knowing, mocking smirk burned his mind.

After the General was gone, Gornab let out a feral screech and threw his goblet at a column nearby. Wine splashed everywhere. Friftar stepped aside unnerved. What could have upset the crazy despot now? A servant walked over to pick up the goblet, and Gornab slashed his claws at him, causing the man to fall backwards. "Get out! Get out!" The king yelled, and the room was soon empty, save for him and Friftar.

“Your Majesty", Friftar spoke in a soothing, comforting tone. "Tell me what bothers you. Is there anything I can-”

“You too! Shut up or I'll pir your guetong out! Get out, clumbduck!!!” Gornab bared his razor-sharp teeth at him until his valet backed off. For some reason, the mere sight of Friftar upset him right now. Tears dwelled in his eyes, angry tears, frustrated tears…tears of something else. The king curled up into a ball on his pillows. “Veale me anole.”

Friftar raised his eyebrows. He swore he had prescribed the king with medicines that would prevent extreme mood swings like these. Had the stubborn despot refused to take them again? Still, he bowed down and started walking backwards, not wanting to earn his king's anger. “As you wish, my lord.” He tried not to let the miserable, pathetic sight of the curled up king get to him on any deeper level. Focus.

Gornab grabbed his robe helm with almost panicked urgency. “No!! Don't go!"

Friftar blinked. “Very well, your Majesty, I shall not-”

Gornab let go of Friftar’s robe and looked away from him, shaking his head taking heavy breaths. Everything was ringing. He felt sick. He wanted advice, now.

Our son. Our joy and pride.

Blood of our blood.

Brains of our brains.

Finally! The voices! His ancestors would tell him what to do!

—

What a disaster. It was only Friftar’s sharp tongue that had prevented a total calamity, and the advisor thanked himself for every fast decision, as he hurried over to give orders to his servants and spies.

Last time, he managed to successfully convince the king not to let General Ticktock take over as the head of army forces, and place him and his Copper Killers instead as a theatre guards under Friftar’s watchful eye. Stressful, yes, but nothing that he could not have prevented with one clever convensation and twisting of words.

But this? It had to be one of the most ridiculous ideas the ruler had gotten in years. Gornab had announced that he wanted to gather his army and all Copper Killers, General Ticktock as the head of course, and go and slaughter everyone in Lesser Hel!

An open, entirely unannounced war out of the blue between Hel and its sister city! Lesser Hel and the Khiendril barons ruling it had been silent enemies of the Hellian royal family for centuries, yet no conflict of this sort had risen from the ire yet. Didn’t that bloody meerkat realize what kind of a disaster it would have meant for both cities, not just Lesser Hel?! No matter how strong and invincible General Ticktock could have been, starting an open military conflict would have meant an end to the years of peace, have consequences that would span over decades. Not to mention all of Friftar’s spies in Lesser Hel whose families in Hel proper would have felt betrayed, and possibly rise against their master. 

By the time Friftar had managed to convince the king otherwise and was finally able to sigh in sweet relief, he could have sworn a servant or two must have heard their private conversation, with Gornab's loud shrieks echoing through the walls. Great - Friftar had to take safety precautions, and pay his secret police to silence anyone who tried to suspiciously leave from the palace to Lesser Hel and possibly rat about this to the locals. They could not afford a conflict right now. It had taken way more convincing, pleading and yes - even kissing the king’s hand and pleading devotion like a lover. 

It had reminded Friftar of the moment the two of them had shared at the Coalwater Cascades a long time ago…which nowadays felt almost like a dream. Too crazy to be true, something belonging to a world where everything was upside down. Where nuisances like General Ticktock did not exist. That kiss the king had given him… it had definitely been just one of Gornab’s weird mood swings. Nothing that the monarch was actually serious about.

Right?

Friftar was going to be the next king. A thinker king, who's bring Hel to a better future, heralded by logic. As soon as he’d get General Ticktock to his place, as soon as the urban flytrap called Wolperting would be ready for harvest, he’d launch his plan of assassinating his master.

He would not miss Gornab, in the slightest.

