#it really feel like a lot of teens don’t know how to just…have fun anymore

[queen-esther]

It’s upsetting to me how younger people—namely kids—are pressured to be, like, aggressively involved in politics and talk extensively about every single social issue. I’m not saying it’s bad for kids to learn to be aware as they get older, but my younger brother is 14, and he says kids at his lunch table talk about abortion and trans stuff, like, every single day, and they rarely talk about anything else. Social media catered to teens and preteens pushes political topics at them on the regular, and if politics isn’t front and center, then they’re pressured to talk about whether or not a new show or movie is “progressive” enough for modern sensibilities.

When I was 14, my friends and I were talking about the latest Twilight and Hunger Games movies. When we logged on to Facebook, we spent time putting together Flair boards filled with our interests and typing up stupid updates about our school day and playing Facebook games. “Trending topics” were more organic back then, so our feeds had actual age-appropriate topics to browse through instead of the millionth article about X politician being a piece of shit or Y political topic being The Most Important Issue Of Our Lifetimes. No one at school really talked much about politics, either; we were too busy worrying about Homecoming or the next band competition to care.

I know it’s been obvious for a long time to anyone with a working brain that social media has been programming kids to be soldiers for the leftist movement, but it’s just frustrating watching it play out in real time. I really do feel like we’re going to start seeing a bigger push from Democrats to lower the voting age the more teenagers are “educated” on various topics, because they know kids are more inclined to fall in line with what their friends, favorite celebrities, and social media are telling them is the “right” opinion to have on these issues and are thus an easier age group to manipulate when it comes time for elections. Kids aren’t allowed to just enjoy being kids and shamelessly watch fun movies or listen to their favorite music or have their biggest worry be what to wear to prom anymore; their whole lives have to revolve around supporting The Cause now.

[auras-moonstone]

heyyy i love your ficsss so badly! i was wondering if you could do “you are in love” reader x (ethan or jack, doesn’t matter) where reader and ethan/jack slowly start falling in love, and just make small little moments where it shows how they slowly start developing feelings for each other, and it ends up in them kissing in a car or on a rooftop!! thank you so much!! i love ur fics, they make me believe in love all over again xx!!

that’s actually the cutest thing someone’s ever told me🥺 thank you so much, i hope you like it!

you are in love — ethan landry

word counter: 2.2k

pairing: ethan landry x fem!reader

summary: y/n moves to new york to be with her friends and meets ethan, with whom she connects instantly and they slowly start to fall for each other.

warnings: none! just fluff.

Y/N couldn’t believe she had let the group drag her to one of the places she hated the most—parties. The only reason why she accepted was because she had just moved to New York after years of living in another country, and she missed her friends. Especially when she heard the news about their attack and the death of Wes and Liv. She needed to be with them, so she transferred to Blackmore University.

“Can you at least pretend you’re enjoying yourself?” Mindy asked, trying not to laugh at the girl’s scowl.

“No, at least people will get the memo. I swear if one more frat boy offers me to go upstairs I’m starting something.”

“Hey, you wanna go upstairs?” a voice from behind her teased.

Y/N laughed as she turned around. “Hi, Chad. You’re the only frat boy I tolerate… most of the time.”

“I missed your grumpiness so bad.” he hugged her. “By the way, this is Ethan. Eth, this is Y/N, my best friend who just moved and our new roomie.”

Standing beside Chad was the tallest 20-year-old Y/N had ever seen. With perfect brown curls and magnetic brown eyes, he was also the most gorgeous guy Y/N had ever met.

Very aware of the pretty girl’s intense eyes on him, Ethan blushed. In an act of nervousness, he foolishly extended his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Y/N looked down at his hand and with a smile, she shook it. “Nice to meet you, too. I heard a lot about you. Chad is kinda in love.”

He truly spoke a lot about him, and Y/N thought their bromance was everything.

“Damn right. He is my boy.” Chad squeezed his male best friend’s shoulder. “I think you two are going to get along great. You can bitch about parties together while the rest of the group have fun.”

“Have they been dragging you to a lot of parties?” she asked in a sympathetic tone.

“Sadly, yes.” the boy laughed. “It’s nice to know I won’t be miserable alone anymore.”

Y/N giggled. “Hey, thanks for letting me stay in your dorm, by the way. I know we don’t know each other, so I appreciate it.”

“No problem at all, really. Chad says you make the best coffee in the world, and coffee is practically what keeps me alive in college. So my reasons might not be selfless at all.”

“I share the sentiment, and I’ll gladly make you coffee anytime you want. I promise.”

“That’s a dangerous promise to make. I truly do drink a lot of coffee.”

“Trust me, she could make a run for your money. She hasn’t had coffee for like three hours and she’s already Grouchy Smurf.” Chad spoke, reminding the two teens that they weren’t alone. “I’m telling you, you’re going to get along great.”

“I believe it. Hell, I might just have replace you already.” Y/N exchanged a smile with Ethan.

Chad rolled his eyes and scoffed, acting annoyed. Truth was, ever since he had met Ethan, the only thing he could think was what a perfect match he would be for Y/N. Sam and Tara could see it too, but Mindy thought Y/N was way out of his league.

“Whatever, you two party poopers can hide in the corner. I’m going to party.” the boy said, leaving them alone.

Time flew too fast, which was unusual considering they were at a party, but between getting to know each other and light-hearted jokes, they realized almost three hours had passed and together they decided to call it a night.

“Sorry I wasn’t here this afternoon to welcome you. I lost track of time at the library.” Ethan said once they entered their dorm.

“Don’t worry about it. We didn’t do much anyways, they just helped me unpack and then I took the most awesome nap.”

Ethan smiled. “Yeah, you look way too energetic.”

“And you look like you’re two seconds away from collapsing on the spot.” she laughed. “Go rest.”

“Are you going to bed?”

“I’ll probably make some tea and read for a while, I’m not tired.”

“I can keep you company.” he offered. Y/N smiled, he was trying hard to keep his eyes open yet he was still there making sure she didn’t feel alone.

“No, it’s okay. You look very tired and I don’t mind some alone time, really. Thanks, tho. You’re very sweet. “

“Fine, but if you need anything wake me up. I’m serious.”

“Okay, thanks. Good night, Ethan.”

Ethan yawned and mumbled a quick “Night, Y/N/N. It’s was nice to meet you.”

It was a Sunday morning and Y/N woke up in a good mood, so she decided to make breakfast for Ethan and her. Starting with the coffee Ethan had become obsessed with ever since the first time she made it for him, and then she tried to make toasts. Keyword: tried.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” she cursed, taking the burnt toasts out of the toaster. “Idiot!”

“Well, good morning to you too.” a sarcastic raspy voice said from the other side of the stool.

Y/N turned around to face the curly-haired boy. “Sorry, Eth. Good morning. I tried to make us toasts but I burnt them.”

Ethan smiled and walked towards her. “Thank you, you didn’t have to. Let me do it, you already did coffee.”

Their shoulders brushed and they stood still, looking at each other in shock. The moment lasted for only a second, but it was a meaningful one. Just one look and a small touch, but they felt enough.

It had been a month since Y/N moved in with the two boys and met the rest of the group. And even though she had built a nice friendship with Anika and Quinn, it was safe to say that Ethan was the one she had connected the most with.

“So, what are your plans for today? Chad already left for the gym and then he’s going to Tara’s.”

“I honestly don’t feel like going out, so maybe I’ll stay in, watch some movies.” Ethan shrugged, giving her a cup of coffee.

“Do you mind some company? I don’t feel like going out either”

Ethan smiled widely. “Of course. What’s your favorite genre?”

“Slashers, horror, suspense… anything gory.”

“Fuck yes. I finally have someone to watch horror movies with.” the boy smiled like a little kid.

“What are you talking about? Mindy’s really into them.” she frowned.

Ethan grimaced and let out a chuckle. “Mindy kinda hates me.”

“What? Why? Are you sure?” she asked, completely taken aback. Mindy sure was a peculiar human, but Ethan was so sweet and funny, there’s no way you could not like him.

“Yup. Surprised you haven’t noticed, she doesn’t hide it.”

“She’s a little distrustful, because of what happened last year.”

“I know. But that’s not it, she actually dislikes me. She says I have the profile of a killer, and I swear to God I feel the disgust on her eyes everytime I’m near. She says something mean about me whenever she can, and she bluntly said you’re too good to be my friend.”

Y/N’s jaw fell open and her heart hurt a little for him. “That’s a load of bullshit. I’m sorry, Ethan. That’s awful.”

“It’s alright. The rest of the group is cool with me, and Chad is already my best friend. I can take Mindy’s comments.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have to bear with them. I swear if she says something about you in front of me I—”

“You’re not going to say anything.” he cut her off. “I don’t want any tension, I’ll just keep on ignoring what she says.”

“Okay, then. I’m not saying anything.”

“Thanks.”

“If you’re present.” she finished. “If she talks about you when you’re not there, I’ll give her my piece of mind. And there’s nothing you can do to make me change my mind.”

“Stubborn woman.” he rolled his eyes.

Y/N gave him a toothy smile. “Proudly.”

Ethan felt like he had been given an electric shock. There was a parade going on inside his stomach, and his heart was beating as if he had ran the longest marathon.

But it was all Y/N and her protectiveness over him. They had known each other for a little over a month, and there she was, becoming his best friend and making him feel cared for and important.

There was one week left until finals, and the anxiety was in the air and printed on Y/N’s and Ethan’s faces. They were both sat on the couch—papers, notebooks and colourful markers sprawled around them—and talking to themselves under their breaths.

“That’s it, I’m out. I can’t stand the sight of you two.” Chad said, pocketing his phone as he stood up from his chair almost tripping over one of the empty cups of coffee on the floor.

“I’m so sorry we’re invested in having a future.” Y/N said sarcastically “If one day you need a doctor,” she pointed to herself and then at Ethan “or a lawyer, we’re definitely not going to be there.”

Chad raised his eyebrows, and bit his lip trying not to laugh. “Okay, whatever you say.” he raised his arms. “Good luck with this one, Ethan.”

“Ethan’s fine, he doesn’t get on my nerves. Unlike you.”

“Because you’re one and the same.”

“I smell jealousy there, Chad. Are you mad your boyfriend replaced you?” Y/N smirked.

“He didn’t replace me. I’m still his favourite, right, Eth?”

Ethan diverted his gaze. “I plead the fifth.”

“He doesn’t want to hurt your feelings, but the answer’s clearly yes.” Chad said to Y/N. “Goodbye.”

Once the door closed, the only sounds that could be heard in the living room were the turning of pages and some frustrated sighs. Ethan was the one who broke first, “Okay, let’s just stop. You’re going to get migraines and I can sense you’re about to burst out crying.”

“Thank fuck, I didn’t want to be the weak one and say it first.” Y/N said in relief, closing her textbook. “Want coffee?”

“Sure” Ethan said with a laugh.

“So…” Y/N started. They had sat on the balcony, with a cup of coffee, to admire the streets of New York at midnight.

“So…”

“Who’s your favorite? Chad or me?” she asked with a playful smile.

Ethan rolled his eyes and tugged her close, so her back was resting against his chest. They both closed their eyes and enjoyed each other’s presence.

Something they loved about their friendship was that there wasn’t any need to fill the silences. There wasn’t any awkwardness because they had learnt to communicate without words, they could read each other’s expressions and body language. Everyone in the group could see they had a unique bond.

Y/N and Ethan never had to say anything for the group to know something stronger was developing between them. Something more than a friendship. They could hear it in their silences, they could feel it on the way home from university—both would walk beside each other and absentmindedly brush their knuckles or lean against the other—, and they could definitely notice the way they looked at each other. Whether the other was looking or not, they were constantly searching for one another. They were falling in love, you could see it even with the lights out.

“Ethan?”

“Yes?”

“You’re my favourite, too.”

Ethan smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Y/N fell asleep listing to his heartbeats.

Things changed after than night. The two friends finally realized what the rest of the group had known for months—they were in love. And with the realization came the fears. Fear of rejection, of ruining a perfect friendship, fear of those feelings being one-sided. And so they spent days trying to push down those feelings until it became unbearable.

“There you are.” Y/N said with a smile once he found Ethan lying on the rooftop. Now that finals were over, the group decided to take a well-deserved vacations and rented a house on the beach. “Can I join you?”

“Always.” Ethan smiled patting the place beside him.

“What a view. Can we stay forever?” Y/N said in a content tone. The sun was setting, painting the sky with pretty shades of bright orange and soft pink, contrasting with the clear blue water of the sea.

