#maybe a fire safety course lmao

[monty-glasses-roxy]

Hsjdhjs Meteors AU post Ruin just like. Cassie's dad has to leave for a few hours so he tells Cassie quietly and asks her to take care of Roxy. He then says it louder to both her and Roxy and pretends to put Roxy in charge while he's gone and it's like a funny little secret that Cassie's secretly the one in charge every time

Roxy's only been in the real world for a few weeks maybe months okay she doesn't know what she's doing

[mikavlcs]

Start a Fire

Pairing: Gwen Stacy x gn!reader

Summary: Gwen saves you and you help her out in return.

Warnings: nothing besides some probable medical inaccuracies and my writing lmao (no atsv spoilers btw)

Word count: 2k

Notes: idk why everything i write is kinda unserious. this also may not entirely make sense, sorry about that...

Masterlist

Firsts were a special thing.

Everyone, for better or worse, remembered things like their first kiss, and their first date, and their first heartbreak. Because of the novelty of these events, their importance is inescapable, even to the most unsentimental of people.

This same principle applied to superhero activities—or, at least, it did for Gwen.

She would never forget her first high-speed car chase, or her first armed bank robbery, or her first (incredibly embarrassing) criminal interrogation. So, of course, she was excited when her police radio picked up reports of a burning apartment building over on the west side.

Okay, maybe excited wasn’t the right word since people were in danger and Gwen would never be excited about that, but she was looking forward to checking off another box on the list of ‘classic crime tropes’ she kept in her journal. Burning buildings were a staple in superhero comics, and after nearly nine months on the job, it was about time for her to experience it firsthand.

She zipped in and, after a quick chat with the outside firefighters, began extracting civies from the upper floors while they covered the lower floors. Thankfully, the fire wasn’t terrible. They caught it pretty early and since the apartment building was three blocks away from a fire station, there were firefighters on the scene within ten minutes.

Since the fire started on the first floor, the worst of it was easily at the bottom floors, which the firefighters elected to cover since Gwen had more verticality and speed, but there was still smoke. A lot of it.

Now, Gwen knew a lot about fire safety thanks to her elementary school’s yearly presentations on the subject, but by the ten-minute mark, she was beginning to see that she had vastly underestimated the effects of smoke inhalation.

She didn’t have the respirators that they wore, her only protection against the smoke was the cloth of her mask. And at first, that was enough, but it was starting to get to her now. Luckily, she only had one more person to grab—someone on the top floor, frantically waving out one of the windows.

Hastily, Gwen crawled up toward the window you were leaning out of. The smoke was much thinner up here since the fire was only just spreading a few floors down, and she was very grateful for that. She crept to the side of the window, offering a grin you couldn’t see and a wave.

“Hey!” she greeted, securing an arm around your waist. “Hold on tight. This will be quick, just, uh, close your eyes if you’re afraid of heights.”

Once your arms were looped behind her neck, she webbed a nearby building and swung toward a nearby alley.

She deposited you down first, making sure you were steady on your feet before releasing the web and stumbling toward the nearest wall. A series of hacking coughs forced themselves from her throat, making her lean most of her weight against the wall.

“You okay, Spider-Woman?” The question came from her left and she looked over to see you resting against the same wall as her, staring with a mixture of confusion and concern. Gwen flashed a shaky thumbs-up in an attempt to both placate you and preserve her image.

“Perfectly fine. This is actually my first burning building rescue, so this—” She cut herself off with a particularly painful wheeze then finished with, “This is actually a pretty big moment for me.”

“Uh-huh, well maybe you should sit down for a minute,” you suggested, but her mind was already on her next destination, wherever that may be.

She shook her head at the idea, fighting the nausea that came with the motion. “No, no, I’m good. Feeling great. I’ll, uh, I’ll see you around.”

There was an attempt to raise her arm and shoot a web, but it failed rather miserably. She didn’t think the limb even moved, but the sudden, heavy wave of drowsiness that washed over her made that really hard to care about. A sigh slipped from her mouth, eyes drooping.

“Okay, yeah, maybe I’ll just take a little nap first.” The admission came out mumbled, but Gwen didn’t really notice. Nor did she feel herself pitch forward and slip off the wall entirely as her eyes were already slipping closed.

The world went dark before she could even hit the ground.

—

When Gwen woke again, the first of two major things she noticed was that she wasn’t in the alley she collapsed in.

In fact, she wasn’t outside at all. Her eyes cracked open and instead of staring into the cloudy afternoon sky, she was looking intently at a ceiling. And instead of laying on hard asphalt, she was resting on something soft—a couch, maybe.

She was in someone’s house, she belatedly realized, and that was when the second thing registered all at once.

Her mask was still on.

And it wasn’t just on, it was still tucked snugly into the neckline of her suit, the way she always kept it to ensure it never rode up. That meant that either someone went to great lengths to put it back in the exact position she liked it, or it was never taken off in the first place. When she saw you sitting in the chaise lounge across from the couch, her suspicions leaned toward the latter.

You hadn’t noticed her wake, eyes glued on the tv to her right, so she took the initiative to speak. It was harder than she expected since her throat was so dry, but after a few swallows, she managed to rasp her question out.

“Uh, where am I, exactly?”

Your eyes flicked to her instantly, and you sat up straighter, leaning forward a bit. “My house. Well, my mom’s house actually. She’s at work, won’t be back for a while. Good thing, too, because she would lose her shit if she saw you passed out on her couch.”

“Not a big fan of vigilantes?” she asked dryly. You chuckled.

“No, she’s not a big fan of her furniture getting dirty.”

“Oh,” Gwen muttered, pushing herself up to sit, “sorry, I can—”

Her sentence was cut short by you standing and gently shoving her to lie back down. “It’s fine, I’ll clean it later. Stay there.”

You watched her and, once you knew she would obey, walked out of her sightline. Gwen listened to your footsteps, noting the way you stopped around fifteen feet away. Then, she tilted her head back to glance at the windows and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the light shining through the thin, drawn curtains. She couldn’t have been out for more than an hour.

Now that her initial question had been answered, she moved on to her secondary. “Did you drag me all the way here by yourself?”

“Well, I was visiting a friend’s apartment earlier, so we were only a few blocks away,” you called from somewhere on the other side of the couch, the faint sound of a refrigerator being opened and closed compounding the statement. “But yes, I did drag you here myself. You’re heavier than you look, by the way.”

Gwen’s eyes narrowed beneath her mask, but she chose to take it as a compliment to her forming musculature.

You returned a few minutes later with a glass of water and a pitcher filled nearly to the brim, setting them both down on the coffee table in front of her. Immediately, she pushed herself to sit up, hiking her mask over her nose and downing the entire glass in a few gulps. In her peripheral, she saw you sit back down and look at the tv again, letting the room lapse into quiet.

Gwen let the silence sit for a bit, then asked, “So, why didn’t you take off my mask? Most people would jump at the chance to figure out my identity.”

“I’m not into invading other people’s privacy,” you said plainly with a light shrug. “Plus, you saved my life. Taking the mask off after that would’ve been a dick move.”

She stayed quiet for a minute, absorbing what you said, then, with genuine sincerity, said, “Thank you.”

You waved it off. “Consider us even. I wouldn’t have made it out without your help, this was the least I could do.”

A nod was the only response she gave. She knew she should probably leave now; she was in a stranger’s house, after all. But you didn’t seem to mind, so she poured herself another glass and settled back on the couch.

Despite the unorthodox situation, the atmosphere remained calm and quiet with occasional thought-provoking questions from you such as “What’s it like being wanted for murder?” and “Why do you wear ballet shoes instead of shoes that will protect your feet in fights?” neither of which she had solid answers for but had fun with anyway.

It was nice. Weird, undoubtedly, but a nice change of pace from the more turbulent and fast-paced interactions she was used to having with people as Spider-Woman. You seemed to be enjoying it too, if the fact that you didn’t kick her out an hour ago was anything to go by.

Time continued to pass, the darkening sky outside the window escaping both of your notice. Her phone buzzed in her pocket a few times while you were talking, but she elected to ignore it. That is until the tranquil air was eventually broken by her phone ringing, the Spider-Woman theme song echoing throughout the room.

“Sorry,” Gwen mumbled, pulling her phone out of her suit pocket. She scanned the screen and her eyes widened. It was her dad. She squinted slightly, confused as to why he was calling already, but then she looked at the time, and her eyes widened. Her dad had been expecting her home over an hour ago.

Panicked, she shot to her feet, narrowly avoiding slamming her shin into the coffee table by the couch. She took one step, then another, testing. Her limbs still felt a bit heavier than usual, but it wasn’t as bad as earlier, and she’d be able to swing home with minimal issues.

“Gotta go?” you asked, eyeing her from your seat.

She sighed, nodded. “Yeah, sorry, just remembered I have somewhere to be.”

You gave an understanding hum and she ventured to the door. Her hands were about to twist the doorknob when an idea suddenly popped into her head. It was a stupid idea, which made it all the more pervasive to her waning self-control. She debated back and forth with herself for all of seven seconds before she spun on her heels.

Gwen cleared her throat and put on a casual tone, praying her voice didn’t crack. “Hey, do you wanna get coffee,” she paused briefly, combing over her schedule in her head, “this Saturday? Y’know, as thanks for all this.”

“I thought we established that we were even,” you said, eyes narrowed.

“Well, I’m unestablishing it. So, coffee?” She rocked back on her heels, watching you ruminate on the offer. 

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, you shrugged. “Who could say no to coffee with a wanted vigilante?”

Remembering that her mask was still pulled up halfway, she restrained the large smile threatening to creep onto her face to a small smirk. “Great, I’ll see you then…" Her sentence came to an abrupt end when she searched for a name and realized you had never given her one. “Uh, I didn’t catch your name?”

You raised a brow. “Are you gonna give me yours?”

She paused, then cocked her head to the side. “Fair enough. Then I’ll see you Saturday, stranger.”

“See you, spidey,” you said with a smile and a two-finger salute, both of which Gwen returned before pulling her mask down and jetting out the door.

She swung across the city with a speed that impressed even her, weaving through buildings and traffic with a racing heart and an immovable smile the whole way to her apartment.

In the end, Gwen wound up being grounded for a month since she was a little too distracted on her swing home to come up with a plausible excuse for her dad, but it wasn’t a problem. She would just sneak out Saturday during her dad’s shift for your coffee (maybe) date, and if she got caught and her punishment got extended, then so be it.

It would totally be worth it.

—

hi, if you made it this far, thanks for reading and i hope you have a good day 🥳🫶

[comradekatara]

hello, I’ve been thinking about Sokka in the finale and was wondering about your take I suppose? Or perhaps I just need to express this.

