#needless to say she really enjoyed my creation of her ...

[logsone]

[morphodae]

◈ Wriothesley x reader (gender neutral they/them is used) ◈ SAGAU AU (self-aware genshin au) ◈ notes: hurt/comfort, short piece (drabble? idk), a bit of a fourth wall break? This is quite personal for me after being (falsely) accused of going through my coworker’s things at work two weeks ago. Needless to say, that was the last straw for me and I quit. Hope you all enjoy and find some entertainment in this piece and maybe even some comfort <3 ◈ winner from this poll

☆゜・。・。・゜★ ☆゜・。・。・゜★

He felt it before he saw it; the turmoil that brewed throughout the entire Fortress. It began as a feeling of unease, then melancholy, then it progressed into a blanket of static energy that kept everyone on edge. The Creator of Teyvat was clearly distressed, clearly going through something, yet Wriothesley could not figure out what. Unfortunately, work at Meropide involved duties that kept him occupied during absurd hours of the day and night, so he wasn’t able to fully investigate the cause of his beloved Creator’s sadness.

It wasn’t until one day that he heard it; his Creator’s sobs as They passed by him in the Traveler’s vessel. It was a visceral thing; the sound reverberating in his mind in the form of gut-wrenching echoes. Wriothesley couldn’t tell if They were crying audibly in Their realm or if the energy of melancholy traveled through Their mind into his. Even so, it seemed that others in the Fortress could feel it too – even Sigewinne – who was the one to concede first.

“Your Grace, the Creator is so sad,” she says, a small hand clutching her chest and an expression of genuine agony, “Wolsey and some other inmates came by today and asked me if I knew anything about it. The Creator seems to have a close connection with you. Your Grace, please try and see if you can ask Them what’s wrong or if you can help Them. I hate feeling Their sadness…”

Wriothesley lets out a small exhale as he sits behind his desk. “Thank you, Sigewinne. And… I know. I have felt it for a while now. They feel so drained and exhausted. I-I will try to alleviate Their turmoil.”

Sigewinne sighs in relief. “Thank you, Your Grace. It’s not just the fortress that is affected, either. I’m not sure the wildlife or flora on the surface of Teyvat will be able to handle any more sadness from Them.”

With that, Sigewinne leaves the Duke’s office and lets Wriothesley ruminate on what he wishes to convey to the Creator. He knew that he was held in high regard by the Creator; despite Them never visiting Teyvat personally…yet, anyway. He could surely hope that one day They would come in Their own vessel and not through the Traveler.

He clears his throat, deciding to throw caution to the wind and begin his comfort as best he could. “Your Grace? Are You there? I sure hope You can hear me… or feel me, at least. I want to know why You feel so forlorn. Is there anything that we, Your creations, can do to help?”

Silence. More silence ensues. After several beats, Wriothesley sighs. Surely, the Creator had Their own problems to deal with and he wasn’t even sure if Teyvat were Their only creations or not. Until–

“It’s just… so tiring.”

Wriothesley’s eyes go wide and he leans forward in his desk chair; unsure if he’s truly witnessing Their holy voice in his mind. With a certain amount of caution and gentility, he urges Them to continue. 

“I dealt with these micromanagers, my bosses, for so long. I thought I could stick it out, you know? I tried to. I really tried. But having someone breathe down my neck for every little thing is so exhausting. No matter how hard I worked, no matter how early I came in or late I stayed, it was never good enough, was it? They are a small company so I just don’t understand how they feel they can get away with treating so many employees like that. I mean, the turnover rate is high for a reason and… please excuse me for rambling. I want to cry, I think. But I just can’t. I’m tired and angry and upset and… I know that I’m a hard worker. I know I did my best. But to be accused of going through a coworker’s desk when I was just trying to work? When my supervisor allowed another employee to go into that same coworker’s office anyway? I felt singled out and–,” Your voice is choked; a deep, rumbling sigh that verberates through the air.

Wriothesley cuts You off before he can feel You spiral, the frantic tone of Your voice and inner turmoil slices through him with great distress. “Your Grace, if I may, I don’t quite understand Your world nor do I understand what it is You may be going through,” he waits for You and when he feels You listening to his words and the stifling presence of negativity slowly begin to stagnate, he continues.

“But I do know that You are a kind and gracious Creator. You’ve listened to me, helped me, visited me at the Fortress. You already know me and know I don’t trust easily, and yet you still dedicate Your time to making sure I’m not so lonely. I…I appreciate that more than I can express. With all that being said, I want to tell You that we, Your creations, are here for You. No matter what. We’ll always be here for You and support You even if you feel You’ve been treated poorly and unfairly. We can feel Your good energy, the love You have, the hard work You put into everything. Your emotions are valid too. Please… don’t forget that.”

More silence ensues after Wriothesley’s impromptu pep talk to You. For a moment, he worries that You’ve already left, but when he hears a choked laugh he feels immediate relief.

“Thank you, Wriothesley. Just… thank you.”

He smiles at that and relaxes in his chair. “Anytime, Your Grace. We’re here for You.”

“I know.” He can feel the smile in Your voice.

Soon, Your presence dissipates and Wriothesley is left alone with his thoughts. The energy of the Fortress, and of Teyvat, quickly returns to equilibrium and no longer does the air feel so stifling and heavy. After several minutes, Sigewinne makes an appearance in the Duke’s office once more with a knowing smile on her face. 

☆゜・。・。・゜★ ☆゜・。・。・゜★

[hollowfyshunsuikubo]

Mayuri Kurotsuchi Headcannons

A/N: Thie fic itself is going to take a while (Uni started up again and I am Suffering) so to feed yall before the self-indulgent smut im going to write, here's some SFW and NSFW headcannons. NSFW (and NSFW contents + warnings) is below the cut!

Mayuri Kurotsuchi x Gn!Reader (but Fem!Reader mentioned for NSFW)

Warnings: Smut, general Mayuri insanity, Slight Yandere themes, mentions of minor surgery, goofy silly moods

SFW:

You and Mayuri tend to have a very argumentative relationship once you've been dating for a few years

In the beginning, he was very possessive but also distant

He was very in denial that he felt anything, but he opened up after a while

You two have lots of arguments over morals and people

He believes that as long as you're safe, everything is fine

You're just trying to tell him that yes, you're safe. But the damned shinigami noble on the table getting a second heart because they paid for a years worth of funding is definitely not at that particular moment.

Hes often rude and blunt, but he means it in a good way. He'll often sound disinterested, but if you ask him about what you were talking about, he'll repeat it word for word and ask if you're going to continue or if he can keep working.

His version of being sweet is showing you his Lans and creations, but keeping you close my his side, his long nail always touching you if he needs to move forward or a little further away to show you something

Has definitely tried to show you how to dissect something odd, like another shinigami he picked up stole from the 4th Division. Needless to say, a fight broke out between you two, which ended with a scalpel and Akon both being thrown.

He also likes to have you sit on his lap while he's working.

Did he make a chair that he can sit in comfortably while you sit on his lap? Yes.

Does this chair have more comfort than any other chair in the 11th Division? Also yes.

Hes quite big on quality time you see, mixed with physical affection

Though some days, when he's more on edge than others, he'll opt to keep you in sight, but doesn't want to be touching you.

Like cuddling with you at night, when he can be bothered to sleep.

When he is very busy and can't make it to bed, he'll send Nemu with his regrets. He'd prefer to go himself, but it's far too busy.

He has contemplated installing a lavish, closed off, private, quadruple password locked room for you in his lab, just so he can see you easier, but he felt it may be too dangerous for you

He also enjoys seeing you chat with Nemu, though he does reprimand her if she gets too 'free' with you. Nemu is just happy her master is happy.

Nemu treats you like a mother. Yes I believe that Mayuri and Nemu are father daughter and not husband and wife come @ me. She enjoys going on "surveillance trips" with you (AKA walks around the Seireitei)

Moving on to nicknames and pet names, he doesn't really use them, but he does have clear favorites when he's in the mood. Baby and my dear are his go-tos if he feels mushy, but sweeting and rabbit are for his muh softer moments. He likes using rabbit as a teasing word. Not bunny, rabbit. He doesn't like bunnies.

He likes making sure you have things to do if you want to spend time alone, or if he's too busy.

His Captain's salary used to fully go towards funding the lab, but buying you things you want is also a good use of his money.

Hes never overstepped that particular boundary of excessive buying, though, especially if you're money conscious (all my people raised poor wya!)

Being with Mayuri is generally just an odd, but fun, if a little strained, time.

Tiny drabble:

It was cold today. You were bundled up as warmly as possible, attempting to not freeze before you go to Mayuri. You'd hoped to see him last night, you even stayed up far past your usual time, but Nemu poked her head around the corner and said that he'd regretfully be spending the night in the lab. You were welcome to join him, though.

You declined. It's been getting much colder, so you stayed in bed.

Now you wished you hadn't. You're tired and cold. A few Division members say hellos to you as you walk, and when you finally reach the lan, you see Mayuri in his chair, hunched over the console, looking at data.

"Nice of you to join me. Come, sit, now." He waved you over, not taking his eyes off the console. When you pause to wrap yourself up a little more, you hear the clacking of his fingers on the keys stop. "Sweeting, come here."

You forget about how cold you are and hurry on over. He's already leaning back in his seat, his hands away from his console, his brow irritated that he has to wait for you. You slide into his lap, and the smart chair registers that you're there. Another back pops up behind you, soft and squishy. But you opt to snuggle into Mayuri. His headpiece is a little annoying, but it's more endearing knowing you've seen what's underneath. That handsome face, alongside the soft lips that aren't covered with paint. He is finally able to get back to work, not saying another word.

That is, until he notices how many layers you're wearing.

"This lab has the best technology in the entire Soul Society, underfloor heating, and is warmed precisely so nobody is every distracted by the cold. If you're feverish or sick, go back to my room. I will provide you with warmth and a cure-all for your sickness." He doesn't look zt you just yet.

He feels a little insecure. How would you get sick? Is he not doing enough to keep you safe and healthy? Does he need to strengthen your immune system so he can spend more hours like this with you?

"I'm just a little cold, that's all." You reply gently. "There's nothing wrong with it. I'm not sick." Your reassurances did nothing to persuade him, but he supposed he could at least keep an eye on you while you're with him. At least you're with him. If you weren't, he have to take drastic measures to make sure you were. Nobody else was going to have you, that was for sure.

"Hmph. Fine." His clacking increased in speed. You closed your eyes, ready to finally cure the tired part of you, when you heard the clacking stop again and fabric wrap around you.

You opened your eyes to find he's wrapped his Captain's cloack around you, pulling you closer to him while also keeping you warm. The combination of his body heat the warmth of the cloak, and the renewed rhythmic tapping of his fingers on the keyboard fixed all your ills. The cold and your tiredness ebbed as you fell asleep in his arms, nestles close to him.

Despite the fact he was still working, he cursed you fot breaking his concentration. You were a little pest sometimes.

But at least you were his pest. He'd been working all night, after all... having you asleep with him, providing hum some much deserved affection as a reward for his hard work was worth it. After all, he was the most intelligent man in the Soul Society. He deserved to have a beautiful woman on his arm, in his arms, providing him with pesky emotions he didn't exactly not like, but rather enjoyed. He especially liked the strange fuzzy feeling he gets whenever he sees your peaceful sleeping face. What was that feeling called again?

NSFW:

a/n tried to keep it as gn!reader as possible, but there is ONE mention of a womb and pregnancy. (I fully believe Mayuri would give a biological male a working uterus and womb just to get them pregnant though)

WARNINGS: Sex toys, marking, nipple play, slight exhibitionism, breeding kink, degrading, power play, mentions of branding, mentions of knifeplay, semi-public sex, creampies, mentions of cock, womb mention/s (f!reader), masturbation, implied yandere in drabble

So, he likes toys.

Hes even made them for you.

Vibrating dildos in the shape of his cock to keep you coming while he's not there.

Vibrating panties that are so silent you can't hear it when you're right next to them.

A little toy kind of like the rose toy, except it's unsettlingly like his actual tongue

Needless to say, he's got you covered while he's away

When he's with you?

RIP.

Throwing it out there: he's a scientist. He's made his dick bigger. We've all seen how he carries Ashisogi Jizo. BDE.

So: 8.5 inches (cut, he likes to be clean) he keeps it unpainted (most of the time) and his balls are clean shaven, having slightly low. Good girth on him, enough to be somewhat of a stretch but not unpleasant. Really good hygiene down below too.

Anyway, he likes to study your reactions

The first few time you had sex, all he did was watch you. He even took notes.

You can't find the notes he took but you're sure that if you can't, nobody else but he can.

He's memorized your weakest, spongy spots

knows you live having your nipples sucked and licked and gently pulled.

those first few times were just you orgasming over and over and over again

loves biting. Marking is a big thing for him, as it shows that you belong to him.

Doesng like to mark with you cum though, as he feels it's a waste

Breeding kink? No

Hatred of wasting perfectly good seed with the potential to grow a genius nearly at his level within your womb? ✨️yes✨️

Is a more dominant man in bed, though likes to power bottom if you really want to ride.

The few times he's properly subbed for you, he didn't mind it, but he'd rather not

You made your sexual boundaries clear, but he's always asked permission to test them. A small brand he healed and got rid of here, a few interesting nights with knifeplay there...

