#idk there’s something so inspiring and bittersweet about it

[thetismcave]

Something about skizz giving up his life for his team, whom he called family, saying with such faith and confidence that ties would make it to the final three.

And they did. Impulse made it to the top three, just like skizz knew they could.

Idk, I’m feeling emo in the club tonight :’’)

[alygator77]

idk, i've been thinkin about long distance satoru :') just a little something i wrote while experiencing a bit of writers block. it's inspired on a military relationship but it can really be just any long distance!

warnings: nsfw, mdni 18+, smut and fluff

long-distance! satoru whose heart aches when you have to say goodbye, holding you closer just a little bit longer than usual as he tries to memorize every detail—the warmth of your body, the scent of your hair, the way your arms fit perfectly around him. he knows that the absence of your touch will leave him feeling empty again, a void only you can fill.

long-distance! satoru who texts you every morning and night, because you are the first and last thing on his mind.

long-distance! satoru who calls you late one night after a long mission. exhausted but unable to sleep, he finds comfort in the sound of your voice.

“mmm… ‘toru?” the innocent sound of your sleepy voice immediately melts him, his tension easing from your soothing whisper.

“heya sleepy head…you got a minute?”

you stay on the phone with him all night, talking about everything and nothing, until you fall asleep.

long-distance! satoru who listens to your soft, rhythmic breathing through the phone, and quietly confesses how much he misses you, how the sound of your voice and the warmth of your embrace are the only things that keep him grounded in a world that feels increasingly cold without you.

long-distance! satoru who loves when you send him a compilation of short videos to watch, just knowing that you thought of him, carefully selecting each clip to bring a smile to his face. he replays them over and over, allowing himself to feel closer to you, as if each clip is a tiny piece of you that he can hold onto.

long-distance! satoru who dreams of your future together, when the distance will no longer separate you. he envisions the day when he can finally hold you close and never let go. he dreams of lazy mornings spent tangled in the sheets with you, of quiet evenings where you can simply be together without the constant ache of longing. these dreams are what keep him going, a promise of a future where he can finally be by your side, where this long-distance heartache will be nothing but a memory.

long-distance! satoru whose breath hitches when you surprise him when a naughty photo while he’s working.

“fucking hell woman…what are you doing to me?”

long-distance! satoru whose cock strains against his uniform as he sits at his desk, the tantalizing image of you searing itself into his mind, leaving him desperate to touch himself, to feel some semblance of the closeness he craves.

long-distance! satoru who grips his weeping cock as he strokes himself in the privacy of his room, his thoughts consumed by you. the distance between you fades away in his fantasies, replaced by the heat of your body, the taste of your skin, the sound of your voice in his ear.

“fuck princess… I miss you so fucking much,” he whimpers nearing his edge, body trembling as hot spurts of cum paint him pretty, your name falling from his lips as he coats himself with the evidence of his need, his need to fuck you senseless.

long-distance! satoru who lies there afterward, breathless and spent, staring at the ceiling as the reality of your absence settles back in. there’s a bittersweet ache, because he knows it’s not enough—it’ll never be enough until he has you back in his arms, for real.

long-distance! satoru who surprises you with an unexpected visit, appearing at your doorstep after months of being apart. his duty bag slides off his shoulder in the doorframe and his arms open wide, inviting you for the embrace you’ve been yearning for.

“miss me, princess?” his boyish grin is blurred from the happy tears in your eyes, and you immediately throw yourself into his welcoming arms.

long-distance! satoru who wraps around you tightly, lifting you off your feet as he spins you around, laughter filling the air. the warmth of his body against yours is almost overwhelming, and you cling to him, burying your face in the crook of his neck as you inhale the familiar scent of him.

long-distance! satoru who doesn’t even make it past the doorway before his lips find yours, all teeth and tongue as he kicks the door shut with his foot. his hands roam your body with a hunger that borders on feral.

“let me make up for lost time,” he groans against your lips, a promise and a plea as he presses you against the nearest wall, hips grinding against yours, and you feel just how hard, how desperate, he has been for you.

long-distance! satoru who finally, after months of longing and aching, finds himself buried deep inside you, your bodies moving in perfect sync as if no time has passed at all. the sound of your moans, the way you cling to him—it’s everything he’s been dreaming of, and more.

long-distance! satoru who pours everything he’s been holding back into this moment, into you. he groans your name, voice strained with the effort to hold on just a little longer, to make this last, because honestly, he could have cum moments after entering you—your cunt is just too fucking delicious.

long-distance! satoru who knows exactly how to bring you to your own edge, who’s learned your body, knows what makes you gasp, what makes you moan, what makes you arch against him in that delicious way that drives him to the brink.

“cum for me, princess” he commands. and when you do, when your body clenches around him, pulling him deeper, it’s his undoing.

long-distance! satoru who finally lets go with a shuddering gasp, his release crashing over him like a tidal wave.

“fuck, I love you,” he groans, hands gripping your hips as he buries his face in your neck, his needy moans muffled against your skin as he spills his seed inside you, body trembling with the explosive force of it.

long-distance! satoru, who holds you close afterward, your bodies tangled together as you come down from the high. he presses soft kisses to your temple, your shoulder, your lips, whispering sweet nothings as you both drift off to sleep, content in the knowledge that, at least for now, the distance is no more.

[strwbrryeyes]

𖦹°｡⋆ haikyuu boys as my breakup playlist

⟡ featuring: suna, oikawa, tsukishima, atsumu

⟡ cw: angst, idk still bad at these

⟡ an: i found my old breakup playlist from three years ago and took inspiration from that so these songs are old lol. writing this was silly because im in a loving relationship but it was like i felt all the pain of a breakup again </3

⟡ part two, part three

⟡ suna rintarou: you broke me first - tate mcrae

suna would be the one to break things off with you. when you first started dating he genuinely thought he loved you but as time went on and he became more distant, you started to feel like he was losing feelings for you so you asked him about it. in his words, "i think you were just the first girl to give me attention after my last relationship" and "im not ready for a relationship". a week later, he starts talking about all the girls that have come to him after the breakup and started talking about his hookups to you. this bothered you and hurt you deeply so you decided to cut things off with him completely and he was not a fan of this. so he tried everything to try to get you to talk to him again saying that he misses you and that he wants to get back together. you couldn't care less though, he's already broken your heart too many times for you not to notice his pattern of wanting your attention just to make you jealous or upset. in the end, it actually did end up hurting him and made him realize what he lost. he knew he fucked up but there's no going back anymore.

⟡ oikawa tooru: over breakfast - ellise

it's been a few months since oikawa left for argentina. it's been hard for the both of to be apart for so long and in completely different timezones. you could feel the connection fading but neither of you wanted to admit it because you both loved each other so much. but the longer you guys try to keep the relationship afloat, the more frequent you end up arguing over text or facetime. but you both decided that it could be something to figure out when oikawa visits for the holidays. well, the holidays come around and you finally have time to see each other and talk in person. from the moment oikawa entered your apartment, you both knew it was over. you could tell so many things have changed over the course of the last few months but instead of facing it, you just decide to spend one more night together just to have one final time to say that you tried. it was bittersweet and it hurt a lot but you didn't want the night to end. maybe you could fix this over night? in the morning everything will be better and you can set aside your differences! unfortunately, that morning, nothing had changed and you and oikawa finally came to terms with the fact that maybe you two just maybe weren't meant to be.

⟡ tsukishima kei: high definition - waterparks

when tsukishima was still part of the sendai frogs, he traveled a lot. it's not like he was off in another country like some of his old teammates and rivals, no, you lived with him. even though you two had been dating for quite some time by this point, tsukishima still had trouble expressing his love for you. he tended to push you away whenever he was stressed even though the one thing he wanted the most was your comfort and loving. he was just worried he would end up snapping at you and making you hate him. he didn't know that you'd end up upset with him regardless. you loved him so much but you don't know how long you could going on like this. i mean come on! tsukishima was always away for volleyball matches and even when he's home...it's like he's still not even there. tsukishima knew that you were starting to slip away from him so one day he sat you down and explained how he was feeling and it was finally then that you understood why he acted the way he did. you tried protesting his decision to break up with you but he kept insisting it was for the better. by the next week tsukishima had moved out leaving you alone in the once shared apartment, wishing and hoping he'd come back one day.

⟡ miya atsumu: better off - ariana grande

everyone knew that atsumu could be hot headed most of the time when it came to volleyball but what they didn't know is that it would sometimes affect your relationship with him. much like tsukishima, he would close himself off from you whenever he was mad at the world or whatever else there is that could make him upset. it was starting to get tiring for you. you felt like you had to walk on egg shells around him just so he wouldn't snap at you (wether he meant to or not- his mind would always fog up). towards the end of your relationship, you could feel yourself start to get numb in regards to your feelings towards atsumu. atsumu couldn't really tell at this point that you were losing hope for the relationship. if anything he thought everything was normal but that was only because half of the time he was too much into his own thoughts to notice any flaws between the two of you. it wasn't until he came home one day after an away game on the other side of japan and found that all of your stuff was gone along with you, that he realized nothing is what it used to be. he found a note from you that explained that you weren't happy in the relationship anymore and that you felt trapped. you also stated that you hope he figures out his issues and that you'll always be there for him if he needs but that right now you just needed space. atsumu spent that night crying and angry at himself for letting your relationship get to this point.

[starseungs]

a dream and a dance. hjs.

han jisung x gn!reader — dreaming was a lot harder as an adult than it was back when you were but a small kid. but maybe—just maybe, you could indulge in this dream come true for once.

genre/s — fluff, pinch of angst, post-grad au(?) • 2.0k words

warning/s — alcohol, setting is in a nightclub, life is hard (idk how to explain this)

note — inspired by han's new skz-record: 1,2,3,4,5 ! also i know nothing about nightclubs but this was the theme that came to mind so im just basing off vibes 😭

2024 ⓒ starseungs on tumblr. do not steal, repost, or edit.

Dream while you’re still young—while you still can.

Growing up, that line had always been an integral part of your life. You still remember the first time you heard it; the soft hushes of your beloved grandmother as she handed you a bowl of freshly cut fruit on a particularly hot day. The six-year-old you once were was staring at the person behind the television, starry-eyed, as you studied the figure’s actions with intent. You could faintly recall a question being asked in that hushed living room, something along the lines of whether or not you found what they were doing interesting. It was a hazy memory for detailed descriptions, but you could imagine your younger self positively replying with an excited squeal, one fit for a child of that age, which would’ve been followed by the line that you’d have kept in your heart for the rest of your life.

As one would, you’ve cycled through your fair share of these so-called dreams in the duration of your early lifetime. There was a time in third grade where you made up your mind to become a science teacher—the thought quickly being replaced just a mere two years later when you found a sudden interest in becoming a chef. Sixth grade you talked big for their age, claiming that they would open their own restaurant after graduating culinary school, despite not knowing a single thing about cooking other than all the hours spent bingeing MasterChef. You would always get a laugh out of the memory, knowing that it, too, was but a short-lived dream of a young mind still easily impressed by the world around them.

