#just thinks her mom was a separate entity

[ellzilla]

Warm up doodle of Lazari bc I remembered she exists and I wanted to take a swing at her with my Zalgo take's lore in mind spoiler alert: doesn't look too much different

[aloesarchives]

A Love that Haunts Beyond the Grave (JJK One-shot)

Warnings: Fem reader, Death, Mention of Blood, Violence, Grief, Reader is highkey still in mourning, Megumi being confused 24/7, Angst with no happy ending at all, Shibuya Arc

Series: Jujutsu Kaisen

Word Count: 2.3k words

Summary: What happens when the person that is attacking your son is his father and the love of your life?

Pairing: Toji x Fem/Mom!Reader(Romantic), Megumi x Mom!Reader(Platonic/Parental)

Pronouns: She/Her (Reader is referred to as mom by Megumi)

AU: Slight Canon Divergence Timeline (Reader is a sorcerer and minor teacher at Jujutsu High. The reader is Megumi’s biological mom. Tsumiki is Reader and Toji’s biological daughter. One of the Reader’s Last Names is Fushiguro but also their last name, like (Y/N) (L/N) Fushiguro.)

(A/N: Sorry that this is shorter than my other JJK pieces. I am trying to do more writings that aren’t super long or drag on. Also, because my ADHD prescription has been backordered until the 20th, my updates will be very inconsistent. I apologize for the inconvenience and drop in quality of my upcoming works!)

[Semi Proofread and edited on 12/13/23 at 8:02pm!]

As always, Please Enjoy!

The curses just kept coming and coming, everything was in absolute chaos. Though you can pull your own, the amount of curse energy manifesting was something you haven’t felt since your younger years. What was happening in Shibuya was unlike any other mission or event you've been a part of. The closest that could come to this is when Suguru decided to invade and wage an attack on the very school he attended. 

After getting separated from your son and his group, you desperately made it your mission to reunite and be there with him. You know your son is a very strong boy and can handle his own. With the guidance and training of Satoru, you could be sure he can be a sorcerer who stands up against those who oppose him. But this was different. Stronger curses, stronger and terrifying enemies you never had heard of, curse techniques and domain expansions beyond your understanding. This wasn’t anything a normal grade sorcerer would be up against, let alone be prepared for. With the news of Gojo Satoru being sealed reached your ears, you knew you were one of the few strong sorcerers left to be aiding in this dangerous conflict. Thus the desperation to find your son and keep him safe became unruly.

You zipped and flashed through the once lively city in search of any essence of your son. Scaling buildings, diving through empty windows of establishments frozen in time, racing on the concrete sidewalks with the only noise is your feet slamming against the pavement with the faint growls of grotesque curses echoing in the background. To your luck, or possibly your own fear, there were barely any curses in the streets to ambush you. While aimlessly running, your body suddenly immobilized itself at the sound of concrete breaking. You never had a super heightened sense, only through years of experiences and training. However, your body forced you to stay still as if it wanted you to hear what was happening. It would soon be in your favor as what followed was a small explosion with two people coming out of it. You recognized one of the silhouettes to be a young boy with blue spikey hair.

“Megumi?!”

You found your son but not in the way that you wanted. Like any good parent, you rushed to where you think Megumi landed. As you get closer, you hear glass shattering. Things crashing and being thrown around. Through a side street, you briefly saw Megumi being launched by a powerful force. You were, however, confused because you didn’t feel nor sense any curse energy. What the hell is Megumi fighting that’s bruly enough it doesn’t rely on curse energy? Making haste, you tried to figure out Megumi’s location but with him being thrown around, it was difficult to make a precise point of his location. 

You kept following where Megumi was going despite not knowing the entity that was manhandling your son. T the crashes and the chaos grow louder, You cut through any small side streets and alleyways to get closer. Sweat was beading down, cascading down your face, and your limbs ached from the amount of energy you exerted onto them. But it didn’t matter, none of it mattered when your son was endangered and possibly killed because you were too late. Oh, how you begged your body to keep on going just to save your son. After taking all the twists and turns, you took a left turn and saw Megumi. He was out of breath but it seemed he was trying to hold himself against the juggernaut he was fighting. Sprinting in full action, you ran down the alley and reached the street where he was cornered. Even if you were out of breath, your body mustered enough air to call for your son’s name.

“MEGUMI!!!”

“Mom?!”

You reached your son and used your body as a shield between him and whoever he was fighting. You looked back for a bit, to see if he was severely injured. Besides the cut under his left eye and the drops of sweat on his forehead and cheeks, he looked somewhat okay. You honestly didn’t care if you died protecting your son. If Megumi lived, you would be satisfied. You felt your body become light as you took a stance against Megumi’s opponent. You didn’t feel Megumi grip the back of your shirt and pleading out your name. You didn’t understand what he meant until the figure on the other side propelled himself forward and tried to impale you on his weapon. You anticipated an object thrusted in you only to open your eyes to see the figure look at you with surprise. Though he jumped back to the other end of the street, you caught the small horizontal scar on the edge of the man’s lips. It was like life played a cruel joke on you as Deja vu graced your body in the worst way possible.

“You…(Y/N)?”

“T-Toji…?”

Megumi’s brain was frazzled but he still was able to pick up you saying something. And by the look of Megumi’s opponent, he stood there frozen too. Megumi looks back and forth trying to figure out how to know who he is fighting. Was this an enemy from your younger days as an active sorcerer that matched you and your abilities? Or was this someone that scarred you from an event that caused you to stand like a statue? He couldn’t tell but by your reaction of wide eyes and slight agape mouth, this guy wasn’t someone to simply drop your guard. Megumi was trying to process the situation while you and what seemed to be your dead husband stared the other down.

How was this possible? Why was this possible? You were informed of the activities and whereabouts of your estranged husband twelve years ago. Of how one night out of the blue, Toji just left with no trace of returning whatsoever. Leaving you, Tsumiki, and Megumi behind one day and never bothering to return to the three of you ever again. You were told by your own junior and student, Satoru Gojo, that he killed your husband in an intense battle where he blew a hole in him. Telling you his last words were to look after his wife and children as you cried over the fate of your love. You thought you never got to see your Toji alive again, the last time you saw him was in the morgue where Satoru and Principal Yagi showed you the corpse of your husband to confirm his identity. 

Your denial was strong, stronger than your resolution to be rational. You saw your husband dead, pale, cold, and mortal as you saw his left arm and chunks of his torso were missing. Your husband was gone from this mortal plane. Yet, here he was. Your husband was standing in front of you like he was never dead, to begin with. Your body felt cold, shaking from the adrenaline that was produced, your breath lodged in your throat, and your heartbeats were all that you heard. A wave of confusion, astonishment, disbelief, sorrow, and anguish flashed over you. As you stood there, Megumi became even more disoriented. You were known for being calm and in control in battles and missions as he heard from his teacher. On the other hand, this was something he had never seen before. You weren’t standing in fear. No, Megumi couldn’t tell one feeling from you but multiple feelings washed over you like a wave crashing against the sea wall. Megumi couldn’t tell a single thing from you. You were his own mother, and yet he couldn’t understand what you were going through.

It was like you'd seen a ghost, and he didn't know he would be right.

“Mom… Snap out of it... This man is a perfected form of Maki-san… He’s too dangerous for us… If we don’t take him down, we’re done for… We need to fight together to win against him… Mom, please…”

To the untrained ear, it sounded like Megumi was commanding you. But the reality is, he was desperately pleading to you. Although you heard your son, his words fell on deaf ears. If this somehow was the Toji you know, you know he wouldn’t kill you. He didn’t recognize his son but he definitely recognized you, which meant he wasn’t going for the kill just yet. If he didn’t recognize you, he would’ve killed Megumi and you within seconds. But deep down, you knew your Toji was somewhere inside of whatever he was possessing, you think. As naive and in denial as you are, you took the risk and held out the fight just a bit longer. In hopes, the soul of your deceased husband could remember you. As the man that you believed was your husband stands the opposite of you, he just stares at the two of you. You fiercely yet calmly protect your son while Megumi's strong demeanor clashes with the sweat bullets on his forehead.

“You…boy… What's your name?” Toji bluntly asks Megumi.

Megumi’s guard drops a bit by the bizarre question the stranger asked, unbeknownst to him that he was talking to his father. He wasn’t sure about answering the question but he was intrigued by the nature of the stranger’s decision to ask.

“(L/N) Fushiguro…” Megumi hesitantly muttered.

“It’s not Zen’in…? I’m glad…” 

And with that, you watched as Toji stabbed himself in the head with his weapon. You regained your breath as you gasped at the action. Before Toji’s body hit the pavement with a splattered thud, you could have heard him mouth something to you.

‘’m sorry, (Y/N)...’

While your son’s mouth was open because of the absurdity of the situation, you could feel your own tears welling up. Megumi runs over to look at the corpse, he is shocked that it reverted back to the original host before Toji’s soul took over. 

“What the hell was that about… Mom…?”

Megumi looks over to see you crying. Your mind wiped itself off of any self-control as your knees collapsed to the ground. You were heaving deep breaths while small sobs escaped each time you let a breath out. Concern takes over Megumi as he runs over to you, asking what’s wrong. He would have asked who that man was and what is your relationship with him but right now isn’t the best moment for your current state. As you start to calm down, Megumi is right there hugging you for comfort. You couldn’t believe yourself. He was there, he was right fucking there in front of your very eyes! Standing there with his pompous and confident attitude. You thought you were over with this, having to come to terms that your love was dead and never return to you in this time. That you had already mourned the loss of your husband all those twelve years ago. But it seems like you never truly moved on from it.

When Megumi was younger, he would constantly ask about his father. After the news of his death, you never told him nor Tsumiki the real fate of their father. Tsumiki was an observant and smart girl, she knew the topic of her father was a sensitive one given your reactions. That’s why she stopped asking about him when she was young. It didn’t take long for Megumi to follow suit with his older sister. Slowly stopped asking about his father and grew a slight resentment towards him because he let you raise your two children alone while never giving a reason why. The days he remembered as a young boy of your crestfallen expression, how your smile never reached your eyes. The only time you did this was when you were spending time with him and Tsumiki. He never remembered his father or what he looked like. To Megumi, he was always out of the picture. It was just you, him, his older sister, and Gojo-sensei. That was his family. But he still couldn’t wrap his head around one thing. He remembered he asked how many people did you fall in love with before you met his father. Your answer always intrigued him because you told him that your first and only love was his and Tsumiki’s father.

He can never understand your love for his father after everything he put you through. But you never gave Megumi a definitive answer. All you said was, “When the time comes for me to be ready, I will eventually tell you, Megumi-sweetie”. As you start to gather yourself, Megumi felt his rationale wasn’t working as he was trying to piece this together to make sense of it all. As Megumi helps you up, you wipe your tears away and even out your breathing. You thought you were ready to tell Megumi the truth, the truth about his father and everything that led up to this point. But in the confrontation you just had with your deceased beloved, the confidence you had vanished and your readiness was replaced with uncertainty. As cowardice it was to admit, you knew the truth would come out sooner or later. But right now isn’t a good time to tell your son this. Right now, everything is falling apart and the best course of action is to regroup with the other. Perhaps when this is all over, you could tell your son the truth. He does deserve it, after all.

“Mom, are you okay? I don’t understand or know what’s going on… I don’t even know where that man even came from…”

“Megumi, honey. I know you are confused and have many questions for me. Unfortunately, I cannot answer them right now. What matters right now is we find the others and regroup with them. I’ll be fine, my dear. Now, we gotta go and find the rest of them in what’s left of Shibuya.”

You offered a smile for reassurance for your son. But your son knows you better, your smile didn’t reach your eyes. While he made that observation, he didn’t comment on it. He only nodded and followed your lead. With that, you and your son quickly trekked the empty Shibuya streets to find the others. However, what you and your son will soon find out is that the Battle in Shibuya will be known as a calamity in Jujutsu history and ultimately end in tragedy.

