#oh boy this was successfully terrifying

[welcometomyoasis]

Seventeen's reaction to their s/o crushing it on the water obstacle course

Synopsis: What would the seventeen members’ reactions be when they see you, their s/o, successfully run across a floating obstacle course like the one during dive into TTT.  Svt x gn! reader | fluff | 0.9k words | warnings: water, leg cramps, overconfident boys | requested by anon

He screeches and his brain stops functioning

Seungcheol, Dokyeom, Mingyu, Seungkwan

𓆉 All morning, you both watched the rest of the members on the obstacle course. One after the other, all the members wiped out along the bridge made out of circular floats. So when you said you wanted to try, he was skeptical. But oh, he’s never been so happy to be proven wrong. 

𓆉 As soon as he sees you literally flying across the floating obstacle course, he’s screaming his brains out. For being on the unstable floating platforms, your movements are smooth, graceful, balanced. He’s straining his voice cheering for you. There’s a mix between “Go Baby!!!!”, “Show those people how it’s done!!!”, “HOW?”

𓆉 He’s on the edge of his seat. He’s proud of you. He’s terrified that you’re going to wipe out before you complete the whole course since you’ve been doing so well. He’s so excited to watch his baby do something others can’t do. He’s so confused. How the hell are you doing it? You’re doing the impossible? 

𓆉 When you finally complete the course, huffing and puffing from the exertion, you don’t have anytime to rest. He’s screaming about how proud he is, how you’ve done so well. Your eardrums might get blown, and although you successfully avoided splashing into the water, you still end up there anyway because he takes you both over the edge of the float when he whoomps you from the side trying to hug you. 

He watches in awe 

Jeonghan, Joshua, Wonwoo, Jihoon, Minghao, Vernon

𓆉 Before you even attempt the course, he’s cautioning you to be careful. It’s a big obstacle course and you could slip into the water at any given moment. Then, he sends you on your way. What? He’s not going to stop you. He wants to see you crushing the competition succeed. 

𓆉 The countdown begins and then you’re off. So you aren’t the most graceful person on the course. There are still times you almost slip (taking his heart out in the process), but you’re doing better than most people. You haven’t completely fallen into the water yet. And you’re reaching the end of the course soon.

𓆉 He’s watching you in shock and awe. He feels his heart swell with pride seeing you do so well. What? You’re his baby and he adores you. You look so determined, so adorable. He’s cheering for you, wishing you well with cheers like “You’re doing great baby!”, “Just a little more!”, “You can do it!”. Obviously, he’s been recording you this entire time so he can rewatch it and proudly show you off to others. (Jeonghan and Joshua probably did it so they could tease you if you wiped out…)

𓆉 He’s still grinning and staring at you with hearts in his eyes when you gleefully run up to him, cheering that you were successful. He wraps a towel over your shoulders. You didn’t get wet, but still, he’s going to keep you warm. He listens to your endearing babbles, cooing at you to tell you that you’re his pride and joy. When you’re done, it’s his turn to retell the story animatedly about his own feelings when you were out there absolutely crushing the obstacle course. Then, it’s your turn to melt at how much love he has for you. 

He is green with envy

Junhui, Soonyoung, Dino

𓆉 Listen, he’s attempted this course multiple times this morning. The course is just not cooperating. For some reason, he just can’t seem to cross the circular floating bridge. Those things are just too unbalanced. So yea, if he can’t do it, don’t feel bad if you can’t do it. 

𓆉 Still, you know, he got pretty far in the course before wiping out there. He’s definitely smugly watching you. It’s not that he’s undermining you (okay, maybe a little) but it’s a competition to him, duh! Everything is. He wants to see how well you do compared to him. 

𓆉 Well, you know you have this in the bag. You simply give him a little wink before dashing forward confidently. You don’t hesitate, easily flying across the obstacle course with little to no difficulty. In the moments you glance over to your boyfriend’s direction, you laugh when you see him watching you in disbelief. His jaw dropped so low flies might get in. 

𓆉 You skip over to him once you’re done, wriggling your eyebrows to indicate how well you did compared to his many, many wipeouts. He pouts, sulking and whining that there has to be something wrong with the obstacle course. Or you know what? He had a leg cramp which is why he kept failing. 

𓆉 Just roll your eyes at him trying to overcompensate for his failure, and let him be. He’ll tire himself out eventually. When he does, his failures are pushed to the back of his head, and he’s celebrating your win with you. How could he not? You. Absolutely. Crushed. It. 

Bonus: Cheeky cheating little brats Evil twins

Jeonghan and Joshua

𓆉 They are impressed, but they are cheating little brats so they tease you, insisting that they didn’t see anything. Did you actually succeed? They will ask you to redo the whole course again. This time, they will personally guide you to the course instead of watching you from afar. When you begin running, these two evil twins would 100% start rocking the whole floating obstacle course violently, causing you to fall into the water. See? It’s impossible. Oh, and if you do have evidence of you successfully completing the course? Nah, it’s probably a one time fluke. 

perm taglist: @weird-bookworm @wonijinjin @babyleostuff @wishing-fieshes @kwanienies @mayashu @megseungmin @porridgesblog @haecien @mirxzii @scoupsofcherries @eightlightstar

[kiaxet]