The pattern of switching life aspirations continued past elementary, and throughout your hectic high school years. With the constant new experiences you faced day to day, it was inevitable that eventually you would start seeing everything in a different light. It was part of the maturing process, you’d come to realize a few years later—getting hit by the epiphany that you no longer went through your 24-hour cycle the same way you did back when you were ten. It was a bittersweet revelation, one that ended with you looking up old shows you used to watch and playing episodes until the sunrise before forcing yourself out of bed to get ready for class. 

That wasn’t the first time you pulled an all-nighter, but it was the first one that made you feel calm throughout the day despite severely lacking sleep. 

College came around, and now you had to face yet another hurdle in your journey: admitting that you had absolutely no idea what you were doing anymore. You were attending university—check. You were in a program you personally chose—check. You had a decent social life—check; or maybe half a point, since you didn’t exactly have much time to hang out with any of them, instead opting for promises of catching up that were slowly building in number but barely decreasing. Before you knew it, the degree life was slowly eating all of the dreams that were left inside of you, leaving you with a semi-paved path completely devoid of color. What was once a garden littered with numerous flowers of the rainbow now had wilted into dehydrated brownish hues, layed lifelessly beside the narrow road.

Perhaps your grandmother was right. Dreaming was a lot harder as an adult than it was back when you were but a small kid.

Still, you pushed through, just to see the end. There was no use turning back when you had already crawled your way up this high. All that was left for you if you did was a fall so hard that you doubt you’d even be able to recover. The image alone made you shiver, prompting you to lift the glass of liquor towards your mouth, letting the sip travel down your throat and feeling the faux warmth it provided. Your eyes shifted to the clock propped up against the bar counter’s wall, watching the hands tick at a uniform pace. It was weird knowing that time always stayed steady. These days, it seemed all over the place—sometimes slowing, sometimes speeding. At this particular moment, it was like a flowing stream. 

What kind of pace it was, you weren’t too sure. 

What you did know, though, was that the numbers on the clock were barely visible; bright neon LED lights being the only thing illuminating the dark room they called a nightclub. The speakers were blasting some upbeat pop song, entertaining the crowd trying to lose themselves on the dance floor. You could only watch from your bar stool as a girl trips over thin air, obviously a little too inebriated, before getting caught by her friend, who was now fussing over her drunken state. 

Burning liquid passed your tongue as you took another sip of your drink. Unlike that girl, you went to this place alone and on your own accord. In your mind, you contemplated why you chose to be here instead of a peaceful bar that didn’t involve a DJ and a dancefloor—but this works too. Maybe a part of you wanted to experience the thrill one last time before adult life completely takes a toll on you, so who were you to deprive yourself of the wish? Your university days had already ended just a few hours ago, with you stepping on stage to get your diploma. It wasn’t a crime to let yourself have fun after all the sacrifices you made for the sake of your damned future. 

And so you continued to watch—getting lost in the sea of bright lights and the crashing waves of your thoughts, before a familiar voice snapped you out of the trance you put yourself in.

“What are you doing here, looking all miserable like that?”

You blinked owlishly at the face that entered your line of sight. A face that was very recognizable to you, despite the undoubtedly long time you’ve gone without seeing it.

“Han Jisung?”

“The one and only,” Jisung grins. 

“Wow,” you breathed out, completely taken aback at the situation. “I haven’t seen you since our first year of uni! How have you been?”

You and Jisung used to be in the same major before he dropped out right before the start of your second year to pursue music. It would be an absolute lie if you said you didn’t miss him, especially since he was the first friend you ever made in university. You could still recall the moment he approached you in a class like it was yesterday—the Jisung of four years ago scrambling to take a seat after barely just beating the professor entering through the front door. The image of the freshly turned nineteen-year-old panting desperately evoked your concern, causing you to stare at him a little longer than necessary. But it wouldn’t be Jisung if he wasn’t observant, so he returned the stare without an ounce of shame and followed with a question if you had any spare water he could drink.

Luckily, your water bottle had just been filled a few minutes before class started, and thus a beautiful friendship was born.

Jisung took his hands out of his pockets before taking a seat at the empty bar stool to your right. “Life’s been great! Two semesters were enough for me to realize that the academic life just wasn’t for me,” he chuckles. “Oh, and congrats on graduating, by the way!”

You couldn’t help the small smile that found its way to your face at his greeting. “You knew?”

“Ah,” Jisung exclaims, leaning forward to rest his arms on the long table in front while still making eye contact to cement his presence in the conversation. “I attended the ceremony earlier, actually. You know—for Hyunjin and Seungmin. I also watched you stand on stage. That’s why I’m genuinely surprised to see you here like this.”

He looks around for a bit before returning to face you. “Where are your friends?”

You shrugged carelessly, not too bothered with the implication. “Not a clue,” you say with a light chuckle. “Probably out celebrating with their families—or maybe even with each other. Either way, I didn’t get an invite, but I already expected that.”

Jisung simply nods at your reply, and his lack of a reaction amused you more than it should. “And you? Out with Thing 1 and Thing 2?”

“Damn, they still call Seungmin and Hyunjin that? My legacy stood strong, huh?” Jisung barked out a hearty laugh before gesturing somewhere to the side of the club. “But yeah, our group’s over there in one of the sofa cubicles. You can join us if you want; it’s your day too, after all. We should be celebrating!”

You waved his offer away politely. “It’s fine, Jisung. I’m sure they wouldn’t want me crashing in. We’re not even close enough to do that.”

Jisung paused to think for a moment, his hand rising up to support his chin. Your eyes guiltily wander a bit higher, stopping at his rosy lips for a brief second before quickly going back to glare at your glass of liquor. 

Admittedly, you once had a crush on the man beside you. Han Jisung was one of the more attractive individuals on campus back then, along with the rest of his friend group. The lingering gazes of people weren’t foreign to you, as you had your fair share of experiences with them when you used to hang out with him. Jisung was simply someone who caught others’ attention, whether it was intentional or not. Of course, you weren’t exempt from that notion. The only difference was that he was a good friend you didn't want to risk losing and that you weren’t interested in dating at that moment. Romance was another dream of yours you couldn’t reach, no matter how much you yearned for it. And so you buried your feelings in a grave, eventually getting forgotten once he left your life.

You could only hope that a zombie apocalypse doesn’t start soon.

“Hm, alright,” he eventually chimes. “I’ll leave you be, soon. But, on one condition.” It was your turn to ponder over his words. 

“And what’s your condition, Han?”

Jisung attempts to hide the way he fidgets with his fingers, which you painfully caught on to too fast for your liking. He took a few more seconds to collect himself before sitting up straight and turning towards you to shyly say, “Dance with me?”

Your eyes widened into saucers, not believing what you had just heard. It was in an attempt to calm your racing heart that you accidentally froze into silence, your brain already deciding to keep 911 on standby in case you stopped breathing altogether. You internally cursed yourself for feeling a faint hope spark back in your heart, wishing for the romance you never let yourself indulge in. This wasn’t the time, nor was it the place, that you thought was appropriate to rekindle your teenage wishes. 

Unfortunately, your lack of a response made Jisung inhale audibly, seemingly preparing himself to bolt away in embarrassment—if only you hadn’t noticed his actions too, the year of friendship coming back to you to recognize his habit. You quickly willed yourself to spit out any words you could.

"Well, that’s sudden,” you shakily voiced out, but decided to lighten the awkward situation with a cough. “What, think I’m hot now after gaining a few more years?”

Jisung exhaled in relief. “Not exactly,” he rubs the back of his neck, “you were already hot from the beginning.” You roll your eyes at his answer.

“Haha. You think you’re so hilarious, Jisung.”

“That, I do,” he smirks, regaining his confidence. Jisung lifts a hand towards you, opening his palm in an offering gesture. “So, what about that dance?”

You scoffed good-naturedly before taking his hand, pulling him up his seat to drag the two of you towards the center of the establishment that was still as chaotic as you left it earlier.

“Make sure you show me a good time, Jisung.”

“Oh, you won’t be disappointed, Y/N.”

Maybe—just maybe, you could indulge in this dream come true for once.

mastertag 🔖— send in an ask if you want to be added ! 🫶

@fairyki @hysgf @euncsace @comet-falls @starlostseungmin @ameliesaysshoo @hyunverse @djeniryuu @lixxpix

[codenamesazanka]

thoughts on the chapter

“these differences, both internal and external, allow us to run towards other people and search for a point of intersection” kid out of 8 chapters you spoke like 5 sentences to Shigaraki. What intersection. (I know, I know - the crying child. the only thing Deku can care about.)

Aizawa and Mic visiting Shirakumo's grave

Compress reading Spinner's book with a sad smile...

Did villains just magically stop appearing? because AFO is gone? Because everyone is a bit nicer to each other? Because the rankings got expanded and now everyone wants to get the Eiyuu title?

Shoji says "This award goes to those who rose up 8 years ago." GEE SHOJI. I WONDER WHO IT WAS THAT GOT THEM TO SHOW UP IN THE FIRST PLACE.

I know he's thinking of the heteromorphs that stopped that day. But i just. can't get over the fact that it was Spinner's call to action that inspired them first to even come out.

"peacefully resolving prejudice-based incidents in the rural areas" Peacefully telling a man to put down the rake they're about to hit a heteromorph child with.

I know the intention is de-escalation or something. And that's a good thing! Ideally I don't want the man holding the rake to be smashed into the ground. I don't want the dumbasses spray painting slurs on a wall to be punched around. But the word peaceful here feels like it implies that... it would be victim's fault if they use force to resist violent discrimination. Equal responsibility on all parties and it's up to Shoji, it depends on Shoji to resolve it nonviolently. The originator of the violence doesn't enter the equation.

idk. rubs me the wrong way.

Did Shoji resolve the heteromorph riot peacefully? Not really. He fought Spinner (ah, you might say - well, Spinner was using violence! Shoji has to react to that with punching as well! Yeah. That's what I mean.) Koda had birds shoved someone off a building. What actually stopped everything was one rioter feeling doubts. It's credited to Shoji's words, but Shoji also admits that it's good they showed up and in the chapter here, he calls it an "uprising".

And they showed up because of Spinner.

Well. Maybe Shoji turned to "peaceful resolves" afterwards.

Just to clarify so that no one misunderstands me. Peaceful resolutions are good. I'm glad that's how Shoji is stopping anti-heteromorph incidents. What I dislike is the shallow framing.

"Quirk Counseling Expansion Project" EXPANSION???

Toga became the way she was because she didn't go to Quirk Counseling enough. Needed Expansion. The counselor saying she'll make Toga "nice and normal" didn't go far enough. Needed Expansion.

Again, I get that probably reform is implied in that, or the intent is probably expanding the concept/ideas/tools/methods/scope to include better methods. But wow.

All Might + Crowd of Supporter Statues is the creepiest thing I've ever seen.

Story literally breaking the ending fourth wall to give a happy ending to Deku.

I expect the volume extras to have Shigaraki to come and decay the ending and rescue the league.

It's amazing how the answer to "can someone quirkless be a hero" is a NO. Because Deku's feeling sad and lonely being quirkless and just a teacher and saving a kid from tripping and encouraging a future student. It's not enough. It's not Heroism. So he gets a support item and gets to be a Hero again

And then Shigaraki's Star Wars ghost is just there, not tied into the theme happening on page because Deku failed to saved the fucking guy, but he remembers Shigaraki. for one panel.