I already get to see the prettiest view everyday, was Ethan’s immediate thought. But he couldn’t say that, so instead he went with, “I wish.”

Silence followed those words. This time, it wasn’t the comfortable peaceful one they were accustomed to. There was this loudness in Y/N’s strange expression, like she wanted to get something off her chest but she was overthinking it way too much.

“You can tell me anything, you know?” Ethan said softly.

Y/N looked into his eyes and moved her body closer to his. Ethan’s heart started beating in anticipation, something about that move made him hopeful.

“I just…” she paused. “You’re my best friend, Eth.” they were so close she might as well have whispered those words against his lips.

Ethan smiled and closed the distance painfully slow. If she was any other person, he might have had second thoughts, but not with Y/N. He could read her like his favourite book. “I’m in love with you.” he whispered when the kiss ended. Their foreheads were touching and their eyes were still closed.

“I’m in love with you, too.”

[ryuichirou]

I apologize if it is too personal but how do you deal with "antishipper" and the way they make callout posts and harassment campaigns against you ? It’s legitimately so scary and it makes me hesitant of posting my own art

Anon! I am very sorry you are going through this horrible feeling of hesitation and anxiety; knowing that people get targeted like that could not only stop you from posting, but stop you from creating altogether, and this is the worst part about this whole thing.

It’s not too personal, and I don’t mind talking about it at all. I’ve talked about our position and our relationship with fandom policing a bunch of times already, so I’m sorry if I’m repeating myself.

I used to be worried about posting certain stuff too. Well, when I was a teen/in my early 20s I wasn’t worried about anything: we had so much juicy stuff posted here lol But then the nsfw ban happened, and the social climate of this app and internet in general started shifting, the first stories about people driven to end their lives because of the hate they received started to come out, and we stopped posting completely. It wasn’t a huge loss to us back then, and this situation wasn’t the only reason why we stopped, but still, it clearly became much more difficult to just appear out of nowhere, throw problematic stuff in your blog and run away again.

I vividly remember us wanting to post my Shingeki no Kyojin drawings and comics based on our AUs and stuff, but not knowing what to do with Ereri – there was no way for us to be “unproblematic” (which was never a concern to us, we just didn’t want to get tons of hate lol) and still post Eren with a man twice his age. So we started posting them without a tag, starting with a drawing that wasn’t too shippy, and then miraculously the world didn’t end. That made us bolder, and we started to post them openly, and posted them for almost two years pretty regularly, alongside some of our other problematic ships + problematic themes. Of course we did get hate, we got a lot of hate while we were posting SnK stuff from all kinds of people, but what we also got a lot of people who found our content refreshing and interesting, even if it was weird and uncomfortable at times.

We weren’t the only people who shipped Ereri (let’s ignore my petty thoughts about the difference between Ereri and Rivaere for now), and we weren’t the only people in Twst fandom who liked Shroudcest, which is another ship that we were super hesitant about posting or even mentioning at first. But with all the hate around I was so certain the world was going to end the moment we post them, and that didn’t happen. The end of the world never happens, but what does happen is that people either get introduced to a fun new dynamic and get invested, or get happy that someone finally posts for the ship they were too afraid to post for. Somehow, when you see some other person being ballsy, you don’t feel as scared anymore – it happened to us with other people’s posts too. Yes, I still say this even though it spawns a bunch of callout posts and harassment, as it did with us. Were we cancelled? Yeah, somewhat. There’s so much you can say about an acc that states “problematic stuff, 18+”, right? I was super relieved and happy, actually, that a lot of people left/blocked us just because they’re the people I’d never want to interact with my art.

I’ve been yapping for a long time already lol so I’ll give you some pieces of advice instead… These are things that legitimately help us.

Surround yourself with people who support you – if not you personally, then at least your ideas (i.e. other proshippers). Luckily, nowadays it’s easier to find them… But also, having a friend who you can vent about these things to helps a lot! It’s cheesy but it’s a fact: when you’re not alone, it’s not as scary.

Always ignore comments/asks from antis and block them on sight, block anonymous asks too. Even if you really want to sass them, it’s much more effective to ignore them: when you give them attention, it invites more engagement from them.

Block people you get bad vibes from. Block those who like or comment bad takes or support harassment of others, block all of their alt accounts. It’s tedious and takes time, but it really helps to keep you hidden from them, at least to some degree. I look up Shroudcest sometimes just to block new people. They try to make fun of me for that, but who cares if it works? You can’t block everyone, but these people usually flock together and it’s usually just a bunch of friends, so taking several posts on these topics from people from the fandom and blocking everyone involved will obliterate the majority of harassers.

In terms of your safety, having multiple accounts in case you main one gets mass-reported helps + I would advice to keep irl stuff away from your fandom stuff just in case.

This is going to sound stupid, but please keep in mind that this isn’t about you. These people are very miserable and not very smart. Even if they try to paint you like a bad person, they don’t know anything about you, so don’t let their judgment affect how you feel about yourself. This is exactly what they want – to have power over you.

Stay strong and take care of yourself, i.e. lock your acc and/or take a break if you feel overwhelmed. Don’t worry, it will pass: it’s very rare for these clowns to keep focus on one person for a long period of time; they have like 5 different dramas per day. There are some absolutely batshit crazy rapid assholes who won’t leave an artist alone for years, but those are super rare and special cases altogether, I don’t think you need to be worried about those.

Keep in mind which fandom you want to do this with, btw. It’s usually okay for the most part, but if the fandom is just a bunch of kids, it’s more likely not worth it or deserves an empty account, at least. Twst is surprisingly good despite anything it might look like! Thanks to Yana being a shotacon and a creator of Kuroshitsuji, I guess. There are many great and supportive people in the twst fandom, it’s been a pleasure to be here, even though, once again, it’s the first fandom where I got a bunch of callout posts and nasty stuff in my ask (SnK fandom usually harassed me for other things).

TL;DR: it is scary, and you could easily get callout posts about yourself, but guess what, you also get to be yourself. Because realistically, callout posts can’t stop you from creating art. They want you to believe that they have power over you, but this isn’t true. Your life online won’t end after some random callout post – mine didn’t. They also don’t understand that each consequent callout post affects the person being called out even less. We do have a minor panic attack for the first hour or so, and it does involve more extra blocking, but mostly it just sours our mood for the day and drops our morale. I still draw, though, out of spite a little lol Oh, and do try to report these types of posts if you get them, there’s nothing wrong with that.

People had been persecuted for their art and ideas for centuries, so what happens now is really nothing new. Without diving into specifics, there are way worse things they could do than writing callouts, but they aren’t super likely to do those. Luckily.

Take care of yourself, but also please don’t doubt yourself; when it comes to your art being way too fun for lovers of censorship to handle, you’re in a very good company. I’m referring to all the artist and writers of this world btw and not just me and Katsu lol but us as well!

[tmntxthings]

Ok so, hi! I hope you're doing well! I really really like your blog and was wondering if you're still taking requests? If your not thats completely fine.

but If you are could you please please do a the rise boys with a reader who's like their little sister? i cannot for the lofe of me find very many of these, and I adore them.

Your writting is AMAZING btw! Make sure to eat food, drink water, and get some sleep! <3

Big Brothers

author’s notes: :D am i doing requests still? …yes?! it may not seem like it but I look over them all… just lacking in the motivation department rn, esp with this semester, but booyakasha we ball xD thanks for requesting <3 author's note 2.0: I wrote Raph's part in JANUARY and i finally finally finally had the will power to finish Mikey's tonight, the semester is over yayyyyyyy!! Hopefully my motivation will rejuvenate and I'll be writing way more consistently... hopefully lollll hope you enjoy~~

warnings: none to note, unedited, mayhaps a curse word ?

—————————————————————————

Raph

Where do I begin? He’s always the type to protect those around him. It doesn’t matter whether you’re just a regular citizen or someone he knows and loves, this turtle will protect all! He’s got a big heart.

Much like April you stumbled into the boys life at an early age. Yet unlike her, you were younger than the entire group. As a tot, Raph made sure you were never left behind, hiking you up on his shoulders along with Mikey.

Both of you giggling about the height and saying “look look I’m flyingggg!!” making superhero poses, just the works. Standard oldest brother material. He was still a kid too so there were some accidents, of course you fell off once or twice.

But he was quick to distract you from any boo-boo’s, swooping you back into his arms and snuggling his head close profusely apologizing for getting a little too rowdy. “Don’t cry!! Look Raph’s gotcha! All safe and sound!”

“Does it hurt bad? Let’s go get patched up by Lee hmmm? Raph bet’s he has the prettiest bandaids for you!”

If the group is playing a competitive game, like tag or hide & seek, Raph’s making sure you’re having a fun time. Not feeling left out or being picked on too much. In tag he may run a little slower so you are able to catch him, he would happily be ‘it’ a thousand times if it meant you beamed that mischievous smile. “Tag Raphie!!! Hehehe”

In hide & seek he’ll hide with you or better yet find you the best spots to hide. “Okay Raph’s going hide now too, goodluck and don’t make any noise!!”

As the group grows from tots to teens and the world isn’t as sparkly, and dangers lurk every corner Raph becomes more concerned with your safety. Though there’s not much he can do while your at school, any time you hang out with the bros other than the lab he’s always got a watchful eye.

“Ohhhhh guys look at this!!” Window shopping being one of your favorite past times as they walk the streets of NYC. Raph can’t help but call out for you to “Wait!” or “Watch out!” Something about those sidewalks cracks that always trip you up. And don’t even get Raph started on how many times you’ve bounded ahead of the group only to get lost.

“C’mere you!” Raph’s pulling you close and giving you a noogie. Definitely not caring as you screech about your hair. “What’d I tell ya about running off??” He continues messing with you until you either slip out of his grip or call out mercy. “You had me worried!” He breathed out with a stern look. “Awww Raphie I’m not little anymore!” You teased, but to him you’d always be his little sister. Just like Mikey would never escape being the little brother.

Leo

Oh my lord the trouble you two get into. Pranks? Yeah. Lots of them. The two of you are menaces together, and unlike Leo, you get off the hook with batting your sweet innocent eyelashes. “Whaaaaa Leo told me to!!” And he’d scoff, yelling out traitor as you stuck your tongue when Raph’s back was turned.

Despite always slipping away from punishment, Leo didn’t mind you throwing him under the bus. In fact he was quite impressed with your tactics. One of these days he’d catch you on video being a brat behind Raph’s back! So count your days because they were numbered.

While Leo is down for throwing caution and safety in the wind, if things get serious.. let’s say someone threatening you? Whoever’s spouting such nonsense better run for the hills. He doesn’t deal kindly with those who hurt his family. Especially his little prankster of a sister. “Run that by me again? You said what about my sister??” Fun, silly, charismatic Leo is gone! He’d have a glint in his eyes that scream ‘you’ll pay for that.’

What else?! Though he claims he’s nothing like Raph in regards to being wrapped around your pinky finger, he totally is. “Hey Lee can you portal me to school?? I don’t feel like walking!” He’d complain saying how you’re using his rad powers for such a lazy reason (even though he’s guilty of such a thing) but after he gives you an earful of complaints he’s opening up a portal.

Don’t think he won’t waltz in right after you. Much like those older siblings who love to embarrass their little siblings. Calling after you to “Have a greaaaaaaat day!! Big brother wuvs youuuuuuu!!” And it’s similar if he’s picking you up from school. He’ll portal in with a speaker and blare music, mostly Nicki Minaj.

Donnie

Those little puppy dog eyes you can pull off with Raph have no influence when it comes to Donnie, he has footage of your two-faced nature, having big crocodile tears at one moment and an evil grin at the next, unlike Leo who has never been able to successfully capture you in the act, Donnie has and he lords it over you as blackmail for most things, like a big brother usually does

He only brings it out when absolutely necessary, mainly whenever the two of you are in a back and forth banter that has gone too far, "Oh yeah? I seem to recall a certain purple turtle reading some very interesting fanfiction with Atomic Lass last night!" You puff up satisfied when Donnie gasps at such a true accusation, the utter betrayal! "C'mon guys don't start fighting" Raph will speak up as Donnie whips out his phone going for his passcoded camera roll.

"Oh Raphala I have something to show you!" Donnie will sing as he turns the phone over to reveal the beginning of a video of you and its one that has you immediately screeching. Jumping up from your spot to run and try and tackle Donnie to the floor, but he expects this as his battleshell takes off into the air, putting himself and his phone out of reach. "Turn it off!!! Stop it Dee!!! I never said what exactly you were reading!!" You plead as he swoops and dodges the pillows and really anything you can get your hands on to throw.

