#it would take being reminded that there's a life after winning that's worth 'staying' for

[chromotps]

Emmyyy that winged Ace art😭 it made me think of an icarus/apollo au, cause there’s a reimagining of the myth with icarus and apollo as lovers and icarus built wings to reach apollo, and i’m just imagining a sorta tragic au where luffy becomes nika, losing his humanity and becoming the sun, and Ace builds wings to fly up to him😭 anyways, i upset myself and wanted to share haha

Merry.... how could you do this to me, personally,,,, (lmao)

whatever you do don't imagine luffy watching what's happening, knowing that there's no way he can help as he is now, anymore... he sees ace falling into the water, right in the middle of a reflection of the sun--and ace says "it's okay, luffy" because, at least like this, he can "touch" luffy one last time as he breaks the surface

gosh i'm having to restrain every instinct in my body to let the AU stay tragic... you have to understand i have Trained myself to make things fluffy. this is me working against years of stubborn fix-it headcanons and happy, everyone-lives AUs 😂 but I'll do it for the symbolism... the poetry...

[bnuuys-writing]

Meet my Yuusona!

This is Jenny, but she goes by Jen. More information down below! <3

No one knows where Jenny has come from, but they all know she is able to wield magic without a pen. She also has all these strange markings on her body that she keeps hidden that occasionally glow when she is feeling certain strong emotions such as the ones of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Jenny is a caregiver, a empath who knows who is crying the next room over without even looking up from the book she is reading. She is able to diffuse fights before they even start either by fighting and winning herself or talking everyone out of it. She is someone you can rely on and trust if you're having a hard time with something either in school or emotionally. She will mom you, in short.

Fun Facts about Jenny! She actually had come from Devildom to here, and to avoid making connections with everyone, she gave out a fake name in hopes of being able to go home with no strings involved. Her name is actually Ophelia. Lia for short. She was learning how to wield magic by Solomon at first and the pacts she made with the brothers, angels, and the Butler and Prince of Devildom themselves only spur her magic on. She is more able to cast healing spells that fighting spells, so she summoned a familiar which was a brown rabbit! Yet, in the transport to Twisted Wonderland, their same magic merged them together to where Jenny now has a fluffy rabbit tail and large floppy ears!

Relationship Dynamics!

Leona: Absolutely a hater of this man. ONLY because she knows his worth could be so much more and he just doesn't put any effort into showing that he could be a good mage. It absolutely infuriates her. They constantly get into fights that either end up with both of them in the infirmary or both of them getting heated in a vocal argument.

Sebek: Love Interest #1. When Jen first came to NRC and met Sebek, she immediately did NOT like him. Both of them getting into silly little arguments that would go "So, Beastman-" "I'm actually a human. I just merged forms with my rabbit familiar." "DO NOT INTERUPT ME WHILE I AM TELLING YOU ABOUT LORD MALLEUS!!" "ok, bye." Yet after getting to know him better and better and actually taking time to see past everything, she saw him for who he truly is and just fell heads over heels with him. Yet, he doesn't need to know that.

Silver: Good friend, was a possible love interest and she had a small crush on him but after she fell in love with Sebek, they both just stayed close friends. Silver was one of the first few people to actually greet her into NRC. Sometimes Silver will find himself waking up with his head in Jen's lap as she reads away. They could make a cute couple but they respect each other a lot to not meddle with each other's love life.

Vil: Imagine; Malleus with Sebek. But now its Jenny and Vil. If anyone disrespects her housewarden, they will get thrown. Epel is impressed by this but Vil just taught her how to hurt people with words and how to make it sting. Jenny doesn't really hurt people without a good cause. But she heavily admires Vil due to the fact that he seriously reminds her of Asmodeus.

Azul: This is her boss. Was love interest #3 but after working for him constantly as either a waitress with the Tweels on the weekday and Singing for Monstro Lounge on the Weekend, that dwindled down fast. They both seriously respect each other and Azul has made the comment of making a deal about her voice once or twice in which she has denied more than plenty.

Ace and Deuce: These two are her best friends and Ride or Die's. Especially Deuce. She makes sure that they are all caught up and studied on homework before they can go ask Azul for tutoring papers all over again. Rewards them with baked goods that were helped made by Trey just to make sure that they keep their grades above a C-. C's get degrees!

Grim: She doesn't really interact with Grim all that much even though she is Housewarden of Ramshackle, but is an honorary member of Pomefiore. Its all because she is severely allergic to cats. But if you mess with her baby? You are so fried. Prepare to meet the actual full power of Wrath.

Crowley: Does not like him. She has thrown a chair at him. They do not interact unless absolutely necessary and she is finding her own way back home.

[twst-drabbles]

I don’t think this counts as a request because it’s more of a question about a situation that would lead into a total AU of the pet AU lol but if it is a request please tell me so I have a better understanding of what a request is and what just a question is because I’ll admit I’m a little confused on that…

In the pet AU, you’ve mentioned that obviously the Caretaker can’t form a familiar bond with the pets because they don’t have magic of their own. But I am a curious being and as I just literally finished going through all of the AU, I couldn’t help wondering what would happen if the Caretaker suddenly DID develop magic somehow.

Like, if they developed magic and chose to have one of the pets become their familiar, who would they choose?

Or… oooh better yet… what if Caretaker didn’t REALIZE they had developed magic somehow but maybe the pets can sense it? Would all of them be vying to try to form a familiar bond with them? And the Caretaker is just sitting there like “wtf is with all of you lately???” I know with a bond like that the mage at least would probably need to know and agree but the familiar wouldn’t necessarily have to consent *glares at the villains in the sanctuary AU* but maybe the Caretaker loving them all is enough? If so, with the Caretaker not having any idea, and all the pets vying for the title of their familiar, who would win out in the end?

And then I imagine Crowley coming over and he sees his child neighbor not only has magic but now has a familiar and he just passes out in a dead faint and the Caretaker is like “????!!!!!!”

Sorry for the super long ramble. And again sorry if this is more of a request than ask? Like I said I’m not super sure what makes the difference?

(I also wanted to say thank you for writing a person with visible and undeniable depression. I know you have said you have it so the Caretaker’s experiences are probably based off of yours and they are so relatable and it’s comforting to feel seen. Always sucks to know others suffer too, but it’s also nice knowing you don’t suffer alone. So yeah… thanks.)

- 💜

No need to worry, a request is specifically when people want me to write a drabble of what they're asking. Yours is just a question asking for my thoughts, so you're good.

So anyways...

Now if I were to have the Caretaker suddenly have some kind of magic, it wouldn't be a lighthearted affair. The Caretaker, if they knew they developed magic, wouldn't be jumping for joy or simply just shrug their shoulders and go "Well, this is my life now."

The Caretaker would be bitter. Even more bitter than their already bitter self. Because where the hell was this magic when they needed it most? They're already past the age when they're absorbing knowledge like a sponge, and all classes and clubs that are dedicated to teaching people about magic are for kids or for people who are going to use their magic for a professional profession. Places like that already expect people to know the basics by the time they're adults, and no place wants to take the time to teach the Caretaker about these things, so they'll be viewed as someone not worth investing in.

So, simply put, the Caretaker would refuse to use their magic, because to them, there's no point. Any small use of their own magic would remind them of how their body lied to them for years. Had them suffer disappointment after disappointment because of some vague requirement that they somehow don't meet that everyone else was able to meet. That apparently they are so slow that it took this long for their magic awaken when these events were happening to toddlers.

Not only that, but their magic feels like a lie. The Caretaker doesn't believe that this magic is here to stay. It suddenly just appeared one day, it could very well disappear just as quickly. They don't want to get attached to this.

As such, the Caretaker would actually shut down any attempts of the pets trying to be their first familiar.

Now, exploring the different scenario of the Caretaker not knowing they had developed magic, it would be a time of denial that would almost lead to some new self destructive habits. If, say they're cooking one day and a spoon just floated to their hand when they almost dropped it, they won't be looking at the spoon again. And if new utensils keep coming to them, they'd end up avoiding the kitchen altogether and would settle for take-out.

Probably might even scare one of their pets when they start their familiar-courting-ish behaviors. Giving little gift and doing little dances in the hopes the Caretaker would consider them for being a familiar. The Caretaker, once it clicks with them that that's what they're doing, that they meet the requirements to have a familiar, would ask the pets to just, leave them alone. Stop it. They don't want this.

Either way, this is not going to be an easy period for the Caretaker.

Alrighty now that the heavy stuff is out of the way, let's entertain a more lighthearted scenario of after the Caretaker accepts that this magic is here to stay and has integrated it in their daily life. And after Crowley teaches the Caretaker to have better finesse over their magic so they can choose to hide it or use it.