Just to repeat this because it's hysterical: This ending is "Can a quirkless person be a hero (and be happy and feel worthy?)" We get a gentle bittersweet but resounding NO. Until All Might comes again to help him out with a 'gift'.

"Remember that day when I used support items to inject acid into an immortal child demon on global TV? The day that you killed a man? Well, data from that day made you this support item. Use it to be a Hero."

Also being a quirkless Hero after all depends on knowing people and having lots of money.

All Might is now about 64 years old.

Shigaraki ghost...........

Something about shigaraki in his original outfit has me all choked up.

That's the appearance he chose to present as in the vestige realm before he disappeared.

The appearance he had in that flashback of him and Spinner bonding over games.

I like how Deku looks back, sees the ghost, but then turns forward and smile. Not even a smile as he's looking at shigaraki. I know this is nitpicky. jfc tho.

"You already destroyed it"/"That depends on what you guys do from now on." I see that there's barely any credit to Shigaraki forcing this amount of change in this chapter. As far as I can see, Deku barely thinks about Shigaraki or even Tenko this chapter. Shigaraki's just a ghost hidden vaguely in all this.

"I'll never forget" lol. The ghost is just like an afterthought from the story to make sure Deku keeps his 'promise'

I don't think a single villain's name is mentioned here. Not a single League member's. Uravity's work towards quirk counseling is not publicly or explicitly credited to her experience with Toga (the vaguest of implication). We don't know Dabi's fate and Shouto is only known as "Endeavor's son" - which might be good? because it's Endeavor's who was the main perpetrator, but still. Spinner lead the uprising but Shoji doesn't mention that. Spinner wrote his book but there's no impact, except for making Compress smile sadly and that's it. Twice has been long forgotten. Deku thinks of Shigaraki's words at the beginning of the chapter, then sees his ghost at the end, but otherwise, nothing.

Truly they've been swept under the rug. A lid put over everything.

Whatever!!!! Shigaraki and the League - the absolute best part of bnha.

[heavenlyhischier]

𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐞 - 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬 (𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞)

word count: 2.2k

summary: for you, love was a lot like strawberry wine. intense and bittersweet.

warnings: heavily unedited, some mild angst, jacks kind of depicted as an a-hole in this part, idk i think that it

note: this is very loosely inspired by the song strawberry wine by deana carter. like very loosely. please let me know what you think

For as long as you could remember, Ellen Hughes was there for your mom. She was there when your dad passed away and your mom felt like she was lost with nowhere to go now that her soulmate was gone. She helped guide her through the darkest of times, and she was there for you too. You spent many nights at her house when your mom needed a moment to herself, and, in turn, you got to meet some of the best friends you would ever have.

Quinn, Jack, and Luke became constants in your life the second you met them. You grew with them, laughed with them, cried with them, and learned with them. They treated you like you were a part of their family, and it was a relationship you would cherish until the day you were six feet under. Despite growing up with all of them, you grew closest with Jack and can confidently say that he was your best friend. Or at least, you could have three weeks ago.

Jack moving to New Jersey changed only one thing in your friendship, and that was how often you physically saw him. You talked to him just as often as you did before he left, only now it over facetime or phone calls. You were the first person he called when he won a game and wanted to boast about it, or when he lost a game and he needed someone to talk to. He called you when he needed a reminder that he was just a kid and the entire fate of his team did not fall on his shoulders.

You tried to not call him as often because you wanted him to go out and live his life in Jersey, but there some days where you needed him and only him. The night you caught your first boyfriend cheating on you with your college roommate was a big one, and you ended up having to talk him down from flying back to Michigan to handle it on his own. Luke had shown up at your dorm the next day, ready to commit literal murder because Jack had told him what happened, but you used that opportunity to move your things out of the dorm.

Now, you hadn’t talked to Jack in nearly three weeks and you couldn’t figure out what you had done. After a week of your messages going unread and calls not being answered, you stopped reaching out, but you were still hurt. Your friends were starting to notice that something was off with you, but you never gave them a straight answer. Instead, choosing to change the subject and hope they would forget about it.

You could feel your phone vibrating in your pocket, but your hands were full of groceries and you were still on the elevator. A part of you wished it was the one person you wanted to talk to, but you knew better than to let yourself have that much hope. Whoever it was was going to have to wait. The buzzing stopped as you were exiting the elevator, but started right back up again once you neared your apartment door. Placing a few bags on the ground so you could grab your keys, you pulled your phone out first to see Luke’s name on the screen.

“Why hello, Lukey,” You greeted, holding the phone between your ear and shoulder. Despite having radio silence with Jack, you maintained your friendship with his brother’s just fine.

He animatedly said your name into the receiver, eliciting a genuine smile from you as you pushed your door open. “So, when are you coming to the lake house? We’re all going to get there not tomorrow but the next day, and I wasn’t sure if you were going to come later or what.”

The smile fell from your lips, and you faltered in your steps as you placed the groceries on your counter. You had gone with the Hughes’ to their lake house more times than you hadn’t, but your presence was always requested by Jack. Despite seeing them as your second family, and them insisting you were a part of theirs, you never showed up at any of their functions without being prompted to.

“Jack didn’t invite me, bub. I’m staying here,” You meekly admitted, leaning against the counter as you let out a puff of air. Your groceries now at the back of your mind.

“What,” Quinn and Luke’s voices mixed together.

You cringed once you realized that Quinn was there, knowing he’d be able to pick up on the hints that Luke wouldn’t. “Jack hasn’t really talked to me in a while, let alone ask me to the lake house. Which is okay! He doesn’t have to,” Your voice wavering as you mentioned their brother.

“That’s ridiculous. You don’t need a formal invitation, you’re family,” Quinn explained, an understanding tone to his words. Luke was quick to chime in with his agreement.

“That isn’t quite how it works for me,” You sighed, running a nervous hand through your hair, “If I’m not explicitly invited somewhere or told anything, I’m not going.”

“Fine. Y/N you are coming to the lake house and I will be by tomorrow at noon to pick you up!”

After a brief argument with the brothers, you relented and told them they were lucky you don’t start your new teaching job for another few weeks. Putting up your groceries temporarily distracted you from the dull ache in your chest due to not having talked to Jack. However, your apartment was littered with pictures that had him in them, and that feeling was back like it had never left. You hoped that seeing him again would make things right.

-

Luke was knocking on your door at twelve p.m. sharp, and you let him in with the promise that you would be ready to go in ten minutes. You asked him about how his time with the Devil’s was going in order to distract you from the nerves in your body. He happily went on about how he was loving it, and he was excited to be able to play against some of the best hockey players ever.

Once he felt like he had adequately updated you on his life, he asked about yours as he took your bags and left your apartment. You were honest and told him that not much has happened. You graduated school a year early and got your first teaching job at a high school, you’d been on a few unsuccessful dates, and you had thought about getting a cat. You deliberately avoided the conversation about Jack not speaking to you, knowing he would probably bring it up in the car.

“So,” Luke hesitantly started, “Wanna talk about it?”

You were wrong. He didn’t even wait until you were in the car. You had barely made it out of the elevator.

“There’s not much to say,” You shrugged, ignoring the nagging ache in your chest, “I tried reaching out to him to make sure everything was okay, but he hasn’t said anything back.”

“Well, he said he had to go do something before he went to the lake house, so we can figure it out then. Quinn will be there soon and we better get there before everyone else so we can get the good rooms.”

Your apartment was a couple of hours away from the lake house, and the ride there was filled with any conversation other than his brother. Your nerves were bubbling to the surface the closer you got, but you tried to busy yourself with listening to Luke talk. He had such an infectious, happy attitude that you couldn’t help but smile as you spent time with him. 

Luke pulls into the driveway and is getting your bags out of the car when another car pulls up. Your heart momentarily stops, thinking that it might be Jack, but Trevor, Alex, and Cole are the only people who barrel out of the Bronco. Knowing what was about to happen, you take your bag from Luke as the four of them race inside to claim the last available single room. You shake your head as you walk inside, not sure why they even bother since everyone ends up in the same spot anyways.

You could hear them fighting over the rooms as you ascended the stairs, taking claim on the room you’ve always slept in. You placed your bag on the bed, and suddenly a wave of emotions rushed over you. The hurt from Jack not talking to you combined with the heart shattering anxiety of seeing him made your eyes water. Though, the fact that any one of the boys could walk in at any moment was enough to stop yourself from actually crying, but it was still beginning to be too much. You were bound to break soon. 

“Luke, you’re such a jackass,” Trevor playfully yelled as he walked out of the room directly across from your own, “You should have to room with your brother! I do it every time.”

“I live with him. I don’t want to share a room with him,” He defended.

Wiping at your eyes, you joined the boys as they walked back down to the living room. They all took turns wrapping you up in a hug, but they were suspiciously quiet about asking about Jack. Typically, they were all over teasing you about him, but all it took was one look from Quinn to know he warned them to steer clear of the topic. 

Luke had gone outside to get something from his car, leaving you inside to listen to the boys argue about their respective hockey teams. You nervously picked at your nails as Trevor kept trying to drag you in and ask you whose team you think is better. You told him that you were Switzerland, pleading the fifth, or any other variation you could think of in order to stay neutral on the matter. It wasn’t long until Luke came running back inside, slight panic on his face.

He whispered something to Quinn before turning to you, “Hey, can you help me with something in the kitchen?”

He didn’t give you much time to respond before he was dragging you in there by your hand. Your eyebrows were furrowed in confusion, taking note of the way Luke had placed you in the one spot where you couldn’t see the living room. His eyes kept darting behind him, breathing slightly shaky from whatever it was he was trying to pull you away from. 

“What’s going on,” You ask, folding your arms across your chest and meeting his alarmed gaze.

“Nothing,” He squeaked, literally squeaked, “I just wanted your opinion on food options. Like what do you think we should get? Do you think we need t-”

Suddenly, Jack’s voice covered Luke’s, and your eyes bolted towards the door, arms falling limply to your sides. Your jaw slightly dropped, the ghosts of words that you couldn’t get out disappearing into the air. You looked back at Luke with a mix of trepidation and confusion. It wasn’t until you heard him introduce his guest, that you understood why Luke had dragged you into the kitchen.

“Guys, this is Natalie,” You heard him announce before he went around the room to introduce his friends, “C’mon, you can take the room across from me and Trevor.”

This time, you met Luke’s panicked look with one of your own. The two of you silently communicated with each other before he was running out of the kitchen. You heard him pull Natalie and Jack’s attention to him, and you could see Alex gesturing for you to hurry upstairs. You rushed out of the kitchen, grabbing his hand as you quickly climbed the stairs.

“Dude, what is going on,” Alex asked after you had thrown your stuff, and yourself, into Luke’s room, “Quinn told us to not tell Jack you were here. You two are best friends. What happened?”

“I don’t know,” You blinked back yet another surge of tears, “It’s nothing. You can go back downstairs, though. I just needed it to seem like one of you came up here for something because the stairs are creaky and loud and I didn’t want him to ask any questions if he saw everyone still down there.”