Sooooo y’all see the latest @somerandomdudelmao comic update? Because once again it is living in my head, which means once again my brain has generated fic. This one’s ~1200 words and slightly less tragic, depending on whether or not you take dramatic irony into account.

~~~~~~~

It starts fairly innocuously.

One of the surviving technicians monitors a computer as it finally, finally boots up successfully, whooping when the Genius Tech loading screen pops up. He grins and pats the power cable. "Thanks, Raph!"

It catches on.

A water purifier, disconnected to save a struggling power supply, gets plugged back in. It chugs back to life, and the kids responsible for its upkeep cheer and high five. One of them waves at the ceiling, where a power conduit runs overhead. "Thanks, Mister Raph!"

And it spreads like wildfire.

Every time something works the way it's supposed to - every time a much-needed device pops back to life, or the emergency doors close correctly, or a dying lightbulb flickers on one more time - they thank Raph. In gleeful shouts and careful whispers, they show gratitude for the person who gave up his life - and his second chance at life, at that - to keep them safe. It makes the emergency base, ramshackle and barely held together as it is, feel a little more like a home. A little more alive.

It doesn't take long for a few unspoken rules to develop.

They never say it in front of the metal shell. It's one thing to say it to the walls, the cables, the electricity; it's something else to say it to a figure with a face, seated against the wall like a sentinel that will awaken and protect them when danger arises.

(Nevermind that they've been in danger, constant and unending, for decades, and that this sentinel is already protecting them in smaller, everyday ways.)

They learn very quickly never to say it in front of Raph's surviving family, either. Master Leonardo gets angry when he hears it. It's an anger born of grief and loss, painful but not dangerous to allies, but given how terrifying Master Leonardo can be on the battlefield or a bad day, nobody really wants that anger directed at them. Master Michaelangelo just stops when he hears it, lips curling up in an expression too devoid of life to truly be called a smile. It's almost worse to witness than Master Leonardo's anger. No, they learn to watch themselves in front of the family, carefully taking their gratitude towards a dead man elsewhere.

Until the day someone forgets and says it in front of Casey Junior.

The kid looks up at Roger with wide, almost hopeful eyes. "Why did you- is he here? Can you feel him?"

Roger stares back at him with equally wide eyes. He'd just been grateful the computer had booted correctly for his monitor shift, and he hadn't been looking, and now he has to try to explain this to a kid who's never known a life outside the apocalypse. Oh boy. "No, uh- I mean- I don't have magic like your dads do, Casey, I couldn't-" He sighs. "It's just...a thing people do, when things work. Before the Krang, we had all sorts of machines that made life easier, and...we'd talk to 'em. Thank 'em when they worked, yell or beg when they didn't...I remember threatening a fax machine once, not that that made any difference. I think that just...kinda carried over here." Wait. "Not that your uncle was a machine or anything-"

"His body was a machine," Casey says simply, with a pragmatism that Roger hadn't been expecting. Apocalypse-raised kid. Right. "That wasn't what made him Uncle Raph. He was- it's-" Casey falters, expression starting to crumble. Pragmatism be damned, the kid is still grieving-

Rem, just coming off her shift, steps in smoothly. It's not the first time she's saved Roger's ass, both on and off the battlefield, and it won't be the last. "We know," she says gently, putting an arm around Casey's shoulders. "What Roger means is that we're grateful he's keeping us going, and that people like to bond with machines even when they're too simple to bond back. We all used to name our cars - can you believe it?"

"I named mine Red Rider," Roger says wistfully. He still misses that car.

"And I used to sneak out of the Hidden City with my cloaking brooch and go joyriding outside of human cities," Rem says, a grin splitting her feline muzzle. "I named every car I stole Phantom, like I thought I was cool."

Casey smiles - small and watery, but there nonetheless - and Roger breathes a sigh of relief. "What else did you name?"

"I mean, it was mostly cars, but some people named their computers."

"I had a friend who named her phone and just kept adding numbers when she had to replace it. It was Duchess O'Brien the eighth last I'd heard."

"I know some Yokai named their weapons, but I never really kept track of those. It was more of a Battle Nexus fandom thing."

Another Yokai leans in - a four eyed lizard whose name Roger could never remember no matter how hard he tried - and Roger shuts up. She's in charge of security now, and honestly she intimidates him. She looks around - at him, at Rem, at Casey - and then intones seriously, "I once named a kitchen appliance Toasty McToastFace."

There's a beat of silence. Casey has a lopsided grin growing on his face, like he doesn't get the joke but he knows it is one, and that's enough to lift his mood.

And then Rem doubles over, cracking up, and Bob smiles carefully. "Really loved that toaster, huh?"

"It was my closest friend," the lizard Yokai replies, deadpan as hell, before leaving the conversation.

Casey turns that confused grin on Roger. "Was she serious?"

"Kid, I have no idea. Some people are just really into this kinda thing."

Rem finally straightens up, wiping a tear from her eye with a paw. "Ohhhh boy. Oh, I needed that." She turns her smile back on Casey. "Point being, naming something makes it a little more real, and makes you a little more likely to take care of it. The system here...already has a name. We're just saying thank you, you know?"

The grin on Casey's face settles down into consideration. "Yeah, I think I do. I- Thanks. I'm gonna-" He waves at the door to finish his sentence.

"Go for it, kid." Roger waves him off as he departs, then sighs once he's gone. "God, that kid is just hemmhorraging family, isn't he."

"We all are, Roger, it's the fucking apocalypse." Rem flicks an ear.

"Yeah, but still. It's rough." There's a second or two of silence. "Also, if he says it in front of Master Leonardo, I'm denying all knowledge of this conversation."

"Spirits, same."

Roger learns a few days later - from Rem, of course - that Casey has named his chainsaw hockey stick Killer, because it's what his mom used to call him. Well damn, if kids like him are gonna be the future, then maybe they have some hope after all. He raps on a wall lightly, just below where the power conduit is mounted. "I know you didn't have a lot of time with the kid, but you did a good job." He can't help but smile. "Thanks, Raph."

[avatar-anna]

Baby Mine

or just young dadrry being a dad

Young Dad! Harry x Young Mom! Reader

Reality struck Harry in the face when he realized Y/n was showing.

The text he got from Y/n saying she was pregnant? Mind-blowing, but also a little surreal. The conversations he had with his parents and management? An out of body experience. But seeing Y/n with a baby bump for the first time, with his baby? His knees nearly buckled from the stark realization that this was actually happening.

He was going to be a dad.

It was a terrifying thought. Harry was still a kid himself—in all the ways that mattered, anyway. He played video games with his mates, he stayed out late on the weekends, and it felt like just yesterday that he'd gotten his driver's license. He could barely successfully cook pasta, let alone take care of his own child.

And Y/n, the girl he'd only known for a short couple months. The girl he really liked to the point where he still talked to her even after his trip to LA was over, she was here with him, on tour, walking around in his hotel room in one of his t-shirts, her stomach stretching the soft material just enough to be noticeable.

"I thought we could have dinner together," she said, coming over to where Harry was still holding vigil by the door. "I was craving Mexican and I remembered you saying you liked tacos, so I did a little exploring, and voila."

His eyes darted over Y/n's shoulder, and there were in fact various Mexican dishes wrapped up in foil packaging. It smelled good too, but it wasn't quite enough to pull Harry from his stupor.

"I...I'm meeting someone. The boys. For dinner," he said.

It wasn't quite enough to pull his head out of his ass apparently, either.

"Oh."

Y/n blushed, her gaze flickering away from his. Harry felt like a dick, especially since it wasn't true. But he freaked out. He was freaking out. Playing house—or hotel—with a girl he barely knew and pretending it was perfectly normal for them to prepare to have a baby together was too much. All of a sudden, it was all too much.

"Have—Have fun, then. I'll probably head back to my room, I guess."

It was painfully awkward, but Harry didn't know how to make it better. So, like the grown adult he wasn't, he mumbled a reply and skirted around Y/n to set his duffle bag down before mumbling his goodbyes and leaving again.

He was gone for maybe an hour. While he was gone, he walked around aimlessly, letting himself get lost in an unfamiliar city. And in all that walking, he gave himself time to think.

Harry knew he'd been an ass. Y/n hadn't done anything wrong, and knowing that he disappointed her made him upset. Because the truth was, he really liked her. She shared his stupid sense of humor, she liked the music he liked, she had a cute little birthmark on her right shoulder that Harry couldn't help but feel compelled to kiss whenever he saw it. She was beautiful and smart and outgoing.

And now she was having his baby.

They were both to blame for that. Both of them had been careless that particular night, but Y/n had been clear to Harry when she told him about her being pregnant. "I want to have it, but I'm also not going to force you to have it with me," she'd told him when they eventually had a phone conversation. "I don't, like, expect anything from you, but I just didn't think it would be right if I kept this a secret from you."

"How did your parents take it?" Harry had asked because her voice contained a steely nerve that was deflecting non-existent judgement.

"Not great, but they'll come around. Eventually. I hope."

She'd said the last part so quietly, as if she wasn't truly sure her parents would actually accept the fact that their daughter was pregnant.

"I want to help," he blurted.

Y/n had looked at him with wide eyes, and a pang of guilt lanced through him at her surprise. She'd genuinely thought he'd leave her high and dry.

"Help?"

"I—I want to be a part of this, or help you raise it—the baby. I want to help. Like we're a team—Not a team. Like a—"

"A team. I like that."

Harry had been glad to be put out of his misery, though to his credit, he never imagined ever having this conversation, and he at least hadn't cried yet.

"You do?"

"Yeah. I think family is too much right now," Y/n said. "But a team...a team looks out for each other. Makes each other better."

So they were a team, though clearly Harry had been dropping the ball recently.

He was just...scared. Terrified. But he could only imagine what Y/n was thinking, how she was feeling. Since she'd joined him on tour, they talked about everything but the baby. Whether that was conscious or subconscious on either of their parts, Harry wasn't sure, but he knew they couldn't skirt around the subject forever. When he first told his mum about Y/n being pregnant, Harry insisted that he could do this, that he was grown enough to raise a baby. He wasn't exactly sure how true that statement was, but one thing he did know was that he could do much better than he was now.

When he got back to the hotel, Y/n was spread out along the plush sofa, eyes closed and arm resting idly on her belly. Harry wasn't so scared at seeing the bump this time around. In fact, a part of him was a little excited.

Y/n startled a little when Harry knelt by her side, her eyes bleary and a little red. "Sorry. I was gonna go, but I sat down for a moment and—"

"Nothing to be sorry for," Harry interrupted. "I'm sorry, actually. I was kind of an ass earlier."

Shaking her head, she said, "We don't owe each other anything. It's not like we're—"

"But I want to. I know things have been a little awkward, but I like you, Y/n. A lot. That hasn't changed."

"Really?" Y/n asked, and Harry felt bad when she sounded so unsure.

"Really. We...obviously didn't expect this to happen, but I want this. With you. Even if we are a little young and out of our depth here."

Y/n laughed. "Try a lot."

Harry grinned, resting his hand over hers where she was still holding her belly. "But we'll learn. Together. We're a team, right?"

Her eyes softened then. She ran a hand through his curls, the touch delicate but comforting, and Harry couldn't help but lean into her touch. "Yeah. We're a team."

They stayed like that for a minute, maybe two, but Harry eventually straightened, his grin widening as he said, "Right then. We should welcome the newest member of our team, shouldn't we?"

Y/n giggled as Harry shuffled around until he was face to face with Y/n's stomach. He lifted her shirt gently, his breath catching when he saw the baby bump up close.

"Hello there...baby. I'm Harry. Your dad," he said, only feeling a little silly. "You don't have a name yet, but I just wanted you to know that I love you, and your mum loves you, and even though we're a little on the young side, we're gonna take care of you the best we can. And so will your uncles."

"That was sweet, H," Y/n said, her fingers tracing the side of his cheek. "And...I do have a name in mind."

"You do? I didn't know that."

Y/n gave him a smile that felt like she was teasing him. "Because I'm telling you now. I've been testing it out in my head for a few days."

If Harry thought the baby bump made all of this real, talking about potential names would definitely do that. But whether he was ready or not, this was happening.

"Alright. Hit me with it."

A small smile creeped onto Y/n's face. "Simone."

"Simone," Harry repeated, trying it out for himself. "How'd you land on Simone?"

Y/n shrugged casually, but Harry knew that she put thought into it, that this name meant something to her. "It's pretty, and, I don't know, we talked about Nina Simone on our first date. It seemed right."

Thinking about their first proper date gave Harry butterflies. He remembered how nervous he was to go out with Y/n, spending an embarrassing amount of time picking out the right clothes and fixing his hair. But when he actually met her at the spot they agreed on, all his nerves went away, and he spent the whole date marveling at the fact that he was on a date with Y/n and all the things they had in common and how he didn't want it to end.

"It's perfect," Harry agreed, then bent his head to kiss Y/n's belly. "Hi, Simone. I can't wait to meet you."

A few months later

"Do you want to hold her?"

Y/n was in her hospital bed, hair hanging limp around her shoulders. She looked tired beyond belief, but she was smiling brightly at Harry as she held a little bundle of blankets, one of which was his mother's handiwork, Harry realized.

He found himself nodding, and before he was maybe ready, Y/n passed the baby over to him, and he was holding her. His daughter.

Harry looked down, a swirl of emotions squeezing his heart. She was asleep, the world's tiniest hand pressed against her cheek while she took deep breaths. Logically, he knew she didn't have any distinguishable features yet, but Harry felt like he could see himself and Y/n in her. Just gazing at her little face, he felt like he could see the next fifteen years playing out—the first words and steps, seeing Y/n holding her backstage, recitals and sports games, school projects, first loves, all of it.

An overwhelming feeling Harry couldn't name washed over him. It brought tears to his eyes as he realized just how much he loved her, how much he was willing to bend over backwards and protect her. And when he was able to break away from looking at her for a second, he found Y/n's gaze and saw the same look in her eyes, and one of understanding too.