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Hope you enjoyed it! Have a wonderful day and don't forget to drink your favorite drink!

[critterbitter]

Hi there! I wanted to preface this by saying that your submas and Nimbasa trio art are awesome, and I adore the way you draw them and write their interactions ❤️ . Their expressions, the way they move and interact with each other and the world around them, it's great 👍.

There's something I wanted to ask regarding your comics, and I ask this with the utmost respect 🙏, because it's something I've been wondering: where are their parents? It's awesome that they do all this stuff together, but the parents are, like, never brought up. Not even Elesa's after her introduction to the twins. And Ik that in the Pokemon verse, you're free to do whatever at age 10, but I still wanted to ask in your comics, at least, since they're still so young, if there's going to be any mentions of them.

I don't want you to feel pressured to draw designs for their parents or anything like that! It's perfectly understandable if you've never thought of the subject, I just wanted to know if they're still in the picture or if, for drama effect, they're orphans adopted by uncle Drayden in your lore. (Ofc, if you believe in the uncle Drayden theory, that is).

And once again, thank you for all the work you do! You're awesome, and your art is awesome 👌. And I really hope this ask doesn't come off as mean or offensive, I'm just really curious about anything you'd be willing to give about submas parents. Thank you 😊 for everything once again. Your work is greatly appreciated 🙏.

:0!

Going to be honest, I didn’t really think about them parents much— pokemon treats most parent figures as non-entities, so… yeah. Feral teenagers running around.

If you want to hear my rambling though! (Note that this is all work in progress! Things are inclined to change.)

Worldbuilding for this iteration, I like to think it’s cultural that everybody has a pokemon starter/ ace that they grow with, but it depends on individuals to decide how close their lives intertwine. That in mind,

Ingo and emmet have two moms! Their ma’ is drayden’s twin sister— Kaita, haxorous ace, and a dragon specialist. And their mother, Lucielle, a stoutland ace, works as a full time trainer. The ladies are a bit absent from the twin’s life because they have their own business, but like to send Ingo and Emmet stuff from wherever they roam. (They tried their best when the kids were younger. But talking about having kids, and actually raising kids are two different topics in life.)

Drayden serves as an uncle figure for the twins, but he’s a bit bitter he got two patrats dumped on him.

((Does the lack of parent figures and a distant uncle have lasting effects on ingo and emmet? That’s up for your interpretation. Though it would explain latching onto each other and then later litwick and tynamo…))

As for the pachirisu child—

Elesa’s parents are separated. Her dad, Rin, works a full time desk job. He means the best, but he’s never home. He lost his staraptor a while back and is still dealing with the grieving process, and isn’t really equipped to look after a kid on top of all that. Elesa’s mom, Himawari, is still in Sinnoh and works as a ranger. Her ace is a solrock.

(Why are they separated? That’s for you guys to postulate! I am simply throwing ocs at the wall.)

Elesa was moved to unova partially due to her dad’s new job, and partially due to that Entire Nebulous Situation. She adapts fast, but it’s not a fun adaption.

Anyways, the twins and elesa in turn grew up very independent as a result.

And that’s the barebones!

[maxinemaxmayfield]

sink your teeth before i disappear explicit | 4k | steddie | 18+ only

steddie, pre-relationship, established ronance, panic attacks, flashbacks, virgin!eddie, sharing a bed, cuddling & snuggling, interrupted masturbation, mutual masturbation, hand jobs, biting, marking

“I’ve never really slept with anyone before,” Eddie admits quietly, not sure if Steve is even still awake. Steve turns around awkwardly, trying to keep Eddie’s arm wrapped around his waist as he rolls over to face him. “Like… sex, or just actually sleeping next to someone?” OR Sharing a room leads to sharing a bed leads to sharing... more

[read on ao3] read on tumblr below

WEDNESDAY

“So they would rather you sleep in a bed with Nancy? ” Steve asks in disbelief as he stacks the returns. 

Robin rolls her eyes at him. “Duh. They don’t know I’m of the, uh, lavender persuasion,” she reminds him, lowering her voice with a quick scan of the store.

It’s fairly quiet, especially for a rainy Wednesday during summer break. Just a couple of teens milling about through the stacks, trying to decide on a movie. 

“And I’m pretty sure they still think I’m secretly dating you… though they have finally learned to stop asking.”

Robin’s parents had managed to secure a modest cabin by the lake for the long weekend. Steve could never quite get it straight – Robin’s mom’s brother’s wife… or was it her cousin’s husband? Nevertheless, someone who was somehow related to Robin had a cabin they weren’t using, and rather than leave it sitting empty, they had invited her parents to use it. Robin had agreed to go if she could bring a friend or two… which quickly turned into three, because she just couldn’t take Nancy and Steve and leave Eddie all alone for the weekend. And they were all thick as thieves after what happened during spring break. 

“Anyway, I thought you’d be happy to be sharing with Eddie,” Robin says, tossing Steve a meaningful look. God, he regrets telling her about his ill-advised crush.

Come Thursday evening, they pack into two cars and drive up to Lake Michigan, looking forward to spending their days swimming and their nights around the fire. 

– – –

THURSDAY

The cabin isn’t anything fancy – a simple wooden structure tucked between the trees – but it’s right on the lake, has its own small dock hosting a tiny row boat that looks like three passengers would probably capsize it. 

Robin shows them around the cabin, pointing out her and Nancy’s room, her parents’ room, and finally, tucked back in the corner behind the kitchen, Steve and Eddie’s room. 

Their room is the only one with separate twin beds. Steve isn’t sure if he’s relieved or disappointed. 

Everyone leaves to get settled in their own rooms, and Steve stands there with his old sports bag in hand, shifting from one foot to the other. 

“So, uh, which bed do you want?” he asks. 

Eddie throws himself down on top of the bed furthest from the door, pressing the back of his hand to his forehead. “This one – you can protect me from any evil entities of the night.”

“Unless they come in through the window,” Steve points out, setting his things down on the bed nearest the door. 

“Well, shit,” Eddie groans, eyes darting between the window and Steve. “Don’t fucking say that!” 

Steve laughs and throws himself onto his own bed, propping himself up on one elbow. 

“So, Harrington, do you snore? Tell me now, so I can prepare myself," Eddie says.

“Nah, but I do sleep in the nude.” 

Eddie’s smile falters and Steve can’t help but smirk. He doesn’t offer up any more information, letting Eddie dwell on whether or not he was joking. 

“I, uh, I sleepwalk, sometimes,” Eddie tells him, and then falls silent, dropping back onto the bed and staring at the ceiling like he might find a script there. 

“Should make for an interesting night,” Steve says, trying not to laugh when Eddie’s eyes flick over to him before going back to the ceiling. “C’mon, let’s go see if they need help with dinner,” Steve says, pushing himself off the mattress and holding out a hand to help Eddie up. 

It’s still raining after dinner, so they sit around the little fireplace, playing board games and listening to music until it’s time to turn in for the night. 

Steve stands next to his bed for a moment, looking down at the pajamas he’d packed. He glances up, but Eddie’s busying himself with removing his rings one by one and setting them down on the nightstand. 

Steve strips out of his shorts and t-shirt, hesitating at the edge of his boxers, wondering if it’s worth it for the bit. Eddie’s back is to him. He makes his decision, leaving them on and climbing into bed, arranging the covers to hide his boxers but show as much skin as possible elsewhere. 

Just to mess with him. 

When Eddie turns back, he lets out something between a yelp and a squeak.

Steve pulls back the blanket with a flourish, watching Eddie’s eyes go wide and then narrow when he realizes what’s underneath. 

“You dick.”

“I mean, I usually would sleep naked, but I thought I’d be modest for the sake of my temporary roommate,” Steve says, raising an eyebrow. 

Eddie climbs into his own bed, burrowing under the blankets. “Well, don’t change your habits on my account.” 

Steve chuckles and turns off his bedside lamp. “I’ll keep that in mind. ‘Night, Eds.” 

“Night.”

– – –

FRIDAY

Luckily, the rain has cleared up by Friday morning, the sun peaking out from behind the clouds and warming their skin. 

After breakfast, they don their swimsuits and head out to the edge of the lake. Nancy and Robin drag out a deck chair and curl up side-by-side, while Steve walks out onto the dock, turning around just before he reaches the end. 

“You coming for a swim?” he calls to Eddie, arms spread wide and displaying the expanse of his chest. 

Eddie plops himself down on a towel next to Nancy and Robin. “Are you kidding? The water’s freezing.”  

“Whatever, you big chicken!” And with that, he turns around and dives, cutting through the surface of the calm water. 

Eddie sits back and watches the gleam of Steve’s back as he slices through the water with ease, years of swimming making him more graceful in water than on land. It’s mesmerizing. 

“You might wanna pick your jaw up off the ground,” Robin quips, looking at him over the frame of her sunglasses. “Once you’re done ogling, I mean.”

Eddie huffs, shaking his head. “What? No! I’m not – Steve’s just–”

Nancy leans around Robin to fix him with a dubious look. “Oh please, don’t even deny it.”

“This is bullying. You’re bullying me,” Eddie accuses, crossing his arms over his chest. “Two against one isn’t a fair fight.” 

He doesn’t hear what Nancy says next, because there’s a disturbance out in the water. Steve has stopped swimming smoothly and seems to be thrashing, struggling against something they can’t see, trying to get back to shore.

Eddie’s throat closes up with panic. 

He jumps to his feet, shouts out and points, and Robin and Nancy are on his heels as they run out to the end of the dock. 

Just like that fateful night on Lover’s Lake, Nancy doesn’t hesitate. She jumps in and swims towards Steve, methodically, uniform strokes spurring her forward. She reaches him quickly and pulls him the rest of the way to the shore.

He’s sputtering and shaking, on all fours as he reaches the grassy edge of the lake, and Robin’s right there beside him, wrapping him in a towel, pushing his hair back out of his eyes, speaking to him in soft, calm, hushed tones. 

Eddie stands to the side, heart racing, chest tight. He feels useless, a spare part, unsure whether to come closer or give them space. All he can do is watch helplessly, a cruel parallel of when Steve was pulled through Watergate. Flight or freeze, never fight. 

Coward. 

Robin is placing Steve’s hands flat on the earth, helping him ground himself, still babbling away about where he is and what is going on around him. Eddie is in awe of how she always knows what Steve needs in these moments. 

“The vines… grabbed me,” Steve mumbles, breathing fast and shallow. Robin drapes herself against his back, contrasting with deep and slow breaths, pressing a hand to his chest. 

“Steve, we’re at Lake Michigan. No gate here, we’re not even in Hawkins,” Robin reminds him again, patience of a saint. “We’re safe, we’re safe, I promise you, we’re safe. It was just a plant.” 

“Nancy –”

“– pulled you out of the water, she’s right here,” Robin says, pointing her out. 

“And Eddie –”

“– is also right here, he’s fine. You’re fine. We’re all fine.” Robin turns to Nancy and Eddie. “Can you help me get him up? I’ll take him inside, give him something warm and something sugary, it should help with the shakiness. And then he’ll probably need to sleep for a while when he comes down from this.”

Eddie swoops in to support one side of Steve and the three of them hoist him to his feet, leaving the lake behind them. 

Steve’s voice drifts through the darkness later that night. “Hey, Eds, you awake?” 

“Yeah.”

“I can’t sleep.”

“Me neither.”

There’s silence for a while, not awkward, but comfortable. Until Steve breaks it. 

“Can I… would it be alright if I laid in your bed for a bit?” 

Eddie nods before he realizes Steve can’t see him. “Yeah, of course.”

There’s a rustle, footsteps, and then the mattress next to him dips as Steve slides under the blankets. Heat radiates off his chest.

