#of course it wouldn't have the same plot points. so maybe two different fics?

[crystalkitty1220]

Might have to scrap a fic idea because I thought the panic that came with time moving too slowly or too quickly was a universal thing, but now I'm realizing I probably have chronophobia and the fic might not feel the same to other people. Don't want it to drag on or feel rushed if readers won't get the same kind of anxiety the character's getting.

[autistichalsin]

Do you happen to how / have made a good timeline of The Shadowlands? What was there before? What it was called? When it fell? IIRC one of the writers confirmed that the rude pale elf in the list of customers banned from the pub was a reference to Astarion. IDK is that was canon or more a joke that stayed in. Having a collected resource on that would be amazing for plotting out fics!

I have no idea if the banned elf was Astarion- I've seen conflicting things on it. But for everything else:

So, the Shadow-Cursed Lands cover primarily the town of Reithwin along with Moonrise, in the Western Heartlands. Thaniel is the nature spirit of this land. (Sidenote: because nature spirits can't really leave the area they embody, and Halsin knew Thaniel as a child, this implies that Halsin grew up somewhere near here, probably in a nearby forest. Since he also mentions his family being buried in High Forest, which is quite far away, it seems likely that they moved at some point, or maybe they lived in the area for a few generations but still considered themselves to have very strong ties to High Forest.)

As for a timeline of the Shadow Curse:

1142: Halsin is born in a forest, most likely near Reithwin. Over the next years, he becomes close friends with the nature spirit Thaniel. Growing while Thaniel stays the same age drives him to decide to become a Druid, as he realized nature, his first friend, needed protecting. After his last family member passes away (Halsin being the youngest son of an ancient line of elves that faded out due to illness and accidents, according to Halsin's writer), Halsin is "turned over to the Druids," at a "comparatively young age" (per his writer).

Sometimes before 1392: Isobel Thorm, Ketheric's daughter, is born. Melodia, Isobel's mother, and Ketheric's wife, tragically passes away.

Sometime between this and 1392: Dame Aylin arrives in Reithwin. She and Isobel Thorm fall in love at first sight.

Roughly 1392: Isobel dies. In Early Access, this was at Halsin's hands, as a fight broke out due to Shar's influence, causing Isobel to attack Halsin, and him to stab her on reflex. In the full release version, this was cut, and no one seems to know exactly how or why she died. Ketheric is devastated by grief, converts to Shar worship, and gathers an army of Dark Justiciars.

Later in 1392: The Archdruid who served the Emerald Grove before Halsin gathers a group of Druids and Harpers (including Jaheira) to face them; they win, with many losses, but Ketheric uses Shar's powers to unleash the Shadow Curse as revenge. Almost all the Druids and Harpers who had survived are then killed by the curse. Halsin takes what survivors he can manage, gets back to the Emerald Grove, and is appointed the new Archdruid. Some days later, he returns to the Shadow-Cursed Lands looking for survivors, finds the Shadow-Cursed version of the previous Archdruid, and is forced to kill it. He keeps his glaive as a "reminder that victory can taste bitter" and locks it away, along with his journal from that day. (In the original, this glaive/dagger, called Sorrow, was the weapon Halsin used to kill Isobel, and had a different journal to go with it talking about his guilt.) This curse, of course, also causes the nature spirit Thaniel to be split in two. One half is trapped in the Shadowfell, while the other half stays in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, eventually becoming Oliver.

Meanwhile, Dame Aylin is kidnapped by Ketheric Thorm and locked away so he can leech her power to make himself immortal.

1392-1492: Halsin spends the next 100 years researching the curse and trying to gain Silvanus's favor to be able to break it. Almost everyone else abandons the land; Jaheira admits to doing so, and a note Halsin wrote laments that the Emerald Enclave wouldn't help even if he asked. The few people who do attempt to go there perish- a Druid from another community got some information from Halsin, tried to enter the land, and then fell to the Curse. Some lines Halsin had in Early Access indicated that his being there when the curse fell and his empathy with the suffering of the Shadow-Cursed Lands/its people were key in his ability to later break the curse.

Meanwhile, Art Cullagh, a Flaming Fist, is trapped in the Shadowfell with Thaniel. They form a very close friendship, and Thaniel repeatedly tells Art that Halsin- and only Halsin- can save him.

At some point, Ketheric converts to worshipping Myrkul in exchange for resurrecting Isobel, becomes his Chosen, and helps hatch the Absolute plot along with Gortash and the Dark Urge.

1492: Shortly before the start of canon, Halsin meets Aradin and his band of adventurers, who tell him they're looking for the Nightsong at Moonrise Towers. Seeing a chance to investigate both the Curse and the modified mindflayer tadpoles he's encountered, Halsin joins them, then is betrayed when they're attacked by goblins and Aradin promptly abandons Halsin to the goblins.

After that comes everything in canon with the Break the Shadow Curse quest and all of its sub-quests.

1493, roughly: In the 6 months after the curse is broken, Halsin (/and Tav, if applicable) repurpose what was left of Reithwin to become a new community for those needing a new start, the narrator noting that it's "hidden from those who are not welcome, open to any who need shelter." Halsin is noted to have "built a schoolhouse in a day" for all the nine wagonfuls of children who joined their community, and become an unofficial leader of the community. He says that the place is unrecognizable in a good way, with the scars rapidly becoming invisible even to those who know what happened.

Sadly, Art Cullagh passes away sometime between the curse breaking and the epilogue, but he remained close to Thaniel until the end, and it is noted that Thaniel and Oliver come to the community often to play.

I think that's everything for the parts of the Shadow-Curse story we don't directly play through in canon!

Random interesting fact that @ride-a-dromedary and I noticed: the name "Reithwin" is one letter off from "Relthwin", the Elvish word for "refuge". That may or may not be intentional.

[evispunk]

MEET THE CAMERONS

a/n: first chapters are normally super slow and are just to get you an introduction to the book, so if you don't like it, please give it a chance and read a little more. as a reader, i don't even like this chapter. this is where you can stop reading if you don't want to know a few things about me.

one - i've been watching outer banks and reading fics about it since 2020. i've gotten quite a feel for the characters and my own opinions and views on them. so of course, this may or may not be similar to other fics you have read, or maybe this is something entirely different! this will follow the plot of the show MAINLY. it will derive a few times and not exactly follow the timeline of the show but all of the events will happen.

two - i have been writing since i was twelve. my writing may not be your style or the best you've ever seen, but i'm proud of it and that's why i'm putting it out there for you to see. please do not critique me in the comments! save it for your therapist.

three - i'm a rafe defender sorry not sorry he's a baby

summary: violette and her parents head over to the cameron's, her parents' good friends, house for dinner where she meets sarah & wheezie for the first time, and rafe, whom she hasn't seen since they were in diapers. plot intro.

warnings: innocent little kook with no idea what she's in for

"ARE YOU ALMOST ready?" Matt called up the spiral staircase to his daughter, Violette. She huffed, unplugging her curling iron and brushing out her waves.