Harry looked back down at his daughter, that overwhelming feeling rushing through him again, and for a moment, he wondered if that would ever go away. He wasn't sure he wanted it to.

"Hi baby," he whispered. Bending his head down, he kissed her forehead. "Hi, Simone. Welcome to our little family."

He knew Y/n was listening, but he didn't mind. It felt right that it was just the three of them sharing this little moment before everyone else flooded in to see the baby.

"We're a little unconventional as far as families go, and you'll probably have a different childhood than other kids," he said, not caring that Simone couldn't hear or understand him. He needed to say it. "But I'll love you with all my heart, and so will your mummy. You'll want for nothing because we'll give you the world, but you might have to be a little patient with us because we're new to the parenting thing.

"But I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy," he continued, his voice breaking. "I'll never let you feel unloved. I'll change your nappies and wipe your tears and make you smile. I'll be the best daddy for you. I promise."

Harry didn't know what the future held, but that he was sure of. He'd been scared and anxious the last few months, but now that he was standing in a hospital room holding his newborn daughter, he didn't want to give her, or Y/n, anything less than what they deserved.

Years later

"Dad, you're squeezing too hard."

"I don't care. My baby's abandoning me."

"I'm going to college!"

"That's what I said, isn't it?"

Simone began to squirm, but Harry still wouldn't let up. He was currently in the process of blinking back tears, and didn't want her to notice when he eventually did pull away.

"I'll be back for Fall Break," she said quietly, giving into the hug and squeezing Harry tight.

Harry took a deep breath and let go, even though he wasn't exactly ready to. Mustering a smile, he said, "I know. I'm just going to miss you. You're my baby."

Simone didn't balk or roll her eyes or contradict him, she just gripped the straps of her backpack as she gave him a wobbly smile. "You have plenty of babies to take care of at home."

Harry grinned and looked behind him where Y/n was keeping watch over the rest of the Styles family, though none of them were really babies anymore.

Looking back at Simone, he said, "Behave yourself, okay? Don't do anything Uncle Louis would do. And no boys for at least a month, please?"

Simone did roll her eyes then. "Sure, Dad."

That wasn't totally convincing, but he knew it was the best he was going to get. Harry pulled Simone in for one last hug, memories of the last eighteen years playing in his mind like a fast forward reel. Part of him couldn't believe he was already dropping Simone off for her first year of college, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to let her go. When he looked at her, he could still see the little baby he held for the first time, the one he promised to protect and do his best to raise. He hoped he fulfilled that promise.

"I love you, bug. Call me if you need anything. Any time, any place, you call me, okay?"

Tears appeared in Simone's eyes as she nodded. When Harry was ready, he finally stepped back and walked back toward Y/n and the rest of his family. As everyone got in the car Simone watched, waving to her siblings from the curb until Harry eventually peeled out of his spot, feeling like he was leaving part of his heart behind.

"Can we get something to eat?"

"In-N-Out!"

"There's no In-N-Out here!"

"A burger does sound good."

"Skip the song, please!"

"Play One Direction!"

Harry smiled as he shared a look with Y/n. He already missed Simone, but he knew she would be okay. And he found that it was easier—not by a lot but easier—to miss someone when there were five other babies, who weren't really babies anymore, to look after.

[chuuya4040]

Thinking about Dazai vs a spider and Chuuya being his hero ehehh

A scream echoes throughout the house and before Chuuya knows it he is running in the direction of the distressed noise.

“Dazai? Dazai!” Chuuya slams open the bedroom door, finding the brunet standing on the bed with a terrified look decorating his face. The executive does a quick scan of the room, and finds no issues or life-threatening causes in sight.

With a look of disdain he questions, “what the hell–”

“Oh, Chuuya, thank gods, help me before it crawls on me, lays its millions of eggs on me and kills me!”

“Hah?!”

“Fuck! Quick!” Dazai swiftly grabs a hold of Chuuya and hauls him onto the bed, shakily pointing a finger to wear the redhead was just standing a moment ago. With a dramatic sigh he exclaims, “thank god your master was here to save you! Now, be a good boy and kill it for me.”

“Fuck off!” Chuuya yells pushing the brunet next to him, as he slightly stumbles on the soft mattress. “I ain’t doing shit for you! It’s just a spider, quit acting like a fuckin’ baby.”

“But it’s huge! Chuuya should kill it before it decides it finds my precious eyes are its next nesting place.”

“Well, then maybe I should let it do exactly that.”

“Chuuya! How cruel! Maybe it’ll mistake your tacky hat for a cave and make a home in it.”

“Yeah well, your hair looks enough like a spider's nest already as it i—” A bandaged hand harshly grabs his own with a painful grip.

“Ah! There! /There!/ Chuuya, Chuuya kill it already!!”

“I can’t do anything if you’re holding me, you bastard!”

“Holy shit, it is /huge!/ Why is the universe punishing me?! Go for the chibi instead!”

Bandaged hands push the redhead forwards and off the bed. Chuuya blankly stares at the arachnida, minuscule as it crawls around on the ground unbeknownst that the once feared Demon Prodigy was throwing a tantrum over something so harmless.

Making quick use of his ability, Chuuya grabs a nearby notebook and a glass and uses gravity to float the items and successfully trap the arachnida within seconds.

With an unimpressed look, Chuuya stares over his shoulder at the supposed dangerous ex-mafia executive clinging onto a pillow.

Dazai lowers the pillow as he watches the spider trapped in the glass glowing in red, a look of relief on his face.

With a genuine, soft smile he muses, “ah, my knight in a shining tacky hat~”

Blue eyes widened as if the ice had just melted and created a behemoth of an ocean, watching as the detective sat on his bed cross-legged, hair a mess and eyes shining so bright Chuuya thought he might burn in the process.

/Please, burn me all flesh and bone until there is nothing left/, the redhead thought, watching the soft look on the man he has been so irrevocably obsessed with, /if it means being with you, then I will gladly strip myself of all./

“Wanna repeat that again, bastard?” Chuuya teases, walking closer to the bed as the now trapped spider trails behind him.

Brunet eyes flicker between the animal and the redhead, uneasiness in his features. “Now, Chuuya… we can talk about this.”

A step closer. “Oh? But I heard you say something about my.. /tacky hat/.”

“Chuuya…” Dazai warned, attempting to move further away in the bed. “Did I say tacky hat? I meant it is a beautiful hat! Truly marvellous! So very.. /fashionable/” He says strained.

The redhead takes another step closer with the spider, a smug smile decorating his features while watching the way his ex-partner squirms.

“Heel dog! /Heel!/ Listen to your master.” Dazai yells, panic flailing his movements as he jumps out of the bed and now they both stand on either side.

A feral smirk slowly pulls against Chuuya’ lips at those words, rage and excitement fueling his heart and a piece of ice chips away. “Oh, you are so fucking dead, mackerel.”

Silence, before Dazai yells out pleas before running out of the room with Chuuya yelling out obscenities. Laughter echoes against the walls, child-like behavior rejuvenating them in ways they never thought were necessary and possible.

If you were to peek through the window, it almost seemed like two young teenage boys who had never experienced any despair or pain, were simply running around their house and living. They stumble, falling over each other and giggling without a care in the world, as if they were in their own universe and maybe they were– because the dangerous duo dubbed at 15 known as Double Black, for the first time in years felt genuine happiness.

[xsezzie]

TickleTober Day 11 : Pumpkin

Characters: Solomon & Simeon (or romantic if you want to see it that way)

Warnings: Nah

Pairing key: & = platonic, x = romantic!

Solomon can't cook for shit but his cooking always has magical powers for some reason...? At least that's what I remember when I played this game LOL

“Oh, come on Simeon, trust me! This will be the best pumpkin pie you have ever tasted!”

Solomon grinned happily, stirring the… “food” he was trying to make. Simeon could only look on in horror as it began to turn a dark purple colour.

“Hey… why don’t we let Luke do the Halloween baking? You know he would uh… love the opportunity to improve!”

The angel was nervous. Why did Diavolo allow Solomon to join the cooking team for the upcoming Halloween celebration!? Simeon needed to come up with some sort of way to save everyone.

"Hmph... I can help too you know!"

Ah, everyone was doomed.

Later that evening, Solomon and Simeon had finished up their duties. After completing his pumpkin pie, the human had left to go set up all the tables, thankfully not cooking anything else. Simeon felt bad, he could see Solomon was proud of it, but there was no way he could let anyone, not even Beel, eat it.

But maybe it was okay? What if the pie was not toxic despite its looks? Maybe he could sneak a taste…

And sneak a taste he did, Simeon gently took a piece of the whipped cream, or at least that’s what he thought it was, and licked it off his finger.”

“Huh… this is quite nice… wait what!?”

Did he just think it tasted nice? No no this has to be some trick.

Simeon tried another little bit of the cream, and it did in fact taste nice.

“Ah Simeon! What are you doing!?” Solomon caught the angel red handed.

Simeon turned his head around and stared wide eyed - oh. He can feel it now. There was something wrong with the pie after all, and it was not the taste. It was the weird powers Solomon’s food always came with.

“Solomon…” The brunette couldn’t fight it now.

“What? What has gotten into you? First you start eating my pie and now you are looking at me funny…” He pouted.

The urge was overwhelming despite only having a small piece - “I am going to tickle you.”

“Huh-HEY!” Solomon cried out as Simeon punched on him, wrestling to pin his arms up.

“I’m sorry… it must be done… I must tickle you…”

“Wait wait what why!? Aaah!!! S-Simeohohon!”

Simeon successfully managed to pin the white haired boy's arms up with one hand and used the other to poke his exposed armpits to see if he was ticklish.

“Oho? What do we have here?”

“Ahahah! What are you doooihihihing! Stahahaap!”

“I cannot, I just… have this awful urge to tickle you… I blame whatever weird things you put into that pie or yours!”

“I-I didn’t do anythihihihiiing I sweahahahahahar! Aaack!! Simeon!!”

The brunette had let go of his arms now and dove both hands into his armpits, causing Solomon to throw his head back with even more laughter.

“HAHAHAAH SIHIHIHIHIMEOHOHOHON!!! THAT'S MY WEAK SPOT HAHAHAHA!!!”

“Excellent… heh, seeing you like this is quite amusing my friend~ You’re always so sly, maybe this will knock you down a peg.”

Simeon smiled, almost maniacally, as the white haired boy continued to squirm under him.

“D-Don’t make me call Asmo hahahahaha!!!”

“I think Asmo would love to join me~”

“Nohohohoo!!!”

“What’s this about me~?”

Simeon stopped tickling as soon as the familiar voice of Asmodaeus was heard behind him.

“Are you playing tickles without me~ How could you!” Asmo pouted.

“Uh… hey Asmo…” Solomon gulped nervously.

“Asmodaeus… please try some of Solomon’s pumpkin pie… and tell me what you think… I just tried some right now and I need someone else to test this…”

Simeon noticed as the fifth born looked terrified at the idea of eating Solomon’s cooking, but the fact that someone else had already tried it and was living in front of him to tell the tale made him curious.

He approached and also swiped a bit of whipped cream from the pie, licking his finger in curiosity. “Huh… why is this good… I don’t see what the big deal is- oh.”

Asmo stared at Solomon and Simeon on the ground, the human looking up in fear. “Ohh~ Hehe… I see now Simeon… I too have this strong desire to just tickle my dear Solomon… perhaps we should continue together~?”

“Wait… no… please Asmo NOHOHOHOOO!!!!”

[ratsandfashion]

@SHOFARSOGOOD SORRY TUMBLR WOULDN'T LET ME REBLOG???

BUT

OH MY GOD YOU HAVE OPENED THE FLOODGATES HNNNGH

Okay, so you're in France in the 1760s. Specifically, you're a peasant in the Gevaudan province.

AND SOMETHING IS KILLING THE SHIT OUT OF EVERYBODY

It's described as being "like a wolf, yet not a wolf" and these people, they're shepherds, they see wolves ALL THE TIME, so if they say this thing WASN'T a wolf, I trust them. But the problem is, we don't know WHAT it was. Descriptions vary a LOT, probably owing to the people who saw it being terrified and trying to get away, combined with a typical "game of telephone" deal where the thing got changed each time someone told someone else about it, combined with people just lying and SAYING they'd said it, combined with the fact that if it was an exotic animal (more on that later) people just had no idea what they were looking at. But some fairly consistent traits are that it's BIG, it's got a long tail with a tuft, and it's a reddish color with a black-striped back and white underbelly.

Sounds like a tiger, right? That's a common theory. A lot of nobles kept zoos of exotic animals that peasants would never have seen before and have no reference for, so the fact it's a big furry predator on four legs was probably enough to make it "like a wolf but not a wolf" if it wasn't a bear (and we don't think it was a bear because people also knew what bears looked like) Some good candidates are a tiger for the aforementioned reasons, a lion (tufted tail, some drawings have a mane), and a hyena (wolf-like, has the bite force necessary for decapitation, as many of the corpses had the head removed from their bodies, another unusual feature)

So this thing just fucking runs around the countryside savaging peasants. And they can't do much about it because it's illegal for peasants to have guns. If you ever have to make an argument for the right to bear arms, bring up the Beast of Gevaudan, gurantee no one will see that coming!

Some peasants made do with what they had though. A group of boys managed to save their friend with, iirc, sharpened sticks, though they did not escape unscathed. One had his cheek basically TORN OFF, and as a result the king funded his education for the rest of his life, which was a big deal for a peasant boy who wouldn't ordinarily receive it. And a girl, Marie-Jeanne Valet, successfully fended it off with a homemade spear (she described the beast as a large dog) A statue still stands in her honor today.

Speaking of the King, the news about all this was reaching him. So he started sending out hunters and dragoons (a type of cavalry that would dismount to fight) to get the wolf. But, to no avail! They couldn't seem to kill it. And when they DID finally get a great big wolf, as well as a female wolf with unusually large pups that had traits not normally seen in wolves (ex: double dew claws, which some large dog breeds have, indicating wolfdog hybrids) the killings stopped for awhile. . .and then started again.

This became one of the first international news stories; other countries thought it was HILARIOUS that the King of France and all his men couldn't handle one little WOLF!