Sokka being a tactician rather than a warrior is a wonderful way to end his arc. Trusting two women who are, objectively, stronger in combat, while also being a guide & leader wow great love it.

And it’s great how he protects Toph. But I also think about how at the beginning Sokka is primed to die for Katara, and at the end he’s in the same self-sacrificial position. I don’t think this is bad writing but it kinda sucks for him lmao. His most triumphant moment is still one where it’s his job to die first.

It’s also interesting how this mirrors Zuko, who also self-sacrifices as a part of the completion of his arc. The way they’re both so willing to die is part of what makes Zukka compelling to me. But also! I wonder if Sokka would be jealous of Zuko being able to almost die for Katara.

I don’t think Sokka would think of it that way, but I can imagine his self-hate for almost letting Toph die, and then look! He wasn’t even there to die for Katara! Someone else had to do it! And maybe Zuko is a fine option if it’s not Sokka, but I don’t think its would be easy for Sokka to accept.

I don’t think he would know why he was angry, either. He’d just be mixed up with frustration and helplessness and probably concern for Zuko, too, and irritation at how stupid it was for Zuko to challenge Azula to an Agni Kai. God I hope they don’t break up over it.

okay, wow. a lot of interesting points here. i'm gonna try to respond to them in order (and number each paragraph so you can follow each point better).

1 while i would of course say that suki and toph both have unique strengths as fighters, i wouldn't discount sokka's skill either. yes, he is first and foremost a tactician who uses strategic maneuvering to win battles, and learning to prioritize his brains over his brawn is a huge facet of his arc, but crucially, he learns this first from suki, whose technique is all about strategic maneuvering against stronger opponents, and toph's fighting style is also about finding creative uses for her earthbending, instead of relying on feats of strength like the other earthbenders we see throughout the series. i would say that in this sense, toph, sokka, and suki are all quite evenly matched. they each have skills the other does not (arguably toph's skills are the most impressive, but sokka's accuracy with a boomerang and suki's little flippity flips – i.e., her abs of steel – in "the boiling rock" deserve acknowledgment).

of course, it's valuable that sokka trusts toph and suki entirely, and not solely because it reflects his implicit respect for girls as warriors (because like, we covered that at the very beginning of the series), but because it means he can overcome his control freak tendencies to delegate and trust others to be competent and succeed, which also means trusting that if they fail or choose to sacrifice themselves, it's not directly his fault (something he learns in "the boiling rock"). and of course toph and suki are probably the two people (who aren't directly related to him) he trusts, loves, and admires the most, which is what makes their team-up as a trio in the finale so lovely.

2 i actually think there's something really beautiful and poignant about the circularity of sokka's arc. as you say, it's a near-identical situation. sokka is faced down by fire nation soldiers, the only person in a position to fight back, while responsible for the safety and life of his little sister, and even though he puts up a valiant effort, he still must be saved by a third party who swoops in at the very last moment to save him before he bites it. in "the avatar returns," sokka's choice to die a martyr (in his mind) will finally fulfill his existential goal of protecting katara (which, again, in his mind, means doing for her what kya did), whereas now his existential goal is ending the war. either way, he is dying for his cause. the thing is, when aang returns to fight zuko, suddenly a new cause motivates sokka: to help the avatar. but now that the war is over, sokka's goals become less concrete. he must suddenly live past the end of his myth, which as we all know, is a perilous thing.

and as i've talked about before, i think this would motivate him to try and do everything he possibly can, because he no longer has one singular defined path, so to prove that he is worthy of existence he must now exercise control over everyone. as much as he trusts toph and suki and katara and aang and zuko (to an extent), i think his control freak tendencies would nonetheless be exacerbated by the end of the war, because instead of just imposing control on their little group to make sure they stay on schedule etc. etc., he now has the opportunity to impose control over the entire world. postwar sokka is kind of a nightmare i'm afraid.

3 i think it's important to remember that sokka doesn't really get angry, he gets guilty. unlike katara, zuko, or even aang, sokka only really gets angry if he thinks someone is incompetent and/or evil. but mostly, when he internalizes his emotions, he doesn't lash out with rage, he points that anger inwards, feels as if he is the one at fault, even if the situation was not remotely in his control. i don't think sokka would be remotely mad at zuko for what he did. he might think zuko was stupid for what he did ("couldn't katara have just run out of the way?"), but he'd also be infinitely grateful. i think sokka would be furious at zuko had the reverse happened and katara been injured in any way – oh, then he would tear zuko to pieces. but zuko risking his life for katara (although i think in zuko's mind he expected he'd be fine and that he could just redirect the lightning in midair, but he'd never admit that to anyone ever, so.) would only make sokka feel guilty that someone else had to perform his duty.

i think a big problem for sokka after the war would be that now that he has all these different paths to follow, he cannot be in every location at once (being a man means knowing where you're needed the most, but what if you're needed everywhere??? what then???), and he cannot know every single piece of information implicitly. the fact that he had to be at the airship fleet meant that he had to trust that zuko and katara would be successful in their mission. and he clearly does trust them, but i imagine there's also a part of him wracked with fear over their fates the entire time that they're split up, especially because if katara isn't okay, that means that he failed and he wasn't even there. so yeah, i think he'd feel a mix of gratitude and guilt that zuko performed his big brother duties in sokka's place. but i don't think he'd be angry at zuko.

4 sokka's self-hate for almost letting toph die is so real though. yeah "the boiling rock" teaches him to let himself rely on others and not take every single failure so personally, and suki is especially significant in that regard for how she represents someone who is sokka's peer who can rescue him but also be rescued by him. and all that, thematically speaking, is very important and lovely. but he still hates himself for not doing more. which is of course crazy, because he literally used a boomerang and threw his sword with only one working arm and a broken leg while basically hanging off a falling ledge in the sky to kill two men, but sokka is crazy, so there's no way he's satisfied upon being told that he did all he can do. his limits are his failures. and if he can't even protect his best friend, then what is he good for?

i actually think that if toph hadn't been there to ground him, he would have been less concerned with staying alive, that he only held on for so long because he wanted to keep toph alive. when sokka tells toph that "it looks like this is the end," toph, understandably, starts to cry, but sokka only really seems sad at the idea that toph is about to die. he's not crying, why would he be? this is probably how he's always imagined his own death in his wildest fantasies (yes, if katara fantasizes about revenge, sokka fantasizes about dying, you know it's true). if sokka is crucial to helping toph recognize and accept her own vulnerability, toph helps sokka stay grounded to his humanity (and obviously aang and others perform these function for both parties as well, but sokka and toph's friendship is a really beautiful, special thing). and that means that sokka is excited to be saved by suki specifically because it means that she also saved toph. but there must also be a part of sokka after the war that's thinking "in the end, zuko saved katara, suki saved toph, some giant spirit creature saved aang........ what am i even good for?" because if there's one thing sokka's brain loves to do, it's reinforce his own worthlessness.

5 "god i hope they don't break up over it" was pretty funny to me, because i honestly think that if they ever get together (and jury's still out for me on that tbh) it would take a good decade. but also i recognize that the way i "ship zukka" is different from how everyone else feels about/imagines them, so that's not really relevant here.

[stackslip]

chapter 140 thoughts under the cut

fujimoto's goal of rewriting fire punch with a bit more silliness continues (i love the chainsaw pews)

fujimoto said i know writers who do subtlety and they're all cowards

BROBENI CONFIRMED. now to know if he's her younger brother who was gonna be put through college by kobeni's exploited labour (which..... gd damn that parallel with denji and nayuta......). also i've been told nobana is traditionally a female name.......... hm.

real, though in this context it sounds more like anti usamerican imperialism language repurposed for nationalist ends..... it's not fujimoto is uncritical of america either though considering the gun devil in part 1. fascinating to see where this might go and how much that kind of language parallels irl pro-japanese imperialism and nationalists' own discourse.

i find it fascinaing that kids are considered the only acceptable members of the cult only to be introduced to an adult leader several pages later lol. but obviously the cult (because this 200% is a cult) is filling a gap--the first half of part 1 showed us how much it fucking SUCKS to be even an ordinary kid both irl and in this world, the lack of agency and the poverty and being preyed upon by adults or abandoned entirely, and then mocked on national tv when they take the deaths of their classmates and friends seriously..... so of course so many would end up here, being told that adults really ARE dangerous and incapable of seeing the world the way they do. cleverly done, i hope fujimoto expands on this and doesn't fall back on Let Adults Take Care Of This

similarly i hope this doesn't fall into the liberal storytelling trap of "the government is bad, but this new group has appeared that's Even Worse, so the government is actually good now" that also appears in so many shounen tbh. i don't think he will bc even outside of the church public safety is still so fucked up

denji's expressions this chapter are top tier lmao. genius move to make denji the "straight man" in the previous few chapters where he's genuinely flabbergasted by how batshit everyone else is

FUCKING CRYING. yeah the implications are dire but. HOWL

again jokes asides there is SO MUCH to unpack here. you'll get married AND THEN become a member of the church (implying marriage is a requirement or, as said later, strongly encouraged to join the cult at all). sex is consummated immediately in the next room. so far we've mostly seen men and boys in charge of the church, except for fami/kiga......... which...... does not bode well. makes me wonder how many are pressured into marriage/sex both as a way to attract new male followers and as a way to keep control over all

speaking of which. it says student but they mean /high school students/, maybe even middle school students, aka again children! and again the language of Modernity Has Lied To Us, Child Marriage And Ownership Is The Way right there being recited. the appeal to nationalism and what is "natural", kids as property of their parents and the church,.... and yes i AM reminded of behemboth(?), the patriarchal city-cult of fire punch whose entire horrid existence is justified with "it's natural" and "we are saving people by giving them shelter here". the patriarchy is central here!

and of course the part about kids being born and raised into the church themselves...... after shinzo abe's death, japan's having a bit of a reckoning re the influence of cults in political life and vice versa, and particularly the impact on children raised in said cults. there's also been a reactionary backlash to the idea of *foreign* cults (like the unification church, originally from korea) having "too big" an influence on japan, versus the Good National Japanese Cults that are spared some of that backlash. so i find it interesting that fujimoto firmly grounds this as a *japanese* nationalist cult that claims to be trying to save the country from foreign influence. obviously i'd love to know more, bc i'm sure there's a lot of language and references in the original that i'm missing and that mirror irl japanese politics and reactionary tendencies.

denji's backlash in forcing kids to get married.... i do wonder how much of his backlash comes from the idea of forced child marriage (and being forced in general), or if he would have been okay with someone being pressured to have sex with him without marriage, or he wouldn't have thought about it tbh.

i want to see the chainsaw man bathroom............