"Yes, Dad, just get in the car, I'll be down in a sec!" she yelled back, applying lip balm at the same time and switching the lights off. The brunette girl took one last look at herself in the hallway mirror, staring back at her smooth, cream-colored dress with knots that were tied into bows on the shoulder straps. Her black heels clicked against the stairs as she jogged down them, heading towards her parents' car.

"Oh, honey, you look beautiful." Violette's mother, Cecilia told her once she sat down in the back seat.

"Thank you, Mom." she smiled, buckling her seatbelt behind the driver's seat.

"Are you excited to see The Cameron's again? You haven't seen Rafe since you two were in diapers right before we moved." Cecilia said, turning to face her daughter.

"I guess. I'm a little nervous to meet his sisters though, I mean, what if they're the fake bitchy type?"

"Language, young lady." her father interrupted, pointing a finger into the rearview mirror as he turned left.

"I doubt that. I've never met Rose personally, but I've talked with her a few times and her and Ward are amazing parents. I'm sure they're really sweet." Violette's mother reassured her with a smile.

"What are their names again?" 

"Sarah and Eloise, but the little one is called Wheezie."

"Wheezie? Does she have asthma?" she returned, pulling her phone out from her black shoulder bag.

"No, just a nickname that stuck, I'm sure. Don't make that joke at dinner."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Violette smiled, unbuckling herself as the car halted to a stop in the Cameron's yard.

"Be on your best behavior, Vi." Matt instructed, locking the door and putting his keys into his pocket, next to his wallet.

Violette swung the gold chain of her shoulder bag over her left, and began walking up to the front door with her parents. Her mother lightly knocked three times on their large door, and stepped back, awaiting their response.

The door swung open abruptly, and the blond woman behind it smiled.

"Welcome! You must be Cecilia!" the woman Violette now knew as Rose hugged her mother, then looked at her father.

"Matt." he smiled, and hugged her too as she kissed his cheek.

"Rose." she returned, moving her attention to their daughter. "And you must be the wonderful Violette I have heard so much about," Rose continued, initiating another hug. "Wow, I have to say you smell great. What are you wearing?"

"Miss Dior." the girl replied, thanking her.

"I'll have to buy that one. Come on in, guys." she said, opening the door completely to let the Rhodes enter their home. "I'm just about done with supper, and Rafe is setting the table."

Violette looked around at the Camerons' house, taking in her expensive surroundings. Their home was even more elegant than hers, and they were considered to be almost filthy rich. It smelt quite clean, almost like a mix of fresh linen and salt air.

"Violette?" a voice called from beside her, and she whipped her head towards the sound to find a dirty blond girl standing there wearing a strapless, navy, crossfront bandeau top dress. "Hey, I'm Sarah. Rafe's sister." the girl smiled, taking a few steps towards Violette.

"Oh, hi. Sorry, you scared me, but it's nice to meet you. I love your dress."

"Thank you! I got it at this cute boutique downtown, you'll have to come shop with me sometime."

"I'd love to." Violette replied, looking at the Cameron girl some more. She noticed her wearing two necklaces, one smaller gold chain, and a longer necklace with an 'S' on it.

"Your heels are gorgeous, by the way." Sarah continued, silently urging Violette to walk with her.

"Givenchy."

"Wow. So, you're bougie."

"I like what I like. Of course, not everything is about a brand, but it sure can be."

"You know what, I get that. I don't really care as much, but, I can see why someone would." she smiled. "Oh, Wheeze." Sarah stopped in her tracks, almost catching the Rhodes girl off guard.

"Hm? Oh. Hi, what's your name?"

"Violette. I'm assuming you're Wheezie?"

"I don't know anyone else with that name." she responded with a laugh, her dark curls bouncing with it.

"Can't say I do either," Violette said, voice back to normal. "Hey, I've met pretty much everyone besides Rafe. Do you know where he's at?"

"Probably in the kitchen." the black-haired girl answered, standing up to join the two girls on their walk. "Come this way." The two newfound friends followed Wheezie through the hall until they reached the kitchen, finding Rafe and Ward sipping on their drinks while leaning against the island.

"Violette. How're you doing, sweetie?" the older Cameron smiled, meeting Violette halfway and hugging her.

"I'm doing well. And you?"

"Great, great. You remember Rafe." he pointed to his son, drink in hand.

"Just barely. I do remember a lot of him stealing my toys." she replied and Ward laughed, grabbing Rafe's shoulder. The blond teenager only dryly stared at Violette and drank from his glass.

"Yeah, that sounds like Rafe. I see you already met Sarah and Wheezie, hope they weren't too hard on you."

"Hey!" Wheezie defended herself from behind Violette, still standing next to a temporarily silent Sarah, "We're actually really nice, if you didn't notice."

"I'm sure that's what you think," Rafe commented, refilling his cup with Coke. Violette's gaze fell upon him, slightly taken aback by his arrogant demeanor.

"Rafe-"

"Supper's ready!" Rose called out from the next room over, and Rafe smirked to himself while Ward's face turned sour. His expression quickly recovered when he turned to the three girls and nodded towards the dining room, he and his son following.

"This looks delicious, Rose." Cecilia complimented, smoothing her long dress down as she took a seat at the table.

"Thank you. It's an old family recipe of Ward's." she smiled at the woman in return, setting her napkin on her lap.

"It's steak, Rose." Rafe rolled his eyes, scooting his chair in louder than necessary. 

"I think it looks and smells lovely," Ward interjected whilst giving his son 'the look', "Let's eat." he smiled. 

Violette walked into the kitchen and began stacking plates and cups, deciding to help Rose with the dishes as a thank you for the supper she undoubtedly spent hours cooking.

"Oh, you don't have to do that, honey. You can go talk with everyone else."

"That's okay, I like to help. Take it as a thank you for supper."

"Well then, I won't stop you," she agreed, turning back to the large sink, scrubbing and rinsing dishes before loading them into their stainless steel dishwasher. "So, Violette, do you have a boyfriend back on the mainland?"

"I don't, actually. I was seeing this one guy for a while, but he turned out to be a huge jerk, so I ended it. It was sad too, he was real cute." the young girl responded, heading over to the other side of the sink and using some of the water that had collected to rinse cups and silverware.

"Trust me, I've been there," Rose laughed. "I dated this one guy in high school, Thomas White. Turns out he was making out with guys the whole time we were dating." she continued, shaking her head.

"Whoa, talk about a plot twist."

"Tell me about it. You know, I never got to ask at dinner- what do your parents do for work again? I know your mother makes jewelry, I bought some from her."

"Yeah, she does. Um, my dad's a lawyer, actually."

"Have you ever got to say, 'My dad's a lawyer,'?" Rose chuckled lightly, switching off the sink and shutting the dishwasher door.

"Not yet, but it sure has crossed my mind a few times."

"Goodnight Mom," Violette said as her mother passed her bathroom whilst brushing out her wet hair.

"Night sweetie. Love you."