It’s a small bed, so they don’t have much choice for positions. Eddie ends up curled around Steve’s back, an arm thrown around his waist to stop himself from rolling off the edge. 

“This is nice,” Steve whispers, wrapping his fingers around Eddie’s wrist and pulling him tighter around him. Steve takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly before speaking again. “Is it weird if I say I was kind of hoping we’d have to share a bed this weekend? I just… I hate sleeping alone.” 

Eddie chews on his bottom lip for a moment. “Don’t you usually sleep alone?”

“Yeah.” 

Steve doesn’t expand on his answer, doesn’t offer anything more. They lie there pressed together, letting their breath synchronize. 

“I’ve never really slept with anyone before,” Eddie admits quietly, not sure if Steve is even still awake. 

Steve turns around awkwardly, trying to keep Eddie’s arm wrapped around his waist as he rolls over to face him. “Like… sex, or just actually sleeping next to someone?” 

Both, but he feels a bit stupid admitting the first one to Steve Harrington, renowned lady’s man. He’s heard enough rumors to know the guy gets around. And, well, Eddie isn’t exactly spoiled for choice in Hawkins, Indiana. 

“I mean, I've had sleepovers and shit, slept next to people but… never, I dunno, cuddled?” The last part comes out as a question, like he isn’t sure if that is actually what they’re doing. 

Steve moves closer then, right up in Eddie’s face, tucking his own arm around Eddie’s waist. “And do you like it? Cuddling?”

Eddie’s not sure if it’s embarrassment or the body heat coming from Steve that makes his face feel so warm. “I, uh, I think so.”

“Well, maybe you need a bit more experience to make sure,” Steve says, mischief in his voice. And with that, he rolls onto his back, pulling Eddie with him so he face-plants right onto Steve’s bare chest. Two solid arms come up to wrap around him, one landing between his shoulder blades and the other settling in the dip of his lower back. Steve buries his face in Eddie’s curls and hums. 

Eddie shuffles a bit, turning his head to un-squish his nose from Steve’s pec. The hand between his shoulder blades moves up to card through his hair, fingertips pressing deliciously into his scalp and sending tingles all the way down to his toes. 

Eddie’s head is spinning, overwhelmed by the smell and feel and sound of Steve all around him. He yearns for all of this to mean something, but he’s seen Steve with Robin – how close they get, how easy it is for Steve to throw an arm around her and pull her in for a hug, press a kiss to the top of her head or tip of her nose, how they cuddle up on the couch when they watch a movie. And they make sure everyone knows that it’s strictly platonic. So why would this be anything different? 

He can enjoy it for tonight, though, so he burrows back down into the hair on Steve’s chest, tracing the line of muscle underneath with his finger. He feels Steve shiver and shift, run his hand back down Eddie’s neck and trace over each vertebrae of his spine through his thin t-shirt, getting slower and slower until his hand slips from Eddie’s back completely, coming to rest on the mattress behind him as his chest rises and falls, even and slow, dozing off.

Eddie presses soft, barely-there kisses to the skin beneath his lips for what feels like hours until his eyes droop and he, too, drifts into sleep. 

When he wakes, Steve is gone and he can hear the shower on. He grabs the pillow that still smells like Steve and buries his face in it, pretending it’s only to help ease the crick in his neck.

– – –

SATURDAY

“I don’t know what else to do, Robin!” Steve whines, exasperated. “If I get any more forward with my flirting, I’ll just be straight up asking him to blow me.”

Robin wrinkles her nose at him before going back to applying sunscreen to her legs. “Why don’t you just ask him out, like a normal person?” 

“I don’t know how to do that with guys, Robs, much less one who’s my friend!” 

It’s true, he knows how to hit on girls he barely knows, asks the odd guy in a gay bar to go out back with him. But Eddie? It’s different.

“Why are you being so difficult? Go inside right now and say, ‘Eddie Munson, would you like to go on a date with me?’ That’s it!” Robin hisses. 

Steve flops down onto the wooden dock, squinting up at the sun. “This coming from the girl who took three months to ask out Nancy Wheeler.”

Another voice drifts over, drawing nearer. “Yeah, but at least she actually fucking did it.” Steve turns his head to the side and shields his eyes, watching Nancy sit down next to Robin and dangle her toes into the water. “Steve Harrington, stop being a big baby and just go ask him.”

He sticks his tongue out at the both of them and reaches down, cupping some water in his hand before flinging it towards the girls, spraying them with the cold water of the lake. 

- - -

At first, Eddie can’t figure out what woke him. He takes stock of his body - he doesn’t need a piss, he’s not too hot or cold, he doesn’t think he had a nightmare. So he turns his attention to the room, and that’s when he hears it. 

It’s too familiar of a noise for him not to figure it out immediately, especially when paired with heavy breaths coming from the other side of the room. 

Oh. 

He cracks open an eye, and the room’s washed in cool, dim light from the moon outside the window. He can just make out the outline of Steve, lying on his back, hand moving rhythmically under the covers. His head’s dropped back, mouth open slightly, neck stretched out like it’s begging to be bitten. 

Eddie feels arousal rush through him and he squeezes his eyes shut again, trying not to move or draw attention to himself. He doesn’t want to make this any weirder than it already is. 

But he can’t stop himself from hearing it.

There’s a sharp inhale, followed by a string of little ‘ah-ah-ah’ sounds, and then – 

Eddie must be dreaming, or hallucinating, or maybe he died in the Upside Down and this is his eternal torture, because he swears it, there’s no mistaking it – a long groan followed by “Eddie.”

He can’t help but peek over, sees Steve grab a handful of tissues from his nightstand and clean himself up, tuck himself back into his boxers and roll over, facing the opposite wall. 

Eddie’s ears are burning, his mind on a loop, playing those sounds and Eddie, Eddie, Eddie over and over again. 

He wants to scream, wants to sing, wants to go jump in the lake, wants to run back to Hakwins, wants to climb into Steve’s bed and grind against him. Shit, there’s a thought. 

He adjusts his pajamas, hoping Steve doesn’t hear the creaky springs. He wills himself to calm down, but his dick has other ideas, aching for relief. 

Eddie glances over at Steve’s bed again. He’s quiet now, breathing slow and probably sleeping. And hey, if Steve did it, why can’t Eddie? Fair’s fair and all that. 

Slowly, carefully, he rolls onto his left side and reaches his right hand down the front of his pants. Fuck, he’s so hard and he can still hear Steve’s voice ringing in his ear. His breathing is shaky and he keeps glancing back to check that Steve’s still not moving. 

But Eddie’s never been good at staying quiet, muttered swears spilling from his lips as his breath comes quicker. He manages to swallow Steve’s name, biting his lips together and exhaling sharply through his nose. 

“Eddie?”

He freezes. This isn’t the chorus of whispered Eddies in his head… this is a question, and it’s real.

Steve’s awake.  

He debates not even answering, just pretending to be asleep, but then he hears the other bed creak and Steve’s feet hit the floor, like he’s about to cross the room and check on him. So he turns his head. 

“Yeah?”

Steve’s sitting on his bed facing Eddie, both feet on the floor like he was about to stand. “Were you… touching yourself?” 

“No, I –,” Eddie starts to lie, but it sounds weak even to his own ears. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

Eddie doesn’t know what to say to that, what it even means. Steve reaches for the lamp and switches it on. If he looked good in the cool light of the moon, he looks incredible in the warm wash from the lightbulb. 

“You can keep going. If you want,” Steve offers. His tongue darts out to wet his bottom lip and Eddie wants to feel it sweep across his teeth.

He doesn’t take his eyes off Steve as he rolls over and takes himself in hand once more, looking for any sign that Steve was kidding or pulling some kind of sick prank. But all Steve does is watch him back, eyes darting down to Eddie’s hand moving under the sheets.

“You – can you move the covers?” Steve asks, his voice pitched slightly higher than Eddie’s used to hearing. 

Eddie tries to push them down with his free hand, kicking with his feet to pull them down past his hips, but they just tangle and twist instead. And then Steve’s standing, crossing the short space between them and reaching out for the sheets. 

“Can I–?” 

Eddie nods, and Steve slides his fingers under the edge of the blanket. Steve’s knuckles brush against Eddie’s stomach and he can’t help but shiver at the sensation, thinking of where else he’d like Steve to touch him. 

The night air is cool after the heat that had built under the covers, and Steve kneels at the foot of the bed, still watching like he’s mesmerized. Eddie slows his movements, props himself up on one elbow. 

“Steve.”

Steve’s eyes snap up to his, pupils blown and mouth slack. 

“Just – fuck – c’mere,” Eddie whines, and Steve doesn’t hesitate. He darts forward, hovering over Eddie’s body, one hand cradling the side of Eddie’s head. 

Eddie surges up, kisses him hard and messy, and Steve dips down to meet him. Eddie feels a hand close over his own, tightening the grip and urging him on faster. 

“Jesus Christ, Eddie,” Steve pants against his lips, and Eddie thinks that his name in Steve’s mouth is the prettiest sound in the entire world.

Eddie can’t stop his hips from bucking up into both of their fists, desperate and aching. “Fuck, fuck, Steve… bite my neck?”

“What?”

“Bite my neck,” he repeats, dropping his head to the side to get his point across. 

Steve ducks down, licks and sucks and grazes his teeth along the sensitive skin there, but he doesn’t bite. And Eddie’s getting close. 

“You can… you can actually bite, like, with teeth,” Eddie manages, and that seems to do it, because the next thing he knows, he feels Steve’s teeth sink into the flesh of his neck, just beneath his ear, and his tongue sweeps over to soothe the marks no doubt left behind. 

Eddie slings his free arm around the back of Steve’s neck, holding him there, letting him nip and lave in turn until Eddie’s gripping the sheets and biting back a shout as he comes over both of their hands. 

“Shit,” Eddie breathes into Steve’s hair, arms drooping over the edge of the bed like wilted flowers. “Holy shit.”

“Shit,” Steve agrees. “You okay?”

“Fucking fantastic, actually. You?”

Steve laughs softly. “Pretty damn good. Sorry for waking you.”

“Oh, you are wholeheartedly forgiven,” Eddie says. Not that he was mad about it in the first place, but Steve doesn’t need to know that. 

“I’ll just, uh…” Steve stands and makes a move towards his own bed. Eddie catches his wrist. 

“You don’t like sleeping alone, right?” 

Steve shakes his head. 

“So sleep here. With me.”

– – –

SUNDAY

When Eddie wakes up, the sun is shining through the window, brightening the room. The sounds of voices and dishes drift in from the kitchen, along with the smell of bacon. His stomach grumbles. 

Eddie tosses on the first some-what clean clothes he can find, gathers his mess of frizzy curls up in a bun and heads out the door, ready to eat a frankly disgusting amount of breakfast. 

Robin’s parents are just rinsing their plates when he arrives, getting an early start out on a hike up the edge of the lake apparently. He slides into one of their vacated seats, grabs a plate and loads it with pancakes and bacon before dousing the whole lot in syrup. 

It isn’t until he shoves the first huge bite in his mouth that he realizes Robin and Nancy are staring at him bug-eyed and slack-jawed. 

“What?” he asks, through a mouthful of food. 

They both shake their heads frantically, Robin throwing a look at her parents who are busy discussing whether or not it might rain later. Steve shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

Everything is quiet apart from the sound of Eddie’s fork scraping on the plate and Mr and Mrs Buckley’s voices, until they tell them all they’ll be back in a couple hours and close the door behind them. 

“What the actual hell!”

“Jesus Christ, did you get attacked by a vampire?”

There’s an explosion of shouting from both Robin and Nancy, while Steve doubles over laughing. 

Eddie’s baffled. “Fuck are you talking about?” 