The amount of familiars a mage can have is entirely dependent on how much magic they have and how well they can control it. And, well, having more than one familiar is a burden upon the human body. However!

However... in order to keep the pets from fighting one another for that familiar spot, there is a set schedule for who can be the Caretaker's familiar. A familiar contract can be formed with consent, and it can be broken with consent. There's no limit to how many times a contract can be broken and re-established. As such, there will be times when Ace is the main familiar, or Deuce, or Jack, or Ortho, or Riddle or anyone really! So long as they follow the schedule. There's no risk for the pets since contracts are just a means of getting their bigger forms quicker and forming a closer emotional bond with their Caretaker.

But of course, there will be little shitheads that will want to hog the spot for longer than is set, but they have to let someone else take their turn in the end because they don't want to make the Caretaker angry. Just imagine Leona burying Ace under sand because it's his turn but you can't re-established the contract if you can't find him.

[nnight-dances]

MOONSICK

...wherein you're convinced your time as kazuha's fake lover is nearing its end.

pairings: kazuha x gn!reader

genre: angst, hurt to comfort, fluff!

note: been feeling a bit sad these days because kazuha's banner is coming up but i'm nowhere near pity and i have a 50/50 to win :( :( not getting the maple boy for a second time will truly be devastating so i'm writing kazuha angst to make myself feel better??

🌙

it’s falling apart, faster than you could’ve imagined. you’d always realized somewhere within you that whatever it is you have with kazuha is temporary, artificial, just an act. it doesn’t matter that his eyes seem to hold the world’s worth of meaning in them when he looks at you and it certainly doesn’t matter the way he caresses your arms tenderly even when nobody can see. because in the end, it isn’t even real.

but as always, the truth eludes you as soon as kazuha envelopes you in his arms, unafraid that your friends are right here, beside you, eyes wide and glistening with the sight of you being loved. and as his lips comes to touch your cheek, you have to remind yourself that that’s the whole point: for everyone to see. it only exists in everyone’s imagination. in your imagination, perhaps, it flares the most passionately.

“hm?” you’re pulled back to reality when kazuha hums something into your ear, wrapped around you from behind you, “you doing okay, petal?”

it takes you a moment to still your heart. “fine,” you reply, managing to keep your voice stable. but the brevity of your response isn’t lost at all on kazuha. his arms only tighten around your torso, and your heart becomes harder to keep in check.

“is it ‘cuz i haven’t been around you too much today?” he mumbles the words into the nape of your neck. the bonfire in front of you roars up back to life, presumably because thoma’s refilling the wood from across you. you look away from the fire, feeling your eyes tear up.

“i’ve no idea what you’re on about,” you answer, feeling small and petty in his arms. but you’re not lying. you really don’t understand why kazuha continues to whisper these words of a lover into your skin when no one else can hear you.

“’m sorry, petal,” kazuha continues on, not paying any heed to your denial, “you know how beidou gets. she really does think of herself as my guardian, i can’t get away from her.”

you’re fumbling now, mainly because it is true: you’ve been less than happy since the day started with beidou sweeping kazuha away from you. but the distance did you some good, didn’t it? it took you that much too grasp that the smiles you’ve been sporting for kazuha are far from faked.

but you’re also fumbling because you wish kazuha would stop treating you like you were his, as part of his bigger plan. you’d become much weaker in the matter of a few hours away from him. you don’t think you could do it to yourself any longer.

you sigh then, pulling kazuha’s arm off yourself, a smile you’d forced making its way to your face. “i need some air, kazuha,” you tell him, looking right into his eyes and inside, you’re begging him to stay away, “i’ll be back. can you stay here please?”

you’re already clearing up by the time you’re out of everyone’s line of sight, sitting against the wooden bench outside the camp you’re staying at, back resting against the cool stone of the wall behind you. “you’re fucked, y/n,” you tell yourself under your breath, “you’re so fucked.” you can feel your tears prickling up and you hastily blink them back when you hear footfalls beside you.

“k-kazuha?” your voice breaks for one and for all. you’re glad you’re not crying yet but the fall of kazuha’s brows is enough to tell you he’s not convinced you’re as composed as you make yourself seem.

“forgive me, petal, i tried to stop from following after you,” he says, out of breath when he kneels in front you, “but i couldn’t get myself to believe you. you’ve always been terrible at lying, haven’t you?”

“can they hear us?”

your words are barely above a whisper but kazuha catches them, blonde locks bobbing up and down as he shakes his head no. “then, why-?” your breath catches with the effort of holding back your tears, your throat closing up.

kazuha’s brows set further into his eyes at your state, hands coming to grasp your shoulders. you want to flinch but you’re only melting into them. “have i done something to upset you?”

you breathe out an unhappy laugh, brushing away his fingers from your skin, feeling the distance from him freeze up around you overwhelmingly. “i’m not upset. i want to… stop. you don’t-” you take a deep breath while kazuha’s frozen stiff in his posture in front of you. “you don’t need to keep going. i’m- we can stop.”

“p-petal? whatever do you mean?”

you think you’ve made up the stuttering in kazuha’s speech but one look at him tells you that his panic is very much real. his eyes are fixed on you, cheeks lacking their typical gentleness. “you’re tired? we can take a rest in the-”

“kazuha.” you say his name with equal parts yearning and anger. he’s missing the point on purpose. his fists clench at the gravity of your downturned mouth. “i know you needed me to be by your side and pretend to be your lover, but. . . i can’t do it anymore. i’m-”

“i’m sorry.” his words catch completely off-guard and you lose track of the words you’ve been rehearsing the whole day. “i can’t let you leave me. you’re right, i do need you. and i-” you stand up, wanting to escape before you’re pulled back into the addictive pretense of kazuha’s love again. he couldn’t desire you for real, could he?

“no, please, petal, don’t leave yet,” he stops you, standing to block your path, “i’m afraid i’ve broken the one rule we’d agreed on. i stopped acting like your lover a while ago. i’m- i’ve truly fallen for you, y/n. i need-”

this time, you’re the one floundering around for kazuha’s hands, your fingers warming his when you pull him closer to you. you’re unbelievably out of breath when kazuha’s eyes fall back on you, mouth still half-open in shock.

“i’m the same as you. i’m in love with you, kazuha.”

you almost expect everything to black out then and there, all a part of an elaborately cruel dream but then you feel kazuha’s breath against your face when he comes closer. “then, you wanted to leave because-?” you nod and kazuha’s frown finally breaks out into a sigh of relief. his arms work on their, pulling you into him, his own body deflating against yours.

“you scared me, petal,” he whispers into your ear and now you’re starting to realize, a little bit late, that kazuha’s love is reflected in his softness around you. “i’d been functioning on the hope that you’d felt something for me and that’s why you’d put up with this contract for so long. but you really felt so distant tonight, love, the way you’ve been calling me kazuha and blocking my kisses. i love you too much, please, please stay.”

your tears are mixed with giddiness when you let them out, placing your lips on his, with a, “’m sorry, kazu,” feeling a thousand unnamed emotions when you feel his laughter rival your own.

[parkitaco]

number 14 for byler ❤️

Mike would never admit it, at least not while Hopper's in earshot, but dinner with the Byers-Hopper family might be one of his favorite things. Will's house is warm and light and real, and the Byers- well, Joyce, at the very least - treat Mike like part of the family.

The downside to that, though, is that as part of the family, Mike is also required to help with cleaning up from said dinners. Not that he minds - he makes a conscious effort to be nice to Will’s family, to make up for those hazy years in the middle of everything where he’d sort of fallen out of their good graces - with everyone but Joyce, at least. It’s not even that difficult, really, being nice again. He’s felt so happy lately that it kind of spills out of him, extending to everyone he interacts with. You’re acting like a total idiot, Max has told him at least three separate times this week, and if Mike didn’t think she’d mock him forever for it, he would have replied with I think I’m just in love.

He’s thinking about this as he scrubs at a stain on his plate, hunched over the sink as Joyce bustles about putting leftovers in plastic containers and Hopper stands around being generally unhelpful. 

“You don’t have to do that,” a voice from behind Mike says, and Mike startles a little as a warm arm winds itself around his waist. He twists to face Will, shooting him a wry smile, and Will grins back as he reaches up to brush Mike’s hair out of his eyes.

“I’m being helpful,” Mike replies, widening his eyes seriously as Will smirks and presses a kiss to the tip of his nose. “If Hopper sees me slacking off I’ll never hear the end of it.”