the hybrids all coming together.... wonder if this means reze and quanxi will be back PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. but also in the context of the church.... the weapon hybrids were used as various governmental projects and living weapons for years--japan, china, the ussr, and i imagine the usa and other western powers had their own as well. then they got controlled by makima, and now they're in the church.... i hope we explore more of the abuse and parallels they have with denji, and see just how and why miri trusts in the church so much as a refuge compared to his previous abuse. ALSO BRING BACK REZE AND QUANXI GD PLEASE......

this is 200% the guy who was in the shadows telling haruka it was all planned. and again the irony of nobana talking about how this is a church by and for children, only to immediately be threatened by someone who is very obviously an adult in charge

his eyes REALLY freak me out btw, fujimoto did a great job at his expressions lol. also really love the detail of the suspenders and the

barem.... the closest i could find for that name's meaning was the hebrew for "son of nation" which. hm! worrisome!

so idk if fujimoto was TRYING to give this dude the vibes of a sexual predator but between the cult's pressuring kids to get married and have sex, his role as one of the sole adult "humans" around, his treatment of nobana, and his general demeanor and manner of speech + the themes of sexual abuse and predation in the series in general........ gd he gives me the absolute creeps lmao, incredible design and tone. also what he says here about asa which gives me SO MANY red flags and makes me think more of the patriarchal aspect of the cult too

the name of the chapter is "scales"..... which is associated with kiga, as the horseman of Famine. and of course during the whole chapter we hear about how the church is necessary and its actions help save lives etc etc etc. just as we heard the yakuza justify their existence to makima, just as public safety justified its own existence in terms of killing devils while really using them as a way to terrorize the population and threaten other nations.

i find it interesting that in a way, kiga gave a similar deal to asa but in far more positive a view. do these things for us, become this weapon for us, and this person you care about (or think you know even if briefly) will live. kiga was just a lot better at presenting it and obsfucating the actual horrors that would follow--denji however is in too deep, and doesn't buy into the bs anymore. so he's given much more stark and open a choice! just as public safety tried to threaten denji to keep quiet lest they kill nayuta and raise her as their own all over again! gd he and asa's lack of agency..... fuck me up so so bad

wondering if we're eventually going to come back to denji's motif of choosing a third choice and refusing the dual choice entirely! wonder if asa herself will only see a single solution in front of her every time......

anyhow. good chapter. there's gotta be a lot that i'm missing here in terms of relations to current japanese political context and i'd love to learn more on it tbh.

[sentience-if]

I have come today (and every other day) to test the very limits of Connie's patience lmao (Val would be so proud), so: how would the ROs (re)act to the classic 'we're inextricably locked in a lone cabin in the woods together and we JUST got out of a massive thunderstorm so we're all completely soaked and just haveee to get out of them/change/cuddle up for warmth' hehehe. Especially when they're still in the crush/preconfession stage! Thank u and have a great day!!!

hello and sorry for making u wait so long 🤭

Ira: get this thing dry immediately before it catches pneumonia; their teeth are chattering so much they can't even protest or say thank you. fully accepts cuddling up under a blanket as necessary, up until they're warm again and can think straight. They're certainly not going to mention the fact that they're okay now. Maybe they'll even fall asleep a little bit on purpose

Klaus: idk what it is, but something tells me this would distress Klaus so much it would finally unlock Normal Klaus who's actually focused on survival over being clever and rude. Magic to get warm, etc etc, but somehow the whole situation doesnt' even register with him as an Opportunity. Not until he's half asleep curled up next to Io, anyway.

Connie: not having any of it. builds a fire and gives Io the heaviest blanket in the hopes it'll keep them still for once. Intends on sleeping by the door for safety reasons, but if Io plays their cards right (whines and huffs) they can begrudgingly convinced to get closer. Just to shut Io up, of course

Kat: ugh, how dreadful :/ Has absolutely zero qualms about stripping out of her soaked clothing and wrapping herself in a blanket, though. Not even in a seductive way- she just simply doesn't care, and would probably be surprised if Io does. She'll fully take the opportunity to make Io blush if she thinks she can get away with it, but otherwise it's just business as usual. Want to play cards? She's found an old bottle of whiskey that's probably not poison.

Val: hates the cold so being warm and dry is the utmost priority. Depending on your Io, being close and cozy with Val is probably pretty normal, but if it's not, Val will be careful to not make a big deal out of it. If Io seems hesitant or shy, they won't hesitate to make themself the baby that needs to be taken care of. you k now, as an excuse

[thebeautyoffanfics]

sokka x zuko

a/n : i haven't written a character x character fic in forever LMAO like since middle school i think ..... but here we are !! i know atla isn't what anyone following me is here for , but i'm hyperfixating and zukka is one of those "haha wouldn't that be funny [oh god it's not a joke anymore]" things for me . so here's a semi-short + sweet + already probably done concept fic <3 warnings : none  word count : 840

Zuko sighed, his head aching with lack of sleep. This wasn't the first sleepless night he'd had-- far from it-- but it somehow felt so much more different. What did he have to do? Was Aang ready? How could the Avatar sleep when there was so much to be done? Sozin's Comet was like a poison hanging in the air, making him feel ill with anxiety.

The waves crashing on the shore were the only sound Zuko could hear past his heavy thoughts. Looking into the night sky, his eyes were first drawn to the sparkling speckle, barely bigger than other stars visible, yet clearly redder. If he thought too hard about it, he could almost feel the blazing heat from it, the power of 100 suns coursing through the firebending blood in his veins. It used to be such a powerful thought. Now he would have given up that power if it guaranteed the safety of this world. Of his friends.

Zuko sighed, an unwilling task, as if his body was trying to force him into relaxing. Wanting to find anything but that damned glow in the sky, his eyes moved to the moon, her light the opposite of the hot red. She offered a cool, relaxing tone; controlling the water, instead of fire. The waves only a few feet in front of him reached for her, following the pull she offered, only to fall back and try again. It reminded him of the two Water Tribe siblings he knew. Katara's practice, and the moves his uncle had shown him, the pushing and pulling of the waves. The shared determination of the siblings. Like the waves, constantly moving, trying again and again to reach the moon, they truly never stopped. Never gave up. Sokka even apparently had personal experience with the moon.

Despite finding himself lost in his thoughts, alongside his body fighting against his mind for rest, Zuko heard the quiet closing of the door behind him, and the footsteps that followed suit. Forcing his eyes from the waves, he turned, looking up at whoever had decided to interrupt his hazy spiraling.

The sight of the somewhat lanky, obviously sleepy, Water Tribe boy rung as ironic in Zuko's head-- his thoughts still having been lingering on Sokka. His hair was loose, falling around his face. The way it framed it, pairing with the moonlight, made Zuko's heart feel odd.

"What are you doing up?" Zuko questioned, turning back around.

"Woke up to pee, looked out the window and saw you sulking."

Zuko felt himself smile involuntarily, ignoring the confusion as to why something so small made his chest feel warmer, and instead firing his response. "I wasn't sulking."

"Okay? Then what were you doing staring into nothingness, outside, in the middle of the night, alone?"

"... Thinking, I guess. I couldn't really sleep."

Sokka took a moment, and Zuko began to wonder what he was thinking. Was he annoyed? "You can go back in," Zuko began, shutting his mouth when Sokka plopped down next to him, so close that their shoulders touched. This wasn't unusual-- Sokka was a close person, sitting close, talking close, and overall being more touchy than Zuko was used to-- but Zuko's tired heart skipped a beat, his face threatening to heat up.

"Welp, do you wanna talk about it?"

Though audibly exhausted, the annoyance Zuko was searching for in Sokka's tone was nowhere to be found. Instead, all he found was a genuine question, an offer with no obligation.

"Uh," Zuko hummed, wondering how to even begin his concerns, "maybe... I'm just nervous, I guess. It might be stupid, I mean, I'm not the one facing my dad. I just know how strong he is already, without even considering the comet. I'm worried if I've had Aang practice enough, or..."

Zuko couldn't help but trail off when a head landed on top of his shoulder. Dark brown strands of hair fell over Sokka's face, his eyes closed and expression relaxed.

"Keep talkin', I'm... I'm listening," Sokka mumbled, and Zuko knew he would have meant it if he wasn't actively falling asleep. On his shoulder.

Warmth settling comfortably in his chest, Zuko felt himself smiling again. "It's, uh... it's okay, buddy," He said. For a moment, things felt truly quiet. Peaceful. Sokka's weight on his shoulder seemed to simultaneously ground Zuko, and allow him to drift away, eyelids growing heavy. Finally, Zuko allowed his head to rest on top of Sokka's, butterflies dancing almost pleasantly in his stomach. With a comforting presence sleeping soundly on his shoulder, Zuko forgot for a moment about his concerns, drifting into a quiet sleep at last. In the morning they would wake up. Blushes and groggy condolences would be exchanged, and Zuko would put up with his anxieties once again. But, at the very least, he truly knew, and accepted, that he wasn't alone anymore. Maybe he never had been. It wouldn't fix everything, it wouldn't undo his actions, it wouldn't take permanent reminder of his father's rage off of his face or the ruins of the world, but it would offer hope. Undying, unbridled, and ready to prove itself.

[softpine]

did we enjoy hanging out at the virtual bar last night ..... sorry i didn't finish answering the asks i fell asleep on the floor listening to lover you should've come over on a loop for 3 hours anyway here's the rest 😌 i may not be drunk anymore but i answered them quick fire mode for that authentic experience fjkjsds

i feel like as she's gotten older, caroline became the retrospective/morose kinda drunk and that's beth's natural state so it would be like a healing therapy session for sure. mikaela gets sloppy lmaooo so she would be blabbing about things no one asked, probably dropping some crazy anecdote that no one can tell if it's true or not. danny just gets stupid horny fjksjds sorry, gotta kick him out after 2 drinks or you'll see a lot more than you ever wanted to

he earned it!!!

honestly i never do anything for my sims birthdays because there's just so many of them 😭 but tom bought him a brownie from the dining hall and stuck a candle in it, then they gathered some friends and went out for drinks later but casper paid the whole tab with danny's money lol and his friends back home got on a group phone call to wish him happy birthday 💖

it suuuuuucks :( i know it's necessary and someday it will feel good and hopefully my relationships will be stronger because of it, but in the meantime i just feel like a toddler who doesn't have the words to describe how i feel so i just cry a lot fjkjsds it's definitely easier to give austin the benefit of the doubt because i can relate, but that makes me want to see him improve more than anything. i don't want to live my life in such a closed-off way anymore and austin probably doesn't either... he just isn't at that stage yet where he realizes it's a problem, so it's frustrating to witness him act like this 😭

BETHHH all of the above!! (well except HOA, because fuck HOAs) we've seen her volunteer as a chaperone for school dances, she's definitely asa's most involved parent in his school & general safety. caroline liked interacting with other parents when asa was little, because she was a young parent she wanted to soak up as much parental experience as possible. on the other hand, mikaela felt embarrassed about how she was the youngest parent in the room when she was putting casper through school/sports so she tended to keep to herself, but she did eventually embrace her status as a soccer mom and then football mom lmao. i can see her and beth in a bookclub :')

yeah he's at the tail end of his tour right now, he only has a few shows left. in the last post with caroline & asa in the hospital, mikaela was actually on the phone with danny but it didn't really make sense to include in that scene, so i moved it to the next time we'll see asa's parents. so i can't say too much about him yet!! but yeah he did take a SUPER long break, so his team is not going to be happy if he asks for another. he tries to keep his family out of the spotlight and only shares nonspecific information about them, but of course he taps into his emotions when writing music so i'm sure a lot of his family struggles come through, just maybe not in the way a casual listener would hear and think "oh his son has had mysterious health problems his whole life" or anything like that!

it's honestly been really fun to write!! he's such a stoic figure and his inner monologue is too, but there's a lot he doesn't say even to himself that's just simmering under the surface...