So yes, he has the dirt that you would hate Leo to get his hands on so Donnie and you have a bit of an understanding of one another. Other than that though you can find solace in his lab anytime. He doesn't mind your entry because unlike his brothers you don't start touching or breaking things. You treat his inventions carefully and he has fun explaining to you their potentials.

As tots Donnie was definitely quizzing and spitting out random facts to your malleable brain, a lot of it ended up sticking so you understood him to some degree on an academic level, but most of all he had prepared you for school to which you were forever grateful

Now you may not say so in words but with each passing grade you would go down to the lair and find Donnie specifically to show off your assignments, beaming proudly as he would smile and singing his praises about how well he had taught you. He realized that maybe he had taught you too well since you were a master manipulator when it came to tear ducts but he couldn't help but smile at that, proud to have another evil genius in their midst

Mikey

He knew what it was like to be treated like a baby despite being only a few years younger, so it came as no surprise that he would agree with you whenever you wanted to do something adventurous, something on your own, "Guys, she's old enough to go out to the movies with her friends!" Even if he sort of knew your crush would be going as well, Mikey was not going to be the brother to hold you back from falling in love!

Now heaven forbid that little heart of yours gets stomped on. The person who did so will obviously be on some sort of shit-list by all the turtles, but I think Mikey would be the one who has to be watched out for the most, he destroys people who hurts what he loves, that pizza place episode with the rock band is a prime example! He'll turn savage, lunging for violence, striking to enact karma on those who deserve it the most

Of course he will be the best brother to go to if you want to have some deep emotional talks, Dr. Feelings to the rescue, and though it hurts him to know you've been stabbed in the heart, he will be there through the whole break-up process! Cry session with tubs of ice cream or whatever sweets you desire, Mikey's a great cook so baking isn't that hard for him. He will listen to all the rants and raging that you need to get off your chest, adding in quips when necessary. Then when its time to detox fully, delete pictures, unfollow on all social medias, block their number, get rid of the gifts and physical reminders, he's there with a box, repeating how strong you are and that you don't need them nor these things!

Unlike Leo, if you and Mikey wanted something, a pair of puppy-dog eyes was better than one, even Donnie could not hold out for long if the begging was done by both of you at once, "Donnie c'mon pleaseeee set up the switch! We wanna play Mario Party!" "I thought we were gonna be playing Minecraft-" "You guys its easy you don't need me to set it up." "PLEASEEEEE"

And no doubt Mikey is whipping up your favorites in the kitchen. He loves to hear your heartfelt "thank yous!!!" and "Angieeee it's so tasty! 10 out of 10!!" You know exactly how to curry his favor when you go topside and grab him new ingredients to use. That and shooting compliment after compliment his way. Sometimes he will trust you to stir or cut up veggies when he has too many things going on at once in the kitchen. The vibes are immaculate when you get the aux cord to the speaker in the kitchen, the both of you singing out all kinds of music and going into little dance breaks when a song is just too good to not groove to!

[waywardstation]

Fair Trade

Akari shares with Ingo a bag of candy she found while distortion diving, though Ingo more appreciates the familiar feelings that sharing candy brings back than anything.

Happy Halloween!! I wrote this off a request an anon gave me about Akari sharing Halloween candy with Ingo. Hope you enjoy!! This is my first bit of writing that I’ve actually published in a while, and it feel like this writing in particular is a lot of nothing, but it was fun just to get something out again!!

OR read here on AO3!

Enjoy!

————

“I am finding it very hard to believe that you dislike chocolate this much.”

“Come on,” From where she sat on the dojo bench, Akari held her hand out to Ingo, the shiny, brightly-colored wrapper in her palm already unfoiled to reveal the candy inside. “It’s not that I don’t like them, I just like other candy more. And I can’t eat all of these myself, so I gotta pick and choose. Also, you have to take it, I already opened it.”

Looking back at her from his position by the dojo, Ingo’s expression was one of discernment — she could certainly just wrap it back up and save it for later. She also could have done that with the last six candies she had handed to him. But eventually, he relented and took it. Popping it into his mouth with an obligatory “Thank you”, Ingo returned to casting his glance at the training grounds’ gate.

Unlike Akari, he had not realized how sorely he had specifically missed sweet, modernized chocolate until she had first given him a piece several minutes earlier, when she had come by the training grounds to see him with a big mystery bag in her hands.

“Look at this, Ingo!” She had called out to him, holding the packaging up against the sunset sky for him to see — orange and purple, it was full of colorful wrappers, and seemed to be decorated with ghost pokemon (some silhouettes he recognized much more clearly than others). “I found this in one of the distortions! Help me eat it!”

A moderately-sized, unopened bag of cheap assorted candies, wrapped in shiny foils that obscured the flavor and kept its brand a surprise until it was opened. No doubt it had been pulled from some store shelf, if not an unfortunate person’s cabinet. Akari had been unwrapping the candies one by one; if it was revealed to be a fruit chew or something of the sort, she ate it herself, but the chocolates were handed off to Ingo.

Reaching her hand back onto the bag, Akari fished out another wrapper and twisted it open, revealing a green gummy inside that vaguely resembled a cherubi’s shape.

“Gummy.” She announced to no one in particular, chewing on it and stuffing the wrapper into her satchel. Picking out and unwrapping another before she had even finished her candy, she held it out to Ingo. “Chocolate. Here.”

“Ah, thank you,” Ingo received it with waning enthusiasm, but dropped it into his mouth regardless. “Have you perhaps considered sharing with your friend Rei as well?”

“Yeah, but last time I did, he got sick the next day. He said he doesn’t want them anymore.”

“How many have you had?” Watching Akari pull out yet another candy from the bag, Ingo was beginning to wonder if she was planning to stop at some point, or keep pushing through until the bag was empty. Knowing her, he believed it would be the latter.

“I don’t know, maybe… Nine? Ten?” The teen did not look up from the candy she was currently unwrapping. “I haven’t been counting.”

Ingo looked away, back towards the dojo’s gates as Akari peeked through the small opening she had made in her wrapper. He was acutely aware of how anything as processed and sugary as candy would not mix well with a digestive system that had become accustomed to a Hisuian diet — concerning both Akari, and himself.

“I advise taking these tracks a little slower; there is no need to rush towards the end of the line in just one night, lest you end up like Rei.”

“Oh man, if you think I’ll get sick off of this, you should really see all the junk I eat that I don’t bring back to share with you,” Akari brushed it off with a laugh as if his recommendation was a joke, before holding another unwrapped candy out to him again. “Chocolate. Here you go.”

“...Thank you.” Ingo echoed once again, tentatively receiving the bite-size candy bar. He chewed it with a look on his face – hard to discern, but appearing to be guilty for appreciating it. He waved Akari off preemptively with a hand before she could even unwrap another candy. “But please, no more; Miss Zisu is supposed to return back from the hall at any moment to accompany me to The Wallflower. I don’t want to spoil my appetite.”

“Well all you have to do is stop taking them, then!” Akari’s voice was tickled with amusement. Plastic crinkled as another wrapper was opened; thankfully for Ingo’s sake, bright, soft pink was revealed under the shiny covering. “Ugh, Taffy.”

Ingo cleared his throat as Akari bit into it anyways, having nothing to say at being called out – he certainly could refuse, but a part of him didn’t want to. And it went beyond the plain craving for the processed sweetness after such a long period of going without it.

Something about the flavor was obviously familiar to him, but that wasn’t exactly what kept nagging him to repeatedly want just one more. In fact, there really was much to be desired from cheap, waxy chocolate.

It was more so the simple act of Akari specifically handing a candy to him that she didn’t want, but knew he liked. It felt like it was tugging on a dormant cord still connected between his heart and his memories.

There wasn’t a lot there, but it was attached to something, deep down.

( )( )( )( )( )( )

It was just like when he and (Emmet went trick-or-treating together as children. The two of them) would always return home with enough candy that (could have lasted them several months, but) would probably only survive a week or two (between themselves and their Pokémon). They would always take turns trading (their candy between each other at the end of the night. Emmet) enjoyed the sour variety of treats and gummies (that would oftentimes end up leaving him with a sore mouth,) while he preferred the sweeter chocolates and (candy bars).

And (when Elesa had come into their lives during their teenage years,) the group would continue the tradition (of trick-or-treating together, and then) swapping at the end of the night. (Chocolates were not willingly traded to him nearly as easily anymore, and) he often ended up being traded the things neither (Emmet or Elesa) wanted. But he didn’t mind (because he liked them well enough, more so than the other two).

And even (into adulthood, when going trick-or-treating from door to door) was swapped out for (late-night scary movie marathons with friends, He found a habit had formed where) he was often handed (the candy bowl near the end of the night, in order to finish off the bit of) untouched candy no one else wanted. (Emmet and Skyla) would lightheartedly jab at him (for functionally being their candy disposal bin, but Elesa would defend him while he himself just laughed,) taking it all in jest.

( )( )( )( )( )( )

…It was just like when he and someone else would always return home with enough candy that would last probably only a week or two. They’d take turns trading, the other enjoying sour candies while he preferred the sweet ones. And when their group continued swapping candy, he was often traded what no one else wanted. But he didn’t mind. And even when things… changed, he still was given the candy that no one else wanted. They would make jokes about him for it, but it was all in jest.

There was so much missing, Ingo knew there was, and it made things confusing as to what actually happened. But he certainly didn’t feel bad about any part of it, when he lingered on the feelings that were left behind.

The fragments were horrifically shattered and spread apart over many, many memories, he could tell. But something about it was comforting. Perhaps it was the fact that so many memories seemed linked together; it implied that this was something that had never changed even while time went on, something that had been continued over a large span of his prior life. He had done something with friends very frequently. And it was something he enjoyed very much.

They were happy memories of people he couldn’t quite remember, and while that was not a novel experience for him at this point, it still dimmed the warmth around the edges. But he could not ignore that it was also cathartic, in an aching, lonely way, to feel that they were so worn and repetitive.

The phantom memories gradually retreated back out of reach, keeping their distance as the sweet aftertaste of the cheap chocolate faded. Something about the fact that an action as seemingly insignificant as being handed unwanted candy, and how it was able to dredge up only emotional remnants of so many hazy recollections… it was a little frustrating for Ingo, if he was being honest.

The complete picture was always just out of reach, it felt like.

But he had lost his entire previous life to the foggy nowhere that used to be his mind. There were a lot of pieces to pick up, and he supposed a substantial amount of them would be small and insignificant — when something shattered like this, there were usually many more small pieces than big ones.

“Another chocolate.”

Ingo blinked, his thoughts giving way to the view of the training ground’s dirt beneath his shoes, then to Akari as he turned to her — she had leaned forward to nudge his wrist with her own hand. Of course, a chocolate nestled within an opened wrapper was held between her fingers.

“Ah-” Ingo hesitated for perhaps a moment too long with a look that may have been a bit too piercing, as Akari’s hand began to retract.

“Right, sorry,” Akari sat back, leaning against the dojo wall behind her as she situated the bag back on her lap. “I know, I shouldn’t keep handing you these when you’re about to go have dinner.”

“No no, it’s alright,” Ingo hastily attempted to correct the misunderstanding. “I apologize, I was not rejecting it; my mind simply drifted elsewhere for a moment.”

“So…” With the usual spirited look returning to her features, Akari held the candy back up. “You do want another piece?”

One last glance over at the gate, but of course Zisu was still nowhere in sight. Only the autumn sunset past the village buildings, and a distant collection of drifblim mingling with the clouds over the fieldlands.

Ingo huffed through his nose and turned to join Akari on the bench, taking the empty spot next to her as the wood creaked beneath him. “…Perhaps just one more; Miss Zisu has not arrived yet, after all. She did say it would be a quick stop by the Commander’s office, but I’ll be honest; knowing her appreciation for conversation, I could be waiting here for her for another half hour.”

Akari held the candy back out to him, and this time, Ingo accepted it. “Thank you.”

Placing the chocolate in his mouth, Ingo sat back as he chewed on it. Mulling over the warm feelings of familiarity that briefly returned once again with the flavor, Ingo wondered if the memories themselves would return at some point as well.

[whosscruffylooking]

The Beginning of Us Part 2 (Joel Miller x Fem! Reader)

A/N: Here is part 2! Next chapter brings the ultimate heartbreaks, so I will be spending a little extra time on it. Also, if anyone wants to be added to the tag list for this series please let me know!

Series Masterlist

Warnings! Spoilers for TLOU Episode 1, mentions of death, mention of panic attack, angst.