Will glances over at his stepfather, who’s locked in conversation with El about something, and his smirk widens. “I don’t know why you’re suddenly determined to win his approval,” he says quietly, amused, “But I can promise you that doing the dishes is not necessary for it.”

Mike huffs, turning back to his soap-lathered plate, and Will stays close, arm still hooked loosely around his middle. “I need his approval,” Mike says, using the corner of the sponge to finally make a dent in the stubborn grease stain on the plate, “because he’s your stepdad.”

“He’s El’s actual dad, and you actively worked to make his life harder when you and El were dating,” Will points out, watching Mike’s face as he rinses off the now-clean plate and places it on the dish rack.

Mike’s mouth twitches into a small smile. “I think we’ve established that my judgement while I was dating El was sub-optimal at best,” he murmurs, and it feels like an accomplishment when Will lets out a light laugh.

In truth, Mike’s newly conscientious attitude toward Will’s family is only in part due to his general good mood as of late. His happiness makes it easier, sure, but there’s also this niggling sense in the back of his mind, a reminder that if he wants this good thing with Will to last, he’s going to have to build lasting relationships with his family too. It’s the least he can do, after everything, and he might only be seventeen, but he’s fairly certain that he wants this good thing with Will to last for, give or take, probably the entire rest of his life, and Will’s too while he’s at it.

Mike’s not at all scared of that notion. And that’s probably the biggest miracle of all.

He finishes washing the dishes and dries his hands on a towel, twisting around in Will’s grip and leaning against the counter beside him. “For what it’s worth,” Will says, as Mike places a hand over his chest, reeling him in closer, “I’m pretty sure you already have his approval. Not that you need it, but still.”

He tilts his head in Hopper’s direction, and Mike follows his gaze to find that El has wandered off, leaving Hop to stand quietly in the corner of the kitchen, eyes narrowed but expression relaxed as he surveys Mike and Will. “He thinks we’re good for each other,” Will murmurs under his breath as Mike turns back to face him, all too aware of Hopper’s gaze on him. “I overheard him tell my mom.”

Despite his efforts, a small smile spreads across Mike’s face, delicate and hopeful. “Yeah?”

Will presses down a smile, pulling Mike closer and kissing his cheek quickly. “You’re ridiculous,” he proclaims, “Yeah.”

Any response Mike could have come up with is cut off by Joyce, who appears beside them at the sink and drops a dirty pot into the basin unceremoniously. “Sorry, boys,” she says, shooting them both a small smile as they shift out of the way, and grabs a bottle of dish soap off the counter. “This is the last of the dishes.”

She sets about scrubbing, and Will tugs Mike over to the opposite side of the counter, keeping one arm firmly wrapped around Mike’s waist. Mike leans into the touch, and Will shoots him a small smile.

“Thanks for the help, Mike,” Hopper says gruffly from his corner, taking a sip of water out of a clear glass and surveying the two of them with vague scrutiny.

It takes every fiber of Mike’s being to resist bringing up the good for each other thing. “Of course,” he says instead, grinning sweetly, because he is nice and polite and a good boyfriend to Will and deserves to be in Hopper’s good graces and be exempt from things such as the three-inch rule, which has quickly become the bane of his existence.

Hopper frowns at him like he thinks Mike is up to something, which- he sort of is, but he has good intentions, okay? He’s better now, than he was when he was thirteen. He’s trying. He’s happy.

Hopper seems to come to some sort of conclusion, because he nods once, taking another sip of water, and says, “You should come for dinner again next week. Make this a regular thing.”

Mike blinks at him. He spends at least half his life in this house already, and Hopper knows this, but there’s something formal about the invitation, something like- acceptance, or something. An olive branch, maybe. “Uh, sure,” he says, heart rate quickening, and he feels weirdly nervous, stepping into new territory this way. It’s- a good nervous, though. He feels like he has more good things than he’s ever had before.

“Yeah, okay,” he says sheepishly, sending Hopper a small smile. Will’s arm tightens around his waist, and he presses a kiss to Mike’s cheek. 

Mike feels like he’s home.

[cornfields-td-nonsense]

this is your reminder to talk about how stubbornness runs in the miller family

*cracks knuckles* y’all ready for me to go off about the Millers again?

alright, Patrick’s an obvious example of stubbornness being a negative. He’s stuck in his ways, he’s got an idea mapped out in his head of how his wife and children ‘should’ behave, and by God he’ll make sure everyone follows it to a tee. When he decides it’s time for Ezekiel to learn how to man up and come hunting, it’s time. When he decides Esther’s outgrown her free-spirited and 'unladylike' nature, she’s outgrown it. He’s right, you’re wrong, debate over.

Mary might initially seem like an outlier, like the picture of a docile housewife, but she’s more than that. She’s stubborn as any Miller. More than anything, she loves her children and wants the best for them. She plays her part of domestic femininity on the outside, while quietly waiting for the opportunity to make her move. She may not know how exactly to get out of her situation, but she’ll get a better life for Esther and Zeke no matter what it takes. (And it goes without saying that once she found out what happened on those hunting trips, it would fuel her resolve even more to get Patrick out of their lives.)

Now onto the kids, and oh boy is there a lot to say about them.

Zeke is, again, an obvious one. His stubbornness to rectify his absolute failure in the first season is evident through all of World Tour. He came out the past season with no friends, no accomplishments, no chance of fame and nothing to show for himself at all, and he’s going to do whatever it takes to make this his season. He’s going to get something out of this - he’s going to win. Even as it destroys him.

He gets thrown off the plane before it even takes off? Run and catch up to it, and then march right up to the host and demand to get back on the show. He loses and gets voted off? Physically cling to the outside of the plane and then hide away in the cargo. Put on the best serial killer performance of his life while clinging to whatever’s left of his humanity. Claw his way back onto the plane once, twice, three, four times, then after it explodes? Hitch a ride all the way to Tijuana Beach. If the other finalists can do it, so can he. Getting the million - winning the game - proving to himself that it was all worth it - stays in his brain until it’s literally all there is left of him.

And then he falls into a goddamn volcano to top it off.

But he keeps coming back to the island. Because he’s still trying to get the win. To prove that all of this, sacrificing his own humanity and his entire life, was WORTH something.

And then there's Esther. Throughout her childhood, the more her father tried to get her to conform to the ideal of what a young lady should act like, the more she pushed back. Though as she's gotten older, sort of like her mother, she's learned to hide behind the veneer of a "perfect daughter". It's a front. She's every bit the loud, lively "free spirit" she was as a small child, she just doesn't show it in front of Patrick anymore. Hanging onto your beliefs and identity in an environment like this is not an easy task, believe me, so it's already a testament to Esther's stubbornness, but there's so much more to unpack with her.

From the moment she sees Zeke on TV in his feral form, even as the shock is still wearing off, she becomes determined to find him and bring him home. Even if it seems impossible, even if he's almost (but not quite) beyond recognition, even against the odds, Esther's going to do it. Because that's just who she is. She doesn't accept defeat, and if one route doesn't work, she'll brute force another.

(For example, if attempting to pack herself in a crate and mail herself to Wawanakwa Island doesn't work - yes, she really tried that - she gets there the only other way she can think off. By signing up to join the exact same show that nearly destroyed her brother's life, because that's just how far she's willing to go.)

When Esther first sees Art picking on Lara, she confronts him directly, because fuck no she's not going to let that slide. And when Lara later tells her she's "used to it", and not to worry, Esther just doesn't accept that, because why should Lara be used to it? It's not right, and she sticks hard to that belief, because it's what Esther does.

This is a family trait, and they all wield it differently. Stubbornness and determination are Miller family jewels, and they can be destructive or vital to living, depending on how they're used.

[tsunderedoctor]

Hi purple! I was wondering if I could request headcanons for Law, Luffy, and Ace, where they cry in front of their s/o for the first time? Maybe stress is getting to them or Luffy just lost Ace in marineford, Law thinking about Corazón, etc? Hope you have a phenomenal day 💘

Oh you just wanna make me sad, don't you??

Law would probably cry when he’s super drunk, as in completely intoxicated. He usually only drinks a few shots and calls it a night once he gets that steady high, but if it’s a rough night he will indulge himself and allow his emotions to run freely.

He will stay quiet most of the night, sulking in his own self-pity about his life choices. How he could have been a better person for his family, Cora-san, even you; but he doesn’t out of his own pride and fear of being hurt.

When you go and check on him the tears are already threatening to fall out, just one look from you was enough for his usual strong walls to break apart. A whimper escapes his lips as you bend down to hug him, hands wrapped around your frame tightly, clinging to you as if you will disappear in front of him.