“Dude! Your neck!” Robin says, handing him a large metal spoon. 

He moves it around, trying to get the right angle, and finds a massive, distorted red and purple splotch on his neck. His eyes immediately fly to Steve, who is just managing to get his giggles under control. 

“Hey, man, don’t look at me. It was your idea,” he says, sipping some coffee from his mug. “I was just following orders.”

“Ew,” Robin says, pushing her plate away. “Way to ruin my appetite.”

“Bullshit, Buckley, you were done anyway.”

Eddie raps his knuckles on the wooden tabletop, drawing their attention back to him. “Uh, you’re all acting suspiciously cavalier about this.”

Robin and Nancy glance at each other. “We had a bet going,” Nancy says. “About how long it would be until it happened."

Eddie gapes at them, not even sorry that he still has some half-chewed pancakes in his mouth.

“I am gonna insist you cover that up before my parents get back, though,” Robin says. “I don’t wanna deal with their awkward questions about where you got it.”

“God, I hate you all,” Eddie says, piling more pancakes and bacon onto his plate. 

[mushroomnoodles]

FAQ

this is just for some of the more frequently asked questions. i am gonna try to put things bluntly here to try and minimize any confusion, especially if folks are using a translator. tw for mentions of death and genitalia

is simon/betty trans?

up to you on simon. i don't have a preference. but most of my bettys are AMAB trans women, some have bottom surgery and some don't. of course, i have some personal headcanons on some of them, but again, nothing is "op canon" in that regard.

how did simon give birth to morri?

well, if you hc him as trans, that makes things easier, but either way he just gave birth to morrigan how a regular human being would.

if you hc him as cis, then simon would have been given the full internal AFAB equipment upon impregnation by GOLBetty- uterus, ovaries, etc- with the external equipment coming in courtesy of morrigan around month.. 6-7? that's right, i took his penis priveliges. sorry king.

what gender is morrigan?

morrigan is nonbinary and intersex, and uses any pronouns. morrigan chose to develop into a human body rather than a more cosmic-entity type one as to not scare simon.

does morri have a voiceclaim?

sure does! it's shadow milk cookie from cookie run kingdom! here's a vid.

is GOLBetty alive/did she reincarnate?

i'm aware GOLBetty probably did reincarnate at the end of F+C s1. buuuuut my GOLBetty never unfused. she simply went back to sleep after impregnating simon. if someone's interested in me going into detail about how i interpretate my GOLBetty and how she thinks/functions i'll probably do that.

can GOLBetty-

when/does simon die?

he lives for about 250 years after giving birth to morrigan. the cosmic energy radiating through his body ran out, and he essentially instantly died as his organs stopped working. like someone entered /kill simon_petrikov into the world console. from there he either eventually reincarnates, or morrigan finds some way to replace him or raise him from the dead.

morrigan was the physical age of 13 when simon passed, by the way. the older morrigan gets, the slower they age.

does morri ever meet their mom?

yes, they do. by the time they do meet her, however, GOLBetty is in a deep, deep sleep.

morrigan has a complicated relationship with her, especially as, due to simon's stories of her as a human, they see her in this overglorified light. they also consider GOLBetty to kind of internally be two separate entities- GOLB and betty, rather than a fusion of the two made into something slightly different.

do you do fpreg?

nope. fpreg actually is really uncomfortable for me for some reason lol, like.. INTENSELY uncomfortable. activate fight or flight mode uncomfortable. no idea why, i know it's silly, but i can't interact with it, can't draw it, won't draw it.

[cheerleaderman]

Yuya OverBlot

Ok ok been thinking about Yuya’s overblot it’s all over the place bear with me

But first when Yuya was at the mirror it called her a shattered soul. Give that Yuya only has half a soul since the other half is still in his original world.

Yuya collected bolt in their body due to being exposed to all the OverBlots. Chapter 6 and 7 a lot of boltage was collected in them.This is way Yuya’s eyes gets darker also the bolts is just sitting there like a cup about to overflow with water.

Before the OverBlot

Like with all the other OverBlot there would be a Series of dreams. It would feature the shooting star over the castle in the beginning of the movies and scenes of people wishing on stars. The last dream will be a conversation Yuya had with her mother.

“People wish on stars in hopes their dreams come true”

“But what about the stars Mama? Do the stars have dreams and wishes of their own”

“I not completely sure——“

Unlike the previous times she can’t pinpoint who exactly represents a star in the school. Feeling uneasy about the upcoming OverBlot they’ll have to deal with while at Heartslabyul they asked the 5 who do they think would represent a star. Taking a minute to think being used to Yuya’s random questions at this point Cater responds that the only person he can think of is Yuya.

“It would have to be you Yu-Yu, being the perfect, always helping that’s practically filling people in a way, Headmage said he wanted you to bring change to the school. You’re basically NRC shooting star”

The next OverBlot is me?? But I don’t even have magic how can that happen??? Was all that was on his mind for the next few days.

Also like how Riddle has Red-rose tyrant I was thinking of names A burnt out star- Memories of the Deep- A shooting star’s wish- In the memories of star

OverBlot/form

Once the other half of Yuya soul comes to Twst the bolt left their body and gave other Yu a physical form. The Yuus starts having a having a who are you? You’re me? What happened to me…us?. When they touch they Yuya start to feel enormous pain as if they’re body was getting crushed and passed out. This is when Yuya gets there memories back but in the midst of that the blot Yuya turns into an OverBlot form.

-Yuya will only have a bit of her soul back so now she’s has 2/3 while the rest is claimed by the bolt.

OB!Yuya puts Yuya in a cage to keep him safe. It will stands guard until someone sends an attack or try to get close to Yuya. “ The only on there to protect you is yourself”

-Has 7 different forms representing the 7 OverBlots since its mainly their blot in Yuya’s body. Each Form has its own ability and will mimic bits of personality of how the OverBloters acted.All forms will have chains for despite how hard Yuya tries to move on they never escaped and end up falling back into their old habits.

-OB!Yuya is Yuya but still separate entities, OB! Yuya can still live on without Yuya because it has part of her soul but if Yuya dies while they’re separated it will go berserk and now everyone screwed since it only listens to Yuya.

-Yuya his self cannot use the bolt he will have to separate but he will pass out for a bit when that happens. If you know the Persona series think of it as Yuya using a persona.

-Even though OB!Yuya doesn’t talk it can repeat things from Yuya’s memories that happened during that overblot like chapter 6 from Idia/Ortho bolt form gave the ability to summon bolt creatures and if they are hurt you’ll hear Idia’s voice yelling about how they hurt Ortho

- A guardian angel, always helping, the savior

-Yuya can choose to live on in Twst but their perception of death drastically or choose to Die being tired of everything which will be the “bad” ending.

-Getting back their memories Yuya has a breakdown in the dream world their in. They been dead this whole time!?!? WHY They can never visit mom again, they were trying to get better after escaping one bad place just to be put in another bad place. Why me what did I do to deserve this, I wasn’t even allowed a peaceful death, could my cousin be out there?(he is) he got hit by the black carriage too. In response to this OB!Yuya will be looking Crowley dead in the eyes while there is the sound of a carriage hitting someone on repeat in the background  

[honeyspawn]

Some ideas about Paul's family:

Option 1: Jon Matteson Fmily Tree - full-transparency, the Jon Matteson family tree has never really been my personal favorite, or at the very least, the idea of Paul specifically having a big chaotic extended family has never felt very "Paul" to me. Paul has always struck me as such a solitary entity in Hatchetfield, or at least until Emma shows up. That being said, I won't deny that the idea is fun. That being said, I think if we're gonna go with the whole Paul is Richie's uncle thing, I don't think he's literally the brother of one of Richie's parents. I think "uncle" in this case is used in the general way a kid refers to an adult relative, and he's more of a distant cousin. I don't really know how to explain it, but I simply cannot picture Paul with siblings. Overall though, to me, I think I prefer the idea of Gary and Boy Jerry being Richie's uncles, and Paul is just kinda separate.

Option 2: Generic Retirees - I've mentioned this in another post, but something about Paul having no relatives in Hatchetfield even though he's lived there his whole life there feels very "Paul" to me. I suppose you could conclude from this that his parents are dead, but seeing as he's only in his early 30s and that implies his parents probably died kind of young (probably somewhere in the 50s-70s range depending on how old they were when Paul was born and when they died), I like the idea instead that the explanation is the most boring one possible; they retired in Florida. Their names are Arthur and Martha Matthews, or something similarly generic. They are the most boring 60 year old couple imaginable. Arthur likes to garden. Martha likes bird watching. They have no other hobbies. They visit Paul a couple times a year. They are constantly trying to convince Paul to move to Florida. They are the Matthews family. They are boring.

Option 3: Crack Theory Time - This is insane, and I don't really believe this theory, but the idea came to me one day and I the thought wouldn't leave my head, so I need to share it. So the idea behind this is Paul is such a singular entity that it's almost enigmatic, or at least it would be if anyone cared that much. Paul never talks about his family to anyone. He never really thinks about his family, and he feels like he's been on his own for a long time. That's not to say he doesn't remember having a family. He had a mom. She was nice. It was a shame she passed away 15 years ago. And when he starts dating Emma and she asks about his family, that's all he has to say. "I had a mom. She was nice. It was a shame she passed away 15 years ago." He remembers having a mother, but he doesn't really remember anything that specific about her. He's not sure why. He never thinks too deeply about it. He's not sure he can properly recall her face unless he's looking at an old scrapbook. It's strange, though. As soon as he puts the scrapbook back on the shelf, it's like he forgets again. All that really sticks is he had a mom. She was nice. It's a shame she passed away 15 years ago. It's not like he didn't love her, of course he did, she was his mom. And she was a good mom too, he's sure of it. One thing he does remember though, is before she died, she had a long talk with him. He can't remember about what exactly, but he knows it was important. He's pretty sure she was saying goodbye. If you've watched nightmare time, you may have guessed where I'm going with this. I don't really know where this idea of mine that Miss Holloway is Paul's mom came from, it just kind of seemed like Paul being a mysteriously solo entity in Hatchetfield makes sense, and this seemed like an interesting explanation. It also would tie into the fact that Paul might have a slight latent resistance to the LiBs. In tgwdlm, Paul has a whole musical number where he resists the Hive while being infected, while the only other times anyone gets infected on stage, it's a matter of seconds. Paul is also one of the only adult characters who sees through Tickle-Me-Wiggly; even Emma thinks Tim would want a Wiggly "more than anything." Do I think this is all some insane foreshadowing? Absolutely not. This seems extremely unlikely to me, and a product of my own over-thinking, but it sure is fun to think about anyway. (Also, I've never seen anything about this online before, but if this is an existing fan theory, please let me know. The Miss Matthews theory, if you will)

Option 4: He Doesn't Have One - Paul does not have a family. He is just Paul. It's not important for Paul to have a family because they are not relevant, and therefore, they simply do not exist. This also seems very possible to me, and tbh feels appropriate, both for Paul, and for Hatchetfield. I mean heck, according to Curt Mega his shopper character in Black Friday is literally named "Shopper No. 4". Paul just straight up not having a family because he's Just A Guy™️ feels right.

Wow, this was a lot, actually. If you read this whole thing, thanks for letting me infodump, and I'd love to hear what you think.

[redrobin-detective]

the first language

Touch comes before sight, before speech. It is the first language and the last, and it always tells the truth. ~ Margaret Atwood

"Simon! Simon!" Finn shouted excitedly as he and Jake burst into Simon's house. Well it had technically been Marcy's first but though it's only been a few months since Simon became human again, it felt like it had always been their place. "Wait until you hear about this crazy wild monster we foug-"

"Stop," Simon commanded, peeking around from around the kitchen wall to give them a light glare, his lips pressed together in a line. He and Jake froze midstep. Finn was a bold teenage adventurer who took orders from no monster, king or extraterrestrial entity. Until Simon, only PB could boss them around and even that wasn't a sure thing. The older human flicked his eyes over them with an unimpressed stare that made Finn want to shrink into himself. Even without powers or magic, Simon was way more intimidating than Ice King. 