Word Count: 3.9k

»»————-　♡　————-««

*September 26, 2003* ~Later That Evening~ "So, the answer would be 783?" Sarah appears unsure. You give her a reassuring nod, "Exactly. Great job. You know, as much as I dread going to work every day, I'm so glad I don't have to do homework anymore." The two of you are sitting on her bed agonizing over her algebra homework.

As she piles up all of her papers into her folder, you wander around her room, examining all of the little touches that make the room hers. There is a simple, yet strong feminine touch to her room. A clear representation of the latest teen trends, and yet it is all a reflection of her youthful vibrance.

The poster in the corner of the room catches your eye, "You really do love Halican Drops huh?" "It's my dream to see them in concert one day," she says with a sparkle in her eye. "I think we should go sometime," you wink at her.

She jumps off of her bed, "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I saw them once live and they are amazing. It would be even more fun to go with another fellow superfan."

Her enthusiastic expression turns to a more solemn one. Extending your arm out to her you bring her back over to the bed to sit down, "What's wrong Sarah?"

She pauses and takes a deep breath, "My dad is a good man...but he's been through a lot. He has been hurt a lot. Uncle Tommy has tried to get him to date, but nothing ever comes of it. That's why I know you are different."

"W-what?" Your brain stutters for a moment, struggling to process what is happening.

"I know you slept over last night. And before you freak out about that, I just want you to know that it makes me happy to see my dad as optimistic as he's been. He's come out of his shell again. I swear to God everything we talk about somehow comes full circle back to you too. The other day I said I want to go to Disney World and he told me how you have a baby picture of yourself with Mickey Mouse on your fridge. That was my first signal that my suspicions have been accurate."

Leaning forward, you take her hands into yours once more, "Sarah...if any of this makes you uncomfortable at all please tell me. I would never want to overstep or make you feel like-"

"Hey hey hey, I'm so happy about this. Since you moved in a year ago, you've slowly brought my dad back to me. I can see the way he looks at you, it's kind of how he looks at me...but different."

Tightening your grasp around her hands, you draw her into a hug. She settles into your embrace and whispers, "Just don't hurt him." Kissing the top of her head you quietly express, "I'll keep him safe I promise."

»»————- ♡ ————-«« The rest of the night is spent waiting on Joel to get home. You and Sarah intensely watched the clock as the hours passed by, wondering when he'd get back.

Finally, the door-knob to the front door begins to shake and you can hear Joel mutter a curse word when he realizes it's locked. "Well, you locked the door for once, good job," he acknowledges Sarah once inside. "That's because I made her," you stare down at her. Nothing can hide the disappointment on her face. She'd wanted so badly to spend the day celebrating her dad, and nothing had gone according to plan.

The young girl kindly reprimands her father for coming home past the time he'd promised AND for forgetting to bring home a cake, she makes him swear to make up for it tomorrow. Eager to move past the awkwardness and save Joel a little embarrassment, you signal to Sarah to give him his watch.

"Fixed it for you," her hopeful eyes look to his in search of commendation and gratitude. He tricks her into thinking that the watch wasn't properly fixed and you watch the two of them with such admiration, for the beautiful bond they have. The ability to have a deep father, daughter relationship and yet be each other's best friends was so endearing. You never want to come between them, but you'd be honored to have a front-row seat to their little family unit.

"Where'd you get the money for this?" He inquires.

"Drugs. I sell hardcore drugs," she says in all seriousness.

You and Joel laugh in unison, your eyes meeting briefly before turning your attention back to his daughter.

"Actually," she rests her head on your shoulder, "Y/N helped."

There is a pleased look in his eye, as his gaze meets yours. It's as if some element of peace washed over him and pure contentment settled into his rough features. It's been years since a woman showed him this much kindness, and you'll be damned if that job ever goes to someone else. »»————- ♡ ————-«« Sarah had fallen asleep to a movie, her head laying in Joel's lap. The two of you kept stealing glances throughout the movie. You feel his fingertips graze your shoulder and you turn to him, resting your head on the back of the sofa.

"Hi Joel," your pupils dilate.

"Hi beautiful," his eyes twinkle, fixated on studying every detail of your face.  

Very quickly, you learn that your conversations do not need words to feel meaningful. The tilts of your heads, the shrugs of your shoulders, the serene sighs of surrender when you feel completely at ease with one another. Both of you are soothed by each other's presence and it is evident even in the voids of quietness. In those moments you can fully savor the company of the other and thrive off of the respect and admiration that radiates from you. There is a feeling of safety and confidence that stays between you and has existed since the beginning of your friendship.

The sharp ringing of the phone snaps you both back to reality. He answers it. You can't make out the words but can tell it is Tommy on the other line. With a heavy sigh, Joel falls back against the couch in defeat.

Damn it Tommy. You got yourself locked up again, didn't you?

Joel turns to you, jaw clenched with annoyance, forehead furrowed in disappointment. He wants to stay here with you a little while longer.

You offer to remain at the house and make sure Sarah is taken care of while he picks up Tommy. He takes her upstairs to tuck her into her bed. Dragging himself back downstairs, he rolls his neck from one side to the other in an endeavor to relieve the kinks. Stifling a yawn, you meet him halfway in the living room.

"We'll be here when you get back."

Although his expression was pensive, it eases slightly as you pull him out of his thoughts and back into the present with you.

"Thank you for staying with Sarah. Hell, sleeping over two nights in a row...things are getting serious." He gives you a goofy smile.

"Go!" You let out a short laugh and shove him out the front door. »»————- ♡ ————-«« As the hours rolled by, your sense of urgency grew. Joel should have been back with Tommy by now. Eager to distract yourself you turn on the television and aimlessly channel surf until you discover a movie that piques your interest. Another hour of watching the front door, willing Joel and Tommy to walk through it, passes by.

Drowsiness begins to overtake you. You take your eyes off of the television screen not wanting to exert any more effort into looking at it. Each muscle in your body begins to release the tension of the day, one by one as you settle onto the couch. The faint buzz of the television lulls you to the edge of sleep in mere moments.

Jolted awake by the deafening rumble of helicopters passing overhead, you fight off the dream that is still clouding your mind. Everything from your eyelashes to your feet feels heavy. Resting your eyes once more, you grant yourself another moment to enjoy the void of unconsciousness.

That moment is interrupted by Sarah shaking you awake.

"Y/N, what's going on? I think I can see explosions outside..."

Groggily sitting up, your vision finally focuses on the TV just past Sarah. The channel that was airing a movie not too long ago is now distorted with static. Sarah picks up the remote and changes the channel.

"STAY INDOORS! Law enforcement and emergency services are in the area and will be in contact with further instructions."

"What the f-"

Your attention shifts from the national alert to the sound of scratching at the window. The Adler's dog is loose and attempting to get into the house.

Okay, this night CANNOT get any stranger.

"It's Mercy! We need to see if he's okay," Sarah rushes to the door. You grab her arm, "Uh, I don't think that's a good idea. I think we need to stay inside right now and keep the doors locked."

"But he never gets loose. What if something is wrong with the Adlers?"

Suppressing the dread that is developing rapidly within you, you swallow your fear for Sarah's sake. You have to keep things calm and safe for her.

"Alright," you smooth your hand over her hair, "I'm gonna go over to my house and grab my nursing kit okay? Let me go check on them, but you do not, and I am so serious right now....do NOT leave this house by any means. Understand?"

She was too frightened to even lift her head, rather she stared out the window at the distant flares of light coming from the city.

You kneel to her level and hold her for a moment, "Everything is going to be alright okay?"

"Can I see if Mercy is okay?"

Conceding, you cautiously open the door and allow Sarah to clutch onto the dog. "Remember Sarah, do not leave the house."

Your pulse beats in your ears, as you turn to face your house. Although your mind is intent on making the trek across the street, it is as if your feet are cemented to the ground.

You tell yourself that being a little nervous is a completely normal reaction to what is going on. But that's just it, what IS going on?

God Joel, where the hell are you?

»»————- ♡ ————-««

"Damn it Tommy can you drive any faster?"

Tommy's grip on the wheel tightens, finding an odd comfort in the grooves between his fingers.

"Joel, I am going as fast as I can okay? They will be fine. Sarah is a smart girl and she has Y/N who won't let anything bad happen to them."

Joel could not wrap his mind around any of the events that transpired once he left his home to go get Tommy. One second he was in the comfort of his living room, within arms reach of the woman he'd just spent the most incredible night with. And his daughter, the embodiment of his heart and soul, was safe asleep on his lap. Next thing he knows, he and Tommy are being chased by a stampede of rabid-like inmates at the Travis County Jail. He could no longer restrain the tremors in his hands, shaking in an irregular rhythm.

"You really care about this girl don't you," Tommy's voice manages to break through the wall of thoughts blockading Joel from thinking clearly.

Recalling the night before, he is transported back to the moment when you pulled his shirt over his head and started grazing your hands across his chest, down the ridge in between his abs. It was a sensory overload, every nerve ending in his body tingled with anticipation. The two of you collapsed onto his bed, your bodies trembling as you bonded with every motion, each passionate touch leaving a flaming sensation on your skin. Your hearts raced in tempo with one another, like a symphony crescendoing to its epic finale.

"I do. This is the only time since Sarah's mom left that I've felt alive. Young again, invincible." Joel has never felt so certain in his life about someone, not even his ex-wife. Being with you is effortless. In your presence, he feels weightless. Like a drug, you drew him in slowly, tempting his every desire. At first, he took you in, little by little. And without detection, he became addicted. »»————- ♡ ————-«« Emerging from your home, nursing kit in hand, you prepare yourself for whatever you might face at the Adler's home. Surely it is nothing too grave, and yet you can't help but wonder why her kids didn't come to get you or call 911 if something happened to Nana?

Passing Joel's house, panic passes over you, causing the fine hairs on the back of your neck to rise. The front door is still open. Your mind races faster than your feet as you rush into the house. The endless possibilities as to what could've happened to her plague you.

You are confident that if anything happens to Sarah, Joel will strangle you with his bare hands...and not in a pleasurable way. Even if you told that stubborn girl not to move a finger from where you left her. She reminds you so much of yourself though. Curiosity can be so enticing at times that it blinds a person. Especially someone with as honorable of a heart as Sarah's.

"Sarah!" You frantically call out in each room.

Where are she and that damn dog?

Joel, hurry up. Please.

After surveying the entirety of the house to no avail, your chest tightens, and your lungs feel as though they have been wrung out of oxygen. Unsure of whether or not your lack of oxygen is due to the running or the panic attack creeping up on you, you take a moment to gather your thoughts. Mind over matter. Where would she go?

The dog. The damn dog. She's at the Adler's.

The next few seconds are a blur. You are uncertain how you got to the Adler's doorstep so swiftly. It felt like you were practically flying. Similar to Joel's home, the front door is open.

This girl needs to learn how to not only lock doors but actually CLOSE them.

A sickening sensation flares through your body as you peer into the still home. There go the hairs on the back of your neck again, but this time, the tingling sensation snakes down your spine and arms too.  Instinctually, you know not to go in there. But, Sarah is in there and she matters more than any gut feeling or self-preservation right now.  

"Sarah?"

Apprehensively, you venture deeper into the house. That's when you lay eyes on her, frozen in the kitchen. Unclear as to what she is fixated on, you join her in the doorway. That's when you see it. A trail of blood leads directly to Mr. Adler, his mouth agape and his limbs contorting. At first, the sight does not phase you. As a nurse working in an emergency room, you handle bloody wounds day in and day out. It's not until you look closely at where the blood is coming from that your fears reignite.

Is that...a bite wound?

A guttural noise captures your attention. Following Sarah's line of sight, terror sucks the very breath from your lungs. There is Nana, atop Mrs. Adler. Another river of blood floods from the daughter-in-law's neck.

Nana's raspy breathing slows to a more even tempo as she raises her eyes toward you. Vine-like appendages protrude from her mouth, attaching themselves to Connie's neck. The drumming of your heart, deafening and irregular, obscures your mind with fear.

Fight? Or flight? First, get Sarah as far away as possible.

Latching onto Sarah's arm, you tug her behind you.

One word. "Run."

Keeping your eyes on the gasping old woman, you ready yourself to prevent her from reaching Sarah at all costs. You listen intently for Sarah's footsteps pounding out of the house until you are positive she's made it outside.

You can feel the flight responses taking over your body, flooding you with increased adrenaline.

Nana stumbles to her feet as she releases a splintering screech. That is when the adrenaline ceases full control over your body, sending you hurdling towards the front door. Whatever creature has possessed the once docile elderly lady, is now hot on your heels. Her bone-chilling snarls signal you to her presence behind you.

Just as you begin to fear the worst outcome, you see him.