Eventually, it was brought down for good by a local hunter named Jean Chastel. Legend sprang up that the beast, which was said to be immune to ordinary bullets, had been felled by a bullet which had been made by melting down a medallion of the Virgin Mary. At the time, the fact it was killed by a holy icon was what was significant, as some people thought it was a werewolf and those were seen as creatures of the Devil at that time (rather than innocent people afflicted by a disease/curse as in modern media) but the fact the medallion was silver may be the source of the modern "silver bullet" myth which isn't from any real werewolf folklore and seems to be an invention of Hollywood.

The royal notary examined the animal after death and recorded in what is known as "The Marin Report" that "This animal which seemed to us to be a wolf; But extraordinary and very different by its figure and its proportions from the wolves that one sees in this country." and details a "monstrous head", unusual body proportions, aberrant morphological characteristics, and unusual fur colors. The report also includes the dental formula (number of molars, number of canines, etc) of the animal, which does seem to indicate a canid of some type. The report is preserved in The French National Archives.

So, this wasn't an unsubstantiated cryptid. It was pretty darn meticulously documented.

Unfortunately, photos didn't exist then, and by the time the corpse was taken to Versailles, it was so rotten and badly decayed that no one wanted anything to do with it, and it was in all likelihood dumped somewhere like garbage. I reckon everyone was just happy to be done with it.

While the beast was dead (or at the least, the attacks ceased) the speculation never has. Some people think it was just a big wolf or wolves, but like I said, I think these people knew what a wolf looked like. Other people think it was a wolfdog hybrid or family of such, which would account for the large size, unusual features, and lack of fear of humans. This, I think, is the most likely option. The escaped exotic animal is the next most likely imo; I remember that there's no records of. . .it was either of any such zoos themselves at the time or of no escapees, but like, if I was a noble and my tiger got out and it was eating people, I don't think I'd say anything.

Then there's more fringe theories. The werewolf thing, of course, but also the idea it was a conspiracy against the king, or some big political plot, often involving Chastel (the hunter who shot it) or his son, or that it was a serial killer dressed in animal skins, or a serial killer that had trained a dog to hunt with him as his method of killing. I...kind that pretty unlikely, just because I've never heard of a serial killer doing anything like that, like using an animal is just not 'intimate' in the way serial killers seem to like to be? But I'm no expert.

My PERSONAL favorite Unlikely Fringe Theory is that it was a mesonychid. See, some descriptions of the Beast claimed it had hooves. And while no modern carnivore has hooves, there is a prehistoric class of carnivores called mesonychids who are often described as "wolves with hooves" and whose appearance---monstrous head, longer tail---do match up pretty well with a lot of accounts.

Now, is it likely that a breeding population of huge prehistoric predators just...survived THAT long into the present and just NEVER got noticed by humans except this ONE time, and no other remains to indicate their survival have ever turned up? Yeah, no. But I really like the idea! That and the werewolf are my FAVORITE options, but in all likelihood it was a wolfdog(s) or escaped exotic.

[20230323deactivated]

trey’s baking lessons is now in session!

— how does one bake if one does not know how to bake? simply go to trey clover!

characters. first years x gn!reader

warnings. author is not by any means good at english for their first language is filipino with that in mind please excuse the grammatical errors that has been performed on this fic. (not proofread)

an. late valentine cause fuyu was extremely busy this week!

tags. @cherrys-sweetness @rayisalive @moxxbox

Panic.

That was the only emotion felt by the first years. Ace didn’t truly know what to do when such a day is about to come near, deuce is even more confused. What would you like to have? do you prefer the classic chocolate and roses? or something from his heart.

Epel has confidence in his apple carving skills and knows he can make something out of it for you, why does it feel like something is a miss? Jack already has an idea on what to give you. A classic homemade chocolate, though the problem is how does he make it?

Sebek is in the same situation as deuce. all of them sigh, Yuu sees them. such a calm aura, how ominous, was today gonna be troublesome? “Oh wow,” they said aloud as the first year's eyes looked at the ramshackle prefect. The prefect sweatdropped as they went to their seat, “prefect… I’m your best friend,”

Ace started. Yuu is slightly concerned with how he started their conversation, “yes… what is it?”

“What kind of gift do you give if you had a valentine?” This raised a brow from the prefect. Though they shrugged it off, “well homemade chocolates and I think a flower that reminds you of them would be nice, why?”

‘So normal,’ they deadpanned though their mind went adrift on how your reaction would be if they gave you a flower that reminded them of you. You flustered as you looked down taking their gift. Yep this already has the boys mind in a fuse.

“what do you do if you don’t know how to bake homemade chocolates?” ace avoided the prefects question of how to invest in his own world, “well I’ll go to Trey for baking lessons, I mean he is good at baking,”

‘THAT'S RIGHT! TREY!’ all of the first year thought and before Yuu can even react. Ace walked out of the classroom followed by the 4 others who’s running on his tail, “OI!”

Yuu yelled but alas they turned deaf ears to this, they sigh as they hear the bell ring, “we still have classes…”

How troublesome.

꒰ ace trappola ꒱

One of the most troublesome of the five. while he can easily understand the simple instructions he seems to be very bad at performing them. It is expected of a beginner to be at least bad at what they’re doing, thus why they need to hone their skills to be able to do things decently. Fate says otherwise to ace.

Cracking eggs seems to be much harder to the red head as he either put too much strength on opening it successfully putting eggshells in his batter.

His first creation ended up looking like a suspicious poisonous concoction instead of a simple chocolate chip cookie. It terrified Trey to the bone as he saw it with his own two eyes. The second time he tried making chocolate chip cookies again it came off half burnt, it was a massive ego boost to the heartslabyul first year that he ended up bragging about it making everyone look at him in a deadpan manner.

It ended up tasting terrible because of how hard the cookie was. The third time he did it, he successfully nailed it, the cookie wasn’t too hard nor too soft, it wasn’t too sweet nor too bitter. it's good enough to be served to someone without making them end up in a hospital.

He ended up buying a cute transparent red wrapper decorated with small hearts on them, putting a small red ribbon to make it look pleasing. He brought a simple rose to give it to you.

The fact he bragged how “amazingly” he made those chocolate chip cookies to you. You only giggled as you believed whatever his words were. Though what you did next left him astonished, it was a simple kiss on the cheek and yet that left him flustered. He tries to act like that didn’t catch him off guard by acting cocky.

꒰ deuce spade ꒱

While he’s also bad, he's not that actually bad like ace. He’s surprisingly good at cracking eggs though that's it, the sweet treat he was planning on giving you is a simple heart shaped chocolate that's what his mother recommended him to do so he’s gonna make whatever his mom recommends.

Trey felt at ease when he first taught the heartslabyul first year for he easily got things right unlike a certain redhead. He truly wanted to remake his chocolate again solely because he thought you wouldn’t like it but with a simple comfort from Trey he got his confidence back.

Although his decorations on the chocolate might be too over the top same with the boy he used to it he hopes you love it nonetheless. The flowers he had gotten for you was a simple plastic tulip, he only chose plastic tulips, scared that you had any kind of allergies to a real flower.

The day he gave it to you he was a blushing mess and stuttering all over. He did manage to give it to you and everyone literally gagged at how lovey dovey the sight is. He was actually really happy when you accepted it.

꒰ jack howl ꒱

He’s very good at the kitchen. Surprisingly, Trey thought he wouldn’t know how to bake but Jack got the basics. Though he did need some few pointers on things as he mistakenly put wrong ingredients while doing the recipe he has done.

One of the many reasons he has to do his batter all over again. The sweet treat he was planning on giving was a simple chocolate donut.

Jack has no sense of aestheticism at all, that much is no secret to his friend group, thus the reason why everyone had to help him for his cover for the donuts, while he was originally planning on a simple box and just put it on your desk.

Epel said it will look like he has put something ominous for them, thus leading him too much as he gave out another idea which is wrapping the donut with plastic while its still on the plate and putting a paper saying ‘eat me’.

This has gained everyone's pity and just gave him ideas for it. He ended up putting the donuts on a cute brown paper bag with a red ribbon on top of it while a letter is attached to it.

The flowers he has given you were a simple orchid. He didn’t outright directly give it to you cause he felt shy thus leading to him putting it in your desk though the letter he had put in besides the bag of the sweet treat was filled with such genuine words from him.

꒰ epel felmier ꒱

Brownies. Those were the sweet treat he first thought once he was thinking of what treat to give to you. He is really good at baking since he has lived with his grandparents and a spoilt grandmother who would do anything for him, it was only natural that she would teach him how to bake.

He easily did the task in hand although with a little difficulty since this is the first non apple type dessert he will make. Trey commends him on how great he is in the kitchen especially in baking which of course skyrocketed his ego while earning some dirty glances(ace).

He too also has no sense of style and aestheticism thus leading everyone to help him how to cover up the sweet treat he was planning on giving you. He has takens Trey’s Idea which was putting it within the flower.

The flower he gave you was a simple chrysanthemum, as the box of brownies was inserted on it while he may have been flustered he kept his head high as he gave it to you not caring how shameless he was at saying how you will be his valentine.

Safe to say, you really were his valentine.

꒰ sebek zigvolt ꒱

He has followed the recipe book every instruction to the bone, how the sugar should be like this, how much flour should be put. While Trey appreciates the enthusiasm the green haired half fae given to him in these baking lessons, It’s not really that needed.

While it is good to follow the recipe, sometimes you just gotta let it flow. He had to cook the cupcakes again solely because of it being half burnt the first try, while the icing might be a little butchered up it was good to be given to you.

He also has no sense of style and aestheticism but does he care? no. So that ended up him putting the cupcakes on a random red box. Don’t get me wrong he truly does love you but he has put all his love to the cupcakes he had made just for you so why make such an extravagant cover when your love is all put on the sweet treat you were gonna eat?

That was clearly an excuse. The flowers he has given you was a bouquet or orchids showing it off to you with a smugness written all over his aura as if he wasn’t panicking on what to give to you.

While it is good to follow the recipe, sometimes you just gotta let it flow. He had to cook the cupcakes again solely because of it being half burnt the first try, while the icing might be a little butchered up it was good to be given to you.

He also has no sense of style and aestheticism but does he care? no. So that ended up him putting the cupcakes on a random red box. Don’t get me wrong he truly does love you but he has put all his love to the cupcakes he had made just for you so why make such an extravagant cover when your love is all put on the sweet treat you were gonna eat?

That was clearly an excuse. The flowers he has given you was a bouquet or orchids showing it off to you with a smugness written all over his aura as if he wasn’t panicking on what to give to you.

[1ts-izzy]

☆ currency exchange

Almost every kid in Denver knew that you could bribe Vance to do whatever you wanted, as long as you paid him in quarters. Most people saved up money to pay Vance to beat up other kids, but more often then not some favours were different.

Bruce Yamada has had a crush on Vance since sixth grade, when Vance asked to borrow a pencil. At that time he had only been held back once, and was a year older then Bruce. Vance had grinned at Bruce, and from that moment on Bruce had fallen head over heels for Vance.

The raven-haired boy would hang around the Grab'n'Go, watching Vance secretly play pinball.

The idea to ask Vance out on a date came from another girl who also had a crush on Vance. She brought Vance at least $5 in quarters, and asked him to go on a date with her. Fortunately, Vance said no. He asked her to return with more money next time, at least $15 in quarters if she actually wanted Vance to go on a date with her.

Bruce had saved up for months, doing spare jobs such as mowing the lawn or washing dishes for extra cash. He kept every quarter he owned locked away in a piggy bank underneath his bed. Eventually, it seemed like Bruce had enough quarters to successfully bribe Vance to go on a date with him.

Bruce mentally prepared himself for days, trying to think of the perfect way to ask out his long time crush. On the day Bruce had finally gained enough courage to ask Vance out, he grabbed his sackful of quarters and walked down to the Grab'n'Go. Bruce's heart was beating fast, terrified of what could possibly happen. It was the 70's, and people weren't so forward thinking. What if Vance said no? What if he made fun of me? What if he beat me up? What if... Bruce was interrupted from his thoughts as he reached the door of the Grab'n'Go, taking a deep breath before entering the shop.

Bruce spotted the curly haired blonde immediately, as the loud noises of the pinball machine attracted Bruce's attention. Fortunately the shop was mainly empty, which allowed Bruce to feel a little braver in asking out his long time crush.

Hesitantly, Bruce tapped Vance on the shoulder.

"I have some um... some quarters for you to do something for me. If that's okay?" Bruce stated, fiddling with his hands behind his back.

Vance turned around from his game, and grinned at the idea that Bruce Yamada, Denver's golden boy, was asking him for a favour?

"Sure" Vance muttered, trying to mask his excitement with pretend annoyance.

"I have at least $20 in quarters. Would you go on a date with me?" Bruce blurted out, his face flushing in embarassment.

Vance stood there in shock, his brain trying to process what Bruce just said. Bruce Yamada just asked him, Vance Hopper, on a date?

"Oh. Um, sure." Vance commented, hiding the excitement that he was feeling inside. Vance has had a crush on Bruce since the beginning of sixth grade, from the second Bruce introduced himself to the class. The first time Vance ever actually spoke to Bruce was near the end of sixth grade, when Bruce lent him a pencil in third period.

Bruce grinned, showing off his perfect teeth.

"I'll pick you up on Friday at seven?" He asked Vance, still grinning.

Vance nodded, now blushing a deep shade of red.

Bruce walked out the store happily, a new spring in his step. He was going on a date with Vance Hopper!

[caralara]

Why I believe Xarry was supposed to be a stunt - and why it didn’t work out

(or: Harry’s Planned “Bisexual Coming Out” has everything to do with Babygate)