Mayuri may be off the rails, but he'd do anything to keep you by his side. He knows your boundaries, and he knows his.

Moving on, he loves to degrade you.

Filthy slut, naughty whore, stupid bitch, and little cumdumpster seem to be his favorites

He loves the risk of being caught, as he loves the risk of you being humiliated

But he always makes sure you're never caught.

You'd be in an alley way, his cock thrusting in and out like a piston, one leg hoisted into the air, the cold air hitting your most sensitive part while he uses you like a toy, his other hand gripped firmly under your chin to tilt your head back to look at him.

You're dripping everywhere, the sounds of his dick going in and out of you something so lewd and pornographic you can't even contain your moans.

"You'd like to be caught, wouldn't you, you little whore? Go on, cum then, give the men who will walk past something to lick up and stare at."

When you cum, he shoves two fingers in your mouth, causing you to choke a little. He doesn't stop his hips, but you can feel your eyes rolling as he keeps abusing that sweet, sensitive spot inside you

Without warning, he's all the way in, his tongue running down your neck to bite the junction between your shoulder and neck as he cums deeply inside you.

Theres always a lot of it, to the point where it's almost like hes got years worth just stored there (even though your sex life is somewhat regular)

Oh yeah. I don't think Mayuri has a high sex drive, per se, I just think he likes to be close with you. Any chance he gets, he's like to be spending quality time with you and touching you in some way, and sex is quite good for that.

aftercare is pretty odd tbh

"You did better than I thought you would."

he generally likes to hold you close, and uses his captains hoari to wipe you down, if you want to be wiped down.

not many kisses, but he'll talk about the most insane things (i.e, how exciting it would be to study Ichigo Kurosaki, how annoying Captain Shunsui is, nitpicking over Akons work in the lab) quietly to help you get to sleep

once you're asleep, that's when the real aftercare starts

If your an afab, as much as he hates wasting it, he gives you a little injection to prevent his seed from taking hold in your womb

because of course, he's modified his semen to bypass any and all forms of birth control

after that, he cleans himself up, becayse he actually hates feeling sticky (as fun as it all was, that's one of his few icks when it comes to sex) he gets all the cum, the bodypaint, the sweat, and blood (if there is any) off before going back to bed

lastly, he'd make sure the bed was comfortable enough for him to settle down into, and he cuddles with you for as long as he can before either morning comes or he has to go back to work

he likes to cage you to him while you sleep, making sure you really can't escape

Tiny nsfw drabble:

His mouth devoured yours, much like how a lion would devour it's first meal in days. In the tiny corner of the lab, a hidden room long covered over but with no dust on any surface- he must have planned this, you think -he presses you against the wall, kissing you with such passion yet such possessiveness, you wonder if this is how the moon feels knowing the sun chases her. Knowing such heat is so close, yet only the sun can demand when you shine from it.

Everything in your mind turned into mush as he shoved you further against the wall, the pommel of Ashisogi Jizo pressing into your stomach, pushed a little further out than normal from his hard cock, still confined into his pants.

You tried. You really did. You knew his rule -"No touching until I tell you," -but it was so hard to abide by when you hadn't had him in over a week. It had been so busy, what with his newest big project...

So your hands moved to the front of his hakama, gently cupping his growing bulge through the fabric. You were rewarded so kindly for your disobedience, with a low growl from him and a hand flying to your throat to stop you from moving anymore, but the gentle grinding of his clothed cock against your hand. His lips nipped at yours and when you opened your mouth to gasp, he slipped his tongue inside, Ashisogi Jizo pressing painfully into your stomach as he leaned his entire body against you, quite desperate now to relieve himself of how hard he was. When he took his hand away from your neck, for a brief moment you had perfect clarity, and realized he wasn't going to punish you today.

Mayuri needed you. Over a week of yearning, battling himself and working so hard for his projects costs and hard work to pay off, he deserved to just stop talking. He deserved to not have to speak, to not say any words or make any sound. He just needed you.

The air was hot as you two writhed. His needs were coming and coming fast, much before yours, but when he dipped his head to bite and suck on your neck, his headpiece digging into your jaw, if felt as if you were about to orgasm just from that.

His hands were rough, pawing at your waist and ass, as if he could tear off your clothes and skin and get to the bones underneath, and make messy, bloody, raw love to your insides. Mayuri was a mess, to the point where he himself, who prided himself on his sharp mind and ability to be clear-headed through anything, began just desperately thrusting his clothes cock into your hand.

Your moans and little gasps when he kept attacking your neck with his lips and teeth, his body pain leaving marks of his lips all over your skin, but not marks like he loves to give, bruises formed by his lips that both adored and condemned you. Lips that lied and manipulated and coerced you into staying once, lips that now tried to make up for all lost time.

As soon as Mayuri found that sensitive spot on your neck- he didn't go straight for it this time, odd... -you scrambled wit your hands to pull down his hakama pants and grabbed ahold of his bare cock. The fleshy hardness of it, the girth, and the length... you couldn't do it alone, but he would help you out. He groaned into you neck, the second sound he's made since he dragged you into this small, abandoned room, pleased with you. He began thrusting, sloppily, into your hands, as you tilted your head back as he kept on kissing and marking your neck. One of his hands moved to paw at your chest, blindly reaching into your shihakusho to toy with one of your nipples as his tongue lapped at your neck.

You're breathy moans and whines, mixed alongside his occasional grunts, echoed in the room, and despite the locked door, he selfishly wished he'd dragged you anywhere else, just so nobody would hear you but him.

At the reminder to himself that you were his, his alone, and his until he chose to discard you (which he would never do), he grunts then exhales from the back of his throat, his cum coating your hands. He slowed his thrusts down, he stopped kissing your neck so hungrily, and he withdrew his hand from the inside of your shihakusho. His breathing was heavy still, and he looked at you with half lidded eyes filled with fire.

You felt a pull in your gut as his cock, which had been softening ever so slightly, hardened again. Mayuri kissed your neck softly, featherlight, before pulling his head back, but he didn't move his hips, or try to escape the grasp your hands had on his dick.

"You're not going to waste the next few, are you, my dear?" His voice is husky, raw with emotion. The look in his eyes reminds you of a man starved, a softly boiling rage born from need of something just beyond his reach. Mayuri leans forward to brush his lips against yours, his long nail on his right hand slowly tracing down the front of your disheveled shihakusho, opening it for his eyes and his eyes only. To see your skin, unmarred for over a week, displayed before him...

"I won't."

Your voice breaks him from his thoughts, and his gaze flicks to yours again. He grins, a predator, a man who will take what he needs to soothe his hunger.

"Good. On your knees then, and don't be wasteful."

[mimble-sparklepudding]

FFXIV Swap Poem Thingy

I had the honour of being matched with the very marvellous @paintedscales for the FFXIV Swap. I really enjoyed learning about Nomin and her backstory and it's given me the opportunity to do a lot of background reading on Xaela lore and the history of the Azim Steppe. Definitely worth reading Nomin's Carrd if you want more detail on the events described below.

However I was a bit worried that a poem might not be as exciting as some of the beautiful artwork created by others for this project, so I took the liberty of commissioning a custom character banner for Nomin as a little extra.

Anyway Poetry Time (mostly under the cut as it's quite long).

The Nameless Child.

The nameless child, left by design,

Bound tight with rope to sacred pine,

As tribal customs did dictate,

But was resolved to change her fate,

And once she had her bonds untwined,

She chose to leave her tribe behind,

From that day forth, without regret,

She was no longer a Tumet.

Having swiftly named herself,

Quietly and with practiced stealth,

She made her way across the plains,

To the lone town the Steppe contains,

Where, seeing one so young exiled,

They grudgingly took in the child,

Gave her food and clothes withal,

And raised her as a young Saghal.

The traditions of this peaceful tribe,

Among many other things proscribe,

The killing or the subjugation,

Of beasts with whom they share creation,

And thus, bitter irony indeed,

The adherents of this gentle creed,

Were enslaved, or left for dead,

Their lives destroyed by the Jhungid.

Having beheld her brother slain,

She had to work quite hard to feign,

Any form of acquiescence,

As she grew through her adolescence,

Under the watchful, callous, eyes,

Of custodians who she despised,

So she knew exactly what to do,

When battle dawned with the Kharlu.

As each tribe faced the other’s host,

In battle for the Eastern coast,

She drew the arrow in her bow -

And turned her back upon the foe,

Without pause, without remorse,

She shot her leader from his horse,

Before riding back to burn their yurts,

Administering their just deserts.

Having freed her former tribe,

She knew that she must circumscribe,

Her kinship with them all thenceforth,

To keep them safe, so journeyed North,

And West across the Steppe alone,

In search of tribes as yet unknown,

And, from spending time with each,

She’d learn all that they had to teach.

Whether across a glacier,

Travelling with the Angura,

Or racing upon an Oroq Sled,

She absorbs all that they’ve done and said,

And be it Himaa, Gharl or Mol,

Each colour's blended in her soul,

And every one that she recalls,

Is carried forth in her footfalls.

(For those that are interested in such things I opted for rhyming couplets as the nearest form I could find to traditional Mongolian Epic Poetry (known as tuuli). There are six variations of narrative in these epics, and (extremely loosely) I opted for The Mythicised Epic, where the hero fights to restore order, as the basis for Nomin's tale. The most famous version of this narrative in Mongolian Folklore is the Epic of King Gesar, but there are lots of other ones. Definitely worth learning about if you enjoy cultural history.)

Many thanks to @paintedscales for their patience in waiting for me to pull my finger out and finish this - and also for helping me with the pronunciation of the various Xaela tribes with which Nomin has been associated. Needless to say, until this assistance, I was apparently getting most of them very wrong (aside from the Mol - I could manage that one!)

I hope you enjoy my silly poem and the nice Custom Banner!

[zombaarbie]

Time After Time

(Eddie Munson x Reader)

Synopsis: Reader and Eddie go to a friend's Halloween party together. Reader does some super cool/scary makeup for their costumes. Eddie asks to take their relationship to the next step.

A/N: I did special effects makeup for a long time, and it made me think "I bet Eddie would be really into this." It's not even really a super integral part of the story, but I thought it would be cute to include. Also the plot took a turn towards the end so I hope it isn't too all over the place. Still a super fluffy lil oneshot, nonetheless. Any feedback is welcome, as always! Enjoy :)

*GIF is not mine!*

"Hold still, Eds!"

"I'm sorry, babe! It freaks me out when you get that close to my eye!" He gripped the edges of the chair, struggling to stay still as you worked on his face.

You rolled your eyes, "Oh, quit being a drama queen. I'm almost finished."

Steve invited you to a party he was hosting tonight, and while parties weren't usually your or Eddie's thing you jumped at the chance to see your friends and spend time with your boyfriend. After graduation Eddie got a job at the auto shop and you started college.

Needless to say, you both had been very busy lately with adult life. You went from spending almost every day together to catching each other between shifts/classes or on weekends, if you were lucky.

It was a costume party since Halloween was coming up so, of course, you took the opportunity to show off your artistic abilities. Eddie was going as Freddy Krueger and you chose to be Regan MacNeil.

He loved watching you work on your "creations", as he called them; and he especially loved when you used his face as your canvas. However, he sometimes had trouble sitting still for long periods, and he got a little bit uncomfortable when your tools would go near his eyes. Due to all the unnecessary squirming, time was running out for you to finish his makeup.

Your costume and makeup were already mostly complete, aside from the contacts. You decided you would wait to put those in until after finishing up with Eddie.

After adding a few finishing touches you took a step back to admire your work. "Damn, I'm good." You gestured for him to look in the mirror. A grin spread over his face, "Sick, babe."

Now that you were done you gave him the go ahead to put on the green and red striped sweater, hat, and the most important part- the glove. Meanwhile, you completed your look by slipping in some yellowy-greenish contacts.

Robin was the first to greet you at the party, "Holy shit! You guys look awesome." Her eyes were wide as she scanned your and Eddie's costumes. She and Vickie had come as the twins from The Shining, one of your favorite movies.

The four of you chatted for a bit, thankful that you were finally able to catch up. You hadn't had the chance to see your friends very often since graduation so it was nice to hear about what they had been up to lately.

The entire time you were at the party you and Eddie stayed close to each other. It was nice to be in his presence after a long week. He had been working a lot of overtime lately so your time together had been even more sparse than usual. It was frustrating, but you knew he had to make a living, so instead of getting worked up about it you tried to just enjoy your time together now.

People had been coming up to the two of you the whole night gushing over how cool and scary your costumes were. You had to admit, you had done a pretty good job. You thought you had done especially well on Eddie's. He looked almost indistinguishable from Englund, and you were quite proud of yourself. There wasn't a contest, but you knew if there had been you would have been the obvious winner.

As the night went on and the drinks kept flowing you found yourself coming out of your shell more and more.

A gasp escaped your lips as you heard the familiar beginning of one of your favorite Cyndi Lauper songs. You turned to look at your boyfriend, a drunken lovesick smile slowly spreading across your face. "Dance with me, Eds." You sat your beer down and intertwined your fingers with his.

Eddie chuckled, pulling you close by your waist, "C'mere, baby." He returned your smile, his eyes half lidded.

After my picture fades

You wrapped your arms around his neck as the two of you gently swayed side to side. Despite the fact that you've been dating him for a long while now, it still flustered you to look into his eyes in this moment. You looked down, unable to hold his gaze.