“Hey,” He reached out and gently tugged on your arm, “I know we’re not super close or anything, but I’m here for you, too.”

You gave him a weak smile in acknowledgement, waiting for him to leave before you fell back onto the bed and let your emotions take over. His disappearance was suddenly making a lot more sense the longer you thought about it. Before he stopped talking to you, he had mentioned having gone on a few dates with some girl, and they must have gotten serious for him to bring her here. Him not inviting you made a ton of sense, too.

Luke might have invited you, but you still felt like you were intruding knowing that Jack didn’t want you there. You buried your face in the pillows, tears rapidly falling down your cheeks as you let the silent sobs rack through your body. Another girl taking the room that had been unofficially, yet officially, yours hurt for more reasons than you were comfortable with admitting out loud.

two

[theyhavetakenovermylife]

If you're still taking requests, can you do 03-Donnie helping a runaway girl? Maybe they meet when they're both young, he helps her find a safe place and guides her there, then they meet again years later and she's doing better? I'm in the mood for something bittersweet, if thats okay?

Human Complexity (Angst/Fluff)

2003!Donatello x reader

A/N: I’ve been watching a lot of COPS and JAIL recently, so this is very much inspired by some of the stories told there. So I guess the reader being a runaway is implied? Idk… With that being said, I’m very aware that there’s a lot that keeps people in these kinds of situations, and it’s not always just a matter for decision. If anybody in this kind of situation should be reading this, I hope that you are okay, and I send you love and thoughts💜

Reader and Donnie are 18 at their first meeting. Second meeting happens five years later.

Warnings: Implied prostitution, implied drug use, talk of homelessness.

New York City sounded with its usual hussle and bussle as Donatello made his way across the roofs. The city that never slept, and Donnie was very much aware of that. Whenever he and his brothers decided to venture out during night time, there was always something happening. Something to see, something to hear or something to fight.

Donnie genuinely liked venturing around on the surface, watching as people and their normal day to day passed by. On the few days he actually had time for himself, that he decided to spend outside of the sewers instead of in his lab, it was the rooftops of New York City he ventured to, enjoying the sight and night air.

It was on the roofs of New York that Donnie got an inside into humans’ life. Sure, he learned a lot from April, Casey, the internet and television, but there was just something about watching strangers on the street. Couples on long walks, families enjoying their evening, or the lone stranger enjoying their time. The calm and nice stuff.

But Donnie had also learned of the darker parts of human life. Couples would fight, some families would split up, and that lone stranger might be a lone stranger for a reason, or wishing for some company. Humans were complex, and Donnie learned that humans often had more than one reason for the things that they did. And sometimes those reasons was only known for that one individual, hidden far from Donnie’s own logic. But that didn’t stop Donnie from trying to understand, though it might be hard or confusing at times. And that night, Donnei would find out just how hard and confusing it could be, even if he meant the best.

That night, Donnie hadn’t expected to see someone like you, walk out on your own in one of the more dodgy parts of town, not far from the harbor waters. A young girl dressed in a rather short dress and tight short sleeved top, hair set up, and make-up done very well, walking in very high heels. That was when Donnie realized you weren’t walking, but standing on a street corner, looking up as a lone car would pass by every once in a while, smiling, maybe even waving at them, hoping that they would come closer. But they didn’t. Instead they continued on their path, leaving you standing back, waiting for the next car to come by.

The sight of you standing out on the street like that crushed something in Donnie. He didn’t have to wonder for long in order to figure out what you were doing. But the one thing he couldn’t figure out was why you were doing it. Such a young, beautiful girl. Why would you do something like that to yourself? Donnie simply couldn’t figure out why, and so, he decided he would have to find out the truth.

Donatello made his way down to the street you stood on, hiding in the shadows of the nearby alley, close enough to hear you sigh over the sound of crashing waves in the harbor just on the other side of the street.

Another car passed by, the front light lighting up your face, showing a small smile spreading on your lips. But before you could get your hopes up, the car was gone, nothing but the red back lights shining back at you, your shoulders slumping in disappointment.

Donnie watched you at this new angle for a moment, noticing how your bare legs seemed to shake in the cold night air, or how you every once in a while would wrap your arms around yourself, in an attempt to warm yourself up. It was saddening to him. So saddening, that Donnie no longer could keep his mouth shut. He had to make contact.

“Are you cold?”, he asked, watching as you jumped in your place, turning to look at him in the shadows. Your eyes widened in shock at the sight of the green man in front of you. You were shocked, frozen just like your numb toes in your high heels. Should you scream? Probably not a good idea. If anybody was in the area, it would make people look. And maybe someone would call the police. And that was not an option for you.

“No”, you lied, taking a look around to make sure that no one was watching the interaction between the two of you, as you dropped your arms down by your sides. “I’m fine”.

“Are you sure?”, Donnie asked, slight concern in his voice. “You’re shaking”.

This comment made you shoot him an annoyed glance, letting him know that you were not interested in his small comments, or whatever the hell he was trying to do. He was killing your mojo, and if he didn’t shut up soon, he might be the reason you would miss out on a probable customer, if you weren’t ready when they drove by.

Silence fell between the two of you as you refused to answer him, instead looking down the street, seeing if any cars were about to drive by, but none so far. But Donnie wouldn’t shut his mouth. He wanted to know if you were doing what he thought you were, and if so, he wanted to know why.

“Are you working?”, Donnie asked, causing you to shoot him another angry glare.

“What do you mean? I don’t know what you’re talking about”, you said, hoping for a car to pass by any time soon.

Donnie didn’t say anything to that. Your reaction was answer enough for him. You were indeed out working.

His gaze drifted from your face down to your bare arms. “Are you trying to fuel a habit?”, he asked bluntly, making you turn to him in shock and anger.

"Excuse me?”

“Your arms”, Donnie said, pointing towards the nock of your elbow. “I can see the needle marks”.

You quickly slap a hand over your arm, hiding it from Donnie’s view, fighting the brewing anger within you. Who did he think he was?

“I don’t have to answer to an oversized frog”, you said, clenching your jaw in frustration as you looked away.

“Turtle”, Donnie said, pointing with his thumb to his shell. “I’m a turtle”.

“Same shit”, you huffed, shifting your weight from one leg to another. “Both are green and not supposed to be so big or able to talk”.

Donnie didn’t answer that. He was sure you meant it as an insult, but he didn’t care. Instead he looked at you with worry.

“Is your pimp nearby?”

This question made your tough exterior falter, your eyes falling towards the ground with a sad expression. “I don’t have a pimp”, you said, pausing for a moment, thinking about your next words. “I work on my own. More money for me”.

“And what does that money go to?”, Donnie asked. You didn’t answer that question, instead glancing down on your arm for a moment. Once again, you were able to answer Donnie without words.

“Why do you do it?”, he then asked, genuinely curious. You shrugged your shoulders, your eyes not meeting his. It was like you were ashamed. And that was when Donnie realized, you were in fact ashamed. You were not proud of the situation you found yourself in. It made Donnie feel horrible.

“Do you have a place to stay?”, Donnie asked, at this moment just wishing for you to go home to a safe place. But when you delayed an answer, the realization kicked in hard for Donnie. You in fact had no place to stay.

“I… I might know a place where you can stay. It’s up to you if you decide to go there or not”, Donnie said, unsure of how you would react. He told you about a bridge not far from where the two of you stood, where a bunch of homeless people were living together. He told you to tell them that Donatello had sent you. He then told you of various places you could go and ask for a job. That pizza place he and his brothers liked to order food from, the orphanage Mikey provided toys for that one Christmas, and even April’s shop.

You took in all the information Donnie provided you, your expression staying emotionless, your eyes still kept to the ground, giving him a small nod when he had stopped talking.

“Thank you”, you said, your voice small and low. “I’ll think about it”.

And with that, Donnie knew it was his time to leave you alone. You had not asked for his help, yet here he was, dumping it all on you. He had no idea why you were out here, nor what else might be keeping you here. But you had listened, and Donnie couldn’t demand more of you. What else you decided to do, was all up to you, and he couldn’t force anything.

“I… I hope to see you around”, Donnie smiled at you, before taking a step back, retreating back onto the roofs, noticing how you stood and looked after him as he left. And with the look in your eyes, Donnie hoped that you would find a way out, and that he indeed would see you around one day, hopefully under better circumstances.

—

Years passed, and Donnie never saw your face again during that time. There had been nights where he ventured out in New York, hoping to get a glimpse of you, giving him a sign that you were doing okay. But when he returned to the street corner he had found you on, you were gone. And you never returned to that corner. Neither did he find you on any other street corner in New York.

Donnie hoped that your absence meant that you were doing good, on your way to a better life, but he could not help but feel worried for you. The unknown gave his head room for worry and making up strange scenarios, in which the all ended with the worst happening. And with every scenario he hoped was untrue, he hoped that you were okay. This stranger he had met on a street corner, who should not have left an impact on you whatsoever, since he didn’t even know your name, yet here he was, continuously finding himself worried for your wellbeing. But as the years passed on and Donnie found no answers to his worried questions about you, he had to move on, hoping that he would one day forget all about the stranger he met on a corner down by the harbor. But then, just as Donnie thought you were all out of his mind, he finally found an answer.

Just like that night, five years ago, Donnie found himself roaming the roofs of New York City, watching the humans below as they lived their lives. Just like back then, Donnie still had many questions about humans and their complexity. And in those five years, he had not gotten one step closer to answering those questions.

That night, Donnie decided to place himself on a small balcony, at the top apartment of that building. From his hiding place high up in the dark, he could watch as humans passed by below, unaware of his observing eyes. But just like the humans on the street, was he unaware of a pair of familiar eyes watching him from inside the apartment.

“I can never get away from you, Frog Man, can I?”, a familiar voice spoke, making Donnie jump on the balcony in surprise. He turned, finding your face smiling at him from the balcony door. You looked healthier than when he last saw you. You had swapped your short skirt with a pair of black slags, and your small crop top had left for a well fitted white shirt instead. You looked washed, your hair down, looking stronger than before.

Donnie stared at you, his mouth open as he searched for the words, but his mind was blanked, surprised to see you again after five years of looking.

“Are you cold?”, you asked, crossing your arms and leaning against the door frame. “You’re shaking”, you continued, imitating his words from that night five words ago.

This was what pulled Donnie from his state of shock and confusion, flashing a smile at you. “Oh, shut up”.

“Nah, I don’t think I will”, you teased, smiling back at him as you walked out on the balcony. “Last time I saw you, you just kept talking, so I would say this is the least of the payback I could give you”.

“I guess that’s fair”, Donnie said, making space for you out in the open. You both stood out in the air for a moment, silence filling the space before Donnie finally decided to break the quietness. “How are you?”

“I’m good”, you answered, still smiling. “How about you?”

“I’m very good. Especially now”, Donnie said with a delighted chuckle. “I’ve actually been looking for you. I was getting quite worried”.

“Yeah, sorry about that”, you said, scratching your neck. “I kind of turned my life upside down after we met”.

“How so?”, Donnie asked curiously, watching as you started to play with your fingers.