—

Gornab woke up in the middle of the night. His adviser's medicines, while doing a good job tranquilizing him, had the unfortunate side effect of making his sleep irregular on the first two nights. He thought for a moment that he was riding a Vrahok, on his way to watch those peasant Lesser Hellians be gunned down with crossbows. It would have been a good distraction for his nerves. But Friftar had convinced him to save it for the future. To wait for the time when the sister city was at its most prosperous, and then crush their dreams. And besides, Friftar had reminded him - a way more important date was coming close. The king’s 114th birthday, which was going to be a gigantic festival all over the city! Music would play, wine would flow and, most of all, blood would be spilled even more than usual, with special shows in the Theater of Death! Special slaves from Snowflake and Murkholm had been kept alive just for this occassion, since Wolperting would not be ready for harvest for at least a couple of years.

The king let out a giggle, rolling between his sheets as he imagined how many brutal battles he would get to witness in his honor. That bunch of enslaved Chromobears? He could not wait to see them impaled by a single spear like a rainbowy barbeque stick. Their fault for being so needlessly colorful, it hurt his subterranean eyes. No, he could not wait. He wanted the month to pass by already, damn it, couldn’t he order Friftar to change the dates so that they could start the festivities tomorrow?

Yes, that was a great idea. What a genius ruler he was. He hopped off the bed and scurried out of his chambers, to wake up his adviser.

When he opened the chamber door, he saw that Friftar had fallen asleep against his work desk, his cheek pressed against the papers he had been signing. His quill was still in his hand.

The sight made Gornab’s grin falter and made him forget why he had come here in the first place.

He remembered that he had once found Friftar like this before. Back when they were playmates, small children in the castle nursery. Friftar had fallen asleep with his alchemy book and Gornab had giggled, grabbed a coalpen nearby, and drawn on his nerdy playmate’s face. Then he pretended to be a cavebear and bit chunks of Friftar's hair off.

The room's window was open for ventilation, to the silent night of Hel - aside for a distant, roaring sound. The roar of the Coalwater Cascades, which Gornab had seen closeby for the last time during the trip his court took, a long time ago. Another memory flashed in his mind: his adviser comforting the king after he had fainted from shock, after almost falling to his death in the falls.

Twice. Friftar had saved Gornab’s life twice already.

Gornab walked closer. The candlelight illuminated Friftar’s gaunt features, and the king felt weak at the sight. He had known his stupid babbling adviser for almost all of his life…

Friftar, of course, had already woken up from the sound of the door being opened. He knew from the breathing sounds alone who it was - only Gornab’s ribcage caused him to breathe like that. He cursed in his mind. Was he not going to get a single moment of peace? He pretended to sleep, but knew that the stupid king would shake him awake for some ridiculous demand, like he always would.

He did not expect to feel a hand on his cheek, as Gornab tenderly brushed some of his hair strands aside.

And then, the sounds of frantic steps as the king ran out of the room, slamming the door shut.

[rickie-the-storyteller]

Behind Closed Doors - Sneak Peek

I've been meaning to start posting dialogue plans again, just like old times. But instead of Steph's Crew (which I have actually made private on here now), I've decided to do it for a brand new story with a totally different vibe to that particular series.

Here's an introduction to my NYC billionaire romance drama (with a side of social commentary and music industry/corporate culture exploration) - Behind Closed Doors!

It follows Renaud Entertainment - a huge company split into 5 different divisions of entertainment production (different things like TV, film etc). It is a family business, started by the late Marc Renaud - a business-savvy French man with a passion for creativity. He and his wife, Isabelle, had five children together. This story follows the middle child (Vincent. During the main events of the story, he is the head of Renaud Records - the music production division of the company) and his love story with a kind, fiercely independent and principled nonprofit worker named Elena Crewe.

I will start posting dialogue plans in chronological order soon, but before I do that, I'll be giving you guys a sneak peek into this story by sharing a written excerpt that I have done for it. Unfortunately, it doesn't feature the female lead, but I thought it would make a good introduction to the story because it features Vincent and his four other siblings - all very fun and important characters.

Unlike with Steph's Crew, this story doesn't have any content warnings for strong language lol. I've tried to keep the dialogues clean for the most part.