And darkness has turned to gray

He lifted your chin to make you look at him. Even with those hideous contacts, prosthetic scars decorating your face, and fake vomit splattered on your dress you were still breathtaking to him.

Watching through windows

Despite the roaring ambiance of the party surrounding you it felt like you and Eddie were the only ones in the room. You cherished every moment you were able to spend with him and you knew he did the same with you. Especially since they had been so few and far between these days.

You're wondering if I'm okay

It was almost as if Eddie had been reading your mind. "I've been thinking," He paused, considering his wording. "Maybe we should look at getting place together." He seemed nervous, but it quickly subsided when he saw how your face lit up.

Secrets stolen from deep inside

"Do you mean it?" His heart swelled with the way you looked up at him, "Only if you want to. I just miss you." You nodded a little more eagerly than you had meant to, "I miss you too. I feel like I barely see you anymore."

And the drum beats out of time

He acknowledged your sentiment with a nod. "That's actually why I've been picking up all those extra shifts lately," A shy smile played at his lips. He leaned down, nestling his head in the crook of your neck, tightening his hold on you, "Been saving to get somethin' nice for us."

If you're lost you can look and you will find me

Your heart fluttered at his words. You wondered how you got so lucky to end up with such a loving, hardworking man. Earlier, you had been feeling annoyed at him for spending so much time at the shop. While you didn't actually say anything to him you still felt guilty for having those feelings at all. The entire time he had been working his fingers to the bone to provide a nice home for you.

Time after time

In a goofy accent you replied, "I would be delighted to move in with you, Mr. Munson." Earning a light chuckle from him that tickled your neck. He pulled back, letting out a breath. "Let's start looking first thing tomorrow morning, yeah?" But before you could respond he corrected himself, "Actually, breakfast first thing in the morning, then we can start looking. Can't focus on an empty stomach." You rolled your eyes at him playfully.

If you fall I will catch you

"I love you, sweetheart." His voice was soft, tender as he spoke to you. He'd said those words countless times, but they never lost the effect they had on you. Your legs turned to Jell-O every time he expressed his love gently like this. The intimacy of it never failing to give you butterflies.

I'll be waiting

You leaned up to press your lips to his. It was a soft and passionate kiss. After a few short moments you pulled away, your heart beat fast and your breathing uneven. Pulling him down to touch his forehead to yours, "I love you too, Eddie."

Time after time

[netmomplus]

Touhou Ship Week 2023 Day 6: Conflict

The moment that Sannyo walked through the door that night, Misumaru knew the ensuing conversation was going to be deeply awkward. The fact of the matter was that both women loved each other rather dearly, being on the older side by Gensokyo’s standards meant they had a lot in common and enjoyed talking to each other more than anything. They’d even moved in together recently, which was not something either of them had taken lightly. So what was the issue?

It was that damn cave. The Rainbow Dragon Cave, the place where dragon gems were harvested to create ability cards. Those gems were a resource far older than Gensokyo itself; in fact, they were instrumental in the creation of magatama, a fairly potent artifact that could copy a portion of a portion’s soul for safekeeping, whether it be their memories, feelings, or even their powers. Misumaru thought this power wasn’t something to be trifled with, and yet those in charge of the market were doing just that, trifling. Sure, she’d participated in the market once, but she had a very clear purpose; she was investigating. And now that she was done, she wanted no part in it.

Sannyo, meanwhile, didn’t really mind that these caves were being stripped of an ancient, powerful resource just to give cheap paper powers. Rather, she saw the card trade as a whole to be an incredible boon for the region where she lived and worked, improving the economy twice over. And she wasn’t sure whether that would be the case if those cards didn’t have some semblance of power to them; after all, folks in Gensokyo tended to be rather obsessed with their own ability to beat someone in a one-on-one fight, so cashing in on that just made sense in her eyes.

Needless to say, the couple were at an impasse on the topic, and neither seemed willing to budge. They were able to get past it relatively well enough by just not talking about it with each other, though now that Sannyo was walking in with a new set of ability cards and a small sack of money, Misumaru figured it would only be a matter of time before she slipped up, said something stupid, and caused another conversation over it. She was going to try to focus on anything else in the meantime, better than another one of those conversations.

“Good evening, Misumaru,” Sannyo said with a light groan as she walked over to their kitchen. “How’s your day been going?”

“Rather… swell,” the God responded, her voice slightly strained. “Is something amiss?”

“Not currently. I just had a rough day of work.” Sannyo leaned against a wall, sighed, and reached for her tobacco pipe. “That trio of tengu got rowdy again today. I swear they have to have it out for me or something, or maybe even that tanuki friend of mine.”

“That’s the unfortunate thing about tengu society,” Misumaru responded. “Exceptionalism to a fault, I’d say. That’s just a trio who took that mentality and ran with it unquestioningly. It’s frustrating.”

“I’ll say.” Sannyo took a quick smoke. “So how has today gone for you, dear?”

“Well enough, honestly. Spent most of today catching up with my fellow deities and assorted old folks. Lot of people around here don’t exactly look their age, y’know.”

“Oh, of course, I know that well.” Sannyo half-laughed and moved to sit near Misumaru, shuffling the cards she was holding. “So tell me about how that went.”

“Hmm… well, I started it off by having a little chat with Yukari. You know of her, right? We had a simple conversation about how Reimu’s doing?”

“Reimu? The shrine maiden?”

“Yes, her. I’m regretting not having gotten involved in her life sooner, because sheesh, she is… a mess. You know how long it took me to convince her I wasn’t involved with the tengu during that whole card incident? More than a while! I think that girl gets too caught up in her own head and it leads to her getting too stubborn. She’s… what, 20 years old now? But she acts like a headstrong teenager, it’s ridiculous.”

“I mean, the difference between 20 and 19 isn’t that big, Misumaru, cut the girl some slack.”

Misumaru shrugged, sighed, and slumped in her seat. She supposed Sannyo had a point, but that didn’t mean it had to feel good to admit it. She really just wanted the best for Reimu, to see that shrine maiden who wielded one of her finest creations become the best damn shrine maiden she could be. It was just frustrating seeing her stagnate in her eyes, that was all. So what if she were a bit dramatic about it?

“But… yes, we just talked and… that was about it. We talked about Reimu like I said, about recent incidents…”

“Oh, recent incidents? Which ones?”

“Oh, you know. Mostly the…”

There was a pause. Misumaru knew exactly which incident they were talking about; it was the card incident. But unfortunately, she just walked herself right into a trap. She was gonna have to talk about this now, Sannyo could tell when she was lying; dealing with people constantly bluffing in gambling made her rather observant. All she could really do was delay it, but would that even be worth it?

“...Misumaru? Are you there?”

Damn it, Sannyo noticed. Looekd like she had no choice after all.

“...we were talking about the card incident. And how it seems to have died down since Chimata took back control of the market. Ability cards might finally start slowing down…”

“...hmm.”

Just then, Sannyo’s eyes seemed to perk open. Misumaru glanced at her in confusion; what made her so alert all of a sudden?

“Ah, that reminds me. Thank you for bringing that up, I wanted to show you something. Here, look at these cards.”

Sannyo finally held up the cards she was holding and showed them to Misumaru. The god leaned forward to look closer at them; yep, they sure looked like ability cards, though… something was up with them. They looked… cheap. Flimsy, actually.

“...what’s the issue with these?”

“Take one out. Don’t worry about damaging it.”

Misumaru obliged and picked a random one, lifting it and holding it up to her face to analyze it more closely. Indeed, it was rather cheap and flimsy, but also… powerless. This wasn’t a normal ability card at all; it was a fake. Not a single dragon gem was used in its production.

“Sannyo, this is… a fake card. Why do you have this?”

“To be entirely clear, I still disagree on the issue of the cards,” Sannyo started, “but I get how important this issue is for you. So, I’ve decided to pack it in with the real card trade and move onto the recreational, playing card trade. It’s not as much money, but… well, you being comfortable is important to me, I’m willing to give on that whole thing if it helps you sleep at night.”

Huh. That took a while to sink into Misumaru’s head. So the cards were fake, and Sannyo was… abandoning the card market. For her? That felt… odd to hear, for some reason. Maybe she was expecting something a bit more dramatic, like an actual fight; not that she wanted one, but it felt odd for their little conflict to just… end like this. Maybe even a little awkward, but…

“...really? For me, you really didn’t-”

“Hey, some extra money isn’t worth the strain in our relationship. You deserve to be happy too, don’t forget.”

“...right. Of course.” Misumaru closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and worked to regain her composure. “I thank you, Sannyo. Truly.”

“Of course. For now, I think I’m ready to head off to bed. Ready to turn in, too?”

Misumaru didn’t even need to say anything. She just nodded and stood off, and Sannyo proceeded to head off toward their shared room with the god in tow. Sheesh, even if that conversation didn’t get heated, just the thought of it was enough to stress her out. At the very least this chapter in their relationship was over and they’d be able to move onto simpler, happier topics.

Like whether Sannyo should quit smoking. That certainly won’t cause any issues.

[killdeercheer]

Studio Ghibli Reviews: Ponyo (2008)

Ponyo was another creation of the mind of Hayao Miyazaki, who derived inspiration from a number of sources, including The Little Mermaid (the original Hans Christian Andersen story), Millais' 1852 painting Ophelia, the coastal town of Tomonoura, and the young daughter of Studio Ghibli animation director Katsuya Kondō. Needless to say, the end-result is a stunningly animated and heartfelt story with a simple premise: a magical girl meets a human boy and the two fall in love.

Plot: Set in modern-day Japan, the human boy in question, Sōsuke, lives with his mother Lisa on a cliff by the sea. Deep in the ocean, the magical girl (whose original form is a small red fish with a human face) lives with her menagerie of sisters, and are the children of a human-turned-sea wizard named Fujimoto and the Mother of the Ocean herself (or Granmamare). Ponyo's father resents the human world for its incessant pollution and disrespect for marine life, but Ponyo's curiosity and frustration lead her to escape one day, coming to the surface and meeting Sōsuke. The two immediately hit it off but are unfortunately separated. After Ponyo gets into her father's elixirs, she gains a burst of magical energy and dramatically overturns the balance of nature to reunite with the boy she adores. Only then does the real test of love begin: can the children navigate their new-found relationship and truly love one another as they are, magic or no?

- this review will be mainly spoiler-free -

Ponyo is my second favorite of the Ghibli films. I adore this movie. It's probably the one Ghibli film (next to My Neighbor Totoro) that is mainly geared to very young audiences. As a general rule, the minimum target audience for any one Ghibli film is the age of the youngest main character. Ponyo and Sōsuke are 5-years-old, so 5-year-olds would (and seemingly do) enjoy this. But, here's the thing, these movies are so timeless and universal that just about anyone at any age can enjoy it. I took my Madre to see the Ghibli Fest theatrical re-release recently and she considered it one of her favorite movies she's seen. She was in tears. Sometimes a simple movie mainly geared for children brings out those feelings in you. That's how I feel about this movie.

One thing that really stands out about Ponyo is the animation and art direction. The entire film was traditionally animated, absolutely no CGI for even the boats, and the backgrounds are mainly watercolors and pastels. The character designs, in contrast, are relatively simple with defined outlines and not a lot of intricate patterning on clothing. In a sense, I find the vibes of this movie somewhere in the ballpark of WDAS films like Dumbo or Lilo & Stitch, though unlike the former this was certainly not because of costs (Ponyo had a budget of ¥3.4 billion compared to Howl's Moving Castle's ¥2.4 billion) but instead to showcase what traditional animation methods were capable of. And it shows. The scenes of Ponyo riding the stormy, fishy waves or those shots that are just covered in marine organisms are absolutely mesmerizing. And the style also works to bring a "story book feel" to the film, which, considering the type of story being told, absolutely works.

The story itself and how it plays out is very sweet and charming. Much of the time is spent with the two leads who, remember, are 5-year-olds just... enjoying life! Ponyo is an excitable and mischievous kid and Sōsuke is definitely more simmered-down (the result of navigating life as "the man of the house", as his father, Kōichi, is a captain and away very often). But Sōsuke is no less adventurous and playful, so when the two interact you can just feel their mutual affection and joy for each other. This is a love story, but it's not treated as romantic (thankfully, these are children afterall).

The rest of the main cast consist of the different adult guardians to our young leads. Ponyo's father Fujimoto is a curious mix of flamboyant and awkward with a hardened and stern interior that perfectly fits a magical sea-wizard with desires to return the oceans to their glory days (this also means ending "the age of humans", and considering the historical details I've been reading in Callum Roberts' book The Unnatural History of the Sea, he should really focus on ending the medieval-age institutions that actually got us to this point). However, Fujimoto is not a traditional villain and (in Ghibli fashion) is at least sympathetic when it comes to his role as father and protector of his children. Granmamare, in contrast, is an almost polar opposite based on the few scenes we have of her: she carries herself with such grace and elegance and holds no ill-will towards humans - she is also the Goddess of Mercy - openly challenging her husband's ideals in an attempt to bring happiness to her daughter. She is also stunningly animated and I never fail to glue my eyes to the screen whenever she shows up (what does this say about me? None of your business). Speaking of mothers, Lisa (Sōsuke's mom) is also a ton of fun and steals every scene she's in, whether it's her perilous driving skills or her patience with Ponyo's antics.