“I took your advice and found the homeless you talked about. I didn’t even have to mention your name before they took me in. They were actually really nice”, you explained. “I then went to the pizza place you talked about, and just like you said, they were willing to give me a job, even though I was homeless and couldn’t shower regularly”, you continued. “And with a new area to stay and an actual job, I was finally able to gather the courage to cut ties with my dealer. I’ve actually been clean ever since that night”, you said, keeping your eyes on your hands as you played with your finger nails. “It took quite some time, but I slowly gathered enough money for a place to stay. It started with a motel room, then a small studio apartment with only room for a mattress and a mini fridge. And then finally, I was able to rent an actual apartment”, you said, turning to look at the room beyond your balcony door. “I moved in last week”.

“That’s amazing!”, Donnie said, truly amazed by what he heard.

“I guess it is”, you said, your cheeks growing with a light pink color, before you looked back at Donnie once more. “But now that you’re here, I would like to say thank you”.

“You don’t have to say thank you. I didn’t do anything”, Donnie said, feeling his own cheeks heat up.

“Yes, you did. Instead of just looking away and ignoring me, you talked to me. You told me what to do and left me to do it on my own. You didn’t save me, but you did give me an opportunity to work for a better life”, you explained.

“Oh, well, I guess that makes sense”, Donnie said, feeling his face grow even hotter. If he had ears, he was sure they would be bright red at this point.

You noticed Donnie’s flustered state, smiling at how adorable it was. There was no denying how sweet this man was.

“Would you like to come inside and see my apartment?”, you asked, nodding towards the balcony door. “It’s getting cold out here anyway”.

“Are you inviting me into your home?”, Donnie asked with a chuckle. “You don’t even know my name”.

“Well, mine is (Y/N)”, you said, standing in the doorway once more, half way inside. “And yours?”

“Donatello”, Donnie answered.

“Well, Donatello, would you like to come inside and see where your nice words have gotten me?”, you asked, your eyes shining brightly at him. There was no way Donnie could say no to those eyes.

“Of course I would like to do that, (Y/N)”, Donnie answered, before following you through the balcony door and into your apartment.

[aaronsinferno]

DOOM PATROL FINALE:

Just finished the series finale and while it’s nothing like how I expected it to end…I’m okay with it.

Larry finally letting go of that fear and self loathing to go and find peace with Rama was a long time coming. Why did they have to turn into an alien chemical sun? Idk. But at least they’re together and happy.

Vic finally found himself and has finally come to terms with who he is. He’s more than just a hero. He’s an influence and will go on to inspire so many people and make way for a better future.

I like how despite everything, Laura is still such a flawed character. They didn’t magically fix her or make her do a complete turnaround. She wants to be good but fears that there’s still something dark inside her making her incapable of being anything other than evil. But it’s nice knowing that she’s going to try. That Rita and the others have made some form of impact on her life.

Speaking of Rita, her death didn’t catch me by surprise. I figured she’s either bounce back last minute or get the boot. And as shitty as her send off was, it was very on brand. I’m just happy she found peace with someone… even if it was Malcolm.

Glad Jane is able to live whatever life she wants now. How she’ll do it in space idk, but at least she’s happy. It does suck that she didn’t end up with Shelly, but I don’t exactly hate her with Casey. Her goodbye with Cliff is what I thought would break me. That or how she painted their first meeting back in season 1. Boy was I wrong.

What hit me the hardest was Cliff. That ending?That fucking ending?!? Jesus christ. Wow. Very fitting that the show begins and ends with him. He finally got to spend his final moments with his daughter and grandson while at the same time not missing any of the pivotal moments in their lives. The good or the bad. A bittersweet send off to a flawed but loving character.

Really gonna miss these characters..

Like it or not, community matters. Surrounding yourself with people who care about you enough to even attempt to understand or support you is important. Find your people.

Also

You’re deserving of love. From others but most importantly from yourself. Love yourself. Always.

[vamossainz55]

yo no soy celoso - carlos sainz jr.

summary: inspired by 'yo no soy celoso' by bad bunny. or the one where carlos watches you be with another. a/n: idk how i feel about this one, but i really liked the idea so here it is. thank you for the request anon, i hope you enjoy! warnings: angst/bittersweet? not a happy ending.

Four drinks in and his eyes are still glued on you. He wonders whether the fifth will make it better, or if it will somehow make everything even worse. 

The club’s music doesn’t help, the beat only encourages you to continue dancing, front and center on the dancefloor with your arms wrapped around another man’s neck. 

He remembers when it was him on the dancefloor with you, his hands on your waist with his lips on your neck. He wonders whether the guy you’re with knows the way you like a tight grip on your hips, or the sweet spot right between your jaw and neck. 

It’s the first time he sees you in months, and he’s too proud of himself to admit that there’s a mixture of feelings in his chest. You look different, the good type of different, happy even. You hadn’t even flinched the moment you both greeted each other earlier that evening, wearing a smile that had your eyes crinkling. 

He watches you smile at the man, the way your hand gently goes through his hair before you’re both connecting lips. Carlos doesn’t even bother to be discreet, watching you both as he continues to take a sip of his drink. 

The vodka is heavy on his tongue as he swallows, feeling the burn travel through his body. 

He remembers the countless nights out you’ve both shared, messy make outs in the club before scurrying home with your hands all over one another. He wonders whether you’ll do the same tonight. 

“At this point, it’s just a bit sad.” Lando’s words go right through him, and Carlos doesn’t even bother to spare his old teammate a glance. The British driver doesn’t seem to care though, settles beside Carlos anyways. Lando’s gaze follows his eyes and they both are watching you now. They watch you pull away with a smile, stealing a quick kiss before you turn, pressing your back against the man’s chest. 

Carlos remembers the last conversation you both shared, the screams you both let out to one another. Months of pent up frustration culminating to a night of yelling, tears, and hurtful words. He remembers walking away from you that night, saying it was the last of it, that he wasn’t ready to give you what you wanted. 

He wonders if he should have tried a bit harder. 

Wonders if the guy you’re with will do better. 

“Who is he?” Carlos asks, and for what feels like the first time this evening he looks away from you, gaze falling onto Lando instead. 

“Her boyfriend, they’ve been going out for like a few months now.” It’s not the answer Carlos wants, but he appreciates the truth nonetheless, but even then he has to wash it away with what’s remaining in his glass. 

It’s ironic really, the way he had walked away from you that night, just to find himself staring at an empty glass in a club with you dancing meters away from him but with another form of company. 

It’s selfish, but a part of him wishes you had taken longer to move on, and maybe, just maybe, the night would end differently. 

Maybe you’d both have too many drinks.

Maybe you’d dance. 

Maybe you’d kiss. 

Maybe you’d stumble back into old habits together, wake up the next morning with your limbs tangled with one another’s. And maybe, just maybe, he’d finally have the courage to commit, to promise you something different. 

Carlos’ eyes go back to you, watches how your fingers intertwine with your boyfriend’s. You whisper something to his ear before he’s nodding, turning his body, and Carlos knows you, knows that you’re both about to leave.

For a moment your eyes meet and you spare him a smile. He forces himself to smile back. 

His eyes follow you both to the exit, watching the way you both disappear through the door. 

Carlos wonders.

[miru667]

Hey, this might be a long one (though I'm new to Tumblr so idk how this even works tbh) but I got into the onceler a year ago? I'm still morbidly in love with this guy and ngl maybe I'm just here because I'm feeling sad that all my friends have left him already and moved on- still I knew that you were in the onceler fandom since the start and honestly i admired you a lot for that for staying with him for so long jsjjs- I wanted to ask since the fandom comes and goes every so often, how was it like in 2012/2013? Everyone has told me that now is really tame compared to how wild the fandom was when the movie came out and hearing about it I really wish I was there to witness it (i mean I could've but I was only little kid lol). Another question though how do you feel about the onceler fandom being revived then dying a few months later? Ngl it makes me feel pretty sad for onceler for some reason lol it just makes me think about him rising up to fame and success then falling back being alone again and the cycle continues. Still I know some are still active which gives me comfort

Hello! Aw it's always bittersweet when a friend loses interest in a thing you were both into but sadly it's part of life :,) As long as there were no hard feelings then you can cherish the memories you made together.

And actually I've talked before about how the fandom was in the past vs how I feel in the present, here are a few posts that may interest you: [link] [link] [link] If you want specifics of things that occurred you could check out this post too: [link] and then here is a really good summary of how the fandom evolved in 2012: [link]

^And related to that last link, this is one of the reasons that the fandom seems to "die" every so often I guess? People get inspired and make onceler ocs and then they eventually get deoncelerized and used in other projects, and I don't think that's a bad thing at all. The Once-ler is a fictional character from a book/movie so I don't feel bad for him, it's the real people that are/were in the fandom who matter more and it's really cool and heartwarming to see people have fun and make friendships that last beyond their time in the fandom. So all in all I think it's okay as long as our friends are happy. We can't force someone to like something.

All that said though, I think our perceptions are a bit different currently because I feel like the fandom has been booming for the past year? 😂 Idk it seems really active to me at the moment!

[bridgetoesoteria]

✨Toxicity✨: What would have happened if you stayed?

Helloo. So this is going to be for anyone who feels in two minds about their decision to walk away from a situation.

Sorry in advance, the piles are so long! I really meant to be more succinct. So, grab a snack or break up the reading ahah 😅.

This can be used for any kind of situation: professional, romantic, platonic, etc. Options are left to right. Hope it resonates :)

For the collective: P.S.I took time out to do a guided meditation to connect with my intuition. So some of you may benefit from that. Some personal messages came through for me as well. So your guides probably want to connect with you too. I used a guided meditation on YouTube but feel free to do whatever resonates best with you.

Without further ado 🙇‍♀️🎩 ...

Pile 1

**TW: Substance Abuse**Off the bat: So before I even really began the reading, I was channeling Hey There Delilah by Plain White T's. So idk if that is relevant somehow. I was thinking of a lot of early 2000s songs. I feel very eager and excited. So maybe some of you left home behind to chase your dreams in someway. So, every win is a little bittersweet. Honestly, its such a vibe rn. I'm feeling chill, room is dimly lit, there's thin swirls of smoke coming from the burning sage...

4-card spread: Ace of Disks, The High Priestess, Prince of Cups, 7 of Disks. Bottom of Deck is Knight of Wands.

So, for context I'm using The Urban Tarot Deck. I feel like the imagery really helps with this pile. Its a Thoth inspired deck so the names for the cards are a little different. I read Knights as Kings and Princes as Knights.

All right, so right away I feel kind of confined. I don't think you would have had a horrible life or situation but it would not have been all that you needed. You would continue secretly dreaming of the life that you truly want. Whatever that means to you. I say this because the woman on the high priestess card looks very dreamy. Like she stole away and ran herself a bath just to have a few moments of solitude. But with the "knight of cups" right next to her--which is another card that can signify illusions, fantasies, daydreaming--it feels like she's dreaming of what could have been. And what could still be!