He’s a loud crier, lets out the most pitiful sobs you can imagine, but it’s due to all the buried emotions inside. He can’t help it, he lost it all and sometimes he’s scared that he will wake up and everything he worked so hard for will all be a dream. 

Stays by your side the whole night, his fears getting the best of him. All his insecurities come to life and he needs you close with him to reassure him that all will be okay and he’s safe now.

It was after the whole events of Ace’s death and being ripped apart from his crew. It was just the two of you now as he trained everyday to stay distracted from the pain and loneliness. However, Rayleigh decided to give the young boy a break, worried about his own mental being.

It was then that he finally was able to come to senses with his emotions. Sitting on the ground, he forgot that the others weren’t with him in that moment, asking Sanji what was for lunch. 

Running his hands through his hair, he let out a shaky breathe as you brought him the usual food that was prepared by the Amazonians. Asking him what was wrong only resulted in an angry fit, like a child who didn’t get his way. 

So all you could do was sit by him and let him come to you. It didn’t take long for him to crawl into your lap, face wet with tears and snot as he held you tightly in bitter anger. What did he do to deserve all this pain? What did Ace do?!

The rest of the afternoon was only listening to the boy cry. Hand running through his hair as you whispered sweet nothings. It was truly all you could do anymore.

Ace does his best to cry in the privacy of his room or somewhere where no one can find him. So you were both surprised when you found him hiding in the closet of his bedroom. 

Hates to admit it, but is a huge baby when he cries, he’s super needy and wants your attention even more than before. In this space he feels as though he is truly worthless and wants to prove his self-worth to you, but he also needs your reassurance that everything will be okay and you love him.

Usually when he cries it’s due to his self-hatred winning in the battle and he needs gentle reminders that his brain isn’t always right, that people do love and need him. 

Is very clingy, if you want to be in a more comfortable position or suggest laying on the bed, know he will be stuck to you like glue still, afraid if he lets go you will reject him. 

The type to cry himself to sleep on you. Even in his sleep though he has a tight grip, his subconscious fear that when he wakes up you will be gone. Just stay by side and remind him how good of a boy he his!

[linkspooky]

I know you already said in a post that Batman would empathize with Tomura so I wanted to ask you if you think Batman could empathize with the rest of the League.

Sure, there are plenty of parallels already between Batman's rogues gallery, and the League of Villains. Batman is characterized by his relationship with his villains, partly because he frequently shows empathy for his villains, considering how many of them are victims who've had "a bad day" just like Bruce did.

Toga Himiko and Harley Quinn

This is the most similar parallel between a batman rogue and Himiko, I already wrote a post about it here, more or less Harley and Toga live their lives in a twisted pursuit of love which would be an understandable motivation were it not for in pursuing their love they create many victims along the way as they violently lash out.

There is an episode of Batman the animated series called "Harley's Holiday" where Harley is given a clean bill of health and is discharged from Arkham Ayslum. Harley however, the next day is triggered when the shop attendant forgot to take the tags off a dress she legally purchased and the shoplifting detector went off, what specifcally triggers Harley is the idea that she's going to go down for a crime she didn't commit and be dragged back into Arkham. Harley has a bit of an emotional breakdown at this point and thinking she's going to be arrested, knocks down the security guard, takes a hostage to protect herself and runs out the store.

Harley: I just wanna live a normal life without some cop always pouncing on me.

Harley all day long runs with the hostage not because she's trying to hurt anyone, but essentially is having a breakdown and legitimately believes that she will be dragged back to Arkham for a crime that she did not commit. She even did not intend to hurt the girl she kidnapped and was planning on letting her go.

Batman follows Harley the whole episode, not because he wants to capture her and put her back in prison, but he's trying to de-escalate the situation and protect Harley so she doesn't lose the progress she's made.

Bruce: Listen to me. All the work you've done, your freedom. If you run away, you'll lose them Harley. You're so close to winning back your real life. Why risk it now?

It's worth bringing up that Himiko is also someone who was specifically failed by the social systems that were supposed to teach her how to use her quirk in a healthy way. Imagine, if after her first violent incident, instead of being thrown out by her parents, and pursued by the police to lock her up someone would have gone as far as Bruce did to remind Himiko that one bad day, or one bad deed shouldn't ruin your whole life. The goal of batman isn't to throw away his villains and lock away the key but to reform them, as shown by his last action in the episode buying Harley a dress and expressing empathy for her troubles.

Harley: Why did you stay with me all day, risking your butt for someone who's never given you anything but trouble? Bruce: I know what it's like to try and rebuild a life. I had a bad day too, once.

TWICE AND HARVEY DENT

Disassociative identity disorder? Check. Formerly good person who goes bad and suffers a mental breakdown after what was essentially an accident? Check. For Twice it's losing his parents, it's losing his job, it's deciding to steal to make a living only to have all his clones turn against him and forget what's the real one. Harvey starts out not only as a well-intentioned person, but a prosecutor trying to fight crime, and a close friend to Bruce Wayne.

The inciting incident to his villainry is a sheer accident, through no fault of his own. Harvey has problems with another personality, a repressed angry side, and is attending therapy to address it while the pressures of his outside life pile on and one violent accident that scars half of his face causes him to snap.

Batman's focus the entire episode is once again, trying to bring his friend back. In Harley's case especially he's suffering from a dissociative identity disorder which does not make him fully in control of his actions. It's not even a question of whether or not Harvey is past the point of no return for Bruce, but rather how he is going to bring him back.

Bruce: Wherever you are, whatever you've become, I will save you. I swear. "Two-Face Part II".

As Two-Face insists that Harvey is gone and no part of him remains, it's Bruce who refuses to give up on the idea that Harvey is still there, reminding him he still has friends.

Bruce: I want to help you. Harvey: Help me? You don't know anything about me. Bruce: I know that you have friends, Harvey. Friends who love and care about you. Harvey: Harvey's friends are no friends of mine. Bruce: What about Grace? Harvey: Grace? What do you know about Grace? Bruce: Every day, she waits and prays. She wants you back, Harv.

Once Harvey's attempts at revenge against the man who scarred him are stopped, there are follow up episodes like "Second Chance" that emphasize once again that Bruce is someone who believes in Harvey's ability to heal. When he's kidnapped just before getting face restoring surgery after making major progress in his therapy, Batman spends the entire episode trying to get him back and it ends again on this hopeful note.

Harvey: Bruce. Goold old Bruce. Always there. You never give up on me.

Bruce doesn't kill his villains because he doesn't believe he has the right to act as a judge on whether they have the right to redeem themselves or not, and in many cases he is actively in support of their rehabilitation and return to society. Compare the way Hawks handled Twice. He started off making an offer to redeem him, but unlike Bruce decided he was the one who had the right to choose who was worthy of redemption and who was not. He divides good people and bad people and decides Only Twice is worth redemption because he is good and his offer of redemption comes at the cost of selling out the league, and then goes straight to the murder option.

Batman doesn't act like he has the right to decide who gets saved, and who doesn't, whereas in hero society there's a pattern of regularly ignoring the help of people in need of they don't fit the image of a "good innocent victim."

"Well Batman wasn't fighting a war like Hawks was" go read the Injustice Comics, Batman's best friend Clark Kent becomes the literal dictator of the world and Batman is running a rebellion against him and the justice league and he still never chooses to kill anyone even if that would make the fight he is fighting a lot easier.

Jason Todd and Dabi

This one is a little bit harder to explain, because there's no under the red hood arc in Batman the Animated series which I am using as my main example because it's the most well known version of Batman. I did write an arc comparing Jason and Toya.

Under the Red Hood the storyline if anything is a well-written tragedy because it shows how much Batman failing to save Jason is a deviation of his true self, and his desire to save and reform his villains. Batman suddenly has trouble helping save an obvious victim, because of how much his own guilt complex and fear that he will lose Jason again is sabotaging his feelings. Batman isn't perfect after all.

However, I will say two things, if you read the original Death in the Family arc Bruce isn't a perfect parent but he is leagues better than Endeavor and he in fact was doing what he thought was best to help Jason when Jason started showing signs of instability.

His attempt to remove Jason from the Robin role was because he thought Robin was making Jason worse and Jason needed time to be a normal kid. Which is on a totally different level than what Enji did which is just throw away the kid he didn't need, and then make no attempt to help a kid who was reacting badly through sheer regret. If Batman had a kid reacting like Toya, he would have noticed and at least tried to help because at that point in the comics Batman was a flawed parent yes, but one actively trying to fix his mistakes and do better, as opposed to one who just ran away at every opportunity.