All of this is supported by a great voice cast (as per all my reviews, this is based on the English dub). Props to the Walt Disney Studios for getting actual children to voice these child characters (and not 30-year-old women doing kid voices...). Noah Cyrus (Ponyo) and Frankie Jonas (Sōsuke) do a phenomenal job and bring a lot of energy fitting to the characters on screen. Liam "I have a particular set of skills" Neeson is Fujimoto and if you think that his voice doesn't match his character than you are sorely mistaken. I find the contrast so hilarious and perfect. Cate Blanchett is Granmamare and I mean come on that just makes me love this character even more. We also have Tina Fey as Lisa who adds a lot of motherly-charm, Matt Damon as Kōichi who, for the few scenes he's in does very well. I have failed to mention a whole gaggle of elderly ladies also features in the film (residents of the retirement home Lisa works at) who are just great. One of them (Yoshie) is voiced by the late Betty White and if that doesn't just eat me up every time I watch this movie.

The musical score is once again courtesy of Joe Hisaishi and it's definitely one of those Ghibli soundtracks that just sucks me into the film. It's just so majestic and otherworldly and this totally fits with the ocean setting. The opening number Mother of the Sea is a lovely operatic piece that (and I just now realized this) translates into a recollection of Granmamare's past with Fujimoto under the waves. Oof. My heart. But the highlight of the film is the end-credits song Gake no Ue no Ponyo sung by the main leads, which is just adorable and ear-wormy in the best way. No, I don't care for the remix version. No one does.

Overall, Ponyo is one of those movies that never fails to put a smile on my face. I can't be upset watching it. It's so cathartic. This is a movie to watch after you've had a bad day or you just need a pick-me-up. The charming characters, gorgeous scenery, and simple plot (in which several parts of the film are just the characters having a chance to breathe) are like medicine in a world of films that are nothing but rapid-fire scenes, big complicated plots, and cynical humor. It is that fact that makes me return to this movie over and over again. Having these two adorable kids as main leads also helps.

[1ore]

exhausted-drone

So this version of the imperium doesn’t have the absolutely horrifying strangle hold on the populace that’s enforced with rabid priests, indoctrination, and a secret police force that pops up when worlds get a bit tooo lenient?

after writing a paper for like 3 hours this has activated my infodumping brain. Hope putting this in its own post is ok! This is one part answer and three parts needless extrapolation LOL

I would say the Empire does, in the sense that it has the /appearance/ of conformity as a result of draconic enforcement, and doesn’t, in the sense that even under the cruelest, most restrictive regimes there are still countercultures and people who are aware that something is Wrong, even if they can't articulate what, but are just trying to get by and not get got by the inquisition.

of course I'm most interested in these edge cases of resistance and survival, and people who are in the process of becoming these edge cases, so the sampling group is already skewed in that direction. But on the whole I think the Archive and inquisition have only driven opposition underground. Just because these people have to organize in clandestine ways doesn't mean they aren't out there-- though to the bystander and to the Archive, it sure feels like they have an iron grip on things.

Ultimately these are still humans enforcing these systems on other humans, and humans is messy. one of the things I really enjoy exploring is how the same characters can harbor a little bit of that spark, while also stomping it out in others-- this is a system where we often hurt each other to bargain for our own safety, security, power, etc. (albeit one in which the old adages like "There Is No Ethical Consumption Under Late Capitalism" and "You Are Not Immune To Propaganda" are taken to their hyperbolic extreme, so it's more morbidly funny and cathartic instead of despairingly painful for me.)

like, Markus does this by keeping his real intentions guarded close to his heart, being 100x more clever, pitiless, and monstrous than his enemies, and clawing his way to power through any means necessary so that he can do the One Good Thing he wants to do. I imagine that the people who knew him before his ascent reminisce about how he used to be "one of them," and the betrayal of him selling his soul and throwing away his responsibility to them in exchange for power really fucking stings.

But when he is at the top, he can leverage his charisma and inordinate power to create nigh-blasphemous (read: marginally progressive) changes that nobody really has the power to challenge him on. (and also collect all all the gay people in the Archive under one administrative roof, i guess, yeah.) Arguably this catches up with him before he can do the One Good Thing he wants to do, and the One Good Thing was impossible from the beginning anyway, but for a minute there he sure is doing. Something.

The Doc does this by resigning herself to the role of pitiless doctor she was casted as. In action, she's doing everything the Archive asks of her, but she owes them no love or loyalty and jumps on any opportunity to go her own way and further her own (admittedly buckwild) interests when it's safe to do so. Even when she's being subversive, she has the appearance of reveling in doublespeak and doubledealing, and you can't be sure if she actually means it or not. But this is to reinforce an image of being emotionally untouchable, manipulative, and two-faced, which protects her and those around her from having any emotional ties used against them. Ultimately, she's the only one with the power to do things like make certain """mistakes"""" during MarkOS' creation, and look the other way when Reyes later takes a magnet to his brain.

And then, of course, when the culture of compliance and mutual enforcement fails, there are the people who are explicitly tasked with rooting out opposition. Hard to untangle from people who are in positions of authority already (i.e. Markus and the Chief) but there's the Sibyls and the late inquisitor. MarkOS too, technically, as most secutors are hard-wired to serve a surveillance function.

I did Not get into it on their post, but the Sibyls in particular are walking two different paths re: being agents of inquisition. The current Sibyl enforces faithfulness with the fervor of someone who 100% believes in what she's doing, and that sincerity is where she draws her power and sway-- leading by example and scaring the shit out of anyone who doesn't live up to her expectations. This is why anything short of perfect adherence is so disturbing to her, from others and especially from herself. She's the shining golden child, and if she can't get it right, who can?

The ex-Sibyl, on the other hand, considered all the little lies and implicit threats of divine retribution to be tools in a toolbox, vital to keeping people alive in the face of unconscionable violence, and especially in situations where fragmenting and defecting could threaten their survival. whether or not this was actually true may have had some kind of effect on her going absolutely off the shitts later. But her understanding of The Propaganda as a utilitarian tool allowed her play both sides, forming authentic relationships with the rest of her company and more effectively identifying where doubt and fear is hiding through these relationships... Even if it tore her apart in the end.

Barring Reyes, most of these walnuts are coming from positions of relative privilege that make it challenging to let go of the lies sold to them. I think it's easier to see past the power blinders when you go down the hierarchy. Obviously there is a. Big interest in selling the public on the idea that they stand to gain from throwing their lot in with the Empire and the Powers That Be, in much the same way that certain political forces need you to rest assured in the idea that anyone can become a billionaire if they just pulled themselves up by their bootstraps. The alternative is also the threat of Death and Dying, or maybe being left to the "savage and uncaring embrace of the cosmos," which the Archive assures you is full of nasty things that want to drink your bone marrow and eat your eyeballs. Anyway. Point is, I think it's more common than meets the eye for the average citizen of the Empire to be aware that Something Is Wrong, but moved to inaction by despair, or fear, or survival, or just complacency.

And as long as that doesn't turn into visible, organized action (or as long as they are sneaky enough) it gives the appearance of cohesion, even if it's false. It's enough that even someone like Reyes could make the mistake of assuming the average Imperial is so brainwashed they're not aware of the power dynamics at play. (or at least. Some of them. misinformation about things like other spacefaring communities and nonhuman peoples abounds.)

Mostly this just means Reyes is surrounded by people who are uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh acting out of fear of something that both does and doesn't hold the power over them that they think it does.

The God-King Isn't Real. He Can't Hurt You

[the-indie-owl]

I just have to say I REALLY love your designs for the Gods and Goddesses of both Greek AND Roman Mythology if they appeared in SpongeBob SquarePants. And I'm really pumped to see what you have planned for the future ^^

I just wanna say, First of All, THANK YOU SO MUCH for the Love that you really enjoy my own personal takes on the Greco-Roman Gods themselves it really means so much to Me within my Heart that I will keep going on drawing my versions of Neptune and Poseidon's own Families if they would appear in that Universe since I enjoy Greek Mythology a lot as well as any Media's takes on any God and Neptune/Poseidon is one of my Most Favorite Gods ever in all of Mythology. I will keep on trying to figure out which design will suit any Greek God and their Counterpart 💖

As well as figuring out on which Voice will suit on each of them for what I headcanon to what they will sound like if they appeared in the franchise (which I know that will never happened because Sea Gods are only allowed BUT let's just imagine it instead if they did include some Other Non-Water Deities ^^).

Second of All, I have been getting to know the SpongeBob fandom recently since June. Ever since I've cried so hard because of what was happening during the first months this year (lost my Uncle who was one of the Brothers of My Mother (RIP)), I've been through a lot of Pain, Stress, Toxic Fans, and Dramas, I couldn't take it anymore as I instantly quit on that and started a new life (which I am currently in right now as you can tell).

I have re-watched the show and got a chance to watch its Modern Episodes through Streaming (Mostly Amazon and Paramount+) since I haven't seen the Show in such a long time even after I stopped watching it since Season 9. But now that I am currently in it's fandom since it somehow just became one of my main and most favorite medias of all time since I've looked back into it, I even remembered all the good times that I had when I watched the show ever since childhood (Ah, the Nostalgia).

Plus, SpongeBob is a very Good Show that keeps Me calm and makes Me want to forget about the Bad Times that I've been through and even the Fandom around Me is so very Healthy! Not even one single Toxic Fan was bumped into Me! ^^

I of course have watched its Two Spin-Offs despite Stephen being unsure if he wanted to have one (I know that many people say that he didn't want one for his own creation but I heard that there was someone saying that He didn't know IF a Spinoff could work). Kamp Koral is cute (despite on how none of the backstory behind SpongeBob and his Friends were true in the first place) and even The Patrick Star Show is a bit Funny.

If you are wondering on how I got the idea of Greek and Roman Gods being in the show, well, chances are, since we've all know that Neptune has been around in the show since when it was first started around the 90s. He's one of the very few first versions of the Roman God of the Seas as well as being the Counterpart of the Greek God of the Seas himself that we all know. But when I got to watch "Sponge On The Run", I immediately fell in love with their version/take on Poseidon (Neptune's Greek Counterpart). This made Me wonder if perhaps that the series itself somehow takes place in an Alternative Universe where if Gods existed in a Reality where if all Myths and Legends were real (Of course, we do see in Some Media of Gods living in the Modern Era that we are currently in living in our world like Percy Jackson or Lore Olympus).

Considering the fact that I love OCXCanon and have always done that throughout the years, I've put up a big twist behind my version on Salacia (The Roman Counterpart of Amphitrite and Neptune's Real Wife from Roman Mythology) into turning her a Wife of Poseidon as well as still being accurate to her Original version. Needless to say, she's little of an OC and is way more of a personal take on one of the Roman Goddesses.

We don't really get much Poseidon and Amphitrite versions like Hades and Persephone but even though Poseidon cheats on his wife, I bet Amphitrite doesn't care cuz she still loves her Husband (I wonder why she is never shown towards being angry at him).

Thirdly of all, this is going to surprise you one bit but my personal take on Greco-Roman Gods wasn't really the first time that I've used Gods in an AU story of a Certain Media. The First One that I did was a SMG4 AU of Mine and I even wrote a story about it on Wattpad (which had my own Arc that involved around Marine Cultures of Sea Life since Splatoon is another one of those Beach/Ocean themed Media of Video Games). I even had Greek Gods in my that Other AU of Mine (I haven't been in an SMG4 mood since and I'm still doubting about wanting to remake it like maybe change my own SMG4 AU Arc up a bit and maybe take out the Greek Gods away OR just only keep one of them like Zeus for instance just so that I would keep focusing on my true Take on Greco-Roman Mythology which is in My Own SpongeBob AU for now on).

So yeah, I would just probably have to remake my SMG4 AU just so that people wouldn't be confuse by my other AU which also has Greek Gods in it (Little Reminder that just because I have been using Gods in my AU stories doesn't mean I'm gonna keep using the Greek Gods in ALL of my AU stories because that would be very boring and overused a lot so I would just only use them only for a Single AU of Mine). I would just have to probably remove the Greek Gods for my SMG4 AU and keep them only for my SpongeBob AU since Neptune and Poseidon are around (which means I could perhaps re-write my own SMG4 Arc).

I have been recently thinking that maybe I could also add in the Other Water Deities from Other Mythologies as well as adding in Other Non-Water Gods with them. It would be like on how if SpongeBob SquarePants was like a Disney's Hercules 2.0. (Adding in Other Mythologies including both the Other Foreign Water Deities and The Non-Water Gods all together), quite similar to yours when you design what the Other Gods would look like if they were in Hercules ^^

I'm somehow unsure if Hillenburg himself was ever a Mythologist on Ancient Greece and Rome. Perhaps he was somehow fascinated in Poseidon and that's how his own personal take on Neptune was born (I dunno, just a little guess ;^^).

I know that the Show itself isn't all about Mythology but just only imagine if they ever did on personal takes on Other Gods (then Neptune and Poseidon wouldn't have to be the only ones). I've been a Greco-Roman Mythologist for a very long time ever since I got into Lore Olympus since 2018 and it has really made Me love Greek Mythology and all of its Personal Takes on it (either in Movies, Shows, Books, Video Games, ect.) I'll never hate on any adaptation of Greco-Roman Mythology, no matter on how the Gods are portrayed differently from their Mythical Names.