"I love you, too." 

Violette walked across the hallway to her bedroom and opened her closet door with the intention of finding pajamas to wear. She settled her mind on a ribbed mauve tank top, and loose white sweat shorts. After dropping her towel and changing, she slid on her beige fluffy socks and plaited her hair. Tomorrow she would explore the island after having been here for a week and only unpacking her house. 

"Alexa, play thunderstorm sounds."

[konigsberg]

I've had a few people offer to beta/edit MO, or ask questions about it, so I guess this is my awkward beta/editor search post? Or more, a clarification post for anyone who might be interested. Just an overview of what it might mean or look like to beta/edit for MO specifically.

I think in fandom spaces "beta reader" and "editor" sort of end up blurring in a lot of cases. In more official publishing, the editor comes in first to do their thing, correcting grammar, spelling, etc. Once a work is pretty much done, as in finished and edited, you get in beta readers. They're meant to sort of give feedback as a potential audience member, basically, to let the author know how it reads as a finished product. I think the roles can sometimes have overlap even in official publishing, at least in the sense both are providing feedback, spotting errors that have been missed, maybe identifying things that read strangely as far as structure, plot, and the rest go.

In fandom, things are obviously structured a lot differently and they're a lot more flexible, given everything is unofficial and casual. I think it can really just depend on the writer and the beta as for what they want/need to do.

And as for MO, I have the story's plot of course, but I'm obviously writing as I go, so that inherently makes for a different sort of experience for anyone coming in to edit or provide general feedback.

The way I've done it in the past is to give someone access to the WIP document(s) through Google Docs so they could leave comments on anything that stood out to them, talked about the general plan for the fic in DMs somewhere, that sort of thing. I wouldn't ask anyone to directly change what is in the document just in case, it would just be like highlighting maybe a misspelled word or a sentence that you think I should break up, and leaving a comment about that there.

I'm a few chapters ahead of what's posted on ao3. I usually wait to really edit maybe two weeks before the chapter is going to be posted, so I have fresh eyes to look at it with and just leave the chapter after that to be edited/potentially reworked in that same every two week timeline. My biggest concerns are usually that I've forgotten some detail in the midst of 600k words, I keep repeating the same damn word every other paragraph that I don't mean to, or maybe weird grammar problems. In this way, I think my concerns are maybe more "beta reader" problems, ie. did I forget a plot point? But I definitely suck at grammar, don't get me wrong.

Given it's just a fic, there's not a lot of pressure to catch every single little thing, but it is very long and dense, obviously, so asking anyone to read over it is a lot even if there's not any pressure to do things perfectly. And I feel bad because I can't really provide much compensation for that work. In the past, friends were happy just to do it basically in exchange for the ability to read chapters ahead of everyone else, but it feels a little weird to have strangers do work with that sort of compensation when I do make a little money on p8reon. That might be something to work out on an individual basis, though, I guess.

There's also the fact that most people who might be willing to edit and/or beta are obviously people interested in reading the work, and I would feel bad if the task might make the actual reading much less fun for them. Like some might find it interesting to see the plot outline or something, but then for others that would just spoil the fun. Or if it came to feel like "work" that might take the joy out of it. I think it's possible to beta/edit like a chapter ahead of what's posted without needing to know what's going to happen at the very end, for sure, but I guess what I'm really getting at is I woulnd't want to make anyone feel like they have to be spoiled on what's happening next, bound to the task of working on something that I can't give a good timeline on re: how many chapters are left or how long I'll take writing it, or anything like that.

Also, of course, there are potentially upsetting topics covered in the story. I think anyone who has gotten through the whole of the fic so far is probably okay to get through the rest, but there are going to be more parts of the story involving all of the same topics, depictions, etc. already seen in the rest of the fic and potentially more upsetting things. I'm happy to provide any sort of warnings or clarification on chapters in general, even outside of the context of someone beta/editing the work, so I don't think this should be a big issue, but it's just something to keep in mind.

So I guess, if that doesn't scare you off, and as long as it's understood there's seriously no pressure on my part that you commit to this for a long time or do an extreme amount of work or anything (beyond the demands of... sometimes reading 15k word chapters lol... just reading a chapter over once and leaving any comments on spelling and grammar errors, maybe things that don't seem like they make sense narratively, or make it seem like I've forgotten something haha, that's more than enough)... if you would like to beta/edit MO, let me know?

Feel free to ask questions, too, because god knows I've forgotten at least a few things. I might end up adding to this because I'll suddenly remember something in an hour, honestly.

If you want to just reply to this post, that's fine. My inbox should be open here, as well as the whole tumblr messaging system. I often miss when people DM me on twitter because I just never get notifs for it, and honestly I think my notifs in general sometimes don't work for replies there, but I'll try to keep an eye on that, too. I'm probably going to be a little busy this week, but I will strive to get back to everyone reasonably quickly.

I'm not really sure if there will be a lot of responses to this, but... just in case: If you do reach out and I end up going with someone else, it's definitely not personal!

I appreciate everyone who has mentioned being willing to help out. I've just been a little overwhelmed because I obviously don't know what the hell I'm doing lol and I thought this might be the easiest way to quickly provide some more info to anyone interested.

Thanks for reading!

[daisyishedwig]

writing rambling trying to figure out plot details for my season 2/3 rewrite.

@itallstartedwithharry if you have time, I would love your thoughts. Also anyone else can give thoughts too if they want.

Okay, so the original plan for this fic was always a Klaine endgame, but what if I don't want that? What if I want the Hevans and Seblaine happy endings?

Still going to have it be two fics either way and part one can go completely as planned, following the season 2 storyline and ending at Prom after Sam comes out to the whole school by stepping up to dance with Kurt.

I still want Kurt and Sam to have sex before Sam leaves. It's not Sam's first time in general but is obviously his first time with another boy.

Kurt breaks up with Sam after he moves to Kentucky. He tries to make the long distance work, but he starts to panic about how even if Sam comes back next year he'll be in New York and it will still be long distance and maybe he needs a boyfriend who is /there/ and not hundreds of miles away.

Originally planned on having Blaine wait to make his move, giving Kurt time to grieve his relationship. But now I'm wondering if I want them to be young and stupid and rush into things too fast.

I feel like I wouldn't want them to label it. Maybe Kurt isn't ready for another commitment. Blaine has simply been pining for too long to care.

if I do this not-super-healthy rebound Klaine plot, I do want Kurt and Blaine to sleep together. But Would it be Blaine's first time?

What if Kurt realizes Blaine has much stronger feelings for him than he does? Maybe Blaine jokes about transferring schools to be with Kurt and it finally starts to click for Kurt. What if he breaks things off with Blaine to protect him?

So Blaine doesn't transfer. He stays at Dalton and of course in comes Sebastian. And Blaine is still soothing the sting from Kurt's rejection. And Sebastian is a very nice distraction.

I want some sort of Scandals experience. But is it before or after Sam comes back from Kentucky? Maybe Sam and Kurt go out for coffee after Finn and Rachel bring him back and they run into Sebastian and Blaine.