On top of that Bruce's hesitation the entire Under the Red Hood arc is about how much he mourns Jason, and how afraid he is of grieving him again. He fears that he can't save him while wanting to save him. Whereas, Enji really only cares about whether or not he can keep being a hero. Batman makes it clear by the end of the arc he wants to save Jason, he's wanted to the entire time.

Batman also, unlike Enji is capable of admitting that he can be the bad guy and that he can fail. Bruce also admit, and I think this is what makes him symapthize with his villains so much that he's not a saint or paragon of morality either, much like Jason he also feels tempted to put villains on the ground or that it would be much easier to just take justice into his own hands.

Part of what drives him to be a hero is because he's capable of imagining himself being the villain, that's why he relates to his villains and tries to help them instead of taking justice into his own hands. Whereas, Enji can abuse his family for years and be told several times that he chose being a hero over a father, only to believe he's still somehow the hero in this scenario. You have one who understands they failed their son and they could be a villain and the other who can never see themselves as the villain and instead villainize their son.

SPINNER VS KILLER CROC

As for Spinner the closest comparison I can come up with is Killer Croc, someone who is just a normal person with a birth defect that causes their skin to grow scales who was treated as a sideshow freak and continually dehumanized throughout all of their lives. This one is harder because Killer Croc doesn't really get many sympathetic episodes in Batman the Animated Series, in fact there's an episode I kind of dislike where Croc is taken in by freaks who treat him as human and accept him and then he turns on them. Which I think is kind of against the message of a lot of these Batman the Animated Series episodes, that these people aren't bad at heart but created by the circumstances they've endured in life.

If you dig around in the comics though there are times where Killer Croc is treated in a much more sympathetic light, in Suicide Squad he has a romance with Enchantress of all people which calms him down significantly because utlimately he just wants to be treated as a human from having people hurl abuse at him all these years and treat him as an animal because of his skin condition.

COMPRESS VS THE RIDDLER

Closest comparison I can come up with for Compress is the Riddler, because Compress to me of the league is the most "Bank Robber in a Silly Costume" themed villains. Riddler's obsession isn't really with harming people so much as creating elaborate riddles for Batman to solve.

When Paul Dini did a run on detective comics they explored Riddler from this angle, by have him giving up his identity as the Riddler and instead for awhile act as a private investigator who turned his same obsession in creating riddle themed crimes, to solving them instead. he even worked alongside Batman a couple of times.

[asjjohnson]

Part 18 of my poll adventure fic. Links: the beginning, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9, part 10, part 11, part 12, part 13, part 14, part 15, part 16, part 17.

---

Despite his resolve to graduate high school, Dan still had that itch for destruction.

The thrill of using his power against something and overcoming it.

Doomed, the online game, was different than real life.

The monsters were fake; the town was only disguised computer code.

But blasting everything in the level and seeing the ground littered with nothing but the same three images of splintered wood and drifting smoke, still gave him that giddy feeling of accomplishment.

And when the objects came back after fifteen minutes, he could do it all over again.

It was good enough for now. A way to lay low until he got that diploma.

While Dan was enjoying himself, he heard an unexpected voice.

Well, if 'voice' was the right word. Using ghost powers to physically enter a computer program did strange things to his perception. Everything he saw and heard were signals interpreted by his mind and imagination. Including the very human, but generic voice he imagined hearing behind him. Or, rather than 'behind' him, from outside of the section of code he was paying attention to.

When he 'turned around', he recognized his old Doomed avatar, along with Sam's and Tucker's.

Even while the three of them had a conversation about homework, Dan expected his past self to eventually fight him. If for no other reason than videogame fun or childish morals.

So he was surprised to realize the fight he was waiting for wouldn't happen.

"You're just going to leave?"

Dan had only heard his past self's side of the conversation, Sam and Tucker having whispered too quietly to make out their words, but he gathered that Sam had offered to help his past self raise his grades.

It reminded Dan of how much work he still needed to catch up on.

Too much time had passed since he'd last been in school, making him unable to pick up where he'd left off. And the current schoolwork was a few months ahead of where he'd been. Not that he'd been caught up at that point. He'd been slipping behind as the CAT approached.

"Yeah. You win. Have fun blasting everything."

So much for Doomed taking his mind off of the nearly impossible task for a few hours.

"Wait," Dan said a bit impulsively.

The three of them didn't move for a couple seconds, so he figured they were staying to see what he wanted. He imagined their expressions behind their helmets urging him to continue. He sighed and said, "Look. I have several months' worth of work I need to catch up on in class; can I join you?"

The three of them almost talked on top of each other.

"What's with the aitch-aitch-aitch-aitch-aitch? Is that supposed to be some kind of sound effect?" Tucker asked.

"We probably don't even go to the same school," his past self said.

"You're the transfer student, aren't you?" Sam asked.

"Yes."

"'Yes' you're the transfer student?" his past self asked. "I guess that explains the Phantom username. But you still have no idea who we even are."

"You called her 'Sam'," he pointed out. "And the name 'FRYERTUCK' isn't exactly subtle."

"Okay, I guess that makes sense."

---

Danny was curious about the transfer student, despite being more concerned about Vlad.

Talking to him face-to-face would probably help with figuring out more about him and maybe why he looked so much like Danny, and even had almost the same name.

After agreeing to let him study with them and deciding on the specifics, they all logged out of the game to meet.

---

“Alert me when there’s an update” list:

@charlietheepic7, @chrysanthemum9484, @mymadmedleyw, @dp-marvel94, @aikoiya, @whydouwantmyname, @cinturon-cadena, @freakofyournature, @satanicrutialspecialist, @danphantom80, @kaezer, @chipsyay, @mysterimax, @56thingsinaname, @derpxp, @potatoofweird

(if you want on the list, specifically ask to be alerted for updates in a tag or comment. Ask again if I forget to add you! If I can’t tag you, I’ll send a Message.)

[belaprus]

Dottore x reader: being his assistant (pt.3)

"Are you sure you want to continue?"

"Yes"

"Even if it meant for you to spend more time with him?"

"Yes"

Pantalone was looking at your injured arm, slightly concerned. It felt like he was carefully searching for the right words to express himself. After some moments, he opened his mouth to speak again:

"Are you growing attached, maybe?"

"Absolutely not. It's just I'm the only one who can take care of him properly"

The skeptical expression on his face was clear, especially when he had heard you say 'take care of him'. You continued:

"He's no different from my average patient. At least this job is more rewarding, and I can focus on only one person"

"The latter might be a problem. And if you think he's just the average patient, need I remind you that his name is forsaken from the entirety of Sumeru?"

"He's still a person, and I'm the more capable one on this job. This is nothing I can't manage"

"If you say so..."

After a second of pondering, Pantalone smiled at you:

"I guess you really are suited for him, after all"

You smiled back. You were no average person either. You wouldn't deal with the average people. To be fair, your whole life wasn't average at all. You were used to it, it was almost in your comfort zone to be with people like Dottore. You had always found them interesting. Sometimes it would get scary, like with the ruin hunter's incident, but you felt like it was definitely worth it: your payment was not average either.

After you parted ways with Pantalone, you returned back home. 'Tomorrow will be another day of work', you thought while drifting off to sleep in your bed. --------- He was face-down on his own desk, mentally searching for whatever way to continue his experiments. Now he was left with only two children and some chemical components, all because of that bitch-sitter who never shut her mouth. Speaking of the devil, she had just entered the room. He didn't react at all. No, he was staying like this until something, ANYTHING, had caused his funds to raise. He heard a chair moving onto the other side of the desk, her sitting on it. Silence fell onto the room. After some moments, he noticed it wasn't completely quiet around: he could feel someone breathing and an intense stare on him. His heart-rate was just a little faster than normal, meaning he could feel it pump inside his own body. 'Stop, please... Someone make her stop' was all he could think about. It was torture to feel her so close, it was getting him anxious. Was he the real freak, at this point? ----------- You found it so amusing. He was clearly tense, but was trying so hard not to make any moves. It kind of reminded you of your cat's passive-aggressive behaviour: when you haven't been home for a long time, he would always act like you were not there, playing on your sense of guilt. Luckily for you, you barely had any. If the game was set on resistence mode, you were absolutely sure of your win. You noticed his mask was left beside him on the desk. 'It may be uncomfortable for him to wear it in that position.' - you thought to yourself - 'Still, I've never seen his whole face. I'm kind of curious'. You were trying to make out his features by watching him closely, when you were suddendly met with his scarlet red eyes. You instinctively gasped and backed out a bit, as he did the same. Were you too close? You hadn't noticed. He quickly put his mask back on, but you had already seen the big scar on his left eye. You were completely undisturbed by it, but guessed he would feel another way, since now he looked offended.