Anyways, I just wanna say, Thank You for your Kind Compliment, it really warms up my Heart. It's very nice to see on someone who loves my own versions on Greek and Roman Gods as separated people, as well as being accurate to what they would look like in the Franchise's Style! 💗

[soft-humming-moon]

FAMILY BRUNCH

An afternoon at the Toru Estate sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to everyone else—but to me, it’s an average Thursday. Every lunch, Laque always invites me and Danilo out to join him and his family for dinner. And after lunch, he indulges us on the amenities stored away in the nooks and crannies of the estate.

Laque always enjoys spending the afternoon with us—even if it’s for a few hours. I’m sure he doesn’t mind the mess that’s left from the weekly get-togethers, but I try and stay as cordial within reason.

The chateau is always as immaculate as an advertisement. With all of the servants working underneath the family’s rule, it’s rare—if not impossible—to find a smidge of dirt or grime left behind for any outside or indoor reason. At the point in his life, I believe Laque’s grown numb to the pristine. If I brought him to my house, he’d faint upon entrance.

“Glad you could come this week!” Laque cheerfully thanked us between each sip of some exotic wine, “The week’s been tough—with all the tourists and all. Honestly, I’m a little surprised you two made it on time! I was expecting some sort of mild delay.”

Danilo—seated on the opposite side of the table—was hardly swayed by the extravagant aesthetic laid out by the mansion. The gold and marble rooted within the various materials and fabrics barely held an effect to his mannerisms. Even in his words, he spoke as if he was home, “We left early. Dani was finishing up with her work for the night, so it was a little bit of a crunch.”

Laque, on the other hand, was interested in the small explanation Danilo gave him. Not that he assumed it was a lie—no. Every facet of any of our lives as something the aristocrat enjoyed hearing about. “Ah! I don’t suppose you two see each other much, no? You always work while the sun’s bright while Dani’s wide awake at midnight! What do you say you do again, Dani?”

“Online content creation,” I recited, “I can work whichever schedule I want, as long as it stays consistent on the other side.”

“I envy her a little bit.” Danilo waited until he finished with his current bite off his plate before continuing with his thoughts. “I had to fight to shift my hours on Thursday—switch from starting in the morning to the afternoon. Her? She just has to make sure whatever she needs to do is prepared.”

While none of what Danilo said was a lie, it was still sugarcoated to a small degree. As easy as his explanation sounds, the work required isn’t simply adhering to a schedule. Right now, I didn’t want to focus on the full logistics with my food still in front of me. I kept myself silent as the two cousins reconnected.

“You know, you’ve never really spoken about why you left your family,” the aristocrat moved on to a new topic, “You don’t have to answer this—of course. I’m just a little curious. Is it all really because you didn’t want their protection?”

Even with the question, Danilo wouldn’t budge in emotion. From his expressions, what was seemingly a touchy subject wasn’t much of an issue with him. He responded with a collected tone, “I just don’t want to live out the rest of my days without some sort of struggle.”

A confused expression overtook Laque as he heard Danilo’s response. “Our ancestors did the hard work for us, you know. I mean, if I bog myself down in needless strain, there’ll be less time to enjoy life in the moment. You know?”

“That’s what my coworkers think. Why am I—a descendant of wealth—working a nine-to-five at a warehouse? It’s like they’re staring directly at a descendant of European royalty.”

Laque didn’t seem to be affected by Danilo’s words. He would still listen on, but he would finish his plate while allowing his cousin to finish.

“I’m just not suited for this type of lifestyle. I mean, sure. We both graduated from the same prestigious private school near the Strip. But that felt like our parents just handed the school money to claim we’re up to standard with the curriculums. Graduating from that school was enough of a credit to where I didn’t need to search far for a job. I didn’t work for anything in life—I don’t like that.”

After his winded spiel, Danilo took a moment to recompose himself. While I silently cleaned what little crumbs remained off my plate, I scanned my head back and forth to look back towards the two. From Danilo’s scathing words, I expected Laque’s demeanor to shift from jovial to grave.

Despite my assumptions, he seemed to be happy with the response Danilo gave. “Well, I can’t really tell you how to live. At least you can live a normal life in this town. I’d hate to juggle a full time job while in fear of some shapeshifting beast, you know?”

“Hm,” Danilo muttered out, “You could say that.”

Once I finished my plate, I would leave all of my used silverware on top as I silently departed from the table. I couldn’t muster any words to announce that I was leaving. While Laque didn’t seem to notice, Danilo slightly turned his attention toward me before returning his gaze to his cousin.

“Well, hey!” Laque continues, “You know of one of my friends—right? Mute, pink tips with thin, round glasses? Last I got in touch with them, they were defending their family from the town’s undead infestation.”

While I snuck off, I continued to eavesdrop on the conversation while putting my attention towards Danilo’s slight movements. I watched as he adjusted his position in his seat at the mention of Laque’s friend. “Yeah, I’ve heard of him.”

“It can’t get worse than that, right? We live in the greatest city in the Strip, and I’m sure you’d do the same to protect your lifestyle if there was some issue with this town. Probably not some loyalty to the town—I could be wrong—but just to keep some normalcy in your life!”

The rest of the conversation devolved beyond a point where I could handle it. With shaky hands, I navigate down the flight of stairs to the basement where I take my residence on an expansive sofa. My emotion melted away at my insides as I confined myself within my own thoughts.

Even through layers of left-around blankets, my skin felt cold to the touch as I failed to focus on any of the details beyond the nearby coffee table. Part of me desperately yearned to reach for my phone—to grant myself some escape from my overwhelming emotions. However, a louder half forced me to remain curled up on the sofa, shivering.

The passage of time slipped away from my thoughts. What was once a laser-focus on each passing second gave way to more pressing priorities. Could I really drive home in this condition? How long do I need to keep this secret from Laque? The logical part of my thoughts knew the frenzy of emotions held no reason to shake me to this level. It was an off-handed mention, he wasn’t talking about me. Nonetheless, the simple realization wasn’t enough to break through the fog.

Suddenly, I felt a warm grasp on both of my hands. As my fingers curled around each hand, I haphazardly looked up to see Danilo standing right in front of me. While my focus would swiftly snap to his yellow eyes, I slowly sat up on the couch with my grasp tightening around his hands.

“That bad?” he questioned, “I know what he said—I didn’t think it was that bad. But, I can’t really dismiss it. Are you okay?”

I barely managed to push out any verbal response to him. Before I could try at a second attempt, Danilo lifted one of his hands off from my grasp. His freed hand pulls the blanket around my head off to my shoulders to reveal my frayed hair. With gently strokes, he softly combs through my hair without breaking his attention.

“I have to go to work, but if you really don’t want to stay any longer, just say you have to leave to grab my missing bag from the house for me. Is there anything you need?”

Danilo’s words were a softer in tone than they were at the dinner table. I’ve already recognized why, yet his quietened voice hadn’t lost its charm. With a tight pull, I wrap both of my arms around his body while pressing my exposed face against his clothes.

“Don’t go,” I squeaked out, “Please.”

“I wish…” Danilo slowly stepped away as his hands returned to his side. “I’ll try and get home as soon as possible, okay? Sorry lunch turned out like this.”

As I accepted Danilo’s departure, I gave a small wave goodbye as he left up the stairs. After he left, I kept my attention to the closed door at the top of the stairs. What good was there but to stare? Eventually, I followed suit to return back to Laque. I felt better, no doubt. Even for a short moment, the brief time I spent with Danilo was enough to revitalize me for just a little bit longer.

[wishing4nuclearwinter]

4, 11, 19, 32, & 63- dealer’s choice for the OCs👀

[69 OC questions]

I uh. Wrote this out then got distracted looking for memes and forgot to actually post it. Anyways. Rolling the OC dice…. let’s go with Agustin, Cres, and Allegra

4. what one person, place, or thing do they love more than anything else?

Agustin: His mother. He sacrificed everything to protect her, including his own ability to see her

Cres: It’s difficult to say. I think Evander and Agustin may be tied, but after losing both of them Allegra became the most important person in their life

Allegra: She is brimming with love for everything and everyone around her, it’s really impossible to narrow it down to just one. Cres, her horse, and her home are top three

11. if they have a pet or animal companion, how do they spend time with them? if they don’t have one, what sort of animal would they be interested in raising, if any?

Agustin: He doesn’t have one, though he likes working with Antony’s hounds. He would love to have his own dog. He’d train it for tracking

Cres: Post canon they end up getting a horse at Allegra’s insistence. It’s mainly for traveling, but they do find caring for it to be calming. They would also really enjoy having a cat but I don’t think the idea has ever occurred to them

Allegra: She adores her big dumb mutated horse. She honestly spends a lot of time with Bunny (the horse) between normal care, training, and dotting on her. Allegra just loves animals in general, it’s a wonder she hasn’t taken to collecting every stray she comes across

19. what sparks genuine, unadulterated rage in them?

Agustin: It’s really difficult to elicit rage from him as a general rule, but killing or threatening the people he truly cares about is a good way to get it out of him

Cres: Similarly to Agustin, they are slow to anger. Apart from hurting their loved ones, talking down to them, belittling them, etc. over an extended period of time will build up rage until they finally snap

Allegra: Needless cruelty, whether through actions or words

32. which of your decisions led to their voice being the way it is?

Agustin: Hm this is an interesting question. I’m not sure if I’m interpreting it right but— I don’t think there were many big personality altering decisions or changes I made after his creation, but rather many smaller adjustments that defined him. A lot of it was finding the dichotomy between him and Sol and, perhaps more importantly, figuring out what they shared— the fundamental core of their person. That had a huge impact on his voice

Also the decision to make one of his primary motivations survival reframed how I wrote his perspective

Cres: Placing them in their dynamic with Evander ended up shaping them more than I expected to be honest. One of those ‘OC starts telling you about themself’ kind of things. It revealed a lot about their world view, inner self, and motivations

Allegra: Well she’s pretty new to the Fallout sandbox, but she’s been my Dragon Age Inquisitor for a while. The central piece of her I decided to focus on is her capacity for love and optimism, even as she experiences horrors beyond her comprehension. That has influenced a lot of how she approaches and interacts with the world

63. what’s a meme or tiktok or vine (or whatever) that you associate with them?

Agustin:

Cres:

Allegra:

[thegamingmonk]

Encanto Headcanons #6

Yeah we're back baby! (Kinda). Now we got Disney confirming Encanto as a franchise?? Where's my show PLEASE!!!

Camilo has never been more disappointed than finding out he was about the same height as Bruno.

Pepa laughed her ass off when she found out Camilo thought Bruno was 7 foot.

Bruno thought it was sweet but also could never even imagine himself hitting 5'6".

Dolores and Camilo are the type of siblings to wish nothing but hell itself upon each other and then go get food and gossip together.

Dolores is a professional chancla thrower, taught from the best (Félix with the aim, Julieta with the accuracy, Alma with the energy).

Needless to say, Camilo fears One Thing.

It doesn't matter how old they'll get, nothing will stop Pepa and Bruno going out of their way to bother Julieta together when they're bored.

Julieta thought they'd stop when they reached their 20s at least. Years later and poor woman is a fool for thinking so.

Félix still carries all his kids like they're still babies. Antonio loves being carried, Dolores doesn't mind but does get a little embarrassed, and Camilo just goes limp cat on him.

Modern AU Bruno would go into the Olympics simply from that whole chase scene throughout Casita's walls.

The man knows all sorts of parkour. He teaches Camilo and Mirabel his moves. Dolores gets her 10/10 cardio from him (seriously, how the hell did she get from the hill to Casita so fast-).

Dolores and Bruno: the cryptid uncle-niece duo.

Sometimes Antonio will follow Luisa on donkey duty so he can talk with them. Apparently the donkeys are big fans of Luisa.

He tries to convince them to make his prima's life a bit easier and not escape as much. They'll try at least.

Miraboo is Agustín go-to nickname for Mirabel. Nobody else can call her that or she'll personally break their knees.

Sometimes when Dolores has no one else to talk to, she talks to Casita. A house can be a really good listener!

Pepa taught Mirabel how to sew. When Mirabel was younger, the two would just sit on her bed, sewing away.

More than once has Pepa tried to steal Mirabel away from Julieta. Soon she'll achieve.

Julieta knows how to use a rolling pin like a bat and it strikes fear in the heart of her siblings.

Camilo insisted that instead of "puberty", he'd call it "photosynthesis" for Isabela.

Dolores can wiggle her ears. Little ear wiggles.

Due to the family's natural clumsiness (or more Julieta's side of the family), Casita now has natural instincts on catching people from falling into mishap.

Casita gets so giddy when the family starts decorating it for parties. It feels pretty :3

Agustín and Mirabel have swapped glasses before, many times, just to see how it feels. Julieta fusses at them afterwards when they're complaining about headaches and eyes hurting.

Isabela may or may not chuck cacti for a living at people who talks bad about Mirabel.

"The not special special?? Oh hell no-"

Mirabel and Félix are peas in a pod, their positive energy nearly blinding the whole family when they're together.

Alma used to be a menace to society before she met Pedro. Now the triplets know who they get it from.

Pedro was more on the wholesome side but also had his moments when he'd be up to no good.

Chaotic energy came from Alma, sassiness came from Pedro.

Pepa is strong enough to lift up Luisa.

Alma will just sometimes sit in the middle of the grandkids' chaos and sip tea, enjoying the life of being an abuela.