I always read this knight of cups as an amateur filmmaker. Someone just starting out, perhaps a little pretentious, but their intentions are in the right place. The fact that its a card that isn't fully mature, like a king of cups for instance, makes it seem tangible. So the woman isn't jumping to the ultimate end goal, but what could reasonably happen. This dream just lives in her head. Something she keeps for herself.

This is supported by the ace of disks (pentacles) and the 7 of disks. The 7 of pentacles can show patience as you wait on your investments or considering whether you invest or not. Aces are new starts. So, you would still be thinking about whatever alternative option you rejected to stay. Maybe you would know its still on the table and that's why you toy with the idea as a contingency plan. You know your growth is being stunted. Honestly for this group I think you were meant to leave. I don't think you would ever have been able to throw away this opportunity.

The king of wands is passionate and action oriented. This is how you would yearn to be. An energy like this cannot be contained. For some of you this may be referring to leaving a family dynamic or hometown behind. Right under the king is the 8 of cups reversed. With the imagery, I'm getting substance abuse problems. Maybe its common where you're from, alcoholism in particular. With it reversed, I think you would want to cut ties once and for all. Like just ghost friends, cousins, maybe even a partner. Like its the sort of thing where there may be all this lore associated with your name back home.

You will see what you could turn out like and decide to just go. For some this could relate to a job too. Maybe you see how the job consumes people around you, people lose relationships, some may get depressed, start drinking. You might have "noped" out of that and decided to carve your own path.

For those resonating with more of a family dynamic, I think you might experience some kind of loss. The kind of loss that acts as the straw that breaks the camel's back. Like I'm hearing "well, if Granny G/GG ain't here anymore, wtf am I doing here?" For others you could experience some kind of deep betrayal like a cheating spouse, a backstabbing best friend. And it will just make you go "fuck it" and choose yourself. You might not even be about all that lovey-dovey crap anyway.

Oracle Message: The oracle cards basically repeated the same message: Imposter Syndrome, Forever a Phoenix, and Emergence. Its literally what I- like look at this: "Sometimes you can't save it. Sometimes you have to take what's left and what lessons you have learned and simply just watch the rest burn to the ground." (Forever a Phoenix) The message of feeling confined comes up as well. The emergence card depicts a butterfly woman emerging from her cocoon. It's giving...I REST MY CASE.

Pile 2

Off the bat: A lot of you could be watching for an academic or professional situations. It reminds me of when I had to choose another school over my first choice. In hindsight, that was the best decision I could have made. I now can truly understand the saying "thank god for unanswered prayers." A move could be significant in someway so maybe some of you relocated or chose to stay where you are.

4-card spread: 9 of Wands, Wheel of Fortune, The Moon, The Hanged Man. Bottom of deck is The Fool.

I immediately started to feel a lot of anxiety. My chest feels kind of tight. If you hadn't left maybe you would have dealt with a lot of anxiety or panic attacks. I feel like the environment would have been stifling. A lot of major arcanas in a spread can sometimes signify stability or a lack of change. So if you are watching for a professional situation (academic counts too), you might not have progressed. This could look like never being given promotions. For others I am getting a combo of work and school like a dance academy or something. In a situation like this may always skip over you when it comes time for assigning solos. There is also a lot of romantic energy coming through but please consider how it resonates for your situation.

I also think something about remaining in whatever this is, would have caused you to doubt yourself. The moon and the wheel of fortune side by side could hint at emotional or mental instability. While I do read the wheel as a positive card, because it is something that is always turning, it can also represent a certain predictable unpredictability. The 9 of wands reinforces the message about being on guard. I think it would have been really exhausting to keep up with this toxicity indefinitely.

If this represents a romantic "third party" situation, the affair would have continued in the same way it was going. This applies regardless of which side of the third party you fall on. So if you were in a relationship with the person already, they would keep cheating. Or you would never be able to relax because you'd always be waiting for the next shoe to drop. Always on the look out for signs they're back to their old ways and never fully being able to trust them. No relationship can thrive in the those circumstances. So it would leave you frozen in this state of constant misery.

For others, if you resonate with being the person they snuck around with or if you were one of the many people they were entertaining, they would have kept that up, unfortunately. You would probably get resentful eventually. You may not even get any kind of title that would hint at some kind of significance to your relationship. They would not show the kind of effort that makes you go, "wow, they really value me and want to make this connection work". Nope, with the wheel and the fool. They would want to continue popping in and out with no thought to how it could throw you off balance. They could ghost. Your self-esteem and ability to ground yourself would really suffer.

This could also apply for situations where cheating wasn't the issue or at least it wasn't the only one. If the other person was rude, or controlling, or just awful, that would have continued. It would be you giving up parts of yourself and your peace to keep things afloat. They would still poster like they are "self-made" and like they're a great person.

Oracle Message: I haven't pulled anything yet but some of you may benefit from meditating. If this is something you have been practicing and wonder if there's any point, there is but the benefits are cumulative. So, you have to stick with it. Same with therapy, fitness journeys, or health journeys. Any kind of self-care. You just gotta be consistent. I am pulling from my affirmation cards deck. I'm going to insert a pic. "Today I am responsible" and "today I am at peace" came out together. My intentions were to read these cards as if they came out reversed. So with that in mind, you would have continued being in a lot drama and back and forth. The situation would be detrimental to your mental health and possibly physical health. Think a partner or friend that uses substances and so it makes it easier for you to get into. You might not get as much joy out of life and work would be unfulfilling. Overall, you would not experience much growth as a person.

Pile 3

Off the bat: I am getting more relationship and love energy. But if you are here for something nonromantic, just change the love stuff to fit your situation. Many of you are here for friends or significant others. For some of you, this reading may not be "that deep." Like perhaps this is just a crush that you moved on from and you're wondering what could have happened with them. Others you might have left a party and you're trying to quash the feelings of FOMO lol. Bubbles from The Powerpuff Girls could be significant for some reason.

4-card spread: 10 of Swords, Ten of Cups, Ace of Swords, King of Pentacles. Bottom of deck is 4 of Cups.

I just want to note that the king of pentacles came out sideways. So if there is a flakey or unreliable person in this situation, they would have let you down. So for some resonating with a party or a gathering, if you wanted to stay because a friend or a crush was there, they might have ended up ditching you anyway. You could have stayed and realized this person was not even available, so perhaps they came with someone else. You might have just ended up bored, in your feelings, and way too drunk.

Next, if this was someone that was breadcrumbing you or kind of one foot in, one foot out, they have the potential to really disappoint you. I say this because of the sideways king of pentacles, ten of swords, 4 of cups, and the 6 of pentacles right under the 4 of cups. So you could have ended up feeling unfulfilled emotionally or practically (e.g. quality time). This other person could be kind of cocky, especially if they have a lot of other friend or dating options.

For others of you, staying could have led to pregnancy or children in some way. So this could be a partner or spouse that you considered staying with. A few examples I am getting: Having a child with this person, staying with them and starting a family, finding out they had a child or family with someone else.

The storyline is kind of splitting at this point. Some of this could resonate or none of it, so trust your gut. There's a group of you where things would not have been that bad. This is only for people who had a decent relationship with the person. Maybe the main issue was that you both weren't mature enough or stable enough to have a baby or a super serious relationship. This pregnancy would make you two very happy and would bring you closer together. Even if you ended up co-parenting, I think it would be okay for the most part.

Now, for the other half of the storyline...it's not such a happy ending. If something told you this person was not reliable enough to have a family with, that was likely the truth. They seem like the sort of person that would seem cool to start. They would act like they are going to step up. Think coming around your family more, being present for first ultrasounds, looking at apartments with you. I do think there would still be an air of detachment though. Unfortunately, this person gives me the vibe that they would just go cold. Like they may start off seeming bored, then escalate to "no call, no show" type of behavior, culminating in them ghosting or being very hard to reach. They aren't as ready as they seem and you would be mostly on your own. Whether this means as a single parent or them letting your relationship fall apart. They could continue posting online with their friends, when you were supposed to go to an open house, or crib shopping, or having your baby shower...you get the idea.

Oracle Message: I am pulling from a non tarot deck. I will insert a picture of the cards. It would be a lot to type out in order to explain properly. 😅You could resonate with certain cards more than others. (OMG you know what I just realized. I was getting Bubbles earlier and isn't that what Summer Walker calls her baby? If you know about her and her relationship drama, that could be more confirmation.) For some of you, you could see "what could have been," reflected in one of your friend's life. Maybe they made the opposite decision than you. The cards talking about fate lead me to believe that maybe things worked out in your best interests. In hindsight, you might be able to see how you dodged a bullet. Perhaps you would have had to sacrifice your goals, boundaries, or self-love. The other person seems really messy. The first, third, and sixth card make me think that. The first card is again making me feel like they could have a group that they run with that probably isn't the best influence. Maybe they have a lot of run-ins with the law. Impulsivity and recklessness could be the norm with this person. Also, it would probably be very hard to trust this person. Specifically, it would be veryy hard to trust they will change. You could have the same conversations and just go around in circles with no results. The trust question makes me think of couples counseling and the card next to it reminds me of individual counseling. You would probably get more out of one-on-one counseling. Whatever decision you made here was the right one.

I've been considering offering personals. I would probably put a quota on certain readings just so we are all "consuming responsibly", so to say. It would also just make me feel more a little more comfy. Boundaries were the main reason I stopped doing readings for anyone besides myself. I need to have my ducks in a row so for now it's just a thought.

Anywhoo 🦉 I've got soo many more readings planned. The last one from the poll will be a classic love reading. I will probably do another poll so keep an eye out for that! 💋

~K

[laurfilijames]

Heyyyy love! Okay, Idk if you have spoken about this before but what inspired you to write Breathe? Other than Will being scrumdelicious. But how long did it take you to think up the idea of it and then get it into writing ?? 😇

I actually haven't ever been asked this and I've been so excited to answer it despite how long it's been sitting in my inbox (I'm sorrrryyyyyyyyy 😭)

Long story short; the first time I watched Triple Frontier I KNEW I needed to write for Captain William ‘Ironhead’ Miller and the moment he stepped onto that stage, he owned every part of me.

To make the story longer; Charlie once again was so captivating playing his role and added so much depth to his character and gave more than enough to embellish on.

Will Miller is seriously my idea of a perfect man.

Looks? Check.

Military personnel? Check.

Wounded Warrior (mentally and physically)? Check.

Strong and masculine? Check.

Devoted to his duty and brothers (in the literal sense as well, hi Benny 👋🏻). Check.

Able to keep his shit together (mostly, also see; Benny). Check.

I'll stop myself before I get too carried away because I can go on forever as to all the reasons why I love this man.

So after the first time I watched it, I immediately started it over and watched it again.

And then again.

And again.

It was like an epiphany. I HAD to write for Will Miller.

I'd say by the next day, I already had plans to write for him, and the main premise of Breathe was noted down in a mish-mash of thoughts in a document.

I knew Will would be suffering long-term with his PTSD and reader would be helping through it all while they fell in love (hello, hurt/comfort 🤤).