"Don't go," Joel's pleas echo in your mind from mere hours ago.

The thought of being wrapped up in his secure embrace once more drives you to push your legs harder.

Anguish pierces his voice as he calls out your name. Even so, it translates into a calming melody that brings some clarity to your mind.

"Get behind me..." He motions you over to Sarah.

As you hold her trembling frame, you turn back to Nana who is collapsed on the ground. Her limbs are mangled and her eyes are void of any life. Suddenly, the sharp cracking of her bones churns your stomach. Like a rabid animal, she growls and sprints toward Joel on all fours. Rising to her feet and closing in on him, she flails her arms wildly.

"What are we doing Joel!?" Tommy exclaims.

Without hesitation, Joel swings the wrench clutched in his fist and lands one solid blow to the side of the woman's head, sending her motionless body to the ground. Sarah screams and you quickly shield her from the sight of her father standing over their neighbor's corpse...or at least the shell of what she used to be.

Joel rushes to his daughter's side and caresses her cheek, looking her over to make sure she's safe and in one piece.

"You killed her," she cries in disbelief as she collapses into his arms.

He tightens his grip on her, "Baby, I'm sorry." He pulls away and stares into her eyes with strength and focus, "It's not just the Adlers. But we're gonna be brave and we're gonna get out of this."

Not just the Adlers? The helicopters flying towards the city...whatever took control of Nana did not die with her, she was merely the introduction.

Feeling lightheaded, you lean against Tommy's truck. He rushes to your side and holds you up, "You got that nursing kit of yours?"

"N-no. Inside," you point to Joel's house.

One by one, generators and streetlights begin to explode. Sparks of orange and gold, light up the sky over your neighborhood.

Joel ushers Sarah into the car and turns to face you. For a brief moment, time stands still. His pupils dilate, as he looks at you, the woman who made the future look like skies as clear as sapphire. Yet, he recognizes a shift in the atmosphere. A shared dread hanging over you like a dark, impenetrable cloud. His hands tremble, searching for yours to steady them. He twitches, his body responding to your delicate touch.

"Don't go." He implores you. His signature phrase to you. That in itself could be your new love language.

Attempting to open your mouth to speak, no words flow out. A simple nod is all you can manage. With that permission, he hurries you into the truck, meanwhile warning another one of your neighbors to stay inside and lock her door. Once Joel is inside, you lean forward and drape a reassuring hand on his shoulder. A subtle, but significant sign of solidarity. He laces his fingers with yours and holds you in place against the back of his seat.

As aggressively as Tommy floors the truck into motion, he brings it to a screeching halt. The headlights of the truck illuminate the Adlers stumbling onto the street. Their limbs are just like that of Nana's, wrenched and fidgeting.

"Get your seatbelts on," Joel declares.

Tommy warns, "Hold on..."

His foot finds its way back to the accelerator with no delay. Bracing yourself for the unthinkable you turn to Sarah, "Come here." She folds into your lap, a whimper escaping her lips. The Adlers charge at the truck simultaneously. Connie soon disappears from view as the truck plows over her and sideswipes Danny.

Closing your eyes, you do everything in your might to hold down the bile rising in your throat.

Sarah sits up and wipes a few stray tears from her eyes, "Daddy-"

"We don't know," Joel interrupts.

You shake your head in disbelief, "The Adlers, they were infected with something, some kind of parasite maybe?"

"That's what they're saying on the radio, some kind of virus," Tommy confirms.

"Are we sick?" The young girl persists.

"No. Of course not," Joel's fearful tone turns to a more frustrated one. As a father, his instinct is to protect his daughter and provide her with comfort, but he has no clue what kind of threat lies ahead and can't give her satisfying answers. You tighten your hold on his hand, and he gives you a firm squeeze.

Joel's brother slows the truck as you spot a family pulled off onto the side of the road.

"Tommy, don't," you state firmly. The family shouts after you in desperation.

"But they have a kid."

"So do we," Joel glares at Tommy.

It's officially every man for themselves. Each outsider you bring into your safety net becomes a variable. An unpredictable risk that could put you and the people you care most about in grave danger.

Beams of crimson light glow in the distance, a vast sea of unmoving taillights. Seems like everyone in Austin had the escape plan as you, sending Tommy into a frenzy.

"It's okay, just think it through, we'll think it through," Joel says in repetition, not just for Tommy, but also to ease himself.

Coming from the opposing direction, panicked vehicles race towards you, and away from the perpetual gridlock that hundreds of other cars are trapped in.

Looking out the window into the vast, empty land that stretches for miles uninterrupted, you have a plan.

"Tommy, the field. It's the perfect detour. Cut across it and we will end up on the west side."

Speedily, he veers off onto the barren land. A stampede of cars follows behind you. The collective rays of the headlights light your path to....another dead end. The highway is infested with army vehicles crawling along it.

Tommy and Joel bicker over what the next move should be. Joel opts for a small town on the north side.  

"And then what?" You interject.

Joel steadies himself against the dash, the unstable terrain tossing your bodies left and right.

"I don't know. Mexico. Just far, far as we can."

Sarah's eyes gloss over. "Maybe it's everywhere. Maybe there's nowhere to go."

"Hey, hey look at me. We are going to be fine. As long as the four of us stick together, we will be fine. There will be somewhere for us to go and find safety. I promise you, we won't let anything happen to you," you place your hand over your heart and affirm to her.

The dilemma is, you don't know if you can even accept what you promised Sarah. This isn't some influenza you can shelter in place from. The battle is against mankind's worst enemy, man. But not normal men, men being transformed into monsters.

"I-I believe you." Sarah's faith in you is unshakeable, "And I love you too Y/N."

»»————-　♡　————-««

Tag List: @midgetpottermills​ @erenswiffe​ 

[devflamme]

Am I Making You Feel Sick?

Summary: Agatha and Lilia having a talk about Agatha's relationship with Rio. Mother issues ensue.

Words: 888

Pairings: Agatha Harkness & Lilia Calderu, Agatha Harkness/Rio Vidal

Warnings: None. There are some headcanons here and there, like: the coven having visions of themselves since they went in the Witches' Road because of Lilia, and Agatha having anxiety. Title from Strangers by Ethel Cain.

English is not my first language / Dividers by @/cafekitsune.

Agatha looked up from where she was sitting in that big disco, noticing Lilia in front of her, holding her hands together in front of her body as she looked down at the younger witch with an analyzing, all-knowing expression. Agatha frowns and then arches an eyebrow up, looking around to find the rest of the coven – Teen was looking for anything hidden in the trial together with Alice and Jennifer, while Rio was… being herself. Looking at Agatha from the corner of the room, watching her like a hawk.

“What?” Agatha blurts out and Lilia sits beside her. Agatha frowns harder, already wanting to know what the clairvoyant had to say – and hoping it was quick, she didn’t want anymore trouble with the coven after cheating in the last trial they were in. Lilia only sighs and Agatha rolls her eyes, crossing her arms like a petulant child. Just how she looked in Lilia’s eyes. “What do you want, oldie?”

“You and the Green Witch,” Lilia starts. Agatha shivers slightly, feeling a hot sensation near the start of her neck. She reaches to touch it, noticing how hot her neck felt from the rest of her body. She could also feel the small scar tissue near her collarbones from the day Rio attacked her in her home – ‘touch’. “You both have a very complicated history, don’t you?”

“What makes you say that?” Agatha rasps out, still feeling hot on the neck like she always did when she was close to Rio or when someone even mentioned her. She did not know why she always reacted like this – she would never know. Rio makes her feel sick. “Jealous, oldie?”

Lilia only chuckles humourlessly. “Stop avoiding my question, Harkness. I’m trying to make conversation with you.”

“I do not want to have a conversation.” Agatha answers, gritting through her teeth angrily. She was feeling too many eyes on her – not a good sign – and it was making her feel extremely uneasy. She could feel Lilia’s analyzing, seeking eyes together with Rio’s jealous, crazed eyes – not a good sign.

“Is her anger towards you related to the story Jennifer told me?” Lilia asks, her voice more low since she could notice the younger’s uneasiness towards their conversation and Rio’s presence close to them. Agatha looked at her own hands and, for a second, she could see her fingertips tinted with black – corrupted with black. Agatha shakes her hands as if she was shaking water out of them. Lilia frowns. “Are you okay?”

“No. Clearly not. I probably just had one of your visions again, oldie.” Agatha mumbles and Lilia scoffs. Since they entered the Witches’ Road, every single one of the coven members had a vision of the future of themselves more than once. Having Lilia here as the Clairvoyant clearly had an effect on them – Lilia’s clairvoyance was clearly so powerful that it had affected the coven members, too. “Do I really have to answer your question? Everyone hates me enough for what I did, I don’t want to live that day again.”

“I’m not judging you now.” Lilia says. Agatha looks at the older woman, noticing how genuine her words sounded, so different from when they first talked – maybe because of Agatha’s acts towards her, but still – at her store. Agatha only stares at Lilia’s eyes. They had almost the same shimmer that Evanora’s eyes had, but Lilia’s looked softer while Evanora’s looked harsher. Angrier. “I could judge you for a lot of things, but I’m not. I want to talk with you.”

Agatha does not answer. She chokes back a sob, waiting for Lilia to make fun of her, but it never came. It was like she never noticed how Agatha was close to breaking in front of her after receiving understanding words from the person she least expected. Lilia looks away, her eyes to the front, noticing how Rio still stared at them, but her eyes were not mad, just… curious. Like she wanted to get closer and discover why Agatha was almost sobbing after having such a small conversation – if you could call it a conversation – with Lilia. Rio knew when Agatha was sad – she always knew how to distinguish Agatha’s feelings. She could mess up every single piece that was Agatha Harkness’ puzzled personality and just put it together again by memory.

“Yes,” Agatha chokes out, her voice low as a whisper. Her eyes search for Teen, looking at the boy in the other corner of the enormous room, chatting away with Jennifer as they search around. Great, he did not see this. She did not need Teen’s worried eyes on her. ”It is mostly because of what I did. She did her… own horrible things, but I was the worst.”

“What makes you say that?” Lilia questions. She wasn’t touching Agatha, but her voice felt like a caress on Agatha’s back, comforting her and giving her what she needed since she lost her mother – understanding. “You both should talk.”

“Say that to the bitch,” Agatha grits through her teeth again and Lilia gives her a reprimanding look. Agatha sighs, looking down like a petulant child, again. “Say that to her, that she needs to talk with me, without knives, and then we can get even.”

“That is not my job, Agatha. That’s yours.”

[mellkellyismyhero]

Jonathan Stroud and Kipps

You know, as a kid reading Lockwood and Co., I LOVED Lucy, George, Lockwood, and Holly. They were all my age! Every time a new book came out I’d imagine Lucy was growing up with me.

But that meant that I didn’t have much of a connection with Kipps, who was kind of L&Co.’s punching bag (affectionate). I liked him, but I never loved him the way I loved everyone else.

Now, I’m older than L&Co. Reading the books and watching the show feels like revisiting my younger self. I was expecting to love the L&Co. trio dynamic- and I did! But one thing I really wasn’t expecting was my newfound appreciation for Kipps.

Jonathan Stroud’s decision to focus on Kipps’ transition from brilliant teen agent to terrified, washed-up adult... It didn’t speak to me as a kid because I was too busy identifying with how cool Lucy’s Talent was. But now that I’m in Kipps’ age range, I identify with Kipps a lot more over Lucy. I can’t really put it in words- this is probably going to be the first of many posts of me spewing emotions and love for Jonathan Stroud’s writing skill- but I’m going to try.

Minor Kipps-related spoilers for L&Co. books under the cut.

Kipps, in the show and books, is 20-22 years old. He’s college-aged. And he cannot do the one thing that he has trained his entire life for, and needs to adjust to that. As a kid, I just kind of saw that as the same kind of “kids rule, adults drool” thing that happens in all kids adventure stories. Can’t have the responsible adults ruining the kids’ fun!

But Kipps was unusual in that you get to SEE him go from ‘competent rival agent’ to ‘technically a useless adult’. He’s straddling the line in the way that other series, where kids get to have magic because they’re good and pure or whatever don’t.

The thing is, it would’ve been easy for Kipps to be forgotten. Just let him fade into the background and never be mentioned again after book 2. But he’s there in book 3, and 4, and 5, still doing his best to fight ghosts even if he can’t see them. As a kid, I was just like ‘huh, okay, that’s a choice’ and kind of ignored him. Who cares what Kipps is doing when Lucy and Holly are having an epic argument that’s going to bring a million ghosts down on their heads?