What is the balance of Sebastian's trouble-making and self-sabotage at in the moment? Does he invite them because he wants to see the drama? Does he want to try and force Blaine to get over Kurt? Is he jealous of Kurt? Is he aware that he's jealous of Kurt? Does he not realize he's jealous until he sees Kurt and Blaine dancing together? Does Sam point it out to him?

How does Sam react to realizing that Kurt and Blaine are closer in a much different way than when he left? How does he respond to them having slept together?

I'm beginning to realize that my issues with Glee's unhealthy and toxic use of sex to create drama is less an issue with doing that in general and more an issue with them never letting characters communicate and grow from the experience so they just keep doing the same shit.

I have a feeling the second part of this fic will definitely be Seblaine focused with side story Hevans. I just don't feel like Hevans will have all that much to work out once they get past Kurt and Blaine's relationship. A lot of this will have to be focused on Sebastian realizing he wants more with Blaine and Blaine figuring out how to let Kurt go.

[dyed-red]

is there any chance of you getting back to Desiderata?😔

This is not @ you specifically anon, but I am getting a little tired of answering this question, and I'm going to be a bit snarky about it.

Yes, I am getting "back" to Desiderata, insofar as I ever "left" it, which I haven't. It's been about 10 weeks since the last update, or 2.5 months, which honestly isn't that long in the grand scheme of things, as much as I very genuinely understand the impatience of waiting for an update.

What I genuinely don't understand is why there's become this default assumption that it's abandoned. You're the third comment *this week* starting on the assumption that I've left it aside or am not planning to finish it.

I've said repeatedly in the comments and on here that I'm finishing it. I was always going to finish it. Its not marked as on hiatus or abandoned. If you look at the original post date to most recent update, it's clear the fic has been posted slow (actually in fits and starts) between updates, so this is par for the course, here.

I won't meander into personal stuff, but the reasons for why posting slowed are personal irl crap and not creative lapse. Another 10k+ words of the fic are already drafted and I've mapped out the core pieces that aren't already written, even if some of those may be re-written and/or strung together differently as I finalize the final few chapters.

And look, just wanting to repeat that this vexed tone of mine isn't @ you specifically, it's just that you were lucky caller 100 and I got a bit annoyed with repeating myself. But if you are open to the suggestion, I do recommend you ask authors about updates without starting from the assumption of abandonment. Not all authors feel the same about questions about updates so take that with a grain of salt, but at least in my case, a question like "any word on the timeline of an update? 👀👀" is more fun than "any chance of you getting back to this thing which I assume you've left? 😔"

More generally, most advice you see floating around is that if you want more of a thing you like, hype it up instead of being sad or demanding about it. Instead of asking for updates (which, again, I don't personally mind! It's the assumption of abandonment of a mostly completed story that irks me), the usual advice is to write a comment on ao3 about what you enjoyed about the story, maybe highlight a line or two, or even one each chapter. That can reinvest an author's energy (if it has indeed lapsed) by drawing their attention back to the parts of the story that are loved, and their attention to it is half the battle sometimes, getting them revved up from there as they re-experience the story from the reader's point of view.

If that's too much work, drop a compliment about the fic in the author's inbox instead of just a question. "Loving this story, [insert genuine compliment about plot, style, scene, characterization, or etc here]. I couldn't find it in the fic comments or your tag for the fic here on your blog, so just checking if there's any word on future updates? Either way have enjoyed it so far!"

Boom.

All right I'll stop soapboxing now. I try not to get grumpy with readers. I love how much you guys love this fic and I never in a million years expected half this much interest in it, to be honest. I literally had the draft open last night, it's not abandoned. I'm here with you, nonnie, wishing it wouldn't take so long but on the journey to see it finished anyway.

[mooniehsh]

Bunker of a indecisive man

with his golden mind.

Song-fic, short-fic

Character: Mammon

I used They/them for this one.

Trigger warning: I don't think there's one at the moment.

Song: Bunker by Balthazar.

Note: I'm actually glad that I took the initiative to write something related to Mammon, even if it feels weird to me, but I wanted to try something different. Also, take in mind that English is my second language, so I apologize for the grammar.

Side note: I really don't know if this plot makes sense, Lmao. (I just finished the editing part, I'm slightly confused ngl)

-Ace Mt

Even though he was an obvious and pretty man, flustered and in denial every time his brothers highlighted their efforts to win Mc's heart, he felt it wasn't enough to be noticed by them. Although they already talked about the subject of love, not in-depth as he would like. Even so, small steps he would be willing to take, because if he did not feel ready to enter a relationship, his own mind would give him pros and cons, so much so that he was terrified of doing something wrong.

It's odd, he feels so determined to just jump big gaps with the smile Mc gave him when he talked endlessly about his photoshoots, the twinkle of both eyes with the conversation that took a lot of turns. They could be talking about the classes and would end up debating about which drink was best in the cafeteria, and it would feel so special to see them laughing with any nonsense he could say, most of the time leaning towards Mammon trying to stop the giggling.

He would stand there, quiet just looking at them not knowing what to do in this situation.

And he was more than surprised the minute his own hands approached their face, or when the urge to hug them and leave his mark on the cheeks with his lips was too much for him. But again, he refused every wish saying it was only stupidity, they are gorgeous of course, but that’s it, just a little attraction, a simple crush that would last for a few weeks.

He does not know exactly if it was out of fear, or nervousness, or something else. Of course, his desires are obvious, rather his execution fails in many factors even if he denies every action. Mc also didn't feel ready to date anyone for what they told him. With 7 months in Devildom, their mind was mostly focused on the exchange program or helping the brother with anything they could. So, that was another fear of his...

And Mammon admired how well they got along with the others, yet he preferred to just spend a little more time with them, only to quietly clarify what he had to do to get rid of the feeling or satisfy it.

Tranquility with a chaotic man, even he thought it was too much to ask. He was walking on their floor, just begging to get more than what he could actually ask for.

Eventually, some of his brothers heard his cry for help, as his feeling increased with each week he spent with Mc. Some just scoffed or laughed, others said they didn't really know how to help. Asmodeus tried to help his poor brother, though he clearly saw this as a lost cause right before his eyes with Mammon's indecision. Lucifer was a no-no; he would’ve taken him out of his office even before he asked. And with nothing else to do, he thought: "hey, maybe I just have to go and be myself," but it was easier said than done.

Because, what if he was being very annoying, or what if he showed his affection, maybe that didn't wouldn’t even set well with Mc.

Oh, please, he doesn't want their relationship to be ruined by his stupidity.

And with this attitude, Mc just got worried every time they were alone in their room. And to be fair, they tried to ask what was going on but only Mammon could assure them that it was nothing, thinking they were reading his mind with the long seconds that Mc was observing him. And they even went to his brothers to asked if they knew what was happening to him, but all they said was that he was having a dramatic moment, just that.

Mammon really felt like time was slipping out of his hands, along with his patience and sanity.