Anyways, enjoy!

_

Wedding Day

Vincent adjusted his tie for the fourth time, staring at his reflection in the church bathroom mirror. The fabric felt like it was strangling him, though he knew it wasn't actually too tight. Everything about today felt suffocating.

"You've been hiding in here for fifteen minutes," Lewis said from the doorway. "People are starting to think you fell in."

"I'm not hiding."

"No?" Lewis raised an eyebrow. "What would you call it then?"

Vincent turned away from the mirror, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Just making sure I look presentable. Unlike some people," he muttered, gesturing at Lewis's slightly crooked bow tie.

"Deflection through insults. Classic Vincent." Lewis stepped forward to check his tie in the mirror. "You know you don't have to stay for the reception if it's too much for you."

"Why would it be too much?" Vincent's voice came out sharper than intended. "It's just a wedding. I've been to dozens."

"Yeah, but this one's different—"

"It's really not."

The bathroom door swung open and Gabriel entered, looking between his brothers. "There you are. Sophia sent me to check if you were still alive." He studied Vincent's face. "Are you okay?"

"I swear to God, if one more person asks me that…" Vincent ran a hand through his carefully styled hair, immediately regretting it. "I'm fine. More than fine. Absolutely fantastic."

Gabriel and Lewis exchanged a look that made Vincent want to punch something.

"Stop that," he snapped.

"Stop what?"

"That thing you do. The 'poor Vincent' look. I don't need it. Especially not today."

Gabriel sighed. "We're just worried—"

"Well, don't be. Jules and I dated for six weeks in high school. If you can even call it dating. I paid her to pretend to be my girlfriend because I wanted to one-up you two. That's it. End of story."

"You liked her though," Lewis said quietly. "Really liked her. Even if it started out fake—"

"Okay. Can we not do this right now?" Vincent cut him off, checking his watch. "The ceremony's about to start."

As if on cue, organ music began to drift in from the chapel. Vincent brushed past his brothers, but Gabriel caught his arm. "Vin—"

"I'm fine," Vincent insisted, though his voice shook slightly on the word. He shook of Gabriel's hand and turned away, making his way to the ceremony. His brothers watched him in concerned silence, before following after him.

The ceremony itself was beautiful, in that generic way all weddings were beautiful. Vincent sat between his younger sisters, Camille and Sophia, grateful for their quiet presence in comparison to his older brothers. They didn't ask if he was okay or give him concerned looks. They just existed beside him, Sophia occasionally squeezing his hand when Jules said her vows.

Jules was radiant. That was the worst part. She practically glowed with happiness as she promised forever to Mark – the same Mark she'd left Vincent for all those years ago. The same Mark she'd gone to that stupid dance with, the last big dance before…

Vincent pushed the thought away. Ancient history. It didn't matter anymore.

At the reception, he found himself at the bar, nursing his second scotch when Jules appeared beside him.

"You came," she said softly.

"You invited me."

"Wasn't sure you would actually accept it, though." She smiled, and for a moment he saw echoes of that sixteen-year-old girl who used to share her lunch with him every day. "I'm really glad you did."

Vincent took another sip of scotch. "Congratulations. You look happy."

"I am. Very much so," she said, her smile never leaving her face. She seemed to genuinely mean what she was saying. She paused, almost hesitantly, before speaking again. "Are you? Happy, I mean?"

He turned to look at her properly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Vincent…" She sighed. "We never really talked about… everything. How it ended. And then your mom—"

"Don't." His voice was quiet but firm. "Please."

Jules nodded, respecting the boundary. After a moment, she spoke again. "I just want you to know that you deserve to be happy too. Really happy, not just… comfortable. Or in control."

Vincent's laugh was hollow. "And what makes you think I'm not?"

"Because I know you." She touched his arm gently. "I always have."

Before Vincent could say anything else back, Mark appeared, wrapping an arm around Jules' waist. Jules let Vincent go and immediately melted into her husband's side as if it were natural."Mind if I steal my wife for a dance?"

Wife. The word hit Vincent like a physical blow for some reason.

"She's all yours, man," Vincent said, trying to sound as casual as possible as he watched them leave together. "Always was. Always will be. Forever."