@forgotten-pixels omg it's funny you bring this up!! when i first introduced mac in the story, i wasn't thinking at all about genetics, i just picked a coat pattern i thought was cute and randomly decided he would be a boy, but then right after that i switched my major to biology and took a genetics class where i had to do a whole research project about chromosomal abnormalities and used male tortoiseshell cats as one of the focuses because they have an extra X chromosome which can also occur in humans (though obviously we don't get cute patterns because of it..... sad!) but male tortoiseshell cats tend to have a ton of health problems & lowered life expectancy because of this abnormality, so if we were being entirely realistic mac probably wouldn't have survived into adulthood. but since this is the sims i decided pets can never die fjksjds i did think about doing a silly retcon where once mac is no longer a kitten he runs away for a few days and returns pregnant because oops he's actually a female cat but 1. again, this is sims so who cares about realism and 2. there is no way in hell beth would be irresponsible enough to not get her adopted stray cat fixed as soon as possible. so i just scrapped the whole idea lmao but yes!! mac is just an exceedingly rare kitty :P

aww i'm sorry i think you sent this a couple days ago, but thank you for thinking of me 🥺 i hope you had a good day!!

noo you didn't make me feel rushed at all!! i totally get wanting to know, i wish i could be more consistent but i've given up on expecting that from myself jfkjsdj but yeah don't fear, he's not really dead dead hehe

oh i love this for them, thank you so much 💖 i don't know anything but just from what you've said, i think leo & aries makes so much sense for finn and asa because like they literally were never supposed to be together or even meet in their lifetimes but by god they will NOT let that stop them 😌

@morrigan-sims AHHH yeah i honestly have nothing to add to this fjkjsds you said it all !! i could comment more but that would be spoilers territory so i'll just leave it with saying i love hearing everyone's predictions, it makes me happy that you know these characters well enough to see into the future a bit 🥺

he wouldn't do anything to hurt (physically or emotionally) asa's family, nor would he knowingly let asa hurt them himself. so...... honey you've got a big storm coming i guess 😭😭

she loves animals, particularly reptiles & amphibians, she'd be so great working in conservation or education about animals especially for kids 🥺

she has a vague idea of how certain people would react... she thinks stevie would probably believe her (at least partially) because she's always been pretty open to unexplainable phenomenon, but she falsely believes that stevie wouldn't be able to keep a secret (she doesn't know that stevie has been keeping asa & finn's secret for a decade now...). she would never want to tell elaine, because she knows elaine doesn't believe in anything supernatural and would probably assume she's experiencing actual delusions. that just leaves asa, who she might have considered telling, except that she knows how badly he's struggled with his own mental health so she would never want to potentially make it worse by confusing his reality in a sense...

oh yeah i definitely cannot comment on this one jfkjsds

asa truly does not think about consequences or the future. you wouldn't assume this is the case because of how quiet and thoughtful he seems, but he chooses to live in the moment and deal with problems as they arise, not a minute sooner. for him, there's just no way he'll ever be without finn, no matter what he has to do to make that happen or what he has to give up..

[annawrites444]

i was wondering if you give me a matchup? I’m 5’2 love drawing and reading. I’m a history buff too so I like history uuh I’m introverted, shy. If i need to give you a cabin I honestly don’t know maybe Athena or Apollo.

Matchup Leo Valdez X G/N (Child of Athena) Reader

Hiiiiii I'm so sorry for the late response I’ve been very busy with school and stuff, I promise to be more on top of the writing for any future requests. Life just kinda jumped on me a lil bit :D

A/N: DON’T REPOST ON ANY OTHER PLATFORM OTHER THAN TUMBLR AND PLEASE GIVE CREDS <3

I put you in Athena Cabin based on your description and have paired you with Leo!! (Percy was a close second)(This is also post-war-with-Gaia)

(Blurb)

You are by nature a very intellectual and clever person, you find a passion in written words and stories. You were often seen around camp with your nose either in your sketch book or in your favorite book. You weren’t new to camp and had been there a few summer before Leo, Piper, and Jason arrived along with the rest of “The 7”. You had gotten to know Annabeth like the back pf your hand, she was the older sister you never had and you guys were often seen together throughout camp. Whenever she wasn’t with Percy she was with you. 

You were underneath the shade of your favorite tree, with your favorite book, in your favorite time of day. It was quiet… a little too quiet. You paid it no mind and went on reading, becoming more and more engrossed in your book the more you were there. Before you knew it you felt a tap on your shoulder and looked up only to meet eyes with Leo, who quickly began to blush at your shy gaze. “Sorry, to bother you…. uh Annabeth wanted me to come get you for sparring since-you know- I was already headed over here… yeah” He practically melting. Leo had no idea what had come over him but he was a blushing mess and you hadn’t even said anything at all. “Okay, thanks Leo.” You reply getting up from your spot under the tree and gathering your things. “Of course, it’s no big deal or anything.” Leo had regained some of his confidence and had the biggest grin on his face. Book and sketchpad in hand you headed down the trail toward the arena with Leo close behind. Little did you know you’d be seeing a lot more of him from now on. You and Leo began to meet up more frequently at your spot, you admitted to liking its safety and quiet and slowly you found yourself opening up to him. He was almost the complete opposite to you, yet somehow your friendship only bloomed from there. 

(Headcanons)

Once you and Leo are finally Dating, you both make plans late at night to meet up in Bunker 9 as his finishes his tinkering you are able to finish your drawings.

Since you tend to be on the quieter side Leo loves to find different ways to make you laugh. He loves your laugh so much oml. Yes, he’s definitely more extroverted but I feel like its a nice balance to your introverted side, kinda like fire and rain. 

He would love it if you read aloud to him while he’s working on his newest project. 

All of your drawings are pinned up on/ around his bunk and workspace. (Some you gave him and some of them he took…)

He once made you this really cool pen that had different colors and tips that were interchangeable. You use it all the time. 

You drew him this really hella cool sketch of Festus, which he did not stop bragging about for like 2 weeks. It’s now the only framed drawing above his bed. 

You both have matching converse, his has the sun embroidered on it, yours has the moon. Both of them have little sharpie doodles on the white part of the tip of the shoe. 

While your hands are probably more on the colder side, Leo’s hands are like burning…(literally lmao). So you both always comment on the other’s temperature.. “geez your hands are freezing” or “Oh my gods, Leo your hands are burning up”. (It never matters to you guys though). 

Overall you guys have the best dynamic making many a camper jealous of the perfect balance the two of you have found. <3

Thank you so much for the request!! I hope you liked it, I did the best I could with the description given!! :))

<3 Anna

[daemour]

Pairing: Hongjoong x gn!Reader (but not really romantic lol)

Genre: Fluff, non-idol au

Word Count: 745

Warnings: None

Summary: A late night photo inspiration leads to something more.

an a new, long awaited tipsy drabbles!! this is actually my second draft because the fist one would have been far too long and not taken me 2.5 hours lmao

optional pt 2

-

It’s not recommended to walk in Manhattan at night. But when have you ever had safe, good ideas? As a self-proclaimed photographer, some things you must sacrifice for the perfect shot, and safety is one of them. (And not following that advice is also something you should ponder.)

The city's lights were just so brilliant tonight,and paired with the strawberry supermoon, you couldn’t help yourself.

You find yourself in a park, getting a gorgeous shot when a voice interrupts your artistic journey. “I guess we’re after the same thing, huh?”

You spin around, and a young man with grey hair smiles at you. He’s skinny and petite, and yet his smile draws you in and gives you a sense of fire in his heart. It’s only after a moment do you notice the Fujifilm in his hands.

“Maybe we are,” you offer him a small smile, clearly hoping he would leave you and your socially awkward ass alone, but he doesn’t seem to get the hint.

He nods at the camera clutched in your hands. “Mind if I take a look?”

Your bottom lip finds its way between your teeth. You’ve never really shown your work to others outside of your family and friends—you aren’t truly a professional, not like he seems to be.

As if sensing your hesitation, the man whose name you still haen’t got smiles reassuringly. “No pressure of course. Sometimes it really can feel like bearing your soul to someone.”

The complete and utter understanding in his voice does the exact opposite of what it was meant to accomplish, and you get a bust of confidence. “Here,” you say, offering out your old and worn camera. The stranger is surprised but takes it with a warm smile and a small ‘thank you,’ suddenly seeming less intimidating and more…human.

There is a moment of silence as he clicks through some of your pictures. “These are really good,” he says, looking up at you and you avoid eye contact, instead focusing on the streetlamp over his head. “You’re very talented and have an eye for composition.”

“Ah, it’s nothing special, I didn’t draw inspirationg from my–” you start to mutter, but he holds up a hand to stop you in the middle of your sentence.

When he finally is able to meet your eyes, it feels like you’re rooted to the ground and yet sinking into his gaze at the same time. “Don’t say that,” he says quietly but with such intensity that you wince. “Although it’s often said that the best art comes from one’s experiences, that’s not always the case. Even the most casual pieces hold just as much integrity as the more soulful ones. It’s clear you did your best, and that’s what matters.”

There is so much sincerity in his voice that you can’t help but look away. It’s not often you get a thought-out opinion on your work, and hearing it come from a stranger just makes those words mean even more.

“Thank you.” You almost whisper your words of gratitude but the man takes no offence, instead returning your camera with a smile. When you put it back into its bag and sling the strap around your shoulder, he raises an eyebrow.