Don't you know where to stay? Every time you think about it, or talk around it again?

His heart didn't really want to connect with his brain, which frustrated him more and more, why does he spin the same subject so much? It was stupid to feel how he repeated an entire conversation that seemed impossible to achieve. At this point, his bones felt broken, he wanted so much to hug them, protect them and he did, but the act of just loving them... it felt surreal.

Don't you know what to say? Every time you think about it, or talk around it again?

I really wouldn't know what to say. Weeks turned into two months with the dilemma, he had progressed a little at least. Mc was so sweet that there were moments he was terrified at how easily They could just come and hug him or kiss his cheek. It would be a lie to say that he wasn’t confident enough to give them the same affection after what happened with Belphie, He feels guilty in part, and leaving them alone now was quite an anxiety for him. The mere thought of losing them, and not tell them how beautiful of a person they are, or how much they meant to him… he hated his mind. Even if things with his brother have been cleared up, the annoying thought would stay rent-free in his head. And he will let stones be thrown at him if that means coming to a decision that doesn't leave him as a clumsy demon in front of this simple human. He was more than a sinner for wanting to express his love, to not be afraid in his own bunker.

For now, he is going to be himself while he suffers from his own indecision and this sweet feeling.

So, leave my broken bones. I'll take a load of your skin. Throw me all your stones, if you need a sinner, I'm in…

[destieldrabblesdaily]

hello~ i watched all of yuri on ice in a night & already having withdrawals b/c i need s2 like yesterday :"( i need some vikturi fanfic to get me thru it, i ship them so hard, do you have a tag for it b/c there's so much fanfic for the ship and i wouldn't know where to start + your taste in fanfic is always the best, so please help

Hii! Aww, I feel your pain! D: 

Unfortunately, I don’t really have a Victuuri rec tag because I try to keep this blog 99% Destiel and SPN, especially when it comes to fics. However I’ve read plenty of Victuuri fic, so I can maybe share some of my faves with you? As a starter kit, lol! 

You didn’t mention what you’re looking for though? Fluff? Angst? Smut? Long? Short? A little bit of everything? I’ll just go with a little bit of everything, and you can read the tags and summaries and pick what you want? :p 

(Only finished stories, because I’m paranoid when it comes to WIPs, lol!)

—

❄ From The Moon [4,8k, canon!verse]‘That one time Victor finds out why Yuuri has never let him inside his bedroom because… Well, we all know why.’

Literally the first Yuri On Ice fic I’ve read, as far as I can remember. By now a lot of people have written the missing scene about Victor possibly finding Yuuri’s posters, but I still really adore this one. Great take on it, very in character, must read!

-

❄ Maelstrom [4,3k, Time Loop AU]‘Victor Nikiforov is poised to win gold in his fifth consecutive Grand Prix Final. He has the world at his feet, is unparalleled in the sport–right up until a snowstorm blows into Sochi, and he finds himself repeating the same day over and over and over. He stumbles over Yuuri Katsuki, and everything changes.’

Fics that include messing with time are usually not the first ones I pick, because they tend to confuse what few brain cells I have. But damn, this one was seriously wonderful, so easy to read. It has some humor, some angst, some fluff, some smut, but it’s all balanced out very well! I’d definitely say give it a go!

- 

❄Unwritten [34k, Soulmate AU, canon divergence]‘Soulmates AU where whatever you write on your own skin appears on your soulmate, but when there is a language barrier, meeting becomes just a little more difficult than it should be.’

Everyone knows that I am a total sucker for soulmate AUs, so unsurprisingly I absolutely loved this one. Does loosely follow canon verse (they’re both ice skaters), but with a soulmate twist. Neat!

-

❄ All The World’s a Stage [112k, AU, actor!Victor/ice skater!Yuuri]‘Everyone has a guilty pleasure. For Yuuri, it just happens to be romance movies starring famous heartthrob Victor Nikiforov.’

This one was simply adorable. In which professional ice skater Yuuri teaches famous actor Victor how to figure skate because that’s what his upcoming movie will be about. Do I need to mention that they fall in love along the way?

- 

❄ Katsuki_fc Wrote [12k, canon!verse]‘Just because Yuuri isn’t big on social media, doesn’t mean his fans aren’t.’

Plenty of social media centered fic in the yoi fandom, but this is a total gem! The story of Yuuri and Victor as seen through the eyes of Yuuri’s fans. 

- 

❄ Souls Bond, Hearts Follow [12k, Soulmate AU, canon divergence]‘In a world where soulmates are individuals connected on a spiritual level, able to communicate with variable degrees of empathy or telepathy, there is an appropriate time and rhythm for everything, even for a soulbond.Yuuri knows this. Viktor will learn.’

Another soulmate AU, because hey, it’s me you’re asking. I have nothing other to say than; just read it.

-

❄ Russian For Dummies [2,4k, College AU]‘"Are you a beginner?“ 

Viktor was not a beginner. Viktor was the TA supposedly in charge of this study session. Viktor spoke Russian. Viktor was Russian.

“Sure!“’

Looking for something short, cute, and hilarious to read? This fic is for you. OR the fic that properly displays what idiotic stuff Victor EXTRA Nikiforov would probably do to get to Katsuki Yuuri, no matter the AU. 

-

❄ Your Biggest Fan [8.5k, canon divergence]‘By chance, Viktor caught sight of one of Yuuri’s competitions and quickly fell head over heels in love with the Japanese figure skater.’

Because who doesn’t need a fic where they both fanboy over each other, it’s plausible, and this fic warmed the cockles of my undead heart!

- 

❄ Victuuri: Wedding planner and florist AU [AU, ongoing series of fluffy one shots]‘An Alternate Universe in which Victor Nikiforov is a renown wedding planner, and Yuuri Katsuki is a florist running his family’s little flower shop.’

Fluff is the reason I breathe, we’re all aware at this point, and this is just so sweet and fluffy and amazing, I recommend reading the entire series if you’re into AUs at all. 

- 

❄ Warm [2,2k, canon!verse]‘Russia’s cold, Yuuri can’t sleep, and Victor is always careful to keep his door open for anyone in need of a touch of help.’

Sweetness overload, everyone needs this in their life. I’m just saying. 

-

And last but not least:

❄ Until My Feet Bleed and My Heart Aches [197k, canon divergence]‘Of all the rivalries in the world of sports over the years, perhaps none has become so legendary as that of Russian figure skater Viktor Nikiforov and his rival, Japanese Yuuri Katsuki.

A single event changes the course of Yuuri’s life, throwing him into a bitter rivalry with Viktor Nikiforov that spans across his entire skating career. But as the years go on, rivalry and hatred begin to develop into something very different and Yuuri doesn’t seem to be able to stay away, no matter how hard he tries.

Hatred and love are two sides of the same coin and even though everything changes, some things are still meant to be.’