First off - this is my personal take on the matter. A lot of it is speculation. I try to give sources as much as I can. But a lot of it is just what makes sense to me. So yeah, I am not claiming this is actually what and how it happened (especially not the parts where I illustrate what I imagine they might have said, thought or felt!), I am just saying that I think this is what happened. This is gonna be long. Very long. Because I go into detail, and I venture into neighbouring territories of this subject. If you don’t have the patience for that, or want it simplified in bite sizes, here’s a Twitter thread I made months ago.

The subject itself is complex, so this post is as well. Get some snacks, some tea and/or wine, and if you’re up for it - lets get started.

Now, you ask - why a stunt though? Why can they not just be friends? We have to look at the bigger picture for this question, and also at how they appeared in the media - compared to female stunts. Please refer to these Hendall and Hamille and Holivia timelines to compare to stunt patterns. It’s pretty self explanatory, but rough oversight and commonalities between them: usually the stunt starts out on social media, following each other, being tagged together, liking posts etc, followed by sighting in a friendship group / dinner. Pap walks. Articles about being close, hanging out. Dates with “Organic Fan Sightings” in super popular spots. Wearing each other’s clothes and jewelry. Social Media engagement with friends and families. Deny deny deny when asked in interviews, dodge questions like there’s no tomorrow. Being spotted at shows by fans. Etc. Mix up at own will. You know the drill. Keep this in mind while walking through the Xarry Timeline with me.

The Friendship between Jeff and Harry

I believe that after Jeff successfully inserted himself into Harry’s close friendship circle, probably on orders from his music mogul of a father, Irving Azoff, he started to prepare everything he needed to in order to secure Harry as a solo artist and management client for the Azoffs, as it had been very clear to the trained eye that Harry held the most promises to be a global superstar after the band would break up - and everyone with an ounce of experience knew they were burning through that life force the five boys held like there was no tomorrow, trying to squeeze out all and any profit as quickly and as hard as they could while it was still possible - as they do with big famous boybands. They don’t believe you will stick around and be popular for long, but for the time being - boy oh boy, will they milk you (and the fans’ wallets). 

Irving Azoff

Sounds far fetched? Unfortunately, it isn’t. The music industry is run on money, just like any other entertainment industry, and people with a lot of money usually want more. Irving Azoff is one of the most powerful people in the music industry, with decades of experience and loads of connections to almost anyone important. Here, have a quote: “In 2012, Azoff topped Billboard Magazine's Power 100, being named the most powerful person in the music industry. There were monopolization claims made against his Performance Rights Group”  Doesn’t that make you go “huh?” - just to clarify. HE, Irving Azoff, who became chief executive officer of Ticketmaster in 2008, because he already was of Front Line, and has a venture with MSG Company (venue company), who founded two labels and has many more investments in many more companies in the entertainment and hospitality industry, created a performance rights organization which then had those monopolization claims brought against them in 2018, which only had been settled now in 2022. Nothing like being two steps ahead and becoming not only the boss but also the boss of the rights organization that is supposed to protect you from your very boss, isn't there? Clever and terrifying if you ask me.

Harry’s Seeding of his Solo Career

Now, back to Harry. How does someone, who can see how tightly “protected” a young boybander is by the people who all want a piece of him (and the money he makes them), and also by the people who actually fiercely care about him and just went through learning what the music industry is all about themselves, make Harry choose them to be his guide, his manager, his new trusted industry person? You get him where you know personal life and professional life blur. And what better way to gain his trust than to send your son, who was only in his late twenties at the time. A more or less young man with just enough “experience” - definitely more than Harry - to act as an older brother / friend, who can sympathize (“look - I know how it is, I hardly had a choice being in this industry world either! My dad always dragged me along, ugh, so I get it. But now I can show you how to enjoy it too, and all the tipps and tricks that you need to survive in this world!”). 

So, here comes Jeff, latest in August of 2013 already, comfortable in this world that is hurting Harry a lot, but that also looks incredibly enticing to him, all the glamor, all the luxury, and offers a guiding hand (and is probably very charming and very tuned into wanting to gain Harry’s deep trust in the long run while doing so!). He’s fun, he shows Harry the world of Hollywood, maybe gives him a reprieve from management constantly breathing down his neck, and offers him an outsider’s perspective - don’t forget how lonely Harry was at this point. Louis and Harry were practically forced onto different continents as often as possible, resulting in Harry having to be separate from the other boys, and heavy stunting took place for both of them, all to combat the ever so persistent Larry rumours that endangered stacks and stacks of money that was supposed to flow from those American wallets into the label’s. It was a really tough time, the beginning of them not being allowed to interact with each other at all publicly anymore and heavy, heavy stunting (Haylor? Elounor?).

And Jeff noticed. Of course he did - he knows how the music industry works, he knows of closeting (how could he not, working in management and with a father like that?), and he noticed what a toll this took on Harry. And there he had it. He discovered what Harry wanted. What Harry yearned for: being himself in public, being allowed to be out and proud. With Louis. So Jeff waited, and observed, and gathered information. And when Harry comes to a breaking point in 2014, Jeff speaks up.

“What if… you could be out?”

At this point, Harry trusts Jeff. He’s met his family, many times, he spends a lot of time with him and his friends, he’s found even more friends through him, like Harry Lambert! And Jeff knows what’s possible in the music industry. AND he’s young, he’s ambitious, he wants to strive for a better, freer world with him (right??).

The Plan

So, Jeff proposes a plan. If they renew their contract after their five records and five tours are done with is up in the air - they definitely want to renegotiate, if not leave them behind. But until then, they have to work with their current management, to keep the label happy. Jeff is gunning for that solo career of Harry’s. So what does Jeff propose? A compromise. Harry gets to come out as bisexual, completeley regardless of his actual sexuality, gets to be a bit more free to be himself in public, and maybe a step closer to coming out with Louis, but until then - the plan needs to make sure that Larry isn’t outed in the process. Because a boyband with one “sexually ambiguous” member can be sold as “sexy, chic, trendy, modern, cool” (not my words, but what I imagine the PR agency would package it as, and yes, I know this is biphobic, and no, I don’t agree with it, and no, it’s not MY view), but have two gay members in a band, and then together, gay for each other?? Apparently that would be the death for the money machine. So that is not possible at that time, in 2014. 

But how do you do it? How do you have Harry come out as not hetero, without outing Larry, as they are irrevocably linked, it seems? 

Easy, Jeff says. Harry gets publicly linked to a different man, ergo has a male PR stunt, and Louis has to appear Super Straight™ for the entirety of the coming out process. How do you “proof” a man has hetreosexual sex? You have him have a baby. That’s “failsafe” proof that he is Not Gay (as if gay men have not produced children in the past smh but you know how the GP is - everything has to be simple and filable into boxes!). So Louis, who of course watched how absolutely destructive it was for Harry to have to hide away the side of him that is so brilliant, so beautiful, so Harry, and had to instead watch him scratch off his nail polish, hide his affections, become a stoic mask in public just to not give away all the affection he has for Louis, says yes - yes to publicly having a fake baby, or at least publicly “impregnating” someone, so that Harry can breathe a little better. It is worth it. It won’t take too long. There will never actually be a baby. It’ll be worth it. Worth the while, even.

So 1D management, maybe reluctantly, agrees. And Jeff takes over the reins, coincidentally already acting like Harry’s manager at this point. He has a great friend in mind, who Harry would really like, who would be up for the PR stunt, who’s a good friend of Jeff’s, someone who could be trusted with this very delicate matter. So Jeff introduces Xander Ritz to Harry. And Harry gets excited, he can almost taste that little bit more of freedom, and is ready to make this believable.

Xarry - The Stunt

So, who actually is Xander Ritz? Xander used to be a (professional?) Lacrosse player from Pennsylvania and lives in NYC, who is now the cofounder of The Loyalist Company, together with his brother Maxwell. That company is part of the distribution process for Pleasing. His father is/was a popular dentist (maybe the connection to Jeff happened here). He has had a girlfriend of the name Jacquelyn Jablonski for a couple of years now, who has her own sportswear brand which Harry was seen wearing before.

Just like with Nick, Harry seemed to hit it off with the older man right away - seeing that Xander is 11 years older than Harry. 

Xander’s and Harry’s first interaction known to us is typical: it’s on social media, and it’s cryptic and not straight up in your face - Emma Greenwell, a friend, posts a photo and tags Xander and Harry both, suggesting they’re both out with her for McDonald’s after the X-Factor performance in November 2014. Shortly after, in December, they started following each other on instagram. 

In February 2015, Xander posts about birthdays and a photo of him with Harry in a group - all friendly and inconspicuous. It becomes clear they have been hanging out “privately”.

Then, the first pap walk - in June. The groundwork is done, it’s established Harry and Xander have some sort of friendship/relationship. While Louis goes out “partying”, getting papped every night and just exactly (on the date) a month prior had the infamous “1 Conception” pap photo taken with Briana, who just “accidentally” was in the background of that photo, holding up his end of this big project.

So it’s time for Harry to do his own version: he flies out to NYC for one day in the middle of the EU leg of OTRA tour to go out to dinner with a group of people, including Jeff. And who is “accidentally” captured in the background of these pap shots? Yes, Xander. Ever wonder why they used the only picture in which only Harry, Jeff and Xander were easily identifiable? And why he would jet to the other continent for one day? To then look at houses with Jeff (&Xander)?

Keeping to the time table seemed to be pretty important, the week prior, Tammi Clarke had planted the seed for “Louis was just told he was gonna be a dad” with her chimp instagram photo.

Height of Party-Womaniser!Louis image and the very beginning of BBG had to be used. No matter if tour was happening - if Xander & Jeff were available that day, it had to happen.

Maybe noteworthy? After this first pap walk, Sugar Baby Bear (SBB) makes its first appearance on stage next to Rainbow Bondage Bear (RBB) the next day at OTRA Brussels.

And then we get the heavy stunting week during their break between the EU and US leg of OTRA tour, the week leading up to the pregnancy announcement and Louis’ impending fatherhood on 14th of July. 

They started off on 4th of July, Harry being spotted with Xander having lunch at a popular cafe, sitting in full view easily recognisable in the outside seating area. Keep the palm tree shirt in mind for part 2!

The same day he went and got papped at the Bootsy Bellow’s Annual Red, White & Bootsy party, conveniently in full view again leaning on the balcony, all cosied up with Xander. Several gossiping sites got “receipts” of Harry being solely focussed on “his company” during this party and having zero interest in anyone else, even girls approaching him, and articles that were published of this event all only showed him with Xander while simultaneously mentioning his love for girls (without mentioning him by name - yet. Sounds familiar? Yep, that’s how they introduced Briana into the picture as well. Just a bit more on the nose with “mystery blonde” - but that was a het relationship they tried to sell, not a coming out.) (also does that not look a lot like the person from Louis' We Made It music video??)

All throughout the week, we got many more “organic fan spottings” of them at popular food places, pap shots, just the two of them or with Jeff, as well as Xander being spotted at OTRA shows.

The articles that published the pap walk with Xander talked about Harry’s boots (?) to not make the mention of “close pal” too obvious - the larries really do know how to interpret and do detective work, so the team had no doubt that this would start the rumour mill the latest.

While the entire bbg drama unfolded - we got Harry, running with the rainbow pride flag for the very first time, in the midst of super heavy babygate stunting. He’s allowed to be more flamboyant and a little bit more ambiguous in interviews. “Don’t knock it till you try it” and “female? Not that important” all come to mind during this time. This seems pretty clear like a trade off. As long as Louis was seen as Super Straight ™ Harry was free to be a little bit more himself on stage.

Then we had Xander popping up at a show again in Minnesota at the end of July.

A week later, August 4th, Harry gets papped leaving Lottie’s birthday party - and who is the date that “tries to stay out of the photos” but accidentally is fully in it, keeping his distance yet you can easily identify him? Yep, Harry is leaving with Xander. The article we get pushes babygate, while showing Harry and Louis spending time outside of work for the first time in - how many years? And of course the photographer releases more photos, and we get to find Xander in them - management sees our little larrie-detective-hearts as satisfied, feeling like we found something out we weren’t supposed to find, AND it’s gay AND it’s NOT LOUIS. Because Louis is going to be a dad. HETERO. And Harry has an older LOVER. And they all get ALONG, together, partying Lottie’s birthday away. Harry and Louis AND XANDER. TOGETHERBUTPLATONICALLY. Happy now, larries???

The very next day, Harry acknowledges Xander during the concert, referencing Lacrosse while Xander is being spotted and photographed by fans. The fans that analyse every single move eat it up.

Xarry update accounts start appearing. People start speculating. In the meantime, every day if there is no activity from Louis / babygate, there’s activity from Xarry. Seems almost like they are splitting the days to not overcrowd them with stunt content. Then they give the fandom two weeks of quiet to cool down, in which we get the first articles about the Azoffs becoming Harry’s manager in the middle of the month, shortly after followed with The Sun’s breaking article that One Direction will go on Hiatus from March 2016 on.

On 27 August 2015 Harry posts not only a cake on his instagram on Xander’s birthday, but also a blurry photo of a person that looks a lot like Xander.