“Done then?” You nod, and he fumbles in his pocket before pulling out a business card and handing it to you. “I know it may seem like a scam, so feel free to ignore it if you want, but I actually run a studio and I would love for you to come in and chat more. Have a good night.”

And just like that, he walks away and is gone before you can even blink. It’s too dark to look at the card, even under the flickering streetlamp, so you put it in your pocket and it weighs heavily until you reach your modest apartment.

It’s only then you pull it out and look at the name on the sleek, silver card. Kim Hongjoong. A quick google search later and you almost drop the card to the floor. You just had a three am conversation with a world-renowned photographer.

Almost a week passes before you have the courage to dial the number and it rings for such a long time that you think he may have forgotten when a click is finally heard. “H-hello?” you practically whisper out and there is such a long silence that you think he’s hung up when–

“City girl.”

[vaugarde]

i'd like to know more about how mega evolution works for your ocs, if you don't mind ^-^

you have activated my trap card............. prepare for Paragraphs

ALRIGHTY so to talk about my pmd ocs i gotta talk about the main verse and how it connects to the pmd universe. also this is a bit of spoilers for the starfall prequel but ehhhh its just the lore i dont think its a massive deal mentioning it lmao

SO. in starfall, the pmd and mainverse worlds are split timelines! the exact divergence happened when AZ fired the ultimate weapon. in the main series, the events were devastating still, but everyone was largely able to come back from it. in the pmd timeline, the humans could not. a good amount of humans were wiped out and over the next several centuries, pokemon became the dominant species on earth and humans dwindled out.

AZ of course fired the weapon for his Floette, swearing revenge on her murderers. He had taken several Pokemon that were separated from their owners during the war to power up the weapon, blinded by rage. One of those Pokemon was a Carbink. When he fired the weapon, the life energy drained from all of the Pokemon attached to the stones and was converted into the beam of light that devastated humanity.

But that Carbink survived, and with her survival came mutation caused by the energy scattering around her. She transformed into what people know today as Diancie. Since she was so close to the blast, she also became immortal.

The energy around them soon settled into multicolored dust. This would come to be known as emera dust. The dust could be gathered and formed into emeras, which usually broke apart soon after use and were used for simple stat boosts. Diancie soon realized she had the ability to take this dust and convert them into permanent stones, and she quickly gained a following creating stones for other Pokemon.

I'm still working out the timeline here- like why this wouldnt be relevant in the first three games because this only really concerns psmd. maybe its like a quieter thing at first with only a few teams using it? idk.

But anyways, by the time of PSMD, emeras are well known and accepted as a staple of exploration teams. Keep in mind, the origin of the emeras is not well known at all. Looplets have been developed to take advantage of them. Because of their efficiency, they pretty much replace stat boosting clothing entirely. Everything seemed all fine and dandy, success rates were at an all-time high!

But then mega evolution became common. When it first started, it had no name, but it was feared. Pokemon would be going through a dungeon, and they would create a strangely powerful emera that would boost a Pokemon's aura to extreme lengths, powering them up temporarily. For most Pokemon, it was an average stat boost, but for others... they would morph into a new form entirely, not unlike evolution. And soon after, those Pokemon would rampage, tearing the dungeon apart from within and attacking their own teammates. They became near incomprehensible in this form, but witnesses would report that they sounded like they were in pain.

This is because to make mega evolution work seamlessly without any of the harsh side effects, a human is needed to "ground" a mega evolved Pokemon. A mega evolved Pokemon gains an excessive amount of aura, which is why their body evolves to accommodate for it. But because it's not a natural form, the side effects can be physically painful, sending them into a rage, trying desperately to get their energy out.

When a human is bonded with a Pokemon well enough, they will get the ability to mega evolve that Pokemon, and the excess aura from mega evolution will be absorbed into the human through their keystone. A human's defensive aura towards Pokemon attacks make it so that taking on the energy is barely noticeable. This is why in the mainverse, only a select few individuals are able to mega evolve- there's a very tight leash kept on the practice for the safety of both trainers and Pokemon, and you have to prove yourself before taking it on.

But in the PMD universe, there are no humans. No one able to take on that excess aura, at least not painlessly. So there's no anchor and no safe way to mega evolve in this world. The Pokemon feel the full brunt of those side effects. They're feared in this world and seen as taboo.

So, sometime after the events of PSMD, the expedition society's leader Miriam (the psmd partner in my file) holds a meeting with guild societies around the globe to acknowledge the mega evolution problem. They vote to ban emeras and looplets from regular practice- any team caught with them will have their badges forfeited. This is a controversial choice, as many Pokemon believe that the looplet system worked, and it shouldn't have been thrown out without finding a way to make mega evolution work.

This is made more controversial by the fact that Miriam and Jay (PSMD hero) can actually pull off mega evolution together because of Jay's status as a former human- they have a human aura at their core, so once they honed their skills, Jay was able to act as Miriam's anchor. So they're visible proof that mega evolution CAN work in this world, perhaps. Regardless, the two give it up except for when they truly need it.

Many Pokemon went to Diancie to try and get her to make them looplets and emeras again anyways behind the expedition society's back- some even wanted mega stones to test out the rumors for themselves! Remembering the devastation from all those centuries ago, Diancie decided to hide away in an underground cave network, never to be seen again for quite some time.

TLDR, So at the time of the prequel, looplets and by extension mega evolution is outlawed. It's an extremely dangerous and taboo practice because there are no humans around to act as an anchor. Some Pokemon are unhappy with this and want to find a way to mega evolve safely.

[steadfastspeed]

bored at work and thinking about my off and on replay of sonic adventure 2, so here have sonic's thoughts on g.u.n.

short version? he really does not like them.

long version? he really does not like them, to the point where he's actually kind of unnerved by them. i mean, it goes without saying that sonic is not a huge fan of militaries in general, but g.u.n. takes it to another level. they rapidly approach eggman levels of dislike on sonic's part, to the point where i think he actually prefers eggman- at least foiling world domination plots is fun.

like... not only did they scapegoat sonic for the chaos emerald theft to cover up shadow's existence ( that's the interpretation i'm going with, anyways ) but they showed zero concern for civilian safety while chasing him down. i mean, sonic can accidentally crash into cars in city escape, sure, but i imagine you can complete the intro section without bumping into one if you're good enough. i am not, lmao.

the g.u.n. truck? there is no way cars weren't flying everywhere. there's no way people were not hurt or killed in that chase! and if the truck was anything like the generations version of it, they came at him with buzzsaws! even if the generations version is simply sonic misremembering the truck as worse than it was, what does it say about what he lived through that moment? considering it took that much to corner and shuttle him off to prison island to begin with, what the hell did they do to arrest him the first time?

then there's the raid on the ark. sonic was disturbed when he heard gerald's final message the first time, but he was able to put it aside fairly easily in order to save the day. in shadow's game, the disturbance comes back in full force when he learns just how old maria was when she was killed; sees that message for shadow from the robotnik family. they killed a child. they didn't just subdue her or give her the option to stand aside, they straight up opened fire on a kid. and he learns this after spending the whole game begrudgingly working alongside them to stave off the black arms. ( and he refuses to spend more time around them than he has to in the first place. he only shows up to back up diablon because he knows he's really the only one capable of going toe to toe with shadow. )

it can be surmised, therefore, that should he ever learn about shadow working for them ( not that that's canon anymore, if i'm remembering correctly, but like- if any shadows out there kept that ) it kind of makes sonic bristle in that protective way. he's not about to tell shadow what to do, of course; if shadow's willing to give g.u.n. a chance, there is nothing sonic can say or do about it no matter how much he dislikes it. it's shadow's life and after all he's been through, he deserves to do whatever the hell he wants within reason. but... he, well, not quite worries, yet it's in the corner of his mind anyways. he considers shadow a friend, and should he find out about any mistreatment of his friend, he absolutely will go to bat for him. this does extend to rouge and maybe omega as well, but like... ( gestures at shadow's everything. )

as a result, sonic tends to visit the united federation way less than other nations on his travels. which is a shame, because he really does love station square and wants to see how it looks rebuilt!

[nemesis-is-my-middle-name]

Your anthro Ingo where he's all thin and pale and ghostly and he looks almost feral, is. SO. FUCKING. COOL. Dude, dude. He looks so fucked up, I love him, I love him so much. I love all of the rest of them too, trust me, but oh my god. Just, the contrast between him in Hisui and him before he fell is stellar. Fantastic even. And his EARS. His haunted eyes, his canon posture that has new connotations, the way you can see his spine through his coat. The cute aggression is real, I want to shake him around like a dog with a toy and then wrap him in a blanket and cuddle him close.

Wait, no, okay, I'm going a little bit crazy over this. I haven't drawn anything in like two years because of art block, but this. You have ignited a fire with this. So. That is a thing that is currently happening. I hope you don't mind? Who knows if I'll actually finish it, but I've made quite a lot of headway.

But anyway.

I mean, I don't how many more there'd be or if it's just Adaman and Mai in the clan right now that are reptiles, but I do think that historically they produce much, much more than the Pearl Clan, and I don't think Galaxy Team is too likely to have many either. Their populations are just so sparse you probably don't get most than a handful of any given type of animal.

Actually, I wonder if Adaman or Mai would be the one to approach Ingo about it first. Adaman if Irida decided that it was worth asking for help from the Diamond Clan if it meant her friend and warden was able to function better (which I figure she would, if she realized they might know something he could benefit from), or Mai if she just noticed at a warden's meeting that Ingo was struggling, put together why, and felt compelled to offer him some advice. Not sure if Mai would be the type to offer unsolicited help, but she seems like the responsible type and might be inclined to if only because he's a fellow warden.

Oh shit, you're absolutely right. Even though it probably isn't super safe for an arctic animal to visit the mirelands or coastlands during the summer, she and the others still could pass through safely as long as they weren't like vigorously exercising and kept hydrated, and at pretty much all times of the year they'd be okay in three of the five regions. Ingo can only go to like, two safely, and even then it's probably hard for him to go up towards Snowpeak for too long. Good thing it was Melli who got Moonview Arena and not him. Even if that doesn't really feel like a punishment to Ingo, I do think you're right that it'd hurt Irida. It'd probably help that he can still go to Jubilife once he starts wanting to, since at the very least he's able to go do something he has fun doing. I bet that'd actually mean a lot to her, to know that she hasn't basically shackled him to the highlands for his own safety (the irony being what she does in OoP lmao).