So every ship has that one fanfiction that basically the entire fandom has read, or at least has heard of. For Victuuri, this is that fic. And it’s hella long, so for me, the person with the attention span of the average goldfish, I have to give this fic some huge kudos because I actually finished it within 48 hours, even though I usually don’t even dare to read a fic that long. 

I’m not gonna lie, there is angst, a lot of it. In fact, this fic is probably the mayor of a town called ‘Angst’. Regardless, it’s very compelling, the author put a lot of thought into the fic, and the soundtrack as well, picking wonderful songs for all of Yuuri’s and Victor’s programs, and working it into the main plot with a lot of meaning. The ending will satisfy you, and as a bonus there will be a companion piece from Victor’s POV to fill in any minor blanks that might be left after reading this story. 

—

Hope there’s something in there for you, have fun! x 

[kissofbelladonna]

Thin Line

i: prologue 

pairing: steve rogers X reader 

type: series

words: 1,040

warnings: underage, teacher/student relationships, conflicting feelings, sexual content (not anytime soon though...), and things of the like. 

summary:  there's a thin line between right and wrong; good and bad. steve knows this, he always has. he likes to believe that he's remained solely on the good and right side of things, but of course that was before he met you.

    (mr. rogers was known throughout school as hot, smart, and undeniably unattainable-

and so what if your eyes linger on him longer than they should-

it means nothing after all.)

a.n.: this is so wrong but no one has done a pure plot fic of this, so i decided, why not??? no one signed up for this, but i wanted to write something bad and this was the first thing that popped up. also, i do not in any way condone this; this is fiction and should remain so.

Steve Rogers likes to believe he's a good man.

He had finished high school with a high GPA and was accepted into the military not even a month after gradation. He had served his country well for five years before he came back to the place where it all began, Brooklyn. Well not really, he moved into a better place, one where he could actually afford and be safer than he'd ever been as child.

He donates to charities and helps those in need, even going out in the dangerous parts of his city to help those that others wouldn't. He even started his own organization for God's sake. He works hard and tries hard and maybe it's to the point that he knows that he wants to become the best version of himself. Or perhaps, it's due to the things that he knows he shouldn't, but he can't help himself.

And maybe he does this to make up for his past mistakes - transgressions and sins - and by God does he try his very best to be a good man.

However he would have to be an idiot to think that by doing these things would make him a better man - it doesn't, it just gives me redeeming qualities - but Steve Rogers is not an idiot, never has been and never will be.

So, with that in mind, Steve Rogers knows that he isn't the good man he likes to think himself to be but that doesn't stop him from aspiring to become that version of himself-

-perfect and yet so unattainable.

It's to no surprise that when he returns, he takes up the role of the resident history teacher but not exactly where he grew up, but in a better - safer - part of New York instead.

And it's there - on that fateful day - that Steve sees her.

She's a young thing, not even on the cusp of adulthood. Her eyes are bright and on her lips is a jagged smirk - almost as sharp as the knives his best friend handled - and her head tilts to the left whenever she needs clarification.

She enters his room - because it is his and he's not leaving, again- and she slides into the desk closest to him and she gives him a welcoming smile and then she turns back to her classmates, Peter Parker and Pietro Maximoff.

He's noticed that she clicks her pens when she's ticked off and that when he lectures, she's paying full attention and then some.

She licks her lips with every new conversation she has and-

He shouldn't be noticing this, but he is and he's not sure what's worse. The fact that he knows that he consciously watches her during class or that he knows what he's doing is unexplainingly wrong but he still proceeds.

It had started off so simple - all the best things do - with him wanting to know more about his best student out of every single class he had. She was so brilliant and it was strictly professional curiosity that he acted upon. Somehow, someway, he began treating her like a friend and not like one of his students.

He began to pull her after class to ask her if she needed help and she would decline politely but she did ask him to check over her homework problems as she wished to do well on her upcoming final and her AP exam. He agreed wholeheartedly.

Besides, it's not like he agreed just to see that sunshine smile aimed towards him nor to those bright eyes light up even more every time he started a conversation with her, no matter the subject.

No. Never.

Steve Rogers just wanted to see his best student succeed.

That was all.

Everyday, she greeted him with that smile of hers and they would exchange pleasantries. It was a routine that he was familiar with and one that brought a smile to his face.

She would tell him of her weekend or how her classes were going and in return, he'd tell her of his troublesome students and the horror of grading papers. That particular subject would make her laugh behind her hand, eyes crinkling in mirth. It was a sight to be remembered.

He watched as she changed, grew, over the two months that he knew her. She had gained a few inches of height and her long hair was chopped so that it barely brushed her shoulders. Her previous round face had became sharper, but she remained the same to him.

She stayed starry-eyed and her smiles were just as radiant.

And for that, he was grateful.

Unfortunately for him, it was during that third month when he noticed something about her. He was writing something down on the whiteboard when she answered the question he had proposed to the class. He looked in her direction, which wasn't hard, she was right in front of him.

She had a sharp grin on her face as she finished saying what she needed and her eyes - previously on her paper - met his and in that moment, there's something different about her.

Something undeniably, unexplainably, irrevocably wrong with what he's seeing.

She is... beautiful - not cute, not hot, but a classic beauty - and he knew that previously, he'd wasn't obtuse, he noticed even the tiniest of details. So, it bewilders him at the fact - a horrible but inarguably true one - that he hadn't noticed sooner.

She's a puzzle, an enigma - one second, daring and sharp tongued and the other kind and understanding - and he's going to figure her out.

She's clever. She's the only one, that he knows, that can keep up with him when it comes to debates about almost anything. She opppsed him even when she knew she was wrong because she still wanted to get her point across.

He finds her attractive, in a way that is not permitted in his line of work or at all. He finds the way her eyes glow in his presence attractive, how intelligent she is attractive, how witty and sarcastic she is attractive, and his list could go on. However, all these things shouldn't even be on his mind...

but they are-

and he only slightly regrets it.

[texasthegreatdestroyer]

One Heart, Two Souls: FFX Fan fic

Chapter 1: Part 1.

Cold… That was just one of the things I felt. It was certainly an improvement from five minutes ago.

Then, my lungs had filled with salt water. I remember vomiting it up with what I presumed to be blood, as it left an iron flavor in my mouth.

What a fabulous combination. Blood and seawater. At some point, I must have hit my stomach really hard, that would probably explain the mix of blood and bile.

But what did I have in me to care? My feelings had been washed with a majority of my blood in the sea. The same blood that poured out of my wounds.

The wounds that reminded me of my poor decisions, my failures, and of course, my death. Dying came to me fast, but ended so slowly. I can still feel the sick irony, as the god of the corrupt religion laughs in my face. Waiting, regenerating, plotting which of it's followers to kill next. I felt bitter, but that bitterness turned to sweet salvation and sugar coated numbness, well mentally that was.

The right side of me hurt like hell. Something around the wounds made me hurt. Seawater maybe? No, this felt grainy. My wounds stung and my body ached.

It seemed like every time I tried to move a muscle, it felt like the limb attached to it was being severed from the rest of my body.