"You boys are filthy and I just cleaned up the place." Simon sighed and rubbed at his eyes underneath his glasses. "There's a hose outside, wash off the worst of the dirt and other various stains. I'll leave towels on the porch and for god's sake take off your shoes before you come in."

"Yeah okay, sorry Simon," Finn said, trudging outside and turning on the hose to spray down his arms and legs. Now that he looked, they were pretty gnarly covered in mud and monster guts.

"Simon's kinda like a mom, dontcha think?" Jake added as Finn sprayed him down with the hose. He laughed as Jake guzzled some of the water and spat it back at him. 

"I mean I guess," Finn shrugged, pointing the hose up so they both were getting rained on. "It's kinda nice you know, to be fussed over. It's different."

"I fuss over you," Jake frowned.

"I know man and I appreciate it," Finn said, showing his appreciation by spraying Jake in the face. "I can't explain it but it's different with Simon, kind of like how you and Lady have your own thing going on that's special but separate from what you and I have."

"Yeah okay," Jake responded. "Is that why you insist on stopping by to see him anytime we're in the area?" Finn didn't answer, instead impressing Jake but wiggling the hose to make it look like a snake. They continued to laugh and splash each other with the water until Simon stepped outside and hung some towels on the porch.

"When you're done playing, I have hot chocolate waiting for you. Then you can tell me all about your latest adventure," Simon smiled before stepping back inside. Finn whooped and rushed over to turn off the hose. Hopefully Marcy wouldn't be back before all the water on her porch and front lawn dried. 

They toweled off and Finn did remember to take off his shoes before entering the house. The place looked different from when it was just Marcy living there. The small loveseat had been exchanged for a bigger couch along with some mismatched armchairs. A keyboard was propped in the corner next to Marcy's bass. The house was cleaner, more organized with Simon around. It really felt like a home.

Simon was at the stove, stirring something in a pot as they took their seats at the kitchen table. Their assigned mugs were set out for them and snacks were on a large plate in the middle. He and Jake dug in. Simon came up behind them and poured the hot chocolate into their mugs from the pot and sat down, pouring his own cup.

"Finn, your hat still has blood on it," Simon noted, taking a sip. "How do you usually clean it?" 

"Oh uh you know, I usually just rinse it off and if it gets too grody or it comes to life, I go skin another bear," Finn said awkwardly. Simon nodded as if he expected such an answer and excused himself to go get something.

"Ohhhh Finn's in trouble with Mommmm," Jake sang under his breath and Finn kicked him under the table. Simon returned with a box of something before it could escalate into a full out foot war.

"Animal skin usually requires special care, it's doubtful those products exist anymore so we can also use shampoo to get some of those stains out. May I?" Simon asked, holding his hand out.

"Oh yeah, thanks, Simon," Finn said pulling off his hat which caused his long hair to flop against his shirt with a wet plop. Jake snickered, it was probably getting time to cut it again. Like his hat, it was getting dirty and tangled, easier to just shave it all off. Simon turned on the sink and began gently washing the hat. 

"I've talked a bit to your mother and some of the other Islanders and the history of humanity and the animals hats post-apocalypse really is interesting," Simon lectured. "The hats originally were intended to keep people warm in the elements but evolved to protect humans from vampiric attack, covering their vulnerable neck area. Even when vampires went extinct, humans continued to wear the skins as a form of cultural identity."

"Mom uh Jake and I's Mom said I was wearing a hat like that when they found me. It used to be the only clue I had about where I came from so I kept making similar hats in case someone was looking for me." Finn took a long sip from his cocoa to avoid the look Jake was giving him. He wasn't usually one for sentiment but hanging out with Simon usually made those deep inside feelings spill out.

"Okay, we'll just let that soak and- Finn," Simon said before turning around and sighing. "Finn, your hair is a mess. I keep telling you it's not healthy to jam your hair in that hat 24/7. Your scalp needs to breathe, especially with all the running around you do. Here," he grabbed the towel from earlier and wrapped it around Finn's shoulders. "Let me wash it for you and try to work out the worst of mess."

"Oh uh you don't have to it's fine, I'll take care of it when I'm home," Finn stumbled, embarrassed. Ice King had been a mess but Simon always looked so put together. It made Finn a bit self conscious but then again, until recently, he didn't have any other humans to compare himself to. Simon gently guided Finn back to the chair, tilting his head back. 

"I want to," Simon smiled from his upside gaze. "I used to do this all the time for Marcy. Besides, we humans have to take care of each other after all." Simon poured some shampoo in his hands and went to work on Finn's hair. The feel of fingers scrubbing at his roots, running through the length of his hair and massaging those sensitive, untouched areas of his head made him go boneless. Finn groaned, worried that his bones had become soup and he'd slide right out of the chair and into a puddle on the floor. He can't remember ever feeling so relaxed in his life.

"Oh my glob Finn, are you alright? What did you do to him?" Jake demanded but Finn barely noticed. He felt like he was in the 47th Dead World or something where everything was good and nothing hurt.  

"Head massages are relaxing to humans," Simon paused in his scrubbing and Finn moaned in disappointment. "Has he never had one of these before?"

"Mom and Dad used to pet us and I do it to Finn sometimes when he's upset," Jake defended.

"He's not a dog," Simon said, some unnameable emotion in his voice. "I'm sorry, I suppose I'm taking for granted what it was like to live in a society designed by and for humans. Finn, I'm going to rinse out your hair and start working on these knots. You really should work on maintaining your hair if you're going to keep it long. It's such a lovely color and texture."

"Hmm don't really know what to do with it, no one really had hair like mine," Finn mumbled as Simon rinsed the shampoo out.

"I suppose so and Marcy's is much thicker and textured requiring different styling," Simon mused out loud as he massaged some thick goop and gently, so gently, began working out the knots. Finn could die here happily. Jake hummed and stretched himself so he could see what Simon was doing.

"What's that stuff?"

"Conditioner or my best homemade equivalent with honey, olive oil and milk. It softens and moisturizes the hair and scalp. It will help prevent the hair from tangling so easily and overall keep it healthier, especially if he's going to continue to wear his signature hat," Simon explained. They chatted easily about human grooming methods while Finn's eyelids fluttered in relaxation, drifting in and out of the conversation as the comb made long, easy swipes through his hair before rinsing it out again. He loved his Mom and Dad, knew they did his best with him but he knows he missed out on something being raised by dogs. If he could recapture even a little bit of that missing piece with Simon...

"Finn? You still with us? Ground Control to Major Tom?" Simon teased, gently tapping at Finn's forehead. Finn blinked up at him. "What do you want me to do with it? I can braid it, put it in a ponytail, leave it flat." Finn wasn't ready to stop being touched.

"Braid please," he said quietly, sighing in contentment as Simon began combing and separating the strands.

"I'll write some notes on how to best care for it. Maybe next time you talk to your mother, you can get some ideas on what they've have been doing since I was last around." He paused in his braiding. "There's so much to being human, Finn, both past and present. Maybe it's selfish of me but I want you to proud of who you are. You may not be the last human anymore but that just means you're not alone. And we're done, not bad considering it's been about a millennia since I did my last braid."

With great reluctance, Finn raised himself up from the back of the chair. His braided hair was still wet but it felt cleaner and lighter than it had in a long time. Moreover, tension Finn didn't even realize had been in his neck, head and shoulders was gone. Jake suddenly popped into his vision.

"Bro, you look so pretty also like you just had the best rest of your life," he smiled awkwardly. "So is this like human equivalent of getting scratched in that itchy spot behind your ears? I guess that didn't really do anything for you, huh?" Finn smiled and reached up to scratch Jake's ears, smiling wider when Jake's tongue lolled out in satisfaction when Finn got to the right spot. 

"So I'm still waiting to hear about this monster you two got so dirty defeating," Simon added, cleaning up his supplies. Finn and Jake regaled Simon with the story of the evil monster they'd fought which had been terrorizing the Goblin Kingdom. Finn had felt tired initially but was reinvigorated, animatedly reenacting the epic battle. They finished their cocoa as Simon discussed his own research into the history of Ooo. They decided to head out soon after as BMO was probably getting lonely back at the house. Simon handed Finn his now cleaned hat and a container of the hair products he'd used.

"The animal skin needs to dry fully before you put it back on but it should be good by tomorrow. You should wash your hair when it's dirty or at minimum every few days. Shampoo first, rinse then a small amount of conditioner before rinsing that out too. And do try to keep your head uncovered every now and again," Simon said, before patting Finn's shoulder. "You can call or stop by anytime if you have questions about anything."

Finn had searched his whole life for answers, for comfort, for someone like him. His dad had been a massive wad and his mom was nice but disconnected. But the former sad wizard he used to beat up had shown him the best way to wash his hair. Life was funny like that. He couldn't wait to see what it was going to throw at him next.

"You're gonna regret saying that because I have about a bajillion questions."

"I'll do my best to answer them, after all, we've got all the time in the world." 

[stylintwirlforu]

-her dad got remarried to a woman that literally started to hate her for "endangering her children" knowing DAMN WELL it wasn't her fault. Even if her stepmother changed for the better it wasn't always the case. -Step mom kept her from interacting with her step brothers and especially her father -she was tormented with nightmares of her biggest fear -she ran away at the age of 7. How about I say it louder? SEVEN! not enough? Lemme spell it out. S E V E N! she was SEVEN when she ran away. And for a time before she met Thalia and Luke she was ALONE she left her family and made her own. But it didn't last because a Cyclops nearly killed Thalia and she was turned into a tree and pronounced dead. -she had to get over that at the age of 7 because she arrived at camp the same age she left her previous home. -she had to bear the fact that Luke had betrayed them. Someone she looked up to and loved. -she had to be reminded of cyclops when Tyson came into the picture. -Yeah she accepted him as her own brother and family later but having a cyclops, the same thing that she thought took Thalia's life on the team bore down on her like betrayal hand the hands of Chaos and was pressing on her shoulders -speaking about pressing on her shoulders, let's talk about how she bore the weight of the sky. Percy got 2 visions. One where Luke passed the sky to Annabeth. The other when Artemis took the sky off of Annabeth's shoulders. These 2 visions were separate. Meaning that Annabeth was holding the sky for quite some time. Definitely longer than Percy. She was COMPLETELY drained and exhausted. More so that Luke left her to carry it alone. -she was told Luke died but couldn't believe it -Luke visited her but she couldn't bring herself to kill him. A promise she kept, but like didn't. -not as important but the whole "perachel" thing -her half brother died in front of her after passing his work to her -she then proceeds to get stabbed in the shoulder for Percy and nearly freaking dies AGAIN -the person she loved but then loved as a brother started to thrash her around, even if it was another entity in control -HER blade was the one that killed Luke. HER BLADE. imagine how she must have felt holding and fighting with it after -then she got a break -SIKE HER BOYFRIEND DISAPPEARED FOR 8 MONTHS CAUSING HER TO OVERWORK HERSELF TRYING TO LOCATE HIM -she was called worthless by Athena, her own mother, and was given a coin that could have led her to her death -oh they got reunited JUST BEFORE NEW ROME WAS BOMBED NEARLY WIPING ANY CHANCE OF BECOMING ALLIES -realizes she needs to go on a solo quest that ends with the mother of the spiders that have been tormenting her. Seems easy right? Yep! You could even do it with a broken ankle! -she gets the Athena parthenos 🎉🎉🎉 ….aaaaand promptly falls into Tartarus with her boyfriend -puts all her trust in Reyna, who she had probably interacted with for 20 minutes tops to escort the statue of her mother -demon grandmas blind her and make her think Percy broke up and left her -she watches her boyfriend nearly choke a goddess with some scary blood bending shit -she had to step down as a leader and leave Bob and Damasen. Do you even know how much that may have DESTROYED her!? -then she embarks to where her mom and soon-to-be father-in-law's rivalry started to then battle the literal Earth's children, get tossed back to CHB, quite literally, and promptly starts fighting like they weren't just done with mass murdering her great great grandma's other children -immediately thereafter practically watches Leo 'die' -as she is about to go to college and finally get an ounce of a normal human life her friend Jason dies. You guys don't even know how strong their bond must have been after all that. They are so similar but so different at the same time. No way that they didn't bond. -then she learns Nico is going back to Tartarus to get Bob and it hits her that she didn't even think of Bob. She felt so damn guilty

....