Very true, a lot of it could be! That's part of what makes it so fun to think about for me lol

>:3c tysm!! i'm really happy with how that art turned out too, it was actually the last ingo i drew after doing the other sketches (& a bunch of hare studies) and i was like "hmm. this isn't weird and concerning enough. let me make it worse" and there was a point in drawing one of the faces, i don't remember which which, but i like went. ohh yeah i love this man but there is some kind of primal monkey-brain instinct to get very far away before he sees me

MIND?? DO I MIND?? of COURSE not!! i love knowing ive inspired other people! ty!

and yeah, for sure out of all the groups in hisui they would probably have the most reptiles. whereas the galaxy team has the most diverse array of species, and the pearl clan has a bias towards fluffy mammals. the ginkgo guild is probably also a pretty random assortment. (maybe ginter's another goat, though?) so adaman might not necessarily agree that reptiles in general are unlucky, but when he hears about that particular pearl clan tradition there's probably still a "hah, yeah" moment anyway.

awwww the idea of irida approaching adaman to ask for help for ingo... especially if you assume that they're still on kind of shaky ground at that point. and she doesn't necessarily like him, but she's worried enough about ingo that she's just like "screw it" anyway and sets that aside for his sake. mai might care enough to offer her help, but the other question is, would ingo even listen? i feel like it'd require hearing it from someone he really cares about/trusts, like irida, for him to even notice/acknowledge that anything's wrong. before that he'd just be like "well that's good advice to keep in mind for the future or for anyone else i come across, fortunately i'm in perfect operating condition and don't need it. thank you though" and mai's just ... :/

YEAH... i do feel like in this au, irida and ingo are considerably closer than they are in ounce of prevention (not to say they AREN'T close in OoP, just that it's Very Complicated and in this au there seems to be less clan stuff getting between them.) i feel like there's probably also something in this au that means the clan in general is a lot warmer (ha) towards ingo... in my head i've been thinking that maybe lady sneasler was unevolved/young when he arrived and he happened to find and bring her back from having run off into the snow, which is a thing i think i've seen one or two other people do and i enjoy the social implications of lol. it also means that irida and others might be more inclined to see him, maybe not literally but metaphorically, as someone who was sent to help them during this troubled time, since he literally saved one of the noble lines from destruction before they'd even met him. which would just make the fact that hisui is so Objectively Bad for him hurt even worse!

yeah lol, it's like canon-a-bit-to-the-left right now which is really fun to play with? seeing what gets exposed to investigate if that makes sense. also reminding me that i WOULD like to write more cc stuff to do character/lore exploration... hmmm

[judithchopsley]

overthinking historical accuracy in an unlockable skin in a dumb video game has lead to me churning through articles on mine safety, fire fighting gear, and US patents to find the sorts of respirators or breathing apparatuses that might have been worn (at least theoretically even if not in practice) in the US around the later 1800s and i gotta say

the game got it wrong as hell but some of these things are really neat, even if they mostly did just remain as completely unadopted ideas (probably for the best, some of them are pretty dangerous themselves lmao)

like a device secured to the face with an elastic band, with a bit that sits over your nose with two valves, a simple exhalation valve and a more complex inhalation valve that filters dust through wet wool via a chamber on the end of a long tube affixed to the wearers clothing with little hooks (US6529A, L. P. Haslett)

or sealed glasses with an attached bit of metal specifically to pinch your nostrils shut that you wear alongside a filtered (with asbestos of course) mouth piece (connected to the glasses via small chain) that you just clamp your teeth onto, which comes with a hose that fits down into your jacket to add yet another layer of filtration via the thicker material (US276699A, C. McIntosh)

or maybe my favorite, just a big, rigid helmet (of some light material like wood or paper) with wool packing around the neck and joints, split into two halves connected by a hinge on top, with two lenses for seeing out of (one of the proposed materials was mica instead of glass, probably better for the heat of a burning building but i dont imagine very easy to see out of) and two very long tubes that drag along the floor. no filtration, they exist simply to give the wearer access to the least smokey air in the burning room (US544832A, J. Senior)

gotta put a picture of this one it looks really silly

anyway yeah shits wacky

[castle-dominion]

5x4 murder he wrote

these girls are amazing I love them my gal is just watching the clock RC: But there will be plenty of that this weekend GIRL SHUSH his whispers are great KB: (sigh) Wow, Castle. Thank you for reminding me that I’m lying to a bunch of people that I really care about so I don’t get fired on an ethics violation ‘cause I’m dating you.

KR, v loud: Hey Castle! RC: *there is no meme for the face I am thinknig of* Ryan's outfit "her boyfriend" "give uss sss ss something!"

Wow hella nice place

JE: Why would Beckett be holding out on us? KR, sounding genuine: Maybe there’s something wrong with the guy. Maybe he’s bad news. ((They care abt her)) JE, using it as an excuse: Well, then as her partners, it’s our obligation to find out who this guy is. KR: And what kind of partners would we be if we didn’t? Her safety could be at stake. JE: Exactly, and with no active murder case going on, I say we use this time to find him. ((They also,, just are curious lol))

KB: So uh, are you rich or smth? Holy this place is huge & nice

What's up with her though? Is she ok? complete privacy? already poured himself a drink? Wow she's tanned this episode.

UGH THE MUSIC IS SO SO GOOD Ooh becket, wowie

HOLY CRAP THIS MAN IS BLEEDING & DROPPING SAND I mean of course, this is a murder show Hey I only just noticed, we didn't get a teaser

I like Brady. What kind of arrangement? She's hot enough ig? & I'm sure castle had met this police chief fellow before

Watch a lot of cop shows do we? Shapiro?

becks is maaaad

castle is going into crime solving mode XD

Nice wooden table, reminds me of the altar in my fnmi church

they just want to have sex but they love the story they want justice lmao the party was killer XD

Green screen it looks like

[10:48, INT. PRECINCT, AUTOPSY – DAY] [Ryan and Esposito follow Lanie around her lab.] LP: Beckett’s boyfriend? Don’t you two have something better to do? JE: Actually, no. ((like balancing the egg)) KR: We figured Beckett must have started up with the guy during her suspension. JE: A pretty emotional time for her. I bet she needed a shoulder to lean on. KR: An ex. JE: It would explain why she’s too embarrassed to tell us who it is. It makes her look weak. KR: We’re thinking the most likely scenario is that it was the last guy that she was with. JE: Dr. Joshua Davidson. KR: Mm-hmm. JE: It’s him, isn’t it? LP: Okay, I get that you don’t have a life, Javi, but you’re married, Kevin, so what’s your excuse? KR: I— LP: Whoever Beckett’s boyfriend is, is none of your business. JE: Come on, Lanie. You must know who it is. She went back to Josh, didn’t she? LP: Is this how you interrogate people? ‘Cause you ain’t doing nothing but pissing me off. ((I love her)) [Esposito reels his expression back in.] LP: Now I don’t know who it is, and I respect Beckett’s privacy, but I do know it’s not Josh, because he’s been in the Amazon setting up free clinics for the last year. JE: Are you sure about that? [Lanie gives him an annoyed look.] KR: I think she’s sure. JE: Yeah. [Ryan’s cell rings.] KR: Hey, Castle. Yeah, I’m gonna put you on speakerphone so you can weigh in on this. ((brings castle into their convo instead of whatever castle was calling for initially)) RC: (on speaker phone) Weigh in on what? KR: (on speaker phone) Well, we’re in the morgue with Lanie trying to figure out who Beckett’s boyfriend is. ((So becks knows that her partners apparently try to look into her personal life, & even try to get castle in on it. The boys totally could have used the excuse that since she wasn't telling them they were mildly concerned)) [Beckett straightens up in her chair in fear.] LP: (on speaker phone) I have nothing to do with this nonsense. [Lanie walks off and hits Esposito on her way out.] RC: Yeah, until you’re bagging their mangled bodies when Beckett finds out. [Beckett smirks.] JE: (on speaker phone) Pfft. Like we’re afraid of Beckett. (chuckles) [Beckett purses her lips.] KR: (on speaker phone) Besides, how’s she gonna find out? [Beckett grabs for the phone angrily, but Castle snatches it off of the base first before she can blow their secret.]

poison with a gun lmao

that is like,, magenta not blood red-- wait nvm castle not normal to say! You could have said "It must be hard to be the last one to see him alive, are you doing ok?"

Yeah he barely needed to pressure her at all lol

so right, he is NOT close friends with the chief

hooker friend XD & now rick has another arrest on his record.

oh no this poor guy hasn't worked homicide before...

Making a deal! Nice! two hours in here? "relax" lmao He's going to learn how to solve homicides!

Oh no, if the precinct finds out... that would be less than good

bad coffee or good coffee?

He does indeed have friends in robbery, this is a plot point that has been mentioned before

KB: Why are you even helping them? are they trying to find a ship name? Yeah we know their ship name. (tho consistency is nice. I personally prefer kevenny over kevjen & esparish over esplanie, & rickate is fine but caskett is better... you should see my table/chart of ship names lol.)

lol just deputy jones <3 (what if it was him?)

in the ocean FOR 20 mins?

they are so hot for each other I love this meth guy lol he is crazed out

A red shark with red eyes? reminds me of that holmes novel with the LERNER I KNOW THAT NAME

Oof all that rope

I keep forgetting non-natives usually don't use "deadly" Oh wow I just googled it & apparently it is also used by australian aboriginals too, not just us up here in canada & probably the rest of north america, (but probs only english speaking parts in the americas)

Love how the police chief is just sitting there while these two are doing most of the interviewing

Group therapy? Or weight loss

exactly from 8.30 to 10?

It's going to be the chief himself lol Castle's face when he heard that name

Oh hey Sal! We know sal!

No contacting vinnie the scar! *cut to vinnie toasting salud* Yeah a surprising amount of people can't cook This has been a great way to slip into it

VC: Ooh, see, that’s the difference between Castle and me. You’ve had my complete attention since I’ve been here, sweetheart. RC: Whoa, whoa. Watch it, Vinnie. Don’t make me have to do to you what someone did to your neighbor. VC: Oh, you heard about that, huh? RC: Heard about it? The guy ended up in my pool!

castle no you went too far! You should have given a different route! You also maybe could have offered him to take home his leftovers even though the evening went poorly & you could have said you hoped time would heal this bump in the road.

solving murders is like foreplay for them. I say this about detective murdoch & doctor ogden too

Give him some linguine to make things up... Outing them is a good threat "He said he already ate" she probably heard the convo hun

Ooh nice place there! All dirty & gross! Flashlights! No vests. Also turn your phone on silent idiot sounds to me like the place is going to blow up heavy door...