I wasn't sure what was worse, my increasing body aches? My inability to open my eyes? Or the the slight but selfish contempt I had for two people I called my best friends?

My eyes, I need to open them. I can hate myself later. I did eventually tried to open my eyes, but when I did, my right one wouldn't open.

The blood on my eye started to clot and eventually scabbed up enough to keep me from forcing it open.

I did manage to get my left eye open though. What I saw was… sort of dark. My good eye and bad eye stung. Using what I knew so far, it was sand that was irritating my eye and wounds.

Somehow, I had face planted into sand. When I figured this out, I lifted my head up quickly. I had finally made it to shore.

I wasn't sure how I ended up here, or in the middle of the ocean for that matter.

I found myself on the beach of a coastal city. It was a big city, but it couldn't have been Bevelle.

I had been all over that city, and knew every landmark, but none of the knees around me looked familiar.

It didn't take me long to figure out where I was, as I noticed that it was busy with machina.

Could this be what I think this could be? Is this Jecht's Zanarkand?

This meant I was able to fulfill my promise to Jecht, but worth how I was feeling, I spat at the idea of fulfilling the promise, as I still felt contempt him and Braska leaving me behind.  Leaving me alone.

As I looked around, I noticed somehow staring at me. It was a child. He looked to be six or seven, but that was not the key thing that stood out about him. He looked like Jecht.

The only thing I could mutter out to him was, “Who… are you?”

The boy looked at me horrified before he ran screaming. “Maaaaa!”. Instinctively, I got up quickly and grabbed his wrist, but that just made him scream more.

“LET GO OF ME!”

“Wait! I think I know your father!”

At hearing this, the boy kept quiet.

“Is your name Tidus?”

The boy was about to answer, but someone came out of their home. An elder looking woman she was. She shouted at us from afar.

The whole beach was made up from boat houses, and she lived in one.

“What's going on over there!?”

We made the mistake of looking over there, it just her yell at us.

“Are you alright young boy?”

She stared at me, then decided it was fit to yell at me next. I didn't really appreciate the attention.

“You! You leave that poor little boy alone! I'll call the police!”

I had no idea what she was talking about. What was a police, or the police? I didn't stay to find out. With the little energy I had, I got up and ran.

To my surprise, the boy followed. We eventually made it somewhere where we'd be safe to talk in private.

“You're Jecht's son, are you not?”

The boy flinched at my question. I could tell that just his father's name made him sick.

“Everyone knows my stupid old man, what makes you special?”

“I knew him on a personal level. I spent three months traveling with him. We were friends. He asked me to find you and your mother.”

“Why should I believe you?”

“I'm only here to bear news off your father to you and your mother, and to help out with you as needed.”

“That doesn't answer my question.”

“Look, it's hard to explain. I just need you to trust me.”

There was silence among us. The boy did finally reply after a couple minutes. All though it was monotone, out was the answer I hoped for.

“Fine.”

I followed him as he guided me to his home. He lived in a fancy little boat house, perfect for a small family of three.

Despite it being a nice, sunny day, there seemed to be something dark and unbecoming of the bright, little house.

The sound of the child's voice snapped me out of my daze.

“I'm going to go get my mom, wait here.”

He opened the door, the inside looked unwelcoming. The boy continued into the dark pit of despair called a doorway. I had to advert my attention to something else to keep myself from running in after him, as I was terrified of what may have been lurking in abyss.

I caught the eyes of the neighbors next door. They were a young, attractive couple. Looks of terror formed on their faces, so like Tidus.

Was my condition really that revolting? As I continued to think about it, the smell of rotten flesh wafted from my body.

I looked down at my decomposing wounds to see that I was squirting blood everywhere as that people next door were watching and reacting. It had occurred to me that my condition was that bad.

My focus was interrupted with Tidus’s return. He walked over to me, but I kept my eyes glued to the dark corridor, waiting, expecting a beautiful woman to illuminate the dark vibes I was getting from interior. Besides, Jecht was supposedly the best blitzer in Zanarkand, and maybe even the world, he would have to have a wife prettier than any of the gorgeous women who flocked to him at the end of the game, or anywhere he was seen.

Finally, a wisp appeared in the doorway. What I saw left me in shock and aww. It was a woman, she would have been beautiful if it wasn't for a couple issues.

Unlike a normal person who emerges in order of a silhouette to a full human body. She starred as a wisp and came out a silhouette.

She was freakishly skinny, her skin stretched across her body like tight clothing. From a literal standpoint, she looked like flesh and bones.

You could see every curve of her skeletal system. The woman was as pale as a ghost. She looked very sickly, almost as if you even slightly touched her, she would shatter.

However, what stood out about her the most was her eyes. They were a shiny, bright, blue, yet appeared to be incredibly dull.

She had darkly outlined bags under her eyes as if she never slept. She looked like the creation made by a depressed artist who felt like spilling their feelings onto the paper.

Her eyes were glazed over like freshly cut glass. She looked like someone who would smile a lot, but not as of now. The one thing the glimmer in her eyes and her smile had in common other than being beautiful. Gone.

Disappeared with Jecht himself, kept in the pocket of his chaos torn pants, as he walked to his demise in the hands of the culprit himself, as he would turn a small family of three into a smaller family of two, leaving it in shambles.

It was very clear she herself was lying on a deathbed, created by her husband's absence and her inability to go on. Her death would be by her own weak, trembling hands. The woman in her frail state spoke.

“I'm sorry, I can't help you. We don't have any medical supplies to take care of you with.”

“That's not why I'm here ma’am.”

“Oh? My son said differently.”

We both stared at the boy. He replied to his unwanted attention.

“Hey, someone had to say it. You look like a walking corpse.”

His mother of course didn't approve of his comment.

“Tidus! That's impolite, apologize.”

He hung his head low in reaction to the unwanted reaction before he spoke again.

“... Sorry.”

“It's not a problem.”

His mother's focus shifted back towards me now.

“Why are you here then?”

My heart dropped. I wasn't  ready to make things worse, but I made a promise.

“I've come bearing unfortunate news… I'm here to inform you that your husband's death has been confirmed… I'm sorry for your

loss.”

She fell to the ground shrieking.

“I knew he was gone, but no one ever found his body! Knowing this, I believed he wasn't dead, that he'd come back to us, my sweet, sweet Jecht! That's been my only hope for months!”

I wanted to comfort her, but I wasn't sure what I could do for her. She had just lost her husband. Although I was also grieving his death, I didn't have it in me to cry.

Looking down at Jecht's wife, I could tell deep down, her heart bleed sorrow, rage, and love. Love that was clearly not reserved for her son.

He tried to go comfort his mother, but when bee did, she just about snapped his head off clean.

“Mommy, it'll be alright-”

“DON'T TOUCH ME!”

She harshly ripped her hands from her son's gentle grasp. I was stunned to see how she treated him. Tidus began to cry, but it only managed to make matters worse for him. She replied with venomous words.