YET

She is scared of tiny spiders, but not of plummeting to her death from a set of monkey bars. Go figure.

YET

She looks beautiful

[gorgynei]

The Tyler Split Personality Theory

AKA why Tyler Galpin is 100% innocent. And deserves a hug.

Foreword. I know that DID being represented as like an "evil mode/personality" is harmful and not accurate, but I do think its what the writers are doing with Tyler (and hydes as a whole), so heres my theory on why:

Tyler, to my understanding, has 3 modes: Regular Tyler, Evil Tyler, and the Hyde. Regular Tyler is the nice, sweet guy we spend most of the show getting to know. Evil Tyler is the manipulative and cruel side that gets shown off in episode 8. The Hyde is the literal monster (I'll be referring to Evil Tyler and the Hyde both as "the hyde" because they're the same entity, and just calling Regular Tyler "Tyler"). Thinking about Tyler and the hyde as two separate people with different morals and motivations really helps to understand the dichotomy at play with his character.

I believe that Tyler can't control what the hyde does and doesn't enjoy doing violent things, at all.

1. Tyler admits it. Sort of.

To start off, this conversation between Wednesday and Tyler is very very significant. The show lends a lot of weight and screen time to this supposed mural destruction from a year ago for, seemingly, no reason. Yes, it informs how Tyler and Xavier act around each other, but I think it represents Tyler's feelings on his destructive actions as a hyde.

The way Tyler looks off into the distance when he says "I could give you a million excuses, but... the truth is I'm still trying to figure that out" leads me to believe that the hyde had something to do with it. He isn't quite sure whether that was something he did intentionally, or if he was commanded to. If you read everything Tyler says here as him talking around being the hyde and doing violent acts against his will/knowledge, the conversation suddenly means a lot more than it did at face value, and it has a real reason to be present in the show.

In particular, Tyler mentions a "boot camp" which is presumably his torture sessions with Thornhill. He also does not call himself a normie, rather a "townie", which could be semantics, but it's worth mentioning. Tyler saying "I did a terrible thing, but I swear I'm not a terrible person" is also a great way of foreshadowing his split personality and guilt over his actions in a subtle way (assuming this theory is true).

Edit Feb 3 2023: Made a few realizations so I'm adding on.

Tyler isn't just talking around his actions as a hyde or being symbolic, he's literally talking about them, and about his mom. Tyler holds (or held) a lot of resentment towards Nevermore because his mom wasn't offered the tools to try and contain her hyde. When he says "a bitter townie that blames everyone else for the shitty hand he's been dealt", I'm pretty sure he's talking about his mom and how her death was directly caused by Nevermore's failure to help her. Thornhill releasing his hyde specifically using information about his mother feeds into this idea, it unlocked a rage inside of him once he learned that fact.

When he destroyed Xavier's mural, it was an act of anger and frustration. A way of getting back at Nevermore for his mom's death. But afterwards, he realizes that's not who he wants to be. He doesn't want to be an angry, resentful person that acts out and blames Nevermore for his mother's death. He even completely stops pranking Nevermore students, which he did often with the other normies before he "went soft". He forgives them.

Unfortunately, the hyde is an amalgamation of all of that hatred and is being wielded by an even more bitter victim of Nevermore (Thornhill), so he's forced to do terrible things in order to try and take down Nevermore.

Tyler not only refuses the hyde, he also refuses to hate Nevermore for something it did in the past. There's no possible way that he's on board with anything that Thornhill is doing.

2. Jekyll and Hyde

Obviously there's the hyde's namesake: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. If you're unfamiliar, Jekyll is a brilliant scientist that unlocks his alter ego, Hyde, using a chemical mixture. He's aware that he is Hyde and knows that Hyde is doing terrible things, but allows him to do so (at first) because he feels like needs to keep the "evil" inside of him separate from the "good" inside of him.

While it's possible that Wednesday borrowed the namesake just to allude to the well-known story and add to the "monster that transforms into average person" mystery, a INCREDIBLY crucial aspect of Jekyll and Hyde's story is that Jekyll is a good person but also can't control Hyde. While Jekyll unlocked Hyde intentionally, he quickly lost control and Hyde took over more and more until Jekyll was forced to commit suicide. I strongly believe this is also a big part of being a hyde, with the individual affected by hyde-dom taking the place of Jekyll.

Tyler had his hyde unlocked by Thornhill, not by himself, which is immediately a deviation from the old story. To me, this just means that Thornhill tortured Tyler in order to force him to let it out, weakening his ability to hold the hyde at bay, and increasing her hold over him.

3. Tyler's Therapy with Dr. Kinbott

In episode 2, Tyler mentions that he's seeing Kinbott because he has "court ordered" therapy. This is odd given that court ordered therapy is usually only given to people if they are a direct harm to themselves or others, like in Wednesday's case. It's unclear whether this is the result of his hyde getting him in trouble or if he was just ordered therapy following his mother's death because it was especially hard on him.

Near the beginning of episode 8, there's a scene where Sheriff Galpin is listening to recordings from Kinbott regarding Tyler's therapy sessions:

"When I press him on his mother or any sensitive issue, he snaps. It's like I'm talking to a different person. I'm increasingly concerned. I believe the trauma of losing his mother may have left Tyler with deeper psychological scars that I had suspected"

That scene serves zero narrative purpose outside of letting the viewer know this information about Tyler, so it has to be significant. In particular, the line about him turning into a "different person" is especially relevant. It seems like some part of Tyler (hyde or otherwise) is very defensive about his mother and has an extremely hard time even discussing her. This may be the result of Thornhill using his mother to coax the hyde out (see: "Tyler honey, make Mama happy and shut her up."), so any discussing of his mom makes the hyde come to the forefront.

4. Tyler's relationships

A lot of the things Tyler says and does could be interpreted as an extremely well thought out manipulation plot, but I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. I genuinely believe that Tyler is a good person and that most of what he says pre-e8 can be taken at face value.

Tyler does genuinely care about Wednesday. Many of his actions with her are likely influenced by the hyde (especially their date lining up perfectly with Thing's stabbing), but he put so much care put into their dates and conversations that it's hard to believe it was all a lie. If Tyler really didn't care about Wednesday, he might not have go so far to decorate a crypt, apologize so profusely for wrecking Xavier's mural, or help her escape Jericho when he knew Thornhill needed her for her plan.

5. Episode 8

There's a lot of small but crucial things in episode 8, so I'll just mention them all here.

This tiny moment is EXTREMELY concrete evidence in my eyes. The way the music rises to an intense swell but then fades almost immediately (as if some danger has passed) and Tyler goes from smirking and being all confident to almost crying, it's just the only explanation that makes sense. Tyler was taken over by the hyde and then regained control of himself. Seeing how shaken and afraid Wednesday was overwhelmed him with guilt, so he backs off immediately.

Edit Feb 4 2023: It's also worth noting that when Tyler says "You have no idea what's coming" it is, at least partially, a warning. Wednesday even interprets it as one, later telling Xavier that "Tyler warned me that something bad was coming". I do think the hyde is almost entirely in control in this scene until the moment I described above, but some part of Tyler, some speck of his true self, wanted desperately to try and help Wednesday.

Similar to the scene in the police station, it seems like Tyler snaps himself out of the hyde's control for a moment. But this time, instead of it being at the end of an outburst, it's Wednesday mentioning his brief torture at her hands that brings him out of it.

At first, Sheriff Galpin's involvement in the Tyler vs. Enid fight seems strange and sort of pointless. He doesn't contribute much other than giving Enid the upper hand for a moment and futilely calling out for Tyler. To me, they included the Sheriff here in order to demonstrate that the hyde is not Tyler. If it were, he might have calmed for a moment or even just hesitated before rushing to attack his father, but he didn't. I believe they're using the Sheriff to represent Tyler's humanity, which the hyde has completely stripped away in this moment.

6. Master/Hyde Dynamic

A hyde becomes a "slave" to the person who unlocks it. This is a big part of the unraveling mystery of the show and it seriously calls into question Tylers agency and free will. Even if Tyler was a completely terrible person who wanted to do everything Thornhill told him to do, he would still partially be a victim because hydes by nature form a weird and dependent bond with the person who freed them, even if the hyde was freed against the individuals wishes.

Aand thats all! I'm sure theres more stuff I didn't mention, and there was even stuff I left out because I didn't want to get to bogged down in the micro-expressions, but! There it is. Can Tyler haters give him a break now?

[aihoshiino]

Since you haven't yet, could you please tell us your thoughts about the recent interview with Ai? After all, it seems to reveal a lot of interesting things about her.

For those who haven't read it yet, this is referring to the four-page in character interview with Ai that was published in the January 2024 issue of Da Vinci magazine!

Off the bat, it was really interesting to get such a direct and length look at Ai's public persona as it exists in OnK. Ironically enough, despite so much of the series being about people who are unable to get past her 'Ai of B-Komachi' mask, we actually don't get a ton of time spent with it as readers — we mostly see Ai in her private life, with Saitou, Miyako and the twins, where she is considerably more unfiltered and explicitly not on the job and we even get peeks directly into her POV from our perspective as out-of-universe observers. In fact, apart from the Da Vinci interview, the only other time we see Ai 'on the job' to this degree is a really quick exchange she has with a TV presenter just before her first post-hiatus performance. So it was really interesting to chew on!

The thing that stands out to me most from the interview is kind of a confirmation of something I've been saying for a long time — which is that Ai is a lot more honest than a lot of people (both in universe and in the fandom!) give her credit for. A lot of her answers are surprisingly frank and in line with what we know to be her true feelings and her more honest way of expressing herself elsewhere. Don't get me wrong, she's absolutely full of shit in plenty of spots here (EL OH EL ABOUT B-KOMACHI'S 'IRREPLACEABLE BOND') and her answers are still very polished and pretty, but there's a lot more of Ai herself here than I think even she herself would want to acknowledge.

This matches up with how Ai describes herself in 45510 — that, even though she's afraid of opening up, she does want people to know her as she really is and to accept her as such. It's interesting to see that expressed, even indirectly, through the interview like this.

It was also super cool to see a lot of my more incidental headcanons/personal interpretations confirmed! In particular, seeing Ai talk about Kana so warmly got me really excited. I'd always liked to imagine that she felt pretty fondly towards Kana and that she admired her hard work and dedication at such a young age so seeing Ai talking about her so effusively was really cute.

Less sweet was the confirmation that Ai's shitty home life in Ayumi's house stretched way back prior to Ayumi beginning to physically abuse her. Reading Ai calling herself a 'nasty brat' (almost definitely her mom's words) and then talking about her feeling so unwelcome at home that she'd sneak out of the house in the dead of night and wander around near the traintracks, daydreaming about being able to run away… it pains a really horrible image of what growing up in that house must have been like.