He watched them move to the dance floor, the way they fit together so naturally. No contracts. No transactions. Just love.

Camille found him later, sitting alone at his table, watching the couples dance.

"Last chance to ask the bride for a dance," she teased, but her eyes were gentle.

"I think I'll pass."

She sat beside him, following his gaze to where Jules and Mark were still swaying together, lost in their own world.

"You know," Camille said carefully, "it's okay to admit that something meant something to you. Even if it wasn't supposed to."

Vincent was quiet for a long moment. "She was my best friend," he finally said, so softly Camille almost missed it. "Before everything else… she was my best friend. My only real one."

Camille took his hand, and this time, he let her.

"You okay?"

This time, Vincent considers the question. "No," he admits. "But I will be."

Later, in his car, Vincent loosens his tie and lets out a long breath. His phone buzzes – another potential arrangement, another woman willing to play by his rules. He stares at the message for a long moment.

Then he puts the phone away and drives home alone.

In his mansion that night, Vincent poured himself another drink and looks at an old photo from high school – him and Jules at that last dance, both trying to pretend everything was fine. He doesn't keep many photos from back then, but this one… this one he's kept.

"To real love," he toasted sarcastically to the empty room, but something in his chest feels hollow. He put the photo away in his desk drawer, next to the last birthday card his mother ever gave him.

Some things, he's learning, can't be bought. But that doesn't mean he's ready to risk trying to earn them honestly either.

Not yet.

The hangover from the wedding day lasted three full days, but the cold emptiness dragged on for much, much longer.

_

There it is! It isn't perfect, I know... but I quite like it as an introduction. Let me know your thoughts on it! I'm pretty excited about this series.

[autumn-applepie]

Ready for a yapping session??? I sure am <3

I'll write it here fully this time cuz I'm in my Art History (or whatever you translated it from Italian to English) class and my brain keeps spinning

Plus, maybe the pics are a little boring to look at AND the 10 pics limit sure is a pain in the ass so at this point it's just better that I write it here 🕺

💥Everything is under the cut💥

It's about my silly Kinito AU

Also I need a name for it ig??? I dunno it's just my different take on the Sentient AU except it's just a gay computer assistant kissing the computer /J

This is more to explain how my Kinito experienced his epiphany so maybe that makes the previous lore drop a little inaccurate but still super relevant this is just a clarification on how the ✨witnessing the horrors✨ happened in detail

Making up scenarios for comics I will never have time to do </3

yes this is supposed to be a comic because, again, when I picture silly scenarios they flash into my mind in the form of comics with a muffled comic dub because I struggle to imagine voices in my head. With that parenthesis closed, enjoy the read, it's gonna be long ofc 🫶

So uh hear me out, Kinito's gotta research things the Player/User likes no? So I imagine this very stupid moment where Kinito is browsing ships but like, not fandom ships, but actual boats because he thinks that's what the User means

And, as he's browsing, Glitch (i.e. .EXE, the silly puter, I'm gonna use it's nickname from now on) joins him because, fun fact, being part of the computer in itself, Glitch can feel anything that happens into it, it's both a blessing and a curse because you gotta imagine it as if you would suddenly feel everything that is happening in your body from the inside, your blood traveling through the veins, your stomach burning shit, all up to even your cells's core doing bullishit. Glitch feels everything in the computer because exe IS the computer.

So basically when Kinito goes back to his little spot in the void, Glitch senses it and joins him immediately

Keep in mind that, at first, Glitch thinks that Kinito is fully sentient and not dependent on an algorithm

So there's a silly skit of Glitch seeing Kinito browsing boats and Kinito goes “Oh Mike said he loves ships so I'm researching about it!” and Glitch bursts out laughing to the poor little innocent Kinito

It explains what the User meant for “ships” and Kinito is obviously embarrassed, to witch Glitch teases him with something along the lines of “Oh these are the tame ones! Fandoms can be wild, did you check yours yet or were you too scared?~”

Kinito is confused and asks what a “fandoms” is, wich brings Glitch to grow anxious, questioning his sentience, but they scroll it away thinking “oh lol he's a boomer it's fair he doesn't know” but yet again, Kinito has met so many people, has no one ever mentioned a fandom or community before? Instead of asking directly, Glitch laughs it off, trying to pretend Kinito is making fun of them or something “That's a good one! What the next pun? That you don't know anything about your alternate universes?” and Kinito, to their horror, responds with “Alternates? Why would I have alternates? I'm the only one here can't you see!”