Harry and Xander are seen all day long spending his birthday together, to strolling the city to going backstage together at OTRA Cleveland to travelling to Chicago to going out together at the SoHo house. “Receipts” tell of Harry sharing a room with Xander, and the next morning, instagram posts let fans deduce they went to the Art Institute with Cal, solidifying the suspicion they spent the night together. They do another stunt week marathon, positioning themselves “backstage” in great view of the fans, flirting and intimate while watching the opening act of OTRA Detroit.

Then, Harry spends a long weekend at Xander’s family’s house in Pennsylvania - how do we know? He goes to food places close to campus, coincidentally very much the target group of his fans, and has loads of pics taken with fans and of him in “private”.

More dinner dates / pap walks / social media interactions / spottings at shows happen all throughout until the last week of September. As soon as Xarry calms down, bbg picks up again - Briana is seen at shows, articles come in again (I am not joking, it is seamless. The very next day after Xarry is active, Briana pops up.)

Right after the bombardment of Xarry and BBG, you guessed it - they allow the fandom to cool down for a week. Exactly a week later, 10 October, Harry reacts to a Xander sign on stage while Louis follows Danielle Campbell on instagram.

From 14th - 24th of October, BBG is heavily, heavily pushed. Louis gets asked about the baby in every interview, and Xarry is - unsurprisingly - quiet. We also have the infamous cancelled OTRA Belfast show, which probably had to do with management watning to push Harry/Louis and the stunts to a level they weren’t comfortable with, maybe something like an actual baby being born?? And being his? Maybe a blanko article that had been “accidentally” published that day - what, three months early? - stating Louis Tomlinson’s healthy baby[boy/girl] had been born could have something to do with them walking out and not performing. We will never know, though. 

What happens the day after the BBG push ends? Let’s look at RBB&SBB. For the past 5 days, they had a countdown on their twitter, leading to the 25th October 2015 and a tweet: “Caution - Bears coming out of hibernation” many fans were excited - did that mean they would come out? Maybe this was half the truth. Maybe it was only one of them that was supposed to be coming out soon. It would make a lot of sense why they pushed babygate so so hard the week prior.

So, as soon as BBG ebbs, Xarry picks up again. End of October until the first week of November Harry & Xander follow each other’s friends and families, like their photos, making it look like they were getting serious, meeting friends and family, and Xander is spotted at the last two shows of OTRA tour. The grand finale: Xander allures on instagram to the idea of him being in London with Harry.

And then - nothing.

What happened? We can only speculate. But something that would make a lot of sense to me was this: 

Zayn leaving.

Let me explain.

(TW: Suicide)

There are so many theories and rumors floating around why Zayn left, but in retrospect, especially with Liam and Harry recently painting us an image of just how hard and terrifying this time must have been for them, under how much pressure they stood and how badly their mental health suffered under it, we get a better idea how this could have affected Zayn, too. Liam said he would be dead by now if the band hadn’t gone on hiatus, that he was an alcoholic by the end, and suicidal. And I don’t think Zayn fared much better. He shared he had an eating disorder, and we know those can kill. Just like the others, he probably abused alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism, and looking at how he conducts himself today in the public eye, it is in my opinion a fair assessment that he is still recovering from deep trauma.

He apparently fainted after the San Siro WWA show, and because of the likes of Rebecca Ferguson and Katie Waissel we do know how severely Modest overworks their artists, from giving them adrenaline shots to using all sorts of psychological manipulation to get them to perform.

In my opinion, for Zayn it was a matter of survival. Caged like that, when you’re this sensitive, and forced to do something you don’t fully support - that kills. And the sheer exhaustion is detrimental to your psychological health. So when someone like Naughty Boy suddenly lures you with tales of freedom and making music exactly the way he liked, fuck the label, the way he did in November 2014, you suddenly can’t take it anymore. You got a taste of freedom, and if you don’t get it, you will die. (regardless of this being fact, it can certainly feel like that. And then - is there much of a difference?).

So Zayn gets worse. And Louis tries his hardest to make it better for him. All the boys do. They love each other, they’ve got each other’s backs, they all try to make things happen so that they can try and breathe a little easier. Remember, November 2014 is also back when they start seeding the Xarry stunt. It’s the time they wiped Briana’s social media presence clean, meaning they had already chosen her to be the "mum-to-be". The plans are set in motion for Harry’s bi coming out. And they all know they can’t handle more scandals than babygate and Harry coming out as bi, the brand One Direction can’t, or so the label might say. So they try to make it easier for Zayn, for his sake and for their sake. Just hold on a little longer, only finish this tour and then one more album and one last tour and we’re free. Maybe it became a mantra? We can do it. Only maybe another 1.5 years. You can do it. We can do it. We can get through this.

And Zayn seems to cling to it, he perks up under the shower of affection from the boys. Until - more pressure from the outside. The public lashes out, the “cheating scandal” between him and Lauren and Perrie (another PR stunt?) goes wild. Now he can’t anymore. They agree on him being allowed to go on a stress leave after he left a show early in March - they give him a week.

During this week, it seems, he gets the clarity he needs. He decides to leave One Direction. The day he is expected back, he quits. 

And now, remember - BBG and Xarry preparations are already in full swing. But what are Zayn’s choices? 

And can you blame Harry and Louis for being hurt about this? Can you blame Zayn for needing to leave? Can you blame Zayn for being hurt as well, and feeling guilty for walking away? Doesn’t it make so much sense if this situation truly was like that - Zayn’s happiness and survival for Harry’s and vice versa? (because if you think Harry wasn’t also on the brink of being suicidal, go back and rewatch the Adore You music video. Listen to the songs he wrote. To the ones Louis wrote “Could have been a bed in a box” is pretty dark (and yes, I have heard him sing these lyrics live with my very own ears) - and Don’t Let It Break Your Heart sounds a lot better than Please Don’t Kill Yourself). It’s not that they had a fight per se, it’s not that they didn’t love each other dearly, it’s not that they didn’t understand - they did, too well. It’s that outside forces made them choose - my life or yours. And that shit hurt. Both Harry and Louis. They both got scared that their plan wouldn’t be able to go through. That they themselves wouldn't make it. And they were partly right.

And it also kinda makes Louis’ statement make sense. He can’t speak to Zayn yet, something needs to change first, get resolved. Maybe he has to finish this chapter first, the one that was one of the reasons there was so much pain? End the babygate stunt, and then they can reconnect? Would make sense for him to be publicly liking Zayn’s You & I post recently, as it looks like babygate is probably ending in a little over a month from now. 

And why else would Liam and Niall be pretty neutral on this, while you could see just how bitter Harry and Louis were about this?

Back to Xarry. So, Zayn left at the end of March 2015. They still went ahead with all the babygate and Xarry stunting, hoping they would make it to the coming out, planned for probably the end of that year (remember the RBB&SBB countdown). 

The first rumors and articles about One Direction going on hiatus start circling at the beginning of June, when Briana is already confirmed to be “pregnant”, and then in late August, the hiatus is confirmed. I doubt that this was the plan ever since before Zayn left, but happened as a result of it. Zayn left, buying himself out of the contract and enduring a year long ban on releasing his own music (it might have been originally two years, maybe negotiations happened), point being - he showed you could actually break and bend the rules. At a price, but you can. 

So, the decision was made, maybe with a push by the Azoff’s through Harry, to be brave, bend the rules themselves and go on hiatus (this is what they had been waiting and working for, after all). 

It would make sense why they were so upset (even more so than you would be) about Modest pushing through the bbg stunt to an actual baby (what for?? we’re going on hiatus anyway next year!) in October with their Belfast gig cancelled.

Maybe the decision was made in November that yes, Harry would take on Jeff as his manager (my god how convenient! He’s already half acting as his manager, has the connections, has the experience, and most importantly, is Harry’s friend first and foremost - he’s looking out for Harry! He wants what is best for Harry, hasn’t he just helped to try and get Harry to come out as bi??) and contracts were signed. How convenient. Fullstop was set up first quarter of 2016. Truly convenient.

Because shortly after, on 15 November 2015, at the tail end of the (failed?) Xarry stunt, Xander goes and confounds The Loyalist with his brother Maxwell as well as some others, the description  reading “End-to-end platform that allows brands, influencers and content creators to launch a fully-functioning merchandise business in just 15min. The Loyalist hosts, produces, ships and insures every product; Store Owners simply promote and collect proceeds.” which is awfully convenient for someone who has lots of connections to people who have merchandise to sell to their fans (ahem, Harry?)

In the following weeks, Louis goes ‘official’ with Danielle Campbell, and we don’t hear much about Xander at all anymore. He pops up every now and again over the years, but in mostly a “I have a girlfriend and I am supporting my famous friend Harry Styles” way. In 2016, “private” photos of Harry hanging out with Xander’s family and vice versa are “leaked”, and there was a fandom scandal of some fans apparantly trying to catfish Xander into admitting that Harry was gay, some dick pics might have been sent, all of it backfired, leading to Xander deleting his twitter account at the beginning of 2016, but more about these probably in part 2.

Hendall

So, instead, Hendall gets revived. What happened? Maybe now that Jeff was officially Harry’s manager,  he properly advised about his solo career, with the help of his experienced father Irving, maybe at one of the family visits Harry did during November and December of 2015. And that maybe, maybe it would be the wisest to freeze the bi-coming out for a while until he’s an established solo artist - you never know how these things go! And Harry, don’t you want to become so so big and influential and well known that even when you have a coming out, no one will make you vanish? That people will still be interested? So that you can be a role model and a help and inspiration to so so many more people than just the measly few, you would have left if things go sideways now at the beginning of your solo career? You know, Jeff is only looking out for you, You know that. He’s your friend. Has been for years. And Xander being caught up in a fake (?) het dick pic scandal isn’t helping.

And maybe Harry reluctantly agrees. One Direction is over for now, pretty much, hardly three months left, and then he will be much freer than he was under modest, right. Right?

The stunts flow into each other seamlessly. From a Hendall burst beginning of 2015 to a year full of Xander back to yachting over new year’s with Kendall again. Kendall seems to be pulled out at any convenience, nothing serious, but the more sexy. It helps creating the image of a sexually ambiguous Harry who has many lovers of many genders (so that everybody, especially all of his fans have a chance with him iykwim). And Harry gets along with Kendall - maybe it’s the same just different, Kendall dealing with her closet. Does anybody want any CaKe?

Harry goes solo. And what are the first two songs Harry writes/releases?

Kiwi, that screams of rage and babygate, and Sign of the Times - they told me that the end is near. Which is awfully sorrowful, talking about how it's always the same, and that they always tell you soon.

And here you have it.

This is my take on Xarry, and to me, it makes a LOT of sense. 

Now, I do believe they are gearing up for another bisexual coming out for Harry (maybe Harry insisting now that we’ve seen him distnace himself a lot more from Jeff since the pandemic hit), and I am curious to see how it will unfold, especially hand in hand with babygate probably ending pretty soon.

I might make another post going into more details about another coming out attempt soon, so stay tuned for a part 2!

[ventiswampwater]

Okay, hear me out - mainly because of your fic.

Bo gets reader pregnant and is very salty about it but also very proud

the idea of bo successfully impregnating someone is SO fucking terrifying djhjdsfhjdf can u fuckin imagine having to deal w/his ass while ur pregnant and sick and moody. and he's all ooga booga that's my girl ooga booga I did that hehehehehehe u ain't goin nowhere ooga booga

absolutely HORRIFIC oh my god. he'd be so fuckin weird about it??? simultaneously annoyed that ur now a permanent thorn in his side but also absolutely SMUG SELF-SATISFIED

tangentially related, but a couple months ago me and poki transcended space n time together and fully lost our minds writing the WEIRDEST shit about this terrifying fucking concept. emphasis on the terrifying

under the cut is an UNCOMFORTABLE little snippet I wrote from that madness.

concept: you have the baby. the world doesn't end, even though it feels like it does. that baby turns twelve and stumbles upon something he shouldn't.

“I found more in Pa’s drawer.” He chokes around air, his words coming out in watery gulps. He stares at you through your eyes. You see him without seeing him. You see yourself.

“What were you doing in there?” You hear your voice behind you, curled beside your ear. It comes from the door and the window and the wallpaper—and then deeper still, in the core of the house, bleeding.

“I was lookin’ for a gun.”

The floor underneath you splinters and you bottom out. You’re in the caverns snaking under the town and the church pews. You’re not in any of those places, either. The fuzz of television static is back, crowding around you and pushing you between the jagged hopping of the lines as they jitter around your skull.

“Baby.” You gather him into your arms, pulling him into the crook of your neck. He sobs. His grip is too tight. You’ve been here before, but never like this. The static hisses into glittering points of light. The front of your dress is soaked with tears, with the blubber of drool from his mouth as he babbles that

he didn’t know why he did that, because daddy always keeps his guns in the living room, and he knows that, but he went in anyway because maybe he’d forgotten this time—

Your lightning bug boy with baby fat still in his cheeks, skimmed off the edges to make room for a face that began and ended with you. Half-man already, limbs too big for the space he occupied. The remnants of the boy on the roof, a bruise blooming on his cheek. Your heart walking around and growing teeth.

—and maybe maybe mama, I could. I could.

I know how.

“You gotta go put all that back.” Your voice is a whisper of smoke above the tree line.

“How long you been here, mama?”

You can see yourself on the set of drawers over the top of his head. She smiles at you.

“Baby. You’ve gotta go put that back. Go put it all back right now.”

[oddogoblino]

what is the nature of the infection in your words hurt au?