I had just started my own gym journey at the time and was obsessed with being there and feeling good and was discovering how difficult training can be. (Still to this day when I'm struggling with something at the gym I imagine the TF boys and everything they've gone through, and picturing a sweaty, pumped-up Will is all the fuel I need to push myself). To me, it all plays in with Will’s character so much and knowing Charlie is so dedicated to physical activity whether for himself or for a role, it helped to inspire this idea of reader and Will hitting it off between sets 🥵

When I wrote the first chapter I really wasn't sure if it would successfully turn into a series. I had ideas of course (and smut to fulfill!) but it was a quick 1.8k that was sort of “take it or leave it” and was my intro to writing for the Charlie fandom. Dipping my toes if you will.

And then the second chapter came. And then the third quickly after.

I was hooked.

I wrote four chapters that I was so proud of and then my muse went in other directions (Jax, Jay and Pete were lurking) and then it took me a few days shy of a year to make the next update.

I had a few encouraging friends to help that next chapter happen and now the series has exploded with interest and I am in constant awe at the response!

I've really pushed myself with expanding on plot and adding a level of angst I never have before, and I only have my friends and readers to thank for being so enthusiastic about it and helping inspire me as I go. 💗

I have plans to finish the series within a chapter or two, something I’ve never done in my writing career (the thought is so bittersweet 🥲) but most of my stand-alone Will fics can easily tie in to this story, and I know I will always write for him even after this story is ‘completed’.

I'm not sure if this is at all the answer you were looking for 😅 but I'm so grateful for you asking it and again I'll apologize for taking so long to answer! I just love this series and talking about it always breathes (lol) new life into it and keeps me motivated to keep going!

THANK YOU!! 😘💗

[flmer]

u said u wanted fluff rqs? cuz im here to deliver

honestly, anything w malleus literally anything i love him sm, but if u want smth more specific maybe smth abt love languages? idk im not very inspired rn either

this only happens on dreams, that's what I thought until I met you.

character/s. malleus.

includes. gn!reader, and fluff :D

cw. none

note. I like to think that his love language is physical contact and quality time (and also gift-giving because he literally gifts you a ton of expensive stuff.)

PHYSICAL CONTACT!

"malleus dear... you've been clinging to me for the past 2 hours.."

"I apologize beastie. your company is just enjoyable and you are also very warm."

Malleus is the type of guy who doesn't mind being the big spoon or the small spoon, It honestly depends on his mood. whenever he's feeling down he just wants you to cuddle with him and wrap your arms around his bigger frame... it makes him feel secure, safe, and loved (it also reminds him of his younger days when his grandmother comforts him by spooning his small frame and patting his back). but whenever you're the one who's having a tough time he always makes sure to do the same to you and whispers sweet comforting things to your ear as he hums a lullaby, lulling you to sleep as he pats your hair gently.

Malleus often wraps his arms around your waist and squeezes it a bit just to hear you laugh because of how ticklish that is and he loves to listen to your cute laugh <3 (it doesn't matter if you have a gruff voice or a squeaky laugh or even similar to a car window swiper laugh. he loves to hear it anyway)

Malleus always makes sure to take off his gloves whenever he holds your hands because he wants to feel your hands and how different it is from his. it also reminds him that he's not alone and you're still here with him even though he knows that you'll disappear someday because you're a mortal and he's immortal. love is a bittersweet thing after-all.

HE LOVES LOVESSS IT WHENEVER YOUR FINGERS BRUSHES THROUGH HIS HAIR !! he loves the feeling of your fingers on his scalp.. it reminds him of home and he likes the comfortable silence that befalls around the both of you

QUALITY TIME!

Malleus likes to be around your presence so much that he practically becomes your shadow with how much he's around you... he doesn't mean any harm. he just wants to spend time with you because you're his lovely mortal&lt;3

Malleus adores your and his nightly routine. the way you always tell him about your day and other things you find interesting today without any fear in your voice, he loves that. it reminds him of how you aren't scared of him even if you already know his reputation and what the other students spit out about him. He always makes sure to listen intently and remember all the details you say and if you happen to bring up something you saw that you really liked but couldn't afford to get it? don't worry beastie, he'll get it for you right now! but then again he can't just leave so he'll have to get it for you tomorrow! :)

LATE-NIGHT TALKS. LATE NIGHT TALKS>>>>

whenever you guys don't do your usual late night talks it always makes him feel unnerved and unable to sleep peacefully (Afterall he always sleeps with a smile on his face remembering your earlier conversations) and when you found out about that you always makes sure to talk to him or send him a message (a letter because he always breaks his cellphone's screen with his long sharp nails)

[weirdozjunkary]

Golden heart (a SATBK AU fic) chapter 1

ive been rewatching playthroughs of SATBK and it made me kind of inspired to make a wholesome, but also kind of bittersweet au. Sonic is written so well in the game, but I wonder what would happen if sonic lived in that world and meeting merlina was a coincidence. What would happen in the aftermath of the story? And what if a different blue hero somehow made his way in?

Idk if ill continue this fic, but it was fun to do. Enjoy

Chapter 2

Chapter 1(?)- blue blood of a hero

It was morning, early in the morning. The golden light of the sun shone upon the cold castle, it’s rays bouncing off of every reflective surface. It was quiet, as it was the norm. After merlina’s defeat, things have usually been quiet. Though she had accepted that things would eventually wither and die, Merlina left in search for a new life, not tainted by any shadow. Any sound in the castle now was of rattling drapes near a gusty window, or footsteps from someone who was awake doing their duties.

A book feel from the library shelf, from the echo of the room it’s thud increased tenfold, alerting to whomever was nearby. The book jostled, jerked and writhed. It opened itself and not a moment later, exploded out a portal of bright light, outshining the suns golden rays. Through the light of the book came… screaming? A famous blue hedgehog rocketed out of the book and into the air, his face collided with the cold wooden floor, it took him out for a moment. The bright portal that released him had dissolved away, leaving no evidence of how he got here.

Sonic sat up on his hands and knees and groaned, his face hurt from the harsh fall, but it wasn’t the hardest he’s been hit. He rubbed his sore nose and cheeks, making sure his face wasn't broken or bleeding. Good, it wasn't. A figure with a slightly  familiar voice came up to him. 

He extended his hand to the blue hedgehog. “Um, are you alright?”

Sonic took the figures hand and stood up. “Heh, yeah. Not the worst that’s happened to…” he looked at the figures hand. A metal gauntlet was in its place, it was cold and sleek, decorated with gold trimmings, but somehow it didn’t feel unfriendly. 

“… Are you just gonna stand there and stare at my hand or what?” The figure said.

Sonic finally looked up at the figure. It was… him? Or we’ll, a version of him? He certainly looked like him, but a few years older. He was taller, about as tall as vanilla was. His quills were unkempt and greying. Bags accompanied his tired eyes, and a few scars adorned his body. A crown laid gently on his head. He also had a cape which was cool as hell.

Sonic’s eyes widened at him, it was him. A version of him, but still. And he looked so badass with those scars and that cool cape. Perhaps he starred a bit to long though as his older duplicate spoke again.

“…. I think you can let go of my hand now, buddy…”

“Ah! Sorry!” Sonic said as he released his grip from the other hedgehogs metal hand. “You just look really cool!”

His other self chuckled “didn’t expect to see another version of yourself, ey?”

“Wait you know that I’m a version of you?”

“Well it’s not every day you see your younger self in front of you, now is it?”

“Fair point” Sonic chuckled “you look great though! Like you’ve been in so many adrenaline making adventures!” Sonic replayed a few of his action poses to his other self, who weakly chuckled in response.

“Man, was I really like this as a kid?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. I’m glad you think I’m ‘cool’.” His older self smiled at him.

Sonic grinned in response. Though it was kind of weird, it was definitely cool to see himself from the future- well, A future. He didn’t exactly know where he was.

“So, uh, I’m guessing from the crown you’re some kind of ruler, huh?” Sonic smirked “Didn’t take myself to be the kind of guy when I was older. What? You married some kind of princess chipmunk or something?”

The older hedgehog laughed “no, nothing of the sort. I’m not really into the dating pool like that.”

Sonic raised a brow “really? So why are you standing there with a dope ass crown and cape?”

“Well, I sort of pulled a sword out of a stone and defeated an evil king. Honestly the sword is the more important thing out of that”

“ ‘pulled a sword out of a stone’?” Sonic repeated like a question. What did he mean by that? Okay, yeah he defeated an evil king, but that doesn’t usually mean you were allowed to be crowned a ruler. Plus he said that ‘pulling a sword out of a stone’ was the more important part…. Wait… 

“YOU'RE KING ARTHUR?!” Sonic exclaimed

His older self laughed at his bewilderment, a loud and guttural laugh, one that sonic himself honestly rarely ever really used. For his older self, it was amusing to see himself be so surprised by who he has become. Once a hero as free as the wind, now a king interested in taking it easy from his many years of adventures. He was King Arthur… that name never really sat well with him.

“Yep. Surprising, I know.” 

“To be honest, not really?”

The older hedgehog gave a doubletake “Wait what?”

“I mean, I know I’m awesome as heck!” Sonic stood proudly “so I’m not to surprised that I’d become king! I AM surprised that you seem to be, well, retired from the hero biz”

The king glanced away from him. He was retired, so to speak. He hasn’t had an adventure in a long time, other than the usual stoping of a runaway wagon, he hasn’t slain a dragon or stopped another evil king. Not that he’d want to do that stuff again. His drive for adventure was still there, but sealed away by a layer of taint from the years before.

But he can’t lament over it. He sighed and turned back to the short blue hero. “If you’re anything like myself, you probably have an appetite by now, right?”

“Oh, uh, yeah I guess I could eat” sonic responded 

The king walked past him, waving him over to the door. “Then come on. Maybe I can get you something that would suit your taste.”

“Got any chillidogs?” Sonic bounced over.

“What’s a chillidog?” 

Sonic blinked in surprise. “Uh… I’ll tell you later”

The royal blue hedgehog raised a brow, but decided to leave the blue hedgehogs comment. The kitchen wasn’t far from the library so it wasn’t really worth smalltalk, he wasn’t the one for smalltalk anyways. The main hall they had to traverse through felt large and hollow, despite being decorated with various tapestries and suits of armor that held the most delicate and pretty weaponry. 

Sonic looked at the armory that adorned the halls, more amazed by each one. He turned to his older self to express his admiration, but the hedgehog seemed agitated by the presence of the suits of armor. His brow furrowed as he looked straight to the end of the hall, not even glancing at the shiny sheets of metal that would catch anyone's eyes.

Sonic shut his lips, preventing any unwanted words to come out. This other older version of himself wasn’t much of a talker, huh? It was strange, he was always up to talking, why wasn’t he? The silence in Sonic's ears was deafening. He could barely hear his steps on the carpeted wood. It was, honestly, sort of awkward, to not chit chat or give small proads at someone. 

But Sonic always respected boundaries. Even if someone never explicitly said anything to him, he could tell when someone was uncomfortable. He continued to walk with his other self in silence.

To ease his mind, he continued to look around, soaking in all of the pretty decorations along with the stone walls and the wooden doors and pillars that kept this castle standing. The wood, though looked worn for wear, never was rotting, like it was being taken care of by, um, whatever they use in this timeline. 