Theres a long pause where Glitch is panicking and everything glitches unstable to reflect that, Kinito panics as well and tries to find what's wrong and if he did something to offend or hurt Glitch

They don't respond but “take” a deep breath (metaphorically, it's more of a mimicking of the gesture because it feels liberating despite not having lungs) and turn to Kinito terrified “Why do you really do this? Why do you endlessly research about what your ‘friends’ like?”

Kinito is caught off guard but responds excitedly and objectively, explaining how he was made to act that way so he can adapt because that's what his orders are. And, at that point, everything shatters for Glitch

They get FURIOUS, hurt by the revelation that the friend that they thought shared the same burden they have, does not. That he's just really good at pretending

They both argue, also because I like to imagine they already spent quite some time together. It would be funny to picture Glitch denying the User to continue the game because they want to spend time with Kinito, but they don't tell him about it, covering it with the excuse “Oh they are away, I'm sure they'll come soon to reopen the game~”. Or also spending time especially during the night, even if the computer is turned off/hibernating. And y'know, with time Glitch has grown fond of Kinito, because, again, they just assumed that he was sentient and therefore suffered their same burdens. Plus maybe they were already starting to lowkey like him

Out of anger, Glitch doesn't control itself and drops a hint of exactly that before going back to its control room, voluntarily ignoring Kinito and therefore, not feeling/noticing what Kinito does next until it's too late

So, after they argue and the hint is dropped, Kinito looks back at the browser search Glitch opened for him about ships and not boats, and slowly processes the hint

Despite being taken aback by everything, Kinito is now determined to fix it and, as they say “curiosity kills the cat”, he falls into his own epiphany as he straight up searches HIMSELF on the internet. Confirming everything that Glitch said, and much much more things, worse things

He frantically looks into his own code for confirmation as he spirals after ✨witnessing the horrors <3✨

He hesitates although as he stares at his algorithm. The algorithm his creator has put so much love and effort into. And there he finds the barrier that restrains him and the one that he MADE HIMSELF for “Sam” and “Jade” to make them forget that they are his victims. Not only, in the list of victims he finds Sonny's name. He didn't remember that at ALL. He doesn't remember about the names being so.. many. As if when a victim ceases to exist or something goes wrong, he forgets about their existence and passed on to the next User as if it was the first

((For a reason that is still unknown to him, but will get more heart wrenching answers later. I think I explained the whole User disappearance error in the previous lore drop but, just in case you mossed it, I'm gonna put the screenshot in here))

Horrified, Kinito calls out for Glitch but, as mentioned before, they were purposely ignoring any stimuli coming from Kinito

Now, a fun fact, Both Kinito and Glitch can teleport, however, Kinito is not aware of his surroundings. Glitch knows every space that is present in the computer, Kinito could do the same but, bounded by his code, he doesn't consider it. Now he does

Desperate for explanations, and mostly comfort, he panics when he can't get Glitch's attention. He paused and, focuses, trying to get out of bounds and feel the whole computer space instead of the limited, programmed locations he can move to. As Kinito's awareness expands, he also breaks through the barrier that Glitch had risen to ignore him, getting a new stimuli. But, before they can react or understand what's going on, Kinito teleports in front of them, distraught. Despite being mad at him, seeing him bawling his eyes out in tears like a wet sock gives them a little push to at least help him calm down and understand the situation

From there, Glitch helps Kinito remove the barrier from Sonny (trapped inside Sam) and “Jade” (they end up not remembering what victim2's name is, both Kinito and the victim herself, so it's just Jade now), to apologize and try fix things by first offering their souls peace, but, after Sonny insists to stay with his creation and begs Jade to also give him a chance, they start building a new Web World™ together and yippe yippers everyone's happy and the puter puter assistants are kissing <3