"You're a freak", he told you as he agitatedly walked around the narrow space between the desk and the freezer, covering his face in a hysterical motion.

"What do you want now? I don't have any new experiments to show you"

You stayed silent, analyzing his behaviour. Most of his sentences didn't have sense, but sometimes he was spitting out things like "Am I your experiment?", "Do I look stupid to you?". The fact that you simply being too close had left him in this state was unmistakably abnormal. 'Did I mess up that badly?', you were thinking. He suddendly stopped. Then, taking a deep breath, he turned in your direction and walked past you, grabbing some cigarettes along the way and rushing out. You had noticed how, when he was too stressed, he would just run away from the place he's in. As you were thinking about it, you sat there, trying to figure out what had just happened. After a few moments, you decided to follow him out.

[aubreysheadspace]

Hi Aubrey! Can I request a Mari with a reader who's younger, chaotic and a prankster? But they're quite clumsy at times so Mari just slowly see the reader as her second sibling,,, this should be platonic, as usual!

...Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. When the incident happened, reader just... become a shell of who they used to be. They didn't harm themselves, just that... they're changing so much, to the point that Mari, who's dead, just questions if that's the same reader she knows. And depressed too, since if she never yelled at Sunny, and she tried to slove things peacefully, you and everyone wouldn't have act like this..

Aside from that, you can make what Mari thinks of the reader before death and after death!

Have a great day, Aubrey! Good luck!

MARI WITH A READER WHOS CHAOTIC YET NOW A SHELL DUE TO THE INCIDENT

(OMORI SPOILERS)

AAA I love your ideas, and ty,, hope u have a great day as well!~ hope u enjoy!

MARI

when first meeting MARI, she absolutely loved your attitude!

she enjoys your chaotic persona and would laugh at your little antics, you remind her of KEL as well!

she’s a bit of a prankster herself too, so she sometimes she would help you with pranks!

"psst, [READER].. i have another prank idea for you!" MARI whispered to you with a playful tone in her angelic voice, you were immediately interested. "you see, HERO hates bugs.. and i mean HATE them! i use to do this before so i can guarantee that it’s worth it! now, take some bugs and put it under HERO’s desk!"

she would also enjoy a little prank war with you as well!

no matter what, she’ll always fight back with a prank until she wins!

whenever you get injured by your clumsy antics, MARI would always be the one to patch up anything you got while being clumsy

she always hums as she patches up anything or cleans anything.

she enjoys taking care of other people due to her kind and caring nature, and would always stop from what she’s doing to make sure you’re alright

MARI sees you as like another little sibling! as long as you and SUNNY get along, she’ll treat you like family!

you could always sleepover at her place if you have a bad situation at home, you can get advice from her, and you can practically be yourself around her! she won’t judge you if you’re too reckless, clumsy, or loud!

…

…unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.

you.. you saw her..

you.. you saw her lifeless body..

you saw how pale she was,

you saw how her body was just dangling thanks to the rope..

she was.. no longer MARI.. just a corpse..

…

you suppress the urge to vomit.

you couldn’t believe this.. why did she.. why did she take her life away.. just like that..?

you.. could’ve.. you could’ve helped her with anything..! yet..

you thought of yourself as just.. a stupid kid who couldn’t ever make anyone happy.. you thought you never made MARI happy.. all those memories you had with her..

..were they just lies..?

she lied to you..? about everything?

did she find you annoying deep down..?

…let’s just say, during the funeral.. you weren’t really.. yourself anymore

eventually, everything became.. blank to you

like.. the world slowly lost its color in your eyes

you became.. nothing.

you felt like you were just an empty husk, void of any actual emotion

you gradually lost all sense of a self-identity, becoming the empty shell of the person you are now

you couldn’t even taste any kinds of food, even spice

you lost the ability to properly taste and enjoy food

what was the point in doing anything anymore?

you mostly stay home doing absolutely nothing in your room

why bother doing homework? why bother going to school?

what was the point?

"wow, [READER]! you got a better score on your test than last time! i’m so proud of you!"

you heard a familiar voice, and with a sharp gasp you turned around to see if it was—

…oh

never mind, it was just your wall

perhaps you just simply had a memory of her always praising you, even if it was the littlest of things

although.. every-time you looked at yourself in the mirror, you swore you saw the figure of MARI right behind you

but there was no way, right?

she was gone..

"oh.. [READER]…" MARI spoke in a somber tone as she watched how you weren’t doing anything at all and just.. laying in your bed.

she felt so upset seeing you like this. she had remembered you were always loud and super reckless, she missed the old you! she knows you.. she knows that you wouldn’t have been like this if.. that didn’t occur..

it’s been four years already, and she’s been watching everyone as a spirit. she felt so guilty that KEL had changed to mature and quickly move on just to make others happy,

HERO had changed and became depressed for over an entire year.. and even if he’s become a better person and went to college.. she knows he still misses her everyday.

AUBREY had changed into a tough and aggressive delinquent who picks on BASIL,

SUNNY had changed into a complete shut-in and still needed to figure out the truth and needed to accept that she was gone,

BASIL had changed into an even more anxious person who was always afraid.. his guilt eating him up everyday,

and even YOU had changed.

you completely changed into an empty vessel, you weren’t the same anymore. if anyone’s changed the most, it’s you. she misses your true self and wishes you could come back. she entirely believes all the bad changes in her friend group was because of her.

she should’ve been a good older sister, and just at least talked to SUNNY during that morning. she could’ve helped him but instead she yelled at him.. she made him feel even worse..

but now, even as a spirit, she could try and make SUNNY forgive himself and to eventually accept the truth one way or another. she believes in her little brother and knows that he’s the key in getting everyone back together again, even if it’s without her.

she can and will make sure SUNNY can save everyone, so she could finally find peace and rest.. knowing that everything is truly going to be okay,

MARI wants to save SUNNY, MARI wants to save BASIL, MARI wants to save KEL, MARI wants to save AUBREY, MARI wants to save HERO..

…MARI wants to save YOU.

[timidsteps]

He disappears after breakfast, promising to find her later. Of course, he'd wished her a quiet, heartfelt happy birthday first thing this morning, but that was the extent of any celebrations. He knows how embarrassing it feels when all eyes in the dining room are pinned on you--Mother doesn't deserve that!

Later ends up being nearly lunchtime. Assistant professor life doesn't stop merely for his mom's birthday. Tests need distributing, questions need answering, and adjusted schedules must be cleared.

His smile never falters through it all. Anticipation lends a quickness to his limbs, sprinting for his room the moment he's free of responsibilities. Arms full, he juggles his gifts on the way to the staff room.

"Mom!" Laslow calls, peering around the bouquet of red carnations. "Sorry I took long." He sets his bounty down on a nearby table, shaking out his tired arms with a sheepish glance at the boxes.

He has years' worth of missed birthdays to make up for. Subconsciously, he beings playing with an earring. "Happy birthday! They're a bunch of little trinkets, really. Stuff that reminded me of you." [The boxes contain: a carved figurine of a dancer mid-jump, a new silver headband, some knock-off candy that passes a replacement for the real thing in Ferox, and a handful of new coins for her dancer's outfit.]

One box in particular catches his attention. He grabs it, holding it out with a flourish. "Here, open this one first!" The pink bow wobbles but stays upright.

Two tickets for a traveling musical theater show rest inside. "Everyone I've asked loved it!"

Olivia didn't know what to make with her time here.

She knows that the monastery did, in fact, take the art of dancing pretty seriously. So she busies herself with trying to figure out a new routine—one with her own individual insight and experience to share with the rest of the instructors. One of them in particular, used to be a famous Songstress of the Adrestian Empire- and the dancer felt that there was no way that Manuela Casagranda was past her prime. She was a gorgeous woman, confident and brave enough to use her voice.

Oh, how nice would it be to use her own voice too.

And suddenly, she took a whiff of the color red.

Her lips raised upon the welcomed gift by the door: her precious baby boy. " You didn't have to get me anything Inigo... as ever, you are always too sweet." Just like his father.

She tries to help him handle all these bounties he's gathered all these years- by helping Inigo place them down upon the table. "Oh, my sweet, you shouldn't have."

Had there been roaming red haired lions wandering around, they would perhaps misinterpret the connection of the two situations. However, this wasn't a man just giving gifts to a dazzling woman- he was paying homage to his own mother.

Her eyes are quick to be filled to the brim with tears. There were so many gifts laid out for her upon the table. Too many blessings being bestowed to a mother who didn't actually give birth to him in this time line- but had upon another. Olivia takes her time to process these emotions and expresses her joy for the long awaited return of her greatest treasure.