Sonic’s eyes drifted, and he slowly came to a stop in front of two large open doors. It was the throne room, empty, despite it to, being as decorated as the hall connected to it. The throne had a cold look to it, like it hadn’t been sat upon in years. And If any had, it came with a bitter feeling. 

Sonic tilted his head up above the cold throne to a beautiful case for a blade rested atop it, empty. A sword belonged up there, but there wasn’t one.

“I thought you were hungry?” The king hedgehog said with aggression in his throat

“Oh! Uh, sorry! I’m coming!” Sonic quickly paced his way to him. “You just have, uh, a lot of cool things in here.”

His other self grunted, or maybe scoffed in response. Continuing the silence all the way to the kitchen. Sonic glanced up at himself. His face so tired and cold, like he had been fighting an eternal battle for years of his life.

“… I’ll talk to him later” sonic thought to himself. “After all, I just got here” the corners of his mouth rose slightly as he looked in front of himself. “Plus, I really want something to eat right now”

[starbeltconstellation]

omg hiiiiii! i’ve been loving your fic since forever, and melanie is one of my favorite characters. i’ve always been curious about where you got the inspiration for her. every time i re-read the fic, i find something new that makes me fall in love with her even more.

i really appreciate how you don’t make her a mary sue, which is something i’ve sadly come across a lot in this fandom. her flaws feel very human, and she behaves in a way that most of us would. yet, you write her in a way that she doesn’t seem like just another fragile character. she has depth and strength that make her stand out. 💕💕💕

Hello! 😊💕❤��👋

Ahhhh, thank you so very much for the ask, dear anon! 😭❤️❤️❤️🥹 It’s soooo sweet. I always have wished more readers would hop on over to leave their thoughts. Maybe it would give me a little bit more of that sweet dopamine motivation. 😩😂 Lol.

As always when I hear this, I’m SOOOO happy that you love Melanie so much. 😭💕😁 It literally means the WORLD to me that so many people relate to a character I’ve written. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and then I think: “huh, maybe my writing isn’t half bad. 😌” 😂

It’s sooo cool to know you reread my fic often! 😭💕💕❤️❤️💕❤️ I’d love to read a comment whenever you do, just so I can go “agshsvhwbshvs!!! 😭” as a thank you for your kindness to read my little old work. Haha.

I’ll put the rest of my answer under a read more:

I’m so happy Mel doesn’t come across as a Mary Sue! ❤️ That was one of my worst fears, so it was REALLY important to me to try and flesh her out and give her an arc separate from Anakin. And the biggest part of that is The Shopkeeper, because it means Melanie has her OWN antagonist to deal with, just as Palpatine is Anakin’s antagonist. This was important because—just as I didn’t want Anakin to take away from MELANIE’S character arc—I in turn also didn’t want Melanie to take away from ANAKIN’S character arc. He IS still The Chosen One, after all.

That fact is really important, as Mel kind of brings up if you’ve read my latest chapter. 👀 Because it’s SO important to acknowledge how important Anakin is to the narrative and in the fate of the galaxy—specifically BECAUSE that gives him agency in his choices. Yes, there are factors such as his horrible past as a slave which fucks up his mind, but still: at the end of the day, Anakin wasn’t mind controlled. HE made those choices, and the galaxy all suffered for years because of it—because he was too selfish to change. Until Luke came along, that is. And while it’s a bittersweet feeling to say you can always change your mind, I WILL be exploring some in this fic how Anakin’s choice at the end of ROTJ is basically… selfless/selfish all at once. 😭🫣😬 (the Anakin stans gonna get me for this one. Lol. 😂).

Basically, his choice to save Luke is selfless, because he saves Luke knowing that he’ll die doing it, and won’t be around to spend time with his son. He has no clue Obi-Wan is gonna hop in last minute and speed run teaching Anakin how to become a Force ghost in the final seconds before eternal nothingness. And yet—at the same TIME—the action is selfish, specifically BECAUSE Anakin would ONLY do this for Luke. His SON. His BLOOD. But would he do it for anyone else? Like—idk—Han Solo? 😭🤷‍♀️ HELL no.

And honestly… I fr don’t know if he’d do it for Leia either. 😬🥶🫣 Low key, I truly think half the reason Luke got through to Anakin was through his sheer blind faith/loyalty in him that his father would turn it around at the last moment (and hey! He WAS right. 🤷‍♀️). But LEIA wasn’t sunshine incarnate like Luke. Leia HATED Anakin as Darth Vader. Anakin also TORTURED Leia canonically and also held her back while Tarkin blew up her planet and basically shrugged his shoulders like—“what can ya do, ya know? 🤷‍♀️🤪🤪”, so I’m FAIRLY certain Leia wouldn’t be begging Anakin to change/have such blind faith in him like Luke did. So—switch it around where Leia is the one being killed with lightning—and SHE doesn’t call out for her father. Because SHE truly doesn’t BELIEVE he can change like Luke could.

Can you TRULY see Anakin still making the same choice he did with Luke in ROTJ? 😬 Because, honestly? I can’t. 🥶🤷‍♀️

But anyway! 😂 This is becoming a little bit of a meta post, so I’ll try to move things back to your original ask.

But yes, it was SO important to me that Melanie had a realistic response to being in the SW universe, because with all the fics I’ve read—NONE of the OC’s actually react in a realistic manner. 😭🤦‍♀️ And so it was important for me to show her disbelief at first, INCLUDING her fear of Anakin. Because yessss, yessss, I know Anakin is fandoms little serial killer blorbo 🙄 (and I respect that! He’s mine too. 😏💓), but Anakin also isn’t REAL to the fans, and can be written any way they want. But for MELANIE, Anakin is now a flesh and blood person who can make his own decisions now… and considering his decisions end up being VERY bad… I do think her terror of him makes sense. 😭🤷‍♀️😂❤️

And it was REALLY important to me that Mel wasn’t just connected to the SW universe through Anakin. SO many OC’s are written without an arc because the whole fic is just about the romance, but when you do that—the OC becomes flat! Ya know? 🤷‍♀️😭 So it was important to me Mel gained other friends in the SW universe, like Ahsoka and the clones and even Yoda and Todo. All of this relates with Mel’s choice with The Shopkeeper 👀 (that I won’t spoil for any new readers who come across this post), because it means that Melanie has grown to care about the people in the SW universe, including what happens to them in the end. 💔😖

And I’m so glad you see the depth and strength to her! 😭❤️💕💕💕 That means a lot. It was certainly a struggle at first, because I obviously wanted her to start out weak and grow stronger and more confident as time passes on—but at the same time—I wanted to show that she has a backbone and a strong moral foundation; ie; she’s can’t turn her back on people she KNOWS she has the power to help (an interesting comparison to Anakin, isn’t it? 👀👀).

As for my inspiration for Melanie? Well, I think I’ve mentioned this before to some of my online friends, but when I first started the process of outlining this story, I just had the thought of—“If I landed in the SW universe, and met Anakin (AKA: Darth fucking Vader 🥶), how would I REALISTICALLY react?”

And ta da! 😁✨💕❤️ There you have it. That’s how Melanie Bains was born. Hehe.

I feel like that’s why so many people love her and relate to her—I first based a lot of Melanie’s reactions on myself and how I thought I’d act in the SW universe—but it honestly makes a lot of sense that everyone else relates to her so much, because Melanie IS basically a stand in for every fan in the SW universe (at least, the general audience fans 😂). When she curses in her head or grumbles at the clones’s antics or cannot shoot a blaster shot in a straight line (at least at first) to save her LIFE—the audience laughs and thinks, “Pfffft, that’s SO me. 😌✨😂”

And I think that’s what makes Melanie’s character so appealing. 😊❤️💕 And I’m VERY excited to show you all her journey on becoming tougher as time in the Clone Wars continues on. 😁❤️

Thank you so very much for the ask, dear anon! 🥺❤️ It truly makes my day. Hehe. 😊❤️✨💕

-

To any new readers that stumble across this and are curious enough to check out my fic:

Tags:

@ensomniaa

@heartfairy

@fangirlteallie

@readersunite

@shoniwake

[jacky-rubou]

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers

thank you @septic-dr-schneep for the tag!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

44 public works, 48 if you count anonymous

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

486,495

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Gravity Falls, which is the only one I really write for. Any other fandoms I have are either from previous fandoms or crossovers with Gravity Falls lmao

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1. A Hug For Those Who Need It with 205 kudos (first fic to hit 200, woot woot) 2. The Trouble With Sweaters with 190 kudos 3. Sometimes All It Takes Is A Sleepover with 132 kudos 4. He Signs I Love You with 125 kudos 5. In The Dark with 112 kudos

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I always try to at least give them a single sentence of gratitude, if not an author's cut of why I did what they liked. Sometimes just a heart if their comment doesn't have much to respond to. or a winky face if I'm being coy lol. I just like to let my readers know that I appreciate the comments and that they're not commenting into a void lol.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

that is so hard because almost all my fics are angsty in some way haha. but i guess there are some with bittersweet endings that aren't as crushing as others, so I'll go with Sacrifices Must Be Made (major gore warning), The Things You Can't Live Without, The Twist of the Knife That is Fate, and Lost in Loving Memory (suicide and self harm warning) all with major character death.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

define 'Happiest'. i got some hopeful endings after soul crushing angst like Not So Different (And We're Dying For It) (suicide attempt warning) and Barely Living (And All It Takes Are Some Pills but idk.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

occasionally. mostly just peeps upset at pacing or my weird choices. i haven't gotten a lot. if i do, i delete it right away usually.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

haha no. (no shame on anyone who does but... that's not my style)

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I've written a fair bunch. I think the wildest one was a Courage The Cowardly Dog and Undertale fic I abandoned on ffnet.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

no idea if I have and hopefully i haven't. anyone who notices someone stealing a fic of mine please let me know.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

if i have, they haven't asked or told me about it.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

nope and the idea terrifies me. though if helping with ideas counts, i have had someone help me with one of my fics in a more 'major' way but i don't want to talk about them further for personal reasons.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

right now, i like fiddauthor.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

there's a wip i made a few months ago inspired by a small angsty comic about ford's ptsd being triggered by water guns and almost shooting his family with a real gun i saw but i lost interest pretty quick when i didn't know where the hell to go with it.

16. What are your writing strengths?

emotions. i have made many a reader cry and i love that about my writing. and I think I have a good grasp on world-building.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

probably my bias towards specific characters blinding me to implications. specifically Ford.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I think it's fine. I don't do it because I fear writing something wrong. Also I don't really write with characters that would know other languages (except for Stan I guess but I don't get very much opportunity to add it where it makes sense haha)

19. First fandom you wrote for?

regrettably, the transphobic wizard franchise mixed with Sonic the Hedgehog for some godforsaken reason. never posted it anywhere though, thank god. just something i handwrote as a kid. for first ones I've actually posted, see the courage the cowardly dog and undertale fic on ffnet i mentioned earlier.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

ARRRGGGGHHHH SO HARD TO CHOOOSE!!!

A few I love from myself are my suicide!ford duology (soon to be trilogy, shhhh), my paralysis!ford trilogy, my blind!ford duology, and Dead On Arrival

anyway, tagging @ferretwhomst and @thereareeyesinsidethetrees