WHO'S THAT? GOSH THEY HAVE A GUN Holy crap they took him down! Gosh ryan went in that direction & probs didn't see this individual here, thank goodness esposito came in right after & knocked him Wow ryan is yelling. & the other guy is just still there? & espt leaves him? wait no he takes the gun Wearing a lot of stuff rn. ppe But dang they are coughing a ton. ryan mr ex drug cop

He used to do what? Cook the books? I forget what he did & idk what that means naked by the pool? they switched places, now the one trying to be sexy & is the one worried about the murder "exactly" he says about the murder & drug case & then pulls her close

Ryan & esposito look pretty but I'm not interested in taking a pic, I'm tired maybe I will clip this tho bc the way ryan stops in front of espt ooh

Good to have your lawyer making back to making crank lol ryan is so good in this interrogation I love love it whu what do you mean girlfriend? Hey! Hey! I’ll ask the questions here,

brown but almost blonde nowadays, & I think her eyes might be hazel body type? Hot. That's how ryan knows it's beckett lol. KR: Son of a gun

KR, sitting chill, feet up (so we get to see his nice shoes): You were right, Castle. Franklin was using his helicopter to move meth to the Hamptons. Looks like you blew this case wide open. Guess you can get back to your writing now, huh? & then kate in the room frantic & "are you still there?" RC: Uh, what else did Aaron Lerner say? Did he say anything else about… anything else? KR: Oh, you know, the usual. “I didn’t do it. You got the wrong guy.” I’m pretty sure he told me everything he knows. He is SO toying with them KR, smug smile still on his face: Yeah. Good luck with the writing. *hangs up immediately*

why did he go to open the door & then,, close it? Good. But why are you telling them? Oh honour of being at the arrest

Ooh he has his gun out! Nice! I'm lucky! & plot armour

I mean, yeah, these knots are the way they go. Knots are the same. The only difference would be maybe left handed vs right handed. Oh the knot wasn't the right knot, nvm

I called it! It was the chief! OR NOT HOLY CRAP I mean... yeah *hides behind beckett* BRADY TOOK A SHOT! RC: Sorry about the whole “accusing you of murder”…still buddies? Brady: Yeah...

toast to you! Oh now they are waiting for him to leave. Hot tip "Well I shouldn't keep you, we'd better let you go, but let me walk you to the door"

Oh crap I forgot I was going to mention it's neat to have fbi contacts & we get to see ppl making use of these contacts

(also ryan's shirt looks like it was not ironed... I hate ironing & think that we as a society should stop caring about wrinkles, I just think it is an interesting fact)

JE: Well, the case in the Hamptons has been solved, but the case of the secret boyfriend remains open. Turns out Beckett’s FBI ex has been stationed in Europe for six months. KR: Huh. JE: What? You got anything? [Ryan turns around to face Esposito, and leans back in his chair, considering for a moment.] KR: Nah. No, I was just thinking, maybe we should drop it. [Esposito’s brow furrows in surprise.] KR: You know, let Beckett’s private life stay private. JE: What, you mean give up? (scoffs) A real detective never gives up on a case, bro. KR: You know it’s not a real case, right? JE: You’re gonna tell me what a real case is? KR: Uh, last time I checked, it’s when there was a murder. JE: Oh, there’s been a murder all right. Your spirit. KR: Wow. [They grab their coats and head out.] JE: Your dignity, too. KR: Huh. Well, you know what, just for that, the first round’s on you. JE: Yeah, good luck with that. [They greet a co-worker passing by.] JE: Bruce. KR:Bruce.

Ah bruce. Name for this guy now.

the story is not the hardest part... I mean sometimes it is... the idea at least is easiest. Sometimes making the story make sense is hard. But then it's the sitting down & working that is the hardest part. the music Lots of candles too, I hope they are not too close bc she has hair oh gosh they are on the bedframe what if they have rigorous sex & it makes them fall? I mean they could be into wax play ig...

cute af & I'm even 20 minutes early!

[lilxberry]

Hardly Burglar Material - Bilbo Baggins

Requested by: @donniethescienceguy​

Helloooooooo! Can I have a Bilbo x hobbit wife reader where after Thorin insults him (in the beginning when he arrives) she defends him and Thorins like: are you sure it’s the male Baggins we want?

I mean, I still did as what was requested but man, did I not know where tf this was going lmao

I followed quite a bit of the manuscript of the film, the only alteration is when reader confronts Thorin

Warnings: Nothing really. Asshole Thorin. Terrible writing lmao. 

Words: 1,796

Pairings: Bilbo Baggins x Reader (female reader) (wife!reader)

_______________

You hadn’t expected your quiet evening meal with your husband to be interrupted but when a dwarf, a big, burly, tattooed, balding, towering one at that knocks your door, there certainly isn’t much you can do.

After the dwarf, who introduced himself as Dwalin, had entered your home and devoured your husbands fish dinner, to which you offered Bilbo your own meal, more and more knocks sounded at the door, each one miffing your husband further and further until he had finally had enough.

“There’s nobody home!” he shouted as another sound came from the front door, arms holding up the abundance of weapons the two brothers’, Fíli and Kíli, loaded on to him.

You felt terrible, watching as your husband becomes frustrated, not knowing what to do other than spectate in concern.

He tossed the items down out of his arms as he stormed towards the door, shouting at whoever was on the other side. “Go away and bother somebody else! There are far too many dwarves in my dining room as it is.”

Bilbo closes in on the door. “I-I-If this is some plotheads idea of a joke,” he laughed in disbelief before grasping the door handle in his hand. “I can only say, it is in very poor taste.”

With that, he pulled the door open and in comes tumbling through the doorway a cluster of dwarves, all grumbling and whining at the other to get off of them. Bilbo and yourself, who stood a few steps behind, looked down at the mess of moving bodies on the floor before his feet, dumbfounded expressions on both of your faces.

Movement behind the pile up caught both yours and Bilbos’ attention, and once the tall figure bent down ever so slightly to reveal himself, your face twisted into that of utter confusion as your husband sighs in exasperation.

“Gandalf.”

_______________

Although you were concerned for your husband, you couldn’t help but find the whole situation quite amusing. You found some of the dwarven folk that had invaded your shared home to be quite a fun, entertaining bunch.

Of course, you were concerned about the possessions within your home, hoping that the dwarves leave your home relatively untouched and that your husband wouldn’t have some sort of mental breakdown.

Your uninvited guests had pillaged the pantry of its food. The race of dwarves certainly did have quite an appetite. Even Gandalf had nibbled on quite a bit of food.

The rowdiness of the dwarves had calmed slightly, if only for moment when they downed whatever drink they had. Even the ridiculous and frankly disgusting belching afterwards was calmer than their initial arrival.

Yet that was quickly replaced with plates, platers, knives, forks, and spoons were tossed from one dwarf to another as they sang a merry tune. Bilbo was quick with demanding caution and for things to be put down. Even you were slightly worried for your kitchen utensils.

The dwarves released hearty laughter when you and Bilbo peered into the kitchen and had seen that everything was clean and stacked, Gandalf chuckling along with them as both you and Bilbo simultaneously release sighs of relief.

Then, the atmosphere became tense as three, loud knocks sound at your front door for a final time that night.

The laughter died out instantly and Gandalf spoke quite ominously. “He’s here.”

_______________

You couldn’t really pinpoint what exactly was unsettled you so much when it came to the dark-haired dwarf who sat at the head of the table. Maybe his stature. Possibly his stoic expression.

Most likely the look behind his eyes.

Well, you certainly didn’t like him all that much whenever he addressed your husband.

Most of the conversation between the dwarves and Gandalf became muffled when reaching your ears, certainly seeing no point in listening in on their talk. The second your husbands voice rang out through the room though had piqued your interest and your attention was brought to the conversation.

They spoke of The Lonely Mountain, the dragon Smaug, how they were on a quest to reclaim their home. Gandalf had produced not only a map of some forts but a key, a key the dwarves seemed to become quite excited about.

You also happened to admire the young dwarfs’ courage. Ori.

Then, the topic of a burglar arrived.

“That’s why we need a burglar,” Ori spoke.

“Hmm, and a good one too. An expert I’d imagine.” Bilbo moves back from peering down at the map, holding on to his suspenders.

“And are you?”

Bilbo glances around to behind him before looking towards the dwarves once more. “Am I what?”

“He said he’s an expert!” Oin spoke cheerily. Of course, the dwarf with the horn to aid his hearing would say as such.

“Me? No, no, no, no, no,” your husband started, eyes darting to each dwarf, hoping his point would get across. “I’m not a burglar. I’ve never stolen a thing in my life.”

You nodded your head in agreement. As much as you love your husband, he is quite the stickler for following rules.

“I’m afraid I have to agree with Mister Baggins,” Balin was next to speak. “He’s hardly burglar material.”

You supressed a chuckle as Bilbo, although relieved that someone agreed, looked the tiniest bit offended.

The group of dwarves began to chatter and raise in volume, no words could actually be comprehended by yourself, it all a jumble of noises. Then Gandalf raised out of the seat slightly, his voice booming over the racket the dwarves created.

“ENOUGH! IF I SAY BILBO BAGGINS IS A BURGLAR,” he lowered his voice with each following word. “Then a burglar he is.” Bilbo looked as if he wanted to protest but no words left his mouth.

“Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet,” he continued. “In fact, they can pass by unseen by most if they chose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of a Hobbit is all but unknown to them which gives us an distinct advantage.”

The whole discussion about your husband was unnerving for you. You disliked how your husband was talked of like a ploy in some silly game.

“This quest is no place for gentlefolk.” Thorins’ tone was as if the words left a vile taste in his mouth, clearly showing his disgust for your husband. “He probably wouldn’t last 5 miles away from his precious little home. Look at him, Gandalf! He isn’t made for such things, it’s as clear as day. His big feet and rounded belly would slow us down. Your little Hobbit would cry out for home within a day.”

Your blood boiled with each word he spoke, an anger rising in you which you desperately tried to keep down. Your nails dug into the palms of your hands and your jaw was clenched tightly shut, but enough was enough.

“HOW DARE YOU SPEAK OF MY HUSBAND LIKE THAT?! NO LESS WHILST YOU ARE IN HIS HOME AND IN HIS PRESENCE!”

Your outburst caught the attention of every soul in the dining room around the table. Their eyes settled on your figure that stepped closer and closer to them up to the point where you stood glaring down at Thorin right beside his seat. Even Bilbos’ eyes were wide and looked almost ready to pop right out of their sockets.

“My husband may not be a fighter like you…you BRASS DWARVES! But he deserves no less respect. I will not stand for someone speaking down on my Bilbo in such a manner, even if they are some king,” you all but spat out.

Some of the dwarves looked offended that you spoke to their leader in such a way, others looked thoroughly shocked, surprised that a small thing as yourself had such a fire in you. Gandalf smirked as Bilbo looked like he genuinely feared for your safety. He had witnessed outbursts from you that scared him before, which were quite rare, you barely losing your temper, but for once, he was terrified of the consequences seeing as it wasn’t at him nor a fellow Hobbit.