“Grow up and stop crying! You're being pathetic! You HATE him! You said son yourself, so why are you crying!?”

She clearly had a short fuse. The boy cowered. He wiped his tears at his mother's command. He stayed long enough to glare at me, then stomped into the house and slammed the door behind him.

I wanted to tell her the way she was treating her son was wrong, but I couldn't risk her taking offence to what I would say and not let me see him again, so I kept quiet.

Yet again, I kept my eyes attached to the door, while recognizing the so called fruits of my labor.

They were rotten and stunk of failure. A sad and emotionally abused son and a distant mother, that's what was gained.

His mother whispered random words, they sounded of suicide. I looked to find het skin even more tightly stretched across her skull as her eyes got big.

Suddenly the air begun to fill with a bad smell, something other than rotten flesh. It was urine.

I looked below the woman to find a dark yellow puddle under her feet, and a wet spot on her jeans. You could tell she didn't drink much by the discoloration of her… nevermind, too much detail.

I was shocked at the site, and also disgusted. I've had to bear news of fallen comrades to their families numerous times in the past, but I've never gotten this kind of reaction before.

I didn't think grief pissing one's self was anything more than a tale the higher ups told the cadets to disturb them in the warrior monks, but she did so.

I find it funny that this had to happen with the wife of my goner of a best friend. I guess life decided since it was a special occasion, that the reaction had to be equally special. Simply put, a godly, almighty, “Fuck you” from the world to me.

I'm horrible with emotions, I always have been. I watched as wet comps of years ran down her face powerless.

Not too long afterwards, she had passed out. I hadn't noticed, but when I looked away earlier, Tidus had pulled up a stool and watched us from the window of the door.

It took him awhile to move the stool and come outside, but he finally did. He came at me, pushing, hitting, and screaming.

“GET AWAY FROM MOMMY!”

Hee growled at me as I restrained him. I got him inside and locked him in his room long enough to get his mother inside.

I couldn't just leave her to lay in a puddle of her own filth, so I picked her up and took her to the bathroom.

I let Tidus out, asked him if he could help me get his mother cleaned up. After enough fussing, he agreed to help.

There were many weird contraption in the bathroom, but I got her unclothed, and put her in the one that looked closer to a bath.

I wasn't surprised to see that she loomed entirely like a skeleton. However, I couldn't help but stare at her bony structure.

Of course, when Tidus came in, he took my intentions to be impure.

“Stop staring at mommies chest, you creep.”

“That wasn't what I was looking at, I swear!”

“Uh Huh… sure.”

“I promise! She's just… really skinny.”

“Mommy doesn't eat like she used to. She doesn't really eat at all. The doctor told her she needed to start eating more, or she would get sicker, but she never listened. I try to get her to eat, but she won't eat for me!”

He sounds like a mother himself, complaining about trying to get the children to eat right. He stared at me quietly as if he was waiting for something. I wasn't sure what he wanted from me.

“Aren't you going to turn the water on?” He said snarkily.

I wasn't sure how this thing worked, I turned the left knob hesitantly. His mother began to shiver uncontrollably. The boy put his hand in the water.

“It's cold genius! No wonder she's freezing!”

I turn the left knob back to its starting point, turning the water off, then I turn the right knob. I saw steam coming up, so I automatically thought a win for me, but then she flinched in discomfort.

He sticks his hand in a second time, but pulls back immediately.

“Ow!”

He looked up at me and scowled.

“Are you trying to cook her?! You're hurting Mommy!”

“I'm really sorry!”

“No! Just get out!”

I fulfill his wishes and go out to look around for a fresh towel and a set of clothing. It doesn't take Tidus long to call me back in there. He has me watch over her long enough to go grab some things. Tidus comes back with some rubbing alcohol, duct tape and some napkins.

“Stay still!”

“Why?”

“Well, I have to patch you up! I can't just have you bleeding everywhere! You're cleaning the blood up by the way, especially on the carpet, if you don't, mom will be maaaad!”

“That's noted, but are you sure using duct tape and napkins is a good idea?”

“Are you being ungrateful?”

I kept quiet. Duct tape and napkins were at least something. That and probably a better alternative than the local hospitals. Them trying to get my medical records would have been one giant headache all together.

I watch him and cringe at the sting of him stumping a lot of rubbing alcohol on my wounds. I had to bite my lip to keep myself from cursing up a storm. Seriously? Did this kid have no restraint? No idea how painful rubbing alcohol is?

He eventually moved on to putting the fanfic napkins on me and tapping the wounds up.

“You're very lucky mom was talking about throwing these out, or else I would have used paper napkins... But still, keep those hidden just in case.”

“Duly noted.”

He finally did finish, and to my surprise, his method wasn't all that shabby. The bleeding stopped, and the wounds were cleaned. My only issue is that he taped my bread entirely to keep the napkin concealed, this is going to hurt to pull off later.

I continued looking around for what I needed. I didn't take me long, I found her clothes in her dresser, I avoided the panty and bra drawer entirely, I already had taken her out of her clothes and had to put her back in them, I wasn't about to be the guy to look through her potentially sexually arousing undergarments.

I was making my way down the hall to the bathroom when Tidus comes running my direction. I knew something had to be wrong.

“Quick! Help me! Mommies head went under the water and I can't get het up!”

I run into the bathroom quickly and pull her up from the water. If I'd waited any longer, she would have drown. I sit her up long enough to put the towel and clothes down, then hold onto her and kept her head above the water long enough for Tidus to finish cleaning her up.

Afterwards, Tidus grabbed her forty clothes and stuck them in one of the two matching machina. I would later find out that they were a clothe washer and dryer.

I drained the automatic bath and took my time drying her off properly, then put her clothes back on her and carried her to her bed, then I tucked her in.

By the end of this, I stunk of not only rancid flesh and body odor, but a touch of urine. I considered using the bath, but it wasn't my place to do so without permission, so I just left it alone.

Tidus and I sat on the deck quietly. It was an hour before he went in to check on his mother. I could tell he was worried.

When he came back out, we spoke briefly, but the awkwardness turned to silence after the following conversation.

“Is your mother alright?”

“Why do you care?”

His words were cold and untrustworthy. What I said next probably didn't help matters any.

“I wouldn't know what to do if she dies.”

“Don't say she's going to die!”

After a while, we went back inside. There, he spoke to me for a second time. I wasn't off the hook just yet. I was to be thoroughly investigated by a seven-year old. First a doctor, next a detective. This kid has quite the future ahead of him.

“Why were you sent here by my father?”

“I was sent here to bear news off your father's passing, also to help out with you if necessary, in other words, your father's will.”

“... How did he die?”

“He died a hero's death-”

“Don't call my father a hero! He's not!”

There was a pause of silence between us. A few seconds later, I heard shuffling coming down the hallway. I watched as the thin lining of his mother appeared from within the shadows. Instantly, I got up, my first instinct being to guide her back to her room.

When we got back to her room, she said she wanted to talk to me in private, so I shut the door. That was a big mistake.

- To be continued.