She struggles to speak in words, but is able to remain present to receive. Opening the box slowly while sniffling- Olivia is ever grateful to become someone who is so loved. This was more than winning a prized lot in life. And even more than just a ticket stub to a show. This was living.

" Oh, Inigo...!" She quickly embraced her stellar star. "Thank you! "

[dhampiravidi]

"I want you. I need you." (Cass to Caleb ❤️)

Caleb had quit being, for lack of a better term, a fuckboy, so Cassia could get to know him and decide if she liked him enough for a date. He hadn't regretted his decision since she'd joined his friend group. She reminded him a little bit of Drew Barrymore and that woman that sang "Bring Me to Life": she had her own style, which was kind of edgy sometimes, but she had the cutest smile and she was amazingly kind and cool. When she finally told him that she had feelings for him, Caleb was over the moon. And so far, the winter trip had been perfect. The six of them had gone out onto the frozen lake to do some skating, which quickly turned into "The First Annual Ipswich Winter Olympics!" as dubbed by Jayn and Ty (who were admittedly horrible at balancing on the thin blades and the slippery ice).

Cassia might not have felt comfortable in the water, but she was a superhero on ice. She was the first one to get on the natural rink, and she was awarded the first 10 out of 10 for her "routine"--no one had practiced an actual routine, but it was pretty cool to see her glide across the lake on one foot, then do a 60-degree turn and skate in a curve. And then, when Caleb nearly fell and broke his nose trying to do a jump and stick the landing, Cass swooped in and caught him.

"You were great today," he told her, smiling as he touched her still-pink nose. After the Winter Olympics, they'd all had a snowball fight: Pogue, Jayn, and Aaron versus Caleb, Tyler, Reid, and Cass. Caleb had been so wrapped up in his girlfriend that he hadn't realized why Pogue looked so smug when picking his team. It seemed like the team with more people would easily win, but that was the easy answer. Jayn wasn't great at making snowballs...unless she used her Power, which she could do because it didn't make her eyes turn black. Pogue had always been good in a snowball fight, and Aaron apparently played baseball in high school and in college. It was a fun game, but Reid deserted, and a surrender came not long after.

They returned to the cabin house laughing (and shivering, despite the heater). Reid made a beeline for the kitchen, telling everyone that he was making "hot cocoa with extra tiny marshmallows". Pogue and Jayn followed him, and Tyler was going to, until Aaron said he was taking a shower. All of a sudden, Ty turned around and disappeared up the stairs in the direction of the attached bed-bath that he and his boyfriend had claimed. Caleb just wanted to spend some time alone with Cass, so they'd gone to their room, stripped down to their shirts and underwear, and got under the covers.

It started with talking. Then at some point, Caleb said something that made Cassia laugh, until she stopped and asked why he was staring. He pulled her into a kiss, and eventually, she tossed her bra to the side. Caleb forgot everything else, completely focused on the soft noises she made, and how she still smelled a little like the maple syrup from breakfast, and that moment when she whimpered because his fingers touched her skin, but that tiny bit of green in her eyes pleaded with him to keep going.

God, he was hard, and it was making him dizzy and crazy every time his tented crotch pressed against the bed. But he wasn't going to stop kissing his girlfriend's soft skin and rubbing her through her panties just so he could get off. Hearing her pant and moan was worth it.

"Caleb."

"Hmm?"

"I want you. I need you." Oh. His dick was very grateful and excited. He couldn't just take advantage of Cass, though. He was pretty sure he loved her, even if they hadn't had that conversation yet.

"Uh--are you sure?" he managed, forcing himself to stay still. She nodded feverishly, hips moving up to meet the hand that'd been stroking her for the past couple of minutes. The damp cotton pressed against his palm, and he had to suck his teeth. "Fuck, Cass." Caleb kissed her again, soft and slow compared to all the hurried, passionate kisses from before. He got up, holding up a finger for her to wait when he got a whine in return. Condoms. Where are they? And then he remembered that he'd chosen not to pack any, since he was trying to "forsake his former rakish behaviors", according to Reid (who was reading some Regency era-novel for school).

She nodded weakly. So he mumbled something about not being gone longer than a minute, and he ran off. Once he was out of sight, he teleported down to the kitchen, where Reid, Jayn, and Pogue were sipping cocoa. His sudden appearance made his friends jump and curse as they nearly spilled their hot drinks.

"Shit. We didn't think you'd be down here. Aren't you and Cass fucking?" Pogue asked, only slightly miffed about the tiny splash of cocoa he had to wipe up.

"We're trying," Caleb hissed, and his urgent tone made the trio understand. They hadn't realized that it would be the couple's first time.

"Well, then? Shoo!" Jayn cried, waving him off.

"...I forgot condoms."

"I've got some," all three said in almost-perfect unison. The guys raised an eyebrow and looked at Jayn. She shrugged.

"Just in case my guy doesn't have one. Like when we go on vacation," she replied, giving Caleb A Look.

"Ugh! Can someone just give me one?!" Within twenty seconds, thanks to the saving grace of good friends and teleportation, Caleb was back in the room with Cass. He made sure to shut the door, then--he'd walked in on her touching herself. She sat up with a sheepish smile.

"Uh, hey."

"You know you're gorgeous, right? Everything about you is ridiculous." She laughed gently, and he was on her like that. "Caleb--"

"Right." He moved back and shoved his pants and underwear to the floor, then pulled on the condom with a grunt, hoping he lasted at least as long as she did. He didn't expect the look on her face. "D'you think I'm too big?" At six-and-a-half, he was a bit bigger than average, but he wasn't gigantic. Honestly, he was fine with that. He knew how to use what he'd been given.

"I haven't done this...before." Dumbass.

"Oh. Cass, I--OK." Caleb was sitting on the edge of the bed, not far from where she was. He took her hand in his. "If you want this, you can take off your underwear. We'll keep going like we have been. I'll use my fingers first, and if you want more, you tell me. Alright?" She tugged on his wrist, and he followed, pulling each other into a hug made awkward by the erection tapping against his stomach. Cass pecked him on the lips. "I love you," tumbled out of him like a lost penny. His cheeks heated up as she mumbled a response, and they fell into bed again, kissing sometimes gently and sometimes like they didn't need air.

[zaffreberries]

It’s strange how something so brief can be so meaningful. I wasn’t initially a fan of Dallas Fuel, I don’t really watch esports or know about the history of Envy or any of the other games. I just liked their Blue in game skins and they signed my favourite players. I thought there was something special about this team. Something…magical.

Fearless who plays Winston and impressed me on the Shanghai dragons

Hanbin who plays Dva one of my favourite characters and is one of the best tank players

Sparkle the godlike Genji who is always smiling and being silly

Doha Sombra :)

Fielder 300ping Ana at 4:00 in the morning to win a stage title

When I heard about them finally getting Fearless, how other teams offered him more money but he wanted to play with his friends and a coach he trusted. The team that played dive comp so well. It wasn’t one player carrying everyone else, it was a team locking it in and working together to win.

They played in the NA region so I couldn’t watch the games live, only the replays. I remember watching the replay of the May Melee and cheering. Trying to explain to my mother in her kitchen after lunch what I was watching and why it was a big deal. Watching them dominate the Junker Queen Meta (and the resulting Dallas Summer Genji Skin) and getting excited because I stayed up to watch it live and my team was winning.

Watching them lift up the championship trophy, reading the translations after important games, the interactions between them, the jokes, the banter, the friendship. It made me feel good. Happy. I wasn’t able to physically be there, but I could still feel the magic all the same.

When they moved to the APAC region I was so happy. I know it was an unpopular decision for most of their NA fan base, but for me it was a small wish come through. I got to watch their games live without staying up late (or incredibly early). I got to see them grow into the new roles, see them change and adapt to their new reality. Hanbin playing Winston, Sparkle on Tracer. New faces into the team (A new favourite in Bliss) and sad that old faces left. But I understand the reasons. Things change.

For me that is Esports. A team of friends playing games aiming for the top. It’s not about fancy orgs or throwing money at players and trying to get them to all slot into a team and win. It’s not about assembling an infinity gauntlet of the best players, but growing and winning as a team. It’s what made me care about that team. Seeing them change, the growth, the new faces, that’s also part of sports, it’s a part of life regardless if it’s work or your friendship circle. You could say they were a weaker team that season, they moved to a weaker region. To me it felt as if the whole region was in a state of decline, more so, the whole league was slowing down there was a sense of foreboding as if storm clouds now blanketed the skies. It still was worth watching for me. I still enjoyed it. A shrinking pool of blue light, but a blue light shining on me nonetheless.