Mariano likes to do origami in his free time. Every week he gives Dolores a new creation.

He even starts to make some for the rest of the Madrigals.

Mirabel "Dolores, I'm stealing your boyfriend for the day" and Dolores "Return him by 6" Madrigal.

Mirabel with Camilo is chaotic neutral while Mirabel with Mariano is chaotic good.

Rock kid Dolores. I'm in love with this headcanon, you have no idea.

Antonio starts to take after Bruno a lot more with his quietness and preference to talking to animals. Pepa doesn't know whether to consider this sweet or concerning.

Neither does Bruno, to be honest.

I have so many thoughts about this family, it's not even funny... But that's all for now folks!

[ahkaahshi]

a parenting moment [miya atsumu x reader]

pairing: miya atsumu x fem reader

genre: fluff

warning(s): none

word count: 2.3k

overview: when yours and atsumu’s five-year-old daughter gets into trouble at school, it’s up to him to practice his good parenting skills

note: though this is a reader insert story, it focuses more on atsumu’s relationship with his daughter and sheds some light on how I think he would be as a dad :) also I wrote this months ago and am just now posting lol hope you enjoy

Atsumu’s features settle into a look of discontentment as his honey colored eyes scan his young daughter’s short figure, taking note of her dirtied shoes and the slightly disheveled appearance of the French braids he’d woven into her dark hair that morning. Wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead and letting out a small sigh, he asks, “What happened, girly?”

She turns her (e/c) gaze towards the polished wooden flooring of the large gym and mutters, “I got in a fight at school and they made Mommy pick me up.”

Instead of towering over her, as he had inadvertently been doing before, Atsumu kneels down in front of her and places his hand on her shoulder. “Hey, look at me, (daughter’s name),” he requests, making her tilt her chin up the smallest amount so her eyes can meet his. When their gazes connect, he purses his lips before saying, “We’ll talk about it when we get home, ‘kay? Right now, Daddy’s gotta practice, so jus’ sit tight with Coach Foster for a bit ‘n hang out.”

She nods slowly and Atsumu lifts her light blue backpack off of her shoulders to carry it with him over to the bench beside the court where his team is currently running through serve-receive drills. The head coach gives him a small nod of acknowledgement and a promise that he’ll protect her from any rogue volleyballs as she takes a seat.

Knowing that his daughter’s safety is in good hands and that she’s occupied--since she had pulled out a notebook from her backpack to doodle and write in--gives Atsumu a sliver of comfort as he returns to his practice. It takes himself some time to get his thoughts off of her, however, given the situation.

Minutes earlier, you had appeared at the gym with (daughter’s name) and offered a brief explanation of the matter at hand. You’d had to pick her up from school after receiving a call that she’d gotten into trouble, but, because of your own responsibilities at work, you’d had to drop her off with your husband. According to what the teachers had explained, she had gotten into a physical altercation with another student that had ended in tears, screaming, a few scrapes, and a dropped popsicle--your daughter’s, unfortunately.

(Daughter’s name) was a well-behaved, studious girl--though she did have a bit of a wild, energetic streak in her, thanks to Atsumu--so to hear that she’d been involved in a fight was understandably shocking to both of you. Sure, she enjoyed roughhousing with her dad and her uncle, but you’d been adamant about reiterating that real fighting was not allowed.

Atsumu hated seeing his daughter so distressed. It broke his heart. Usually, she was upbeat and full of life, but, now, she looks so defeated and ashamed. In an attempt to cheer her up in any way he can, he enlists the help of Bokuto and Hinata to tell her funny stories during each water break; and while they provide her some temporary relief, the cloud of sadness casting a shadow over her still lingers.

Though she holds onto his hand and clings to his side during the commute back home, she’s unnaturally quiet, and goes straight to her room upon returning to the house. He decides it best to leave her alone for a bit, but he can’t ignore how quiet the house feels without the sound of her favorite show blaring from the television in the living room. To busy himself for some time while you’re at work and she’s in her room, Atsumu sets himself to whipping up a snack after he’s taken a shower, and icing his aching joints.

After preparing some onigiri that looks rather sloppy compared to that his brother always serves, Atsumu shuffles down the hallway towards his daughter’s room. Her door is open, so he can see her sitting on her bed with a selection of colored pencils strewn across the comforter, and one in her hand that she’s using to color in a project she has to complete for class.

“Hey, girly,” he greets her and stands in the doorway, “Wanna eat some onigiri with me?”

She doesn’t respond verbally, but nods her head without lifting it to look over at him. So, he walks into her room and plops down on the bed beside her, setting the plate down in front of him. Before he can even get so far as to offer her one of his homemade creations, he hears her sniffle loudly.

Turning his honey-colored gaze to her brings him to the realization that she's stopped coloring and, instead, has her hands pressed against her face as her body shakes with quiet sobs. His paternal instincts to protect and comfort her immediately kick in, and he pushes the plate aside so he can sling an arm around her shoulder to pull her closer to him.

“Hey, hey, li’l princess, what’s goin’ on?” he murmurs.

She leans closer to him but keeps her hands over her face. “It wasn’t my fault, Daddy,” she whimpers softly, the sound of her strained voice nearly shattering her father’s heart, “There’s a really, really mean girl in my class. She always pulls my hair, a-and takes my markers, and cuts in line so she gets the last orange popsicle--and that’s my favorite flavor--and... I hate her!”

Atsumu grabs a tissue to dab at the tears spilling down her cheeks once he gently moves her hands away from her face. He’s silent for a moment as the previous sadness he felt at his daughter’s suffering morphs into anger upon hearing that she was being bullied. “Didja hit ‘er 'cause she was bein’ mean?”

She nods and cries, “S-She pushed me during recess ‘nd I got mad and pushed her back,” before finally lifting her head to gaze up at him with watery, (e/c) eyes. “I didn’t mean to hurt her, Daddy! I-I was just scared she was gonna hurt me!”

Wrapping both of his arms around her small frame, Atsumu brings her face to his chest and holds her tightly in his embrace in an attempt to comfort her. “It’s alright, (daughter’s name). Mommy ‘nd I will make sure this gets fixed, ‘kay?” The grip she has on the back of his t-shirt tightens slightly as she presses her face into his shoulder. One of his hands rubs her back to calm her down while the other smooths down any stray hairs sticking up from her head.

After a few minutes of crying, whimpering, and venting, she’s finally relaxed enough to let her dad lead her into the living room so they can sit and watch a few episodes of her favorite show together while snacking on onigiri.

“Hey,” he calls out to her, making her tear her wide-eyed gaze away from the television screen, “I know me, Mommy, ‘n Uncle ‘Samu always say that fightin’ ain’t the right way ta go about things, but I’m proud of ya for stickin’ up for yourself, girly.”

A small smile sprouts across her lips that’s made even cuter by the fact that her cheeks are puffing out from the amount of rice she has in her mouth. The sight makes him chuckle and ruffle her hair.

“But don’t go tellin’ Mommy I said that. Instead, use yer words, find one of the teachers, ‘n let ‘em deal with whoever’s givin’ ya trouble, alright?”

When she’s finished chewing her food, she replies, “M’kay.”

“Mind tellin’ me what started the fight in the first place?” he asks, one of his thick eyebrows raising in curiosity.

She twiddles her thumbs and slowly directs her gaze back to the television. “She made me drop my popsicle when she pushed me.”

“And it was your favorite flavor, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah...”

With a hearty laugh, he comments, “Man, you really are yer mom’s daughter, ya know that? She don’t mess around when food’s involved.”

The sounds of his daughter's giggles ripple through the air, sending waves of warmth over him as he continues telling her stories about all the times he’d dealt with you getting on his case about food or treat-related issues. He made sure to include an anecdote about a time when you’d nearly knocked him over after he’d jokingly swiped your candy bar during lunch in high school. 

Needless to say, he never did it again out of the fear that Osamu wouldn't let him live it down if he got destroyed by a high school girl over food. However, the passion and unrelenting desire he’d seen in your eyes that day had made him absolutely sure that you were the one for him.

By the time you step into the house a few hours later, your daughter--being the mature, young girl she was--has moved her schoolwork from her bedroom to the living room table to do her assignments while her dad snoozes on the couch. Upon noticing that she’s in a better mood than she had been when you’d dropped her off at the gym with Atsumu, your heart lifts slightly.

“Hey, honey,” you greet her as you slide off your shoes and set your purse down on a table in the entryway, “What’re you up to?”

She holds up a piece of paper with colored markings on it that vaguely resemble Atsumu’s tall figure holding what you assume to be a volleyball, along with a few, familiar faces in the background. “I have to draw a picture of what you and Daddy do at work to show my teacher.”

You smile at her and plant a kiss atop her head before commenting, “Looks good so far. You drew Bokuto-san’s hair perfectly.” She chuckles and quickly returns to her masterpiece, since your compliment seems to spur her to keep creating. “I’m gonna talk to Daddy, real quick, okay? I wanna see how you draw Omi-san’s hair when we’re done.”

With that said and your daughter on a mission to produce her version of the prickly, outside hitter on Atsumu’s team, you rouse your husband from his nap so the two of you can head into your room to talk about the situation. Once out of earshot, he explains what your daughter had told him and the two of you work together to devise a plan and time to speak with her teacher about the true story. Amazingly enough, this entire exchange occurrs without your usual, good-natured--but sometimes cumbersome--squabbling.

“Hey, ‘Tsumu,” you call out to him, reaching for his hand and wrapping your fingers around it gingerly. 

He had been on his way to the bedroom door so he could head to the kitchen and start making dinner while you showered, but he stops in his tracks and turns to face you once more. When your eyes meet, your heart skips a beat, like always.

Taking a deep breath, you tell him, “Even though we may argue from time to time about parenting, and you sometimes let her have just a tad too much sugar before conveniently deciding to take a nap so you don’t have to deal with her going berserk, there's nobody else in the world that I’d rather share a kid with than you. She loves you so much, and so do I.”

His unoccupied hand finds your waist to pull you closer to him, and he leans down towards you to plant a gentle kiss on your lips. As per usual, the tender moment you shared doesn’t last long, since he always has something smart to say. “What’s gotcha all sentimental, (f/n)? Does seein’ me doin’ fatherly things give ya the hots for me, or somethin’?”

“Oh, yeah, sleeping on the couch while our self-starter of a child does homework by herself is so fatherly.”

He frowns. “I had a long practice. Bein’ a professional athlete is hard work, baby.”

 With a sardonic smile on your face, you mention, “Working a nine-to-five is pretty tiring too, baby.”

“Fair,” he groans and slides his arms around your back, “But, seriously, what’s got you feelin’ all in love with me, huh?”

You snicker at his tone and the mischievous look on his face as you brush his golden hair away from his eyes before letting your hands come to rest on his cheeks. “It’s just that when I picked (daughter’s name) up from school today, she was all sad and mopey. Yet, when I come home after dropping her off with you, she’s all smiles and rainbows again. It just reminds me of how good you are to her and it makes me happy that she has you as a father.”

A genuine smile rather than a sly one appears on his lips, and you press your own against them to give him a few, affectionate kisses.

“You know I’d do anything for my favorite, li’l girl, (f/n). She’s only as good of a kid as she is 'cause of you, anyway.”

Your lips form a giddy grin, as if he’s a high school crush who’s just delivered the sweetest of compliments to you, and you allow him to pull you closer so he can shower you with more kisses. “I love you, baby,” you murmur as you plant another peck on his cheek.

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

There’s a short moment of silence as he pulls you into a tight hug that seems to wash away all the stress that you didn't even realize had been building up within you at the day you’ve had. His breath fans across the tender skin of your neck when he nestles his face there and allows his hands to roam up and down your back. However, after the two of you release each other, you notice a sneaky smile playing at his lips that oftentimes makes you wary.

“Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“Wanna go see (daughter’s name)’s rendition of Omi-Omi?”

Chuckling and following him out of the bedroom, you agree, “Wouldn’t miss it.”

masterlist ⭐︎ treat me to a coffee!

taglists (see pinned post on my blog for form)

general: @krynnza, @yamagucji​, @tendo-sxtori, @dinablossom, @newfriendjen, @devlovesramen, @ohbyunhunn, @aftcrlust, @mister-future, @kyleclxin, @kac-chowsballs, @osamusmiya, @nit-sir-hc, @arixtsukki, @shinsurou, @ichorizaki, @dominikmagnus​

atsumu: @pretty-setters, @misora-msby, @why-aminot-dead, @lotsoffandomrecs, @tsumue, @heyhinata

[teawaffles]

The Conspiratorial Bullet: Chapter 2

“Oh my…… I thought this would be nothing more than a war game, but it’s certainly more nerve-wracking than I expected.”

The participants had taken their places, and around five minutes had passed since the game began. Kevin was whispering to Albert beside him as they walked, while pointing the gun he’d received in every direction around him. But in contrast to the jittery man, Albert had the relaxed air of a soldier.

“Certainly, this is a feeling of tension one wouldn’t normally get to experience. In fact, the enemy might just be around that corner.”

“What!? Really?”

Panicked, Kevin’s eyes darted all around them in a fluster. That disproportionate reaction elicited a wry laugh from Albert.

“Although it’s important to be aware of your surroundings, if you’re that stiff, your movements will be slow when it’s time to fight. Please relax a little.”