Speaking of parents, though… uh, wow, holy shit, Ai's dad! This is the only direct mention of him we've ever gotten and it definitely raises more questions than it answers. Prior to this, he'd been such a non-entity in Ai's life that I just kind of assumed he'd either passed away when she was very young or that he'd never been involved in her life — Ayumi is consistently referred to as her only parent to the point that, once she's out of the picture, Ai's only other option for stable family is, specifically, her mother's relatives. The idea of Ai being cared for by her dad or his side of the family is just never addressed as a possibility, so it's clear that past a certain point he was unable or unwilling to care for her.

The Da Vinci interview does imply she saw him occasionally — she describes their shopping trips as something that 'didn't happen often' — which supports the idea that he and Ayumi divorced or separated when Ai was quite young and he wasn't really involved in her life. It's honestly kind of depressing that he's the center of her happy childhood memory because like… man, it really says something about how abjectly unrelentingly dogshit her life was that "my dad sometimes took me to the grocery store" was happy enough in comparison to everything else in her life that she thought of it as a cherished memory.

Overall, the Da Vinci interview was a really nice surprise! We don't really get a lot of additional info about Ai from that time period specifically — a lot of the new reveals about her as a character tend to come from periods of her life prior to the timeline of the story, so getting a little extra peek into her final days really was a treat.

[nkn0va]

blazblue girls as parents tier list

Tsubaki would be a very good mom imo. She absolutely wants to make sure her kid would have a better life growing up than she did, being in such an emotionally neglectful family. Patient, understanding, kind, loyal. I'd argue there's a case for her being put at the top with Litchi.

Noel would be in the succeeds category, as long as she has someone else around to cook.

I can understand where you're coming from with Kokonoe, but I think she'd at least try. Albeit for no other reason than out of spite for Jubei.

Izanami would manipulate and gaslight her child into thinking everything needs to die. TECHNIALLY caring well enough for the child but for all the wrong reasons.

Nine would've actually been a pretty good mom, she just never had the chance because of Terumi. She actually expresses her feelings of pride toward Kokonoe the one time she gets to. She's extremely devoted to her family, to the point of trying to build a machine to replace God for their sake.

If Rachel had a child with intentions to have a child, I think she'd be at least decent. She's probably very old fashioned, both for better and for worse. She at least has Valk around to pick up the slack.

Mu's...a funny case. She doesn't completely fucking wanna kill everything when she becomes her own separate entity in CF, she's a lot more similar to Noel. If it's just CS Mu, then yeah she should be there.

Lambda post CF would actually be a pretty good mom, I think. She's pretty much taking care of both Nu and Noel and is the responsible one between them, especially if the Phantom Blue Eyes gag reel is anything to go by.

[tinogiehd]

platonically saying “i’m in love with you” is literally just a joke. and dream wasn’t joking around when he was saying that

I’m just doing talk to text because I don’t know how to type this but I know how to say it. The way that Dream has historically talked about romantic versus platonic relationships is so distinctive it’s so categorical like if you think about paranoid, for example, it’s like this very sharp distinction between being a friend and being something else, and I just feel like if he meant to say it platonically, he wouldn’t have said it in a way that could be in that can be misconstrued as being romantic. Like that whole song revolves around, you were not my friend you’re something else. And the way that saying I love you to someone is generally interpreted by like the broader public is always going to be romantic like you do not tell your mom that you’re in love with her. When you look at the quote in it’s full context he isn’t saying “My Family who I’m in love with, my childhood friend that I’m in love with, this friend I met a year ago who I am in love with” he’s saying “my family, and then my childhood friend, and then this separate entity, this friend who I met a year ago, who I am absolutely in love with”

[blackfemmecharacterdependency]

Good Cooties

Nobody:

Nesha: Takes a very traumatic horror story and instead makes it fluff.

They generally checked in right before bed and then again, first thing in the morning. Chris had never been so communicative with somebody before, but after everything that knowing Dalton had put her through, she didn't mind going a little above and beyond with check-ins.

Whenever one wasn't feeling 100% at bedtime, they had a sleepover, just in case something would go down. Time passed, and nothing did. Well... nothing too unusual, at any rate. He had nightmares sometimes and they'd wake up and sort through it. Sometimes he simply couldn't sleep, so he'd just watch her a while, glad that she wasn't losing any rest on his behalf, but annoyed that the bed was so small that they both couldn't really fit on it without being cuddled up.

Upon mentioning it, she reminded him that when he was trapped in The Further, "Your little booty body was nestled right here, between these yummy thighs." He couldn't argue with it, and the description of her thighs made him want to drop the conversation completely, so he'd said, "Well, you said you have good cooties," laughing awkwardly, and snuggling up behind her, hoping his body wouldn't betray him for the closeness of a soft, warm body and the unavoidable friction of natural sleep movements. Fortunately, that never went down. Even more fortunately, neither did any wild trips to The Further.

Things that did go down: her roommate absolutely thought that he was an obsessive boyfriend and his new roommate was confused that she slept over but they never had the need to tie something on the doorway for him to give them some time. "So... she just sleeps here sometimes?" He'd asked, "Or are you just always finished by the time I get in?"

"We're just friends!" Dalton had said, uneasy and blushing.

Foster, when they got alone, asked, "But, seriously. You're definitely smashing that, right?" It irked him. Him speaking about her like that. "I mean.. I know that you aren't that much of a lover, but I figure it's different with you two, because of, you know... the stuff.."

It was... true, officially. But, he knew how this looked. Even his mom would ask about her in the same way that she'd asked about people he'd dated previously. Was Chris coming home with him during the holidays? "She has her own family," he'd casually mentioned, then had to pretend not to notice as his family gave each other knowing looks because he spent most of the holiday texting, calling, or video chatting with "Chris" They said her name in a certain way too. A singing way, obviously taunting him. Well... his siblings did. (Foster had roped Kali into this mess, too). His mother instructed them to leave him alone, though he could tell it amused her, from her face, and he knew she liked Chris. She always asked about her.

That was why they probably would never happen. He had nightmares sometimes, panicking about being possessed again, about hurting her. Sure, he would wake up to find her there, safe and sound and if awakened by his nightmares, quick to comfort him, but.. that entire thing was now forever a part of their story. And what type of love story could come out of something like that?

His parents had loved each other for years, and this entire ordeal had separated the two of them. Foster broke into his thoughts with, "I think that I'd want somebody who already understands what you've gone through. I imagine by the time I wanna meet people, it's gonna be a whole damn thing trying to make it normal, when the topic inevitably comes up. You've got a cute girl who still bothers with you after literally seeing you at your worst. Possessed by an entity. How could it get better for you?"

"We're just friends!"

"She let you blow on her hooter the first night!" Foster teased. Dalton wasn't a big fan of Chris and his brother exchanging words, but they had each other's information, so now he always had at least this one story for ammunition to make Dalton a little bit uncomfortable, and Chris was the type to overshare casually. Chris and Foster got along well. Dalton could only imagine their powers combined if she did come around the whole family...

Which, eventually, she did. By then, they were dormed together, again. She had gone to see housing about it. Her best friend, suffering from a sleep issue, their roommates, often inconvienced when he woke up, the fact that this very office had already roomed her with him before, so what was the big deal? Chris either could talk you into hating her guts and wanting her gone, or doing whatever it is she was saying, and that day, with that member of staff, she got herself back into the room with him.

Now, they could go to sleep in their own beds, and if something happened, there the other was, just on the other side of a small room. They didn't even have to cramp themselves into his little bed as much, and whenever they did, she didn't have to get up earlier to get ready from a different room, or to go back to her own. It was cozy, and comfortable, and they had a routine.

They had gotten numerous sleeping masks, so that Chris could find something to assist her through the nightlights. Whenever she was in Dalton's bed, she didn't really notice, because her face was usually burrowed in the bed or his body, for lack of room. By the time it was time for her to go home with him, she knew which mask she needed for which type of night, whether or not she should have earphones, and how many pillows she could bring before the bed couldn't fit the pillows and two people their sizes.

She had been in his corner since the moment he confided in her, and even when she didn't want to engage, she found herself unable to just leave him alone, and now she feared that she was far more comfortable with this man than she ever planned on being with anyone. But. She was never one to reject a good thing, and it seemed like maybe Dalton Lambert was a good thing. It certainly always felt good to fall asleep in his arms and wake up next to him. Chris was a fan of feeling good.

His family was nice. She was excited to finally shoot the shit with Foster, in the flesh, and that did not disappoint. Dalton had been hoping that she would help dispel the rumors the Lamberts ran wild with, but despite pursuing math, Chris had a deep passion for chaos, as far as Dalton was concerned. "So, he never told you that we made out at a frat party?" She had asked a VERY intrigued and impressed Foster.

"He never told me that he WENT to a frat party!" He complained.

"Yeah, I sorta made him. That's a gift I have, getting Dalton to do stuff that he is not fond of doing.." Dalton pressed his lips together and continued working on a drawing.

Whenever Foster heard about the frat boy who called her ugly, he looked livid but was soon appeased by the thought of him being promptly kicked in the dick afterward. "I used to say that I wouldn't wish that on anybody, but it sounds like this is the guy that makes me change my beliefs.." They chatted for a little while longer before Foster was going to leave to go hang out with friends. "I'm super glad that Dalton has you," he said on his way out. She simply offered a salute, then looked at Dalton's jaw tense as he pretended not to hear that.

"You okay?" She asked. He shrugged. "You know... whenever I was with Grandma Perkee over the last holiday, she told me that you are very pretty and that she'd love to meet you. I said, "Yeah. He is very pretty, huh? He's kind too. A little introverted, but such a likable person. I don't think he likes me like that, though, Grandma. You might want to be less excited about meeting him." He paused and looked at her. "Well, next she told me, "If somebody is in you life, and they're nice to you and you like them and you're both having a good time together, that's gonna excite me, no matter what you call each other..." They stared at each other a moment, before she concluded, "So, we don't really need to discourage or encourage your family from thinking I'm your girlfriend or into thinking it. They see how we are together, and they know you're in good hands. Whether we're friends or more, they're gonna feel the way that they feel about me because they love you and you like me."

He gave her a little smile. That was a good way to put it, and made it less stressful for him whenever he overheard Kali ask, "Is Dalton your boyfriend?"

Without missing a beat, Chris answered, "Well, Dalton identifies as a boy, and he's definitely my friend, so what would you do if I said, "Yes?"

Kali gasped and with a wide smile asked, teasingly, "Do you loooooooove himmm?"

Chris smiled right back and asked in a whisper, "What would you do if I said "yes" again?"

Kali giggled and covered her mouth, either in excitement or surprise. Dalton never said stuff like that. He didn't smile about it. He always got irritated and denied it all. Kali smiled, and offered, "I'd say, I think that Dalton loves you too."

Chris's smile changed, ever so slightly. Dalton noted it as he finally stepped into view. She leaned towards Kali and told her, "One thing about me? Everybody loves Chris." Kali nodded in agreement, then finally noticed Dalton.

"Oh! It's your boyyyyyfriiiiiend," she sang. He just smiled, shaking his head.

At bedtime, Chris offered, "Pretty cool that your mom doesn't mind our sleeping situation. I'd say it's because she knows we aren't doing it, but she kinda seems like she'd be cool with it, even if we were."

"She is a part of the 'everybody' that loves Chris," he said, casually, preparing the nightlight. Chris paused, with a grin, then silently resumed putting on her bonnet.

By the time that they climbed into his bed, she pushed close and started wrapping her arms around him. He froze and gave her a confused look. "What? This is how we sleep."

"Yeah, in the dorm on the tiny bed. This one has room for us to stretch out more."

"Yeah, near the edge of the bed, where the monsters are. Your sister tormented me with Barbie play today. I wanna be up on you tonight." His body relaxed a little bit. "Besides, I sleep better when we're cuddled up." It tensed again. "My God, Dalton... are we not allowed to say stuff like that to each other?"