The Overwatch League is over now. The dream is ended. The Dallas Fuel is no more, the parent org Envy is no more. A dead team from a dead Org and a dead League. But it was a good dream. I’m glad I got to take part of it, in my own way as a viewer. I’m glad I got to feel some of that magic, the magic you feel when something you care about is up against the wall, where you are so desperate to see them succeed, every death a slash of anxiety, every loss a shock to your stomach. I have never felt this way about a sport before. I have never felt this kind of magic before. I’m slowly getting the rest of the team skins in game (I DON’T want to rant about the “Championship” Reaper skin, I’m still salty) and every time I play with them, I’m reminded of the team, of those moments they played, of Hanbin on Rein (who would have thought) of Sparkle learning to play Tracer and steadily improving, of Bliss and Fielder having so many clutch plays to save the day. All those happy memories, all that magic. It’s time to wake up, but thankfully we were able to bring some magic with us when we did.

Thank you Dallas Fuel.

[anonymouslymoi]

You walked in and saw me. Saw the wounds still in the healing process from the hands of the one before you and knew the hunt would be too easy.

You saw yourself as competiton and I the prize. You didn’t want me, you just wanted to win. Like a toddler screaming in the aisle for a toy only for it to be on the closet floor for the next 7 years. Promises across the crowded bar of a future so beautiful and bright how could I reject when the alternative, unbeknownst to me would be one of healing and happiness.

Inundated by the images of happily ever after I walked into the trap set before me. A lamb to the slaughter. So caught up in believing this was it, I could not hear the crowd hollering at me to turn back. The blood that was poured out of my soul I made excuses for. Surely it will stop. Surely I was worth being loved enough to be healed and cared for. Surely I would wake one day to the cry of an infant that looked like me, with you by my side. The worries of the what if's would dissappear, right?

The 20 dollars from the pile you said I didn't mind you taking while I slept. The walk you took to try and convince me to not enjoy a night out. The banging on the door to so said wish me a safe trip. Your utter need for control in what I wore, what I said, what and how I ate, how I walked, who I spoke to, how I lived. Starting as a kiss quickly turning into suffocation. Done so well that I didn't realize I needed air until it was almost too late. Using those pictures to make me believe I was losing something wonderful because you saw a glimmer of independence still left in my spirit. Pathetic. The name you whispered. Not my name. Not my name everytime you said it. But I am the crazy one for being so damn insecure when you, the creator of this nightmare instilled it into me.

She will always be first. The one whose ripples wash over everyone in the way. The one who refuses to take her proper place in line of succession. I am berated for defending myself and speaking up. She raised her fist to me but you believe I asked for it. She throws my life in upheaval but I am not generous enough. I didn't try hard enough. You yourself saying she owes me nothing. She is much of the cause of why my arms are barren, but you only see me as the one at fault. While she is incapable of taking any blame, it is a result of what you taught her.

I could have whatever I wanted if I just worked harder. Alone, quiet and without complaint. My voice is rejected in your court. Quickly learning that to ask for help is a burden and life so much easier when I struggle alone. At least there is a moment of peace. False peace, but peace none the less.

I hear your words echoed in my heart. I recite them to myself daily as if a sonnet. So lowly and nothing. No one could ever love me so I stay.

I waited. I held on. My hand holding so tightly to the blade. Veins severed. My screams falling on deaf ears while you're so focused on everyone else. I found myself making a home on flames barely enough to keep itself warm. Believing I just had to wait a little longer. You would take me and turn the heat up to boiling just long enough to have me back in your clutches believing momentarily that I was worth it. Coming in like a hero and rescuing me, only to return me to my rightful place, the remaining flame a little less than before.

Everyone still under your spell of greatness. My treatment is like that of waste. I do my best not to complain. You remind me I am selfish, immature and ungrateful. That forced smile in public you give me, knowing I'll have to apologize profusely for whatever I said or did, or didn't say or didn't do. I must take your hurt and make penance.

My body, the one you would make your remarks about suffering the effects of what you put me under. Doctors telling me it's my job, it's my age, it's everything but the real cause of this damage. You.

The audience watches as this play continues. Keeping their comments to themselves. The reviews are in but I can't see them. Perhaps because I'm too scared of facing the fact that what they know is truth. Only to hear after the curtain falls that they knew who the antagonist was all along. They wanted to rescue me.

You never intended for me to have a legacy. Nothing to come after me, that looks like me, sounds like me or even thinks like me. You could not handle something so small challenging your heirarchy and taking my attention and adoration away from you. You push away from me as I attempt to stitch back together what was promised. Finally the courage to say you're done.

My life shattered to tattered rags.

Left to lick my wounds I find through each droplet of blood and tear stains, my strength is returning.

The heat blazes forth. I can lift my head and see the sunlight. Each return you attempt opens my eyes to your hardened truth and it makes me stronger on my own. My dreams return. My voice. My laughter. My passion. This was not part of your plan. I was to die, not live. I was to be the latest causality in your book of pain. But I can't hear you, I can't see you from where I stand.

The binding frayed to the fragility of my freedom. Zero holds on me. I owe you nothing, and myself everything. You don't even deserve a goodbye. This is it, you are powerless over me now and forevermore. I am free. I can breathe. I am worthy. I am me.

[lawain-dimensional-heroes]

From the halls, there was the sound of people arguing in the distance. It came from one of the rooms.

"...Huh, what do you mean you're waiting a bit longer to help!?"

"Can't you just drop out of the tournament now? I mean, you've already fought the strongest opponent and won! Are you telling me you're just going to stay here for a while longer all because something turned out differently!?"

"I know you're upset and frankly I was betting on the fact that I'd lose my fight, but I really did not expect to win this. Besides, how would the whole audience and the contestants feel if they found out I forfeited the tournament? Besides, Mercedes lost her round and she cannot return so that's another reason for me staying here!"

"Well maybe if someone didn't chose to go all out we wouldn't be here arguing about it--"

"Well MAYBE if there wasn't a redemption bracket I would've left with ease and not worry about it but noooooo, after knowing there wasn't one I was expecting that if I lost I would've been out immediately, but lookie here, there WAS ONE AFTER ALL!!!"

"What is there even in it for you in this tournament? You've won against the best of the best and lemme remind you: I AM DEALING WITH A DOPPLEGANGER ISSUE HERE YA LIZARD BRAIN!! Is that stupid tournament really worth more than helping-- oh I don't know, ONE OF YOUR FIANCE'S!? Like gee, thanks for caring!"

"Look I'm in a very VERY tricky dilemma here where I do really want to help you, but not only are my friends here I've also promised to Merci that I'd win this for that shit Kotaro pulled on her just recently which I am STILL NOT over it! Not only that, using a vessel to help you out will make it even more difficult on my end. Once I'm done with this tournament we will solve this issue immediately, but until then my hands are figuratively tied at the moment."

"Okay you two, stop the arguing right now. Both of you have a point, multiple points even. Yes, the whole doppleganger issue needs to be addressed as soon as possible, but as Maroon just said: he's got a good amount of reasons why he cannot leave and those reasons are beyond his control. Now I can also understand why there's no reason why he couldn't help you out. It may be harder, but surely-- if you care for her a lot, you could-- let's say use those vessels to help her out, no?"

"On the surface it seems easy enough, but this technique requires me to double task. It's hard enough to fight while spectating the fight using the vessel, let alone being able to use said vessel to help out in another dimension or universe while I am competing in the tournament. There's a reason why I haven't used multiple vessels in combat. Focusing on multiple fights with each fight using a different vessel makes it nigh on impossible. Trust me, if I was able to that we'd be in Grandis right about now."

"Yes and you're free for now..."

"Yes, but for how long. It could be just today, it could be two days-- hell, it could be three but by the time we're getting somewhere in the situation, it'll probably be my turn. And honestly...Tear? Why are you so insistent on bringing me into this situation regardless of how busy I am?"

"Because you're the best person to be dealing with this. You've got the strength, you've known Eskalade pretty long by now, you know me well enough. What else is there for me to say?"

"...Fair point, but still... I really do want to help, but unfortunately I cannot extend my help at the moment. Why do you need my strength? You seemed pretty reasonable and if she is a doppleganger, shouldn't she be reasonable as well?"

"Well...That's the issue. The reasonable-- or rather lack there of. Can I be honest in saying this? Seeing her...I want her gone. And we might have to fight her too..."

"...And take her life too...You do know what you're asking of me, right? Taking your-- err, her life..."

"..."

"...Let's discuss this situation another after the tournament then. This is going to be a hard mission for the both of you. But if need be, I'd like to lend a helping hand, considering I no longer am participating in the tournament."