As an adult, I LOVE that Stroud chose to keep Kipps around. I love that Kipps found a new way to keep fighting (the goggles). I love that Kipps kind of became a member of Lockwood and Co. I love that Stroud made the readers and the characters confront the reality that one day our beloved main characters would lose their Talents too, that even Lucy would go deaf one day, instead of just ignoring the generous but very real time limit the characters had hanging over their heads.

(Side note: part of my love for this series might be stemming from my complicated feelings about the Seven Wonders book series, where a kid is told he has less than a year to live and will likely spend months in debilitating pain and then... spends that year fucking around looking for magical artifacts and not actually having any kind of physical consequences for LITERALLY HAVING A DEADLY ILLNESS-)

Anyway.

Kipps is fantastic. The way he represents the inevitable future of Lockwood and Co... the way he represents the thousands of other agents who grew too old to sense ghosts and couldn’t keep fighting even if they wanted to... the way that he tries so hard to keep the kids he’s in charge of alive but can’t because he’s only one person and he’s losing his Talent...

He’s going through such a major transition and doesn’t know what his place in the world is anymore, and honestly, what early-twenties person does? There’s something there about Talents and childhood trauma and taking your first few steps into adulthood without the tools that saved your life as a child because they don’t work anymore...

In conclusion: Kipps was an amazing character, and I’m sorry I didn’t appreciate him sooner.

[miru667]

Hiii Miru!!! ♥︎

How is your day going?

Sorry if I’m bothering you, but I just wanted to ask you something that was in my mind for a while, what’s your opinion about the today’s Once-ler Fandom?

I mean, the new oncelings (like me) and all the new stuff that is here, you probably think that all of this is so different in comparison with how the fandom was back in 2012!

And also… do you miss something from the fandom? :p

Something that you don’t see here anymore or not as much as it used to be?

Hiii suemooon! Today was yet another tiring work day =w= but my coworker gave me hot chocolate mix and marshmallows today as a christmas present so that was nice! I hope you're doing well too.

To compare today's onceler fandom vs 2012's onceler fandom...man I could talk forever about this haha! This is all just from my own point of view of course but I would say, yes a lot of things are different, but a lot of things are the same, too.

UHHMMM extremely long post so it's under a readmore LOL

For the differences, a lot of them are simply due to the way the internet has changed in 12 years. In 2012, most oncelings were in their early 20s, and if you were younger than 16 you were extremely rare and we would be like "WOAH?? THEY'RE 15?? I HAVE NEVER SEEN A 15 YEAR OLD ON SOCIAL MEDIA BEFORE". But today's oncelings are like, mostly teens now, I feel? I think it's because of tiktok, which didn't exist internationally until 2018, and also because of parents giving ipads to their kids at the age of 2. But yeah, to compare today to 2012 is like comparing gen z to millennials, the content and jokes were different and, due to 2012 being in the past, what was socially acceptable was different, too.

Another thing that's different is the way young people act towards characters nowadays, but let me specify some more. I really dislike the term "content" when referring to someone's personal creations because it just sounds so corporate. And I don't know how to feel when I see some new oncelings treat an old popular askblog character as if they're public property produced by some big company, instead of as an OC that someone worked really hard on. For example, Truffula Flu Camp Entre and Thneedville High AU are like "established media" to a lot of people out there now, as if they're well-known series recognizable to the masses (no, they're not). And as a result, I've seen people headcanon whatever they want on other people's OCs and ship them however they want without even knowing if the mods are okay with those ships anymore (it's better to be real careful, if you want my advice..). I've also seen new oncelings give other people's OCs to public merch-selling sites without the mods' permission, and I've even seen new oncelings try to take inactive askblog OCs as their own. Why? :( Just make your own OCs. You can do it! Hold my hand.

New oncelings don't understand what they're stepping into when they look at our old content from over a decade ago. Our personal feelings and our private friendships from those times, whether good or bad, are precious to us and I guess it's just a new phenomenon that we have to deal with now, so I don't have the answers for this yet. But I would encourage everyone to also look at new and current OCs in the fandom - which many people do, and I love to see that!! I also love seeing people making friends with each other and having fun with each other, that's what reminds me of the better days of 2012.

Another difference is the...landscape? We have tumblr DMs now and we have discord communities so a lot of things are hidden now from public view. RPs used to be public on tumblr but now we rp on discord and only people in the server can read them, and there are pros and cons to that. Also the fandom isn't dominated by only a handful of askblogs anymore. Things are WAY more balanced and evenly distributed now compared to 2012, where Swag Once-ler was the king of the fandom with 200 asks sent to him every hour and 4000 followers accumulated in just 5 months. (And I'm not dissing on Swag, I loved Swag too. I'm just stating my observations. In fact I miss him a lot ;-;)

As for what's the same...xD The excitement and passion that a lot of new oncelings have! I find that so cute. People being creative is the same, people gushing over the onceler and fandom ocs is the same, even if internet slang has changed. People being ambitious with projects is the same, even if those projects are never finished (but this is just general human nature). And PEOPLE BEING SWEET TO EACH OTHER is the same! I was nervous during 2020 since a lot of "ironic" fans joined that year but I'm happy to have seen some genuinely sweet people around in more recent years, just like there were in 2012. 😊

I also see a lot of the same movie analysis discussions each year, which makes sense since new people keep entering the fandom, haha! "The lorax movie could've been better", "the 1972 film is better", "I wish they kept biggering", "they should've expanded the factory scenes and taken out the car chase scene", "i hate the onceler's mom", "the movie's point gets muddled because too many people think his mom's to blame", "i can't believe zac efron and taylor swift didn't sing in the movie", and on and on, those never change, and I've seen these same discussions so often that I support the antithesis of each topic now, just to be a rebel. 😇 But usually I don't engage in those anymore, I just think "haha aww! they're having fun :]" and leave them be! But like, it truly reminds me of the earlier days. It's me who has changed, in this case.

And finally, "do you miss something from the fandom? Something that you don’t see here anymore or not as much as it used to be?" I mentioned Swag already, I also miss a lot of other askblogs that belonged to my friends, and most of all I miss a lot of my friends who've drifted away, and I hope they're all doing well. I had a lot of good times with friends over the years. Some of them were rp partners and I miss our rps and I miss their characters dearly, I can't think about it too hard or else I might cry. What else...I want to say that I miss the crazy nightblogging events we used to have but I don't know if I could keep up with those anymore if they happened again haha. Same with askblogs answering asks live, almost no one does that now because people want so much to make every ask pretty with a new pretty artwork. But like, even if that comes back, again I don't know if I could keep up. So I suppose everything had its place!

Things will continue to shift and change, and you never know what the future holds so it's best to just keep going. I'm still making new friends and new good memories in the fandom each year, and I'm grateful for that.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for this ask and thanks (and sorry) to anyone who read through all of this!!

[wayfayrr]

You don’t have to do this one if it’s too much!! I just simp for twi and time so hard but I don’t wanna overwhelm you, please take breaks!! Ily :’DD

Soft fruit cake w eggnog to eat in?

I hope you'll enjoy your order this evening ~

Time is one of the links I'm less confident with writing, but he's still so much fun. He's a bit of a blushy dork in this one for you. <3

[Event masterlist]

“It's kinda comforting to know that Hyrule has the same traditions as home. Some of them anyway.”

Time isn’t focused on it, it seems off for him to be acting like this, unless he was lying to me? what reason would he have to lie about something so harmless though… it’s just gifts. Why would he ever need to lie as something as a tradition?  

“You don’t actually have it as a tradition, do you?” 

“What, no, we do. It’s part of the winter festival here.”

“Why do you feel the need to lie over something so small?”

Red illuminates his face at that, whatever has him so embarrassed over being called out for this? It’s so different from his usual stoic self too, not a bad change, just a sudden one. It makes me want to pry into what’s causing this even more than if he did manage to keep his cool.

“You seemed so excited when talking about it. I just wanted to do it for you.”

“But why lie, why not just be honest and just do it as a new thing?”

The red grows from his cheeks to the tips of his ears now, this new bashful side only becoming more appealing the more of it I get to see. Still though, it’s such a childish thing to get so flustered over. Like he’s a little kid rather than one of the oldest links here, not even able to make eye contact with me anymore. 

“Well, never mind that. It doesn’t change the fact that we’ve both gotten each other a gift right?”

“I'd still like to know why you didn’t just admit it’s not commonly done.”

“You were so- hmph.”

He’s close to cracking on the reason why he’s lying about all all of this to begin with, if I push it a little more he’ll spill I can bet. I don’t even really mind what it is, it’s only sheer curiosity making me want to learn now. What reason is enough to lie over something so small for so long?

“Time - link please, I’m not bothered or anything, I just wanna know.”

“You just seemed so excited talking about your home and I know you’ve been homesick… So I just… Wanted to make you more comfortable.”

That’s it? I can’t deny that it’s not a sweet reason, it does feel very childish though, it really is like he’s just some love struck teen. If I were to close my eyes and focus… I could probably see his young adult self still dressed in that forest green.

“While I appreciate it, you really didn’t need to go that far for something so simple. I’m honoured though… If we’re not following strict traditions though… why not just give each other gifts now?”

“That wouldn’t bother you? I thought christmas day was what you said was important.”

“The thought of it is what counts above everything else, besides if you’re so worried about the day, I don’t know if it’s passed or not back home.”

The blush is slowly fading now, his fluster dying down till he looks more like his familiar lightly stoic self. Finally moving to sit down next to me rather than over at the opposite side avoiding looking at me but not before picking up his bag. Setting himself down with a sigh and a hand running through his hair. Hyping himself up by the look of it, it makes a lot of sense why he’s so nervous now that I know it’s his first time doing anything like this. I can probably take some of that stress away by simply giving him his first, hopefully, then he’ll feel less pressure. 

“Here, I got this for you at the recent village -”

His surprise is cute, I knew it’d be worth it to hand-decorate some paper to wrap it with. Even though it’s torn in a matter of seconds, anything is worth it for him.

“I saw how you were looking at it for ages - don’t worry I brought it myself and not out of the supply fund. Do you like it?”

“You… I didn’t expect it… it was so expensive.”

So getting him a cloak and the armour polish he was staring at longingly was the right idea. Wiping my savings might not have been as good, but I can earn it back fairly quickly if the others are still as bad with bets. He’s blushing a little as he passes me two neatly wrapped parcels.

“This is for you then I hope you’ll like it as much as I did.”

My breath catches in my throat as I unwrapped the first, and I’m greeted with the most beautiful leather-bound sketchbook. A quick glance at him as he gestures for me to open the other. These art supplies must have cost him so much, watercolours here are rare, all of these charcoal pencils too.

“Time you -”

“You said you missed drawing, that you wanted your own supplies. So when I saw them I knew they would be perfect… you do like them right?”

“I love them… than you so much link.”

It’s a bit of a struggle to stop myself from tearing up from how kind it was, thankfully he seems to have taken pity on me now as he cuddles up with me next to the fire. Moving me to lay against his side as we watched it crackle late into the night.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

WIBTA if i incorporate an old friend’s oc into my oc’s backstory?

hi!! this is a more lighthearted AITA- i’m basically just gauging proper oc etiquette bc i have no clue if this would be rude.

i (18X) am a d&d player. have been for a long time! i started at 13, with a huge group of my friends. we didn’t get to play much bc there were so many of us, but it was a blast and i ended up loving my character, natphi (a classic tiefling bard) so much that she eventually became a standalone oc for me.

in-game, natphi entered the party alongside her friend, luca (a half-elf ranger), who was played by another one of my friends (18 or 19 X now, 13 at the time). we were baby gays, and natphi and luca had a really fun sort of will-they-or-won’t-they wlw best-friendship. it was a great dynamic, and we both loved drawing them together and discussing them and even rping how they first met over discord. it was a blast, and eventually natphi’s friendship with and pining over luca became an important part of her story and character to me.

however, by this point luca’s player and i were going to different schools and had dropped several friends in that group due to standard teen drama, so it was hard to keep in touch. we stopped talking a couple of years ago with no hard feelings- just a classic drifting apart over time.

natphi is still one of my most beloved ocs (we’ve been through a lot together) and i still daydream about her friendship and such with luca. it gets difficult when i want to draw her in any meaningful way, though. luca isn’t my character, and if i drew her and posted it i would absolutely link back to her creator’s instagram, but it feels really odd to make and post art of the oc of someone you don’t talk to anymore. i can’t go and ask them if they mind, because once again, we haven’t spoken in years.

i’ve been chewing on this dilemma for a bit, but an idea came to me as i started preparing to make natphi a character sheet for a oneshot i’m doing soon: i could make natphi’s relationship with luca a part of her backstory and come up with some tragic separation of them. it would work great with natphi’s current backstory and deepen her character motivations, so there’s no problems there. however, i still feel really iffy using a now-stranger’s character with mine, even if i were to only refer to luca as more of a vague ghost than a full character. part of me feels like i’m “copying” her and just changing bits and pieces so she doesn’t look exactly the same. technically, nobody would actually be able to tell unless i told them, but i’d still feel like an ass for doing it if it’s “cheating,” for lack of a better word. however, i also know i’m a chronic overthinker, so i’m asking all of you instead: would i be TA for this??? i genuinely have no idea. thanks in advance for the input! ^^

What are these acronyms?