"No. Yeah... I just. Yes..." His Adam's apple was leaping in his throat and she watched it bob as he nervously searched for his next words, "I, uh... sleep better with you right here, too." She nodded once, settled her body around his and stared a little bit longer. Dalton's face came in closer, but then he stopped and just looked into her eyes. Her normal playfulness was never present when she was sleepy, but whatever else was there in her eyes, he wasn't exactly used to.

Chris offered a smile and teased, "What? Were you about to kiss me?"

Quickly, he said, "I would never do that without asking first." She closed her eyes, smiling, and nodding. "Cou.." Her eyes opened and he was staring at her lips, "Could I? Kiss you?" Chris smiled and moved closer for him to do so. It wasn't caught off guard like the first time, and it wasn't long or steamy or deep. It was tender, and quick, but lingering.. "Good cooties," he mumbled against her lips, with a smile.

"Very," she said, smiling against his, as well.

[qmorningcrew]

dump all your ideas abt ur summer camp au i want to hear it

ahhhhhh first of all anon ily <333

here’s my ideas for the summer camp au so far :)

- it’s called quesadilla summer camp (im so creative lmao)

- the camp was created on an experiment. if it went well, they would implement the plans on a larger scale. (what’s the experiment? it’s assumed it has something to do with crossing the language barriers but no one actually specifies)

- all participants get college scholarships

- but the whole thing is really badly executed? like it just does not have the set up or functionality of a normal summer camp

- there’s just very little supervision or guidance

- the camp is run by some version of the duck, and they’re very uninvolved which leads cucurucho and zero to just Not Care.

- counselors are rubius, cucurucho, and the code entity

- the code entity goes by zero

- zero really doesn’t talk but they all learn pretty easy it’s how fucking awful of an idea it is to piss them off

- cucurucho and zero are they/it besties

- rubius is the same age/around the same age as the campers, cucurucho and zero are older

- sometimes one the campers walks into their cabin and sees an entirely new person in their cabin, which is normal. they switch cabins constantly

- the first week people just keep. randomly wandering off. “where’s wilbur?” two hours later wilbur walks out of the woods with a rock. (not even like a cool rock. it’s just a normal fucking rock)

- phil’s the mom friend. but he’s still a disaster. he’s just the only one with any shred of responsibility. he’s also just got an aura of trustworthiness that makes everyone trust him with their problems

- fit is just. so chill

- he also just? always has what you need? “yeah sorry it’s a bit hot in here, a screw that seemed important fell out of the fan earlier so we haven’t turned it on yet” “oh! i think it’s in here- nope screwdriver’s in the left pocket, where did you say the screw was?”

- dan just kinda disappears for a bit? cucurucho tells the campers he went on vacation but they don’t entirely believe them. dan comes back a little different.

- spreen is always either starting chaos or nowhere to be found

- quackity manages to keep putting himself in the middle of like every problem whether he’s involved or not

- however charlie pretty much is always involved

- luzu is had DID and arin is an alter

- luzu does know about arin but he was just diagnosed and is still figuring it all out

- roier flirts with everyone (except jaiden, he respects her boundaries)

- wilbur brought his guitar with him and sings at the campfire some nights

- charlie only joins in on the meme songs

- jaiden finds the most. random shit. “hey guys i found $20 stuck to the bottom of the picnic table with a piece of gum” “oh dude look! a patch of four leaf clovers!” “woah look at this cool bottle cap i just found!”

- maximus is a conspiracy theorist but in like a, hey this actually genuinely makes sense kind of way

- bad is terrified of spiders

- he saw one in the bathroom of his cabin and was completely moved in to a different cabin within seven minutes

- roier finds this hilarious

- foolish and vegetta are dating. no one knows how they got together or when they got together. if you ask either of them, you’ll get two completely different answers

- the brazilians join two-ish weeks in

- they all arrive together in a bus together and have already formed a Friendship on the journey there

- the bus was almost set ablaze 4-6 separate times (depends on your definition on separate)

- there is an extremely done cucurucho driving the bus

- forever sees phil and immediately turns to tell felps how that is the man of his dreams

- mike and pac are inseparable. they’re just kind of always within the vicinity of each other.

- cellbit, bad, foolish, and maximus attempt to take over the camp together. it doesn’t go as planned.

[scribblestatic]

Izuku eventually talks to Inko about Venom as they get older, but by this point, Izuku and Venom are barely separate entities. Although they have different experiences from prior to their current symbiotic relationship, they are so intrinsic to each other's survival that they made up a name to refer to the both of them.

Inky. Or Inkkun.

So, if Inko calls Izuku's name in the morning for him to get up and he doesn't reply, she peeks into his room. Depending on if there was something on late at night he wanted to watch, he might still be asleep.

Inko sighs. "Inkkun, could you wake up, please?"

Black ichor slips from Izuku's skin and covers his body, opalesque eyes blinking open. With practice, the inky covering is only over his skin, so his clothes fill in further with the loss of available space. Izuku wears baggier clothes to accommodate their change nowadays.

So, it's like there's a big, inky, somehow fuzzy wolf in a "sleeping" T-shirt and All Might themed pajama pants.

"We were watching the All Might series marathon."

"I had a feeling it was something like that... Please help Izuku get ready for school, hon."

"Mmm don't wanna..."

Inkkun still crawls out of bed on all fours and slinks past her to the bathroom, though. A minute or so later though, Inkkun is sitting around the corner of the kitchen, still brushing his teeth, giving her their equivalent of puppy eyes.

"Inkkun..."

"No school, Mom..."

She sighs, realizing he swallowed the toothpaste again.

"Why don't you want to go to school?"

"No one likes us. Don't think we're important. Even though we have a 'quirk,' we get bullied."

Inko frowns, pausing as she flips the egg omelette she's making for breakfast.

"I talked with the principal about that already."

"Pah. Doesn't care about us. No one there cares."

Inkkun grumbles as he heads back to the bathroom briefly to rinse his mouth out...or drink the sink water, whichever he decides. She can't follow after him since she's still cooking, but her jaw clenches slightly.

Izuku never told her about the bullying before. It wasn't until after Izuku finally introduced her to Venom that she started learning more about what his school life was like. Izuku didn't lie much, but he would omit details. Venom, however, seemed nearly incapable of lying, which bled over into Inkkun.

As she plates their breakfast, Izuku's the one who enters, now dressed in his school clothes and trying button his gakuran. He looks drowsy, though upon seeing Inko, he becomes a bit sheepish.

"So, when were you going to tell me you're still getting bullied?"

A black, liquidy head forms through his school shirt, right beside his own.

"Never."

"Venom..."

"Izuku..."

He huffs, frustrated. "I just... I want to handle it on my own. We can't rely on you all the time."

"...You're right that you can't."

But she walks over, raising their chins to look up at her.

"But you're my little boy. And right now, I'm the one who trusts the school to both educate you and treat you right. If they don't, then that's a problem I'm supposed to help you face. Failing to do one means they're failing to do the other, too."

'Mom is right,' Venom says in their head, 'Listen to Mom. Or eat their brains. That would solve it.'

'No.'

'How about their ear? They have two of those. Missing one won't hurt too much.'

'No eating people, we promised.'

'Ugh.'

----

Now, time for some sillies.

Izuku likes to finish his homework at school or the library before coming home. Cause home is Inkkun time.

He walks in the front door, takes off his shoes, sets down his bag, and becomes creacher.

"Woof."

He strolls around the house on all fours very comfortably. He even found a way around washing his hands all the time. Venom will control their balance, and Izuku's human arms can reach out and touch things. He can also use his tentacles to pick things up.

Oh, right, yeah. He has tentacles. He usually forms them from his tail or back to grip and carry things.

So, sometimes, if Inko works a bit later than usual, she'll come home to Inkkun eating face first out of a bowl of french fries or containers of natto. More than once, she found him with a plastic bag on the floor to catch all the spillage from the fish he caught--he's been sneakily stealing from a salmon farm as of recent.

He just kinda stuffs them in his mouth, not minding the bones or gills or whatever else. It's all delicious, especially the fatty ones.

Venom usually suggests eating people just for the fun of it rather than out of legitimate hunger. Izuku casually shuts the thought down every time.

---

One day, Inkkun gets up, but he's not in goopy dog form.

Venom is under Izuku's skin, but Izuku's green eyes are instead opalescent.

It's at this point they've almost fully fused. The DNA of Izuku's human body has rearranged itself almost entirely, with him being unable to live without a connection to Venom. At the same time, the solid parts of Izuku's body makes sonic attacks that are usually a weakness for symbiotes into a mere annoyance instead.

The main thing is that the blood of people with quirks is incredibly disgusting. So, of course, Venom's brain-eating suggestions are almost always just banter. They wouldn't suggest eating brains seriously unless they were literally starving to death.

So, it's more that Inko smells delicious because she's constantly bringing them the food with the best chemicals, and because love smells good. Inko is completely off the menu.

Also Inkkun can almost completely dematerialize. As in, Izuku's body can dissolve and reconstruct almost completely without worry. So, while most humans are constrained by their shoulders of hips, like a cat, Inkkun can fit his entire body through anything big enough for his skull. He can even squeeze his skull down just a little for slightly smaller spaces.

Izuku's skull eventually becomes one of the last things differentiating Izuku from Venom. Not that Izuku's worried, nor is Venom.

They belong together, in one body, after all.

---

Inkkun likes to nap and sunbathe. You'll just see a big ol black, slick yet fuzzy blob laid out in a sunny spot. When he stretches his legs, his paw peets stretch out, as does his tail. If he's super comfy, he'll melt a lil bit.

When he's not hungry or full of energy, he's actually quite relaxed. Slinks around the apartment in full goop form, wuffing under his breath and sniffing at stuff to ensure it smells the same.

If Inkkun's really in a doggy mood, he'll sniff his mom 's shoulders and head when she comes home. Once, he sniffed her and smelled that she was starting to get sick, so he made her some soup and gave her some medicine. The great thing about him cooking is that there's no risk of injury for him at all. Except for maybe burning, but that heals quickly.

Sure enough, she had to call in to work the next day, but she wasn't feeling as bad as she could've because Inkkun caught it early. So now, he does her a sniff on principle.

(Thankfully, the only time Izuku gets sick is if he's too hungry. He hasn't had a single illness since he was four.)

He also enjoys a good head pat. Very pleasant sensation for him. He greatly enjoys physical affection. On lazy weekends, sometimes, it would just be him with his head on his mom's lap on the couch, with her watching TV and carding her fingers through his hair as he reads some manga, tail bapping against the couch.

---

Izuku's only doctor is Dr. Oniyoshi.

The doctor's very good at keeping things hush-hush, especially once Izuku and Venom fuse together more. It's something interesting for the man to study, but he wouldn't risk the wrong people coming to know about him.

Dr. Oniyoshi's the kind of guy who sometimes says things a little harshly, but he clarifies himself right after. Inkkun's never once seen him express anger, just having a calming demeanor as he quietly maintains every aspect of his care.

It helps that Venom constantly keeps Izuku healthy. They don't technically need to brush their teeth, but Venom does anyway when Inko asks and Izuku's consciousness is still asleep. So, really, Izuku doesn't have a lot of medical records, and the ones that do exist are purposefully fudged.

His details still say quirkless, and his blood denotes no differences from any other person, save for the lack of quirk factor that's becoming increasingly rare over time.

Once Inkkun started forming more frequently, however, Dr. Oniyoshi noted unidentifiable DNA in his blood. Not only that, but he couldn't keep a blood sample. The blood would eventually break out of the glass and return to Izuku by some point. So now, he tells Izuku when he's done doing blood tests and uncorks the vial, letting his blood return without breaking his supplies.

Dr. Oniyoshi quietly tells Inko that her son's more akin to a nonidentifiable humanoid than a human, but just as firmly confirms that Izuku is her son regardless.

Inko knows, but it's nice that her son's doctor agrees.