Oh boy oh boy forgot to talk abt this in my old ramble posts didn't I? OH boy you've really done it now (positive tone)

I hope I understood the question right! Also note, while this is a horror, the au itself isn't entirely focused on the horror aspects of it. It's always present, but things are more focused on how characters live with how the world has changed and the adventures sonic still has. @au-sonic-smackdown (to give more info abt the au FHDJDN if this is alright to be shared i mean)

Warning, long post. Tw infection horror

The Basics

At first, the infection started out as the planet's attempts to call for aid from the being native to it. It doesn't infect earth-born beings the same way it infects mobian-borns. It started as the planet's attempts to force the ones born there to fight to defend it, like ants or bees would their queen. Despite the reasonable intentions, the infection is highly feared by mobians for a reason. It's also why Vanilla's organization is secretive about its whereabouts, members, and location.

There's a few different things you can be infected by. What the machines did was cause an almost explosion of spores and inky liquid that seeped into the soil and nearby water. The original infected that hadn't inhaled the millions of spores would've fallen into the ink and scraped themselves on the ground or fell with pre-existing wounds, allowing the bacteria to sneak in and take over. Spores only work if inhaled, the bacteria can only work through bites and ingesting them.

How It Effects Its Hosts

For animals, it was sudden, it was terrible, and it made them blindly violent. Animals don't get a chance to stay in only the first stage, they immediately transform into infectious, giant versions of their once tiny selves. They're violent and, whats much worse is, they'll target anything that isn't infect already. They're hungry for energy much like infected mobians, so they're especially considered a problem as they'll not only go after electricity but also anything alive.

Non-infected animals are terrified of them and you'll know they're near when the forest goes quiet, when the flickies are suddenly too scared to fly. They cannot resist transformations.

For mobians, it's a little slower and easier to control but it's still painful. At first it starts with joint pain- or well, more accurately, growing pain. It's not noticeable at first but the infection works fast from the infection-point to start mutating it's host. With this, the infected mobian will have an increased appetite, needing to eat more than the average mobian would, growing hungry after their last meal a little sooner.

The mix of these things can cause a neglected mobian to stress out and lose the ability to resist the second stage and eventual third stage. When infected, they need lots of energy, either from eating normals foods (meat is most effective), from socializing and feeding off the other's energy, or from anything that creates electricity.

Differences in Infection

How a mobian is infected matters. If the mobian is infected through inhaling spores or ingesting infectious bacteria, they're quickly kicked out to the once abandoned lands they've forced infected to turn into their new homes. There is no saving them from the infection as it'd already spread to their whole body. If the mobian is infected from an injury, there is much more care put into them. Cleaning the wounds immediately can prevent spores or bacteria from successfully infecting the body.

If the area is already infected, then the location matters. If it's a limb, cutting off circulation and removing it can save a mobian from infection. The limb may still mutate even if removed but it's harmless if disposed of properly. If it was an area that can't be removed or halted circulation-wise then they're given the same treatment as those who inhaled or ingested something. They can't be spared from the infection.

Different Forms of Infection

Stage One: only mobians can experience and stay in this stage. In the first stage, the mobian has low amounts of infectious bacteria in their bodies, making them unlikely though not fully impossible to be infected by. The host is still conscious, though they are noticeably mutated. Mutations mostly involve either duplicated limbs or horns, or just unnaturally larger ones. The mutations often cause supernatural abilities too. They're more hungry but can be satisfied for periods of time.

Stage Two: from here on, both mobians and animals experience this stage. The second stage, the consciousness of the host is either barely there or no longer existent. Anything in this stage is kill on sight. The entire body of the host is overtaken by mutation. The host is now full of infectious bacteria and has an instinct to spread it through biting and drooling. Their only goal is to spread the infection and satisfy their hunger for energy.

Stage Three: all mobians, animals, and plants may experience this stage. The host is gone. If a stage two infected managed to avoid being killed, they reach a sudden stopping point. All the host can do is latch onto the ground before they become an empty husk of whatever they were. At this stage, all the host does is release spores into the air and or drool if they were once an animal/mobian. They feed the planet all the energy they had gained to heal it. All you can do is dig them out of the ground, wrap up the host in something completely so it cant release spores anymore, kill the area's ability to support fungus life, and burn the host.

Mobians born infected have higher amounts of bacteria in their bodies and have a higher chance of infecting others. Majority cannot release spores but there are some that exhale spores constantly. They cannot go into the other stages. They're conscious and overall would behave like a normal mobian besides any mutations they'd been born with. They won't mutate any further than whatever they came into the world with. There's not a large abundance of those born like this thought due to how semi-recent the illness puffed into existence.

[southern-fried-simpin]

Taking some of the Gotham Boys to Spirit Halloween 🎃 | Headcanons

A/N: Saturday was the official start of Spooky Season™ (I mean it actually starts in August but yeah) so I had to make something to commemorate it 🎃Also I apologize that these are so short 😭

Warnings:Jerome, some nsfw implications here

Jerome Valeska

Um…why are you guys here? He doesn’t need a costume, he’s literally terrifying all by himself!

Oh, you wanted a costume? Can he help pick it out please please please?!

He’s taking you to the section with the corsets and tutus Surprise,surprise 🤡

“Babe, look I found the perfect costume for you!” “Jerome that’s literally just a pair of spandex shorts and a studded bra…” “Exactly!” “Okay but what would I be in this?”

He said you’d be his 🤡

Jervis Tetch

He has 3 different Alice costumes picked out for you within 5 minutes of walking in the door

None of them are particularly risqué but still very cute however, you love seeing him flustered, so you naturally go to find a “sexy” Alice costume

Success! You found it and Jervis’ eyes are as wide as saucers and he is blushing profusely

The poor man nearly dropped the costumes he was holding

“Um…d-dear, wouldn’t you rather wear something maybe a bit…longer to our tea party?” “Aw, but this one’s so cute! And look at these striped thigh highs I found, they’d look perfect with it!” GULP

Oh no, he can’t say no to you! Especially when he’s imagining you in that!

“W-well, perhaps we could get this one for just you and I and another one for our tea party with the other guests…” “I like that idea, just let me see if it fits before we checkout!” “No! …you can try it on once we’re home and if it doesn’t fit, we’ll simply bring it back! “

Well, it was a short trip but it was fun, nonetheless

But the real fun starts when y’all get home 🥴

Jonathan Crane

Could he interest you in a scarecrow costume?

Never mind, all of them are either too cute or too…vivacious….

He likes the animatronics and the decorations though

Oh but what’s this? You found some stuff you could throw together to make a spooky scarecrow costume to match with him?

Has he told you he loves you today?

Can and will go back later with toxin and rob the store for decor and novelties you both like

Edward Nygma

Oh boy oh boy oh boy! He has so many ideas for you two!

Ooh what about Frankenstein and his monster? Or Dracula and Mina Harker? GASP! WHAT ABOUT PERSEPHONE AND HADES?!

Ah dammit but there’s no hades costume other than the Disney version

Time to scrounge for supplies!

Okay you’ve both successfully found some cool things to throw together, time to see what you got before checking out!

He had to get a generic black robe but you managed to find a goddess costume that could pass for Persephone

And oh boy he’s blushing…are you sure you want to wear something with such a high slit up the leg to the Halloween party at the gcpd?

“Oh Eddie come on, don’t you want to show me off in front of all those jerks from the bull pen? Maybe get them to shut up for once?” “Well…when you put it that way…yes I think I would!”

Now he can’t wait to see you in your costume 😉

Costumes? No offense, y/n, but you and him are probably a little old for trick or treating.

You have to remind him that there’s a Halloween party at his work and suddenly he’s all giddy and ready to go

Ooh how about he dresses as a police officer and you be his little jail bird?

You could get some handcuffs, maybe one of those adorable totally not slutty striped outfits and…Aw whaddya mean that’s not appropriate for a work function?!

Hm…well now that he thinks about it, maybe the entire gcpd seeing you in a spandex romper and handcuffs isn’t the best idea

He’s willing to compromise and get the striped dress

But you best believe this man bought that romper for some alone time with you

[finn-wolfhard]

heyy, can you write a Chrissy/Fem!Reader where their secretly dating behind Jason’s back 😔

Thanks for these requests! I started writing anon 1s request and realised I was incorporating anon 2s request so have merged them together. I think I'm going to make it a series? It's to be continued anyways. so here's part 1! Hope this is in the ball park of what you guys were wanting <3

Part 2 • bonus sex scene ohye

Secrets Part 1

Pairing: Chrissy x fem! reader (female anatomy and she/her pronouns)

warnings: none yet - cheating? I guess?

words - 902

“chris… you ok?” 

The girls bathroom near chemistry was the only safe place for you and Chrissy. No peering eyes, no disruptions, just a bunch of reasonably unused stalls that could use a spruce up by the janitors. The lights gave you a headache and you wondered if they had been changed since the 50s. It was your meeting spot, and had been for the past year. Walking in, you were confronted by a terrified Chrissy who looked like she had just seen a monster … but that was impossible. Upon seeing you, she ran to give you a hug - but this hug was scared and pleading for your protection. 

“hey! Hey, its alright! What happened?” You realised she had been crying.

“I feel I’m going mad, y/n” she was able to sniffle out. She had brought up a couple of things that had been scaring her recently, something about a grandfather clock, spiders, and her mother. 

“Have you been seeing that stuff again? Chrissy, I told you to go speak to someone about tha-“

“I have.” She cut you off, pulling away from the hug and looking into your eyes. You could tell she was telling the truth and was at a lost end. You pulled her back into you, kissed the top of her head, and let her know you were here now and nothing was going to hurt her. 

Chrissy was your partner for your freshman chemistry project. Something about oxygen and the effect it has on different cells or something - you can’t really remember. What you can remember, however, was the late night studying sessions that ended in movie marathons, music recommendations and listening parties, how far across the room Chrissy could successfully throw pieces of popcorn into your mouth, giggling fits, and the one kiss that changed everything. You weren’t out, and neither was Chrissy, and you both had boyfriends at the time that you both felt feelings for. Girls can kiss their friends sometimes, right? And it not mean anything? Oh, but it did. And you both knew it. You absolutely had feelings for your boyfriends, but this just felt right. Better. A couple of months later, you and David had called it quits. Something about how you seemed distant and you weren’t available as much as you used to be. Partly because the guilt was eating you alive, mostly because you realised you had feelings for Chrissy. And you knew she felt the same, she just hadn’t admitted it yet. 

Over the next couple of years, you two didn’t stop. She’d tell her parents she was having a sleepover with Y/n, her best friend, and they didn’t suspect a thing…and neither did Jason. Did it annoy you she was still with him? Absolutely. But you didn’t say anything incase it ruined what you had. After all, you guys were just friends, right? Friends who do each others hair, talk about boys, listen to music,  kiss, and cuddle when they sleep. A totally platonic friendship. One day in school, she took your hand and lead you to the bathroom in the science hallway. She was looking at herself in the mirror, and you in the background. 

“so, did you get your results?”

“A in both of my essays!” She whirled around in excitement, hugged you, then planted a congratulatory kiss on your lips. The atmosphere changed, the tension rose, and she slowly went in for another, sweeter kiss. This one wasn’t like the ones you two had shared before. It was in public where anyone could walk in on you. But you didn’t care. You had been expecting this. Needing it. “I’m so proud of you” she said, softly, pulling away. You gave her a shy smile and looked away. Cupping your face and bringing you eyes to meet hers, she went in for another kiss. This one was longer and became more passionate by the second. 3 kisses in school. 3 kisses where anyone could walk in on you two. 2 kisses that confirmed she liked you like that. Holy. Fucking. Shit. The bell interrupted the moment, but it didn’t ruin anything. After that, you two started meeting in the bathroom more often. After English, after Biology, after Spanish. Some sweet and loving exchanges, some more passionate and rough. The only condition was that Jason could never find out. Or anyone, for that matter. And that was that.

Presently, in senior year, you were standing in the bathroom, holding a tearful Chrissy. 

“what did the school councillor say?’

“Not much, she just listened and told me I wasn’t crazy - but I think I am, y/n”. This is not how you expected this exchange to go. A little make-out before PE, nothing extreme. But this was new, and strange, and not like Chrissy at all. 

“Why don’t we ditch and go get ice cream or something?” Her eyes lit up, momentarily, then her eyebrows furrowed. 

“I said I’d meet Jason after.” This depleted you. You assured her it was fine and that you could sit with her in here for a bit but she insisted she better go and that she didn’t want to spend another second in there. You watched her leave, and then you searched the stalls for anything strange. Weirdly, you had a fleeting thought that Chrissy may be doing drugs, but pushed it away as that’s not something she would do. You were sure of it. 

[travssworld]

He’s Pretty for a boy

Vance hopper/Bruce Yamada

Warning:Foul Language

Bruces’s POV

(Art by rakbuun on TikTok)

________________________________________

Bruce didn't like boys in a way a boy should like a girl.. or that's what he thought until he saw Vance. Pinball Vance hopper, the strongest and most aggressive boy at his school, the boy that would get into fights at school all the time for something as small as someone messing up his chance at beating his high score on the Pinball Machine.

Vance was an angry person with a lot of hatred in him everyone could see it from a mile away and even Bruce saw it. He saw how mad Vance was at the world but he never understood why. He always asked himself that when he thought of Vance but he never got close enough to ask, because even though his curiosity was killing him he didn't wanna walk home from school with a black eye and broken nose.