“I-I see. Yes, you’re right……”

Kevin nodded. Beside him, Albert’s guard was impeccable as he watched the leaves swaying in the slight breeze.

The playing field encompassed the entire forest. That said, as it wasn’t a vast area, there was no danger of getting lost. In addition, there was a little cabin in the woods, used on a daily basis by the gamekeeper who managed the hunting grounds; as they had obtained permission to use it during the game, indoor battles were also an option.

For the purposes of safety, all players were obliged to wear spectacles shaped to resemble goggles, as well as bulletproof vests. The guns they had been issued fell into two categories: revolvers and sniper rifles. As a forfeit, and also to pass the time, eliminated players were tasked to feed pheasant chicks at a game bird nursery a good distance away.

Incidentally, Herder had also wanted to impose a severe punishment in the event a gun was damaged. Foreseeing that this would create needless worry, Moran and the others had swiftly hushed him before the words left his mouth.

Thinking back to the explanation of the rules, Kevin looked at the revolver in his hand.

“In any case, this gun is exquisitely crafted. As it was mentioned earlier that the guns used fake bullets, I imagined it would resemble a toy, but it looks exactly like the real thing.”

“I’m pleased to hear that, though it’s all due to Herder’s exceptional skill. I heard he oversaw the creation of these weapons down to the finest details.”

Kevin looked at the card attached to his gun with string. Written on it was a number 8.

“I see: so this is a measure to prevent the guns from getting lost. But if they are so important, I thought it would be safer to carve the numbers directly onto them.”

“You may be right; in which case, we may’ve caused everyone some inconvenience.”

Albert said that with a slightly apologetic tone, and Kevin waved it off.

“No, no — if anything, it reflects his passion, and I honestly respect that. Even though I work in a different field, I have a lot to learn from him as a professional.”

“Thank you very much. I’m sure Herder would be delighted to hear that,” Albert replied, with sincere joy.

However, in an instant, Kevin’s expression seemed to grow a little darker.

“Still, maybe I shouldn’t have brought Helena here after all. She absolutely insisted on coming, so I relented, but with the guns looking so real, that…… I wonder if it’ll remind her of that incident.”

Albert could sense what he was trying to say.

“For that, I sincerely apologise. This event must seem somewhat inappropriate after what she went through.”

Hearing Albert take his remark so seriously, Kevin tried to explain himself in a fluster.

“N-No, it’s alright, I did not mean it as criticism. Besides, Helena seemed to be especially enjoying herself too.”

“Nonetheless, please allow me to apologise, for it may be the case that she’s simply putting up a strong front.”

At that, Kevin cocked his head in confusion.

“……Then, why did you decide to hold this game?”

Albert’s reply sounded almost as if he was speaking to himself.

“——Because it’s part of our ‘plan’.”

“Huh?”

Unsure of the meaning behind that word, the question fell from his lips before he could stop himself. But Albert did not elaborate further.

The conversation had unwittingly ground to a halt. Just as Kevin was searching for a different topic to talk about, Albert’s sharp gaze landed on a nearby thicket.

“There’s someone there.”

“Huh? Really?”

Bewildered, Kevin looked in the same direction. Then they heard the sound of leaves rustling, and the undergrowth parted to reveal an elderly nobleman.

Seeing the person before them, Albert lowered his gun. A warm smile rose to his face.

“……So it was you, Lord Andy. I thought you were the enemy.” [1]

“Hello, Albert-kun. Just for fun, I thought I’d hide and see how long it took you both to spot me, but it seems you discovered me instantly. As expected of the young, your perceptiveness is incredibly sharp,” he laughed, ruffling his own short white hair. He was also on the same team as Albert and Kevin.

The elderly nobleman was Andy Krueger, whose estate extended across the surrounding lands; he also owned the hunting grounds on which the game was being held. Today’s game had been brought into reality after Albert proposed the idea to him.

For such an important gathering on the social calendar, one would normally be hesitant to transform it into an unorthodox event like this. But Andy had jumped at the offer, and even offered his opinions on the finer points of the game. Because of this generous and broad-minded nature of his, he also had the trust of the other nobles.

At the man’s arrival, for some reason, Kevin sighed in relief.

“Please don’t surprise me like that — unlike Lord Albert, I was frightened half to death.”

“Sorry about that, Kevin-kun. But aren’t you being too timid? Have a little more nerve!”

“I’ll do my best.”

At their friendly banter, Albert seemed curious.

“Are both of you already acquainted?”

“Yes,” Kevin affirmed. “We got to know each other when Helena’s father and I were gaining recognition in London. Ever since that time, the nobility had not looked fondly upon us, and only Lord Andy treated us as equals.”

Kevin looked gratefully at the nobleman as he said this, and Andy clapped his shoulder heartily.

“Those aristocrats are really quite averse to the changing times, it seems. But I have no interest in such dreadful traditions. Even at the gathering earlier, they were keeping their distance and saying such rude things that I had to tell them off. Although I hadn’t seen them in a while, because of that, I didn’t even get a chance to say hello— Ah, apologies.”

“No, it’s fine, Lord Andy. You don’t have to apologise,” Kevin said, waving both hands in the air. “Rather, after hearing that you went to such lengths for a good-for-nothing like me, I’m truly grateful.”

“What’s this? Timid as ever, I see,” Andy barked. “You’re an excellent businessman, so why not act like it?”

Then the elderly nobleman’s expression, which had been cheerful thus far, clouded over just a little.

“Nevertheless, I still feel sorry for your friend. At least, his daughter Helena seems to be doing well…… Have there been no clues even now?”

Kevin’s tone also grew heavy.

“……None at all. Helena believes he’s alive, but personally, I think he’s no longer……”

“He’d suddenly vanished, didn’t he?”

Out of the blue, Albert cut in. The two men were startled, but Albert continued with a somewhat knowing look.

“After the incident at the department store, I became curious, and tried doing some research into it myself. It seems there are various peculiarities about this case. For one, the store Helena’s father opened with Mr Kevin had been a success, but one day, he simply disappeared without warning. On the night he was thought to have disappeared, when he was having dinner at home, a friend testified that nothing had seemed particularly off about him.”

“Moreover, that was the last time I saw him. I never thought it would be the last conversation we’d have together……”

Kevin — the friend who’d testified — said so in a thin voice, the corners of his mouth twitching as if in self-mockery.

“Of course, at first, the police suspected that I had something to do with it. They even went to the trouble of thinking up a motive: that as a co-owner, I would stand to gain all the store’s profits if he were to disappear.”

Thinking back to that false accusation, Kevin’s shoulders drooped. Seeing that, Andy addressed him in a droll voice.

“Come now, you never know — one day he might just come home all of a sudden. I’ve told you before: there’s nothing we can do at present, and on top of that, worrying unnecessarily will only injure your health.”

“……You’re right. Besides, we’re supposed to be having fun right now: if I’m the only one being so grave, I’ll just be putting a damper on things.”

“Exactly, exactly. Well then, let’s get back to the game,” Andy urged, thumping him on the back.

Albert, who had been watching their exchange with a calm gaze, smiled gently.

“Indeed; let us focus on the competition first. By the way, it’s about time for us to get our blood pumping…… I’d like to advance deeper into enemy territory. What say you two?”

At his invitation, Kevin quickly shook his head.

“No no no! Frankly, since the start of the game, my heart’s felt like it’s about to explode! Anything more than this and it’ll stop altogether!”

But the elderly nobleman threw his head back in hearty laughter.

“You young people have so much energy, it’s making me jealous. Kevin-kun, you’ve got to watch and learn as well.”

“No…… When I think about what lies ahead, somehow my legs can’t stop shaking,” Kevin murmured weakly. His legs were indeed trembling pitifully, so much so it wouldn’t be surprising for them to give out any moment now.

Andy sighed, as if astonished.

“It can’t be helped then. Sorry, Albert-kun — it seems he can’t go on. I’d like to say that I’ll go with you in his stead, but…… for some reason, my legs have been hurting for a while now. Despite my high spirits, my years have bested me today,” he laughed wryly, his expression weak.

Albert nodded firmly.

“I understand. Well then, let’s part ways here. I wish you both the best of luck.”

“T-Take care……”

Watching Albert’s brave figure as he walked gallantly into the depths of the forest, Kevin felt ashamed at his own cowardice once again.

Scoreboard

🔹 Blue team: Albert, Jack, Fred, William, Kevin, Andy

🔺 Red team: Moran, Bond, Louis, Helena

Footnotes:

[1] Andy’s title is not formally given in the story, but judging from the amount of land he owns, I think it’s safe to say that he’s a member of the peerage like Albert, and hence should be addressed as “Lord Andy”. (Wikipedia)

[outivv]

KSDJKSVB- okay so,,,The Boys are out eating with their crush after a hard commission, and they're eating their respective meals. Then she offers them a bite of her meal and extends her fork/spoon towards them. But when they lean in to take a bite, she just kisses them out of nowhere, then just goes back to eating, and leaves them a blushing mess. Also, don't stress over stupid ship wars, it's really pointless, so don't let it get you down! And lemme hug you, you adorable child, accept my love.

Synopsis: tall boys have dinner with y/n after they get back from a commission and y/n kisses them out if nowhere.

Warnings: none

Game/ fandom: genshin impact

Pronouns for reader: I tried to make it clear that y/n goes by she/her in this one (cause I’m assuming that’s what you wanted based off of your request?) but I typically don’t mention pronouns.

Characters: zhongli, childe, kaeya, Diluc, and dainsleif (tall boys gang)

A/n: hello again! Thank you for requesting! I know not to worry about shipping wars, and I’m pretty neutral on them myself, but it’s still nice to have that reminder not to worry too much about them :). And I’ll only except that hug if I get to give you a virtual one back >:). Lol I hope you enjoy, and have a beautiful day, and take care if yourself! Drink some water and eat something if you haven’t yet! ❤️

Zhongli:

I think the moment zhongli knew you were back from your commission he’d invite you to one of (if not the) most fanciest place in liyue. To congratulate you on your safe return.

He’d want to hear everything about your adventure, and he’d listen intently the whole time. Zhongli may like hearing the sound of his own voice at times, but he’s truly a great listener deep down.

When your food comes you offer him a bite, to which he happily agrees. Though when you swiftly move your chopsticks out of the way and kiss him he’s taken aback. Happy. But surprised.

He never thought you’d be so bold. He’d just stare at you in awe with his mouth slightly agape. When you look at the flushed god in front of you, you merely chuckle and talk about how you bravely fought abyss mages of all kinds.

‘How can she just ignore that?’ He’ll think over and over again until he forgets about the food informs of him. He’ll be in shock for the rest of the night, though on the outside he’ll keep his composure and continue as if nothing happened just like you are. He feels like talking about it any make you feel uncomfortable and he doesn’t want to push you :(. Please bring it up sometime throughout the night or else he’ll be kinda disappointed.

Childe:

“Comrade! Welcome back, I heard that you fought well on your mission! You’ll join me for a victory dinner right?” Childe will say running after you in the hallways of the fatui headquarters. (Yes y/n is a fatui agent. No I don’t take criticism.) who are you to deny the harbinger of his request?

You walk into a very, very, very nice restaurant in snezhnaya. ‘Dang harbinger paychecks don’t disappoint.’ You think as childe acts like this restaurant is nothing.

Childe will ask you many many questions about what happened, listening very intently, and even responding a few times to show you just how engaged he was in the conversation.

When your food arrives it looks amazing, sure it’s just normal snezhnaya cuisine, but this is on another level. Childe asks for a bite of your food to which you agree, though you got a sudden idea.

You offer your fork towards the redhead but move it away at the last second, and leaned in to kiss him.

Needless to say all he says shaking his head is, “well... wasn’t expecting that.” His face turns a bright shade of red all the way up to his ears as he try’s to stuff his face full of food so he won’t have to respond to any questions you may have about his current flustered state.

It takes a lot to get the infamous childe, to be flustered and actively trying not to speak, so honestly kudos to you.

Kaeya:

“Ah welcome back honorary knight, good to see you’ve returned in one piece.” Kaeya will say greeting you at the gates of mondstadt. “Why don’t I treat you for being so responsible hm?”

He’ll bring you to good hunter for a meal, and catching you up on everything that’s happened in mondstadt.

When your food comes he’ll teasingly ask for a bite of your food, so when you agree to give him some he’s kinda surprised. I mean he’s not going to say no... but still it’s kinda a shock that you said yes.

He’ll lean in to take a bite but once again moving your fork away last second kissing him, he’s surprised at first but leans into the kiss, and cupping your cheek in his hand.

Once you finally break away you’re the one that’s breathless. Kaeya is flustered, yes, but still had to make you breathless at least once. If you got to surprise him he has to surprise you at least once.

Diluc:

“Ah I see you’re back, how about a drink? On the house.” Diluc will say when you walk into angels share. He heard you went on an important mission to some ruins in stormbearers point.

As he makes you a drink he’ll talk about how he could’ve helped you out if you needed it. Though you simply say that he had his own work to do and that you did just fine without him.

When he’s done making your drink you offer him a sip, while he’s tasted his own creations before, he didn’t think it could hurt to try it now. He leans in to try some when you move it out of the way and kiss him.

His face trunks to one of shock and he tries to cover his face with his hand to hide his embarrassment. He truly didn’t think you’d do that, not that he’s upset, but a weird side of him wishes he would’ve made the first move.