[sunshines-child]

*spins dramatically in chair* god im so tired. sunny ur children have taken over my prefrontal cortex its not funny anymore.

partner in crime - madilyn mei: screams luc to me thinking of his little dove, but also from theos angsty teen perspective. the song fits them both almost like a back and forth conversation (i might make a post actually this is genius lmao). actually now that i think of it it fits u too lol (it has that vintage circus vibe if u will)

why good people become monsters: video essay of sorts exploring the lucifer effect (nuff said lol), but i recommend reading the comments for more insight and perspective. the art and presentation is slightly unsettling and i love it.

random quotes i from the top of my desktop notes: (long read sorry)

"he had all his mother's vivid imagination and passionate love of beauty. Frost of winter, invitation of spring, dream of summer and glamour of autumn, all meant much to Walter." - rainbow valley, l.m montgomery

-> luc and mercy change my mind (u cant hehe)

He said: “Only God can Judge a monster like that… I just set up the appointment”

-> my boi armund snaps (and snaps someones neck oop-)

“hell is empty, all the devils are here” - the tempest, shakespeare

-> this is definately written somewhere on altis lol

… as John [Lennon] told Rolling Stone magazine in 1970, “When it gets down to it, when you’re drowning, you don’t say, ‘I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,’ you just scream.”

-> theo fighting his demons and losing :') eventually leading to some fall out with daddy dearest.

"It brings me so much joy to watch someone else get staggered by the full range of human degeneracy. We really do be wildin." - a yt comment lol

->i like to think that while both luc and altis kill in cold blood, for titi its another day job or whatever but for luc he thinks a lot about life and death and morality and corruption and thats what leads him to insanity later on.

classic case of living long enough to see urself as the villain but also a favourite trope of mine where people join the dark side for the cookies out of deep empathy for the wronged victims as opposed to say the violence and injustices they themselves may have experienced.

but also post armunds death luc lets all hell loose because how *dare* anyone lay a finger on his beloved boy?! the angst potential my dear is frankly off the charts and i love them all so much it hurts

anyhows this is for fun & i wanted to share some pebbles with ya

i couldnt resist >:D

I have not a single regret taking over your prefrontal cortex. ITS MINE NOW MWAHAHHAHAHAHA Partners in Crime by Madilyn Mei recognition YAYYYYYYY it’s so fit for their characters I’m in tears RAAAAAAAAAAAA Im not changing your mind you’re cooking. “he had all his mother's vivid imagination and passionate love of beauty. Frost of winter, invitation of spring, dream of summer and glamour of autumn, all meant much to Walter." You’re hurting me it’s so fucking beautiful oh my poor heart and soul he is the very bring of his mother, those calloused hands still flying, desperate to cling onto Mercy’s hands, still desperate to cling upon the hands of his mother who rested his head upon her breast. Armund doesn’t exactly ever…snap. His rage is there, and everyone knows it’s there. He’s the only one getting rid of his rage instead of bottling it down. He’s constantly shrouded by rage. “hell is empty the devils are here” is my knew favorite quote. I’m one of the devils LMAO also yes it is very much inked on Altis (probably his hip) Luc and Altis kill like all hell. And you’re very right on what they feel. Altis feels nothing. It’s just another thing he has to do. No rush, no nothing. He’s just… doing it. Luc in the other hand feels everything. Even when it’s someone he is killing more as a task, he’ll feel a rush of everything, all the thoughts, everything. He knows, oh he knows the mortality of everything, including his own soul. (Also he’s constantly bringing the edge of “what if I just died”. It’s. It’s worrying.) Luc. Luc BREAKS when Armund dies. He loves his son, but in the end there’s no tru nurture still left in it. His son turns away from him, and he draws back his hand and cries. And his little angel, his Armind is there, to give him a true taste of joy despite the life all of them live. And what happens to man without joy?

[annymation]

What kind of wishes would the other 6 teens make in KOW? I know Simon wished to be a knight, what about everyone else?

Honestly that’s a though one, but let’s see

Gabo as he mentioned in the story itself would wish for a lot of riches and gold, but that desire only stems from his longing to be respected and taken seriously, money can get people to pay attention to you, and that’s all Gabo wants, attention. But since he accidentally said his wish out loud to his friends I’d say he’d change his wish to just “be taken seriously”, to which the king would probably twist into people actually taking offense in his sarcastic jokes which would lead to him being all alone.

(Starting good with some Gabo angst, nice)

Next up, Dahlia. Since her parents became the royal cooks they never payed too much attention to her anymore, and Dahlia wanted to make them proud, so I’m guessing (I say “I’m guessing” like I’m not the one making this up) her wish would be to get more connected with them. Magnifico would probably just think that wish’s boring and not find any way to twist it into something fun for him, so he’d just leave it ungraded, making Dahlia forget she ever wanted to be close to her parents in the first place, thus their whole family just becomes detached from each other.

Let’s see who next… hmmmm

Bazeema would most likely wish to make Rosas prettier with more flowers, that’s kind of her own way of bringing joy to others but in a way she doesn’t have to interact with anyone, she’d basically just wish to be a better at gardening, and of course making the kingdom prettier is always a plus in Magnifico’s book so he’d grant that wish just as is, no reason to change it. Congrats Bazeema you get no angst in your story cause I’m picking favorites

Safi would wish for a pet that doesn’t make him sneeze, since every single animal he ever encounters, cats, dogs, birds and even Valentino triggers his allergies, so he’d just want to have an animal friend, maybe a chicken… I don’t know how Mag would react to this one, like it’s so simple, and I can’t think of any way he could twist it into something bad, so eh guess he’d grant it too, why not

Dang so far only Gabo got his wish turned into a curse, let’s change that

Hal would wish to be a fearless acrobat, like those who pull some amazing stunts that defy physics and put their bodies to the extreme, yeah like that, she wished to do that for the fun and the freedom that it provides and to put a smile on people’s faces. Magnifico would go ahead and curse that wish to make Hal so “fearless” she doesn’t worry about her own limits, after all he’d indeed enjoy having an amazing acrobat as one of the royals entertainers, but where’s the fun if she requires time to rest or fears she might get injured? So yeah she’d get her wish slightly changed so she takes her passion more to the extreme

And finally, Dario. Dario is a complicated one since, the way I see him, he’s content with pretty much everything, aside from the fact his parents would like him to be able to speak, but even then I don’t think he’d wish for the king to give him a voice, as that’s not really something he wants, his friends already understand him, although most other people don’t. However, music is an universal language that brings joy to everyone, so Dario would wish to be a great drummer (even though drums sets didn’t exist back then lol maybe he’d be the first) and Magnifico would probably grant it as is.

I know in these examples Mag granted most of the wishes without changing them but keep in mind that’s still bad since once people have their wishes granted they feel like they owe loyalty to him and also feel more dependent on him.

Sorry for the LOOOONG answer, I got hit by the creativity lightning all of the sudden

[kfkr1ze]

[002-A11] Future Century Africa

Summary — ✈︎ Some of the students are whispering to each other privately about something. When Kaede stumbles upon them, they seem to be uncomfortable. Kaede then realizes what they were hiding. 

Characters— ✈︎ Akuta, Kiroku, Nanaki, Muneuji, Ushio

Location: Otomari Chuuzaemon Inn in Shodoshima

Nanaki: Is it fine if I look inside? I wanna check its status

Muneuji: Go ahead.

Kaede: (I wonder what that’s about… They’re huddled together and whispering to each other…)

(They’re pulling something out of that drawstring bag…?)

Muneuji: Gh…… Who’s there!?

Nanaki: Oh shit…!

Kaede: (Ah… They hid it. I guess it can’t be helped.)

Sorry! I wasn’t trying to spy on you guys or anything.

Muneuji: Ah- ah I see. I know that Chief isn’t the type of person to do something like that. I understand that. 

Nanaki: Y-Yeah. It was just a coincidence. It really was… a coincidence.

Right, Kaguya-kun?

Muneuji: Correct, It was…… A coincidence.

Kaede: Just want on earth were you guys looking at?

That drawstring bag is really cute.

Nanaki: Ah, no, this is… Haha…

Muneuji: There’s nothing in particular worth… mentioning…

Kaede: ( … There’s something strange going on. It’s pretty weird for these two to act all flustered like thisーー)

(Wait!?)

(Aahhh〜！So it’s something like that! They’re teens after all…

They must’ve brought some shady stuff with them.)

Nanaki: ………

Muneuji: ………

Kaede: (I’ve had similar experiences when I was traveling with my friends too. We would take turns watching those kinds of videos at night.)

(Alright… I have to let them know that we’re on the same page here.)

I get it! It’s fun to watch that type of stuff with your friends, isn’t it? The best part about trips like this is talking about what your type is during the night!

Nanaki: Hah? What are you talkingーー

Kaede: Ah, it’s okay! I get it! It’s fine, right?

Muneuji: I see. It helps that you understand as well.

Nanaki: Wait, I don’t think he understands what’s going on at all…

Kaede: Then, I’ll just take the trash out and head back to my room!

I won’t bother you guys anymore so it’s all good! See you tomorrow!

Nanaki: Ah… Sigh…… He definitely just misunderstood something here. 

He was acting overly considerate too.

Muneuji: How did he misunderstand?

Nanaki: Ah, whatever. It doesn’t matter.

…… Adults are just all kinds of annoying. 

Location: Beach in Shodoshima

Gannosuke: Everyone, good morning!

Today is the start of the hospitality training. Soーー

I’d like to start off by checking your resolve. 

Kaede: … Is what I was going to say.

Gannosuke: I’m aware that you students are beginners when it comes to hospitality.

And your only weapon right now is those eyelashes sculpted by the Gods…

Akuta: What are eyelashes sculpted by Gods?

Muneuji: It’s a long story, but they seem to be a divine tool that I possess.

Gannosuke: In order to ease the suffering of those who lack this sort of weapon… that is where your “spirit” comes in!

“We’re going to provide the best hospitality!” is the spirit you need! Be bold!

First up, show me your true feelings!

Depending on the results, the contents of your training may end up changing here and there!

Kaede: Alright, everyone, let’s do our best to provide great hospitality…!

「OMOTENASHI BATTLE」

Gannosuke: That’s enough! 

Kaede: Hah, hah… Thank you for your guidance…!

Gannosuke: There’s no time to rest.

Next up is on-site training! Then, let’s go!

Kaede: (H-He’s more of a spartan than I thought…!)

Gannosuke: Now is time for a break!

Ushio: Hah, hah… Hard…

Akuta: I’M TIREEDDDDDDD!

I want to eat something sweet… Anything will doーー Regular sugar, brown sugar, or a sweet banana…

Nanaki: A café au lait would be really good right now.

With a lot of sugar and more beans too… I feel like lightly roasting them today.

Muneuji: Personally, I really love chocolate.

Kiroku: ……I want…… sweets that are…… fancy and pretty.

Akuta: Ughhh anything's fine! I want something that’s sweet.

Gannosuke: I thought you would say something like that. I arranged a place for us to have brunch. With a set of crepes and coffee!

Location: Cafe in Shodoshima

Kaede: Wah, it looks delicious! Thank you very much!

Then, let’s have a meeting about our plans while we eat!

All 5: Thank you for the meal.

Ushio: ………

Akuta: This is super good! My tiredness is melting away〜！

All the delicious ingredients are soaking into every one of my organs〜！

Kaede: It really feels like it!

And, these crepes taste a little different from usual crepes…

Ushio: …… Olives.

Kaede: Eh?

Gannosuke: You got it correct.

Yes, I usually recommend having crepes with lemon olive oil.  

Kaede: I see… So you use olives to accentuate the flavor of the crepes!

Gannosuke: Yes. Olives are a specialty from Shodoshima after all.

It’s a unique flavor you won’t find anywhere elseーー And it’s delicious, isn’t it?

Ushio: ………

Gannosuke: You were the only one who noticed the olives. Do you think it tastes good?