That's how it started aswell.. his attraction to Vance Hopper. It started with curiosity.

——————————————————-

Bruce was walking to the cafeteria to get his lunch when he glanced over at the field and saw a bunch of kids circling something, he knew it must have been a fight and at first he was just going to ignore it until he saw one of his friends run over to the crowd. After debating if he should skip lunch to check out the fight or not he decided he would just see who's fighting who, and why than he was gonna quickly come back to the cafeteria.

The closer he got to the crowd the louder the cheers became.

.

.

"Fuck him up!"

.

"Let him get up damn!!"

.

"Oooo"

.

.

And so on. Once he made it, he pushed though the crowd to see who was fighting and there he was Vance Hopper straddling some random kid, punching him in the face over and over again repeatedly. The kid already looked passed out Vance had clearly won but he wasn't stopping, if Vance keeps going that kid's gonna end up in the hospital with a concussion. While Vance would probably end up in juvie.

So against his better judgment Bruce jumped into the circle, quickly putting his arms around Vance's torso and pulling him off. Vance quickly tried to get out of my grasp, which he did end up doing successfully with me falling back but quickly gaining back my balance.

.

"Uh oh!"

.

"Bruce is in trouble now"

.

"What the hell man?!"

.

Vance turned to me and he looked piss, and admittedly I'll say that I was slightly terrified but at that moment I wasn't really thinking about how much of a dead man I was, instead I was thinking about how... pretty he looked. He has long curly dirty blonde hair, his face was very defined yet slightly feminine. However his most memorable feature was his deep blue siren like eyes. I could look at them forever, and I would, if Vance let me. Vance was very angelic, well he would look more so if he didn't have an already forming black eye and a nose bleed but Bruce didn't mind.

I was still deep in thought when I felt myself being pushed roughly to the ground by Vance, that's what snapped me out of my zoned out haze and back to reality. I looked up at Vance and that's when I thought I was going to get what that other guy got. Which is a horrible concussion, but luckily and thankfully that's not what happened. Vance just looked down at me and than walked away without saying a single word to me.

He pushed thought the crowd and even managed to knock some people to the ground but no one went at him for it they all just let him go.

"Bruce what the fuck were you thinking?!" My friend yelled at me as he helped me pull myself off the ground.

"I don't know.. I was just trying to help that kid, Vance was probably gonna end up giving him a concussion!" I was lying thought my teeth. I didn't care for the kid laying unconsciously on the ground, I just didn't want Vance to get in more trouble if he accidentally killed him or something.

In retrospect, that's probably very heartless of me to not care for the poor guy that went against Vance but from what I've seen from Vance since the beginning of the school year is that he doesn't ever start the fights. People either go to him asking for one or they do something stupid to provoke Vance to want to beat them to a pulp, I just wondered what that guy did to make Vance hit him continuously even after he was unconscious.

"Look Bruce, you're a good person and I know you like to help people but WHAT THE FUCK. You're lucky Vance didn't beat the absolute SHIT out of you"

"I'm sorry okay I was just worried, I mean if I didn't stop Vance could have been sent to juvie too you know. So I was trying to help the both of them"

"Yeah well if you ask me I think it would be better if pinball Vance went to juvie. The guys a fucking monster he'll beat up anyone if they make him even a little mad. The guy has got problems."

What is wrong with him? Why would he say that? No one like Vance should ever be in juvie he's probably just misunderstood or something, he's not a monster. He just has a short temper.

"Yeah I guess you're right"

"Of course I'm right!" He says putting his arm around my shoulder.

"Now come on Bruce lets go get some food before the bell rings I'm starving!"

We both go to the cafeteria and I sit with my usual group of mostly baseball friends, when I see Vance in the corner of my eye leaving the cafeteria.

I wonder where he's going?

Love leaving cliff hangers 🤭

I published this on Wattpad aswell and I might make a chapter 2 there (it’s @Dreams4877 the display name is risesthemoon._)

[calekinnieplus]

Young and old, gather round. For I have returned from my slumber to write an update to what I've read today! Almost 3 hours! Not as much as Peak binging time, but definitely good compared to the last few weeks. Left off at chapter 1140.

Did you miss me? <3

(Probably not, I was still posting quotes, comments and all that jazz~)

First of all, Klein advanced to Sequence 3 Scholar of Yore!! My boy, he's growing up so fast... Feels like yesterday when he was still a teeny tiny Nighthawk. Now, he's closer to divinity than a regular human.

Second of all, we met Mr. Door! Albeit, not from Klein’s POV, but from Trissy's. Not much to say about him yet, the most info about him came from Roselle's diary.

Speaking of which, I read this a few days ago, but Roselle was freakin Corrupted?? Possibly by either the underground corruption or the cosmos corruption. Crazy shit, innit? There's so much to explore in this world!! But the outcomes usually bring more harm that's difficult to make up for. Kudos to Cuttlefish

Trissy Cheek as the Primordial Demoness' Blessed and Klein Moretti as the Evernight Goddess' Blessed: FIGHT!

Lmao, their fates are so fucked up, the only options are either to laugh at it or cry.

Fors Wall's fear of Gehrman Sparrow will never cease to amuse me. It's so FUNNY, like?? He completely terrifies her and it's hilarious to see that just as Klein lampoons dramatically in his head. It's adorable~

Derrick and company successfully entered the Giant King's Court and through that, Klein found out some more stuff about the Dark Angel, such as the fact that he's supposedly sleeping behind that door and Klein has the key. Cool stuff! Dangerous and lowkey gives me anxiety at some points, but cool stuff!

(Bonus: Frank Lee's mushrooms have now made an appearance in the City of Silver. Oh dear.)

Amon is as terrifying as ever, while also being a silly little fuck. He's literally going like "hm, to kill...? Not the kill...? What to do, what to do..." and it Cracks me up HAH

Lastly, Klein is planning to interrupt King George III's advancement ritual to the Black Emperor throne (fucked up spot, tbh. The history tied to that name, sheesh...). He'll be fine, but I hope we'll get out of it relatively fine, considering the ending of volume 5 is approaching and from past experiences, a volume ending always has some bittersweet emotions attached there

80% done with the novel, I'm making decent progress :)

Until next time! Praise the Fool!

[lesbianlotties]

Ronancetober Day 15: Pirates AU

psa: i don't know a thing about pirates and names and whatever. so this is either really good or extremely silly, hopefully both... enjoy!! <3

“He said no?”

“He said no,” Mike shrugged nonchalantly, unmoved by the Captain’s deadly glare.

“The Red Robin says he won’t negotiate,” Eleven stepped in, holding her head high, always eager to impress the Captain that already favored her over most of the crew, sometimes even over Mike, the Captain’s own younger brother. “But he says he wants to talk, Captain.”

The Captain scoffed. “Oh, the Red Robin can go fuck himself then.”

“Captain,” Jonathan said quietly beside her. The Captain’s right-hand man, aggressive when she least expected it and reasonable when she least wanted it, was actually great at keeping things balanced, so the Captain usually appreciated his opinion. “It’s not… advisable to start a fight with the Red Robin.”

“Byers, I have the best crew and worst reputation around here. I’m not afraid of the Red Robin,” the Captain replied, but she knew that the Red Robin’s reputation matched her own. She finally yielded under the respectful but insistent eyes of her old friend. Plus, she had to admit a spark of curiosity in her chest, and her instinct screaming at her something temporarily unintelligible that sent her in the Red Robin’s path. “But I’ll talk, I guess,” the Captain added, and started delivering instructions. “I’ll take El and Byers First with me. Mike and Byers Second, you keep my ship afloat while I’m done or you’re dead, understood?” 

Done with that conversation, Nancy retreated to her quarters, adjusting her hat and the neck of her coat. She walked with practiced confidence and authority at every step. After all, the rest of her crew except for the four closest to her still believed she was a man. She had a lie to keep, and she had to figure out how to make the infamous Red Robin believe that lie during their conversation.

--

“He agreed?!”

“That’s what I just said,” MadMax replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Don’t be a little shit,” the Red Robin said and slapped the brim of the hat on the young woman’s head, successfully annoying her. “How did you get the Wicked Wheeler to agree to talk to me?!”

“I’m just too charming!” King Steve shrugged, and immediately got his hat slapped right off his head.

Beside him, a different girl snorted and laughed at him, “You’re dead.”

“Hey, I’m the one talking,” the Red Robin interrupted her. “But Little Sinclair is right, I should kill you for this.”

It was, of course, an obvious lie. In the same way that the Red Robin had adopted MadMax and Little Sinclair as if they were her younger sisters, King Steve had earned the role of best friend and right-hand man. It helped that King Steve was friends with a brilliant young genius boy that hatched this plan but failed to guarantee it would succeed.

“I can’t meet the Wicked Wheeler! You were supposed to scare him off!” Robin hissed. As terrifying as this entire plan sounded, she was immensely curious about finding out the identity of the famous Wicked Wheeler. Something in her chest told her this was a risk she had to take. Still, she had to be careful. She took off her hat and further lowered the thin scarf that she usually wrapped over half of her face to conceal her identity. She waved at her face and exclaimed, ”If he finds out I’m a woman we’re all dead.”

“Don’t get caught then,” Little Sinclair said, matter-of-factly.

“You got this,” MadMax shrugged, even if Robin caught the smile that she was trying to hide.

“And thank me later,” King Steve winked at her. He had just fixed his hat on his head again, just for Robin to flip it off of him again while the two girls laughed and he groaned. 

Dammit, Robin thought. She really had to pull this off, she couldn’t let down her crew, and she really, really didn’t want to die. Especially not in the hands of the Wicked Wheeler.

--

Finally, the day arrived. The two ships side by side, Nancy and the most trusted members of her crew boarded the Red Robin’s ship. She left Eleven and Byers First with a man and two young women, and she made her way to the quarters of the Captain of the ship. She was comforted by the fact that the Red Robin allowed women in his crew, not everyone was like that, but she still kept her guard up. She arrived at the Red Robin’s quarters and slowly pushed open the door. The room was big and probably filled with the best of every treasure the Red Robin ever captured, but Nancy couldn’t see most of it. The room was kept in the dark save for a few candles far away from the great dest where the other pirate expected her. She would’ve complained about the darkness, but it was convenient for her. The least the Red Robin saw of her face, the least suspicions there would be.

“Well, well, well,” the Red Robin said, “I would say it’s a pleasure to meet you, Wheels. But not even I’m that good of a liar. I did expect you to be taller in person, though. I guess people were lying when they said you were a great pirate, huh? Not that you ever were close to being one of the greatest but-”

“Oh fuck off,” Nancy interrupted him, “Do you ever shut up?” She’d had to say something, and she had to stand her ground. Most importantly, she had to hide the fact that the Red Robin’s raspy voice sent chills down her spine. Besides, her voice seemed to make the other Captain make a double take. The Red Robin stood up from his chair and walked around to lean back against the front of the heavy desk. Nancy was immediately drawn to that tall and slender body covered in as many layers as she was.

“You’re feisty, Wheels,” the Red Robin said, and stopped to take a hearty sip of the drink she’d had on the corner of her desk. Nancy would’ve been a fool to ignore the obvious fact that the Red Robin was regarding her as curiously and as thoroughly as she was studying him. The air between them was oddly electrifying, a turbulent sea, a rush of adrenaline. “Why did you agree to meet me?” the Red Robin finally asked her. “Your reputation says that you always send your little brother and some sad-looking guy to do your deals for you.”

“Isn’t that exactly what everyone says about you?” Nancy replied, taking one bold step closer to the other pirate.

“No,” the Red Robin smiled, such a bright and mischievous grin that it was noticeable even under the dim light of the room. “My crew is more impressive, and I always encourage them not to leave survivors.” The Red Robin didn’t imitate Nancy’s movements, but there was something about the way that she leaned into her desk that gave her the same effect. A dare. An invitation. A warning. All at once.

“Is that why I’m here?” Nancy asked, taking another step forward, and then another. “Are you stupid enough to think that you can kill me?”

All at once, Nancy felt extremely aware of the weight of her sword hanging by her hip. And her eyes were drawn to the Red Robin’s own sword right there inches away from the pirate’s fingertips.

“Why are you here?” the Red Robin asked, tilting her head and staring with amusement at Nancy. “I said I just wanted to talk. But what do you want, Wheels?”

“I want to know what you’re hiding behind all these shadows,” Nancy answered, taking one more step forward. She was close enough to see the clear blue color of the Red Robin’s eyes, more wild and beautiful than any sea either of them had ever conquered.

Surprisingly, the Red Robin swiftly pulled out her sword. Nancy reacted on instinct, pulling out hers as well, but the surprises only continued. The Red Robin was faster, but all he did was hold the very edge of his sword over the buttons of Nancy’s closed coat.

“I’ll show you,” the Red Robin whispered, no longer trying to make his voice deeper, but the hoarse result was even more attractive to Nancy’s ears. “If you’ll show me what you’re hiding under all these layers.”

“Why?” Nancy asked, holding her head high, gripping her sword tightly, and fearless taking a very small step forward so the tip of the Red Robin’s sword successfully cut through the first button on its path. “I’m sure you’re well acquainted with my secret, seeing as you’re hiding the same thing, Red Robin.”

The Red Robin laughed, and it was a warm and delicious sound. She lowered her sword and dropped it behind her on the desk. Then she took off her hat. She briefly shook her head to push back the wild strands of strawberry blond hair off her strikingly beautiful and freckled face, and then she made a playful bow with her hat pressed to her chest. “Just Robin is fine,” Robin said with a smile.

Nancy followed her example and took off her hat. She put back her sword, and then ran a hand over her hair, and gave Robin a matching smile of her own. “Nancy,” she said simply.

“What do you say, Nancy,” Robin said softly and held out her hand for Nancy to take, “Do you want to negotiate with me now?”

Nancy accepted Robin’s hand, knowing full well that neither of them was particularly thinking about their business at sea at the moment.