When you start talking about your commission like nothing happened he’ll just look at you with a look that says “really? Are you kidding me-“ because he wanted to say something about it but now it seems taht he’s lost his chance.

Dainsleif:

He wanted desperately to go on your mission with you but you told him that he couldn’t and to stay in mondstadt waiting for him. He oddly likes staring in once place for a while, so he didn’t complain... much.

“Welcome back traveler. I can make you some of your favorite food to celebrate your return if you’d like?” He’d ask once you walk into your home which he’s been staying in while you were gone. Food made by Dainsleif?! How were you going to refuse!

You’ll talk about your mission as he makes the food, and he’ll talk about some of his own adventures from all over teyvat.

I don’t think that Dainsleif eats too much, he’s just typically not hungry, and when he is it’s typically just for something small like a sandwich, so he takes up on the opportunity to try some of his own cooking.

Guiding the fork to his mouth you lean in quickly to kiss him. Shocked he doesn’t pull away, and when you pull away he stares at you in Shock, cheeks becoming dusted pink from his embarrassment.

He tries to muster up enough courage to say something, but when you go back to taking about your mission he quickly shuts up. He’ll make sure to talk about it later though, he’s big one to ignore something like that.

[squarefriend]

Mermay ended yesterday, but I’m sitting on the beach at this very moment so let’s fucking do this:

🌴🐬BEACH HEAD CANNONS!!!🐬🌴

Chara

❤️ They are actually rather neutral over the ocean. Far more of a skipping stones and playing in the lake kind of kid. Though, they do have a respect for the water’s raw power and changing tides. (Also seeing how much Undyne loves it made them want to appreciate the ocean more)

❤️ Thanks to being attached to Frisk’s soul, they kinda have to go to the beach all the time now. They like to go out as far as they can and walk along to the bottom, or float above Frisk and try to freak them out.

❤️ All that being said, they ADORE sharks. They nerd out every time they get to go to the aquarium. (Then get kinda embarrassed about it).

❤️ They have (on more than one occasion) convinced Frisk that because they’re a ghost they can see all the ghosts of everyone who’s drowned, and that yes, pirates ARE coming to get them...... It backfired at the notion that now Frisk WANTED to go meet the ghost pirates.

❤️ Had a brief period of wanting to be a mermaid, purely because A) Not a human and B) Typically man eaters. It suited their style

Frisk

❤️ They LOVE the ocean.... or rather, they love the beach. There’s one right at the edge of Ebbott City, so in the summer, they get to go up every weekend or so. And you can bet on that weekend, they have an absolute ball with whomever family/friend took them this time.

❤️ Their favorite part is exploring. They love to run around on the beach, looking for shells or any critters, as well as going out into as deep as the can in the ocean (usually only to be called back by their mom). Speak of the devil, Toriel bought them a snorkeling kit for their gotcha day and that thing has been used religiously ever since!

❤️ Every time they go the the car to go home, Frisk has to be checked by an adult (not either of the skelebros, they are WAY to lenient on this one) to make sure that they don’t have any stow away sea critters. One too many times of Frisk trying to keep a pet crab.

❤️ They take swimming lessons from Undyne! There were only a couple of misunderstandings over wether or not a humans could breathe underwater, but its all been sorted out! They’re doing really well!

❤️ They refuse to learn how to dive. Undyne has been trying to teach them for MONTHS now. It’s cannon ball or nothing, and they’re determined to keep it that way.

Flowey

❤️ Back when he was Asriel, he’d wanted to see the ocean. They don’t exactly have HUGE bodies of water in the underground like that, basically only the river. And no one swims in the river. Add in Chara’s talk of mermaids and their stories about lakes and skipping stones and all that.... It had been a big goal of his. Now that he’s there, and without the capabilities to swim or get in the water, and without the person who said they’d show him the surf.... it’s uh, it’s lost its appeal.

❤️ Frisk and Papyrus tried to get him to go out in one of those dog floaties. It looked pretty ridiculous and nearly tipped over a couple of times. Inevitably it was decided that it was just best to just keep him on the shore or in the shallows strapped to someone’s chest.

❤️ Usually he just sits on the shore with Paps, Frisk, or Toriel. He (begrudgingly) likes to make sand castles. He’s actually gotten quite good at them. Either that or eat nice cream.

❤️ Papyrus made him tiny sunglasses. He wears them every time they go to the beach.

❤️ When he does go into the water, he likes to stick his head under the serf and try to find fish. He actually managed to catch one in his mouth once, both impressive and terrifying.

Toriel

❤️ She is fond of the beach. Not so much the water, but she does enjoy the occasional swim with Frisk. Would probably like going out on a boat, though she has never tried it.

❤️ Usually while the rest of the family swims, she’s on the shore in her beach chair, reading a good book and keeping a watchful eye on her kids. She can usually get through half of the thing before its time to go home.

❤️ That being said, when she does go out in the water (usually to cool off or check on Frisk and/or Flowey) she is remarkably good at floating along. That, and she’s abit of a beast when it comes to X-treme monkey in the middle. That lady is huge and can use that height when she needs to. Also she has to shake off when she gets out of the water.

❤️ She ALWAYS has a beach bag on her, and in that beach bag is pretty much anything you’d ever hope to need. Pool toys, goggles, fresh water, extra sunscreen, at least three books, money, Your scocial security number, you name it.

❤️ Toriel’s usually the go to ‘hold tired swimmer gently’ person. And has done so for everyone in the main cast but Mettaton and Undyne. You could just fall asleep in those big ole’ arms.

Sans

❤️ He’s, as with most things, pretty nuetral about the ocean. Though, he adores the fact that it’s a day he can just slack off and relax in the sun (and sometimes water). He’s usually on the beach in a beach chair or sitting in a pool floaty, just drifting along. Sometimes he’s just latched onto Paps or Toriel, it’s kinda a wild card where he is at any given time.

❤️ He has never been sober ONCE while at the beach with the family. Mostly thanks to the fact that he somehow always has a martini in hand. No one knows where he gets it, let alone how it is almost always at least half way full. Needless to say, he’s at least buzzed by the end of the day.

❤️ Every time they go to the beach, he wears the most insane sunglasses. I’m talking Elton John style, but if they came from dollar tree. Normally it’s a pineapple pair, but they change on a whim. Once again, no ones entirely sure where they come from.

❤️ He briefly moved the illegal hotdog stand to beach, before the threat of getting fined was close enough to scadattle. This, the limited addition ‘Colddogs’ (now for 5g, wait he meant 50g, actually its 500-) became a thing. They were followed shortly by ‘Frozendogs’ (available in 50 flavors!)

❤️ The two never breathe a word of it, but every once in awhile Papyrus will rent a canoe and the two of them will go out on the water. They only do this at the dead of night, when the water is still and clear. Way out past the buoys, where it’s hard to see the shore, the moon and the stars bounce off the water in a shifting, funhouse esc reflection. Being out there, together, in practically silence..... It brings a lot of comfort to the two of them. It reminds Sans that yeah, this is real, and some things are worth remembering.

Papyrus

❤️ Paps is very fond of the shallows, but not a huge fan off big, open water. Unless he’s in the comfort of a canoe or boat. It’s just too big of a space. One can feel so... alone out there. But!! If he’s in chest or higher or with a group of close friends, he’s good!!

❤️ He bought special spandex gloves to wear in the water, ones that cover his fingers and palms without being skin (bone???) tight. They help him tread the water better, since he’s the opposite of buoyant. Which is definitely the only reason he bought them! No other reason in sight! Why would you even ask that?!

❤️ He, Undyne, and Frisk play ALOT of beach games, all far more extreme than their originals. The current turnomemt is over X-Treme volleyball, this time featuring antigravity magic and spears. Frisk is, somehow, winning.

❤️ A good portion of the time, he eats nice cream and makes sand castles with Flowey. Their creations are startlingly structurally sound and flourished. Though, they are also usually next to a life sized sand-Papyrus. No one knows where the sand came from.

❤️ He tried catch and realease shark fishing with Undyne once. It um, got interesting to say the least. Especially when they tried to use Papyrus as live bait. They only had to go to the ER twice!

Undyne (Aka my entire reason for writing this)

❤️ Undyne doesn’t love the ocean. She doesn’t even like the ocean. She ADORES the ocean. You can find her there almost every day after work, sun or storm. She never realized how much she would thrive in salt water until she was there, and now she can’t believe she lived without it. Its so raw and passionate and buetiful, and she’s just at home in the waves.

❤️ Her favorite time to be out is during a good storm, when the ocean is at her roughest. Undyne has learned how to boogie board and body surf since she got on the surface, and uses those huge waves to catch some air. She WANTS to learn how to surf, but has yet to find someone to teach her. Storms are also the best for letting the water roll over her and letting herself drift in the tides, both are pretty damn amazing feelings.

❤️ Because she can breathe and see under the water, she also likes to swim out really deep into the open ocean. No one in the family can follow, but it gives her a lot of time to think. Also, there are sometimes HUGE fish out there, which she greatly enjoys seeing and interacting with. She’s. she’s fought a tiger shark before. And probably other, larger and more dangerous things. (Also when she gets home, Alphys always talks about how her kisses taste like salt. Undyne loves it).

❤️ Before she became Asgore’s body gaurd, Undyne was pretty much out of work. Not a whole lot of people wanted a massive, sharp toothed, she-shark selling retail in their stores. But, being a fish and all, she got managed to get a job as a life gaurd over the summer! This ended in her actually giving swim lessons to a couple of kids (starting with Frisk)!! She is actually a pretty good trainer and still teaches a few kids every once in awhile over summer breaks.

❤️ Her and Asgore went on a fishing trip once! The boat nearly capsized, Undyne ended up going in to fish instead of using the pole, there were life lessons taught about patience, and Asgore got horrendously away sick. Needless to say, it was a good trip. They still have pictures on Asgore’s fridge!

Alphys

❤️ As much as her girlfriend loves it, she’s not actually a huge fan of the water. It’s overwhelming and dries out her scales, and when she’s in super deep it makes her really uncomfortable. She’s stared into oblivion before and, well, it’s not a good feeling. The deep sea reminds her of that.

❤️ That being said, she LOVES the beach itself. She could sun bathe for hours while Undyne is swimming. Just pop on her head phones, lay on the sand, and embrace her lizard heratage! Also, she likes to watch her hot girlfriend do hot things like catch fish in her teeth and throw skeletons, so it’s a win win.

❤️ Naturally, this means a lot of her and Undyne’s date end up at the beach one way or anouther. Every time they go now, Alphy makes a point of collecting a seashell. They all hang on a string over her bed, it’s her favorite part of the room.

❤️ More times than not, if the sand is particularly nice and warm, Alphys falls asleep on it. Like, hard core passed out asleep. She just loves the fluffy parts of the sand so much??? And it’s so comfortable??? And she’s gotten more than afew overheating from sleeping ALL day, but she can’t help herself. It’s just too cozy!

❤️ Her favorite thing about the ocean is always going to be seeing Undyne’s smile though. She loves it. She loves the way her girlfriend’s kisses taste after she’s been in the sea. She loves how content the girl is after a good swim, and how cuddly they get in the living room. She loves smelling the air and holding her hand and seeing the sun on the water. She wants to spend forever in her arms, on the sand, eating nice cream and watching the sun set.

Mettaton

❤️ So. He’s a robot. Alphys is currently working on waterproofing his body, but until then he’s shore bound. That doesn’t mean he won’t done his best sun hat and glasses, steal a life gaurd’s chair, and pose dramatically on the beach though!

❤️ Truth be told, he actually quite enjoys long walks on the beach. His boots are well protected enough to go a way into the water as well, so he takes them sometimes with Alphys. Also, night time on the beach holds SPECTACULAR song writing material! There’s something so inspirational about the atmosphere.

❤️ That being said, summer concerts are the bomb. Litterally. There’s pyrotechnics. He’s not as big a star as he was in the underground, but some local beach performances are well within his pay grade. The thrill of the stage! The cries of the people! The personality and connection to his adoring fans! The one time he crowd surfed! The fashion! It’s all just perfect!

❤️ He also frequents beach side shops, thanks to the atmosphere and outfit selection. One can NEVER go wrong with a floppy hat and a sheer coverup. It’s just impossible.

❤️ He relates WAY too hard to the little mermaid, both in the original story and Disney. There’s just something that hits too close to home about longing for humanity and a new, more comfortable body... He gets Ariel man, he gets her.

Asgore

❤️ He likes to go on long morning walks on the beach alone. There’s something comforting about the sun rise and the sound of the waves rolling around him. There’s something even more sweet about the rare conversations, only lasting a hello and small talk, all few and far between. Sometimes he finds himself wishing he had a dog to walk with him, but in the end decides against it. He’s been alone a long time, he can last one more day.

❤️ He really enjoys going shelling. Sometimes, he even likes to paint his finds and put them up in his windows. Frisk helps him, he likes that.

❤️ He’s become a vollenteer to help find and aid sea turtles’ hatch sites. He loves watching them hatch and get to the sea safely. Though he’s not supposed to, he’ll protect them from the gulls.

❤️ Thanks to being in so close to the sea, he had a brief phase of being rather in love with verities of seaweed and kelps. He tried to keep afew using water tanks, but could never quite get them right. Ah well, at least the petunias and roses are doing nicely.

❤️ He has a hard time reading or watching things about mermaids. They make him sad.