Ushio: ………

Gannosuke: … Good grief, you’re not an honest one, are you?

Kaede: (He’s the one who’s eating the most out of all of us, so it’s pretty obvious what he thinks.)

Afterwards, and after discussing it with everyone, the assignments for the summer festival were decided. 

Kiroku-kun will be the one painting the lanterns being displayed at the venue.

Nanaki-kun will be in charge of the musical composition to go with the 2,000 fireworks.

Ushio-kun will be opening a stall in an area that’s lacking in food stalls.

Akuta-kun will be in charge of video recording, and Muneuji-kun will help with overall management.

And thenーー

Kaede: I wanted to thank you all for your hard work on the first day of training. You’ll be free for the rest of the afternoon.

I would like each of you to deepen your understanding of Shodoshima, so you can do so by looking around in various different areas.

Keep your GPS on. And, don’t forget to submit a schedule of what activities you plan to do. Contact us regularly too!

Then, everyone is dismissed!

Akuta: WE’RE FREE, YAAYYY!! I’M A FREE BEING!!

Theeen～. What movie will we watch tonight?

Nanaki: Hey hey, don’t tell me you plan on sleeping over again tonight?

Kaede: Akuta-kun, did you stay over at Nanaki-kun’s room yesterday?

Nanaki: Yeah. He suddenly came in saying “Let’s watch a movie〜”

Kiroku: ……

Nanaki: In the end, we all ended up sleeping together in a big pile. I didn’t get enough sleep at all. 

…Right?

Kiroku: Mhm……

Muneuji: Even though he managed to win a room by himself, he still decided to go to someone else’s room? Isotake is a strange person.

Ushio: He’s strange, yeah, but maybe he’s the type who doesn’t like to be alone.

There’s a lot of people like that. 

A person who can only keep themselves together by being with other people.

Or maybe he’s just the type of person who can’t sleep by himself.

Like a baby who can’t sleep without his mommy by his side. Hahaha.

Kaede: H-Hey, stop that, Ushio-kun…!

Akuta: Too bad, you’re wrong! I can definitely fall asleep on my own.

But, it’s boring to just do things like normal, so I’m gonna stay over again!

Y’know, Nanaki has been sleeping with a goat plushie ever since we were in the Oden Groupーー

Nanaki: Ah! You…! Isotake-ku… Akutaa!!

Akuta: UGoh… Goho… It… hurts…!

Kaede: That’s one hell of a chokehold… 

By the way, what’s the Oden Group?

Nanaki: It doesn’t matter. I’ve known Akuta since we were in kindergarten… We were in the Oden Group together. 

… In the middle of elementary school, we went to separate schools, and then we met again in middle school. 

Akuta: I give, I give…! I ‘ m gon na… die…!

Nanaki:  Well, that’s all there is to it.

There’s nothing else to add, that’s all there is to that story.

Kaede: I-I see.

Um… I think you can let Akuta-kun go now… His face is turning purple…

Nanaki: … Fine, I’ll release him.

Akuta: Gohou… Cough cough… Goho! What was that, all of a sudden〜!?

I swear I saw a flower field on the other side. My first near-death experience!

Kaede: I can only laugh…

Kiroku: …… Pretty… tough.

Akuta: Well whatever! That’s why〜. 

As friends from the Oden Group, let’s see a movie together again tonight!

Nanaki: Sigh… I guess I have no choice. What movie do you wanna see?

Akuta: How about “Future Century Africa”!?

Nanaki: … That one is no good.

Kaede: (Huh? Nanaki-kun’s behavior is getting…)

Akuta: Ehhh… Why not～？

Nanaki: I promised someone else that I’d see that movie with them.

…… I see. So it already got screened.

Akuta: I get it I get it～

But that kind of promise expires once the movie has finished screening y’know.

Nanaki: ……

…Whatever, I already know that, but.

It doesn’t matter. I won’t watch that movie.

That’s all so, bye.

Kaede: Ah, wait, Nanaki-kunーー！

Previous — ✈︎ Masterlist — ✈︎ Next

[uchihaxitachi]

Important PSA:

Warnings: Anon blogs versus other RP drama, 🎭 skip if you want to. Read if you want to know what is my final course of action about it

I feel like it’s about time I had to make a post, I hate typing a lot (I hate it lmfaooo especially when it’s not a fic or a RP plot I’m dangerously excited about) 😮‍💨 but two months ago shit happened. I get it. The “Anon” thing started from me, a bored Covid struck Itachi simp who just created Itachi-anon for funsies. I had seen roleplaying in other fandoms (BNHA) and that’s how I decided to create Itachi anon. I just wanted to embody the character I loved with all my heart. Asks/RP plots, everything is a part & parcel of this. Sasukeanon joined in, (from the very beginning) annoying Itachi as his little brother. They made the blog just for my Itachi, and I was the one who nudged them to make it an Anon blog. (Others joined and yada yada).

The purpose was to have fun and to RP. It’s been four years since I’ve been on Tumblr where I’ve deleted this blog multiple times because I was sick of the mundane toxicity this fandom as a whole invests in. I thought it was a Covid thingy, hey? Everyone gets bored & gets frustrated, y’know? Clearly not. With the whole feud that happened between various blogs and the Anon blogs, it was pretty clear people had things which they shouldn’t give that much importance to, given drastically astronomical importance. Who gives a shit ffs? 🤦🏻‍♀️ These characters aren’t real, we have real lives (most of us) outside this platform. I couldn’t care less about what happened, and I don’t care about what’s happening right now.

Now, you’d say if you don’t give a shit, Itachi-Mod, why did you get involved. See? I don’t give a shit about this stuff, but — I do give a shit about people I call my friends, people I consider close, people who know a tad bit more about me other than the fact that I go by Ena (Online name) and I moderate this blog. Even if in the near future, if someone comes for my friends, I will defend them unperturbed and uncaring of how it makes me look like. Cus I couldn’t care less what a bunch of unknown strangers think about me over my friends. 🤷🏻‍♀️

That being said, I don’t want to be a part of the whole “fixing things” or, “X apologizing to Y, Y apologizing to Z.” Because I’ve burnt the book long ago. If it were Sasukeanon and I, (who have fought in the past before mind you). I would be interested in doing whatever it takes to make things right. If it’s someone who I didn’t even know well, I would MUCH MUCH MUCH rather protect my peace that’s already fucked by my Corporate job.

In conclusion, don’t talk to me about this anymore. Choose your sides, us or them. Or both. I couldn’t really care neither will I make anyone choose like an insecure teen. If you want to RP with my version of Itachi, let’s go! 💓 If not, that’s okay, there are other, lesser canon (sarcastic) versions of him out there. 😛

Peace out! ✌️ if you’ve read this much imagine me giving you a bear hug 🤗 and loads of kissies xx because holy shidddd I wouldn’t read this much ngl (Maybe I have ADHD) 😔😭

-Mod

[wolfofansbach]

Personal thoughts and meditations upon the occasion of the Riverdale series finale. 

Probably like four people are going to read this but I feel compelled to write it out anyway. This show has genuinely been a massive part of my life. I watched the first episode because some high school friends encouraged me to (IRONICALLY, BRO). I was in high school when I started this show. Those friends of course long ago fell away, unable to continue, unable to wacth anymore, but I have kept the faith. All seven seasons. Every. Single. Episode.

I’m not even entirely sure what captivated me so much about the show. I loved the atmosphere of season 1. I genuinely wanted to find out who killed Jason Blossom. Was genuinely fucked up by episode 1 x 12 and the first season finale.

I have such fond memories of watching the first season. I distinctly remember a road-trip I Tok with my friends the summer of 2017, and joking about  maple syrup drug empires and the “weirdo” line back when that was the wildest scene on the show. Joking about how sick of the song ‘Believer’ by Imagine Dragons (2017) we were. 

And then I decided to get involved in a fandom for the first time in a couple of years, and so I revived my old Tumblr, and I began Posting. And reading posts.  

That was my last summer after high school and I was so nervous about college but this show and this fandom helped me get through it. My freshman year I lived in a dorm, and if you wanted to watch TV you had to go down to this common room, so every Thursday I would go down there like an hour ahead of time and occupy the place to make sure the remote was in my hands by 7 PM. A few times I failed, and I missed an episode because of it. But rarely! 

I remember that slowly dawning feeling as season 2 progressed. Scrolling my Tumblr feed and slowly seeing people come to the realization: “wait…is it just me or does this show actually suck.” Was kind of frustrating at the time, realizing that the writers just like…were bad, but in retrospect? Beautiful. Incredible. Legendary. 

And you could even say that’s where the fun really began. Yes, there’s plenty to hate, but also Riverdale is brilliant. The show of all time. For real. No other show has done it like Riverdale. They just haven't, and they never will. The age of the cable television teen drama is ending, and what a hell of a last hurrah Riverdale has been.

The Red Circle. Jingle Jangle. The Gargoyle King. Edgar Evernever and his fantastic rocket. Bret Weston Wallis and Donna Sweett (genuinely cannot say their names without giggling). Jughead getting hit in the head with a rock and faking his death for like…some reason? I genuinely can’t remember, something to do with the Hardy Brothers idk. Tabitha sprinkling the devil with the tears of the Virgin Mary. The normies can laugh all they want about “epic highs and lows” but do they remember the even funnier lines like “if there’s no wedding, that means the gargoyle king has won” or “word of my exploits serving Nick his comeuppance…” THEY NEVER WILL. ONLY THE TRUE FAITHFUL UNDERSTAND. 

And is silly as it all was, I have genuine affection for these characters. Like Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Archie, Cheryl, Toni, actually mean a lot to me. YES they’re fake but I want the best for them (and for Beronica to be canon but you know we can’t win them all). I’m genuinely grateful that this show has existed and been a part of my life for the past six years. 

Moreover, I credit this show for seriously getting into writing. I’ve actually written almost a million words of Riverdale fanfiction. Much of it will never see the light of day, but it exists. Maybe I even have one or two left in me, I don’t know. At the very least I’d like to finish a few uncompleted fics. But I’ve also branched out. Since I started seriously writing in 2017, I’ve also finished several original manuscripts, and who knows, maybe one day I’ll get one published. Stranger things have happened. 

So, thanks Roberto.

And thanks to all of the very cool people I’ve run into in this fandom. I honestly wish I’d gotten to know most of you better, but them’s the breaks. Hopefully this isn’t weird but I’m going to tag a few people in particular. 

@village-skeptic. I know you’re not in the fandom anymore (lucky you), but thank you for, once upon a time, reading every one of the 200,000+ words of a 17-year-old kid’s turgid, indulgent, Riverdale Spanish Civil War fan fiction. I never, ever would have finished that story without you, and I credit it with giving me the confidence to keep writing, and in fact to write everything I’ve written since then. You’re brilliant and awesome. 

@satelliteinasupernova. Thank you for also reading Interbellum (are we noticing a pattern), and more importantly for all of your wonderful drawings. INCLUDING fanart of some of my fics. You have no idea how happy that Strange Death of Elizabeth Cooper piece made me. You rule. 

@sullypants. You were a perennial presence on my feed. Always wonderful to see. I love your taste in art, and I love those ‘penguin classics’ covers you made for a few of my fics. Thank you also for beta reading a few fics for me back in the glory days. And thank you for chatting with me a couple times over the years, including a few times when I was in quite unhappy places. 

@stillhidden. I’m not sure if we’ve ever actually talked, but you like or reblog everything I post and it makes me feel like I’m not just shouting into the void. Same goes for @frauleinfunf Thank God for dutiful mutuals. 

@sonyascomet. I can’t remember when I started following you but you have a really good sense of humor. And I’ll always remember when you kept posting about “Greg” for Succession and I, not knowing anything about Succession, kept imagining Greg Heffley. 

@stillhidden thank you for your world-weary Riverdale posts. You truly understand fandom like few others.

@halcooper. Your devotion to the neglected parents of Riverdale is truly admirable. Every time I see Lochlyn Munro in some weird low budget horror movie I’ll think of you.

I hope I didn’t forget anyone who would be offended by my forgetting, but I doubt it. 

All this to say this show has been a genuinely huge part of my life for six years. SIX YEARS. I graduated college, my God. I wish I could say I became a millionaire or a successful author in that time, but nah. Maybe one day, but for now I’m just kind of vibing. And unfortunately, I’ll have to vibe without Riverdale from now on. 

But as I sit myself down to watch the very last episode of this show, I remind myself that we’ll always have the memories. And I’ll always be an unapologetic Riverdale enjoyer. As a great man once said, snakes don’t shed their skins so easily.