But it was Thorins’ reaction that had you confused. He seemed…impressed?

Thorin turned towards Gandalf, a smirk of his own forming on his face. “Are you sure it was Mister Baggins you had wanted to join our quest?”

Gandalf chuckled and looked towards you and your husband, you now joined your side, who was silently scolding you with his eyes but nonetheless remaining the concerned, dotting husband. “I was certain on Mister Baggins being the 14th member of your company, but I would highly recommend you take a 15th as I believe Misses Baggins certainly has something of her own to bring to the quest.”

“They both have a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including themselves. You must trust me on this,” Gandalf finished.

Thorin looked at Gandalf and Gandalf at he for a moment, Thorin evidently mulling it over within his head before finally, he spoke. “Very well. We’ll do it your way. Give them the contract.”

Both yourself and Bilbo began to protest as Balin produced the document. He handed it over to Bilbo who unravelled the parchment and began to scan over the words, your eyes peering over his shoulder to read it for yourself.

As Bilbo and you busied yourselves with reading over the document, Thorin had leant over towards Gandalf to whisper within his ear. “I cannot guarantee their safety.”

“Understood,” Gandalf hummed in acknowledgement.

“You’ll be left responsible for their fate.”

“Agreed.”

Bilbo began to read aloud the text, brow furrowed out of concentration, your own face screwed up slightly, straining to peer at the words.

“Terms; cash on delivery up to but not exceeding 1 14th for total profit, if any. Seems fair, uhh-“

“Shouldn’t it be changed to 1 15th if I were to join?” you questioned aimlessly.

Bilbo nodded his head in agreement before continuing. “Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a government, thereof including but not limited to; lacerations. Evisceration?” He unfolds a piece further, reading before looking towards the group with a look of disbelief. “Incineration?!”

“Oh, aye. It’d melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye,” Bofur quipped with ease.

Many more ‘encouraging and reassuring’ words were spoken by Bofur, unnerving both yourself and Bilbo, though you hid it extremely well. The moment your husband passed out, was when Bofur seemed to finally relent.

“Oh dear.” You looked towards your husband laying on the floor unconscious with concern before turning towards the others with a worried expression.

Valar forbid you allow him to go with those dwarves and that conniving wizard alone.

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I mean, I don’t really have anything to say sooooo

If you want to be added to a taglist lemme know

Anywho, I hope you enjoy

As always, constructive criticism and requests are welcomed and greatly appreciated :D

_______________

LOTR / The Hobbit taglist:

@iwazoomingouttahere​ 

[bokunoheroanalysisforthefuture]

Quick, Izuku, to the plot-mobile!

[No. 51 - No, Knock It Off, Iida]

We return to the train, where the conductor (I presume) is telling everyone in the damaged car to remain calm and return to their seats. He’s holding one of the injured passengers as he tells the others that they need to stay calm and wait for the heroes to-

Izuku rushes past him, apologizing but not hesitating to bolt for the huge hole made by the hero thrown into the car. The nerves are hitting him hard, his mind entirely focused on how this nomu had a different body, but the same sort of exposed brain. Maybe siblings? Anyways, he has to find Gran Torino. The conductor leans out the hole, telling Izuku he needs to get back, that it’s too dangerous, but Izuku’s already racing down the gravel beside the track, hoping desperately that Gran’s all right.

Gran has chased down the nomu to a damaged building, getting between it and the several civilians that it was apparently throwing debris at. He wonders how long it’s been since he’s had an honest-to-goodness fight, then tells the nomu that he can’t let it keep doing all this collateral damage. What is it, anyways? The nomu obviously doesn’t reply, just tries to grab him, but he manages to jump over its head and get behind it. It’s fast - but not so fast that he can’t react. 

However, that doesn’t much matter when it proceeds to ignore him and start creeping after the civilians. His confusion doesn’t last long, allowing him to make a pin turn and rush back towards it even as it gears up to attack the two. He tells the nomu to knock it off-

Only to be interrupted by the nomu getting toasted. The hero who intervened states he was there hunting the hero killer, but it looks like the nomu has bad timing. He’s afraid he doesn’t know who the ‘old-timer’ is, but leave the nomu to him. The two civilians obvious recognize the person who saved them, surprised and shocked at him being there. One asks why he’s there. Endeavor’s reply? Because he’s a hero.

Discord Transcript:

🎆 hanabi 🎆 | alli 🤝 — Today at 9:42 PM

Okay something that has always bothered me, and it's like a nitpick, but endeavors flames having shading

Like,,,, it's a light source,,,, they shouldn't be shaded

AkseeDragon — Today at 9:43 PM

I

,,, i never noticed that

🎆 hanabi 🎆 | alli 🤝 — Today at 9:44 PM

Hori has always done that and it drives me insane

ashy | the taiyaki is me — Today at 9:44 PM

jfhdgjhg can't believe i never noticed that either. i guess shading flames is just so weird because usually you don't have to deal with flames-as-hair or whatever so. shrugs.

AkseeDragon — Today at 9:44 PM

Its for style and drama so we get endeavor's emotion, since otherwise it would he hard to show without color and movement, but also, XD

Shaded fire lmao

ashy | the taiyaki is me — Today at 9:45 PM

well, i mean endeavor is a shady hero, so it makes sense /j

We return to Izuku running against the crowds fleeing the center of commotion, running into several in his haste to get there in time. He thinks about how that guy really looks like the other nomu, and if it’s as absurdly powerful as the one back at USJ, then not just Gran, but the whole city is in trouble. Including Tenya, whose internship is here. Izuku desperately tries to think about his plan, what his best course of action is.

He comes to a stop as he rounds a corner, spotting Manual as the hero calls for Tenya. Manual is engaged in combat with two other nomu, along with maybe a dozen other heroes - and the heroes aren’t doing so hot.

Izuku can’t believe it - what’s going on here? Manual wonders how Tenya could wander off at a time like this, allowing Izuku to recognize him as the Normal Hero, Tenya’s mentor. A different hero spots Izuku and shoves him back, telling him to stand back and to not get in the way. The heroes will put a stop to this; he should follow police instruction and get to safety. Izuku catches himself and apologizes, but he’s also distracted. Tenya ran off somewhere? The always super-serious Tenya? That’s too weird. In the middle of all this trouble…

Hosu city… nomu, or nomu like things… Tenya… Hosu…

Hero Killer…

Izuku takes a moment to grit himself, than turns and rushes off while the hero who stopped him curses and wonders what the nomu are made of. They took down The Fly - what are these monsters trying to achieve here?

Meanwhile, Shigaraki and Kurogiri watch the destruction from afar. Shigaraki complements the nomu. Kurogiri guesses that Shigaraki isn’t joining the fray, which has Shigaraki remind him of his being hurt, which is why he brought the nomu. We flash back to the bar, where Shigaraki has staggered to his feet, head bowed to the monitor as he asks sensei how many nomu are ready to go. Sensei tells him that there are none on the level of the one who attacked UA with him, but six are fully operational at this point. 

Shigaraki tells him to send them his way, and sensei asks why. Shigaraki states he doesn’t like that hero killer, and he’s allowed to crush what he doesn’t like, right sensei? Sensei says he can have three, and to use this opportunity to learn something. In the present, Shigaraki cackles and states that by tomorrow morning, the world will have forgotten all about the Hero Killer.

We shift over to Tenya, who shouts desperately as he tries again to kick Stain, who dodges out of the way. Stain looms over Tenya like a specter as he repeat’s Tenya’s statement of being Ingenium’s brother. He tells Tenya that he used Ingenium to get the rumors going, but Tenya, he’s…

…weak. 

Stain drives his spike-lined boot into Tenya’s right arm, drawing blood and giving him leverage to push himself up and Tenya down. He brings his other foot down on the back of Tenya’s head, slamming him face-first into the floor and allowing him to pull his other boot out of Tenya’s arm. He then brings his blade up and spins it around, then drives it down into Tenya’s left shoulder while holding his head down with his bloody boot.

Like, jesus christ, I have no idea if this made it into the anime or not (never got past the sports festival) but this is goddamn brutal. Hori does not pull his punches when it comes to the severity of injuries, like, yikes. 

Stain states that both Tenya and his brother are weak, because they’re powers. Tenya tells him to shut up; the damage he did to Tensei’s spinal cord means he’s probably going to be crippled for the rest of his life. He’ll never be a hero again. His brother… he’s saved so many people. He’s a leader. He’s a great hero!

We see some of the facade of Tenya’s fury breaking here, showing the grief underneath. This kid…

We briefly flash back to a battle with Ingenium and several other heroes, Ingenium cradling an injured civilian. A young Tenya is shown at the cordon line, cheering his brother on. 

In the present, Tenya states that there’s no good reason Stain could possibly have for crippling Tensei. 

Back in the past again, and Tenya’s father states that Tensei’s made him proud. Tensei’s so young, yet he’s already become independent, and commands so many sidekicks. That’s no small feat! Tensei demures, noting that while his father says ‘command’, it’s really the opposite. He’s in no position to accomplish much on his own yet, so they’re all there to support him. He’s got to work hard to reciprocate, given all they’ve done for him - though he can’t say he has much sense for it all. Heroes have to bear the weight of that title. He’s just glad if his work somehow helps people out.

In the present, Tenya repeats how Tensei is his hero. A great hero who inspired his dreams! He’ll kill Stain for what he did!

Stain tells him to save Native first.

Tenya is speechless. Stain tells him to forget about himself for a second and try saving others. Don’t wield his power for his own sake, because getting trapped by his own hatred and acting out of pure self-interest makes him the furthest thing from a hero. That’s why he has to die.

Stain pulls out the blade with a wet squelch, bringing the bloody edge up to his mouth so he can lick it. Tenya shudders as his body his paralysed, fear in his expression as he realizes his body won’t move. Stain brings the blade back up, wreathed in shadows as he tells Tenya to consider himself a humble offering to the betterment of society. 

Tenya, in tears, thinks back on his brother’s pride in how much Tenya looked up to him, and how he guessed that made him a great hero or something. He shouts at Stain to shut up, that it doesn’t matter what he says now. He’s still the criminal who hurt his brother!

Stain only just notices movement in the corner of his eye before a fist impacts his face, driving him back and off of Tenya. The force of Izuku’s punch is enough for whiplash, buying a precious moment for Tenya to realize who saved him, and for Izuku to declare that he’s there to save him.

Damn, it’s nice to end of a Big Damn Hero moment. And to think we’re getting another one next chapter! So cool…

Anywho, see y’all next time as we get into the fight proper.